Charlotte's Web was checked out of my grade school library many times by a classmate of mine that I considered "dumb". I thought "If SHE likes it, then I surely wouldn't. So I never checked it out. When my own child brought it home as a part of a third grade assignment, I decided to read it. The surprise of my life! It turned out to be the most wonderful book! The subtle nuances of humor are missed by children,even though they love the book, too. The way the author transforms everyday farm-life into interesting tidbits of information (including the actual contents of Wilbur's feeding trough) is nothing short of ingenius. The way he makes you feel for the lovable Wilbur--I love the way Wilbur asks Charlotte, "How is your plan coming? (for saving his life) I'd be happy to help with the plan in any way that I can." Naturally, he would like to see the plan move along, for saving his life, but the way in which he offers his help is adorable! The emotions, the characters of the animals (goose, sheep, and of course, Templeton) all combine to make Charlotte's Web a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

Charlotte a kind hearted grey spider, befriends Wilbur, a lonely white farmyard pig. This great bond of friendship begins when Wilbur, had been saved from death at birth, by Fern , a little but brave girl.Wilbur soon has to move to the barn at Fern's uncles place. There he meets Charlotte, wh-o is soon willing to give up her time, and if needed her life to save Wilbur from the mean and cold hearted slaughter. Charlotte soon begins her mission to save Wilbur by keeping Mr& Mrs Zackerman from killing Wilbur, this is preformed by Charlotte sppining words on her web, onthe corner of the farmyard stable.Mr& Mrs Zackerman are so shocked that a hurdle of people came to see this amazing preformance by what they belive to be the pigs doings. This is an emotional and modern classic written by E.B White and is suitible for all ages around the globe. We recomend it for all young and old readers.

E.B. White has written a wonderful children's book that is very entertaining and equally educational. The length and level of comprehension needed makes it appropriate for ages seven to nine. There are several life lessons the reader can learn throughout the story, which also reflect lessons that the Bible teaches, such as humility and servanthood. While children are being greatly amuzed at this humorous storyline, they are also learning valuable lessons about life, which is why it is unforgettable. The use of personification of the barn animals is the most effective source of humor: the goose cheers for "Wilbur", who is the pig trying to escape from the barn; the sheep talk as if the farmers are "plotting a murder" to kill "Wilbur"; "Wilbur" does a back twist in the air; and "Charlotte", who is the talking spider, states that, "People are not as smart as bugs!" It is hillarious! The barn animals are also experiencing human emotions, which help children to relate to them, such as loneliness, anger, satisfaction, joy, and love. It is a roller coaster storyline that keeps children very attentive! Also, equally impressing are the life lessons that White implements throughout the animals' lives. "Wilbur" realizes that what is truly important in life is not that he is the most popular, talented, or best looking, it is the satisfaction of having one true friend to share his life with, who is "Charlotte". "Wilbur" and "Charlotte's" humility and servanthood create a wonderful friendship. This definitely will teach children to be humble and to treat others as they would want to be treated, while not being too proud or self-seeking like "Templeton", who is the selfish rat. This is also taught in the Bible, when Jesus states, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11). Through "Wilbur" not viewing himself as "terrific", but still becoming famous and "Charlotte" saving "Wilbur's" life without due recognition, children will learn that being humble and serving others is not always the way the world desires us to act, but it is the most rewarding way to live. White is also very informative about spiders: the seven sections of their legs and how they spin a web, which is very educational. It is very interesting when "Dr. Dorian" states that just a spider's web, even without words inscribed in it, is a miracle. God created every animal and insect, which are true miracles, and it is great that E.B. White points that out. I found no weaknesses throughout this story. This is a book I highly recommend for young children. Through the use of much humor and implementation of valuable character traits that reflect who God wants His children to be, this story is one that children will treasure forever.

I am not a professional historian but simply have a deep interest in learning more of history and, in particular, American military history. But, I like most the historical narratives that have a story to tell. Ones that include the impact on the human spirit. Real life stories of the horror and heroism of war. Moore, in "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young," does a masterful job providing enough technical detail to paint the images in your mind while not bogging the reader down in so much techical stuff to overwhelm and bore. At the same time, he tells a very poignant and moving story. I particularly liked the closing chapter in which the stories of the families back home and the impact the loss of loved ones had on their lives. I intend to visit the Vietnam War Memorial again on my next visit to Washington and find some of the names of the brave men who lost their lives at LZ X-ray and LZ Albany those fateful days. This is a unique chronicle of war and a must read for anyone striving to have a greater understanding of the complex and political conflict we call the Vietnam War.

Oh, what an extraordinary book. This book satisfies on so many levels. First, it provides an accurate historical account of the most important battle of the Vietnam War -- the first one. From this examination, the reader can understand why the U.S. reached strategic failure in Vietnam. Until its publication, there has never been an accurate accounting of this savage, enigmatic battle, only partial analysis and limited oral histories. This book presents the battle from the battalion commander view and integrates it into the goals of the war. Second, the book presents, in unsparingly frank terms, the sacrifices and courage exuded by average American boys in combat with an ardent foe in a foreign land. After reading this book, I dare anyone, ANYONE, to question the scope and magnitude of the sacrifices made by those who served in Vietnam. The depictions of combat and its accompanying loss will stay with the reader for a very long time. Lastly, for all military buffs, it's a great read and allows you to engage in some healthy hero-worship. In honor of those who served and died on this tragic battlefield and all those of Vietnam, a paraphrase of the inscription at Thermopylae is in order: "Go tell the Americans, stranger passing by, Here, obedient to their laws we lie."

Moore has done a great service to those interested in the war in Vietnam as well as those who have not experienced the horror of combat first hand.

This book about a relatively large scale U.S. Infantry operation in the Ia Drang Valley is very well written. The author tells the story of his unit's fight and subsequent movement well. So well, that it is possible to visualize the battle, the defensive perimiter and keep the individual soldiers -- whose story it is -- straight. Not only is the tale of the battle well told, but the fears and uncertainty faced by cut off troops who could not see their enemy and knew they had to hold their perimiter is brought home to the reader. This story has plenty of heroics, but also a lot of fear, anger and luck.

The story also underscores the problem with U.S. strategy in Vietnam. Unlike World War II, our troops were not driving across the country to hold land and capture territory. Many missions, like Moore's, were designed to find and harass a jungle hid enemy, inflict casualties and then retreat to a well protected base. That type of war without gain must have played heavily on the minds of the soldiers who could not measure their sacrifice in ground gained or villages freed, measurements their fathers and uncles had been able to see in their great war.

This is a good book. Moore's US infantry are very sympathetic (the chopper pilots merrit special mention from the author), doing a hard job and doing it well. It reads quickly and is captured my attention from the outset.

I was a Marine Scout Sniper from 1980 to 1984 and have read virtually all the books pertaining to Marine Corps Scout Snipers. Of all the books I have read, this is the only autobiography, and the author does an outstanding job of getting the reader inside the sniper's mind at work and play. Ward mentions some statistical and historical points, but the focus is on the psychology of a Marine Sniper in and out of combat. Ward also introduces the reader to a sniper by the name of Charles B. Mawhinney who racked up 101 confirmed kills. Another author by the name of Lanning goes into more detail about this sniper and Joseph Ward in his book, Inside The Crosshairs. They are also both mentioned in the book, One Round War, by Peter Senich, a recognized authority on sniping. All three books are very different and excellent reading for anyone wanting to know about Marine Corps sniping and the Vietnam War. Ward has gone to great lengths to write an extraordinary book for the military buff and lay person alike, which makes any negative reference in the reviews most offensive. I have gone back through the pages mentioned in another review and can't even find the petty discrepancies that seem so important to someone else. I really liked this book!

While researching a Vietnam exhibit for my museum, I read everything I could on the subject to get both historical and personal perspectives. The author, Mr. Ward, gives readers a compelling glimpse of the Marine Corps from Boot Camp and advanced training to Scout Sniper School and his tour of duty in Vietnam, and virtually put the 5th Marine Regiment on the map. I have read a great many personal accounts of the war and this one I consider by far the best. The illustrations and photographs are helpful and interesting. The letters to his mother provide an exellent framework with which to tell the author's story. Mr. Ward's attention to detail and clear writing style draws the reader in, in a very personal way. At times I actually felt as though I was there. I highly recommend this book.

First and foremost, I must say that this is a must read book for anyone who wishes to gain an insight of the war in Vietnam! As for me... a farm boy from Iowa, landing in DaNang, Vietnam on a hot September day was quite a shock. After being processed, I was assigned to the 5th Marines Headquarters Company Scout Snipers at An Hoa. I am proud to say that my first assigned partner was Joseph T. Ward. Being new in country, I had a lot to learn and Joe was a terrific teacher. We developed into a very close team. Joe on the rifle and I as the spotter, and I must say he saved my hide on more than one occasion! Unfortunately the team was broken on November 8, 1969 when we both were hit. Not all snipers had as high of a kill rate as Hathcock, MaWhinney, and Ward. I didn't,so I guess that lowers the averageas stated by crittics. I saw,felt, and endured the hell on earth that Joe described in his book. I am proud to call Joe Ward my partner and friend

This kit changed our lives. Two days after we received the kit we were starting to sign to our 10 month old daughter. She started signing within one month and is now signing over 60 words (at 18 months old). The video is great, it shows other parents actually showing their children the signs, and it shows very young children actually signing. It is a real motivator for parents to stick with it.The book is a great reference and the pictures of the signs are very easy to understand. The reference chart was fantastic for our daycare provider. When she dosen't recognize a new sign she can look at the chart, and figure out what our daughter is telling her. Also we have included the chart in our daughters baby book.

I highly recommend this kit and I think every parent should teach their baby to sign! The results are fantastic! Kudos to the authors!

My mother-in-law bought this for us after my son was born and we were very skeptical. Then we watched the tape. We were amazed to see babies actually doing the signs. Imagine your 15 month old being able to tell you that they're hungry or thirsty. Or imagine them telling you that their teeth hurt and they need some medicine. That's what was happening with these children. When we saw how young babies were able to communicate with their parents, we were hooked.

My son is 3 months old and I can't wait until I'm able to sign with him. The thought of communicating with him at such a young age has inspired me to take a sign language class outside of this video (which I still watch on a regular basis). The women who teaches my class also does home visits where she teaches deaf babies to sign and has attested to this actually working.

This is a great product and should definitely be considered as a baby shower gift or for anyone who's expecting.

Well, I tried Baby Signs and found it to be full of talk about using Baby Signs and short on instruction on when, where, how and why to use Baby Signs. Making signs up was very frustrating - I'm not a creative-type person. I want a system that's proven and works. Then I found Joseph Garcia's book here at Amazon.com. Garcia's book is excellent!

Garcia's book is clearly written. It tells you exactly why, when, where and how to use American Sign Language with your baby. Garcia also reviews several studies reporting the benefits of sign language for hearing children. The instructions on how to teach the signs and how to make the signs are quite detailed and specific, so you'll know exactly what to do. (But not so detailed that you're lost!) Garcia also discusses how children sign differently than adults and how their signs may change as their signing ability improves. This is useful in "detecting" a child's first attempts to use a sign. If you're not watching carefully, you'll miss them!

The video is enjoyable and well-done - it's broken up into short, easy segments. It adds another dimension - you see many examples of children signing so you'll know what to expect from your child. More tips are given for teaching signs, including specific recommendations for additional signs to teach later. Garcia performs all the signs at the end of the video as a reference library of sorts. Seeing the signs in action was very helpful. Illustrations of signs can only show so much. The signs are timed so you can forward to the exact point where a sign is for easy review. It's also a neat way to show the signs to your child.

Lastly, the quick reference guide is very handy. It's much quicker than fumbling through the reference section at the end of the book. The guide is laminated, so baby won't tear it up easily. There's also a place to mark which signs you have shown baby and which signs baby can perform. It's useful for showing relatives or babysitters what baby is "saying" to them. You might want to get a spare guide just in case.

In summary, I've found the book, video & laminated reference guide to be very useful and helpful. I highly recommend them all!

Joyce's "Dubliners" is a collection of fifteen short stories that present snapshots of the lives of common people in Dublin around the beginning of the 20th Century. The stories are subtle commentaries about Irish attitudes towards nationalism, religion, morality, life, and death. Each explores a distinctive, dramatic theme, such as sexual perversion ("An Encounter"), infatuation ("Araby"), the frustration of personal unfulfillment ("A Little Cloud" and "Counterparts"), self-imposed loneliness ("A Painful Case"), hubris ("A Mother"), and Catholic/Protestant conflict ("Grace"). Overtones of Irish nationalism, remembrance, and piety permeate all the stories.

The stories are neither depressing nor uplifting, but rather open-ended in their denouement; no conflicts are resolved and no moral conclusions are reached. Joyce depicts the characters and scenes so sympathetically that the reader understands clearly why the dejected boy in "Araby" leaves the bazaar feeling like "a creature driven and derided by vanity" and the events that drive Farrington to beat his young son at the end of "Counterparts." And why, in "The Dead," Gabriel, after giving a dinner speech in which he makes respectful reference to the dead, feels his dignity knocked down a notch when his wife reveals to him the tragic fate of her past love.

After nearly a century, "Dubliners" remains one of the best crystallizations of humanity bestowed upon the world.

My first encounter with Joyce was an English Lit. course in college, some twenty years ago now. We were assigned to read an anthologized version of "The Dead", and I initially approached it as one does all such reading requirements at that foolish age; however, this particular story ending up affecting me quite unlike anything I had ever read before. Dubliners is a beautifully written collection of thematically inter-related stories involving day to day life in early 20th century Dublin - stories that masterfully evoke what Faulkner described in his Nobel address as being the essential nature of true art: A portrayal of the human heart in conflict with itself. "The Dead" is the final story in the collection, and my favorite. I have re-read it numerous times and am so consumed by it that I'm not even able to provide an objective review. The final pages, from the point where Gabriel and Greta leave the party, to the end of the story, are absolutly stunning; the poetry of the words, the profound humanity represented - defies description. As in the final line of Rilke's "Archaic Torso of Apollo" - You must change your life.

The first of James Joyce's books, "Dubliners" is a collection of fifteen stories written between 1904 and 1907. Joyce wrote the first of the fifteen stories in this collection, "Sisters," in Ireland in 1904. The story was published in August of that year under the pseudonym "Stephen Daedalus." Joyce wrote the last, longest and most famous of the stories, "The Dead," in Rome in 1907. The stories were published in the book known as "Dubliners" in 1914. While there are many editions of "Dubliners" in print, the definitive edition of the work is generally considered to be the corrected text prepared by Robert Scholes in consultation with Richard Ellman, Joyce's biographer. Random House publishes the Scholes edition under its Modern Library imprint and I recommend this edition.

"Dubliners" stands as one of the Ur-texts of modernism, a startlingly original collection of stories set in turn-of-the-century Dublin that began the Joycean literary project. That project subsequently moved through the increasingly difficult, and characteristically modernist, iterations of "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man," "Ulysses" and "Finnegan's Wake." Like those succeeding texts, the interested reader can find thousands of pages of commentary on "Dubliners," the study of Joyce's works being akin to a Talmudic undertaking, an undertaking that can, if one chooses, occupy an entire life.

Joyce once commented that the stories of "Dubliners" constitute a "chapter of moral history" that represents the "first step towards the spiritual liberation of [Ireland]." He also said, "I call the series 'Dubliners' to betray the soul of that hemiplegia or paralysis which many consider a city." The stories are, in other words, inherently critical (although also, at times, appreciative) of the Dublin life that Joyce abandoned, living and writing as an expatriate in Paris, Trieste, Rome, and Zurich for nearly the entirety of his adult life.

The stories operate on two levels. On one level, the stories are realistic narratives of every day life in Dublin. On another level, however, the stories are suffused with symbolism, with recurring, allusive images of spiritual, sexual and political meanings that mark a departure from nineteenth century literary realism and make "Dubliners" an enduring, and deservedly canonical, modernist narrative.

The first story, "Sisters," begins with a striking example of the tone of the stories in "Dubliners." A young boy stands, in the evening, looking up at the shadows flickering through the window of an upstairs room where a priest is dying:

"Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly to myself the word 'paralysis'. It had always sounded strangely in my ears, like the word 'gnomon' in the Euclid and the word 'simony' in the Catechism. But now it sounded to me like the name of some maleficent and sinful being. It filled me with fear, and yet I longed to be nearer to it and to look upon its deadly work."

Thus, a vivid, realistic image appears in the reader's mind, but so does a collection of words that suggest meanings and themes that go far beyond the real, that capture physical and intellectual and religious undercurrents, the inner life of a young boy living in Dublin.

"Sisters" is a brilliant story, as is "The Dead" and nearly every other story in "Dubliners" (excluding, perhaps, one or two, the worst being "After the Race," a story that Joyce reluctantly included in the collection). Realistic in its narratives, richly allusive in its language and symbolism, "Dubliners" is one of a handful of story collections that truly deserves the label "classic" and should be read and studied by every serious reader.

My choice for Greatest American Novel of the 20th Century is this Robert Penn Warren classic. Unfortunately for Warren (and us), this novel got off to a rotten start. The New York Times hailed it as 'The definitive novel about American politics,' and doomed it to be shelved with other drab tomes in that otherwise unimpressive genre. The Times, sad to say, widely missed the point on All the King's Men.

Jack Burden is the point. Jack Burden, the politician's hack, makes this book. His is an evolution from disaffection to purpose, from carelessness to thoughtfulness. Willie Stark-the politician-is merely the means to Warren's greater goals. Warren originally set out to show, through Stark, the Dionysian allure of power and the grand effect it has on those who attain it. And he did; Stark himself is a great literary character.

But Warren fooled himself: he created a character much greater than Stark, even though he planned Burden only to be a sort of an omniscient narrator of little value to the novel except as the storyteller of Stark's rise.

In the end, Burden says (paraphrase), "This has been the story of Willie Stark. But it has been my story too." And thankfully, it was. The novel is brilliant, Warren is brilliant, and political books are still boring-but this is not one of them!

Within the confines of a bookstore one is often overwhelmed with the numerous topics and choices available to them. A solution to this problem, if a reader is interested in an engaging, magnificently written piece of literature, then take a few steps and find All The Kings Men by Robert Warren Penn.
The theme is one of uncanny importance and relevancy to this stage in American lives despite the fact it was written in 1946. The story is told in the first person, the narrator is Jack Burden; a right hand man to the leading political figure in the story, the "Boss." Interestingly, the "Boss" is based on the real life story of Huey "Kingfish" Long of Louisiana.
The story encompasses Jack Burdens revival from a involuntary life, as well as the metamorphosis of Willie Stark's, the "Boss", idealistic political views to the lust for power and fame. Robert Warren Penn won a Pulitzer Prize for this book, and within the last few months I can not recall a book that would equal it in quality and purpose. Penn utilizes his characters to develop and provide insight on the issues of forgiveness, power, and corruption, and the consequences of leadership.
Within a bookstore there are many choices, and many possibilities to choose from, but in the busy lives of the average person today why waste the time just pick up a copy of All the Kings Men by Robert Warren Penn today.

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren proves he knows more about writing than just the simple mechanics. Strongly defined characters and a setting so real you can taste the air provide the foundation for this literary masterpiece, yet the real genius of the book is in Warren's understanding of the reader and his use of style to convey a personal tone in the reading.

The main characters in All the King's Men are Jack Burden and Willie Stark. Jack, the narrator, was a reporter before joining Stark's bid for political power. Stark began as a small country lawyer who saw something wrong and tried to change it, but he eventually becomes a politician in the truest sense, so much so that the narrator can only think of Stark as "the Boss," an ominous title indeed. Accompanying these two men is an array of equally fascinating minor characters such as Sadie, a saucy married woman influential in developing Stark's position as a politician, and Sugar Boy, an Irishman so named for his affinity for sugar. Every character has depth and realism and can stand alone as a fully-developed individual.

While the characters are clearly an enjoyable part of the story, the setting is even more compelling. Warren's word choice is superb; he chooses to include and omit just the right combination of words to paint a realistic picture in the reader's mind without becoming too cumbersome. It is a balance few authors are able to achieve with such proficiency and yet another way in which Warren demonstrates his almost supernatural understanding of the reader. The best part is, it only gets better.

If characters and setting can be described as masterfully crafted, then Warren's grasp of tone is inexplicable. Simply put, the story truly speaks to the reader and could never have been as effective were it written any other way. Sentence structure, word selection, and dialect coalesce into a tangible atmosphere that projects a strong sense of familiarity onto the reader. The book is hard to put down because of this sense of familiarity.

Overall, All the King's Men is a book enjoyable in many more ways than one, with intriguing characters, realistic setting, and a true understanding of the needs of the reader. Even after fifty years, this book remains a classic appealing to all generations.

This book is simply amazing! You must check this book out! I've already worn my book out, reading it so many times. This book will show you how to use the power of your subconscious mind (the hidden mind) to improve your life. This is no hype or exaggeration! This is all based on the scientific fact that the subconscious mind acts like a "robot servant" and follows your repeated mental commands. It doesn't know the difference, whether what you tell your mind is true or false. Your mind will simply make your reality match your thoughts. This amazing ability has been proven in my life, as well as the lives of many other people. Many people have used their minds to conquer serious illnesses such as Cancer, others have used their hidden mind power to find better paying jobs, or to get the new car they needed. The possibilities are endless. The tips and guidelines in the book are simple, easy to follow, and will amaze you

Let me tell you that this is the best book I have ever read and quite literally saved me life. Two years ago I pondered a simple question. Why were some people happy while I was so miserable? I got an account with amazon.com and ordered all the books I could to find to answer the question and I stumbled upon this book. I read it then and thought, 'yeah right this can't possibly be true.' I just could not believe that you could create your destiny with your thoughts. I thought that the book was ludicrous and a waste of time, so I put it down.

About 6 months afterward I picked up with an open mind. This time I practiced the techniques just to see what would happen. My first goal was to become more confident. Through a disciplined program of visualization and autosuggestion I accomplished the goal. The strange thing was that I didn't even realize it was happening because the subconscious mind is so subtle. One day while I was around a lot of people I stopped for a minute and thought, 'Why aren't I nervous?' My confidence problem disappeared right there. Then I began working on different goals one of which was overcoming a fear I had and the techniques worked perfectly again. This is when I really began to believe that there was something to this stuff. Once you realize that anything you could ever want in your life you can get, you are just filled with a mystical sense of awe. The only drawback to this is the difficulty required. I can tell you now that I still am not completely changed. It takes a lot of time and discipline to change your mental patterns, but everyday you just need to keep believing and doing the techniques. It's easy to lose faith and think it's not working, but all you need is that first success and you will be a believer. Start small and then work your way up to bigger goals and everything around you will fall into place. The last thing I want to say is that you need to truly DESIRE to change. It won't be easy, but 'keep on until day breaks and the shadows flee away...'

Good luck and Peace.

I bought this book just a few years back. This is one of the best book about the mind that I've ever read! Dr Murphy gives examples after examples of how people used the power of their mind to solve problems, heal seemingly incurable illness and to aquire success. The author himself used this method to heal a skin maglinancy when he was young, and he's got concrete results himself. "Ask for bread, and you'll not be given stone". And he has one of the most powerful technique to suggest to the subconscious as well. And he tells you all about it in this book - what works, why it works, what doesn't work. This is the best secret you want to know in life. I often use this method to achieve things as well. In 1997, I had this wish to do so well in my design project that my lecturer will print it in the school magazine. Seemed an impossible task cos I used to be an average student. Well, I achieved that goal within a year! You can use your subconscious to attract the people you want to attract, get the help you need from whomever can supply it, create oppourtunities for you. The possibilities are limitless- because your subconsious is infinite and unlimited. It is an Intelligence that listens to your command! GET THIS BOOK! I will buy it even if it cost 3 times higher, because the secret within cannot be put a price tag on!

If you haven't read this book, where have you been??? The story is like the perfect childhood fantasy -- visiting a chocolate factory and seeing all the cool inventions!! Willy Wonka is a bizarre character who hides out in his factory, inventing candy with the help of Oompa Loompas (who only seem to show up when a naughty child is about to get into trouble!).

It's a great book, and it teaches valuable lessons about greed. Charlie is a good kid who follows directions. The other children on the tour get themselves into trouble by not listening to Wonka's instructions. They're punished in strange and surreal ways, and we really don't know whether they live to tell the tale.

That's why I'm giving this book 4 stars, not 5. I find it to be a little cruel, and I think Wonka is kind of sadistic toward children. For example, he shows everybody his brand new chewing gum invention that tastes like a 3-course dinner. Despite Wonka's warnings that it's not quite ready yet, a girl named Violet (who is famous for loving to chew gum!) grabs the gum and starts chewing it. When she tastes blueberry pie, her body turns blue. Before she knows what's happening to her and before she can spit it out, she starts blowing up and turning into a blueberry. While the poor girl is screaming helplessly, the Oompa Loompas surround her and start rolling her around the Inventing Room singing a song!!

All of this struck me as a little mean. Wonka never tells Violet that she'll turn into a blueberry if she keeps chewing. All he says is it isn't ready yet. And the Loompas don't seem terribly worried about juicing her. They're joyfully rolling her around and singing about how naughty she is! Instead of learning any kind of lesson from Violet's "situation," I just ended up feeling sorry for her.

Would you ever want to go inside a chocolate factory? Well, if you would, read this book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roal Dahl. I thought this was a great book. It's one of those books that you just can't stop reading. There are pictures of the really good parts of the book but not very many. In this book, Charlie is a poor boy who lives in an old shack very close to a chocolate factory. The chocolate factory is called The Wonka Factory. It has been closed down and reopened a long time ago and now Mr. Wonka is putting five golden tickets in ordinary chocolate bars. Five winning chocolate eating kids are allowed to go into the factory. Their names are Charlie Bucket, Violet Buriguard, Varuca Salt, Mike Teevee, and Augustus Gloop. What will happen when one by one they start to disobey Mr. Wonka's rules and disappear from the factory? If you want to find out what happens to Charlie, then read this book!!!

Raold Dahl is a true star of Children's Literature.Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a singular delight, crammed with mad fantasy, childhood justice and revenge, and as much candy as you can eat. Willy Wonka opens the gate of his Chocolate Factory to the five 'Lucky Winners' who finds the golden ticket wrapped in a Wonka Chocolate. Charlie is poor and gets only one Chocolate bar a year! One day he finds a dollar bill in the snow and buys himself a chocolate bar. Luck favours him as this contains the fifth golden ticket. The fantasy tour of Charlie begins with the other four winners - Mike Teaves who lives for TV, Veruca Salt, a brat who lives with bratty parents, Violet Beaguragarde, a girl who love gum and Augustus Gloop who would just eat anything! Dahl portrays incidents with resourcefulness and humour. Violet blows up into a blueberry from sneaking forbidden chewing gum and Agustus Gloops is carried away on the river of chocolate he would not resist. They have great Adventures and in the end, Wonka gives a big 'Surprise' to Charlie.

This is an all time Dahl Classic for all Ages.
'Choice Pick' - Especially for 8-12 years:-)

"Your Money or Your Life" is a classic, the kind of book that produces immediate results, and reduces the need to read all the other financial books out there. Offering a specific plan for living low on the material chain, the book is chock full of helpful suggestions.

I read the book quickly, and followed some of the outlined plans for financial mastery. For a month I kept track of every penny I spent and found in the months since that I'm much more concious of what I spend. I have grown to have an aversion to impuslse buying, in part because the book brings home the wastefulness of materialism. I have really cut corners, and gotten rid of a lot
of useless clutter, and feel much better as a result.

Best of all, I have been able to live for almost a year on a third of what I spent when I was in a more fast track job.

Will this book work for anyone? I'm not sure about that, because the simple fact is, some people value possessions over free time. Some people are more than happy to work two jobs if it means being able to buy what they want, and live the lifestyle to which they are accustomed. I can't see the US being overrun with frugality anytime soon. But, for those who wish to live on less-- writers, stay at home moms, artists, or those needing to get out of debt-- this book is flawless.

I have a collection of books on how to save money, and Your Money or Your Life is my favorite. The other books have more specific tips (like how to pay less for auto insurance). This book is more about how to make your own, better choices.
My favorite idea is to keep track of every penny that comes into and goes out of your life. For each purchase, you decide: did it bring enough value into your life that you wish you had spent MORE because it was so great? Or was it worth just what you paid? Or did you pay more than it was worth to you? They don't tell you to spend less. It's just that most people find most of what they buy doesn't give them value. I think most Americans are used to just spending whatever money they have. This breaks you of that habit.
I even use this idea in going over grocery lists (I found out we spend the most money on food!) Was that can of apricots worth it? Did we waste money on processed food? You just don't REALIZE the money that floats away from you unless you look at it closely.
After saving for 15 years on a teacher's salary, I bought a $163,000 house for cash, with $30,000 leftover (the first $10,000 was money from my family. The rest was savings).
The only questions I have about actually being able to retire on savings now: health insurance is so expensive--could you really afford to buy your own? And the book says you can live on government bonds. With how low interest rates are, is that still realistic? I doubt it. If anyone has info on these problems, I'd love to hear it!

I recently became interested in what is called by some the voluntary simplicity movement. The movement, at least looking at the publication dates on some of the books I've read, seems to have had a vogue in the early '90s. This is one of the best books I've read on the topic.

The underlying theme of the book is the importance of developing a new morality toward money. The question raised by the authors is, "How much is enough?" A series of steps is presented to help the reader develop a conciousness of what money means to them, how important it should be in their lives and when to pack it all in and do something worthwhile with the rest of their life. It presents a fairly compelling argument of the inherent shallowness of the current American consumer culture.

As with all revelations, the reader needs to be ready to hear the message.

This is no pie-in-the-sky, back-to-nature or any other utopian visionary, never-will-be view of how to live your life. A practical plan for getting control of the money in your life is presented. Along with the plan, a line of reasoning is developed to help convince the reader that there should be more to life than making and spending money.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe this white-knuckle story of action and adventure. In what classes as the best fast paced action thriller ever written, Garber has managed to mesh together the perfect blend of physical action and technical intrigue. A movie on this novel will be made, it is perfect for it. If done right it would become a classic. The authors word skill is such that I didn't read this book, I visualised it. Every sentance added another detail to the movie in my head.

The booby-trapped stairs must go down as some of the most entertaining writing ever. A sequel would be fantastic, but could it live up to this impossibly high standard? This is a must read! I work in a bookstore in Melbourne Australia and we find it hard to keep on the shelf, largely because I keep reccomending it to anyone that comes through the door!

This is one of those books that you reluctantly put down moments before you go to sleep at 3:00am and then is the first thing you pick up the second you're awake. It's a quick and gripping read that comes dangerously close to being a Die Hard rip-off but is so well put together that you don't care. In fact, I would love to see this as a movie. I see Nick Cage in the lead role.

Anyway, I must admit, the first couple of pages had me doubtful I'd get too far-- the thing with the cat almost turned me totally off. But then I was quickly thrust into a suspenseful, action-packed story that didn't let go until the end. Are there plot-holes and weak character development? Probably but who cares? It's a superb rollercoaster ride, if I may be so cliched. If you love action, definitely get this book.

Dave Elliot is a normal guy. Successful, healthy, re-married, everything in his life is routine and going well... until his boss walks into his office with a loaded gun. From that point on, for Dave it's a headlong sprint for survival, using only his wits and the tricks of his former trade: Army Special Forces in Vietnam. As nameless men try to kill him for an unknown reason, all Dave's training, suppressed for a long time, comes back to him. Garber's style is much more comfortable and easy to read than most action authors, but his best method is that of a voice in Dave's head, his "guardian angel", objectively following him around and cynically providing commentary on the gravity of his situation. The tension crackles as Dave tries to avoid early retirement and figure out why he has become a target. Dave Elliot is one of the most enjoyable protagonists to appear in adventure thrillers today, making this a great read for all action fans.