I paid a dollar for this book. God Bless used bookstores who carry out-of-print titles on clearance. The King is probably flawless - I've read it 10 or 11 times now, and each time the language is always as fresh as the previous reading. Donald Barthelme is indisputably the Alpha and Omega of contemporary American short fiction, and this is his very best. If you're not familiar with his stuff, go grab one of the anthologies (60 or 40 Stories), find a good place to read, and become quietly enthralled. The fact that this book is out-of-print either testifies to the current lifeless state of the publishing industry, or the existence of a cold, malevolent trickster-god. If you have personal contact with ANYONE involved in the publishing industry, PLEASE encourage them to read The King, to reproduce it, to lavish it with praise and vigorous marketing, etc. D.B. has slipped out of the American literary consciousness - if that isn't an oxymoron - these last ten years, being instead cruelly relegated to the pomp and ineffectual circumstance of that icy ninth ring of hell, THE LAND OF GRADUATE STUDIES. Unacceptable. Find this book, pay the search fee, abuse the mass-quantity machines at Kinko's, and leave copies on the street corners. Brighten a stranger's day.

Donald Barthelme's "The King" is the loudest laugh I've ever had from a book! It is the tale of Arthur and his knights fighting World War II, though the tale is told primarily through these characters' sad and outdated dialogue. I read this book almost non-stop through breakfast at a coffee shop, a trounce through my favorite bookstore and then dinner, all the while grabbing anyone close at hand to read passages to. Nasty looks and possibly even violent reactions would not assuage me, for the humor, joy and pure inventiveness of Barthelme's writing kept me as humble and courteous as a chivalrous knight

Hitler and King Arthur come to blows in this, a virtually dialogue-only novel. Absolutely incredible. Will be one of the top five novels you've ever read

Handel's Messiah is one of my favorite works of all time. And nothing goes with a great recording of this exquisite music like a fantastic score - exactly what Dover has provided for us here. Dover sews their books (they don't glue), so you can count on this score's durability, and the print is legible (which can't be said for all music) so you don't have to search out the magnifying glass to read the notes.

Masterful music in a high quality book and at a more-than-reasonable price. Do not delay in acquiring this score.

Even to atheists and other skeptics---thanks to G.F. Handel.... I don't know anyone who doesn't love this masterpiece. Handel sets the dry prose of Revelation and Isaiah to Baroque rock n roll, and has earned a place as one of the great vocal composers of ETERNITY... This Dover full score is priced lower than some piano reductions!

This is a wonderful book if you love to sing. Even if you just love the songs and have a copy of the concert on tape, now you can learn the words! My commumity has Messiah all sing concerts and even though I know the songs, it's always nice to have the music on hand. I ,personally, have been looking for this book everywhere!

I read John Bunyan's original work and found it wonderful, but I didn't feel it would entrance my children the way it did me with all of the heavy phraseology littered throughout the story. I normally detest "retellings" because they are usually literary trash not worthy of the time spent reading them.

This book was different. The story is extremely well written and maintains the rich flavor of the original story of Christian's journey of faith and his arrival in the Enchanted City. I read this version aloud to my four children, and they loved it. It is a chapter book, even though it looks like a simple "storybook." We took about a week with it at an approximately 20 minute per day rate. There are some alterations from the original, but nothing that changes the tone of the story.

The illustrations are exquisite, and I love how there are small paintings scattered throughout the text and not just large, page filling pictures. We checked it out from the library to read, and I enjoyed it so much I am planning to purchase a copy for our home collection.

I have read the original Pilgrim's Progress a few times and portions of it many times. I have also read various versions and several of John Bunyan's other writings. I personally love the theology and consider it essential. Mr. Schmidt's version of the story is compelling for some important reasons. Though it does not contain the lengthy discussions of theology, it opens a door via the story line to share the story with someone else. He has added some This hopefully will raise questions and hopefully a healthy discussion of the things that John Bunyan was trying to communicate to his church members whom he wrote this story for. As I understand it, John Bynyan was using allegory (like Jesus used parables) to make important Biblically grounded truths understandable to his people. This retelling hopefully will be the springboard for many to share their faith. Those that believe already will find wonderful illustrations and a unique and encouraging way of seeing their own journey through this world to the Celestial City.

This retelling of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is a journey through the back countries of one's mind. Pilgrim takes the reader along the stages, discoveries, and challenges each person faces in his or her life. Each time Pilgrim faces and makes a decision, it forces a look within. The author takes this classic tale and moves it into contemporary language and idioms familiar to modern readers. By translating the essence of traditional religion into secular experience, Schmidt captures the struggles and solutions which face every person daily. Moser's beautiful watercolors crystalize the experience without diminishing the broad range of responses to the story. A wide range of readers will find themselves absorbed in the journey.

My 5 year old son and I watched this story read on "Reading Rainbow". This book is about a turtle carved in a rock by a Native American in pre-Columbus days. The turtle remains watching as history moves on. It witnesses the immigration of the European's, who take over the land from the Native Americans and go on to build a big city. For many years, the turtle is covered by graffiti and then is finally discovered by an archeologist. I wondered if the subject matter was too advanced for my son. But, he was mesmerized. Like all good books this one speaks to all ages with many lessons and perspectives. Its a story of history, art, people, change, archeology and more. After the story was finished my son turned to me and said, "Mommy we have to get that book." And we did!

What a nice way to introduce young children to the world before New York City and its environs were a busy, noisy sometimes polluted place! An Indian legend, an archaeologist and the importance of the environment are all packed in this charming short, exquisitely illustrated book. Great for those who live near the Bronx Botanical Garden but delightful for any child who wonders about the world around us.

A soothing tale of creation from a perspective even a two year old can understand.

This was one of the first books I was "wowed" by when I began doing children's programming about five years ago. The story is a beautiful creation story, explaining how the world and all the wonders in it came to be. But the art work is spectacular! Moser's illustrations and Rylant's words make for an unbeatable combination. A definite addition to any Church library, but also for anyone who wishes to share the beauty of the Christian creation story with children.

"East of the sun" is my favorite folktale. Willard transforms the tale into something even more enchanting and the illustrations by Moser are beautiful (most of them are face and upper torso shots of the characters in the play, but the illumination on the sides of the pages and acts are a nice touch). It makes a great "story" to read aloud, and better if you get people to play the different roles. I've found myself, at nearly 32, singing parts of it aloud. It's a fleshed out rendition of the tale, adding a lot of character to the flat folktale people and beasts. I've not bought anything by Willard before and was pleased to get this; Moser is one of my favorite artists--his most recent masterpiece is adding dimension and depth in illustrating the Bible. I don't think you could be disappointed with this (unless you're a folktale purist) and if you have children, they will enjoy acting it out for you.

I got the lead role in this play that we performed for the school. I had a lot of fun. I think this is a very worthwhile performence for anyone who wanted to perform a play. This was a great play to perform and I reccomend it to anyone who wants to read or perform a play.

I'm puzzled as to why IN THE BEGINNING is listed by Amazon as a children's book! Perhaps a child would enjoy the astounding pictures, but it would be only a very advanced child who could read or understand the impact of this examination of the religious beliefs of other cultures. It's the perfect book for cultural anthropology students or mythology buffs. It would certainly tweak the curiosity of readers who wonder about the origins of religion.
I found it a book that led me into more exploration into a fascinating field.

This is the perfect book to introduce readers of all ages to the creation myths of different religons and cultures. In these days when the teaching of evolution and modern cosmology are controversial, this book provides valuable perspective on the way different people have accounted for the earth and its inhabitants. It should be required reading for all public school administrators, and would be a valuable addition to any school (or home) library.

Loved the book, so did my little girl (2) it reminded the whole family of our deceased Mastiff. She had the exact same expressions.

This is a beautifully illustrated picturebook. The water colored pictures are so vivid that Truman seems to come alive. He is a huge mischievious dog that makes you laugh and steals your heart. As the words are few, we have fun using our imaginations in adding to his antics. We love him no matter what trouble he gets himself into. Therein lies the lesson for the little ones. Their faces light up everytime we pull Truman out, and that is quite often!

"That summer began like always, with hoots and shouts, all of us running in the sun, freed from school..." But, as his brother, the narrator tells us, on the fourth of July, Joey "took sick." He went to bed and stayed there. When he perked up, the whole family was filled with hope, and when he got worse again, they realized the awful truth. "What do you do when you know you are leaving the world, when your heart hurts with grieving? Joey was leaving. It was clear as the rain that stung his window that summer." Gram sat by his bed keeping vigil and quilting, and when Joey couldn't sleep, Gram taught him how to quilt. And so that summer, he sewed the pieces of his young life together, all the things he love, "a patch with an owl because he loved its call, the cow he squeezed from clay (first grade), and his fishing pole and a lightning bug and a country road and his baseball glove..." Author, Tony Johnston, and illustrator, Barry Moser, invite the reader to share in this very intimate and moving experience. Mr Johnston's quiet, understated, and eloquent text is at times both poignant and uplifting, and rich in beautifully poetic figurative language. Mr Moser's stunning artwork captures the special moments of Joey's life in dazzling full-colored illustrations, juxtaposed with touching and emotional gray and white "snapshots" that seem to be pulled from the family photo album. Together, word and art paints a remarkable portrait of life, strong love and loss, told with great insight, wisdom, and truth. Perfect for youngsters 5 and older, That Summer is an inspiring story that deals with the sensitive subject of the death of a loved one with honesty and respect, and should help open important discussions. As Barry Moser writes in his dedication... "For all the courageous people who care for terminally ill children, with my deepest respect and admiration." An amazing book that shouldn't be missed.

"That Summer" is a poetic blend of the carefree days of a childhood summer disrupted by the reality of terminal illness. The narrator's brother, Joey, becomes ill during summer vacation. As his illness progresses, he begins to piece a quilt: "Cut scraps into shapes of all the things you love," Gram said,"then join them with thread." Illustrated with beautiful graphite and chalk pictures by Barry Moser, Tony Johnston weaves a story of a brother's love, a family's loss, and a patchwork of memories through powerful figurative language: "...that summer, a gleam of guilt glided through my heart like a gleam of snake down a hole." This is one of the most moving childrens' books I've ever read.

There aren't too many picture books or stories for children that deal so well with the issues of grieving and healing and the questions about life after someone you love has died. This book gently tells, in story and fable, the healing words of how to carry on and what it is to live, and why we need to remember. Any parent or child old enough to understand death can take comfort and healing from this story. I wish I had a hundred copies of this to give to all of my friends who have lost someone. In the traditions of ANNIE AND THE OLD ONE, and THE TENTH GOOD THING ABOUT BARNEY this is another work that deals with death, life, and those who must deal with the questions that surround them.

I believe this book was incredibly well done. The story is great and the illustrations INCREDIBLE. Barry Moser did an incredible job with the illustrations. I really do recommend this book to everyone.