This book literally changed my life.

In the eleventh grade in Greenville, South Carolina, i had an English teacher who designated Thursday as "Free Reading Day" and encouraged the entire class to read anything they wanted to (well, within limits -- "Playboy" would have been Right Out, i'm sure.) -- and, in case you had nothing of your own, she laid out an assortment of magazines and books on a table at the front of the room.

On that table, one Thursday, was a copy of "The Cruel Sea". Since i've always been at least a bit interested in sea stories, and it looked interesting, i picked it up. From the first i was hooked solidly.

In the next three or so years, i reread it twice at least, possibly more than that.

And then i joined the Navy -- and i am sure that it was because of what i read in this book, and what i sensed behind it, in what Monsarrat -- who, like his viewpoint character, Lockhart, was there from the beginning, working his way up to command his own ship before the end of the war -- didn't so much say as assume about the sea and the Navy -- *any* Navy.

Monsarrat presents us here with a brotherhood of the sea, corny as that idea may sound. Sailors, more than the other Armed Forces, tend to regard other sailors -- even enemy sailors -- as brothers in arms, and, as Monsarrat says, the only true enemy is the cruel sea itself.

As he shows us here, the sailor who was your enemy five minutes ago, who was trying to kill you as you tried to kill him, is merely another survivor to be rescued from the cruel sea once you've sunk his ship.

And, even more so, as Monsarrat portrays it, there is a kind of brotherhood that binds sailors in the same Navy together in very mcuh a family manner -- you may not like your cousin, but you want to know what's happening to him and, when all is said and done, he IS your relative.

The best summation of this sort of attitude (which i felt to some extent myself during my time in the US Navy) comes when Ericson, the Captain, is touring his new ship as she stands under construction in a Glasgow shipyard; he meets one of his future officers, and mentions the name of his previous ship, which was lost with over three-quarters of her crew, and realises that

"He's heard about 'Compass Rose', he probably remembers the exact details--that she went down in seven minutes, that we lost eighty men out of ninety-one. He knows all about it, like everyone else in the Navy, whether they're in destroyers in the Mediterranean or attached to the base at Scapa Flow: it's part of the linked feeling, part of the fact of family bereavement. Thousands of sailors felt personally sad when they read about her loss; Johnson was one of them, though he'd never been within a thousand miles of 'Compass Rose' and had never heard her name before."

To be part of a band of brothers like that is a proud thing, and Monsarrat captures it perfectly.

He also captures the terrified boredom of being in enemy territory with nothing happening as you wait for the enemy to make the first move, and the shock, confusion and horror of combat (particularly sea combat, in which the battlefield itself is the deadly, patient enemy of both sides).

And he captures the glories and rewards of life at sea, the beauty of a glorious clear dawn at sea, the stars and the moon and the wake at night and so much more.

This is the book that made a sailor out of me.

It will tell you what it is to be a sailor.

Although written for the Royal Navy corvette duty of World War II it brings the adventure of the sea to life for anyone. As a U.S. Navy veteran, I found this book to be outstanding in its reality of the sea, the ships, the men, and the tensions of war. The Cruel Sea is difficult, if not impossible, to put down. I'm ready for other books by Nicholas Monsarrat, he is a powerful and enlightened writer.

The Cruel Sea is perhaps the finest novel written out of World War II. It is drawn on the actual service in the Royal Navy of the author. It is the story of two ships, maybe 200 men, German submarines and the constant relentless ocean. Even when there is no combat action, the sea is always there in all its forms - just waiting for a small defect to occurr and then it will claim another victim - be it man or ship.

The sailors of the Compass Rose are a dramatic cross section. The captain is a reservist from the merchant navy while his officers are all volunteers from the civilian sector. One officer's only sea going experience is crossing the channel in a small yacht with a one woman crew. Not the best of material.

The crew is even more diverse. The senior ratings, coxswain, signalman, engineer and several others, are all professional Royal Navy and it is one these men the captain will lean the most. The remainder of the crew is drawn from all walks of life from clerks to vet assistants. Together they are all molded into a working crew.

The contacts with the German submarines are numerous but the end result is disappointing to some in that only two submarines are sunk between the two ships. Lots of survivors are pulled from the sea though as the submarines whittle away at the convoys chugging across the sea.

One gets a sense of the unending grind that the men endure as the ships make thier rounds from Liverpool to New York with a side trip to Russia for variety. Even shore time is not enjoyed as the local Liverpool area is pounded by German bombers and wives and girlfriends are not willing to endure the constant seperation.

Compass Rose is sunk and the crew, once more, is held together by the captain. Some men are heros and die a heros death and others are simply freightened men trying to stay alive which few do. It is a sobering time for the survivors as they look back at their life in Compass Rose.

The captain and one officer move on to another ship and finish the war in her. Again, it is a return to the grind of fighting the sea and occassionally fighting the Germans. One submarine is sunk by the new ship and the war ends.

There is little glory to be earned in this story, rather it is a tale of survival, hanging on to make it through the day or night. Everyone is a hero in this story from the junior sailor to the captain. It is a story that is being remembered less and less as the survivors of World War II diminish in numbers. It is a story to be read and remembered - when there was no array of electronic weapons and nuclear energy to draw upon to destroy an enemy; rather it was skill, patience, persistance and a willingness to endure that saw a successful outcome from a combat between corvette and submarine. Sometimes the corvette won and sometimes the submarine won. Many times it was a draw.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the war at sea during World War II. It should be in every naval officer's personal library regardless of nationality. Once read, it should never be forgotten.

I met Mary prior to my shipping out to the Gulf War, she told me that she was working on a book about her experiences in the Vietnam War, and also interviewing those that she served with. When the book finally came out I bought the book right away. Upon doing this, I could'nt put it down, I completed it in 2 days. The book had me laughing and on the verge of tears. Many books have been written from the eyes of a men serving in war, but too few have been written about a womens experience in that same war. I have to say her book was easy to read and understand, but at the same time conveys her feelings and alot of the frustration she felt durin her tour in Vietnam. I have to highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to see the war thru the eyes of a Vietnam nurse, or any women serving in a war zone. To all that served with honor in all wars including the one we are now engaged in, May God Bless you all and keep you safe, and also your loved ones.

A World of Hurt by Mary Reynolds Powell helps ease the pain I have felt for the past 29 years. I served at the 24th Evac Hospital as an Internist on the medical wards (5-10)in 1971-72. I spent a total of 5 years in the army before I could face leaving the haunting memories of that "war" behind me. The book brings back so much to me and has helped me realize that I am not alone in these feelings. She writes from the heart and you feel what she felt, and you know the hurt that lasts a life time. I thank her for writing this book and recommend it to anyone who was in Vietnam and to all those who want to understand the horror of war and the helpless feeling and anguish of youthful death. This book is therapeutic to so many of us who served and have kept the pain internally and have cried in silence and in the darkness. I thank you for this book for it is a gift to all eho suffered. I can no longer remain anonymous.

Mary Reynals Powell's book, A World of Hurt, allows you to experience the Vietnam War without having to really go there. She recounts the tragedy of Vietnam and the ludicrousness of the military. The book speaks about the personal experiences of seven individuals. After reading this book, the reader will have a greater understanding of the individuals that were there and the setting they were placed in. Read it.

A devotee comes along and asks "why is there no meditation during dreaming?" Ramana's response: "Ask it in the dream."

Most of the answers from Ramana Maharshi in this huge volume of ultimate spiritual Q&A are as disconcerting as this one -- which by the way has a double entendre for those who know the advaita equalization of waking life and dreams (the devotee did not get he WAS INDEED asking "in the dream"...). What strikes the reader first is the brilliance of this humble man, his razor-sharp intelligence. But as we turn the pages and ponder his words in hundreds of dialogues, little by little we realize we are dealing here with the real thing: a man who has crossed over to the other shore, a jivanmukta ("liberated while alive"). I have read quite a lot in the last few years on philosophy and spirituality, and my feeling regarding this book is one of reaching rock bottom: you simply cannot go deeper.

The question "Did you exist in deep sleep?", for example, sounds to me the best argument for the unreality of the ego, which Ramana sometimes call the "small I". Very ingenious. No one denies, while awake, his own existence in deep sleep. But whence comes our certainty, if we where unconscious? It comes from a silent witness. If you understand that the same witness is the indestructible background of the bundle of thoughts we call "mind", it is game over for the ego and the suffering it brings to you.

My limited exposure to advaita vedanta suggests that it may not be suitable for some (perhaps most) spiritual seekers, because it may be misconstrued as nihilistic. If you want to take the risk, this may be one of the best books to read. Overall, a very fine edition, compleat with sanskrit glossary, anotated vedanta bibliography and full thematic index. A work of love.

Ramana Maharshi's technique of Self-realization is simplicity itself. This should already be indication enough that he has discovered the profoundest truth. This book is a bit like a Mozart score. When you look at the pages there doesn't seem to be very much there. It all seems so simple. Yet when you play the Mozart, as when you apply the principle of Self-Inquiry, something very unexpected and altogether miraculous happens.

When one correctly applies the single and singular principle he expounds in these talks, the result is well-nigh infallible. Which is not to say that one sees bright lights or is consumed with ecstasy or anything of the sort--that's not what is supposed to happen anyway. What happens simply is that the mind is stilled, and the true nature of mind, ego, and Self is glimpsed. With practice, this glimpse turns into a gander and then turns into a wide open view.

Alas, as one very wise reviewer below put it, many people "enjoy being lost." What Maharshi makes absolutely crystal clear in these talks is that Realization is right there for taking, and always has been, and always will be. In other words, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within." Those who do not realize do so because, in the final analysis, they either enjoy being lost or they are profoundly afraid of what realization implies--even those who claim to be seeking the way. And so the endless rounds continue: the books, the tapes, the discussion groups and meditation retreats, the trips to India and Tibet, the fumbling attempts at Tantric Yoga, the crystals, the gurus, etc. This is all well and good: the Self is always still there, watching, and will still be there when one has tired of the spiritual circus.

My own words crumble and dissolve in the face of Maharshi's very modest-seeming but singularly pure and profound wisdom. I don't know what else to say except that Maharshi's words show the way, and then provide the guidance and inspiration to abide in the Self that is always already there. I give this book all the stars in the cosmos!

The best book on Spirituality, Advaita and Ramana Maharshi. Reading the book itself takes one close to his true nature (Self). Ramana Maharshi is the greatest teacher of our time. Every page in the book is witness to that. I will be reading that book many many times.

A great book to read again and again and contemplate!

I first ran across this book a few years ago when I had just been bitten by the travel bug, but did not know how to plan or to pack. This book was a wonderful introduction to traveling; full of stories advice by the author from his extensive travels through the world. Those who are still unsure about traveling will find themselves steadied by the introductory chapters which suggest reasons for traveling. What is even better is that the author makes very good suggestions as to how to pack and what essentials to bring. Things that you may not have thought of bringing that you will find useful. Plus for someone just beginning to travel, such a well though out list is a great help. Although I have now lived on three different continents and traveled extensively, I still find myself referring to the lists of things to pack or the suggestions for how to find inexpensive fares. So, even seasoned travelers will still find this book a good resource.

If you are just thinking of traveling in the world or have already been bitten by the bug, I highly recommend this great resource as an aid for your travel plans.

Quite possibly the best and most useful general travel reference book that I have seen. It has basics for planning, preparing for, and going on your trip. Outstanding bibliography and checklists. This book will serve as a great introduction to all aspects of trip planning, but you will probably want to consult other resources for further information about specific topics (such as courier flights, packing, rail travel, destinations).

Reviewed October 2001 by Charles McCool on LowerAirfares.com

I could rave about this book in so many different ways! The organization is wonderful, the advice Sangster offers is practical, and his style is extremely encouraging. Unlike many other travel advice books, Sangster does not come across as a travel snob nor does he talk down to his readers nor is he intimidating with his approach.

Additionally, Robert Sangster is also accessible to his readers. I sent him an email, commending him on such a wonderful book and shared with him my up-coming travel plans. Within a short time, he replied personally, offering additional advice (even though I really hadn't asked for it) and wishing me the best on my travels.

I highly recommend this book for every possible reason. Happy trails!

A penny for our thoughts? More like a nickel and dime. Back before Woolworth's closed, you would have been able to buy this book there . . . along with a package a hair nets, a package of socks, the latest 45, genuine polyester bloomers, parakeet food, the cheapest eye shadow and lipstick known to woman (and an occasional man), and, at those special stores with a famous Formica-topped lunch counter, a grilled cheese and Coca-Cola. Today, Woolworth's is a mere memory to those middle-classers who spent time and money there. Woolworth's may have closed in 1997 (after 188 years of business), but author Karen Plunkett-Powell keeps the legacy alive as she takes readers on a nostalgic stroll down the aisles stocked with this and that. The reminiscences and recollections from die-hard customers add a warm touch but it's the test and photos take make the trip worth it.

Remembering Woolworth's is a delightful book that brings back crisp memories of buying yarn and crochet thread of every color, embroidered hankies for Mother's Day, and grilled cheese sandwiches for a treat -- plus a free view of the goldfish and the canaries. This oh-so-enjoyable book also unfolds the story of the man behind the name, the employees around the world, and the personal tidbits of history that make you realize this was one special place in time. Treat yourself!

Like rock and roll, Woolworths will be forever engraved in the psyche of baby boomers. In this book, I discovered what precipitated Frank Woolworth's rise from New York hayseed to Merchant Prince. Woolworths was the first store to give middle America a new world of goods, instead of a bill of goods. Through enchanting pictures,heart warming time capsule memories and energizing text, I could revisit the store that sold affordable cologne, boxed stationery and enough candy for the sweet teeth of America's youth. Ms. Powell takes us boomers on a delightful walk down Woolworth's memory lane.

The story of accidental pioneers, this book was made into the movie "Follow That Dream" with Elvis Presley. I enjoyed the story very much and re-read it every few years.

This is one of Richard Powell's best books. It's main characters are a family of New Jersey Piney's. As Powell grew up in Philadelphia and later retired to Florida, he obviously knew a lot about the people and the places he wrote about. The Kwimper family is hysterical. Particularly the father, who feels he is helping the government by taking advantage of their various assistance programs. The book is a true satire in that regard. The main character, Toby Kwimper (played by Elvis in the movie version "Follow that Dream") is your classic big strong dope with a heart of gold. Like all Powell novel's it's very cleverly put together with great dialogue. If you like this book, check out some of Powell's better known novels: "The Philadelphia" (later made into a movie starring Paul Newman), and my all time favorite, and Powell's last and greatest novel "Whom the Gods Would Destory" (about the Trojan War, Helen of Troy, Odyssey cycle of stories - a truly great read). Powell at one time was a creative writing teacher at Syracuse Univ and it shows. He's one of my favorite authors.

I found myself keep going back and reading this book over and over again since I first read it 10 years ago. Richard Powell became one of my favourite authors of all time. "Pioneer go home" is one of his masterpiece! The story was laid out in such a genius way. You'll love it.

I finished reading this in one day -- that's how gripping I found it. It's literary in the way that F. Scott Fitzgerald and Willa Cather are literary -- the diction and syntax are polished, the setting is captured with precise details, but the plot comes through clearly -- and it's hard to put this down once you start to read it. This is my first Dawn Powell novel, but I intend to read all of her works after this amazing introduction.

Dawn Powell (1896 -1965) wrote novels about her youth in small town Ohio at the turn of the century and about New York City, where she spent most of her adult life. In general, Powell wrote the New York City novels, such as "Turn Magic Wheel", and "The Locusts Have no King" later in her career. They tend to be sharp satires. Her earlier Ohio novels, such as "Dance Night" and "Come Back to Sorrento", are marked, I think, by a depiction of small town life which is critical and bittersweet, as well as somewhat satirical, and by a restlessness and sense of frustration, ...

Powell worked for three years on "My Home is Far Away" which was published in 1944. She had difficulty with the book, writing and rewriting the various scenes as she tried to fictionalize her biography and turn it into a novel. The book appears in the midst of her New York novels, and it is a throwback in to her earlier books with its setting in Ohio, its focus on childhood, and its bittersweet tone. Powell intended this novel as the first of a three-part trilogy, but the other two volumes never materialized.

Most of Powell's novels seem to me distinctly autobiographical in tone and "My Home is Far away" is particularly so. It tells the story of a family, focusing on three young sisters, Lena, Marcia, and Florrie, their father Harry, their mother Daisy, and, after Daisy's death, their stepmother Idah. There are basiclly three parts to the story: the period leading to the death of Daisy, and intervening period in which the three girls are raised by their father and assorted other relatives, and a the period after their father remarries and the girls are subjected to a cruel stepmother. When they find they can no longer take the abuse, they leave home and come into their own lives.

The title of the novel, "My Home is Far Away" derives from an Irish song that the girls sing with their mother. The title well captures some of the rootlesness of the family as they move from here to there. It also evokes well the longing for a home life and for a stability which the family, and Dawn Powell, never had.

One of the problems with this book is diffentiating the characters of three young girls. On the whole, this is handled effectively. The Dawn Powell character is the middle sister, Marcia, who is plain but highly precocious. The older girl, Lena, is much more sociable and outgoing.

The family moved a great deal from one small Ohio town to another and to different places within various towns. The most effective scenes in the book for me were the pictures of many dingy, run-down hotels and small town back streets during which the girls spent much of their childhood. The father, Harry, was a travelling salesman who, for most of the book, has difficulty holding a job and spending time with his family. He professes to love his family, but doesn't provide well. He spends his time and money hanging around with his friends and, apparently, with women in various towns.

One key moment in the book occurs rather early in it when the girls' mother dies. This scene is beautifully told. Then we see Harry trying to shunt the girls off to various relatives until he finally attempts to care for them himself. The marriage to Idah brings Harry some stability, but at a terrible cost. Idah is a shrewish, jealous stepmother. The two older girls both leave home to get away from her.

This book has some slow moments, but it is a wonderful coming-of-age novel and gives a good picture of the rural midwest. It is good that Dawn Powell's novels are in print and readily accessible. It is intriguing to think how she might have proceeded in the remaining two projected volumes of her autobiographical trilogy.

Dawn Powell was no whiner- and as this highly autobiographical novel attests, she had plenty of reason to complain! The story of her turn of the century Ohio childhood, is told through the viewpoint of Marcia, the gifted, plain, middle child of three motherless sisters. Despite a neglectful, absent and grandiose father, ( a child himself,) and a host of inadequate relatives, the girls are largely delighted with their world, which by modern standards is one of poverty and neglect. The book is an object lesson in attitudes and expectations that become reality.
This was an era that discouraged pity, and would have been dumbfounded by modern 'confessional' trends. The attitudes toward children, would be barbaric today. The girls remained loyal to their father, even as they grew to understand his weaknesses, and they found delight in characters that would be considered dangerous and forbidden today. Their own grandmother, refusing to attend to fire safety, managed to burn down four houses, including her own, from which weeks before the girls had just been removed. This is a story of a triumph of childhood with nothing of the tone of the adult looking back in a lament. In some ways, it is similar to "Angela's Ashes," another horrible experience of childhood, that uniquely avoids the subject of depression and rage. This even holds true for the archetypical wicked stepmother, an unrelenting, hateful woman who sadistically confiscated or forbade any object or activity of pleasure.
The most amazing part of Marcia, is this 'game' she played, when she was in the midst of an ordeal. She could reach down inside of herself and become the person who was devoid of reactions to the current stress and be completely strong and capable of enduring the trauma through to the end. It is a testimony, spoken by a child, of the human spirit, and the infinite manifestations and sources of power by which mankind survives. I will definitely read this book again, for its fresh outlook and restrained economy.

I am an avid reader of Christian fiction. This book was listed as such so I purchased it. Well, the story was excellent. It kept you on the edge of you seat until the end. However, when I finished the book, I realized that it is a Mystery/Suspense novel not a Christian/Fiction novel. There is no mention of God, church or the Bible in this novel. It is an enjoyable short story, but if anyone is expecting Christian fiction, pick another book!

I first became aware of this gem after I was given a now out-of-print audiobook of the same. I acquired the book in hardback shortly thereafter. As others have observed, the masterpiece stands quite on its own as a darn good yarn. Forsyth goes further, however. The entire story is littered with tempting religous allegory. Consider, for example, flight Lt. Marks, Old Joe, along with the now abandoned storage depot with many rooms, and all of it occuring on Christmas Eve. However, none of it is spoon fed, and a number of dots left to the reader to connect. Originally written as a Christmas present for his wife, it is most certainly a gift for us as well.

It's Christmas Eve 1957, and an English pilot is flying his single-seat fighter from Germany, on his way home for Christmas. But when the electrical circuits fail, he is suddenly on his own in a lonely sky, unable to contact the men below who alone can guide him home through the foggy skies. With fuel running out, radio contact gone, and navigation impossible, and when it seems that he's destined to ditch only to freeze to death in a deserted sea, a miraculous saviour appears. A World War 2 style plane appears out of the gloom, and its brave pilot "shepherds" the helpless flyer down through the frosty night sky towards safety. Will he succeed? And why does the airport seem deserted? And who is the mysterious shepherd?

Although "The Shepherd" is a very short novel that can easily be read in under an hour, it doesn't hinder Forsyth from capturing your attention. He cleverly heightens the intensity of the action and suspense by using the first person point of view. The stricken pilot's fears and bewilderment quickly become your own, until they are resolved in a spine-chilling last-page climax that raises as many questions as it answers.

The gripping plot is marred only by a few incidences of blasphemy. But the paperback edition is beautifully enhanced by Lou Feck's full-page black and white illustrations. "The Shepherd" may be a departure from Forsyth's usual fare in that it is a short and sweet Christmas story that exploits the season's fondness for supernatural miracles. But it lacks none of his trademark spine-tingling suspense. Unlike the pilot, it will be a while before you come back down to earth after reading this one!

Sam Powell and Lane Carter's "Almost a Whisper" provides a basic guide for horse owners who want to work with their horses. From the foundations of basic horse behavior patterns to understanding horse psychology for more effective training, this book provides a general focus on understanding and communicating with horses.

This book speaks volumes more than the 160 or so pages. Having read just about every book I can on Equine care etc., this is one that stays at the top. Sam not only communicates with the horse, but more importantly us all knowing humans.

One significant issue that struck me as so different is the character Sam demonstrates in giving credit to others. Very specifically his father for teaching him so much early on. Sam that is character. Something that is probably recognized by the horse quicker than the human.

This is a great book. Will it teach you something you have not already read in other trainers (whisperers) books. You bet it will. It has depth and a total lacking of self promotion. It has soul.

Sam and Lane, Thanks.

Sam is the " genuine article", a true horseman. I read the book and then found Sam. I have seen or been to many of the hyped up, famous horse " whispers" clinics/productions, and three trainers. I've read a ton of horse books. Thanks to Sam's book, I have now met and had him help me with my horses. If you want glitz and hollywood glamour, you won't find what you are looking for in Sam's book. If you are looking for someone to tell you how pretty your horse looks with his whiskers sheared, you won't find this in his book either. If you are looking for a real horseman, you will find him in this book. My horses have found a true friend and knowledgeable horseman in Sam. My hope is that after reading his book, you will begin to see the horse from the horse's point of view as opposed to the Hollywood image. One book can't cure all your horse problems, but it does give you insight and a place to begin. Many thanks to ... for recommending this book. Many, many thanks to Sam and Lane for being such gentle souls and taking the time to write this book for the benefit of the horse.

I thought that the book was excellent. I would think that anyone who read it would be able to tackle texts like Dissemination etc. There are so many bad introductions to Derrida around that this book came as a refreshing surprise. I felt that it gave a very good coverage of Derrida's work.

Before I read this book, I knew almost nothing about Jacques Derrida, though I had browsed through some of his works. I think this is a good book for the general reader. It goes more into depth on Derrida than Powell's other book Postmodernism for Beginners.

Derrida is my favorite philosopher. I don't think that his 'Deconstruction' is holistic necessarily but the gist of it explains the inherent problems of doing philosophy better then anything else I've read.

Unlike the greats of Science who simplify complex ideas (i.e..Stephen Hawking, Richard Feynman), the guru's of philosophy take fairly straight-forward ideas and shroud them with such mysterious sounding proprietary language that their work becomes nearly impossible to decipher. Derrida is no exception. This is a shame because his underlying message is brilliant...and really not not all that abstract.

So until philosophers realize that less words does not directly translate to less intelligence, we should be very glad to have commentators like Jim Powell around.

"Derrida For Beginners" concentrates on developing the key concept of "differance" and defining the necessary Derridian terminology used to communicate its meaning. The book clearly defines, "binary opposites", "texts", "logocentricism" etc.. and has plenty of diagram's to help you get the idea. While I can't say the artwork did much for me, the cartoon setting does force the message to be carried accross succinctly...no babling. The first book I read after failing miserably to tackle "Of Grammatology" was "Derrida" by Christopher Norris. While his was an excellent introduction..I will say that after I read "Derrida for Beginners" I went back and read most of Norris' book again and got a lot more out of it. Try this: read "Derrida for Beginners" as many times as needed until you have all the words in bold print at your fingertips..then, read Norris' book "Derrida". With this few hours of investment, do some online searches and read some of the commentaries and criticism of Derrida. You will be surprised at how badly he is misunderstood by so many who have studied him a lot more then you, and should feel good about your knowledge in comparisom. Of course you then need to get humble again so start reading "Of Grammatology". :)