Product Description
Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives as the shack on a wintry afternoon and walk back into his darkest nightmare.What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him.You'll want everyone you know to read this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4434)

inspirational piece
I have recommended this book to many. Various ages, religious backgrounds etc. I think it is a sad , yet energizing story. One that leaves quite an imprint !!!! I wish the author wrote more .....

Great Book
An excellent book. Well written. This book was a very emotional read for me. It is the story of a man coming to grips with the abduction of his daughter. It is a must read for any christian struggling with the question "Why does God let ... happen?".

Terrible
I attempted to read, "The Shack" this weekend, only got to, I think the second chapter and stopped. I actually tore the book in half and threw it away. I could not "entertain" my thoughts with the stalking and murder of a little girl. Why, would I, for mere entertainment? I can not comprehend, why a profess Christian, would muster up in his imagination such a story line to captivate an audience, for sordid gain??? Such acts of "evil" happen all the time in real life, to contemplate the details and to want to write about them, other then for evidence to sentence a killer, is ungodly. Its one thing to read and hear about such a "profoundly immoral" acts, that is true, but to write a fiction story with these acts for lessons in godly living, absurd!!! I sense this type of writings can only cause one to think and ponder such acts, God forbid, in the wrong hands. It could cause one to entertain the act of such "evil" and the possibility of following through. We as Christians should not be dabbling in these visions in our mind, its unholy. We are to live a life, pleasing to God, ones that mind is focus on Him, of good and not evil. Oh how grieved God, must be with so many books, movies and reenactments on t.v. on such malicious acts to corrupt ones mind. There are many trusted authors, with their testimonies of His lessons in ones lives, that He truly has touched by His wisdom and knowledge, to encourage, exhort and comfort the reader.

Absolutely God Inspired
I am a born again believer and I know that it's a radical thing to say that I believe this work was inspired by God.I'm not exactly saying we need to or could add it to the Bible.But because I believe that God inspired all the Bible authors and those works were written over hundreds of years, I see no reason why he can't or wouldn't continue to inspire writers today in order to continue to get his message out.

Although this story was fantasy, I could feel God talking to me.The conclusions that Mac drew, the questions he asked, and the pain he felt was universal.I loved to imagine God as a woman and know that "he" would visit each of us in a way that we need to see him.The truth is, God is not male or female and it's only our human minds that need to see him in a way that we understand.

Good job on this book!:)

Great book
Great book. Although skeptical at 1st theology is great and message makes you think about things in a new way. ... Read more

Product Description
This descriptive introduction to the world's religions provides an orientation to the study of religion, surveys the history of each of the major world religions, discusses the ways these religions respond to contemporary ethical issues, and reflects the future of religions in the 21st century.By providing worldviews of: indigenous religions (with case studies from Africa and North America), the religions of South and Southeast Asia (Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism, Jainism), religions of East Asia (Daoism, Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism [Pure Land, Zen, Tibetan], Shinto), religions of the Middle East and beyond (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism); and representative new religious movements (The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), The World's Religions presents a sympathetic perspective for each. Attention to religious responses to contemporary ethical issues (the ecological crisis, global economics, war, capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, gender, and sexual orientation) places the religions in a twenty-first century context.Because it attempts to describe how religions answer basic human questions, this authoritative, lively, and informative book is an excellent introduction to the study of religions for any interested reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

World of Religions Textbook
Thank you for everything! The book arrived quickly, and there isn't any reason why I would not keep it!

Not bad for half the price of the best intros...
Young's book works well if you are teaching a class on a budget, as it sells for half the price of the most-often-used scholarly intros to world religions used in the colleges and universities.For the price, it is a good deal.The very few pictures and complete absence of color plates is a money-saver.The basic info is usually sound, but there are exceptions.For instance, Young says Yin is the dragon and Yang is the tiger.I don't mind supplementing a textbook, but I dislike having to correct it.The structure is not optimum.For instance, splitting Theravada and Mahayana Buddhisms (with chapters on Jainism, Daoism, and Confucianism in-between) is not the most logical conceptual framework for an intro student.Dealing with Shinto after Mahayana is also not optimum.And so on...However, price is key for many, and in this case the price is right.All in all, this text works well for a teacher who can use the text as a launching point, supplement the info extensively, and at times, correct it.

Great!
This book is very excellent. It is very well written and explains everything completly. And, I can say from personal experience that Dr. Young knows what he is talking about, he is my professor.

Informative
This book was purchased for my Introduction to Religion Class.It is informative. ... Read more

Product Description
He was the greatest poet and playwright who ever lived, the dramatist who penned lines that we quote without even realising their origin. Shakespeare's glorious works have even inspired animated films - like Disney's "The Lion King". Introduce children to the Bard with this wonderful, fully annotated collection of sonnets and soliloquies, enhanced with beautiful, highly realistic colour paintings that bring each excerpt to vivid life. Here are Shakespeare's most famous speeches: including everything from "Hamlets" - 'To be or not to be' - and "Macbeth's" witches cackling 'Double, double, toil and trouble' to the sonnets, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" and humourous songs sung in comedies such as "Twelfth Night". Every entry is a revelation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

WE COULD CERTAINLY USE MORE LIKE THIS ONE!
I cannot think of a better way to introduce the poetry of Shakespeare than this small volume.The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader.The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it.I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of Shakespeare,much less read their poetry.This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on.I do not feel I am any worse for the wear.I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot.This book helps.This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library.Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them.Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student.It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with.I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school.For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it.Recommend this one highly.

Perfect for those seeking intro to Shakespeare for kids
Joy!Shakespeare--undiluted--for everybody, either kids or adults!The layout of this book couldn't be more helpful.After a brief introduction, the compiler gets down to business.Each speech or poem is preceeded by a brief explaination, and after the selection, a small word-list to aid understanding.All are swathed in beautiful, dramatic paintings that are truly helpful for comprehension.All the famous lines are here, from Henry V's Agincourt "St. Crispin" speech, his inly-ruminating soliloquey about the nature of power, scenes from Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and a couple of sonnets, and much more.

There are two things that are very impressive about this book.First, the compiler manages to introduce very adult themes about power,loyalty, etc., as well as the vocabulary of 400 years ago,even a brief explaination of iambic pentameter in a tone so chatty that you hardly realize you are learning.Second, the rich pictures impart a thirst for MORE Shakespeare.You'll hear, "Can we hear more?What's the rest of this story?" often!

Any publication that presents the Bard as accessable and enjoyable deserves a place in every school or public library, and certainly every home.Add this to Charles and Mary Lamb's "Tales of Shakespeare" as a new classic.

Fabulous!!!!!
A perfect selection from Shakespeare's greatest plays with gorgeous artwork. An ideal introduction to Shakespeare for young people. With a smart and easy to read preamble describing Shakespeare's life and work and wonderful introductions to each poem, the book does a fantastic job of explaining how Shakespeare's work is both drama and poetry. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Poetry for Young People: William Carlos Williams
A wondferul book for people, young and old. William Carlos Williams paints a visual picture with words, each sparking the imagnination with vivid colors.

WCW for the young
Although I would never have expected it, Christopher MacGowan has done an excellent job in choosing poems from William Carlos Williams collection appropriate for children. In addition the illustrations not only compiment this imagist's poems, but are enjoyable for all ages. I look forward to other books in this series. ... Read more

Product Description
Mackenzie Allen Phillips's youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in this midst of his great sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change his life forever.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

La Cabaña - The Shack
I am reading the English version for the simple reason that arrived 2 days before the Spanish version. I will use these as presents. I learn about The Shack from my sister who read a German language version. She was extremely enthusiastic.
I have not yet conclude the reading, however I take the risk to (1) congratulate the author and the editor for a very well done writing and printing work. The narrative is compelling, easy and captivating. Because my academic background I am rather skeptic to very emotional recounts, and yet this one is captivating.

(2) It contains a good number of reflective sentences and arguments that requires an introspective thinking in which the naked true about ourselves must be envisage face to face, and well beyond the tinsel of today's western consumption society.

(3) The structure of the narrative reflects a unique quality both in the deep emotions, the barriers and options of friendship and relationships. This quality separates this book from the general self-help mass consumption materials.

(4) I read that the editors have a film project about the content. I disagree, an unique spiritual experience, (if it is true what the author experienced), can not become a movie product, I think it could lose the Magnificence of the Divine which is always an intimate and personal encounter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

La cabana
Mi esposa empezo e leer este libro, y me contaba parte de ello pero lo leia muy despacio asi que decidi empezar a leerlo yo.que buen libro no le puedo llamar religioso porque no te habla de religion te habla de una relacion intima con un Dios lindo. un Dios que nos entiende y nos ama, sobre todo eso que nos ama.doy graciaas a Dios por este libro me hizo una mejor idea de Un Dios compasivo, que nos entiende y sobre todo que quiere ayudarnos a sanar nuestra alma, bueno si asi lo deseamos.si oyes de este lib ro te invito a que los leas y no te detengas , talvez al principio no es muy entendible pero es un libro fuera de este mundo, como lo es Dios para mi.bendiciones.

El amor de Dios
En esta novela de describe de una manera amena y cercana como actúa el amor de Dios y como puede utilizar una circunstancia adversa para ayudarnos y mostrar ese amor de Padre, también nos muestra como interactúa la Trinidad.

Resource literature for Peruvian friends
I really enjoyed this book.It makes one think about the limitations we put on the Trinity.We had a Sunday school class and discussed this book.There were many different views voiced.Most were very positive, but I heard that there are some folks who were very offended by the book.It is worth the read.

Excellente relato vivencial
Recominedo la lectura de La Cabaña, porque relata una experiencia real y personal de un acercamiento vivo con Dios.
Hace que renazca la Fe y la Esperanza y nos ayuda a meditar sobre la cercania de Dios en todo tiempo. ... Read more

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Product Description
This book develops the combinatorics of Young tableaux and shows them in action in the algebra of symmetric functions, representations of the symmetric and general linear groups, and the geometry of flag varieties.The first part of the book is a self-contained presentation of thebasic combinatorics of Young tableaux, including the remarkable constructions of "bumping" and "sliding", and several interesting correspondences.In Part II the author uses these results to study representations with geometry on Grassmannians and flag manifolds, including their Schubert subvarieties, and the related Schubert polynomials.Much of this material has never before appeared in book form.There are numerous exercises throughout, with hints and answers provided. Researchersin representation theory and algebraic geometry as well as in combinatorics will find this book interesting and useful, while students will find the intuitive presentation easy to follow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Fine Synthesis of Combinatorics, Geometry, and Algebra
With his usual lucidity, Fulton brings together the surprisingly wide area of mathematics concerned with Young tableaux.These are combinatorial patterns which index basis vectors of group representations (either of the symmetric group or the general linear group).These vectors can be seen as Plucker coordinate functions on non-linear representations, namely homogeneous spaces (Grassmannians and flag varieties).Thus, Young tableaux form an invaluable tool to examine these representations and varieties in concrete detail.Fulton also gives a good exposition of the combinatorial operations on tableaux which reflect the crystal basis structure from quantum GL(n), though Fulton does not explicitly discuss quantum groups.Other good expositions of these topics, from a more algebraic and combinatorial point of view, are Sagan's newly revised "The Symmetric Group", and Stanley's "Enumerative Combinatorics", Vol 2. ... Read more

Product Description
1918. The stories found in this volume aim to faithfully reflect the spirit of the common folk. The stories are mostly genuine fairy tales bearing at times some resemblance to the tales heard in other lands. However, they are more often legends and wayside stories that are undeniably Dutch from start to finish with droll touches of humor. Some are parables or allegories on life. The author spent many years as a resident of Holland and has personal knowledge of the people and their tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Delightful tales with a Dutch flavor
The collector of these tales lived between 1843 and 1928. He inserted close to two dozen stories in this volume. The stories reflect life in Holland where there are many lakes, where people wear wooden shoes, love cheese, and have quant customs.

The first tale, for example, is about a Dutch mermaid, who was the queen of the mermaids, and her friends, mermaids and mermen, who frolicked at a pool made up of fresh and salt water. The enjoyed life to its fullest. They frequently talked about how wonderful their life is and how terrible life must be for humans who needed to dress, wear wooden shoes, pin up their hair, and be unable to swim all day.

One day, a merman swam to the mermaids and wept as he told them that men with wooden shoes were coming to create a dam and dry up the pool. The queen did not believe the report, sent the mermaids and the merman away, and went to sleep.

When she awoke, after along sleep, she went into the pool and found that the report was true. Her pool was already almost dried up. She tried to get out, but her hair became entangled in weeds, men in wooden shoes came and captured her and put her in an exhibition in a glass cage. She died of shame.

Scientists came to study her and then stuffed her and put her body on exhibition. And thus she became in death more famous than any other mermaid or merman.

The second tale concerns a Dutch boy who loved cheese and although his mother told him he was overeating, he could not get enough cheese. One night, fairies came to his bed and took him to a forest. They danced together all night and gave him so much cheese that he could not eat more. But they kept on insisting that he continue to eat.

The third fable tells of the origin of the city of Rotterdam and the practice of the Dutch girls to wear many petticoats.

Okay Fairy Tales
So these stories have good imagery, but they feel a bit flat; the children are all obedient and learn perfect moral lessons and/or discover the Secret of Turning Flax into Linen, which is fine if that's what you want out of a fairy tale, but I could only handle a finite number of such stories and gave up less than half-way through.

Stories included are:

The Entangled Mermaid
The Boy Who Wanted More Cheese
The Princess with Twenty Petticoats
The Cat and the Cradle
Prince Spin and Miss Snow White
The Boar with the Golden Bristles
The Ice King and his Wonderful Grandchild
The Elves and their Antics
The Kabouters and the Bells
The Woman with Three Hundred and Sixty-six Children
The Oni on his Travels
The Legend of the Wooden Shoe
The Curly-Tailed Lion
Brabo and the Giant
The Farm that Ran Away and Came Back
Santa Klaas and Black Pete
The Goblins Turned to Stone
The Mouldy Penny
The Golden Helmet
When Wheat Worked Woe
Why the Stork Loves Holland ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

I LOVE THIS ONE!
I cannot think of a better way to introduce the poetry of William Butler Yeats than this small volume.The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader.The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it.I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of Yeats,much less read his poetry.This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on.I do not feel I am any worse for the wear.I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot.This book helps.This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library.Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them.Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student.It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with.I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school.For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it.Recommend this one highly. ... Read more

Product Description
While searching for the true owner of the magnificent golden dragon that someone stashed in his luggage, Indy finds himself pursued by thugs through the perils of 1914 China. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Young Indiana Jones and the Face of the Dragon
Young Indiana Jones and the Face of the Dragon
by: William McCay is abouttwo people and there adventures. Indy and Dr. Jones(Indy's dad) start their adventure on a cruise ship heading to the coast of Japan. When they arrive military forces cut them off. Their ship had to take a detour to the slumps of Japan. They both end up living in a weird hotel. Indy find something mysterious item in his bag. What he doesn't know is that the item is a good luck charm and helps them through the journey.

Indy is/was the most interesting character in my own opinion. Indy is exciting and adventurous. On the other hand Dr.Jones is the complete opposite. He is dull and doesn't get involved. The theme of the story is that good people get good things. I believed this is the theme because the mysterious item Indy found gives him good luck. What I liked about the book was the plot, it was very exciting and was a little scary. What I didn't like about the book is was the ending and the dialogue. The dialogue was hard to understand and the ending came way to fast and also was really predictable.

I thought the authors way of writing made the book fun to read. He will keep you interested and the descriptions of the characters are very good. The writing and vocab is a little hard to understand. Some of the books words are hard to understand because of the foreign words. Most of the book was hard to relate to. I think the appropriate age for this book is 9-12 because of mild language and violence. I would recommend this book to kids who hates to read and like mysteries. I gave this book *** stars. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Classic poetry for a modern age
A beautifully illustrated collection of poems by English poet and mystic William Blake... The subject matter (and the didactic tone) may seem remote to many modern readers, and secular-minded parents may wish to steer clear of the constant talk of angels, creators and shepherds, but for those wishing to immerse their children into the English canon, it would be hard to imagine a better introduction to Blake's work than this.The soft-textured artwork recalls Blake's own fantastical visual style, with its wild celebration of nature, and perfectly compliments the text.Although some of the loftier verses may be hard to crack, many poems are easily understood, including the well-known "The Tyger" ("Tyger, tyger, burning bright...") and "The Nurse."Part of an excellent series of introductory poetry sets. (ReadThatAgain) ... Read more

Product Description

Most historical studies bury us in wars and politics, paying scant attention to the everyday effects of pop culture. Welcome to America's other history—the arts, activities, common items, and popular opinions that profoundly impacted our national way of life. The twelve narrative chapters in this volume provide a textured look at everyday life, youth, and the many different sides of American culture during the 1930s. Additional resources include a cost comparison of common goods and services, a timeline of important events, notes arranged by chapter, an extensive bibliography for further reading, and a subject index.

The dark cloud of the Depression shadowed most Americans' lives during the 1930s. Books, movies, songs, and stories of the 1930s gave Americans something to hope for by depicting a world of luxury and money. Major figures of the age included Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Irving Berlin, Amelia Earhart, Duke Ellington, the Marx Brothers, Margaret Mitchell, Cole Porter, Joe Louis, Babe Ruth, Shirley Temple, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Innovations in technology and travel hinted at a Utopian society just off the horizon, group sports and activities gave the unemployed masses ways to spend their days, and a powerful new demographic—the American teenager—suddenly found itself courted by advertisers and entertainers.

Customer Reviews (1)

Non-profound but interest-holding
This is a volume in the series "American Popular Culture Through History."It discusses some dozen topics as reflected by the 1930s, such as Adverising, Fashion, Food and Drink, etc.There is nothing about history except as it relates to the topics discussed.Having been a farm boy in that decade not much of what the authors talk about resonated especially with me, though I do not dispute any of the conclusions which the authors come to. It is a pleasant book but not very erudite, though obviously there was a lot of research done: the 24 page bibliography demonstates that. ... Read more

Product Description
Stories from the best-selling Book of Virtues target a younger audience and include material from O. Henry, Tolstoy, and Guy de Maupassant, along with tales from Aesop, poetry from Emily Dickinson, and many other selections." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Gift for new baby
WE have given this book to new parents for the last 10 years. They always seem to enjoy it.

Easy
This review is to tell folks how simple, and easy it is to purchase from Amazon.I first looked up the subject, found very fast and easy and then was able to compete the sale very efficiently.My books were delivered in record time.. My purchase was for a project with my 7 jr. high and highschool grandchildren.Because of the ease of finding my materials and receiving them so fast, we are on our way to a fun summer project.Thaqnks Amazon..Lilly Mohan

The books were The Book of Virtues for Young People by William J. Bennett.

like it
didn't finish the whole book. but i think it is a good book to read for all age.

Outstanding selection of stories
I love this book, and use it regularly as nighttime reading for my young girls. Beautiful lessons are taught through memorable stories.

Great examples of virtues needed in today's society
Everything was what I expected.The book is a great source of information as I teach these virtues to my children.The stories are fun and yet they help myself and my children to understand the virtue we are studying.I would recommend this to anyone with children of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
A uniquely intimate portrait of John F. Kennedy, Jr., from his closest friend

For twenty-five years, William Noonan and John F. Kennedy, Jr., were best friends. Sharing an adolescence in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, the two frequented beach bonfires and the Monday night yacht-club dances, took road trips, shared albums, sneaked cigarettes on the widow’s walk of John’s house, and scored beer together. And as they grew older, John and Billy never lost the connection they forged in the Kennedy compound as two young boys who had both tragically lost their fathers.

A humble and touching memoir, Forever Young uncovers the private John F. Kennedy, Jr., from the matchless vantage point of a longtime childhood friend. Forever Young is packed with never-revealed details of John and Carolyn Bessette’s courtship and wedding, the launch of George, John’s unusually close relationship with his mother Jackie, and the heartbreaking aftermath of the plane crash off Martha’s Vineyard that killed John, Carolyn, and Carolyn’s sister. Noonan also shares the more ribald episodes, including John’s many famous conquests, skirmishes with paparazzi, and his stint as People’s "Sexiest Man Alive." The definitive story of the son of Camelot, Forever Young is a touching and revelatory tribute to a friendship between two men—and a life cut devastatingly short. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Interesting tale of male friendship and celebrity
This is a good book, filled with personal anecdotes about JFK, Jr. and his life.The narrative is intimate and frank which makes it feel authentic.An interesting take on an interesting guy, who left us way too soon.

CAN I RATE THIS BOOK NO STARS???
After reading the book ( and then the Amazon reviews ) I feel justified in rating it "no stars".

Noonan has penned a self aggrandizing, utterly tiresome, story of his imagined friendship with John Jr.

His elitist tone is downright irritating. How nice for him that he can float around the Cape Cod islands on his pal's yachts. Like he contributed Something to the welfare of man.

From any standpoint this book is a "Dont Buy"

I enjoyed this book.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. I could imagine JFK Jr. and Billy Noonan conversing just like it was described on these pages. Very realistic and true to life. I appreciated the fact the events were not glossed over, and glamorized. Worth reading. I've read it a couple times already.

JFK Jr. Through His Friends Eyes
I loved this book!It was well written and had a lot of humor in it.I loved reading about his college years and the time he spent living in NY.It is very apparent that Jackie Kennedy Onassis did an AWESOME job raising her children...as John is grounded, ambitious, loyal, and dedicated enriching the lives of others...on top of being some serious guy candy (there were pictures in the book).I definately recommend it as it is a testament to this great man from one of his closest friends.

It's more about Billy than John
Difficult to stay awake or believe this slow-paced / grueling 7 CD's set. It quickly becomes obvious that Billy is selling Billy as John's "best friend" (BFF!) - even though John did not ask Billy to be his best man. Hummmm.

I do not doubt Billy knew John, however, there are many more clues that caused one to believe his story is embellished.

Seriously, what a disappointment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful autobiography...
In simple, beautiful language, W. O. Douglas describes his early years as a child living in the majestic shadow of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State. He also gives a succinct yet memorable account of hisyears as Chairman of the SEC and his dealings with the complex personas ofWashington politicians including FDR. I loved this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A timeless selection of brilliant short stories that won William Saroyan a position among the foremost, most widely popular writers of America when it first appeared in 1934.With the greatest of ease William Saroyan flew across the literary skies in 1934 with the publication of The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze and Other Stories. One of the first American writers to describe the immigrant experience in the U.S., Saroyan created characters who were Armenians, Jews, Chinese, Poles, Africans, and the Irish. The title story touchingly portrays the thoughts of a very young writer, dying of starvation. All of the tales were written during the great depression and reflect, through pathos and humor, the mood of the nation in one of its greatest times of want. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

So glad I got this
I read about Saroyan in Closing Time (Heller's disappointing sequel to Catch-22), I was inspired to pick up this book and I'm so glad I did. I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book, and so far the preface remains my favorite part. Fortunately, that's because it's an amazing preface that, brief as it may be, would have been just barely worth the purchase price all on its own. This is, of course, not an issue, because so far every story has been a bite-sized morsel of goodness. Especially great for the sort of person who likes to read a few short stories in one sitting, they're compact and plentiful and thoroughly satisfying. So... get this book.

TOP SHELF
William Saroyan was brought to my attention by Jack Kerouac's early writings in "Upon An Underwood."I can see why Kerouac was turned on by Saroyan...and so am I.This book of stories is very inspiring because, in a good-natured way, it defies the conformist rules and regulations that "academic literature" tries to enforce upon young writers.It's as funny as it is insightful...and even a bit bizarre.It easily belongs on the TOP SHELF of any library.
Its value is timeless.

Creatively crafted -- never a dull moment.
Saroyan has a rare sense of language usage and introduces thoughts and ideas causing you to stop and realize how the grind of everyday life can be refreshing, moving, and humorous. His writings represent a slice of life ineveryday America as well as amusing insights into the wacky rightbraininess of a writer. Once you get through the first chapter and canstand up again, the rest of the book is one deeper-than-real-life-storyafter another. Like Edith Wharton, Saroyan has a command of the craftof writing that seems lost in today's works.

Saroyan's first book of stories.
A masterful work.Most of them written in a thirty day period, in whichSaroyan promised to send the editors od Story magazine a story a day forthirty days.He proceeded to do this and this book made Saroyan an instantcelebrity.

Saroyan eventually went on to win the Pulitzer for his play"The Time of You Life", but turned it down.

This book was astunner when it first appeared.The simple yet poetic language ran againstthe trend of the times.

Saroyan is a nearly forgotten genius, yet hisinfluence is evident in even his enemies, like Ernest Hemingway.

Buy thisbook, read it, and then give it to somebody.They will thank you and sowill I.

It was the best book I read in the right time.
I think there are not many books, that can change your life. This is one of them. I was sixteen when I read this book for the first time. I was not very happy in that time and I was rather confused by life but it has changed. In these short stories I could read about thoughts and feelings, that were similar to mine, but I had not be able to express them. But angle of wiev was new. It made me to live in spite of the world. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Stiff Rectitude to Us; Warm and Fuzzy to 1836.
This reviewer is not here going into detail, citings and/or rhetorical devices.Short and sweet.

Mr. Alcott's work is from the heart and it is inspired by the spirit of community improvement, which is one of the fundamental prinicples he proposes ought to be included in an American male's psyche as a key motivator.

That principle still has merit, as do many of the others he advances.On the very first page of Chapter One, he defines every man's purpose in life: "to be of the greatest possible usefulness."No problem.

Those guys seem always to have been producing something.They had no TV, no iPad, Kindle, smart phone, Google search, Bing (just for comparison.)But there were, as always, distractions.Handle them.

If you are conversant with contemporary thought and practice in parenting and aware of some developmental psychology - not that the reviewer so purports - as "MyCousin Vinnie" would say, "it holds water."(Granted, Alcott's era is nothing even close to recognizably touchy-feel-y, but he loves youth and says that kids playing is an absolute must- after the work is done, of course.)

Between what Alcott reports and what the informed reader already knows of boy character building, virtually all of the history of traditional American values is within grasp.

Keep in mind that not many people were eligible to vote then.Women CEO's could be counted on the fingers of no hands.Because of those anachronisms and more, I'd bet some unfortunates today will find the book laughable, as they judge Alcott by 2010 sensibilities.That's often a mistake.





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Product Description
Chet Baker was twenty-one when Charlie Parker discovered him and introduced him to such stars as Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan. It was the beginning of a meteoric rise to fame. Within a year, his melancholy, seductively elegant trumpet solos and his silken voice had made him the epitome of "West Coast cool jazz," which expressed a whole generation’s attitude to life. Marked by drug addiction, several arrests and unsuccessful comeback attempts Chet Baker died at age fifty-nine in Amsterdam. In images and reminiscences by jazz photographer William Claxton, this book provides a record of Chet Baker’s glorious early years, from 1952 to 1957, when he was still being called the "James Dean of jazz." Claxton accompanied the wonder boy of Californian jazz to concerts, performances, and studio sessions. His photographs show a dreamy, introverted Chet Baker whose charisma and appearance match the suggestiveness of his art.

Texts by Chris Caujolle and William Claxton

Chet Baker, born in 1929 in Yale, OK, won a trumpet audition with Charlie Parker and joined the Gerry Mulligan’s Quartet in 1952. Forming his own quartet in 1954, he toured the US and Europe. A heroin addict, he was in jail several times in the 1960s. Starting a second career in the 1970s, he died in Amsterdam in 1988 falling out of a hotel room window.

William Claxton, a member of the Californian jazz scene, co-founder of Pacific records and the author of the book Jazz Seen, shaped the jazz imagery with revolutionary photographs and record covers.

Chris Caujolle, born in France in 1953, is the director of the Paris-based photo agency and gallery, VU. He worked as artistic director of photography festivals in Arles, Rotterdam, and Madrid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Claxton saw something happening & knew what it was
It was William Claxton's great privilege to have known & photographed Chet Baker during the mid-Fifties. Baker was a handsome, photogenic young man, a rising jazz star whose cool vocal interpretations of standards werewinning him a large, mostly female audience outside of jazz. Thesebeautiful black & white photographs, both casual & posed, capture acultural era as surely as do the films of James Dean, the recordings ofElvis Presley & the writings of Jack Kerouac. We often think of theEisenhower years as a bland era in the United States, but this talentedproto-punk musician was working nearer the fringes in an atmosphere ofcreative ferment. Claxton saw it happening & knew what was going on.Lovely book for Baker's fans & for those who appreciate fine portraits.

Bob Rixon, WFMU-FM ... Read more