Product Description
The acclaimed Couture Classics with cover designs by Ruben Toledo have become collector's items in the worlds of literature, fashion, design, and popular culture.Now, Toledo's signature style graces the covers of three new Deluxe Editions of gothic literature greats-Jane Eyre, Dracula, and The Picture of Dorian Gray-capturing the haunting beauty, sensual horror, and decadence of these iconic tales.

Perfect additions to the first set of Couture Classics: Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and The Scarlet Letter.Amazon.com Review
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception ora loving portrait of the aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both?After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, hissubject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain thesame comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while hecontinues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman,"as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife,"Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision orsurroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. Thebirds sing just as happily in my garden."

As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happyfriend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest withany number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "Whenwe are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are notalways happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, ThePicture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two(voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever newsensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-roomdiscussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novelcontradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artisthas ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is anunpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boygets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it bothways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its ownpunishment." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (391)

Where is the famous preface?
The preface is missing which is a critical to the book! Print it out from some other source if you are going to buy this edition. The story is amazing otherwise!

Re-read
I grew up reading the classics, and as a young child this story terrified me.I re-read it and enjoyed it again!

Read it once, but only once
The most disappointing part of this book is that it read more like a non-fiction philosophy book than a story or novel. I would say 70% of the pages were portrayed as thoughts of a character or a speech of a character contemplating life, women, how we are suppose to live, etc.

The actual story was hidden throughout the book, but you have to drone on through many pages to find it. The story itself is highly predictable and yet still has many missing parts to it. Many years of Dorian Gray's life is missing where it is hinted to that he commit's the most awful sins. I think reading of those sinful actions was to be more entertaining than the rabbit trails that Wilde goes on.

Despite these facts, I am glad that I read the book once. It held my attention enough and was brilliant enough that I did learn something from the book, which is a great accomplishment in itself, to teach a reader a few principals that may slightly help or change on any small level, the readers actions. So I do recommend this book if you have no more pressing serious books on your reading list.

On a side note, I do disagree with all the reviews I have seen on this book where the reader says that they can not relate to Dorian Gray's sins and that his sins are outdated. His chief sins in the book are (SMALL SPOILER ALERT) murder, drug use, pride, treating others harshly and without respect, using women in many ways, etc. are all sins practiced today even if they are not practiced exactly the way they are in the book. If you can relate to none of those sins in any way, then you are a better person than I, or suffer from foolish pride which is the chief sin in the book.

The Picture of Dorian Gray
I am pleased with my shipping and the product is how it was described. Fast shipping.

Well written, but not enjoyable
I read this book as a child (around 11) in Russian. Finally decided to re-read it in English. I was astonished as to how differently I perceived it this time around. Without a question, Wilde is a master of words, but the subject of this book was questionable. It appeared to me, that Wilde was set on pushing his own philosophy and views of life and self onto others, and, as I read it, I found myself rejecting it with every fiber of my being. I was rather surprised to have such a strong reaction to this piece of literature. Would not read again and would not recommend it to others either. Just my two cents. ... Read more

Product Description
The 1938 classic tells the story of Mr. Popper, the small-town housepainter who dreamed of exploring Antarctic regions, and Captain Cook, the redoubtable penguin who turned Mr. Popper's world upside down. Reprint. Newbery Honor Book. H. SLJ. NYT. AB. Amazon.com Review
More than 60 years have not dated this wonderfully absurd tale--it stillmakes kids (and parents) laugh out loud. Poor Mr. Popper isn't exactlyunhappy; he just wishes he had seen something of the world before meetingMrs. Popper and settling down. Most of all, he wishes he had seen thePoles, and spends his spare time between house-painting jobs reading all aboutpolar explorations. Admiral Drake, in response to Mr. Popper's fan letter,sends him a penguin; life at 432 Proudfoot Avenue is never the sameagain. From one penguin living in the icebox, the Popper family grows toinclude 12 penguins, all of whom must be fed. Thus is born "Popper'sPerforming Penguins, First Time on Any Stage, Direct from the South Pole."Their adventures while on tour are hilarious, with numerous slapstickmoments as the penguins disrupt other acts and invade hotels. Classicchapter-a-night fun.(Ages 5 to 10) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Customer Reviews (153)

A great book that desevers to be read by you great people
this book is sooo great i read it in school and i would sugest it for people of all ages. its funny and very clever.

My 7yo adored this book!
We read this to our 7yo son every night before bed, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.We found ourselves laughing aloud at the funny antics of the penguins.I consider it a must read, and we're looking forward to sharing it with our 3yo when he's a bit older.

A Pleasure to Read Aloud as a Family
Looking for a fun read aloud? This is your book! It's sweet, funny, and interesting. I found myself chuckling through passages as I read aloud to my family at night. Great book. Wish this couple had written others. Enjoy!

A good book to help a child's transition to books with more text
"Mr. Popper's Penguins" is the first book I picked to help my 6.5-year-old daughter advance beyond picture books and, all in all, it was a good choice.It was more of an experiment to see how well she stayed with a story if we read a chapter each night.

I won't rehash the story, but instead focus on the book's format.With about 20 chapters and 135 pages, each night consisted of about six to seven pages of reading, but since the book was small, the text amply spaced and each chapter contained a small picture or two, it amounted to about ten minutes or less of me reading to her.So, reading a chapter a night was easily managed, permitting a "quick" bedtime, Q.T. with my daughter and an introduction to longer text stories for her.(Note: she is able to read picture books [i.e. Little Bear, Dr. Suess, etc.] on her own without issue.)

In addition to all that, "Mr. Popper's Penguins" is a good story that is well told, concise and able to give many an adult book a run for its entertaining money.

Fabulous book
Mr. Popper's Penguins is an excellent book for any child, or adult, who has a great imagination and likes to laugh. The things that happen to the Popper family and their penguins make for a great read. ... Read more

Product Description
The acclaimed Couture Classics with cover designs by Ruben Toledo have become collector's items in the worlds of literature, fashion, design, and popular culture.Now, Toledo's signature style graces the covers of three new Deluxe Editions of gothic literature greats-Jane Eyre, Dracula, and The Picture of Dorian Gray-capturing the haunting beauty, sensual horror, and decadence of these iconic tales.

Perfect additions to the first set of Couture Classics: Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and The Scarlet Letter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (911)

Used books
I would recommend amazon to everyone who wants to save a bit of money. I purchased this book used and it was in perfect condition. there is a wide variety of used books. Amazon gets a wooohoo from me

Helped me cruise through my workouts!
Wow!This woman can write a book that keeps you interested from the beginning.I was very impressed!To write with an ability to perfectly and mysteriously capture each characters personality.It is awesome, just read it!

Dame Darcy: Jane Eyre
Trying to get your kids to read real books? Get them this one. It's Fabulous!

$0.89 Kindle Edition
I'm going to rate the quality of the Kindle Edition since this seems to be the only place to do so.I won't go into the story since there's a perfectly good sysnopsis on the description page and several well written reivews on the work itself.The kindle edition was good to say the least.I did find a few spelling errors that were annoying, but none more so than the heroine, Jane, repeatedly being referred to as 'Janet' throughout the entire novel; I find this to be unacceptable.I do not know if this occurs in the print-versions as this was my first encounter with the story.Had there been less (or no) spelling errors as well as the correct name reference to the main character, I would have given it 5 stars on content alone---although it still creeps me out that 19 year olds and 40 year olds so frequently ended up marrying in that day and age, but I just had to put it out of my mind when reading.Otherwise it was a good read and I look forward to reading more works by the Bronte sisters.

A true classic. This Kindle edition leaves some things to be desired.
What can I say about this work that has not already been said in the many reviews that came before? It is truly one of the greats of English literature, and re-reading it as an adult is a pleasure that reaps even more rewards than when I read it as a girl.

My only warning is for those who are reading it in the Kindle edition. The good points are that it is nicely formatted and almost free of spelling errors. The negatives are that it has no Table of Contents, linked or otherwise; and although it claims to be illustrated, no illustrations were included in the version I read.

For pure reading pleasure, this novel has few equals. For formatting, you might be able to find better. ... Read more

Product Description
Dicken's Christmas writings-in a new, sumptuous, and delightful clothbound edition.

Dickens's classic A Christmas Carol has had significant influence on our ideas about the Christmas spirit, and the season as a time for celebration, charity, and memory. This handsome edition features appendices on A Christmas Carol and The Haunted Man, an essay on Dickens and The Arabian Nights, and Dickens's prefaces to the collected editions of the Christmas books. ... Read more

Product Description
On Club Penguin, kids can take a test to make their penguin a Secret Agent; then, they go on a series of exciting, simulated missions! In this “top secret” guide, Secret Agent G tells readers about their missions and the gadgets they can use to keep Club Penguin safe and sound. Plus, they’ll visit Secret Agent headquarters! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Club Penguin Books
My 8 1/2 year old son is very into "secret agent" and "spy" pretend playing.He received this book along the with the Club Penguin Comic book at Christmas and absolutely LOVES both.He is now asking for Volume 2.I definitely recommend these books for kids who love Club Penguin and/or "secret agent stuff".

Kim Smith
Louisville, KY

Secret Agent Handbook
Bring this for my 7 years old daughter. She loves it. She likes all the Club Penguins items.

Goes well with the Club Penguin games
My 12 year-old grandson had asked for the Club Penguin DS game for Christmas.I purchased this as a stocking stuffer to go with the game!My grandson was thrilled.This is the only Clubb Penguin book for kids that are a bit older.

Completely satisfied
To see the expression on my grandson's face was worth this purchase.I was completely satisfied. ... Read more

Product Description
The reader is a stowaway on Rockhopper’s pirate ship! In each chapter, the readers choose where the story goes, leading them on a wild adventure. Will they rescue Rockhopper from an iguana tribe or lead the Migrator to get attacked by a monster? The choice is theirs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Club Penguin Activty
This is another Club Penguin Book that is great
for Kids. It takes them on an adventure, fun & educational.

Club Penguin keeper
My son loved this book.He wants everything Club Penguin right now (he's 9 years old).He read it in one sitting and shared it with his sisters.It was also received in great condition!

My student loved it
I purchased this for one of my students and she loves the book.4th grade loves Club Penguin.

Book Purchase
I got a late start ordering this product and it HAD to be here before the birthday party of the little girl for whom this was the gift.I was worried it might not arrive in time.But thanks to the prompt service of this seller, I received the book with time to spare.No worries! ... Read more

Product Description
Gary the Gadget Guy is always creating new inventions that will make penguins’ lives easier—and more fun! In this book, kids help Gary with his latest invention. Will they help him come up with a fantastic invention, or will the project go terribly awry? The choice is the reader’s! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome book!
My 9-year old son's first Club Penguin book.I'm sure many will follow.He loves this book, and has been reading it every day for almost a week. He even reads it on the schoolbus.There is just the right mix of text and colorful pictures to keep him interested. ... Read more

Product Description
Perhaps Dickens's best-loved work, Great Expectations tells the story of Pip, a young man with few prospects for advancement until a mysterious benefactor allows him to escape the Kent marshes for a more promising life in London. Despite his good fortune, Pip is haunted by figures from his past--the escaped convict Magwitch, the time-withered Miss Havisham, and her proud and beautiful ward, Estella--and in time uncovers not just the origins of his great expectations but the mystery of his own heart. A powerful and moving novel, Great Expectations is suffused with Dickens's memories of the past and its grip on the present, and it raises disturbing questions about the extent to which individuals affect each other's lives. This edition reprints the definitive Clarendon text. Robert Douglas-Fairhurst's new introduction ranges widely across critical issues raised by the novel: its biographical genesis, ideas of origin and progress and what makes a "gentleman," memory, melodrama, and the book's critical reception. The book includes four appendices and the fullest set of critical notes in any mass-market edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

A Masterpiece
I'm not going to say much about the story, because you probably already know it. I first discovered the book over 40 years ago in high school.

But I really appreciated this edition.As a forward, there is an overview of the book, pointing out things to help you understand them when you read them.It also clarifies some of the points made.It doesn't say anything about Pip suffering from depression, but I think he does, which contributes to his low self-esteem.

Then at the back of the book, there is a section of notes, including the original ending.There are also notes on some of the words used or articles mentioned in the book.

All in all, this was a wonderful read and look forward to reading it again.

Great Expectations
This was a Christmas gift for my oldest granddaughter. I was very pleased with the item and the shipping. She was delighted to receive the book. I will shop first at Amazon for everything I am wanting to purchase.

Classy!
I am an English Major, so I have a soft spot for anything written by Dickens.I bought this for a friends graduation (get it...Great Expectations...)and I am jealous of her now.This edition comes hard bound with an old style canvas-like covering.As far as I've seen, it is a reliable and true-to-original edition (Penguin is usually good for this).There is critical material in the back of the book so non-critical or casual readers can do some in-depth thinking into the piece after reading it.I love this edition, and I want one for myself!

Great production but no index
A great reading but the sixteen discs are not labeled as to chapters on the disc nor are there any liner notes.You must play the disc and wait for the chapter to be mentioned during the reading. I do not see why they would have left these necessary conveniences out.Very inconvenient.

Great Expectations
Read this book in high school many years ago and probably did not understand the story fully. Just reread it and I absolutely loved the story. The depth of the characters is amazing. You feel like you have know them all of your life. Much more enjoyable now than at the high school level. ... Read more

Product Description
Dante's epic-in a stunning new clothbound edition.

Describing Dante's descent into Hell with Virgil as a guide, the Inferno depicts a cruel underworld in which desperate figures are condemned to eternal damnation for committing one or more of seven deadly sins. As he descends through nine concentric circles of increasing torture, Dante encounters doomed souls including the pagan Aeneas, the liar Odysseus, the suicide Cleopatra, and his own political enemies, damned for their deceit. Led by leering demons, the poet must journey with Virgil to the heart of Hell-for it is only by encountering Satan that he can truly understand the tragedy of sin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Medieval vision of the afterlife
This was required reading for a graduate course in medieval history.Norton edition has great articles to help explain the work and is a great translation.The other great translation is by Mark Musa."The Divine Comedy" describes Dante's journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso), guided first by the Roman epic poet Virgil and then by Beatrice, the subject of his love and another of his works, "La Vita Nuova." While the vision of Hell, the Inferno, is vivid for modern readers, the theological niceties presented in the other books require a certain amount of patience and scholarship to understand.Purgatorio, the most lyrical and human of the three, also has the most poets in it; Paradiso, the most heavily theological, has the most beautiful and ecstatic mystic passages in which Dante tries to describe what he confesses he is unable to convey (e.g., when Dante looks into the face of God: "all'alta fantasia qui mancò possa" - "at this high moment, ability failed my capacity to describe," Paradiso, XXXIII, 142).

Dante wrote the Comedy in his regional dialect.By creating a poem of epic structure and philosophic purpose, he established that the Italian language was suitable for the highest sort of expression, and simultaneously established the Tuscan dialect as the standard for Italian. In French, Italian is nicknamed la langue de Dante.Publishing in the vernacular language marked Dante as one of the first (among others such as Geoffrey Chaucer and Giovanni Boccaccio) to break from standards of publishing in only Latin or Greek (the languages of Church and antiquity).This break allowed more literature to be published for a wider audience - setting the stage for greater levels of literacy in the future.

Readers often cannot understand how such a serious work may be called a "comedy".In Dante's time, all serious scholarly works were written in Latin (a tradition that would persist for several hundred years more, until the waning years of the Enlightenment) and works written in any other language were assumed to be comedic in nature.Furthermore, the word "comedy," in the classical sense, refers to works which reflect belief in an ordered universe, in which events not only tended towards a happy or "amusing" ending, but an ending influenced by a Providential will that orders all things to an ultimate good.By this meaning of the word, the progression of Dante's pilgrim from Hell to Paradise is the paradigmatic expression of comedy, since the work begins with the pilgrim's moral confusion and ends with the vision of God.

The Divine Comedy can be described simply as an allegory: Each canto, and the episodes therein, can contain many alternate meanings.Dante's allegory, however, is more complex, and, in explaining how to read the poem (see the "Letter to Can Grande della Scala"), he outlines other levels of meaning besides the allegory (the historical, the moral, the literal, and the anagogical).The structure of the poem, likewise, is quite complex, with mathematical and numerological patterns arching throughout the work, particularly threes and nines.The poem is often lauded for its particularly human qualities: Dante's skillful delineation of the characters he encounters in Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise; his bitter denunciations of Florentine and Italian politics; and his powerful poetic imagination.Dante's use of real characters, according to Dorothy Sayers in her introduction to her translation of "L'Inferno", allows Dante the freedom of not having to involve the reader in description, and allows him to "[make] room in his poem for the discussion of a great many subjects of the utmost importance, thus widening its range and increasing its variety."

Dante called the poem "Comedy" (the adjective "Divine" added later in the 16th century) because poems in the ancient world were classified as High ("Tragedy") or Low ("Comedy"). Low poems had happy endings and were of everyday or vulgar subjects, while High poems were for more serious matters. Dante was one of the first in the Middle Ages to write of a serious subject, the Redemption of man, in the low and vulgar Italian language and not the Latin language as one might expect for such a serious topic.

Paradiso
After an initial ascension (Canto I), Beatrice guides Dante through the nine spheres of Heaven. These are concentric and spherical, similar to Aristotelian and Ptolemaic cosmology.Dante admits that the vision of heaven he receives is the one that his human eyes permit him to see. Thus, the vision of heaven found in the Cantos is Dante's own personal vision, ambiguous in its true construction.The addition of a moral dimension means that a soul that has reached Paradise stops at the level applicable to it.Souls are allotted to the point of heaven that fits with their human ability to love God.Thus, there is a heavenly hierarchy. All parts of heaven are accessible to the heavenly soul.That is to say all experience God but there is a hierarchy in the sense that some souls are more spiritually developed than others.This is not determined by time or learning as such but by their proximity to God (how much they allow themselves to experience him above other things).It must be remembered in Dante's schema that all souls in Heaven are on some level always in contact with God.

Recommended reading for anyone interested in literature and medieval history.

Go to hell
"Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself in a dark wood, where the right way was lost..." Those eerie words open the first cantica of Dante Alighieri's "Inferno," the most famous part of the legendary Divina Comedia. But the stuff going on here is anything but divine, as Dante explores the metaphorical and supernatural horrors of the inferno.

The date is Good Friday of the year 1300, and Dante is lost in a creepy dark forest, being assaulted by a trio of beasts who symbolize his own sins. But suddenly he is rescued ("Not man; man I once was") by the legendary poet Virgil, who takes the despondent Dante under his wing -- and down into Hell.

But this isn't a straightforward hell of flames and dancing devils. Instead, it's a multi-tiered carnival of horrors, where different sins are punished with different means. Opportunists are forever stung by insects, the lustful are trapped in a storm, the greedy are forced to battle against each other, and the violent lie in a river of boiling blood, are transformed into thorn bushes, and are trapped on a volcanic desert.

If nothing else makes you feel like being good, then "The Inferno" might change your mind. The author loads up his "Inferno" with every kind of disgusting, grotesque punishment that you can imagine -- and it's all wrapped up in an allegorical journey of humankind's redemption, not to mention dissing the politics of Italy and Florence.

Along with Virgil -- author of the "Aeneid" -- Dante peppered his Inferno with Greek myth and symbolism. Like the Greek underworld, different punishments await different sins; what's more, there are also appearances by harpies, centaurs, Cerberus and the god Pluto. But the sinners are mostly Dante's contemporaries, from corrupt popes to soldiers.

And Dante's skill as a writer can't be denied -- the grotesque punishments are enough to make your skin crawl ("Fixed in the slime, they say, 'Sullen were we in the sweet air that is gladdened by the Sun, bearing within ourselves the sluggish fume; now we are sullen in the black mire...'"), and the grand finale is Satan himself, with legendary traitors Brutus, Cassius and Judas sitting in his mouths. (Yes, I said MOUTHS, not "mouth")

More impressive still is his ability to weave the poetry out of symbolism and allegory, without it ever seeming preachy or annoying. Even pre-hell, we have a lion, a leopard and a wolf, which symbolize different sins, and a dark forest that indicates suicidal thoughts. And the punishments themselves usually reflect the person's flaws, such as false prophets having their heads twisted around so they can only see what's behind them. Wicked sense of humor.

Dante's vivid writing and wildly imaginative "inferno" makes this the most fascinating, compelling volume of the Divine Comedy. Never fun, but always spellbinding and complicated.

Divine Comedy
This is a fantastic edition of the Inferno.It is the 1st time I've ever read the Divine Comedy besides excerpts attempting to ape the terza rima.While such exerpts are gratifying the way a 3rd generation video tape of a movie may be, it is far more fullfilling to read a 'literal' representation of the Italian text in English and then frame that within the borders of the original Italian.Singleton's notes are also exceptional and lead to a very complex reading of the text.In short, for someone who cannot speak a word of Italian but wants to have the richest reading of the text, from language to content to the culture the poem draws upon, this is the text to purchase.When I complete the Inferno I plan to complete the rest of the Dante's masterpiece with Singleton holding my hand.

CHARLES SINGLETON's translation of Divine Comedy
I capitalize CHARLES SINGLETON because amazon.com pile their customer reviews into one long list, admitting no differences between translations. SINGLETON's very literal prose best serves the reader who would read theoriginal Italian, and clarify his reading by referring to the facingEnglish translation.You needn't have studied Italian for this, thoughsome skill in another Romance language is very helpful. But if you insiston getting your terza rima secondhand, read Pinsky's Inferno(Pinsky has yetto bring over the Purgatorio and Paradiso). ... Read more

Product Description
An elaborately annotated edition of Shakespeare's masterpieces of wit and erotic word-play.

When a volume of poetry entitled Shakespeares Sonnets. Never before Imprinted appeared in 1609, Shakespeare was forty-five and most of his greatest plays had seen several performances. Some of the sonnets, speaking of the begetting of children, mortality and memory, art, desire and jealousy, are addressed to a beloved youth; others are addressed to a treacherous mistress, a "dark lady." Appended to the sonnets is "A Lover's Complaint," a beautiful poem in rhyme-royal in which a young woman is overheard lamenting her betrayal by a heartless seducer.

While Shakespeare's biographers continue their investigations, readers may find the "secret" of the sonnets in the poetry itself. In this spirit John Kerrigan provides an illuminating Introduction to the volume as a whole, together with 258 pages of commentaries on the poems, a textual history, and suggestions for further reading.

Edited with an Introduction by John Kerrigan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage
Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit,
To thee I send this written embassage,
To witness duty, not to show my wit.
(Sonnet 26.)

How to do justice to the legacy of literary history's greatest mind -- moreover in such a limited review? Forget Goethe's "universal genius" and his rebel contemporary Schiller; forget the 19th century masters; forget contemporary literature: with the possible (!) exception of three Greek gentlemen named Aischylos, Sophocles and Euripides, a certain Frenchman called Poquelin (a/k/a Moliere), and that infamous Irishman Oscar Wilde, there's more wit in a single line of Shakespeare's than in an entire page of most other, even great, authors' works. And I'm not saying this in ignorance of, or in order to slight any other writer: it's precisely my admiration of the world's literary giants, past and present, that makes me appreciate Shakespeare even more -- and that although I'm aware that he repeatedly borrowed from pre-existing material and that even the (sole) authorship of the works published under his name isn't established beyond doubt. For ultimately, the only thing that matters to me is the brilliance of those works themselves; and quite honestly, the mysteries continuing to enshroud his person, to me, only enhance his larger-than-life stature.

The precise dating of Shakespeare's sonnets -- like other poets', a response to the 1591 publication of Sir Philip Sidney's "Astrophil and Stella" -- is an even greater guessing game than that of his plays: although #138 and #144 (slightly modified) appeared in 1599's "Passionate Pilgrim," most were probably circulated privately, and written years before their first -- unauthorized, though still authoritative -- 1609 publication; possibly beginning in 1592-1593.

Format-wise, they adopt the Elizabethan fourteen-line-structure of three quatrains of iambic pentameters expressing a series of increasingly intense ideas, resolved in a closing couplet; with an abab-cdcd-efef-gg rhyme form. (Sole exceptions: #99 -- first quatrain amplified by one line -- #126 -- six couplets & only twelve lines total -- #145 -- written in tetrameter -- and #146 -- omission of the second line's beginning; the subject of a lasting debate.) Their order is thematic rather than chronological, although beyond the fact that the first 126 are addressed to a young man -- maybe the Earl of Pembroke or Southampton, maybe Sir Robert Dudley, the natural son of Queen Elizabeth's "Sweet Robin," the Earl of Leicester -- (the first seventeen, possibly commissioned by the addressee's family, pressing his marriage and production of an heir), and ##127-152 (or 127-133 and 147-152) to an exotic woman of questionable virtues only known as "The Dark Lady," even in that respect much remains unclear; including the nature of Shakespeare's relationship with the two main addressees, regarding which the sonnets' often ambiguous metaphors invoke much speculation. #145 is probably addressed to Shakespeare's wife; the closing couplet plays on her maiden name ("['I hate' from] hate away she threw And saved my life, [saying 'not you']:" "Hathaway -- Anne saved my life"), several others contain puns on the name Will and its double meaning(s) (exactly fourteen in the naughty #135: "Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy Will;" and seven in the similarly mischievous #136), and the last two draw on the then-popular Cupid theme. Sometimes, placement seems linked to contents, e.g., in #8 (music: an octave has eight notes), #12 and #60 (time: twelve hours to both day and night; sixty minutes to an hour); and in the famous #55, which praises poetry's everlasting power and as whose never-expressly-named subject Shakespeare himself emerges in a comparison with Horace's Ode 3.30 -- in turn written in first person singular and thus, denoting its own author as the builder of its "monument more lasting than bronze" ("Exegi monumentum aere perennius") -- as well as through the number "5"'s optical similarity to the letter "S," making the sonnet's number a shorthand reference for "5hake5peare" or "5hakespeare's 5onnets," echoed by numerous words containing an "S" in the text.

Of indescribable linguistic beauty, elegance and complexity, Shakespeare's sonnets owe their timeless appeal to their supreme compositional values, the universality of their themes, and their keen insights into the human heart and soul; as much as their transcendence of the era's poetic conventions which, following Petrarch, heavily idealized the addressee's qualities: a form new and exciting twohundred years earlier, but encrusted in cliche in the late 1500s. Indeed, Shakespeare's "Dark Lady" Sonnet #130 owes its particular fame to its clever puns on that very style, which went overboard with references to its golden-haired, starry- (beamy-, sparkling, sunny-) eyed, cherry- (strawberry-, vermilion-, coral-) lipped, rosy- (crimson-, purple-, dawn-) cheeked, ivory- (lily-, carnation-, crystal-, silver-, snowy-, swan-white) skinned, pearl-teethed, honey- (nectar-, music-) tongued, goddess-like objects. "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;" the Bard countered, proceeded to describe her breasts as "dun," her hair as "black wires," and her breath as "reek[ing]," and denied her any divine or angelic attributes. "And yet," he concluded: "by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare."

Arguably, Shakespeare's very choice of addressees (a young man -- also the subject of the famously romantic #18: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day;" the first of several sonnets promising his immortalization in poetry -- as well as the "Dark Lady," in turn introduced under the notion "black is beautiful" in #127) itself suggests a break with tradition; and compared to his contemporaries' poetry, even the equally-famous #116's on its face rather conventional praise of love's constancy ("Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments"), echoed in the poet's vow to vanquish time in #123, sounds fairly restrained. But ultimately, Shakespeare's sonnets -- like his entire work -- simply defy categorization. They are, as rival Ben Jonson acknowledged, written "for all time," just as the Bard himself immodestly claimed:

'Gainst death and all oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
(Sonnet 55.)

Also recommended:
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
Shakespeare: For All Time (Oxford Shakespeare)
Much Ado About Nothing
Love's Labour's Lost
William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
BBC Shakespeare Comedies DVD Giftbox
BBC Shakespeare Tragedies DVD Giftbox
Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Twelfth Night

lover
the site is fantastic and i am really found it trust worthy and logically created ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Marianne and Elinor
This is the first Jane Austen book i have ever read. I had no choice since it was for English class. I daresay though that i enjoyed it greatly. It was very well written and very engrossing. It's about two sisters, one who is very open and the other who keeps her emotions and feelings in check.

Since it was written oh so long ago, it might be a challenge for some to understand what is being said. I caught on pretty fast. The beginning is confusing but afterwards, it makes more sense. Things such as He is very agreeable or five and twenty (25) come up a lot. My advice is too read it with no noises or distractions. I had to re-read many parts cause of the background noises. The book is hard enough as it is as many will agree with me. It's a great story with a really colorful cast.

great deal
I was so excited to find this penguin classic on amazon prime. good book, great price.

Sense & Sensibility
This was another Christmas gift for my oldest granddaughter. I was very pleased with the item and the shipping. She was delighted to receive the book. I will shop At Amazon for everything I purchase.

Penguin clothbound classics
The Penguin clothbound classics are all beautiful, but I like the Sense and Sensibility cover the very best. They make beautiful gifts and look great on the bookshelf. I looked everywhere and the price I paid on Amazon ($13.60) is by far the cheapest. They're a bargain at that price.

The transforming power of loving "Sisterhood"
I've read four Jane Austen novels in rapid succession, having been rapidly ensnared by Emma (Modern Library Classics), and avidly seeking more of this fabulous writer whose greatness I was amazed to have only just discovered. (The others were Pride And Prejudice, and Persuasion
As with all the great classics found on Amazon, many readers have already offered excellent reviews. In these cases, I have felt little need to add my own, unless I feel I have something new to offer. In the case of Sense and Sensibility, I do indeed believe the need to offer my view, to do this book what I believe is better justice! Here's why:
Many reviewers (which you may read if you browse other editions here) profess what is apparently the party line on Austen's works-- that while they "love this book and give it 5 stars", they (feel obliged to) then damn it with faint praise by adding "EVEN if it is one of her a. earliest, b. "not as poslished", c. "not as complex", or d. "not as funny, well-written,... etc. etc."
I must take issue!
1. Even if any or all of the above are so, (which I could waste many lines on disputing, to no useful purpose), why would any of these attributes of supposed inferiority be relevant to enjoying this book for itself? They themselves belie such relevance by noting their own great pleasure in reading THIS Jane Austen book. If indeed JA is a brilliant master novelist (no contest here), any and all her books is worth reading for its own sake, as each of them, and as no doubt JA herself would hope. The only reason to compare the finer distinctions among them would be to recommend which of her books one should read IF one could only read one or two. Indeed, not a one reviewer would I dare say recommend any such thing! Sense and Sensibility, as does each of the other 3 JAs I've read, has its own unique treasures to yield to the reader, and it is for these that each must be appreciated and each and all read.
2. Sense and Sensibility is a great analysis and example of the power of FILIAL love to transform a person for the better, and thereby to enable her to gain happiness. In my view, the interest in placing the two "opposing" virtues of Sense and Sensibility in each of the two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, is not simply to showcase the benefits and pitfalls the key virtue confers to the holder, but, much more illuminatingly, the value of the love between the two to cause the other to grow into a woman who can have BOTH in proper degree. Indeed, the book's ending will prove this!
3. In Sense and Sensibility, there are many themes developed extensively which are not a focus of the three others I read, aside from #2. One is demonstrated in the character and actions of Lucy, initially presented as an almost deceptively minor character. (I wont say more, but this alone is a real gem worth reading the book for.) Another is the evolution of the sisters' regard for a number of important characters in the book. Each of these is developed and explained beautifully--the regard for Willoughby, for Mrs. Jennings, for Captain Brandon, Edward. These changes are effected not only by and within each sister, but by and within several other characters...with most edifying effects for the education not only the protagonists, but for me!
4. Finally, Sense and Sensibility features key themes also showcased in the other three books, e.g., the power of real love to change one's character--one's pride and or prejudices for example (in that named book!), or the well-known to all (but beautifully illustrated examples of) wisdom, that how one reacts to love and the obstacles it creates or are created in its way, depends on character, and luck...but the love itself rarely is under one's control! And yet, of course, since each book's treatment of this theme is unique and reveals a host of unique vicissitudes it can involve, S and S and each of the others is well-worth the reward of the unique discoveries it offers the reader.
I need say no more, and direct the reader to "click" all four of the above into his/her cart! ... Read more

Product Description
'I long to reach my home and see the day of my return. It is my never-failing wish'

The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats - shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon - Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him.

E. V. Rieu's translation of the Odyssey was the very first Penguin Classic to be published, and has itself achieved classic status. For this edition, Rieu's text has been revised, and a new introduction by Peter Jones complements the original introduction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

The Idyssey (Wordsworth Classics
The good news . . . priced at $1.61 plus postage.
The bad news . . . This translation was made in 1616 in good old King James English.I found it almost impossible to read and after a few dozen pages bought another translation done in the 1990's.It was excellent!

Vendor did a good job of quick delivery.

The Odyssey
This was a birthday gift for my younger granddaughter. I was very pleased with the item and the shipping. She was delighted to receive the book. I will shop first at Amazon for everything I am wanting to purchase.

Fagles Is the Best Translation Available
This review is not a review of the story of Odysseus, but rather a review of Robert Fagles's translation of the Odyssey. Fagles's work in this translation is sparkling. I absolutely love the way he's revived this classic tale.

Let me begin with nuts and bolts. The Penguin Classics version of Fagles's translation is simply a great book to hold in your hand. The book FEELS good. Also, the book has some extras that make it essential. First, Barnard Knox has written an excellent introduction to the text. He explains Homer's cultural and literary context, and he covers the various debates regarding the poem's creation and transmission in a thorough, non-technical manner. Highly recommended reading. Second, the book has some helpful maps of the Greek-speaking lands to help orient the reader. Third, in the back of the book is a pronunciation guide and glossary. Some of these names are a bit strange, so it's helpful to refer to the back sometimes to get some help. Every character and place in the book, no matter how minor, is explained in the back.

In addition to all these benefits, this translation of the text is my absolute favorite. Fagles has produced a verse translation, which preserves the poetic nature of the original. If you're looking for a prose version of Homer, then this book might not be for you (but I'd suggest you give the verse a try). Fagles's main competition for a verse version of the Odyssey is Richard Lattimore's which was published in the 1960s. Some people feel that Lattimore's version is still superior, but I think those people are just being snobby. Lattimore's version is a little more rigid, maybe a little closer to the Greek, but not as poetic and enjoyable.

One of my favorite things about Fagles over Lattimore is that Fagles has abandoned the pretentious adherence to Greek spellings. In Lattimore we read about Athene, Kalypso, Aithiopians, Kronos, and Ithaka, while in Fagles we read about Athena, Calypso, Ethiopians, Cronus, and Ithaca. It's an Enlish translation so translating the names into their traditional English forms makes for a superior reading experience. Also, Fagles has a better ear for English poetry. So he refers to Odysseus as "the man of twists and turns," while Lattimore calls him "the man of many ways." Lattimore is more literal, but he doesn't capture the essence of the Greek meaning or poetic nature as well as Fagles does. One more example from the first page, Lattimore says that those who made it home from the Trojan War "escaped the sea and the fighting." Compare this with Fagles's far more literary "escaped the wars and waves."

Buy this Fagles translation. Read this Falges translation. Love this Fagles translation.

Looks nice on a bookshelf, but worth taking down to read
I am a big fan of this new series from Penguin Classics.The hardcover bindings (each featuring a stylized pattern that relates--sometimes subtly, sometimes obviously--with the subject of the book), the high-quality pages, and the ribbon bookmark all make these books attractive collectibles.But I also really enjoyed the content of this book.The prose translation was accurate but not slavish.I felt like I was reading a novel.The introduction was also highly readable and informative--I actually wanted to read it, which is unusual.

Could you bend Odysseus' bow?
Fagle's translation of the Odyssey is excellent as is Knox' knowledgeable foreward.During my life, I've read both the Iliad and Odyssey half a dozen times or more, by various translators, and regard Fagle's version as the best.I don't read Greek, ancient or modern, so, like most of us, I am unable to read the subtleties, glory and poetry of the original tales.I rather suspect, however, the Fagle's interpretation gets us close, indeed.

Every time I read the story...at different stages of my life...I read different things into the tale.This times, perhaps, I am more aware of the duplicity that is the very substance of the hero, Odysseus.Lies...complex, detailed lies...flow from his lips as easily and quickly as water poured from a flask.True, his lies usually serve a 'greater' purpose, but they are still lies...a fact of which gives Odysseus no problem.

Since reading the 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey' as a teenager, I've always been partial to the directness and overall simplicity of the 'Iliad.'Believability is also a factor.The Trojan War, some of the characters in it and some of the action details are almost certainly based in reality.The 'Odyssey', far lesss so.It seems to be a collection of out-and-out fables in which Odysseus is the primary player.Still....even fables may have echoes of the truth.Could Odysseus have been away from Ithaca for twenty years and would his wife have remained faithful all this time?Quite possibly.

The story of Odysseus' experiences with the goddesses, Circe and Calypso, are fascinating but, of course, fabulous.They also account for most of the time Odysseus spends on his long path home.This might be a fanciful way of dealing with reality.Odysseus may have been captured on his way home and held as a slave.This reality could definitely 'eat up' years of time but the Circe/Calypso stories are far more interesting and add to Odysseus' reputation as a very accomplished ladies man.Later, although, Odysseus has spent so much time as a virtual sexual slave to the goddesses, he happily recounts the adventures to his wife, Penelope.Penelope isn't offended.Afterall, her husband turned down goddesses and eternal blissful life, in favor of return to his wife of many years.It's one heck of a compliment.

There are a couple of other features that I noted that, again, may be rooted in reality.Twice, Odysseus lies that he is from Crete and that he led an unsuccessful attack on the peoples of the Nile Delta.A number of Egyptian accounts report accounts of attacks by 'The Peoples of the Sea'.Could the Achaean Greeks, in their black ships, have been some, or most, of the Sea Peoples?

Also, the death of Agammemnon, should also be noted.This may also be based on reality.Agammemnon, commander of all Achaean Greek forces against Troy, and King of Achaea's most powerful city, Mycenae, is slain by his wife and her lover.The motive is given as sexual infidelity and greed...greed for the throne of Mycenae.In the Odyssey we learn a fascinating 'detail'.Clytemnestra, Agammemnon's murderous wife, slaughters the slave-captive, Cassandra, on Agammemnon's just-killed body.

Hmmmmmm?Why would Clytemnestra kill a valuable slave?Cassandra, of course, was a Princess of demolished Troy and had been violently raped during the destruction of the city.Nevertheless, it would appear that Clytemnestra hated or feared Cassandra.Why?Probably the oldest reason of all...sexual jealousy.Cassandra's murder suggests that the REAL motive for Agammemnon's killing is quite different than usually represented.He may have preferred the company of Cassandra to that of his queen.Clytemnestra reacted with her well-known violence...a woman jilted.

Also, is it conceivable that the Queen, Penelope, could be held virtual prisoner in her own palace...for years...by 100 or so rampaging suitors?The answer must be 'No' but there are some interesting things to note.Odysseus' father, Laertes, would logically be King, but his son, Odysseus, IS King, which leaves a 20 year vacancy to the throne.We learn that Laertes, mourning over his lost son, lives in rags and poverty as a barely surviving farmer.Possible.Depression and/or mental illness.But why not Odysseus' son, Telemachus?

At the time the first suitors might have 'settled in' to pay court to Penolope and to eat up her wealth, Telemachus would have been underaged.The suitors, who would have become more arrogant and confident, would scarecely have Telemachus the opportunity to claim the throne.Still......it's a far-fetched tale.

Ron Braithwaite, author of novels...'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'...on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico ... Read more

Product Description
Attention, all you clumsy pandas, lovable puffins, huggable bunnies, and penguinsthat elicit ooohs and aaahs: The jig is up! We have lived under your furry fistsfor too long.

There is a cute and present danger lurking out there–in the wild,in the zoos, and sometimes even in our very own homes. Spurred on by the Cute IndustrialComplex, these cuddly animals have taken over blockbuster films, inspirational posters,and computer desktops everywhere, further weakening the innocent civilians who arebeguiled by these fuzzy frauds.

But you are stronger than them, aren’t you? Thosesoft bellies and wet noses are no match for you–and their free ride has just cometo an end.

F U, Penguin is the rallying cry for those who choose to fight thesepower-hungry cute-mongers. Loaded with color photographs and hilarious commentary,this book will have you laughing out loud while it simultaneously saves you fromthe tragic fate of tossing yarn with big-eyed kittens and bottle-nursing baby pandasforever.

___________________________

"Finally, a book for the rest of us! Mostanimals go about our business without playing to the audience like the elitists exposedin these chapters.I wasn't sure how many more times I could hear about those greatpenguins and pandas and kittens before I started eating people... well, more people,anyway."—Jerry the Shark

"Penguins killed my parents, and they would not hesitateto kill me. I thank the Crustacean God for Matthew Gasteier, a true saint and a decenthuman being in a world filled with heartless penguin accomplices."—Dennis the Krill

"It's all true. We're the worst."—Anonymous Penguin

"The average dolphin is farbeyond this level of vulgarity, but I could see how this would be a very enjoyablebook for humans. I should remember to hand these out to some of my slower relativesat the common ancestor reunion."—Edward the Dolphin

"Thank you for your submission.Unfortunately, this style of book is not something we are currently looking for.However, we wish you the best of luck with your human publishers!"—Danielle the Bear,Editor-in-Chief, Random Cave PublishingAmazon.com Review
Book Description
Attention, all you clumsy pandas, lovable puffins, huggable bunnies, and penguins that elicit ooohs and aaahs: The jig is up! We have lived under your furry fists for too long.

There is a cute and present danger lurking out there--in the wild, in the zoos, and sometimes even in our very own homes. Spurred on by the Cute Industrial Complex, these cuddly animals have taken over blockbuster films, inspirational posters, and computer desktops everywhere, further weakening the innocent civilians who are beguiled by these fuzzy frauds.

But you are stronger than them, aren’t you? Those soft bellies and wet noses are no match for you--and their free ride has just come to an end.

F U, Penguin is the rallying cry for those who choose to fight these power-hungry cute-mongers. Loaded with color photographs and hilarious commentary, this book will have you laughing out loud while it simultaneously saves you from the tragic fate of tossing yarn with big-eyed kittens and bottle-nursing baby pandas forever.

Customer Reviews (20)

Fun Easy Read
Cute pictures, hilarious, sarcastic, conversation piece ... Entertaining for anyone with a sense of humor!

Hilarious!
This book is not only on target, but so funny I laughed out loud until my cheeks hurt.

A chuckle
It was funny and I enjoyed the pictures but it got a little repetative after a while.

F U Penguin - a funny read
I gave this book as a gift.I had to read it myself before I gave it to my friend, and I couldn't put it down because I laughed so hard.It's definitely not for everyone, but for those of us with quirky senses of humor, it was cute and entertaining.Then my friend almost wet himself laughing so hard.

If you're not sure if this is your cup of tea, go check out Gasteier's blog at [...]

A great gift
Bought this as a gag gift for a good friend who loves animals.Definitely fun to have sitting around the coffee table! ... Read more

Product Description
From the amazing success of the documentary March of the Penguins to the popular penguins in Madagascar to the penguin-themed movie "Happy Feet", penguins are everywhere! That's especially true for the family in "365 Penguins", who find a penguin mysteriously delivered to their door for every day of the year. At first they're cute, but with every passing day, the penguins pile up - along with the family's problems. Feeding, cleaning and housing the penguins becomes a monumental task. They're noisy, smelly and they always hog the bathroom! And who on earth is sending these squawking birds? In a large format and with lots of opportunities for counting, "365 Penguins" is sure to become a perennial wintertime favourite. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Lots of special things about this booko
I recieved this as a gift to our classroom of 3-5 year olds. I liked that it gently introduced the concept of global warming. We can't ignore it. The math was above most of the chidren's head but they absolutley loved it (colors (only four), size, uniqueness, and of cours little Chilly with the blue feet). They wanted me to read it over and over and over. Can't believe some reader threw it in the garbage. It's a nice break from traditional story plots for children and they learn a little about penquins too. We are happy with it and keeping it in our collection of books.

sweet
The book 365 penguins was very entertaining and cute.I tried it out on my grandchildren and they were very interested and sat still and they are only one and three.I bought it with entertaining them in mind and it was A Okay.

This book exceeded my expectations, I thought that "math" is fun might be a hard sell, I was wrong
On New years day a penguin arrives with a note - I am number one, please feed me. Well it's strange, but on day two when another arrives, it's a little silly. But by day 7 the family recieving the penguins is getting a little frantic. By the end of the first month you have how many penguins? And February only has how many days? So by the end of February how many penguins do they have? How will they name them, how will they keep them (stack them, sort them, house them), how will they feed them and how much will it cost? Math is everywhere, but so are the silly penguins doing goofy things.

By December 31 the "mysterious" sender of Penguins arrives and is relieved to see that they all arrived safely, including Chilly the blue footed penguin. The Uncle gives you an ecology lesson and takes all but one penguin when he goes, and life returns to normal, but on January 1 a new surpise is waiting at the door.

The book is oversized 16 x 12, and the artwork is fun in retro blue, orange, black and white. My son thinks its a riot, he's 7. He likes to look for Chilly in the pictures, he likes to come up with names for the penguins, and he likes to count them and add them up.

This book definately sparks an interest in math, but it also lights up the imagination. We also have talked about what would be fun to get every day of the year. My son and I like our books with birds and this book is helping him to gain a little more confidence with numbers, and he sees now that numbers are every where. It's fun, I was blown away with how much he likes this book.

I think you could extend the ages on this book up to 9 or 10 because of some of the math concepts.

The coolest book my mom ever gave me
I take this book with me everywhere.I like to count the penguins, I like to name them.I only have 7 penguins and they aren't real.I read this book with my Papa and we laugh about how 365 penguins must smell, and we make up silly names.I'm not that good at math, but maybe if my teacher got some penguins in our classroom we would all be real smart.

365 Penguins
This is a typical "here's a cute book about penguins, but first we want to slam our agenda down your throat."

Nice story until they force their message across about the global warming, which is a total misconception.

I bought this for someone who loves penguins.We read it on Christmas morning and threw it away.Not even garage sale material. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book where you choose your own path, the reader magically switches places with his or her pet puffle in a wild turn of events! This Freaky Friday–like accident leads to all sorts of adventures as the reader, now a puffle, befriends lots of new puffles and goes on fantastic adventures along the way! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (45)

been a long time
It's been a long time since my kids were little but now I got this book for my young nieces.We used to have to much fun hamming up this story.It was a great read-aloud with a good message.BTW- Another fun read-aloud is Jerry Pinkney's Brer Fox book.

Be yourself
Remember that old Far Side cartoon, the one with the penguins standing in a mob and one penguin (indistinguishable from all the others) is singing "I've Just Got to Be Me?"

Tacky is comfortable just being himself, and usually the other penguins snub him.Tacky doesn't seem to mind their disdain, he just does things his way.And so when danger threatens, he is the penguin who outsmarts the bad guys and protects the other penguins (who join him in zaniness in order to win.)

rhythmic story
This is another of those "childhood favorites" from a few years back. It has a pleasant rhythm in the story, like a steady poem, that a child would enjoy hearing countless times. There are fun characters involved and the illustrations are colorful.

Old Favorite
This was my son's favorite book when he was very young. He identified strongly with Tacky, the misfit, and loved seeing him triumph. It was wonderful to be able to buy the board book version for HIS son's first Christmas.

Helen Lester, author, BEST BOOKS EVER!!!
When my daughters, now 20 and 24, were little, this and other books by Helen Lester were the best books ever!This book and "A porcupine named Fluffy" were two I purchased for them and now was able to purchase for my granddaughter.They're not too long for bedtime, the illustrations are AWESOME, they tell a "cute" story with adorable characters and also make subtle "points"...they're perfect gifts and WONDERFUL to read to your kids or your grandkids and you WILL read them OVER-AND-OVER.......................... ... Read more

Product Description
What’s black and white and goes round and round? A penguin in a revolving door! This book with adorable spot art is full of jokes, riddles, and puns about everything Club Penguin–related! Kids will love sharing these silly jokes with friends and penguin pals on Club Penguin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Laughs
This is a cute little joke book which my grandson loves.
I catch him reading over and over, and laughing when I miss the answer.
Great for kids! ... Read more

Product Description

Edna the penguin only knows the three colors that surround her: white ice, black night, and blue sea. She is convinced there is something more out there. So she sets out on a quest—a quest for color. When she finally finds what she's been looking for, it's everything she hoped for and more. But that doesn't mean she will ever stop looking.

Customer Reviews (10)

Amazing and charming!
We borrowed this from someone, and my kids LOVED LOVED LOVED it.It is enjoyable for both children and adults.Her other books, Not a Box, and Not a Stick are just as good. Nestled right in the heart of what it means to be a kid...and a parent.

A Penquin Story
It was okay.I wasn't that impressed with the pictures but I got it for my niece so hope she enjoys it.

great children's book
This children's book was bought for my granddaughter.I'm sure she will love it as the drawings and story are fantastic.

Great book for a toddler!
I gave "A Penguin Story" to my 2.5 year old daughter for Christmas, and she really loves the pictures of the penguins and how the colors unfold with the story. The repetition of characters and the number of words on a page seem about right for toddlers.

Simple and funny - Great for kids 2+
This is a great book for children 2+.The pictures and text are simple and funny.We bought this for my daughter - who loves penguins - around her 2nd birthday and we still read this every week.Some pages have quite a few words, but some have very few - the bright orange "WOW!" page is a favorite at our house.This would be a good choice for people transitioning their children to books with simple stories and a few more words. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Penguin Book of Irish Poetry" features the work of three Nobel laureates - W.B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney - as well as Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Moore, Patrick Kavanagh, Louis MacNeice, Eavan Boland and James Joyce. It also includes epigrams, traditional verses and Old Irish songs, with 250 new English translations by the greatest poets currently working, including Seamus Heaney and Ciaran Carson. Reflecting everything from Ireland's rich history of writing about the land, to its untypical prominence of women in and writing its poetry, and the abundance of oppositions that have preoccupied its verse through the ages (from Christian and pre-Christian attitudes, to Gaels and Vikings, Nationalism and Unionism, Catholicism and Protestantism, the Irish and English languages), this is an inclusive and masterfully arranged collection of Irish verse. "The Penguin Book of Irish Poetry" is an indispensable and important guide to the country's unparalleled literary culture. ... Read more