This is the first book I've read in longer than I can remember that made tears just stream down my cheeks. But mixed with the sadness was so much joy. Barbara Samuels writes about family, food, love, motherhood, and the joys and sorrows of balancing all the roles that come with being a woman with wit, tenderness, and shattering honesty. The genuineness of the writing and the universal truths that this book explores lift it far above your average "women's fiction" novel. I never once felt like my emotions were being manipulated. It's only March, but I'm already placing NO PLACE LIKE HOME at the top of my Favorite Books of the Year list.

Barbara Samuel has a way with words that makes me just wallow in her work. She also has warmth and wisdom, and a delight in humanity in all its diversity and difficulty. She writes with compassion and clarity, kindness and shrewdess. NO PLACE LIKE HOME is a wonderful book.

After reading The Survivors Club by Lisa Gardner, I really needed to read a book that was well-written, but soft on emotions. Out of my Amazon pile, I selected No Place Like Home, because of its simple title and a cover that looked like it belonged on a feminine hygiene product. Not surprising, the book is very well-written and believeable, as all Barbara Samuel aka Ruth Wind books are, but it is also very moving and real...and not soft on emotions. This beautiful book tells a story about life, loss and living; it is well-written and filled with characters overflowing in depth and color. This book is not only worth purchasing, but worth finding a nice permanent spot on your shelf.

This book was almost not written. And it was almost not published. And revealing as it is, it tells only some of the tale. Some things are just too close, too hard, too emotional, too overwhelming to share. Yet share she did, and we are richer for it, even if we don't know the whole story.

The story is a familiar one in some ways. Young Sara was a survivor, even before this term became indelibly linked with the Holocaust. Outgoing, ambitious, adventurous, Sara struck out in the world early and learned hard lessons in cruelty and hatred. Yet her spirit remained and helped her survive the unsurvivable. In fact, given her condition at the end of the war it is remarkable she did survive. Perhaps her single-minded dedication to her sister and friends enabled her to forget about her horrible condition. She truly willed herself to survive.

Yet the story, as so many others, may never have come to light. After the ward there was so much else to do, so much time to make up. Only in her later years did Sara think of writing her story. And when it was done she could not get it published so she put it away. Her daughter found the manuscript after Sara's death, and published it 15 years later.

Sara never saw her book in print. You should.

The Seamstress is a spellbinding book, and is certainly unlike other books about the Holocaust. A moving posthumous memoir, this book should make everyone's "must-read" list. The author tells her remarkable and unusual story with grace and power. She was a rural Romanian Jewish woman born at the time of the rise of the Nazis and virulent anti-Semitism in early part of the 20th century. This book reminds us of the importance not only of courage itself, but how courage combined with other strengths can permit us to survive (if not always overcome) evil. A fine, fine book.

My fathers family from Romanian perished in the Holocaust and I was curious about the history of the Romanian Jews which is why I chose this book. I read it in four days. Seren is the type of person you will never forget. It was her courage and the loyalty she had to her sister Esther and to Ellen and Lily that kept them alive. It is told in a very straight forward manner and Seren never glosses over the facts. I am aamzed that she was able to survive the camps and the trainride near the end of the book and that she continued to use that strength to get her past the war and to her married life and a mother to her children. I highly recommend this book, and not just to those of a Jewish heritage but to anyone because of the inspiration I found in this book. Seren Tuvel is a woman I would have been honored to know.

This book, long out of print, introduces Pratchett's best heroes, Sam Vimes and Carrot, and sets up the adventures to come. To my surprise, the plot in here holds its own against those in later Vimes novels, and the large space given to the supporting cast is a delight to those who know Colon and Knobby, Vimes' deputies, from later books where they share the guardhouse with a much larger cast. I read the Guards book out of order, and now feel like I should re-read them in order. The whole subseries, even the anticlimactic "Fifth Elephant," stand out from the rest of the Discworld books. Discworld is almost always good. Vimes is even better.

G!G! is the brilliant introduction to Sam Vimes and the Night Watch (eventually the City Watch) of Ankh-Morpork. Fencing (sort of), fighting (rather one-sided), torture (only a little bit), revenge (maybe some), giants (my, but Carrot certainly is tall), monsters (dragons and trolls count, right?), chases (when the Night Watch runs away), escapes (see previous), true love (sort of), miracles (one in a million chance)...
Sam Vimes and Carrot Ironfoundersson are my two favorite characters on the whole Disc, after Death. I just have to love this book, mostly because it gave us the characters. It sets the stage for the later books, and the City Watch subseries is the most dedicated to internal consistency and continuity among all the Discworld books. This is an essential book to see the beginning of the rise of the Night Watch and Sam Vimes, and it really sets the character of Carrot. The literal-mindedness of Carrot in this gives one an even deeper appreciation of some of the later jokes surrounding him.

I remember the first time I read this book. My friend lent it to me going on about how amazing it was. He was right. Terry Pratchett's discworld series is probably the most succesful series of comedy novels ever in the U.K./Ireland/ Australia. They are kind of like Monty Python mixed with Tolkien. They are classified as fantasy but don't let that scare you away. They are just piss takes on modern society and damn it they are funny! I have lent Guards! Guards! to around 12 people. All of them loved it. All of them ran out and borrowed/bought the rest of the discworld series. They are all just so good! I'll tell you how universal they are; My grandmother even likes Discworld novels. Guards! Guards! is about a dwarf who finds out that the reason he is six feet tall is because is human. His name is carrot(because of the shape of his body not the colour of his hair). He joins the Night Watch in Ankh-Morpork. A city where even the thieves have a guild(they give you a reciept). The watch is led my Captain Vimes. A man who drinks to forget about his drinking problem. His fellow guards; Nobby(disqualified from the human race for shoving), and Colon. At the start their only problems are trying to stop Carrot arresting thieves and assasins, and trying to stay upright. But then a dragon comes along and spoils everything... I suggest very strongly you read this book. Then it's sequel Men at Arms. Then ALL the other Discworld novels. You will never look back.

I've read most of Pratchett's novels, in publication order, up to the most recent handful, and this is by far my favorite, along with INTERESTING TIMES. The City Guard of Ankh-Morpork is a happy concept, and all the books about the Guards are way above Pratchett's average.

Imagine a police procedural in which very few of the policemen are human. Comic book writer Alan Moore currently has a series which takes this to the n-th degree... none of the policemen are human, and no two are alike: TOP TEN. If you want to try a Pratchett novel, try GUARDS, GUARDS! or MEN AT ARMS or FEET OF CLAY. Excellent introductions to his "cosmos" and to his unique style of wit. "DON'T SALUTE!!!" (You'll learn why.)

O.K., some of the discworld novels are better than others, and I can't write a review on every single one. This one is my favourite Discworld novel. I loved the way the whole thing got something of a mystery novel, (naturally in this point Feet of Clay is more rewarding). I don't know why, but only Terry Pratchett seems to be able to manage this kind of fantasy. The few other examples of funny fantasy I tried weren't hardly very funny at all. Other authors just steal from Tolkien, or (directly or via Tolkien) from some mythology. Well, Pratchett also does, the world being carried on the back of a turtle isn't his very own idea, but his way of using other sources is far more elegant than those of any other author I've ever read (except Tolkien perhaps, but you hardly can really compare other authors with Tolkien). Other authors steal, Pratchett hints. And within all the books there's a vast amount of moral, sometimes more, sometimes less, that would be boring with any other author, but with Pratchett it's just more fun. If the man's been able to write about 20 novels in the last years, that are that good, I'm quite confident, that he'll manage this some more years, and I'm always eagerly awaiting the next one. Yes, naturally, close up to Men at Arms there is Guards! Guards! on my favourite list.

This book is one my favorite and, I believe, one of the best of Pratchett's Discworld Series. I can say it in one word: Carrot! He is one of my favorite heroes on the Discworld (only Rincewind and Nanny Ogg compare with Death a close third). As usual, Carrot comes through with flying colors. There are just so many interesting things in this book: the plot about the "gonne," Leonard de Quirm (and the way he acts with the Patrician), Cuddy the dwarf and Detritus the troll, the silly guildsand their ridiculous presidents, Carrot and Angua, I could just go on.

Especially good was the troll-dwarf issue, the way they had to work together to interview the guilds without making complete fools of themselves and just basically get along. Also, it is funny how intelligent trolls get in low temperatures.

The plot alos makes for a nice mystery story. Pratchett really worked on this one. We start out with a 4-man watch and end up with one over 60 people! The Watch really grows up and will add many laughs to future stories. One of the best: a must read.

This is an outstanding autobiography of horrific events as experienced by a boy. Au contraire to post World War II commentators and The History Channel, not every German citizen was a member of the Nazi party, especially a young boy, and suffered accordingly as the regime crumbled. Mr. Samuel's account of his experiences surviving the final days of the Third Reich are spellbounding. This book is not just an autobiography, but a tribute to his mother. He chronicles with great detail the horrors of a dying Third Reich (and the efforts of relative strangers to save him and his family) and his mother's efforts to save them from the advancing hordes of Russian soldiers. Mr. Samuel, his sister and mother survived the collapse of the Third Reich only to endure the horrors of the Soviets/East Germany, until their escape. Truly makes one appreciate the very thin line that separated the horrors of the Nazi and Soviet Communist regimes. And it caused this reader to ponder her own chances of survival if in similar circumstances. This book is a tribute to all those innocent victims of authoritarian/totalitarian regimes who somehow survived and succeeded against all odds. A truly inspiring work.

I bought this book because I was going on vacation and wanted something to read. Once I started it I could not put it down. Mr. Samuel's story is fascinating. I had no idea that for the German people the fallout from the war continued for many years. This book explains the horrors visited on people who were the victims of despots and murderers posing as "leaders". This story tells of his mother's struggle for the survival of the family. All of her actions were not perfect or moral choices but given his families desperate situation Mr. Samuels mother did what she thought had to be done to survive. I would think this caused pain to the author and was traumatic for a young boy.After many years Mr. Samuels has chosen to respect, forgive and understand his mother's actions in the context of the extreme circumstances with which they had to contend in post war Germany. I appreciated his heartfelt expression of gratitude for friends and strangers who helped the family. I was moved by the depth of his feeling for his grandparents. I was heartened by his continued optimism and his strong belief that America would offer him a better life. This book is a must read!

This book was a present to me because my youngest brother saw much of Samuel's character in me. Some of the experiences Samuel had between 1945 and 1950, seem to universal to all German refugee children. However, some things he relates must have been researched. An example is that when his mother went back to East Germany, she came back hidden in a railroad car laden with coal. I heard that particular story before I was 5 years old. Despite the memories of his experiences (many which I seem to share), this is an excellent look into the life of German refugee families and is well worth reading. I would recommend that the reader reread it to get the full impact of life for MOST Germans during and immediately after WWII.

The Search for Delicious was a great book! It starts out when the king is making a dictionary and they come up to the word delicious. The king said delicious is apples but the court doesn't agree with him so they send Gaylen to poll the towns and find the real meaning of delicious but Hemlock messes it all up. Gaylen meets a lot of interesting people along the way. To find out more about the book you have to read it. I recommend this to all people that like fantasy books and have a good imagination.

The Search for Delicious is a inviting book fillied with adventure and suspense. I recommend this book for people ages eight to thirteen. This book is abou Prime Minister who is trying to make a dictionary and everyone in the King's court is fighting about the definition of delicious. One thing I love about this plot is because it's so believable, and it will never make you bored or not want to read it. There's always something else happening next. My favorite part of the book is when the main character Gaylen goes out to find what the townspeople want for the definition of delicious, I reading all the suggestions for the definition...it makes me hungry! A good thing about this book is that you'll will always know what's going on. I definietly rate this book five stars!

My mother read me this story when I was in second grade, reading new chapters each night before I went to bed. I was in love with the story, the characters -- everything about it. There was a sense of magic and mystery that seemed to send me off to bed every night, as Gaylen's quest for delicious, the story of Ardis the mermaid, and the treacherous Hemlock took over my dreams. I often would read the book again and again, throughout grade school, until I misplaced it. Later, once I had entered college, I came across the book at home. I was able to read it in one afternoon, and was amazed at how the power of the story was still within those pages. Moreover, I was able to recognize its allegorical power. It is a must read for everyone with some sense of imagination, as well as an interest in keen political satire.

First compiled by Samuel Bagster for family devotions in the 1790s, this is a sure classic! Daily Light is an excellant way to start and end the day by being in the Scriptures with a morning and evening devotion, everyday. Many devotionals have one verse then a page of man's writing that might not prove helpful. With no interpretation by mankind in Daily Light, you can't go wrong. Even the titles are from a Bible verse. Mr. Bagster presents a lifelong study of the Scriptures with so many relevant verses in this compilation. Although I have had my copy but a short time, I had to purchase copies for my wife and mother after they read in mine. The binding of the Essential Christian Library Series is attractive and should prove durable for many years of use. Daily Light will make an excellant gift for birthdays, holidays, weddings and graduations.

This lovely book of topical scripture is a wonderful way to begin and end the day in the Word. First appearing in the 1800's, it has been updated in this NKJ version for modern readers by Anne Graham Lotz. Its original compiler was a gentleman named Samuel Bagster. Each day's reading has two themes, one for morning and one for evening. The readings are short enough to be read through in a less than a minute, but inclusive of enough scripture to comfort, instruct, direct, and encourage. Scriptures are footnoted at the page bottom, leaving the eye free of distraction from the heart of the message. It is an excellent devotional, illustrating the richness of the pure Word of God, without the intrusion of human comment or thought.

Anne Graham Lotz's introduction to this small book of daily (morning and evening) devotionals is heart-warming and keys on what made the original of this little book first published in 1794 so widely used --- each morning's and evening's readings are a group of related Bible verses -- nothing more and nothing less. No fluff. And no huge chunk of time is need to get through each short serving. Yet, each day's reading will speak to the heart and mind of the Christian, and provide encouragement, or helpful directions for the day and for life. The last 50 pages or so are more topical in nature, for different subjects such as depression, salvaton and stress -- for anytime throughout the year. This is the one devotional book that will last a lifetime -- it's pure Scripture -- no poems or contrived stories, just God's Word -- timeless. This book is on a par with Oswald Chambers' classic devotinal book "My Utmost for His Highest" but does not include the additional thoughts for meditation that he includes. Chambers' book is great too for a simple daily devotional. The original volume of Daily Light was in the King James Version and this new edition uses the New King James Version, which makes it highly readable. I'm going to give a lot of these books as Christmas gifts to the people that I love.

Polidoro has captured one of the hottest subjects being discussed today: Human Cloning. This book weds the scientific aspects of biotechnology with the unscruplous desires of a wealthy Texan and incorporates the author's love of baseball to produce a highly believable text for hijacking the human body. The technical data are presented accurately, yet clearly so an advanced degree in medical science is not necessary to grasp the technology being described. A perfect book for the sports enthusiast as well as the current events fanatics. The potential for the movie industry is obvious!

Seeing all the baseball superstars who are second generation,i.e. Barrry Bonds, Ken Griffey,Jr. makes one wonder what role genetics must play in the development of an athlete.Genetic research and human cloning which have been so much in the news make the subject of this book inevitable.What if a major athlete, perhaps the best baseball hitter of all time, can be cloned?
J.P. Polidoro takes on this scenario and weaves an interesting and seemingly plausible story, albeit with some required suspension of belief.
The action takes place in and around Fenway Park in Boston and in San Diego, Ted Williams birthplace (literally and figuratively)where the bio-lab happens to be located.
Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you will enjoy this piece of fiction (or is it?)

Dr. Polidoro's book will be of interest to all who are interested in the medical technology for correcting fertility disorders and in the possibility of human cloning. In an optimistic treatment, Polidoro has produced a fictional chronicle of the cloning of a sports legend from hair collected from a barbershop floor. The relationships between idol, fan, businessman-scientist and wealthy donor are very plausible, and are, most likely, predictive of the type of group that will eventually achieve the first human cloning, although I doubt that the Nobel Committee will pronounce a favorable judgement of it -- and the millionare would most probably want to clone himself.

The Spanish Civil War was the defining moment of the 1930s for most European intellectuals. The impact of Franco's attempted coup was comparable to the effect of Pearl Harbour on Americans. For the first time, an illegal Fascist attempt to seize power had been stopped in its tracks by an armed working class. For many intellectuals (like the poet W.H. Auden), the brutality and cynicism often displayed of both sides caused them to swear off politics permanently. Orwell was not one of those - however, it opened his eyes to the dangers of Stalinist Communism as well as Fascism. One can see the seeds of '1984' and 'Animal Farm' in the account of the suppression of the Catalan 'Trotskyists'(so-called) by the Communist-controlled state. This experience made Orwell what he became - a socialist who thought that state-control might solve the problems of poverty, but who feared the tyranny such state-control would bring in its wake. Orwell never seemed to decide which he believed in the more - socialism or intellectual liberty, something which made him describe himself once as a 'Tory Anarchist'. He never came up with a solution to what could be called the key problem of the 20th century, however it is the way he posed the problem that is important. As someone who is the only author in English read by every dissident behind the old Iron Curtain, his place as a defender of freedom is secure. In another sense, this is a great book about the experience of men at war - to me it is as good as any of the memoirs that have come out of Vietnam or World War II like William Herr's 'Despatches' or William Manchester's 'Goodbye, Darkness'. It can be appreciated without understanding the political background at all. Probably among the greatest of Orwell's longer works - its ranks alongside 'Animal Farm' and possibly ahead of '1984'.

I was surprised when I heard about this title and couldn't find it at any of my bookstores..I didn't find it until I went to Blackwell's( Book heaven) in Oxford on a trip. Orwell is one of the great writers and "Homage To Catatonia" needs to get more attention.

The book shows Orwell gong to Spain as a journalist but than being drawn into the Republican fight against the fascists and joins the republican side. At the time the warfare is light and Orwell almost describes fighting as a joke but as time goes on the war goes to the streets and a regime of terror is released.

I won't go in big detail but the main reason this book should be read is to show the not so glorious side of the republicans( the anarchists and communists often fighted on their own side) and the faults that led to Franco's winning. Last of all for Orwell's writing and to see where he got his ideas which would lead him to his later masterpieces. I will conclude this review by repeating what Timothy Garton Ash said "Anyone who wants to understand the twentieth century will still have to read Orwell"

Although the book published the year before this one, _The Road to Wigan Pier_, is a more in-depth gauge of Orwell's politics, I still feel closer to _Homage to Catalonia_, a truly fascinating account of his months in the Spanish Civil War and an unwitting allegory for right vs. left, freedom vs. slavery, and other "big ideas."

It was with this book that I realized that Orwell was more than the apparently cynical curmudgeon who wrote _Animal Farm_ and _1984_. In fact, he was even more than an important political thinker. In all his writings, but especially _Homage to Catalonia_, one gets a sense of complete honesty and decency, completely unfeigned, that is impossible not to admire. His unflinching portrayal of all that was good and bad in revolutionary Spain makes this book one of those rare documents that can give you a slightly different way of looking a the world. I don't mean a conversion to radical socialism, but a sense that there is genuine wisdom in Orwell's uncomplicated, sincere way of looking at the world. His style, for me, disarms the most clever intellectual sophistry of those who are really nothing more than overeducated windbags.

I don't always agree with Orwell, and I don't think he was by any mans the smartest Brit of the century. But I always admire what he says, and the way he says it, right or wrong.

In a word: invaluable.

You will laugh, cry and be confused when you read this book. This book can teach you that what you think is good is not always good.

There is a boy named Peter Pan. He sprinkles fairy dust in Wendy and her two brothers. Then he shows them how to fly. He takes them to Neverland and shows them to the Lost Boys who live there. Wendy becomes their mother. She makes up rules, like any other mother would do. The boys have to follow these rules. Everything was fine until Captain Hook came with his crew to where the boys and Wendy were. While Wendy and the boys were at the lagoon, where they go every day after dinner, they see a girl named Tiger Lily, princess of her tribe. She was captured by Smee, one of Captain Hook's men. Then Peter saved her. A few days later Wendy and the boys were on their way to Wendy's house when they too were all captured by Captain Hook. Then Peter saves them. Then the lost boys, Wendy and her brothers go home. All except for Peter.

It is mostly about what the people in the book think is right with childhood. The kids in the book think that if you grow up it is bad, but in our case it is actually good.

Peter Pan is a violent book not really made for children under the age of 10 but people 10 and up can read it. It is violent because of the language that is spoken and the idea that killing could be fun. Also, the vocabulary is very difficult for children under 10 to understand. Even if you're older it is difficult to understand.

Overall, it is a good book but watch out for the violent ideas if you are reading it to little children.

This is an utterly charming work. It has been retold myriad times, but nobody else has done it as well as the original teller, J. M. Barrie.

It's difficult to know what to say about a book like this... everybody knows the story. But I guess that unless you've read this book (not just seen a movie or read a retelling), you don't really know the character Peter Pan, and without knowing the character, you don't really know the story. So read it.

By the way, if you enjoy this, you probably would also like "Sentimental Tommy" and its sequel "Tommy and Grizel", both by Barrie. There are differences (for one thing they're not fantasy), but there are also compelling similarities. Anybody who found Peter Pan a deep and slightly bittersweet book would be sure to enjoy them.

-Stephen

When talking of literature, people tend to look solely at books they read today but forget what they used to read, namely the ones we read as children. It is a common misunderstanding that children's literature is to be read by children and children only, but when we come to think of it, which one of us are not children, at least in our hearts?

One of the best books any child, young or old, can read is Barrie's Peter Pan. Although written in the past century, it has something for any generation at any time. Its humorous views at the world from a child's mind left me rolling over the floor, laughing; the exciting storyline kept me busy with reading until the end; and the serious undertone made me think of whether the world wouldn't be a better place if we realised that deep down, however deep, we are in fact all children. So if YOU are a child, which you most certainly are, get yourself a copy and enjoy your ongoing childhood.