"Little Me" is a lavish autobiography of an completely fictional (but wonderfully imagined) movie actress. This book is a witty parody of every self-serving and self-deceiving memoir ever penned by a movie star (and their "ghost writer"). On the surface all is respectability, but between the lines it's bawdy and gay and very funny. We are treated to hundreds of photos, including Belle's favorite leading man "Letch Feely" and her "pals" Carstair Bagley (cum Charles Laughton) and "Helen Highwater". One of the daffiest elements is the excessive use of "quotation marks" to set off "Hollywood lingo" -- all of which is very familiar to the average movie fan. (I recently discovered this same bad habit in a movie memoir entitled "A Cast of Thousands" by Anita Loos. She wrote it in the 50s, so I'm pretty sure Dennis was parodying her use of quotations.) Patrick Dennis got is so right that he even has Belle referring to her child as "Baby Dearest" -- and this was YEARS before the tell-all book "Mommie Dearest!" Read this book out loud and you and your friends will be laughing out loud!

Five stars plus! I am thrilled that Patrick Dennis' "Little Me" will be re-released in October. Bar none, this is the FUNNIEST spoof I have ever read. Although I liked "Auntie Mame," it pales in comparison to the tale of stage and screen star Belle Poitrine. I laughed out loud several times every page. I have lent this book to friends who share my enthusiam for this utter masterpiece of satiric "celebrity autobiography". The many photos interspersed throughout are wonderfully done also. Feeling down? Need a lift? This extravagantly witty book will do the trick! Put it this way: "Little Me" out-cartoons New Yorker cartoons. I have no higher praise! I would give the book ten stars if I could.

Five stars plus! I am thrilled that Patrick Dennis' "Little Me" will be re-released in October. Bar none, this is the FUNNIEST spoof I have ever read. Although I liked "Auntie Mame," it pales in comparison to the tale of stage and screen star Belle Poitrine. I laughed out loud several times every page. I have lent this book to friends who share my enthusiam for this utter masterpiece of satiric "celebrity autobiography". The many photos interspersed throughout are wonderfully done also. Feeling down? Need a lift? This extravagantly witty book will do the trick! Put it this way: "Little Me" out-cartoons New Yorker cartoons. I have no higher praise! I would give the book ten stars if I could.

I loved this book.

The characters are wonderful and will live in your heart long after you put the book down. Read the other two books in this series, too, which are equally as good.

I enjoyed the very human qualities of the characters -- they were vulnerable yet all had strengths sometimes they didn't even know they had. Even the Christian characters weren't perfect, but true-to-life, especially Dr. Bower whose endearing mishaps only added to the strength of his character.

Sometimes the middle section of a book sags, but that wasn't true with this book. It started out interesting and remained so throughout.

The one disappointment in the end is not knowing what becomes of Lukas's relationship with Mercy. You have to read the other two books to find out!

A thoroughly satisifying book with a strong (though not intrusive) spiritual message.

I read a lot of Christian books, but most of them are non-fiction. I'm very selective about the fiction I read - there's just not enough time to read all the good stuff out there! I used to enjoy reading Robin Cook's medical suspense books, so I was glad to see this series of three medical/suspense Christian novels.

This is the first of a series - the second is Solemn Oath and last is Silent Pledge. Reading them in order is highly recommended!

This wonderful series is centered around a small-town hospital emergency room in Missouri.

The medical parts ring true for a good reason - Hannah Alexander is a pen name for a husband/wife writing team and the husband is an ER physician! These books will appeal to both men and women, and contain suspense, drama, a little romance and a lot of inspiration. I became very attached to the characters of Lukas, Mercy, Clarence, Ivy, and many more. The story also paints a wonderful picture of God's forgiveness and grace in the character of Theodore and others' responses to him.

The only downside to these books is that there are only 3 of them and I've read them all...

Happy reading!

There's plenty of drama and just enough romance that both men and women will enjoy this fast-paced medical drama. The medical terminology is well-used and realistic, but what captured me most were the personalities of the characters. The authors have a way of making the reader care about emergency room patients we'd only met a page or two ago. Very well-drawn and real characters -- heroes and heroines, but very human too...people I could relate to. Best of all, there are two more books in the series!

I am a native Texan and history buff, but I was never aware of the important role many small Texas towns played in the aerial war efforts of the United States. What a revelation this book provided.

Very well written, interesting, informative, humorous and sometimes tragic, The Stars Were Big and Bright is one book that will remain in my personal library for years to come. It is sure to be reread whenever the urge to revisit the history of Texas' contribution to the U.S. Army Air Force's efforts during WWI and WWII.

I was impressed also with the numerous vintage photograps, maps, descriptions of the relevant airfields, aircraft photos and specifications, as well as the high level of documentation from primary source documents.

This book absolutely has to be the best book on this topic yet written. Perhaps the author, Thomas E. Alexander, will treat us to another great book in the future.

"The Stars Were Big and Bright" is a compelling read about a time when people of the United States banded together in a common cause and about the Texas homefront during wartime. What makes this book an intereting read is that it contains not just the facts but the reactions of soldiers and Texans alike.

This book provides a worthwhile survey of the role of military aviation...anecdotal details keep the text lively...vintage and contemporary photographs make the book valuable for anyone interested in the military buildup that affected Texas communities...

Everyone else is saying what I would. This book is fantastic. Great illustrations, great captions, great information hard to find elsewhere! Get it!

This book is fat and loaded with color plates of pretty much every major example of medieval/renaissance alchemical artwork. It seems impossible that such a book would be so inexpensive! As such it is an invaluable reference guide. There are textual explanations of each plate included in the book, some more detailed than others, though the text won't help you understand the emblems or the subtext if you don't already know about it. I would recommend anyone interested in alchemical imagery to visit the Alchemy website (...) and check out anything else online by Adam McLean.

Hot off the shelf from some wizard harem this "brickbook" consisting of about a 1000 full-color illustrations on over 700 pages of glossified paper from the Renaissance & Enlightenment eras' for the most part, but going back to the early post-crucfixion days of the prevailing Mystery Religions and into our terrifying millenary day with a few examples of Modernist/Post-Modernist Art such as Duchamp's work & the playwright August Strindberg's cosmological photographic exposures to the night sky; several references to Fulcanelli as well as Theosophical Architectural drawings...around 30 pieces from the AURORA CONSURGENS (14-17th cen./see CGJung's writings) are celebrated herein, they are some of the most intriguing works I have ever seen!; all variety of outtakes from myriad illuminated manuscripts & Medieval incunabula fill these pages; but it is mostly the Renaissance Hermetic texts of the Alchemists and Mystics (hence the title) that is represented in the finest detailed prints; from Anastasius Kircher's beautiful cabalistic diagrams to the mnemonic palaces & Hermetic/Alchemical graphics of Robert Fludd, H.Khunrath, Jacob Bohme, M.Maier...the names go on in a never ending procession of Renaissance & Enlightenment Artistic brilliance. There is no other work ever printed in the last few hundred years, at least that I have ever even heard of mythologized by bibliophiles & collectors or Antiquarians that warrants comparison with such a high-quality work as this is and for such a trifle of a price! For the sheer bulk, much less the quality prints that one gets from Sir Benedikt Taschen's wondrous press (which is unequalled in the Art world!) the price is practically nil as even a lesser book consisting of half the number of the same works would go for 10 times what Mr. taschen's offering it to the world for!...and only Taschen could ever come up with a second volume to match it! I & many others I suppose have fantasized for hundreds of years perhaps for a book like this to be published at under a 1000 dollars say; for it is definitely a luxury item for poorer students & scholars both independent and academic to be able to afford such a sublime effort and product as this, for which I thank Taschen press from the bottom of a bookish passion for all they have done in just the past decade or so. The work defends itself, nay it has no need but only should be championed by anyone who appreciates and admires history itself. This book is a lens by which one can focus in on lost eras whose words cannot be trusted nearly as much as these illustrative works; it's a catalogue of dreams, maps of lost and/or forgotten utopian ideals, charts of spiritual aspirations and records of strange initiations; a massive book of riddles in pictograph, for which the puzzle-subject is one's very own microprosopus-being whose final assembly means heaven reached or paradise achieved; & at the least intellectual delight/enlightenment, & gnosis at best. The artwork is perhaps from the most sublime genre of them all, the human tradition at the heart of all scientific endeavor & religious searching; it is no less than an journey into both inner & outer space, whose realms the artists' believed an iron lung was not necessary in order to explore, and which many mystics & theologians of contemporary times as well as philosophers & scientists of the past are inclined to agree. The book should give "Occulture" a whole new rightful respect for it's rich past filled with sheer artistic brilliance and depth of knowledge, and I need not mention those aspirations which are the highest humankind can ever aspire to in any age that are herein depicted and portrayed in the most profound ways imaginable that many dragons herein seem almost ready to take flight in many a reader's enriched mind...ouroboros, the snake that eats itself revolves furiously and only ceases and stands still when the book is opened so that its admirers may better perceive its classical serpentine symmetry...such is the magic that is just barely contained in this museum catalogue from the deepest recesses of humankind's time here in these terrestrial & celestial spheres in the immense spaces, sublime in all the terror they hold for such miniscule beings, ("Aliens of Universal charity" as Constant said) aspiring to so large a consciousness which is charted in the finest infinitesimal details in this atlas of human history.

If you've ever wanted to just read a well written book with simple, practical advise on how to improve your life - this is it. Chris Alexander is an excellent writer who manages to get to the heart of a matter and make sense. Much emphasis is placed on a person's synergy and if that sounds too mystical to you - it's not. It's simply about the way one chooses to think and act everyday. Practical methods that you can use everyday will soon have you realize that much of the stress we put ourselves through is wasteful and unnecessary. This is a fast read and one that seems almost too simple and too good to be true. Well, I can only suggest reading it, but I found it to be very practical.

During my recovery from major surgery, I was fortunate to have Chris Alexander's book Creating Extraordinary Joy. I made a point to read it and experience it, daily. Even though my body was often wracked with pain, the exercises in the book allowed me to learn how to overcome my physical challenges by learning to focus, meditate, create affirmations, face my fears and review my entire life.
What a wonderful tool to have especially when you are forced to rest and when your main goal is to recuperate.
I would recommend this meaningful treasure to all who desire self-improvement and rapid healing. I personally experienced both! Thanks Chris!

As a kid, I dreamed about one day finding Aladdin's lamp and presenting the Genie with the perfect wish...something that wouldn't later backfire on me in some unexpected way. Finally, I hit upon the one truly foolproof wish - JOY! What could be simpler? So, to that extent at least, I was already on my way. I knew WHERE I wanted to be. My only question was HOW? Chris Alexander provided a clear, step-by-step process describing exactly how to not only get there but also how to stay there...connected to that newfound sense of joy.

CREATING EXTRAORDINARY JOY moves the reader towards the synergy found in creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The different steps along the way, the various excerises and the many people you meet through a sharing of their individual stories combine to form a kind of road map. The journey revisits family and friends, goals and passions, guilts and fears. The destination is finally reached when you realize you're back where you started. The Genie is not out there...he's inside you...waiting to be freed.

An intelligent and insightful work, Chris Alexander has something for everyone at every point along their personal path to creating extraordinary joy.

One of the most enjoyable memoirs I've ever read. I disagree with the reviewer who said Alexander tended to bragg about his accomplishments. If anything, I thought this book rather modest. However, Alexander is not shy about sharing his opinions, but this did not impress me as bragging. His vignettes of the leaders he had personnal dealings with are priceless and add a dimension to my impressions of men such as Lee and Longstreet. The book left me wanting to know about Alexander the man. No good biography of him exists to my knowledge. I read one account a number of years ago in 'Civil War Times Illustrated' that stated he had a rather nasty temper. I was unable to form a mental picture of the man from reading his book because the narrative is that of a good-natured fellow teling the openly honest story of his war service. I was left wanting to get to know this person a little better. This is a must read.

I think that as time goes by, Porter Alexander's personal memoirs, written for his family and thus very candid, will come to be seen as an outstanding work both of historical reminiscence and of 19th century writing. The Introduction, in which Alexander tells of some incidents from his boyhood, is worth the entire book. But, there is more. Alexander worked either as signals officer, ordnance officer or artillery commander for virtually everybody in the Army of Northern Virginia, including Beauregard, J.E. Johnston, Stonewall Jackson, Longstreet, and Lee. He participated in virtually every major battle. He has the rare ability to desribe events in a fresh and modern manner, so that the reader is there with him in the thick of things. I can only imagine the thrill that the editor must have had when he found these papers at UNC in 1989. Alexander apparently wrote a more formal history of the Civil War published in 1907 with which I am not familiar. Although the frontispiece shows an unremarkable face, the writing shows the glowing intelligence and enthusiasm that must have impressed his superiors and led to his being given one responsible assignment after another. By being present, but a generation younger than the ANV leaders, he is able to give both intimate, but also critical pictures of them. This book is indispensible to anyone with an interest in the Civil War in the Eastern Theater. A true classic.

E.P. Alexander, Longstreet and Lee's Chief of Artillery, wrote two books. This book, his first, was written while Alexander was in Central America, without access to the Official Records, etc. Thus, he wrote primarily from memory. Alexander started the work at the urgings of his children and did not intend the work to be published. It was meant for his family only. As a result, it is a very personal account of his life during the Civil War. He does go into detail regarding battles in which he participated and freely offers his opinions about various strategies, tactics and leaders. (If no one but his family was to read it, then there was no one to offend.) In his opinions Alexander comes across as scrupulously honest and straight-forward, not to mention intelligent. Later Alexander decided to write a 2nd book; and at first he used these recollections as the basis for that book (whose title I forget). He then gave up this tactic and wrote his 2nd book from "scratch". So now, Gary Gallagher has once again come to the rescue and pieced together Alexander's first writings - which is this particular book......Overall, I found this to be one of the most interesting and enjoyable books I have read. It is very funny at times; then often sad. It contains much information about battles; and also insights into the leaders of those battles. But while his 2nd book is a strict military tract about the Civil War, this 1st book also gives the reader a "feel" for the people involved. It was a joy to read - one great book!

The book hits you like a slap to the face. Right from page 1. Some of the ordeals Alexander Dolgun goes through are mind boggling.

Beyond the story of a man who endures everything, I also enjoyed the narrative on the internal problems of the Soviet communist system. Whereas most of my knowledge of the USSR is based on the American Media, this book put a face and a heart around cold war russians.

The book began to drag near then end, but overall an amazing book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Survival, simple torture, and Cold-War Russia.

I enjoy the genre of adventure stories with a few exceptions. Most mountain-climbing books leave me numbly wondering why people are so stupid. ...

That said, I really enjoy these Man vs. World accounts. This book is the tale of an American kidnapped by the Soviets and held in Russia for years. His tale of the tortures he and his fellow prisoners endure will make you question how a man can survive so much with his sanity intact.

Dolgun does a wonderful job portraying prison life and despair and how prisoners cope with horrific limitations. His accounts of the people and places he experienced in Russia are as penetrating as a Dostoyevsky or Dickens. If you're interested in the Gulag, this is a much more accessible work than any of those by Sozhenitsyn with the exception of "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich". That account is fictional; this account is not.

I note that you can buy a good used copy for a buck here on Amazon. Spend that buck and be amazed that this book didn't make anyone's top 5 list of adventure stories.

Wow! I read the condensed version of this book when I was 12. Now I am 15 and still love it. In fact, I'm even using it for a book report in school. Buy it, read it, treasure it forever!

A subtitle of 'Sacraments and Orthodoxy' likely draws a disinterested note in the minds of many, yet the true magic of Fr. Schmemann's writing is its ability to broach such intricate and essential subjects with all the magnetism of a brilliant poet. His words speak almost like a song, and draw the reader into a heartfelt and meaningful discussion of the very centre of Orthodox Christian life.

One of Fr. Schmemann's great legacies to Orthodoxy in America --and indeed, the world-- was the energy he put into revitalizing the sacramental spirit of its people. 'For the Life of the World' is a book which seeks just that goal: to remind Christians of their Eucharistic centre, and open their eyes to a way of living life 'sacramentally.' It is a book that discusses the heart of Orthodox theology, yet it is a simple book. It is a book that discusses the greatest mysteries of creation, yet in the most personal of manners.

There are few books which, in so few pages, can make so great an impact on their readers. So strong was its spiritual impact when first published as a paper, that this book was hand-translated into common Russian and smuggled into that country to serve as a help for the persecuted faithful.

'For the Life of the World' is one book that, truly, no heartfelt Christian person should be without.

Father Alexander Schmemann, of blessed memory, explains in a stunningly articulate and beautiful work the Orthodox approach to sacramentality. Father Alexander's book is less concerned with issues of "validity" and "form", and much more concerned with intrinsic meaning and spirituality. For Father Alexander, the Christian life is quintessentially Eucharistic in nature, and it is against this background that the remainder of life is imbued with sacredness and meaning. This is a brief work, but an excellent read both for Orthodox Christians as well as others who wish to understand the true meaning of Christian sacramental life.

The late Orthodox Priest, educator, and writer, Alexander Schmemann has written a profound text dealing with the sacarments of the Church. The book works on several fronts.

One, the text works well for laity who have little academic training, but want a truly deeply provoking book on the sacramental and liturgictal life of the Church. Secondly, it is written well enough for academics to read and pondure insightful scholarship on doctrines such as the Eucharist and its revelance when looking at the creation, man's present condition, and the Kingdom of God. Further, it gives a perspective not often read about in Western Protestant circles and brings historical tecahings into a mystical, yet, understandable (though not completely comprehendable) way. This may appeal to Western Christians who want mystery, but are afraid of leaviing there mind at the door.

This book is a must read. Edifying for all, whether Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox.

Alexander Kent is often compared to C.S. Forester, and the Bolitho books are a worthy successor to Hornblower's adventures. Richard Bolitho is somewhat like Hornblower, a sensitive, humanitarian officer, who often goes beyond the letter of his orders to storm his way to victory. He forms a lifelong friendship with Thomas Herrick, who first appears in the series and in this book, as Bush is a friend to Hornblower, but there are a number of differences. We see a lot more of Bolitho's family than we ever knew of Hornblower, his dad, who has been retired by injuries from the sea, a family with a long tradition of seamen, a brother who deserts and comes back to haunt Richard's path, and more family down the road. But one thing that dominates these books, and those who have run out of Hornblower books to read will love, is a wonderfully rich description of life on sailing ships in the Royal Navy, although this book, the earliest written, leaves us at the end with something of an anti-climax at the battle of the Saintes. That would really be my only criticism--but it is a wonderfully exciting tale of derring-do. Bolitho even has to contend, not just with a ship that has run away from battle at the start, before he assumed command, but he has to keep his ship from mutiny again as the story unfolds. I like Bolitho, I think, almost as well as Hornblower.

Though Richard Bolitho is old enough and experienced enough to be taking on his first frigate command as this book opens, it is in fact the first of the Bolitho novels to have been published. A tyrannical previous captain has driven the crew to the edge of mutiny and as Bolitho sails for the West Indies for the closing stages of the American War of Independence his own crew is as much a threat to him as is the enemy. A skilfully handled American Privateer almost brings Bolitho's career to a premature end and the identity of its captain is such as to rub salt in the wound. Despite all, Bolitho battles back with courage, indomitability and humane leadership and forges his crew and ship into a single weapon that comes victoriously through the decisive Battle of the Saintes, the last of the war. One stalwart supporter of Bolitho makes his exit in glory while another, Allday, makes his first appearance in a most dramatic way. All the best features of the other novels in the series - convincing characterisation, absorbing technical detail, exciting action sequences and a strong plot line - are apparent in this earliest-published adventure.

Mr Kent delivers another classic account of Richard Bolitho and his adventures. A well written and detailed tale of sea battles, workings of the British ship at war, the customs, the dangers. The characters are great and the plot is superb. I recommend all of Kent's Bolitho series, you won't be disappointed.

I'm a Russian Language and Literature major in Yonsei Univ. in Korea. Having lived in Moscow for around 3 years, I'd heard there a lot about Pushkin and read many of his famous works. The most prestigious of his, however, must be "Onegin." It's a great mixture of verse and prose in its form. If possible, try to read this in Russian, as well. This long poetical prose was written for 8 years and the ending rhyme perfectly matches for the entire line until the very end. Compared to others, it is definitely a conspicuous and brilliant one. "Onegin" can be the author himself or yourself. The love between Onegin and TaTyana is neither the cheap kind of love that often appears in any books nor the tragic one that is intended to squeze your tears. As a literature, this book covers not only love between passionate youth, but also a large range of literary works in it, which can tell us about the contemporary literature current and its atmosphere. Calling Onegin "My friend", Pushkin, the author, shows the probability and likelihood of the work. Finally, I'm just sorry that the title has been changed into English. The original name must be "Yevgeni Onegin(¬¦¬Ó¬Ô¬Ö¬ß¬Ú¬Û ¬°¬ß¬Ö¬Ô¬Ú¬ß)." If you are a literature major or intersted in it, I'd like to recommand you read this. You can't help but loving the two lovers and may reread it, especially the two correspondences through a long period of time. Only with readng this book, you'll also learn a huge area of the contemporary literature of the 19th century from the books mentioned in "Onegin" that take part as its subtext. Enjoy yourself!

I think this book/poem should be made manditory in every institution worldwide. I told everyone who was willing to listen and the rest that this was fantastic. I rang people while reading it to quote lines. It made me laugh and cry and was continuously brilliant. My every praise goes out to the translator.
When i had finished (by the way i read the whole thing in two sittings)i started flipping to random pages and found myself practically reading the whole thing all over again.
I do not speak Russian but have read many Russian books and this really does stand out as being amazing.

If you are thinking of reading this book you needn't think twice about it.

I have read four translations of this novel and James Falen's is my favorite one. He has translated Pushkin's classic in a fun, witty way which doesn't take too much away from the original Russian version (which I have also read). Granted, something is always lost in a translation, but it certainly doesn't take away from the humor and wit of this translation. If you are interested in a literal, as-close-to-the-original-as-possible translation, then I highly suggest Nabokov's translation, which (in my opinion) is somewhat dry and boring, but extremely accurate. It is all a matter of taste...what the reader wants. If you want accuracy, you will have to sacrifice some of the fun. If you want the fun, you will have to sacrifice some of the accuracy. I prefer the fun, therefore I preferred this version of Onegin.