I hardly know where to begin. I have nothing but unstinting praise for these letters and the book, except for . . . well, I'll get to that in a moment. Elinore Stewart's writing is a model to be followed by anyone of any time or place on any subject. Clear as a bell, concise yet comprehensive, replete with localisms and skillfully rendered frontier humor, it makes one want to toss the PC and reference library into the trash and move to some unspoiled wilderness. Yet, a caveat. When you finish the book you feel you know this indomitable woman. Then it suddenly strikes you that you don't. Who was Elinore Pruitt Stewart? Where was she born, grow up? Who was the railroader who fathered her daughter, and most of all, what happened to her?

Elinore Pruitt Stewart was my grandmother, my father's mother. She died before I was born; I deeply regret never getting to know her, as she was a remarkable woman. Readers who enjoyed the book might also enjoy the film made from it- "Heartland", directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Conchata Ferrill as Elinore and Rip Torn as Clyde. It is available on video. The script was originally conceived by the Wilderness Women's Project at the University of Montana. My father and mother got to play bit roles as wedding guests. Elinore also wrote "Letters On An Elk Hunt", as well as many short pieces for periodicals of the day.

At first, the thought of reading letters from nearly a hundred years ago held very little interest for me but from the second page I was hooked. Just over four hours later I was done reading, and was equipped with a whole new view of not only life in the early 20th century but of the impact woman had on it. Worth reading by both woman and man alike.

Most sequels stink. A lot. George MacDonald, the first fantasy master, managed to buck that trend with the sequel to "The Princess and the Goblin," with "The Princess and Curdie." If anything, this book is even better than the first -- a bit more mature, a little bit darker, but with the same haunting prose and likeable characters.

In the time since the defeat of the goblins, Curdie has gone back to his life as a miner. Unfortunately he also begins to stray from the pure actions he showed in the first book, pushing aside thoughts of Princess Irene's grandmother and trying to convince himself that the more supernatural events of "Goblin" were just imagination. Until he needlessly wounds a pigeon with his bow and arrow, and takes it to the stately, mysterious Grandmother.

As Curdie regains his innocence and his faith, the Lady sends him on a quest, with a weird doglike creature called Lina who was once a human. She also (by having him stick his hands into burning roses) makes his hands able to feel a person's soul when he touches them, if a person is "growing into a beast" on the inside. Now Curdie and Lina set off for the capital, where Irene's father is physically ill, and falling prey to the scheming of his sinister officials.

If the first book was Irene's, then this book is undeniably Curdie's. The focus is on him almost constantly through the book, and it's his internal struggles that we are fascinated by. Every person (well, most of them, anyway) eventually loses their childlike faith and innocence, as Curdie has begun to do at the beginning. He's naturally a more skeptical person than Irene, and so time begins to fade whatever he thought he saw; also, being "one of the guys" in the mine requires a seemingly more mature attitude. But with the loss of innocence also goes some of the faith and internal beauty, and so MacDonald brings Curdie back to the gentle, trusting kid he was in the first book.

The Lady (also known as Irene's great-great-great-grandmother, Lady of the Silver Moon, and Mother Wotherwop -- don't ask about the last one) is also a more prominent figure. She's still both maternal and supernaturally distant, very warm while also seeming to know everything. Precisely who and what she is remains a mystery, but we see more of her subtle, awe-inspiring powers here.

The writing is, as the first book was, immensely dreamy and haunting. MacDonald let rip with the surreally beautiful descriptions of the Lady's room and appearances, and of scenes like Curdie sticking his hands into the rose petals. Like in "Princess and the Goblin," the plot takes awhile to get moving, but it's so well-written that you probably won't notice.

"The Princess and Curdie" is currently harder to find than the first book, which strikes me as a little odd. (Especially since this duology is just screaming to be compiled in one book) But anyone who enjoyed the first book, or even just enjoys a gorgeously-written fantasy, will definitely want to get this sequel.

'The Princess and Curdie' is a superb sequel to the brilliant children's fantasy 'The Princess and the Goblin'. In both books, MacDonald displays his incredible talent as a story-teller for children, by crafting a tale that makes great reading aloud material for children. Curdie, a miner's son, is sent by a magical princess on an urgent quest to save the king and his kingdom. His companion is Lina, an ugly monster of a dog who proves to be a steadfast, powerful and courageous companion. Curdie discovers that evil and wickedness threaten to overthrow the good kingdom of the king and his daughter Irene, and it is only when Curdie and Lina escape perils and dangers and marshal together the forces of good that the dangers can be overcome.

In the process of telling the story, MacDonald entertains a few curious notions rather surprising for a Christian. Especially surprising are the ideas of a mountain being bubbles of heat thrust from the center of the earth (p.2), and the earth being a cooled body that flew off the sun (p.3) ' ideas more akin to evolutionary thinking than Christian faith in the Biblical teaching about creation. This book is also somewhat different from 'The Princess and the Goblin' on a literary level, because in this book MacDonald's story-telling at times employs vocabulary and sentence structure that is overly complex for children, and at times he waxes overly philosophical.

But those weaknesses aside, it's a thrilling and captivating story of an exciting quest, enhanced by deeper underlying Christian themes. MacDonald describes the king as 'a real king ' that is, one who ruled for the good of his people and not to please himself.' (p.5). True citizens of this kingdom, such as Curdie's parents, are those who 'always loved what was fair and true and right better, not than anything else, but than everything else put together.' (p.35) In contrast there are many false citizens who have open doors but closed hearts, and who live a life of wickedness, chiefly characterized by lying, drinking, stealing and unkindness. These seeds of corruption also contain the seeds of destruction, and threaten to overthrow the kingdom. The morality is clear and solidly Christian.

Particularly fascinating is the concept that all humans are either noble human beings, or else slowly turning into animals on the inside. By putting his hands into a magical fire, Curdie is given the ability to perceive the inner layer of man by means of a handshake: 'you will henceforth be able to know at once the hand of a man who is growing into a beast.' (p.73) One cannot help but wonder if MacDonald has too much faith in human nature, since he does not spell out that it is only the regenerating Spirit that makes a heart true and noble. But the underlying truth is valid: all men's hearts are inclined to be beastly because of sin, but by the grace of God some hearts are changed to be noble and truly human. It echoes the truth of the teaching of Jesus Christ: where your heart is, there your treasure is, and ultimately you cannot serve both God and Mammon. Those who are overwhelmed by wickedness and by love of Mammon, are eventually destroyed, whereas those with a pure heart and love of God establish the kingdom of righteousness. The pessimism of the final ending raises many questions, but perhaps can be best explained as a growing wickedness among men leading to a complete and final judgment, similar to the flood and the end of the world. MacDonald's tale is in the end very reminiscent of the Biblical pattern of the Judges and Kings: in times of wickedness, God raised up judges and kings to ensure the establishment of a kingdom where justice and righteousness reigned.

Just as in the 'The Princess and the Goblin', Irene's great-great-grandmother plays a central and decisive role. She is also known as 'The Mother of Light', 'the Lady of the Silver Moon' and less affectionately as 'Old Mother Wotherwop'. MacDonald attributes to her both omniscience ' 'I am always about' ' and a measure of omnipotence (p.53). She is the Light that guides the way in darkness (p.50), and she it is who commissions Curdie for his quest and ensures its success.

These timeless tales contain enduring truths, as well as delightful stories. What they've done for over 100 years is something that they are still doing today - pleasing imaginative children and adults with a tale of lasting significance.

George MacDonald has the gift of expressing a deep theological idea through the form of a story.I grew up with his fairy stories,as a Adult,I am still affected by the skillful and beautiful portrayal of the quest for wisdom of a pure heart.The Princess and Curdie,is a story of just that.Curdies own journey is a story of the Christian walk and if one wishes can learn much from it.Do not get the idea that The Princess and Curdie is dull however!This book pays tribute to George MacDonalds fantastic imagination,as a child and as an "grownup" once picked up this book is difficult to put down.Perhaps the deepest things are also the most interesting.

THE RETURN OF THE SOLDIER, published in 1918, may be the most carefully conceived novel I've ever read, and I've read a fair amount of exquisitely executed fiction. Told from the first person perspective of a spinster whose entire life revolves around her cousin, his life and country mansion, it is the story of an English gentleman who goes off to World War I only to be returned not in a body bag or physically injured but with a severe case of amnesia. He does not recognize his pretty, socially correct wife; he has retreated to a hidden youthful romance with a poor woman. The woman, also married now, comes forth in the interest of helping him. The balance of the plot hangs in the implications of recovery. The balance of the full experience of the novel is to watch characters change or not change their class prejudices and worldview in light of their experiences on this country estate. Though only 90 pages long, much is packed into this book, much that is analogous to the English national experience as it moved from the Victorian era into the 20th century.

The critical introduction, which should be read as an afterward so as not to rob you of the surprises in the novel, does a good job of reviewing the analogies between the tightly closed world of the country estate and the national experience. There is much more to be mined from this novel, including a window on the then new science of psychoanalysis and how it was understood. For me, the narration was a particular revelation. At first I thought the voice a bit melodramatic in a 19th century way, but it became clear that the tone was all part of the author's plan, and that it changed as the narrator's vision changed. The specter of spinsterhood hangs thick in the air, itself a comment on the social condition of the era. Here is the perfect selfless, lonely narrator who knows everything about the lives in her tiny circle. The woman who would be ignored becomes the ideal articulator of how England at home received the war.

This relatively unknown work, deceptively short, operates on many different levels and works on all of them. In a brief 87 pages one sees the class divisions in England during World War I, the impact of the Industrial Reolution on the countryside, a conflict between love and duty, family expectations and one's own desires, a frightening picture of amnesia, the pain of unrequited love and the joy of mutual love, a marriage without a soul--I could go on and on. I read it once just because I couldn't wait to see what happened, and then again slowly to enjoy the language, the beautiful descriptions of nature, and to find the hints the author sows from page one on that this beautiful world that these people have created for themselves is not what it appears to be.

West's "little book" was written right when England was leaving the Victorian Era and becoming embroiled in the Edwardian. If you pay attention, you can see the countryside changing as "the red suburban stain" creeps across the landscape. Of all the books we read in my ENG 442G class (Modern British Lit), this book was by far my favorite. It has a gripping story with lots of twists that make it interesting. It's not just about the war, it's not just about an unhappy marriage, it's not just about childhood opportunities lost--it's about a changing nation and a changing world. This book can be read on so many different levels. I have seen the movie as well (the book's much better).

I must have had my dad read these stories a million times at bed time. I remember always bugging him to read one more story. It has been so many years since then and I can't wait to read them to my own children, although i don't think I can do the voices quit so well. The illustrations in the hardcover edition were beautiful and i would spend so much time pretending with my little sister that we lived in rootabaga country. It will be a pleasure to reread all the stories of my childhood. When i would pick rootabaga stories at bedtime even over everybodies all time favorite Winnie-the-pooh.

Carl Sandburg, winner of Pulitzer Prizes both for his biography of Abraham Lincoln and for his COMPLETE POEMS, explores another genre in ROOTABAGA STORIES, fairy tales that he wrote for his daughters. When asked how he wrote the stories, Sandburg replied, "The children asked questions, and I answered them."

The ROOTABAGA STORIES are unconventional in almost every way. Unlike traditional fairy tales, they have no perfect princesses and evil witches. They are American fairy tales with a rural flavor and, in fact, they have no evil characters. The settings, though fanciful, include images that defined America in the 1920s, when the stories were published: the railroad, which "ran across the prairie, to the mountains, to the sea," and the skyscraper.

In Rootabaga Country the railroad tracks go from straight to zigzag, the pigs wear bibs (some checked, some striped, some polka-dotted), and the biggest city is the Village of Liver-and-Onions. Characters in this fanciful world are equally peculiar: Please Gimme, Blixie Blimber, Eeta Peeca Pie, and dozens of others. Children and literary critics alike would be hard-pressed to explain (even symbolically) the events that occur in the stories. Nevertheless, meaning comes through and truth is revealed. For example, in "Three Boys with Jugs of Molasses and Secret Ambitions," ambition is defined as "a little creeper that creeps and creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, 'Come and find me, come and find me.'" Who would expect that "The Two Skyscrapers Who Decided to Have a Child" would have an absolutely poignant ending?

Although the events of the stories may not be explainable, the stories are replete with concrete images. Sandburg provides both visual and auditory description with musical, repetitious phrases and novel juxtaposition of words ("a daughter who is a dancing shaft of light on the ax handles of morning"). Occasionally he invents words, such as "pfisty-pfoost," the sound of the train's steam engine, and "bickerjiggers," the buttons on an accordion.

ROOTABAGA STORIES are wonderful for reading aloud. They provide an opportunity for readers and listeners to delight in language and revel in truths revealed in a fanciful world.

Sometimes it is late and you want to read your child something short so you naturally will reach for this book - where most of the stories are 4 pages or less and they are not really connected - the problem is: you can seldom stop at one and if you are not careful you will read the whole book! My 10 year old is just as mesmerized by Sandberg's words as my 8 year old was 2 years ago, mostly because Sandberg's choice of words and fantastic plots and settings are continually unexpected and surprising. I'm mesmerized too, but I won't reveal my age.

50 years and this is still a great book in a great series. Unlike so many popular Christian books that become dated over time, William Barclay's Daily Study Bible just seems to get better. He has excellent historical material. He offers valuable insight that will apply to your life as we begin the third millenium. You will be glad you bought this book, or any of the others Barclay wrote in the New Testament Series.

I find that William Barclay's "The Gospel of Mark" is an excelent book to learn more about what is the true meaning of what the Gospel of Mark is all about. It is fairly easy to read and it puts what is written into historical contexts. It let me know a lot more about what was going on during the life of Jesus Christ. so that I could understand the Gospel in much greater depth than I ever had before.

I would greatly recommend this book for use as a suppliment to the Bible for study groups or individual study of the Scriptures. I also think that this book is good for both a historical and/or a theological study of the life of Jesus Christ. It really helps to make sense of what Mark had to say by reviewing what the people knew and thought during the time that Jesus was among them so that we could view the Gospel from that perspective as well as what it means to us today.

I think that every Christian will find that they will learn a great deal from this book. As a Christian I feel that this book should be on everyone's must read list.

Reading this commentary was like having a daily conversation with a deeply learned companion. Barclay's remarks are always insightful. Without being dogmatic, he brings Mark's prose alive. His understanding of the original Greek and of the customs and mores of the ancient world provides helpful context to the story. What a wonderful personal tutor! I now am reading his book on the letters to the Corinthians and will read the entire series.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gibson and I own an autographed copy of his book. He is as real in person as he is on paper! His stage performance is enchanting. He seduces your thinking and leaves you speechlees.

regie gibson's book was given to me as a gift. i doubt the person that gave me this knew how great a gift it was. i own more poetry than i can add on a calculator, and this book immediately took its place among my absolute favorite poetry collections and regie gibson is now one of my favorite contemporary poets. this man does incredible things with words; i'm astounded every time i read one of his poems (which is pretty often). if you buy any book at all, this should be it. you might even be able to make it a really amazing gift for someone who seems to have every book of poetry imaginable. (like me). this is too good of a secret to keep.

there's regie gibson performing, and there's regie gibson on the page. both are equally satisfying and leave you with chills tickling the nape of your neck. regie's words shiver with life on the page, sparking a restlessness on your lips to read aloud. his poems hold a magic the magnetizes your eyes to the words in a strange submission. it's like honey on your tongue. regie gibson's work is for anyone who looks for something fresh and invigorating, someone who knows art through words. you're a fool if you don't own this.

Riddled with kindness, and filled with light, Una's Jungle Journey seems a positive force in a corner of literature too often less illumined. A narative that joyfully pulls you in; inviting personal participation (via journey note pages and a map) upon an adventure which unfolds shifts in both feeling and paradigm. Children, and adults shall love it. A beautiful keeper!

Una's Jungle Journey by Fred Otis Gibson is an engaging and enjoying novel for young adults. Una is a young girl who upon falling into a pond, finds herself transported to an unknown land. She must find her way home in a journey that reveals lessons about the world and herself. An original and mystical tale, Una's Jungle Journey is a thoroughly entertaining allegorical story of gentle wisdom enhanced with occasional black-and-white illustrations.

My husband and I both read Una's Jungle Journey and decided we'd like our kids and grandkids to have it, too. I had my friend read the book who's taught grade school for 30 years. She thought it should be put in the schools for classroom reading and that worksheets should be made for it. She ordered three books (and her neighbor wants one, too). One of the books was especially for her daughter-in-law who is writing a children's book. We really enjoyed reading Una's story. It was very easy to picture Una's adventure, because the book is so descriptive.

After listening to this series and applying what I've learned I have a few reasons why master copywriter and business consultant Drew Eric Whitman selected the title.

Maybe it relates to the fact that I would have paid $50,000 to him and the 10 other experts that have literally super-charged my business and increased profits. And at that price, it would have been a steal.

Or maybe the $50,000 references what average business owners can add to their annual profits after listening. I know in my case, $50,000 would be a low estimate for the increase in business I expect over the course of the next year as a direct result of listening to this course.

Whatever the reasoning behind the title, in my opinion this is material that every person running or thinking of starting a business should own. It delivers essential business and marketing information (some of which I've never heard before but works almost like magic), and it spoon feeds it to you in such a way that you not only completely understand it, but you're excited and can't wait to start applying it to your business immediately.

I've had many nights where I've only grabbed a few eyefuls of sleep since owning this. But I want to thank Drew Eric for giving me the information and motivation to get in and do something that's responsible for literally putting more money in my pocket while making it fun.

Grady Smith

Who is this Drew Eric Whitman? And how can he help me?

Those were my thoughts as I read his captivating ad for The $50,000 Business Makeover Marathon. I was spell bound. And you will be too.

Being an adventureous sort, as all entrepeneurs are, I decided to take the plunge and purchase it. You know what? It was everything he said it would be, and more!

Drew, if you read this, thank you. We may never meet but you have changed my life and business.

After listening and putting into action many of the tips(lessons, really) I have seen an amazing change in my professional and personal affairs.

I own six other tape programs on sales and marketing and this one is unique. Get it now. While you're thinking about it.

Better hurry. Your competition may already have this.

Yours in Success,
...

I confess to buying too many business tapes. I am also too often disappointed by the quality of the production as well the content.

THESE tapes, however, are fantastic. The speakers are all interesting to listen to - not boring. No fluff. Recorded in a studio, so you can ALWAYS hear the speakers. The topics will be valuable to any small to medium size busines owner or marketing executive who wants to expand and grow their business.

You may have heard SOME of this material before, but you haven't heard ALL of it -- and it's all in one powerful package.

IMHO, it's worth a listen -- again and again.

-Keith Price
Developer of The Magic Bullet
Software to help you write sales letters that really sell.

Isabella Bird was an astounding woman. Adventurous, courageous and full of good humor, she traveled by horse through the Rocky Mountains when it was still virgin territory. Although she lived under difficult circumstances, especially during the winter months, and met a number of rough customers along the way, she never lost her nerve or her good nature. This is an excellent book to get a feel for Colorado in the late 19th Century and to admire a woman way ahead of her time.

A must for the reader who is searching for a first hand description of life in the Rocky's in the 1800's. It includes wonderful sketches by the author and great descriptions of characters and adventures in the untamed West. A great book for bedtime and rainy day reading.

This is a wonderful book to bring on your vacation to the Rockies. Miss Bird travels to what are now popular tourist destinations, only she does it before the convenience of a SUVs, Motels, or even plumbing. She meets overworked settlers, fascinating (and surprisingly polite) desperados, and English dandies. She revels in the mountain vistas, sunrises, sunsets and orange moonlight. Her many mile treks on horseback over frozen landscapes, alone in the wild west are an inspiration.

This is a wonderful, heart-wrenching short book, a fictionalization of the migration of a lone Eskimo Curlew from the arctic to South America and back.

The Eskimo Curlew was once a plentiful shorebird that was highly sought after by hunters because of the succulence of its flesh and the ease with which it could be taken. Usually flying in dense swarms, a score or more birds could be brought down by a single shotgun blast. In some cases so many were killed, that the hunters left those that could not be transported to market in massive piles. And so it came to pass that by the late 19th-century, the Eskimo Curlew population declined rapidly, to the point where it was virtually extinct at the time Bodsworth wrote the book.

Although a work of fiction, this is a book that should be read by everyone who has an interest in Nature and the environment.

Bodsworth is brilliant in his capacity to provide the reader with an emotionally arrousing text, supported by fascinating technical details of bird migration. I cannot imagine that anyone having even a remote interest in birds, nature or life, would not be moved by this great piece.

I doubt anyone will ever see this review, but I thought I'd submit one anyway. Never have I experienced a book that so forced me to put it down every few pages, from its overwhelming sadness and beauty. Merwin, who championed this rare gem, once wrote: "If I were not human, I would have nothing to be ashamed of." Truly, this is the kind of reading experience that cuts to the core of our species' tragic history.