Arden's edition of Shakespeare's works is an essential item in everyone's shelter. It's a great buy (for a carefully sought edition), but it lacks the critical discussion of the single-play edition.

Haven't figured out a classy way to tell someone that they get on your nerves? Want to make a big impression in a heated one on one dispute? Well, this is the book for you. Potent, sarcastic yet classic quotes taken from Shakespearean plays are compiled in this tiny book. Whether you tuck this small treasure in your desk at work or place it on the nightstand at home, you must use it. You will definitely have the upper hand in your next verbal battle with the enemy. Be offensive with style!

If you don't mind if loose ends are left untied and that multiple timelines end up not quite matching up and that one of the main characters "isn't really a lesbian" then the plot of this book will work for you. I read it about a year ago and was really lukewarm toward it. Parts were exciting but it didn't work as a whole. I can't believe it ended up getting some award nominations; there are some holes you can drive a truck through. Plus I didn't see how the Egyptian timeline meshed at all with the Salem one. I felt like this was a nice try, but as someone else says, others have done this plot better. I would recommend Laura Adams' Christabel (a romance not a mystery), which does the timeline thing really well.

It is refreshing to read a lesbian book with a great story and mystery and not just all about sex. Look forward to the next installment.

This one has it all, a clever MYSTERY, a heart-filled ROMANCE, some HISTORY, an exciting ACTION ADVENTURE, and some interesting metaphysical lessons. GREAT MOVIE material! An exceptional story that keeps the reader interested.

I always use this as a reference to more extreme and less rigorous interpretations of the Bible's final book. Unfortunately, much of this book has been superceded by events such as the reunification of Germany, the collapse of Communism and the steady growth of technological change - all of which together place the book on untenable grounds. I find it bizarre that, for example, the writers interpret some things literally (eg a literal 1000 years), but others symbolically (eg the 144000 in heaven).

For a more balanced viewpoint from a conservative point of view, I suggest "The Gospel in Revelation" by Graeme Goldsworthy.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ANY ONE SERIOUS ABOUT BIBLE PROPHESY. IN ALL MY YEARS OF STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD, I HAVE BEEN TRULY BLESSED BY THE BOOKS CONTENT, RESEARCH DATA AND THE COLLABORATION OF THE AUTHORS DR. GARY G COHEN (A BORN AGAIN JEW) AND SALEM KIRBAN ( A BORN AGAIN ARAB). I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE WAY EVERY SINGLE VERSE WAS ANALYZED AND RESEARCHED TO GIVE THE TEXT A CLARITY THAT IS RARE WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE. THIS SHOULD BE A PART OF EVERYONE'S COLLECTION WHO IS TRULY COMMITTED TO THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD'S ULTIMATE PLAN FOR MANKIND. GET THIS BOOK AND SHARE ITS CONTENT WITH EVERYONE. IT HAS TRULY BEEN A BLESSING TO ME.

Let me heartily recommend this book on Revelation--IF you can find it! Along with Tim Lahaye's 'Revelation Illustrated and Made Plain', these are the two best layman's commentaries on Revelation from a pretribulational, premillennial point of view.

As other reviewers have correctly pointed out, the authors include careful interpretation based on scripture, and thus avoid having John actually see helicopters and call them locusts (e.g., Hal Lindsey). As a former seminary student, I appreciate the lack of wild speculation by these authors, and their Middle Eastern background ands a depth of understanding lacking in other works.

The drawings and photos are excellent additions, and the charts are wonderful. Throughout this book, one is carefully led through the text line upon line (as Isaiah directs), and solid footing across difficult passages is the strength of this work. Almost makes Revelation an easy book to understand--especially as the events of today transpire around us!

I would recommend this commentary without hesitation. One can go deeper (Thomas; Walvoord) or more shallow (McGee), and still learn much from excellent commentaries. But one can hardly do better than this one. The sincerity, expertise, and desire to make sure we are never lost is ever evident through these pages. Exceptionally well done!!

Using the historical and controversial subject of the Salen Witch Trials, Arthur Miller's play The Crucible presents an allegory for events in contemporary America. Miller's play employs these historical events to criticize the moments in humankind's history when reason and fact became clouded by irrational fears and the desire to place blame for society's problems on others. The play deals with the corrupted town of Salem, Massachusettes, in 1692. John proctor, a blunt, out-spoken farmer and the play's central character, gets caught up in a conspiracy not even his own stength can control when his ex-lover, Abigail, throws false accusations in his wife's direction. As Proctor tries to free his wife and prove all others also accused of withcraft innocent, he finds himself being accused as well. This play is a story of vengeance; one man stands in a tug-of-war battle between God and Satan, pride and damnation, and good and evil. It all leads up to a climactic ending in which one lost soul finds peace with himself and realizes the importance of one's integrity.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller is not really a book, but I've decided to count it anyway. The play is short, and I finished it in one afternoon because I was so engrossed. Also, I enjoyed it much more than I did The Death of a Salesman, also written by Miller. One of my favorite aspects of the play was its relevance to modern times; at points, I couldn't tell whether the action was set in Salem in the 1600s or Washington DC in the 1950s. In addition, the first act included one of my favorite lines I've read recently: "Their fathers had, of course, been persecuted in England. So now they found it necessary to deny any other sect its freedom, lest their New Journalism be defiled and corrupted by wrong ways and deceitful ideas."

I had been intrested in the Salem witch trials for quite sometime, so that lead me to picking up 'The Crucible'. This is a great document of the chaos that went on in Salem, Mass. in 1692. The trouble starts when Betty Parris, 10, falls under some unknown illness with symptoms unknown, everyone immedietly belives it to be causes of an unknown evil that put her in her inert, and practically lifeless. the work of the devil. The town is in histerics and begins a crazy terrorous witchhunt when accusations are fired out. Arthur Miller's story gives the whole Salem Witch Hunts a realistic spin and puts it in uniform and shines up its buttons. The story is inthralling, and the characters (Abagail in particular) are wonderfully designed and intriguing. The book is written in playwrite format, which makes it somewhat clunky to read, but is still fluent. I would love to do this play in drama class. *has been begging her teacher* Any one who is intrested in witchcraft or the salem witch trials will deffinetly enjoy this. You really get to see the evil of scociety, and how quick people are to point fingers, and the results.. 19 innocent men and women hanged. Such a grasping story I was actually driven to go to Salem, to fullfill my experience. I deffinetly recommend the movie also, Wynona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis play thier rolls with perfection.

This book is an alright book to read, if you were acting it out in Drama. If the book was written in regular form, then it would be good for the classrooms. This book was interesting to read but hard to understand. You had to some what jump back and forth between people talking. I feel for the people who had to be put in the concentration camps, and were forced to work against their will just to keep their family members alive. I do not think that people have a right to degrade other humans beings of their own kind or culture.

Arthur Millers, The Crucibal, is a wonderfully written dramatic play. It is intersting and absorbing. The history of the play begins from the communist "witch-hunts", which inspired Miller to write the book. An easy reader, but very thought provoking. Worth reading at any age!

First off, the way the Crucible relates to the post-war era and the 1950 McCarthy trials make it a prime choice of reading material for high school students. As a high school student myself, I found the book very interesting as a psychoanalysis of human nature. Arthur Miller has explored the concepts of guilt and hypocrisy in a very unique fashion.

The theme of how a repressed society reacts to hysteria is perused in this drama. My personal belief is that people who entrust their lives to unproven dogma find themselves trapped in a form of repression. This includes the conservative outlook posted by the former reviewer of this book.

Lies, hypocrisy, and lust are themes that teenagers begin to encounter in high school. To refuse them the liberty to have complete access to literature is to lock down the developing, free and independent thinking mind. Thus, the banning and removal of books deemed "inappropiate" by biased standards results in the formation of a repressed society much like the Puritans in the early 1600's.

Ignorance may be bliss for you, but don't punish others because of your biased, uproven religious dogma. Our society will succeed if the next generation is given a chance to use their BRAINS. Our society will fail if the conservative coalition destroys independent thinking.

Conformism is your enemy.

Don't get me wrong, this book was wonderful. I guess I should have read A Stitch in Time first, cause this wasn't quite as appealing to me as all of the other Rinaldi books I've read. Ebie lives with her Aunt Hannah. When the mysterious Indian girl Walking Breeze comes, claiming to be the "long-lost" Aunt Thankful's daughter, Ebie feels that the love her grandfather is only beginning to show for her is vannishing because of her.
Ebie selfishly tries to rid Walking Breeze of the only evidence she has of belonging to the family, a scrap of quilting. I loved this book! You should read it.

A story of the next generation of the women of the family from a Stitch in Time. Only read this if you have read the first book and please keep in mind that Rinaldi has written even better books than this so if this series is the first taste of her you have had there is better to come.

I really think people should read this book. I liked the first one better but this one is just as good. Heres a summary:
After her mom dies, walking brezee comes to live with the chelfsfold family. But Ebie (the narator) doesn't believe she is really related to them. But Walking Brezee brings Thankfuls quilt (the sisters were working on one in the first book). Ebie still thinks she's an imposter so she hides the quilt.
I won't give away anymore! But if you liked the first book you'll like this one too!

Frances Hill does what her subtitle (A Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials) promises. In a Delusion of Satan, the author tells the grippping and horrifying story from beginning to end in a fast-paced narrative that takes the reader through every pertinent detail. Along the way, she discusses motives, both psychological and material, that may have influenced the participants, as well as briefly glancing at the number of theories that have arisen in our more modern times. The author does not provide a large historical context in which to slide the events into, perhpas, but she does give just enough details to keep this story comprehensible and fascinating. The book does not dwell on modern analogies (they are too painfully obvious, at any rate). A recommended look at this terrible time.

Frances Hill is extrodinary in this depiction and overview of the Salem Witch Trials. The title A Delusion of Satan depicts and puts into a sentence the entirety of this book. Frances Hill takes the human imagination and fills it with thoughts and vivid pictures. It seems as if the trials happened just days ago. She brings each character to life giving each of them their own distinct character and personalities. The book brings back to life the reality of the trials and the outcome of the accused. Frances Hill's extroadinary writing jumps at you with her vivid words depicting every word and step that the accusers took. The way the accusers accused each of their victims and the results of the so called spells that were cast. This author is very compelling very vivid and very drawn to the imagination. I rater her 5 stars for her excellent writing and depiction of the Salem Witch trials.

Having been to Salem, Mass. several times, and visited the historical sites and museums there, I felt that I had a good knowledge of the witch hysteria of 1692. After reading A Delusion of Satan, however, I have found that my knowledge was basic at best.
In A Delusion of Satan, Frances Hill provides a rich retelling of the events that draws from court documents, eyewitness accounts, and other primary sources. Also, Hill places the trials into their historical contexts; explaining the Puritan experiences leading up to the trials and the dangerous situation in which the colonists lived. This context also serves to help Hill hypothesize about what drove the original accusers into a frenzy. Hill's arguments about psychological opression and fear being the impetus for the hysteria are well developed and convincing. Astutely, Hill frequently points out that these are only theories. No one can ever know for certain what afflicted the girls. Equally convincing evidence is presented that suggests that treachery among the community may have fanned the flames of the witch hunt and helped guide the course of events.
A Delusion of Satan introduced me not only to details I had never read about before, but also to the personalities of those involved. Hill gleans this information mostly from court documents, written statements, and testimonies. The condemned, as well as the other key players, become vividly human and relatable.
While no modern writer or historian can declare to know the "truth" about every aspect of this frightening chapter in American history, A Delusion of Satan certainly serves as a useful, chilling, and entertaining witch-trial history. Readers (and some other reviewers) of this book should keep in mind that Hill's arguments and opinions are of course merely that. I have found no place in the book where she claims to have "the final answer" about the Salem witch trials. However, I find her positions sufficiently supported and highly plausible.
I highly recommend this book to readers interested in Salem, witch-trials, or early American history. You will not be disappointed!

Tituba of Salem Village was a good book. It taught me about history. This book showed me how the slaves would act and live. While i was reading it, I wanted to warn the characters, "Don't do it!" and "Be quite!" This book is mostly about a girl named Abigail, a preacher's niece, who is doing witchcraft. Then Tituba and other girls start getting accused of witchcraft. This has to do with history because it goes with the Salem Witch Trials. The part of the book that I disliked was the whole chapter about firewood. I believe the best part was when Tituba read the tarot cards for the girls.

Tituba is the main character of the story. She is a slave who lives in Salem, Mass. Back then, with all of the witch trials, it must have been a very confusing time. Everyone was thought to be a witch. The most upsetting part is when one by one the young girls in Salem start to have "fits." I find the story really interesting, especially learning how they reacted to things like fits, tarot cards, and "witch cake". Those are just some of the things to look for if you read this book.

Tituba of Salem Village was a good book, I enjoyed this book because it kept you reading. The only slow part was when the story got to the middle there was a lull in action but it all had to do with the plot and in the end, was all worth reading. It was about a slave who moved from her original master in Barbados and only dreams of going back. She is now in cold, cruel, unwelcoming Salem Village. Now they suspect her and others to be involved in witch craft after some very strange things happen. I would definitely read this again and I hope you have the opportunity to as well.

Rose Earhart has a gift for giving characters and settings immediate life. With only a few lines, she creates rich mental pictures of Old Salem and its doomed inhabitants. The story is great from beginning to end, and sparked a desire to read more about Salem and the witch trials. The author walks a fine line quite adeptly between hope and despair, never letting us forget the intrinsic joys of living, even in the midst of terror and death. The only problem with the novel is a confusion about how old Dorcas actually is when she's writing this diary. It is clarified later in the tale, but that clarification seems to contradict what was implied at the beginning. If you can let this slide, you're in for an engrossing experience. In fact, I didn't let it slide, and I still found myself caught up in the tale. Dorcas Good's strength is in its characters and the dark path which Rose Earhart leads us down with them. I'm looking forward to more journeys with this author. Highly recommended for those with a taste for slightly eerie fiction with historical roots.

Dorcas Good was born into a violent home where every day her father would beat her and her mother, Sarah. Then at the age of four her life was turned around, and life became much worse for her and her mother. A day after her mother gave birth to her second daughter, Mercy, she was accused of witchcraft and was brought to jail. After a few days of Dorcas living with her abusive father she too was brought to jail. Join Dorcas as she tells you about her normal life before jail, her horrible tales of when she was in jail, the sight of her mother's death (the only accused witch in Salem to be hanged without black cloth covering her face), and life after jail when her father brought her to the bar at night and "sold" her to the sailors and other men. Some people say that Dorcas went crazy after she was freed from Salem prison, she even claims to have met the devil himself. I, personally, enjoyed this book. I would not recommend this book to big criers. As I was reading about the part of Sarah Good's death I was crying so much that the words in the book were all a big blur and I had to stop reading. This book will make you cry with Dorcas as she goes through the deaths of her mother, best friends, and even her very own love, Jack Quelch. It will make you believe the unbelievable stories told to you through the eyes of a 'Child Witch of Salem'.

Rose Earhart has captured the flavor of life in the era of the Salem Witch Trials. She has the ability to make one feel that they're living alongside young Dorcas and her mother,Sarah, and witnessing all of the horrors and abuse heaped on top of them. I felt that I were witnessing the actual condemnation and suffering that both Sarah and Dorcas were subjected to. Ms Earhart has a very special talent and I'm looking forward to her future books. I usually don't read a book in one sitting, but this one kept me up until 3:00 AM. Highly recommended.

Beyond burning time is an exciting book on the lives of two women trying to escape the madness of salem. When Ann Puttman claimed to be possesed, caose spread through the town of salem, as innocent people were killed and arrested for witchcraft. when Mary's mother was acused of witchcraft, Mary and her brother Caleb make an attempt to rescue her.

This novel is original and unique from most books that I have read. My opinion on the book was changed when I learned similar things happened in the past. I recommend this book for all ages because of the tradgedies and adventures of Salem, that really showed how evil and greedy the world can be.

The book Beyond The Burning Time, by Kathryn Lasky, was a compelling novel about the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. I enjoyed it cover to cover. The reader is transported back into a time of witches, lies, ignorance, and despair. The book captures you with its interesting plot, making you want to keep turning the pages. Told from a 12-year-old girl's point of view, the events unfold touching everyone. No one can escape the hysteria during this awful time. Mary, the main character, watches as her once quite town changes. Girls her own age, start to act in strange ways, having fits, seizures and twisting themselves into unnatural positions as if they were being attacked by black magic and witchcraft. The "afflicted" girls cause many innocent people to be persecuted, imprisoned or even hung due to untrue accusations of witchcraft. When Mary's mom, Virginia, is accused of witchcraft, Mary and her brother, Caleb, must find a way to help their mom escape and put an end to the Witch hunting craze.

Beyond the Burning Time is great reading for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or is interested in the Salem Witch Trials. Kathryn Lasky goes into great detail on the characters emotions, personal beliefs and how lies-upon-lies can touch so many. Many teenagers will find themselves identifying with Mary as she strives for acceptance, independence and faces difficult decisions, just as we do now.

When I read this book, I found it interesting, although it was confusing in some parts. Beyond the Burning Time by Kathryn Laskey is about a girl, named Mary Chase, that lives in the Salem Town area during the Salem witch trials. Many people in the community are being accused of being witches and many are being arrested daily. One person that is accused of being a witch is Mary?s mother, Virginia. The plot is that Mary and her brother, Caleb, are trying to get their mother out of jail before she is killed.
I found the plot and the setting of this book very entertaining. I would recommend this book to 6th or 7th graders. It does get confusing at some points because there are so many characters. However, the further you get into the book, the more interesting it is, and it's also less confusing because many of the characters die. Even though this book is sometimes puzzling, the story line helps make the book a lot better. The background of the Salem witch trials also helps the book make more sense.