The easy reading style of Dahl is at its best in the Mildenhall treasure, when fast development mixed with a human element are concerned. He allows the user to empathise with characters and feel the disapointment not only of the good but also those of more dubious character. He gives an insight into peoples lives which should not be possible in such a short space. A very good read, to see the darker side of human character and the way in which naivity is often ruthlessly exploited, however despite this the book is kept light and readable with vivid images and interesting content, a worthwhile read.

I've read this book snd LOVED it. It's about a worker on a rich mans farm who finds something hard in the ground and it turns out to be TREASER! The man forgets about it after digging it up and a year later his boss (the man who kept the treaser) was cought by one of his freinds. The man who found it becomes rich and is poor no more.
This true story can show that any ordinary person can find a treaser.

One might argue that this book about the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles is itself a rare find. Roald Dahl was able to interview Gordon Butcher, the man who originally found the Roman silver on his land, no small feat since Butcher had become suspicious of writers and journalists after being cheated out of a fortune that should have been his. The account, mostly in Butcher's own words, of the discovery is absolutely entrancing and Dahl has the wisdom to keep the story tight and lean, while preserving the details about Butcher and that memorable day when his life changed forever.
I have had a hard time finding true historical accounts which I can share with my entire family and which will hold the interest of both children and adults. With pictures on nearly every page (by the inimitable Ralph Steadman) and vivid writing which makes history come alive, this one fits the bill.

Let me give my reservations first:

1. The book has no bibliography and no notes at all.

This means that when the author says, for instance, that the "synagogue itself seems to have come into existence during the Exile", he gives you absolutely no way to evaluate what "seems to" means. Probably? Almost certainly? The preponderance of scholarly opinion? Does "seems to" mean that the institution might pre-date the Exile, or be more recent? No way to tell, and you're completely on your own for follow-up research.

2. The author often gives one explanation for a phenomenon without explaining that there are others.

For example, the author states, without qualification, that "Maccabeus means 'the hammer'". He neglects to explain that "hammer" is only one explanation for Judah the Maccabee's famously cryptic epithet. It might mean the "commander", or be a family name, or a statement of the uniqueness of God, or (my favorite) maybe it's better translated as "hammerhead" -- Israel describes most of its heroes as physically beautiful, but, strikingly, not Judah. Maybe he was an ugly cuss. Again, as there are no notes, you have no way to do further research on your own.

3. I don't know about the author's frequent use of the very broad term "Bible times." The impression the book gives is that most of the cultural institutions it describes were identical for thousands of years (and may still exist among, for instance, the Bedouin), with the exception of the rule of the Romans. Maybe this is true, but the phrase "Bible times" makes me a bit nervous.

Nevertheless, I recommend this book. Its many wonderful advantages include the following:

1. Profuse illustration. Photos, maps, schematic diagrams, charts and lovely artists' reconstructions really help you get an idea of the institutions and customs described.

2. Highly readable prose, accessible to any adult reader and even older children.

3. The book is divided into thematic chapters each of which ends with a subsection entitled "Now look at your bible," in which the author shows how information from the chapter clarifies specific biblical passages.

4. Similarly, the book does contain a Scriptural Index as well as a topical Index, allowing it to function very well as a reference text.

This excellent book is written in a very easy reading style - I read it in only a few days. It is a very useful book to read to help understand the Scriptures. It helps make sense of the meanings, especially in some of the parables of Jesus and the Psalms. I recommend it highly for people trying to better understand the Bible. It is not the best text for serious Biblical scholars, but great for the average Christian

This excellent book adds necessary insight to your Bible Studies! The pictures, photos, maps and graphics add so much to our knowledge of life in Bible Times. THE BEST book on this topic! I recommend it to our homeschoolers all over the world!

The author is keyed in to the joys of adolescent fun. Follow a teenager through his romp,get right inside his mind. You'll recognize Ralph Blum as a person who never lost touch with the true and awesome fascination of being a footloose youth in America. If you ever had an elder relative conspire with you to have some radical fun you'll love the character's grandfather. If you came of age during the early 70's, you lived part of this story, if not, this is an excellent sampler of the times.

Blum really hits the mark here with a wicked look at the hippies, straights, and those folks in between during the early 1970's. I read this book in High School, and the scenes Blum paints with his pen echo through the years to a time when things were simpler (but we didn't have to walk 20 miles uphill both ways in the snow to school). I recommend this book for anyone who wants a little escapist humor with a touch of 70's wackiness.

This book, when I read it in the early 70's, had a big impact on me. While it's no "Catcher in the Rye," anyone who came of age in the sixties or early seventies will likely enjoy this tale of a perceptive adolescent and his anything-but-rigid grandfather.

The book provides an interesting perspective into the many dimensions of strategy. It gives an introduction, a historical example, and discussion of each section. It is up to the flexibility and insight of the reader to make full use of the information provided.

This book is fantastic. Each chapter is a stategy illustrated by historical examples, followed by authors comments. Sawyer does not ruin the historical accounts with his own take on the interpretation of the event. This is happily so unlike the myriad of crummy interpretations of 'Art of War' and 'Book of 5 Rings' available, polluted by the translators' opinions and biases. This is a testament to Sawyer as a scholar 1st and foremost.

He provides insight and opinions in his comments after the strategies and examples, but lets you draw your own conclusions about the relevence and applicability while you read each short strategy.

I have been able to apply these strategies to real life situations in dealing with individuals and groups. It has helped me in business and personal relationships by drawing parallels between the strategies and applying them figuratively. It has also helped me in a literal sense in mundane theaters like computer gaming as well.

I want this in hardcover!!! I will pay for it!!!

Concicise and entertaining, short one to two page essays. Each chapter has 1) a forword explaing the strategy, 2) a historical battle examples, 3) and a commentary on how to best apply the strategy. Easy to read, allowing you to enjoy one strategy at time without having to go back over previous chapters. This book reiterates in an entertaining way what B.H. Liddell Hart says in his classic book on military 'Strategy.' I recommened this book to everyone who wishes to view the world from an unconventional point of veiw.

Rotten Ralph is Sarah's bad, bad cat, and she loves him. Her parents tolerate him...until the unforgivable. Ralph ends up on his own, cold, lonely and miserable, and regretting his evil ways. Most of the time.

Extreme, crazy, and a little more than rotten sometimes. The drawings aren't traditional, which makes "Rotten Ralph" even more fun for kids to read and look at.

Ralph is a very bad kitty, as is generally what cats thrive on being. He is often rude, knocks things over, disrupts social occasions, makes sport of preying on pet birds, fish or rodents, and purposely exacerbates the one annoying, albeit universally inherent, trait in dogs: obnoxiousness. After one especially horrid, feline-induced fiasco at the circus, Sarah's father determines that he's had enough of Ralph and gives him the boot. Ralph's consequential homeless journey thus necessitates him a good look inwardly, seeking the key to whatever could possibly save him from being lost forever to his comfortable home and family...

Not so very many years ago, I had the very great pleasure of reading over and over and over, and over immeasurable, this fine tale of haphazardness, naughtiness, chastisement, and redemption. So I'll now tell you a little tale of my own - a personal pathway, of sorts, toward eminent endearment of this sweet little book:

Several years ago, a little child went with her mother and father to a book signing in downtown Chicago. The name of the book escapes me now, but alas, it's irrelevant to this story. John Lydon ("Johnny Rotten" of Sex Pistols fame) was doing the signing for some newly published writing affair at a trendy north side bookstore. As Mr. Rotten has always had a great dedicated following, the line for this book, to be graced with his signature, was immensely long. The little girl, wearing a pink winter coat and purple ribbons in her hair, was the only child present in a snaking line omnipresent in the aisles throughout with multiply tattooed and body-pierced fans. Yet she was neither intimidated nor gainsaid as she quietly recited her favorite nursery rhymes, picking up to browse each prettily covered book she saw. She was ever patient, and even after over an hour of waiting would smile sweetly to strangers' questions and comments as she held onto her mother's hand.

Finally, after what seemed like an infinitesimal wait, she and her parents reached the front portion of the line. Then, all hearts fell as the gentleman just ahead of her family, a tall thin young man with long silky black & blue-streaked hair and an earring was told the featured book had just sold out - that there were absolutely no more copies. Dejected and deflated, all those remaining in the line began to take their leave.

This little girl, however, would have nothing of it. "But we came here for a book!" she cried loud enough for anyone in the store to hear, "I want that book!" Before either of her parents could chastise her for this outburst, Mr. Rotten spoke up with that beautifully enunciated British accent he has, and said, "You want a book? I'm sorry...uh, but we...Wait - This child wants a book! - Oh yes, never fear, little one; I will get you a book." A consummate gentleman, he merely snapped his fingers to one of his assistants and pointed to a nearby display at the edge of the children's section, and said, "I want to give her that book."

ROTTEN RALPH was the chosen book's title. My daughter's copy is signed by Johnny Rotten, the inside jacket adorned with a Polaroid photo taken of herself, her new book, and the kindest punk rock star on earth. Truly, upon many a night for perhaps the next two years that followed, ROTTEN RALPH was included in our nightly ritual of bedtime stories. And though our cat George was often annoyed that he was forced to sit, listen and learn, neither my girl nor I ever tired of reading it.

This book is hilarious. The bathos of Ralph's predicament is devastatingly funny. He deserves everything he gets. During one scene, the author slips in a perhaps unconscious homage to the famous nose episode of the Brady Bunch, when the owner of a dog is heard to exclaim "my dog!"

Wonderfully and skillfully written account of a German sailor in WWII that also weaves parallels with Greek mythology to American classics. Sometimes lighhearted, sometimes bewildering imagery, but always an adventure that takes the hero to hell and back - several times. When one wonders if Teidemann ever makes it back, one realizes that the entire book is written in the first person and this somehow adds to the value of the story. A wonderful examination of the very worst in human nature and nature itself. You will never see seagulls quite the same after this.

One of the most entertaining books I have ever read,it displays a sense of humor and brutal realism seldom seen in today's historical novels. The characters are believable, and their simple honesty is refreshing in contrast to todays perfect characters that are a dime a dozen and very forgettable. Pick this one up if you are sick of the predictable and tiresome novels in which todays authors are mass producing with mind numbing regularity obviously using the same formula which enables them to mass produce the same stories under different titles.

Mr Ott takes you into the real world of the antics and lives of the German sailors on the smaller war ships of the era.[mine sweepers and subs] I find the ending somewhat disapointing because he really leaves it up to the reader to what happens to the hero??

I have been reading about the Monterey Bay all my life, and i wanted to read stories that reflected some of the local life around the Monterey area. This book exceeded my expectations, delighted my senses & stirred my soul to dream of the foggy nights on the beach watching the hobo fire. Amanda Wong

If you want to laugh, and laugh heartily--buy and read this book! The characters are unforgettable, and I find myself visualizing the scenes again and again. There are also some very poignant stories that touched me. I recommend this book to all fisher-people!

A great collection of tales about the people who live around and fish the Monterey Bay area. If you've ever seen the scalawags that haunt the beaches and piers around the bay and wondered "what makes them tick?", this is the book you've been waiting for. Steinbeckian characters give the book a "reel" feel to the reader about the crazy lives that these dedicated fisherman live in their zeal to catch the "big one." The humorous anecdotes install a sense of respect for the truly dedicated fisherman and the misunderstood flotsam and jetsum that inhabit the local beaches. Salty dogs and sandy shoes forever.

I AM NOW ADVISED BY MR JACKSON'S ASSISTANT THAT THIS VOLUME IS STILL AVAILABLE AND IN PRINT. (6/10/00)

I have just been advised by Mr. Olin Jackson, editor and publisher, that he is out of stock on this volume and that no reprint date has been announced. Call 770-642-5569 to show support for reprint.

All the North Georgia Journal of History books are excellent. Great Reading. I have a Vol.l ---long out of print it is in mint condition. If you want it call {770)887-5614. Jim Adkins

Hooray--our motorcycle riding little friend is back,and he's just as spunky and determined to be a Night Rider as ever!
If you enjoyed Ralph's antics when he received his very own motorcycle, you'll be delighted to continue reading his new adventures--this time at school. Also he has new boy to talk to and con into serving as his pit crew, accomplice and general gopher.

Feeling very much unappreciated by his
extensive rodent family, Ralph decides to leave the Mountain View Inn to spend a week at Ryan's school--hey, there's nothing like a complete change of scene to forget one's problems, not to mention, drown a slightly guilty conscience. But one never can count on the reactions of human beings; instead of being terrified by a live mouse in her classroom, the clever teacher
improvises an entire MICE unit for her students. Activities include pure biololgy, scientific experiments and literary data entries.

Unfortunately, her class falls victim to shoddy journalism, which proves a lesson for us all. Even feisty Ralph learns some non-violent strategies to cope with rowdies and bullies. But tragedy strikes during Ralph's acadeic sojourn; alas, will he ever ride his beloved motorcycle again? Or earn the respect of his family? A darling tale which will entertain kids of all ages!

This book is great to read because it has alot of adventure for people who like books that have adventure.Ralph the mouse,is a curious little mouse that has a lot of dreams and tries to make them comer true.I would recommend this book o everyone and I'm pretty sure they would love it.

It's about time someone put these books in a box! Beverly Cleary's beloved tales of Ralph the mouse and his motorcycle have been enchanting young readers for a very long time- I first read them 13 years ago.
Cleary has written countless wonderful books for children of all ages, from the numerous Ramona stories to the award-winning Dear Mr. Henshaw. The Mouse and the Motorcyle is aimed at the younger end of her audience, and kids can't help but love Ralph, the spunky little mouse with big dreams, who lives in a hotel and wants nothing more than a chance at riding that red motorcycle, the motorcycle that will lead him into countless adventures with his human friends.
In Runaway Ralph, Ralph's visit to a summer camp turns out not to be at all what he expected. Can he avoid the more unpleasant kids in the cabin, and get back to his hidden motorcycle?
In Ralph S Mouse, Ralph goes to school in a human friend's pocket, unaware of the new adventures in store, that will earn him the name of Ralph S-for-smart Mouse.
These books are a marvellous addition to any child's collection.

"Say Goodnight, Gracie" is a great book because it in a way is funny yet sad. The author expresses feeling well. I'd give the book four and a half stars!

This is a very enjoyable peice to not only read, but to work on as well. Pape has given you some great material for character work, as well as good equally imporatnt ensamble stuff to dig into. Its funny, and Pape writes so that its easy to feel for each character evenly.

This is an incredible read for young people. It's an incredibly honest work about dreams, disappointments, and the power of change. One of my favorite plays.