Lord Dunsany was a master of fantasy, who wrote even before Tolkien. And nobody has really written like him since. His works are often like mingled prose and poetry; sometimes they have a storyline, sometimes not. Sometimes they are fantasy, sometimes not ("Roses").

Many of the stories in this book are more like vignettes than true stories. Some, such as "Charon" and "The Death of Pan" are inspired by mythology. They star ghosts, heroes, dreaming kings, nameless poets, Time and Death. And all are written in Dunsany's dreamy prose, which momentarily causes the world to melt away and lets the reader see what he saw.

This is an amazing short story collection. Buy it and read one of the fifty-one every day.

Fr. Bulgakov has given us a amazing study of the meaning of the Holy Eucharist. Not just an analysis, but even a contemplative dive into the depths of the Divine Mystery.

He desribes how the Eucharist is not 'transsubstantiation' but rather 'transmutation'; which is a union of the Eucharistsic matter with the glorified Body and Blood of our Lord. Thereby rescuing Orthodox theology from the temptation to adopt the Latin scholastic understanding. He clearly points out some serious weaknessess in the scholastic theory, and replaces it with a thoroughly Biblical and Patristic explanation.

In the Introduction, Fr. Robert Slesinski, a Uniate priest, attempts to take away some of the impact of Bulgakov's criticisms on the eucharistic theology of the Latin Church and of Protestantism. Saying he judges too quickly. Well, Bulgakov did not have critique of them in mind, he had an Orthodox exposition in mind, and in the process gives some pointers to weaknessess in Latin and Protestant understanding. In an in depth analysis of the Latin and Protestant points of view, one would indeed expect a more throrough and precise criticism. But such is not the focus of this book. And Fr. Slesinski's criticism and defense of the Latin pov does not really fit this book very well. It could very well have done without it (the five stars are for Fr. Bulgakov, not Fr. Slesinski).

Fr. Bulgakov also points out that the blood and water, supposedly caught in the Holy Grail by Joseph of Arimathea do not have a eucharistic significance. For the glorified Body and Blood (which is part of Christ's resurrected Body) are of eucharistic significance. Rather it points out that the Presence of Christ remains in this world. The Body and Blood are not deprived by the Spirit of Christ, but this Spirit remains attached to it. Connecting all the world (symbolized by the Holy Grail) to God. His salvific Blood remains active in the world.

Bulgakov is aware of the legendary character of the Grail-myth, and its actual existence does not really matter. What matters is the way the Grail-legend can be used to explain the remaining presence of Christ in the world after He leaves it in the Ascension. Thanx to the Blood and water that flowed from Christ's side He does not abandon the world in the Acension, but like the Holy Grail the world receives the Salvific Blood and Water in itself. On the Cross, as Christ's side is pierced by the roman spear, the final stage of redemption is completed. And this redemption is now followed by the glorification of the cosmos. The whole cosmos will be changed in order to allow God to be all in all. Bulgakov points to the eschatological significance of the piercing of Christ's side, by explaining what its place is in the process wherein heaven comes down to earth, and the earth ascends to heaven.

On the Cross, says Bulgakov, Christ's humanity (symbolized by water and blood) is divided, and spread into the world. But in the Second Coming His body is fully re-united and this means that the earth is united to heaven and heaven to earth. Like the humanity of Christ is restored to unity and life, likewise will the earth be restored to unity and life.

The last chapter deals with the Eucharist as it is interpreted according to Bulgakov's understanding of sophiology. It is the most difficult part of the book. But the insights are truly astounding. The significance of Divine Sophia and created Sophia, concerning the Holy Eucharist opens a path whereupon the truth of st. Paul's words beget their strongest hearing: 'For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring (Acts 17, 28).'

This is not s just a systematic theological treatise, it is also a meditation, a contemplative and experiental approach of the Mystery of the Eucharist, and the Passion of Christ; leading the reader to a deeper understanding of Orthodox Christianity, and a deeper experience of Christ in the life of the Orthodox Church.

I can tell from my kid's reading enthusiasm that this is a great collection of classics. But best of all, I think it's a great idea to
print the books in small dimensions (15 cm) ---- kids simply can not hold the regular books as conveniently as adults!

I tried those 8.5" x 11" weight-lifting versions of the same-title classics, my kid never read them for more than five minutes.

This book is in print as I write this, as part of the Fantasy Masterworks edition of _Time and the Gods_; it is a collection of 18 short stories.

"A Tale of London" - in a reversal of the usual pattern, a sultan has asked his seer to relate to him a vision of the fabulous city of London.

"Thirteen at Table" - The ghosts of twelve women wronged by old Sir Richard Arlen have had dinner with him every night for the last thirty years.

"The City on Mallington Moor" - A rumor is spreading of a strange city of white marble appearing out of the mist.

"Why the Milkman Shudders When He Perceives the Dawn" - this is a tale told in the Hall of the Ancient Company of Milkmen when all the craft are assembled.

"The Bad Old Woman in Black" - What to do in the face of an omen of evil?

"The Bird of the Difficult Eye" - a tale of the only thief employed by West End jewellers since the distressing tale of Thangobrind (see _The Book of Wonder_).

"The Long Porter's Tale" - Gerald Jones, suffering from melancholy, went to a magician in London and was diagnosed with flux of time, and was recommended to take a day at the Edge of the World as treatment.

"The Loot of Loma" - The raiders didn't know that a priest's written curse had been slipped into their loot.

"The Secret of the Sea" - What do ships worship, and what temple do they go to?

"How Ali Came to the Black Country" - Many people may say that technology and pollution are modern devils, but how many people are serious enough to take the traditional steps to imprison devils?

"The Bureau D'Echanges De Maux" - Mysterious shop offering strange goods.

"A Story of Land and Sea" - continuation of "The Loot of Bombasharna" from _The Book of Wonder_.

"A Narrow Escape" - A magician in a dank cavern below Belgrave Square and his preparations to destroy London.

"The Watch-Tower" - When a tower is built to guard forever against the Saracens, forever may be longer than you think.

"How Plash-Goo Came to the Land of None's Desire"

"The Three Sailors' Gambit" - Sometimes even the Devil can't win at the game of selling souls. A chess story.

"The Exiles' Club" - How are the mighty fallen; and even the fallen have to go somewhere.

"The Three Infernal Jokes" - Not so much selling a soul, as trading away an option.

I purchased this book at a remainder shop about ten years ago. It is a great favorite of my children for bedtime reading. It features tales of about a dozen hybrid animals such as rhinocerostrich and camelephant. Each animal has an original illustration and a poem about the animal. This is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it.

This is a CBC dramatized interpretation of Wilde's short story. Taped in front of live audience, this is by far the best story- telling that has ever done to Wilde's work. Both music and sound effect are superb, and best of all, the narration and dialogues closely follow the original story. In this respect, CBC has outperformed BBC by a large degree.

I read, Lloyd John Ogilvie's book, "Lord of the Impossible", my freshman year of college. What really impressed me about this book was how Ogilivie was able to bring God "alive" today. Moses, Joseph, David, etc. all had difficult tasks at hand, but by allowing God to be in control the impossible became possible. Not only that, but we today, when having a difficult time can put our lives in God's loving hands and He will never fail us.

Palmerston, he evoked an era of gunboat diplomacy. WHy? Because he understood the British empire rested on its ability to deter aggression and his gutsy vindictive nature of sending the royal navy anywhere it took to protect the honor of England. With the exception of churchill, Palmerston was a great defender of empire, uniquly british. THis is a must read for anyone wanting to understand how America should be acting in the face of terror. Palmerston was the ultimate pre-emptionist.

Awesome poety - filth & violence - what more could you want

Christians often settle into their own theological viewpoints much as they settle into the same pews every Sunday morning. Realizing that no human mind can fully grasp the wholeness of God, Sloat invites Christians to step across the aisle and enrich their knowledge of God from the perspective of another.