The first chapter was a little boring as the first chapter of most books are, but then it got a lot more interesting. It was very interesting, but also quite depressing because of the hopelessness of their lives and so many people die. It gets really boring at the end, though, when all it talks about for several chapters is how wonderful socialism is and how terrible capitalism is. These last few chapters are the reason I didn't give this book 5 stars.

Nothing beats reading the original works by the literary masters, but when a kid is required to read 10 novels, each spanning 400+ pages for ONE class, something's gotta give! During my senior year in high school, this copy of Cliff's Notes saved me from certain doom. Good old Mrs. Hedberg was as serious as a heart attack when it came to Shakespeare and other literary delights. Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" was on her list of yummies for her defenseless seniors. At the time "Cliff-Notes" were the quick-fix for kids who just couldn't "curl up" with yet another classic, thus giving up a more entertaining Sunday Evening with Alice Hyatt, Archie Bunker and The Jeffersons (they ran back to back on CBS). -- If you want the facts, along with brief (but not too brief) plot summaries and a few great thoughts about the meaning of it all, this publication will "clue you in" on "The Jungle". I have used several "Cliff-Notes" in my day, and I can say with confidence that this particular one is the very best! -- My high school days were long ago, and I will never forget the lessons I learned from Mrs. Hedberg. I think she really knew about my passion for "Cliff-Notes" all along. As the years passed, not just for her, but for myself, I have read every single one of the classics I didn't make time for in high school. So if you're not in a rush, get the real thing (Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle"); this one is worth the effort and you will not be disappointed!

This book was wonderful. I was forced to read it for my Sociology class at Michigan State University. The first chapter dragged on, and I was wondering what I was forced into. Then as the chapters ran on, they became more and more interesting. I didn't want to put it down! Review: gorry, mind-opening, fantastic, almost unbelievable as to what those people had to endure at the turn of the century in Industrial America

One of his lesser known works, Shakespeare's Trojan play is also one of his most intriguing. Not quite a burlesque, 'Troilus and Cressida''s lurches in tone, from farce to historical drama to romance to tragedy, and its blurring of these modes, explains why generations of critics and audiences have found it so unsatisfying, and why today it can seem so modern. Its disenchanted tone, its interest in the baser human instincts underlying (classical) heroism look forward to such 20th century works as Giraudoux's 'The Trojan War Will Not Take Place' or Terry Jones' 'Chaucer's Knight'; the aristocratic ideals of Love and War, inextricably linked in this play, are debased by the merchant-class language of exchange, trade, food, possesion - the passionate affair at its centre is organised by the man who gave his name to pimps, Pandarus, and is more concerned with immediate sexual gratification than anything transcendental. The Siege of Troy sequences are full of the elaborately formal rhetoric we expect from Shakespeare's history plays, but well-wrought diplomacy masks ignoble trickery; the great heroes Ajax and Achilles are petulant egotists, the latter preferring the company of his catamite to combat; the actual war sequences, when they finally come, are a breathless farce of exits and entrances. There are a lot of words in this play, but very few deeds.

Paris, Prince of Troy, has abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. Led by the latter's brother Agamemnon, and his Machiavellian advisors Ulysses and Nestor, the Greeks besiege Troy, demanding the return of Helen. However, Achilles' dissatisfaction at the generals' endless politicking has spread discontent in the ranks. Within Troy, war takes a distinct second place to matters of the heart. While Paris wallows in luxury with his prize, his youngest brother Troilus uses Pandarus as a go-between to arrange a night of love with his niece, Cressida. When one of the Trojan leaders is taken prisoner by the Greeks, the ransom price is Cressida.

There is only one character in 'Troilus' who can be said to be at all noble and not self-interested, the eldest Trojan prince Hector, who, despite his odd interpreation of the quality 'honour', detests a meaningless war, and tries to spare as many of his enemies' lives as he can. He is clearly an anachronism, however, and his ignoble slaughter at the hands of a brutal gang suggests what price chivalry. Perhaps the most recognisable character is Thirsitis, the most savagely cynical of his great Fools. Imagine Falstaff without the redeeming lovability - he divests heroes and events of their false values, satirises motivations, abuses his dim-witted 'betters' and tries to preserve his life at any cost. Written in between 'Hamlet' and 'All's Well That Ends Well', 'Troilus' bears all the marks of Shakespeare's mid-period: the contrapuntal structure, the dense figures, the audacious neologisms, and the intitially deferred, accelerated action. If some of the diplomacy scenes are too efective in their parodic pastiche of classical rhetoric, and slow things down, Act 5 is an amazing dramatic rush, crowning the play's disenchantment with love (with an extraordinarily creepy three-way spaying of an infidelity) and war.

The New Penguin Shakespeare is the most accessible and user-friendly edition for students and the general reader (although it does need updating). Unlike the Oxford or Arden series, which offer unwieldy introductions (yawning with irrelevant conjecture about dates and sources) and unusable notes (clotted with tedious pedantry more concerned with fighting previous commentators than elucidating Shakespeare), the Penguin's format offers a clear Introduction dealing with the play and its contexts, an appendix 'An Account of the Text', and functional endnotes that gloss unfamiliar words and difficult passages. The Introduction is untainted by fashions in Critical Theory, but is particularly good at explaining the role of Time ('When time is old and hath forgot itself...And blind oblivion swallowed cities up'), the shifting structure, the multiple viewpoints in presenting characters, and Shakespeare's use of different literary and linguistic registers.

Troilus and Cressida is one of Shakespear`s many romances, and, like most of his romances, is a tragedy. Since time immemorial, Shakespears` works have been used as plays, literature and (least often) just casual reading. While Troilus and Cressida is one of the less known plays, it is no less a good one. It is based in Troy(as the name might imply)during the much renowned Trojan War. The valiant Troilus, son of the Trojan king is enamoured of Cressida, also of Troy. Meanwhile, the Greek hosts have laid siege to the city, and the warrior Achilles refuses to fight, encouraging further interaction between the two sides. Cressida, however, is the daughter of a Greek sympathizer(if that is the correct word)and may not be able to honour her commitment to the Trojan prince...

I think this is one os Shakespeare's most underrated plays, probably because of all the uncouth characters. Based on Chaucer's rendition of the story, T and C are Trojan lovers, and she is then traded to the Greeks in exchange for captive soldiers. Aside from this, the women of Troy are wanton and lustful, and the men are prowess driven. If you can deal with this, you will really enjoy Shakespeare's ability to wrap this into all kinds of twists and turns. It delivers a mixture of satire, comedy, romance, tragedy, and a semi-historical (in that people at the time probably believed the Trojan War really happened). Interestingly, this mixture of laughs and tragedy is reminiscent of war novels I have read about Vietnam. The romantic dimensions give this play its edge, and somehow WS manages to make it plausible in spite of all the killing and deceit going on at the same time.

Although many have cited the play's feminist qualities as the play's main purpose, what many do not realise is that Ibsen was also commenting on society, deriding not only the female position, but also the male one. Torvald is confined in the tortuous world of business, where reputation comes before truth. When Nora admits her fraudulent activities Helmer appears only to be concerned with how the affair will appear. Yet faced with losing Nora in the late stages of the last scene Ibsen's Torvald is a character that we pity. Krogstad can also be seen as a tragic character, although initial impressions are not favourable. During his bribery of Nora, Krogstad's motives come to the fore and similarly to Torvald the cause of his malcontent is his reputation. Krogstad's desperation for keeping his 'humble post' is due to alleged disreputable acts which he is cleared of in the eyes of the law, but which society does not yet forgive. Ibsen therefore, in my opinion, created much more than a feminist play, he created a subversive exclamation.

Is forgery really that bad? To Trovald, it is ALMOST unforgiveable. This book is very good and keeps you in suspense. Trovald character has a problem with treating his wife like a little girl. Not only that but he is also a "power freak". Power is the main source of Trovald and Nora's relationship. Trovald's little 'skylark' is smarter than he thinks. She saved his life and he repays her by getting very upset....at first. I feel that Trovald should treat his wife as an equal, not an inferrior. Mrs. Linde is a character who decives Nora. She is portrayed as her friend and she is, but I think she was wrong in telling Krogstad not to take the letter out of the mail box. It is none of her business if Trovald never finds out Nora forged her father's name. I give this play four stars. You should read this play if you like mysteries. The chilling ending had me wondering... why did Nora say, "The most wonderful thing of all-...."

The end of the play had to be modified before it was set up for an american audience. The way women was treated in Norway at that time was nothing like how they were treated in the US. The play broke all the moral rules of US citizens at that time, so the end was made less controversial. Worth reading to get a sense of morality at that time.

Bernstein clears up many misunderstandings or deliberate distortions by unsympathetic critics. Rand's style of writing may be jarring to those who prefer Naturalism. It is worth reading or re-reading Rand with a guide and/or commentary. However, don't deprive yourself of the experience of entering and immersing yourself in Rand's world, which requires reading the novel. Use the guide sparingly as clarification is needed. Unfortunately, Bernstein sometimes refers to future events in chapters not yet read - be forewarned.

Dr. Bernstein is becoming a prolific writer. This helpful assistance for those studying The Fountainhead will not dissapoint. I could've used this more than twenty years ago, when first reading that wonderful novel. Be glad it's available for you today.

The book is great. If you want to use this instead of reading the book, don't. This is a good SUPPLEMENT, though.

"Sir Gawain" is one of a number of stories that have come down to us from the Medieval period that one cannot help feeling has a wealth of hidden meaning behind it. The figure of the "Green Man" is a common although wispy character in western mythology, and his face often stares out at us from cathedral walls in Europe. The figure of Khidr in Islamic folklore, supposedly the prophet Enoch and whose very name means "green" in Arabic, makes one wish to find a Middle Eastern connection with this story, as there are in so much Medieval literature, such as Dante and Chaucer.

The story is obviously related to the ancient myths of death and regeneration in Celtic thought as well, and fits in well with the rest of the Arthurian legends. All in all, a bit of an enigma as regards its source, and worth being aware of if you're in to that kind of thing.

I have read at least four translations of Gawain, including Tolkein's, and the Brian Stone version is my favorite. It is written in understandable English. As another reviewer has pointed out, Stone's version is most like the medieval one in its structure, its use of alliteration, and the rhyme scheme of the bob and wheel. Tolkein, in an appendix to his version, gives a clear and enlightening explanation of the principles of this kind of poetry. Once you've read Tolkein's explanation, your appreciation of the poem will be greatly enhanced. Nowadays, many poets and others turn up their noses at alliteration, but I love it. So the language is one of the things that make the poem such a pleasure to read.

Another thing that makes Gawain a great read is that it is just a darn good story. When a green man riding a green horse and carrying his own green-haired head gallops into Arthur's dining hall, you know there's going to be some drama in this tale. And there is! There's some hunting and killing of animals for the sportsperson and the bloodthirsty. There's romantic temptation, and there's suspense.

One reviewer speculated on possible symbolism in the novel. The search for deeper meanings might interest some readers. For me to "get" a symbol, it has to jump out of the book and bite me on the nose.

I know that the Marie Borroff translation is much praised, but this one is far better for the undergraduate classroom. While both translations share some characteristics (both are in poetry, both try to maintain the alliteration), you need only compare/contrast the "bob and wheel" (last 5 lines of each stanza) to see that Stone has managed to maintain "the sting in the tail" so typical of the original Middle English version--wherein a significant or surprising part of the stanza often appears in the bob and wheel--start with Fitt I, stanzas 4 and 7. Stone also maintains the "alliterative signaling" oral tradition: when possible he tries to alliterate only key words (Boroff seems happy when she can alliterate anything in the line, regardless of its significance to theme or motif!). As a medievalist, I am truly sorry to see so many of my colleagues jumping on the Borroff bandwagon when this superior, alternative translation is so readily available.

I didnt actually read most of this book although it was assigned for our english class. I would say it was much too predictable because i picked up on it really well from just hearing about it. Most of my friends said that it was very sad/touching though. From what we read out loud, the dialog was hard to understand, and although there were some rascist parts, it was all in the interest of making a point about rascism, and it certainly did make some interesting points about society. The only thing that really bothered me was that she used a lot of sentence fragments. If you like to read books for fun I think that most people would enjoy it.

These cliff notes are written very well and have nice summaries for anyone who is reading this book for school (like me!). Don't forget to read the actual book too though, you're missing out on great literature if you don't.

I had to read this book for my 11th grade English class, and I can seriously say this is the first book I've read that I liked. I've never been into reading much and only do it if I have to, but I finished this book in 2days and I'm glad I got a chance to read it. I would suggest it for anyone because it's a sad story when she is put on trial. But it is also happy because she finds love.

Well, it's odd to write a review for a set of Cliff Notes, but I'll make an exception in this case. People often equate buying Cliff Notes with kids who have to read a book and want to actually get OUT of reading the book. However, I bought Dante's Divine Comedy: The Inferno for leisure reading (actually I like the theological implications that Dante ponders in the writing of his poem) and the Cliff Notes have become quite useful. The Notes start out with a general background of Dante, giving a mini biography of the author. Throughout this sketch they allude to a number of instances in his life which will come into play in his work The Divine Comedy. They then go on with an overall synposis of The Inferno. After that they go into a full-out commentary on the work itself.

I picked up the Cliff Notes at the same time I bought my copy of The Divine Comedy. Why? Well, I didn't want to miss a thing. I read for fun, but I also try with the books I truly enjoy, to read critically. Knowing that the copy of The Inferno was actually a translation from the latin meant that since I cannot read latin, that there would be certain nuances of the language that I may miss out on when reading it in english. Hence, I am relying on the Cliff Notes (which I read AFTER I finish a particular section) to point out these instances to me. I can then go back and re-read the section and gain the deeper insight into the poem itself. Used as a supplement (not as the source itself, which unfortunately happens with many users of Cliff Notes) this has proven to be a nice tool. It is by no means absolutely necessary (my copy of The Inferno comes with its own commentary... I have the Bantam issue of Dante's Divine Comedy) but it is nice to have on hand when there are sections that are a bit 'heavy'. I will not go into the book itself here in this review, since this is the Cliff Notes, but instead I'll tackle that in a review of the book itself. Overall, I think the Cliff Notes are a nice addition, something to have next to the armchair when reading the actual book. The only downside... the Cliff Notes cost almost as much ($4.95) as the book itself ($5.95).

Great help but to much opinion. (lol) Let's just say I read this more than I read the book due to time restraints. This cliff's notes does help and I would recommend to anyone that is having problems understanding Dante's Inferno (a great book also!)

Readers, please note: The two people who gave this negative reviews thought that The Inferno was written in Latin. It wasn't. Clearly, they read neither the Cliff's Note nor the book. Silly to write a review of a book that you know nothing about!

I am in eighth grade and we just read this book. It is very good, and I enjoy how it depicts the Russian Revolution. It is neat how each of the animals represents a real character from history. It is a wonderful way to put the concept of the Russian Revolution into perspective and make it easy to understand, far better than reading a history book could. The person who said "not a great choice" must have not understood the book correctly, or perhaps the concept was beyond her understanding, because only then could I see how one could not enjoy it. Definatly, if you read this book, you should wait until and LEAST eighth grade, preferably tenth, or you probably wont enjoy it. I read it in sixth grade and hated it, and then again in eighth grade and thought that it was exellent!

Animal Farm, In my opinoin is the best book ever written besides Romeo and Juliet. It is a different look on communism and the Russian Revolution. If you are thinking about reading this book, please do!

A great look at the Russian revolution.The book about revolution and the following results are expressed perfectly in this allegory about simple-minded animals on a small farm. It is an excellent look at Communism and one of few books I ever enjoyed reading in school (I read it last year in tenth grade).

Cliff Notes is not intended to be used as a substitute for reading a work. It is an AIDE to help a reader better grasp the ideas. If you're smart enough to be reading works like this, maybe you would've been smart enough to know this. Or maybe you're some smartass kid.

None of the usual character depth that usually definines Solhenitsyn. All in all, worth the read, much better if you have some knowledge in Russian history.

This review is of the Cliffs Notes on "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," and not Alexander Solzhenitsyn's novel on life in the Soviet Gulag. The introductory material covers the life and background of Solzhenitsyn (giving you a sense for how autobiographical the novel happens to be), a description of the Gulag System under Josef Stalin, the fourteen subsection of Article 58 (worth an entire class discussion), as well as a brief synopsis of the novel and a list of characters. Particularly useful is the section where Blaha covers the preface to the original edition by Alexander Tvardovsky, the editor-in-chief of the influential literary magazine "Novy Mir," who had submitted the novel for publication directly to Premier Nikita Khrushchev. This section puts Solzhenitsyn's novel in the context of Khrushchev's "de-Stalinization" policy and will give teachers and students alike a sense for the time and place in which "One Day" was published. In the Critical Commentaries section, Blaha breaks "One Day" down into discrete scenes, which may well require you to match up the commentaries with the specific page numbers in the copy of the novel you are using. However, be warned that Blaha devotes most of this section to commentary rather than summary; unlike most Cliffs Notes, he does not distinguish between the two. Again, this is why reading the commentaries after actually reading the book is the way to go. This volume ends with critical essays on the levels of meaning in the novel (prison novel, social commentary, existential commentary), and a section on style and narrative perspective. The strength of the Cliffs Notes on "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" is what it provides in terms of background on the novel. As far as novels go, this a relatively short one, but it is richly detailed; I remember being stunned at the end when I remembered this was just a single day in the life of a prisoner of the Gulag.

I never took the AP microeconomics course offered at my school. I just used this book and the PR book. Overall, this book is great in that it teaches all the information needed to ace the test. However, the questions in the practice test are not reflective of those on the real test. Also, sometimes, this book delves too deeply into the subject. It provides far more information than is necessary to get a 5 on the test. It is also more boring than the Princeton Review book. Information is presented in paragraph forms rather than in bulleted form, making it more unorganized. However, knowing this book back to front will easily get the job of getting a 5 on the AP test accomplished.

I've scored a 5 on the ap microeconomics this year.
And I had the chance to glimpse through this book just before the test. Well, about this book.

The reviews are superb!!!
It's full of economics that you will need on the test day.
Also I liked the review questions in the end of every chapter.
But there was one thing I was not satisfied with...
The sample test... They are terrible.
They're nothing like the test you'll see on the AP.
Apart from that I found this book great.
and to anyone who's studying for the AP economics, I recommend this book.

I bought this book in order to review my long ago endevour into the world of economics. I found it to be enjoyable and comprehensive. I'm married to an economist and am now able to partake, and contribute, to the strange conversations she has with fellow economists (I am an engineer). Not an easy accomplishment for a single book to do that to an engineer. Excellent book!