read one of the short pieces in this anthology. They are also incredibly uplifting too. A brilliant bedside companion for any dog lover.

Although each of the pieces in this book was inspired by the loss of a much beloved dog, this is really a book about vibrant, fully-alive dogs: family pets, fellow hunters, soul mates, and best friends. And while none of the dogs remembered so fondly here still lives, Old Dogs affirms the remarkably special place in the heart we reserve for our dogs. My own dog is sturdy in her middle-age, but reading the eulogies and odes in this moving anthology has made me appreciate more all the quirky habits I take for granted, like how she can't resist running off with one of my Reeboks when I'm shoeing up for our evening walk--the little prance she performs when I tell her, "Bring the shoe back!" Not a sad read but a celebratory one, required for every dog owner!

This is a remarkable anthology of stories and poems by outstanding authors of the past, as well as more recent times. Although these moving remembrances are only of beloved dogs, the lovers of any species of pet will find identical sentiments for their own losses. Whatever kind of companion animal you had, you will find your own bereavement and healing tears reflected here, as well.

Care was taken to avoid over-sentimentality, in this assortment of loving reflections of dogs, celebrated here. These accounts are full of love, and are sometimes even funny - and we are thrust into the realization that perhaps that is the most wonderful kind of living memorials we can have for a beloved pet. Too often, we lose this perspective, while trying to keep from drowning in our own bereavement and sorrows.

Rather than being a collection of sad literary memorials Old Dogs Remembered is a joyful celebration of life with pets. This inspires healthy new points of view and adjustments to moving on into our new lives, without them.

Here we are treated to many different outlooks on how they permanently enriched the lives of their owners. Reading these heartwarming pages will broaden the understanding of each reader, concerning his/her own personal bereavement. Here, we are offered the collective wisdom of others, who reminisce on their honored pets. There is much to be shared and learned here, as well as enjoyed.

With so many different authors, one must appreciate that references and styles have changed drastically, through the ages. As an example of this, some might find the essay by the dramatist John Galsworthy to be interesting, but a bit troublesome to read. And, as with any anthology, there may be some accounts not everyone would appreciate. But all pet lovers will readily identify with the overall shared remembrances, here. This is a heartwarming collection, which can be enjoyed comfortably, in several installments.

There will be many an uplifting tear shed in its reading, and we suggest it for your reading pleasure.

This book is worth acquiring if only to read The Apple Tree, a heart-hammeringly tragic romantic story that will lurk in the back of your mind ever after. Poor Megan David -- you must know that someone like her truly existed, and Galsworthy merely happened to be the writer whose imagination brought the tale to us all.

First book in The Forsyte Saga, the first trilogy about Galsworthy's family, the Forsytes. I have always known that this is a classic; i can remember Mum & Dad watching "The Forsyte Saga" on BBC, when i was under ten. I've thought about reading it at various times since then, when i 've seen parts of the Sage in various libraries, but have never taken the plunge. What a fool i was. This book is wonderful. It is not fast-paced; there is not a lot of action; there aren't thrills and spill for the average modern reader raised on television and motion pictures. What it does have, however, is a delicately portrayed family of characters, nice (in the older sense) irony, gentle interplay between people, and a carefully told story of the disintegration of an engagement, and the loss of a marriage. Very definitely written about the late Victorian Age (it takes place in 1884), some of the people's attitudes are radically (literally, other-rooted) different from the prevailing views of the Western world today. Soames' musings about marriage, the duty of his wife, and his exercise of his rights with her, would not stand today; fascinating they are, though, as a view into our great grandparents' world. Roll on the next two books of the trilogy.

The second volume of the Forsyte Saga; this time primarily the story of Jolyon (Young Jolyon), Soames (who might be called Young James), and Irene ~ Soames' wife who becomes Jolyon's lover. Galsworthy is really the forerunner of Joyce, with at least as much understanding of how men think, and close to (if not as much) the ability to portray it ~ in a more readable fashion. There is real affection in the portrayal of his characters, as much because Galsworthy was by birth a member of the rising upper middle class in England during the time of which he wrote as for any intrinsic value in those characters. As he shows them, though, they are close to loveable, certainly Jolyon is admirable, and Soames is, by his lights, decent ~ even if he does have an unrequitable passion for his wife. Though this is by no means an action-packed plot ~ i knew the essence of the action before i read it, from having read the Introduction ~ it nevertheless compelled me to read, read closely, read quickly. I shall be hard pressed to wait the few weeks i've promised myself before i borrow this volume from the library again and read "To Let," the third novel in the Saga.

This is the first volume in the 9 volume sweeping family saga, and it sets the high watermark. In many ways I think it is the best, most especially the final chapter, when one era segues into the next, as generational change occurs.

It is probably a particular type of reader who enjoys fiction which examines the drawing room manners and social mores of upper middle class England (the professional class, as opposed to manufacturing/merchant class or aristocracy). I love it, especially when it is delivered with an archly raised eyebrow which questions the assumptions and mores, the hypocrisies of the time. All the better if it can lead you to question the same characteristics of your own time. That is achieved in Galsworthy, in much the same way as Trollope achieved in his Barchester Chronicles in an earlier era.

The writing is not without humour, mostly of an ironic kind. The older generation Forsytes, steadfast in their belief in themselves find it almost inconceivable when one amongst their number has the termerity to die!

Anyone who thrives on a diet of Trollope, Thackeray, Austen, and anyone who has enjoyed Ian McEwan's more contemporary novel, Atonement should enjoy this. Lovers of the British TV 'costume drama' - think The Cazalets, Love In A Cold Climate, The Way We Live Now - for example, should likewise consider reading Galsworthy.

The book is head and shoulders above the overly cute Disney cartoon. It is not, however, just a children's book. Like the Grimm fairy tales, Bambi is a story with a message in social behavior and consequences of one's actions. From the book trivia side, it's quite interesting to learn that Whittaker Chambers, former member of the Communist Party of the USA and star witness at Alger Hiss' trial and author of "Witness," translated Salten's book from the German in the 1920s, while Chambers was still an active CPUSA member. Makes one wonder what kind of message Chambers thought Salten had written... Read the book, avoid the movie.

The only reason I read Bambi by Felix Salten was because I thought the Disney movie was kind of "cute."

THE BOOK IS SOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER.

This isn't exactly what you would call a children's book. Salten has written what some would almost call a satire about survival in the woods and the dangers of manpower. This book (along with Salten's other book, Fifteen Rabbits) has been the only book that has moved me to tears. This is a must-read for ANYONE. You won't be able to put it down. But, beware, there are some pretty moving and powerful scenes in this story, so have some kleenexes ready! (In the end, EVERY major character, including Faline, his father, etc., is killed except for Bambi and his two young children.)

P.S.--If you liked this book, be sure to go out and read Salten's other book about forest life, except this time from a rabbit's point of view: Fifteen Rabbits. You'll love it!

I first read Bambi 30 years ago and was lucky enough to find a 1929 copy that I will hold dear to my heart forever. The author takes you deep into the forest where you become one of the animals. You can feel the cold and smell the fear among them when the two-legged animal called "Man" arrives. It allows readers to immerse themselves in the world, seeing it from an animal's point of view.

It's a great book to share with kids and a valuable learning experience about the ways of nature. At times it is cruel and very true to life. It teaches respect for our elders, and love of family. We stand back and watch Bambi grow stronger until he has a sense of wisdom that only experience can bring. This is truly a book to share with your kids. It is so much more than a Disney cartoon.

This book gives you a good veiw into what fratenity life is like. You learn about the undreground of fraternity life.

The sequel to "Maid in Waiting", and a much better more assured piece of writing. As with many of the Forsythe chronicles, the theme is one of how to maintain social position in the face of actual or perceived scandal. What did happen to Wilfred Dessert in Arabia, and once the news is known, can Dinny Charwell marry him?

Galsworthy's style is, as ever, succinct and clear yet full of sharp observations on human behaviour - often carried through with gentle wit. Although the storyline could appear somewhat antiquated, dealing with questions affecting the honour of an English gentleman, it touches upon deeper problems.

The inter-war English upper classes are portrayed in uneasy decline, their value system being less and less relevant to the world they inhabit. Real tensions become apparent: between generations, over issues such as the true nature of religious belief and of the reality of the Englishman imperial "mission"; and between the sexes, where the men in general cling on to outdated concepts whilst the women are much readier to shift with the times, even questioning whether or not the concepts held by the men ever meant anything in reality.

A rewarding piece of fiction from a now unfashionable author.