Levine relays the story of Sleeping Beauty with humor, styleand wit. As in her other fairy tale retellings, the heroine has bothbeauty and brains, and attempts to take charge of her own destiny. Further plot twists include a know-it-all princess, a dimwitted suitor, and an explanation for why fairies are no longer invited to naming ceremonies to bestow gifts. Charming illustrations reminiscent of Lang's fairy books add to the text and extend the story. The novel is attractively packaged in a non-standard size format with delicate scrollwork, regal gold lettering, and soft colors decorating a book jacket fit for royalty. Although the story isn't as strong as Levine's Newbery-award-winning "Ella Enchanted," fairy tale fans will enjoy both this title and her retelling of the Princess and the Pea, "The Princess Test."

The book I reviewed was Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine. My favorite part was when Princess Sonora falls asleep for a hundred years. It is really cool how she is still alive while she sleeps for so long.. My favorite character is Princess Sonora. I would recommend this book to a friend who likes fantasy stories. There was a very funny part in the story when the sheep come around and the whole world goes bald. While I was reading this book it felt like I was actually in the story. I would give this book five stars.

Some authors let their books go after the first successful one - but not Gail Carson Levine. This retelling of Sleeping Beauty is priceless. The original details are still there, but some more are added on, and they don't make it worse at all.

They way she puts things is light and funny, but the only quarrel I have with this book is that it's too short. All of the Princess Tales are, but I wish she'd made it a little longer; I finished it in half an hour, and I'm not a speed reader.

This is a fairly good book but nothing like Orders to Kill by William Pepper which is much more detailed and conclusive in it's arguments. Thinking about it I guess these guys probably re-released to cash in on the time, effort and money that Pepper spent on the the case. Still it is much better than Posner so...

It was on this very day,33 years ago,that civil rights leader Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis. It was,obviously,an awful moment for America back then...but it's something people should never forget & something people should forever scrutinize,because there are some very strange things surrounding this particular murder,...

At first delvings,though,the King-Assassination-Case can very much seem totally undecipherable. If this is the case,all you need do is devour some really good books on the subject.

Mark Lane's "Murder In Memphis" is one of these books; expertly studied & addictively written with a smart sense of exploration. "Murder In Memphis" will astonish you. The interviews,the de-classified FBI documents,the end result-revelations of a Congress investigation into the matter,all pointing,basically,to a possible/probable Conspiracy involving the highest fractions of the U.S government,the top levels of American intelligence,& the deepest reaches of organized crime~(All seductively intertwined with each other). For me,One of the best pieces of information is the one concerning Myron Billit,a old gaffer for the Mafia,who claims that in early 1968 he drove two senior mob figures,Sam Giancana & John Roselli,to a meeting with federal agents at a motel in upstate New York. Billit says that at the meeting,the Mafia leaders were offered a million dollar contract to kill Martin Luther King-(Since Myron gave this info on his death-bed,it seems unlikely to be false).

Mark Lane has constructed a mindblowing book. Fascinating reading,well worth the investment. A publication i shall always appreciate.

As it is a particular field of interest to me, I have probably read more about the trilogy of 1960's assassinations than most. Most conspiracy theories, however, involve a certain suspension of disbelief, and the reader, as investigator, must decide what they believe or not. Not so in Mark Lane and Dick Gregory's Murder in Memphis; without pointedly trying to be, their simple stating of the facts is the single most damning, disturbing, and convincing indictment of the FBI and others involved that I have ever read. Brilliantly written, the book is also meticulously researched; every source used is clearly identified and the reader gets the impression they could independently verify every statement made with relative ease. A non-stop page-turner from beginning to end; it is a must read for anyone who enjoys non-fiction.

A great novel in which two brothers are pitted against each other by the dark forces determined to take both their thrones. Lleu, heir to the throne, is bullied by his brother for being weak, yet finds the courage to escape from prison when he is wrongfully incarcerated, and go in search of the last Crystal Knight. Along the way he is befriended by a rogue who just may have stepped into the past from our own world. The dynamics between Lleu and his bullying younger brother reveal two men who both have their kingdom's best interests at heart, yet cannot see eye-to-eye on how best to run it. Meanwhile, conniving forces are at work to steal the throne from both of them. This is a great alternate-history world, with all the right elements for a grand, High-Fantasy epic. And wait until you meet the ice giants! Big-budget movies couldn't do better than the words of the authors in creating some truly remarkable creatures.

The Encyclopedia of Furniture by Simon Yates, Constance King, and Mark Bridge is a wealth of information in a very readable information in a very readable format. It is laid out in sections by centuries with an introduction discussing the development of style of four major types of pieces- chairs, sofas, tables and desks. This information is conveyed by individual pieces of furniture noted with color photos, full descriptions including date, style, descriptions, materials used, and the name of the maker, if known. Enlightening details are given with these photos. Here are some examples: "Two other distinct Boston characteristics are the decorations on the knees of the cabriole legs and Rococo style made with a punch rather than carved with a chisel and the rat-claw feet, broadened to look more like a rat's paw than a lion's." With over 1000 illustrated pieces, this would be a good addition to your library.

In beginning Twain's "King Leopold's Soliloquy", one immediately notices how wordy Twain is. Yet, the context plays a major role in portraying the oddity of how the king actually thought his cruelty was well deserved. This book is pure genius when it comes to irony and sarcasim. One of Twain's most horrid yet thought provoking novels.

This book is both inspiring and informative. Many effective techniques are discussed which can add much to any therapist's list of favorites. You'll refer to it often

In this book a man, Mr. Potter, who hates animals, decides he needs some company so he goes to the pet shop. He decides to get a bird, a crow to be exact. When he takes it home he and it become best friends. Mr. Potter decides to.... And you should read this book if I got you hooked

It was veary dramatic book

This beautifully illustrated book was issued to accompany the 1998/99 major travelling exhibition of the same name.

It focuses on some of the different stages of Warhol's career starting with his fashion illustrations and shop window-dressing from the fifties and early sixties. It then goes on to the 'Factory' style of the sixties and the nightclub and celebrity scenes of the seventies and eighties.

'The Warhol Look' is packed full of wonderful images and photographs, not just by Warhol but also by other artists, designers and photographers. This is especially true of the middles section Covering the sixties. Many forgotten images and magazine spreads are illustrated, providing extra clues as to how mainstream culture viewed Warhol and his associates.

Perhaps the most illuminating parts of the book are devoted to Warhol's fascination with transvestites and Warhol's side line of modelling. The essays accompanying the latter especially provides a fresh insight into Warhol the man and Warhol as a mirror.

The book provides yet more conclusive proof of Warhol's influence on mainstream fashion, art, design, and even, with 'interview' magazine publishing. It examines his links with the downtown avant-garde and underground scenes of the sixties and his distancing from it after his shooting in 1968. It then illustrates his growing obsession with celebrity and fame in the seventies and eighties.

Overall, this is a wonderful book for all Warhol fans, and for anyone interested in fashion, design and the various New York downtown scenes in between 1950's and the 1980's.

This is an excellent book. It is by far the best Twain I have read yet, and I give it four stars. In this novel, Mark Twain holds the glory and romance associated with Arthurian Legend up to the standards of 19th century society, and reveals defects in both the romantic ideal of King Arthur and the faith that Twain's generation holds in scientific and social "progress." Both funny and thought-provoking, this book provides the reader with a new set of eyes with which to view the barbarism and injustice that Arthur and his knights so valiantly fought to preserve. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is the tale of Hank Morgan, a typical 19th century man who is transported back in time to the days of Merlin, Guinevere, and King Arthur. After becoming aware of his surroundings, and deciding to ignore his uncertainty about whether King Arthur actually existed, this man uses the common knowledge of his time period, his practicality, and some perfectly timed arrogance to acquire a position of great power in this land that he finds repulsive and in need of an enlightened leader. The ensuing story is the tale of what happens when the two utopias collide and this man abuses his power in an attempt to bring the "great and beneficent" miracles of the 19th century to the Age of Chivalry. I would recommend this book to any reader in 8th grade or above, but I would discourage people with passionate faith in the purity and glory of King Arthur from reading this book if they do not want to be forcefully presented with demonstrations of chivalry's inhumanities. A fairly well developed sense of humor will help the reader to enjoy Mark Twain's subtle ironies and satirical situations, and some basic knowledge of science helps in understanding some of the scenes, however this isn't vital to the book. The vocabulary is moderately advanced, the subject matter is somewhat mature at times, and the philosophical reasoning is probably beyond the reach of most Junior High students, yet I would encourage anyone who is interested to give this book a try. This novel is also great for the general public because A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court provides the reader with a main character with whom they may identify. The main character, Hank Morgan is presented with situations in which he must deal with being a stranger in a new atmosphere, being a social outcast due to his uncommon beliefs, he must avoid physical confrontation, and he is forced to use his intellectual abilities rather than brute strength to solve difficult situations. Many readers will have faced similar difficulties in their lives, and this ability to identify with the characters will definitely add to the overall enjoyment of the story. With this piece of work, Mark Twain displays his true talent for excellent writing and story telling. He incorporates enough adventurous and action filled scenarios to make the reader want to continue reading vigorously, yet he also manages to discuss very philosophical and thought-provoking topics during the lulls in the action. This book reads very quickly near the beginning and end. The action tapers off during the middle of the story, but not for long, and once it starts to pick up again, Twain demonstrates his true potential for greatly entertaining writing in the very climactic and cleverly ironic ending that brings this all-around great book to an even better close. This is definitely a book worth reading.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an intriguing novel written by Mark Twain. This is a fantastic book for the high school level reader, but would be entertaining to adults as well. I am a freshman in high school, and I enjoyed many attributes of the plot and writing style. In this novel the main character, Hank Morgan, is mysteriously transported from the nineteenth century in Connecticut back to the fifth century in England. During his time in medieval Britain, he keeps a journal which is what most of this book is. The preface and afterwards are both the narration of Mark Twain who writes as if he has found Hank's journal, and is merely writing it down in a book. As the journal starts out, Hank is introduced to King Arthur and after narrowly escaping death and becomes the country's most powerful advisor. Hank introduces many modern wonders to this feudal society. He is hailed a magician, being able to perform wonderful "miracles" and "magic", when it really is only modern science. It is very entertaining to read about how the feeble-minded people of that time react to these feats. In the end, there is a tremendous battle with many exciting episodes leading up to it. If a reader is partial to battle scenes of high caliber, this is a book for him! Of course, Hank has many other battles as well. Once of his biggest enemies is the Church of England. The big question the reader asks themselves during this book is "Will Hank return to his time and if so, how?". It was exciting for me to ponder this question throughout the novel. During Hank's travels through medieval Britain, he meets many people. The people he meets who think a government ruled by the people in Britain (his ultimate goal) would be a good idea, he sends to Camelot where he has schools set up which teach people about modern governmental ideas. Schools were also set up to teach people how to produce his wonders of modern science. These few enlightened people remain loyal to Hank until the very end. I thought it an entertaining notion that people who were trained from birth to believe in one thing, could realize it's faults and begin to believe another things. I really enjoy this book because it brings a lot about human nature into question. It discusses the vast differences of beliefs, manners, and life styles between one hundred years ago and fourteen hundred years ago. I also thought the differences between classic Arthurian legend and Mark Twain's perspective of the time were very interesting. Hanks training of these idealistic people he runs across plays into the large political aspect of this book. Since Hank's ultimate goal is to transform Britain into a country ruled by the people, he starts factories producing modern goods which greatly changes the lives of the Britons. I enjoyed the descriptions of the people's reaction to these modern products of science thirteen centuries before they would be invented. Throughout the entire book commentary and philosophizing concerning the comparison of the fifth century feudal system of Britain and the nineteenth century democracy of the U.S. by Hank Morgan is common. This political aspect is typical of Twain's works. It gave me great pleasure to read this aspect of the book and to comprehend it's meaning. Through Hank Morgan, Mark Twain is able to depict vivid images in the readers mind. Whether it be a person, scene, or sensation felt by Hank Twain describes it in a way which puts a solid picture in the imagination of the reader. I have not seen the movie of this novel, but I have heard it isn't very well done and it is nothing compared to the book. I believe this is because Mark Twain paints such a realistic picture in the mind of the reader, it is nothing compared to what some director can film. From Mark Twain's great descriptions and writing style to the unique ideas presented, the novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a fantastic novel. There are so many aspects of it to enjoy, and it is just an all around entertaining book. I give this book four out of five stars and I recommend it to any one interested in fantasy, especially if they want a different perspective on King Arthur.

Well, the perfect companion to La Morte d'Arthur...

Twain completely dissects the "good ol' days" of Arthurian Britain by exposing the vicious social practices of the time: white slavery, le droit de seigneur, confiscation of property in event of suicide, the complete lack of impartial justice, the degrading influence of the Church on the mass, etcetera etcetera etcetera...

The Arthurian legends are wonderful tales, but they are a mythic literary production; Twain deals with the brutal reality of daily living in the Dark Ages, and points out that the good ol' days were not so good, anyway.

As for its applicability to modern America, I am not fit to judge. Perhaps it's there. But "The Connecticut Yankee" is a wonderful tonic for those prone to romanticizing the past. Twain seems to agree with Tom Paine that the English nobility were "no-ability", and simply the latest in a series of robbers.

And, of course, the book is stuffed with wonderful Twainisms... My favorite is his observation that a conscience is a very inconvenient thing, and the significant difference between a conscience and an anvil is that, if you had an anvil inside you, it would be alot less uncomfortable than having a conscience.

Twain also mentions the beautiful mispronunciations of childhood, and how the bereaved parental ear listens in vain for them once children have grown.

You'll never look at castles the same again...