Considered one of the classics of black pulp fiction by many, this story of a young boy's gradual slide into a life of crime with Brooklyn gangsters owes a lot to Jim Thompson, especially in its Oedipal sexual themes. In fact, I think that if the author had been white, the book would probably not have garnered the praise it has and would be regarded as yet another Thompson imitator. In any event, while the insights into the criminal life might have been new stuff in 1962, there are no great surprises to found within the pages for the modern reader who has probably seen Goodfellas, et al.

I'm all most all the way through this novel and so far it is great! I had never heard of it until i watched the movie Six Ways To Sunday thats based on it. The book just blows me away, and it's sad that Charles Perry never got to write anything else. xXx

PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN DROWNING was a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed every page-even the slow ones. It had everything; drama, action, betrayal, sexual tension (some by the wrong parties involved), and psychological torment made the novel exactly what I needed at the time, which was a book that had each ingredient, and then some. I've passed this novel on to two of my co-workers and they both fell flat on their backs with praise. To Charles Perry, wherever you are, on behalf of the three of us, THANK YOU!

Contrary to what the first reveiwer says, I believe "Moses" is excellent and consistent with Swindoll's other titles - warts and all. Indeed, since the Bible does not gloss over a person's sin, then why should books about Biblical characters overlook their flaws? We can learn important lessons from people's failures, specifically: how not to repeat them!

Among the important points Swindoll mentions in his book are:

1. God can use "losers" and "accidents" for His glory.
2. Let God operate His will in your life in His time and way.
3. There are no shortcuts to maturity.
4. God prefers to use broken people instead of the proud and self-sufficient.
5. Be willing to surrender every detail of your life under the authority of Jesus Christ.
6. We do not know how to live until we learn to die.
7. When we try to make things happen, things are forced. When God is in something, things flow smoothly.
8. You cannot scoff at God forever. His judgments may take time, but they are decisive when they happen!

Instead of belittling Swindoll's book, I much prefer to honestly anayze my Christian walk and be ever mindful that should I become too proud or self-sufficient, I stand to experience failures like Moses did.

Why should we always read the Bible or a Christian book with the intention of feeling better about ourselves? Sometimes we have to be convicted by the Holy Spirit before He does a great work in our lives. Indeed, two of the Holy Spirit's roles is to convict us of sin and to keep us from falling into sin. Before we can be used by God, He must first refine our character.

I highly recommend Swindoll's book - be honest in your walk with the Lord and always remember, He can work great things through us not because of ourselves, but in spite of ourselves - a perfect picture of His unmerited grace towards us!

Read the book and be challenged and encouraged!

Moses is like me, and Chuck Swindoll details in this book, how God accepts us 'Just as I Am'. How like Moses, He moulds us to the way He wants us, what a profound lesson. The text is clear and simple, bringing sometimes hard to understand Bible passages into everyday language and interlacing it with experiences that can only make you smile. This book is a must for those still trying to determine where they fit in God's big world and if they are quite good enough. Excellent, page turning reading.

Swindoll's down to earth writing style coupled with this great Bible character really impacted my life. He brings out the good and bad in Moses' life (something we all struggle with), and gives an honest portrayal of God's plan being worked out in God's timing for God's greater purpose. If you struggle with accepting God's role of leadership, question God's chosen leaders in your life, or just enjoy a good character study, you will benefit from reading this book.

Drazin's writing is barely adequate. He presents his narrative out of sequence, giving the reader the impression of a hastily produced first draft. The book is a marvelous example of the British inferiority complex, as Drazin goes to great lengths to marginalize the contributions of the American participants. Joseph Cotten, the film's leading man, is referenced only in passing, while the size and texture of Carol Reed's bowel movements are discussed in great detail. I found it disappointing to discover that the art of film criticism has advanced no further than the art of dentistry in Drazin's homeland. Yes, The Third Man is a great film, but an objective account of the production has yet to be written. Perhaps in the far distant future, when the misguided citizens of Great Britain acquire culinary skills and overthrow their antiquated monarchy, we may hope to see such a book.

If you loved the film then this book is a must. Charles Drazin has written a fantastic book which keeps the magic of the film alive and brings the reader behind the scenes of the making of the film with all the juicy stories you would expect of a book of this type. What I particularly liked were the parts where he has gone to Vienna himself in an attempt to retrace the steps of this glorious film. I must admit that on a recent trip to Vienna, I myself went around the city, book in hand, looking for the famous locations myself. With the help of the book I was able to find all the locations without having to go on the guided tour, including the grave used as Harry's in the Zentralfriedhof (and it's a BIG cemetry!). One small disappointment though was the rather simple explanation as to why the signs in Harry's apartment building have changed language over the years. I will not elaborate here but readers of the book will know what I am talking about.

"In Search of the Third Man" is a well researched work that is ambitiously written and contains numerous fascinating anecdotes about one of the greatest films ever made, Sir Carol Reed's "The Third Man." Charles Drazin takes us back in time to just after World War Two in Vienna, making the reader feel a part of the dramatic filmmaking process. The activities were so involved as well as interesting that a movie about the making of "The Third Man" might prove almost as interesting as the magnificent cinema classic itself.

The film was a co-production effort involving Britain and America. Two legendary figures were involved in each continent, the fascinating Eastern European emigre Sir Alexander Korda in London and David O. Selznick in Hollywood. Assistant director Guy Hamilton relates that dealing with Selznick's renowned memos entailed virtually a full time job in itself. Selznick was worried at various points about Joseph Cotten being too much of a bumbler, making Americans in general look bad, as well as fearing that Cotten and his longtime friend from Mercury Theater days, Orson Welles, were both "frustrated writers" who would make life miserable for Reed by ad libbing lines. As fate turned out, only one ad lib was delivered, Welles' memorable line to Cotten after exiting the giant ferris wheel in the Vienna Woods about Italy achieving the Renaissance during a 30 year period of bloodshed and Switzerland, after centuries of peace, becoming notable for the cuckoo clock.

One humorous segment of the book involves the pursuit of Welles, who had fled throughout Europe before being discovered in Venice, the actor's way of obtaining revenge against Korda for a period of inactivity while under contract to him. Once that Welles arrived in Vienna he panicked over doing scenes in the city's sewer system, where some of the most dramatic moments of the film occur when police chase the racketeer near the movie's end. An unruffled Reed announced that the sewer system scenes involving Welles would be shot on new sets at Sheperton Studios outside London, where many of the interiors were shot.

One of the most unique features of the film was the substitution of zither player Anton Karas for what would normally be a symphonic musical background. The book reveals how Reed stuck to his guns in the wake of criticism of his idea by Sheperton's musical director, Dr. Hubert Clifford. We also learn just how and where Karas was found, along with reading interesting details of his audition in Reed's hotel room during one of the few days when cast and crew were not busy.

Drazin reveals his theory about screenwriter Graham Greene's real life model of the film's villain, Harry Lime, who was played so convincingly by Welles. Drazin believes that Lime was modeled after Kim Philby, the British intelligence operative who spied for Russia.

I believe it was F. Scott Fitzgerald who once said, "Hammett is one of those good writers ruined by Hollywood." This book shows Fitzgerald's quote in action.

Don't misunderstand me, 'The Thin Man' is an excellent story. It's amuzing, tense, and contains possibly Hammett's most memorable characters, but it's also a complete departure from his previous novels. In a way, 'The Thin Man' is a farewell. Here we have a once hard-boiled detective, Nick Charles, who has settled down with his wise-cracking wife, Nora, and doesn't want anything to do with his previous work. Instead, Nick drinks, and drinks, and drinks, and goes to parties, and hosts parties, and the like. Whenever anyone questions Nick over the case that he's rumored to be working, Nick simply claims that he doesn't want anything to do with being a detective and leaves it at that.

This being Hammett's final novel, I believe that it an all too valid assumption that Hammett was using the character of Nick to symbolize himself and his own mentality. To connect this with Fitzgerald's comment, following the publication of 'The Thin Man', some movie studio handed Hammett a check for something like $40,000 for use of the characters, cementing his literary decrepitude, and he never worked again.

But it is a good read, very good, and while I would have liked to have given it the full five stars, i've chosen to remain with four, as 'The Thin Man' just doesn't compare with many of Hammett's other classics.

Forget those movies. They took a grimly funny novel about a group of predatory monsters and turned it into a series of light comedies. As splendid as William Powell and Myrna Loy are, they cannot hold a candle to the Nick and Nora portrayed in this novel.

Hammett did not write a novel about a sophisticated couple who genteelly solve a murder while pouring cocktails and trading quips. He wrote a dark novel about an ex-detective who has married a wildly wealthy woman, and wants to spend the rest of his life managing her money. He is only faintly connected to the murders, having known the victim and his family briefly several years before, and wants nothing to do with the whole business. He is continually dragged in, however, and very nearly becomes a victim himself. Even a cursory reading of the novel should demonstrate that Hammett was up to much more than a series of one-liners with detective interruptions. Why else would Hammett, one of the most economical of authors, bring the novel to a halt to include a case history of Alfred Packer, the only American convicted of the crime of cannibalism?

There is much more here than Hollywood, or anyone else that I know of, has yet realized.

I don't listen to too many audio books but this is one I've owned for a long time and it's teriffic. Dashiell Hammett's 'The Thin Man' is a beloved book forever embedded in the hearts and minds of most people because of the portrayel of Nick and Nora Charles by William Powell and Myrna Loy in perhaps the best series of films to ever come out of Hollywood. They perfectly captured on film the essence of Hammet's prose. That light and breezily enjoyable atmosphere can be listened to in spurts and fits, at your liesure, in this fine audio book.

This audio production is the perfect blend of juice and liquor, Daniel J. Travanti of Hill Street Blues fame and Lynne Lipton going down smooth and easy as Nick and Nora. Any fan of old time radio will know what I mean when I say this has the feel of one of those Lux Radio Theatre productions of the 40's. You can hear the tap of crystal as drinks are poured and you even get the brief intrumental transition from scene to scene when the venue changes.

The story is, of course, the fun and sophisticated mystery Hammett wrote so many years ago. This audio version is a lot of fun to listen to and highly enjoyable. You have the convenience of being able to do other things while you delight in the byplay of Nick and Nora while they solve a murder, and of course, drink.This is good stuff, a classy and sophisticated production that never boggs down or gets boring as some audio books do. It is, as I said, more on a par with all those great radio productions from the 40's.

If you've read the book and seen the films then I highly recommend you pick this up as well. It's a lot of fun and the perfect antidote for the summertime blues.

I have read a lot of books on the JFK assissination.

This book caught my eye for that reason. However, once I began reading it, this book kept my attention. It read like a novel. I liked that, it was a switch from the usual fact presented like facts JFK conspiracy books. I liked that about this book. It certainly had me convinced that this guy had something to do with the JFK murder. It made me wonder why we didn't do more then in regards to this guy.

The book was gory when talking about the dismemberment of his mother and father. I really didn't like that. I'm not sure that it added much to the book except some length. However, it did make me realize that this was the type of man who would do what he thought needed to be done and might certainly shoot at a president.

This book is very interesting and those interested in reading about the JFK assassination would do well to consider reading this book. It is an easy one to skip over with the massive amounts of books available to read. However, the novel like feel of this does not detract from the research completed and conclusions drawn in this book.

I have read quite a lot of books about the Kennedy assassination but this one is the best by far. It is well written and reads like a thriller.

At the end of the book a groundsheet of the Rogers' house is shown. This helps to understand the description of the crime and the search through the house by the two police officers. What I miss is a groundsheet of the parsonage. From the description it is not possible for me to imagine how it looked like. It plays an important role so I think it would better the book if it was printed too. A thing that makes me curious is: what did the authors put on their trail? Where they one of those informed by Marietta Gerhart?

this is ideal for a scholar who does not have an extensive background on french society of the 19th century. the book is segmented to provide an overview of the artistic, musical, political, and literary world of the day. its further division into individual artists breaks the book into small, easily digestible pieces. however, for a scholar with extensive knowlege of this area, hyslop's book may prove to be redundant.

i thought this book was really good. its a biography about the life of charles dickens. it would be great for younger kids to read.

I spent a whole term going over this book in freshmen English class. It is an overall good book, full of interpritations. There are many symbolisms and allusions. However, it is important to remember that this book was originally a serialization, as it came out every week in the paper. There are some parts when Dickens drawls on with his plans, events, ect. However, there are scenes that are very fast paced and action filled. The overall plot is a young, naive boy of about ten lives with his sister and her simple husband named Joe. However, Pip is given a secret benefactor and is thrust in the life of nobility. Pip is tangled in his probelems of leaving Joe behind and his encouters with the shallow (and I mean SHALLOW) Estella and the wicked Miss Havisham. Dickens is a master with characters and the languege, but he doesn't describe any everyday events. For example, Pip goes to study law, but thats all we know. In my opinion, it gives the characters this higher than life importance, and less real. But, if you take this book slowely, maybe a chapter a night (instead of the five I had to do), you will definately enjoy this book.

I've never read any Dickens of my own free will. I was forced to read "A Tale of Two Cities" in high school and I thought that was enough for me. However, one day, on a whim, I bought a copy of Great Expectations. I'm not sure what I expected, but I certainly didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

Dickens is not a writer to read at a swift pace. Indeed, this novel was written in weekly episodes from December 1860 to August 1861 and, as it was created to be a serial, each installment is full of varied characters, great descriptions and a lot of action which moves the plot along and leaves the reader yearning for more. Therefore, unlike some books which are easily forgotten if I put them down for a few days, Great Expectations seemed to stick around, absorbing my thoughts in a way that I looked forward to picking it up again. It took me more than a month to read and I savored every morsel.

Basically the story is of the self-development of Pip, an orphan boy being raised by his sister and her blacksmith husband in the marshlands of England in 1820.

Every one of the characters were so deeply developed that I felt I was personally acquainted with each one of them. There was Pip's roommate, Herbert Pocket, the lawyer, Mr. Jaggers, and his clerk, Mr. Wemmick. And then there was the wicked Orlick. The dialogues were wonderful. The characters often didn't actually say what they meant but spoke in a way that even though the words might be obtuse, there was no mistaking their meaning. I found myself smiling at all these verbal contortions.

Dickens' work is richly detailed and he explores the nuances of human behavior. I enjoyed wallowing in the long sentences and letting myself travel backwards in time to a different world. However, even with the footnotes, I found myself sometimes confused by the British slang of 150 years ago, and there were several passages I had to read over several times in order to get the true meaning. Of course I was not in a particular rush. I didn't have to make a report to a class or take a exam about the book. This is certainly a pleasure.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read.ting from the secret wealth of Magwitch, who made a fortune in Australia after being transported. Moreover, Magwitch's unlawful return to England puts him and Pip in danger. Meanwhile, Estella has married another, a horrible man who Pip despises. Eventually, with Magwitch's recapture and death in prison and with his fortune gone, Pip ends up in debtors prison, but Joe redeems his debts and brings him home. Pip realizes that Magwitch was a more devoted friend to him than he ever was to Joe and with this realization Pip becomes, finally, a whole and decent human being.

Originally, Dickens wrote a conclusion that made it clear that Pip and Estella will never be together, that Estella is finally too devoid of heart to love. But at the urging of others, he changed the ending and left it more open ended, with the possibility that Estella too has learned and grown from her experiences and her wretched marriages.

This is the work of a mature novelist at the height of his powers. It has everything you could ask for in a novel: central characters who actually change and grow over the course of the story, becoming better people in the end; a plot laden with mystery and irony; amusing secondary characters; you name it, it's in here. I would rank it with A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and David Copperfield among the very best novels of the worlds greatest novelist.

GRADE: A+

Dickens, along with Dostoevsky, stands atop my list of novelists who could most accurately portray the subtleties of human emotion and passion. "Great Expectations" is simply a masterpiece of 19th-century fiction, and is pure Dickens. In this semi-autobiographical work (a trademark of Dickens' writings), the life of a poor young boy, Pip, is followed from his humble beginnings to his rise into the middle-class, due to the mysterious aid of an unknown benefactor. His pursuit of Estella, a beautiful young girl raised to break the hearts of men by her jilted caretaker, Ms. Havisham, is a classic of literature that has been repeated countless times since. The tragic, gradual break between Pip and his family (particularly the humble but caring Joe) is heartwrenching. Pip's eventual realization of the insincerity of the middle class, and his love for Joe, brought tears to my eyes.

"Great Expectations" is a wonderful, moving book that has been copied and satired again and again, from Mishima's "Forbidden Colors" to South Park. An important and unforgettable novel!

I recently read the book "Maps of the ancient sea kings" by Charles H. Hapgood. The book provides a rigorous analysis of a number of maps that appear to be copies and compilations of far more ancient maps detailing the coasts of North and South America, Antartica, India, possibly Australia and other coastlines that are currently thought not to have been "discovered" until only comparatively recently. The ancient maps appear to have used a projection system that was not "invented" until recent times and some of the maps seem to indicate a remarkably accurate estimate of the circumfrence of the earth. Interestingly, the ancient maps, according to the author, appear to have been drawn at a time when the level of the oceans was lower and the distibution of glaciers was different, thus detailing islands (e.g., in the Aegean Sea) that are currently submerged. The author's conclusion is that the ancient maps were created by a highly organized and advanced culture predating currently known cultures of the ancient world. I found the author's analysis of the maps to be rigorous and convincing although some of the assumptions are questionable. The author wisely keeps speculation to a refreashing minimum (as compared to other books on related topics) and bases conclusion on the facts at hand. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic.

At first reading Charles Hapgood makes a good argument for a crustal shift theory 10,000 years ago. Certainly, something must have happened at that time, to cause such a sudden end to the, so called, ice age. This book is well written and well thought out, if one does not accept geologist findings concerning the Antarctica, although it would not be the first time science was wrong.

The most interesting aspect, to me, about these, so called, ancient maps, is the idea that they were reported to be drawn up before Columbus sailed to the Western Hemisphere. This would seem to point toward a more advanced civilization in the past than we thought existed, and a civilization that had ventured out to the Western Hemisphere long before Columbus.

The fact that the oldest and largest stone megalith constructions are in South America (Peru), seems odd, considering mankind, it is believed, crossed into North America 10,000 years ago, and, according to archaeological thinking, waited till they reached Peru, around 1,000 AD, to move 300 plus ton stones around. Hapgood's theory about ancient maps could be a possible explanation for how a civilization arrived in South America well before Columbus, perhaps 10,000 years ago. The megaliths of the Western World seem to be a thorn in the side of scientific theories, but by placing them in the civilizations which they were found, most megalith structures are explained away, which I find more convenient than scientific, but, with free thinkers, such as, Charles Hapgood, Graham Hancock, Robert Schoch, Eric Von Danyken (yes even Danyken) and many others on the sleuth, maybe an explanation is near. The search for past advanced civilizations is very exciting, and those engaged in that search should be commended not condemned. After all, anyone willing to believe the Egyptian people of 2500 BC built the Great Pyramids, albeit, on the slimmest of evidence, should be willing to accept a past advanced civilization theory, even if that idea is also on the slimmest of evidence, if it is, it is only because such evidence has greatly been ignored at the university and scientific levels.

Placing such theories, as Hapgood's and Graham's, and the many others, in our school's textbooks, could make our educational institutions a more exciting and competitive atmosphere. It could launch the next generations on a great scientific quest. God forbid, they might even be induced to learn more.

There is little doubt that MAPS OF THE ANCIENT SEA KINGS will remembered as one of the greatest books of the 20th century. It reveals information about the beingings of western civilization. One example is Dr. Hapgood's study of the Piri Reis Map. Sometimes referred to as "the lost map of Columbus,' hundreds of biographies of this explorer ignored its existence inspite of the fact that the Turkish Government and the U.S. State Department validated this map's long history in the 1930's. Hapgood shows how Colubmus used this map to "discover" America. His books has complete documentation from the State Department concerning this conclusion. However, the academic establishment along with the mass media has deliberately tried to supress knowledge of this 1519 map. Discovered in 1930 in Turkey,it was written by Admiral Piri Reis of the Turkish navy. The Admiral wrote on this map that he got it from one of Columbus' navigators who he captured in a naval battle. The naviagtor had his map on his person and he told the admiral the truth about Columbus and his so-called discovery. The original map,which showed Central and South jAmerica, was seen by Alexander the Great (360 B.C.)and was at least 10,000 years old. At any rate, it is a shame that historians continue to give credit for Columbus' discovery when the Piri Reis Map showed he was a complete fraud and his story has been fooling people for 500 years,

Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, has the battle of his life with a ferocious marlin in the book, The Old Man and the Sea. He is a very poor man and is very unlucky with fishing but with the help of the little boy, Manolin, he gets through the days of his life. Santiago's adventure with the giant fish begins eighty five days after his last catch. The Old Man and the Sea is an appealing and an enjoyable book because Ernest Hemingway is an excellent writer.

The events and actions of this book create interest for the readers. For example, Santiago was not angry with the other fishermen when they made fun of him. He is a good man and is so wise that being made fun of does not bother him. A good protagonist is always a good character to read about. Moreover, the characters and their actions can be related to real life situations. For instance, the old man ignores all the laughing made by the younger fishermen because he cannot catch any fish. This is like a student dealing with bullies and humiliation at school. These are some points that Ernest Hemingway made to arouse interest to readers.

Hemingway has a very unique writing style. For example, in the book it says, "Most of the boats were silent except for the dip of the oars." He has a very soothing way of writing. This is also easy enough for kids to understand. Also, Hemingway does not use clutter in his sentences which makes him different from the rest. For instance, he writes sentences like, "Only I have no luck anymore;" which is very direct. Many writers tend to use clutter to sound professional or important. Hemingway's style and voice is calming and intense in all the right places.

I think The Old Man and the Sea is a great book to read. My favorite part of the book was the climax when Santiago defeats the antagonist. If I could change something in this book, I would change some of the rising action so it is more gripping. I would recommend this book to adults and teenagers. Although a grade school student could read and understand this book, they would not value the moral of the story. Hemingway's original style and the characters in this book make it an interesting and wonderful book to read.

Molly Jones
English, Delgado
March 11,2002

The Old Man and the Sea

The Old man and the Sea was a very adventurous and exciting novel. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and also the Noble Prize in literature in 1954. I'd say that this is Ernest Hemingway's greatest novel yet. There are also many amazing features that await hungry readers. Hemingway's style for The Old Man and the Sea has very desirable qualities.
His writing style and choice of words are remarkably incredible. For example, "He had come from the deep down in the water as the dark cloud of blood had settled and dispersed in the mile deep sea" (100). I have never read something so edging in my life. His choice of words and sentence style is so amazingly unspeakable. For instance, "The flow was less strong and as he rubbed the side of his hand against the planking of the skiff, particles of phosphorous floating off and drifted slowly astern" (79).
This describes exactly what is happening and he uses specific words to explain it more. Some authors say the same words redundantly which leaves the reader bored and miserable, but not Hemingway. Hemingway's style in unforgettable and exciting with loads of detail and well fitted word choices.
With some of the characters they are either alike or different (which makes it rather intriguing). For example, "The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck" (9). His description for the characters is breathless. He makes sure that everyone knows exactly what they look like and how they act. For instance, "It racked back and as the fish swam just below the surface the old man could see his huge bulk and purple stripes that banded him" (90). This describes what he saw as the fish swam below the surface of the water. It gives an incredible amount of detail with his own touches of vision. No one has ever described characters like Ernest Hemingway, it's like he knows everything about them, like he already knew them in life.
Ernest Hemingway is very talented in writing action packed novels. His word choices are extremely well thought out which makes it very interesting. I know that I have enjoyed reading The Old Man and the Sea and hope to read more of his novels before my life reaches an end.

First of all, I admit I'm biased here. I am a tremendous admirer of Hemingway's writing style. The language - unbelievably minimal, declarative, free of any irrelevance - is absolutely intoxicating. This, by itself, makes Hemingway a joy to read. Every sentence is so tight, so compact, yet they all say so much and create as vivid a picture in your mind as a photograph. Hemingway's writing at its worst is amazing.

However, "The Old Man and the Sea" is one of Hemingway's finest novels, fully deserving of the Nobel Prize. The story is simple and may seem boring to some, but the beauty of the old man's struggle with the marlin is heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. Hopelessness and full awareness of defeat are contrasted with perseverance, determination, and an unwillingness to be destroyed. "The Old Man and the Sea" brings home all of mankind's failures and all of mankind's successes in every sentence.

I can't recommend this book more highly. Read it and stand in awe, both at Hemingway's astonishing command over the English language and at the dignity he brings to the failed in mankind. Brilliant in every sense of the word.