I read this one just before I emigrated to America & kept my copy for years until, one day I realized I'd lost it.

Now I have a well-worn paperback again & re-read this simple, hopeful story at least once a year.

It's about a young English woman in Poland during the long, phoney-war summer of 1939. When she finally decides to leave for the safety of England, she can't go, she's half in love with Poland & curious about why so many people seem to know her.

When Hitler's planes & army invade Poland, she is cast into the dangers & intrigues of the Polish underground. There she finds courage & love & must prove herself.

Originally published in 1944, it was quite a daring book for its day. We modern readers, used to coarse, repetitive language & explicit sex & violence, must sit back & become familiar with a different time with different priorities.

I've always enjoyed Helen MacInnes' books - they are well written, thought-provoking & well-researched.

I READ THIS STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO. MY SISTER RECENTLY REDISCOVERED THE BOOK AND TOLD ME HOW MUCH SHE ENJOYED IT. I AGREE, THE SECOND READING IS EVEN BETTER.

IN 1939, HITLER INVADED POLAND AND WORLD WAR II BEGAN. THIS IS THE STORY OF A YOUNG ENGLISH WOMAN WHO IS VISITING POLAND AND STAYING WITH A POLISH FAMILY. SHE'S ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE BECAUSE THE NAZIS ARE INVADING, BUT GIVES UP HER OPPORTUNITY TO GO BECAUSE SHE'S BECOME SO INVOLVED WITH HER FRIENDS AND POLAND'S STRUGGLE TO REMAIN FREE.

THROUGH THE STORY, SOME OF THE HISTORY OF POLAND IS REVEALED AND THE CONSTANT FIGHT THAT COUNTRY HAS HAD TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE FROM FOREIGN AGGRESSION. SHEILA MATTHEWS, THE MAIN CHARACTER, JOINS THE POLISH UNDERGROUND AND WORKS AGAINST THE NAZIS. THE TRAGEDY OF THE POLISH PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING ALONE AND WAITING FOR HELP FROM THEIR ALLIES IS SAD, BUT VERY COURAGEOUS. SHEILA IS ALSO INVOLVED IN A ROMANCE WITH ADAM WISNIEWSKI, A WEALTHY LANDOWNER WHO IS ALSO A RESISTANCE FIGHTER.

THE PACE OF THIS BOOK IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE MODERN DAY READERS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO, BUT THE AUTHOR REWARDS US WITH THE METHODICAL MANNER IN WHICH THE STORY AND PLOT ARE REVEALED. I HAD THE FEELING OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE LIVING IN WARSAW AS THE CITY IS EXPERIENCING BOMBARDMENT. THE DAILY EXPLODING BOMBS, THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF FRIENDS, THE LACK OF HEAT, ELECTRICITY AND WATER WERE ALL A PART OF THE RUIN OF WARSAW. FINALLY, STARVATION AND THEN THE INVADING GERMAN ARMY MARCHED INTO THE CITY.

THE TITLE OF THE BOOK COMES FROM THE OPENING WORDS OF THE SONG OF THE POLISH LEGIONS WHICH LATER BECAME THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF POLAND. THE POLISH ARE ACTUALLY SAYING THAT "AS LONG AS I'M ALIVE, POLAND WILL NOT DIE." THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE ENDURED!

THIS NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN 1944, AND I FOUND IT INTERESTING TO LEARN THAT THE AUTHOR, HELEN MacINNES WAS THE WIFE OF A BRITISH INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF STORIES WRITTEN THAT DEAL WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE POLISH UNDERGROUND. THIS STORY IS WELL WORTH READING AND A GOOD BOOK FOR AMERICANS WHO WANT TO READ SOMETHING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF POLAND IN THE EARLY PART OF WORLD WAR II.

I have enjoyed several of Helen MacInnes' books over the years. "While Still We Live" is my favorite. These characters come alive for me every time I read the book. They are like friends that I must visit every now and again. Obviously, I recommend "While Still We Live"!

Absolute Zero, the 2nd in the Bagthorpes series was the book that hooked me to the Bagthorpe series. The Bagthorpe clan with its outrageous personalities reminds me still of my own large eccentric family. One of my fondest childhood memories is the hours I spent laughing at the antics of Jack and his family. I found the feud between Uncle Parker and Mr. Bagthorpe to be hilarious. Mrs Fosdale is a wonderful minor character and her reaction to the pantry still dissolves me into hysteria. Jack Bagthorpe was as close as a best friend to me. His misadventures with Zero and his family still make me laugh, smile and want to hear more. If your child is not quite ready for Harry Potter or needs a fill in the Bagthorpes though a different genre will absolutely do!

Absolute Zero is the second book of the Bagthorpe Saga, and in my opinion, it's the best, although the first four in the series are all exceptional. I loved these books as a child, and I love them now as an adult - it's a pity they are out of print in the US. (They are, however, still available in the UK, and US readers can order them online from amazon.co.uk, among other online shops. Believe me, the extra shipping is more than worth it.)

Like Ordinary Jack before it, Absolute Zero chronicles the lives of the eccentric, lunatic Bagthorpes. Competition madness overtakes the family after the urbane Uncle Parker wins a Caribbean trip for two. Better yet, while Uncle Parker and Aunt Celia take their trip, their daughter Daisy, the world's only destructively creative four-year-old, is left with the Bagthorpes. Hilarity inevitably ensues, in the shape of Daisy-induced disasters, police involvement, and unfortunate prizes.

The dry humor and intelligent wit of the early books in the Bagthorpe series raise them above their genre, and the books are as fresh and entertaining now as fifteen years ago. Any adult who still knows how to laugh would enjoy these novels, and as for children - well, the danger isn't that they won't like it. The danger is that they will start tearing the labels off canned goods in their parents' pantries, in hopes of recreating the joy of the series.

(NB: The last few books of the series - I believe it's now up to seven or eight books - are not at all worth reading. The first four in the saga are musts, and true Bagthorpe fans will probably enjoy book five and even book six, but after that, don't bother. Spare yourself the pain of seeing one of the best humorous series of our time go to pot.)

This is part 2 of Helen Cresswell's "Bagthorpe Saga", a truly hilarious series about a bizarre British family. As an adult, I still treasure these books and read them when I'm in need of a laugh. (For more description of the Bagthorpes, read the first review of "Ordinary Jack", the first book in the series. I agree with that reviewer's comments.)

I think part of the reason these books aren't very well known in the US is that the reading level is quite high, especially compared to most contemporary kids' series. A young person who's a gifted reader and appreciates British-style humour - a la "Monty Python" or "Fawlty Towers" - would surely enjoy them. I'd suggest checking used bookshops (e.g. through Bibliofind web site), or the Amazon UK site. You won't regret getting to know the Bagthorpes!

This was one of my favorite books as a child. It left such an impact, that I checked it out from the library dozens of times. I remembered it as simply "Sarah's Story," and initially had difficulty finding it in our local library. This is among our favorite family books, one that I look forward to sharing with future generations. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is told engagingly. Be sure to share this wonderful TRUE story with any child that you hold dear.

My 6-year old daughter brought this book home from the library last year. She and her 4-year old brother were entranced by the book, as was I. The fact that it is true makes it even better. My kids loved the fact that the little girl thought the bear that protected her was a dog. I plan to buy it this year for a birthday or Christmas gift, and not just for my children.

This tale of a wild animal caring for a human child is very touching. It is beautifully written and illustrated. I read this to my class last year and again this year. They hang on every word.

I found this children's Bible quite by accident at my local one-stop-shopping-center grocery store. It is BEAUTIFUL -- both the language and the illustrations. It truly captures the mystery and beauty of an actual translation, while making it understandable and enticing to its intended audience. In addition to retelling more passages of the Bible than I've seen in any other story Bible, this book has an appendix containing a map, an index of places, and an index of people. It is a wonderful, intelligent introduction to The Book.

My husband and I had been looking for a long while for a children's bible for our 4 year old that kept intact the wonder and mystery of God and the scriptures through the text and illustrations. It seemed to me that all I could find were very cutesy texts and pictures that could be appropriate for very young children but seemed dumbed down for older ones. Or the other extreme, that it was too 'adult.' Or that it didn't have a very complete list of stories. We found our solution with this bible. My son loves having these stories read to him every night and can't wait for the next one. We do have to paraphrase some of the sentences in most of the stories, as the book is for older children. I am very happy that we finally found this children's bible which I feel acurately conveys the spirit of the scriptures and the awe of God to our son and us. Thank you Murray Watts and Helen Cann.

This book is absolutely a wonder to read; and with the excellent illustrations, you can't help but understand its content whether you're a child or an adult. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the Bible, as it is extremely understandable.

Foreman and Wolke have compiled a thorough catalogue of big wilderness in the United States. More than just a catalogue, though, with typical passion, the authors state their case for expanding and interconnecting the wilderness we have left.

This book is for anyone who loves wilderness and wants not only to preserve what we have, but wants to see the expansion and rewilding of landscapes that can be salvaged.

Highly recommended.

This book is an excellent reference guide to all the remaining big wilderness areas left in the U.S. It covers all areas larger than 100,000 acres in the West, and over 50,000 acres in the East. This book appears to be the product of years of research and a labor of love. Of note is that this book does not merely classify land as wilderness becuase of government designation as such, but because it is undeveloped, roadless, de facto wilderness, regardless of whether federal, state, nonprofit, or private land. I might also like to have seen smaller wilderness areas referenced as well, but you have to draw the line somewhere, I guess. As it is, this book is a one of a kind reference.

I've had this book since 1992. It is a very well-written, state-by-state description of the large wildernesses in the U.S. -- and the problems facing each. Excellent and eloquent descriptions of each area's topography, wildlife, flora, etc. provide inspiration and high-level overview for early stages of trip planning. National coverage expands usefulness as a reference. Get it!

Ultimately, yes, this is a great book. Well worth reading. His basic premise-that acting doesn't have to be torture to be good is great. He points out the many flaws in the method, which I agree with, especially after studying alot of that nonsense!
He's got a simple and concise way of breaking down scenes and getting to the core of it. All that makes this book outstanding. My only major gripe is, after studying this technique with one of Don's pupils for a few months, I came to find his system for creating emotions downright silly and uneffective. I want to be fair and say that this way MY own exp. Maybe others didn't exp. the same thing but, I thought the system for creating emotions (feeling it in your body and breathing heavily to generate feeling)to just be very gimmicky. It totally felt unnatural and manipulative. I just couldn't get it to work without feeling fake and kind of dumb. It sounded AWESOME in words cause it was so much simpler then method ideolgy (go back to past life exp.)but in practice it never clicked. My conclusion on that is that it's better to learn to really create the circumstances vividly, analyze your script well and then trust your talent and surrender to that-not push and manipulate emotions. That's my personal exp. and perhaps others might have a different exp. although that was from direct application.
Get this book, apply it, there are definately some gems, he makes it simple, maybe TOO simple at times.

After translating this book into spanish,I have had a very close relationship with don richardson's text. I trust that this book will be as valuable to spanish speaking theater students as it has been to english speaking actors and actresses. I would like to publish the work, and would like to contact mr. richardson.

The best book I ever read about the art of acting. It's simple and direct. I require it in my classes. Wonderful for directors as well

In this sequel to Angelina Ballerina, Angelina learns that her ballet school is to put on a performance for the Princess of Mouseland. Angelina is crushed, though, when she gets sick in time for the tryouts. Forced to settle for a supporting role, she takes her mother's advice and determines to do her best at the part she is given. This is the story of Angelina's triumph!

Once again the unbeatable duo of Katharine Holabird (author) and Helen Craig (illustrator) combine to create a supremely lovable book. My ten-year-old daughter tore through this book, thoroughly enjoying the story. Yes, it wasn't a challenge to her reading ability, but she loved the story, and I appreciate any book that keeps her reading! Both my daughter and I highly recommend this book.

"Angelina and the Princess" is the first of the Angelina series my daughter and I have, but we plan to get the rest as we love this so much. Angelina is a tiny white mouse who yearns to be feminine and sweet, but is sometimes headstrong and silly--just like most girls I know (including my five-year old daughter!). Angelina has a dance recital coming up and she is pining away for a major role. However, as she's sick on the day of auditions, she doesn't do well and in fact, barely is able to crawl back home and into her worried mother's arms. She knows she did poorly, and her mother admits as much too, which brings me to one of the things I love about this book--there's no sugar-coating the fact that Angelina has gotten herself into a pickle. It's a storybook, and a fantasy at that, but it's realistic enough to keep the edge off the sweetness.

Angelina is counseled by her mother to do her very best. I don't want to give away the ending, but by keeping a cheerful attitude and trying to do her best for the whole dance company, Angelina is amply rewarded. It's a story with a moral, but the moral isn't presented in a sickeningly sweet way.

The illustrations by Helen Craig are truly a treat. Set vaguely in a Victorian England mousedom, they depict tiny cottages with climbing vines, drapey dresses with floral prints, tiaras, bouquets, adorable furniture, and so on. Three cheers to both Helen Craig and author Katharine Holabird for a book which is a joy to read and great fun to peruse just for the illustrations alone!

I bought this book for my nieces (three and four) who started their ballet lessons. I first hesitated because Angelina was a mouse who does not look like Mickey Mouse, instead looks rather like a real mouse, but all the pictures are so wonderfully detailed and cute. Not only my nieces love the story, but they are also interested in other things in the pictures (e.g. posters and toys in Angelina's bedroom etc). They have been reading it over and over, and each time they report me the things they noticed in the pictures. I am not sure if it is recommandable for little boys for the girly storyline, yet I am sure it is a great book for girls, especially who loves ballet.

In this next book in the Angelina Ballerina series, Angelina can hardly await the arrival of her mom's new baby. However, when the baby arrives, she finds that the baby is now the center of everyone's attention. Wracked with jealousy, Angelina has a lesson to learn...

This is a very cute book. I like the lesson that it taught, and my daughter and I both loved the story and the wonderful illustrations. This is a good book, one that we highly recommend to you.

Katharine Holabird's "Angelina's Baby Sister" follows in the tradition of all the other Angelina Mouseling books. Angelina Mouseling is a small white mouse--perhaps somewhere between six and ten years old in people years--who has the complete attention of her parents and grandparents no matter what. Then one day, her mother has a baby! The new baby sister, Polly, is adorable and Angelina tries very, very hard to be interested and attentive and loving. But it's tough. No one is much paying attention to Angelina now that Polly's here, and that's especially upsetting to Angelina because she's recently been given an award at dance class.

Angelina finally gives in to her anger and throws off steam in the privacy of her bedroom. The problem is that in doing so, she accidentally breaks the award statuette she's recently earned. The adults--parents and grandparents alike--are surprised by Angelina's mood and soon figure out the connection to the new baby, Polly.

All ends well, however, and Angelina is able to look at Polly as a possible new audience member for Angelina's impromptu dance recitals at home. This is a dear, sweet book that examines honestly the difficulties involved in dealing with a new sibling. The illustrations by Helen Craig are, as always, just precious--softly colored, beautifully detailed, and always in step with the text.

Someone gave my 3 year old daughter this book when we had a new baby. Angelina has a hard time sharing the spotlight, and her family's time with the new addition. So did my daughter! But, reading this book with her gave us some "cuddle time" and helped us deal with incorporating a new and demanding member of the family! I've given this book as a gift many times since!

I read Beautiful Joe when I was probably about 10 years ago, and it still is one of my most cherished books. I have 2 very old copies of Beautiful Joe and of Beautiful Joe's Paradise, and can only hope that children all over the world would get a chance to read the books. The equal treatment to animals and people should a universal lesson, and I know that my children whole heartedly agree with me, as they have read these books and hold them dear to their hearts also.

I read this story and the sequel, "Beautiful Joe's paradise and have never forgotten the emotion the books evoked from me. I visited the home town of the author and everyone remembers the cruel owner and the family that rescued and loved Joe. I cannot think of another book that has so affected me the way that these books have. I am always aware of the treatment of the animals in my care and the care of others around me. I often wonder if I would be the same person towards animals if I had not read this book over 35 years ago

The privilege of being a part of this story is equaled to the privilege of being a part of a dog's life. Written by Beautiful Joe himself, this story takes the reader on an adventure to equal no other. Jumping through windows, confronting bad humans, showing more compassion and humanity than some humans know themselves are just some of the experiences the reader will share with and learn from the four-legged teacher called Joe. A book worth searching for and collecting for the enhancement or your library and your life!

The Zodiac Room, at the top of the legendary Neiman-Marcus Department store, in downtown Dallas was my first real exposure to how wonderful food could be...my Mom was an excellent Texas cook, my Texan grandmothers were wonderful cooks as well. Their repertoire was traditional Texas fare...chili con carne, chicken fried steak with cream gravy,cream pies, fried okra, cheese enchiladas and so on...and I loved their food. I grew up in West Texas surrounded by amazing, delicious food.

But the first time I ate Helen Corbitt's Guinea Hen Madeira,her Crabmeat Chantilly, her Poppy Seed Dressing, my life changed. Her food at the Zodiac Room was amazing...it changed my life.

For the last twenty years I have cooked for a living and Helen Corbitt remains my primary inspiration.

I am so thrilled to see Helen Corbitt's recipes back in print. I place her in the late 20th century Cooks Pantheon next to James Beard, Julia Child, Adelle Davis and Martha Stewart.

Stewart Wise

This cookbook reintroduces Helen Corbitt, though if you have lived in Texas for years you are no doubt familiar with her. She became famous as the head of the restaurants of Neiman-Marcus department stores, and many Texans know her through her texas "caviar", hot fudge pecan balls, retro molded salads, fabulous "potluck" recipes, poppy seed dressing, and other Texas favorites. If you cannot find the original editions, this is certainly one to own. You will find yourself using it over and over again.

Fans of Helen Corbitt have described her as the 'best cook in Texas', catering to the White House and others - this provides a new Helen Corbitt cookbook gathering over 500 favorites from earlier Corbitt cookbooks and including some never published recipes. No photos but the simple dishes don't need them.