This is romance with a bit of history thrown in to make an excellent story.

Fort George, Rhode Island, December 1774, summoned to serve in King George's Army, private Ashton Markham is wounded

Newport, Rhode Island, May 1775, Bethany Winslow is returning from her schooling in New York and considers herself a staunch Englishwoman - at 18 [grin]-- She has a twin brother, Harry and an older brother, William.

Her father, Sinclair Winslow and mother, Lillian are very upset that Harry has been kicked out of Rhode Island College. Harry wishes to marry a young lady named Felicia and he leaves home to do so, also to follow his patriotic leanings.

Ashton Markham works for Winslow as horse trainer and breeder of Winslow's thoroughbreds. His particular favorite is a black stallion named Corsair. The stallion has several high points through out the story.

Bethany's father informs her that it is high time that she considers a man to marry. He wishes to see her safe under the protection of a husband in these up and coming trying times.

The Tories/or Englishman of Rhode Island expect to be the winning side in the war with the patriots/or Americans.

The Englishman, Dorian Tanner, wishes to court Bethany to procure her inheritance of her father's estate, Seastone and its horses and of course the money involved.

Look for the characters, Finley Piper and his son, Chapin - printer and agitator for the colonies cause. Carrie Markham, Ashton's sister, who will do anything to gain her own ends. Miss Abigail Primrose, Bethany's head mistress and school teacher, who definitely has other fish to fry.

Now the tantilizing event that leads to all of the marital confusion is that the Redcoats come to arrest Harry and get Ashton instead. So Bethany in her misguided enthusiasum to save Ashton from certain death claims to be pregnant by him. Ashton believes the babe to be by Dorian Tanner. [you must read all of the events that lead up to his conclusion].

By the time they all live through the Declaration of Independance and final peace - well, you will not believe all the strife and misunderstanding and torment that they have had to live with. This is a story of how Englishmen, bondsmen and slaves live through treason, spying and war to the bonding of the American people.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [if you can find it] you will enjoy the change of a spoiled and indulged young beauty into an American wife & mother and her maturing & growth in dealing with the man she loves.

I'm surprised I'm the first to review this book; I had gotten the impression it was popular among homeschoolers. If it is, the homeschoolers certainly have it right. This is a great, concise, well-organized workbook that teaches the young writer how to compose an argumentative paragraph. In less than a hundred pages, the authors, two formers instructors at Phillips Academy, present a simple and effective guide to composition: brainstorm to generate ideas, gather your ideas into a topic statement, structure your supporting sentences, and finally, edit for clarity and coherence. That may sound like what every other guide to writing teaches, but _Writing_ explains each step with exceptional precision, including enough practical tips to assist students without overwhelming them. Many of the skills learned can be directly applied to composing an essay when the time for that comes.

I can't think of a single thing wrong with this book. I would add only one caveat for homeschoolers to consider: some of the assignments relate to school experiences--but you can easily revise these to reflect the experiences and environment of your child.

Sayuri-san is the gray eye heroine of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. Her beginnings however lacking, Sayuri finds herself in a whole new beginning upon being sold into an Okiya (geisha house). With her mother dead and forgotten by her father, Sayuri must struggle to survive and succeed as a Maiko. Golden's novel follows Sayuri through her journey from her harsh beginnings to her final destination as one of Gion's top Geishas. It takes you through her tedious lessons, unfolds and unlocks the once hidden secret of the Geisha chambers. Follow Sayuri as she searches to find her place, loses everything she once knew, and conqueres a world she never knew existed.

We are often amazed at the curiosity and wonder that children possess. Their minds are still soft and pliable, undistorted by the status quo and the media. They look at things from a different perspective, or in a different light. Adults can learn more than they realize from children.

The Little Prince can be read simply as a children's book, a story of a curious little boy who encounters a pilot and tells the pilot of his journey. The book can also be read from an existential standpoint...

If we take the fact that life is meaningless and that we'll all just eventually die, that creates a pretty pessimistic view of life. If this is such the case, what's the point? Why live? What's the meaning of life? The Little Prince shows, that while life may be meaningless, you should do the things you enjoy in life. On his asteroid, the prince tends the flower, gets rid of the baobabs, and rakes out his volcanoes. Yet he also speaks of watching the sun set time and time again, just by moving his chair further and further back. (His asteroid is very small.) The prince does what he enjoys and doesn't bother himself with seriousness. He doesn't care much for adults because their innocence and imagination has been lost.

Read this book to understand more fully that adults need to have a great imagination and not take everything so seriously. Look at things from a different perspective: you might see something new.

A children's book for all ages. The story is told by the narrator, who meets the Little Prince in the Sahara Desert. While the narrator is there because of a plane crash, the Little Prince is there on a journey. The narrator records the story he hears from the Little Prince, of his travels to other planets and of meeting a king, conceited man, drunk, business man, lamp lighter and geographer, before coming to planet Earth. On planet Earth, he climbs a mountain and hears his voice as an echo, much like the bear in "Happy Birthday Moon," a later publication written by Frank Asch, 1988, Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers. He meets a snake, tames a fox, and sees roses similar to his special flower back home. The fox teaches the prince that, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." (p.73) Antoine De Saint-Exupery accompanies his writing with his own pen and watercolor drawings. Entries are written somewhat as a diary, and illustrations depict: the prince, planets, people and animals he encounters during his travels. The book illustrates how children view the world entirely differently from less curious adults. It forces one to consider the importance of the intangibles in one's life.

This is a children's book, no matter what people say. This doesn't mean grown-ups can't read it, but only that those who have a child's heart or at least a little something left from their childhood would be able to understand it -and love it-.

I was 5 years old when first I read it. Since then, I have always loved this wonderful book, and I read it every now and then -I'm 21-. In my opinion this book is about love. Love like that from children, that is so simple that is complex to understand it.

Everybody may have his/her own understanding of The Little Prince,- or "El Principito" as I know it because I read it in spanish first, and the english, and then french, that I recommend if you speak any other language-. Some people think the 'rose' meant 'childhood', some others may think it means 'the beloved one',etc. That's why this little book is so fantastic. We don't have to agree on what does it mean because that's grown-up's business.

Every single page is full with a simple life philosophy that is unlikely to read it and not getting any benefit from it (well, only if you are too grown-up to understand it, like those who said that it is impossible to travel with a flock of birds in the space, or that is dangerous to let your children read suicide-related stories... we have to understand them and be patient with them... they are grown-ups. You'd better talk them about ties, business, or golf. They will be thrilled to find such a reasonable person like you.)

My favorite part of the book? I don't have any. All the book is an art-work.

To Kill A Mocking Bird is a classic written by a young Alabama woman named Harper Lee. It takes place in Maycomb County soon after the Civil War. The main character's name is Jean Louise Finch and she is also known as Scout. She starts out in the story being about seven years old and as time goes on she ages too. Scout's father is an attorney whose current case is defending a black man accused of rape. As it takes place right after the Civil War, there is a lot of anti-African sentiiment going on so Scout is made fun of at school for her father just doing the right thing. This is one of the great American classics and one of my favorite books. A must read for anyone who enjoys reading a great book.

This book was well written and captured every readers' attention. When I first read this book in high school, I found it very hard to understand. My second time reading this book was three years later, and this time I really have a clear understanding of this book. This book captured all my attention because once I started reading this book, I don't wanted to put it down. Since this book was written in a kid's point of view, so we as an adult, we can learn many new and interesting lessons. I especially love the lesson that Atticus gave Scott on how to get along with different kind of people. You should really read this book and find out this quote because once you encounter this quote, I guarantee you will love it and you will use it in your daily life. I also like the way how Harper Lee set up the characteristics of all characters, especially Boo Radly. Boo Radly had enlightened and created many mystery on the book. This is an excellent novel and I love everything in the novel, so I hope I can read this book again in the near future soon.

I felt this book was Great! Overall plot: This book is from Scout's point of view. She is a tomboyish girl that gets in adventures w/her brother Jem and Dill. Her father, Atticus, is a lawyer defending a black man accused of rape. the setting is about the late 1920's. Anyways, this girl and her brother also have a neighbor who never comes out. They call him Boo Radley. They get into trouble many times just trying to get a peek at him. It talks about troubles w/ teachers and neighbors. So what is Boo like? I suggest you read and find out! This book was sad, humorous, and serious. It was also very adventurous! Very Great book that I suggest reading.

The book Little Women is truley a literature classic. This book reflects on the lives of the fictional March family as Yankees during the Civil War. While Mr. March is away fighting in the war, Mrs. March and her four daughters Margaret, 16, Josephine, 15, Elizabeth, 13, and Amy, 12 (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy)must learn to cope while their nation is at war. The four girls must learn many lessons in life and grow up to be fine women even during hard times. The girls have many adventures and meet Laurie, a true friend for life,and share many good times together. The girls begin to marry when they face the loss of one of their sisters and their aunt. However, in true March fashion, they get through the difficult times and focus on the successes in life. This book is truley inspirational and makes you think about how you can become a better person through sharing the experiences of these girls. At times this book could run on, so that is why i rated it 4 stars, not 5. However, this book still is great and a timeless classic and Louisa May Alcott did a fine job with the book. I enjoyed the book alot.

Little Women, being one of the classics of American literature, is not surprising to be said one of the best books I have ever read. The story revolves around the home life of four close sisters and two strong, moral parents. As Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy grow up, their adventures and mishaps provide examples for any reader of all ages. As they grow up, they struggle with many ideas. First, they are constantly troubled by the necessity of being good, even when they want to be bad. Second, as they grow up, they confront different types of relationships with boys. Friendship turns into love and vice versa, making a strong theme of gender relations. The girls also struggle with the ideas of motherhood, sisterhood, pride, education, and marraige. Finally, two of the most important ideas in the novel are dreams and work. The girls spend their childhoods and adult lives trying to balance the two and fulfill both necessities. Also, throughout the book, society is explained, the harsh winters are described, and the profound work ethic of the people is portrayed to give the reader a strong sense of what it was like to be living during the 19th century. The book gives the reader some mportant guidance to people in similar circumstances in their adolescent years. The novel motivates positive decision making, looks past materialism, teaches morales, and shows us the importance of real happiness.

A timeless tale of four sisters struggling their way through life during the Civil War. I have read this book more times than I can count, and I still love it. Once I pick it up I can't put it down, lost in this seemingly fantasy world, which was actually quite true more than 100 years ago.

My favorite thing about Little Women has to be the characters. Jo, the day-dreaming tomboy, Meg, pretty and proper, Beth, the quiet sweetheart, and little Amy, our artist, who always tried to grow up too fast. Then of course there's Laurie, the tall fun-loving boy-next-door, and so many other fabulous personalities (Aunt March, Fredrick Bauer, Hannah, Marmie, etc.) that I couldn't possibly name them all.

This book is one that I think everyone absolutely MUST read some time in their life, for it teaches moral values that should be used by people of all ages. I also reccommend Little Men and Jo's Boys to follow it up.

Like most young ones my age, I read and studied "To Kill A Mockingbird" in junior high school. But this story has stuck with me through the years, and every time I flip through it's pages, I look back on it with affection. This classic tale of courage and altruism is timeless.

It is the early 1950's in the southern states. A highly respected small-town lawyer decides to take on a case defending a framed African American man, although he knows he will not win the trial. The lawyer must face the ridicule of the town's folk, and racists in his community who seek to have the framed man killed.

In the meantime, the lawyer's two children (Scout and Jem) get entangled in the age-long mystery of Boo Radley, their mysterious next door neighbor who no one has seen for years...and who no one seems to understand.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a touching story full of life-lessons, one of which proves that fighting a losing battle may be difficult, but "good" will ultimately triumph if you stand up for what you know to be right and true.

The award winning nove, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a piece of literature I believe is appropriate for all people older than 13. This book is the story of a little girl named Scout growing up in a small, racial biased town called Maycomb County, Alabama in the 1930's. It includes her childhood adventure with her brother Jem and their best friend Dill. It includes the wisdom of her father, Attikus and her maid Calpernia. Even thought Attikus was quiet, mild mannered he was a very strong man. Also, the story came in contact with many peopel such as Miss Maudie, Miss Rachel Harris, , Miss Stephanie Crawford, Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Radley, Boo Radley, Reverend Stykes, and Mr. Ewell. This book illustrates racism of the deep south. Also, points out how children have to learn to deal with bigotry at a young age, and that predjudice can play more of a role than the obvious truth. Two examples of predjudice are against a misunderstood neighbor, named Arthur "Boo" Radleyand a black man that the falsely accused of a crime because of his race, Tom Robinson. The kids had specific experiences that taught them not to be prejudiced toward a person, despite what they may have heard about them. This book includes many charactors, but they all fit together very tightly in the end. I learned a lot from this book and found it hard to put down while reading it. To Kill a Mockingbird is an extremely well written piece of literature and I suggest everybody read this at least as once in there lifetime.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic by Harper Lee. The book narrates the story of a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, also called ¡°Scout¡±. Lee presented this book through the eyes of Jean Louise.
The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930¡¯s or so. The plot is about Scout¡¯s father, Atticus Finch (a lawyer), trying to defend Black suspect Tom Robinson for accused of raping a White girl in the Maycomb County of Alabama. The plot incorporates several issues that people were struggling during the time of the story, including racism, injustice, and prejudice. The entire novel circulates around Scout and her family. Many situational conflicts arise, from trying to make Boo Radley come out of seclusion to dealing with family and community difficulties.
Lee did a miraculous job of telling the story through the view of Scout. The characters were depicted hardly by their appearances, but by their personality traits, which showed advanced style in writing. The setting and the time periods had a great impact on the story, as people those days lived quite close to each other and knew their neighbors well. I was amazed how natural and realistic the characters were made. Scout and her older brother, Jeremy (also called Jem), reacted to situations exactly as many of the children now days would act. Almost every character in the story had a crucial role at some point of the story. The character development was beyond imagination. From Dill (Jem and Scout¡¯s best friend) coming to visit the Finch family in the summer, to Jem trying to make it past the Radley¡¯s gate, to Calpurnia (the house cook) scolding the children for not coming home, this piece of literature truly elaborated on pivotal character details. After reading this book, one would think he knows the characters quite well.
Overall, this was a fantastic novel to read and I was truly impressed with the quality of writing and development presented in this story by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird will truly be an American Literature classic for as long as it will be remembered.

A strange object is found on the moon, strange waves travel through space towards Saturn, a computer tries to take over the mission... These are just a few of the events that occur in Arthur Clark's "2001: A Space Odessey. A large piece of alien material is found buried deep inside the body of the moon. Scientists believed that it's age is around three million years. Its finding is kept very secret and governments from around the world try to keep it that way. A group of scientists is sent to study why the big, black object on the Moon sent waves towards Saturn. On the way, they run into many obstacles leading to an incredible climax.

In "2001: A Space Odyssey," setting is a very important part of Clark's book. Since it is set in the future, a lot of description is needed to establish an atmosphere that the reader has never seen. Clark describes the Discovery spaceship, it's shape, it's contents, it's feel; he writes about the space stations, and the planets using vivid metaphors and details. When the main character is describing the planet Saturn, you feel like you are there with him, looking out the space craft window. Although his writing is very rich and almost vibrant, his visions are so complex that it can be difficult to grasp his ideas and to really picture them in your mind. If you enjoy exciting science fiction, this is the book for you!

One might think that 2001 the book was based on the screenplay for 2001 the movie (it's written on the back of the book). However, after reading the epilogue before I read the story (oops), I found out that Clarke worked on the two projects simultaneously. The book is actually very well written, with the technical expertise of any good science fiction writer. It does not read like a screenplay at all; it keeps you interested throughout the whole book.

The two different yet related conflicts in the book are well chosen. The struggle between man vs. machine on board the Discovery is similar to the conflict of man's insatiable curiosity vs. the vastness of space. Human beings have always been longing for contact with another race of beings, and this first contact is described flawlessly by Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke also portrays the worst case scenario of modern technology: a computer that is capable of malice and has control over human lives.

All in all, this book is one of science fiction's best and a must-read, whether you've seen the movie or not.

2001: A Space Odyssey was everything a great science fiction novel should be. The day I started to read this book I found it so engrossing that I finished it the same day! The book does a magnificant job of rendering detailed images to us in mankinds' quest to reach intelligent life. The book touches on so many powerful themes, like man vs. machine, the struggle for survival, and humanity's rise to the space age that one can't help but think about these issues in a whole new light after finishing this great novel.

The addicting storyline, along with its pleasant, easy-to-read style will help make this book a favorite of everyone's who can get their hands on it!

My personal thanks to Arthur C. Clarke for creating a literary masterpiece that will stand for all of time!

I was introduced to Dracula as a child watching Bela Lugosi portray the Count on the late night horror show "Shock Theater". This began a semi-fascination with vampire movies which continues to this day. I've not seen all the Dracula movies, but I'd seen dozens before I read the novel after graduating college. Nothing I've ever seen on the screen compares to Bram Stoker's original story. The story, which is told in the format of journal entries, letters, and newspaper clippings, engrossed me and carried me headlong to the final chapter.

The power of Stoker's written masterpiece exceeds the power of any screen production by a power of 10. Film isn't even the second most powerful medium for Dracula. The Naxos Audiobooks production of Dracula features a full cast but retains the format of the book. Different actors speak the journal entries of the various parties, with dialog and action being dramatized. Audio plays have been called "the theater of the mind", and that description well suits the Naxos production of Dracula. All in all, the audio play gives a satisfying way to experience the legend of Dracula.

Dracula is a masterpiece of Horror fiction, undoubtedly a classic and a necessary read for anyone who would consider him/herself a Horror fan. The title character has been forever imprinted on the minds of the world as the true name of the Vampire, and almost anyone who you could possibly ask could give you a pretty good description of the framework of the story.

A rich, reclusive count from the dark land of Transylvania tires of his homeland and searches for a home abroad to quench his thirst. Not for riches, not for glory, but for blood. For this count is a member of the damned breed, the Nosferatu, the Vampire. A demon condemned to live off of the blood of the living, while being neither alive, nor dead. It is a sad and frightening tale, filled with action and suspense.

Dracula is not only famous for its introduction of the mythology of Vlad the Impaler (in somewhat diluted form) to Western culture, but also for its formula. The inescapable evil (Dracula) to be confronted by a small, yet wary band of people lead by one who knows all of the creature's secrets and weaknesses (Van Helsing) has become a Horror staple. And folks never seem to get tired of it. The subject of Van Helsing, a character who almost, but not quite, overshadows Dracula in popularity is long overdue for a novelization of his own. Van Helsing's encounters with the supernatural would most definitely draw a fanbase.

If you're a Horror fan, or just like good old storytelling, Dracula is a book not to be missed. In fact, this novel should be required reading. It just might help increase the literacy rate!

Note: this edition has an awesome cover drawn by Boris Vallejo and it claims to be unabridged (abridging this story ought to be illegal!)

Bram Stoker's tale of terror, 'Dracula,' is just as chilling today as it must have been to readers a hundred years ago. Stoker's original story, which has been told many times since in film and book, is the tale of Johnathen Harker, his love, and his friends, and their horrific experiences at the hands of Count Dracula. The book begins with Harker traveling to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Dracula. Aquainting him with English customs and traditions when the Count buys land all over London from his firm, Harker soons learns of Dracula's true nature- that of an unnatural fiend who causes destruction wherever he goes. When Dracula travels to England Harker's friends enlist the aide of Dr. Van Helsing, the only man who understands just what evil the Count is capable of. The story that follows is one of love, hate, maddness, and adventure as Dracula seeks to destroy Harker and his friends. As well as being a great work of literature, 'Dracula' is a wonderful tale of horror that modern readers are sure to enjoy!

"Slaughterhouse Five" is a work of literary fiction that combines historical, psychological, sociological, and science fiction elements. Unlike your everyday novel, Vonnegut does not express a clear plot, conflict, or climax, instead he offers us a multi-dimensional view of fantasy and reality. Slaughterhouse Five grew out of Vonnegut's own personal experiences during W.W.II, particularly the horrors of the Dresden air raids. Everything Vonegut writes related to the bombing of Dresden is meant to be felt as senseless to the reader. The story is mostly seen through the eyes of the main character Billy Pilgrim, a tall, skinny, sort of senseless man. He becomes "unstuck" in time and travels to different places and times during his life. An interesting yet somewhat confusing element in the story is Vonnegut's use of alien beings called Tralfamadorians to install his multi-dimensional concept of time. Billy is kidnapped by the Tralfamadorians and kept on their spacecraft. There he learns the Tralfamadorian concepts of time, predestination, and the absurdities of the human world. Vonnegut, also present in the novel, includes a telegraphic narrative explaining who he is and where he has been. Vonnegut displays many horrific events constituted with death by means of black humor. When a person dies the term "so it goes" immediately follows as if death were just some careless event. His use of black humor is meant to make the readers laugh in situations of absolute tragedy, such as death. If you're interested in warped SCI-FI with a bit of humor mixed with some hard-rock reality that reads smoothly, I would suggest "Slaughterhouse Five" as an excellent novel in its class. Slaughterhouse Five broadened my perspective of time and whether or not predestination exists. Vonnegut, through "Slaughterhouse Five", opens the reader's mind to his own a different, twisted, world of interesting thought, concepts, and experiences.

Kurt Vonnegut creates an intricate and creative story of science fiction while still writing an anti-war novel. " Slaughterhouse-Five " focuses on an incredibly silly character named Billy Pilgrim. After a series of tragic events, aliens called Tralfamadorians abduct Pilgrim. These aliens have the ability to travel to any moment in time whenever they wish. They teach Pilgrim how to travel through time and we find him constantly traveling back and forth through his own life at random. We find Pilgrim one moment reliving the firebombing of Dresden and on the very next page teeing off at a country club ten years later. Incidents exactly like this can be found adorned through the book along with Vonnegut's distinct wit and black humor. One of the stronger points in the book deals with free will and predestination. Billy Pilgrim and the aliens believe that everyone's life is set in stone and everything that we do was destined to happen. One Tralfamadorian tells Pilgrim, I've visited thirty-one inhabited planets in the universe, and I have studied reports on one hundred more. Only on Earth is there any talk of free will." If such a thing were true then obviously the notion of free will is nothing more than human imagination used to fool ourselves. Thought provoking subjects such as this grab the reader's attention and never lets go. Although the writing style is a bit strange and takes time to get used to, Vonnegut manages to weave an intricately detailed world of laughter, war horrors, and moral issues. Slaughterhouse-Five is a truly creative and incredibly entertaining read which comes highly recommended.

Slaughter House Five deserves its reputation of being a piece of great American literature. The book follows a young man, Billy Pilgrim through his life. Billy believes aliens, tralfamadorians to be exact, have abducted him. We assume that it's through these aliens that he learns to time travel, a skill he frequently uses. In the book Pilgrim bounces around time to all the various portions of his life, many times returning to World War II where he was captured, taken prisoner, and held in slaughterhouse five in Dresden, Germany. He seems to be defined by this moment in his life as he frequently returns there. If you know anything about Vonnegut, you know that he too was held in Dresden, Germany when the city was firebombed. This is the major setup for this antiwar novel as Dresden was home to over 100,000 persons while at the same time Dresden didn't have any industry lending itself to the war effort. Obviously you wander, "Then why was this city bombed? What advantage came from killing well over 100,000 thousand civilians?"

One of the major themes of the book is fate. The prayer of serenity appears twice in the book stating that we need to change the things we can and be wise enough to know which things we cannot change. Also the Tralfamadorians speak of fate. They say they know how the universe is going to end, but they do nothing to stop it. Vonnegut seems to say that yes, war is one of those things we cannot avoid, but we need to change the things we can about it, like the atrocious bombing of Dresden.

Overall, the book's message is clear, and Vonnegut delivers his message in a very accessible way. The story of Billy Pilgrim is enjoyable to read, and contains more than dry philosophy that some antiwar novels are filled with.