FALL FROM GRACE plasters you to the book on the first page and never let's go. The characters are compelling, commanding, real; the plot fascinating, with more twists than Hwy 1; and the pacing is break-neck beautiful. Rarely, if ever, have I read a debut novel (or one by an old hand) that has kept my heart in my throat and me on the edge of my chair from start to finish. Phillips' book did. He has a compelling style, a gritty insight into human nature--even the sides of it we want to recoil from--and explores them without flinching. (Kudos to him on that!) Obviously, since this is his first novel, it's my first opportunity to read Clyde Phillips' work. It definitely won't be the last!

I absolutely loved this book. It's face-paced, well writen, and a just, overall, an excellent story! Anyone who likes to read suspense and crime stories will, without any doubt, adore this book. Clyde Phillips may have just started his career as an author but, from the looks of it, he's going to be here a long time! :) The characters in "Fall from Grace" are not only believable but believable to the point where you feel compassion towards them. This is an outstanding book, not just for his first novel either. I suggest you read it and I promise you, you won't be able to put it down!

This is a great, twisty little gem of a thriller, and ironically, one of the main "characters" in this book turns out to be the good old Golden Gate Bridge. It figures so prominently in the story that it almost takes on its own mystique and charisma. Needless to say, the Hitchcockian influenced climax on the GGB is stunning and terrifying, too!

Jane Candiotti and her partner Kenny Marks, are very interesting and credible police detectives, with a history of their own. Jane finds herself falling in love with a man accused of murdering his rich wife because she was going to leave him. This all happens by the husband mouthing off to a stranger he meets on the train about how much he wishes his wife were dead. Aha, "Stranger on a Train" revisited.

From there on, the plot takes several twists, turns and pseudoclimaxes before its breathtaking finale.

Phillips creates a very "noirish" feel to this well-executed first novel, following it up with an exceptionally good book called "Blindsided." Read them both---they're excellent!

Business is slack in Big Stone Gap, a tiny mining town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, near the foothills of Tennessee. So, Fleeta in the local greasy spoon rewrites her recipe-card box of five years standing. Here is one entry. With it, Trigiani sets the scene for her delightful visit and memories of her own home town.

'Skin your possum. Place in a large pot and boil 'til tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make gravy with broth and add 4 tablespoons flour and a cup of milk. Cook until thick. Save a foot to sop gravy.

Reading this, Trigiani's protagonist Ave Maris Mulligan ponders what to do with the other three feet. She is a witty thirty-five year-old, not yet 'murried'. She owns the local drug store taht apparently has a net value of one dollar. Being pharmacist creates access to the town's secrets. Not that anyone gossips in Big Stone.

We first meet her taking advantage of the Wise County Bookmobile's weekly visit, as it lumbers down the mountain road. She learns from a book how to read faces and starts observing and analyzing the populace.

Then Elizabeth Tayor and her politician husband decend on Big Stone Gap. Elizabeth books the deluxe suite at the Trail Motel. 'Boy is she in for a surprise,' says Ave Maria. Based on an actual happening in 1978, the visit is hilarious. A bizarre football game precedes a dinner that boasts a program printed on lavender paper 'compliments of the Dollar General Store.' Liz ends up in Hospital, the culprit: Fried Chicken.

Although author Adriana Trigiani grew up in this drab location, she now lives in New York, a successful producer and playeright. This novel revisits choice hometown characters, and her experiences there directing local plays that led her to a wider horizon of opportunity.

This is a great book if you're looking for a light, comfortable read. I loved the characters in the story, they have a sense of reality about them, they're not completely over the top in their ways.

Ave Maria is the main character and the one who is narrating the story. She is a young woman who is the town pharmacist and the "unmarried" one. She is happy with her life but misses her mother who passed away and left her with a secret regarding who her real father is. The story unfolds from there as Ave Maria confronts her feelings of love for a man who is almost too good to be true. The people of Big Stone Gap will have you laughing and cheering their antics.

This is a great feel good book. I loved the people and the storyline is well developed. I look forward to reading the sequel "Big Cherry Holler".

Quite often, opening lines of a book may beckon to a reader and hold onto them for the duration of the book. As an avid reader I couldn't help but feel this way when I read the following opening lines from Big Stone Gap by Adiana Trigiani, "This weekend will be a good weekend for reading." And I felt my fingers skipping to turn the pages and begin reading more of this book. Now that I've finished the novel by Ms. Trigiani , I too must add my kudos along with the many other readers who have also recommended and enjoyed this title. Like the authors Fannie Flagg and Rebecca Wells, Ms. Trigiani has assembled a cast of Southern characters who are homespun, fun loving and just quirky enough to appeal to reading audiences everywhere.

Ave Marie Mulligan at 35 is an unmarried pharmacist in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. The product of an Italian mother and Scotch Irish father, who died some years before has come to accept her father's cruelty when she was younger. She also has come to accept that her life most likely will never change either. Running the local pharmacy, which she inherited, making deliveries to the hollers, working with the ambulance squad and directing the Outdoor Drama musical every summer fill her days and years. But when Ava reads a letter from her recently deceased mother, she is left with some revelations and unsettling questions. Now Ava must find out the answers and we as readers fully realize that Ava's life will never be the same again.

Ms. Trigiani offers her readers a delightful book which will surely be read and reread by her many fans. And the best part is that once you finished reading Big Stone Gap you can return to the area and people once again by reading the second book in this trilogy, Big Cherry Holler, and the recently published third and last book, Milk Glass Moon. Take it from me, spending time with Ave Marie Mulligan with her friends in Big Stone Gap is a perfect way to spend any weekend.

While I really enjoyed Elinor Lipman's Inn at Lake Devine - I felt that Isabel's Bed did not quite live up to my expectations. It got rave reviews so I was looking forward to reading it but it was slow going and once I got into it the book ended.

Isabel's Bed is the story of Harriet Mahoney, a middle aged, recently jilted, unpublished writer who finds a job and a home with Isabel Krug - the "other woman" in a scandoulous murder. Isabel hires Harriet to ghost write her story.

The novel is about their friendship and how it helps Harriet (and Isabel) put her life back on track.

The book meandered for a while and finally got rolling about 100 pages or so before it ended. I guess if I am still interested in knowing what happens with these character's (which I definitely am) then I really did enjoy the book - I just wish that it had a bit more depth or about 50 more pages...

This is a book I find to be wonderfully layered with truth. On the surface it's a funny and light-hearted. But as you read deeper into the novel you find that it is more then just laughs and giggles. Isabel's Bed has a lot of heart and tells a good story. Harriet Mahoney comes to terms with her writing ability, her relationship with her X-boyfriend; she finds new friends and a new home. Through her struggles you see that it isn't necessary to write a published book or have a high paying job or a degree in a University to make you happy. You just have to find your own voice and live it out loud and that's what Harriet Mahoney did. It's really an enjoyable read and who can't help but love this book?

The blurbs on the cover of this book really put me off at first - someone on the front cover saying that 'by about page ten the reader has a grin on his face' and on the back something about her being the new Jane Austen - etc etc. While being none of those things to me though, I found a lot else in it which grew on me as the book progressed, and surprising to myself I found that I couldn't put it down - and reading to the finish I found it a fun, and infinitely satisfying read.

The heroine of the novel is Harriet Mahoney - 42, failed in a long term relationship, aspiring novellist and looking for a way to escape New York and her ex-partner for a while - wound-licking stuff. She applies for a position ghost-writing Isabel Krug's life story - the fact that she has no idea just who Isabel is, or how notorious her story is, is the subject of the book. Harriet goes to live with her at Cape Cod and in fact it is the growing relationship between these two women which was for me, the most interesting part of the book. As we learn more about Harriet we also have more of Isabel revealed. Its all done in context of the novel and some of it is quite startling. One thing I'll say for Elinor Lipman is she really knows how to tell a story without over-killing points - but she is also wonderful at providing great twists to the story at various points.

It really is an 'engaging' read, but it might take you more than 10 pages to get into. I certainly didn't find I was grinning for a week - but I found it a great read and I think itsworth perservering with if you aren't immediately grabbed by it.

This book has to be a total fabrication. First of all, note the lack of saying it is Curly Howard she is talking about. There is no mention of that. It is all about "he was a stooge". Sorry but that reeks of somebody not wanting a lawsuit.

Secondly, it is common knowledge that Curly was sickly, and left the short movie business being replaced by Shemp and died shortly after that.

I am mad I bought the book thinking I would find out what Curly did after he couldn't to the shorts anymore, only to find out somebody wrote some book that alledges all this stuff.

For those of you that wonder why this is not on TV, you should figure like I did that this is the best book of fiction written about a person you could ever read.

It is a good yarn, but remember the facts. None of this could have happened.

The book states that Curly was never a member of the Howard family. Why then, is Curly's grave located directly behind the grave of Sol and Jenny Horowitz, even though the other stooges are buried in other cemetaries? This seems more than unusual for someone who was not a member of the family. Furthermore, with a simple internet search, you can see photographs of his grave, as well as photos of his death certificate. There is no evidence at all to prove that anything in this book ever happened. To accept it all as fact is pure stupidity.

To all those disbelievers, what makes you so sure this story is not true, if it is all lies why doesn't the horowitz family deny it. Is it really Curly in the grave behind the horowitz parents, that one critic of this book talks about, maybe it's not the real Curly! My guess is if this woman were lying, she would be sued or someone would deny it, I believe it, and I believe she does have proof if asked for it

I saw the documentary The Eyes of Tammy Faye last year and thought is was fascinating. When I saw this book I picked it up to get another point of view on this family's unfortunate history. While Jay Bakker tells the whole story of his life, and of his parent's rise and fall as televangelists, the core of this book is really his reminder that God's love is unconditional. I admire his vision to bring the Gospel to those who are falling through the cracks in our society. Despite the great message and interesting content, I gave this book only 3 stars because the writing is only so-so. I understand that Jay is dyslexic (and I may be too since I don't know how to spell it!) and that may be why the writing is somewhat stiff. The book slows down at quite a few points, but thankfully it is a quick read. If you are not too concerned about great writing, then I suggest this as an interesting read and a good reminded to love everyone as Jesus did.

Over the past few years I've became deeply interested in PTL, Heritage USA, and the Bakker family. I just got the book about three weeks ago, and read it within two days. It was very difficult to stop reading. His account of the events of his life is truly inspirational. It's hard to imagine what Jay has been through, but he tries his best to explain it to you. I was fortunate enough to meet him about one year ago when his Mother came to Atlanta. He truly is one of the most compassionate people I have met. If you have any interest in this family or PTL, I strongly recommend this book

I noticed this book last week at work when I was putting product away. I had just picked it up and started thumbing through it, when a couple walked by and were discussing the video we were showing. Suddenly, the husband said, "You know how the Northridge Earthquake happened right? Tammy Faye's face fell off" At that point I had gotten to the part where Jay was talking about the church turning it's back on the Bakker family, I was convinced.

This book opened my eyes to the power of grace and forgiveness, and the fact that God is bigger than any circumstance. Jay's journey from the limelight of TV and wealth, to the depths of hell and drug addiction, to the loving arms of the Father left me completley broken. I was also inspired by his new ministry of reaching out to "Gen Xers" the lost and unwanted. This story is moving and inspiraional, and whatever your feelings are towards the Bakkers, I highly reccomend you read this!

Leo DiCaprio is one of my fave Hollywood actors, and I was totally psyched when I heard there was a book about him. However, as you can tell by my rating, I wasn't impressed. The author portays Leo's life as if he never had any struggles, was this perfect person. No way! I gave it a 4 because it WAS imformative, (nothing you can't easily find on the net, mind you) and did have a great set of photos. I feel the author took advantage of Leo's stardom, as Hollywood's lastest hearthrob, to profit off of a poorly writtin book that would obviously sell!

This is a great book on Leo. It had all the information I would have ever wanted on the actor. naturally, I think all of the books I have on Leo are great but this was, well, different. It was much better then the rest. All of my friends and I have it at we think it it 'Simply Wonderful!' It tells about all of his movies, all his comercials, and about a million awesome web-sights. If you want any good information on Leo, than this is the best book for you. It also tells about when Leo firt started acting. It's a really awesome book! See ya!

I'm only 10 and Leo is a doll but,this book was like ok.I meen it sounds like Leo's this perfect guy,and he's not.He's normal.I've seen him on Growing Pains and it's like, "Oh I don't care." She just like did a few pages and went right to the movie's of Leo.So come on give us girls who LOVE Leo NEW data.Ok?

This is fascinating historical fiction, for Esther Forbes has seamlessly woven a good Colonial yarn about an aspiring apprentice silversmith into the tapestry of New England's grievances, which culminated in the American Revolution. One could almost believe that Johnny--quick, cocksure, ambitious--actually lived and rubbed shoulders with the brilliant and fervent Boston patriots: Paul Revere, John Hancock, Sam and john Adams.

What a wonderful parallel read this is for English-History classes, which will definitely appeal to boys
who crave literary action. The protagonist is an impoverished youth who loses his job and ultimately his place in a modest craftsman's home, because of an accident in which he burns his hand beyond folk healing. He struggles to find a few position, new friends and a sense of self-worth, since he realizes that his silver dreams are shattered beyond repair. But Johnny also undertakes a personal quest--a legacy from his poor mother: to be recognized by a wealthy merchant's family as a direct heir. But was this spirited and talented fellow meant to be a nobleman? Ultimately he learns to value the nobility of the heart.

As war clouds loom increasingly over disgruntled Boston, Johnny's outlook changes; his new, American loyalty is refined in a crucible of patriotic hope--fired by the empassioned oratory of James Otis. The coming Revolution will stand as a beacon to oppressed people the world over, even back in "mother" England. Johnny learns to curb his temper somewhat, as he comes of age and suddenly must perform a man's job by defending his values in perilous times. This book is an excellent story which will hold the reader's interest because of the intensely personal storyline, plus accurate historical details. This book makes one proud to be Yankee born!

Every once in a while, an author publishes a really good book that actually has something to learn from it. Inevitably, teachers seize the oppurtunity and force kids to read it.

I just came out of the 8th grade exhausted. My English class had spent over 6 months on Johnny Tremain! My teacher practically ripped the book apart, so that every single one of her students could recite the 47 themes in Chapter 5 (such as a routine to to the well actually being a lifelong journey of hope). This teacher had been using Johnny Tremain so long, she could actually RECITE THE FIRST CHAPTER! And the chapters are not very small at all.

Anyway, after school was over, I picked up my copy again. I was hooked. It was actually fun reading the book when I didn't have to note the conflicts between Johnny and Rab in Chapter 9. The story is very well written, and it teaches important lessons about life today as well as in the 18th century. My only gripe is that it seems that Esther Forbes tried to write a book that was pretty much a compilation of every other coming of age story. People don't have "growing up realizations", girl troubles, freindship disputes, family trouble, a burnt hand, and a national revolution all in the same week!

Esther Forbes' story of young Boston boy's adventures during the early days of the American Revolution, "Johnny Tremain," is a classic of children's historical fiction. As such it has been required reading for generations of middle school students, and assigned reading material, regardless of quality, will always raise the hackles of some students. Thus the bad reviews here should be taken with a grain of salt.

The strength of this book is how it weaves the fictional story of Johnny Tremain, who had been a promising silversmith apprentice until an accident crippled his hand, with the historical events and people of Revolutionary era Boston. Johnny deals with the loss of his trade, his attempt to reclaim his birthright, a burgeoning romance with the daughter of his former master, and an increasing involvement with the revolutionary activities of the Sons of Liberty. The book brings to life the era of the Revolution and reminds the reader that the simple hope "that a man can stand up" did not come without tragedy. "Johnny Tremain" is a true classic, and makes for a great read. (Even TV's worst student, Bart Simpson, loved reading it- "They should call this book Johnny Deformed Hand.")

This classic of the english literature, written by Kate Chopin, is a revolutionary novel for the time she had to live. It was bad seen and was forbiden for more than 50 years. The idea that a woman, a married woman, would laeve her husband and her children, to live with another man,wasnt allowed in her society. Im not saying that nowdays such a thing is allowed, but in those earlies days, this thing wasnt even thought, thats why this book can not have a happy end for Edna, because in no way her dream would have been come true. Personally Y think Robert loved Edna vey much, but he knew, he never could have been with the woman he loved. Her friend Madmoisselle Reisz, told her she needed to be strong to face her feelings and let Robert by side, because he finally would destroy her life. At the end that was what finally happened, Ednas complete life turned around Robert until that point, in the absence of her husband, she left home with the only purpuse of beeing alone until Roberts return. Y think that she was so in love, that she was forced to sink in the sea. Personally I found it an excellent book and it could bea very good advice for further generations.

Though at one time I, too, would have rated "The Awakening" one of the worst reads of a lifetime--for its predictability in the context of a woman oppressed by Victorian society, and the most undeveloped, unsympathetic heroine for whom I was unable to muster the slightest emotional investment--a nagging, relentless undercurrent of something I couldn't quite identify festered long inside me regarding this novel until the story, and author, were at last redeemed upon my third reading, in a literature course that finally ended this internal struggle.

Having much faith in Kate Chopin as a writer, I never felt 'the awakening' was about sex. This was too easy, even for a book set in Victorian Society. Further, it occurred to me that although women were limited beyond the domestic sphere in this era, suicide was not particular to the phenomenology of Victorian women (as it was, say, to Wall Street brokers at the onset of the Great Depression).

"The Awakening," in title and content, is irony. Edna Pontellier's awakening is about who she perceives herself to be, and who she actually is. She dreams of passion and romance and embarks on a summer affair, yet she married Leonce simply to spite her parents, who don't like him. She moves out of the family home to live on her own--with the permission, and resources, of Leonce--hardly independent. She claims to crave intimacy, yet she fails horribly at every intimate relationship in her life: she is detached with her children, indifferent to her husband, leery of her artist friend, and can hardly stand another minute at the bedside of her warm, maternal friend, Mrs. Ratignolle, to assist her in childbirth. (Ratignolle was my favorite character of all, read after read, simply because she was so content with herself.)

The Awakening? The surprise is on Edna, who is not the person she imagines herself to be. The irony? Edna Pontellier is never awakened to this, even at the bitter end. Feminists have adopted this book as their siren song...embarrassing at least! A feminist reading would, predictably, indict Victorian society as oppressive to women. Yawn...So that's new?!! Tell us something we don't know! I can tell you that concept wouldn't be enough to keep a book around for a hundred years.

But the concept that has sustained this novel over a century's time is its irony. And it is superbly subtle. I believe Chopin deliberately set up Victorian society as her backdrop to cleverly mask this irony...'the awakening' is not something good (a daring sexual awakening in a dark era for women): it is something horrible that evolves and is apparent to everyone except the person experiencing it. This reading makes Edna's character worth hating! Chopin herself hated Edna Pontellier and called her a liar through her imagined conversation with her artist friend at the end of the novel.

Chopin also cleverly tips the scales in Edna's favor in the first half of the novel, but a careful read reveals those scales weighed against her in the second half. I give the novel 5 stars because it took me three readings and help from a PhD lit professor to figure out this book. And I'm proud to say that I am, at last, awakened.

Can you imagine the impact this book must have had when it was first published in 1899? So scandalous! And it still has the power to make its readers eyes grow wide.

My only complaints are that the ending was unrealistic. (Of course, it fit the BOOK completely---it just wasn't practical.) I also think the portrayal of Edna as a nonchalant mother (as opposed to a nurturing mother) was unfair. Chopin wanted readers to view Edna as a victim, and when Edna turned around and neglected her own children...that didn't help our sympathy for her. ...Yet surely we readers realized this was a woman who was too oppressed and stifled to know what to do with herself.

Anyway, before I forget, a word of caution: HAVE A DICTIONARY NEARBY!! WHOA! Chopin was obviously VERY intelligent, along with being ahead of her time. Vocab. word after vocab. word, I tell ya.

Overall, the reader feels pity for practically every character. But it's not such a melancholy atmosphere that would make one want to stop reading it; it's merely proof that Chopin can weave a web of believable characters struggling with believable circumstances.

I would voice one more disappointment, though, if it wouldn't serve as a spoiler. ...Um, I think I was hoping that Edna would betray her husband a little more than she did...succumb to temptation a bit more...because I was rooting for her! I was sympathizing with her, and I thought she should get what she has longed for. But no such luck. Her conscience probably prevented something from going too far. Rats.

This is a sophisticated read laced with French phrases and lengthy paragraphs, but worth your while.

I probably should not have started this book with such high expectations, but since I so much enjoyed Big Stone Gap, I assumed I would love Big Cherry Holler, also. Although the book begins promisingly, with Ave Maria's young daughter competing in a radio quiz bowl, and the voices of the characters I loved from Big Stone gap were back and sounding familiar and enticing me back into their world, I was extremely disappointed with the conclusion that Ave Maria was not only "wrong" in her attraction (but there was little credit given her for saying "no") to another man, but she was ALSO "to blame" for Jack's affair... that's just plain wrong - Jack should have been responsible for his own choices and actions, not Ave Maria - it seems the author is saying that just because Ave is not a "perfect wife" (like Jack is "perfect"? Bull!), it was ok for Jack to cheat. Ave's best friend, Theodore, sure doesn't act like a "friend" when Ave comes to him, broken-hearted and needful of support only to be told coldly that she brought it all on herself... now I'm not one who thinks a true friend should lie, but to tell a hysterical, hurting FRIEND how wrong she is instead of first offering care, comfort and a validation of that friend's feelings seems cold and cruel to me. It's like telling a friend who is starving that it's her fault that she's hungry and she needs to wake up and smell the coffee, then slamming the door on that friend instead of feeding her.

And we're not done bashing Ave Maria yet... the way she mourns for her dead son is "wrong," and since Jack was ready long before Ave was to talk about it, he becomes superior to her and a victim of Ave's "distance," even though he sure doesn't seem all too patient or eager to accept Ave's attempts to communicate love and a willingness to try to communicate to her husband. How cold is it, anyway, to agree to take a summer trip with your wife, tell her you're not going at the last minute, and then not show any kind of feelings when she tells you how much she's looked forward to spending time together on the trip?

If you want to take a chance with this book, I recommend checking it out from the library rather than buying it.

Big Cherry Holler is the sequel to Big Stone Gap, and it's every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor. Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney is now married to Jack MacChesney for eight years; they have a little girl, Etta, who was just born as Big Stone Gap ended. When the coal mining business leaves town, Jack is left unemployed and needing to redefine himself. Ave Maria, not an openly warm woman, although very likeable, doesn't do much to help him, and their relationship is tested. Suffice it to say they both need to reevaluate their feelings. In the meantime, all the other characters we met in Big Stone Gap are here, too: Iva Lou, librarian and expert on men; Fleeta Mullins, cranky but likeable cynic; Pearl Grimes, the young lady to whom Ave sells her drugstore in B.S.G.; Spec Broadwater, the rescue squad captain; and Theodore Tipton, Ave's close friend who becomes director of the marching band at the University of Tennessee. This is another very enjoyable book about love, marriage, and self-identity, set in a small town with people who know all about each other, but also care for each other in a heart-warming way. Although it's not necessary for understanding this book, just for the pleasure of spending more time with these characters it would be a good idea to start with Big Stone Gap and then visit with them again in Big Cherry Holler.

Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani is a charming book. After reading Big Stone Gap, I had to get Big Cherry Holler to find out what was going to happen to these charaters in later life. Southwest Virginia is in for some tough times as the coal mining company is pulling out and Jack Mac loses his job.

Now, the true test of the characters mettle is about to be told. This book is about life and some true soul searching. Told in a simple Virginia narrative, life's joys and tribulations are coming to us though the main character Ave Maria.

She narrates all of the things that run through her mind, be it good or confused... as she reaches a crossroad in her life. Being that this is a small town and everyone knows everyones business, advice is being offered, but will Ave Maria take it or strike out on her own?

This book is filled with humor, love, and passion. Also, romance and some homespun country wisdom are sprinkled into the mix, making this book readable and enjoyable. If you want to find out what happens to Ave Maria read Big Cherry Holler as it starts eight years from where Big Stone Gap left off.

A great read, I recommend it highly...an excellent story to treasure.

Upon receiving the assignment of posting a review for a piece of nature-related literature in my AP Language and Composition III class, my stomach did cartwheels while my brain collapsed in desperation. Had I not suffered enough? We had finally accomplished the miraculous feat of Thoreau's Walden: Or, Life in the Woods. The looming title, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, sent shudders down my spine. There was no way this high school junior could withstand anymore elaborate descriptions of creeks or lakes or ponds or wherever this Dillard woman chose. I dreaded the return from spring break when we would begin another punish....err, I mean assignment.

Surprise. Annie Dillard writes with the knowledge of Thoreau, but updates and modernizes his transcendental writing skill. At times, I had to do a double take and reread about the wolf slicing his tongue open and bleeding to death, or the poor frog sipped like a kid's slurpee on a sweltering July day. From the world of Eskimos to the mating of luna moths and sleeping with tons of fish in the bed, Dillard's book comes alive with Jeopardy-worthy trivia, up close and personal descriptions, and poetic completions. She employs telegraphic sentences throughout the work, adding spunk and playfulness as well as giving way to awesome transitions. Cramming allusions into every nook 'n cranny, she often questions "the Creator," but ends in praise.

Can I praise Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek? Although she tosses in a little more Latin and gross observations than I prefer to sink my teeth into, it is a well-written book deserving of your attention. Her spirit is contagious; now will you see the light in the trees?

Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker creek is a delightfully enjoyable book that transforms the way one views not only nature, but himself. She brings forth the many lessons nature has to teach us regarding philosophy, society, and theology. Boldness is a quality that shone brightly throughout the book. Dillard is not afraid to ask questions that challenge the beliefs of herself and others, and comes to terms with what cannot be explained. She is a seeker of the truth.
Dillard's often humorously detailed descriptions of her encounters with nature are both entertaining and enlightening. She frequently uses telegraphic sentences, which give the book a playful tone, and she approaches nature with that attitude. Laced with scientific detail, her prose often reveals more than the reader wants to know about her subject. Dillard obviously finds every aspect of nature fascinating and draws the reader in with her boundless knowledge.
I read Pilgrim At Tinker Creek as a required reading for Advanced Placement Language and Composition for a high school course. Earlier this year, I was assigned Walden by Henry David Thoreau, which is similar to Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. After struggling through nineteen pages of Walden, I put down the book and settled for Cliff's Notes. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek managed to capture my attention for the entire book. I have found it to be, by far, the most enjoyable book I have read as a requirement for any class. I highly recommend spending some time with this book.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard, is a delightfully updated version of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. Both stories revolve around a body of water, either Tinker Creek or Walden Pond. Both transcendental writers are on a solo journey of questioning and thinking. Both stories have passages that are difficult to understand. And both writers have an annoying habit of casually tossing in Latin! However, Dillard's book comes alive with fresh literary techniques that the sometimes-stuffy Walden lacks. PaTC is full of unusual similes, such as comparing floodwater to dirty lace and algae to bright gelatin. Dillard also frequently ends a section with a word or phrase, and then begins the next section with the same word or phrase. She also has a knack for coming full circle at the end of chapters which gives a pleasant sense of completion in the midst of so much information. Dillard is truly a master of transitions, too. Dillard's finest literary technique is her ability to write telegraphic sentences. These short fragments are sometimes quite comical. Clipped sentences like, "So." create a whimsical, playful tone. In parts of my book, I marked, "...beautiful description..." and in other parts, I wrote, "Ugh!" PaTC definitely showcases the extremes of nature - amazing beauty and gnawed imperfection. When these two extremes are observed side-by-side, we observe that our intricate world is teeming with flaws. Dillard frequently questions the Creator, but manages to end the book in a state of "exultant praise." Praise for PaTC is well-deserved. Despite some of its challenging passages and strange observations. it is worth the time to read. Dillard's unique energy will rub off on you as you patiently wait to "experience the present" or see "color patches!"