James Christensen is my favorite artist, and Voyage of the Basset does a wonderful job of showcasing his art. He does the best fantasy art I have seen, especially faries and mermaids. The story is not captivating, but it is an easy, enjoyable read. I think it is perfect to read to young children. Actually, it is a priceless book for a child to have, it would be completely magical. However, for adults, it is still an amazing book, one that you can proudly keep on your table top to show off to guests. Every single painting in this book is filled with wonderful detail, color, imagination, and life. For anyone who loves fairy tales and mythical creatures, do not pass up this treasure. You will love it from cover to cover. It is pure magic!

dang. I dunno what else to say about this book. This is the most amazing, beautiful thing I've ever read. The book was written for children, but it is certainly something anyone can appreciate. It has a simple, charming, beautiful story, illustrated with some of the most amazing artwork I've seen in a book. A 1800's professor wishes to prove to his colleagues that mythology and imaginary things are important. So he and his two daughters set off for this fantasy land aboard the ship "Basset" who's motto is "Credendo Vives" by believing, one sees. As the story unfolds, the reader learns an unforgettable lesson about faith.

If you are like me and enjoy fantasy books, you will love "The Voyage of the Basset" by James C. Christensen, Renwich St. James and Alan Dean Foster. This book will capture your imagination and make you believe you are in the story. This is one of my favorite books because of the adventures it holds.
Imagine you and your family are taking a walk and a little boat with six dwarfs and who-knows-how-many Gremlins on it, is docked right in front of you. The dwarfs invite you aboard and take you on a magical journey of incredible adventures. This is what happened to Professor Asiling and his two daughters Miranda and Cassandra.
I think that "The Voyage of the Basset" is an incredible story. In my opinion, this book takes the best qualities of fiction, which are mythology, fantasy, adventure and imagination and then combines them into the best book I have ever read! And I have read at least 1,000 books. I believe that "The Voyage of the Basset" will capture the hearts and imaginations of children everywhere.

If you've ever been in any branch of military service and have suffered through indoctrination, I salute you. As a former Midshipman (cadet) of the U.S. Naval Academy, I emphatically concur with each and every emotion James Webb conveys through his characters. I was both an ignorant Plebe, and soon thereafter, a "flaming upperclassman." If any enlisted person ever asked me the difference between a good and bad officer, I'd have an answer for this person: It wouldn't matter if this officer (or corporate leader) graduated from Annapolis. For if he/she survived Plebe Summer, you can bet that this officer will not only lead you through fire, but will smother you with compassion to douse the flames, as well.

Reading this book will humble you beyond belief. If you are climbing that ladder of success, you'll want this book next to your Palm Pilot. It will truly improve your relationship with both your employees, as well as your superiors.

I read this book first - at the "invitation" of my First Set "firstie", Scott Brooks - during my 1982 plebe summer at the US Naval Academy. I come back to reread it about every 5 years; it takes me back to a time which still both saddens and thrills me. The book's description of ordinary life at Bancroft is enough to entertain; yet the contrast in Dean and Fogarty provides a gritty method of exposing the difference in thought among men only three years removed, men developing during the social upheaval of the 60's. It is hard to determine without some thought who (Dean or Fogarty) possesses the "moral high ground". Perhaps both are right. More certainly, both are flawed. In any case, the story clearly gave notice of the "shifting plates" vis-a-vis the "old guard/new guard" military. In any case, it is a story whom anybody associated with Annapolis could instantly understand; on the other hand, those with no affiliation with the service academies will read Webb's story and come away with an appreciation of both the sacrifice, suffering and intense pride of those who chose this "type" of education.

I have admired Jim Webb since I first heard about him from a close friend, Mike McGarvey. Mike was in Jim Webb's platoon in Vietnam and has remained close to him. Mike lost his right arm just below the shoulder while serving with Jim. One thing about Mike best describes his feelings about his service as a Combat Marine. He has a tattoo of a dotted line around the bottom of his stump and above it the words, "cut on dotted line". Mike is a Patriot in the truist sense. I gave a copy of, "A Sense Of Honor" to a friend's daughter to read just before entering the Naval Academy. She had led a sheltered life to put it mildly. The book allowed her to go in with a "heads up" that would have otherwise been impossible. She receive many awards and honors while attending the Academy and gradutated with honors. The book is not only entertaining but very informative. This is probably the best revelation of what our Navy and Marine Officers go through just to earn the right to become the leaders of the World's finest Sailors and Marines. I wish I could have read "Fields Of Fire" before I served as a Field Radio Operator with 1/3 in the Northern I Corps in '69. Oh yes, Mike is now director of the prosthetics department at a VA hospital.

This book, with whom I share a long and one-sided love-affair, is a perfect gem. I have read it during my life again and again, and I never have escaped without laughing--hard--out loud at all the Thurber family goings-on. Thurber has the rare gift of constructing a symphony of a story with the sparest but most meaningful instruments. His other books, The Thurber Carnival and the Thurber Album are also worth reading.

I first read this book 31 years ago! I still remember classic lines from the book that I quote to my own children. I believe this is one of Thurber's best works.

His style of writing spans all ages of readers. His humor is delightful yet very realistic. I recomment this book to all readers who would enjoy a humorous approach to "life's happenings"!

Other reviewers have said it before, but I feel the need to back them up even more: This book is a work of pure genius and originality.

I was lucky enough to discover James Thurber while in the 8th grade, after flipping ahead in my English book and reading "The Car We Had To Push." A year later, I stumbled across copies of this book and "The Thurber Carnival" (an anthology of all his books) at a Harper Collins discount book sale. I consider this book to be the greatest deal of my life, since I purchased it for fifty cents and now feel that I would have done the same if it had been fifty dollars instead.

My Life and Hard Times is only a quarter of an inch thick, disguising the awesome amount of humor it contains. When I packed for college, this was the first book to accompany me on my journey, and I still reread it once or twice a month. The stories can be enjoyed on their own, but when combined into a biography such as this, the realization that Thurber can take the most ordinary-seeming events in life and turn them into a riot of laughter. It almost makes *me* wish for a family as interesting as he makes his own out to be. The stories provide a good dose of nostalgia for those who remember life in the early twentieth century, but for the rest of us, it's a treat to hear the stories through the eyes of someone who lived through it.

I'll stop gushing about how much I absolutely adore this title and leave you with the best advice I can give: BUY THIS BOOK, and treasure it.

This is a wonderful play to introduce students to music, theater, Sondheim, and fairy tales. In my class we read many of the original Grimm Fairy Tales (Dover Ed.) and the Perrault Fairy Tales (Dover) discussing the tales, but also color symbolism, different forms of magic, totems, threshold creatures, etc. Pretty heady stuff for sixth graders, but they LOVE it! Finally we read this wonderful interconnection of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Baker and His Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, and more while they are on a quest tale to get things to undo spells. Everyone takes parts and it is AWESOME!! The book is certainly not just for kids, there are very dark themes underlying all of the "fun". These can be discussed and its great to see kids find more to a story than its literal meaning. The VHS tape is then shown, which can be ordered here. This is a taping of the Broadway stage production and is mesmerising. Students think it's awesome. (I do suggest previewing, though. The wolf certainly is "untamed nature" and his coat stops just above what probably should be hidden in a mixed group of sixth graders. :) We just fast forward those three minutes.) This is a great unit. If you would like more info, please contact me via e-mail. This is wonderful stuff, though certainly not Disney!!

Into the Woods...How can you forget the name and all of its characters if you've seen it before, and if you have not, then it includes such timeless fairy tale names as: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), Little Red Riding Hood, and many others. James Lapine's brilliant script and Stephen Sondheim's astounding score are all in this book! Don't miss out on reading this fantastic book with your kids or for pleasure! This book is great for pleasure reading or if you are looking for an amazing musical to put on. Once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down! And if you liked the book...you won't hesitate to buy the video of the original Broadway cast and the CD or cassette! Having all 3 mentioned items and watching, listening, and reading over and over still isn't enough! You will love it too.

This book is great to have before seeing the show or listening to the soundtrack... you'll completely understand what's happening in the story. I should also say, just in general.... Into the Woods is back on Broadway now, and I just saw it yesterday on its opening day with front row seats in the orchestra. I was worried the new production might not surpass the original, and that I would be disappointed since I love love Bernadette Peters and all... but it really blew my mind! The set and costumes were so much more appropriate, more fairytale-esque. There were lyric and staging changes, a little more dancing around, and Milky-White was alive this time which made her like another character. The musical has a lot of catchy tunes but also a good storyline, and though there is a lot of symbolism that if seen literally might not be appropriate for kids, they usually are too young to notice or understand it at all. So anyone can see it, and everyone finds it funny, everyone likes it. And the current production is better than you could have dreamed.

Like the Beatles at the same time, the popularity of the James Bond films of the Sixties simply steamrollered criticism. The quality of the individual flicks ranged from near-schlock to iconic, but the Bond style always set them apart. This coffee-table book digs deep into the history of the series, from Ian Fleming's books down to the most recent Pierce Brosnan vehicle. And the authors gathered comments from practically everybody, from the stars to the producers right down to the guy who wrote the famous James Bond guitar riff. An enjoyable look into the past, through the barrel of the Walther PPK.

There have been a lot of books written about the James Bond films and phenomenon; I should know because I've read them all! That's why I feel uniquely qualified and very confident in saying that this latest book (written by the two gentlemen who produced the special edition James Bond DVDs) is without a doubt THE best book yet written about the James Bond films! If you're baffled as to which book to add to you movie library, look no further because here you will find information and photos that you will not find anywhere else.

What makes this book so good? Well, first off, it's HUGE in size! A great coffee table book to be sure. The graphic layout is extremely well done and all the films are given equal time (not the case with some of the other books which tend to fixate on the Connery era). Also, for the first time in any official publication, we have coverage of the two "unofficial" James Bond films: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and CASINO ROYALE. Up until now these two "rogue" films have been missing from all official publications for legal reasons. JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is the first book to be published after MGM took ownership of these films, so now we are able to learn the fascinating stories of how they came to be made and, most interestingly, how they impacted and influenced the official series. Great stuff!

But what I like most about JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is how the authors look at each film within the historical context of when it was made. They focus not only on what was going on with the Bond producers at the time, but also what was going on in the world; what socio-political and even cinematic trends the Bond films were keying into. This really brings a new understanding to each film and helps explain why James Bond has endured while other "pop culture spies" (Matt Helm, Derek Flint, xXx :)) failed to connect beyond their time and have long since disappeared. Most people think James Bond films are "all the same", but you will discover here that they are not. In this book I learned how throughout its amazing 20-year history the Bond filmmakers made subtle--and sometimes very bold--changes in the tone of the series and to the character of James Bond himself. This is much more than a simple look at the production and plot of each film, this is a major work on one of the most famous fictional characters of the 20th century. Oh, and the book also gives a detailed look at the new Bond movie, DIE ANOTHER DAY, with some pictures that lead me to believe this could be the best Bond movie of them all! This alone makes it stand above the rest as definitive.

JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is a must buy for all James Bond fans and anyone interested in 20th century popular culture. Again, if you buy just one book about James Bond, make it this one.

There have been a lot of books written about the James Bond films and phenomenon; I should know because I've read them all! That's why I feel uniquely qualified and very confident in saying that this latest book (written by the two gentlemen who produced the special edition James Bond DVDs) is without a doubt THE best book yet written about the James Bond films! If you're baffled as to which book to add to you movie library, look no further because here you will find information and photos that you will not find anywhere else.

What makes this book so good? Well, first off, it's HUGE in size! A great coffee table book to be sure. The graphic layout is extremely well done and all the films are given equal time (not the case with some of the other books which tend to fixate on the Connery era). Also, for the first time in any official publication, we have coverage of the two "unofficial" James Bond films: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN and CASINO ROYALE. Up until now these two "rogue" films have been missing from all official publications for legal reasons. JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is the first book to be published after MGM took ownership of these films, so now we are able to hear the fascinating stories of how they came to be made and, most interestingly, how they impacted and influenced the official series. Great stuff!

But what I like most about JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is how the authors look at each film within the historical context of when it was made. They focus not only on what was going on with the Bond producers at the time, but also what was going on in the world; what socio-political and even cinematic trends the Bond films were keying into. This really brings a new understanding to each film and helps explain why James Bond has endured while other "pop culture spies" (Matt Helm, Derek Flint, xXx :)) failed to connect beyond their time and have long since disappeared. Most people think James Bond films are "all the same", but you will discover here that they are not. In this book I learned how throughout its amazing 20-year history the Bond filmmakers made subtle--and sometimes very bold--changes in the tone of the series and to the character of James Bond himself. This is much more than a simple look at the production and plot of each film, this is a major work on one of the most famous fictional characters of the 20th century. Oh, and the book also gives a detailed look at the new Bond movie, DIE ANOTHER DAY, with some pictures that lead me to believe this could be the best Bond movie of them all! This alone makes it stand above the rest as definitive.

JAMES BOND THE LEGACY is a must buy for all James Bond fans and anyone interested in 20th century popular culture. Again, if you buy just one book about James Bond, make it this one.

Frank Frazetta is by far the greatest fantasy illustrator of the last 50 years. His paintings are fit for the walls of any fine art museum. Icon is a wonderful book containing many of Franks finest and most famous works along with some never before seen art work from the master. This book is a must have for any fan of fantasy art. It contains interviews and information on many of Frazettas paintings with a wonderful insight to Franks life and legendary carear. Well printed and bound Icon will make a great addition to your coffee table. BUY THIS BOOK!

any lover of great fantasy art will be thrilled by this collection of paintings by the grand master, Frank Frazetta. Simply a genius with a brush or pencil, this book includes all his great works, wonderfully reproduced!!!

I am a collector of SiFi-Fantasy art. I will state categorically, Frank Frazetta is the finest Fantasy/SiFi illustrator that has ever lived, bar none! Unlike modern artists, who work with air brush, Frazetta's best work is done in oils. The quality of his oil paintings are on a par with the great masters and deserve to be hung next to the likes Rembrandt van Rijn. His compositions are always emotionally stimulating, intriguing, and beautiful. Frazetta has the unique talent to tell a fantastic story with a paint brush. This wonderful book has reproduced some of Frazetta's finest work with meticulous care. The color plates are crisp and vibrant. They will captivate your imagination with their incredible beauty. This is one of those Frazetta collections that will soar in value once it is out of print. Take my advice. Buy it now!

In this classic work, John Bunyan paints a detailed picture of the Christian life/walk, giving true-to-life insights and experiences. The despair, sorrows, trials and temptations that a believer may face are depicted in an allegorical manner, as well as the hope, joy, and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The main character Christian (once named Graceless) sets out on a lifelong journey from the City of Destruction, where his family disowned him, and encounters many persons and difficulties along the way to the Celestial City (heaven). The characters he meets are given names that reflect their mindset or what temptation they bring. At times he stumbles and at times he perseveres, but all by the grace of God. The second portion of the book tells of the conversion and subsequent sojourn of the wife (Christiana) and children of Christian. The discussions of Christian in the first part and Christiana and her companions in the second part are very interesting, as they defend their faith and explain their purpose to those they meet along the way. The book is quite different from your ordinary novel, and has many interesting words of wisdom for the Christian life. Readers should be aware that some of the language is antiquated and has unfamiliar usages, so its a little bit of an adjustment to read.

A letter to Marvin Minsky about this book:

I urge you tolook at a remarkable book by the English Puritain John Bunyan(1628-1688), "The Pilgrim's Progress", which is one of the great evangelical Christian classics, though clearly that is not why it interests me and should interest you (although I AM interested in the puzzle that is the religious sense, which even the irreligious feel, and this book can give remarkable insight into that as well).

Rather its fascination lies in the pilgrimage it depicts, or in the fact that human traits, vices, virtues, &c are PERSONIFIED as particular individuals who are their living and speaking epitome, and who are encountered along the way in revealing situations.

Bunyan's hero is appropriately named Christian. Someone once wrote that "Christian's journey is timeless as he travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, meeting such characters as Pliable, Talkative, Giant Despair, Evangelist, Worldly-Wiseman, Faithful, Ignorance and Hopeful."

At first this personification is merely amusing, even a bit annoying (as caricatures or truly stereotypical people can be); but after a while I found myself enthralled because I realized that the effect of this odd literary device was to give unmatched insight into the nature of such traits. The force of the whole thing comes from the fact that one journeys about in - literally INSIDE of - what is both a comprehensive and finite moral and psychological landscape (a "psycho-topography"), very much as though one were INSIDE the human mind and your "Society of the Mind" was embodied in the set of actors. This is more or less the opposite or an inversion of the 'real world' of real people, who merely SHARE those attributes or of whom the attributes are merely PIECES; in "Pilgrim's Progress", by contrast, the attributes are confined in their occurrence to the actors who are their entire, unique, pure, and active embodiment, and humanness, to be recognized at all, has to be rederived or mentally reconstructed from the essential types.

The effect, for me, was something like experiencing a multidimensional scaling map that depicts the space of the set of human personality types, by being injected directly - mentally and bodily - into it by means of virtual reality technology.

So Bunyan's book has something of the interest to a psychologist, neuroscientist, or philosopher that Edwin Abbot's "Flatland" has to a mathematician.

I don't mean to overpraise "Pilgrim's Progress", of course; it was written for theological rather than scientific purposes, and has conspicuous limitations for that reason. But its interest to a student of the mind who looks at it at from the right point of view can be profound.

- Patrick Gunkel

Pilgrim's Progress is without a doubt one of the true classics of time--an allegory that has remained a best seller years after its introduction.

My first introduction to Pilgrim's Progress was as a child in parochial school. I had to do a book report on it in 5th grade and ended up reading numerous times for various projects throughout grade school.

The reader follows the main character--aptly named "Christian"--on his journey to the Celestial City.

Along the way, Christian passes through the many trials of life, symbolized by intruiging characters and places along the way. An early temptation is the "City of Destruction", which Christian narrowly escapes with his life. The various characters are perhaps the most fascinating portion of the book--Pliable, Giant Despair, Talkative, Faithful, Evangelist, and numerous others provide the reader with a continual picture of the various forces at work to distract (or perhaps, encourage)Christian on his ultimate mission.

Of course, the theology (for those of the Christian faith) of Pilgrim's Progress is a constant source of debate, the book is nonetheless a classic of great English writing.

It's not a quick read--that's for sure--however, I certainly would recommend that one read it in its original form. Don't distort the beauty of the old English language with a modern translation.

Simon Wiesenthal's book, The Sunflower, is a true life story of a Jew called to the bedside of a dying Nazi to hear the Nazi's life story. The Nazi then asks the Jew, Wiesenthal, to forgive him. Wiesenthal leaves in silence, but poses to you the same question: In his position, would you have forgiven the Nazi? A very thought-provoking book, The Sunflower makes the reader ponder for hours over the meaning of right and wrong, as well as giving a vivid picture of a Jew's life during the Holocaust. An excellent read.

The Sunflower tells the story of a dying Nazi soldier who seeks out Simon Wiesenthal for forgiveness for his crimes against the Jews so he can die in peace. The story is based on fact from Wiesenthals life. Many famous people wrote essays, which are printed in the back of the book, arguing wether to forgive him or not. But the true value of the book lies in the question what you would do if you were in the same situation.

This is some powerful material. Wiesenthal presents the story of a Nazi begging for forgiveness on his deathbed. Should he as a Jew grant this forgiveness? He deals with all the emotional and spiritual ambivalence he feels over this situation. What would you do? is the ultimate question he asks. Don't read this late at night if you want to get some sleep. I found myself tormented by the issue of forgiveness after reading this tale. I can not answer what I would do because I have never been in any situation as horrible as that. But this is a book that should be read by would be philosophers and moralizers as it features Wiesenthal's heart rending tale and follows it with essays by numerous writers of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. They all must wrestle with this issue. This is a book that should be required reading in universities if not high schools. It might actually provoke students to think. And surely that would be a good thing.

Having read George and Martha as a child, I was happy to receive the complete version of Marshall's stories for Christmas this year. The stories are clearly for children, but are humorous for adult readers as well. The pea soup story is a classic. The illustrations are wonderful.

I did something I've never done before - bought a book based only on Amazon reviews and by the frequency that this book appeared on peoples' lists of favorite books. And I was not disappointed - this is a great book.

My 6 year old is a fast reader, but had viewed reading only as a task to get through - not to enjoy and savor. This book changed all that. At first I was disappointed to see that the stories in the chapters were so short, but I have come to see that the brevity is part of the attraction for new readers - they get to turn pages a lot! The lessons about friendship are wonderful, and very, very funny. You could buy the paperback books with these different stories, but my child LOVES having this huge hardcover collection of stories to read through - it's wonderful! We have only had it for a few months, but it gets read every night, and the use on the jacket cover already shows how much this book is treasured and loved. Mom & Dad love to listen to these stories, too.

I just recently came across the George and Martha stories, and I couldn't be happier that they're now released in a complete collection! Every child should be exposed to the witty, funny writing of James Marshall...he's a genius! His talent for capturing each character from simple drawings is uncanny, and the short stories make it easy for children to hear MORE! I haven't read these stories to a child yet who didn't love them. Don't let your children miss out on George and Martha - CLASSIC!

This beautiful coffee-table companion is a must for anyone who has seen, and appreciates, Spielberg's superb film. The book chronicles the making of the movie from boot camp, to the construction of Ramelle, to the actual shoot. The behind the scenes photos and interviews with various actors and crew members only serve to enrich what is a truly amazing film-going experience.

Saving Private Ryan and The Triumph and the Glory have sparked an interest in me about WWII. The novel isn't quite as good as the movie but anyway this book is a great behind the scenes look at the making of a terrific movie.

I saw the movie & was blown away by it. I wouldn't recommend this book to people who haven't seen the movie or read SPR: THE NOVEL. This book isn't good for people who can't stand seeing gory pictures. Seeing them really brings back memories from the film. The horrors of war can be found in this book, the film, & novel. It also has some of the actor's feelings about the film & what they went through with the making of Saving Private Ryan. GET IT!