Here is a mind-boggler of literary art. Golding takes you in--in through the portals of the main character's mind. And then the true adventure begins. This is an exploration on the theme of freedom lost, which goes into an existential search, taking you through a labyrinth of broodings and memories deep, deep within the psyche, and in the end you (together with the protagonist) will experience something stirring and substantial. It is the turning of freedom outside-in, and in and in and in, and then out again. Just read one chapter. That's all it will take to enter uncharted territory.

This is one of the most beautifully-written books I've read. There are only maybe two or three moments where every word is not perfect. It's like reading poetry, only it lasts for the entire length of a novel. Furthermore, everything that Mountjoy describes, tangents though they may seem, fits perfectly into our understanding of his character. And, to top it all off, the last sentence is one of the least predictable I've ever seen.

If you enjoy literature for literature's sake, and do not mind forsaking a traditional plot, you must read this book. Golding presents a flow of conciousness masterpiece in Free Fall, examining the "shuffle, fold, and coil of time" on a quest to find the protagonists fall from freedom. the imagery is remarkable, and the obscurity is challenging but rewarding, as it is immensly constructive to the overall understanding of the piece. It is books like this, rather than the more obvious Lord of The Flies which won Mr. Golding a Nobel Prize in Literature. It is nothing short of thought provoking and conducive to self-examination, even if you hate it.

Golding is in top form in this story about the gradual descent into terrorism by twin siisters; and an unlikely "savior" that comes in the form of a man deformed by a bombing raid. Again, Golding proves that creating a mystery amidst thoughtful social critcism leads to a great and imaginiative story. It is dark, strange and stays with you for weeks.

Golding's vision of mans dark side and how the fight between good and evil is won by restraint.

In order to get the whole picture the reader needs to submerge into the lifes of all the characters and then pull back away from it all. First then it is possible to see the story and how it unfolds. It is complex and requires patience but the reward is worth it and can be rather refreshing.

I do recommend it

Like the other reviewer here, I was assigned this book in my junior year of high school by a well-meaning teacher who was so frustrated by his students' lack of interest (or comprehension) of Free Fall that he simply gave up. Three years later I picked my copy off the shelf and gave it a second try. Although there are still times when I have to blink and reread a paragraph several times to absorb the frenetic stream-of-consciousness style of narration, I am constantly in awe of Golding's exquisite writing. To all brave readers, give this one a chance.

I heard about 'Freefall' from my old English taecher, a man called Mr. Breen. You could never have said that we got on very well, probably as a result of his compulsive, patronising behaviour and my downright laziness and inability to accept authority. Anyway he was a man who liked to tell stories, and one of his favourites related to a curious book by the name of freefall. It was two years later and I was about to come and live in Paris when I saw the book in question in the token airport lobby bookstore . I bought it, and then read it. It is hard to explain the feeling that you get when you are so intimately touched by a piece of literature that you become almost posessive about it and protective when you find out that someone else has obtained the same sense of enjoyment out of it as yourself. That is why I greet the fact that I am the only one to have reviewed this book with a mixture of elation and sorrow. The story revolves around the analysis of the narrator's life (Sammy Mountjoy), and tries to ascertain where it was that he lost the ability to manipulate his own fate - where he lost his freedom. We are presented with various episodes from his life as he tries to find out 'where it happened'. The obscurity of his period in the concentration camp is somewhat baffling, but the rest of the novel is written so beautifully and with such convoluted yet clear language that it is a joy to read. This novel is far too good to miss, but remember, I got there first.

Please check your summary. It is probably for another book by the prolific Prof. Bloom and Chelsea House, but it is NOT the summary for this book. Per the record in the OCLC WorldCat (38 million records for material in 37,000 libraries), CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS discusses Edward Bellamy, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur Conan Doyle, Aldous Huxley, C. S. Lewis, Jack London, H. P. Lovecraft, George Orwell, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Olaf Stapledon, and H. G. Wells. /s/ Leslie, the Librarian

John Keats (5934-0, $19.95) adds to the research guides in the 'Major Poets' series, blending a biography with extracts of major critical essays examining the poet's works. New to the Major Short Story Writers series ($19.95 each) is D. H. Lawrence (5947-2) and Henry James (5943-X), which use similar approaches to examine the major themes and ideas of each writer. All are recommended as basic library acquisitions.

I have purchaed a 16 volume set written by Daniel Dafoe. the titles are "The Romances and Narratives by Daniel Dafoe" Edited by George A Aitkens. The first vol. is entitled " The Suprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe"

Please give me some information as to the rareness and the value of these antique books.

The book is very deep and interesting. It is very well written as well as expressed. It encouraged me to become active in the field of reading. It has helped to change the way that I view literature, and provided me with a safe and fun way of occupation.

This book is the best book I have found to help you review and expand your knowledge of Spanish. It is meant for someone who already has a basic command of the language. There are short, easy lessons in practical grammar and vocabulary that are combined with exposure to Spanish literature. The lessons are followed by brief quizzes with the answers provided in the back of the book.

"Tears of Rage" is a compelling look at John Walsh's tragedy and triumph as an advocate for missing children: the legal and personal heart break he and his family had to endure after his only son, Adam,6, was kidnapped from a Florida shopping mall and murdered. The charismatic Walsh proved that one person can make a difference. As host of "America's Most Wanted" he has been a crusader for children and adults alike, making this a safer world for all of us. "Tears of Rage" will remind you just how important it is to stay close to your children and family, remind them how much you love them and always be there for them and to protect them. John Walsh is an exemplary role model and a man's man, as he has proven in keeping America safer for all of us. One man who made a difference through his own personal tragedy and has gone on to triumph.

America first became aware of the plight of missing and murdered children through the TV movie "Adam", but the movie, excellent though it was, only outlined the story and didn't tell it in its entirety. In this book, John Walsh speaks frankly about his family's tragedy and their never ending, heartrending grief, but most of all, it chronicles their determination not to let Adam die in vain, and the various ways in which they have worked to achieve this, most importantly by using their son's example to save the lives of countless thousands of other children.

All violent crime damages people, and it is a marvellous testament to the resilience of the human spirit that two people who have been damaged in the worst way, can become knights and use their loss and their pain as weapons in the fight , not only for children's rights, but for the rights of all crime victims everywhere.

Besides being a long overdue story of the impact of violent crime on victims from a victim's perspective, "Tears of Rage", through the many salient messages it delivers, will undoubtedly save the lives of many more children, both now and in the future - and that would make Adam, as he looks down from heaven, extremely happy. God bless him, and God bless his parents. They all deserve it.

An amazing book that gives a raw, honest account of a man's struggle to solve the mystery of his son's death, and then to institute measures to facilitate others' similar searches. Walsh's narrative is painful to read, yet essential to communicate the depths of his feelings and to explain the intensity behind his search and chosen life's mission. He is driven beyond words, and has done an incredible amount of work throughout the country for missing persons and abducted children, not the least of which is the program he is know for creating (America's Most Wanted).

This book is shocking in its exposure of the police incompetence and lack of statutory law Walsh faced throughout his quest, and in its description of the lengths he had to go to in order to get assistance and, ultimately, (some) answers. A salient point is that Walsh discovered (and describes in the book) a wealth of legislation and safety measures afforded to criminals, yet an appalling lack of the same for victims and their families. Walsh took it upon himself to make things happen for the sake of victims, including helping to enact legislation regarding missing children, assisting with the creation of nationwide databases of missing persons and unidentified corpses, and instituting the dissemination of missing kids' images (like the faces seen on the back of milk cartons). Walsh continues to run himself ragged pursuing his life's work of helping missing children and their families, seemingly at the cost of everything else.

In addition to the telling of an incredible tale, Walsh is an exciting, and surprisingly witty, narrator that keeps the reader entertained amidst the recounting of tragedy. He is a true hero in every sense of the word. Simply put, without people like John Walsh, change for the better is impossible; anyone with kids should be grateful that he was able to turn his bitter tragedy into something so positive.

When one of my Shimer students saw Mr. Erdman's alternate arrangement of "Auguries of Innocence" he threw his book at a bush. Some of my students think that "Auguries" is one of Blake's greatest poems and I agree with them. Its structure is a key to Blake's vast mythic system. Without that key there's little hope of passing through Jerusalem's wall to the places where heaven and earth coalesce in a cosmic orgasm of intellectual joy.

Mr. Erdman is a marvelous scholar, dedicated to Blake. Mr. Bloom is as inspiring as he is informative. But for Blake in its most pure form I prefer Sir Geoffrey Keynes' edition. He was not a professional scholar, but a learned amatuer in the finest sense of the word. When he wasn't busy with his medical practice he was lovingly creating the best complete edition of Blake's poetry and prose...

I own several editions of the so called "Complete Poetry" editions of Blake. Well, this one just stands out on his own. Although it would have been nicer if it had included more images (it includes only 4 monochromes) I must admit that this book's achivements are its complementary notes and commentaries. Erdman is really an amazing researcher and he has helped me a lot in understanding Blake's universe. Harold Bloom does his share when commenting most of the larger poems, and to comment Jerusalem or Milton is almost as commenting Miltons' "Padarise Lost" or even the Bible. They both deliver a great deal of insight on Blake's poetry, and I'm thankful for that. I have been a fan of Blake's poetry for almost 5 years now, and I've only started to understand his larger prophetic poems.

If you're new to Blake you may not need this kind of book... Even if you are a Blake fan. Maybe Alicia Ostriker's "The Complete Poems" (ISBN 0-14-042215-3) can give you a lighter side of Blake. As a matter of fact, what I liked so much about Alicia's edition is that it has an index of proper names, so If you don't know who (or what) The Four Zoas stand for, maybe you should consider buying her book.

If you are looking for Blake's works of art, then you must get your hands on any of the wonderful DOVER editions published... They are ... and brilliantly printed.

Anyway, if you are new... Welcome.
If you are an oldie... GET THIS BOOK! or even better GET THE MANUSCRIPT FACSIMILE!

There's not much more I can say after reading the reviews below, except to agree that this is _the_ book to own if you're wanting to add William Blake to your library.

This is a large book, clocking in at around nine hundred pages. Within you'll find all the great poetry that makes Blake, well, Blake. The "Songs of Innocence and Experience" are truly wonderful, as is "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell".

Lots to read here beyond than the known works, including miscellaneous poems, songs and verses and sataric verses and epigrams, even letters that Blake himself wrote.

The book is neatly organized and easy to navigate, making the section you're looking for a snap to find. At the back of the book are sections with textual notes (a small "t" is marked throughout Blake's works), and commentary (a small "c"), also marked. Invaluable resources to help understand and navigate the complexity of Blake's poems and prose. An index of titles and first lines is also included in the back.

All in all a wonderful collection for any Blake fan to own and for the curious to lose themselves in the majesty that is William Blake.