F. Scott Fitzgerald may be remembered most often as the author of "The Great Gatsby", but during his lifetime, he earned most of his income by writing short stories for magazines. This compilation includes many of his earlier classics, all dealing with the same wealthy class of people that appear in his novels. "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" is a delightful tale about the lengths (literally) that girls will go to in order to fit in socially. "The Offshore Pirate" is a compelling and romantic story with an exciting and climactic ending. In addition, "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz", a longer and quite famous story has a brilliant plot; a boy visits his wealthy friend's home, and while he enjoys himself immensely and even falls in love, he finds out that the visit may come at a hefty price. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a hilarious story about a man born looking like he is 70 years old, and looking progressively younger as he "ages", so that he eventually seems younger than his grandson. All in all, you cannot miss with any of his stories, and they make great evening reads - one a day will surely keep the doctor away!

Nostalgia has an inevitable foreshortening effect upon reputation. For most of us, Fitzgerald is the perenially young, perenially arch chronicler of the 1920s Jazz Age -- of bathtub gin, flappers, rumrunners and boats born ceaselessly back.

This collection of short stories does much to restore an unappreciated side of Fitzgerald the writer, most notably his willingness to experiment with technique, his almost existential grasp of human absurdity and his articulation of unease and pessimism about the possibilities of the American Dream.

The stories range widely in quality from precious parodies from his Princeton years ("Jemina") to profoundly moving glimpses of the human condition ("The Lees of Happiness"). Even the most insubstantial of the stories printed here are worth the read for, if nothing else, they show that even at his youngest and roughest, Fitzgerald had a keen grasp of voice and description and how to use it to breath life into wispy plot lines.

I take issue with some of the critical recommendations contained in Patrick O'Donnell's fine introduction to the collection. I did not, for instance, find "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" particularly impressive. I think the best stories are those that hew to a psychological theme prevalent in Fitzgerald's fiction and his adult life -- the dread of what comes after youth and a nostalgic fixation on youth as the best time in a person's life. The stories I liked most -- "The Lees of Happiness," "The Ice Palace," "The Cut Glass Bowl," "Benediction," "The Four Fists," "'O Russet Witch!'" -- all tackle this theme.

Many of the stories in this volume aren't profound, but are just a delightful read. I defy you, for instance, to read "The Camel's Back" without bursting out loud in laughter over its protagonist's gyrations and setbacks in quest of his true love.

There is a wistfulness at the center of Fitzgerald's prose and his life story that seems to have faded from our collective remembrance of him as a Great American Author. This volume does much to remind us of that winsome note and to remind us that Fitzgerald paid dearly for it in his personal life as it lit up his writing at the same time.

A fascinating and easy to read history of the Penn State Blue Band. There are some truly amazing photographs. I highly recommend this book!

This book really captures the spirit and essence of what is the Penn State Blue Band. I've marched in the band for 3 seasons and have, at times, tried to describe the exhiliration of the pregame show, or the dedication and pride I felt when I donned the uniform. This book does that perfectly. As years pass, and my memories fade of my experiences in The Blue Band, I will have this book to call upon, and help relive some of thos moments.

This CD REALLY opened my eyes! The performance of the reader and the power of the music brought the words to life. I FINALLY understood the time & conflict our founding fathers went thru.

I wish they had presented this to me when I was in school! All I can remember was the Boston Tea Party was against taxes & the Constitution was a really successful intellectual experiment.

I've been loaning it to friends & have had trouble getting it back. They love to listen to it while driving, etc. Its very inspiring & uplifting

Words of Freedom: Men of Honor is a gripping dramatic rendering of historic American documents and quotes that timelessly inspires the whole world not just Americans. I would recommend this CD to any student, to any history buff, or even to anyone who has not studied History for years. I hope you find this program as thought provoking, alive, and entertaining, as I have.

Kenny's text on Aquinas is informative and to the point. If you want more than a shallow introduction to Aquinas' life and thought, this is an excellent place to begin. Like other contributions in the Past Masters series, the text offers a brief biography, articulates the main philosophical concerns, offers some criticism, then reflects on the consequences or influences of the subject under study.

this book is one of those that can change your life. A welcome relief from pop psychology, this book makes you dig down and look at the real issues. It is spiritual but not religious, uplifting but not promising an easy solution. Being used as text in many college and graduate school clases.

Advanced. Moderately critical commentary. Not for the passive student.

For one thing, mine did. Also it is good to support profesor's writings. It does cover all the bases of Expert Witnesses! Check it out, especially Criminologists, Lawyers, Attorneys, Legal Advisors, Detectives, and Expert Witnesses.

To cite Meriwether Lewis as Editor of this and other volumes of this University of Nebraska Press edition, edited by Moulton, is an injustice to Moulton. Lewis' efforts never got beyond a pros- pectus. Further, to list Clark as merely a con- tributor, is unforgiveable.

I guess not many folks have read this extremely intelligent book. Merton's close readings of many giants of literature from his Christian perspective are illuminating. My personal favorite is his reading of Camus. It would have been fantastic if these two could have sat down and spoken to one another! While I am not into orthodox or fundamentalist Christianity, I fully agree with Merton's perspectives, and he has nourished my spirituality with his writing. As an English major he has altered and illuminated my readings of these great authors. I think that this, along with "The New Man" and His "Asian Journals" provide the most in depth, intelligent, mature writings of Merton at the height of his powers. Incidently, "The New Man" is largely based on his reading of Camus and the Romantics, and he provides a perspective that is missing from the many critical perspectives that have been offered, even up til now.

Apart from the gospels and new testament,this is,THE,most rewarding book i have ever read.It stresses with clarity the fundamental importance of becoming aware of our true identity in christ,and equally important of becoming aware of our false self,the self rooted in the ego.The book is a wake up call for all those who would see the spiritual life as a process of self agrandizement.With it's raw honesty and gentleness one gradually becomes ever more aware of just how important the issue of identity is in the spiritual life,and the huge importance merton ascribed to it.This book is a threat to the ego and it's hollow and false little world,that it creates in it's rivalry with god.I advise all christians to read and reread this beautiful book,even if at times,it becomes a little tough.