Banner In The Sky is an amazing acount of a fictional mountain climbing expedition based in historical accounts of the conquer of the Matterhorn. The protagonist, 16-year-old Rudi Matt, is forced to wash dishes in a hotel instead of following his true dream; climbing the Citadel, the very mountain that had claimed his father's life fifteen years ago. The antagonist is, obviously, the Citadel herself, the last unconquered peak in the area. Although an overprotective mother and uncle also get in the way of Rudi's dream. When Rudi finally gets a chance to join the expedition up the mountain, he shows everyone that he is determined to complete the journey his father started. Rudi's journey is a journey of faith and stamena and also forgiveness and loyalty. These values are all summed up in the red shirt that Rudi carries with him to place at the peak of the Citadel; the very shirt his father wore the night he died before giving it up so that another man could live. This book is all about following your dreams, but also about the fact that one must work hard to achieve those dreams. James Ramsey Ullman combines history with an extraordinary account of the happenings in the small village of Kurtall in the Swiss Alps. For me the highlight of the book was a Rudi's nighttime encounter with the spirit of his father as he sits in the very spot that claimed his father's life. A chilling and magical scene.

My friend told me that Banner in the Sky is a very good book, well I'm here to vouch for that. Banner in the Sky is the most intriguing story I have ever read. James R. Ullman's book is about a legend, named Josef Matt, whose son is determined to climb the mountain that Josef died on. If Rudi Matt can do this, if he can climb the Citadel, he will be the first one ever to climb it. But in all good stories there's a catch, Rudi's mom and uncle won't let him climb the mountain because of his father's death. Plus Rudi is not built to climb! Along the way Rudi meets Captain John Winter, the best climber of his day. The Captain gives Rudi his chance to climb, but will he? Banner in the sky is a gut-wrenching story about sheer will and determination. My recommendation, simple, if you ever have had parental problems (and I know you have) then this is your book!

This was one of the best books I've read, and I've read some really good books,but this was probably the best.It was so good, I plan on reading it again. It's about a 16 year old boy named Rudi Matt. His dream is to climb a mountain called the Citadel in the Alps. His dad died on it right after Rudi was born.He wants to get to the top to put his dad's red shirt on the summit.The ending was the most tense spot in the book. If you like mountain stories, this is the book for you,but even if you have never read one before, like me, I still recommend it. If I were you I would plan on buying it.

Recently I was asked to take place in a "Journal Jar" Contest....You pull a question out of the jar every day and answer it. Two days ago I pulled the question "What is your favorite or most memorable book or story?" It didn't take me long to remember the short story I had read in school. It's a story that, once read, changes your life forever. After all these years, I still can't forget it! I was so emotional in remembering it, I had to look it up to purchase my own copy!!!

I read this story in an issue of Scolastic Scope Magazine when I was in 8th grade in 1977. I remember at the time that I wanted to remember the name of the story because it had such an emotional effect on me. Over the years, I'd remembered the word "scarlet" from the title but forgot the name of the bird. I remember thinking about this story after I first read it and crying. Now I'm teaching in a High School and I ran across this story again in one of our literature textbooks. I'm going to order this book now so I can have it around and recomend it to people.

I have read many wonderful books since 1976, but The Scarlet Ibis stands out in my memory like no other. As a tenth grader at Iroquois Central High School, my main focus was on fun. Reading this story in my English class caused me to see how fragile life is, and to realize that the worst weaknesses of humanity are not the physical ones which can be seen, but rather the pride and selfishness that destroy others. A personal note: Like one of your reviewers, I am the mother of a handicapped child.I marvel daily at her incredible spirit, as well as those of her disabled friends. The character "Doodle" is a great representation of that spirit and the truth that often the least among us are the greatest! I've searched for years to find this story again, and was amazed to see similar comments. The mere fact that so many have remembered this story for so long is reason enough for everyone to read it!

Michener, the supreme storyteller, created some really memorable characters in this monster of a novel. The genre of blockbuster historical novels can seem somewhat dated (viz. the mammoth novels of Mitchell, Ferber, McCullough, Caldwell and Follett) but they are definitely delicious if you get a taste for them. Dated or not, Hawaii is a gripping tale of not-so-angelic missionaries, struggling immigrants and early Polynesian settlers. The characters are absolutely unforgettable.

I particularly liked the section of the book where the missionaries run headlong into the traditions of the Polynesian people, whether insisting they wear confining clothing in the tropical heat, or that they should quit their charming and practical tradition of dancing, swimming and surfing in the buff. The missionaries stubbornly eat dried apples shipped to them across the sea, and scorn the richly nutritious native fruits and vegetables unfamiliar to them. They wilt in their long underwear, donned by the season. They try hard to bring a foreign world to their religion in the belief it will benefit the people, but when two vastly different cultures clash, it is inevitably tragic. Michener writes about this clash in vivid, sometimes shocking detail.

This book has been filmed, used as a basis for a musical but nothing compares to reading the original. I couldn't put it down.

You can't look at this like it's one book. It's a journey through time, and with each quantum leap a new tale begins. James Michener does an awesome job -- if you saw the movie -- it's only a small fraction of the novel. Once you get past the initial geology lesson, you can't put it down. It's interesting how -- though written in the 1950s -- Michener is sensitive the the racial cocktail that makes Hawai'i special: such as when white missionaries spurn the services of a Hawaiian mid-wife (with tragic results), or the amazing feats of bravery performed by Hawaiian-Nisei soldiers on the battlefields of Italy.

If you're traveling to Hawaii -- you must read this book. It will give you a better appreciation for that wonderful place and it's wonderful people. Just start it early, because the plane ride isn't long enough to read it all.

Having read several books by James Michener, I must say that "Hawaii" is my absolute favorite! It's length may be formidable to those of you who are not used to reading novels beyond 300 pages (this one is over 1,000), but don't let its daunting size scare you! This book is incredible and amazing! It is a fictionalized story that is intermeshed with truthful accounts of the entire history of Hawaii, from the very beginnings of Hawaii as an actual land formation erupting from beneath the sea, to its induction into statehood. This book spans quite a long time period, and it pays homage to the political, social, religious, and commercial workings and atmospheres of and relating to Hawaii during this span. This book touches on everyone and everything from Hawaiian royalty to New England Christian missionaries, from pineapple and sugar cane farmers out in the fields and in their shacks to the unique blending of the Oriental with the Polynesian cultures that make up the people of Hawaiian. It does not take place solely on the island of Hawaii, but travels to the far reaches of China and Japan, as well as to the continental United States and out over the open ocean.It is a historical fiction novel that almost makes you forget that its characters are not real people! This story will sweep you away with its descriptions of the island and its very special history. Many other reviewers said that they found the beginning (where James Michener describes the formation of the island from an underwater volcano to an actual island) to be boring -- this is far from my opinion! I found it incredibly interesting and very educational. After reading this novel, I was so impressed with Michener's writing and the breadth of his knowledge! You will definitely want to read more of his books. Don't miss out on this one, though!

Ironman, by Chris Crutcher, is a book about a teenage boy and his trials in life. But this isn't any regular boy; this one wants to become an "IRONMAN", by running, swimming, and biking in a triathlon. He also has an anger problem that forces him to enroll in an anger management class. There he meets people he never though he would ever have any kind of relationship with. But the main part of the story is the triathlon. He trains day and night to achieve his goal.

I didn't like this book as mush as I though I would. For me the book went very slow. At times it was hard to follow because it jumped around so much. At one point it was talking about what was currently happening then go straight to a story about him and his dad fighting when he was younger. At some points it seemed like the author just kept writing to make the story longer. Many times he would refer back to a story and almost retell it in its entirety. But there is one thing I like about this book, the sometimes extensive details and over story telling would give me lots of insight about the main charter and helped me know wear he was coming from.

Another reason I didn't like this book is because it wasn't what I though I would be. When I started this book I though it was going to be full of action and suspense but it wasn't. That didn't really start until the end. So if you like books full of action you probably don't want this. This also may be better for active readers who follow books easily. Me, I follow easily unless I really like a book. As you can I didn't like this one.

In a choice novel assignment given by my junior english teacher, I chose to read "Ironman", written by Chris Crutcher. The main character, Bo Brewster, is having a difficult time dealing with his family life as well as his football coach. Bo can come off to some people as a "hot head" or a "quitter", but I view him as a teenager that faces many of the same problems that many student athletes, or just regular teenagers face in real life. Bo takes the smart way of dealing with his anger, and enrolls in an anger management class before school to avoid being expelled, and to make himself a better human being. Some people believe in the expression, "Things happen for a reason." Well, in Bo's situation, I believe things did happen for a reason in this story. While going to the anger management classes, a man by the name of Mr. Nak becomes what I like to think of as Bo's mentor. He sees what makes Bo aggravated, and shares his life stories with Bo to show him that he isn't the only one who goes through rough times during his life. The book titled "Ironman" is an excellent book that should be required for teenagers to read because while we may think everyone lives the perfect life, we all go through challenging experiences that can be related with Bo. We just have to open our eyes and be willing to accept the guidence from others just as Bo did to make ourselves better human beings.

What a terrific book!
I started this book and almost abandoned it unread, because the first three chapters were sort of disjointed and uninteresting. The "letters to Larry" parts seemed distracting. But, I had previously read another book by Chris Crutcher, and so hung in there.
About the fourth chapter, everything came together. Letters to Larry were a nice additional reflection. The plot is interesting and well-done.
Each character is well-defined, and is "seen" through multiple points of view. Teens (and adults) reading this book will have a renewed ability to think about others in their totality -- to consider how that person got his/her behavior, and to look at others' points of view.
I believe this book will be beneficial to all teens, and especially those who are having trouble controlling their anger, or are going through difficulties or abuse in their lives -- particularly difficulties with parents and authority figures. The author, through his characters, offers advice on how to deal with anger problems.
I highly recommend this book for those in the appropriate age levels.

Having grown up in a small town much like Joyce's Dublin, this book has a special significance for me. I've seen so many people from my town graduating from high school without really understanding that there is an entire world outside the place they grew up and lacking the ambition to go explore it. I fear many of them will spend their lives "getting by" in a job they hate, raising children who will inevitably do the same thing. Joyce's "Dubliners" depicts this cycle with as much complexity and compassion as any author I've read.

In an age where the most publicized fiction tends to be simple-minded and genre-bound, it's refreshing to come across a writer with Joyce's complexity. "Dubliners" is so rich in its intellectual and symbolic atmosphere that many readers may be put off by the overall weight of the prose. The writing is so thick with metaphorical contexts that the literal content of the story occasionally becomes obscured, which can be frustrating for those not used to reading Joyce. Yet, while difficult, "Dubliners" is far from impossible to decipher, and although these stories function well as a whole, they are also more or less self-contained, which makes "Dubliners" easier to get through than Joyce's other works(it's a lot easier to take on a ten page short story than a 600+ page novel like "Ulysses" or "Finnegan's Wake"). For readers who are new to Joyce, this would be a good place to start.

A final note: since this book is old enough to be considered a "classic," there are a plethora of editions available from various publishers. I own the Vintage edition (ISBN: 0679739904). Not only is it a quality printing (not that cheap newspaper ink that rubs off on your fingers), it also contains about a hundred pages of criticism at the end that help shed light on Joyce's often illusive themes. Normally I shun forewards and afterwards (I like to think I've read enough to discover a story's theme on my own), but in the case of Joyce I found that a push in right direction can mean the difference between enjoyment and frustration.

The Dubliners is a collection of short stories which open the windows into the lives of the citizens of Dublin in the beginning of the twentieth century. The stories are depressing as well as uplifting. It just depends on the conclusions the reader draws from the open endings of the stories. The opportunity to finish the stories myself was actually one of the features I liked most about the entire book, but especially about the last and longest story-the Dead. The Dead sums up all the concerns and issues raised time and time again throughout the Dubliners - religion, alcohol addiction, immorality, and political instability of Ireland. In my opinion, The Dead is the key to the entire book. For me, the last sentence of The Dead as well as of the entire book, " His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow was falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead," was as much of a mystery as of a hint. It really got me thinking, because there so many ways to take it. First, did Gabriel die or not? Was just Joyce describing the last moments of Gabriel's life or was he describing the first moments of Gabriel's new life? I have always been an optimist, so many might consider my opinion biased, but I personally think that the sentence marks new beginning and new life for Gabriel. Of course, I have to admit that Gabriel had a good reason to commit suicide after realizing that his beloved wife had been in love with her dead lover for all this time, but, honestly, I do not see Gabriel as a hopeless man who would simply give up his life and future. I see him more as a man who was taught a hard lesson and learned it well. I see him more as a man whose eyes were open. I see new Gabriel as man who wants to do and not only talk about doing. Then there is the description of snow falling which is another important clue/mystery the Dead gives the reader to help him to figure out for himself if the book is truly uplifting or depressing. I personally the snow is a pointer that the ending is truly an optimistic one and that somewhere there is brighter future for everybody . Why do I think that? It is the gentle way the snow is described. It covers the world and all its problem like a white blanket. It makes everything seem so pure and clean. I cannot help thinking that Joyce used snow on purpose to help the reader draw such conclusion. But, I am sure that many other readers came to just an opposite conclusion that the snow represents a deep and abiding human truth: the essential loneliness of the soul. But that is just right because the diversity of the conclusions is the beauty of the book.

James Joyce's Dubliners is a fantastic novel. Not only is his mastery of the English language amazing but his subtle tone and format create an evoking suspense. I found my self pulled into the twisted and emotional world of Dublin and its people. Once I started one of the short stories I couldn't put it down. Each story gave great detail about it characters and its setting. Amazingly enough Joyce never left out a detail. I found myself transported to Dublin in the early 1900s. I became an intimate observer of the people and their actions. I came to know them and their thoughts or at least I thought I did. At the very end of each short story Joyce and his characters seemed to turn on me. They weren't who I thought they were and they revealed a side I didn't know existed. This side was awkward and scary but familiar. These twists gave me a brief insight into the true character of these people. I saw their human qualities; all of them especially the ones we don't want to see. The qualities even we hide from others. Each character in this novel introduces us or reminds us of unique human experiences. From the young to the old each one a new experience that evoke such emotion that its hard for even the strongest of hearts not to be effected. These experiences may not have been all that pleasant but neither was the life in Dublin. Joyce certainly shows that in his stories. But one must remember that the bad experiences are part of life. How are we to know the good unless we experience the bad? In the end some still might find this book to be dull and boring. I know a few and I can only tell them they need to look at it in another light. James Joyce himself said one of the purposes of this novel was to give the Dubliners "one good look at themselves." So in essence Joyce was not only writing a story for entertainment but a documentary for education. All documentaries have three main purposes. The first is to seek to exalt ordinary people in their ordinary experiences. Joyce showed us they were ordinary and sometimes less. Yet he brought them our level or us to theirs' and showed us their human experiences. By doing this we see how they truly are and they also give us insight into our own lives. The second purpose is to give a voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless. Joyce gave the people of Dublin power by giving them a voice. Through this novel the people of Dublin were able to speak out to the world and to show them how life really is for them and perhaps how to avoid such drama in our own lives. The third and final objective of documentaries is more of an idea. The idea that through tribulation we receive transcendence. The characters of this novel certainly did go through tribulation and now that we have record of it and of their humanistic experiences they will never die. We will forever have a record of these people and what they went through. This novel was a masterpiece not only for its writing but also for its insight. I found it to be provocative and suspenseful. I would suggest reading and keeping such a novel forever. So if anyone out there is looking for enlightenment Dubliners is your vessel.

I opened this book with a limited interest in the Space Race, jet pilots, or Tom Wolfe, but have become fascinated by all three. This is an extremely well written, exciting, fast paced novel that takes place during the early days of space flight and focuses on the personalities who drove our pursuit to beat the Russians. It contains subtle criticism of the space program and the people inside it, which is a nice subplot to the story, but the adventure and energy is what makes this a great book. I will again read Wolfe and want to learn more about the history of the space program now, and when a book inspires these kind of reactions I can not help but recommend it to anyone who asks for a suggestion.

Tom Wolfe gives a brilliantly entertaining and inspirational book about one of the most colorful chapters in recent American history -- from the first supersonic piloted flight up to the early Sixties, when astronauts completed the beginning of America's space program. Wolfe writes about "the right stuff--" a blend of correct judgment, coolness, and the ability to get the job done, no matter what the danger. Wolfe rarely depends on technical stuff, so the book will appeal to those who know or care little about aviation or space, and there's little to deter the squeamish, ither. The author shows the period's bright side (the accomplishments in spite of the danger, the dopamine-flowing release after a job well-done, the intense exhilaration of it all) , and the dark side (the fears of the families, the tragic deaths from minor lapses in luck or judgment, the tedious egomania of many involved in the programs).
This book epitomizes the bright and dark side of Wolfe's school of writing, too. Above all, Wolfe can be as riveting and as entertaining as you'll find -- "truth can be funnier than fiction." I have heard how Wolfe caught the essence of what someone wanted to say even better than the one who said it, and he sure puts you into the thick of the action. The author gives a legitimate and interesting perspective. Nevertheless, this style plays heavily on your emotions, with all the problems that can involve, and the book is not terribly objective -- a purely entertaining incident can assume more importance than it should. Since Wolfe's storytelling style can blur the distinction between fact and conjecture, it "stretches the envelope" of truthtelling, so if another storyteller doesn't have basic integrity (and many authors and journalists regrettably do not), this style of writing can be misleading or deceptive. Character development and depth are questionable; those who have "the right stuff" in the face of danger are portrayed as almost superhuman, and those who don't are made into buffoons (no matter how significant their contributions to the mission). This "tyranny of the cool" can get a bit annoying after a while.
In short, I think Wolfe's book gives a grand idea of the spirit of the times, and of life's entertainment value, but it is rightly considered a novel rather than history. I easily gave it five stars because it is SUCH an inspirational and delightful read, but I would approach it with a bit of light-hearted skepticism.

For a very long time "The Right Stuff" was my favorite book (excluding the Bible, which is unique). Even after reading Dante's "Divine Comedy," I'm not sure Wolfe's book has been dislodged from its position.

Wolfe begins to work his literary magic on the first page. A young, beautiful woman is worried about her husband, a Navy test pilot, having heard that there has been a plane crash. Space buffs like me reading the book are fascinated to realize that the woman is Jane Conrad, wife of Pete Conrad (which, incidentally, tells us that the bad news that day won't be about her husband). If this scene appeared in a different book about the space program, even one as superb as Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" or Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger's "Apollo 13," the account of events, while exciting and suspenseful, would remain on a somewhat mundane plane of everyday reality. Wolfe's glittering, idiosyncratic literary style lifts events into a world of super-reality. We experience Jane Conrad's concern and dread as if we were Jane Conrad. Perhaps more than any other book I have read, "The Right Stuff" has caused me to remember the events it relates as if I lived through them rather than reading about them.

One noteworthy feature of Wolfe's style in this book is his nearly Wagnerian use of verbal "leitmotiven," key phrases which pop up over and over in the book and come to convey far more than the simple content of the words. Anyone who has read the book will remember for a long time Wolfe's use of such phrases as "bad streak," "Flying and Drinking and Drinking and Driving," "the Integral," "our rockets always blow up," "the Presbyterian Pilot," "single combat warrior," "ziggurat," and, of course, "the right stuff."

The book also contains the funniest set-piece in any book I have ever read, the description of the celebration when the astronauts and their families first visit Houston, including the fan dance by the ancient Sally Rand. Interestingly, in the excellent film version of the book this scene was transformed from a hilarious comedy sequence into something elegiac, intercut with the sequence of Chuck Yeager bailing out of a plane (which happened on a different day in reality and in the book) to create drama and suspense. In this radically different form the two sequences are just as effective in the movie as they are in the book.

"The Right Stuff" has sometimes been criticized for being overly fictionalized, or at least speculative. These criticisms probably have a great deal of validity, but they do not alter the fact that "The Right Stuff" is the definitive evocation of that brief era around 1960 when almost anything, good or bad, seemed possible. It is an unforgettable literary achievement.

Hilton's story of the struggle between the real world and utopia is sure give you a pleasing read. The story opens as four Westerners flee from Baskul to avoid a oncoming war. Soon they find themselves highjacked and deposited by the valley of the blue moon also known as Shangri la. The story line then follows the lead character (Conway) and the supporting characters as they struggle to understand the valley, their place in the world and ultimately they must decide to either stay in the valley or return the outside world. Obviously written for the pre-WWII generation Hilton brings to the front the philosophical ideas of peace and warnings of "man's upcoming struggle that will eventually destroy civilization".

The story line is dated and one can, at times, question it's political correctness but it's a good, quick read for anyone interested in religion and spiritual matters. I saw the movie years ago and liked it. After reading the book I would have to say that I like the book more.

I read this book as part of a utopian literature unit in my AP English class. From a political standpoint, this book sparks questions about a utopian society, then answers them with simple, intelligent examples. The emotions that Hilton illustrates are somewhat vague, but he manages to convey a sense of hidden love, peace, and happiness during Conway's stay at Shangri-La. I found myself captivated by the utopian lifestyle, and amazed at the beauty of a seemingly "perfect" community. I give this book four of five stars, however, because I felt it was just a little shallow and would benefit from more details- still an excellent read.

When I read this book, I was transformed! I could actually breath the fresh, cold, Himalayan air that Conway and his entourage and the people of Shangri-La breathed. The language the novel is written in is beautiful and picturesque.

When Conway and his companions flee the warring land they come from, (in a way) they find themselves hijacked, whisked away to paradise: Shangri-La, a place where the air is clean and the living is natural and spiritual and, "moderate." Where people live naturally long lives, hundreds of years, in peace, in love, at one with nature. Hilton's book wisely illustrates that some can never be happy in paradise, they must go on and on searching, but too incredulous to ever actually find anything. In Shangri-La the people, the good, natural people await the destruction of the "outside world," which will surely occur at it's own hand sooner or later as long as people rule themselves with war, lack of moderation, hatred, and a lack of regard for the spiritual nature of humanity. Then the people of Shangri-La will spread the paradise to the far reaches of earth. No doubt, James Hilton has read not only the Bible, but many other spiritual books, because I find myself thinking of Buddism, Judaism, Christianity (as opposed to Christendom), Hinduism, and other Eastern religions and forms of spirituality and well as Western religion and forms of spirituality. What an inspiring view.

The "outside" world will eventually destroy itself if humanity continues on the road of "unintelligent leadership," war, hatred, discrimination, excess, selfishness, lack of moderation, lack of respect and care for nature, lack of conservation, lack of respect for self, and lack of respect and care for other human beings and all our fellow animals. The question is: Will there be a "Shangri-La" there to save us? Do we really want to take that chance?

An aimless work of stark realism, "Studs Lonigan" has the distinction of being one of the earliest Irish American bildungsromans, a trilogy of novels covering the later half of its title character's life from his grammar school graduation in 1916 to his ignominious death in the depths of the Great Depression. In between there's a lot of drinking, fighting, singing, grumbling, praying, implied swearing and sexual activity, bad prose, and not much else.

William "Studs" Lonigan is an archetypal boy growing up in a tough working-class Irish neighborhood in Chicago's south side. The oldest of four children, Studs is a lazy student and, despite his mother's wish for him to enter the priesthood, flounders in high school and wastes his time hanging out in poolrooms and getting in scraps, ultimately going to work for his father's painting company. Farrell successfully turns the Chicago neighborhoods into interesting fictional settings, but he never manages to elevate Studs and his boorish friends above the flatness and dullness of negative stereotypes.

Farrell paints a candid, savage portrait of racism and bigotry in the Irish American enclave. There is a genuine fear of blacks moving into and taking over their neighborhoods, and a distrust of Jews as real estate agents who are orchestrating this migration and as "international bankers" who have sunk America into its Depression. To be fair, these sentiments are not unanimous among the Irish characters in the book, but they constitute a world view expressed by Studs's financially embattled father and shared by many sympathizers.

The book's prose matches its protagonist: simple, gritty, and slovenly. Farrell writes in the third person, but the voice is Studs's; the young man's thoughts concerning life, love, and sex are of the most basic. The third novel of the trilogy, "Judgment Day," is the best, in which the writing matures with Studs as he becomes engaged to a nice girl, worries about his weak heart and his inability to stop smoking, and struggles to find lucrative work during the draconian economic times. Here the book also achieves a sort of dramatic crescendo, as general anxiety about the Depression, panic over closing banks and plunging stocks, and paranoia over "Reds" combine with the ominous state of Studs's health in a nightmare of Dreiseresque misery.

The book has some fine passages, but my overall opinion is lukewarm at best. The simplistic prose, although maybe a stylistic necessity, is no fun when it is used at such length to document a life as uneventful as Studs's; given the clownishness of the violent scenes, at times it's like reading a comic book without the pictures. The book doesn't seem to have any purpose other than to introduce an Irish milieu into the American literary canon -- it certainly doesn't bother to give Studs's life any purpose -- and that just isn't enough to sustain a 900-page novel.

The "Studs Lonigan" trilogy, James T. Farrell's forgotten masterwork, deserves a new generation of readers desiring assurance that ours is not the first generation to experience the hopelessness of youth without direction and life without purpose. The three self-standing novels follow the youth, adolescence, and manhood of a Chicago Irish-Catholic named William "Studs" Lonigan. What shocked readers when the novels were first published in the early 1930s--a brutal street life characterized by cigarettes and alcohol, senseless violence and casual sex--strikes the reader today for the directness and honesty with which Farrell treats the lives of lower-middle-class youth caught up in the whirlwind of social and economic transformations that followed the First World War.

Despite his self-destruction, Studs remains a sympathetic character. Unlike some of his friends, he does, at least occasionally, have a clue as to what is bringing him to his "Judgment Day" (the title of the last novel). Even so, conquering the limitations of his upbringing, which are only compounded by the miseries of the Depression, remains an overwhelming challenge.

Farrell's Chicago is as important a character as Studs. The city is a living organism that grows, changes, shows its beauties (in some of the author's most lyrical moments), threatens, and, ultimately, continues to exist oblivious of its inhabitants.

Perhaps Farrell overdoes the slang, and occasionally a scene is all too predictable. But not always, especially as Studs comes to adulthood and is increasingly torn by conflicting temptations and an ingrained desire for respectability.

Together with John Dos Passos, his better- remembered contemporary, James Farrell has captured a memorable segment of American life with techniques that include variations on Dos Passos' newreels. Unlike the author of "U.S.A.", however, Farrell leaves us with a memorable character who demands our attention just as forcibly as when he was a cake-eater walking Chicago's Fifty-eighth Street.

Many a person may be intimidated by the length of this great work of literature, and never take the time to read it. Do not be one of those unfortunate souls. This book is truly not to be missed.

While pieces of the book focus on depression era politics and problems (for a more detailed analysis of the plot, see Mike O Farrell's review below), the themes that run throughout this novel have been with us since the very beginning of time. At its heart, this story is about a young man who has always imagined greatness for himself. He lives deep inside the recesses of his own mind (as we all do) and accordingly finds it hard to believe that he is not unique, somehow different from all of his friends, family, and acquaintances. James T. Farrell's tragedy unfolds as Studs slowly comes to realize that he is just another guy, making his own way through this life and trying to make just a little bit of sense out of it all.

If you have come to literature to find some answers, this is probably not your book. Like all great novelists, Farrell is simply showing you the way he sees things, and bringing up enough raw material from the detritus of life to make you stop, and think, and wonder.

I have read this book when i was 13. I found it very thrilling and unique. you can never find a book quite like it any whare. And if you liked black beauty you'll love smokey the cow horse. It is about a horse who was born on a cattle farm. It is from the horses point of view. Very few books are written about a horses point of view. so all horse lovers will be thrilled by this book.

I really wish I could have read this book when I was young. I think I would have loved the story of a horse born in the wild (probably in Montana) who becomes a legendary cowhorse, is stolen to become a legend in the rodeo circuit, and finally returns to the hills of his birth. Will James was a former rodeo participant and the book is written in the vernacular of the West (An earlier reviewer didn't care for the book because it didn't use proper English. I enjoyed it for that fact because it made the story seem more real coming from the pen of a cowboy). The book won the 1927 Newbery Medal for best contribution to American children's literature.

This is an enlightened and, by all accounts of the author, true story about a lowly cow horse that devoted himself to his work and friendship with his rider that went on to be a rodeo sensation and top attraction. The book follows his life from birth in the high country of Montana to his abusive life under cruel masters. The book ends with his return to his first master and friend. They return to the country that he grew up in. I think this is a good book to read over and over, you'll always find something new and inspiring.

This book was interesting and I couldn't put it down. Of course, this was written by Jules Verne and was filled with exciting moments. Philleas Fogg, an Englishman, bets 20,000 pounds that he can travel around the world in 80 days with his companion and sevant named Jean Passepartout. After betting this money at the reform club, he departs soon from London and travels all the way around the world. After arriving in many different countries by many different means of transportation, he lands in India and runs into a enchanting young princess who is about to be killed. Fogg and Passepartout come to the rescue and keep moving right along. And soon, they fell in love. But this whole time, there was trouble right behind him. Detective Fix thinks Fogg was a bank robber and this detective is following him everywhere so he can arrest him in London. Passepartout ends up thinking this man is a member of the reform club, and thinks he's trying to stop them from getting there. After many close calls through transportation and an arrest, Fogg arrives. But you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens. It's a wonderful book and if you haven't read it, it's a good book to read.

I think this book is a superior book because it is full of action. This book is about a man named Mr. Phileas Fogg, and his faithful servant, Passepartout, that wager a bet that They can travel the whole world in eighty days stopping at Suez via Mont Cenis and Brindisi, then to Bombay, then Calcutta, Hong Kong, Japan (Yokohama), San Francisco, New York, back to London, all within eighty days, and by steamboats, and trains. However, a nosy detective, Detective Fix, tracks them down, and tries to arrest Mr. Fogg because he believes that Fogg stole fifty-five thousand pounds. As one may guess, this greatly detains Mr. Fogg, and it seems like he may not make the trip around the world after all. However, the Fix never seems to catch up with Fogg, and Fogg triumphs over most of the obstacles that come his way, like missing boats, missing trains, missing people, and Fogg even meets and rescues a beautiful Indian Princess called Aouda. However, Fix finally catches up to the detective, and everything seems lost for Fogg until Fix discovers that Fogg was not the robber, and Fogg is released. Even so, Fogg is one day late, and in doing so, misses the train that would have taken him to London precisely to win the bet. He ordered a special train, but even in doing so, still misses the bet...or so he thinks. The ending of the book is a very unexpected one. Read this book and find out!

Before there was any kind of high-speed travel an English gentleman named Phileas Fogg betted 20,000 pounds that he can travel around the world in 80 or less days. He starts his journey in London. On his way he meets a beautiful Indian Princess. Fogg also gets mistaken for a criminal. During his whole journey he has a detective following him trying to arrest him when the warrant arrives. In the book you follow Fogg's adventures through four continents when he is racing against time. The book is fast-paced, action-packed adventure with both romance and danger.

The characters in the story were introduced very well, especially Phileas Fogg. In the beginning of the book you get to know that Fogg is a very private gentleman. He never goes to any social places except the Reform Club. A remarkable thing about Fogg is that his life is centered around the clock. He is very precise and always on time. Every day he follows the exact same schedule. Phileas Fogg does not have a wife or any kids.

The setting of the book was very jumpy. Since Fogg travels through many continents and countries the setting changes all the time. You still feel you know a little bit about every place that he comes to, even if he only stays there for a couple of hours.

When I started reading the book I thought it would be a really good book and it really did meet my standards. I would recommend it to any one who likes adventure and action. Since it is written in so many different versions a person almost any age can read it.