Other than the White Mountains trilogy, this is Christopher's best work. It is set in a future where all technology, science, and machines are outlawed, and the past has been wiped out by wars and natural disasters. The main character becomes the prince of a small city-state. The books are filled with exciting fight scenes, unusual concepts, and the struggle of a boy who is burdened with the duty to rule. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of science fiction, and in particular any fan of the White Mountains trilogy or John Christopher.

This is the most interesting and easily read book I have ever come across dealing with issues of economic and political development. Thai politics and economics are complex and confusing. This book makes sense of the conflicting strains in Thailand and will enable even a novice to makes sense of of information from Thai newspapers. Fascinating for anyone interested in global economics or Thai culture.

Thoroughly satisfying account of this famous ice-skating pair's beginnings and career, leading up to the 1994 Olympics and beyond. This book provides wonderfully intimate insights into how Chris and Jayne think and behave on and off the ice. Their fans will devour this long-overdue book, which answers many questions we have about Torvill and Dean: Were they ever romantically involved? What did they really think about winning the bronze medal at the 1994 Olympics? Will they retire in the near future? Newcomers to the iceskating world will learn the fascinating quirks and coincidences that paved the road to championship for this pair.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) was one of the finest playwrights of the Elizabethan Age, and his life is probably the most interesting. While Shakespeare's biography consists mostly of land deeds and tax records, Marlowe's contains street brawls, murders, espionage, politics, scandal, and, of course, some of the finest poetry ever written.

John Bakeless's "Tragicall History of Christopher Marlowe" was published in 1942 in 2 volumes, and superseded Bakeless's earlier "Christopher Marlowe: The Man in His Time." Bakeless endeavored to write a complete --- and I mean complete --- biography of Marlowe, and he examines his work and life in all its details. The first 6 chapters documents Marlowe's life, from birth in Canterbury, education at Cambridge, playwriting in London, to his death in Deptford. Then in chapters 7-14 Bakeless discusses individually Marlowe's plays, his unfinished poem "Hero and Leander," and the shorter poems and translations. Bakeless dates them, discusses them from a literary p.o.v., documents their sources, and charts their influence to his present day. Next Bakeless gives a study of Marlowe's "mighty line," charts the artistic relationship between Marlowe and Shakespeare, and concludes his work by discussing the "Marlowe Apocrypha" - writings attributed to Marlowe through the ages, but which have not received general acceptance into the canon.

Now Bakeless wrote this in 1942, and of course some more information has been found since that time. Most important, documentation was found in 1975 that Marlowe was in the Netherlands in January 1592, arrested for coining with a goldsmith and Richard Baines (!), and deported back to England. Then the court records for an altercation Marlowe had with William Corkine in Canterbury in September 1592, also the the famous Marlowe portrait was discovered in Corpus Christi in 1953. It has also since been proven that a poem fragment Bakeless credits to Marlowe - the verses in England's Parnassus - was actually written by Jervis Markham. Despite these later additions to our knowledge of Marlowe, Bakeless's biography has never been superseded because so far no writer has yet attempted a fresh biography on the scope of Bakeless's.

To supplement Bakeless, I recommend William Urry's "Christopher Marlowe and Canterbury," Charles Nicholl's "The Reckoning," and Mark Eccles's "Christopher Marlowe in London." But Bakeless is still the bedrock of Marlowe biography.

This book, I read it when I was at school, for marathon of lecture, which I loved so much. The book is the best book I read that year, because has many things to teach us about life.

It talks about a sickness that came into our world, and how few people survived. Then, show us how they have to re-structure the world, after they seach for survivors, for food, home, etc. It also shows how people looked for many material things instead of food, and other things that we really need.

Collaboratively compiled and edited by John Agard & Grace Nichols, Under The Moon & Over The Sea: A Collection Of Caribbean Poems is an eclectic anthology for readers of all ages, brightly enhanced with full-color, stylized artwork from Cathie Felstead, Jane Ray, Christopher Corr Satoshi Kitamura, and Sara Fanelli in celebration of Caribbean life and culture. Poinciana Passion: Plant for me a tree./A tree whose flame-orange blooms/Make wilting spirits soar,/And lushly carpet summer morning walks./Just one magnificent tree,/Whose stubborn blooms/Ignite each winding street and yard/As far as eye can see./In rapturous abandon/Putting other trees to shame./Bold red blooms befitting lover's brow/Brazenly entice to rest beneath her leafy shade./Plant for me a tree./One solitary tree is all I ask for me--/My royal poinciana tree. Cheryl Albury

This story about Christopher Columbus is told through the eyes of a fictional cabin boy. The book also includes notes from the author and photographer who retraced Columbus' route, bringing the story to life.

I first learned of John Christopher's books in the early 1970's, when I was in 8th grade. I was so taken with his work that I convinced the school librarian to buy every Science Fiction book written by him. As I recall (somewhat foggily) this is a story of an older boy named "Wild Jack" and his relationship with another slightly younger boy - who seemed to be an unremarkable normal English boy of about my age. Together their initial relationship was marked by fear and distrust, only to change to great respect for one another as they face and overcome some major challenges. I hung on every word. This story, like all of John Christopher's novels, is very well written, and focuses as much on the emotions and thoughts of the characters as it does the action in the story. I recall feeling that the story ended in a way that convinced me there would be a sequel: I looked and waited for a long time to see if one became available - I'm not sure one ever did.

This stands alongide the same author's "The Death of Grass" among the finest examples of post-apocalyptic fiction. For anyone familiar with the John Wyndham's "cosy catastrophes" this dark depiction of Britain consumed by glacial ice will some as some surprise.

Perhaps not as bleak as "The Death of Grass", it still manages to unsettle the reader, with every human frailty exposed. Unlike the Wyndham school, there is no comfortable solution, no return to normality. What has changed is irrevocable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who knows Chrsitopher only from the "Tripods" novels, for an insight into why he was once considered the shining hope of British SF.

This was, simply put, a great suprise. One of my friends who read it said it was good, but a difficult read. Now that i read it i can say it is more than i anticipated and an excellent piece of storytelling. It can only be described as majestic, enchanting, and of course adventurous. Sure you have to refer to the index of people/places a few times in each chapter, but, in the end, it is extremely rewarding. I am somewhat new to fantasy, but have enjoyed scifi adventures for awhile. After reading lord of the rings, the hobbit, and this, i'm hooked. Silmarillion explains the history of the lord of the rings characters and middle-earth itself in a grand scale. I particularly liked the way tolkien gets you really interested in these characters in so small amount of space for each one. Their emotions and inner conflicts, such as extreme sadness, bitterness, and pride, are clearly interpreted. It is difficult to name my favorite characters and stories, but those of beren and luthien, turin turambar, tuor are the essence of what a perfect fairytale would be. The conflict of feanor and the valar, the wars, man's role, melkor's fall and sauron's rise, and the story of the rings are all captivating. However, i do agree that it is probably wise to read lord of the rings and hobbit first. To sum, i would say this mythology is maybe the most interesting story i've read (this or lotr) and would highly recommend the Silmarillion to anyone.

Okay, I kept putting off reading this book because I thought it would be pretty dull. I figured that after the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, there'd be nothing else worth reading by Tolkien. Boy was I wrong. This is great stuff. Equally as good (perhaps even better) than Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion, with its allusions to both the Bible and classical mythology, is stunning. The tale of Beren and Luthien is both beautiful and tragic; and the Oedipal Turin Turumbar is also magnificent. And to think that what would eventually became Lord of the Rings makes up only the last 5 pages or so of the Silmarillion! Imagine if Tolkien had lived long enough to tell the story of Beren and Luthien in the form of a novel!

I must warn people, however, that the Silmarillion requires a bit of an effort on the part of the reader. There are a ton of names (Finwe, Finarfon, Fingon, Fingolfin, Feanor, etc.) Also, the Ballantine paperback version comes with a very hard to read map, and it definitely takes some time to learn the lays of the land. The work involved, though, is more than worth it

"The Silmarillion" is a must read for anyone who wants to learn about the rich history of Middle-earth. If you've ever wondered where the phrases and history talked about in "The Lord of the Rings" come from and mean, then this is for you.

At the same time, this is not an easy book to read. It can be slow and the number of places and names (many of them alternate names for names already mentioned), can have you spending most of your time flipping to the index in the back.

But if you keep with it, you'll be rewarded with an expansive and amazing view of Middle-earth.

"The Silmarillion" is actually five stories in one.

Ainulindale, the Music of the Ainur, deals with the creation of Middle-earth.

Valaquenta, Account of the Valar, shows how the Gods and Godesses of Middle-earth came to be, including their brethren the Mair (of which Gandalf is a member). Valaquenta also lays the groundwork for the betrayal that Melkor would exact on his fellow Valar, forever after being called Morgoth (the first Dark Lord) by the Elves.

The Quenta Silmarillion is the largest and most detailed of the stories. Herein lies the story of the beginning days, the coming of the Elves, the making of the Silmarils by Feanor, and their theft by Melkor. This sets off the major war of the Firs Age between the Elves and Melkor.

Two more shorter stories are included at the end. Allakabeth, the downfall of Numenor, and Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age.

After these are the genealogies of the House of Finwe, the descendants of Olwe and Elwe, the House of Beor, the House of Hador and the people of Haleth. A table showing the sundering of the Elves is also included, as are notes on pronunciation, an extensive (and extremely helpful) index of names, and finally, various elements of Quenya and Sindarin names.

Combined, these stories and the indices at the end, provide a remarkable journey back in time, to the Elder days of Middle-earth. A must read. Enjoy.