My all-time favorite book is HENRY HUGGINS. I am a 34-year old mother of 2 boys who are too young to read the book by themselves and not interested in sitting through a book with very few pictures. However, I have been eager to share this wholesome story with them. So, this book on CD was perfect!! I play it in the car and I don't hear a sound out of them for miles--they are so engrossed in the story and don't want to miss a word. (great for long trips!) They love Henry's adventures & his crazy dog, Ribsy. Neil Patrick Harris does the most fantastic job reading this wonderful story. His voice changes so much for each character that you would swear it was more than one person reading the story. From Mrs. Huggins to Mr. Pennycuff, the pet shop owner, Neil Patrick Harris keeps us entertained with his impersonations of the characters. I love this CD set. I'm thrilled to be able to share Beverly Cleary's timeless stories with my children and I know they will love them just as much when they actually learn how to read! I hope they have Neil Patrick Harris record the other Henry Huggins books too. Super job!!

My 9-year-old son wasn't an avid or enthusiastic reader, and when it came time for his first book report, my husband and I panicked. We were afraid we'd never find a book that sparked his interest enough to want to read through to the end.

Thank goodness for Henry Huggins. This story is simply adorable, and I was delighted to see my son laugh out loud as he read the book. After he finished a chaper, he'd run and tell me what new mess Henry and his lovable scoundrel of a dog, Ribsy, had gotten themselves into. In fact, I actually caught my son reading the book on his own, with no prodding from me or his father.

This book was published in 1950 and so my son did have a few questions about why things were so inexpensive in the story, but other than that, "Henry Huggins" is not dated at all and the story is just entertaining now as it was in the 1950s.

I am so thankful that I purchased this book and that it not only kept my son's interest but helped him realize that books could be fun. This story should be a great first "chapter book" for any child who is ready to move past picture books.

From my understanding, Beverly Cleary was a librarian who could not get some boys to read. They complained that there wasn't anything to read that they could relate to. They asked why weren't there books about kids like them, just average boys? So Beverly Cleary wrote "Henry Huggins" for them- a story of an average boy who gets into all sorts of believable adventures with highly amusing results. It is a GREAT book, and Ms. Cleary introduced to children's literature some of its greatest characters: Henry and his dog, Ribsy; and, in later books, his tomboy friend, Beezus, and Beezus' amazingly pesty kid sister, Ramona. Everyone of the subsequent books in the Henry/Ramona series is fantastic- filled with humor and characters with whom kids can understand and relate. "Henry Huggins" started it all and makes a wonderful introduction to Ms. Cleary's world on Kickalat Street.

This is the end of the Victorian age and the nineteenth century. Augustus Carp tells us about his life as a young man, brought up in a middle-class family. A nattering nabob, a supreme snob, an obnoxious boor, and a prig given to hourly flatulence. He spends his time correcting others to the point of suing them, while he himself is always right and, of course, superior to any human being. He keeps his mother as a slave and destroys those around him. Can the comeuppance be lurking in the future?

Find out by reading this very, very funny book. This is a fabulous satire of a morally uptight generation,

I first became aware of this lost classic through Frank Muir's anthology of comic prose. I was lucky enough to find a copy in my local library and, following several hysteria-plagued re-readings, I decided to buy a second-hand copy. This book inspires devotees. I enquired after many newly advertised second-hand copies of the book online, only to be told by dealers that the book had been sold immediately on being placed online, and that, moreover, I was the sixth or seventh person to have asked after it. (I did manage to snare a copy eventually.) So Prion is doing the reading public a great service in rescuing the book from its undeserved out-of-print limbo. Augustus Carp is an anti-hero who can easily stand comparison with Waugh's greatest snobs, and as a bore and a prig he could almost have sprung from the mind of Patrick Hamilton (another neglected genius). Anyone who has ever felt that the Church is rather too keen to deny basic pleasures will find the book's feverish satire a tonic; loathers of hypocrisy will put it by their bedside tables; those who love to laugh will buy four or five copies for friends. It's that good.

I stumbled upon this book years ago and have read it three times. I hope others will stumble upon it too because Augustus Carp is one of the funniest books I've ever read. It is an anonymously written British satire pitched perfectly, a book that makes fun of religious hypocrisy without ever showing any signs of strain or going overboard - no mean feat given that the tale's narrator (Mr. Augustus Carp) is also the focal point of the humor. The book also contains some wonderful drawings of it characters and, even, some wonderfully pompous footnoting. Find it, read it, laugh at it.

Henry Scougal, a typical Puritan, speaks to the modern ear words of such theological depth in a thoroughly Puritan manner, that of intense, passion. After Jonathan Edwards and John Owen, Scougal should be the first Puritan read by any student today. As I glance over my copy of underlined and noted pages, I remember the impact this book made upon me. Where else could I receive a lengthy dissertation on what "love of God" meant? I recommend that every churchgoer read this to understand that "love of God" is not a gratitude for the many gifts from God (salvation, a nice car, healthy children, lasting marriage, etc), nor is "love of God" a dependance on God when life gets tough (when the children aren't so healthy and the marriage isn't going as well), but the "love of God" is a satisfaction and delight in God Himself, rather than in His gifts. This "divine life" is what we are called unto and is what all true obedience from out of. Where else can today's church receive this teaching? We must turn to Scougal, and I hope that you will join me now in doing so.

All I can say is WOW! I fell flat on my face after reading this young man's terrifying insight. I cannot express in greater terms the absolute need to read this book. Look at the title of it. That's it isn't it? Galations 2:20: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me".

A quote by George Whitfield in the preface: "How did my heart rise and shudder like a poor man that is afraid to look into his ledger lest he should find himself a bankrupt. 'Shall I burn this book? Shall I throw it down? or shall I search it?' I did search it; and, holding the book in my hand, thus addressed the God of heaven and earth: 'Lord, if I am not a Christian, for Jesus Christ's sake show me what Christianity is, that I may not be damned at last.' I read a little further, and discovered that they who know anything of religion know it is a vital union with the Son of God -- Christ formed in the heart. O what a ray of divine life did then break in upon my soul!"

Reading this book terrified me because I had to ask "Now that I know these things, what shall I do?". And that began the process where the Lord ripped me open down to the very essence of my nature and furiously broke into my existence.

Thank God for His Son and the relationship They have with each other. Feel free to write; I would love to discuss further.

In his book, Henry Scougal concisely, yet powerfully, spells out what a true Christian looks like. Though our society is mostly a Christian one, not many (including me) live their lives like Scougal's generation of true believers did. Our society has taught us to be relative - as long as we are more "holy" than most of the others in society, we are ok. Scougal teahces us how to be objective - with our focus on God and who He wants us to be. I highly recommend this book for those believers who have realized that their watered-down faith needs to be made strong in the Lord's eyes.

Grand Prix motor racing, despite a long parade of contenders to the pinnacle of motor sport, remains the ultimate distillation of technology and driver courage/skill. The 50 years since WWII, thoughtfully framed by a "Before the War" chapter for historical perspective, are recorded superbly in this magnificent book. No significant aspects of the cars and drivers of this eventful half century have been neglected. Sidebars constantly divert and inform. Even the advertising is captivating.
The reader comes away in awe, sated by the integrity of the text under Alan Henry's meticulous editing and the wonderful photographs of Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier.
Younger enthusiasts who read this book, who have been watching the boring, little-passing parades of advertising-festooned F1 slot cars of recent years, will acquire essential perspective from this great book and will note--perhaps wistfully--the transition from a high-risk driver's sport to a technology-money game in which the driver has become increasingly subordinated to the machinery and lawyers manipulate the rules. They may also note, by studying the evolution of Grand Prix machinery, the transition (not only in GP but in prototype sports cars) from vehicles that could be driven on road courses to caricatures that can only be driven on billiard-table-smooth tracks, whose characteristics (mile-wide slicks, ground effects, minimal ground clearance, bizarre aerodynamics aids, engine lifetimes measures in minutes or hours of running) have virtually nothing to do with any other kind of road vehicle. The great Stirling Moss, one of the finest drivers who ever raced, railed against this loss of relevance to 'real' cars when interviewed by me on the microphone at Sears Point (where he was Grand Marshall of a historics event). Beyond nostalgia, who is to say that he is not right in decrying this disconnect between racing cars and real cars? Don't suggest NASCAR, fake into the bones, as representative of any remotely real road vehicle.
Alan Henry sensibly avoids much of the recent controversy over rules and money, which have effected so many not-so-subtle changes in what used to be a sport and not a business, although he does gum the issues of the tobacco wars and the rise of lovable Bernie Ecclestone to the role of F1 dictator. The book was published in 2000 and thus could not have anticipated the struggle of F1 in the new Millennium, blandly asserting its posture as "firm and secure." Well, maybe.
In the end, nothing that the recent philistines can do diminishes the ultimate greatness of this world motorsports arena or the care with which this book and brilliant historical record has been assembled.

This title is even more precious than the other already outstanding Autocourse Annuals. You can see how it looked when it all started back in 1950. Live through different eras of the past 50 years in F1 racing. I suggect all F1 fans get this book asap or it will disappear from book stores very soon. The team of Henry and Cahier(s) should get more than 5 stars just for this outstanding work.

The Formula One world driving championship was inaugurated in 1950, making 1999 it's 50th season. The people of AUTOCOURSE have chronicled the sport since 1951, and have never had any equals. This AUTOCOURSE history of the first 50 years is absolutely breathtaking. An "art" book of immensely high quality, it marries the journalistic expertise of veteran correspondent Alan Henry (editor of AUTOCOURSE since 1988) with the photographic brilliance of Bernard Cahier (covering primarily the 50's, 60's and into the 70's) and his son, the imcomparable photographic artist, Paul-Henri Cahier (primarily 80's and 90's). Their photos are simply stunning. The decision to restrict the photographic content of a 50-year history to just 2 men was a brave one, but considering that they chose the true artists of their eras, the choice was clearly inspired. It puts the book on another level entirely. A comprehensive championship table (season-by-season) is present at the back, but there is nothing dry or statistical about this book. Rather than comprehensively document the series "race-by-race", this is a book in which the essence of each era and the true character of its participants (and the cars involved) is brought to life. The people at AUTOCOURE have no peers, and with this book, they've truly outdone themselves. A "desert island" F1 book for sure. Congrats!

My husband and I were having serious troubles in our marrage. I had decided to get away and go to India, where I met the author of this book. He loaned me a copy and I read it. I was hooked, the begining is so good I couldn't put it down. The thing I especially liked about this book was that a man could be so in touch with his feelings. Any woman could have wrote this book, but I like that it shows men its ok to feel. I was feeling like the problem was all my husbands fault but Henry's book made me look at my part in it too. When I came home I made my husband read the book as part of our healing. He also couldn't put it down which is a real compliment since I have only known of him reading 3 books sinces we met 26 years ago. I have since started recomending it to friends and clients with marital problems.

THE WAY OF MARRIAGE is a gem, worthy of being read by adults, in, out of, or between marriages--or contemplating any commited relationship. It contains the author's insightful and evocative personal experiences in coming to grips with the challenges of his marriage partnership. Mr.Borys is willing in this remarkable and useful work to lay raw his emotions, feelings, and inner life--and come to a more complete understanding of himself, and perforce his marriage and, indeed, of all relationships. The book is vastly larger than just a marriage or relationship manual. It is a highly personal story, a work replete with helpful thoughts, suggestions, and experiences. I can unequivocally recomment this work, and I look forward to more from this talented and courageous author

In thirty years of marraige I have read many books about relationships; many of them good, but The Way of Marriage continues to be a favorite. It is not just another book about relationships. It is a profoundly insightful guide to spiritual growth. The author's subtle humor and his willingness to share his personal experiences make this a most enjoyable read as well as being enlightening. I have always felt that life gives us many clues everyday - that's what makes it fun. But I must admit that there have been many days when I thought to myself "God, would you PLEASE just spell it out for me....obviously I'm just not getting it!" The Way of Marriage spells it out for me. It is sort of a decoder ring for the clues, hints, hidden messages in life's challenges

This book is all about a courageous horse named Black Gold. This was a very good but sad story. The boy is devoted to his horse and cares very much for Black Gold's health-even more than the trainer. An accident happens to Black Gold that was expected because the trainer would not let Black Gold have surgery. This is an awesome book!

This is a story about a small stallion named Black Gold. He may be small, but he isn't bad. This is a heart breaking story. The boldest words I remember are the end. Black Gold's leg snapped because of a hoof crack. The words that I will always remember is: "He finished the race with three legs and a heart" That had made me cry. People of all ages should enjoy this book. Take my advice and BUY THIS BOOK!

Filled with excitement, sorrow, and happy moments, this true story is bound to awaken your heart. What book could this be? Black Gold of course! The story's about a small Thoroughbred colt that seemed to have no potential, but turned out to be one of the greatest Thoroughbreds of all time! With the careful hands of Jaydee, Black Gold's determined jockey, Black Gold finishes his last race with "three legs and a heart."
In the beginning, Jaydee and Black Gold have two separate stories in the same book. In fact, Black Gold doesn't even come into the story until a few chapters in. His mother, U-see-it, wins her owner, and soon to be Black Gold's owner, purses that just grow and grow. Black Gold's soon to be jockey shows that he will never give up right in the beginning of the book. The ending has a horrid feel to it, but still Marguerite Henry, the auther will warm your heart in a way that is unforgettable.
Black Gold shares the message that you can never give up, no matter how hard the times are. When Black Gold is in serious pain, he doesn't give up. When Jaydee is put down, he doesn't give up, and when anyone has a challenge, they shouldn't give up either. They should overcome it with bravery and strength.

Quite simply, Autocourse is the best Formula 1 review there is. I own a complete set of CART Autocourse annuals as well as a nearly complete set of the F1 annuals from 1961 forward. During the race-less down time of the winter, I always look forward to receiving my new copy of Autocourse to review the previous season. These annuals are great for deciding bets among fellow enthusiasts and for filling in gaps in memory from seasons past. No motorsport library is complete without a complete set of these annuals. Period.

My only complaint with recent annuals is that there seems to be somewhat less information than in the past-- but, by no means, is the information lacking or incomplete. The pictures, which have taken some of the space of the writing, are as usual fantastic and worth the price of the book by themselves. Note well that this complaint does not have any effect on my rating of a full five stars. If you have any enthusiasm for the sport, you must get a copy of this book!

I have a number of autocourses and I still feel that they are getting better with every passing year. If you have an interest in Formula 1 then you should have this book. It gives an overview of each team in the championship and really gets a great insight as to how their performances stacked up and what their expectations really were or should have been. The race guides are an indespensible piece of information for the serious fan, although they do occasionally miss outstanding performances from the middle or rear of the field, due to the majority of the focus being on the battle at the front, however most details are covered and in very good detail. The summary of the other racing series (F3000, F3, CART, NASCAR, etc) is a very worthwhile addition as it gives a good reference point without having to purchase other literature. Then there is the top 10 driver lists, they may not always be the rankings you expect, or agree with!, but they certainly are a good talking point, and quite well justified in most cases.
Overall the most complete annual book about Formula 1 and a complete necessity to any real fan.

Autocourse is the ultimate annual of the just completed Formula One season. My first volume covered the 1976 season and I own all but two since then. The only reason I missed those two was because they sold out before I could place my order. Each edition continually improves on the previous years with outstanding statistics for each race including lap charts, the absolute best photographs from the world's best photographers and an always intriguing editor's top ten drivers list. The race reports don't miss a beat from first to last place. The technical breakdown gives every detail of each car down to what brake pads and spark plugs they use. You are not a Formula One fan if you do not own Autocourse.

My sister and I recently discussed how we loved this book as young teens. First read it as a Reader's Digest Condensed book. I loved it so much that I've since purchased many of Ms. Cookson's books. She feeds you some history and flavor of another culture, painlessly wrapped in an emotionally gripping tale. Another favorite from her: Feathers In The Fire.

As a huge fan of Catherine Cookson, I'd have to say The Dwelling Place is the best I have read so far...and I've read many of her books! Don't miss this story of a young girl's struggle to ovecome the odds at keeping her family together. Her selfless strength of character and integrity throughout this story, as well as the satisfying endings to this and all of her stories, are what make Catherine Cookson's books so wonderful and keep the reader coming back for more! Read The Dwelling Place ~ you won't be disappointed!

I have read this book for many years. I bring it out once a year to enjoy it. The courage that Cissy had was so unbelievable. I felt like I was right there in the cave.Catherine Cookson 's books make you feel that you are living a part of history Bravo Catherine Cookson.!

Henry Miller paints a wonderfully enticing portrait of Greece in this well-written account of his travels there in the 1930's and 40's. I liked this book so much that it inspired a trip to Greece, to visit some of the ancient historical sites. While visiting such places as Mycenae and Delphi, it was enjoyable to re-read his own impressions of them.

The book is full of colorful observations, and is written in a far more traditional and accessible style than Miller's "Tropic" books. I only have a couple of quibbles about this very fine book. First, the title character of the book, a Greek friend of Miller's, is never developed in a way that justifies the appellation "Colossus." Second, I think Miller sometimes strains a bit to lend a literary effect to rather commonplace things or experiences.

As a Greek-American reading about Greece in Miller's account written in the 1930's, I found it to be very moving. It isn't simply a travel book about Greece, it's about Greece healing someone's soul!

I absolutely love Miller's, "Tropic of Cancer," and was expecting the same style for Maroussi. However, I was mistaken. Miller doesn't include any of his notorious womanizing stories here. Instead, Miller writes about finding peace in contemplating Greece, modern and ancient. Again, his written prose is like reading poetry. There are some passages from this book that I had to "cut out" and keep for inspiration.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Henry Miller or Greece. I must also recommend Edmund Keeley's, "Inventing Paradise," which is something of a companion to Maroussi. In it, Keeley discusses Miller's Greek journey, which he took along with George Seferis, Lawrence Durrell, and other 20th century Greek poets, writers, and painters.

I first read this bookin the mid-seventies when I was in my early twenties. I recently re-discovered it as a niece was going to Greece to study and wanted some backround about the culture and character of the Greek people. Reading a book some twenty years later and particularly and author like Henry Miller can tell you something about the author and the reader and how perceptions change in twenty years. Miller's crystal clear renderings of the ambience and character of the Greek landscape and the Greek character are timeless treasures to be soaked up as in the brilliance of the Greek light by anyone that loves art. Although I would not define the book as a classic work of literature (there are too many first person accounts that wax and wane depending on the mood of the author, I would say that it has some characteristics of classic art in it's timeless appeal as well as it's changing meaning to a changing reader. We can look at at great work of art, say at age 21 and it means one thing. then we can look at the same work 25 years later and it will mean something totally different, yet have more depth in some areas and less meaning in others. This is what I found in reading The Colossus of Maroussi. If you want to be transported to the timelessnes of the power and potency of the Greek mind and heart, read thhis book.

St Augustine's City of God is a work for the ages. It was not only a great apologetic to the Christian faith of the 5th century; it is an apologetic to Christian faith for all centuries. It is the story of history unfolded in two exact opposite cities. It is the struggle between the two cities against one another. It is the story of the fall, grace, redemption, and salvation of man for those who live in the city of God. For those of the other city, it is the exact opposite. It is the story of the fall, judgment, damnation and ultimate destruction of those who loved themselves more than they loved God. This was the story of love, by one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church, Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.

The reason I give 4 stars out of 5 is because of the amazing difficulty that comes with reading this book. This is a VERY VERY heavy read, and one should be familiar with the prevailing Roman philosophies of the day, as well as Roman history.

Augustine talks of Plato, Cicero, Virgil and others frequently through the book. He also talks of the history of Rome, and these factors play a heavy note in his book. An few survey classes of Philosophy, and a World Civics class as well as a decent understanding of Christian history at this time, and theology is also a must. You should be familiar with the scriptures. Because of all these factors, you cannot just pickup and read this book. You'll have to know what Augustine is talking about to some level before you read this.

Other than that, this book is brilliance, and while some parts will be a little dry, it is very inspiring. You see Augustine write, sign, and stamp the doctrine of Original Sin, Amillinialism, and doctrines concerning Grace, the Trinity, and various "problems" concerning the Canon of Scripture.

He setup Christianity for the next 1000 years, and is still felt strongly today in Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox circles.

Any thinking Christian is daunted by this three-pound monster, but he owes it to himself to read it, front to back. The Great Doctor of the Latin Church here set forth the tenets for the entire Church to come, based on diligent studies of Scripture. Augustine is surprisingly readable when discussing history and even rises to humor when he discusses ancient Roman religious practices. He anticipates many of the great existentialists by over a millenium and a half in his treatments of the Old Testament. At the end of an exhausting journey, one is left with a reaffirmed faith and renewed strength in the promise of our Savior. No man should be deprived of the nourishment of the mind and spirit contained in this book. Happy reading

Like one of the reviewers above, I, too, set about the daunting task of reading this book from cover to cover, and it took me a good six months to complete it. But what a wonderful and worthwhile investment of time it was! It would do the modern Church well to read this book since Augustine places the City of God (i.e., Christ and His Church) within the context of the pagan world in which we live, and its message is as applicable to today as it was 1,500 years ago when he first wrote it. Most impressive, his grasp of both classical and biblical history and his profound understanding of Scripture is unparalleled by almost any author I have ever read, from Jerome's time until the present. If for no other reason, Christians should buy this book to gain an appropriate understanding of the last days and the rightful interpretation of the book of Revelation. Most of today's books on this subject pale in comparison to Augustine's exposition of this lofty and (sometimes) arcane subject.