Enlightening book for any Inca Initiate

This was a completely great book. I loved it so much. It was a wonderful tale of a man who thinks his wife is a witch. She actually is. It's comical. But then the comedy turns bad when you see how miserable they rae.

This Ancient Chinese Dragon series follows the reign of Prince Tasu, ruler of a small Jurchen province in the year 1204 AD. Prince Tasu's transformation from a military governor to a spiritually-motivated servant of the people begins in the early chapters when he orders his troops to destroy a monastery. Monks skilled in martial arts easily defeat the prince's army.

The Jurchen were New Age warriors who practiced Tai Chi and were strongly influenced by theology and philosophy. They ruled North China for 120 years and were wiped out of history as a result of the Mongol invasion. This is an attempt to bring these interesting people back to life.

This Ancient Chinese Dragon series follows the reign of Prince Tasu, ruler of a small Jurchen province in the year 1204 AD. Prince Tasu's transformation from a military governor to a spiritually-motivated servant of the people begins in the early chapters when he orders his troops to destroy a monastery. Monks skilled in martial arts easily defeat the prince's army.

The Jurchen were New Age warriors who practiced Tai Chi and were strongly influenced by theology and philosophy. They ruled North China for 120 years and were wiped out of history as a result of the Mongol invasion. This is an attempt to bring these interesting people back to life.

13th century China is ravaged by wars, as factions fight for control of the Heartland. A casualty of this era are the Jurchen, who ruled North China for 120 years until facing extinction at the hands of the Mongols.

When the Jurchen emperor Matako suddenly dies, the arrogant Yungchi becomes supreme ruler and immediately begins disrupting all tranquility. He doubles the annual tribute from the Mongols, and when Genghis Khan refuses, Yungchi has his army attack a nearby Jungirat tribe--killing half its people and flogging their chieftain through the streets naked. The chieftain is Genghis Khan's father-in-law and the Great Khan is infuriated. A year later Genghis Khan invades North China with a 200,000-man army in "The Wrath of Khan."

"Zulu Dog" is a must read, not just for children aged 9-12, but for any adult who loves a good story, adeptly told, with memorable characters and compelling plot twists. The author of this wonderfully woven tale is going to be famous!

Just as Clement Moore gave us the definitive Santa Claus in "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas"), Charles Dickens gave us the definitive Christmas spirit in his simple but charming novella "A Christmas Carol". First published in 1843, this supernatural story of an elderly man's redemption from his mean-spirited, miserly ways takes place in Victorian London, but its universal theme of charity towards our fellow man has endeared this classic to many a generation around the globe. In addition to its priceless role as a morality tale, the book colorfully describes the Yuletide customs practiced in England during the early nineteenth century. This Washington Square Press edition of "A Christmas Carol" is unabridged, yet you can understand why so short a book is yet published in abridged versions, especially for schoolchildren. Not infrequently, Dickens veers from the main story line and goes into tangents of a philosophical or descriptive nature, much like the converser who abruptly changes the subject only to return to it with the familiar "Anyway, ... ". I assume children (and some adults) may find these tangents cumbersome and distracting, but they are still useful in that they reflect Dickens' thoughts while writing the book. It may still be difficult for some of us to think that cold-hearted Christmas-bashers like Ebenezer Scrooge exist, but look at human nature around you, and it will be difficult no more. At a time when "Merry Christmas" is being supplanted by a more vague "Happy Holidays", and the season gives way to coarse behavior and unchecked materialism, "A Christmas Carol" is the perfect guidebook to put things into perspective.

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.

Master storyteller and social critic, Charles Dickens, turns this social treatise on shortcomings of Victorian society into an entertaining and heartwarming Christmas ghost story which has charmed generations and become an icon of Christmas traditions. Who, in the Western world has not heard, "Bah, Humbug!" And who can forget the now almost hackneyed line of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!" or his cheerfully poignant observation, that he did not mind the stares of strangers in church, for he might thus serve as a reminder of He who made the lame, walk and the blind, see. Several movie versions: musical, animated, updated, or standard; as well as stage productions (I recall the Cleveland Playhouse and McCarter Theatre`s with fondess.) have brought the wonderful characterizations to the screen, as well as to life. This story of the redemption of the bitter and spiritually poor miser, and the book itself; however, is a timeless treasure whose richness, like Mrs Cratchit`s Christmas pudding, is one that no production can hope to fully capture.

In an age when we have not much time to read one short book from cover to cover, few long books will ever be good enough to read twice; David Copperfield is one of them. It has, perhaps, the most unforgettable cast of characters ever assembled in a work of fiction: Mr. Micawber, Uriah Heep, Aunt Betsey Trotwood, the Murdstones, Mr. Dick, Peggotty, and, of course, David Copperfield himself.

The story is simple enough to start. David's mother marries a man, Murdstone, who makes life hell for her and young David. David has the courage to rebel against the tyrant and is sent off to boarding school and later to a blacking factory. For readers who want to compare childhood rebellion to authority in the movies, Alexander's defiance of the Bishop in Ingmar Bergman's great movie, Fanny and Alexander, is equally dramatic and sad.

David runs away and finds his Aunt Betsey Trotwood, who takes him in and supports him, with a little help from her wise/fool companion Mr. Dick. This is story enough for many novelists, but it is only the beginning for Dickens. David has yet to meet one of the great villains in literature, that "Heap of infamy" Uriah Heep. Uriah's villainy is terrible because it is hidden under a false pretense of humilty and service to others. The final confrontation between Heap and Micawber is one of the great scenes in literature.

None of what I have said answers the question, Why read this book more than once? The most important answer to this question for the nonacademic reader is "for the fun of it." From cover to cover this novel gives so much pleasure that it begs to be read again. We want to revisit David's childhood and his confrontation with the terrible Mr. Murdstone. Mr. Micawber is one of Dickens's great creations and anytime he is part of the action we can expect to be entertained. When we pair Micawber with Heap we have the explosive combination which results in the confrontation mentioned earlier in this review.

These brief examples only scratch the surface of the early 19th century English world Dickens recreates for the reader. Some other of Dickens' novels like Bleak House may be concerned with more serious subjects, but none lay claim to our interest more than Dickens' personal favorite "of all his children," that is, David Copperfield. Turn off the television, pick a comfortable chair, and be prepared to travel along with David Copperfield as he tells us the story of his life.

Oh, I loved it! I finished David Copperfield, finally, of but an hour ago. Oh, that is such a wonderful book! I hold Charles Dickens in a sort of reverence. He has the fascinating ability to spin a web of the most spendidly horrible (here, I refer to, the remarkably AWFUL Uriah HEEP) and the most splendidly excellent (here, I refer to, the exquisite and good-natured Agnes) characters, and then he completes his tale by adding the most unforgettable of ALL people, a main hero, such as David Copperfield. Never have I been so attached to a work of fiction, and I have read a lot. Oh, the things David so heroicly endured, turning him into a most superior man! I love the story! It's most powerful. It moved me to tears and sent me into fits of laughter so many times I can't count them on my hands. And I felt such rapturous joy when Agnes and David professed their love for each other that I could hardly contain myself, and here started to laugh and cry at the same time; and I felt such overwhelming sorrow over the death of Steerforth, for I rather liked the man, even thought he took Emily away; and I love Peggotty's character to death! She was such a glorious figure of devotion and heartfelt love for David; I felt he would not have survived Murdstone and other things were it not for her steadfastness and friendship (I dearly loved her button-poppings! I found them hilarious!). And the grand Agnes, how I worshipped her! She was so real, I can see her cordial eyes looking upon David with the love of a sister, the passion of a wife. It was the most admirable work, I am sure. Dickens made Uriah Heep come alive so vividly, I see him writhing about, with contortions like a caught fish. I see Traddle's hair sticking up on end like a porcupine's, I see Miss Mowcher waddling about, I see Steerforth, tall, dark, and handsome. Oh, how David did admire Steerforth in the beginning! How he did charm! For all the critics: yes, the book was sometimes boring, and at times it was dull. But can't you see the art in it? That all Dickens wanted you to do was enjoy it and fall in love with the characters? Yes, sometimes he got a little carried away but that's hardly the point. It was worth it, because I know I'll never forget a one of them. What more can I say? I want to read the book over and over again, never ending.

For those who don't have time to read for pleasure, or perhaps spend too much time reading as part of their daily job, audio books are a godsend. You can play them while travelling to work, and you're suddenly transported to another world, if they're any good.

Fortunately this Naxos abridgement read by Anton Lesser is superb. I haven't yet found an actor better at handling both the male and female voices, old and young, rich and poor. It's so easy to forget that that is not a large-cast dramatisation -- it's just a a one-man reading, brilliantly executed.

As a story, 'David Copperfield' means a lot to me because it means a lot to my Dad. Now 73 years old, he had a troubled childhood in and around London, and a difficult relationship with his stepfather. While Dickens needed to create some out-and-out baddies such as Uriah Heep and the Murdstones, many of his characters are basically decent folk, rigidly sticking to Victorian values, and I think this is how my father still sees the world.

Much of the detail in this story is specific to England, but the basic human themes are universal. As a first pass at getting into 'David Copperfield', I would very strongly recommend this 4CD audiobook.

Sally Lockhart has been orphaned at 16 by the death of her father. She has come to live with a relative that does not want her - and her life is in danger. Dark figures are movinf around her as she tries to solve the mystery of a message sent to her by her father before she dies. The only clue she has is the name Marchbanks and a phrase, the "seven blessings". Sally is in a race against time, because as she tries to put the puzzle together others are racing to silence her permanently - and she has no idea how many enemies she has.

I had to read this book in one afternoon because I didn't want to put it down. Sally is a great character who really draws you into her world, and the strong supporting characters around her draw you into their world and keep you there. The story is great, but in the end I found it a little bit disspointing at how Pullman pulls everything together (which is why it has four stars and not five). I have the rest of the books in this series from a friend and can't wait to read them too.

These books are completely different from the Dark Materials Trilogy and should be read in their own right. The best part about this book is that Sally is the kind of person that I would have been friends with at the same age - and I can see a little bit of me on her too. Guys should like this book too as their is action, adventure, and suspense.

This book is the most amazing I've read. Ever.
Philip Pullman's unbelievable description and detail makes it easy for the reader to be sucked into the story and make it seem real. The book starts off with a bang and never settles down until the end - Sally's life is always in danger. "Her name was Sally Lockhart, and within fifteen minutes she was going to kill a man." What kind of a reader could put down a novel after an entry like that?! This suspenseful mystery is best not read right before bedtime, if you'd like untroubled dreams. The Ruby in the Smoke is real, the realest I've ever seen in a mystery, and the best.

I'd also like to recommend: The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, The Tin Princess, The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass

I've read this book at least 5 times, it's wonderful and full of suspence. The Sally Lockhart series are one of the best that i've ever read, Philip Pullman wrote them beautifully, in a style that reminds one slightly of Dickens, just a touch more modern. From the first page to the last one (that leaves you craving for the next in the series), the pace never lessens, but does not, I am thankfull to say, overdo it. Set in the 17 century London, we are introduced to a set of vividly described characters, that one quickly starts to love! The beautiful Sally who's "had a throgh grounding in military tactics, can run a business, ride like a Cossack and shoot straight with a pistol" but hasn't aclue of what a lady needs to know, is left to fend for herself when her father, who raised her alone, is drowned under suspicios circumstances in the South China Sea. Thogh she doesn't know it, she is already in terrible danger, and with her investigations she only brings herself deeper in to the heart of an unbelievable plot, closely entwined with her own past, opium smuggling, and a ruby. She wouldn't of lasted long without the help of her friends...
A great book!

The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson is a wild ride indeed. The trilogy is: The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, and Leviathan.

Keep and open mind while reading this book... you'll need it. It comprises of ultimate conspiracy, humor, sex and violence, with true imagination that will bring you in and out of time and space... a truly wild ride.

This is an epic fantasy, detective, thriller, and sprinkled with humor all rolled into one. Conspiracies abound, pinnacles of power assulted, and mind wrenching reality are the fare here. When you finish this book, your eyes will look at reality differently, your mind will look at things very differently.

I found the humor to be devilish, with puns galore, and ironies that will make you think. This Science Fiction is destined to be a classic.

But rememder this, always keep an opened mind and you'll come away from this experience with a far greater outlook than before you came into this book. An experience very well written that will leave the reader feeling like they rode on the roller coaster of life.

A novel that may one day be viewed as a classic of the historical era immediately prior to the Personal Computer/Internet revolution, Illuminatus is part Detective novel, part political thriller, part conspiracy literature, part metaphysical treatise, part science fiction epic, part psychological popularization, part social commentary, part 60's nostalgia and part social history with a bit of anthropology, fringe science and physics for some variety. It is all very entertaining if at times a little demanding. The plot deals with characters confronted by what may be the final world-ending plot of what may be the Illuminatus who may be the secret powers behind what may be history and culminates in a multi-day rock festival which must be saved from-- resurrected Nazi soldiers with tanks?! Oh and along the way the reader hears a dolphin recite poetry as characters cruise along in a Yellow Submarine. Funny, witty and often insightful this is one you'll read more than once.

This is a fantastic book, but those who come to it with any expectations whatsoever are bound to be disappointed. The Illuminatus Trilogy is not so much a book as a literary psychology test, designed to diagnose the intellectual and psychological limits of the reader. As such, it's a different book depending on who's reading, so if you're reading my review for advice before buying, you've already identified yourself as someone who's mind will likely be blown by the mix of gurellia ontology, quantum mechanics, ritual magic, conspiracy theory, and wonderfully obscure humor. If, however, you got this far into my review, and are still reading-buy the book, you're more the type to be blown away by the sex/drugs/rock and roll aspect. If you're STILL reading this review, you've likely already read Illuminatus!, and are just checking out the reveiws for your own amusement. Still there? Good-start buying copies for unenlightened strangers, George W. Bush, and others who need a rapid reorganization of neural functions. Enjoy!