I received this book as a birthday present last month. To say the least, I was overwhelmed with all the artwork in this book. I love it! The artwork and production animation is breathtaking! It's a really awesome book, I'd get it if I were you! You can't go wrong with "The Art of The Lion King"!!!

This book is one of the most exquisite things to come out of The Lion King. The graphics are beautiful. Most of the pictures are ones that are used for the storyboard and layout scenes. I reccommend it to anyone who loves The Lion King, or just Disney in general. Order with confidence - the book is worth much more than its price tag. It is also much more convient than the larger, more expensive version which I believe is no longer being produced.

This book is great if you like to see all the art work that was created during the development of the movie as well as the finished scenes. They show you a lot of the concept art that was used so that you get a sense of how ideas developed and gives you a glimpse behind the scenes. The book is mostly pictures with less explanatory text than you usually see in similar books. So it's mostly a book to look at as opposed to reading. It's great if you enjoy looking at animation art.

This book contains a catchy, rhyming poem and colorful full-page illustration for each of the English monarchs. Like the best children's literature, it is as much fun for the adult to read as for the child to hear. And not just for children--I found its jingles helpful in cramming for college English history exams!

Last night on Jeopardy!, someone flubbed a question re the Stuart dynasty. If they had only been exposed to this book, they would have remembered instantly: "James and Charles, Charles and James. They all looked well in picture frames." Another contestant did not know Cromwell's title. Farjeon fans would have recalled: "Lord protect us from Protectors." A unique, valuable, and fun book.

My first introduction to this wonderful book with a poem for each of England's monarchs was as a child in the early 50s. I loved it then (George was the king), and learned all the poems by heart. My children found it just as pleasing, and by the time these American youngsters were six they too could recite a poem for all the English kings and queens. As young adults, they are now arguing who will get to KEEP this much-read and much-loved book. How I wish I could find another copy!

I loved each poem. It has made it easier to remember who did what and remember the order of the English Monarchs. I think every American child should get the opportunity to learn these enchanting poems. As an adult, I enjoy the black and white characature each poem represents. This book is a must for any home that loves England, history and literature.

Armchair travelers and globetrotters alike will find "Crimes of the Scene" the ideal map to their overseas destinations. Washington Post book editor Nina King and her collaboraters have ransacked memories, libraries and references to compile this extensive list of mysteries set in foreign parts. Here, you can find the best book to read on a canel step in front of the Zanipolo in Venice (Donna Leon's "Death at La Fenice"); the best one about Fiji (Frank Arthur's "Who Killed Netta Maul?") and that Michael Dibdin's "Cabal" is ideal when seeking to roam around Rome, although avoid Ngaio Marsh's "When in Rome," whose "attempts at druggy hipness are merely embarassing." "Crimes of the Scene" is full of laurels and barbs like these, and these clear-eyed critical notes save the book from becoming a dry reference work suitable only for brief consultations.

An imaginative, entertaining combination of two favorite kinds of reading--travel and crime. It's packed with information that gives the flavor as well as some highlights of many mystery and spy stories. Could also be used as a guide when shopping in bookstores (including amazon.com). CRIMES OF THE SCENE is a great success! Charles Sullivan

A great book for any Elvis fan! Has tons of memorabilia photos

This book tells the story of a strong relationship between a mighty lion ruler, Mufasa, and his son, Simba. When Mufasa is killed, Simba leaves the lion pride, thinking his father's death is all his fault. On his journey, Simba is befriended by a kind warthog and meerkat.Simba adopts their carefree motto "Hakuna Matata". The young lion prince grows up with his two new friends not willing to accept responsibility. One night, he sees his childhood friend, Nala, in the jungle. She tells him about lack of food and water at home, yet, he still refuses to return. That night, his father appears in the twilight, telling his son to return home, help the pride, and become king. Simba goes back home and puts everything back into place again. Then he assumes the throne, Pride Rock and chooses Nala for his queen. They soon have a cub of their own. The Circle of Life will continue!

I can still remember reading this book as a child, gazing at the pictures and dreaming of far-off Britannia. It was the book that led me to fall in love with the legend of King Arthur, a slight obsession of mine that has brought me to such great books as The Dragon and the Unicorn and the Pendragon Cycle. This book is fantastic for anyone who would like to start learning the legends of the Round Table, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot, and of course the once and future king himself, Arthur.

Animals had gathered to witness the presentation of the first cub, Simba to be born to Mufasa, the Lion King, and his queen, Sarabi. Rafiki stood on Pride Rock and held him for everyone to see. He was to be the future king. Scar was mad, because if Simba hadn't been born, he would've been king. Mufasa told Simba to never go to the shadowy place, and about how every creature has a place in the Circle of Life. Simba was good friends with Nala and decided to go to the shadowy place. The hyenas were there and Mufasa saved them. He told Simba that being brave doesn't mean going to look for trouble. Scar wanted to kill Mufasa and Simba so he could be the king. Scar set up his brother, and pushed him til he fell to his death. He made Simba believe he had killed him so he ran away. Timon and Pumbaa found him and they became friends. One day he came upon his childhood friend Nala, everyone thought he was dead. Nala told him how Scar's the king and they have no food or water and he must come back, its his responsibility. Rafiki appeared and led Simba to the jungle, he heard his fathers voice. He said you are my son, the one true king and to take his place in the Circle of Life now, and then faded away. Simba then returned to his kingdom. Simba approached Scar, and he told him how he killed his father so then he chased him til he fell to his death. Scars rule was over, a healing rain began to fall. Simba claimed his kingdom and the Circle of Life continued as a cub was born to Nala, and Simba. The pride lands future king.
This was a very good story, and I think it is good for kids all ages to read. It teaches you to always obey your father, and always take your responsibility and never run away from your problems in life.

In his duology, consisting of 'Sherwood' and 'Robin and the King', Parke Godwin gives us a whole new Robin Hood. A man who, in this second book, initiates the charter which would result in Magna Carta some 150 years later. Unlike other Robin Hood novels, these are set in the period just after William the Conqueror's invasion of England. This Edward of Denby, nicknamed Robin Hood, could very well have been the predecessor of the other(s?) by this (nick)name. Self-proclaimed "conscience" to William the Conqueror, Robin finds himself banned to Normandy and fighting in the war between William and his opponent, the French king. A good, solid historical novel. Fascinating and true to life. Looking for fantasy? Look elsewhere. Looking for good historical fiction? This is it! Not just for Robin Hood fans.

Robin and the King tells of life after Sherwood. It's great. Taking place during the early days of Normans, Robin is a political prisoner assigned to Prince William, or Rossel as he is called throughout the book. Robin helps win the war, but life doesn't go the way he would want. A Great Read.

Although the authour has an engaging writing style, and this makes her book easy to read, it is more New-Age fantasy than serious retelling. If you are a serious Robin Hood scholar it may prove disappointing (except as one more example of a modern retelling). For instance, the book abounds with references to Wicca, which is a 20th century religion and not a 12th century one. Furthermore, the earliest confimed Tarot deck originated in the 15th century as a deck of playing cards painted for the Visconti family of Milan; it was not a divination tool that a 12th century peasant girl would have had. In all, the book seemed to be full of Wiccan stereotyping and to play up to the (disproven) theory of Wicca as an unbroken tradition (at the end of the book when Maerin joins a nunnery Lorele writes that Maerin passed her Wiccan learning on to the nuns in her charge, and that "this was one way that knowledge of the Wiccan Craft survived.") Yet for those who like alot of fantasy in their stories this may work for you. However, I recommend the "Robin of Sherwood" series (Goldcrest TV, early 80s) for a good Pagan portrayal of Robin Hood devoid of Wiccan stereotyping.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Lorele's book. This is one of those books that is hard to put down and when I finished I was left wanting more. For anyone looking to make another Robin Hood film this book would certainly translate well to the big screen. The descriptions of the banquets were delicious and a fun addition! I highly recommend this book.

Generally, I don't like historical novels. My taste runs more to fast-paced murder mysteries. I like books I can read through quickly, and not have to linger over every word. Although I enjoyed seeing Kevin Costner as Robin Hood, I have never been that interested in the Robin Hood tale. So "The Archer King" was definitely not a book I expected to like. I read it only because two close friends raved about it so enthusiastically. To my great surprise, I LOVED this book! The writer is an exquisite story teller. The twists and turns of the plot kept me turning the pages. The main characters are drawn with complexity and depth. Lorele's writing style is so beautiful, I wanted to read every word. Although there was every reason for me not to like this book, "The Archer King" was one of the best and most enjoyable novels I've read in a very long time.

I'm leaving aside considerations of Browne's importance as a writer. There are plenty of appraisals of him on the net, and if you've found this page, you probably already know what you're looking for.

While this edition may be adequate for the casual reader, it's entirely unsuitable as a scholarly edition:

1) The editor has translated nearly all of Browne's notes without giving them in the original.

2) He has moved these notes from the margin to the foot of the page without bothering to number them. The reader will often find himself finishing a page, discovering a footnote and trying to backtrack to figure out where it fit in. Confusing to say the least, especially because Robbins intermingles his own commentary with Browne's, indicating the latter's with the initial B.

3) Protracted discussions of the text are confined to an appendix (and by protracted, I mean three or four sentences at most). They might as well be incorporated into the body of the text as footnotes, since he only provides six of these for Hydriotaphia, eight for the Garden of Cyrus.

4) The editor has modernized the spelling, despite Browne's well known preference for certain archaic forms. While updating the orthography is helpful (substituing 'j' for 'i,' 'v' for 'u,' etc.), Browne's occasionally unorthodox spelling should hardly present a problem to anyone with half a brain, and if you can't figure out that 'sceleton' means 'skeleton,' you probably won't understand why 'Man is a great and true amphibium.'

5) And obviously, modernizing the spelling vitiates the impact of Hydriotaphia, Browne's meditation on mutability, language and identity, and the anonymity of the grave.

6) Lastly, for such a shoddy edition, it's a pricey, slender paperback. The editor could at least have included Letter to a Friend or a selection from Christian Morals to round it out.

Unfortunately, there are no popular editions of Browne's work available at this time, and it's doubtful whether any shall be in the near future. Search out something used, and avoid this one if you can.

Sir Thomas Browne's works from the first half of the seventeenth century remain worthy of your attention. He is an essayist, akin in spirit to his rough contemporary Montaigne. He was yet another prose stylist of those fine days of the Stuart period, when the sun of English prose approached its zenith, only to be eclipsed by the English cultivation of melancholia.

The -Hydriotaphia-, or Urn Burial, is perhaps the most celebrated of these works. Its nominal occasion is the discovery and opening of an ancient gravesite, about which Browne, a physician, writes with better archaeological method than most of his antiquarian contemporaries. But this discovery is merely the occasion for what turns into an extended meditation on the funerary monuments of antiquity, and of the great themes of time, eternity, and the frailty of memory and fame.

The -Religio Medici- is a meditation, quite humane and somewhat skeptical especially given his period, on the prevailing religious doctrines and teachings of his day. It is a prayer for peace in an age that was marked by a great deal of religious strife and contention; not surprisingly, it gave doubts to most of the warring parties as to Browne's orthodoxy. Despite its generally skeptical tenor, it seems Browne himself was prepared to accept alchemy, astrology, and witchcraft.

The -Garden of Cyrus- is the most curious of these works. Its nominal subject is the "quincunx," the arrangement of five units like the fives on dice, and its use in ancient horticulture. But it treats this slight subject with such various learning, finding quincunxes everywhere on earth and in the heavens, so that when it's over it seems that understanding the quincunx might be the key to the secrets of the universe.