In the quest to cross the Antartic Continent in 1914, brave-hearted soul Captain Ernest Shackleton and his twenty-seven man crew set sail on a perilous, nearly deadly journey. Less than 100 miles from their destination the "Endurance" became hopelessly trapped in an ice floe; slowing breaking apart. Their ordeal of living on this drifting berg for months, only to be stranded on a solid piece of land later for nearly two years is mind-boggling.

The personal accounts of the crew members daily treacherous turmoils, coupled with an undefeatable and inspired leader (Shackleford) is devastating. Photographer Frank Hurley supplied some of the most breathtaking and dynamic pictures of the saga of the trip, one can only become overwhelmed with the enormity of the dilema. It is simply too real and too heartbreaking.

This beautfully crafted "coffee table" book is one of many released regarding the extraordinary plight of this team against nature. Although author Caroline Alexander borrows heavily from previous accounts and repeats some of the adventures from her earlier "Mrs. Chippy's Last Expediton", "Endurance" is the classic adventure tale of the last Century.

A wonderful coolaboration of writer/photographer, this makes a great gift. A 'beyond Hollywood' story that many have never heard, much less seen in this manner makes it extraordinary!

Caroline Alexander brings a wealth of information into this "last of heroic Antarctic adventures". What sets this book apart from the several others written on this subject is the broad scope of details provided. Each of the 28 characters are individually described in the beginning although for the most part the majority have a collective role in the success of the expedition. Yes success, as in 28 start, 28 survive. It really is hard to go wrong with such a great story. By focusing on the ship's cat Caroline comes dangerously close. The collection of the thoughts from members diaries brings the gravity of their situation to a level the reader can feel and fear. The book itself is beautifully printed, the numerous photographs hit the highlights the trip and are captioned in detail. Where Alfred Lansing's book ends on a romanticized high note, Caroline Alexander goes on to detail the fates of the mates after the expedition. Needless to say such a journey is the high water mark for displaying character in the most oppressive of situations. My advice is to buy it for your coffee table, for it is a beautiful book, but read Alfred Lansing's' Endurance accompanied by the Nov. 1998 National Geographic article (by Ms. Alexander) which includes the Frank Hurley photographs.

I've read a lot of stuff in the past on Sir Ernest Shackleton's courageous ordeal in the Antarctic and have seen the PBS show a couple of times so I was a bit skeptical of being able to find any new material on this South Pole explorer. I was inspired by the feature in this month's National Geographic magazine which provided a glimpse of the book. Caroline Alexander does a superb job of putting human faces to each of the expedition members. The easy reading narrative is seamless and compelling enough to keep turning the pages even though you already know the outcome. The previously unreleased photos from expedition photographer Frank Hurley are reason enough to own this book. It's also a great introduction for your friends who might not be familiar with the story. It is rich enough to be a coffee table book and invites casual browsers to open and read. It makes a great gift book for Christmas. It's an inspirational story is one that I love to tell.

In any genre, it is difficult to pick the far and away best example. Each work has unique attributes which make it great. Dark Knight Returns is the greatest Batman tale ever told and possibly the greatest comic ever. But this is old news. BDKR is great because it redefines Batman completely, and yet remains true to his essence. BDKR is beautiful because of Frank Miller's amazingly unique style. BDKR remains popular because Miller's richly textured story reveals new secrets each time it is read. Some may question the inclusion of Robin. Miller himself stated he was reluctant to include her until he realized that Robin shows just how desperate Batman is in his war on crime. This book is wonderful, and I love it more each time I read it. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. See just how horrible those movies really are.

I've been a comic book reader for many years, and to this day I cannot recall another single work of comic book art that is quite so brilliant as Frank Miller's Dark Knight. Certainly Cerebus, Sandman, Cages and From Hell are to be lauded for their genuine genius, but Dark Knight remains my all-time favourite creation. Frank Miller has written a gripping story of tragic heroism and bitter social commentary. His Batman is truly a larger-than-life, tormented hero, brilliantly conceived with his many flaws and perverse obsessions intact. Miller plays with the comic book universe beautifully, realising a world wherein the so-called "super-hero" does exist, and exploring the ramifications of this fact. Batman's final confrontation with Superman at the end of this graphic novel is bar-none the most cunningly conceived battle in comic book history. It is achingly poignant to see the two old warriors confront one another at last: Superman with his compromised good-guy! agenda and Batman with his twisted, demoniac fixation. Batman loathes the figure that Superman has become, while Clark Kent pities the poor, lost soul who has sacrificed his very existence for that which he pursues with a vengeance. "You Bruce, with your obsession..." Miller has created in Dark Knight a vividly real and passionately affecting tale of Heroes and Madmen, riveting from start to finish.

This is argueably the greatest comic book story that was ever told. The Dark Knight Returns set a standard for the "grim and Gritty" age of comic books.

Miller's story of a middle age batman coming out of retirement to save the city from the mutant gang which is terrorizing the city, after vowing he would never do it again after the death of Jason Todd aka Robin.

The Art is really Miller at his best. It is really questionable near the end of 3 and the rest of 4 but it is great none the less.

Klaus Janson's inking is definetly complimenting Miller's artwork but has changed since the Daredevil years with Frank.

Lynn Varley's colors are a work of art by itself, but it finishes off the series to a polished shine.

Miller's use of the Superman really makes you smile. Bat's was getting a little to big he needed some one to straighten him out.

His Robin is just really great. Carrie Kelly is one of those charecter's that just shines.

I disapproved of his use of Catwoman but he really made up for it in Year One. We are also treated to the Joker in a catatonic state until he heard of batman's return he show's his perverse love of Batman. Anything you heard of this book is true, so go out and get a copy of this book, you wont regret it.

The heartwarming book, Little Women, has won its readers love and support. The generalized assessment shows fondness to the realistic viewpoint of the lives of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and descriptive details that transport the reader into the beloved fairy tale. The plot of the story centers upon the girls' lives as they grow up during the Civil War. Each of the girls is extremely distinct in their character, taste, and dreams for their future. The positive role model and personal advisor to all of the girls is Mrs. March. I feel that she advised all of her daughter in making good decisions, except for when she agreed with Jo that Laurie was not a suitable match. The change the girls undergo as they get older is completely intriguing as each has special qualities and drawbacks to their character. The realistic aspects of the tale is one of my favorite characteristics of Louisa May Alcott's writing style. The detailed descriptions sent picturesque scenes through my mind. The variety of emotions throughout the duration of the book takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride.

The first time I read Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, I fell in love with the story. Little Women is the story of four girls that were coming of age during the civil war. Each of the girls, all sisters, has different personality traits and characteristics that are developed throughout the book. Meg, the oldest, is the sensible sister, while Jo is hot-headed and independent. Beth is musical and Amy, the youngest, is the more material of the four. The girls grew up in a very close family and strived to support each other in their dreams. But Jo, the second-born, has a difficult time seeing all of them growing up and leaving home. She wants things to remain the same, always. Change is inevitable, however, and throughout the book, the girls' love for each other is strong, as they face different challenges and joys of growing up. They keep their strong sense of family... I thoroughly enjoyed reading Little Women. It has been awhile since I was able to sit down and read a book I so love. Louisa May Alcott's character, Meg, did not hold much interest for me... Amy, the baby of the family, was too materialistic for my taste. The character I related to the most was Jo. I do not know if it is because I am like her, or if it was her spunk that I really liked. I loved to see the blossoming love Laurie had for Jo... I think that Louisa May Alcott did a wonderful job in writing Little Women. I could relate to the book and with how the four sisters were at home with their mother and their father was off doing military things. I grew up with a father in the Navy and he was gone a lot. My mom, brother and I had to take care of things while he was gone. Life goes on even if the whole family is not together.
I fell in love with the Little Women at a young age and I hope to read this book to my children as they get older... This is a great book for teaching these things to children.

Little Women focuses on the four March girls; Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, as they grow up from childhood to adulthood. The characters in the book try to teach each other helpful lessons about life, virtue, and morality. The novel is a real eye opener for everyone. Each of the mistakes the girls in the novel make are intended to provide some guidance for the reader. Society is explained, the harsh winters are described, and the profound work ethic of the people is described to also give the reader a strong sense of what life was like during the nineteenth century. I can strongly relate to all the character's feelings which are strongly depicted in Alcott's writing. I firmly believe all teenage girls should read the novel to hopefully be as strongly influenced as I was. The girls are constantly troubled by the necessity of being good, even when they feel the desire to be bad. There are also many issues on relationships between girls and boys. Friendship turns into love and vice versa, making a strong theme out of gender relations. The girls also struggle with the ideas of motherhood, sisterhood, pride, education, and marriage. After reading this novel, the reader will hopefully look more at their own life and his/her morales. Through the novel there is clear representation of the benefits of what good does.

"You will be haunted by Three Spirits." So forewarns Jacob Marley's ghost to Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser of stingy, unfavorable traits. And so begins the enduring Christmas classic distinguished by almost everyone. Come along on an erratic journey with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, all of whom attempt to point Scrooge onto a virtuous path. Meet the most notable characters ever introduced in literature: Bob Cratchit, angelic Tiny Tim, and good-natured Fred. With vivid descriptions of Victorian England and enlightening dialogue, 'A Christmas Carol' will enrapture both the young and old throughout the year with a vital lesson on hope and benevolence for humanity. This, I find, is treasured most of all in this brief story marvelously crafted by the creative Charles Dickens. No matter how many adaptations of the book one has seen on television or as films, the real source is highly recommended and should not be missed. For if you do pass the book up, you are being just a Scrooge (metamorphically speaking, of course!).

It's hard to think of a literary work that has been filmed and staged in more imaginative variations than Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"--there's the excellent George C. Scott version, the delightful Muppet version, the charming Mr. Magoo version, etc., etc. But ultimately true "Carol" lovers should go back to Dickens' original text, which remains a great read.

"Carol" tells the story of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises the Christmas holiday and scorns all who celebrate it. But a visit from a series of supernatural beings forces him to reevaluate his attitude--and his life.

With this simple plot Dickens has created one of the enduring triumphs of world literature. It's a robust mix of humor, horror, and (most of all) hope, all leavened with a healthy dash of progressive social criticism. One thing I love about this book is that while it has a focus on a Christian holiday, Dickens puts forth a message that is truly universal; I can imagine this story resonating with people of any religious background, and also with more secular-oriented people.

This is a tale of greed, selfishness, regret, redemption, family, and community, and is enlivened by some of the most memorable characters ever created for English literature. Even if Dickens had never written another word, "A Christmas Carol" would still have, I believe, secured his place as one of the great figures of world literature.

Well, I finally read it (instead of just watching it on the TV screen).

This is what you can call a simple idea, well told. A lonely, bitter old gaffer needs redemption, and thus is visited by three spirits who wish to give him a push in the right direction. You have then a ghost story, a timeslip adventure, and the slow defrosting of old Scrooge's soul. There are certain additions in the more famous filmed versions that help tweak the bare essentials as laid down by Dickens, but really, all the emotional impact and plot development necessary to make it believable that Scrooge is redeemable--and worth redeeming--is brilliantly cozied into place by the great novelist.

The scenes that choke me up the most are in the book; they may not be your favourites. I react very strongly to our very first look at the young Scrooge, sitting alone at school, emotionally abandoned by his father, waiting for his sister to come tell him there may be a happy Christmas. Then there are the various Cratchit scenes, but it is not so much Tiny Tim's appearances or absence that get to me--it's Bob Cratchit's dedication to his ailing son, and his various bits of small talk that either reveal how much he really listens to Tim, or else hide the pain Cratchit is feeling after we witness the family coming to grips with an empty place at the table. Scrooge as Tim's saviour is grandly set up, if only Scrooge can remember the little boy he once was, and start empathizing with the world once again. I especially like all Scrooge's minor epiphanies along his mystical journey; he stops a few times and realizes when he has said the wrong thing to Cratchit, having belittled Bob's low wages and position in life, and only later realizing that he is the miser with his bootheel on Cratchit's back. Plus, he must confront his opposite in business, Fezziwig, who treated his workers so wonderfully, and he watches as true love slips through his fingers again.

It all makes up the perfect Christmas tale, and if anyone can find happiness after having true love slip through his fingers many years ago, surprisingly, it's Scrooge. With the help of several supporting players borrowed from the horror arena, and put to splendid use here.

Not being a big reader in 9th grade, we were assigned Pat Frank's Alas, Babylon (this would have been when the Cold War was still a part of everyday life in 1985). This book was one of those during that year that convinced me that reading was going to be a part of my life forever.

The most interesting literary aspect is that it was written in third person limited. For those who could care less, very few books are written this way. Basically, as nuclear war breaks out, the reader is placed in one of the surviving communities, and you are only able to get outside information as the characters do. What happened? Who started it? Who got to the button first? Who survived outside of the present community?

In an almost unflinching way, the book's conclusion directs the reader to thinking about the Cold War during that time (as it continued) but still provides food for thought in retrospect.

This is one of the more nicely done fictional works dealing with the fears and consequences of living on the brink of global catastrophic annihilation for so long.

In "Alas, Babylon", Pat Frank tells us how a small town in Florida named Fort Repose survives the year following a major worldwide nuclear war between the two sides involved in the Cold War that ended in the late 1980s. This book was written in 1959 when fears of nuclear destruction were basically at their peak. The descriptions of post-holocaust life seem quite realistic and plausible.

Without giving too much away, the residents of Fort Repose witness the destruction of neighboring cities and discover that they are completely isolated from the rest of the country (what's left of it). With no electricity, communications, or imported goods (the town is surrounded by dangerous radioactive zones), Fort Repose is in big trouble. Fortunately, a couple of the town's residents hang onto hope and struggle to learn the basics of survival in an environment without modern conveniences. Problems which were merely annoying before the war transform into serious impediments. For example, a very near-sighted main character gets his eyeglasses broken and his spare pair stolen. Those of you like myself who can hardly function day to day without corrective lenses will be able to relate to this man's despair at being doomed to many months or more of blurry vision.

Frank's experience with the military is evident. The buildup to the ballistic missile launches is suspenseful and climactic. The actual warhead explosions over the Floridian cities (witnessed by Fort Repose residents from a distance) seem realistic and very scary.

The novel never really falters, it remains interesting and a page turner right through to the end. But it ends kind of abruptly. I'm not sure if there's any other way to end a novel like this. Recovery from a nuclear holocaust on the scale portrayed would be an excruciatingly slow process due to the near-total loss of manufacturing capacity, intellectual know-how, and mobility due to the impassable radioactive zones. So there can't really be a "good" ending to nuclear war and I guess that's the message of the book.

Highly recommended! By most accounts, better than Nevil Shute's The Beach, which I haven't read. If you want to get an idea of what life in a small town would have been like in the 1950s had things gone drastically wrong between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, look no further.

Alas, Babylon was one of the first "adult" books that I read, during my transition between young adult books and novels. This is one of my favorite books to this date, because Post Apocalyptic literature is something that interests me very much, and the fact that it is so well-written that it can catch anyone's attention and keep it throughout the entire book. I absolutely loved the setting of the book: a small town in Florida, and how the population would survive, while trying to solve their different problems and threats in a world where the Cold War did not just fade away. Facing such major problems as looters, radiation posioning, food shortages, and the fact that the United States may no longer exsit, the characters are more than overwhelmed by this world of destruction and chaos.

There's not much else to explain about this book, except that it is one of the most well-written books that I have ever read, and is essentially the how-to guide of surviving a nuclear war mixed with one of the greatest plots that I have seen yet. If any of you out there are interested in books at all, you need to read this one. With true literary ideas encompassing a really great plot, you'll want to read this book over and over again, like I still do.

This is a Christian novel which has sold over one millioncopies. Although the story is fictitious, it brings home the starkreality of what believers face and encounter in everyday life.

The scene is set in an American town called Ashton. Seemingly insignificant to most people, but to the strongman and his demons, there were great plans for this town.

Yes, this is a book about Spiritual Warfare, angels and demons and good triumphing over evil.

Enter the good guys:

Hank Busche, a 26 year old Pastor of the Ashton Community Church.

Marshall Hogan, editor of the local newspaper, the Ashton Clario; and last but not least, Tal, Captain of the angelic warriors, planning to thwart the assignment of the strongman and his demons.

This book brings mome the importance of prayer cover, the reality of a common enemy and his schemes and deceptions, and the need of "having done all to stand".

By the same token, the vivid imagery and fight scenes described may be a little "over the top".

On the whole it is good reading and once you start, you'll find it difficult to put down.

This book helped me realize that demons are names subject to the name of Jesus! It has helped me understand just who I am in Christ and the benefits of being born again. Anyone who contradicts or do not beleive that Mr. Peretti is not a child God must not be. And for those who feel that the Third Person of the Godhead was omitted from this book really could not understand the bible. There is no way Mr. Peretti could have written this book without the help of the Holy Spirit leading and guide and showing him things he needed to know in order to give such vivid insight into the spirit realm. I was never really a book reader but now I am since there are Christian books like this one. This book was so informative that my Pastor is thinking of making it mandatory to the congregation to read it before becoming a member at our church. Again, thank you for this book and the many more to come. See you on the big screen soon!!(THROUGH THE EYES OF MY FAITH!!!) LYDIA BARNETT;ST. LOUIS MO

With THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, Frank Peretti broke onto the scene by graphically tearing back the veil between our world and the spirit world. Descending upon the small town of Ashton, angels, demons, and strongmen engage in vivid spiritual battle and we, the reader, are able to see it all unfold. Ever wonder what exactly a guardian angel might do? Here's one possible scenario.

While Peretti's theology on the subject may not be perfect (many of his ideas are pure speculation, but that's why it's "fiction"), he does most definitely give us a bold reason as to why prayer is so vital. Why prayer does, in fact, move mountains and can turn the tide in unseen spiritual battles that are taking place around us (as happens in the book of Daniel). For that reason alone, THIS PRESENT DARKNESS is worth reading.

To be fair, this is not Peretti's best written book. THE OATH and THE VISITATION are both more sound, from a literary perspective (real character development, for example, isn't the best here). But before the LEFT BEHIND series, no other Christian novels were as widely read as this and its sequel. It is a true Christian fiction classic and a real page-turner that will have you burning the midnight oil. FOUR 1/2 STARS.

Hart's War is an intelligent good read. It is a court room mystery set in a WWII POW camp in Germany.

I enjoyed the story and the characters very much. The mystery itself was OK and the resolution of it is OK, not great, not overally memoriable but for genre the book itself is pretty good. The racial aspect of the book is again interesting but again not as good as it could be. The idea was there and some of the execution was there, but its not to the level of a To Kill a Mockingbird or even A Time To Kill.

I will not claim to be any sort of WWII POW camp expert. But one of the problems I had with the book was the whole "good german" guard and warden of the camp. To me it gave the book, despite its seriousness, an element of Hogan's heroes. I know that all Germans were not Nazis but two of the main German characters in this book were a little to nice. Also the idea of the camp Gestapo officer testifying and answering questions at a tribunal run by POWs was almost laughable.

But maybe I am making too much of what this book is. The book is a good paperback mystery novel. In fact it is above average. But the history teacher in me wanted a little more. Like The War of the Rats which I read before this, I felt this was a good book but not up to the potential book it could have been. Both are good WWII paperbacks for a nice day at the park of the beach but in the end they are forgetable books that will eventually be passed on to a friend or donated to the library.

Being a prisoner of war is very tough for an American pilot held captive by the Germans in Stalag 13. Just ask Tommy Hart, struggling with boredom and mistreatment. He still has his peers to alleviate some of the homesickness. For First Lieutenant Lincoln Scott, a member of the Tuskegee airmen, it is even more unbearable. Lincoln is a black man living with whites that loathe him almost as much as they detest their hosts, leaving him to deal with isolation and loneliness.

The worst offender is Mississippi native Captain Vincent "Trader Vic" Bedford, notorious for his deals. Vic's racial hatred is so blatant that Lincoln returns the feelings almost as powerfully as he receives them. When Vic is found murdered, the evidence (including past confrontations with the victim) point towards Lincoln as the culprit. A court convenes and Tommy, a law student before the war, is named Lincoln's attorney. Tommy quickly realizes that he and his client have been set up to take mutual falls. If they fail to put aside their mistrust, their unknown assailant will prevail with hanging Lincoln and discrediting Tommy.

Best selling writer John Katzenbach is renowned for his potent tales that leave readers exhausted from the energy and compassion invoked by the author. Though a bit overwritten in spots, his current World War II drama is an incredible novel that shows how deep racial hatred can divide groups that should have more compelling factors to need each other. The characters are incredibly developed as their raw feelings rip into the gut of the reader. Anyone who relishes a different type of war drama still filled with fervor needs to read HART'S WAR, one of the better military thrillers to come along in a long time.

Harriet Klausner

The book(superior to the movie in every detail) tells the story of the trial of one Licolion Scott an African American pilot shot down over Germany and his rather Kangaroo court. Scott is the sole suspect in the murder of a fellow (racist) prisoner. The odds are stacked against him and the situation does not look good. The story is told from the point of view of Tommy a navigator shot down over Libya. Because he spent half a semester in law school he is appointed to serve as Scott's defense lawyer(he is woefully prepared).

As you read this book you will discover that the plot will thicken into ways you could not possibly imagine on first picking it up. There is plenty of action to keep you interested throughout the book there is even humor in some places and nice plot twist at the end you will not be expecting. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys World War 2 fiction.

This is the first time I'm reviewing a book on Amazon, and I am apalled at the back and forth bickering between the bad reviews and the mostly rave reviews. I thought this book was simply...amazing. I loved Dorothea Benton Frank's writing style, her characters and her story. I read this book in two days, and that's only because I had started it right before going to bed. I was so completely transported into a whole other world, away from the traffic noises and putrid smells of urban life, and smack right into the salty air of sea water and sweet pie smells in the rambling house on Sullivan's Island. I felt like I was a part of the family, in this great story. It's obvious that all the authors who gave an endorsement to this book felt the same way. Instead of ranting and raving against them for giving their seal of approval, I am praising Pat Conroy, Bret Lott, Anne Rivers Siddons and Fern Michaels. They saw something special in this first-time author and they are completelly right. I would buy Ms. Frank's next book in a heartbeat! I only hope it comes out soon, because I'm starting to feel restless in my urban environment again, and am in need of some good ole' southern comfort, 'eah! Much thanks to the author for giving her readers this wonderful debut novel! Keep them coming!

I am always in search of new authors who know how to tell a tale that is both compelling and well-written--in this book I found both. Ms. Frank had me laughing from the onset - the voice of Susan is wry and a welcome contrast to the seriousness of some of the subject matter. While touching on the painful episodes in Susan's life (betrayal by her husband, a painful divorce, a traumatic childhood), Ms. Franks artfully interjects enough humor to make these crises bearable and teaches the invaluable lesson that humor can get us through some of our darker moments. I read this while on vacation in Florida - a lucky find at the local bookstore - and finished it within 2 days. Reminiscent of Anne River Siddons' "Colony" - my favorite of her books. I hope that Ms. Franks will grace us with another book soon.

Under-the-weather. I sent my husband to the library to get me a book. How he picked this one has to be a miracle! I am about to attend the 3rd reunion on Pawley's Island with 6 childhood friends, the "Morningside Girls" from Knoxville, TN. Our roots are in East Tennessee but we love our Low-country sojourns. We are all now 77 years of age. I did an unprecedented thing for me: Came right to your Email address and ordered 7 copies, one for each of us. I read -- no, devoured, this marvelous book laughing and crying and wanting my friends to also experience the joy of reading an author almost half our age who could capture so perfectly the mystery of family relationships that our generation appreciates, evoke the haunting magic of SC Lowcountry, introduce us to the Gullah musical cadence of words that speak love, and at the same time do it with such rip-roaring, hilarious vitality that I am inspired, renewed, and made in one fell swoop a forever admirer of Dorothea Benton Frank. It's the best novel I have read in years! Honesty, humor, history are combined to leave a memorable imprint and make me wish I could do the same thing for my beloved Appalachia!

Lionel Esrog, a young man with Tourette's syndrome, is one of a group of youngsters hand-picked by Frank Minna from St. Vincent's Home for Boys to eventually become part of his "Minna Men". At first working for Minna as moving boys, these young men later become his personal "detectives", working under the cover of a car rental service. On one of their jobs, Esrog and a partner suddenly realize realize that their boss has been taken captive and is being sped away by car through the streets of New York city. They must rush after him and not allow him to be lost from view. The race is on!

Lethem gives his readers a wonderfully creative and somewhat unusual novel. Throughout the story, Lionel displays the aberrant behavior of a person afflicted with Tourette's Syndrome. Since Lionel is the protagonist, the reader not only experiences Lionel's verbal outbursts and physical tics, but is also given some insight into their manifestation . The story is a mystery, and at times almost becomes a satire of life in New York city. It is fast-paced and funny, with creative word-play, occasional amusing situation descriptions, and even a few (good) jokes. The writing is done so well that, once this story has begun, the book is often hard to put down. As the novel draws to a close, the plot tends to become a bit more complicated and confusing. Nevertheless, it's an exciting, entertaining story and one that should not be missed.

Every day I drive past a big sign that says BAILEYS LIQUOR. I'm beginning to overcome the compulsion to scream "Lick her, Bailey," as I pass, but only after a lot of psychotherapy. What have you done to my head, Lethem? I never paid any attention to the voices before I read this book; now I am uncomfortably aware that lots of things go on in our heads that we aren't paying attention to. Luckily, I don't have Tourette's like poor Lionel, or an unsolved murder to obsess about, but this book has given me plenty of, well, stuff to obsess about. The kind that keeps you awake at night and makes you wonder where the line between normal and nuts is these days. Who's the most normal person in this whole book? Freakshow himself, and the fact that we accept the wiseguys and buddhaheads as normal is disturbing. Whoops, gotta go; time for the nurse to bring my medication.

Though not as philosophical and brooding as "Amnesia Moon", nor as rapid and cranky as "Gun With Occasional Music", "Motherless Brooklyn" manages to come out on top or very close to the top of Lethem's impressive heap. In portraying a would-be detective with Tourettes syndrome, Lethem has created a whole new rhythm and syncopation to his prose, a truly brilliant way to write a novel that comes from the viewpoint of man who cannot be still. The characters are unavoidably beautiful mirrors, fascinating character studies in a wonderful world of nostalgia and crime. But for one 7-page lull that dropped the otherwise breakneck pace of the prose, it was truly a book that I COULD NOT put down; rarely do I read books in one sitting. What can I say that has not been said before? Lethem is THE American original.

At under 300 pages, "The Gunslinger" - the first book from Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series - may seem oddly short, especially when compared to the latest volume from the epic, weighing in at around 700 pages. And still, Constant Reader, there are thousands more to go!

According to the afterword from this book, it took King twelve years to complete the writings. He wrote the opening line, "The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed" while an undergraduate, the middle portions when "'Salem's Lot" was going bad, and was inspired with another concurrent writing: "The Stand." For King to have kept the Gunslinger, the Man in Black, Jake, and the other characters - and really the entire world of the Dark Tower - alive for so long in his mind is a testament to not only the power that this held over the author, but holds over us - his Constant Readers. Moreover, since the first publishing of "The Gunslinger," around twenty years have passed, a number of newer volumes in this series have come and gone - yet with this first, partially inspired by Robert Browning's poem, "Childe Roland," and partially inspired by reams of green paper (read the afterword to the book), you know that this was a very special creation indeed.

I am not a fan of King's horror fiction. But when he gets down to writing about "other worlds than these," such as "The Stand," "Insomnia," "The Green Mile," and "The Talisman" (co-authored with Peter Straub) - there is no one better. His is an imagination to be jealous of. There is always a feeling that alternate universes exist, next to our own. King imbues his other worlds with just enough of our own so that we feel a tantalizing connection between our own perceptions of reality, and those that King entertains us (Constant Readers) with.

At any rate, "The Gunslinger," at under 300 pages, is just right to introduce us to the world of The Dark Tower, and keep us on course, with a desire to continue (and to wait, ever so patiently for the next volume in the series) the journey the Gunslinger started many years ago.

Most of Stephen King's books fall into the category of horror, but he has also touch on fantasy elements. In addition, many of his works have an epic quality to them; The Stand is one of the best examples of this. The Gunslinger is the first volume of Stephen King's Dark Tower. The book first appeared as stories in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction before being collected in a limited edition by Donald M. Grant. The book eventually appeared as a trade paperback available to all. The series is ongoing, with the latest volume to appear in either 1997 or 1998. The story takes place in a strange world that contains familiar elements (patrons in a bar at one point sing Hey Jude). The focal point of the tale is Roland, the last of the gunslingers. His quest for the Dark Tower becomes his reason for living. Stephen King is the reader of this audiobook. I have also felt that Stephen King writes as if he was talking out loud. This makes his reading more interesting and illuminating. While his voice is not trained, he more than anyone else is able to illustrate the world he created. He also is the reader on the other two volumes. I enjoy listening to audiobooks, but I normally don't buy them. Stephen King's unabridged works are exceptions and his own readings are at the top of my list and the Dark Tower series is his most interesting work.

The Gunslinger is different from many of King's other works, but at the same time, it encompasses everything else he has written. It is best described as a western with a sci-fi twist. Roland is certainly one of the most complex characters King has written and he has many facets that are not discovered until later books in the series. Once you have read all 4 of the books in this series, you will find yourself re-reading other books just to pick up on the connection to the Dark Tower series. Insomnia, Hearts in Atlantis, The Talisman, The Black House, Salem's Lot, and The Eye of the Dragon as well as The Stand are all directly connected to the Dark Tower series in quite obvious ways, but everything else King has written is encompassed in the world we come to know in the series.
If you don't read anything else written by King, you should read this series. It doesn't contain the horror so obvious in most of his other works, but you won't be sorry to have spent time on these books.