Have you ever walked into a bookstore and browsed around the fantasy/sci-fi section only to find yourself convinced that of the 10,000 or so novels adorning countless shelves that only about 10 of them are worth reading? Modern fantasy is chalk full of endless series of Dragonlance spin-offs and 1000 page multi-volume behemoths that somehow manage to say very little. All of this can put one in a predicament: which books are good books? The answer: those that have stood the test of time. So instead of wading through piles of junk trying to find a good read here and there, let's go back to the beginning.

William Morris (according to Lin Carter) is the founder of modern fantasy literature and The Well at the World's End is his masterpiece. And after reading this book and the little that I have about the author I find it odd that his works are not more widely read or discussed in the fantasy literature community. I searched the internet and various bulletin boards and found a few isolated discussions or worthy mentions, but nothing like what this novel or its author deserve. So here I am, giving credit where it's due.

The Well at the World's End employs an archaic style of prose and a clear mastery of the novel form to tell an old fashioned bardic story of an imaginary medieval land. Ralph of Upmeads, the son of a little known King of a northern land, plays our eager adventure-seeking hero. We travel through a host of towns and villages, forests and castles as Ralph seeks the enigmatic Well that everyone has heard about, but only a handful have ever been there or returned alive. At the beginning of the novel Morris' style was a little of a burden for me. There is a quite a bit of archaic vocabulary I had to get used to in addition to the rather formal style. Even through all of the 560 pages I had to read this book more slowly than most books lest I find myself unable to understand the often unfamiliar arrangements of Morris' words into sentences. All of this can get tedious or repetitive at times but at other times I found myself stopping to marvel at a perfectly realized sentence or piece of dialogue. And I have to give Morris credit for the poetry; although less abundant, it is better than Tolkien's.

Tolkien was heavily influenced by Morris, and some of the elements in The Well at the World's End will be curiously familiar to fans of Lord of the Rings. There's a horse named Silverfax, a Fellowship of Champions, a Lord named Gandolf, a rock sea-plain surrounding a volcano (Mordor?), and a scene where the old hiding-under-the-magical-cape-that-looks-like-a-rock trick is employed. Even the ending resembles the scouring of the shire (the hero comes home only to find his homeland in upheaval). But the only vague similarity I could find between Tolkien's Ring and Morris Well is when a certain character references the power of the Well and his unwillingness to use it lest he should abuse it (sounds familiar). Of course, both novels also center around the idea of the heroic quest. The difference is that Morris' story veers toward romance (and indeed it is a romance in its own right) whereas Tolkien strays into more universal issues like divine providence, anti-industrialism/modernism, etc. In this respect Tolkien's story seems to be more applicable to the modern individual.

So now for the big question: is it better than The Lord of the Rings? Well, not exactly. In comparing Tolkien to Morris on the basis of their two masterpieces I would say that Morris displays a more developed sense of the technical side of storytelling but falls short of Tolkien when it comes to world-building, historical authenticity, and emotional involvement of the reader. The Well at the World's End has a very "tight" storyline in that Morris never strays into tangents or gets sidetracked. The entire book is highly linear and chronologically regular (that is the ratio of time passage to a given number of pages remains constant). All this results in what one might call near perfect style but it also means that we miss those interesting quirks that are so abundant in Tolkien's writings. All of those "flaws" (Bombadil) and "overly elaborate" descriptions (just about the whole of LOTR) give Middle Earth a sense of history and the reader a sense of discovery that isn't quite matched by Morris. Of course, Morris wrote as long before Tolkien as Tolkien did before modern authors so the fact that his works stands up in comparison is a tribute to his abilities. Indeed, it is surprising to learn that Morris was not a writer by trade given the quality of this book.

One might say that Tolkien felt a little bewildered by the modern world and wanted to go back to an earlier time when man was not constrained or corrupted by modern devices of his own making. The medieval period of northern Europe was the perfect place for his stories and for the stories of many fantasy authors both before and after him. I felt a similar desire to go back...to the very first of those books that brought us the magic of modern fantasy.

Don't let the dismal fact that this book is twenty-zillionth on the bestseller list discourageth you.... it is well worth orderething.

I first came to this book through the published endorsement (hence, not personal) of the great C.S. Lewis, who made his first reading of the Well in November of 1914. He read it many times thereafter.

In my ONE reading of the two volumes, I can attest to the fact that this is a beautiful story, a rich fantasy, a vibrant fairy-tale with no fairies. Among other things... a love story. Strictly speaking, as regards genre, it is a "romance". The chivalric, bardic story of Ralph of Upmeads, the least likely of the King's four sons, who devotes his life to the quest of the Well at The World's End... a fabled well which promises to reward its discoverer with perpetual youth.

If you are in love with Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings (and who isn't) you should definitely consider having an affair with The Well At The World's End. Let me defuse the daunting issue of Morris's use of archaic language. Be ye warned, in every sentence you will constantly encounter words such as forsooth, hitherward, quoth, whither, rideth, erstwhile, deem, draweth, betwixt, and I wot not else. At first I thought this would be really intolerable. But I quickly adapted to it, and even found it kind of "not vile".

Remember... Volume 2 is essential. It's NOT a sequel, it's a conclusion. Get both volumes, and escape the world of car horns and remote control for a bit.

I applaud this new re-issue of what is definitely a fantasy classic. Previously, one had to search a hundred used-book stores to find it. Now it's a click away.

And as regards it's place on the bestseller list? I am reminded of the wise words of the great Henrik Ibsen, who once suggested that "the solid majority is always wrong."

I rank this book up there with the Gormenghast series and the Lord of the Rings. A fantasy masterpiece, it is the precursor for everything that came after. Yes, the archaic medieval language is tough to get into at first, but after ten or twenty pages it becomes natural to the mind and presents no problem. One sees that the language is part of the beauty. Overall, this book is like one of those medieval detailed tapestries, with kings, adventurers, knights and noble women trotting through forests toward distant castles. This is medieval romance at its finest, and because it dates from 1898, it is happily free of the Tolkien imitativeness that has so infected a large portion of modern fantasy. Forget Terry Brooks, read The Well At the World's End.

I enjoyed the "Letters from a Nut" series of books. But this book is even better. The author not only writes with his strange requests/questions, but he continues to reply over and over. It's almost unbelieveable how some of his letters are responded to. He puts a lot of thought into his letters, making them outright hilarious. Letter's from a Nut is good, but Wilber Winkle is great!

I enjoyed this book so much that I decided to become president of his fan club. The letters I enjoyed the most were those trying to get a pet gorilla on Carnival Cruise Lines and trying to get free soda refills for the entire family at Wendy's. This book provides hours of fun for everyone.

One of the better books of this genre and suprisingly intelligent and witty. Winkle tackles targets that legitmately annoy him (and us, his readers) and doesn't give up until he gets a satisfactory resolution to his complaints. For some authors in this genre, simply getting an answer to a stupid letter is the punchline. Not so for Winkle, who demands real answers to his complaints. It's his targets' own unwillingness to co-operate that makes them look foolish (and reveals their real attitude toward consumers) and this provides much of the humor for the book.

This is less a "prank" letter book than it is a manual on the art of effective consumer complaining, but this doesn't detract at all from its laugh-out-loud humor. Winkle is an odd and wonderful mixture of consumer crusader and merry prankster.

I have battled depression on and off for much of my life, and I have to say that this is the best self-help book I have ever read. It is absolutely wonderful. It makes you want to memorize every quote and every precious, uplifting word of wisdom. Some people might say that the things in this book are common sense, but if that's the case, when I look around I see that common sense isn't so common! This book really is a must have for anyone who wants to improve their disposition and feel better emotionally.

Like any other self help book this too was interesting and most helpful. Unlike other self help books at times this book is very funny too. Writers suggest to have healthy fears such as having sex with gorillas etc. and that all other different fears are not
more but just illusions.
The bottom line - if you strive for knowledge or if you have negative thoughts swimming safely in the ocean of your mind. Have this book, then read it, then apply things you've learned from it in daily life. RESULTS = almost PERFECT

You can't afford the luxury of not buying this book! All of the useful ideas that I've read in other self-help books are contained in this clear, understandable, easy-to-use volume. Everything makes more sense here. This book has given me many practical, doable ways to improve my life.

America is a land of overworked,overstressed people who believethat the more they do,the more successful they will become.But the truth is just the opposite,according to the author of The Art of Effortless Living.Ingrid Bacci shows readers how to stop being compulsive performers and start leading lives of creativity,fulfillment and health.This book, written by someone who overcame crippling illness,attained radiant health,and is sharing her hard-won knowledge with others,is full of simple, do-able and pleasurable techniques for finding an easier,more meaningful and more successful lifestyle. The writing style is among the clearest that I have ever read,and the anecdotes are wonderfully descriptive.

Ingrid Bacci is a generous and talented writer. There is profound wisdom on every page, and it is delivered with the down to earth style of talking across the kitchen table, touching hands over coffee. Her journey from being a professionally successful academic to a loving healer - traveled on the road of a long and painful illness, divorce, and the ultimate need to find safe haven for her troubled soul and body, is an odyssey we can all share on any number of levels in our own lives. Pick a page, a chapter; there are revelations and loving guidance for yourself and everyone you know, illustrated with personal experience. Read this book - you'll want to buy a copy for everyone else in your life as well.

Blending scientific research and case histories from hundreds of clients she has helped, Dr. Bacci shows that the best way to handle stress, frustration and creative blocks is by focusing on relaxing mind and body. The prescription is so simple that you may be tempted to dismiss it--until you try it for yourself and discover that it works. Dr. Bacci makes a very convincing case that by doing less--by focusing on becoming peaceful and calm--you can actually achieve more, whether at work, in sports or in your personal relationships. You can become more effective and more productive while putting out less effort. It seems magical, however there are some very sound scientific principles at work. This is the first book I've come across that explains the science in clear, accessible language. The Art of Effortless Living is an important, inspiring and practical book, with easy-to-follow techniques listed at the end of every chapter. I read it at a time when I was working hard and feeling anxious and frustrated; overnight, with the help of Dr. Bacci's techniques, I learned a new, healthier and far more effective and pleasant way to handle life's challenges.

In an attempt to read, my 5 year old would come to me a hundred times a day with some book or the other and ask,'what does this say, mommy?' As it is, I was already looking around for a good reading material her age and thankfully came across Bob Books Kids. Believe me, if you are trying to teach your child to be an independent reader, then this is just the thing for you. Bob books comes in a small box with such fun to do things like activity books and finger puppets besides palm size reading books. With just a few, small one-line sentences in each story, my daughter could finish one book in no time and was jumping up and down. To finish one book is a big achievement for any child her age and the fact that she was motivated to read more, made me like Bob books even more.Your child can even color the pictures given in these books. I would mention however that your child should have some knowledge of phonics,before he/she attempts these books.You don't want to frustrate the child. I would therefore suggest workbooks by American Education publishing on Phonics and reading. To further hold their attention, try mispronouncing easy words given in the books like Barb, Mop etc. and let them correct you. I would instantly get my daughter's attention back. Finally if you can ignore some uncommon words used in these books, you would be fine. Happy Teaching reading!

I have been looking for books that my son could read completely by himself. The Bob Books sets start with just 3 letter short vowel sounds...perfect for giving your child the confidence and acomplishment of reading an entire book. The look on his face was the best review!

These are simply the finest first reading books on the market today! Each page has a sentence such as, 'Peg had a big cap,' along with a simple illustration. At the end of each book is a list of unique words contained in the book (usually about 20-40) listed by the vowel sound. The set of 12 books also comes with a teacher/parent guide that give the story behind the Bob Books, hints for teaching your child to read, and questions you can ask the child about each book to help with comprehension and enjoyment.

This set of books really hooked my daughter on reading. We gave these to her when she started Kindergarten and she would read them on the way to school. The nice thing about having 12, is that when she mastered one of them, her 'reward' was to get the next! These books provided her first good experience with reading.

I reviewed Mr. Wright's book Triumph Over Hepatitis C Prior to publication and conferred with him on the published edition. I have read the entire volume. Mr. Wright was a patient of mine beginning in 1996 and I worked with him in developing the remedy he describes in Triumph Over Hepatitis C. Mr. Wright describes in his book his condition prior to being diagnosed and presents a copy of his liver biopsy showing chronic hepatitis c as well as signeficant liver damage from cancer, radiation and chemothearpy. In accordance with his biopsy results his liver enzymes readings were AST panel at 210 (1-41 normal) and ALT panel at 245 (0-45normal). He was bedridden, and he could not tolerate interferon treatment which he describes in a brutly honest and gut busting fashion. Through the coarse of the book he describes the good nutrional program along with a concentrated effort to take everything in the remedy he describes in his book, he started to feel much better right away, and a year later he was healthy and virus free---they couldn't find the virus in him. He has been hepatitis c free for almost 3 years and has liver enzyme readings of AST panel at 23 and ALT panel at 12 which he displays copys of. Mr. Wright's account of the events he encountered from contraction of hepatitis c to his complete recovery and the remedy that saved his life is a must read for anyone with Hepatitis C, cancer,HIV and aids. This is a true patient to patient testimonial which can save new patients a lot of dissappointment, trouble and money. It is a good story that gives real hope for the patient with dire diagnoises. It would not surprise me if this book is made into a movie in record time.

I reviewed Mr. Wright's book, Triumph Over Hepatitis C prior to publication and conferred with him on the published edition. I have read the entire volume. Mr. Wright was a patient of mine begining in 1996 and I worked with him in developing the remedy in Triumph Over Hepatitis C. I reviewed many of his blood tests prior to treating him as well as reviewing blood tests as he used the herbs and supplements prescribed and a continues dscline of his liver enzymes took place as he continued on the program. Futher he had sustained sever liver damage to near cirrhosis and had complications from cancer and lengthy chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He had been a patient at UCLA and diagnosed with hepatitis c in Dec.1994. In accordance with his biopsy results his liver enzymes readings were AST (SGOT) panel at 210 (1-41normal) and ALT (SGPT) panel at 245 (0-45normal). He was bedridden, and he could not tolerate interferon treatment. He was in the last stages of the disease, and there was no hope for him. Then with a good nutritional program along with a concentrated effort to take everything in the remedy he describes in his book, he started to feel better right away, and a year later he was healthy and virus free---they couldn't find any virus in him. He has been hepatitis c free for nearly 3 years and has liver enzyme readings of AST(SGOT) panel at 23 and ALT (SGPT) panel at 12. Mr Wright's account of the events he encountered from contraction of hepatitis c to his complete recovery and the remedy that saved his life is a must read for anyone with hepatitis c, cancer, HIV and AIDS. This is a true patient to patient testimonial which can save hepatitis c patients a lot of disappointment, trouble and money. It also is a good story that gives real hope for the patient with dire diagnosis. It would not surprise me if this book is made into a movie in record time. DR. John Finnegan,N.D.

I was recently diagnosed with Hepatitis C and had been feeling afraid & overwhelmed. My wife found Lloyd Wright's book which I read cover to cover without setting it down. I immediately felt so much better! The book is a little rough, but very funny, engaging, and full of specific, understandable, useful information. All of the alternative treatments are clearly explained and are well supported by historical reference and descriptions of how they work in the human body. His explanations of what to stay away from and why are equally detailed and enlightening. Try to get the run of the mill doctor in this country to explain ANYTHING as clearly as Mr. Wright has. I feel hopeful and almost "normal" again. Thank You

John Berger's to The Wedding traces a poetic and delicate path, elliptically circling round an initially undefinable story; the reader has to stick with it to find the many ways of seeing its intricate web. The writing seems quite detached and even sometimes cold, but certain brief and passing phrases cut so close to the bone that they have brought me and many friends of mine close to tears. (The book is somewhat reminiscent of the The English Patient in its detachment, although the lyrical style of To The Wedding is quite different, much more compact and spare) The other thing that's interesting about the book is that at first it seems like a scene set in a time past, but as you get a clue of the real "story", it's ultimately quite surprising in its modernity and specificity in addressing issues of our time (i don't want to give anything away plotwise!). The juxtaposition of this specificity of purpose and the timelessness of the symbolism and the fact that it deals with universally recognisable human emotions of nostalgia, sorrow and loss are what give the book its strength. No doubt the fact that it is based on actual events and characters in the author's family lends it its special poignancy

This is one of those jewels that, by itself, make learning to read the most important thing we learned, and having a heart the most profound gift we were ever given. The story is a story of love. Of how love survives on love alone, and we are its humble witnesses. Berger weaves the longings and fears of people, like you and I, wrestling with living, meeting and knowing, carving some faith out of this world. I purposely abstain from telling the story in concrete terms. I leave it to you to discover it and paint their lives with your own colors. This is about a story of faith, faith on love and its simplicity and depth. Faith on another whose faith is offered to us. Berger's narration is a lesson to every writer who ever long to disappear behind his or her words. A gift to every reader hungering for the beauty and warmth of true language. In times, like ours, when self-reflection is invaded by the jargon of self-help, and everyone seems to sound like everyone else--pain a! nd experience stripped from their detail--John Berger gives us people with souls and doubts and joys of their own. If this book doesn't make you better, it sure will make you kinder.

I love this book and recommend it to all of my friends, no matter what their tastes are. "To the Wedding" is intimate and yet epic in spirit. what Mr. Berger does with voice is daring and remarkably effective: a blind man tells us what he sees, and characters are revealed in both in first and third-person. Like Ondaatje's Hana, Ninon and will remain with you for a long, long time.

I read Aegypt with great anticipation after having been delighted by Crowley's book "Little,Big".I found Pierce Moffatt's explorations into history and collisions with the present almost as absorbing. "Love and Sleep", the second in the series(?) didn't satisfy as completely although I'd be willing to give it another chance. Has John Crowley dropped out of sight? It would be a shame because his writing has this radiant quality to it.Also, it seems such a long time that I left Rosie Rasmussen and her little girl. Please, how does it end???

In Aegypt, John Crowley creates not one, but two solid, fleshly worlds: a late seventies small town, complex enough to hold both the foolishness of failed coke dealer, scholar and desperate monogamist Pierce Moffett, and the ordinary heroic strength of newly single mother and artist Rosie Rasmussen; and the world of John Dee, court magician to Queen Elizabeth. Crowley's virtousic realism renders Dee's conversations with the angels and alchemical searching as sturdy and believable as Rose and Pierce's grocery shopping, angst, and romantic turnarounds. Both worlds can be balanced in the same book because both worlds are there to tell the same story. What is that story? What did the angels tell to John Dee? Who can catch a falling star? For all its realism, this is a book about occult knowledge. This book is an initiation. John Crowley is attempting a direct transmission of gnosis through literature. Does he succeed?

Crowley's early books were definitely in the "SF" genre, but as time has gone by we more and more frequently find him in the "Literature" section of many bookstores.

If this is a compliment, it is one that is well-deserved. Crowley's writing has a magical quality that creates a unique atmosphere unlike almost any other (the nearest comparison might be Keith Roberts' "Pavane").

"Aegypt" appeared as an individual volume with virtually no clue to the fact that it had a sequel ("Love and Sleep") or that in fact these two books were the first of a four-volume set (the third, "Daemonomania", seems to have been delayed - it appeared in Books In Print in 1998 but has, according to Bantam, been "withdrawn").

The books are set in two worlds - a small-town, modern, north-east US environment and the world of Renaissance magicians like Dr John Dee. At the heart of the series is the idea that great changes of direction in human civilisation - such as the Renaissance or the advent of the Age of Reason - not only place culture on a different path into the future, but also, looking over our shoulders as it were, we see a different past. This is a concept that, in itself, has serious philosophical merit.

Thus the past of "Aegypt" is a magical, occult "alternate history of the world" with which modern materialist society has lost touch - or nearly so.

Crowley weaves the threads of both realities together in an astonishing and unique way that holds the reader in thrall, wishing it would never end.

All his books are worth reading, but this one - and its sequel(s) - especially so.

having read all of Mr. Clarkson's book as well as hundreds of other action dramas I'd rate him right up there with anyone. Well written, hot, furious, and fun. It's a one day read, PERIOD!!!

Love action thriller, folks? Then please read this one, and you won't regret! There is only one thing that I'd like to remind Mr. Clarkson: Don't let Devlin to mix up in a mass battleground with automatic weaponry, because it sucks! If Mr. Clarkson's 2nd and 3rd books could be like this first and the best one, allowing Devlin to use his wits and martial art technique to do the jobs, instead of using sub-machine gun or grenades, it would be more fun. Once the hero could only solve the problem by automatic weapon and made the shoot-to-kill wipeout become the only choice, it would kill the whole thing

All three of his books are the best action novels out there. Period. My heart never beat like it did reading any other novel. I don't know how clarkson does it, I guess some writers excel in certain areas and Mr. Clarkson has a gift for writing action. In this review, what I say about this book applies to all of his books. So I won't single out any one, they're all,,,, great ! His books are pure heat. I know it's a cliche to say ' I couldn't put it down ' but there's no other way to describe how you feel when you read them. I'd tell myself, ok, just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed. Well, 3 or 4 chapters later, I have to force myself to stop. It's such a rush ! Ok, onto serious analysis. The plot is strong, the tension builds with a major climax at the end, the characters are deep and real, especially Jack Devlin, you care about the charecters, the pace is as good as it can get - Damn Fast !, man, all three of his books are superbly written. Read all three, you'll be hooked ! when's the next one ? I neeeeeeed it.... michael

Before I read this book, I knew nothing about Byzantium. So I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, and realized after I started that I had made a mistake; I didn't realize when I bought this book that it was the third volume of a three-volume set. Doubtless, it would have been less overwhelming to start at the beginning, especially for someone like me, with no previous knowledge of the subject. Still, I learned a great deal from this book; not only was it informative, but it wasn't nearly as dry and impenatrable as I'd been afraid it might be. In fact, the style is downright readable; Norwich actually has a rather pleasant, if dry, sense of humor.

I definitely plan on getting the first two volumes of this series, and continuing my education on the history of Byzantium.

This, the final volume of a 3 book series, brings to end a rivetting and excellent histoty of the Byzantium Empire. I cannot add anything to the other reviews and comments on this series other than to say if your enjoy reading about history you should love these accounts of this Empire and its times. I found my first volume in a 2nd hand shop without knowing anything about its author or the subject matter. It was a great read and I could not wait to buy the following two volumes. I only wish I had read these books before I visited Istanbul in 1990. I loved them, they are excellent histories, the author does a great job in bringing the characters and times to live. Read the series and lose yourself in the history. Great books!

The final volume of Norwich's Byzantine history is a literary trimph, despite the disintegrating nature of the civilization being written about. In this volume Norwich begins in the aftermath of the battle of Manzikert in 1071 and finishes with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453. Norwich uses his elegant prose style to present this tragic story in a highly moving way.

All three volumes read like a eulogy at the funeral of beloved relative. In this period of dehumanizing social sciences Norwich brings the people of the past alive, and treats them with respect and dignity even when their behavior does not necessarily inspire kind treatment. The role and majesty of Byzantium has been overlooked in the West for centuries; in doing his best to rectify that Norwich has created one of the masterpieces of historical writing.