This book not only gives high quality color prints of the major pieces at the National Gallery, it also gives a good overview of the history of art beginning with the Medieval Age. It is a quick, but insightful read. You don't need to worry about the pompous verbiage often found in art books of the same type. (I read part of another art book as I read this one, in order to learn more about a particular piece. It was amazing to see so many words used to say so little.) You can't go wrong with this book if you want an idea of the National Gallery's holdings and how each piece fits into history.

The idea of "the best of the Oxford American" brings out a lot of expectations. This magazine has been the home for a lot of special writing. This book provides some of those moments. I especially enjoyed the narrative of the small town photographer burdened by the unwelcome insights of his coworkers and the blank misunderstandings of his Disney World roadtripping friends. I think that the criticism by Tony Earley would have made just as good an introduction to this book as did Rick Bragg's more metaphorical observation that this writing is "heavy on the salt."
I would recommend this book for anyone that wants to read about the South as it actually is -- unique, history-addled, and genuinely "salty".

This collection of works--fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reportage--by the biggest names writing in or about the South is a real treasure. For those already familiar with "the New Yorker of the South" it will remind those what have made the magazine so special for so many years, and for those who have not discovered the magazine, BOA will be a great introduction to the best in Southern belles lettres. The book, like the magazine itself, is a little trad and not good on commenting on the lives of blacks, gays/lesbians, and immigrants to the South, but there is much for everyone to enjoy here.

"The Secret History," the first of Donna Tartt's two novels, is a gentle satire and picaresque punctuated by murder. The book ends where it began, with epicene narrator Richard Papen, alienated from his friends and family, setting out to make a place for himself in a drab modern world of the senses that Tartt sends up easily and often. In between, aided by massive quantities of drugs and alcohol, and an immersion in the language and mind-set of the ancient Greeks, Papen bonds with a precocious group of college students long enough to tell their story. And their story, simply put, is withdrawal from the world of the senses, incest, polyamory, Dionysian frenzy, incomprehensible violence, fear, betrayal, revenge, sacrifice, and unrequited love.

Book One builds from nothing to an out-of-body experience central to this mix. Book Two dissembles from there to nothing. And there you have it.

Tartt, who grew up on the edge of the Mississippi Delta, writes best when she writes with the detached eyes of Dickens, James, and Sterne. She is less convincing portraying the complicated inner lives of her characters, who spend a great deal of time chatting each other up, taking baths, and shifting scenes and partners, without much point. As a result, the turgid central part of her novel fails to satisfy like Faulkner or Homer or Marlowe, who worked the same material.

But that the comparison to those masters can even be made is enough to recommend "The Secret History." This is an intelligent, well-written novel by an author to be reckoned with.

This is not for the reader who prefers a quick, satisfying read. This novel is filled with double meanings, intriguing Ancient Greek entrendes and a murder as the focal point. It's also about 500 pages long.

A likeable character, Richard Pappin from California (of which he is immensely ashamed) who goes to one of those New England colleges in Vermont and 'dabbles' in the arts and Greek. I must say, when I first read this I was doubtful such people existed...especially in America. Miss Tartt's speaking language was so formal, so 'english' (I say, jolly, etc) and Richard bought a tweed coat for goodness sake, (I expected him to invest in a pipe) all the men drank scotch and had wire rimmed glasses and suits and ties and were very old fashioned, in some ways it was a bit pretentious.

The essence of the novel is very good, and very clever. The motive for a senseless murder is cleanly portrayed: we are not expected to like these characters as such, because like the 'ancient Greek' tragic heros they studied, all of the characters have a flaw which contributes to their downfall.

I recommend you invest time and thought into this book because it is worth it, it's a good, fairly easy read, and it will chill you to the bone...not due to unnessary gore but the inhuman motives of the seemingly innocent Greek students who commit a murder...or two.

Tartt's Secret History is a compelling and thought provoking book. It delves into the lives of six classics students at a small New England liberal arts college. Each of the six is eccentric and intense, and each seems to be hiding from something. All of them have a "secret history."

At the crux of this book is the murder of Bunny, one of the six students. Once plans are set to go through with this task, the characters follow their ringleader (Henry) and no one tries to stop the event that will change each of their lives forever. This book is about how one decision, one moment, can change a life forever.

I am not very knowledgeable of Greek classics, and know I probably missed a lot as a result, but regardless, this is a page turner of a novel. This is a dark and disturbing read, but the intense characters and the ability to make the reader think long after the book is over make it worthwhile. If you are in the mood to be captivated and at times breathless, read this book. It is like nothing you will ever read.

This is an extremely slight little handbook--too limited to be of much use to the experienced reader, yet too expensive to justify its inclusion as a complement to Tartt's modern cult classic. Students who are at all motivated can easily get as much information through a few quick internet searches. I'm giving my copy to a student TA as a handy accessory for help in grading papers.

an intelligent thriller, but also a serious literary work. i recommend it to anyone who enjoys good writing

Strangely enough I didn't like the Secret History when it was first released, and I only picked up this book because of all the advance press surrounding Ms Tartt's new novel. And now I'm a fan. Which is not, as far as I know, the job of literary criticism - but then this book is not quite lit crit, it's an odd combination of scholarship and enthusiasm that works surprisingly well. It's persuaded me that the Secret History is a much cleverer book than I gave it credit for, and it's made me marvel at Ms Tartt's erudition.

(On the strength of this volume, I picked up the same publisher's guide to American Psycho, and that one is even better.)

Right, I'm off to read the Little Friend.

I know all the Secret History fans don't want to hear this, but, this really is a mediocre book. I've waited so long for another Donna Tartt novel. Initially, the book seemed promising, but after 100 pages or so, it just fell apart. I suffered through the next 300 pages. The book finally picked up at the end, but it seemed like Ms. Tartt's desperate attempt to revive the lackluster previous chapters. Although the ending got a little exciting, it seemed to be written as an afterthought (and a way to justify Harriet's ability to hold her breath for so long!!). The descriptive writing is great, but it is just so overshadowed by the many unnecessary tangents to the main story (Allison's dreams, Harriet's aunt's death, the snake in the car incident, etc. etc.). I found myself disliking Harriet very much and I didn't find the myriad other characters interesting or compelling -- they were verging on irritating! If you are a true Secret History fan, skip this book - hopefully her next novel will be better!

as many other reviewers have noted, this is quite a let down after The Secret History. i've been anxiously awaiting this book, and now that i've closed it for the last time, i can't recall why. the writing was, indeed, intelligent and respectful, and the characters were remarkably developed, but where the heck did that story come from and where did the plot go? am i missing the point? i kept trying to make predictions and was so looking forward to clarification, but this ending - this whole story- was just a lot of description heading nowhere. i'm disappointed. i feel betrayed. i can't even figure out what the title means! while The Secret History left me feeling like i'd been privy to the secret lives of intellectuals - and therefore a bit of an intellectual myself (though i was only 23 when i read it) - this left me feeling like a bad judge of character. i'll keep reading the reviews to find out what deep message i overlooked. there must be one...there must!

The writing quality of The Little Friend is the best I have ever read. It is important to remember that Harriet is a CHILD, not an adult, and her experiences reflect childhood perceptions.

It is also important to remember that "good endings" are best left untidy. The ending of The Little Friend is consistent and satisfying.

Finding a good book after reading The Little Friend will be like wading through mountains of fluff. Donna Tartt is simply the best.