This book is indeed a masterpiece and it is great for someone who is studying to be an engineer or is interested in architecture. It is fantastic and has everything from the Lovely Louvre to the palace at Petra, from the Great Golden Gate to the construction of the Chrysler. It shows fine examples of art deco, modern, classical, Greek, Muslim etc. architectural wonders. It not only explains and shows the construction of these great buildings, but for certain buildings it also shows their plan, it's legends, along with information about who built it, why did they build it, whom did it build it for, when was it built, and where it is. It also has sections showing the greatest styles of architecture ever used along with a series of historic sites in the world. All in all this is a fantastic and very useful guide to the masterpieces of Architecture and Engineering.

-------------------------AHMED MASHHOOD--------------------------

This examination of Yoruba art covers a lot of ground, temporally and geographically. It covers the Yoruba kingdom by kingdom, looking at historical objects within each area. Accessible even to those without any knowledge of African art, it also has lots to interest the specialist--some controversial views on women's roles in Ife art, assignment of Esie carvings to the Yoruba and some previously unassigned bronzes to Ijebu, identification of particular artists' work and more. Written by three experts who specialize in different Yoruba areas, the writing is seamless and well-edited, neither talking down to the reader nor unduly academic in tone. The accompanying illustrations are superb, and many are contextual images. This book introduces Yoruba philosophy, religion, oral literature, and political organization interwoven with art, providing an excellent cultural overview. I use it as a university text, but it would serve as a beautiful addition to the library of anyone interested in Africa, particularly those who want to know more about this creative ethnic group which has left such an impact on the cultures of the Americas.

First off, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed Part I and absolutely adored Henry V. Having said that, I found Part II to be enjoyable, yet perhaps leaving something to be desired - like more action. Falstaff and Prince Hal both come off as somewhat disingenuous and calculating Machiavellian individuals. Disappointingly, Falstaff speaks poorly of Prince Hal while unwittingly in his midst. Conversely, The Prince of Wales prematurely takes the crown before his King Henry IV's death as well as disassociating himself with Falstaff after he is crowned King. These instances, along with others throughout the play, show the self-serving tendencies of both characters.

However, we can proudly witness the maturation of the young King from wild & dissolute young Prince Hal into one of the most revered monarchs in English history, King Henry V. Part II remains an intriguing play due to its paradoxical nature, yet unfortunately rarely acted out today. Now that I have read Henry IV(I&II) for the first time, I gladly move on to one of my personal favorites, Henry V. I recommend both parts(Folger editions) for all Shakespeare enthusiasts - they have given me greater insight into the young Henry V - when he was more concerned with downing a pint of ale rather than downing the French at Agincourt.

2 Magnificent Quotes from Henry IV Part II -
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." - King Henry IV
"He hath eaten me out of house and home." - Mistress Quickly

henry iv is misnamed since the play isn't really about king henry but about his son, prince hal, and his enemies, especially henry percy (aka 'hotspur') who is a rival to hal. hotspur is one of the leaders of the rebellion against the king and, at a tender age, is already an accomplished soldier. his story provides the drama of the play. hal, on the other hand, has fallen out of favor with the king, and is whiling away his days in the company of dissolute company, led by sir john falstaff, one of shakespeare's great characters. his adventures with sir john provide the comic relief. fortunately for the king, hal sheds his prodigal ways in time to save his father and his crown in the battle at shrewsbury, where, coincidentally, hal meets and slays his rival, hotspur.

this is one of shakespeare's best plays. the story of the rebellion is intriguing, and the adventures of hal and falstaff are laugh-out-loud hilarious. the culmination of the two stories in the final battle scene is wonderful. this is a fitting sequel to richard ii.

note that there are some historical inaccuracies and even outright inventions in this play. foremost is the character of falstaff who is pure invention (and genius). the story of hal's adventures stems from his reputation, enhanced by legend, as a playboy. falstaff was the perfect foil for a carousing prince. the biggest inaccuracy is hotspur's age. he was actually of the generation of henry iv, and not as young as he's depicted in the play. shakespeare made him younger to enhance, maybe even create, the rivalry with hal. there are other inaccuracies here, but better for the reader to consult 'shakespeare's kings', an excellent book by saccio that explains the history of the period and the discrepancies in the play.

The lengthy title for the 1598 printing was "The History of Henrie the Fourth, With the Battell at Shrewsburie, between the King and Lord Henry Percy, surnamed Henrie Hotspur of the North, with the humorous conceits of Sir John Falstaffe".

Surprisingly, Hal, Prince of Wales, (later Henry V) was not even mentioned in this verbose title although many would consider him to be the central character. This play is clearly the dramatization of a struggle for a kingdom, but it is equally the story of Hal's wild and reckless youthful adventures with Falstaff and other disreputable companions.

Shakespeare did not write his plays about English kings in chronological order, but these plays do have a historical unity. It is helpful (but not essential) to read the tetralogy Richard II, Henry IV Part 1 and 2, and Henry V in chronological order. Whatever route you take, I highly recommend buying a companion copy of Peter Saccio's "Shakespeare's English Kings", an engaging look at how Shakespeare revised history to achieve dramatic effect.

A wide selection of Henry IV editions are available, including older editions in used bookstores. I am familiar with a few and have personal favorites:

The New Folger Library Shakespeare is my first choice among the inexpensive editions of Henry IV. "New" replaces the prior version in use for 35 years. It uses "facing page" format with scene summaries, explanations for rare and archaic words and expressions, and Elizabethan drawings located on the left page; the Henry IV text is on the right. I particularly liked the section on "Reading Shakespeare's Language in Henry IV" and Alexander Legget's literary analysis (save this until you have read the play). The fascinating article "Historical Background: Sir John Falstaff and Sir John Oldcastle" adds a religious dimension to the play that I had not previously noted.

The Bedford Shakespeare Series provides an excellent study text (edited by Barbara Hodgdon) titled "The First Part of King Henry the Fourth". It is a little more expensive, is about 400 pages, and provides a broad range of source and context documentation. It would be excellent for an upper level course in Shakespeare. The context documentation is fascinating and informative; it ranges from the Holinshed Chronicles to Elizabethan writing on Civic Order to detailed cultural studies of London's diverse populous. Other chapters address the OldCastle controversy and the "Education of a Prince".

I also like the Norton Critical edition (edited by James Sanderson), "Henry the Fourth, Part 1", particularly for its extensive collection of literary criticism. The essays are divided into two parts: 1) the theme, characters, structure, and style of the play and 2) a wide variety of interpretation directed toward that roguish character, Sir John Falstaff.

John Fielder is one of America's greatest living photographers, and he brings his love of the Colorado wilderness to this book. His re-shoots of Jacksons 19th century photographs are both beautiful and thought-provoking.... the photographs make it worthwhile.

On the other hand, the text is a different story. Reading a text-only version of this book, one might conclude that the title is a misprint, and that the book should really be called "Colorado 1970 - 2000." Fielder roamed across Colorado capturing the changes in places like Kremmling, Denver, and Ouray, but the text never tells us anything about these places, or why they changed, or why we should care. Instead we get chapters about oil shale and the Forest Service.

Ahem. If I wanted to read about the relationship between Forest Service bureaucrats and small Western towns, I would have bought a book called "The Relationship Between the Forest Service and Small Western Towns." My book is called "Colorado 1870 - 2000." That is what I want to read about.

It's true that oil shale schemes, government agencies, and others have played a role in shaping Colorado in the past 30 years. But before that there were events like the Silver Crash of 1893, the City Beautiful movement, the Depression, World War II, and Urban Renewal. You won't read about those in this book.

The pictures are beautiful, and the text is well-written (if misplaced and unwanted). Just don't expect to learn much about the places you are looking at- except that they are very pretty.

John Fielder has recreated photographs of Colorado that were taken 100 years ago by William Henry Jackson. It's fun to see the changes that have taken place over time. Some change is good, some bad. Fielder even went to the trouble of making sure that the same or similar items, such as trains, automobiles, even people, were in the images that he captured. It's an expensive book, but it's worth the money in my opinion.

Jackson - Fielder 1870 - 2000 is a comparison of photographs of Colorado, showing the changes that have occurred geographically and developmentally over the past century. William Henry Jackson took pictures at the end of the 19th century. John Fielder returned to the exact locations a hundred years later to capture the similarities and differences that have taken place. The book is fascinating and nostalgic not only to Coloradans, but to historians, geologists, environmentalists, as well as anyone who just loves to view the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains and the surrounding foothills. I highly recommend this book for hours of enjoyment.

There are few books out there that play on the borders of both worthlessness and pricelessness. This is one of them.

Cloud brings out life-changing principles in his analysis of boundaries, bonding, good and evil, and adulthood. It has the potential of completely revamping your view of healthy interaction with others (and God).

At the same time, it is very poorly written. I found it to be unstructured, long-winded, and completely unengaging in many places. Moreover, there is frequent misuse of scripture and a number of statements that could be taken to horribly unhealthy extremes.

Read the book. Be changed, but be wary.

The four main points of this book can help any person understand more who they are and how they relate to others. Bonding, how to say "no", learning that people are neither all good nor all bad are points that Dr. Henry Cloud explains in a biblical and tangible way. The book is well-written, broken up in understandable sections and gives you something to think about at every turn. The author pulls from many people's life experiences and there are many examples of everyday people that you can relate to. You will find examples that help you understand the points he is trying to point out. This book is a must read.

There is a work book which goes along with the book, but Changes That Heal stands alone or can be enhanced by the workbook.

A-plus! This is a GREAT book that helped me understand how my past affected every area of my life (work, relationships, and my underlying attitudes). Although I had experienced great success in the business world, my personal relationships were suffering terribly and I was miserable on the inside. This book helped me understand why and how to change.

It clearly explained the important things I needed but didn't get out of each developmental stage while growing up from an infant to an adult. While reading the book, it became clear how I developed coping mechanisms to get through life--trying to get my needs met--with mixed results. On the outside, I was a picture of success, but on the inside I was tired, empty, unhappy and frustrated.

With this understanding, and a continued commitment to find new ways to think, act and live, I am now learning to live a life that promises to be happier and healthier. Thanks Dr. Cloud for your part in bringing about these changes in me!

I highly recommend other books written by Henry Cloud's (Safe People, Boundaries) as they are also well written and very good resources for healing the innermost areas of the heart and minds to help enjoy the journey to wholeness and joy!

'Changes That Heal' is a book that is informative and life changing. Change and Healing IS possible! Definitely worth reading! A-plus!

"Safe People" deals with the problem of character discernment, or evaluating who is good for us and who isn't. According to the authors, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, "safe people are individuals who draw us closer to being the people God intended us to be." Cloud and Townsend "believe the Bible contains the keys to understanding how to tell safe people from unsafe ones. It also teaches how to become safe people for others. In this age of broken relationships, these scriptural principles are both timeless and timely."

The authors devote Chapters 1 through 4 to examining and discussing who unsafe people are and the identifying traits of unsafe people. Chapters 5 through 8 examine the origin of the problem: why one might choose unsafe people to be in relationship with and how to repair this problem. The rest of the book is devoted to learning more about what safe people are and why we need them. The authors offer practical help on successfully meeting and relating to safe people. Overall, the book is designed to help one look both outside and inside oneself. As the authors cite from Matthew 7:5, "First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Cloud and Townsend raise a valuable point in that people tend to look for people to be in relationship with who are "spiritual," "godly, "ambitious," "fund to be with," and so on, and yet, these are not the issues that cause relationships to break apart. Relationships break apart because one partner doesn't listen to the other; because of perfectionistic tendencies; because of emotional distance; because of controlling tendencies; for promises that are made but not followed through; from condemnation, judgment, and anger; and most of all, because of a lack of or breakdown in trust. "We tend to look on the outside and not the inside of a person," the authors state. "We look at worldly success, charm, looks, humor, status and education, accomplishments, talents and giftedness, or religious activity." None of these qualities are character issues, which are precisely at the heart of both successful and failed relationships.

But the authors do not merely point the finger at unsafe people outside of ourselves. To begin with, a critical question they ask their readers is to reflect on what each one has learned about him- or herself from failed relationships. Furthermore, they tackle the issue of how our own actions reflect our relationship with God and how God lives through us. "The church often emphasizes our relationship with God and de-emphasizes our relationships with other people," they write. "We need to be around others who help us to grow and become the people who God made us to be ... We often learn about the divine from the fleshly. As John writes, 'If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen' (1 John 4:20)."

Recognizing that the typical response to being in relationships that have hurt is to retreat into isolation, withdraw, and shut down emotionally, Cloud and Townsend respond by citing the Bible to indicate that God created us to be in relationship with one another. "Finding safe people is not just a luxury," they write. "It's a necessary part of growing spiritually mature ... Everyone is created to be relational."

One way the authors counter the cultural norm toward self-sufficiency is by comparing spiritual hunger with physical hunger. "God created within us a hunger, a longing to be known and loved. This hunger functions exactly like physical hunger. It's a signal. It causes discomfort, a warning saying, 'Get up and get connected. Your tank's empty.' Hunger keeps us aware of our needs ... Make friends with your needs. Welcome them. They are a gift from God, designed to draw you into relationship with him and with his safe people. Your needs are the cure to the sin of self-sufficiency," which pushes us only further into isolation.

"The best example of a safe person is found in Jesus," they write. "In him were found the three qualities of a safe person: dwelling, grace, and truth." Safe people are also a very forgiving people, according to Cloud and Townsend. "They expect failure and disappointment from those they love ... Learn to receive forgiveness [and] learn to give forgiveness," they suggest.

Finally, the authors deal with whether to repair or replace a hurting relationship. "The chief theme of the entire Bible is reconciliation of unsafe relationships." While by no means suggesting that people remain in unsafe, dysfunctional, or abusive relationships, the authors differentiate between forgiveness in a relating sense and clearly drawing one's boundaries.

"The good news is that you can be saved from a life of relational hell with unsafe people. The bad news is that you must take up your cross and do the hard work of dealing with your own character problems. We have found in our lives and in the lives of others that this process works. If you will do the hard work of distinguishing safe and unsafe people, abiding deeply with the safe ones and dealing redemptively with the unsafe ones, you will develop an abundant life, full of satisfying relationships and meaningful service to God."

These guys know what they are talking about. In terms that are germane to what really happens in our relationships with other people, Henry Cloud and John Townsend map out the destructive ways we often relate to others as well offering plausible and holy ways to rectify them.

It is not a "feel-good" book however, but it is the most practical and insightful book om human realtionships that I have ever read. Applying the principles in the book brings on emotional and spiritual progress for sure, and without fail draws one closer to the heartbeat of God.

If only more authors could cut through to the heart of the matter like these guys have done in their books!

Joseph Dawes

This book is full of life-changing material. It teaches you about discernment and how to break the cycle of bad relationships. Since it is based on Biblical principles, it gives you a framework on which to build relationships. I read it along with the workbook as part of a Bible study a couple of years ago and it made a tremendous impact on my life. I recommend this book to anyone I meet who is having any kind of relationship problem - either with their friends or their family. It is excellent!

a good read, but can be confusing for kids. It takes a while to comprehend all of the Shakespearian langauge, but is very interesting. It is boring at parts.

The Winter's Tale contains some of the most technically difficult solutions to telling a story that have ever appeared in a play. If you think you know all about how a play must be constructed, read The Winter's Tale. It will greatly expand your mind.

The play opens near the end of a long visit by Polixenes, the king of Bohemia, to the court of his childhood friend, Leontes, the king of Sicily. Leontes wants his friend to stay one more day. His friend declines. Leontes prevails upon his wife, Hermione, to persuade Polixenes. Hermione does her husband's bidding, having been silent before then. Rather than be pleased that she has succeeded, Leontes goes into a jealous rage in which he doubts her faithfulness. As his jealousy grows, he takes actions to defend his misconceptions of his "abused" honor that in fact abuse all those who have loved him. Unable to control himself, Leontes continues to pursue his folly even when evidence grows that he is wrong. To his great regret, these impulsive acts cost him dearly.

Three particular aspects of the play deserve special mention. The first is the way that Shakespeare ties together actions set 16 years apart in time. Although that sounds like crossing the Grand Canyon in a motorcycle jump, Shakespeare pulls off the jump rather well so that it is not so big a leap. The second is that Shakespeare captures entirely different moods from hilarious good humor to deep depression and remorse closely adjacent to one another. As a result, the audience is able to experience many more emotions than normally are evoked in a single play. Third, the play's final scene is as remarkable a bit of writing as you can imagine. Read it, and marvel!

After you finish reading this play, think about where your own loss of temper has had bad consequences. How can you give yourself time to get under control before acting rashly? How can you learn to be more open to positive interpretations of events, rather than dark and disturbing ones?

Love first, second, and always!

The Winter's Tale is a lot of things: heart-breaking, exhilerating, funny, beautiful, romantic, profound, etc. Yeah, it's all here. This is one of the bard's best plays, and I can't believe they don't teach this in schools. Of course, the ones they teach are excellent, but I can see high school kids enjoying this one a lot more than some of those others (Othello, King Lear).

The story is, of course, brilliant. King Leontes goes into a jealous rage at the beginning against his wife Hermione. Leontes is very mistaken in his actions, and the result is tragic. Shakespeare picks the story back up sixteen years later with the children, and the story works to a really, really surprising end of bittersweet redemption.

This is one of Shakespeare's bests. The first half is a penetrating and devestating, but the second half shows a capacity for salvation from the depths of despair. Also, this being Shakespeare, the blank verse is gorgeous and the characters are well drawn, and the ending is a surprise unparalleled in the rest of his plays. The Winter's Tale is a truly profound and entertaining read.

Full of wisdom and insight, this is one of the best books ever written about dating from a Christian perspective! This book has helped me identify unhealthy issues in my own dating patterns and areas in my life that I need to work on...and has given me courage and affirmation to date healthy, safe and balanced individuals. I'm sure that you will find it to be a source of education and encouragement as well. The topic of setting boundaries is a bit conceptual however, with a thorough understanding of its importance, you will be well equip to apply the truths outlined in the book to your own personal situations. A strength of the book lies in the practical examples the authors share to clarify each of the key principals and to help you apply them in your life. (I'd suggest reading the first book, "Boundaries" for a more indepth overview).

This is the first time that a book was so helpful I wanted to write a review. The book is written with a Christian focus, but the relationship issues that are identified are universal. My dating relationship had recently ended and reading this book was essential for the healing of my broken heart. I was able to see how my lack of boundaries contributed to our problems. I was also able to identify character deficits in my ex and understand that it was better to be alone than in an unhealthy relationship. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to identify the recurring patterns in their relationships and take ownership for their role in these patterns so that they can have more satisfying relationships inthe future.

Boundaries in Dating is an excellent book for those who wish to enter the dating scene and form healthy relationships. It is for those who have never dated, and for those who are tired of failed relationships, and for those people who are happily dating, but want to continue towards excellence. When I began reading this book, I realized how many times I had compromised my personal boundaries, and how each time I did that I was plagued with guilt. It was a pattern that this book helped me to recognize. I have now taken ownership of my part in dating problems. I have also learned that the other person has problems that only he can fix. As a result of reading this book, prayer, and listening to the Holy Spirit, I am able to discern more quickly whether a particular person is whom I desire to spend time with. Christians will find this book especially helpful because of the spiritual approach, but I recommend it to others as well.

If you're that all too rare individual who loves Homer and would like to learn how to read him in the original, then this is the book for you. Along with a quite thorough introduction to the grammar of Homeric Greek, Pharr's course includes the first book of the Iliad with an excellent beginner's commentary.

Some might be turned off by the fact that the lessons and the grammar are contained in two different sections. Others might be turned off by the fact that Pharr offers up the grammar in itsy bitsy portions from lesson to lesson. As someone who did find the grammatical spoonfeeding a turn-off, I was actually quite happy to have the grammar separate from the lessons, since it made it possible for me to customize the course to better suit my own learning style. Moreover, the grammar serves as an excellent reference tool until you decide to go whole hog and pick up Monro's Homeric Grammar.

Another reviewer was concerned that learners new to inflected languages might have some difficulty in understanding the functions of the cases. I had not had any experience with inflected languages prior to reading Pharr and did not find picking up the basic functions of the cases to be particularly difficult. If you do have difficulty, consulting the opening lessons of any Latin or Greek grammar should help clear away any confusion.

Also, if you find the work daunting at first and wonder whether or not it will be worth it or not, be reassured. Although it takes a while to gain a feel for Homer in the original, once you do you will come to see that Homer is infinitely more lovely in the original Greek than he is in even the best English translations. Bon voyage!

This book is good if you can already read in a language that puts "case endings" on nouns, such as any of these: Greek from any other time including today's Demotiki; Latin; any Slavic, Baltic or Celtic language; German; Sanskrit; or Norse/Icelandic. Pharr empowers such a person quickly to read Homer well.

If you're new to the notion of "noun case," Pharr might feel overwhelming. Use the three-short-volume set by Schoder and Horrigan (ISBNs 0829405097,082940528 and 0829405240) to learn Homeric Greek by a more gradual method. Then use Pharr as your quick reference grammar.

After Pharr's Lesson 12 you plunge directly into the Iliad, the real text, from Book I Line 1, and you understand it! You learn the grammar as you go, with footnotes explaining the forms you'll get lessons for later. Pharr has you read all of Book I of the Iliad.

This is an excellent way to learn classical Greek. It takes you straight to unsimplified Homer within a few lessons and if you tough it out you can end up able to read Homeric Greek quite well. It works fine as a teach-yourself book. I had had a semester of Greek many years ago, but I was essentially starting from scratch.
Each lesson provides the vocabulary for a few lines of Book I of the Iliad and sends you to the reference grammar at the back of the book to learn the grammar incrementally. Early on there are some prose sentences in Homeric Greek to translate, but these go away in later lessons. Once you have finished the book you will have read all of Book I and will be ready to continue through all of Homer (with a lexicon). My only gripe is that a few more prose sentences to illustrate the grammar points by repetition would have helped a bit. Overall a great teach yourself book.

You would need a heart of snow to not be moved by Steinbeck's story of an Oklahoma family that was forced to give up their homes in the hopes of finding a better life in California. Rarely have I ever come across a story so well crafted as the "Grapes of Wrath". Readers take heed; this is the novel by which all other American novels should be measured against.

Like Steinbeck's other big book, the main family spans three generations. Each character is so well fleshed out that it would be difficult to limit their hopes, trials, even existence to the confines of the written page. Even now, a year after having read this novel, the characters Tom and Rose of Sharon seem as real as anyone I've ever met. However, the character, to use the word broadly, that I particularly liked was the narrator.

Steinbeck's voice in this novel is incomparable. When times are exceedingly rough for the Joad Family; when it seems that just one more straw on the camel's back will break them, it is the narrator that crosses the line, revealing to us just how close the family is being pushed towards insanity. After the Joads pack up their belongings and begin the trek to California, the narrative shifts jarringly from the third person to that of a car salesman trying desperately to sell you a new car, literally. I remember thinking clearly that Steinbeck had lost his mind to do such a transition, but it works. Aspiring writers should take note on how to create such an underscore.

Another quick example would be when the Joads pull into the gas station with the two clerks. The family had been struggling all day on the road to get the automobile to run, to stay on course, and to fight for survival. The chapter ends, however, with one of the clerks dropping a bead of sweat from his forehead onto a pink invoice sheet that he had been filling out. Hopefully, you get some sort of semblance of the subtlety in this novel.

Read the book, you'll love it.

This book brings one of the most inaccessible disasters of the 20th century, the Dust Bowl, into focus. What a mean coincidence that it had to happen when banks were going through tough times. This book, perhaps Steinbeck's best, brings the personal melodrama of Of Mice and Men on the road with a family of 14 Oklahomans. Meet the Joads, who have lived on the same land for many generations. They have killed for the land and have died for it. The bank has forclosed on the home loan, and they have been pushed out. Now they gather all they can carry with them, sell all they can't, and hit the road in a rickety car and with only about a hundred dollars and wild hopes. Grandma and Grampa are the stern, traditional voice of the family, Ma and Pa lead the family in their oddysey west, Uncle John is a booze hound with strength and grit, Noah is a strange individualist, Al is the testosterone filled young man, Tom is an ex-con who just happens to be the pragmatist and clearest thinker, Ruthie and Winfield are the wild kids, and Connie and Rose are newlyweds. I know I am forgetting someone. The book is divided into two parts: the journey to California and their heartbreaking quest to make a living. It just happens that they are members of an outcast society despised by everyone. Throughout the book they are run out of settlements, antagonized and harassed, and mistreated. A member of the oddysey is Jim Casy, a former preacher. Casy turns himself in for beating a deputy to keep Tom from getting turned in and in prison meets a man who wants to end the victimization of migrant workers. He wants to form unions. While protesting against a peach orchard (that the Joads just happen to be at) he is killed by corrupt deputies. The book is shattering in so many ways: the way the Joads are treated, how the migrants at large are treated by the cops and by the rich malevolents, and how the general people allowed themselves to be blinded by bitterness and hate. There are several deeply affecting passages: one where a bunch of oranges are dumped in a vacant area behind a Hooverville (where 'Okies' lived), then kerosene was dumped on them so that the impoverished Okies couldn't eat them; the part in which the deputies send in a starving guy to start a fight in a government camp so they can break it up (because the government camp is treating Okies like humans), one man owning a million acres and not even farming it, just owning it so he can say he owns it. These concepts of gluttony and cruelty are more than the poor migrants can take. I absolutely loved the book and think every person should read it: it shows what happens when ordinary people are hated, and how devastating and frivilous that hate can be.

Truthfully the only reason I read this novel is because it was part of my summer reading assignment this year for highschool. Somehow being told you HAVE to read a book rather than wanting to on your own makes the reading experience something to dread. Well all I can say is I am SO GLAD I HAD TO READ THIS!!!

This is probably one of the best books I have ever read. I have added it to my list of favorites way up there with Animal Farm (people think 'cause they read it in junior high it's for kids, WHATEVER!!)and Wuthering Heights. Every chapter is a feast for the mind. You can picture ever bead of sweat, every loss and tear as if it were right there in front of you. The story goes from humorous, to serious, to hopeful, to emotional so quickly you almost don't realize it's there till it hits you.

The story takes place in the 30's based on real events, following the fictional accounts of the Joad family. Apparently back then, there was a crisis where farmers had overworked their land to the point where the soil had been reduced to worthless dust annd could no longer grow crops. The bank then had to take it from them because, well, god forbid they lose any money. Thousands, maybe millions of people were kicked out from their homes, the homes that their grandfathers had built, where children had been born and lives been lived. They were forced to all move west to California, selling what little they had for cash, dreaming of a new life. Flyers promised work and good pay, but when only 10,000 workers are needed, and 100,000 see the flyers and come looking for work, what happens then?

This is a story of survival. Not like in that movie Cast Away where he's stranded on a deserted island with no food or anything, but a time not unlike today. A place filled with stores and restaurants and yet a man still can't feed his children and they are dying from malnutrition. How can you buy food if you don't have any money? and how can you make money if there aren't any jobs? "water water everywhere and not a drop to drink". And hungry men become desperate, which turns into fear, which becomes anger, and this makes teh Californians afraid. So wages drop to pay for security, to pay for more sheriffs and police and spies, and all the while this anger grows...

Like I said this is a wonderful book. I'm so glad I read it.
Some parts were so touching I actually cried a little. They weren't even necessarily sad but very moving. Anyway, I recommend this book to everyone as a great read. Yeah and to the person who said teenagers can't appreciate a book like this, I guess I just proved you wrong.