Don't let the dismal fact that this book is twenty-zillionth on the bestseller list discourageth you.... it is well worth orderething.

I first came to this book through the published endorsement (hence, not personal) of the great C.S. Lewis, who made his first reading of the Well in November of 1914. He read it many times thereafter.

In my ONE reading of the two volumes, I can attest to the fact that this is a beautiful story, a rich fantasy, a vibrant fairy-tale with no fairies. Among other things... a love story. Strictly speaking, as regards genre, it is a "romance". The chivalric, bardic story of Ralph of Upmeads, the least likely of the King's four sons, who devotes his life to the quest of the Well at The World's End... a fabled well which promises to reward its discoverer with perpetual youth.

If you are in love with Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings (and who isn't) you should definitely consider having an affair with The Well At The World's End. Let me defuse the daunting issue of Morris's use of archaic language. Be ye warned, in every sentence you will constantly encounter words such as forsooth, hitherward, quoth, whither, rideth, erstwhile, deem, draweth, betwixt, and I wot not else. At first I thought this would be really intolerable. But I quickly adapted to it, and even found it kind of "not vile".

Remember... Volume 2 is essential. It's NOT a sequel, it's a conclusion. Get both volumes, and escape the world of car horns and remote control for a bit.

I applaud this new re-issue of what is definitely a fantasy classic. Previously, one had to search a hundred used-book stores to find it. Now it's a click away.

And as regards it's place on the bestseller list? I am reminded of the wise words of the great Henrik Ibsen, who once suggested that "the solid majority is always wrong."

I rank this book up there with the Gormenghast series and the Lord of the Rings. A fantasy masterpiece, it is the precursor for everything that came after. Yes, the archaic medieval language is tough to get into at first, but after ten or twenty pages it becomes natural to the mind and presents no problem. One sees that the language is part of the beauty. Overall, this book is like one of those medieval detailed tapestries, with kings, adventurers, knights and noble women trotting through forests toward distant castles. This is medieval romance at its finest, and because it dates from 1898, it is happily free of the Tolkien imitativeness that has so infected a large portion of modern fantasy. Forget Terry Brooks, read The Well At the World's End.

I've been interested in the history of fantasy for a while, and I was definately intrigued when I happened upon this title. I immediately ordered it and read it. The Well at the World's End is marvelous. Every once in a while I start wanting to read a romance, and this is a good romance. The story is pretty original and was very different for its time. The story follows Ralph as he searches for the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. He has enemies and intrigued galor to fight through. Along the way, there is also a love story, too.

The Well at the World's End is a good read even for modern readers. It is an excellent example of "romance." It is also good just as a curiosity read. Fans of Tolkien, Lewis, and Eliot should visit William Morris's writings. Personally, my favorite thing about the book was the archaic prose. For the first twenty pages I thought it would be bothersome. After that, I was used to it and the book flowed nicely. It is sad that few people read William Morris today.

Newer books have been written based on more recently available sources, but this book stands the test of time. It is based on solid research, it doesn't spend entire chapters digressing into, for instance, the ins and outs of the Bowies' business dealings, and it keeps speculation on the motivations of Travis, Crockett, Bowie and Santa Anna to a couple of paragraphs each. Any speculation is just the author's guesswork, and I find Myers guesses to be kept more brief - and more to my personal taste - than, say, William C. Davis' in "Three Roads to the Alamo". It has been said that a revisionist is one who, lacking the notion of honor in his/her own character, cannot understand it when encountered in others. While Myers examines the actions of the three main personalities in a journalistic manner, the enormity of their patriotic sacrifice is never deprecated as is the fashion in modern, revisionist historical writing.

This book remains not only the best single volume on the siege, it provides a great introduction to the historic and social melieu of the era for those seeking to understand the background of the Mexican-American War. -

Mr. Myers wrote this book in 1948, and based it on careful research into the facts as they were known at the time. THE ALAMO is a story of heroic men, dedicated to the cause of freedom, sacrificing their lives willingly for that cause. Bowie, Crockett, Travis, and all the others with them, were the stuff of legends, and as such we should remember them. This is a story to rival THE ILLIAD in its nobility of character and cause. Sadly, later research has shown that these giants were, like the Trojans, at least partialy the product of myth, and their cause was not quite so noble. But this in no way detracts from the telling of a great tale, and, if the men of the Alamo were not quite as tall as we imagined them, they were still men deservant of our admiration. They died for what they believed in, and this is their story, from the first man who ever bothered to compile the whole thing in one place.

Although written in 1948, John Myers Myers "The Alamo", proves that he did his homework well way back then. As a result, the factual conclusions he arrived at the time of his writing, dovetail with those arrived at in later years by other Alamo authors, including Walter Lord. Myers writing presents the subject in a historicly accurate manor, but at the same time with the wit and insight of a newspaper editorial, bringing it to life on a human level.

The SIDS Survival Guide was my beacon of light during the darkest part of my life. My son, Dominic, passed away from SIDS on April 10, 2001, at only 4 1/2 months young. I began to reach out and search for all the information I could find on SIDS, drinking it all in by the bucket. A few months after he died, I found "The SIDS Survival Guide", and am so incredibly thankful. There was so much information, so many stories so like my own. I shed many tears while reading it for the first time, and even now, when I go back to read sections, I still cry. I am now expecting our second child in June 2002, and am scared to death. But knowing that I am informed about SIDS is somewhat of a comfort to me; in a way, I am as prepared as I can ever be. I would recommend this book to anyone expecting a child, who has a young baby, or knows someone who is or does.

My husband and I lost our son to SIDS in September of 2000. Our souls have been torn. The grieving process over his death has been draining. I recall little over the past 4+ months since his death. The one thing I do recall is thinking I was going crazy. I had wished their was another SIDS survivor I could speak with. Someone who could possibly relate to what my husband and I were going through. Someone who could understand our emotions. I searched under the keyword SIDS and found this book. I have not read the book in its entirety. I have read the sections I have needed at the particular times in my grieving. This book has helped me confirm that I am not going crazy. What I am feeling, though very personal, is normal. I feel this book is a neccesity for any parent who has to suffer this terrible tragedy. I have placed an order of these books in my babies memory to send to my state SIDS Coordinator in hopes that other parents may find comfort in its contents. Thank you Joani and Robin.

This book is one of the best for SIDS information

We were going on a trip to see the Llano Estacado and the canyon in west Texas.This book gave the trip so much dimension and understanding at how hard the life was for the explorers and the pioneers in this harsh land.Very cleverly written,holds one attention. Wonderful

Using historical writings of early explorers, the author captures the mystery and magic of the great Llano Estacado or "Staked Plains" that begin in West Texas and extend north and west. Particularly amusing is the efforts of early railroad surveyors to find underground water at the edge of the Llano (aka the caprock) only to miss one of North America's largest aquifers (the Ogalla) by a matter of miles and in some cases yards.

[Review by Larry Blumenfeld, Blumenfeld & Aswsociates, Post Office Box 2831, 660 Circulo Nomada, Tubac, AZ 85646-2831, (520) 398-3371, published in COUNCIL FIRES, The Publication for Western Americana Enthusiasts, Vol. 8, Issue #1, January, 1998, p. 16-17.] E1 Llano Estacado: Exploration and Imagination on the High Plains of Texas and New Mexico, 1536-1860. Written by John Miller Morris. Austin: Texas State Historical Association, First Edition ($39.95). El Llano Estacado is an extremely well written new work of Southwestern History, brilliantly revealing the historical core and heart of one of America's most history-packed regions--the mesaland of the Southern High Plains in Texas and New Mexico. From the Canadian River in the north to the Edwards Plateau in the south, from the Pecos River in the west to the awesome canyonlands of the Red, Pease, Brazos, and Colorado Rivers in the east, these 50,000-square miles of what is commonly referred to as "the Llano" are here chronicled over a period of 300 years, revealing the history, cultural grandeur, and mythic wonders of this special ruggedly beautiful land. A knockout read for both historians and buffs alike, Morris's new book is his song to this unique environment, revealing, melding, and analyzing a diversified series of Spanish, French, Mexican, and Anglo-American explorers and adventurers and how they made their mark on this remarkable land. The book opens with an examination of what is known as the Lost Coronado Trail, pursuing the question of where did the Coronado Expedition go in 1541. What follows is nothing short of a breakthrough analysis of what they saw and how they remembered it as revealed through their personal accounts and journals. The second part of the book, which deals with the Llano Frontier, continues its unique approach to the study of the three centuries of Spanish exploration and imagination following Coronado. Here we revisit this extraordinary land through the eyes and imaginations of the conqueror, Juan de Onate, the accounts of the French explorers, Pierre Mallet and Paul Mallet, and the travel diaries of trailblazers Pedro Vial, Jose Mares, and Francisco Amangual. Part Three then explores and analyzes "the invention or discovery of the Llano through the Anglo imagination," including the "prose of the poet Albert Pike, the grand deceits of Alexander Le Grand, the reasoning of Josiah Gregg, and the legendary collapse of the Texan-Santa Fe Expedition" as chronicled by George Wilkins Kendall and Thomas Falconer. Together the author analyzes what he calls the "American rhetoric of romantic discovery." The Great Zahara, the last of four parts, deliciously delves into the "perceptual approaches of classic U. S. Explorers James W. Abert, Randolph B. Marcy, A. W. Whipple, Andrew Gray, and John Pope...." Powerful, unusual, stimulating, and nothing short of brilliant, El Llano Estacado is one of the finest works of cultural and mythic history of a region I have ever read. Morris has penned a great work of both history and imagination, pushing the boundaries on historical scholarship to limits that I would have never thought possible. This book should change the way history is not only written but perceived. You must read this mmagnificent book!!

I have lived here for 9 years and this is the first map that does this wonderful city justice (besides the historical maps!). While it does not look like the 'old Charleston' maps of the Civil War, it has everything any tourist, resident, or map enthusiast must have. If your visiting Charleston, bring it along as a up-to-date guide to the city. If your a resident, this is actually a contemporary map that is perfect for a wall in your office or home. If your a map enthusiest, take notes on what Morris and Bailey have done to put the Holy City on the map!

Having grown up in Charleston, I looked at this map first to find the details of the places I knew best. It was almost shocking to find the dormer window of my old bedroom in the upstairs half of the house we rented on South Battery St. Details like this make this map amazing, and the map is filled with them. Hidden gardens, oddly shaped roofs, tiny carriage houses are all revealed in stunning detail. For anyone who loves Charleston, this map is a work that reveals her beauty through the details. For anyone just getting to know the city, it will give you insight to hidden treasures that even locals would normally miss. The overall presentation of the map is first rate. Even the package (a clever heavy paper sleeve that opens like a book) is thoughtfully designed and beautifully executed. I strongly recommend this map to anyone who is visiting Charleston, or to anyone who lives there and loves the city.

This is a book written in easy to understand terms, that takes away much of the fear-out-of-ignorance associated with mental illness. It has the potential of taking the reader from a state of ignorance to the level of being able to take a first crack at diagnosis.

These doctors do the general public a great service by sharing their thoughts on mental health issues. Columbia University is one of the premier colleges to participate in the revolution going on in the field of psychiatry. This book is recommended for any public or private library.

This is a well-written rolicking ride through the last century and the history of photojournalism in the American media. It has an index that reads like the Who's Who of the century with anecdotes and insights galore on the movers and shakers of photojournalism and history. I enjoyed every word and I recommend it highly.

I just finished reading this novel and I must admitt it is one of the best novels I have read this year. It really is an exciting travel through the 20th century, through the eyes of a man who's carreer made him involved with major political and social events. I would say this is a must to anyone interested in photography and journalism, and a recommended for anyone with a heartbeat. I really loved this book.

Practical Insights into the Mechanics of Conflict January 6, 2003
I read this book nearly 10 years ago and found it very helpful. As a pastor of over 23 years and a survivor of a few humdinger conflicts, it was comforting to know that conflicts have patterns. It also helped me control my own responses.

I wouldn't wish church conflicts on a dog, but they seem to come (to most of us in the ministry, not dogs!) no matter what precautions we take. But they can often be contained early, and this book can help. It will also help you accept that conflict is common and to be expected, therefore leading us to the conclusion that one should be as prepared as possible. The chapters are all pretty good, but those written by Speed Leas excel.

The time to read this book is before (or early on)conflict begins. Every pastor needs to be prepared for what is inevitable. Lay leaders (board members, etc.) can also benefit from this book. Also helpful would be Terry Muck's book, "When to Take A Risk."

The authors approach Church Management from their various perspectives, but all seem to have a grip on managing a church, everywhere from facilities to staff to offering security to planning.

This is a fine book with some great specific suggestions.

"City Smart Austin" is an indispensable guide to aculturally-rich and multifaceted city.

Austin natives EleanorS. Morris, Paris Permenter, and John Bigley wisely present the city in six geographic zones. And they cover everything from Austin basics (weather, homes, people, etc) and day trips to recreation areas and where to shop/eat/stay.

Whether they are writing about "BookPeople" (one of the largest bookstores in the U.S.) or the 'Dillo Express (one of the city's laudable forms of public transportation), the authors speak with warmth and home-town credibility.

I was especially pleased with their accessment of Austin's accommodations. Yes, they duly point out the grandeur of the historic Driskill Hotel. But they also note the convenience and affortability of the La Quinta at the Capitol, which not only has a gracious new manager, but renovated "Gold Metal Rooms," which have new decor, 25-inch TVs, and speaker phones!

The book's maps are clear and helpful, with inset-captions for easy referral; and the b&w photos--while a tad too small--are often bright and sharp.

An added treat of "City Smart Austin" are the valuable coupons in the back of the book. Don't miss them!

Like the last reviewer, I too was considering a work-related move to Austin. I wanted a guide book that could give me a quick and easy entry into what Austin had to offer a tourist and potential resident. This guide book gave me a good overview of Austin while I was there -- it wasn't just an index or list of area attractions and businesses: It contained a lot of useful 'tips' interspersed through out the book and the maps were clear and well integrated with the text.

I had some reservations before I bought this because the maps were not in color. However, the maps were clear and concise. Rather than clutter up 1 map with icons for restaurants, attractions, etc., the maps were repeated in each section of the guide, and contained only the relevant data for that section; this made using them very easy. I'd also say that the authors of the book were very generous with the number and variety of maps.

Overall, the design of the book made reading and finding information easy. Good use of bold type made flipping through and finding stuff easy too.

In the end, I got the Austin job and will be moving there soon. As a future Austin resident, I think this will still be the only guide I need.

I am considering a move to Austin and found a lot of useful information in this guidebook. I used it to plan my freetime following a job interview in the city and found it right on target regarding the restaurant reviews. Good buy!

This book is a delight. It does not fit easily into the categories of history, biography or psychology, and yet it has elements of all of them. The author has obviously written it for sheer personal pleasure and this sense of fun - of which the splendid Jacky Fisher himself would have thoroughly approved - is communicated to the reader. It is no fault of the writer that Fisher remains an enigma at the end of it, a man of vast contradictions, enthusiasms, energy, genius and simplicity, but the journey is enjoyable on every page. Fisher was a force of nature who tackled every challenge, regardless of size, with zest, verve and originality and the story of his whirlwind career, and his transformation of the Royal Navy has much of the epic about it. Few men can have had greater vision, or a greater gift for grasping the potential of technology for transforming organisations and national destinies. Much of what he did and said could serve as a textbook for today's business schools - while the rest might have marked him for a straitjacket. For all his greatness however, he was diminished by his last years and by Churchill's disastrous decision to recall him to the Admiralty soon after the outbreak of the First World War. Old, and by now unstable, his tenure was marked by huge miscalculations and personal behaviour that swung erratically between the inspired and the lunatic. Those who enjoy this unique book will be no less delighted by Fisher's idiosyncratic memoirs - entitled "Memories" - which are an eccentric and haphazard collection of ideas, reminiscences and dictums (slogans might be a better word). This is long out of print, but well worth the seeking.

I'm reading this book for the second time now and its every bit as fresh as during the first go round. Morris brings history alive as few others and has chosen a wonderfully exciting subject to biography. God, how we need more leaders like Jacky Fisher these days! And more writers like Morris. Well done, I'm searching the back list for your other titles.

I read this book in Cyprus, and there, Fisher's adventures whilst Admiral of the Mediterranean fleet seemed strangely poignant. The book is so unusually written that I actually thought that I was about to meet him at any point. I wish that I had, because as a life long lover of the navy, I find Fisher to be a most compelling character. There can be few people in this century that would be a more interesting correspondent. I wish that I could write to him now on the Web instead of writing this. If there is a more revealing (and one always feels, only slightly speculative), colourful and fun biography about anyone at all, pray tell me about it because this book was truly superb!