In 1996, an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Social Work co-founded the International Paruresis Association (IPA). That professor, Steve Soifer, is also a co-author of this book. It is the first monograph on Paruresis or Shy Bladder Syndrome: the inability to urinate in a public restroom or in the presence of others....Classified as a social phobia in DSM-IV-TR (300.23), it is associated with impairment in multiple functional domains: employment, education, and social relationships. This debilitating condition thrives in a climate of shame and secrecy (on the part of paruretics) and ignorance (by health and mental health care providers). This deceptively slim book may help you identify paruresis in yourself, a loved one, or a client/patient. One section helps the reader rule out other conditions (pp.16-18). The brain-body connection is clearly described in Chapter Two, and includes both a diagram of the human urinary system and a chart of the human nervous system. The authors present a ten-step approach for Graduated Exposure Therapy, the treatment of choice at present. Appendices include a literature review, a synopsis of "the evolution of the bathroom and its impact on paruresis", and resources. A seven page bibliography is included. There is no index, and it is hoped that future editions will remedy this. This thoughtful, sensitive book breaks the silence which has hitherto dominated the subject. For that, and for the prospect of relief it holds for over 17 million sufferers, we may all be grateful.

As social phobia is finally being recognized by the public and professionals alike as a serious condition, affecting nearly 20 million in the US alone, so is avoidant paruresis - one painful, disabling, and embarrassing manifestation of it. As one who suffered from both for years, I can tell you this book provides you with everything you need to know to overcome this form of performance anxiety.

Starting with what "bashful bladder syndrome" is, it takes the reader through its causes, different treatment approaches, what to expect from the medical community, and how to gain support from family, intimates, and friends. It has one chapter on the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act to mandatory drug testing and another on the evolution of the bathroom and its effect on avoidant paruresis which makes for fascinating reading.

This breakthrough book gives hope to people worldwide who live restricted lives because of this debilitating human affliction. It is essential reading for medical and mental health professionals, sufferers, and their family and friends!

This book is the most comprehensive guide to the suffering paruretic. It defines and provides a self test to determaine your level of severity. It relates numerous stories and experiences that you can identify with. The President of The International Paruresis Association, Steven Soifer speaks of his own suffering and eventual triumph. Some of the topics include How Paruretics Cope-Isolation and Avoidance and The Causes of Blashful Bladder Syndrome: Unravelling the Mystery. It also outlines the working of the urinary system. It offers methods of self treatment through Graduated Exposure Therapy and addresses the topic of The Medical Community and Paruresis. Have you ever thought about telling others?. Why not start your own group?. This book will show you how step-by-step. Need to tell a friend or loved one. This book can help. Each page is clearly written is easy to understand terms and is finished with a summarization of each chapter. All you ever wanted and needed to know is found in this book written by four of the leading Avoidant Paruresis research specialists. This book is the first step to treating and conquiring your Paruresis. Don't suffer alone anymore. Begin the road to recovery.

'Crest of the Peacock' would be an excellent text for a history of mathematics course. It doesn't cover modern mathematics, but for previous periods it is so much better than many others available. For those brought up on Kline, Boyer, Struik, etc, this book is a refreshing challenge to the thinking we have grown up with. The author does not rant about the misconception of maths as a 'western invention', but instead presents a very readable and well argued history of mathematics in various cultures, and the links between them. I learnt far more from this book than I have from any other history of maths text. Highly recommended, particularly if you teach mathematics - there is so much material in here to liven up your classes.

This is a book that is truly liberating. It should be read by each and everyone of us brought up on a diet of undiluted Eurocentrism. An amazing journey through history and cultures, one is left at the end of it wanting more. For someone with a limited and frightening exposure to school math, the level and literary clarity makes much of the math quite palatable. Would unreservedly recommend the book. I would be amazed if at the end of it one's perception of mathematics has not changed for ever.

I have just finished reading this book. It is an amazing experience for someone whose math stopped with the high school. The sections relating to the truly forgotten people - the original inhabitants of the Pacific region, the American continents and Africa- which is mainly contained in the last chapter entitled 'Reflections' were a revelation to me. Anybody who sees math as a truly global phenomena must read this book I would be most interested in knowing more about the author.

This book is very thrilling, and keeps you in suspense. You feel like you are really there, watching history unfold right before your own eyes. If you find it is hard to stay into this great book, press on! You will really love this adventurous book.

I read this book with my daughter who is 10 and we had a hard time putting it down. She is studying the Middle Ages this year in school and this story brought that time period to life. Not only did we learn about the historical events of the time of King Alfred and the Vikings, but we enjoyed reading about the culture of the 9th century. We have read other books by Henty and we were not disappointed with this one. There is something here for everyone, adventure, battles, romance, friendship, etc.

Henty is a wonderful author. I have read this book dozens of times and it is always fresh. The scenes are vivid, the plot is involving, and the characters are marvellous!

This was a very good biography of Frank Costello. In addition you also recieved a good history of organized crime.This book
tells of Costello's leadership role in the Mafia. You are taken through bootlegging.the gambling empires that were built by
organized crime as well as the House un-American activities
hearings. The author also gives you good insight into the attempted murder of Costello by rival forces.You also get a good insight into Bugsy Seigel,Meyer Lansky, and other prominent

figures in organized crime. This isn actually a very good book.
Read it.

There has been much attention focused on this book in the last year or so. First Harold Ramis, noted "Prime Minster of the Underworld" as inspiration for his mob picture, "Analyze This". Then I read where former CBS President Tom Leahy along with Norman Twain obtained an option to do the book as a movie. It made me go out and get a copy. I was not disapointed! "Prime Minister" is the sort of book that isn't written much anymore. It is done with elan' and the subject, Frank Costello, the "capo di capo" is treated with great dignity. It is a dignity that Costello strove for in life, even as he headed an organized crime family. Costello's attorney wrote this book with the outstanding author Joseph DiMona. Together they weave an adventurous tale of an immigrant who through the din of will, grit and native intellect rose to the top of the "Cosa Nostra". Costello preferred negotiations to violence and acted as the Mob's peacemaker. "Prime Minister of the Underworld" presents a man of fundamental decency, ambivalent about life as a mobster, yet one of the most successful gangsters. It is this riddle, this internal contradiction that makes Costello compelling and drives this story. Wolf and DiMona display great restraint, they let the action speak for itself and there is not a moment gratutitous violence or moralizing. So complex is Costello's character that it needs no adornment and will bear no easy analyzation. What emerges is a clean portrait of an everyman as killer. George Wolf and Joe DiMona fashioned one of the great mob books of all time. A book as subtle and powerful as its' topic.

I enjoyed the first section on his childhood which was all new to me. But what I really enjoyed was the second section on the bootlegging days. It went into more detail than I could have asked for on how he set it up and even gave some detail on some of the gun fights men like Bugsy Seigel got into. I would have liked the book better if this section would have been a lot bigger. The rest of the book was good too and supplied an interesting theory on Lucky Luciano's infamous ride but didn't go into any real detail on how he ran and operated the crime family it focused more on his personal businessess. All in all interesting (especially the bootlegging section) and a fairly good story. I recommend at least giving it a try.

Everybody interested in MRP has seen Orlicky's book as a reference work. This book compliles it's work plus all the developments of this technique since its issue in the fifties. The beauty of this work is that it gathers all the pitfalls, successes and fails encountered by the "MRP crusades". It also contends about the realationship between MRP and JIT and it's possible combination.

I am the system administator at my company. Out of frustration at many problems we have been having with the MRP module of our integrated system, I looked for a good source of knowledge about how MRP *should* work. In Orlicky's MRP I found that source. Orlicky's MRP is probably one of the best written books on the subject that I've seen. I had no trouble at all understanding the complex concepts that were presented, despite my lack of MRP knowledge and experience. Indeed, during the time that I read the book, I discovered that there were several things we were doing wrong because we didn't have a good understanding about the way MRP should work. For example, for a long time we had been laboring under the fallacy that a released work order should increase allocations not only for the primary components of a parent but also for the components of those components! Orlicky's MRP set me straight, stating that mistaking the Planning phase of MRP for the Execution phase (or vice-versa) was a common problem. I will never have that problem again thanks to this book. Another thing I learned from this book was how the bill of material, MRP, and backflushing were interrelated. This book is an excellent manual for those who wish to learn more about MRP, and it's a good source to refer to when looking for answers about why your MRP system isn't performing well.

I want to study "The detail logic of material requirements planning".

Having been an advisor to transition economies on transforming their tax systems to assist in the move to a market economy, I can unequivocally state that this book is the clearest explanation of why individuals and firms benefit from the freedom of the market. As one of my good friends from the London School of Economics says, 'Stigler is light on math but heavy on economics.'

I totally agree with the gentleperson from Brazil.

The traditional heart of academic economics is about how relative prices are determined: the theory of the household, of the business firm, and of how the two interact via markets. This is the best exposition there is of that traditional heart. (The only other book to which it can be compared is McCloskey's "The Applied Theory of Price", regrettably also out of print.)

Stigler was also one of the best scholars ever on the history of economic ideas, resulting in this book's many delightful detours. Finally, he was a masterful and witty writer. If Churchill had been an economist, he would have written something like the Theory of Price.

It is amazing how this book is still valuable and such a few people know that. This is a book which every undergraduate student of Economics (actually every economist) should know, because it is pretty well written and it gives all the basic intuition for Microeconomics in a very good humour style - something I thought hardly possible in this field. It starts with the consumer theory and then goes through the firm theory. Many things we learn from Varian and Pindyck and Rubinfeld is there. I recommend this book mainly because you can learn very difficult things having fun, and the level of formality is very appropriate even for those who do not have a first year calculus (the tough stuff is in the appendix). I regret not to have known this book before.

This book is a 2002 collaboration between the most knowledgeable trout/salmon biologist and the best illustrator! Tomelleri is the all time out standing trout artist. There are several books out that attempt to do a similar compendium like 'Trout' by James Prosek which is also excellent, and a great addition to your library. But the synergy between Tomelleri and Behnke is unbeatable. It a sad description of sub species of Salmo lost forever, but does offer a ray of hope for some species. If you have any interest in N.A. Salmonids this is a must buy. It is written for the layman: no high level back ground in Ichthyology is needed to enjoy it. Buy it - you will not be disappointed.

This is the most interesting book in my collection. I am shocked that since this volume has become avaiable, only a single review has been submitted. Being a fisheries Ph.D student and long time salmonid fanatic, this is the book I've been waiting for my whole life.
The design of this volume is great. Have any of you ever looked at a book's layout? This masterpiece should be studied in a graphics design course.
I specialize in scientific illustration (black & white technical stuff). Much of my work has been published in Dr. Balon's: Environmental Biology of Fishes and I dare say I have an eye for what's good within this field. While Tomelleri's early salmonids (see Fishes of the South central USA) are okay at best, the ones featured in this book are out of this world. Strangely, he includes some of his earliest works(p.71, p.261). These must have been added for sentimental reasons and have little value being included with the otherwise superb lateral views.
I find it strange to see the reaction of people when I show them particular pictures from this book. They seem to get equal enjoyment from all the illustrations, mainly because of the flamboyent salmonid colors. No one picks up on the astounding progression in style/technique that Tomellerri has gone through over the years. Yet it is very evident indeed. No one has pointed out that while all the renderings are lovely, stuff like the pink salmon on p.43-45 represent the technical limit of what can be achieved with color pencil realism. My favorite? The Presidio trout on p. 121. I hate to say it, but the pictures (and book overall) are too good. Anyone can pick up a leica and enjoy its smooth mechanical functions but how many of us can appreciate the beauty of German industrial design and fine craftsmanship? This book suffers a similar fate. It will sell because we all love pretty trout, end of story.
I can't stop reading and looking at this book. I fall asleep next to it and in the morning, look through it some more. Our family collects antique books and my love for books extends into other fields as well. This is the greatest of all my prize posessions.
I enjoyed Dr. Benke's text. He is able to convey scientific information in a style that appeals to naturalists, fishermen and those of us within the sciences. I first came across his writings in the magazine Trout and like many of you, I fell in love with his AFS book on trout of western North America. Maybe the fact that I am fascinated by phenotypic plasticity and morphological variation within species has placed me in a situation to better appreciate what this book has tried to accomplish, but I hope not. I only wish that some of you can feel what I experienced when I first received my copy of Trout & Salmon of North America. This book beautifully articulates the complex and fascinating world of salmonids through stunning pictures and wonderful text.

Dr. Behnke is one of the foremost authorities on the taxonomy of Salmonidae. I can think of no one who has done more to save fisheries management from the one-size-fits-all mindset that has dictated the stocking thousands of miles of streams containing healthy populations of native trout with non-native hatchery stocks of rainbow trout. The policy of planting poorly adapted (and often diseased) hatchery fish on top of healthy populations of native trout, caused the outright extinction or local extirpation of native subspecies and stocks of trout throughout the western United States and Canada. Many of these fish had unique life histories that enabled them to successfully exploit habitats that hatchery rainbows cannot successfully utilize (without the continuation of massive and expensive stocking programs). At the very least, they represent a diversity form and life history that would be impossible to replace with the limited gene pool available in hatchery strains. Many of these fish, such as the golden trouts, interior cutthroats, and redband rainbows are living jewels, breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly adapted to their respective environments. The loss of any of these remarkable fish would diminish any person who cares about our natural heritage.

Professional biologists, such as myself, may have wished for a little more technical information than the book contains, such as was available in his 1965 PhD Thesis, A Systematic Study of the Family Salmonidae with Special Reference to the Genus Salmo or his 1992 mongraph, Native Trout of Western North America. Dr. Behnke has published a continuing series of articles on salmonid taxonomy, distribution, and life histories in Trout, the journal of the Trout Unlimited organization. He has used these articles to bring the importance of preserving the diversity of life histories present in each species to the attention of anglers and managers throughout North America. Whether a population is a species, subspecies, 'race,' or 'stock' has little meaning from a management standpoint, if it displays unique life history traits that enable it to exploit habitat extremes or niches that are inaccessible to other populations or hatchery stocks. As with agricultural crops, the loss of wild genotypes can never be fully compensated for and adaptations to local environments make many of these stocks the only fish that can successfully maintain naturally reproducing populations adapted to local disease organisms and environmental conditions.

I was hoping the book would include appendices that described all of the new technical information available about the family Salmonidae. Instead the book is a wonderful publication for the general public, containing a though and highly readable description of the wonderful diversity of form and life history represented by North American salmonids. Combined with Joseph Tomelleri's incredibly detailed and lifelike representative illustrations, this is a welcome addition to the library of any angler or biologist.

In addition to his contributions to the establishment of saner management policies for native fish, Dr. Behnke described or collaborated in describing literally dozens of distinctive populations of salmonids. Many of these fish; such as the Sheepheaven Creek Redband, Humbolt River cutthroat, fine-spotted Snake River cutthroat, and Whitehorse cutthroat; were simply described as a new subspecies without assigning a subspecies name to them. Dr. Behnke generally only assigned new scientific names, where a species or subspecies designation was incorrect, and a prior name already existed. Hence, the Yellowstone cutthroat became Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri instead of O. c. lewisi and the interior Columbia/Fraser River rainbow became O. mykiss gairdneri, rather than O. gairdneri. This brings me to one of my few quibbles about the book.

In the 1995 book, Many Rivers to Cross by M.R. Montgomery (a Boston Globe columnist), the author included the descriptive information from Dr. Behnke's monograph, Native Trout of Western North America, under the name Oncorhynchus clarki behnkei. I'm a fisheries biologist, rather than a taxonomist, but as I understand the process of naming a new species (or subspecies), the name should accompany a species account that includes a description of the species and information on the collection where the type (type specimen) is or will be deposited (perhaps Mr. Montgomery included all of Dr. Behnke's original description in his book and this is sufficient). This information is usually published in a journal or book (but I'm not sure if it has to be published by a professional taxonomist in a professional publication). The first name assigned has priority. If a non-professional can assign a name in any form of publication, then I believe that Ernest Schwiebert beat Mr. Montgomery to the punch by a couple of decades in his 1978 book, Trout, when he assigned the name Salmo carmichaeli (after a Wyoming tackle shop owner) to the Jackson Hole cutthroat and included an excellent illustration of a fine-spotted cutthroat from Blacktail Spring Creek in Wyoming. While its true that Schwiebert gave it species status, the same can be said of the rainbow trout, which was originally named Salmo gairdneri before it was reassigned the name Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri (gairdneri was assigned to the interior Columbia/Fraser River subspecies). Will some taxonomist please name a trout after Dr. Behnke?!! He certainly deserves the honor. It would be a nice gesture if a committee of taxonomists would decide which of Dr. Behnke's many unnamed subspecies of Oncorhynchus most deserves subspecies status and assign it the subspecies name, behnkei. The fine-spotted Snake River cutthroat seems like a fine fish to name after Dr. Behnke, but I'm sure any of the salmonids he has described over his long career would serve as a fine honor.

for 1-886508-28-3 and for 1-886508-10-0 : They are NO LONGER SHOWING, UNDER THE PUBLSISHERS REVIEWS/COMMENTS, as they did previously! What's happening?

Wow - its like condensed orange juice! Clearly explains the how, what, why of healing. The chapter and chart on Price versus Value of supplements was the clearest and easiest explanation in a few short pages, that I've ever read. The doctors and pharmacists involved in writing it, deserve applause - first time I got the whole picture, along with clear and easy to understand information about everything from herbs to vitamins, flower remedies and everything in between. Dr. Pettles one page description on his natural menopausal hormone replecment therapy and natural choices versus the drug approach, made getting the book worth every cent! I copied the page for a friend, who ended up getting the book and showing it to her doctor. She said it was so simple and clear, her doctor stopped trying to push the drugs and gave her a prescription for Dr Pettles natural hormone replacement therapy - on top of that its working for her. Not since I read Mindells Vitamin Bible, have I read such a clear, information packed book! A must have for anyone interested in natural remedies and supplements - fanstastic value for the money. Incidently, I am NOT related to the authors.

This is an interesting story of a young man in World War II. It is detailed and well researched. General John C. Meyer is quoted as saying: "George Preddy was the greatest fighter pilot who ever squinted through a gunsight; he was the complete fighter pilot". The book is also an accounting of the man himself (apart from his war efforts) and his family. It is written by a man who knew George Preddy as a child and looked up to him.

Reviewer: John Edwards from United States February 29, 2000 These are merely some thoughts that came to mind while reading the book and shortly thereafter and are in no particular order. This is a detailed account with complimentary diary excerpts providing an excellent glimpse into the man and the ace fighter pilot. A hall mark of a well written biographical account in my opinion is one that depicts the person, not just his/her accomplishments. Military biographies generally do this. I detected no attempt to smear anyone or organization as some lesser works. The book is supported by solid research and timely use of primary and secondary sources, especially interviews and personal rememberances of Preddy. The use of personal recollections makes the book read like an oral history instead of a typical biographical sketch. A particular strength of the work is the use of 'real' photographs, not the well publicized and over used images commonly found in biographical accounts. The gun camera stills bring a certain sense of immediacy to thebook. What better way to visualized the chaotic, swirling dogfights over Europe than with the same images Preddy saw, taken from his own gun camera. I personally like the clear, logical manner of organziation in the book. The writing seemed dynamic and vibrant instead of staid and flat. I never thought the material presented was out of scope in the chapter in which it appeared. Your own close family ties with George did not prevent you and Sam from capturing the man George was. The writing stayed focus on Preddy's life and did not become a dry operational history of the 352nd during Preddy's service. This certainly held true in the first part of the book with Preddy serving in the Pacific. So often in WWII literature, if the subject served in the ETO and PTO authors commonly short shaft the PTO since it does not carry the same appeal. Your book is proportionally balanced. Well done.

These are just random thoughts I had. I enjoyed reading the book. This book does not require prior knowledge like some biographies.

This book provides an outstanding look at the career of one of this Nation's top aviation heros of World War II. George Preddy was the United States Army Air Force's top Mustang Ace, scoring 23.83 aerial victories in the P-51 Mustang. In addition to his P-51 victories, Preddy also scored three aerial victories while flying the P-47 Thunderbolt. The book, which was a labor of love for its authors, covers Preddy's short life in detail.

Many people who have heard of George Preddy, the great Ace, might be surprised to learn that it was a real struggle and accomplishment for him to even get into military aviation. Through his personal determination Preddy overcame the obstacles that his small stature presented and worked his way into the Air Force. Once this happened, "the rest is history."

Authors Noah and Sox utilized official records, family records and diaries, and interviews with many of the "Bluenosers of Bodney" to prepare this outstanding! story of George Preddy's life. Joe Noah, Preddy's cousin, was able to access George's diary, letters, and other family material and gave this book the personal touch that few others could have. Sam Sox has long been interested in the George Preddy story, and played an important role in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina's decision to name a boulevard after the Preddy brothers, both of whom lost their lives in World War II. Additionally, Sam Sox has produced an excellent video covering the life of George Preddy. Along with an interesting narrative, this book is enhanced with over 100 quality photos.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of World War II, and suggest that they add it to their library.

whenever I find a used copy of this or MacDonald's "The Princess and Curdie" I buy it and give it away. Both books are full of religious symbolism if you think about it, and old other-worldness if you don't. "The Princess and the Goblin" can be enjoyed by early elementary school children, while the language of "The Princess and Curdie" is more challenging and suited for 5th grade and up, though anything is possible with a bit of extra effort. Worth trying. George MacDonald (deceased) has a loyal following as do, of course, Tolkien and C.S.Lewis who were his friends. These are lovely books to read aloud.

So you love C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles? There people who don't are few and far between. One of the biggest influences on C.S. Lewis was this man, George MacDonald (1824-1905). It was MacDonald's talent for telling fairy stories that inspired Lewis in writing his own. Like Lewis, MacDonald has a remarkable ability to tell a delightful and enchanting story for children, layered with strong Christian themes and imagery by means of allegory and symbols. 'The Princess and the Goblin' is one of his most beloved works for children, and an excellent introduction to his style and success.

'The Princess and the Goblin' features a heroine ' a princess called Irene ' and a hero ' a simple miner's son called Curdie. While working overtime in the mines to earn money to buy his mother a red petty-coat, Curdie chances upon the goblins who live in the mountain, and discovers that they are hatching an evil plot against the king and his palace. Meanwhile the princess makes a discovery of her own ' high in the castle she finds a wonderful old lady who is her great-great-grandmother. The problem is, nobody else knows of her grandmother, and nobody believes her. But the princess does believe, and it is by her faith in her grandmother and the magic thread that she receives from her, that she is able to rescue Curdie. Together they rescue the entire palace from disaster at the hands of the goblins.

In telling the story, MacDonald has an enchanting conversational style, wonderfully suitable for reading aloud to enraptured children ' an ability perfecting in telling stories to his own eleven children. But 'The Princess and the Goblin' is more than just a story. Before pursuing a literary career, MacDonald was a Congregationalist minister, and so integrates important underlying Christian themes. Believing in the great-great-grandmother despite the fact that many cannot see her, is a symbol of believing in God. MacDonald uses this to show how the Christian faith involves believing without seeing, and that not everyone has to 'see' something for it to be true. The grandmother's lamp and magic thread are the guides on which the princess must depend, much like the Word which is a lamp on our path. It may sound tacky, but it works.

Children are not likely to grasp the deeper underlying themes that MacDonald is working with. Nonetheless the story has a clear message for children. The clear conflict between the royal powers of light against the goblin powers of darkness is unmistakable. Moreover, the princess is presented as a model of virtue, and MacDonald frequently asserts the importance of moral virtues such as always telling the truth, keeping your word, and admitting your faults ' moral virtues that are equally important for princes and princesses of God's kingdom. Courage, honesty, grace, dignity and beauty are timeless ideals for children of all times to strive for. If you love Narnia, you're sure to like this one, and you'll find yourself quickly grabbing the sequel, 'The Princess and Curdie.' 'The Princess and the Goblin' was one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, highly regarded by C.S. Lewis, described by W.H. Auden as 'the only English children's book in the same class as the Alice books', and generally considered as a classic example of nineteenth century children's literary fairy tales. So if you haven't yet read this book, it's about time you did. With admirers such as Tolkien, Lewis and Auden, if you become a MacDonald's admirer you'll find yourself in good company!

Dang, but this is good! I can see why Lewis and Tolkien, the acknowledged kings of fantasy, loved it. Written long before the Hobbit, I'd say that this might be the first kid's fantasy book still published today.

Young Princess Irene is kept in ignorance of the ghastly goblins that live under the mountains--neither she nor any of the castle staff are allowed out after dark. But when she and her nurse Lootie accidently stay out too late, a hideous creature chases them and nearly catches them. Because of that, Irene meets the young miner boy, Curdie, who knows the weaknesses of the goblins.

After her narrow escape, Irene is drawn up into abandoned parts of the castle to where her great-great-grandmother lives, surviving on pigeon's eggs--also a wonderful character, somewhere between a guardian angel and a grandmother. Her shifting forms, subtle magic and enigmatic speech are mesmerizing. The enchanted bath scene is worth the book alone!

Irene and Curdie are human yet excellent role models for kids. Irene appears to be only seven or eight, but tries to carry herself as a princess at all times, with bravery and dignity (she doesn't always succeed, but it's never shown as being a GOOD thing). Curdie is also brave and dignified, a prince in the spirit with humble roots.

And the goblins? Well, I got nightmares when I was little from some of the descriptions, but if you can read, say, Harry Potter (not as good) without freaking then you should have no trouble.

This is probably the earliest fantasy, and one of the best.