Did you ever want to take a peek at how truly great learning occurs? As a teacher or parent (or both!), we often know what SHOULD happen educationally for our children. Until I read this book, I never before saw a BLUEPRINT for how excellence CAN (and still does) happen in a real school!

Mrs. Collins LOVES children into learning. When you read about some of the incredibly difficult to teach and, frankly, to love students Mrs. Collins taught, it will inspire the most jaded person to reach for excellence. Marva Collins' teaching methods are raw and effective. Everyone will be helped and inspired!

I am a student majoring in Education at Macon State College. Several students (including myself) chose to read Marva Collins' Way and present our information to the class. We thought it best to actually do a skit from the first chapter to show our fellow students just how Marva's methods of teaching got through to her students. Needless to say, we received rave reviews from our fellow students! In a nut shell, Marva's methods on teaching stem from SELF-ESTEEM. Marva builds on that and the skies the limit! Marva's teaching methods reflect so much of Emerson's Self-Reliance - it's all about the student's perception of the teacher and how that teacher views the student. If you have a chance, go online and read Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson and compare it to Marva's methods. This will give you a better idea just how Marva can take negativities in students and change them into positive aspirations. Marva Collins' Way was very easy to read and had a fantastic preface. I was "sold" on the book as much as Marva's students were "sold" on learning. I thought the book put a bit too much emphasis on this being a way to teach African American children and not enough emphasis on "Returning to Excellence in Education" which is something I fell breaks through all racial barriers, yet keeps diversity intact. I would suggest this book to anyone, not just teachers, who would like to reinforce positive attitudes in children both in and out of school. With all the reference material provided at the back of the book, it is a must have!!! With positive self-esteem, anything is possible! After all, "Man is his own star" - Emerson.

I am a student at Macon State College. I am majoring in education. I read Marva Collins' Way as a class assignment and loved it. It was so inspirational. To me, Marva was a miracle worker. She cared about her students more than the parents, government, and any other teacher they had had. She dealt with handful of troubles and problems but through her never-let-die attitude, she was able to open her own school and teach children the way they ought to be taught. I definitely suggest that teachers read this book. It is absolutely worth your time.

The real-life-like story of Sherman, Ed, Dorothy, Jane, et al, is an incredibly gripping journey that I didn't want to end. Despite it's length of over 600 pages, the compiled Box Office Poison was a joy to read, and, due to becoming immersed in the story, very quick to finish. The characters and situations in BOP should be familiar to nearly anyone, and provide more lifelike scenarios that any book or movie out there.

If you're the least bit interested in "alternative" comics without superheros or far-fetched storylines, this is your chance to pick up something amazing. Highest recommendation!

In the prologue Box Office Poison proclaims that there are seven characters to this book. This is a lie. As the story unfolds more and more characters are added each with there own three-dimensional personality. In each of the characters we can find a little bit of our selves weather it be a positive or negative piece. As we see the characters take dynamic turns as the story progresses we sympathize we hurt with them we laugh with them we yell at them not to screw up (for the record this is only the second book I have ever yelled at).
I consider myself a well-read person, and I have never seen characterization like that by Robinson. it was truly a delight to read, every now and again something comes along and effects who you are that changes you makes you noticeably better or different. this book is one of those things

I'm pretty sure those of you who are reading this review have heard the arguement that comics are not just for children. Well, if the only comics that you see are super hero comics and last for 32 pages a piece it definately would be hard to take them seriously, but then there are graphic novels, especially books the size and scope of _Box Office Poison_. Box office poison is massive, cl;ocking in at 608 pages. I know what you are thinking, but it is a comic it cannpt take that longf too read, but you would be wrong this book is full of well written dialogue. For those of you who dislike comics of the common ilk this book is for you, instead of a super hero with his incredibly buxom companion we have Sherman who works at a book store and Ed the aspiring cartoonist. There are of couirse many females in the book as well, but they are realistically proportioned. There are characters that you will adore in this book and characters that you hate, but what you get in the end is a very realistic story in comic form about well developed characters. read it please

I've never forgotten this book and have re-read it many times. Deford somehow manages to show how devasting cystic fibrosis was to his daughter, how it sapped her energy and stole so much normalcy from her life. At the same time, he shows how Alex Deford's spirit remained shining so much of the time, serving as an inspiration to those who loved her and who were forced to bear witness as the disease invaded her body. Although I can't say for certain what motivated Deford to write this book, I can say that it forever seared the memory of Alex Deford in my heart and soul and showed me the power of her spirit - and that of her father. Few writers are as riveting to read as Frank Deford.

This has been one of my very favorite books ever since I first read it, probably a good ten years ago. Every time I read it I think I've read it enough times not to cry, but I end up crying just the same! This book is so full of meaning; it is clear that there was a definite purpose to Alex's life despite all of the suffering she went through. The message of really focusing on the simple and important things in life, and most of all to love as much as you can shines brightly throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

My name is Jennifer Grayson of Sanford,Florida.I read it because my son was diagnosed with CF in Jan.1997,I had a very hard time accepting it,a close friend loaned me this book.I read it,I cried,I got mad at the world,but I found great comfort in knowing that,times have changed since Alex died,I feel in my heart they will find a cure for this disease,we all pray each and every day for that wonderful news to come out,they have a lot more treatments just in the past 2 years,I have been going through this with my son,One thing is for sure that Life is too short,you have to live it like you,you know that there is going to be a tomorrow.Well,all I can say about the book. That is wonderful and very positive. Thank you so much for that.

Anne Bronte, the most underappreciated of the Bronte sisters, is a brilliantly talented author and storyteller. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a masterpiece of romance, suspense and simply a darned good read! Helen Huntingdon and Gilbert Markham are multi-dimensional characters. Bronte descriptions of the setting are moving as well. I can't say enough about this book, yet mere words don't do it justice. If you loved Jane Eyre (which I did), than the Tenant will be a novel you hold in high esteem. Read it, and then read it again. Enjoy!!

'Sick of mankind and its disgusting ways' Anne Bronte once scribbled on the back of her prayer book. Her evident harsh view of life, coupled with her moral strength as a woman, are beautifully interwoven to produce this novel; her masterpiece. Although never enjoying the popularity and success of 'Jane Eyre' and 'Wuthering Heights' - her sisters' books - 'Wildfell Hall' is quite fit to join any bookshelf of classic English literature. The themes include utter despair and the tragic consequences of a young woman's naivety; Helen felt that, although she could see Arthur's faults, she would be able to somehow change him once they were married. In reality, her marital experience was a disaster.

Anne Bronte creates a world in which the drunken, immoral behaviour of men becomes the norm and this may have been startling to contemporary readers - perhaps a reason for the book's panning at the critics. The narrative is built up delicately; first Gilbert; and then the racier, more gripping diary of Helen as she guides us through her married life; before returning again to Gilbert, whose tale by this time has become far more exciting as we know of Helen's past. Helen's realisation of the awful truth and her desperate attempts to escape her husband, are forever imprinted in the mind of the reader as passages of perfect prose.

One of the earliest feminist novels, the underrated Anne Bronte writes in this a classic, and - defying the views of her early (male) critics - a claim to the position of one of England's finest ever female writers.

I read "The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte for my review of personal reading in English last year and I thought it was really gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

It tells the story of a young woman's struggle for independence, against law and a society which defined a married woman as her husband's property. The novel, which uses extracts from her diary and narration from her neighbour, is very interesting and quite realistic.

It seems to me that the most interesting thing about the novel, is the build up of tension Bronte uses to sustain the reader's attention. It is stimulating and creates a little excitement in the book.

Helen Graham moves into Wildfell Hall with her son. She is a single mother and earns her living as a painter. Her neighbour, Gilbert Markham, takes a sudden interest in her and wants to find out everything about her. Although she is quite content being friends with him, she wants nothing more. As soon as he becomes too personal, she reminds him that friendship is the principal of their relationship. As they spend more time together, though, she learns to trust him and reveals the truth about her past. She is living at Wildfell Hall under a false surname, hiding from her husband who is an adulterer. The only other person who knows of this is her landlord, who Gilbert learns late in the novel, is in fact, her brother.

One thing which I found gripping about this story, was the build up of tension Bronte used. She took her time, revealing one thing, building up the tension again, then revealing another. She continued to do this throughout the story, and this is what kept me interested. It is a story, in which two people who love one another, are prevented from being together by society and their own natural reticence. We know romance often has this, but Bronte creates a strong desire in the reader for them to be together. She puts real obstacles in the way of their love for each other, such as the fact that Helen is already married and has a child to her husband. This therefore, causes the reader to understand the story more.

This was a very powerful book that all teenagers should read. It deals with real life situations and both male and female should understand what is happening in relationships. Nick has a great life except for his overbearing father. Caitlyn has made herself more acceptable to the "in" crowd by losing weight. Now they have found each other and it seems to be the perfect match. Then Nick starts feeling possessive of Caitlyn and reacts in very strange ways. Because she LOVES him, she puts up with very abusive behavior. He even hits her and she forgives him. After he attacks her the second time, he has to go to court. The story is about his rehabilitation and the flashbacks (telling the story) come in the form of a journal he has to write. I found it very moving and can see why so many young people are in dangerous relationships. Hopefully, many people can see themselves in this book and can get help before it is too late. I really liked Alex Flinn and would like to read more of her books.

Nick has it all, a beautiful girlfriend, charming father, the perfect GPA and lots of wealth to the family name. So why does he throw it all away?

This compelling novel by first time author/lawyer Alex Flinn is stirring and emotional. Nick's search for the love of his mother (who left when he was still small) and an escape from his father's abusive personality results in self-destruction and fear.

The book deals with abuse in teen relationships, something all to common and practically untouched by most authors. When Nick's girlfriend Caitlin finally files charges agaisnt him for abuse, Nick makes a complete turnaround. While I find such complete revelations virtually impossible, it feels refreshing to read that there is help for people like Nick and Caitlin and that sometimes the things you love most, you have to let go of.

It's touching, inspiring and absolutely wonderful.

Breathing Underwater is an excellent book by Alex Flinn. He shares the story of a young boy, Nick, who is popular and well liked at his high school. One day he meets this beautiful girl, Catlin, and becomes protective of her. He tells her things that are not true to hurt her and try to control her. His dad hits him and this is how he feels you deal with things in your life. Before Nick knows it, he has slapped Catlin and lost all his friends at school. Nick tries to find himself. A judge makes him attend a support group and he doesn't feel there is any hope for him. Will he be able to change his life? Read the book to find out.

It is a very easy read. I didn't want to put it down. I could relate to this book from a past experience I had with a boyfriend. I wish I would have had this book to read when I was going through it. If you know anyone in a verbally or physically abusive relationship, please recommend this book.

This is good. Before you even write your first word, buy this and then read it.

I've been a professional writer (in advertising mind you) for ten years and have dabbled in screenplays many times - and I'm really over those 'anyone can do this' kind of books (everyone can't).

This one tells it how it really is. What that means for you is that if you're SERIOUS about writing a screenplay that deserves to be made and use even some of the advice in the book - it'll be a better screenplay. (Might not get made, mind you, but it'll definitely increase your chances.)

Best advice in the book? Don't write a word until you've got a hook - and even then don't write a word until you've talked your story through again and again. Brilliant stuff. And funny too.

Finally, a book that provides great insight into the process of writing a screenplay and selling it too!

For years I had held out on buying a book on screenwriting because no one seemed to take the time to simply explain the minutia behind the structure, style, and format needed in a screenplay (i.e. what should it physically look like? how should I bind it?).

This book challenges you to truly invest thought into your stories and gives you a guide on how to make your ideas work on the page.

Epstein takes the time to show you how to break stories down into their easiest to understand elements while at the same time injecting his own thoughts on how a screenplay should look (bindings, format) and feel (information on length and pacing).
I know what you're saying: "I've read published screenplays and know the format well enough!"

This is wrong, since the screenplays that get published are made to incorporate elements that are necessary to a SHOOTING SCRIPT, while your trying to write a SELLING SCRIPT!
This book should be able to answer any questions you've had on screenwriting and give you great tips on the writing process...and the price isn't bad either!

Alex Epstein has written a book from the standpoint of a man who has been at both sides of the table - a scriptwriter and a development executive who spends time reading scripts. Using the experiences, he builds a solid, yet a very pleasant to read composition of succinct pieces of advice on how to write a screenplay that will get made.

Many people in the screenwriting biz seem to be in love with phrases. From writing gurus ("A good screenplay is a screenplay that doesn't waste our time", "Tell the story that has to be told") to folks who read and evaluate screenplays ("It's episodic", "We don't know enough about your hero"). The catch with all phrases is - they're not useful to a writer. This book goes beyond those common idioms, avoids clichés, and tells you EXACTLY what you need to know.

E.g. "Hook (a.k.a. High Concept)" - all around the Internet you can find a definition: "A premise that can be depicted in a sentence or two". But even such a structurally complex movie as "Magnolia" can be caught in one sentence; so again, the popular phrase is not telling us much. Going deeper from the evident confusion, Epstein successfully analyzes the entire "High Concept" problem by telling us what a good hook really is, why it is the most important part of the script, how to come up with a valid one, and finally - how to check out the quality of a chosen concept before you waste 6 months writing the script that won't get read, let alone get made.

Combining humor with practical examples, the author finds the best path to the essence of all critical screenplay elements (structure, point of view, pacing, dialogues...) and makes them clear and easily comprehensible.

Along with the abovementioned, the book shows an equally significant blueprint of the working principles of Hollywood selling&buying script system.

Roots.

This is a saga of an American family that starts with Kunta Kinte and ends with the author himself. It starts in Gambia in the year of 1750 when Kunta Kinte is born in the village of Juffure where he grows up. When Kunta is about seventeen years old, he is captured by toubobs (white slave hunters) and brought to America on a big slave ship together with a lot of others slaves. Decades pass and generations of slaves from his descendants goes through tough times but keeps the story about Kunta alive. They finally get their freedom back but now they are far away from their homeland.

The language in the beginning of the book isn't very difficult. It is a little more difficult when he comes to America and you start to read the English that the black people speak. For me it was a little difficult in the beginning before I got used to it. He really writes the way that people talk. In this book it's quite a lot of dialogues but it is also a lot of describing text. The pace is good and it is very concentrated to important things. Those are very dramatic.

My favourite character in this book is, without a doubt, Kunta Kinte. It was really interesting to read about his life in Africa, his trip to and his life in America. At first he despises everything that America stands for. He hates the whites because they are white and so evil. He hates the black because they are so stupid that they have given into whites and are letting themselves be controlled by these evil people. They had given up their faith and their traditions and taken part of the whites. He tries to escape four times and then get his foot chopped of. He loses his hope of ever seeing his village or country again and he is determined to keep his religion alive and not to eat meat. (I think that his religion helps him to remember who he really is.) He talks with his daughter about his homeland so that it won't be forgotten. That continues through generations and includes every new person.

He is also the most important character if for no other reason than that about half of the book is about him. It starts with him being taken to America. You read about his feelings, his fears and his hatred for other blacks (and toubobs) when he first comes to America. ....

This book is very well written and full of emotions. Love, joy, sadness, happiness and a lot of pure hatred.

The plot is very believable. This author is very good at describing things. You get an idea about what they were going trough. The places are real and we know that this has happen in our history. The descriptions of the environments are excellent. ...
The must have had an unbearable desire to die. The book is written in the third person until he, himself is born. Then he writes in the first person.

I think Alex Haley doesn't want us to forget this part of our history but also encourage us to find out more about our ancestors. Your family is the most important thing in the world. They went trough tough times but they got through them because they stayed together.

It is not possible to read this book and not be affected in some way.

I am surprised that I have not read this book sooner ~~ considering how much I love biography/family histories. This is one book that will definitely go on my top 50 books.

Alex Haley writes of his seven generations of family life ~~ beginning with "The African" ~ Kunta Kinte ~ who was abducted from his village in The Gambia and ending with a brief biography of himself. From a proud African captured and forced to become a slave to freedmen and farmers, business owners and the women who prayed for the families while keeping the stories alive ... this is one book to cherish.

You struggle with Kinte's disappointments, fears, sorrow, bitterness and joy as he watches his freedom disappears into slavery. You begin to understand his anguish at losing his family, self-respect, pride and honor. You begin to understand the stoicness behind each slave's demeanor as he or she serve their masters/mistresses and their secret longings for a home they can call theirs or even live their lives without fear of being sold off to another family plantation. And you begin to understand their relief when the Civil War ended.

I have to confess, Haley's family are among the fortunate ~~ they managed to stay together through two slave-holding families ~~ though I don't understand how the Murray family can say slavery is ok. They may be more lenient than other slaveholding families ~~ but it is still wrong to hold another human being against their will simply because of their skin color.

Haley demonstrates how the intelligence of his family helped them survive the years during slavery, after Civil War and during the Reconstruction period. And I have to confess, my favorite scene in this whole book is when Tom, shortly after being freed, comes upon a white man who had whipped him after accusing him of stealing food while working for him during the war, gives him a drink. The captain then demanded that Tom gives him a drink and Tom just looks at him steadily before walking away. He knew then that he was free and unbeholden to any white man. And Tom is my favorite character ~~ he finds a way to work around working for white men and still retaining his independence. He has the strength of The African running in his veins.

This is one book that will be sticking with me for a long time. It is rich in heritage. It is rich in dialect. It is rich in every human emotion possible, and dreams. It is rich in hope as well. This is one book that should be deemed as a classic ~~ it portrays American history in a way that we don't get to hear in classes in school. It is one dimension of a time that seeps in history ~~ and it is an African-American history. It is one that I highly recommend for everyone to read. The voices of Haley's ancestors aren't so easily forgotten. They will haunt you the next time you hear of a Civil Rights movement happening ~~ or a story about a slave ancestor. These are a people who have not forgotten their roots and where they came from. They hung onto their dreams and dignity as best as they could throughout some of the harshest times in the matters of history. And Haley captures their voices beautifully.

This is one book you won't regret picking up.

I'm 21 and missed the phenom that was the mini-series. I picked up "Roots" after having read "Queen" and enjoying it immensely. I was a little frustrated with the first 150-200 pages that chronicle Kunta Kinte's life in Africa. It was interesting, but I was expecting to read about antebellum American history, and this didn't appear to be it. I was quickly over it as Mr. Haley guided me on a sojourn through seven generations of Kunta Kinte's progeny. I found the story to be an educational and entertaining tale.

Then I hit page 702.

Alex Haley was born. All along I knew this story was a dramatic interpretation of his family history, but suddenly, my God, these people were real. Their sufferng was real. The inhumanities they faced were real. That young man who lived a rightous and rightful life in Africa (HOW IMPORTANT THAT I LEARNED ABOUT HIM) and had it stolen from him was, too, real.

Just another reminder of how cavilier our lives have become; how much we take as granted. Truly, I am better having read this book. Even with my blue eyes and ruddy cheeks, I found there a great and valuable piece of my own heritage as an American and the nature of us all as human beings. How ashamed I am to be a member of a species that could commit such atrocities. And how proud to be of those that bravely overcome them.

The Little Capoeira Book is one of the best books to be ever written on capoeira. Everything from the history, music and movements of capoeira. Highly Recommended.

If you yearn to actually practice Capoeira and not just learn its history,buy this book.I have a nice martial arts library and this is my favorite book on Capoeira.Quite a few movements are illustrated here and you get a very good idea of this art form.
Buy it and you'll be pleased with your purchase.

Nestor Capoeira provides an excellent guide for learning the history, philosophies, and basics of capoeira. The Little Book of Capoeira gives enough information regarding this sport's past without boring the reader into setting the book in the back of their closet.

I reccomend this handbook for anyone interested in this unique sport as a primer. The knowledge delivered here allows the reader to have a solid base if the goal is to continue studying capoeira with a mestre or, leaves him or her with enough to enjoy knowing the basics of the sport.

This past Christmas, I bought this book for my 11yr. old daughter as well as 5 other 11-12yr. olds (both female and male) on our list. It has been the most appreciated and talked about gift of the year (still yet) by both kids and their parents. The appeal seems to be the humor in which manners and the lack of manners are addressed. The book also includes reproducible pages to help serve as reminders, should any of us forget, for example, "The Fifty Commandments of Family Etiquette," or "The Fourteen Commandments of Toiletiquette," which includes the Thou Shalts as well as the Thou Shalt nots! Packer certainly knows this age group. I have also read Bringing up Parents which may turn into the gift of the year 2002!

Question: What teenager would be interested in reading a 465 page book on manners? Answer: Just about any one who is holding a copy of "How Rude!"

I'm so delighted by this book. I'm a father of four, and as I read "How Rude" I asked myself, "What is it that makes this book so effective?" Perhaps it's the simple practicality of its message. The main point is that it's in your own best interests to use good manners. One of the places it says this is on page 109: "Adjust your requests and behavior to the emotions and needs of others. This is not only a cornerstone of politeness, but also a way to increase the chances that your requests will be granted."

Perhaps it works so well because it concerns the things teenagers obsess about, such as how to be popular, how to get your parents let you do what you want, what to do about braces, how to handle friendship problems, and how to get a date. It even talks about when it is OK not to use good manners. The section headings reflect the fascination youth of all ages have: "Things you do to your body" and "Things your body does to you" and "The blended, shaken, stirred or mixed family, " and "Sex-ediquette."

Maybe what makes this book work so well for kids is Packer's dead-on humor, with just the right amount of grossness so that you can't quite turn away. It's a fast-paced kaleidoscope of quips, anecdotes, lists, jokes, and chummy advice. There's no way to lose interest, because it's so juicy and fun. I challenge anyone to open the book to any page and not find some undeniably useful tidbits.

It's a great book for teens, of course, but it's also a great book for parents who are looking for ways of talking about manners with their kids.

I bought this book for my 12 year old daughter and we have both enjoyed reading it. The book covers a great deal of material and I think it reinforces the manners I have been trying to teach at home. The book contains a section which touches on sex and this worried me a bit. My husband and I both read this section and felt it would be okay for our daughter to read it as well.

Remember when comics were fun?

Back before the Dark Knights, the relentless violence, the angst? When people donned ludicrous outfits and fought for truth, justice, and the American way?

Kurt Busiek does, and he's provided an all-expenses-paid trip to Astro City, where the superhero comics of yesteryear live anew.

As with Alan Moore's "Watchmen", you won't recognize the heroes and villains, but you know them nonetheless---Samaritan, Winged Victory, Crackerjack, the Honor Guard. Simple, classic heroes who immediately bond to the imaginations of comic fans.

The story here is simple, straightforward, and infused with a joy that would make Garth Ennis throw up. Whatever happened to the comics you didn't mind your kids reading?

If you prefer your comics to be uplifting and life-affirming, as opposed to the relentless bleakness of the various X-titles, stop by "Astro City." You'll be glad you did.

The comic book adventures of costumed superheroes represent a specialized genre of literature that has been around for decades. Every so often a new work comes around that truly represents a new high point in the field. Such a work is "Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Life in the Big City," an intelligently written and spectacularly illustrated volume that tells the story of a remarkable group of superheroes.

"Life" is actually a collection of six interrelated stories, each of which stands on its own as a fine piece of comic book art. Together the six tales present a stunning portrait of the fictional Astro City, a postmodern metropolis teeming with costumed superheroes, sinister supervillains and other memorable characters. Among the many heroes we meet are Samaritan, the almost godlike caped hero with a tragic past; Winged Victory, a flying superwoman with a feminist twist; the Hanged Man, a mysterious figure who maintains a silent protective vigil; and Jack-in-the-Box, a demonic-looking clown with a number of high-tech tricks up his sleeve.

But just as compelling are the "ordinary" citizens of Astro City: veteran reporter Elliot Mills, legal clerk Marta, and the other working folks whose lives are lived in the shadow of the supermen.

"Life in the Big City" smoothly blends elements of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and social commentary. Well-written dialogue is complemented by a wealth of memorable images... The stories explore such thought-provoking issues as ethnic identity and the anxiety of assimilation, gender politics, and the psychology of paranoia. One of the compilation's best tales, "The Scoop," is a witty and surprising parable about journalistic ethics.

The book length comic, or graphic novel, is a rich genre whose practitioners have produced some outstanding classics in recent years. The intelligence, visual power, and moral integrity of "Life in the Big City" elevate it to that distinguished company.

A workaholic Superman-type; a read-between-the-lines newspaper story of a superhero battle;a 2-time loser thinks himself straight; a supersticious woman contemplates moving uptown; an alien passes judgement on the human race; and 2 caped heroes (well, 1 caped, 1 winged) go out on a date...these 6 stores bring you into a world not so different from the comics you grew up on and maybe only slighly different than the city you live near.

Astro City is bright, clean, the good guys work around the clock protecting the innocent and they generally prevail. This is not the city the Dark Knight resides in by a long shot. Unlike Alan Moore, who tends to turn the superhero genre on its ear, Kurt Busiek instead embraces the best of the 'capes' and makes you fall in love with them all over again. For those burnt out on endless soap opera plotting or dark, cynical anti-heroes, Astro City is a perfect remedy. ....