The beauty of the american carousel seems to radiate from the pages of this book. There are some fantastic photographs of carousel animals and machines that are still around, she also has photos of various carousels that have been lost or destroyed over the years. These photos are truly a window into time.

The only criticism that I have of this book is that there is not enough background information on the carvers and their family history.

Diferente el ritmo y tensión de los anteriores, aunque igual mantiene la lógica de la historia, esta vez tiene menos ingredientes.Este libro es más descriptivo de los objetos de los personajes que de los sentimientos de los mismos.Quizás la primer crítica sea que no parece creíble y justificado que luego de un año de tortura entre el amor de Ayla y los prejuicios familiares que sufrió Jondalar(tema central casi del tercer libro),la recepción de Ayla entre los zelandonii sea tan natural y fácil por parte de los que realmente importan en la historia.Por otro lado, me quedé con las ganas de ver como Ayla mostraba las piedras de fuego en la ceremonia matrimonial(hecho que se anuncia y no sucede)no se si es una omisión adrede de la autora o es una falla de traducción. El relato de los sucesos que debieron de ser el climax como el casamiento o el nacimiento de Jondayla no tienen la profundidad sicológica con que la autora nos deleitó en los otros libros.Es quizás un buen prólogo para el sexto libro.Debemos esperar el postre.

Earth Children Series:

1.)THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEARS

2.)THE VALLEY OF HORSES

3.)THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS

4.)PLAINS OF PASSAGE

5.)THE SHELTERS OF STONE

The adventure of the strong willed Ayla continues in this 3rd segment of Jean Auel's Earth Children Series. In Clan of the Cave Bear, She lived with "Flatheads" or Clan people; learning, adjusting, accepting their cultures and belief as her own. In The Valley of the Horses, She lived, learned (mostly by accidents) and survived on her own, alone for over 3 years with only animals as her companions (until Jondalar came). Here, in THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS, we read Ayla's heart warming first hand experience/interaction with people of her own kind, "Others" as she use to call them. There was fear and hesistation at first, fear of the unknown and rejection but as easily as it came, Ayla realized she wasn't shunned since she look just like them. Unconsciously, Ayla slowly drawned herself to these strangers who invited her and Jondalar to their camp as guest. Even her unusual practices and manners was eventually viewed as a unique quality to looked upon. Her attributes and her talent in medicinal herbs enhanced her value to these people. She was soon adopted by this people who called themselves, The Mamutoi (The Mammoth Hunters). Ayla who struggled all her life to be accepted have finally got her wishes. Ayla of No People finally belonged... She became Ayla of Mamutoi.

But Ayla is still searching for a place called HOME. She haven't forgotten her son, Durc and her heart belonged to Jondalar but he is a Zelandonii, who will eventually go back to his own people. Despite Ayla's feeling of belonginess, there is still much more that she is searching for. The Mamutoi people are all hearty characters, I enjoyed them all, especially the flirty and magnetic Ranec, who wants Ayla to share his hearth, and is Jondalars strong competition for Ayla's heart. In this book, we'll also know more of Jondalar. His emotional depths and confusions, his love for Ayla yet his unwillingness to fully accept her past. His preconceptions towards the CLAN still lingers and his fear of being rejected by his own people because of Ayla's past clouded his heart. Will he overcome this and find answers to his confusions? Both Ranec and Jondalar are utterly loving and even I can't seem to decide which is better for her. Which would Ayla choose? The man who loves him without conditions or the man he loves, who distance himself from her?

Out of the four books in this series, this one is what I liked best. Perhaps it is because I've always been a Romance book reader and in this book, Ayla's love life is concentrated on. She is learning more about matters of the heart and her feminity. I did enjoy her other adventures, no doubt. The descriptions of the daily life routine of the Mamotoi was enthralling. Their habit wasn't as different as the Clans. Ayla applied and shared all her knowledge to the Mamutoi. Her practices from her previous CLAN, from her accidental findings when she was alone and now her newly learned practices from the Mamutoi, mixed it together and the outcome was advantageous. The details of the medicinal herbs, hunting, spear-throwing, tool-making are an interesting read too but the love triangle between Ayla, Ranec and Jandolar is my favorite of all. [...] PLAINS OF PASSAGE is next [...]. Shelters of the Stone is still coming, 2002. I can't wait!

This book is the third in the series of Earth's Children. Ayla and Jondaler are now staying with the Mammoth Hunters. I like this book because Alya and Jondelar are with the Lion Camp for a long time, so you really learn a lot about their culture. Ayla struggles to fit in and to overcome her early conditioning. Jondalar has to learn to let her go and not restrict her. Many readers didn't like this book because they said it was too much like a soap opera,with the love triangle between Ranec Jondalar and Ayla.I agree the misunderstanding and suspence made me feel like screaming. It did drag on at times, yet life is like that. At the moment I'm going through the same kind of thing with my friends and all though I try to communiacate it is hard to understand the other person, I enjoy reading Jean Auel's books because they are realistic and relate to problems everyone has. I constantly look back at these books, and Ayla is my role model.
My favorite part in the book was when Ayla found the little wolf pup and brought him back to the camp.

I read the Clan of the Cave Bear when I was in Seventh grade, and the next three in eighth grade, I'm now fourteen. I do agree with the point that 10 and 11 year olds should not read the 2nd third and fourth books, although it really is the parents choice. I think The Clan of the Cave Bear is a great book for all ages. I feel that These books are okay even with the sex, after all thats life. Still the books should be left to mature readers. Its not just because of the sex, I feel that the books are such good liturature that many of the subtle hints go over some readers heads. People who don't like the books obviously don't understand half of the things in them, they look to hard into it. They are fiction, and aren't meant to be ananlyzed. If you are ready for a good read these are great books, but you must be prepared, you won't be able to put them down.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FIFTH ONE TO COME OUT IN 2002!!!!!

The 'Earth's Children' series is amazing. I've never read anything like it. Jean Auel brings the past to life, helping us to understand the root of human culture while writing an entertaining story. When I read of people rambling on and on about Ayla inventing 'everything' and it being 'feminism gone mad' it makes me think some people are just trying to find fault in something. Auel's showing us how people might have stumbled upon things that today we take for granted. Remember, it is A STORY and at least Auel is making it easy for us to explore a subject that so many would otherwise not have researched. I gave it five stars not because The Mammoth Hunters was the best in the series but because the series itself is so outstanding. Oh, and stop being so stuffy and complaining about the sex scenes. If you think of this as a trashy romance novel, you've completely missed the point.

I am a big fan of the Earth's Children series and was looking forward to reading the latest novel. There appeared to be no major plot developed in this book. The repition drove me insane -- how many times can you describe how to "introduce" yourself to wolf (in excessive detail)? How many times can you describe how Ayla came to tame a wild horse (in excessive detail)?

I believe that the book did a good job of setting up the final book in the series, but I am confident that I could have skipped book 5 and not missed anything of importance.

The "Earth's Children" (tm) series has been a guilty pleasure with me since its inception, so I was glad to see that Jean M. Auel was going to continue it after so long a hiatus. Unfortunately the latest volume is a disappointment -- hardly worth waiting 12 years for. The one good thing I can say about it is that Ms. Auel had done her research, but as far as story goes, there isn't one. The first 500 pages read like a travelogue, with extended descriptions of the geography and other aspects of the setting. The only action is umpteen scenes of Ayla demonstrating her firestones, or Jondalar demonstrating his spear thrower, or one or the other of them relating the adventures from previous books. I was thankful for a little of this as I had not read the former volumes for a couple of years, but it went on far too long. Most of the new characters were charming and bland; the antagonists were mean and bland and incredibly under-used. There is little sense of conflict and none whatever of a cohesive plot. Things get a little more interesting in the last third of the novel -- at least I didn't find myself blipping over large portions of it in a vain search for something interesting, as I did for the first two thirds -- but events still seemed random and pointless. _Shelters of Stone_ may be accurate in its depiction of a year in the life of Cro Magnon woman, but it doesn't offer anything that makes an absorbing story. It rather seemed like a chunk of material that had to be gotten out of the way before the next installment. Why that chunk had to go on and on for over 700 pages is unclear to me. If you haven't read this one yet, don't waste your time; there's nothing necessary here to the next book. If you feel you must read it, get it out of the library.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of Auel's books, and this one was no exception. I love how she describes the characteristics of the land before it was polluted by so much modern technology. I also love how she portrays human relationships that are so similar to what we encounter today - to show that basic human nature hasn't changed much. Also, I enjoy the discoveries made by Ayla and the other humans, of opportunities that we today so take for granted (such as fire, thread puller, spear thrower, etc.) Auel's books rekindle my genuine appreciation for the earth and all it has provided for us. I love getting lost in the era in which the story takes place. This book in particular has also made me revisit the joys of being pregnant and having a baby (my 'baby' is now almost 4). The story surrounding Lorala, and Ayla's experience with having her own baby, really moved me. Jean Auel, you are such a wonderful inspiration to me! I am anxiously anticipating book #6!