This is a wonderful children's version of "South Pacific". (Not the score of South Pacific as mentioned in the paperback reviews.) The illustrations in my first edition of 1992 are wonderful muted tones done in a charming old-fashioned style - not sepia as mentioned in the two professional reviews. A wonderful introduction to South Pacic, the literature of James Michner, or World War II history. Altogether highly recommended. (Refers to the Hardback version.)

If you're interested in this, then don't hesitate to get it! This Vocal Score contains all music from the show (from the Overture to bows and exit music).

Although "The Sound of Music" is their most popular collaboration, "South Pacific" is arguably Rodgers and Hamerstein's finest work. It is also the best scored. This is evidenced by the fact that when the film version was recorded, much of the scoring was kept as it was originally performed on Broadway. Unlike many conductor's scores, most of "South Pacific" is entirely playable on the piano. The occasional omission of a harp, woodwind, or string line from the reduction will not detract from rehearsal. For fans of musicals, conductors, arrangers, and singers, this is a "must-add" to your collection.

Much has been written about the Apollo moon landings, from astronaut biographies to highly technical books requiring an advanced degree. In this book, however, the author focuses on a much different topic. Here, for each mission he covers how each spacecraft was named and how each crew patch was designed. In addition to this well researched topic, the books also presents reproduced newspaper front pages that give you the feel for the excitement of the times as well as presenting numerous color and black and white photographs. The book also covers the Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and the early Shuttle landing tests. The final section lists all the contactors and sub-contractors that developed various components for the Apollo program, a very welcomed and hard to find list. While some may feel that moon landing patch designs and spacecraft names is an odd topic for a book about this great adventure, this book will surprise you on how good it truly is.

Mr Lattimer has complied one of the most complete pieces of history pertaining to the early space flights up to the shuttle missions. He has combined with this era all the major events that were taking place around the world at the time this country was experincing it's highest achievement to-date. Well designed and as factual an accounting as you could hope to find. I believe it is the only book on this subject of how and where all the call signs and patches actually came about. Delightful reading, although the type is very small in some case but great for students of all ages, espically middle school and high school levels. Great color, fascinating photographs and seeing the actual front pages of the newspapers from that period in time is wonderful to browse thru. You can put yourself in what ever situation you were in at that exact period in time and feel as though you are part of the book. A must for every household and a price you can easily afford. I know the author and know it took him over 20 yrs to do this book. Buy it, read it, live it and enjoy it !

This was my first introduction to the works of James A Michener. If you are an impatient reader, you may have trouble with other Michener works. But if you like an attention to detail Michener is the man for you. Since reading "Stories," I have read many other Michener novels and he has become a favorite. Readers who dislike his books often complain about the length. These are the same people who might cut you off in traffic and are always in a hurry. If you think getting there is half the fun, however, you will love a Michener novel. "Stories" is a book for everyone, however. It does not have the usual length of a full Michener novel and the subject matter shifts just enough to keep your attention. If you are impatient and still want to be well versed on your great authors, this is a great Michner book to read since you get an idea of his style and you also get exerpts from several of his books. If you like animals and nature, there is even more reason to love this book.

I'm a high school senior and I don't read much, but I enjoyed this book. My teacher thinks James Michener is the greatest, so he had me read this to make up a biology credit. It was really interesting and made me think about animals in new ways and from their perspective. I recommend this book to anybody.

The Association of Space Explorers is a unique group of individuals whose only requirement for membership is that one has to have journeyed into space. The goal of the ASE is to bring the excitement and wonder of space exploration to the general public. This book, "The Greatest Adventure" is their second book dedicated to this ideal, and is an excellent companion to their first book, "The Home Planet."

This coffee table book presents some of the best photographs taken of the Earth and a few of the Moon by both astronauts and cosmonauts, from the early days of the space race till the mid-1990's when this book was published. Due to the coffee table format of the book, the high resolution, color photographs are extremely impressive. Accompanying these wonderful photographs is a small piece describing each astronaut's voyage and impression of being in space which includes the entire range of astronauts, from commanders, pilots and mission specialists.

New printings of this book are common, so if it is listed as not being in print, check back frequently, because a new print might be out soon.

Ive read over200 books about Project Apollo to the Moon, and I have to rate this book as one of the best ever on moon landings, and all involved with this miraculous adventure of mankind! The book tells just about everything, covers it all about the missions and has many good excerpts from all the great astronauts from past to present! This is one of the few Apollo/Moon books that deserves an extra special place on anyones coffee table!This book deserves not to be merely looked at, but can be read many times over! I do not own it yet, but have read it twice, and cant wait to purchase it! Ed Gibson and The Association Of Space Explorers have done a wonderful job on this fantastic book of just what the title implies: Going to The Moon was in fact, and still is mankinds greatest adventure to this day, and probably will be for many years to come yet!

Great book about the dreamers of the South Pacific. It is a collection of short stories of important and not so important dreamers who have wanted to make a name for themselves in the South Pacific. Stories range from brutal mutiny to the early history of the Hawaiian Islands.

I read this book several times and would recommend it to any one interested in the history of the South Pacific. I have read most of his books, and found it to be one of his best. I enjoyed Tales of the South Pacific, but his non-fiction work was very informative.

This book is well worth reading by everyone: players, viewers, or to know more about the subject. James Michener loved sports: they made the difference between life and death. As a youth he drifted into a bad crowd, but was saved by athletics. His skill in basketball led to a scholarship to college, rather than prison. Later in life he suffered a heart attack, and was delayed in getting to a hospital. He survived because his robust exercise helped his heart to develop alternate feed lines (p.8).

Chapter IX discusses "The Inescapable Problem" of aging and the decline in physical ability. Walking, swimming, and tennis are doable from ages 5 to 85 (pp.274-5). Most other sports peak at ages 24 to 32; forty is the usual limit. The author notes that athletes are provably in better shape than the general public; but their life expectancy is worse. Could this be a side effect from the fame and glory?

He discusses the case of those who get a sports scholarship. They spend their college time in sports, play professionally for a few years, then disappear. He shows that those who study in college (like accounting) can earn far more onver a lifetime than those who quickly burn out.

This book came on the scene in the middle seventies and Michener covers the gamut of the problems and excitement of sports dealing with beginners to the pros. Most of what is written can still be adhered to today as the ideas and concerns seem to occur now just as they did a few years ago. This book should be must reading for all sports minded people and applying the suggestions to today's market. A great book.

An excellent view into the real history of the Ahwahnee (Yosamite) valley. The story based on character's, mostly fictional I presume, that anyone can identify with and grow to love. If you have ever been to Yosamite, or plan to visit, I sincerely reccomend this book. I felt like I was there.

This book is in the style of Michener historical fiction with historical characters interwoven with a moving story of fictitious people. One feels sympathy towards the loss of the native cultures which were once a part of the Yosemite Valley while also getting a glimpse of the beauty and grandeur of the same. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes to learn history while also reading an interesting novel.

Faletua Ala'ilima has done it again, contributing a work that provides a great deal of historical insight while captivating the reader's interest. This well-researched effort chronicles the life and changing times of one of Samoa's well known characters, weaving a rich narrative that touches on colonial times and the rise of modern Samoa. Like her other book, "My Samoan Chief," Ala'ilima's understanding of Samoan culture and her sense of humor provide a delightful treatment of indigenous life in the modern era. Her works are important in their own right and for the information they provide on Samoan culture, a topic with very little quality writing to date. This book is ideal for anyone wanting to know about Samoa specifically and the changing political and economic situation of the South Pacific generally.

This novel is about a girl named Phoebe telling the story about her brother Mick's death. This book makes you laugh but also cry. Mick died in a bike accident leaving only Phoebe and her parents to deal with this great loss. Mick's death was very hard for Phoebe to deal with especially when thinking about the memories of her borther. Throughout this novel Phobeb tells all about what it feels like to lose someone in your family.

I thought that this novel was a good, fun, and enjoyable book to read. The book was especially funny when Mick and Phoebe wrote fart in the wet cement. It was very sad at the end when Phoebe wrote MICK HARTE WAS HERE close to the spot of the accident. If you are looking for a easy and fun book to read chose Mick Harte Was Here.

Mick Harte is the story of the memories caused by one boy. He was killed which is mentioned in the very first line. Despite his death, he brought his family great joy. Even if they didn't know it at the time. He did everthing from refuse to dress nice for church to dress up as the inventor of the toliet for Halloween. This book helps you to learn who other people cope with the death of loved ones. This book had to the power to make you laugh and cry, which I did both. It also made me want to treat my own sister with more respect, because you never know what can happen.

Mick Harte Was Here is a story about a boy who died in a bike accident, as told by his sister Phoebe. The book was funny at times but mostly sad. I liked it because it was funny, especially the part when Phoebe and Mick write the word FART in cement. I would recommend this book for other kids to read, and maybe they will all wear their bicyle helmets when they ride.

A very moving book. The book was written 50 years ago, and it sounds as current as if it had been written today. A mother's feelings are timeless.

"The Child Who Never Grew," by Pearl S. Buck, is the true story of the struggle of the author after learning that her daughter Carol, born in 1920, was mentally handicapped. The 1992 Woodbine House edition contains a foreword by James Michener, an introduction by Martha M. Jablow, and an afterword by Janice C. Walsh, who was Pearl's daughter and Carol's's sister.

Jablow notes in her intro that "Child" first appeared as an article in "Ladies Home Journal" in 1950 and was shortly thereafter published in book form. Jablow notes that the book is "a landmark in the literature about disabilities." As such, I consider "Child" a fitting companion text to a book like Helen Keller's "The Story of My Life." Jablow notes that mental retardation "carried a shameful stigma" when Buck first had this story published; Jablow provides further useful historical context for the main text.

Buck writes very movingly of her heartache at the discovery of her child's plight. She documents her awareness of the stigma against people like Carol, and also tells of her search for an institution where Carol's special needs might be met. Buck passionately defends the humanity and worth of the mentally retarded, and tells what her experiences with Carol taught her: "I learned respect and reverence for every human mind. It was my child who taught me to understand so clearly that all people are equal in their humanity and that all have the same human rights."

Walsh's afterword continues the story of Carol. She fills in some of the very obvious gaps in Buck's story. Walsh's contribution to this book is very moving, and includes photos of Carol.

In addition to being a work of historical and sociological importance, I found "The Child Who Never Grew" to be a moving and very personal piece of American literature. For another good companion text, try William Styron's "Darkness Visible," in which the distinguished writer tells of his battle against clinical depression. Also, try "On the Way Home," by Laura Ingalls Wilder; this book has additional material by Laura's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, and like "The Child Who Never Grew" is thus a sort of mother-daughter literary collaboration.

I cherish this book. I am the mother of a wonderful little boy with special needs who is also terminal. I could never put into words all my thoughts and feelings. Ms. Buck did that beautifully and with heart. I reread it often and share it with other parents needing the encouragement that she bestows with her wonderful writing. Thank you!