This book is a great beginning reader for lower elementary children. It is listed in the Reading Recovery program as a good level book for emergent readers. It has an introductory vocabulary list for the student, teacher and parent to use. It makes use of common sight words and there is a good repetition of vocabulary words to help with vocabulary mastery.

Emerson is a genious. His words in this small edition are just as sweet and easily accessable. It is handy to have a small version to keep close at all times. Everytime I look at the night sky I think of a quote of Emerson, "But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile." That alone is a reason to own the work of Emerson.

EVERYTHING you wanted to know about The Honeymooners' "Classic 39" episodes! Plenty of behind-the-scenes stories, last-minute script changes, on-air ad-libs (such as Gleason's surprise crash ending to the "Core A Apple" episode, and Norton's "Rx" exclamation), interviews with cast members, crew members, etc. If you love The Honeymooners or not, this book is an absolute must-have! There has been no better book written documenting a television sitcom! Zip-Zip, this review is done! ;) - Paula Martin -

This book is like the Turtle and the Hair at the end they have a race.To see who is faster.You should read it about turtle,hen,chicken in this book they are best friends who race to see who is faster

A rich and dense book that examines the very core of what it means to be human. Handke's intricately constructed narrative works on several levels giving the reader much to digest. It's threefold structure is at first difficult to interpret, but on repeated readings one begins to understand the significance of smaller fragmented incidents scattered throughout the text. If possible one should read the original and use the dictionary as a companion, just as the protagonist Filip Kobal does. One of the best books by one of our best contemporary authors. Highly recommended.

Ostensibly a year's worth of notes from the writer's journal, consisting of personal reflections and diurnal observations of the author's life and environment, this book can also be construed as a novel in the form of a journal, and as such, a work of genuine innovation. Handke's miniaturist style lends itself perfectly to these discrete entries, each a completed essay or prose poem; the book is a perfect match of temperament and form, and arguably Handke's finest work to date. Some entries speak to the power of language--even in translation--to evince startlingly fresh images of time-worn subjects, e.g., trees in wind; others transform the banalities of contemporary experience, e.g., the sound of the television from a neighboring house, suburban detritus, etc., into indelible literary images. These are not rough notes but polished paragraphs in Handke's finest style. Though this book is a gift to readers with small amounts of free time or short attention spans, it has a de facto dramatic structure, central to which is the author's confinement in a hospital and relationship as a single father to his son. The work is, finally, moving as well as eloquent.

This book made Harold Bloom's Western Canon as one of the achievements of the century; it's one of the few I have read twice. Except for his controversial politics, Handke has tended to be overlooked in this country, but he deserves the attention of everyone who considers him/herself a serious reader. I consider Weight of the World optimal Handke.

Ralph Peters has long been a favorite writer of mine. I've read both his fiction and non-fiction, and "Beyond Terror" may be his best writing yet. His candid insights will ring true to anybody who's travelled in the world's danger zones, but probably will offend those who learn about the world from books. Too bad. A few hours spent with "Beyond Terror" will give the reader a much better understanding of the world we live in than any political science course I've taken--and I've taken many. While his writing is brutally frank, he is never simplistic or jingoistic. The chapter "When Devils Walk the Earth" is perhaps the most original and thoughtful explanation of the terrorist's mentality I've ever read (and I read a great deal on related subjects for my job). Peters takes a refreshingly long view of history, and his writing is a joy to read, even on those rare occasions when I disagree with him. This is an important book. I strongly recommend it for anyone looking to make sense of the world today.

This is the most original work on strategy and international relations I have ever read. Peters clearly enjoys taking on sacred cows, but what angers academics, I suspect, is the utterly convincing insights he has acquired in his personal experiences around the world--he doesn't rely on other people's research, but goes out and looks at things for himself--then thinks for himself about what he has seen. And what the author has to say just rings true, whether discussing the roots of American strategic power (some surprising views here) or the proper use of the military. This book is great fun to read (I heard Peters lecture last year--he's slyly entertaining and seductive--he ambushes you with ideas--and knows how to laugh at himself, too). It's also worth underlining several times per page. The author's analysis of the root causes of terrorism ring truer than any other propositions I have encountered, and his take on the future potential of the United States as a hegemonic power demonstrates great integrity--Peters refuses to bend to the political left or the right, and he doubtless angers extremists on both sides of the aisle. If I recall correctly, Peters was a career Army officer. Well, if our Army can produce officers who think at this level of originality, the defense of the republic is in very good hands. I suggest giving this book to your friends--but also to any dreary, self-righteous, party-line academics in need of a comeuppance (or a heart attack). And it's written with a sense of humor, too. Try to find that on a campus these days. Serious, extraordinarily original ideas, elegantly presented. The gentleman can write.
This book is first rate in every respect and a valuable contribution to American strategic thought. It will outlast its critics by a very long stretch. Recommended for all citizens not afraid to think for themselves.

Beyond Terror is a compilation of superb essays written by the most gifted military theorist of his generation. These essays predominantly examine the current terrorist threat. The reader should be aware that Ralph Peters is one of the very few writers in this arcane area of study that accurately foresaw the possibility of 9/11.

If you want to know why Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon, read this book. If you want to know how such terrorists can best be attacked, read this book. If you want a clearer understanding of the terrorist threat, read this book. If you are tired of academic analysis on terrorism, that says much but clarifies little, read this book.

The author is one of the best traveled of the writers on contemporary terrorism. He knows his subject. A former US Army Intelligence Officer, Peters writes with honesty and conviction. Whether you agree or disagree with his analysis, you won't have any difficulty understanding his positions. Such clarity of thought is rare and valuable.

More importantly, this reviewer believes that Peters more often than not is correct in his assessments. His opinions are based in a multi-disciplinary approach to his subject matter... using the intellectual tools of psychologists, cultural anthropologists, sociologists, and historians. This approach explains much while obfuscating nothing.

Ralph Peters' work is highly recommended because he insists on gaining first-hand experience before writing his opinions... an unusual and laudable characteristic. Beyond Terror is the best of contemporary writings on the critical topic of terrorism.

Oscar and Lucinda are a pair of unusual characters , both victims of childhood trauma, who share a weakness for gambling and a penchant for obsessions of all kinds. Carey might have created a simple romance here about two misfits who find each other, and on the surface that is indeed what happens; however, the story is far more complex and is peopled with assorted other characters that give the book added richness. Mr. d'Abbs, Mr. Jeffris, the Strattons, Oscar's father, Theophilus, and others serve to demonstrate that we are all subject to our own foibles and obsessions. One of Carey's messages is clearly that none of us is "normal"; that behind the mask we wear for society lurks a mass of insecurities and imperfections. Oscar and Lucinda give each other what they each seem to need, and it is not at all what the reader expects. If this book has a fault, it may lie in the sometimes disjointed method of narration. It can be intrusive. However, the identity of the narrator--not revealed until the end of the novel--is a nifty twist itself. A challenging read that is well worth the effort.

Having read Carey's first novel, 'Bliss', I really didn't think he could write something as good. Luckily for him, and me, and anyone else who reads 'Oscar and Lucinda', he's come very close.

Nothing really happens in the book, but it doesn't matter; there's a beauty in the language used that is extremely rare. This book is pure characterization. Carey's characters are dense and human and live before the book begins and after it ends. It's a love story, but not a conventional one. The love between Oscar and Lucinda builds and builds with every written word, up to an ending which even the most astute and well-read reader will never expect. The ending is what makes the book. It is powerful. I haven't cried since I was a boy, but I came damn close reading the last few pages. It's really incredible stuff.

I found I was thinking about the last scene for weeks after I finished the book; I've even gone back and read sections. How often does a book do that to you? Not very often, I bet. 'Oscar and Lucinda' is a bit slow, but always interesting, surprising, and touching, like 'Bliss', but in completely different ways. The imagery is brilliant -- you will not see the scenes, you will stand there, with the characters, feeling the sun on your face, breathing the same air they breath. That's how good this is. Go and read it.

The simple legends of a family's past are brought into microscopic focus to become a moving saga. Two unique people, each misfits in their society, gradually come together to create an amazing white elephant - a glass church. This beautiful but impractical artifact, like its creators, is a misfit, and ultimately flawed.

But the object of the book is not the final results, but the journey. The stories of the protagonists lives are filled with moving human detail. Each episode strikes a poignant chord. Through their trials and small triumphs, Oscar and Lucinda come of age to plan their great achievement.

The story illustrates the ability of human beings to imagine and aspire to divine goals, even if reality intrudes in the effort to achieve them The book is filled with wonder, high ideals... and shortsightedness and miscommunications. Ironic opposites abound. Strengths and weaknesses, the abstract and the actual, churches and gaming hells. And it is nearly impossible to put down until the last page leaves you gasping!

I came upon this book after reading some of Peter's fiction: War in 2020 and Red Army. I really had no idea that he wrote such serious essays about military-related topics until I was searching for literature after September 11th to answer the question: "What now"? This book is a collection of his military essays compiled after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and woven around the theme of American triumph in trying times.

I had to take a break after each chapter to think about the questions raised. Many of his assertions challenged my view of the world. He is trying to shake we idealists and optimists from our hallucinating state to view the harsh reality of the world around us.

How does the world treat young men who are raised as warriors (killers) from birth in perpetually warring societies? What options other than force does a superpower have against the amorphous and state-less threat of terrorism? Will urban warfare be the rule and not the exception in the 21st century? Is there any hope for global stability? And finally, will America triumph?

I liked how the preface focused specifically on the events of September 11th and the myths Peters feels were perpetuated in our popular culture as a result. But the rest of this book raises more questions than it does provide answers. To his credit though, anyone who holds up answers in these trying times is a liar or a fool or both.

Fighting for the Future is an extraordinary book . Peters clearly and precisely discusses the nature, challenges, and opportunities facing the US Army in the years to come. Indeed, readers may not realize that each of Peter's essays compiled in Fighting for the Future was written exclusively for US Military officers and have appeared in the professional journals that few others read or are even aware of. But make no mistake about it, the mid and senior ranks of the US military have been devouring and debating the basic tenets of Peter's conclusion for several years. Peters has sparked a debate of such white hot proportions, that these writings are now becoming more accessible to the wider public. Not everyone will agree with Peters. He has the subtlety of a bayonet charge as he articulates the challenges ahead. It is this honesty and clarity of thought that has made these writings so popular within the military ranks. His discussion of the warrior and what it will take for the US army to effectively engage him is brilliant. His clear and unabashed conclusion that we must face the unpleasant fact that our Army must be prepared to deal effectively with cultures and societies that are controlled by a small percentage of these warriors who enjoy killing and war is troubling but unavoidable. Peters concludes that we are going to have to remove these warriors by killing them or imprisoning them if we are to have any success. No sugar coating here. No spin, just the cold hard facts driven home. I strongly,recommend this book for anyone trying to understand the nature and scope of the battlefields of the future. Perhaps more importantly, the publication of Fighting for the Future, gives non military people a glimpse into the debates and thinking now raging among the best of our military leaders.

I was given this book by a friend of mine who is a West Point grad and now an international businessman. As soon as I read it, I got the point: The author's observations about the causes of violence in societies, the nature of conflict, and, above all, why some groups and states prosper while others fail simply ring true to anyone who has actually seen anything of the greater world first-hand. Given that the essays in this book were written back in the nineties, almost every one is amazingly prescient--he even discusses, briefly, a terrorist attack on lower Manhattan. The picture Peters draws for us isn't pretty, but it's brutally honest and directly helpful--unlike the nonsense turned out by the campus crowd. This is the real thing, about the real world--and the book is remarkably well written, as well. I recommend reading it a chapter at a time and thinking about it--but, above all, I strongly recommend reading it. For me, personally, it just may become one of the most influential books I've ever read. No doubt it's useful to military officers and diplomats, but it's also a first-rate primer on conflict and crisis for anyone who does business in the developing world. Absolutely first-rate!