Since the age of 12 (I'm in my 30's now), I have tried to absorb everything Shakespeare. Even though I have trepidations about film adaptations of the Bard's work, I had to see this film based on the prodigious talent of Emma Thompson. I'm glad I gave into my gut instinct, for her portrayal of Beatrice is so natural and glorious, you will actually get swept away with her performance and believe that she actually IS Beatrice!

Most of the supporting cast is also wonderful. Hats off to the performances by Denzel Washington (Don Pedro), Richard Briers (Seigneur Leonato), Brian Blessed (Seigneur Antonio), Michael Keaton (Constable Dogberry), and a absolutely stunning performance by Kate Beckinsale (Hero). The exceptions in the casting are Keanu Reeves (Don John), Robert Sean Leonard (Claudio) and...yes...Kenneth Brannagh (Benedick). Fortunately Reeves' role is small. Leonard's performance seems too contrived, to the point of distraction. And even though this is Brannagh's baby, Brannagh himself portrays the role of Benedick with a smugness that is a bit nauseating. If you read the play, Benedick is not smug at all. Though I enjoy Brannagh's other work, he seems to use Shakespeare as a way to show superiority. I have seen this in other actors, and find such action reprehensible. Shakespeare wrote plays for people to enjoy and to indugle in escapism...not to give people an excuse to be a snob.

Having said that, this film is very enjoyable, and I've actually had friends become Shakespeare addicts after seeing this particular film. I, personally, particularly love the Tuscan locations, and the costuming is wonderful! No over-the-top lacey outfits in this film, but rather those that would be suited to the climate. This adds another depth of reality that pulls you into the story.

If you are a fan of Shakespeare, or any of the aforementioned actors, this movie is a must-see. It's actually one of the very few film versions of a Shakespeare play that I own. This particular interpretation allows the viewer to become comfortable with Shakespeare's style, thus creating an interest in his other work. Well worth the purchase. And yes, it's VERY funny!

"Much Ado About Nothing" is a beautifully made, performed, and directed film by the incomparable Kenneth Branaugh. This film includes an all-star cast that give wonderful performances and draw you into the lives of the characters. The plot is somewhat complicated, so I'll give a general version. The film is basically about love, misunderstanding, scandal, revenge, virtue, and bravery. That's a lot for one film, but believe me, it's all in there!

Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and Michael Keaton give excellent performances in this film that you wouldn't want to miss. Although the film is a period piece and the Shakespearean language is used, you will have no difficulty understanding it perfectly.

The scenery and landscape in this film are exquisite as well. I never thought there could be such a beautiful, untouched place like that on earth. I would suggest watching the film just for the beautiful landscape, but it's the performances and the story that you should really pay attention to.

Anyone who loves Shakespeare would absolutely love this film! Anyone who loves Kenneth Branaugh and what he has done for Shakespeare in the past 10 or 15 years will appreciate this film as well! There isn't one bad thing I can say about this film. Definitely watch it, you won't be disappointed!!!

One of the problems with Shakespeare's comedies, an English professor once told me, is that they are not funny. Now, this is not to say that Shakespeare was a bad comedy writer, or that this professor had no sense of humour. In fact, quite the opposite--he had turned his sense of humour and love of humour into an academic career in pursuit of humour.

What he meant by the comment was, humour is most often a culture-specific thing. It is of a time, place, people, and situation--there is very little by way of universal humour in any language construction. Perhaps a pie in the face (or some variant thereof) does have some degree of cross-cultural appeal, but even that has less universality than we would often suppose.

Thus, when I suggested to him that we go see this film when it came out, he was not enthusiastic. He confessed to me afterward that he only did it because he had picked the last film, and intended to require the next two selections when this film turned out to be a bore. He also then confessed that he was wrong.

Brannagh managed in his way to carry much of the humour of this play into the twentieth century in an accessible way -- true, the audience was often silent at word-plays that might have had the Elizabethan audiences roaring, but there was enough in the action, the acting, the nuance and building up of situations to convey the same amount of humour to today's audience that Shakespeare most likely intended for his groups in the balconies and the pit.

The film stars Kenneth Brannagh (who also adapted the play for screen) and Emma Thompson as Benedict and Beatrice, the two central characters. They did their usual good job, with occasional flashes of excellence. Alas, I'll never see Michael Keaton as a Shakespearean actor, but he did a servicable job in the role of the constable (and I shall always remember that 'he is an ass') -- the use of his sidekick as the 'horse' who clomps around has to be a recollection of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where their 'horses' are sidekicks clapping coconut shells together.

I'll also not see Keanu Reeves as a Shakespearean, yet he was perhaps too well known (type-cast, perhaps) in other ways to pull off the brief-appearing villian in this film.

Lavish sets and costumes accentuate the Italianate-yet-very-English feel of this play. This film succeeds in presenting an excellent but lesser-known Shakespeare work to the public in a way that the public can enjoy.

2001: A Space Odyssey is the quintessential science fiction book, filled with both inspired visions of the future and startling philosophical questions about humanity's place in the cosmos.

At the core of the novel is humanity's connection with an alien intelligence. The novel begins with primordial man encountering an alien intelligence--an encounter that would forever change human history. Several thousand years later, evidence of this alien intelligence (a black monolith) is discovered on the moon. The monolith, and its mysterious radio signal directed towards Saturn, compels mankind to initiate an interplanetary journey to the distant planet to uncover the monolith's origins and meanings. Unbeknownst to the human crew, only the ship's onboard computer (the HAL 9000) has full knowledge of the journey's actual mission. The final parts of the novel pit the human crew against the "self-aware" HAL 9000 computer. In a stunning conclusion, the true meaning of the monolith and man's connection to it are both exposed.

This is a fascinating book that reads surprisingly quickly. Clarke is masterful in his details and paints vivid pictures for the reader throughout the novel. Beyond the interesting and provocative story-line, 2001 constantly asks the reader to think deeply and philosophically about humanity's place in the universe. Clarke beautifully captures the scientific and intellectual spirit that has driven humanity throughout the ages (from primordial man to intergalactic man).

Most people are more familiar with the Stanley Kubrick movie "2001" than with this novel (the novel and screenplay were written at the same time). A careful reading of this book (preferably before seeing the movie) provides invaluable insight into what many perceive as a perplexing and convoluted movie. The novel more clearly explains and connects the plotlines and allows you to more fully appreciate the cinematic masterpiece that 2001 is.

This is a great book for anyone interested in science, science fiction, futurism or related subjects. I do believe that the book does hold valuable meaning for general readers as well because of its philosophical roots and because of its place in the annals of science fiction greatness. And for all those people who are confused by the movie, pick this up and read it--it will be sure to shed some light on the subject.

One might think that 2001 the book was based on the screenplay for 2001 the movie (it's written on the back of the book). However, after reading the epilogue before I read the story (oops), I found out that Clarke worked on the two projects simultaneously. The book is actually very well written, with the technical expertise of any good science fiction writer. It does not read like a screenplay at all; it keeps you interested throughout the whole book.

The two different yet related conflicts in the book are well chosen. The struggle between man vs. machine on board the Discovery is similar to the conflict of man's insatiable curiosity vs. the vastness of space. Human beings have always been longing for contact with another race of beings, and this first contact is described flawlessly by Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke also portrays the worst case scenario of modern technology: a computer that is capable of malice and has control over human lives.

All in all, this book is one of science fiction's best and a must-read, whether you've seen the movie or not.

2001: A Space Odyssey was everything a great science fiction novel should be. The day I started to read this book I found it so engrossing that I finished it the same day! The book does a magnificant job of rendering detailed images to us in mankinds' quest to reach intelligent life. The book touches on so many powerful themes, like man vs. machine, the struggle for survival, and humanity's rise to the space age that one can't help but think about these issues in a whole new light after finishing this great novel.

The addicting storyline, along with its pleasant, easy-to-read style will help make this book a favorite of everyone's who can get their hands on it!

My personal thanks to Arthur C. Clarke for creating a literary masterpiece that will stand for all of time!

"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.

Tolkien's Hobbit takes the imagination on a wonderful flight of fantasy. I read this book on a yearly basis and each year I am delighted and captivated by the world of Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo is a reluctant member of an adventure that will forever change his life and the lives of those around him. He accompanies 13 dwarves on a mission to reclaim the gold and mountain kingdom of their ancestors from the dragon, Smaug. They have many adventures and mishaps on their journey to the lonely mountain including the climactic battle of five armies. Bilbo finds a magic ring along the way which leads, not only to a rise in his stature, but also to a new adventure for his friends in "The Lord of the Rings."

Tolkien is a master storyteller and the depth of his skill is best seen in this tale. In the following trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" the story is continued, but the sheer delight of "The Hobbit" is never fully recaptured. This collector's edition is beautifully bound. Even more enjoyable are the illustrations and paintings by the author himself.

Masterpiece. A work of Art. A lasting piece down through the ages. How ever you look at this book, it is all those things and more. Most notable is the endurance that this book has, lasting over sixty years and still a favorite of millions, perhaps billions.

The story is that of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit. Hobbits are peaceful creatures who live in and around Hobbiton. One day, Bilbo is approached by Gandalf, a wizened wizard who sees Bilbo as a necessary force for the gathering of a party of dwarves bent on revenge and getting back gold stolen from them by Smoag, a nasty dragon. In the midst of this party and all that they encounter upon their journey to the Lonely Mountain (where the treasure of Smoag and Smoag himself lay) they encounter other forces, strange creatures -- some friendly and some very unfriendly. Deadly spiders, Trolls, Goblins, Wolves round out the deadly enemies. Elves, Men, Elrond half-Elvin, Byorn, and dwarves, round out the good guys. And of course, we can't forget Gollum...the dispicable creature within the Misty Mountains whom Bilbo encounters and gains the ultimate power over the lands....the RING! A magic ring that renders it's wearer invisible, but also takes part of the person away (as you learn in later books). But the Ring is mainly a sideline to the main story which is the success of good against evil thanks to a little, nothing of a Hobbit. Even the smallest of creatures can have a monumental impact, is what Mr. Tolkien was trying to tell us I think. That, and don't judge a book by it's cover.

Enjoyable in everyway and a book to pass on to your children and their children. Please read it! It will change you, just as it changed the lands before humankind.

During the course of our English Independent Reading Project, I have read the book, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is a fantasy story about a group of dwarves, Thorin Oakenshield, and Bilbo Baggins that must journey to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim the land of the dwarves. The group must be very courageous to overcome the dangers of their trip as they encounter goblins, trolls, and giant spiders. It is the teamwork and courage that finally gets them to Smaug, the great golden-red fire dragon, who is terrorizing the entire countryside.
In The Hobbit, Smaug is controlling the land of the dwarves, finally the dwarves decided to take back their land and restore their homeland. They needed a little help, Gandalf had decided Bilbo Baggins was the perfect hobbit for the job, he would be the thief. Bilbo Baggins was a quiet peaceful little hobbit. All he wanted was to be left alone to his beautiful hobbit hole where he could eat lots of meals and smoke his pipe. Bilbo heard a knock on the door and before long he had thirteen dwarves and one wizard sitting at his table and eating all his food, it was then, without a choice, that Bilbo was the final man for the trip. As the journey started it seemed so simple because the great wizard, Gandalf was along. As soon as they were left to travel alone, they got themselves in a bit of trouble. They worked together to find their way and save each other from dangers. They met trolls who wanted to eat them, goblins who ate their horses and wanted them dead. Giant spiders that wrapped them up in a web so fast that only Bilbo had enough courage to fight them off. It was also Bilbo alone that had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of the countryside.
As expected, there is a lot of action that goes on in The Hobbit-such as when giant spiders became very angry because they could not see Bilbo, due to the ring, but could hear him making fun of them, calling the spiders "attercops". Bilbo is fearful of these spiders but he still finds the courage to sing "Old fat spider spinning in a tree! Old fat spider can't see me! Attercop! Attercop! Won't you stop, stop you spinning and look for me?" Bilbo found himself running around being chased, singing songs to get the spiders away from the dwarves, who are hanging on a limb of a tree from a web, cutting down the webs that the spiders are wrapping around the trees to trap Bilbo in, and killing these spiders all at the same time. Practically all the spiders in the place came after him: some dropped to the ground, others raced along the branches, swung from tree to tree, or cast new ropes across dark spaces. Not only that, but as soon as Bilbo had managed to cut down one of the dwarves, who at this point is very weak, the dwarf uses the rest of his strength to help get the others and stop the spiders. The Hobbit uses great detail. J.R.R. Tolkien really knew how to explain action seens so that a person could visually imagine them, probably almost to what the author wanted them to be portrayed as. Tolkien, gets you right into the story in the first chapter, introducing main characters and explaining the conflict. Tolkien starts his action off simple, with a confrontation with trolls, and ends with big action, like the big fight with Smaug. I believe that while Tolkien is wrote these fantasies, he somewhat relates the ideas of these actions to his life, real life. The Hobbit is a book that really kept my attention, so much was always happening and I didn't want to put the book away.
You can see as you read this book, Tolkien wanted the courage of man to stick out, that bravery can get you very far. Don't hold back even is the fear is killing you. Work as a team and never leave anyone behind. Bringing peace and security will be your ultimate reward.

I very much enjoyed this book because it was full of pure fun reading. Some books drag from the very beginning, but this children's story didn't. There were surprises from the start. This book is an all original example of using your imagination. Lewis Carrol was gifted enough to let his imagination go wild, and to write it down on paper. This book inspires me to write any sort of crazy thing that is worth writing. This book is about Alices adventures from the time she saw the peculiar White Rabbit with a waistcoat and watch. She meets thrilling but very arguementive creatures and charectors such as the caterpiller who smokes, the Duchess and her baby which turns into a pig, a Mock Turtle, a gryphon, and the most famous the Chesire cat and the Queen of Hearts. This book is a bit different than the Disney movie. There are other charecters in the book that are not mentioned in the animated movie. and I think the book is more bizarre.

'Alice in Wonderland', by Lewis Carroll, is an excellent book for both adults and children. It details a little girl's wild adventure through a make believe world. The writing was clever. And so were the characters and situations created by Carroll. Everyone is familiar with the principal idea of the book, but reading the book forces you to remember all the particulars. It it clear why children love this book, which it's fantastic situations.

Being a software developer and a computer science major, it was also interesting to pick up on concepts such as reasoning and logic skattered within the book (Carroll was a mathematician). Of course these concepts are skewed in Wonderland.

If you've never read this book before, put it on your "must read" list. It's a short book and a fast read. If you you're read it already, why not read it again?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most clever and entertaining books yet written. The author's use of language is extremely appealing to the younger readers. These young readers are attracted to this book because of the author's use of many songs. For instance the lullaby sung by the duchess to her child. The Mock Turtle also sang to Alice and the Gryphon a song about the Lobster Quadrille. The author also uses poems that are entertaining and fun to listen to. "You are Old Father William" is one of the many poems. Not only does the author use poems but she also uses commonly known poems and changes the words to fit the character saying them. For instance the Mad-Hatter sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in different words saying "Up above the world you fly, Like a tea-tray in the sky." If this isn't a unique way of writing I dont know what is. Another style of her writingthat is appealing is when she creates a picture, using words in a poem, about the poem. Yhis is used on page 37. The words in the book are nbot hard so the book can be enjoyable when it is being read, not stressful. The author brings animals to life which is an interesting style of writing. This is Lewis Carroll's style of writing. The main character in this book is a little girl with blonde hair named Alice. This child is full of fantasies and dreams, which is what the book is about. Alice is very curious and likes to know every little detail. She thinks she is very smart. For example, when Alice is listening to the Dormouse's story she asks questions like "What did they live on," and makes smart comments such as "They could'nt have done that you know, they'd have been ill." She is also a little bit bratty, especially to the Dormouse when she says: "Nobody asked your opinion." These characteristics pull together to make an interesting main character and to create a fabulous story. The theme of the story is sometimes you need to take a break out of every day life and dream of fantasize. This makes your life more interesting even if you dream about things that will never come true. Alice does this when she dreams about changing sizes and listening to talking animals. Dreaming doesn't hurt anyone except the people who don't do it. If nobody ever had dreams life would be extremely stressful and boring. The plot of the story is all about Alice trying to find the white rabbit, which of course is in her dream. Following the white rabbit takes ALice to interesting places, such as the Courtroom filled with animals, and the Duchess' house, along with meeting interestingpeople such as the Cheshire-Cat and the Queen. This amazing cat hes the ability to disappear whenever it wants to and it always smiles. In the end Alice finds the white rabbit and then wakes up from her dream. This is the plot of the story. The story is effective to the reader. This is so because after listening to such acreative dream and fantasy, it inspires people to take a little time out of the day and be creative and dream once in a while. All the parts of this five star story; the writer's style, the main character, the theme, and the plot; come together to create the overall effectiveness of the story. This is why I rated this book five stars.

Who would have thought to ever tell the Arthurian legend from the feminine point of view? This book stands out because it has taken the many patriarchal re-tellings of the legend and told it from the feminine stance. Finally we can see, for good or for bad the enormous impact the women behind the throne had in the legends' trials and eventual bitter-sweet outcome. Women such as Viviane, Morgaine, Raven and all the other priestesses who devote their very lives to keeping a wise balance between the Goddess and Christian religions, thus blending it into a feminine struggle to keep its importance, honor and balanced worldview in an increasingly hierarchal and distinct masculine society. Though "The Mists" is told from the priestess point of view, it does not simply slam Christianity but actually subtly illustrates the moral myopia of both religions and the nonesense in enforcing both religious philosphies in running the affairs of state. At times, it seems to boast even an athiest opinion (told mainly through Lancelet but even all characters struggle with it). It is a beautifully told book of emotional love, betrayal and feminine and masculine themes. If anyone has ever hated Guinevere in the Camelot stories, you will despise her in this one as well as Lancelot. The main heroines may be Viviane - indeed a wise but sometimes ruthless priestess, her predecessor Morgaine who never quite gets it together but triumphs in her own way and in the first part of the book, Igraine, Morgaine's mom."The Mists" show the various archetypes of femininity in a chilling turth - even the irritating, submissive one such as Gwenyfhar and uses itself as a mirror for all women. The men too are deeply developed characters and contrary to popular themes in "Women Rule" books, it actually does them justice too which is why I think it would benefit men also to read it. It is a novel of humanity, emphasizing masculine/feminine themes, forbidden love and religious differences. Despite what I consider to be a somewhat weak ending I highly recommend it - for 800+ pages it is the only book I have ever read which I could simply not put down.

I really love this book. Bradley is able to conjure up wonderful characters and to build upon them and make them come alive. The land of Avalon and its mystical beauty and the sadness of its disappearing weave a tale that is captivating and enjoyable.

I love the stories of Arthur I have read and telling it from the perspective of women does nothing to diminish its beauty and power and mythical quality. Clearly Bradley has done a LOT of research and was able to work into the story some of the real myths that have been told of the Arthurian legend.

As a Christian myself, I must say that there is one negative to the story. As much as I like it for what it was, this is a clearly anti-Christian book. I don't say this lightly or often, but Bradley consistently makes all Christians in the book fanatical, uncaring, manipulative, intolerant or all traits combined. I can think of no positive Christian character in the book - meaning someone who WANTS to claim a Christian faith. Arthur claims Christianity, but when he does, he is not painted as a very likeable guy. I think Mists has a major flaw in this respect. Bradley takes a pseudo-religion (meaning, part real and part her creation) religion of the Goddess and challenges Christianity - a real faith - with it. I find this uncomfortable and unfair.

With that said, I was still riveted to the story. Bradely is a very gifted author who is one of the best fantasy narrators around. Even with my discomfort, I recommend this book to anyone.

Many, many manuscripts have been published on Arthurian legend. All depict Arthur as totally good, Guinevere as a terrible adultress, and dark Morgan le Fay pictured as the planner of her brother's downfall.

"Not so!" is the message conveyed by Ms. Bradley in her spectacular work. "The Mists of Avalon" tells the story of Morgaine, with occasional inserted comments by the character herself. She is Morgaine, Morgaine of the Faries, Morgaine the Queen, and, eventually, Morgaine Lady of Avalon. She is misunderstood, shunned for being a priestess of Avalon in a Christianizing England, and hated by herself for later shunning Avalon.

Guinevere, known here as Gwenhwyfar, is the unwilling bride to Arthur. A strict Christian, she is confused by her hate for pagan Morgaine and her sinful lust for Lancelet. Viviane, Lady of the Lake, struggles to mend a fast-breaking Avalon. Igraine allows herself to be used as Avalon's royal puppet and marries her true love Uther. Niniane is raised to a position she doesn't understand because of her family relation with Taliesin, Merlin of Britain.

Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, Vivane, Igraine, Niniane. These were the women who shaped the future of Britain, they were the true power behind the Pendragon's throne. Their's is the tale in "The Mists of Avalon". Your's is the power to read this epic, and decide for yourself who tells the untruth: the many other writers of Arthurian legend, or Morgaine, who is mocked "Fairy", who rules as the Queen of North Wales, and who ultimately becomes the Lady of Avalon.

I'm in the middle of planning my WDW vacation and this book has been indispensable! It's given me a feeling of confidence about navigating "the world" and my choices of where to stay etc. If you read the reviews of the individual attractions you'll see that the authors really enjoy WDW! Everything a friend or family member has recommended to us has been included in this book.

The in depth look at each ride/attraction, hotel and restaurant in WDW is amazing. The realistic but humorous tone is great, I read the entire book cover to cover even parts that don't apply to me (the sections for people traveling with children for example).

If possible I'm even MORE excited about this trip than I was before I read "The Guide"

Update: 8/16/01 Now that I've been to Disney and back I can honestly say that this book was indispensable! We used the tour plans (the "one Day" plan for Magic Kingdom, MGM and Epcot) and they worked like a charm! Avoiding parks on early entry days let us ride many "Main" attractions 2+ times! I can't reccomend this book enough! Just remember it IS a guide not a "rulebook' you aren't required to follow every suggestion exactly. I know I would have been lost without this book both literaly and figuratively.

I haven't read the latest edition, but I just returned (as of 5 days ago) from Disney World with a well-worn version of the previous edition. Every review from hotel, to age appropriateness, to rides and inside secrets proved its weight in gold. Each ride was described in detail, included any warnings (motion sickness, frightening aspects, etc.), a star rating guide for a variety of age groups (preschool, grade school, teens, adults, seniors), along with an overall review and letters from readers. The rides and attractions ratings were dead-on accurate and when we doubted a warning from the book and went anyway, we soon regretted it. Conversely, all of the recommendations were highlights of our trip. Restaurants were rated by overall value, price, service, and food quality. While they seemed a little on the harsh side (we loved the Cinderella Castle restaurant), they were very accurate in their suggestions. I neglected to listen to all the money-saving advice, and now regret that I didn't follow the instructions to the "t." From the initial planning to the final day, this will be an indispensable tool and a cheap ticket to your sanity. Skip the official line-- this is infinitely better.

For some families a trip to Walt Disney World is an annual ritual, for others it is a one-time rite of passage. For all who go, it is a big-ticket vacation destination with seemingly limitless choices of lodging, attractions, dining, and entertainment. This encyclopedic guide provides you with all the information you need to make the most of your time and money. Their recommendations are based on their own staff's experience as well as surveys of Disney vacationers and Unofficial Guide readers.

I wish I could give more than five stars to the vacation planning chapters of the book. Monthly attendance data plus subjective pros and cons of visiting during each season helped us decide when to go; detailed reviews of hotels within and outside the "World" helped us decide where to stay; an outline of all the available ticketing options helped us determine what sort of park admission to buy. All in all we saved hundreds of dollars - and planned a more suitable vacation for our family - as compared to following the advice of friends and co-workers.

The chapters pertaining to each park rate four to five stars. Each ride, show, or attraction is described in detail and given a star rating for each of several age groups. Careful attention is paid to factors affecting how long you will wait in line. The author provides touring plans designed to get you to as many of the "best" attractions as possible with the least amount of waiting in line; 1-day and 2-day touring plans for families with and without young children are provided for the Magic Kingdom. Occasionally the reviews are a bit idiosyncratic but on the whole they let you know what not to miss - and what to pass up with no regrets. The guide also includes chapters on Universal Orlando and Sea World.

The chapters reviewing Disney dining deserve four stars. Again, the coverage is vast and detailed, with reviews not only of restaurants in and out of the "World" but even of counter-service (i.e., fast food) within the "World." You will either shake your head and roll your eyes at the hints for landing a breakfast reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table, or you will rush to synchronize your clocks with Disney reservation center time and start warming up your dialing fingers. I agree with other reviewers that the restaurant reviews are overly harsh and discount the extent to which a sit-down meal in some Disney restaurants can be an attraction unto itself. There is also no index to table-service restaurants in each park.

This guide contains far more information than any one traveler is going to need, and at least some of it will seem like common sense - but one person's common sense is another's startling revelation. As with any guidebook some information will be out of date; some specific issues noted by prior reviewers have been corrected in the 2003 edition. If you are a true believer in Disney magic you might not like the blunt tone of the author's remarks. However, if you are a Disney skeptic, a novice, or simply a vacationer trying to get the most out of a big-deal vacation, the Unofficial Guide is an excellent resource.

This book was my first Science fiction read, and I was slightly surprised I liked it as much as I did. I didn't think I would have ever picked it to read on my own, but for my English class it was good. I thought the most interesting part of the book was the people's reactions to the Overlords. It was fascinating to see how Clarke portrayed different characters and their reactions. At the end, he did this less, and switched to more of a "scientific" mode. Yes, I know that is what science fiction is about for those of you who think I am being naive. Also, it was amazing that Clarke wrote this book in the 1950's with so much insight to technology and space travel. I won't spoil the end, but it was kind of depressing for me because all the things I personally care about were gone from Earth. Some of my classmates thought the book ended on a positive, but I just didn't see it that way. All in all, I enjoyed the book but don't think I would reread it. I would like to see a movie made about this book because it would interesting to see how a producer and director would do this movie. So I recommend this book to all that like science fiction and those of you who don't, try it, you may be surprised.

Along with Rendevouz with Rama, this is probably one of A.C. Clarke's best known works (not counting 2001). In it he paints a portrait of an Earth under the protective wing of the Overlords, but man has no explaination...nor do they really need one. Only a handful of humans question the motives of the Overloads who have abolished everything from disease to poverty to war. The book is broken into three sections: arrival, the golden age, and the last generation. Each part is populated with believable and vulnerable characters. The only constant throughout the book is Karellen the Overlord who is the Supervisor of Earth. It is his task to prepare mankind for the destiny that awaits them.

Clarke does a great job making us feel like we are insignificant in this universe, and that there are stranger and more fantastical things possibly awaiting us. The concept of the ending (whick I won't give away), or the hook, of this book is quite interesting. While not a 5 starrer in my book, this is a great read, and one of the classis that has truly earned it's label. READ MORE CLASSICS!

I pick a new theme in books to read each month, and this month was Sci-fi month. Childhood's End was the second book I chose (the first being Rendezvous with Rama -- also a great novel -- by the same author). After I finished it, I could not stop thinking about the story, I was so incredibly moved. That sounds kind of hokey, I know, but a great book should not only provide the reader with entertainment, but should have the power to move the reader as well. This book (pardon the 70s expression) blew my mind.

In his introduction, Clarke states that the TV series "V" was an "impressive variation" on Childhood's End, so I was waiting for the Overlords to start gathering up people to process them as food. Mercifully, there is nothing like that in this book. The Overlords seem to display at least a modicum of humanity as the destiny of man's future on earth unfolds in the novel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin their foray into the world of science fiction.

I finished reading this book today and I couldn't wait to review it. A friend suggested it to me. Normally I hate sci-fi but this book was the fire! It was the pertect idea. Set far enough in the future to be interesting but not so far that you can't even relate to it. A.C.C brings up all kinds of great explanations as to what the ship could be, most of which I wouldn't have thought of. Like when Boris Rodrigo wants to inform his church that he feels the second arc has come to collect Gods children. That was a great take on the situation I didn't think of. The characters are a little bland I guess but it's such a short read and there's so much information to digest there was really no room for hardcore character development. Who cares anyway, the main character, Rama, is what I wanted to know more about. A.C.C did an excellent job of not giving away to much information. Im glad that walking away I only know enough about the ship to keep me from going mad. The best mystery is one that can't be solved completly. I would suggest this book to anybody, sci-fi fan or not. It's a short, exhilerating read and worth any amount of time you take to read it. Also, from what I've heard, Arthur's collaborator butchers the soul of the Rama idea in 3 more installments. Im not going to read them. I have no interest in taking a leak in my Cylindrical Sea.

I have read several of Arthur C. Clark's novels, and once again I find myself in love with the magic he weaves with his imagination. There is a power behind his words, a power that keeps your eyes connected to the pages for hours on end. Arthur C. Clark is very knowlegeable about science and it helps to improve the realism in the boo - no space marines walking perfectly in zero gravity.

This book had an excellent plot; it is simply the best extra-terrestrial contact book I've ever read... The only book that compares to it is 'Childhood's End', also written by Arthur C. Clark. I won't discuss the plot as Amazon has already provided a beautiful description of the book.

There was only one problem with the book - It's too short and static. Each chapter has an average length of 8 pages, and the pages are rather small, so even though I loved the book, I kept wishing that there was more to read...

The Bottom Line: If you're looking for a book to relieve your mind of the stress in your life, Rendevous With Rama is an excellent book to spend your hours... Just make sure your boss doesn't catch you reading it! Heh heh... -Aragorn

As someone who considers herself a fan of "soft" science fiction (you know, the stuff you don't have to have an engineering degree or a clue about math to follow)I could only shake my head in wonderment when I was finished with Rendezvous with Rama. How does Clarke do it?

Here is a tale of mankind's first encounter with an alien spacecraft coming into our own solar system -- set in the not too distant future when we could conceivably have colonized our own local planets, but not yet explored the galaxy. The sense of awe, of discovery both delightful and terrifying comes across sharply as we follow a team that sets out to enter and explore the seemingly uninhabited interior of this gigantic environment. All the while events are unfolding in response to Rama's nearing the sun, the author manages to explain the scientific logistics of Rama in terms a lay person like me can clearly understand without being patronizing and without detracting from the characters and their story (which are, true to Clarke's tradition, interesting without being melodramatic).

I was reluctant to undertake this book at first, having received the impression that it was too technical and therefore, boring. It was neither. Now I can't wait to continue the series.

I was enthralled with the story and subject matter. I've had the opportunity to visit Japan in the past, so the visual elements took on an even more realistic appeal. As a woman, I identified with Sayuri and was amazed how Golden, being a male, was able to capture a woman's point-of- view throughout most of the tale. However, what happened at the end? About two paragraphs were devoted to Sayuri's child. It was so brief, I had to read it a couple of times to make sure it wasn't in my imagination. I'm shocked that no other reviews, of the fifty or more I've read, mentioned this. Could it be that they missed this too? I don't have children, but I know as a woman that this is one of the biggest events in life. I do have a dog though, and I would devote more than two paragraphs to her. I know I really liked the book because at the end I kept trying to rationalize the author's reason for this. Such as, Sayuri didn't want to shame the Chairman by talking about this taboo issue with the interviewer, etc... Also, I must have liked it because I'm writing a review. I never do this!

Golden's novel is the best work ever to appear about the most unusual and enigmatic world of the Japanese Geisha. He has penetrated not only the mind of the Geisha but has opened to the western imagination much that is enigmatic of the Japanese character. I have never read a workd so dramatic and psychologically suspenseful yet crammed with factual details of the greatest complexity. His historical and cultural details are one hundred percent accurate. No one has ever explained so well the art of the kimono, which in Japan is a genre frequently overlooked because of its utilitarian nature. Add to all these virtures a literary style of the highest order, a style clearly in the tradition of a Nabokov. This is a novel that may be appreciated by the Japonicaphile as well as the ordinary western (i.e., American) reader having no knowledge of Japanese culture or history. His description of Japanese life, especially the life of Kyoto, before and between the wars is a treasure in itself. No student of modern Japanese history and culture should fail to read this marvelous work.

Where to begin? I got this book after several recommendations from friends. I only regret not getting it earlier. One of the ways I like to rate books is how much I miss them when I'm finished and I feel as though I've lost a good friend. Towards the end of the book, I found myself slowing down, a measure of my attachment to Sayuri and her tales. This book is an incredibly well thought-out and beautifully written piece that is so endearing and passionate. The main reason I picked up the book was to learn and gain insights into the secretive life of Geisha -- what I got was so much more than I ever expected.

Holden has an amazing ability to make the writing appear so effortless and yet, each word seems so carefully crafted and deliberate. Memoirs is written in 1st person narrative and convincingly so; many other people have commented on his extraordinary ability to sound like a female author. For me, there is just the right amount of dialog -- my preference is for an economy of words, and Holden gets it right.

All in all, a fantastic read and finding another comparable book to read has been tough. I'm going to try Snow Falling on Cedars and Angela's Ashes.