A sensitive and perceptive young college freshman from south Alabama, Eugene B. Sledge volunteered for Marine Corps officer training school during the middle of W.W. II. However, such was Sledge's desire to join the fighting before the war ended, he purposefully flunked out of school and promptly joined the ranks of the enlisted Marines.

Upon reporting to boot camp in San Diego, Sledge was introduced to his Drill Instructor with this eye-opening greeting: "If any of you idiots think you don't need to follow my orders, just step right out here and I'll beat your @ss right now. Your soul may belong to Jesus, but your @ss belongs to the Marines. You people are recruits. You're not Marines. You may not have what it takes to be Marines."

Fortunately, Sledge did indeed have what it took to be a Marine, and he has written WITH THE OLD BREED: AT PELELIU AND OKINAWA, an engaging personal chronicle of the horror of war as seen through the eyes of a young Marine grunt. Though this book is a personal account of historical events, it reads like a novel. Sledge is able to transform the course language of a salty Marine and the brutality of war into unembellished passages whose honesty have a lyrical beauty all their own:

"The situation was bad enough, but when the enemy artillery shells exploded in the area, the eruptions of soil and mud uncovered previously buried Japanese dead and scattered chunks of corpses. Like the area around our gun pits, the ridge was a stinking compost pile.

If a Marine slipped and slid down the back slope of the muddy ridge, he was apt to reach the bottom vomiting. I saw more than one man lose his footing and slip and slide all the way to the bottom only to stand up horror-stricken as he watched in disbelief while fat maggots tumbled out of his muddy dungaree pockets, cartridge belt, legging lacings, and the like. Then he and a buddy would shake or scrape them away with a piece of ammo box or a knife blade.

We didn't talk about such things. They were too horrible and obscene for even hardened veterans. The conditions taxed the toughest I knew almost to the point of screaming. Nor do authors normally write about such vileness; unless they have seen it with their own eyes, it is too preposterous to think that men could actually live and fight for days and nights under such terrible conditions and not be driven insane. But I saw much of it there on Okinawa and to the me the war was insanity."

WITH THE OLD BREED does not concern itself with a the strategic and tactical campaign of the Pacific Island hopping campaign. Rather, it is a a fascinating portrait of an sensitive young man's baptism under fire -- a first hand narrative of an ordinary young man's extraordinary bravery on a few remote Islands in the Pacific Ocean. No W.W.II library is complete without this book. Highly recommended.

Three veterans of the First Marine Division have written accounts of WWII in the Pacific. E.B. Sledge in this book, William Manchester in "Goodbye Darkness," and Robert Leckey in "Strong Men Armed." Sledge's book gives an honest, plain spoken, first hand account of two horrific campaigns. He pulls no punches in describing the brutality and the horror, but he doesn't dwell on it. He merely describes it in a matter of fact fashion.

Leckey's book ("Strong Men Armed") doesn't dwell on personal experiences, but gives the vast panorama of the Navy/Marine Corps island hopping campaign, and helps to put Sledge's personal memoir into the context of the whole war in the Pacific.

Manchester's book ("Goodbye Darkness") reads something like the out-loud ruminations of a mental patient working through unresolved issues on the psychiatrist's couch.

Leckey is a noted military historian who has written a number of very good books on the subject. Manchester is a noted author, and of the three has the most recognizable name. Sledge, however, although not a professional writer, is the First Division alumnus who has written the best book on the Pacific War. (Leckey runs a close second and Manchester a distant third).

Very few authors of books on the war in the South Pacific bring the vivid first hand experiences to light the way Dr. Sledge is able to do. He paints a picture that your mind and spirit is able to see as you read his words. He tells of the funny side of war, if there is one, the emense amount of hard work involved, and the brutality of war as he experienced it. The contrast of fighting on a barren coral rock, as was Peleliu, to the muck and mud of Okinawa is compelling.

As I have been a close personal friend of Dr. Sledge for over 30 years, I have heard many times in his own words the accounts of the battles fought on Peleliu and Okinawa. However, Dr. Sledge, in the words he writes is able to bring the battles to life, and involve the reader as if they were there. His story is so much like the man he is, strong, well prepared, confident, a believer in God, and willing to go to war for his country and "kill japs".

Anyone who wishes to gain insight into the nature of the war with the Japanese, and of war in general, needs to read this book.

In this second volume of "The Prydain Chronicles," Alexander goes a bit darker and gives more battles and fights. The novel is the story to destroy The Black Crochan, the cauldron that Arawn uses to make the Cauldron- Born.

There is also a lot of character development in this book. We see how much Taran, Eilonwy, and Fflewddur have matured since the last book, and we see new characters grow from what they were in the beginning of the book. For example, Ellidyr grows tremendously from the first few pages to the last.

Lloyd Alexander also made this book much darker than its predecessor. He kills more and you never will know who's really evil and who's really good.

We also travel much more to the other parts of the land of Prydain. We meet new rivers, The Marshes of Morva, and more villages. We also go near Annuvin, the home of Arawn and his army of Huntsmen, Cauldron- Born, and gwythaints.

So, "The Black Cauldron" was a fabulous book indeed. We see more action, darkness, character growth, and other things among the novel. For me, the most enjoyable part of the story was the character development. This book may seem a wee bit slow at times, but just keep going. You may enjoy this book more if you have read "The Book of Three," but you can still enjoy it on its own. I can't wait to read the rest of the "Chronicles of Prydain."

Happy Reading!

In this sequel to _The Book of Three_, Taran and his companions set off to find and destroy the malignant Black Cauldron. The cauldron must be destroyed because it is the source of Arawn's deathless Cauldron-born warriors. Many of Taran's friends from the first novel return, and we meet new characters as well: Adaon, the son of the chief bard of Prydain and a wise warrior in his own right, and Ellidyr, the proud prince of Pen-Llarcau.

_The Black Cauldron_ is definitely superior to its predecessor, which was a very fine book in its own right. Its superiority comes from the greater depth of characterization. Taran is no longer a callow boy; he is struggling with harder issues that will resonate with many of his readers. Other characters face similar dilemmas--again and again, Lloyd Alexander shows that the answer to "What is a hero?" is a very difficult one. The plot moves quickly; it has adventure, danger, and emotional excitement to please anyone. Alexander's writing is clean and direct, and he is able to inject his trademarkj dry humor at regular intervals. Perhaps best of all, the reader has the consolation of knowing there are three more books about Taran and Prydain after this one.

I highly recommend this book to middle readers who enjoy fantasy and adventure. Alexander excels at creating strong female characters, so this should appeal to boys and girls alike. And if you enjoyed this, finish the series. It's a classic, award-winning series for a reason. And if you're looking for something to read after it, try Alexander's Westmark trilogy.

It was tough deciding which of the Prydain books to review, but I decided to do The Black Cauldron because it's my favorite of the bunch (and the cover of this edition is beautiful). All of these have been around for decades, but I just read them for the first time last year, as a sophomore in college, because I avoided "classics" like the plague while growing up.

The Black Cauldron is the darkest of the Prydain Chronicles, and it tells the story of Taran and his companions as they head to Arawn Death-Lord's domain to recover the Black Cochran, which creates soldiers out of the dead. The book explores the price and sacrifice that true heroism demands. The memorable cast of characters include Adaon, a unique bard, and three interchangeable witches who are reminiscent of the Three Norns, or the Fates.

A haunting and beautiful tale that I highly recommend (along with all the Prydain Chronicles).

This book covers all the basics of trading, from selecting which market(s) you are going to trade, to deciding on your trading timeframe, to picking entries and exits, and finally to money management and psychology. Although it is very well-rounded, I felt that it did not contain as much meat as Elder's previous trading book, "Trading for a Living." Still, it is a good book and I would recommend it, especially as a companion to "Trading for a Living."

When Dr. Elder wrote "the secret of trading is that there is no secret" on page 43. Indeed, there is no magic password for profits, and yet this book about trading is a must-read for anyone serious about making profits.

I suspect this book will rank right up there with the all-time classics like Reminisces of a Stock Operator and the Intelligent Investor, and I highly recommend it to everyone! Don't let the word trading in the title scare you away if you consider yourself an investor, because this book will help make you a better investor or trader.

I have always regarded Dr Alex Elder's first book 'Trading for a Living' as the trader's bible. It explained in graphic detail everything novice and experienced traders needed to understand about trading and if a novice trader had explicitly followed Dr Elder's guidelines when the book was released in 1993 I'm sure she or he would now be making a very comfortable living.

With the release of Dr Elder's latest book I guess I now have to change my description to something resembling the Old Testament while his second offering becomes the New Testament. I don't mean to be flippant to either the Bible or to Dr Elder's books. All are beautifully written masterpieces.

Come Into My Trading Room took three years to write and essentially takes over from where Trading For a Living ended. Dr Elder uses research from many sources and feedback from his very popular Trader's Camps to research this book. He has the rare insight to really understand why traders lose money and what they need to do to start taking money out of the world's financial markets.

Dr Elder has identified three requirements that are paramount to successful trading¯Mind, Method, and Money¯the 3 M's. Mind means 'developing psychological rules that will keep you calm amidst the noise of the markets', Method 'is a system of analyzing prices and developing a decision-making tree', and lastly, 'Money refers to money management, which means risking only a small part of your trading capital on any trade'.

After explaining these and many more concepts Dr Elder succinctly describes to the reader how to become a master trader. Yes, he gives instructions and explanations in how to use indicators; how to manage your money; build a trading plan; document trades and build a money management system. But be aware. This is no novel, it will test your intellect and you will have to read it over and over again. This is a book you will read once and then seriously study for many months¯even years if you purchase the accompanying study guide. A must for any serious trader or investor.

One can find the answers to most of life's little (and big) problems in this classic work. It does everything from helping one determine why the backyard just doesn't feel right to describing the problems with sprawl. I hesitate to label it as an architectural work because it can be so much more. Certainly, it illustrates how architecture can play a much larger role in shaping our lives than it has during the past fifty years.

The format of the book is effective in that it allows one to follow the connections between various design rules/patterns that might otherwise not be obvious. The use of these "links" within the book could have been a source of inspiration for web designers. This book will appeal just as much to the lay person as it does to the legions of architectural professionals who use it as a guide on a frequent basis.

This book is quite simply The Rules for architectural common sense - how to design useful and appealing spaces for people. (For example: "Don't make a balcony less than six feet deep, or it won't get used much". "People walking on the sidewalk feel threatened by cars whizzing past a few feet away". "If the roof appears to be supported only by spindly little posts it'll make people nervous")(I'm paraphrasing these). It's truly shocking to see how such simple and indubitable factors are ignored in modern design, in favor of cost-cutting and fashion. Please check out the hundreds of patterns given here, with photos, diagrams, examples, and most importantly, the "language" of how they coordinate together into a whole.

(Also take a look at Hildebrand's THE WRIGHT SPACE for another great look at "what makes a building feel good")

My fascination with Christopher Alexander's work began with "The Timeless Way of Building," but increased tenfold upon discovering his inexhaustible classic, "A Pattern Language." At over a thousand pages (I think,) "A Pattern Language" is an encyclopedic study of what makes buildings, streets, and communities work -- indeed, what makes environments human.

Alexander and his co-authors present us with over two hundred (roughly 250) "patterns" that they believe must be present in order for an environment to be pleasing, comfortable, or in their words, "alive." The patterns start at the most general level -- the first pattern, "Independent Regions," describes the ideal political entity, while another of my favorite patterns, "Mosaic of Subcultures," described the proper distribution of different groups within a city. The patterns gradually become more specific -- you'll read arguments about how universities should relate to the community, the proper placement of parks, the role of cafes in a city's life. If you wonder about the best design for a home, the authors will describe everything from how roofs and walls should be built, down to how light should fall within the home, where your windows should be placed, and even the most pleasant variety of chairs in the home. An underlying theme of all the patterns is that architecture, at its best, can be used to foster meaningful human interaction, and the authors urge us to be aware of how the houses we build can help us balance needs for intimacy and privacy.

They admit that they are uncertain about some of the patterns -- they indicate their degree of certainty using a code of asterisks placed before the pattern. For each pattern, the authors summarize the pattern in a brief statement printed in boldface, and then describe it at length, drawing upon a variety of sources to give us a full sense of what they mean: these "supporting sources" include an excerpt from a Samuel Beckett novel, papers in scholarly journals, newspaper clippings, etc. Most patterns are accompanied by a photograph (many of them beautiful and fascinating in their own right) and all are illustrated by small, casual hand-drawings. Taken together, "A Pattern Language" is an extraordinarily rich text, visually and conceptually.

As I said in the header of this review, "A Pattern Language" has changed the way I look at buildings and neighborhoods -- I feel like this book has made me attuned to what works, and what doesn't work, in the human environment. I'm constantly realizing things about buildings and streets that this book helped me see -- things that make people feel at home, or feel "alive," in their surroundings, or conversely, things that make people uncomfortable. And the book makes me think differently about life because it showed me how our well-being depends so much upon the way our buildings fit, or don't fit, us as UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS.

I'm 17 years old and still remember and enjoy reading this book from when I was younger. A friend of mine and I recently got together to go read children's books all day at the local bookstore, and I was delighted when I found "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" sitting on the shelves ready to be read. Alexander is a typical little boy who believes every obstacle in his life is leading to the end of the world. I laughed the whole way through the book, relating to him on several levels. I think the book is wonderfully written for all audiences; while a child may life, an adult may look at Alexander's tale and reminisce about their own childhood when they received plain white sneakers instead of ones with racing stripes.

i discovered this book when i was in grade skool and i remember running home and telling my mom all abt it, how it was just like what i used to go through. it's abt this little boy named alexander who has the worst day of his life (or so he thinks.) he wakes up with gum in his hair, goes to skool with no dessert in his lunch, finds a cavity at the dentist's office, wants the sneakers with the red stripes but his brother got them first so he has to have the plain white ones, has lima beans for supper, and is forced to go to sleep in train pajamas. it's such a cute book simply becuz you know kids go through it everyday. if ever yr child is having a bad day, read them alexander and see if they don't improve attitudes just a little.

Viorst does her best work on this children's book. It hits the High Quality Picture Book Criteria right on the head. Her use of illustrations are wonderfully clever, accurate and appropriate. A child can sit and listen to this book while exploring the illustrators creativity. The illustrations compliment the setting and the plot perfectly. While I read and evaluated the book, I admired all the great detail involved on every page. The pictures definately enhance the quality of the book. One can picture the story in their head easily due to the great extent of artwork involved. I found no biases of any sort. Along with the illustrations the plot and characters are life-like and believable. A child could definately rationalize and understand the story. Considering everyone has a bad day every now and then the theme is wonderful. Especially for a young child and even adults reflecting back on this story can be a stress reliever. I recommend this book because I feel that readers of all ages could relate to this book. It is very cleverly written and created. The language is appropriate for all therefore it can be enjoyed by all ages. The book (story line and illustrations) just flow. Sometimes you can't help but read it again! Alexander's bad day is assured to bring a smile to your face.

Nothing is more ho-hum than a formulaic love story between the poor little rich girl and the dashing impoverished bum who find their destinies are inextricably linked. Readers know that, and so, much to my delight, does Judith McNaught.

Meredith and Matthew were star-crossed lovers if there ever was a pair. Meredith Bancroft, the late-blooming daughter of a department store dynasty, meets and marries (for that oh, so timeless reason of being pregnant) Matthew Farrell, a young man from the wrong side of the tracks determined to conquer the business world. Due to circumstances beyond their control, the two divorce, with bitter feelings on both sides of the aisle.

Fast forward eleven years... Meredith is next in line to take over the family business and Matthew is swimming in billions. Unfortunately, with all that money, he can't find another city in the world to live it than Chicago, Meredith's hometown. After being thrown back into the societal soup together, Meredith discovers she and Matt are not legally divorced. Uh oh...

Matt and Meredith are McNaught's second most exciting couple, behing Whitney and Clayton. There was so much drama in this novel, toward the end I wasn't even sure the two would end up together. I should never have feared. McNaught, in a singularly brilliant plot-twist, brings the two back together, where you know they belong.

There is no better beach book, as far as I'm concerned. I devoured this one. Even if you scoff at "romances" (and, well, I sometimes do), you'll enjoy this book if you're in the mood for something fabulous and light with plenty o' action to propel you through. "Paradise" goes over the top, but doesn't take itself too seriously. There is quite a bit of humor (intentional, amusing humor) and fairly normal situations (i.e. arguing over a Monopoly game or having to deal with some obnoxious preppies) thrown in to ground the story, but it still has the delicious trimmings that go with gorgeous main characters and a wealthy social setting. The heroine is a super blend of warmth, humbleness, sass and Grace Kelly class. One wishes one knew her. And the dashing hero is down to earth enough to love his sister and build relationships based on trust. If the character of Meridith's father is one-dimensional and a pseudo-mystery subplot is rather weak, they comprise a small part of the story, so who cares? This is a fun, sexy book. Buy it and keep it on the shelf for an occaisonal re-read.

Is worth fighting for as Matthew Farrell and Meredith Bancroft prove in this blissful book by Judith McNaught. This book will keep you riveted from the first! You'll experience so many emotions and such intense feelings -- love, hate, grief, joy, sadness, anger and frustration -- that when you're finished you'll feel like you've just stepped off an emotional roller coaster that left you wanting more. Remember to have a box of Kleenex handy when you begin -- you'll need them! Matthew and Meredith are some of the very best characters I've ever had the privilege to read about. They're true-to-life, three dimensional and so real that their emotions jump from the pages and weave themselves around you making the story come to life vividly. Matthew is the absolute definition of a romantic hero. Though hurt long ago by his true love he realizes he still wants her and does everything in his power to prove to her that they belong together. The way he stoically stands by his resolve to have Meredith for his own is beautiful. Though she feels betrayed by Matt, something inexplicably draws Meredith to him every time they meet. Watching Meredith burst free from the confines of her life that say she should not be with Matt is wonderful. The love between these two is explosive and oh-so-passionate! They have a deep and abiding love that even time and sordid lies could not kill. Ms. McNaught has a keen talent to make you experience her work and feel as if you've stepped into the story. Her secondary characters are just as fleshed out as her main characters and become quite real themselves. Meredith's father is a hard, bitter and selfish man who makes everyone's life miserable. I actually wanted to climb into the book and choke a fictional character! I really loved the way that Ms. McNaught showed the growth of her characters. Each character reshapes and expands throughout the book giving the reader a deeper insight into their personalities while keeping the characters genuine. By the end of the book Meredith's father even changes into someone half-way likable. I appreciated the look at Meredith's youth that gave insight into the things that shaped her as a woman and I also adored the look into the future of our couple. The plot was also outstanding -- I became engrossed in the business world that Ms. McNaught so realistically created. I can't say enough good things about this book! My first by Judith McNaught that left me wanting to rush to the nearest bookstore and snatch up all her work. Don't be daunted by the length, this book will fly by and before you know it you'll be at the end. Don't forget to search up _Perfect_ by Ms. McNaught, I hear Meredith and Matt are mentioned in that book as well. Please don't hesitate to buy this book it's one of the best I've ever read.

A friend of my father's brought me a box full of used books when I was 9 or 10. Tucked away in the bottome was this, the last in the Prydain Chronicles....it sat for quite awhile in my bookcase before I picked it up and began reading. What an experience it turned out to be! The adventures of Taran (Assistant Pig- Keeper), Eilonwy, Gurgi, Prince Llyr, and all the other charming charaters in their quest to beat the evil Horned King opened my eyes to the wonderful world of fantasy in children's literature. Indeed, after reading the High King I ran out and spent all my allowance (preciously saved) on the rest of the 5-book series.

Lloyd Alexander writes with a refreshing and unpretentious stye, neither speaking down to kids nor falling into any of the cliched storylines or dialogue of many writers of fantasy literature. Indeed, I believe many authors of modern adult fantasy would greatly benefit from studying Mr. Alexanders writing style.

I credit this series for the beginning of my 25+ years of affection for Celtic, Gaelic, and Welsh mythology and would strongly recommend this series for any lover, young and old, of fantasy and mythology.

_The High King_ brings to a rousing conclusion Lloyd Alexander's magnificent blending of Welsh mythology and Tolkienesque heroic fantasy. This is definitely the most reminiscent of _The Lord of the Rings_ of all the Prydain books, but that isn't a bad thing. Tolkien had the right formula, and there's nothing wrong with using it, as long as you use it well--which Alexander certainly does. In this novel Taran finally becomes a full-fledged hero, following the quests and disappointments of the preceding novel. If _Taran Wanderer_ was the quietest of the series, this more than makes up for it, with treacherous lords, deathless Cauldron-Born, and relentless Huntsmen aplenty. Alexander weaves together all the threads he has spun in the previous novels, but without appearing to force anything. I read this novel first in the series, which definitely wasn't a good idea. But even without the others, it was excellent. As the capstone of an excellent series, it is superb.

The swaord of Dyrnwyn, the most powerful weapon in the kingdom of Prydain, has fallen into the hands of Arawn-Death-Lord. Now Taran, Assistant Pig Keeper, and Prince Gwydion lead an army against the powerful lord. After a winter expedition filled with tons of danger, Taran's forces arrive at Mount Dragon, the Death Lord's Stronghold. There Taran is forced to make the most crucial decision of his life as he confronts the "evil" enchantress Achren and the diabolical Arawn... This book has a lot of action. Parts of the book are sad, and others execiting! If you loved this book you'll love to read the first ones. I loved this book so much that I read THREE TIMES! I recomend this book to anybody that loves action, adventure, and sorrow books! That my friend is YOU!

It is a rare occurrence in the history of the human race when a truly great man rises up from the masses and passes on to the rest of us an eternal truth or knowledge that will serve as a testament against the forces of evil. Alexander Solzhenitsyn must certainly rank as one of these great men. All people who live in freedom should speak his name with reverence, and all should read the unabridged edition of 'The Gulag Archipelago,' the author's indictment against the most evil creation mankind ever fashioned: Marxist-Leninist Communism.

Like other great men, Solzhenitsyn's early life gave little indication of the monumental importance he would one day achieve. But one day, while serving as an officer in the Soviet army during WWII, something happened to our author that happened to so many others under the Soviet regime: Solzhenitsyn was arrested for insubordination, sentenced to eight years, and thrown into the gaping maw of the Gulag prison system. Unfortunately for the memory of the 'Great Father' (read Joey Stalin), this obscure army officer lived to tell the tale of all he saw and heard during his imprisonment. The result is the voluminous three volume series presented here in translation. 'The Gulag Archipelago' serves as both an indictment of the evil Soviet regime and as a memorial for the untold millions who died in the camps.

The overarching theme of this book is the process, from start to finish, of internment in the Gulag system. Starting with the dreaded 'knock in the middle of the night,' the author traces the nightmare of incarceration through the interrogation, the sentencing, the transportation to the prison camps, the grinding work conditions of the camps, and the eventual release into eternal exile or tentative freedom. Solzhenitsyn repeatedly delves into historical analysis, biography, journalism, philosophical musings, and literature to present his account. What emerges is page after page of heartrending suffering that is nearly incomprehensible to any sane human mind. The endless accounts of cruelty sicken the soul and should strike anyone who thinks communism is a great system of government deaf and dumb.

Volume one begins the harrowing odyssey into madness, outlining Solzhenitsyn's own arrest, the endless waves of people that fed the prison system, the interrogation procedures used to elicit false confessions to meaningless crimes, the dreaded Soviet criminal code containing the notorious 'Article 58' under which millions went to jail as political prisoners, the disintegration of the Soviet legal system to what basically amounted to a rubber stamp type of sentencing, and the transportation of prisoners via train to the eastern reaches of the Soviet empire.

Volume two deals mainly with camp life, with all of the trials and travails a person faced and how people struggled to survive. It is here we learn about Stalin's canal building projects and the thousands who died to fulfill the sick dreams of a ruthless sociopath. We see the horrible rations prisoners were forced to survive upon while having their ears filled with disgusting propaganda about how their work was important in helping to create the worker's paradise. The second volume also contains a history about how the gulag system emerged and how it spread, a discussion about loyal communists who so internalized the party belief system that they refused to believe Stalin sold them out, and chapters about the different types of people confined to the gulag (trusties, thieves, kids, women, and politicals).

Volume three focuses mostly on prisoner defiance of the terrible conditions in the prisons, discussing escape attempts (especially Georgi Tenno, a hero to the human race and indefatigable in his disobedience of the Soviet authorities), and outright prison revolts where the entire population of a prison banded together against the common evil. We then see Solzhenitsyn's release into exile and his ultimate 'rehabilitation' after the death of Stalin and the rise of Khrushchev and his 'moderate' reforms. The series ends with a call for more investigations into Soviet atrocities committed in the gulags.

No summary could completely outline the scope of this book; so enormous is the amount of detail held in these pages. The reader is tirelessly assailed with the names of those butchered under the hammer and sickle. Predictably, most of the blame for these murders falls on Comrade Stalin, author of the kulakization pogroms, the endless political purges, and the continuous sufferings inflicted on the various peoples under his control. Always referring to this beast in the most insolent and sarcastic tones imaginable, Solzhenitsyn rightly calls Stalin 'Satan.' Hitler was a mere schoolboy when held up to the unholy terror of the 'great' Dzhugashvili.

Still, one gets the sense of the majesty and power of the great Russian people in these accounts. Nothing will keep these people down for long. Everything the camps threw at these many of these wondrous creatures failed to break their spirit. They figured out how to lessen the back breaking labor of the camps, learned how to stay alive on rations barely fit for a dog, struggled to escape the chains that bound them to the death camps. Although the author laments the docility of those serving sentences, there are enough tales of bravery and defiance to warm the most cynical heart.

I highly recommend reading the unabridged version of 'The Gulag Archipelago.' There used to be an abridged version of some 900 pages floating around, but only the 2000-page edition brings home the full scope of the evils of communism. Accessibility is a problem, but stare into the eyes of Yelizaveta Yevgenyevna Anichkova on page 488 in the first volume and tell me her memory does not deserve an effort on your part to read every page of one of the most important books ever written.

This is probably as significant a book as has been published in the 20th century. Not because it changed the course of history or influenced a huge number of people. It did neither of these things. The history it deals with was already long passed and its size and severity kept it from being read by a mass audience. Still, it is significant because it tells a story that otherwise could not have been told. The full extent of what happened during the half century of Soviet rule to millions of Soviet citizens is the focus of this book and Solzhenitsyn's narrative, often numbing in the regularity of repeated cycles of arrests, 'trials', and imprisonment, seems to be his effort at repaying those who perished - at insuring that they are remembered and that those who subjected them to lives of torture are remembered for what they did.

Solzhenitsyn is a true hero of the 20th century. A military officer of the Soviet Union during WWII, he was imprisoned for writing a letter that included a joke about Stalin. During his time in prison he met numerous others who had been in different camps - different places and different types - and started piecing together in his mind the full scale of the vast Gulag enterprise which eventually consumed more of his contrymen than the total count of those of all countries who died in WWII. That the size and scope of this mass internment was kept virtually a secret to most of the world (and to most Russians)for so long is only part of the horror to which Solzhenitzyn is responding.

From his first book, A Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovitch, a small volumn about a single day in the life of a typical Gulag prisoner - smuggled out of Russia and published in the West - he has devoted his life to various tellings of his country's recent history. Most of it to do with the Gulag. This isn't pleasant stuff. It isn't tight fiction like Darkness At Noon. This is the real stuff with no prettifying. He feels that someone had to tell the truth. We owe it to him to listen.

This book is not a novel. It is an unusually constructed history in three volumes, written by a word-class writer. It is a heavy read. In this volume, Solzhenitsyn describes arrests, interrogations, tortures, trials, prisons, and methods of transporatation from the prisons to the labour camps. He gives a brief history of the genesis of Gulag, its principles and its expansion, in the chapter "A Brief History of Our Sewage Disposal System." Solzhenitysn marshalls an impressive range of facts and first hand anecdotes in addition to his own experiences, usually relating them in a straightforward manner, sometimes with bitter, vicious sarcasm, sometimes with passionate anger. The book is an astounding achievement, especially when one considers that he wrote it in sections, hiding each as it was completed; he was never able to refer back to what he had previously written, yet I noticed no repetitions. The book is an astounding achievement, immensely powerful, but very depressing, sometimes heart-breaking. Nonetheless, anyone who wishes to be well-informed in general, or about history in particular, must read it.

First of all, don't grab this book if you are against homosexuality. If you are not prejudiced, or, better, if you are gay, this is THE book on love. You are going to laugh and get your eyes mist as persian Bagoas meets Alexander and little by little becomes enchanted by him and in turn enchants the King and earns his heart. Though we know Hephastion was the main,greatest love in Alexander's life,Bagoas, the persian boy, manages to keep a good part of the king's heart to himself. It is a briliantly written book, never boring, the kind you can't-put-down. Page after page is filled with emotion, adventure, romance and action. And if you, like me, happen to fall in love with Alexander while reading this book, thank Mary Renault's superb sensibility and astonihing knowledge of the male heart and feelings. It is no wonder that for many years many believed Mary Renault was a man. So, DO buy this book. You will not regret, you'll just look forward to the rest of the trilogy: Fire from Heaven (part1) and Funeral Games (part3).

I recently re-read this book after an absence of 20 years, and was amazed at how strongly it affected me.

The tragic story of Bagoas' youth will hook you from the start, and he develops into an extremely interesting character... a classic Persian beauty, mutilated in his youth, bedmate to the King of Persia, who wants nothing more than love -- which he has never had. He has been used by many, but loved by none.

Enter Alexander the Great, at the head of a Greek army which vanquishes the Persians. Bagoas is sent to Alexander as a gift, and...

Enjoy the story. I will say no more. One of the best novels ever written -- Mary Renault was a genius.

____________________________________________________________________________ _____I have read many books in my 17 years, but few have captured me as The Persian Boy has. It is the story of a persian boy sold into slavery and eventually becomes slave to King Darius III. As Persia is lost to Alexander's army early in the story, the boy becomes first a servant then a lover to Alexander. ____________________________________________________________________________ _____Perhaps the most interesting part of the story is that Renault maintains an enormous level of accuracy both about the historical events, and about the relationship between this boy and Alexander, based on records from the time. ____________________________________________________________________________ _____Another important aspect of this book is how it captures a boy's feelings and emotions when his father is lost, when he is forced to be a prostitute, and when he falls in love. Man-boy love is very taboo in our modern era, and those of you who have prejudices against such things might enjoy the viewpoint of a boy from 2300 years ago. ____________________________________________________________________________

The Count of Mote Cristo is a really exciting and fabulous story; I really enjoyed the book while reading it. The main character Edmond Dantes is about 21 years old, and for him, life is just full of success. He is a successful merchant and is about to be promoted to captain of a ship. At the same time, he is also about to marry a beautiful young girl whom he has loved for a very long time. But amidst all of these happy things, misfortune strikes, and Edomnd Dantes finds himself to be a prisoner in the Chateau D'If for life. He is a prisoner because he is betrayed by his so-called "friends" and rumored to be a servant of Napoleon Bonaparte. However, something miraculously happens, so read it to find out.

Although this novel is usually thought of as a story of revenge, it has an even deeper meaning than that. This story not only warns people who betray others, but it also promotes love, friendship, and most of all hope. When the Count of Monte Cristo comes back and seeks revenge, he also meets some friends on the way that move his heart. Some of his friends become poor and have a sad life because of his imprisonment long ago, but they still hope that he will return and they wait for him day by day. The count rewards them in a secret way, and shows how important it is to have hope in one's life even when there looks like no hope. So when you read this book, keep in mind that there is more to it than just vengeance.

This book is very pleasant and I finished it in a couple of sittings. It will definitely put you on the edge of your chair and you will hardly be able to put the book down. This book is for all kinds of people, but it is especially for people that think life is hopeless, because as this book will point out, nothing in life is ever hopeless.

This is and will probably continue to be my favorite boook of all time. It has got everything you could possibly want in a book. It's got betrayal, love, imprisonment, vengance, action, drama, and comedy. But you can read the synopsis for yourself.

More important than the plot of the story is that the reader will learn to love Edmond Dantes, the main character. They will admire his strength, his wits, his arrogance, and the way he learnes from his mistakes.

The reader will also learn to completely hate Danglars, Villefort, and Fernand. Every single horrible thing that happens to them, the reader will truly believe is justly deserved, even when Edmond believes it's too much.

The writing is also wonderful. The reader will practically be transported to France as they read this novel. The word choice is so magnificent and the sentences flow so well that the reader will feel every emotion that the characters do, and will probably even taste the sweet Parisian air in their mouths.

I first read the Signet Classic abridged version, and I thought this novel was great, but then I picked up the unabridged Modern Library version and enjoyed it even more. This book will change your life and I would highly suggest that everyone in the world read this book. Move over Shakespeare because you have just been dethrowned.

I must admit, I first picked up The Count of Monte Cristo about ten years ago because I liked the cover art (a different edition than this one). Within five minutes of reading it, I was hooked. The next 1,000 pages simply flew by and I literally could not put the book down. For someone who's never read it before, it's an enthralling tale of treachery, despair, hope, and ultimately a quest for vengeance. After finishing "The Count", I immediately sought out every book by Dumas I could get my hands on (The Three Musketeers, Ten Years After, and The Man in the Iron Mask). They were all exceptional reads, but none of them matched the brilliance of "The Count ."

Any reader who enjoys tales of adventure and has a taste for historical novels will love this book. I thought the recent movie version was excellent too, but I highly recommend reading the book first.