I admit, I didn't pick up this book until after I had seen the fabulous movie about Homer Hickam's life. The film struck me in a way that left me in awe of this man's childhood, and the book astounded me! I had never been a fan of biographies until I was compelled to buy the book, and I didn't put it down once the whole time I was reading it. I was captivated by the life and motivation one boy had, and how he grew into a man who could face his challenges and follow his dreams.

This inspirational story is about a young man, Homer Hickam, or Sonny, as he is called by his parents and closest friends, who grew up in a small coal mining town in West Virginia. When he first heard about Sputnik, the Russian satellite, he was motivated to create his own model rockets along with his 4 best friends; Sherman, O'Dell, Roy Lee, and Quentin, forming their own Rocket Boys society, setting off their model rockets under the eyes of the towns people, and the strict figure of his father, a hardy coal foreman in the mine. He is pressure from both sides on his future career until he goes to Indianapolis (my home city) to the national science fair, and...I won't spoil it for those that don't know, and finally going on to become an employee with NASA, his dream acheived.

This book opened me up to a new world I had never seen. A person who acheived his final goals, with little help from the adults most kids rely on. This really is an inspiration, and I suggest you read it, to see what an amzing story I'm talking about!

Homer Hickam (Jr.) has written a book that is bound to be considered a literary classic. It is much, much more than a memoir. I heard Homer speak at the Southern Kentucky Book Fair and he said all his "memoirs" were Novel-Memoirs, memoirs written in the form of novels. He said, however, that he was able to recall small events pretty exactly by his father's mine diary, a daily recitation of what happened in the mine, the weather, and occasional references to what was going on at home. And yes, the meeting with John Kennedy really did happen. It is even recorded in the new biography of JFK titled "Jack." Although Homer said he does not take responsibility for the moon program. Vastly superior to the still-wonderful movie, Rocket Boys/October Sky gets my vote for the best memoir ever and not far behind in one of the best novels ever written, too. By the way, I teach it in my high school English class. My kids love it. Their parents do, too. Next year, I'm going to also teach The Coalwood Way and Sky of Stone as well. Homer said also that no real person in any of his memoirs has ever come to him and said "That's not the way it happened." He pretty much got it right but, of course, used the techniques of fiction to make his true story even truer to the events he covers. Keep writing, Homer, and we'll keep reading.

Like another reviewer, I picked-up this book after seeing the coming attractions for the new film OCTOBER SKY. I hope the movie does justice to this coming-of-age story set in the Sputnik era.

Aside from the suit for Indianapolis, no reader is likely to forget the one for the high school football championship game...the free taxi ride to the Trailways bus station...rocket candy & zincoshine...the exploded fence...the smoke bomb in the house that brought the fire department...the Jewish couple who helped Sonny when they couldn't help their own child...the growing crowds of spectators at the missle range who eventually flinch at the shock waves from the increasingly sophistocated rockets...the squirrel in the Chrismas tree...John Kennedy's suntan & formulating thoughts on space exploration...Hubert Humphrey's loquaciousness...the false accusations about the forest fire & the teacher who set things straight...the fight in the creek...Sonny's haven from frostbite...the high school dances & fogged-up car windows...the shot through the window...the impressed officer who asked even a polio-stricken boy to consider a career in the Air Force...the journey from a nozzel crimped with pliers to one calculated with differential equations.

When I finished the book I found myself wanting to go to the next High School National Science fair. Anyone know when and where it is?

Seabiscuit's "gallop was so disorganized that he had a maddening tendency to whack himself in the front ankle with his own hind hoof." And so the spell-binding story about a horse that runs with a duck waddle, a jockey (Red Pollard) who is blind in one eye, a trainer (Tom Smith) who is practically mute, and an owner (Charles Howard) who brought cars to the West is born. This unlikely group of misfits joins together through chance -- and because all three men immediately see the untapped potential in a mistreated, high-spirited, and lazy horse named Seabiscuit. This trio devotes their love, skills, and energy into turning Seabiscuit into one of the most phenomenal horse racing legends.

Tom Smith, perhaps the original "horsewhisperer", spends hours learning and understanding his horse. When Seabiscuit is first put into his care for training, the horse is nervous, paces incessantly, weighs too little, and suffers from a sore body. Tom spends time caring for Seabiscuit, showering him with affection and carrots, even sleeping in Seabiscuit's stall at night. A daily routine is introduced plus animal companionship. Before long, Seabiscuit has his own entourage: a cow pony named Pumpkin, the little stray dog Pocatell, and Jojo the spider monkey. Under Tom's care, the high-spirited Seabiscuit learns to trust, becomes calm, and, most importantly, starts winning horse races.

The triumph of Seabiscuit is ultimately the story of what any person (or animal) may accomplish when their talents are recognized, supported, and expanded. Seabiscuit, given his inauspicious start in life, could just as easily have faded away into non-existence running third tier races. However, the love and care he receives from his owner, jockey, and trainer have you cheering until the end of the book for Seabiscuit to keep running (and winning) with his heart. Not only does Seabiscuit capture the hearts of the misfit trio, he will capture yours.

This fascinating work of non-fiction is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Unlike a lot of historical non-fiction, this intriguing story did not read like a textbook - it read like fiction and not once did I find myself skimming the details ... too interesting to skim through!

When I first heard about this story, I wasn't sure about it - after all, I really know (or should I say "knew") very little about horse racing. Despite my misgivings, I soon realized that a major purpose of this book was not only to teach the reader about this sport via Seabiscuit's career but also to memorialize the amazing individuals (Charles Howard, Tom Smith, Red Pollard, George Woolf, etc.) who defied all odds to make such a successful racing career possible.

I especially liked the chapters dealing with the difficulties of life as a jockey - the way the jockeys punished their bodies to the extreme for the honor of participating in a harrowingly dangerous sport was truly unbelievable...and I thought ballerinas were harsh on their bodies when it came to weight loss! Red was my favorite character and I can't help wondering if the author felt a particular kinship with the jockey as a result of her own struggles with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - after all, she did have to push her own body beyond her normal physical limits to complete her research and write this amazing book!

Ms. Hillenbrand successfully incorporated the story of Seabiscuit's racing career into the historical context of the era. Seabiscuit was a much needed diversion for Americans who were suffering the depths of the Great Depression. ...And perhaps, through Laura Hillenbrand, Team Seabiscuit is still providing us all with an inspirational diversion from today's distressing headlines!

Oh - and don't skip the interview with Laura Hillenbrand at the end of the book. It was very interesting to see how Ms. Hillenbrand's own background influenced her writing and how her research helped her to resurrect this intriguing epoch in American history.

I'm excited about the movie although I hope Universal Studios does this wonderful literary work justice!

The story of Seabiscuit captivated me so much that I have read the book 2 times already. Laura Hillenbrand does a tremendous job of bringing you right back into the moment, the intersection of 4 characters - owner, trainer, jockey, and of course, Seabiscuit. I found myself lost in the period of the late 1930's when horseracing was a hugely popular sport. I also found myself rooting like crazy for Seabiscuit as the great horseraces he was involved in are retold with amazing suspense. In particular the races in which George Woolf jockeyed Seabiscuit - the 1938 Santa Anita Handicap, and the race of the century, Seabiscuit's 1938 match race against heavily favored War Admiral - were completely spellbinding. Also extremely interesting is the story of trainer Tom Smith, whose quirky tricks and incredible intuition with Seabiscuit brought the horse into his own. Something about this unlikely story attracts me. It is as if the stars aligned and the sun shone on Seabiscuit for a period of 3 years in America's eyes. I was also left with the feeling that this had to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest thoroughbreds the world has ever known. A highly recommended book even to someone who has no particular attraction to horseracing.

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, is a well written Fantasy children's book. It has unreal creatures such as ogres and fairies, and deals with magic and curses. Ella Enchanted starts out with Ella, a 15 year old girl with a curse, a curse of obediance. No matter what someone tells her, she must do it, or her head will ache and other symptoms show until she finally does it. She helps out her fairy godmother, Mandy in the kitchen most of the time. After her mother's death however, her busy father sends her off to finishing school, and under horrible circumstances. She must travel with two girls, who both boss her around and take all of her food. Once she gets there, she appears to be a monstrocity of a lady. She must go through a lot of finishing and a quest to try to break her irking curse in this Newberry Honor book. This book was pretty good. It was likeable, and although the ending was pretty good, it wasn't good enough to score a five for me. This book would be good for boys and girls in third to seventh grade

This is really quite an enchanting book. I really liked how seriously the author took the story of Cinderella and then delved deeper and added a twist to create a delightful turn on the classic tale.

The "twist" is that Ella is "cursed" with the spell of always having to obey direct commands. It's quite delightful to see the clever ways she gets around this curse, and sometimes when she cannot get around it the results are hilarious.

The book gets a little cumbersome about halfway through, voyaging through a forest of fantasy creatures and removing its attention just a little bit from the character development of Ella. While it helps advance the story, I found myself losing interest at that part, and my 10-year-old son (who broke down and read this "girl's" book at my insistance) decided not to finish the book when he got to the same spot. But I trudged through and then found myself enjoying the book at the end. It's not that long.

I'd recommend this book for girls in 4th grade and up, and it's not below the interest level of an imaginative adult. If you liked the movie "Ever After" then you'll probably like this book.

Ella Enchanted is the best book I have ever read in my whole life!!! It's about a girl, Ella, who was put under a curse at birth by that fool of a fairy Lucinda. Her curse is that she has to obey any command given to her, which means she is always in danger. Then her mother dies and she is left to be cared for by her greedy father. Who promptly sends her to finishing school where she makes a friend. Then she escapes, tames orges, goes to giants weddings, all the while charming Prince Charmont aka. Char. Later her father marries and she gets two evil but dull stepsisters which she is practically enslaved by. Throughout the whole book Ella prevails in whatever sort of scrape she gets herself into charming and enchanting the reader with her courage, humor, and all around fun loving personality. I loved this book!! I've read it at least 5 times!! And if you haven't read it or own it, you need to go out his very minute and get it!!!

Harry Potter thought he had a fairly normal life (aside from living with his aunt and uncle who hated him), but he was very wrong. On his 11th birthday he learned that he was a wizard and had been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly, Harry is plunged into an entirely new world of magic. At Hogwarts Harry has friends for the first time in his life. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are his best friends at the school and they are the ones who help Harry through all of his troubles. From the very beginning though, Harry is slightly aware of something strange going on at Hogwarts. Harry pieces together the mystery slowly throughout the school year in while he isn't busy working on schoolwork or Quidditch (a magical game played on broomsticks).
My favorite part about this book was the world that J.K. Rowling created. While it would have been easy for her to just set the story in a school where the kids learn magic, she didn't. Things like Diagon Alley, which is where all of the students go to get school supplies, allow her to add so much more to the magic world just through descriptions of things Harry sees. Quidditch also makes the world seem much more real.
I originally read this book because I needed a young adult book for class, but I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would. I can't remember the last time I actually read much outside of school, but after reading this book I read the other three and am now anxiously awaiting the fifth book. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. It's obvious that it was aimed at younger readers, but I found I enjoyed it as much at 17 as my sister did at 11.

What a delightful tale! Immediately after finishing it, I sent it to my 19 and 20 year old knowing that neither would be able to resist. I was right. The 20-year old couldn't put it down. The story is fast-moving, grips the reader from the first chapter, and transforms the reader to the bizarre world of magic. It's wonderful for the avid reader as well as the not-so-advanced reader because the words contained therein are words for which we aren't instructed of the "correct pronunciation" so however one reads it, is exactly correct. I was reminded of "The Phantom Tollbooth," another well-loved story that we've read to and enjoyed with the boys when they were young. Harry Potter is irresistable. It's as though we've all known there existed a parallel world and the author has managed to take us there where we are instantly delightfully swept away in the adventures of these totally lovable characters. This is my definition of a masterpiece! Reading this book to your favorite kid will undoubtedly bring you the finest quality time you can create. Reading this book to yourself will touch the most playful parts of your imagination.

I'm not much into kids' books but when my mom brought home Harry Potter, I remembered it from the NY Times bestseller list. In bed one night I flipped open to the third chapter and after five minutes, reverted back to chapter one. After 11 years of torture living with his foster family (Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley), Harry is shocked to learn that he is actually a world famous wizard! When he was only an infant, a powerful, evil sorcerer killed his parents but was unable to destroy him. All that's left of the encounter is a lightening shaped scar on his forhead. The incident having driven the sorcerer into exile, Harry is a celebrity everwher he goes, from diagon alley(for school supplies) to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At Hogwarts, Harry befriends other schoolmates as they learn the arts of magic. While trying to keep his grades in check, Harry learns of a plot to undermine the scools headmaster. Harry risks his reputation and life as he does his best to get to the bottom of the situation. A captivating read, The Sorcerer's Stone contains the imagination of Roald Dahl, the magic of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the humor and suspense J.K. Rawling throws in to even it out.

Having only the cursory knowledge of Iwo Jima from the immortalized "photograph" and monument near Arlington National Cemetary, reading "Flags of Our Fathers" was an eye-opening experience. Born in the late 60's, I grew up in with war and its after-effects having little impact on my own personal life (somehow my immediate family escaped any time in the military). In this deeply personal account of the events surrounding Iwo Jima, James Bradley gives the reader a detailed account of the famous battle that no high school history class lesson could do justice to. From the "underground city" of Iwo to the facts surrounding the quite accidental photographic capture of the incidental second flagraising, the book is both educational and fairly quick read.

I was a little put-off early in the early stages of the book. In leading up to the actual battle, Bradley seemed to have already elevated the six flagraisers to godlike status. But having finished "Flags," one can easily forgive the author for the high reverence he holds for these individuals now knowing how each of their stories ended. Having recently visited Washington, I stopped at the US Marine Corps Memorial near the end of my trip. I did not know the names or stories of the men behind the impressive statues. Reading "Flags" made me initially regret what, at the time, had been a fairly unemotional visit to yet another DC monument. While that changed as I read "Flags" (I pulled out the photos I had taken several times while reading), I ultimately believe that the surviving flag raisers (particularly the author's father, John Bradley) would be quite happy that I did not associate them with the celluloid or bronze images that dogged them for the remainder of their lives.

It is heartening to see the success of this book. While not a scholarly historical work, Bradley has done a great service in recording these men's stories and the brave efforts of all who have ever fought for their country.

As this is my first review in Amazon.com, I'd like to greet to all fellow reviewers. I think that's a great place for us to help each other as reviews is a invaluable resource to help us choose a suitable book. I haven't read the reviews below but I'm sure there're lots of 5-star reviews and i assure you that it's well deserved.

A bit history : on December 7, 1941, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto gave the fateful coded message climb Mt. Niitaka which signalled the attack by Japanese carrier-based aircraft upon the U. S. Pacific Fleet, peacefully anchored at Pearl Harbor. On February 23, 1945, U. S. marines climbed another mountain - Mt. Suribachi on the volcanic island of Iwo Jima and planted an American flag (the pic on the front cover).

The author is the son of John Bradley, a navy corpsman who who has received the Navy Cross. The book is about the life stories of the six men that raised the flag on Iwo Jima, before and after Iwo Jima, as well as the story of the ferocious battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945 - savagery, courage and sacrifice. The author's voice is moving, poignant and provoking.

I wonder if anyone has questioned why they were there and for what they were fighting. They only treated them as heros in their minds. But now, thanks to James Bradley as he described the war in details. Well actually he wanted to know why his father kept so many secrets and in trying to find out, he discovered who these men were and why they were such a big part of his father's life during that deeply and unforgettably shocking time in history. It shows the love between father and son, doesn't it?

This book is a must in your shelves. I'm gonna let my father read it too and I'm sure he'll enjoy it.

I was only 5 when the attack on Iwo Jima took place. My own father, by virtue of age, good luck and a naval officer's commission escaped conscription into this particular hell. My personal wartime experience is a vague one of watching free movie musicals at the Ottumwa Iowa Naval Air Station, squashing and saving tin cans for the war effort and finally weaving red white and blue crepe paper into the spokes of my junior bike in celebration of VJ day. Thanks to a new book about World War II, I am discovering what it was really like back then to feel true patriotism. It is a bittersweet revelation, but a very valid one.

"Flags of Our Fathers" is a book which appeals not only to the die-hard WWII buff but to any person, male or female, with an interest in a teeth clenching, powerful and poignant story. It describes a horrible battle, the incredible selfless sacrifices of young men and the angst of their families.

James Bradley & Ron Powers have brought to vivid life the real people behind the famous flag-raising mythos, the surreal war in which they so valiantly fought and the survivors' eventual reentry into civilian life. This is an adventure story of true horrific experiences. On the surface it is a "good guy-bad guy" saga in which our good guys finally triumph. The good guys lucky enough to come home are quiet, self effacing and seemingly forever linked to the ghosts of those who did not survive. In an age before psychologists had discovered and mined "survivor's guilt" and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the luckiest of these largely teenaged boys trained, fought, were wounded, came back and resumed living to the best of their ability. I defy any woman not to bleed for the mothers and fathers who waited and any man not to cry for the "uncommon valor" of these very young sons. Bradley's personal experiences with his own hero father, his intimate interviews with families of these sons and his own quiet faith are melded with the poetic prose of Ron Powers into a seamless whole.

This is a meticulously researched, lovingly crafted and stunning battle book, written by exceptional men about exceptional men. It is sure to become a classic.

I bought this book 2 evenings ago in an English bookstore in Paris (whilst looking for Johanna Lindsey books)and finished it last night, in between having to go to work and a few hours sleep. This is my first Jude Devereux book and I really enjoyed it. I have been on the look out for time travel/regression romance novels ever since reading Barbara Erskine's Lady of Hay as a teenagaer. I enjoyed Knight in Shining Armour but it's not the best I have read in this genre. Both lead characters are likeable. Nicholas is absolutely gorgeous but Dougless is weak (or stupid?) Do real women actually let men walk all over them like Dougless allows her past lovers to? The author's references to Elizabethan details are interesting to discover and Nicholas' discovery of the modern world is amusing. The friendship and relationship which evolves between the 2 lead characters keeps you involved in the book and you can truly believe that there is a great love between them. My only complaint is that there could have been a stronger love, a love throughout an eternity but this is not achieved because Dougless remains the same person in physical body, mind and sole whilst Nicholas changes.

I was looking for a new romance book to read when my hand fell on this book. After reading the back cover, I thought to myself this one should be interesting. I'd never read a time travel book before. This book passes interesting and goes to amazing.

It begins in modern times with the female lead traveling to England with her boyfriend and his spoiled daughter. After being abandoned by those two, she has hit rock bottom. She cries for help at the foot of a statue. I thought the first few pages were difficult to get through. Then, the hero, Nicholas, appears and I was glued. He was pompous, arragant, and gorgeous. He also needed help. There's the catch...Douglass ends up helping him. While she's helping him in the 20th century, he's teaching her that she's stronger than she thinks. The way Ms. Deveraux writes makes the story easy to follow. I could literally "SEE" the characters, the places and the clothing. I really understood the female lead, Douglass Montgomery. I felt her dissapointments and cheered at her successes. I also cried when she felt the utter dispair at not being with her love or feeling depressed at who she is. I've never cried while reading a book, but this one is very believable. Then Douglass travels back to Nicholas' time. This was my favorite part of the whole story. We also get to see what life was like in Elizabethean times from the class distinctions to how families deal with one another. Douglass must warn Nicholas of dangers that will happen to him and his brother before she's returned to her time. They get to fall in love all over again.

By the end of the story, Douglass grows and becomes the woman she's always dreamed of being. It ended on a positive note which left me wanting more. When my eyes finally gave out and I had to rest them, I looked at the clock...it was almost dawn. This book got me hooked into Ms. Deveraux's other romances and I'm proud to be a fan. Every book of hers that comes out, I immediately buy and devour and have NEVER been dissapoointed.

I have read almost all of Jude Deveraux's books and I can honestly say this is my absolute favorite. (Sweet Liar is a close second) You cant help but fall into the storyline that catches your attention from page one.

The lovely Dougless Montgomery, on vacation with her annoyingly inconsiderate boyfriend and his brat of a daughter, ends up stranded at a church in the middle of nowhere, England.

She falls upon a tomb in the church, wracked with tears. Praying for her Knight in Shining Armor. And thus, her wish is granted in the form of Nicholas Stafford, an English Earl who died in 1564. And that is only the beginning of this wonderfully romantic tale. It is funny, heartwarming, passionate, and all around fabulous. I highly recommend this book.

Reading the reviews of this book, I expected a thrilling, well-told adventure. It exceeded my expectations and, like many other reviewers, I found that after a certain point in the book I simply couldn't put the book down. It would have been like leaving those brave men alone in the freezing ice and water. The events described in this book are so well known, suffice to say this is the story of Earnest Shackleton's 1914 Arctic expedition, in which Shackleton and his men hoped to cross the continent on foot. They never even made landfall, and their ship was trapped, and then slowly crushed in the ice. Thus begins the incredible story.

One of the strengths of the book is the elegant, slowly building power of Alfred Lansing's prose. He hits the perfect pitch, not sensational and yet not a dry retelling of facts. His writing is very clean, cuts right to the quick, and is full of perfect details. The book is also full of journal entries from several of the men, and most of these are masterpieces of understatement and courage. I won't even begin to describe the elements and details of the hardships these men faced. I simply don't know how they kept going, kept trying, in the face of such awesome, soul-crushing circumstances.

This book, to say the least, is a testament to the survival instinct in men - the surprising deep need the human animal has to simply stay alive, no matter what. And, of course, the book is a testament to the men of the Endurance. The author puts it best in the book's dedication: "In appreciation for whatever it is that makes men accomplish the impossible."

The story of the ill-fated 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, bent on glory, but ultimately humbled to the barest thread of survival. The Endurance becomes locked in an ice pack in the Weddell Sea, and is eventually crushed and sunk. The ship goes screaming into the icy deep. The men scurry for safety onto the surrounding ice. And that's just the beginning. I'm frankly surprised ANYONE survived this horrendous ordeal; if this were a novel, I'd say it's far-fetched. But it happened, and all hands survived. Imagine an acute scarcity of food, months on end in darkness, an interminable landscape of featureless whiteness, no sanitary facilities, and all through this you're cold and wet, and it's windy, and the temperature's below zero. You eat your sled dogs. You're nauseated from undercooked food. Your face and hands are frostbitten. You shiver even in your sleep. And no one knows you're marooned. Your only escape is to travel by open boat through the gale-wracked Drake Passage-the most treacherous body of water on Earth. Imagine your fingers are frozen numb, and yet you must chip off ice from the sail, and raise the sail, and tie the lines fast. Otherwise you'll sink and die. These men did the impossible-and they lived to tell about it.

This is a story anyone evenly remotely interested in high adventure should make time to read. And you think you have troubles? You need to read this amazing story. It is full of incredible events and stars some of the most interesting and powerful characters. Ernest Shackleton has got to be rated one of the top five leaders in all history. His concern and dedication toward his crew astounds. Just when you think that things are getting better for the crew of Endurance.......wham, another major hurtle. You can barely put this book down. It is unreal how strong and durable these men were during the most adverse of conditions. The story is well written by the author and what a story it is. He makes you feel like you are the 29th crew member with his phrasing and with his descriptions of Antarctic exploration. "Endurance" is the perfect word for it's title. I hope you will not miss this epic adventure. These were men like no others I know of, during a time when they didn't have the modern adventurer's high tech systems of communication and rescue. Their bravery and their physical powers are off the scale. I can't recommend this book more highly to you. If you even half-like adventure, this one's for you. It pales our modern day adventurers. I think it is the Adventure of the Millenium, bar none. Read it.

I read the Phantom Tollbooth as a child and loved it. I loved the story of Milo, a kid who is bored and dislikes life who receives a gift completely out of the blue (what kid wouldn't like that). I liked the fact that the gift was a gateway to an adventure in another world. I liked the dog he meets who is gruff at first but becomes Milo's best friend. I also loved the strange characters Milo met on his adventures, and I was scared of the monsters he met near the end of the book.

As I grew older, I started to learn all of the puns and double meanings strewn throughout the book. I still loved the adventure story, but now I began realizing that the book was very funny as well.

During some move or other, I lost the book, but now I look forward to buying it when I have kids and rediscovering the world Norton Juster painted in the Phantom Tollbooth with them.

Phantom Tollbooth Written By Norton Juster Reviewed by Adam

Milo is a kid with no opinion about anything. He never likes what he is doing, but sees no point in doing anything else. As he says, "It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time. There's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." One day he receives a strange package containing one genuine tollbooth, one set of instructions, and one road map. Expecting this to be just a dumb activity, Milo puts the tollbooth together and drives through it in a small electric car. He travels through a strange land to a city called Dictionopolis, on the way picking up the Watch dog Tock, who has a watch for a body. Once in Dictionopolis, Milo, Tock, and their newfound friend the watchdog and the Humbug are caught up in a quest to save the princesses Rhyme and Reason and restore order to the world. On the way he meets strange people like the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be") and Alec Bings who sees the other side of things and is born in the air and grows down to the ground. Milo and his newfound friends Tock the watchdog and the Humbug are caught up in a quest to save the princesses Rhyme and Reason and restore order to the world.

Norton Juster does a great job making The Phantom Tollbooth enjoyable and humorous. He combines clever puns and real pieces of literature and math to make an extremely interesting story.

" I read [The Phantom Tollbooth] first when I was 10. I still have the book report I wrote, which began 'This is the best book ever.'" --Anna Quindlen, The New York Times

"A classic... Humorous, full of warmth and real invention." --The New Yorker

I rate this book 10/10 stars.

First of all, this is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read! It is about a boy named Milo who is bored and doesn't see the meaning of things. One day, he comes and finds a toll booth went to him in his room. He takes his car and pays the toll and begins his remarkable journey. He journeys through Expectations where he meets the Whether Man. He dozes off and comes to the Doldrum and meets the Lethargians and a watchdog named Tock that goes Tick. Tock sets off with him for Dictionopolis, the city of words, where he meets the troubled King Azaz the Unabridged and Fainly Macabre. He decides to save the Princesses Rhyme and Reason, because without them, there is none. The lovable Humbug, Tock, and Milo set off. The come to the Forest of Sight and see the orchestra play the colors. They travel through the barren Valley of Sound and meet the Soundkeeper. They get to Digitopolis, the city of numbers, and meet the Mathematician. This is where the real difficult part of their journey begins as they venture into the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the princesses from the Castle in the Air. This book shows you the meaning of knowledge and reminds you to never rush and see and hear the bueaties of the world.

Mary from the USA claims that J.K. Rowling's works are imaginative, but in a negative aspect because it's "violent". Well, I'll like to tell her: my little brother of nine just finished reading "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (believe him, he's smarter than you think, frankly), and he simply adores this magical book series even more, having completed, also, Rowling's tour de force in the first book of her series. Yet he doesn't comment on anything violent in either stories, and I supportingly second him! I've just read "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban", up to the point where Mary commented ("the wizard killing thirteen people while laughing menacingly"), and I seriously think that it's unreasonable of her to talk about Rowling's writings as such! I'm sure you can see that I'm an avid fan of hers, but I'm not biased in this literary world - Rowling's merely writing stories for the pleasure of, mainly, young kids! You think any old story on violence would be approved for the enjoyment of those 9 and above? Besides, read how the wizard proceeds to "killing" his victims - through MAGIC! What, the next thing you know you see your toddler waving a wand and shouting "Alabahoo!"? PLEASE! I think Rowling's a wonderful author - decent and purely talented in creative imagination! In fact, I'd say of all her books I've read so far, this one ("Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets") has the most mystifying, curious and funniest plot. Well done, Miss Rowling! Good luck on your future works! I'm certainly looking forward to them!

The first Harry Potter book suffered from an aimless narrative that, while fun to read, more or less served as a simple introduction into the world of Hogwarts and its students. With "The Chamber of Secrets," Rowling continues what she began in the last installment, but this time around she makes substantial improvements to the formula to garner some weight to what many may dismiss as a children's story.

Much of the wonder that the first book elicited is now gone--but only because we've already been introduced to the sport of Quidditch, the living paintings of Hogwarts, and the moving staircases that make getting to class on time a contemptible ordeal. Rowling takes the care this time around to paint a more vivid image of the new settings she introduces on Harry's second school year, making the world feel more natural, and making us, in turn, more envious of the luck that Harry, Ron and Hermione have to be part of all these wonderfully whimsical events.

The major improvement here is that every last detail given serves to advance the plot in some form or another. There's practically no pacing problems as in the first novel, and the stronger brand of humor that's infused into just about all situations makes for a quicker, more enjoyable read.

And of course, there's a much sharper sense of poignancy this time around--it's hard to believe how these characters can just keep getting better and better.

Of course, Rowling's not quite at the top of her game until the third novel. But this is a fantastic follow-up that manages to outdo the original, and once you get your hands on it, it's hard to put this series down.

"Harry go to your room" screamed Uncle Vernon, which wasn't very uncommon. He hated Harry, and all the people in the magic world. Harry also hated him, and couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts School of Wizardry, but what he didn't know what was awaiting him there, after being told by a house elf that if he returned horrible things would happen. When he finally left for school, he had many adventures with his friends Ron and Hermoine. The three would go sneaking out at night, in Harry's invisibility cloak, to see if they could find out who, or what was attacking the students, and turning them to stone. He even met a boy who was actually... and with a creature that if you looked into it's eyes you'd ... you'll have to read the book to find out who he was, and what creature was, and what it could do to you! I thought this breathtaking book was inclusively worth reading. It's one of those heart-pounding books that fill your mind with thoughts of what will happen next ? or what was that thing? is he going to live? it put those thoughts in my mind, and I would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy adventure, fantasy and a really good book.

Clives Staples Lewis has created a mythical world which absolutely captures the human mind. The Chronicles of Narnia contain exciting plots, which all converge upon each other at the finally of the series: The Last Battle. Through out the books weaves the morals and beliefs of Christianity. These books do a wonder job of telling the story of the Bible, from the instantaneous creation of the world to the death of Aslan (Jesus). The way God cares about every one and desires us to enjoy life through Him, to the last battle and final days at the end of the world (of course Lewis did not know what was going to happen, yet it is still an interesting idea). In one of the best written books of all time, the land of Narnia comes alive with lovable and evil characters. The battle between good and evil is made abruptly apparent in this book as a small country goes through its history fighting for what is right. Light and darkness collide in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as four kids explore the land which they will rule. For a time it appears as though the evil side emerges victorious; but it is found that the White Witch as not the ability to peer far enough back into the depths time. This book it one of the most important of the set, because contained in it is the most important message of all time. My father used to read the Chronicles of Narnia to me when I was younger, now I read them on my own. When he did this he stressed, Christianity is having the relationship with God, like the youths had with Aslan. I think these are very well written books and I would encourage any one to read. I uphold C.S. Lewis as a great writer of the centuries and I praise his books (all of them) as magnificant.

What can I add to the discussion of the Narnia books themselves? They're fantastic, and, as a long-time reader of Lewis's work, all I can say is that it's heartening to see that new generations are continuing to discover how wonderful the Chronicles of Narnia are, just as I did about 20 years ago. It's also great to see how many adults continue to treasure them, just as I do today.

The only thing I would say to first-time readers is the same thing that a lot of other reviewers are saying: DON'T READ THE BOOKS IN THE ORDER THAT U.S. PUBLISHERS ARE PUTTING THEM OUT THESE DAYS! Lewis always intended the Narnia books to be published and read in the order in which he wrote them: LWW, PC, VDT, SC, HHB, MN, and LB. It's true that, near the end of his life, Lewis pondered the notion of having the books published and read in chronological order -- but only after an extensive set of internal revisions.

As it turned out, Lewis never had the chance to complete those revisions. So, as they stand now, the books really should be read in the original sequence. For one thing, that's the only way for new readers to discover Narnia in the way that Lewis himself discovered it. Since Lewis never got around to his intended rewriting, the overall story unfolds much more meaningfully -- and much more dramatically -- when it's read OUT of order. For instance, part of the enjoyment of reading The Magician's Nephew is realizing just how a land that the reader has already fallen in love with actually came into being; there's an almost archaeological ("oh, NOW I understand") feel to it. If you read MN first, you miss completely that very important -- and very rich -- subtext.

I could go on: about why The Horse and His Boy should be Book #5, why The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is THE only real gateway into Narnia, and so forth. But the point is clear. I have a strong suspicion that publishers have changed the order of the books not to adhere to any wishes that Lewis himself may or may not have had, but because some corporate executive decided that less complexity would result in more sales. Publishers should have more faith in the ability of readers to appreciate complicated textual issues, even if (or especially if!) those readers are children. To read the Narnia Chronicles in the order they're in now is to deprive oneself of the most meaningful reading of the story as a whole. So read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first -- and, while you're at it, maybe let the publishers know that you'd like to see future editions appear in the original order. But whatever sequence you follow, enjoy the books themselves!

These books are a rare joy; really classics in literature. I've read the entire series many times, as has my daughter. They hold many treasures -- they are much, much more than mere children's books.

I am, however, very disappointed that the publisher has decided to rearrange the sequence of the books and sell them in chronological order. This may seem logical, but I feel that this is not what the author had in mind. And I know that readers new to the Narnia Chronicles (reading them in this new order) are confused with the first one or two books.

Frankly, I feel a bit insulted that the publishers doubt the intelligence of their readers, obviously thinking us too immature to handle a Narnian history lesson as the one or other book takes us back to a time before Lucy and her syblings. (For any new readers, THE WITCH, THE LION, AND THE WARDROBE is meant to be the first book in the series).

I truly wish that -some- publisher would reprint a collector's edition of the entire series **in the order in which they were originally written**. I would buy the entire set immediately!

To sum it all up: Read these books, by all means, but read them in the correct order. Go by the first copyright dates if nothing else.