This book and it's partner book (part II, Bequest) were particularly interesting to me because I grew up knowing the man who is the subject of the books. Though it is not completely non-ficticious, I was pleased to find the character of the man in the book to be consistent with the character of the man I knew. It filled in many questions I'd had of what life experiences had helped to mold such a respectable person. It also gave new insight into the history of Hungary. After reading it I knew it was a good one to pass on to my kids and even supply their school library with their own copies. The only disappointment was that the story ended so early in his life; I could have read 2 more books and then some because I know he is still alive as of this writing.

Jung Chang's native language is not English. Although her English prose deftly and poetically puts the entirety (smells, moods, images) of a scene into words, her memoir Wild Swans is distinctively Chinese. Chang swiftly moves through a century of turmoil and pain in China, with the breadth of a history textbook but told as a personal account. Chang channels her grandmother and mother to transcribe this tale not of mothers and daughters, but of China and its children. It is mainly a political story in a familial setting as three strong women experience and are actively involved with the old Imperialist government, the Japanese and Kuomintang regimes, and the communist government under Mao.
There is a solidity behind Chang's writing, the strength of a woman carrying the weight of the suffering she describes while maintaining sensitivity and clarity. This spirit comes through in different shades from each of the main characters, her mother and grandmother. How these women evolved is a testament to their experiences and the real effect government has on lives. Pain is a centerpoint of the story, apparent on every page of Wild Swans - it is unavoidable and impossible to rationalize. Such is all of history, but China suffered more than its fair share throughout the 20th century.
As the story progresses, the nature of Mao-ist China is further revealed through the juxtaposition of Chang's teenage point of view and her current thoughts. What was lacking and what went wrong becomes strikingly clear although the line between everyday right and wrong, so fuzzed by rampant propaganda and widespread corruption, is only more obscured, but intentionally so. Wild Swans is a crisply told story of China's 20th century, personal in scope but ultimately revelatory on a larger scale.

I was given Wild Swans to read prior to a summer trip to Beijing. Being a high school student, I was not only daunted by the heft of the book, but by the extensive historical chronology and family tree in the introduction as well. I was also unsure as to whether the story would be a Chinese-generation plot along the lines of Amy Tan or whether it would be more of a strict historical recount of China in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Despite my apprehensions, I decided to go ahead and read it, and I have been thoroughly delighted with the results of my endeavor.
Wild Swans is what I would term a "human-interest history," meaning that the dry historical aspect of the book is tempered by the human emotion surrounding the individual events. Jung Chang uses the female leaders of each generation to provide a thoughtful outlook on the traditions and culture of China. For me, the best way to gain a true feel for the attitudes of a specific time period is to hear a personal account. This is the book's most salient quality. Chang makes the most of the little details that encompass the environment of the characters and uses the thoughts and feelings of her family to convey key concepts pertaining to Chinese morals and behaviors.
The concise language of the book also helps to promote these historical images and gives the book a quick tempo. Each anecdote is told in the same, somewhat removed manner, even Chang's own experiences. While some might find this an impersonal tactic, I felt that it allowed the tragedies of the story to shine by basing them purely on their own facets. Any extraneous writing would have clouded the sheer pain involved in a number of the events, and Chang's distance allows the reader to recreate the scene and absorb the historical depth behind it. Chang's own academic experience provides a particularly striking cultural contrast to typical Western thought processes and teachings.
Of course, there are some minor flaws in the book. Chang tends to gloss over her father's upbringing and adolescence and lingers on her grandmother's trials during her youth and during the Communist takeover, resulting in some unbalanced character depictions. Chang's privileged lifestyle prior to and then under the Communists also provides a lopsided view as to the true reign of Mao and the general state of China during the early Communist years. However, bias is to be expected whenever dealing with a personal account, and these deficiencies become lost in the greater framework of the book.
I have learned more from this book about Chinese history than I could have ever hoped to acquire from a guidebook or textbook. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning to travel to China in the near future or for anyone who is looking for an informative, yet entertaining, story of a family in China over the years.

Wild Swans is an absolutely excellent choice if you're interested in learning the fascinating history of a country you know little about and want a page-turning read.

Wild Swans tells the story of nearly a century (the 20th) of Chinese life through the lives of three generations of women, told by the youngest of the three. From the grandmother with bound feet who was a concubine, to the disenfranchised Communist activist, to a brilliant young scholar, you learn an honest and unapologetic history of the country. Since it is told by an insider of the communist revolution, you learn much more than you would from a Chinese history book. You also get a powerful picture of what it was like to live through such a tumultuous time period in a country so rich with history.

It can be devastatingly sad and depressing at times because much of the 20th century in China has more than its share of starvation, torture, murder and deception. But, I was impressed with the voice the author uses. She is sometimes bit

I know somewhere in her former life J. California Cooper had to be a former slave! How this woman finds the words to make you feel as if though you are that person she is talking about. You can feel the emotions just jumping off the page. If her characters are nervous, you are nervous if they are afraid, you feel afraid. I just don't feel that any other author can compare to this woman. All her books are not about slavery. Ms. Cooper makes a person get in touch with reality. The way she uses african dialect. It just compells me to read for hours on end. She has 7 books. And "every last one of them" are excellent. All her books rate 5 stars to me. These are the types of books that you tell your friends about. In my book club we have read all of her books and for 2-3 hours we dicuss them in length, never really finishing. The only bad thing about Ms. Cooper is she is not writing them fast enough. I wish she would write a little quicker. It was three years before she came out with The Wake of the Wind. And was just to anxious to get my hands on this book. I was not dissapointed. This book was awesome also. My hats off to Ms. Cooper. God has given her a talent and she definately uses it. Keep up the good work.

I have read every book that J. California Cooper has written. The book that started it all for me was "Homemade Love". Since then, this author has captured my attention. While I love all of her books, up until now "Family" was my favorite. "The Wake of the Wind" has got to be one of the best books that I have ever read. From beginning to end, I was enthralled. She has a way of telling a story that truly keeps your attention. I almost always fall in love with her characters. (the good-hearted ones) And I do not know where she comes up with the names for her characters, but they are so unique, and always fitting in one way or another. "Mor" and "Lifee" are the two main characters in this novel. They are true survivors. While reading this novel, I felt as though I took a trip back into history, our culture, our heritage, the struggle of our ancestors. It made me truly proud to be a descendant of such a strong race full of strength and pride. It was also a wake-up call to remember and never forget. I cannot wait until her next novel. To give this book a rating of only 5 stars is like throwing a glass of water on a raging fire. I only hope that there is a film maker somewhere who will start to recognize the powerful work of this author. I would like to see this novel and also Family as movies one day. Is there anyone up for the challenge? Ms. Jackson Trenton, NJ

THIS BOOK WHICH I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR-- FOR SO LONG IS SUPERB. COOPER HAS A WAY OF CONNECTING ALL HER CHARACTERS TO HER READERS. WE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS SOMETIMES FORGET WHERE AND HOW WE STARTED IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT THE WAKE OF THE WIND WOKE ME UP AGAIN. THE MISERY AND SUFFERING BLACK PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED THROUGH THE YEARS SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. FAMILY LIFE SHOULD ALWAYS BE CELEBRATED AND TREASURED LIKE THE FAMILY LIFE OF LIFEE AND MOR. TWO PEOPLE WHO ROSE FROM SLAVERY AND C REATED THEIR OWN EXTENDED FAMILY WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS. THIS IS MUST READ BOOK. OPRAH, WHERE ARE YOU?

I first read this book when I was in 8th grade and I thought it was great. The same goes for "The Boggart", the only other Susan Cooper book I have read aside from "The Dark Is Rising" sequence. Anyway, like I said, I loved the book. The way it was written was amazing, I've read a great many books in my life so far, many of them by award-winning novelists who have written many books and have international recognition (Stephen King, Terry Brooks, and J.R.R Tolkien among them), and Susan Cooper stands among them for all they're worth. This book touches your mind in ways that many books cannot even come close to. It is simply incredible. And as the header suggest, I'm not in the agegroup of 9-12, and I still think the novel is excellent, even when I read it now at 22. So, don't be discouraged by the target agegroup, if you love great literature and reading about myths and legends, don't hesitate to pick up this marvelous book.

The Dark is Rising is a classic story of good vs. evil, or light vs. dark. In the story you follow a young English boy, Will Stanton, who was just going about his life, when he begins to realize strange things are happening around him. He is summoned by a mysterious man who tells him he is "the last of the Old Ones", the ones that can save the world from the powers of evil. As you go on, you read about having hope, and learning the right from the wrong. There is a powerful story of friendship demonstrated here, too. And the good thing about this book, and the series, is that if you think hard enough, you can relate them to real life: If you try hard enough, and you believe in yourself and know what you are doing is right, then you will win. It is also a story of learning how to believe that anything is possible. Will must be convinced that he is an Old One, and that there are such things as the Light and the Dark. He must accept that if he doesn't do something, and enter into this long-lasting quest, the Dark could win. He learns to believe in himself. I know that any fantasy reader would love this book, and I recommend it for any fantasy fan.

In the second book of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Series, Will Stanton turns 11 he discovers that he is not just an ordinary child but much more. He is one of the Old Ones, a group of immortals who dedicate themselves to fighting against the dark. And Will is not only the first one of these immortals born in 500 years, he is also the last. But becasue of this he's faced with a very large task against the dark. The Dark is rising and the only way to stop them is for Will to collect the 6 signs. Will will be able to collect all the 6 signs before the dark rises? In my opinion the Dark is rising was even better than Over Sea Under Stone! Like a lot of series I've seen (such The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and also Harry Potter) the first book was more light hearted and the second one much more dark. Will Stanton is a wonderful charecter and it was great to see Merriman (Great-Uncle Merry) make a return. I reccomend this book to anyone who's read Over Sea Under Stone and wants to continue the series. I reccomend the series to fans of His Dark Materials, Chrestomanci, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

I've read the book 3 times, so I must find it worthwhile. Some very good characterizations: Judith, Gus, Jess and some very interesting relationships that I wish had been developed more fully. Unfortunately, there were some central casting characters as well: Diana is straight out of a 1930's MGM movie. But many of the scenes Pilcher writes (especially Judith's reunions with Jess and Gus) seem true to life and that's what you'll remember. My I recommend Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles to any of you who liked this book? Starting with "The Light Years", this series of 4 books tells the story of an English family from 1938 to 1947. An excellent work!

This is my favorite book. I'm reading it again - again.

My favorite thing about this book is the way you get to feel so close to all of the characters. You follow the life of one girl through WWII. It might sound a little boring but, believe me, this girl's life is anything but ordinary. She is left in a British boarding school while her parents are living in Singapore. She is 14 and starting school in an unfamiliar place. Eventually she makes friends with Loveday Carey-Lewis (silly name, I know) and this changes her life drastically.

As Judith grows she encounters loss, love, and a creepy old guy. It's a book about growing up and, of course, coming home.

Rosamunde Pilcher makes all of the characters seem so real. It is easy to picture them in your mind and even easier to feel for them. Judith is not the only character whose life you get caught up in. There are many characters who we can all relate to. Personally, I think I'm a bit like Loveday.

Anyway, this book is a definite must-read.

This is my favorite book ever. By the end of the book, I felt so close to Judith, the main character. Ms. Pilcher does such a beautiful job of following Judith's life, you feel as if you know her. Definitely Rosamunde Pilcher's best.

I very much enjoyed this book because it was full of pure fun reading. Some books drag from the very beginning, but this children's story didn't. There were surprises from the start. This book is an all original example of using your imagination. Lewis Carrol was gifted enough to let his imagination go wild, and to write it down on paper. This book inspires me to write any sort of crazy thing that is worth writing. This book is about Alices adventures from the time she saw the peculiar White Rabbit with a waistcoat and watch. She meets thrilling but very arguementive creatures and charectors such as the caterpiller who smokes, the Duchess and her baby which turns into a pig, a Mock Turtle, a gryphon, and the most famous the Chesire cat and the Queen of Hearts. This book is a bit different than the Disney movie. There are other charecters in the book that are not mentioned in the animated movie. and I think the book is more bizarre.

I, like almost every other kid I know, grew up with the Disney movie. Although a rather accurate depiction of Wonderland, it cannot compare to the book (plus it muddled things together, mixing Alice in Wonderland with things originally in Through the Looking Glass). I never really took much attention to this very strange movie, but one day decided to read the book.

Enter Wonderland.

Absolutely no plot, no direction, no point. Lot's of silly nonsense but in spite of, or maybe because of this, it is very enjoyable. You literally never know what's going to happen next. After reading this book, I realized just how much my own dreams... Unforgettable characters, who can ever forget the cheshire cat or the caterpillar, jokes, interesting supplementary drawings, and puns keep you on your toes.

This is really not for kiddies. Sure they can read it and maybe even enjoy it, but cannot fully appreciate it. A masterpiece, a classic, but more importantly, an enjoyable experience.

Don't forget to read Through the Looking Glass! Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and "Jabberwocky" don't pop up in Alice in Wonderland but Through the Looking Glass. Although "Jabberwocky" didn't appear in the movie, it's still a classic. Finally, an explanation of this ever-puzzling poem! And of course, "I am the Walrus" is one of my favorite all-time songs...

One of those books that you can read over and over again and find something new each time. Definitely an essential. The most fun I have ever had with a book. If you've ever been cursed enough to watch the movie but never read the book, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! (and for those of you who have read it, READ IT AGAIN! )

When I was assigned Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass to read for my Victorian Literature class, I was excited. Even though I had heard Alice's Adventures in Wonderland referred to countless times throughout my youth, I had never read the story or seen the movie. I had never heard of Through the Looking Glass, but while reading, I realized that many people who think they are talking about AAIW are actually referring to TTLG. The two texts seem to be conflated in a way that makes them indistinguishable from each other. It is for this reason that I enjoyed reading this edition of the texts. There is only a page separating the two stories, which allows the reader to easily make the transition between them. This small separation also allows the reader to recognize the undeniable connection between the texts and to understand why many people combine them in their minds.
AAIW is about a young girl named Alice whose boring day with her sister is interrupted when a white rabbit runs by her saying, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Alice's curiosity is aroused, but surprisingly not to a great degree. This is the first hint to the reader that Alice is not an average child, as she seems to believe that a talking rabbit is quite normal. She does become intrigued, though, when the rabbit produces a clock from his pocket, so she follows it down its hole and enters a world of wonder. I loved the story from this point on. It is filled with such unbelievable creatures and situations, but Carroll's writing style made me want to believe in a world that could be filled with so much magic and splendor. There was never a dull moment in the story, and each page was filled with more excitement. I will offer a warning, though. This story is not for those who like a neatly packaged plotline. It is written in a somewhat discontinuous nature and seems to follow some sort of dream logic where there are no rules. However, I enjoyed the nonsensical pattern. Without it, a dimension of the story would be lost. It offers some insight into the mind of a young, adventurous, fearless girl, and Carroll seems to be challenging his readers to be more like Alice.
The second text in this book, TTLG, is again a story about Alice. In this adventure, Alice travels through a wondrous world on the other side of her looking glass. As in AAIW, Alice again encounters absurd creatures, such as live chess pieces and talking flowers. The land she travels through is an oversized chessboard, which gives this story a more structured plot than AAIW. The chess theme provides Alice with sense of what she must accomplish in the looking- glass world, and it provides the reader with a sense of direction throughout the story. Alice's goal is to become a chess queen, so the reader knows that when she becomes queen, the story will be over. However, just because the story has some structure does not mean that it is not just as wild and marvelous as its predecessor. I enjoyed all of the characters. They seem to have an endless supply of advice that people in the 21st century can still learn from. My favorite example is when the Red Queen says, "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" Maybe what Carroll is suggesting is that if we read more nonsensical, unbelievable stories like his, we won't be so afraid to be adventurous and fearless like Alice; so that the next time a white rabbit runs by us, we might just see where it leads us.

Few stories are more popular among readers than the age old battle between good and evil, which is exemplified in the legend of King Arthur. Susan Cooper gives that scenario an imaginative twist with "Over Sea, Under Stone." It's a narrative sure to pique the imaginations of young ones, especially as read by popular British actor Alex Jennings.

When, during a vacation in today's Cornwall, the Drew children discover an old manuscript in the attic of their rented house, they suddenly find themselves involved in an exciting and dangerous quest. Their very lives are jeopardized as they search for the grail, the one antidote to the power of evil called the Dark. Their Great Uncle Merry is on their side, but much of what he knows he isn't telling.

Ms. Cooper's prose is both concise and thrilling; Mr. Jennings's reading is superb.

After a couple of introductory chapters to lay a foundation, this tale explodes into a fast moving suspense drama with a touch of fantasy that readers of all ages are sure to love.

The Drew children Barney, Simon, and Jane are on holiday (British term for vacation) in Cornwall England with their parents and great-uncle Merriam Lyon. While exploring a hidden room in the old Grey House in which they are staying, they stumble across an ancient map that throws them into a desperate search for an ancient grail which will unlock power to war against the Dark side. The Dark forces (real life people) are also in hot pursuit of the much-coveted grail that links back to the days of King Arthur and a fierce battle between good and evil that has ensued for hundreds of years.

One chase scene mid-way through is as suspenseful as any that you will find even in adult fiction. Susan Cooper not only is talented at spinning yarns of intrigue, but also adept at creating real life characters that you almost feel you know.

Be sure to read the epilogue at the end for one additional big plot twist!

You will not be disappointed in this one.

Thanks for reading...

TRW

This book is so exciting, after you read it you will be looking back over your shoulder expecting a tall guy in black coming after you because you know too much about him. Hastings, as he's called appears in most of the other books in some form or another. The book begins in Cornwall, England, where three children find a strange parchment, and with the help of their Great-uncle Merry, try to find the treasure that it leads to without getting cought by the Dark. The treasure it leads to is a grail, one of the four things of power that the Light needs to stop the Dark before it takes over the world. This book has many high points in which you'll think that the Dark will win, like when Simon gets chased by Hastings on foot. Or when Barney gets kiddnapped by the Withers (some others from the Dark) and is put under a spell by Hastings, and almost gives him the location of the grail. If you read the other books after this one then you will smile at the familiarity that you see. Read this book, everyone! You'll love it!!!

The tales of King Arthur and of the knights of the Round Table are well-known and have been the subject of many books, poems (Tennyson), at least two musical works (Purcell's "King Arthur", and the famous Broadway musical, "Camelot"), and films ("Camelot", based on the musical, and "Excalibur"). The most famous English-language book version of these tales is this version by Sir Thomas Malory, yet this is not easily readable, even in modern prose. The modern English rendition by Keith Baines is excellent, for it allows those of us who do not have Ph.D's in English literature to get an idea of what the original was like, but the book itself is tedious in its very nature.

What you should expect with this book is a very good beginning and ending, and a "will it ever end ?" middle. Arthur himself cannot be called the central character, for he is virtually absent, except in the first tale of the book, which deals with his coming to power, and the last one, about his death. The rest of this book is concerned with jousting and tournaments, so much that in the end one gets bored with this never-ending succession of fights with knights whose names you'll only read once and which have no consequence on what is supposed to be the larger plot (such as the quest for the Holy Grail, or the famous Tristram and Iseult tale). Of course, the better-known knights of the Round Table, such as Launcelot, Tristram, and Percivale, are present, but only from time to time, and narration often shifts from one to the other for no reason.

What this book lacks most is continuity. Apart from the first and last tales, everything in between is not in chronological order, which gets confusing. In one tale one character is dead and another is well-known; in the next tale the first character is living and the second one is unknown (just take the example of King Pellinore and Sir Percivale). All tales were obviously separate ones, and the reader, at some point, will simply stop trying to understand how Malory ever came up with such an order for his tales. If Malory (or his original publishers) had any idea in mind when they chose this setup of the tales, it will appear unclear to most readers.

One of the few good points of this book is that, since it was written in the late Middle Ages, it avoids to a certain extent the over-romanticization of the Middle Ages, which is what later authors, such as Sir Walter Scott, did to such an extent that even today we cannot think of the Middle Ages without having in mind the picture-perfect version of it (which I will not delve into -- I'm sure you know what I have in mind). Even though chivalry as described in the book has some romantic elements attached to it, it is never fully exploited, and "Le Morte d'Arthur" certainly does not fit the requirements to be classified into the romantic genre (which was not fully described until the nineteenth century). This book therefore does not use romanticism as we now know it. But this good point may also be one of the book's weaknesses, because the topic is a legend, and not fact. Because this subject is not historically accurate (and some parts of the book are hilariously improbable), Malory could not use realism to replace romanticism, and I believe that if he had used more romanticism in his book it would only have made it better. In the end, Malory used neither style, and this makes his writing style very dry. His characters are mere fighting machines with no emotional depth, his narration is action, action, and action: no description, either of his own characters or of the scenery (a castle is a castle, nothing more). The scenes he depicts cannot be located, for the setting is never described. Malory, above all, was an awful storyteller. He could only describe his characters jousting and fighting, and since this had nothing to do with the larger plot, this only lengthens the book for no reason. (If you want a modern comparison, just think of a public orator who just tells personal anecdotes that are not related to his topic.)

Furthermore, anyone interested in the Middle Ages has nothing to gain from reading this book. It holds no historical interest (apart from a study of the English language, but then I would not go for this modern rendition) for the reason that its subject is not based on fact and its description of society in the early Middle Ages is simplistic. This book is certainly no "Canterbury Tales", in which a lot can be learned about what was life during the Middle Ages. So if you are mainly interested in history I'd skip "Le Morte d'Arthur" and I'd go for "The Canterbury Tales" instead.

In conclusion, "Le Morte d'Arthur" is worth reading only if you have the patience to go through it, for this book is overlong and repetitive. Keith Baines's rendition makes this task easier, and his appendix on the main characters is very helpful if you intend to skip parts (which you should not do because the whole is chronologically inaccurate).

I don't read a lot. In fact, the only time I do read is when I am required to do so by a class. Such is the case with The Tales of King Arthur. But although I would never have read the book were it not for my fascinating English teacher, I must say that I have never read anything as intriguing as the Tales of King Arthur.

Getting used to the language isn't as difficult as some other reviewers are saying... At least it wasn't for me (and I'm an eighteen year-old high school student). You'll struggle through the first few pages but once you've got an ear for it the language comes natural (somewhat like reading Shakespeare - it takes time to adjust). I found nothing tedious about the book other than the somewhat unfocussed book of the Sangrail.

The characters are awesome, the language is awesome, the plots and emotions are awesome. If you read this from beginning to end you'll walk away with a sincere compassion for the characters and the inevitable death of the times.

I can't imagine bothering with a modernized version - the classic text is just so sweet.

This review applies to the abridged audiocassette version. I have not read the book, but I will, after hearing this wonderful reading by Derek Jacobi. His immaculate British accent truly brings to life this epic tale of King Arthur and his knights' adventures. I highly recommend this version and also: 'Excalibur' the movie, T. H. Whites' 'The Once and Future King', and also Carl Orffs' 'Carmina Burana - Empress of the World' - music which was featured in 'Excalibur'. These four put together can give you a truly grand starting experience of the Arthurian Legends.

After reading this book, I almost feel certain that this man ( William Bill Cooper )really did stumbled on some very important documents from the military. The proof is right in front of my eyes as I read his service record pages from the Navy on how he was absent from CINPACFLT base after learning the real truth about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. But my overall interest is chapter 12, about the secret government ( FEMA )and the real purpose of MJ-12. To tell you the truth, when that television series " Dark Skies " made its debut in 1996, some of the material and information from that show was basically explained in Cooper's book. As they say the truth is out there. I hope you understand where I'm coming from. I'm still looking for more books on UFO's and the possibility of exterrestrail encounters. I must keep in mind that I cannot allow these publishers or editors take me on a joy ride of disinformation. However, "Behold a Pale Horse" is very interesting and enlightning for those who believe that a conspiracy really exist in our country. Thank you for reading my review.

This book mixes absurdity with some reality, therefore discrediting the reality, the same tactic Cooper accuses others of doing. If you read closely though, Cooper is doing this on purpose in order to appear harmless to those monitoring him. It was the only way that he would be allowed to say some of the real things that were and are happening. On later writings, he recants much of the silliness about aliens. When he states the nonsense about 1+3+3 = 7, he really wants you to read page 133 of HIS book, which talks about FEMA, the core threat to America's future, in his view. Notice how this page is also the 7th page of the FEMA part. (7 listed near page bottom.) The FEMA threat that he warned about is now a reality, in the form of the Emergency Powers Act, instituted after 911.

Outside of the books by COMMANDER X (such as MIND STALKERS, UNDERGROUND ALIEN BASES, and SECRET TECHNOLOGIES OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER) I don't know of a conspiracy author who has received so much attention for their views.Unlike, Commander X however, Cooper did not keep a low profile. He was - as they say -- in your face at all times, always controversial, aways "on the edge."Unfortunately, there is probably a lot we will never know about the life -- AND DEATH -- of this mavrick individual who never refused a dare. When Cooper said something in his book or on his radio show people stood up and took notice. PALE HORSE is a good read, though there is a lot it doesn't cover in its some 500 pages. For those seeking more timely information on Cooper's belief patterns read PALE HORSE, but also obtain the just published book by Commander X titled WILLIAM COOPER:DEATH OF A CONSPIRACY SALESMAN. It has just been added to the Amazon site and should be added to any good library on Cooper and conspiacy theories in general.

When I recieved my book I sat and read it from cover to cover. The hints and tips and funny anecdotes add such a human touch to this cook book! The recipes are fun and easy to follow. I have made recipe after recipe and my family continues to be amazed at the culinary delights I present to them! The love and family history that Tawra has poured into this book make for an AMAZING kitchen tool. I have been a confirmed "Frugal" for a long time, but since reading the Complete Tightwad Gazette and using Not Just Beans, my family has NEVER been so well fed and my Tightwad grocery budget is EVEN lower! Thanks Tawra for putting this COMPLETE cookbook together!

I've read this cookbook cover to cover and have cooked several of the recipes--all were great, and the Whole Wheat Bread was excellent. Kellam's recipes are straightforward, clear and targeted to a middle American taste. Her advice on saving money is sensible and lends itself well to those who seek a more simple, low impact and frugal lifestyle.

If you have children, the craft and gift recipes alone are worth the price of the book. I'm very happy to have, in one place, recipes for craft dough, slime, brightly dyed pasta for crafts and more. There are excellent suggestions and recipes for edible gifts and making gift baskets, so helpful for teacher gifts, and so fun to make with children. This cookbook is a valued and much referred to part of my cookbook collection. A must have!

I am a cookbook junkie and since adding Not Just Beans to my collection, I find myself turning to it before all the others. All the recipes that I've tried have been wonderful. I've easily been able to adapt many of them to lower fat recipes using 2% milk, light cheese, fat free sour cream, etc... The Jar Mixes section came in especially handy over the holidays and I received rave reviews for all the "Gifts in Jars" that I gave out. My daughter and I have had tons of fun in the Kids section making Slime, Play Dough, Finger Paints and Christmas Ornaments.

Best of all are all the time and money saving tips spread through out the book. I'm even making my own household cleaners thanks to this book. Bottom Line: Not Just Beans is a MUST HAVE for Frugalites everywhere!