I am a hugely ardent fan of the movie... and I think I have to admit that is even better. It goes into a lot more depth- this is apparently what Pogue really wanted to do with the screenplay but couldn't. You get tons more about character here too and the whole story is somehow filled out. There are some very funny bits (Gilbert's first encounter with Draco par example...), and some haunting dark passages - a lot of Einon's thoughts...
And everything describing Draco and his thoughts is just beautiful... There's a bit near the end where he wants a last flight and sunshine which completely breaks my heart *sob*.
It's the sort of book I will gladly stay up all night reading... beautifully written... just amazing!!!




(Pls. note: this review was written by me about the BOOK - I don't know how much the tape has been abridged, but I strongly suggest you read the book anyway cos, as I said, it's brilliant!!)

I read this book because of an article I read in which Charles Edward Pogue claimed that his screenplays for Dragonheart & Kull were savaged by their Directors. To give the man a fair shake, I read his Dragonheart Novel. I can see why he was so upset! Wherever the film takes a wrong turn, the Novel goes in the right direction. Everything that is wrong about the film is RIGHT in the Novel. The writing, while now and then a little spare [which is better than overwriting] and a little too modern, is, overall, exceedingly literate [some of the dialogue is close to Tad Williams level]. The characters are believable and involving. The story explains itself and it's world. I HIGHLY recommend buying a copy of Dragonheart!

Ijust have to say that I love this book!! Also the movie is Awesome!!!!

This volume makes important contributions to our understanding of the Chinese revolution. . . . The entrenchment of networks of loyalty among local leaders and higher level officials of the emerging party-state is a central element of the authors' analysis. As the state extended its control over both the urban and rural economies, it increasingly monopolized the allocation of scarce resources. . . . Given the authors' trenchant critique of the Communist party's economically irrational commitment to rapid, large-scale collectivization, it is unfortunate that they have not addressed the implications of their work for the decollectivizing rural reforms of the post-Mao era, when many aspects of the peasant household economy have been restored. Perhaps there is a sequel in the making

It has been two years since I read this book, but I see it hasn't had a review yet, and I think it deserves one, so I add my two bits.

A very detailed analysis of the developments in rural Chinese society over a period of massive upheaval. Provides tremendous insight into the social mechanisms at play, and the interplay of contemporary political movements with the traditional power structures in rural China. For anyone interested in or involved in rural development in China, a drama which is still going on in the 21st century, a must read. Also recommended for anyone interested in the interactions between policy-directed, centrally planned development and the way society responds to it.

Would like to see a similar follow up on the years between the cultural revolution and the present.

As stated in the preface, acts of kindness need not be elaberate or planned. This small book is a treasure trove of esperiences of kindness, given and received. Some are big, like a complete christmas provided for a family down on its luck. Some are small, like not hitting back. It is a reminder that we all have the capacity to reach out. I took this book to church with me, in case the services got too boring. I read it, my kids read it , and I have since reread it several times since. A gentle nudge towards becomming a kinder person.

This small book made an important difference in my life. Example after example of people being kind to each other penetrated and softened my pressured, irritated heart, and made me a better person. It reminded me of something crucially important, something I had forgotten. And how wonderful to be reminded. When I began to put kindness and love into practice, the world transformed from something dull and disappointing into something beautiful and sweet. This is a book about the most important thing in the world.

In The Footsteps Of Robert E. Lee by Civil War history buff Clint Johnson is both a comprehensive travel guide to many historical sites connected to the Civil War Southern general Robert E. Lee, as well as a collection of stories that reveal the importance each site had with regard to Lee's character. From Harpers Ferry in West Virginia to the famous court house at Appomattox, In The Footsteps Of Robert E. Lee is a comprehensive, "user friendly" guidebook filled with the most fascinating bits of historical trivia. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the career of this amazingly skilled Civil War general and memorable historical figure.

Armchair historians and civil war enthusiasts, it's again time to arise from your La-Z-Boy recliners and hit the Civil War trail. This time you will follow in the footsteps of Marse Roberts from his birth through his early days in the army to visiting the White House in 1869 when he payed a brief visit to President Grant.

With 11 states, Washington D.C. and the brief inclusion of sites in Mexico you will need to spend several weeks going from site to site. However, the author breaks down the trips by state and gives excellent directions that will keep even the novice historian from loosing his way. You will be taken to several larger, well-known sites in West Virginia and Virginia as well as many smaller sites within these states and distant states such as Texas, Missouri and Florida.

Many have been to Sharpsburg, Manassas or perhaps South Mountain but it's doubtful that few have made it Stratford Hall where Lee was born. Therefore, it's fitting that the book starts out at Stratford Hall and gives brief insight into the life and lack of homeownership by Lee. From his birth in 1807 to his death in 1870, he never owned a single place of residence. He slept at his parents' home, army barracks, his wife's inherited house, and several homes borrowed from individuals during and after the war. He never paid out of pocket for any property on which he resided.

The research within these pages is top notch and gives the reader some excellent side bar material to whet his or her appetite for more on Robert E. Lee. The descriptions are concise and to the point and give just enough detail to allow the reader to understand how the specific location played a key role in shaping young Lee or perhaps how it effected his overall battle strategy in his later years. The accounts are well done and not overly detailed giving the average reader a nice foundation for a beginning study on Lee. The chapters are well laid out, state by state, but in order to keep this data from filling several volumes it does not include every little site associated with Lee. Not to worry, the author chose wisely and the selected material flows quite nice.

In going through this work the reader will enjoy his or her journey into Lee's past with stops along the way at several key historic areas. This is not a paperback for the hard-nosed historian, but well-done research for those interested in following in "The Footsteps of Robert E. Lee". Mr. Johnson has done it again and I highly recommend this book!

What distinguishes Tomarken from other critics? I'll tell ya' what. He uses words like "absolutistically". Then, right when the writing starts to get dull, he'll hit you with a good ol' "obsequious", followed by the 1/2 punch of a "lycencous", and of all things the "dunne" of the text. Tomarken's ability to finger through the Oxford unabridged dictionary in order to find the most obscurely outrageous words available is unparallelled by any other 21st century literary critic. In fact, it is rumoured that in a flash of brilliance in 1972, Eddie pulled out the word "antidisestabilshmentarianistically" in reference to genre and ethics, a stunt that has yet to be surpassed. Here's to you Ed. Far and away, one of the finest brothers to Peter Tomarken there is.

What distinguishes Tomarken from other critics? I'll tell ya' what. He uses words like "absolutistically". Then, right when the writing starts to get dull, he'll hit you with a good ol' "obsequious", followed by the 1/2 punch of a "lycencous", and of all things the "dunne" of the text. Tomarken's ability to finger through the Oxford unabridged dictionary in order to find the most obscurely outrageous words available is unparallelled by any other 21st century literary critic. In fact, it is rumoured that in a flash of brilliance in 1972, Eddie pulled out the word "antidisestabilshmentarianistically" in reference to genre and ethics, a stunt that has yet to be surpassed. Here's to you Ed. Far and away, one of the finest brothers to Peter Tomarken there is.

PAIN AND OTHER PETTY PLOTS TO KEP YOU IN STITCHES is an amazing, visually delicious book. The authors and artist have created a wildly eccentric universe where bizarre is normal. Only with creativity freewheeling at its fastest could these images and stories emerge.

In Pain and Other Petty Plots, Alan Clark has created a masterpiece of biological and psychological dysfunction that will leave the reader's relationships with hospitals forever scarred. Through a stunning array of paintings and stories, some written by collaborators, Clark guides the reader on an unforgettable journey through his sly and cruel mythos about a medical facility staff in the service of pain. Surrealistic torment and human folly serve as the foundation for a unique vision that disturbs while it amuses, and ultimately serves as a warning on the limitless possibilities for self-destruction in all of us.

Perfect company for those long waits in doctor's offices or hospital clinics. A must for ER visits.

-Gerard Houarner, author of THE BEAST THAT WAS MAX; ROAD TO HELL; VISIONS THROUGH A SHATTERED LENS

Interviews are a very rare genre in literary criticism. However, Salusinszky created an astounding gathering of the top critics in the U.S. The book is not based necessarily on individual interviews, because the points of view of one critic about the others are included. This, of course, allows a clear, direct source on the opinions that Said has on Bloom or Lentricchia on Hartman. A must have for anybody looking for a comprehensive and personal approach to contemporary critics.

Showcasing Dante Marioni's glassblowing with 139 colorplates and four black/white photographs, Tina Oldknow (Curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York); Joseph Marioni (twice artist-in-residence at the Pilchuck Glass School); and Edward R. Quick (Curator, Presidential Materials Staff, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.) offer an informative text and commentary that enhances our understanding of this truly gifted man and his work. Very highly recommended for all serious personal, academic, professional, and community library collections, Dante Marioni: Blown Glass provides a "reader friendly" step-by-step depiction of the process used in the making of a blown-glass vase, a list of public collections, solo and group exhibitions, bibliography, biography, and index.

In my opinion this book was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel that every one should read about Denmark Vessey and his contributions to Black History. If you have nothing to do, read this book. I promise you it will change your views on Black History.

I found the book, Distant Revenge by Dr. Edward Briscoe, et al to be an engrossing and delightful novel, written with the passion and flair of writers who know how to both suspend and entertain the reader, while also providing a sense of the historical. The novel is basically a murder mystery set in contemporary Washington, D.C., but eventually encompasses a wider geographical perspective as well as time span, and in the process delights the reader with tidbits of Civil War anecdotes and other history lessons which keep you riveted to the pages.

The book's writers obviously spent a lot of time researching material for their literary gem which, through the use of flashbacks takes the reader back to the 1860's as they develop the background of one of the main characters. And through the adroit use of Chapters (29) and Parts (5), further take you through the painstaking planning stages of each of the multiple murders that become the foundation of the mystery and intrigue. There are five Georgetown University medical students intent on completing their respective medical degrees and hoping to make a difference in the world. However, due to the personal tragedies that befall four of them during the early stages of their educational pursuits, their dreams are virtually ended before they can be realized. If not for the extraordinary assistance provided by the fifth member of the group, whose personal financial fortunes enable the others to complete their education, they would not have ultimately attained their career goals. His "gift" to them, however turns into a "debt" he desperately needs them to repay many years later, as a life threatening situation involving his only son requires their immediate medical expertise. Unfortunately circumstances, which are very intricately developed by the authors, make each of their decisions to help their former classmate in his time of need virtually impossible, leading to - shall I dare say - matters of the vengeful kind!

To complicate things and to equally keep the reader off-balance, the writers throw in a parallel scenario involving the same four medical students in a tragic situation at a small town General Hospital during their medical internships, which consequently incurs the wrath of another individual. What this eventually leads to are "viable motives" of two different people to seek out revenge on these four doctors who, unfortunately are completely oblivious to what is in store for them. What an intriguing story line! And the authors handle it with both skill and cunning as they meticulously move the reader through each Chapter and Part, leaving you clues and then dead-ends as you attempt to determine, 'Who dunit?'

I found Distant Revenge to be a relatively quick read, and I think you'll find it literally impossible to put the book down. It contains a little over 260 pages and concludes with a most interesting and thought provoking Epilogue that will have you asking the question, "What was the ultimate 'distant revenge'?" I highly recommend this book, especially for the avid mystery reader, but also for those of you who like to be taken on a voyage as you meander through the vicissitudes of a novel as you find little tidbits of interest here and intrigue there. This book should make a great film!