This book is full of life and adventures. It is a wonderful odyssey. It shows the horror of the Holocaust through a remarkable tale of two corageous sisters on the run from the Nazis. They keep their spirits high. They fight to live the little bit of life that they are aloud to have. They are determined to win the battle. The girls change their names and are sent away to Poland by their father. They use false papers and have a false story, that is they say they want to leave voluntarily. Their secret had been found out, but they kept strong and stubborn. They wouldn't let thierselves be beat. They held their heads up high and fought. They believed that, "It will work out somehow." This is what the oldest of the two had to keep reminding her scared younger sister. She would always say this "superstitiously cautious". Although on the outside things looked bad, they believed in their hearts that this statement really was true.

If you are looking for a guide through the mire of writing short fiction, you can't go wrong with this book! The editors really knew what they were doing when they chose the contributors as I found the comments by published authors very insightful, and the selection of short stories includes some of the best ever written.

This is a great collection of American treasured landmarks and items. It serves as both a historical review and a great presentation piece.

Seriously, though: this book is the best I've seen come along in recent years on the subject of English language and usage. It's also a lot of fun to read. As someone who cares deeply about "getting it down right," it's a great relief to know there are people out there whose job it is to pay attention to how our language is evolving (or not), especially in this age of computerese and political correctness. Wallraff manages to impart a wealth of useful information with a light, witty touch. She seems to answer almost every frustrating question I've ever had about English. Word Court is essential if your craft is writing, or even if you merely enjoy thinking about language. The book has earned a spot on my shelf, right next to the old classics like Fowler and Strunk & White. I highly recommend it.

I'm an avid collector of language-reference books, and use them for both professional and personal purposes. This is one of the best I've found. It's fun to read (a rare characteristic in this genre) but is also terrifically informative. In addition to covering all sorts of routine questions about grammar and usage, it also offers advice on topics that nobody else seems to address. For example, where else can you find out whether temperatures may be "cold" or must be "low"? This is a book that's definitely worth having on one's desk -- and at one's bedside!

No, not another how-to-write and grammar book, but a terrific book about our language, how we use it, its peculiarities and ours. Her magazine readers (she writes a column for The Atlantic) have asked her lots of crazy questions, which she answers in thoughtful and amusing ways. You can read this for fun - or as a reference. Either way, it really works.

When I described my fascination with Balzac to a pal of mine, I said, "yeah, it is all about disillusioned and cynical people" and he replied: "I am already disillusioned and cynical, so why should I read it?"

Why indeed. This is indispuably one of the best of Balzac's novels, with clearly drawn characters and grim lives in an inexorable descent to self-destruction, which are the classic Balzac themes. It explores the life of a libertine as he ruins himself and his family for the sake of pursuing pretty girls. Unbekonst to him, he gets help from Bette, a cousin full of secret hatreds and bent on vengence. It is very sad to read. One minor character even commits suicide by repeatedly smashing his head into a nail, his only means to finish himself off he could find in his jail cell.

So why read it? Well, again, it is for the wider social portraits that you can find, which are offered almost as an aside. Balzac in one section explains the politics behind the statues you see all over Paris, which is fascinating. You also learn of the career of courtisans, as they use their sex to advance themselves. The book is simply full of these thngs, in addition to the psychology of the many interesting main characters.

Also unusual for Balzac is the coherency of the story, which does not degenerate into ramblings like many of his other novels as they weave the tapestry of his Comedie Humaine like so many threads, that is, as vehicles in his vast project to fully portray an entire society with characters re-appearing in different situations and venues throughout his interrelated novels. The characters stand on their own here and are more clearly drawn. Hence, it is a great intro to Balzac and may get you hooked for more, that is, if you are masochistic enough to subject yourself to it!

Warmly recommended.

This is a remarkable book, setting the template for Flaubert and Zola's respective journeys into the sordid human psyche.

Lisbeth is a peasant girl from Alsace, bitter at her cousin Adeline's preferential treatment during their childhood. Vindictive Bette decides to cut the family from its wealth, as well as to debase her family personally. It's not difficult when Adeline's husband Hector becomes so weak-kneed over a pretty face that he would compromise his family if it came to a choice between sex and relatives. Lisbeth maneuvers skilfully, befriending Madame Marneffe, an unhappily married woman with numerous lovers who only wants to see her sickly husband made a manager of his governmental department. Installed in this household as a spy for hector (who is smitten with Marneffe), Lisbeth works toward an alliance with Marneffe, on one side to destroy the Hulot's, on the other to gain the love of Count Steinbock, to whom Lisbeth is a benefactress.

I saw a feminist agenda in this novel. Consider: Whereas Hector Hulot is not frowned upon for his numerous infidelities, and indeed feels no guilt even though his longsuffering wife turns a blind eye, when Adeline, in trying to save her family, attempts to seduce a wealthy perfumer named Crevel, she fears dishonor for herself, and feels immeasurable guilt over the infidelity she never even commits. Could Balzac be commenting on the fact that both women and men should be allowed their indiscretions? Call it immaterial. Also, the female characters are by and large either intelligent and conniving (Madame Marneffe, Lisbeth), or beautiful and virtuous (Adeline, Hortense). The men are scandalously disloyal (Steinbock, Hector), or inneffectual and dissolute (Monsieur Marneffe, Crevel). A fresh perspective...from a male author. Great in every way, even if quite convoluted.

"Beauty is the greatest of human powers. All autocratic unbridled power with nothing to counterbalance it, leads to abuse, mad excess. Despotism is power gone mad. In women, despotism takes the form of satisfying their whims". This remark engulfs Balzac's opera: To collate the audience with the obliterating debauchery society of 18th century France. Lisbeth Fischer aka Cousin Bette lurks in every chapter as a concealed beast coveting her prey (The house of Hulot) under the same roof. Perhaps Balzac's major achievement in this master piece, is to portrait a flauntering society feigned by its ostentatious opulence but immerse on a licentious and decadent life. "The savage has feelings... only the civilized man has feelings and ideas." Balzac seems to banter at Parisians with this idea: how civilized, civilized society can be. I strongly recommend this book if you intend to follow De Laclos work in Les Liasions Dangereuses. As an amateur reader I founded the characters difficult to identify at the beginning, however is an strategy smartly set by Balzac and very much appreciated as soon as you start to realize and pace through the richness of the narration.

"A High Wind in Jamaica" is quite possibly the best book about children written in 20th century. It's two successors being William Golding's "Lord of the Flies," and J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye." Richard Hughes' uncanny ability to lay bare the mind of a child offers continuous, piercing insights unclouded by judgement or sentimentality. His prose evokes the strange, often bewildering perception of the innocent, with an objective, childlike point of view. Be forwarned though this novel is not for those who would dislike spending a day in the mind of young children. Those, however, interested in child psychology or just facinated by the nature of the young will enjoy this rare gem of a book.

This was one of my father's favourite books, and the lucky person who gets to read this instantly sees why. Although it's many years since my one and only reading, the extraordinary 'story' qualities of this novel are a long way from being forgotten, or surpassed in other novels I've since read. However, the most striking element of the book, without any doubt, is the remarkable accuracy and simplicity with which Richard Hughes represents the world of children, the protagonists. Never have I read such a perfect description of the motives for children's actions, their perception of facts and deeds, and the accompanying dialogue. Complementing this is the reaction of adults, their own surprise, and quite simply one of the most spellbinding stories to plunge into. This book cannot be recommended enough.

As a single parent father, I've found an opportunity with A High Wind In Jamaica to read a book with my 9 year old daughter. It's an experience we are sharing and yet I'd imagine experiencing independently on two different levels. She brings me the book every night. It's a medium from which to explain some of life's more complicated issues to my daughter. So it's serious and it's fun. I read the book years ago and am experiencing it anew. My daughter wanted it I believe because of the children on the cover. She loved it from the first page. I'm glad I bought it and I'd recommend it to parents to share with their children.

Do not take anything this woman says as accurate on any of the women. If you've done real research on any the ladies in this book as I have, you will know that this book is dreadful fiction. The book seethes with Prose's obvious envy of famous women, it reeks of it. She distorts what few real events she mentioned through that lens. It's the National Enquirer folks. Wonder how she would feel if someone gave her the same treatment she dishes out?

In "The Lives of the Muses," Francine Prose uses 9 brief biographical vignettes to explore what it means to be a great man's muse. She shows how the role of muse has evolved along with women's societal roles, and how intense artist-muse relationships, marked by longing and obsession, take their toll on muse and artist alike. The women, and their relationships with the men they helped make famous, are so diverse that at times the book is a bit disjointed, but overall it succeeds well. Prose is hardly an unbiased observer; it is clear what she thinks of each of her subjects, and her opinionated stance makes an interesting subject that much more lively.

THE LIVES OF THE MUSES examines how eight women (Hester Thrale, Elizabeth Siddal, Lou Andreas-Salome, Gala Dali, Lee Miller, Charis Weston, Suzanne Farrell, and Yoko Ono) and one little girl (Alice Liddell) provided essential inspiration to their artist companions. While artistic inspiration can come from many sources (music, fasting, prayer, meditation, romantic love), Francine Prose's book examines the romantic kind of artistic inspiration which arises between men and women -- with men typically playing the role of artist to the woman's role of muse.

And who, exactly, is a muse? Francine Prose writes, "The muse is often that person with whom the artist has the animated imaginary conversations, the interior dialogues we all conduct, most commonly with someone we cannot get out of our minds." Francine Prose delves into some of the most intimate details of the muses' and artists' sexual lives, yet never loses touch with the vision of her book as a guidepost to better understanding the art of being a muse. While muses are chosen by artists, and therefore seemingly have no ability to chart muse-dom as a career path for themselves, they appear to share certain qualities with one another. For one thing, many muses have been intensely disliked by their contemporaries -- perhaps because people can intuitively sense that there is an unusually strong bond of love between an artist and his muse.

If the subject of this book at times makes one feel uncomfortable, that is no doubt due to the fact that the interaction between artists and muses take people to the very greatest emotional heights and depths. The passions felt between artists and their muses are so tremendous that they sometimes provoke people's behavior to go completely out-of-control... yet these same passions present artists with some of their greatest sources of inspiration. Francine Prose's extraordinary book, THE LIVES OF THE MUSES, shows us a unique vision of how artists' lives are shaped and driven by the love and inspiration of their muses. It is the gift of the muse to offer her artist "that rare and precious spark ignited by genius and passion."

The continuing saga of a mother and her two daughters.Mrs Baines is the middle aged boisterous woman who runs rule of the family business as her invalid husband lies in wait of his demise.The Baines` have two young daughters-Constance ( intelligent and stable)and Sofia (beautiful and flighty).the ideal of the story was to examine how one would perceive "a Mrs Baines" if you were to encounter her on the street or in a cafe.would you see her as an old rude lady?Would you be able to invision the possibility that in her younger days she was as Constance and Sofia are? And ther lies the basis of the story-how does one go from being a beautiful,fun loving girl to a boisterous old lady.Well as the story delves further into their lives we witness everything that happens and therefore shapes their lives.In real life events, whether large or small will determine our next path in life and here we get to see where they end up.
A terrific read for something written in 1908.

I'm certainly not the only person in the world who thinks of this book as a masterpiece. The fact that H.G. Wells, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf all praise this book as being so is one of the reasons I picked it up. In spite of that, I really read it without set expectations.

Briefly, to say what has already been said before, The Old Wives Tale is exactly that - a tale of three women who marry in very different circumstances. Mrs. Baines, the mother, is a life who is only briefly touched upon. However, the seperate lives of the two sisters, Sophia and Constance, are the crux of the book. Each life takes its' turn. We are first told about Constance, then about Sophia, and finally, about their reunion. Constance, whose name is not a coincidence, lives a simple provincial life, and Sophia, whose name also matches her persona, chooses romance and adventure. There is only one villain, and yet, he is perhaps the most powerful and chilling of all villains, Time. His grasping, clutching, suffocating presence is ever felt throughout the book, and looms even larger once that final page is turned. In the end, Sophia and Constance each pay the price for their choices, and the true cost of those choices is left for the reader to decide. As unique as we are, we will each believe something different about Sophia and Constance in the end, and that is precisely the point.

To sum up the experience of The Old Wives Tale, a tale of three women living their lives, and their lives changing them (or perhaps not changing them, is that it is the most honest approach to human psychology I have ever read. The lives we read about, Mrs. Baines, Sophia, Constance, and even those who surround them, could be anyone's. In fact, most of us can find someone in this book we could point to and say "that's me". No character, no matter how brief their exit or entrance into this story, is insignificant. Each person gives us a fresh perspective on the human response to events and to, of course, other humans. The three main characters are presented with sheer, unsympathetic, yet respectful honesty. We are not introduced to inhuman, perfect, idealistic souls in this book. Nor are we looking through the eyes of the wicked. Instead, we are searching the souls of ordinary people and in the end, are left with a question about our own existence.

In fact, it should be a large clue to readers when they see that the title of the fourth section is, What Life Is. It is here that something occurred which I totally unexpected, and it left me quite shaken - in fact, desperate. I found that I had been brought from the comfortable vantage point of observing these fictional lives, which are at times inexplicably amusing and heroic, to a sudden uncomfortable sensation that the characters were real and had turned toward me - the reader - begging the question "What of your life? What have you done with it? What have you accomplished?"

That subtle change of vantage point was shocking, and ingenious. Without criticizing his own creation, the author was able to communicate the importance of living our lives to the fullest without telling us how. This fact alone shows great wisdom. Sophia and Constance experience remarkable things, no more remarkable than most people, but remarkable just the same. Each reacts differently because they are different, and each has a different idea about how to find happiness and how to deal with life's disappointments. Both are frequently of the opinion that they could improve someone else's life, yet have not found real satisfaction in their own. Each makes mistakes, and each perform the heroic. The author will on the same page be blunt about their faults and tender with their plight. He tells their story without judgement, and yet in the end, you feel you have read a very wise judgement on the nature of the human race. Here, reader, you will find no prescription for life, but a question that begs a diagnosis. The author makes it starkly clear that the remedy, or whether a remedy is even required, is up to you.

The Old Wives Tale is not a dark story. It is not a comedy. It is not high adventure or mystery. In fact, it is many of these things put together to create something REAL. And it has shaken me to the core.

I first read this wonderful book many years ago. Recently, I happened to pick it up again (before giving it to my daughter to read), and thought, well, I'll just read a few pages, to see if it's as good as I remember it to be. I stayed up all night rereading it. "The Old Wives' Tale" is a heartbreaker, but superb. As somone else has pointed out, there's a real villain in the book, but the villain isn't human: it's Time. It's difficult for me to imagine anyone reading the last few lines without being touched. I agree with Somerset Maugham: I feel presumptuous even praising it. For those who were "disappointed" with it, may I say, with another commentator, that these people will probably be disappointed with The Day of Judgment.

To use the words of Meema Spadola, breasts are symbols of sexuality, motherhood, and power. This book by Prose and Simic explores the spectrum of possibilities in this wide range of meanings. This is, though, photographic ART. Those who think that art should be readily pleasurable, appreciated, or liked may find themselves challenged by this format. If you feel that art should be challenging, you may find this book appealing. On viewing it one may be stimulated by novel and sometimes not necessarily pleasurable thoughts. This seems to contradict the implication in the title that there is something necessarily 'titillating" here. (Certainly the concept seems to stretch more common notion what is exciting, nasty and fun). For that I would deduct two stars.

Perhaps not quite what we expected. We (my girlfriend and I) are both interested in what roles the breast plays in sociology and in culture, and hoped this book would grant us some fresh perspectives.

There are very interesting and provocative (but I certainly wouldnt call them erotic by any means) images in this book, as well as some fascinating art. Some of it we really would love to have framed.

The images are suitable for anyone to look at, with only a few being tantalizing or vaguely... scintillating. It's the kind of book that is good to read sitting down with company and see how you and others react. Perfectly suitable for a bookshelf or coffeetable.

This is a marvelous book filled with wonderful photos of breasts of different sizes and shapes..textures, and colors. This is a coffee table keeper!!

This 1996 tale of a troublesome spirit that takes hold of a young woman had some help from The Dybbuk, the 1918 play of S. Ansky.

The Russian ethnographer had traveled from 1912 to 1914 collecting the Jewish legends, folktales, proverbs, songs and music on which he based his work. Those legends and folktales were based on the 17th century appearance of a literary dybbuk, who in turn sprang from early Jewish folklore.

In this case, the idea and illustrations are better than the text, which is strained in places. But it's a cute, not-so-terrifying way to introduce children to the dybbuk legend. Alyssa A. Lappen