The issue of the authenticity of the New Testament book of II Peter is one of greater importance than generally realized. The current liberal Protestant consensus that II Peter is a spurious second century work raises troubling questions about both the authority of Scripture and the establishment of the canon. And the conclusions of liberal Protestant "scholarship" rob the Church of its most powerful voice raised in opposition to the false prophets of the first--and twenty first centuries.

Rising in defense of the Faith is D.Edmond Hiebert's excellent commentary on II Peter and Jude. This book combines a strong defense of the traditional authorship of II Peter, an excellent verse by verse commentary on these two books, and a persuasive argument for the literary dependence of Jude on II Peter. Despite being published by Bob Jones University Press, this book will not necessarily appeal to strong fundamentalists. Hiebert's low-keyed style is intended to persuade rather than overwhelm the critics. The author could in fact come on stronger on the significance of an ancient writing predicting a world threatened by nuclear war.

Hiebert's commentary is probably the best book in print on Second Peter and Jude, and five stars is the obvious rating.

I was seven years old when I first read this book. It spurred me on to get a pilot's license and I have been enjoying the rewards of soaring flight ever since. Their book is ripe with vivid imagery and packed with fascinating information on the pioneers of soaring. It is very easy to read and equally hard to put down once you've begun. Etched in my memory all this time, I have been searching for a copy for over 41 years(I wish I had told the library that I had lost it and just paid the fine!) I would recommend it as mandatory reading for anyone interested in the history of gliding and soaring. It is extremely well written and well illustrated. So much so, that I can still remember certain passages and illustrations to this day. If it were possible, I would give it an eleven on a scale of 1-10.

Stress is unavoidable if we are alive. Some stress is harmful, and some stress is beneficial. The most important aspect of stress is the way we deal with it. Currently most of us Americans are finding ourselves dealing with all the stress we think we can handle. THE STRESS OWNER'S MANUAL, MEANING, BALANCE & HEALTH IN YOUR LIFE, is a book I worked through a year ago. Lately, I have been giving it a prominent place at my bedside, and I find many of the wise words in the book helpful. For example,here are some ways listed to deal with stress. "Do unto others.... Smile. Develop hobbies or interests. Rebuild after.... Allow yourself to grieve. Cut back television. Be assertive. Make chores more fun. Enjoy meals. Hold family councils. Nurture a friendship." The list goes on. The book presents a well-organized method through instructions and tools for analyzing and repairing stress. It is a practical action book which allows the reader to become involved. As the author of a novel, Solomon's Porch, which tells about one family's methods of coping with stress, I found THE STRESS OWNER'S MANUAL to be a therapeutic, comprehensive guide to solving many of the stressful aspects of existence I have addressed in fiction.

I,m absolutely delighted to see this book back in print as I ,ve been searching for itf for years. The enlarged photos give an even better view of the detail and workmanship in these tiny garments. IIt,s a lovely symbol of postwar renewal and optimism to be treasured always.

Approximately one year ago, I edited a series of children's plays where the central character was Pacala, a Rumanian character also known as the trickster. While reading through the plots, I was struck by the similarities to other tales that I have read. It seems that trickster characters are as culturally ubiquitous as heroes and villains. That is no more evident than in this collection of tales from the frozen north to southern India. All involve heroes who survive dangers or dispense justice by using tricks of words or deeds.
Although there are many threats of violence, there is none committed, which makes it well-suited for children. With a moral of problem resolution by thinking and planning, it shows children that there are many ways of solving problems, sometimes even using the evil perpetrators negative disposition against them. The sources of the stories are India, northern Eskimos, Scotland, Turkey, Iran, Japan, Indo-China, Korea and Europe.
I enjoyed the tales immensely, both as a parent and someone interested in the cross-cultural value of legends and historical tales. They are the kind of stories any parent would like their children to hear.

Dr. Edmonds has brought light to the history of the Civil War in South Louisiana in "Yankee Autumn". He has exhaustingly researched the archives of many States, both North and South, as well as journals, diaries, and other records. His method of writing is very picturesque, and he is able to capture the reader into the sights, sounds, and smells of the Civil War. 'The Teche Campaign', and 'The Great Texas Overland Expedition' are now, thanks to Dr. Edmonds, a well researched, documented, and published study. I suggest this book to all military historians.

The Death of Ivan Ilyich was a wonderful book that dove deep in to the realities of the death of Ivan. The character in the book named Ivan faces the fact that his life is going to be cut short, and he realizes that he never had the good life he wanted. I thought that this book gave a good realization on what death could be like, and what a person could truly go through. This book had a wonderful plot hat really left a person thinking, and wondering what would be in store for them. The book gave the reader a good sense of what Ivan was going through. Through out the book Ivan was denying the fact that he was going to die, and was in a sense going insane form all of his thoughts. In the end of the book, the author showed us how Ivan got over that insanity and how he accepted his fate.

...so I could read this story in the original. This novella is an absolute masterpiece. It made me think about things my jaded self had long since given up on, like God, purpose of life, death, fear. Tolstoy has an absolute deadpan sense of humor, which was so subtle it took me a while to catch on (for example, Ivan's fatal injury occurs while he is hanging expensive drapery out to impress his friends--what a beautifully ironic, even funny way to point out the meaninglessness of his life?).

If you're like me, and don't have the time to slog through "War and Peace" but are interested in Tolstoy, try this book. It's outstanding.

Tolstoy's novella makes rewarding and unsettling reading. Surely, I can think of no novel that treats dying as boldly. Death is a fact. In this story Ivan Ilyich's life and death are plainly represented in a fashion that remarkably resembles the times I have been aware of other, near people dying. What the novel puts on display in so satisfying and disconcerting a fashion is the remarkable inability or reluctance of most people (I ashamedly include myself in this group) to take part in the life of a person who is inevitably and rather immediately dying. Only one character in the novel has the goodness, humility and patience to care for a dying man, the rest scurry about and take care of their anticipated needs in the face of losing a loved one.

I find that I read this book again every year and that it remains such a fine portrait of a bureaucrat whose family life does not entirely satisfy him and whose pursuit of a more meaningful life fails to cease even in sickness, when he understands that his mortality is soon to be demonstrated. There are few works of this nature that I can set in the company of this short novel. Despite many readings, I feel I still don't entirely understand it, but later in life I imagine I will do better. This book is so excellent and the edition here lends itself to portable and pleasant reading.

Although my blind urge to read the Great Classics has (thankfully) faded somewhat over the years in favor of reading whatever I damn please, I finally decided it was time to give War and Peace a try. After all, how can anyone who enjoys novels resist the lure of "the greatest novel of all time"? And Tolstoy himself was an unusually interesting man -- not a screwed-up genius but one who seemed to eventually figure it all out. It took me maybe a hundred pages to get into the rhythm of the book and figure out who all those characters with multisyllabic Russian names were. After that, it was totally engrossing and surprisingly easy reading. There's no point giving you a book report on what happens -- you're supposed to read it yourself -- but I do disagree with some of the other reviewers who didn't care for the sections describing Tolstoy's philosophy of history. I found those sections (a very small proportion of the book) fascinating, albeit a change of pace. This is part of what makes the book great. War and Peace is not just a story of what happens to a bunch of made-up people, but a major work of art expressing the wisdom of a great man.

What a tale! Tolstoy's War and Peace has everything - a broad palatte of characters set to the greatest event of the 19th century - with conflict, romance, honor, courage, a beautiful (if initally maddeningly spoiled) heroine and a bookish (but likable) hero. This fabulous book is everything you've heard about it.

To many, the daunting size, scope and scale of War and Peace is a deterrent to reading it. Fear not: the story is so uttery engrossing, you will literally be unable to put the book down. Tolstoy's characters are almost real in their mannerisms, actions, thoughts and relationships - you feel almost kin to the central figures as they mature and change over time. The drama of the Napoleonic Wars, and the vidid descriptions of the life of the Russian aristocracy at its zenith also drew me into the story.

The book truly is a maserpiece of literature, and I highly recommend it. The only criticism I have is that Tolstoy, as usual, uses the book as a bully-pulpit to share his personal views, but unless you are specifically looking for them, they are negligable. (A hint: look for his themes of "fate" and "destiny" - there are others, but those are my favorites.)

There are many great works of literature - War and Peace certainly deserves to be counted among them. Take the time to read this book - you will not be disappointed.

A wonderfully intricate story by an unbelievable tale spinner. The war is Napoleon's invasion of Russia, a complete fiasco because Napoleon failed to make provision for the Russian winter and the absence of food for his invading army. It's a long but generally quick read, sometimes as hot and scandalous as the gossip on TV. The strength of the book is in the characters. There are five Russian families to follow - the fabulously wealthy Bezukhovs, the slimy Kuragins, the cerebral Bolkonskys, the spirited Rostovs, and the crafty Drubetskoys. There are few characters in literature as memorable and adorable as Natasha Rostova, as a child and as an adult. Don't be intimidated by the size of the book. This isn't Proust or Joyce. It's not that difficult. And it's a really good story.

It's not perfect. Tolstoy throws some rather crackpot ideas in. He believes that Napoleon and other historical figures (we can assume Hitler and Stalin would fit his criteria) have no influence on history - they are simply pawns in the game of fate. Why not just say that everything that you and everyone else has ever done and ever will do is nothing but preordained fate, having nothing to do with you, beyond your control or influence. Tolstoy is a much better storyteller than he is a philosopher. The only way to make any sense of his philosophy is to take it in small doses and just admit that world leaders wouldn't have risen to power unless they met the perceived needs of some of the people they governed.

This is the first fiction book I've read in a long time, and I have to say I'm not too disappointed. Fathers and Sons relates not only the generation gap in 19th century Russia, but also shows how fragile and fake the entire Russian system was in that time period. Every character symbolizes an important facet of Russian society. Paul Petrovich is the old slavophile nobility, convinced that Russians and their ways are the best in the world while they wear English clothing and speak and read in French. His brother Nicholas is the bridge between the old world and the new world, trying to fit in with the new ways while he only understands the old customs. Arcady, who represents those in society who outwardly follow the latest trendy beliefs but can't shake their emotions or their humanity. And Barazov, who represents youth, with its eternal promise of new ideas and ways, but who are blind to their own naive hypocrisy. Certainly there are other characters, but these major figures shape the plot of the book.

Turgenev manages to leave no stone unturned, casting withering attacks on peasants, psuedo-intellectualism, government officials, corruption, and conventions. The book mentions that Turgenev alienated and angered many in Russia with this book, and the reader will quickly see why.

Turgenev recognized the backwardness of Russia, and that it must change if it were to survive in a new world. The big question was how, and Turgenev shows that while idealists like Bazarov may have new ideas (Bazarov's idea was nihilism, a belief in nothing), those ideas mean nothing if not backed up with solutions to the problems.

An excellent book, and very readable. The price is low enough that most people really don't have an excuse to give this one a shot.

This was required reading for my Russian literature class because it is considered a classic. My favorite part of this book is the fact that it gives the reader a glimpse of what life was like for the average nobleman of the day...(in the 1850's) It has some interesting descriptions of Russian family life, the life of the peasantry and how the younger generation interacted with the older generation (hence the title, "Fathers and Sons" although the original Russian is called "Fathers and Children"). One of the main characters, Bazarov, is a self proclaimed nihilist who rejects all forms of authority, causing problems for the older generations (his parents & his friend's parents), but attracting the attention of the people of his (the younger) generation. This book has no real plot...it is merely the story of how one man brings his nihilist ideas into other peoples' lives & it gives accounts of everybody else's reactions to these nihilist ideas. It is an interesting book & a pretty quick read, but it can drag in places...especially if the reader is waiting for something interesting to happen. All in all, I believe this book is worth reading, if just to get a taste of "Old Russia", but if you are looking for an exciting "can't-put-it-down-sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-page-turner", you won't find it in this book.

In Turgenev's Fathers and Sons, as in most of Chekhov, nothing much really happens. People talk a lot and that's about it. Should be dull, right? But it isn't. The talk, and the characters revealed, reflect the profound changes that were being felt in Russian society at the end of the 19th Century; changes that would set the stage for much of what was to happen in the 20th Century. But more important to a modern reader, the ideas and the real life implication of those ideas are as current and relevant as when Turgenev wrote. Bazarov, the young 'nihilist', sounds just like the typical student rebel of the 60's (or of the Seattle WTO protests just recently). He has the arrogance and the innocence of idealistic youth. He is as believeable, and as moving in his ultimate hurt, as any young person today might be confronted with the limitations of idealism and the fickle tyranny of personal passion.

I loved this book when I first read it as a teenager and I enjoyed it even more on subsequent rereadings. It makes the world of 19th century Russia seem strangely familiar and it gives many a current political thread a grounding in meaningful history.

I had finally read my 10 year old copy of Anna Karenina to death. Therefore I decided to buy a new one. I was a bit leery about trying a new translation, but this edition pleased me very much.

There are three main reasons that I recommend this book:

1. Great Story
2. Very good Translation
3. Durable Hard Cover

Great Story

In this novel Tolstoy presents marriage and human relationships in a realistic manner. Anna Karenina details a passionate love affair and it's doleful consequences. The reader experiences this tumultuous love from the point of view of the two paramours, as well as the friends and family members whom their lives touch.

Nevertheless, a tale about a cheating wife does not great literature make.

The existential struggle for meaning in life and the nature of God figures strongly as a theme in Anna Karenina. Overshadowing, in my opinion, even the experiences of the book's namesake. Any lover of philosophy will enjoy this book immensely.

The Translation

As I mentioned before, this is a good translation. By good, I mean the following:

1. Russian words are footnoted - Some words lose their meaning and cultural context when translated to English. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky did a wonderful job leaving these terms in tact. There are notes at the back of the book that fully explain each Russian word.

For example, who knew that the "roll" that Stiva eats in my previous translation was actually a "kalatch?"

2. Names of the Characters are Preserved - Princess Darya Alexandrovna Oblonsky is also known as Darya and sometimes as Dolly. The use of names and nicknames is very important in language. I appreciate that the translator preserved the use of the patronymic and various names of each character. Too bad there is not a way to translate the Russian forms of address. Sigh.

3. Foreign Language Passages are Footnoted - Many of the members of the social sphere in which the book is set spoke multiple languages. Thankfully, when Tolstoy wrote a passage in French or German, the translators let it alone and wrote a translation at the bottom of the text.

Hardback

I tend to manhandle my books, so I like hardback. I think I've had this book for about a year. It's held up pretty well.

Unless you're the kind of person who uses bookmarks and doesn't fold pages, I recommend this edition instead of a softback book.

In conclusion, Pevear and Volokhonsky's work stands out as a stellar translation of one of literature's greatest masterpieces. I highly recommend this book!

Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is undoubtedly one of the greatest works of literature ever written. It is by no means a "light book" or an "easy read." As the reader diligently reads through this voluminous, 800 plus page, novel they live and experience the struggles of the characters. The novel centers on the two contrasting yet interwoven plots of the honest, loving and faithful relationship of Princess Kitty and Constanine Levin contrasted against the socially and morally condemned adulterous love affair of Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky. The novel's epigraph "Vengeance is mine, I shall repay; saith the Lord" alludes to the novel's theme of divine retribution, where the choices and actions made by the characters are either rewarded or punished by God. Anna Karenina is not a victim of fate or destiny but of her own selfishness and dishonesty to herself and others which leads to her eventual demise. Kitty and Levin are rewarded with happiness and a successful marriage because of their honesty and unselfish love. Anna Karenina delves not only into the human conscience but also into the conscience of Russian society; it is also full of symbolism for example Vronsky's tragic horse race, which symbolizes his part in Anna's destruction. As I read through all of the reviews I noticed that an important issue was neglected even from the review written by the publisher and that is that Levin is a partial autobiography by Tolstoy. Levin's strong inner conflicts, agnosticism and search for meaning in life was a reflection of Tolsoy's own beliefs. I wrote a term paper on Anna Karenina and through all the reading, research and time I put in paid off immensely and not just in terms of the grade. Although I at times resented Anna for her selfishness I could empathize with her struggle for independence which she never achieves. I cried when she killed herself yet hated her for this final act of selfness. This novel is a complex weaving of characters, emotions, and struggles but in the end the reader is rewarded by Tolstoy's pure genius.

After two months, I have finished the great novel ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy that was given to me by Jenny and Gerry (thank you!). I was nervous to take it on, this edition has 924 pages, but I am so, so, so glad that I did. I enjoyed almost every bit of the book, and feel I have from reading it a new understanding of writing and of literature.

This edition from Modern Library Classics was translated from the Russian by Constance Garnett with a revision by Leonard Kent and Nina Berberova. The prose reads very easily, in clear, accessible English for today. (But don't worry: It's not "The Good News Bible does Tolstoy.") While the book is long, and by looking at a calendar and my new paperback's rumpled cover and scuffed binding, I could tell I'd been reading it a long time, it felt as if it were passing quickly. Tolstoy's narrative moves easily from stage to stage -- there's no feeling of contrived suspense or narrative manipulation. The lives of the characters progress naturally, and what Tolstoy tells the reader, the reader believes and doesn't question (this reader didn't.)

The story focuses on just a few main characters, Anna Arkadyevna Karenina (and her husband Aleksey Alexandrovich Karenin), Count Aleksey Kirilich Vronksy, Konstantin Dmitrich Levin and Kitty Scherbatskaya. These individuals propel the story, and it is their lives and relationships that we follow most closely. Supporting characters include Prince Stepan Arkadyevich Oblonsky, his wife Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya and Levin's brothers, a small cast for a grand Russian novel.

On the back cover, a quote about the novel, attributed to Matthew Arnold, says that we are "not to take ANNA KARENINA as a work of art; we are to take it as a slice of life." I think it is really both.

The theme of the novel centers on relationships, and those relationships in 19th Century Russian artistocratic society of St. Petersburg and Moscow. Anna Karenina is an elite, beautiful woman married to a powerful government official, Aleksey Karenin, with whom she has a son, Seryozha. She falls in love with and has an extended affair with the rich, dapper Count Aleksey Vronksy, and has a child with him, a daughter. Their story follows her inability to ask for or later receive a divorce from her husband, and her increasing unhappiness in the relationship with Vronsky, as she is bannished by society and resents the freedom he has as a man to move in his old circles. Her jealousy and insecurity grow throughout the course of the novel, rendering her nearly mad.

The other relationship, which serves as a contrast and foil for Karenina and Vronsky, is that of Levin and Kitty Scherbatskaya. Levin is a somewhat older man than the young and beautiful Kitty, daughter of one of Moscow's many princes. He is an aristocratic farmer and cares for his family's vast agrarian holdings in the country thoughtfully and meticulously. At the beginning of the novel, he has been courting Kitty, but had returned to the country for awhile. When he returns to ask her to marry him, he sees that she is infatuated with Vronksy, whom he doesn't trust. Vronsky meets Anna Karenina at a ball and stops calling on Kitty, breaking her heart. After a long separation, Kitty and Levin meet again and she agrees to marry him, happily. Their storyline follows their marriage and the birth of their son, Dimitry.

It is definitely true that this novel is most definitely a slice out of life. The characters are incredibly realistic as is the pace and plot of the novel. But the artistry lies in Tolstoy's effective setting of one relationship against another. It's not as black and white as it might be in a lesser writer's hands. The "good couple" Levin and Kitty have difficulties in adjusting to each other and in their relationship. Levin, like Anna, is jealous, but unlike Vronsky and Anna, he is motivated by love and generosity to overcome his angry feelings for the benefit of a harmonious home. Other aspects of the two different relationships are set off by one another. A very compelling character is made of Aleksey Alexandrovich Karenin, whom Anna despises, but who undergoes a convincing and sad degeneration of self as Anna leaves him and he maintains custody of the son that she loves. (He gets caught up with a society woman who has converted to a fundamentalist, ecstatic Christianity and gives him advice, ultimately leading him to allow a French faux-mystic to decide the fate of his marriage to Anna.)

The novel has a well-known climax, which I won't reveal if you don't know it, but it has beautifully written and rich "falling action" which allows the reader to come through the shock and pain to what Levin discovers beyond the love of the family life he craved.

This is definitely a masterwork, completely readable and worth the time spent on every page.