Well, it's Cliff's Notes. There isn't much to say. But it does quite a fair job of clarifying the splendid cluttered mess that is Hugo's novel, and my ten-year-old copy is much loved. Don't read an abridged "Les Mis"; read the unabridged, with this on hand. It's much more fun.

the first time i read the unabridged copy of les mis, i was in high school, and we had just started the book when we all took a hugh trip to ny to see the play on broadway. i was sitting next to me very best friend Tynaries, when intermission ended and eponine came out and sang "on my own", when just as she lie dying in marius' arms at the barricade he kissed her lightly, then i gasped and gripped the arm of my chair. but suddenly, Ty grabbed my hand, gave it a tiny squeeze, then leaned over close to me, kissed my lips softly and whispered, "i'll keep you safe, always...," and handed me a very old hand-kerchief which was the one i had made him in home ec when we were 12, i had embroidered (really badly) his initials on the corner. we've been together since, and that has been almost 7 years, and he wrapped my engagement ring in it the night he proposed. but to get back to the main topic, i just previously picked the clift notes up at a local bookshop and found it to be just as i remembered that night so very long ago in my heart. [i love you Ty, always....]

Okay, I was browsing through my library and I stumbled across the Les Miserables cliff notes (I have read the whole thing unabridged 4 times). I picked it up to look it over, and was impressed. I checked it out, and took it to school the next day and gave it to my friend who was reading the abridged version and I gave it to her to read. She liked it much better. She said it was, "Shorter (she's not exactly into long books), more emmotional (eep), and included many things that the abridgement left out. Two of my personal favorite parts- Jean Prouvaire's Last Poem, and Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk, which were included in Cliff's Notes. Bravo!

A compelling, believable novel covering a subject seen widely in newsmedia but seldom in jounalism. I could not put the book down and wept in sympathy for the confused woman who makes a poor choice. It is a study of mother/daughter unconditional love which is tested to the ultimate degree. Should be a book required for Women's Issues Courses in colleges and universities.

Calling all book clubs! Members of my book club have each had favorites or disappointments among the titles we've read. The only one that got unanimous approval, for being both a good read and great discussion, was Baby's Breath. A poignant, moving, sometimes disturbing novel about the tragedy of infanticide (epidemic in the U.S. and abroad), Baby's Breath has underlying themes of redemption. It's painful at times, but it shows how fiction can have potential as an instrument of social change.

Upon reading this book, I found myself reflecting on the rearing of my own son. Would my son be capable of duplicity in his relationship with a young woman? Would he be capable of helping and doing the right thing? I had many thoughts of my role in his upbringing....did I do a good job - what could I have done better? Did he have issues which were not dealt with either at all or in part? As a mother, my heart broke for both Leah and Allysa. Having lost a baby of my own at birth, I cried as I read of the birth and all that Allysa went through.

I also hope that this book may become a useful tool in the necessary change our society must undergo to prevent the infanticide as well as preventing our young women from going through Allie's nightmare. Allie might make a recovery with all the help of her family and therapists, but what of those young women who do not have any family support? What of those young women who will remained so scarred and mutilated mentally and physically that recovery is all but impossible?

I would like to see this book covered by Oprah and her book club? Then perhaps the problem would be brought to the attention of the nation. I am but one lone voice and would like to see millions of people reading this book and then acting upon this sad situation.

I have read four novels of Victor Hugo(and the synopsis of a fifth one)."Ninety Three" is the one in which he has reached perfection.
This specially applies to his plot-structure which is one of the best I've come across.
Hugo's rather naive artrifices and linking devices,which he used for making tight plot structures,but lent an unconvincing coherence in his earlier novels are absent-giving rise to an ingeniously linked sequence of events-where every event,keeping in mind the moral purposes which the novel seeks to achieve and the moral premises and goals of the characters,necessarily leads to the next event,to the climax and the resolution.

The theme,most appropriately pointed out by Ayn Rand is:"Man's loyalty to values."
How every character and every event expresses the theme is the greatest technical virtuosity a writer can achieve.
(However,as I see,Hugo's conscious intention was to dramatize:"The conflict between the logic behind the French Revolution and the philosophy behind the French Revolution.)

The plot-theme is:"The conflict which arises when a ruthless revolutionary(of the French Revolution)-a priest- is sent to keep a watch on a courageous but compassionate revolutionary-the only man he loves in this world- pursuing his granduncle-a proud,haughty,fanatical Royalist-with three innocent children and their helpless mother caught up in the cataclysm of this savage,frantic battle."

The merits of this novel are numerous.First of all,it is one of the best suspense-thrillers among the explicitly philosophical novels of the 19th century.
The neck-breaking speed with which the events suceed one other will keep you biting your nails till the last paragraph.

Secondly,every page-nay,every line in this novel gives a sense of something profoundly important,grand and dramatic.There isn't a sentence,conversation or scene which is trivial,silly or commonplace.Everything is grandiose,with a heightened sense of solemnity and tension.

Thirdly,one cannot overlook Hugo's heroic view of man.Whether it be a literate beggar or an illiterate peasant woman;a wicked rebel who can go to any lengths of inhumanity or a young soldier who has lead an insignificant life-every character has been endowed with such moral courage,focus on one's values and goals,strength of conviction,fearlesness,intransigent integrity and above all,such a capacity to value one's values-that one has to conclude that for Hugo,man was a Titan or a Giant-nothing less than a demi-God.

I would not call "Ninety Three" Hugo's greatest achievement since it's scope is rather small.Further,Hugo's usual obsession to insert long historical and political essays hadn't left him while he was writing "Ninety Three".Luckily,they maybe ignored.Anyway, I would recommend them for their fascinating poetry;compelling,powerful style and tremendous universal significance.

It is strange that although "Ninety Three" is a thoroughly interesting read-moreover glorifying humanitarianism,compassion and non-violence-it is not a well known novel.One of the common criticisms is that,as the critics say,it has "unreal characters" and an "exaggerated sense of heroism".
But let me tell you this reader:If you want to look up with a sense of worship to the image of the Ideal-the Ideal whose essential nature you might not have grasped;if you want to take pride in the fact that you are a man;if you want someone and something to affirm your deep-rooted conviction : "Yes,it is possible",then you ought to read Victor Hugo's "Ninety Three".

Hugo was a great novelist with a gift for mixing history with fiction. Just like Dumas, only Dumas is lighter entertainment and less depth. 1793 was a crucial year for the French Revolution, and hence for human History. The Revolutionary regime was unstable, faction-ridden, while the forces of the Ancien Regime were still fighting fiercely (read Balzac's "Les Chouanes" and "A Murky Business" for other great references to alter years of this period). It is also a story of generational fighting, as well as an account of heroism in both sides.

The Marquis of Lantenac is an old aristocrat fighting to restore the Regime, in the La Vendée uprising. He faces his nephew, the Vicomte of Gauvain, who fights for the Revolution. The scenery is the beautiful Bretagne, in Northern France. Hugo rounds up the story magnificently, explaining the reader what is going on in Paris with the different factions and leaders. So the story is not isolated from main historical events. These give it a full context, and in turn the story enlightens us about what the fight is about. The climax comes in the battle of La Tourgue, where uncle and nephew face each other in a dramatic fight. The revolutionaries win, but Lantenac returns to a castle, to rescue three children caught in a fire. He is imprisoned, and here the drama reaches its highest: Gauvain is told to execute his uncle. The ending is a hard confrontation between political reason and personal values, a subject explored in great literature since "Antigona", by Sofocles. It's clear why this eternal confrontation is tragic: no solution is devoid of an extremely high price. A less-known but excellent work by one of the best novelists there has been.

I admit, I prefer Les Mis and Notre Dame de Paris to 93. First, I expected something different than what I got. 93 is about the Marquis de Lantenac, his nephew Gauvain, and Cimourdain, Gauvain's childhood tutor. Gavain and Cimourdain are on the side of Robespierre and the Revolution, the Marquis is definately not. The ideals of the revolution clash with neccesity, and this makes the Civil War we hear little about extremely brutal(one side uses the motto, "No Quarter", the other uses "No mercy"). At any rate, along with a great deal of wonderfully detailed descriptions of a cannon rolling around on a ship in a storm, the tumultuous Convention hall, and a few other things, there are also a great deal of clever sayings. The dialogue between Robespierre, Marat, and Danton is wonderful, though I wished and expected them to be the main characters...they weren't.

This is a step up from "A Tale of Two Cities" when one is considering historical context(Tale of Two Cities is nearly totally one sided in it's opposition to the Revolution, not describing the tremendous danger to Paris posed by Berlin, London, and rebels in Normandy). However I suppose Tale of Two Cities is a step up as far as literary merit.

This book is the literay edition of Disney's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. It stays true to the Disney version of the story and has a lot of wonderful illustrations that you won't find in other book versions of the film. After all other than the music, the animation is the best part of the movie. As for story, if you're looking for the literary masterpiece written by Victor Hugo, you won't find it here. Disney totally butchered Hugo's tale (in Hugo's story: Phoebus isn't a hero, just a horny hunk who's filled with lust; Claude Frollo isn't evil, he is overcome by his lust and desire for Esmeralda; Esmeralda isn't the brightest person in the world; and the story doesn't end all that happily) and the book remains true to that movie.

Simply put, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the best novels I have ever read. I loved Victor Hugo's writing style (or the translation thereof), the comprehensiveness of description of both characters and setting (for the most part), and the ideas that Hugo provoked in me as I went through the book.

The novel is about a beautiful, young, virtuous and romantic gypsy (La Esmeralda), a deformed and deaf bellringer of the cathedral of Notre Dame (Quasimodo), and an archdeacon (Frollo) whose obsessive nature creates the tragedy that all three will realize at the end of the novel.

All three characters have the one uniting feature of unrequited love. Esmeralda seeks the love of Phoebus, an officer whose only interest is that of the carnal nature, and sees the gypsy as only another girl to have his way with. Quasimodo and Frollo each seek the love of Esmeralda, who does not return it due to their physical and (best attempt at description) spiritual odiousness, respectively.

Ironically, the hideous Quasimodo and lovely Esmeralda hold the most in common, as Hugo makes the reader aware that both of them are adopted (and even in their infancy, their lives are linked), and that both are social pariahs, Quasimodo due to his appearance, and Esmeralda due to her gypsy heritage, her beauty, a crime attributed to her, and, of all things, a performing goat she trained, the sum of which tags her as a sorceress. In fact, both, due to these characteristics, are linked with the devil, although their actions show a goodness that outweighs that of any other characters in the novel.

Variations on the notion of "love" are examined in the book, There is Esmeralda's romantic love where she imagines the handsome captain Phoebus to be the embodiment of masculine virtue, Phoebus' physical love where the value of a woman is based on her appearance and promiscuity and lasts until he's satisfied his physical urges, Frollo's obsessive love where a person, whose life is spent on monomaniacly focusing on his faith, his studies, and alchemy, finds a beautiful young girl in his sights (his love amounting to a sickness, his resulting actions morbid symptoms), and Quasimodo's love, based on the kind acts of another. This last love is the only one of the three not focused on one's appearance, as Quasimodo does not develop this affection until Esmeralda soothes him while he is tortured for trying to kidnap her at Frollo's (his adoptive father) direction. It is Quasimodo's love and his expression of it in acts of kindness, not to mention saving Esmeralda's life once and trying to do so a second time, that makes him such an endearing character.

This novel also has some incredible descriptive moments, such as the dark streets of 15th century Paris while Frollo wanders in a state of confusion following what he thinks is the death of the woman he loves, and the depiction of Paris at dawn, quaint and placid just before the story's most tragic climax.

Hugo also provides some description of the architecture of the cathedral itself, which I found very interesting, and a description of the layout of Paris in the 15th century, which I found not so interesting, due to my unfamiliarity with the city itself and the history thereof, although a French reader, especially one in the 19th century, would have probably appreciated it. This is the only element of the novel that I did not like, and it is but one chapter.

This story grabbed me, and I was hanging on every word Hugo wrote. I found myself emotionally affected at many points of the story, which is not something that often occurs when I read a novel. I was so impressed with the book that I got Les Miserables after only reading 100 pages of Hunchback. I give this novel 5 stars, and it deserves every single one of them.

victor Hugo's passionate story of the unfortunate Quasimodo is also a great expose' on how religion controled the masses in those days. While Esmeralda is liked for her dancing and tricks; she is also feared and scorned for being in league with the devil. This is because Frollo the priest who is madly in love with the young gipsy girl has cast her as much. Yet his hypocrisy shines through when later he declares his love for her. As well, notice when Esmeralda is living in the cathedral the priest mad with lust nearly rapes her. Thus he is using his position and power for less then holy deeds. In addition the church held great influence over the justice system. This book is more then a mere love story but a brilliant attack I think on the abuse of power and the evil it brings. I truly enjoyed this production from Naxos with its musical interludes between the text. The reader really brought the characters to life and read the book with the right amount of animation. I highly recommend it for those who love to listen to classical literature then read it. another Naxos production to add to my collection.
this audiobook contains 2 CD'; it features period music along with the reading of the text. The Naxos version is also available on audio cassette.

This book tells you what Jane Gooddall went through to learn about the animals she loved. It is NOT the scientific account of that research, you can find that elsewhere. It's a fascinating story. I found myself caught up in the lives of the different chimps, wondering what Flo, David, Flint and Fifi were going to do next.

As a student of biology I feel it really narrows in on what it is like to be a field biologist--fascination!

Jane Goodall is such an ambassador for chimpanzees and all other life on this planet. Her hard work, insights, and drive are to be admired! This book is her beginning and a must read for everyone. She is a truly amazing woman!

IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, first published in 1971, remains one of the most extraordinary observations of chimpanzee behavior in the wild. Goodall begins with the story of how she arrived in Africa and her first days there, but wisely switches the attention from herself to the endangered chimpanzees she studies. She not only recognizes individuals but learns their distinctive personalities, describing in compelling detail the smallest of moments that illuminate who these great animals are. Unlike most scientists of the time, Goodall documents emotions and complex political behavior, the social hierarchy and parenting abilities, the aggression and the bonds formed between chimps that can only be described as friendships. In eloquent prose, Goodall tells the stories of these chimps - most notably that of Flo and her family - and will forever change the way you view chimpanzees.

The book contains several black and white photographs of the chimps, a real treat after getting to "know" these chimps in writing.

If you have any interest at all in primates or in animals generally, this is a must-have book.

Please note that, when I rate this 4 stars, it's in comparison to Hugo's other books, otherwise I would rate them all as five stars! Now, if you are a Hugo fan, almost ALL his books are a must-read. But if you've never read Hugo, I suggest you start with this one. It's shorter than Les Miserables and Notre-Dame, the digressions are easy to read and more relevant to the story. There aren't many historical or classical allusions and you don't need to know much about the time or setting of the story to appreciate the book.

The main character of The Toilers of the Sea is Gilliatt; a dreamy, pensive young man, who is generally unpopular in his neighborhood and lives in solitude. He makes his living as a fisherman and has a thing for birds. He's almost the split image of Marius (from Les Mis), if you replace the interest in politics with the interest in nature. He also is shy and withdrawn, is intimidated by women, and has a visionary, contemplative mind. Unfortunately, Gilliat falls in love with Deruchette; a shallow, silly girl, who is wholly underserving of him. This is one of the book's flaws. But the love story is typically Hugoesque, in which the object of Gilliatt's love is only the vague image of a woman and a voice over the garden wall. To win her hand in marriage, Gilliatt must go to rescue the steam engine of a wrecked ship from a forlorn, treacherous reef in the middle of the ocean.

This is what makes the book brilliant. Gilliatt, with hardly any resources, all alone, takes on a superhuman feat that would frighten the most valiant of men, against the ruthless forces of nature. This part is about 35% of the book, and alone makes the whole book worth reading. The solitude of the reef, the blind efforts of the sea and wind, the intrepidity and unshakable will of Gilliatt, makes the story transcend everything mortal. The sea takes on a life of it's own and Gilliatt will seem the only being on earth. This is all tied in with Hugo's fascinating insight on topics such as the mysteries of nature, the glory of perseverance, the deception of the sea, the wind, the night, God, and much more. Hugo's poetic language is captivating. There is also an interesting sub-plot, which adds some suspense, and gives Hugo more material to develop the main themes (think of the octopus and his lair). The ending is tragical and entirely unexpected. It's meant to be very moving, but sadly it isn't, greatly unlike his other books.

The themes and digressions are a real treat for a philosophical palette, but this book is more 'for everyone' than his other books. If you'd like to read Hugo but are a bit intimidated, you can start with this one. There are no lengthy chapters about the Paris sewers or the battle of Waterloo, and the topics are accessible and interesting to all. This is not Hugo at his best, but it's still timeless enough to live up to its author's celebrated name.

Hugo's story of one man's ultimate struggle with the sea illustrates the fantastic wonders, dangers, and joys of the ocean. From the mastermind and writer who borught us Les Miserables and Notre Dame de Paris, here he takes us out to the Channel Islands and to the forlorn reefs beyond in a story of a triumph of the will, and a sacrifice to fate. It is delightful that Hugo writes of the sea intimately- taking three pages to write of the wind alone, and getting into detail about certain sea-creatures and reef-formations. If the story seems to drag a bit at the beginning- stick with it, for the last 75% of the book is very engaging. Hugo needs to be landlocked at the beginning to set up the story and tie in a driving need of the main character to set out into the unknown. For those who are sailors, surfers, watermen, or people who just like the details of coastal areas, this book is fun to read. For those who like Hugo, here he will take you on quite a different journey away from Paris. The book ends with a moral twist. Did things have to end this way? Gilliat seems to relish in his dramatic ending. Fun, soulful sea-borne reading!

This visionary novel about a loner who rescues, singled-handedly, the engine of a wrecked steamship far out at sea, is the purest expression of the heroic in man that Hugo ever permitted himself to write. The battle for the steamship's engine takes up about half the book and contains some of the best writing in all of world literature. There's even a hand-to-hand fight with a giant octopus - a scene which, written by the same man who wrote _Notre-Dame de Paris_ ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame") thirty years earlier, is a fantastic masterpiece in itself. And don't even count the deep, detailed, and wonderful depiction of nature and of the Channel Islands. Or the tragic love story. Or Hugo's brilliant disquisitions on every topic he could think of.

This is a new translation by James Hogarth (if Amazon has put this review with the right book). The translation is much smoother and more natural than the Hapgood/Artois/et al. translation, which is being sold by Signet as the "mass market paperback edition." That old translation is OK - but you should get the Hogarth; it is worth the extra money to have this novel in 21st Century prose.

So buy this and savor it!

It is more grammatical. It can help as a reference and it is simple, but if you want to learn the language to live in a country who's language is Nederlands (Dutch), then don't buy this as your priority book... only as a simple reference book it is ok.

As a beginner I was looking for a course which would help me start speaking the language. I think I found it. The dialogs and exercises are very well chosen to give the student a good understanding of the structures most commonly used in Dutch. The tapes are of a very good quality. So, what else does one need to start learning the language?

I bought this system 7 years ago to learn some dutch before a trip to the NL to see my dutch boyfriend. Using the tapes in the car and in a walkman, and working with the book for a few hours each week, I was able in say, 5 months to learn a surprising amount of dutch. More importantly, this book got me excited about learning dutch, and made me feel like I could.

I have since investigated and used pretty much every book/system/program on the market for beginners and more advanced students and am still most partial to 'Dutch In Three Months'. It's also quite reasonably priced compared to some other systems. I still get the book out every so often and revise some of the exercises to practice the basics.

I agree with the other reviewers that "dutch in 3 months" is a silly, inaccurate title -- to really learn will take longer, so don't get frustrated. I also recommend "Taking Dutch Further" by the same author for more advanced study. Anyway, it must have worked because I married that Dutchman!

Michael Hugos is a new voice to the John Wiley & Sons "Essentials" series of business texts and a most welcome voice at that. Clearly, he has attacked a complex subject in supply chain management. To Mr. Hugos' ultimate credit, he delivers the reader into his world of supply chain management without hiding behind techno-jargon. Imagine this: a plain-speaking CIO/author with a vision and an ability to simplify the complex without talking down to his reader. Quite simply, Mr. Hugos' book is a freshing wind of IT knowledge and know how.
If you wish to understand supply chain management, buy this book.

Kelly Yaksich
Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
Dex Media

This is a wonderful book that provides step-by-step procedures for the business minded person who wants to succeed. The interviews with the executives were extremely helpful and interesting to read. This author is an excellent writer and I look forward to more works from him.

As a consultant in this area, I have recommended this book to my clients. This well-structured, easy-to-read book is an excellent introduction to concepts of Supply Chain Management. Its target audience, executives who must learn about supply chain in order to make strategic decisions, could be expanded to include any person who wants or needs to learn about supply chain. I highly recommend it as a first book for any project manager who is new to this are.
The book contains 8 chapters, each with a similar structure: a list of the learning and performance objectives of preceding the actual content, which is presented in a logical and interesting way. The content is accompanied by helpful diagrams and a series of examples or case studies labeled "Executive Insight" or "In the Real World". It also contains lists of helpful "Tips and Techniques".
The author begins with an overview of the general concepts of Supply Chain Management. One of the objectives of this chapter is to be able to "Start an intelligent conversation about supply chain management issues in your company" It is a tall order, and the author succeeds, introducing the neophyte to the basic concepts of Production, Inventory, Location, Transportation and Inventory with clear and concise prose. In a very interesting example, Hugos uses the story of Alexander the Great to illustrate how a good supply chain functions.
The following 4 chapters systematically cover the basics of supply chain: Planning and Sourcing, Making and Delivering, Coordination and Technology and Supply Chain Metrics. Each of these chapters takes up the fundamental concepts involved and explains them in a simple and understandable fashion. For those that are reading this book as an introduction to supply chain, there will be many an "aha"of understanding as you read along. Of particular interest for the IT project manager, Hugos explains at length what the various technologies are that serve the supply chain.
In the final 2 chapters the author assists the reader in analyzing the type of market(s) that their company targets, and how to determine and plan for a supply chain to succesfully serve them. As well, the chapter includes a number of usefel tools and techniques that can be used to plan out a supply chain project. Most project managers should find this section to be very useful. He closes the book with a look to the future, and uses the concept of "Emergent Behavior" to make predictions about supply chains of the future. He explains how supply chains will develop "Self Adjusting Feedback Loops", using automation to keep information constantly flowing around the loop.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Supply Chain Management. It will be helpful in particular to project managers and IT professionals who want to work in the manufacturing sector. It is well thought out and eminently readable!
Kevin Callahan, The PMCi

This book really is the ultimate in men's fitness. The language is straightforward, clear, and concise. The guide is also incredibly comprehensive, covering everything from mental focus to nutrition to each exercise. I'm currently doing the 14-Day Body Sculpting Workout and I find it challenging and very effective. You don't need to use heavy weights as you just need to focus on proper form and "zoning in" on the muscle(s) you're working. You can almost feel your body taking shape as you progress through the workouts. Also, the descriptions and images of how to perform each exercise are very well done and help you focus on exactly what you need to do to maximize your efforts. I'd highly recommend this book to any man looking to get into serious shape the right way. Many thanks to Hugo and James!

I was told by my gym partner to pick up this Body Sculpting Bible for Men book that he say he swears by. I tend to hesitate when it comes to reading body sculpting books and magazines so I put it off for a little while. To make a long story short, I purchased the book and finished reading it in a week. I have been following the 14 day Body Sculpting program and I'm seeing incredible results...It's about time!!! I have referred this book to a few other people and they are all raving about it. The book is full of useful tips and ideas that I have never heard or seen before. To the authors of the book, James and Hugo, thank you so much and I look forward to any new books written by you guys. Keep up the good work!!

This book has been very helpful to me in numerous ways. After just working out on my own, I found myself hitting a plateau. This book contains detailed information on how to avoid that - from a weight lifting and nutrition stand point.

In addition, the pictures and descriptions of technique are excellent. I feel that my workouts are much more efficient and effective. After 14 days (don't let the 14 day workout fool you, it's just the beginning), I've lost 15 pounds and toned up considerably. They do say, however, that this is more than the typical amount.

There are some things I didn't like: I thought that some of the chapters dealing with mentality got a little hokey, though I could see where they'd help some people. Also, much of the writing style seems a bit sensationalistic - things like, "You will burn fat faster then ever with these new proven techniques!!!". Plus, they throw quite a few scientific statistics at you (eg "You burn 300% more fat on an empty stomach"), but don't site too many resources. It's not that I don't trust them, but I'd like to see them.

To the reviewer who said it concentrated on overweight people, I only half agree. I think they do focus on it, but they also say that if you don't want to lose weight, or you're losing it too fast, eat more.

All in all, I'd normally give this around 4.5 stars, except that this is the best book out there I've found to date.

This is a great book for any guitarist. It focuses on reading music mostly, and gets into technique later in the book. One thing to keep in mind, however, is the binding. It's a rather thick book with a ... glue binding, so it's difficult to keep open. After much use some of the pages start to come loose. I'd buy the volumes separately if I could do it again.

This is an excellent book for learning how to play the guitar, read music, and understand music theory. I took lessons for about a year, 15 years ago and then put the guitar down until I decided to try again with the help of this book. If you are an absolute beginner this book is very tough. I had some knowledge of guitar and music theory so I was able to dive right in without much difficulty. I've tried other books but they do not compare with this one. If you are willing to put the time in and work you're way through this book, you will be on your way!

This book is the BEST book for learning the instrument called guitar. remember back in your schoolin' days when every band nerd had a specific book that taught them everything about their instrument? if you were a bassist it's Franz Simandl. Well if you're a guitarist, its Modern Method by William G. Leavitt. It takes you from the entry level of total beginner, assumes you know little if any music theory. The book isn't difficult, learning any instrument is difficult. Expect to put time and effort in, honestly you need to spend half an hour with it everyday. I also would reccommend this to anyone who has taught themselves guitar or only knows tabulature.