Did everyone else know that Samuel Johnson wrote the first dictionary of the English language that still influences writers of dictionaries today? Has everyone else read a book by Beryl Bainbridge? If not, _According to Queenie_, Bainbridge's latest historical novel about the 18th century genius Samuel Johnson and his relationship with the wealthy, beer-brewing Thrale family, is a perfect introduction to both. I thoroughly enjoyed being transported to that earlier, innocent, no-tech time and being reminded that then, as now, there were those (even geniuses) with serious psychological "issues" and families that could be described as "dysfunctional."

It does help, I believe, to do a little research about Johnson before- or while--reading the book. (No, I shall not read, nor recommend, all of Boswell's "Life of Johnson.") But the characters in the book are based on real people. If the book has a fault, it's that Bainbridge seems to assume that the reader already knows something about the characters before the first word is read. But even if one doesn't, as I didn't, I would recommend this book simply for its intelligent, well-crafted, scintillating prose. It left me wanting to read more about and by Samuel Johnson and definitely wanting to read more books by Beryl Bainbridge.

Beryl Bainbridge's new historical novel takes a fresh, and rather disturbing, look at Samuel Johnson, LL.D., the eminent 18th century lexicographer and man of letters. Dr. Johnson (as he is usually referred to) is, of course, well-known as the subject of English literature's first great biography, James Boswell's "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D." (1791). But Boswell, who worshipped Johnson, failed to include some of the less appealing and less attractive aspects of Johnson's life and personality. It is these that Bainbridge writes about in "According to Queeney."

Queeney was the real-life daughter of Hester Lynch Thrale, one of Johnson's closest friends and confidantes. In fact, Johnson lived, off and on, at Mrs. Thrale's estate, Streatham Park. Through the voice of a third-person narrator, along with a series of letters written by Queeney to her girlhood friends, we discover that Dr. Johnson was deeply depressed (or melancholic, as they called it back then), obsessed with death, sexually conflicted, and a masochist--in short, a bundle of neurotic tics and rifts. Bainbridge's book is brilliant not only in its expose of the dark side of Dr. Johnson, but also in its depiction of the literary and social world of 18th century London, especially the upper classes. While non-specialists in this period of English literature may be challenged to keep up with who's who and what's what, in the end the challenge is well worth taking up.

"According To Queeney (ATQ)", Beryl Bainbridge's historical fictional account of the last 20 years of Samuel Johnson's life, will appeal especially to readers who have some background of the subject but it won't shut out the rest of us who don't. Although Bainbridge parades her huge supporting cast of characters to readers with scarcely an introduction as if we're on first name terms with them, it doesn't take long for us to catch up...and we make the effort because after a slow start, we're intrigued as we read on. Bainbridge's disciplined, economical yet eloquent prose stimulates our curiousity and brings to life a subject the non-literary minded may justifiably consider esoteric.

ATQ doesn't seek to compete with Boswell's biographical masterpiece because it is fiction. What Bainbridge offers is a personal and intimate profile - warts and all - of a great lexicographer and an eminent man of letters who in his twilight years has become a sickly, strange tempered and eccentric old man. This profile is developed from his imagined life as a permanent house guest of Southwark brewer, Henry Thrale and his wife, Hester on whose emotional support he grows increasingly to rely. Through the eyes of young Queeney, the Thrales' eldest daughter, we observe the lifestyle of Johnson and the Thrales, how they behave, the fellow artistes they consort with and their meticulously organised travels to Europe. More interestingly, we detect the development of a curious relationship between the crotchety Johnson and his hostess, the unhappy and shallow Hester. Not quite "the story of unrequited love " suggested by critics, it is nevertheless a relationship founded upon mutual need and one that isn't in the least obvious or easy to discern. That it should end the way it did doesn't surprise. The story is also littered with incidents of spite, bitterness and petty jealousies among the servants in Johnson's own household as they compete for their master's affection. There is ironically a subplot of "unrequited love" in the story but not where you expect to find it. Queeney's voice is sour and reluctant throughout. She was a precocious child - that's why Johnson was so fond of her and became her Latin tutor - but the sentiment isn't especially reciprocated. Her letters as an adult to various Johnson researchers seeking corroboration and evidence reveal a less than enthusiastic friend, if ever she was one. What does that tell you about Johnson's success as an individual ?

ATQ is a quietly confident historical novel of Johnson's erratic life that will appeal to the literary minded, afficionados as well as those who simply love good writing. Bainbridge must be the most often shortlisted fictional author - ever - for the Booker Prize. She's earned her dues and played bridesmaid long enough. Let's hope she wins it some day. ATQ didn't make it beyond the longlist. More's the pity because so few contemporary writers today possess Bainbridge's virtues. With her, less is more.

As a high school student reading this play for educational purposes, my first impression was that it would be long and boring. I was, however, corrected within the first few pages as I encountered the hilarious discussions between Jack and Algernon. The language and wit is so dry its hard not to find something amusing. This line said by Algernon is one worth saving, "The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!" Contrary to popular belief, this play is not one thats difficult to get into. Right from the start there is a conflict that grabs the readers attention and carries them through the mix up of fiances with Cecily and Gwendolen, also a scene that is sure to amuse even the most serious of readers. Lady Bracknell could seemingly be a thorn in the readers side in the beginning, but not to worry, the old woman set in her ways becomes if nothing else a source of comic relief. This play is not only a quick read but also has the perfect combination of characters that makes it delightfully funny.

This is absolutely the greatest comedy I have ever read! Its humor appeals more to the mind than the slapstick humor of American comedies. It's set in England, in and outside of London, and is a perfect example of a Comedy of Manners play, though written in the mid-1800s. It involves two men who make up a friend or relative that just "happens" to get into a bad situation whenever they want to go to town (or out in the country). Through extenuating circumstances, one comes to be known as Ernest in the town, and the other becomes the very same person out in the country.

This is the greatest comedy play ever written, and I would recommend it to anyone who finds Shakespeare too bland at parts, and the farce of the Three Stooges unbearable. It is probably one of the most well-written plays I have read or seen in my life, rising above most Shakespeare plays and such modern plays as "Inherit the Wind."

"The Importance of Being Earnest" holds a message behind the satire of the 19th century that crosses all time; it is better to be honest than to be caught as Ernest.

One of Oscar Wilde's most famous works, this play is a must read for anyone that is even remotely interested in English theater at any level.

"Comedy of Manners," Wilde's play is on the very shallow surface, a funny play that is full of some of his greatest epigrams.

At a deeper level, this play is full of political commentary, social satire and a look at the upper class British of a hundred years ago.

Using his world renound style and wit, Wilde, wrote a play that brought to light the majors flaws of the idle rich and the hypocracy that lived right on the surface of their every day lives.

Often immitated but never surpassed, Wilde had a way with words and an ability to get to the heart of matters while protecting himself; by making the people he was pointing his finger at, laugh at themselves.

This play should be bought, even if one has seen one of the many film versions, or a live revival of the show. The jokes are piled so thickly on top of each other, that in real time, it is imposible to catch everything, or to digest all of the deeper meanings that this play attempts to expose.

This is definently a must read- although more mature readers may find it a bit babyish. It taught me to be independant and not always tag along with my friends (in the book it was Elizabeth who did not want to lose her sister, Jessica). Also it was not like a fairy tale it was not something that you could not relate to. All the episodes in the book were things that could happen to anybody. I thought that the Author should have stuck to one story line instead of using two- Elizabeth and Jessica growing up and Ballet classes. I think that it should of been just about them growing up and how they changed in Middle School when Jessica started getting worried about her appearance and what the popular crowd thought of her. Jessica started putting her popular freinds in the Unicorn club ( which she manages to get into) before her very own identical twin sister. This makes Elizabeth very upset as she doesn't really like all those glamorous girls! And they should've made another book about their ballet classes and joined it to the sequal. But all in all I loved the book. I am a great fan of Sweet Valley.

This book is a great book to begin a fabulous series. Jessica and Elizabeth, identical twins sisters have shared everything for 12 years. Now Elizabeth thinks that they are growing apart. After all, Jessica wants to join the snobbiest group of girls who are in a club that is called the Unicorn club. Elizabeth on the other hand thinks the club is silly after she attends just one of their meetings. They just talk about her least favorite subjects: boys, clothes, and make-up... boring. So what it's just one little thing right? Well it's alot worse than that. Elizabeth is starting a sixth grade newspaper called the Sixers. Jessica thinks this idea is boring. She would rather spend her time with her popular friends. Elizabth is really hurt when Jessica says no to the paper. Soon the twins aren't even dressing alike. What will happen to the twins?

This book is so memorable. As I said, I read Sweet Valley University books mostly, but I still love Sweet ValleyB Twins. Anyway, in this book they start to grow apart. Jessica Wakefield is interested in boys and makeup, when Elizabeth wants to start a newspaper. Meanwhile, Jessica does something bad in order to get Elizabeth into the Unicorn Club.

i rarely read books more than once...if i do, it's because i have missed something or i may have not gotten the story or i may have liked it so much that i wanted to experience it again...this is a book i have bought and read more than once...it is that good. when i first read it, i had not read alot of erotica, especially black erotica, and i love sex. so when i thumbed through it and saw erotic poetry along with fiction and essays, i didn't think twice about it. i had never know black people could be so free and open with their sexuality. in this anthology, the black writers define their own sexuality, not white people. the tastes here range from tasteful, to freaky. there's something here for everybody: masturbation, gay and lesbian,bondage, interracial. i have always had an interest in interracial stories.and the ones by trey ellis and chester himes here are my favorites.audre lorde has an excellent essay on the erotic here. yana west has a couple of stories that will definately get a rise out of you. these black writers are here to share their erotic fruits. savor them.

Erotique Noir is a tool in the world of love, lust and sex. Among these pages there is something for everyone and just like in sex, where no one should walk away disappointed, with this book you won't.

Erotique Noir has a host of different artist from the African Diaspora who explore different forms of sensuality and sexuality. This anthology is filled with short stories, poems, book excerpts, and antidotes. It even has a sexual horoscope so that you may discover where some of your sexual proclivities hail from.

Some of the stories deal more with innuendos and their sexuality is beautifully written in lyrical languages. Others are right out there with it, using sexual language that is so bold and exciting it will have you turning on your ceiling fan.

No matter who you are this book can cater to you as a sexual being. However be warned, it's not for the faint at heart or those unwilling to open their minds beyond their bedrooms. Also it helps if you have your partner near by. Enjoy!...

I happened upon this book by accident many years ago, but each time I read Erotique Noire, it's just like the first time. I love reading it. This book puts me in the mood. My favorite poem is Insatiable and that's the way I feel everytime I pick up Erotique Noire . I really enjoy sharing the various stories with my friends and my lover, but I make them by their own copy. I won't let this book out of my sight for one moment. This book is awesome, thought provoking and well written. It is a definite page turner. If you don't have your own copy, get it.

This book isn't the most detailed pregnancy reference book you'll find, but it's certainly one of the most beautiful pregnancy books out there. The photos of the developing fetus and the changing body of the pregnant woman who appears in the various spreads certainly make the book worth purchasing.

If you're a second-time mom (or a first-time mom who's done a lot of reading!), you might find the content a little bit light, but other than that, it's an excellent book--one that's fun to have on your night table while you're pregnant.

This is THE BEST PREGNANCY BOOK EVER!!! My time is severly limited, so bottomline directness is a necessity in my life - that's why this book was invaluable during my first pregnancy. I leant this book, and a few other books to a close friend during her pregnancy- guess which one was never returned. This book is a gem because it gives you a strong visual cue that you can identify with - It's comforting to see what you and your baby may look like during each month of pregnancy. The text writing is precise, with very appropriately sized, meaty chunks of information that seem to answer every question as they come to mind - it's wonderful! I love the set up of the book too, just reading Dr. Stoppard's book was like embarking on a journey, little treasures of pertinent information around every corner. I'm now expecting my second child and my first thought was -I need to order my Pregnancy Bible! (Dr. Stoppard's Conception, Pregnancy and Birth) With this book in hand, I'll feel informed, confident and prepared, just as I did through my first pregnancy.

I bought this book the minute that I found out that I was pregnant. Of all the books I've read, including the famous "What to Expect.." this is by far my favorite. Not only does it present various birth options and plans in an unbiased, visual, friendly and positive way, but it chooses not to dwell on possible complications-while still educating the reader.(Unlike "Your Pregnancy Week by Week")
I found the book to be well-organized and informative. The illustrations and photography are beautiful, fascinating and made me look forward to each stage of my pregnancy.
The language of the book is straightforward and non-condescending. I highly recommend this book as a positive resource for any first time moms.

William Makepeace Thackeray subtitled "Vanity Fair", his masterful comic novel, "A Novel Without a Hero". But while this big, baggy eight-hundred page monstrosity of comic characters and situations may lack a hero, it has two of the most memorable characters in English literature: Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp. The contrapuntal, shifting fortunes of these two women drive the narrative of this big book, painting, along the way, a brilliant satirical portrait of English and European society at the time of the Napoleonic wars. We first meet Amelia and Becky in the opening pages of the novel, leaving Miss Pinkerton's School for the wider world of fortune, love and marriage. Amelia Sedley, the naive, sheltered daughter of a rich London merchant whose fortunes will dramatically change over the course of her life, "was a dear little creature; and a great mercy it is, both in life and in novels, which (the latter especially) abound in villains of the most sombre sort, that we are to have for a constant companion so guileless and good-natured a person." In contrast, Becky Sharp, the impoverished orphan of an artist and a French opera singer of dubious repute, was a calculating, amoral social climber. "Miss Rebecca was not, then, in the least kind or placable . . . but she had the dismal precocity of poverty." From the opening pages, Thackeray captures the reader's interest in these two characters and carries the reader through marriages, births, deaths, poverty, misfortune, social climbing . . . even the Battle of Waterloo! While Amelia and Becky wind like a long, contrasting thread from the beginning to the end of this story, there are also plots and subplots, intrigues and authorial asides, and one character after another, all of this literary invention keeping the reader incessantly preoccupied and enthralled. Reading "Vanity Fair" is the furthest thing from "killing time" (as the dusty, misguided literary critic F. R. Leavis once said); it is, rather, the epitome of the nineteenth century English comic novel, a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

William Makepeace Thackeray subtitled "Vanity Fair", his masterful comic novel, "A Novel Without a Hero". But while this big, baggy eight-hundred page monstrosity of comic characters and situations may lack a hero, it has two of the most memorable characters in English literature: Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp. The contrapuntal, shifting fortunes of these two women drive the narrative of this big book, painting, along the way, a brilliant satirical portrait of English and European society at the time of the Napoleonic wars.

We first meet Amelia and Becky in the opening pages of the novel, leaving Miss Pinkerton's School for the wider world of fortune, love and marriage. Amelia Sedley, the naive, sheltered daughter of a rich London merchant whose fortunes will dramatically change over the course of her life, "was a dear little creature; and a great mercy it is, both in life and in novels, which (the latter especially) abound in villains of the most sombre sort, that we are to have for a constant companion so guileless and good-natured a person." In contrast, Becky Sharp, the impoverished orphan of an artist and a French opera singer of dubious repute, was a calculating, amoral social climber. "Miss Rebecca was not, then, in the least kind or placable . . . but she had the dismal precocity of poverty."

From the opening pages, Thackeray captures the reader's interest in these two characters and carries the reader through marriages, births, deaths, poverty, misfortune, social climbing . . . even the Battle of Waterloo! While Amelia and Becky wind like a long, contrasting thread from the beginning to the end of this story, there are also plots and subplots, intrigues and authorial asides, and one character after another, all of this literary invention keeping the reader incessantly preoccupied and enthralled. Reading "Vanity Fair" is the furthest thing from "killing time" (as the dusty, misguided literary critic F. R. Leavis once said); it is, rather, the epitome of the nineteenth century English comic novel, a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

"Vanity Fair" is Thackeray's masterpiece and on a par with the best of Dickens' work. Alternating deftly between tragedy and comedy, it is a story rich in character development and historical accuracy. The famous pre-Waterloo ball given by the Duchess of Richmond is described in detail and is one of the highlights of the book. Becky Sharp is certainly a model for all the other treacherous femme fatales that follow her in literature, particularly Scarlett O'Hara. "Vanity Fair" is undoubtedly one of the great works of the 1900's and it has surely stood the test of time. It may be "A Novel Without a Hero" but its characters are real flesh and blood human beings.

I first started studying voice when I was 8 years old and worked very hard in choir and competitions, always trying to become a soloist. I never reached that goal and I finally gave up about 5 years later. I was completely convinced that I had no voice and no talent.

Almost 20 years later I finally began singing again, hoping against hope I would find a teacher who would be able to communicate how to place the voice.

I have found that teacher with Miriam Arman's book. Her writing is easy and enjoyable, making the voice not only technically correct but fun to learn. I now also firmly believe that I do have a voice and that it's strong and pure enough for all the classics that I love.

Many of my friends know that I sing and lately have been asking me why my voice has changed so much in such a short time. I owe it to Ms. Arman's amazingly simple, vivid techniques.

Thank you, Ms. Arman, for writing a book that even a tender beginner can understand. And thank you for teaching in such a way as to preserve, not damage, the voice.

I've never sounded better.

This book is a revolutionary ground breaking work for the singing art form. Ms. Arman teaches the reader how the voice is produced the way the Great Maestri taught the voices of the Golden Age.

She understands, explains clearly, and shares her knowledge in an intimate and gracious way with the reader. After studying classical voice at a famous conservatory and with famous teachers, I still was not able to produce effortless, beautiful sound. After reading her book, most serious students can't help but get on a plane and go meet her which is what I did. In one lesson, 13 years after serious vocal studying in 3 major US cities, I found my voice.

My experience is a testament to the truth and integrity of the technique outlined in this book. Because of the existence of the information in this book, a whole generation of new singers has the opportunity to bring back the great age of singing. I am absolutely positive that Miriam Jaskierowicz Arman will go down in history as a legend.

The work of her students who use the wisdom of this material and who sing on the major stages of the world, are a testament to the fact that she is a brilliant teacher, a great mind, a remarkable woman, and an international treasure to the Art.

I don't think I am exxagerating when I say that this book, along with the CD "The First Lesson", has the capacity to change your life - just as much as it has changed mine. Feeling the strong urge to sing, somehow knowing that there MUST be a way to release a voice you instinctively feel exists somewhere within you, and then feeling frustration over years and years because nobody can really tap in to you and your voice, is a very painful experience - both emotionally and physically. I suffered from a hoarse and paining throat, and felt like an athlete with broken legs. For years. After reading the book, I finally found the answers I had so desperately been looking for on my quest. For the first time since childhood I was able to sing with a powerful voice - for hours. Still my throat was totally unharmed. As a result, I didn't hesitate to fly to Florida - I am from Europe - in order to take private lessons with the author, Ms.Arman. Her personality and personal history finally convinced me that here was something special.
Of course, singing is a process, and it will still take a long time, possibly including some setbacks, for the voice to develop and attain its full potential, but now I know that my voice is growing - not dying. Thank you, Ms. Miriam Arman.

I bought this and gave it away to a friend who's never exercised. Good basic stuff, but nothing new for anyone who already has an exercise program. A FATAL FLAW: the authors never address the wrist issue and suggest exercises that, in my experience, will hurt wrists if they are already weak or threatening carpal tunnel. Since this is a very common problem with women over 40, I feel that it should be addressed. Some of the illustrations actually show women using weights in a way that might exacerbate wrist damage. I struggle with the problem daily and my trainer won't let me near upper body weights--not even 5 pound weights--unless I have my wrist reinforcers on. Such precautions are not given in this book.

This well researched book explains how to do something reallypositive for your body no matter what your age. I love that this canbe done at home with a minimum of investment in equipment. (hand weights and adjustable ankle weights) The program is designed to make the most of your time, so two forty minute workouts a week is all it takes to make you strong, increase your balance and increase bone density. This is a book I've recommneded to my mom, and all my friends, no matter how old and how young. Note that this is a starting off point for weight training. If you already do it on a regular basis the exercises may not excite you but the research behind it is interesting.

I'm an out-of-condition, fiftyish female who does not want HRT but needs to do something to maintain bone density, strength, etc. I got this book after reading Jane Brody's positive discussion of it in the New York Times. I've been doing the exercises for about a month now and am beginning to see the results predicted by the author. I feel more active, grocery bags are easier to carry, and I'm seeing definition in my arms and legs.

The program may seem too basic for some people (as several earlier reviewers have said), but for me that's one of its good points. It's not designed to be fancy, but to be non-intimidating to people who equate strength training with going to the gym and getting buff on exercise machines. These exercises can be done at home, with a minimum of equipment and a maximum of reassurance by the authors. With any exercise program, the big problem is getting people to commit. If a simple program make it easier to do this than fancier, more challenging programs, then go with the simple. Nothing says you can't go beyond the basics when you get comfortable with them and the authors suggest how to do this.

Having grown up Jewish in a secular house, with grandparents
who kept kosher and walked to shul on the holidays, this
book spoke to me. Ehrlich paints a wonderful picture of the
previous generation and the things that gave meaning not just to their lives but to the lives of the families they raised.
The recipes are a wonderful addition to the book and they
bring me back to both my grandmother's and my mother's kitchen.
I'm thankful to say my mother is still a wonderful cook and I
am collecting all of her recipes to pass on to my children.

My one criticism of the book is that it is poorly edited. I find some of the sentence structures to be very awkward. I almost didn't continue reading the book because I found the writing to be less than elegant but... the subject matter drew me in. It was a worthwhile read for me but I wish the writing were better.

When I opened this book, the author opened her front door and welcomed me into her family, her home, and the treasures of her heritage. Miriam's Kitchen gives being a Jew a warm cozy feeling. As Ehrlich describes the homes of her parents, grandparents, and in-laws, the reader sits at the kitchen table with all of them. We see the development of a contemporary, observant Jewish home through the kitchens and traditions of two generations. When you read it, you go home for a visit, or a holiday, or a celebration. Miriams Kitchen is Judaism passed on through the hands of its women. You can almost smell the luscious aroma of the Jewish Kitchen. This book is now in my personal library, my mother's and my mother-in-law's. It is to be shared, like a glass of tea. I cannot wait to try the few special recipes which are included. A Great gift for the women you love!

If I could give this book a 10-star rating, I would. Elizabeth Ehrlich has written this memoir from her heart, and it shows. The memoir traces the deepening relationship between Ehrlich and her mother-in-law, Miriam, as well as Ehrlich's memories of her fiercely left-wing family in the inner city of Detroit. Both families celebrate their Judaism through food, drink, ritual, prayer and family ties. Ehrlich's views on Judaism shift as she travels the road to middle age, first as a young girl, then as a young adult, next as a new wife and, finally, as the mother of three young children. Along the way she explores such complexities as Miriam's memories of the Holocaust and her native Poland, the challenges of managing a kosher home, and the joys and regrets of interfaith unions.

Travel Ehrlich's road with her and you won't regret it-- her book is rich with memories and love. An added bonus: the reproduction of many of Miriam's mouthwatering recipes.

Jonathan Swift's 18th century satire, Gulliver's Travels, is an extraordinary tale of the adventures of an English ship surgeon. The ship surgeon, Gulliver, by a series of unfortunate events on each of his four voyages at sea, receives the chance to explore the cultures of the countries of Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, Luggnagg and the land of the Houyhnhnms. Each land is considerably different from the others, and creates quite an entertaining read.

While the story itself is particularly unusual, the satirical element which Swift applied to it adds another level of comprehension. If understood, one could have a nice chuckle at the way Swift mockingly portrays ideas and people through the various cultures which Gulliver encounters. Some similes, however, are intended to get a more serious meaning across. For example, in his first journey of the book, Gulliver finds himself in the country of Lilliput where the people are only six inches tall, save the king who is seven. In this land there are two groups which were distinguished by which side a person breaks their eggs on. One king published an edict commanding all his subjects to break their eggs on the small side, but many would've picked death over breaking their eggs on the 'wrong' side, so many did. By this, Swift meant to throw contempt on the exaggerated importance that people place on their differences, as on which side one breaks an egg is a very trivial thing. The two groups mentioned represent the Catholic and Protestant religions, between which were many wars and massacres during the 1500's when the Protestants first appeared.

Gulliver's Travels takes the reader to many lands, all different and unique ' each adding another perspective on traditional beliefs and ways of thinking. Gulliver changes as much as the scenery around him, and after each voyage he has changed dramatically. At the end he has transformed so much that I feel really sorry for his family ' although it's only love that could allow them to put up with his strange behaviors.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an appetite for literature, as Gulliver's Travels is an excellent satire of the ways of the thinking in the early 1700's. Also, the author does a good job in describing the lands which Gulliver visits in great detail. Although Swift may not have written this book with intense action scenes and steamy romance, it is definitely a work worthy of the people of today.

It's amazing how our perspective changes as we age. What we thought was important as children may now seem completely insignificant, replaced by entirely new priorities, priorities children wouldn't even understand. At the same time, things we used to take for granted, like having dinner on the table, being taken care of when we're ill, or getting toys fixed when they are broken, have become items on adult worry lists.

Your perspective on literature can change, too. Reading a story for a second time can give you a completely different view of it. "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, which I enjoyed as a sort of an adventure story when I was a kid, now reads as a harsh criticism of society in general and the institution of slavery in particular.

The same thing is true of "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. The first thing I realized upon opening the cover of this book as a college student was that I probably had never really read it before.

I knew the basic plot of Lemuel Gulliver's first two voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag, home of the tiny and giant people, respectively, but he had two other voyages of which I was not even aware: to a land of philosophers who are so lost in thought they can't see the simplest practical details, Laputa, and to a land ruled by wise and gentle horses or Houyhnhnms and peopled by wild, beastly human-like creatures called Yahoos.

While this book has become famous and even beloved by children, Jonathan Swift was certainly not trying to write a children's book.

Swift was well known for his sharp, biting wit, and his bitter criticism of 18th century England and all her ills. This is the man who, to point out how ridiculous English prejudices had become, wrote "A Modest Proposal" which suggested that the Irish raise their children as cattle, to be eaten as meat, and thereby solve the problems of poverty and starvation faced in that country. As horrible as that proposal is, it was only an extension of the kinds of solutions being proposed at the time.

So, although "Gulliver's Travels" is entertaining, entertainment was not Swift's primary purpose. Swift used this tale of a guillable traveler exploring strange lands to point out some of the inane and ridiculous elements of his own society.

For example, in describing the government of Lilliput, Swift explains that officials are selected based on how well they can play two games, Rope-Dancing and Leaping and Creeping. These two games required great skill in balance, entertained the watching public, and placed the politicians in rather ridiculous positions, perhaps not so differently from elections of leaders in the 18th century and even in modern times.

Give this book a look again, or for the first time. Even in cases in which the exact object of Swift's satire has been forgotten, his sweeping social commentary still rings true. Sometimes it really does seem that we are all a bunch of Yahoos.

Gulliver's Travels is an excellent book. In it Swift satirizes what he thought were the foibles of his time, in politics, religion, science, and society. In Part One Lemuel Gulliver is shipwrecked on Lilliput where the inhabitants are only 6 inches tall. The rivalry between Britain and France is there satirized. In Part Two he is marooned on the subcontinent of Brobdingnag where the inhabitants are giants. The insignificance of many of mankind's achievements are there satirized. Next in Part Three Gulliver is taken aboard the floating island of Laputa, where Swift takes the opportunity to satirize medicine and science altogether - incredibly Swift did not make up the crazy experiments he describes; all were sponsored at one time or another by the Royal Society. Finally in Part Four Gulliver is marooned by mutineers on the island of the Houyhnhynms, in which Swift takes his parting shot at human society - presenting them in degraded form as the Yahoos. Most people read no further in the book than Brobdingnag - I urge you to read the rest.