Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss

Book Description

From his very first book to his very last book, here in one big volume are 13 classic Dr. Seuss stories, everyone’s favorites. All of the words and virtually all of the illustrations are included. Each story is prefaced by a short essay by someone whose life was changed by Dr. Seuss or who is simply an unabashed admirer. Also included are photographs of Dr. Seuss, memorabilia, and original sketches from his books. The stories included are: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, Horton Hears a Who!, McElligot’s Pool, If I Ran the Zoo, Happy Birthday to You!, Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book, Yertle the Turtle, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Green Eggs and Ham, The Lorax, The Sneetches, and Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) was born March 2, 1904, and died September 25, 1991.
With introductory essays to each story by:
Barbara Bader, Author and Critic
Stan and Jan Berenstain, Creators of The Berenstain Bears
Audrey Geisel, Widow of Dr. Seuss
Peter Glassman, Children’s Bookseller
Starr LaTronica, Children’s Librarian
John Lithgow, Actor and Children’s Book Author
Barbara Mason, Kindergarten Teacher
Richard H. Minear, Author of Dr. Seuss Goes to War
Christopher Paolini, Author of Eragon
Charles D. Cohen, Author of The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and
Nothing but the Seuss
Pete Seeger, Folksinger
Christopher Cerf, TV Writer, Composer, and Producer
Lane Smith, Children’s Book Illustator

Customer Reviews:

love it.......2007-09-09

My infant loves this book. She loves every story in it. Some are really easy; some are a little harder. It gives a parent the opportunity to challenge their child. If they want to be read to, read a hard one, if they don't really care, read an easy, fun one. It's a great collection.

Dr. Suess for Everyone.......2007-08-13

My husband and I picked this anthology up at Sam's Club (for a really good price, but I only saw it there that one time) about a year or so ago and we have not regretted it. Our children enjoy hearing these stories over and over.

The "Sleep Book" included in this book is one of my new favorites. It really helps my children (ages 2 and a half and 11 months) settle down for bed.

I agree that it is not really a book that young children can hold because it is too heavy, but I can manage pretty well holding it while reading to my young children. My children love looking at the pictures and listening to the words with the "magical rhythms". Sometimes they play as I read and come over occasionally to view the illustrations.

This is a very good book. My children love it and I love it too!

can't beat it.......2007-07-31

It is awesome because it has so many awesome books for such an awsome price my daughter loves it. Must own

Perfect.......2007-07-22

This is what a compilation should be; it's stuffed with "greatest hits" and extra information. It's fulfilling on its own but left me wanting to explore further. It can be enjoyed in nuggets or read in long sittings. On top of all other merits, it's reasonably priced, especially for such a sturdy and handsomely bound volume. I disagree with other reviewers that it's too bulky--as a child that's what I loved about Dr. Suess books the most--they were huge to my small hands. I felt like I was reading a "big people" book even though they were simple enough for a beginning reader to enjoy. A purist will be dismayed that the layout of the original pages of the individual books has been changed in some cases, but all the artwork is represented so it's a minor quibble (in contrast to many volumes of "Alice In Wonderland" or the Narnia books where pages of illustrations are missing).

The quality of the content is unquestionable--time hasn't diminished these works in the slightest; the messages underneath the simple, quirky, weird rhymes/imagery are more relevant today than ever, and just as captivating. The biographical sections and essays are informative but brief, they don't interrupt the fun.

If you are a fan or, like me, someone who has been away from "Suess-land" far too long, and don't already possess the works in this collection, don't hesitate to pick up a copy today, you won't be sorry.

Suess for Adults.......2007-07-09

I originally bought this as a present for my sister-in-law's baby shower, but once I received the book, I had to keep it. If you loved Dr. Suess as a kid this is a book for you. Filled with the original stories and images, it also offers some short stories written by Suess, essays written about the man, and pictures. I wouldn't suggest it for young children, but it is a great addition to your bookcase!

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Oprah's Book Club)

Average customer rating:

The Quiet Man.
Character study, not a story
No thrilling page-turner, but a deep, honest look into the heart of man!
The Meaning of Life
doesnt stand up over time

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Oprah's Book Club)
Carson McCullers
Manufacturer: Mariner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618526412
Release Date: 2004-04-21

Book Description

With the publication of her first novel, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, Carson McCullers, all of twenty-three, became a literary sensation. With its profound sense of moral isolation and its compassionate glimpses into its characters' inner lives, the novel is considered McCullers' finest work, an enduring masterpiece first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1940. At its center is the deaf-mute John Singer, who becomes the confidant for various types of misfits in a Georgia mill town during the 1930s. Each one yearns for escape from small town life. When Singer's mute companion goes insane, Singer moves into the Kelly house, where Mick Kelly, the book's heroine (and loosely based on McCullers), finds solace in her music. Wonderfully attuned to the spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition, and with a deft sense for racial tensions in the South, McCullers spins a haunting, unforgettable story that gives voice to the rejected, the forgotten, and the mistreated -- and, through Mick Kelly, gives voice to the quiet, intensely personal search for beauty. Richard Wright praised Carson McCullers for her ability "to rise above the pressures of her environment and embrace white and black humanity in one sweep of apprehension and tenderness." She writes "with a sweep and certainty that are overwhelming," said the NEW YORK TIMES. McCullers became an overnight literary sensation, but her novel has endured, just as timely and powerful today as when it was first published. THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER is Carson McCullers at her most compassionate, endearing best.

Customer Reviews:

The Quiet Man. .......2007-09-27

An outstanding and realistic examination of the human condition. It's an indirect examination ("thoughts that wound from behind" as the great philosopher/storyteller Soren Kierkegaard put it) and that's what makes it so effective.
Everyone is so caught up in their own problems and acting out their desires that nobody notices the quiet suffering of the saintly central character. When he exits his void is felt yet no one can fathom the reasons for his disappearances. Maybe Jean Calvin was/is right about that thorough-corruption doctrine.
Carson McCullers sounds Kierkegaardian in showing the limits of organized religion and social action. The men of purposeful action (street preacher Simms, vagabond Jake Blount, and house-calling Doctor Copeland end up estranged, embittered, and feeling a lack of accomplishment. Meanwhile, the non-formalists (John Singer, Mick Kelly, and Biff Brannon) are better-adjusted and seem to have done more for the world. McCullers doesn't forget the "middle path" either by giving us Portia Copeland, a decent and generous church-goer who talks a little too much.
Our author echoes the sentiments of fellow Southerner William Faulkner on the civil rights issue. Both McCullers and Faulkner despaired at the suffering of blacks under Jim Crow but were wise enough to know the situation could not be legislated away (after all Jim Crow was a creation of government too.) Racism is a human failing to see The Other as a fellow child of G-d. It's an animalistic impulse, as Rabbi Daniel Lapin (a teacher of mine) rightly points out. Trying to speed the undoing of this impulse through legislation and protest marches, while not completely unhelpful, risks bloodshed. Having the faith/attributes of Biff (who runs a restaurant/hospitality center in the spirit of Biblical patriarch Abraham, the father of faith), Mick and Singer makes peaceful change possible in time.
Doctor Copeland and Jake Blount foreshadow the professional protestors of our era. Their enjoyment in physical confrontations tells us a good bit about the psyche of poverty pimps and union thugs.
Singer's life shows the truth of what another of my teachers (the saintly Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT"L) once said -- "It is the quiet man that is respected." The public activist hero portrayed in Hollywood and TV news misleads many into thinking that they must pour forth a constant stream of verbiage to make an impact and promote "understanding." Rabbi Miller and other sages know better -- Most talking is counterproductive.
McCullers (who was 23 at the time "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" was published) proves herself the Great American Prophetess of the Great American Loneliness. Widespread ambivalence and inarticulateness amid the Information Age and cell-phone-driven communications "revolution" wouldn't have surprised Carson McCullers.
To close, here's a gem -- "He (Biff) had known his loves and they were over. Alice, Madeline, and Gyp. Finished. Leaving him either better or worse. Which? However you looked at it."

Character study, not a story.......2007-09-13

I read tons of "pulp" novels and I've started adding some classics to my wish list--largely to see if the books I abhored in high school would be more enjoyable if they were not assigned reading. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was no better now.
As a character study it is superb; the main characters are deep, believable, and unique. I understood the characters, or at least why they didn't understand themselves. Each chapter with Mr. Singer made me smile with anticipation while I waited for something magical to happen to make the characters happy.
That was the problem with the book. Each chapter barely moves the story forward, and in the end nothing happens. There is so much potential for characters to talk and understand and change, but it never happens and the potential hangs over the entire book like a cloud. The book simply ends. No character is better off than they were in the beginning, no character's life path is appreciably changed from those of their next door neighbors. In short, with the exception of Mr. Singer, there was no reason to write about these characters in terms of their participation in events that are worth writing about.
The book was not a labor to get through, but I was largely unsatisfied with the resolution. I don't need a happy ending, but atleast give me a sense that the previous 200 pages somewhat affected that ending.

No thrilling page-turner, but a deep, honest look into the heart of man!.......2007-09-09

It's no fast-paced thriller, nor is it a gripping page-turner, it is however, an incredibly deep look into the heart and soul of man. Not until you finish the very last page and reflect on what you have read, can you truly begin to understand the simple truth behind the title, `The heart is a lonely hunter.'

The heart of man is lonely, always seeking, always needing something... elusive. We all share the need to feel connected, to be part of a whole. To know truth, and be at peace. We are so many disjointed voices that few of us are ever really heard.

Set in the deep South, Carson tells of a deaf mute named John Singer and a group of frustrated individuals that gravitate towards his serene and kindly nature--a young girl, desperate to follow her dreams; a drunkard, willing to impart his wisdom on the uninformed; a black doctor, eager to lift his people to equality; and a café owner, stuck in the routines of life.

Each seek Singer's company and tell of their woes with a deep believe that he, and only he, truly understands their ply. In him, each sees a kindred spirit. But what, exactly, does Singer see in them?

The Meaning of Life.......2007-08-29

"Seek and ye shall find," Jesus is quoted as saying in the Bible. All of us, no matter what our religious affiliation--or lack thereof--are seeking out a dream, a little piece of happiness. Sometimes this process is conscious and sometimes a subconscious imperative drives us forward towards that piece of happiness.

The five main characters of "The Heart is A Lonely Hunter" are all seeking their dreams in an unnamed mill town in the South in the late 1930s. For teenaged Mick Kelly, the dream is a career in classical music that her impoverished family can't afford to provide. For the relentless black Doctor Copeland, the dream is freedom and equality for his people. For restaurateur Biff Brannon the dream is having children. For vertically-challenged drifter Jake Blount the dream is a Marxist revolution to level the playing field for all people. And last, but most important, the dream for deaf-mute John Singer is to be reunited with his long time partner Anatopolous, who was committed to an institution.

Singer becomes the prime focus for the other four. One by one they inadvertently seek him out and spill their wishes and desires to him, although he often doesn't understand them. To Mick he is a secret friend who understands her. To Copeland he is a wise man who understands the struggles of the black minority. To Blount he is a comrade in arms for the revolution. And to Biff he is a kindred spirit, a fellow observer of humanity.

Yet for as much as he represents to them, they mean relatively little to Singer. His thoughts are consumed by his love--platonic, we assume--for Anatopolous, the one he thinks understands him. But much as Singer is a false idol to the other four, Anatopolous is a false idol for him, a lazy, selfish, slovenly person incapable of appreciating Singer's love. In the end these troubled souls are left to pick up the pieces after the false idols shatter, as they inevitably do. This leads each of them to make a decision and to enter a new phase of life.

What makes this book so wonderful to read is the profound understanding of humanity shown here. All of us at one time or another have felt the pent-up ambition Mick feels at wanting something that remains just out of reach. We've felt the righteous anger to right a terrible injustice like Doctor Copeland. We've felt the isolation of being the outsider like Blount. We've all felt the confusion after a loss like Biff. And those of us fortunate enough--or perhaps unfortunate enough--have felt the heartache of an unrequited love like Singer.

These people all seem real because their hopes and desires are those hopes and desires we all have. Their dreams aren't altogether different than those each of us seek, whether we're aware of it or not. We know their longing and desperation to find someone who understands them, even if that someone is a deaf-mute who can only nod along.

Because of that, the book touches something deep in our consciousness, something primal within all of us--the need to seek out for something greater. The most astounding thing about "The Heart is A Lonely Hunter" is that the author was only twenty-three years old when she published this. At a time when most of us are just getting out into the "real world" and discovering ourselves, McCullers already had it figured out.

This is truly a literary achievement that you should seek out at your local bookseller or library at once, those who haven't already done so based on Oprah's recommendation.

That is all.

doesnt stand up over time.......2007-08-13

Lula Carson Smith was my favorite author for a long time. However i must have outgrown her, because i found a recent re-reading of 'the heart...' to be a little tiresome. i agree with another reviewer who noted it was easy to tell the characters were developed by a 23 y/o.

Average customer rating:

A product of the Cold War era
Alas, Babylon 1959
Alas, Babylon
Powerful and memorable - certainly the best of the post-nuclear war genre
very good book

Alas, Babylon (Perennial Classics)
Pat Frank
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060741872
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Book Description

The classic apocalyptic novel that stunned the world.

Customer Reviews:

A product of the Cold War era.......2007-09-07

This book was written in a time when nuclear war seemed probable. Bomb shelters were practical things to buy and "duck-and-cover" was being used in schools. Looking back, it seems silly to think like that. We, the people of the 21st century, understand that a cache of nuclear weapons--except in the hands of madmen--are only useful for pschological warfare. We also grasp more fully the power and environmental hazzards of a nuclear strike. Because of our 50+ years of accumilated knowledge, ALAS, BABYLON may be a hard pill for some to swallow, but it isn't without merrit.

The problems with the book, first. The war, besides being relegated to pure background noise, is just thin. It's a setup that doesn't seem believable today. The effects of the nuclear strike are greatly under estimated. Considering that everything around Fort Repose (the fictional setting of this book) has been devastated by Russian nukes, it is highly unlikely that radiological fallout would not contaminate the area entirely. Ultimately, this leads the book to an overly "rosy" conclusion. (In a post-Katrina United States, we know the inneptitude with which the government reacted to a disaster we saw coming, and that two years later we still haven't fully restored that one region that was hit. How are we to believe a nuclear disaster of this scale, one that we had no time to prepare for, could start to be mended only one year later?)

But ALAS, BABYLON is not bad. In spite of some iffy dialog and their improbable resourcefulness, the characters are what make this book interesting. Randy Bragg (our main character) is certainly a progressive when taken in the context his time. The interaction of Randy and his surroudings gives us great insight into the mind of Pat Frank, I think.

This book works better as a tool to understanding American society (race relations, the state of optimism, fear of war, misinformation, etc.) in the Fifties, than it does as an actual tale. When viewed in that context, ALAS, BABYLON is quite good.

Alas, Babylon 1959.......2007-08-10

Plot Kernel - The people within a small town in Florida cope with uncertainty and the limitations of supply after their area is spared from the devastation of a massive nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Russia.

Alas, Babylon.......2007-08-07

Great book. I first read this book in college, 30 years ago. Some parts of this book have stayed with me all the years since that time. For instance, the description of "valuable items" traded in the market place, including safety pins and pencils. The struggle to survive of the regular citizens of this small town makes me want to go learn something about survival skills, or hope that I am at ground zero of a bomb myself.

Powerful and memorable - certainly the best of the post-nuclear war genre.......2007-07-04

I first read this book as a teen in the 70s and it had a powerful effect on me then. The images conveyed by this novel have stayed with me ever since. There are scenes from this book that I vividly remember more than 30 years later and I recently decided to reread it. Judging from some of the other reviews, there are many readers who share this view and have returned again and again to this novel. There are lots of other reviews that contain detailed plot summaries which I won't repeat here. The story revolves around the survivors of an all-out nuclear war living in rural Florida in the late 1950s. The day after the attack isn't too different than the before for Randy Bragg and his family who are located far from any military or civilian targets. Over a few days though it dawns on Bragg and the other residents of Fort Repose that many of the things that have been taken for granted in modern society (like regular deliveries of food to the grocery store) are long gone and likely will never return. There will be no more deliveries of heating oil, money is worthless, and once the small amount of gasoline is gone, everyone walks. If anyone still believes in the folly of a 'winnable' all-out nuclear war, they should read this book. One aspect of this genre (and this book in particular) that I find compelling is how the author treats the problem of what things from modern society will disappear and how will they be replaced. There are many obvious things (electricity, refrigeration, medicine, etc.), but many more mundane problems (e.g. shoes) that will become progressively more important months or years after the initial attack. Randy Bragg and his cohorts encounter and overcome a wide range of obstacles in their fight to survive. If I had any negative comment about this book, it is in fact far too optimistic about the fate of the survivors. Randy Bragg and his family never seriously have to contend with the fall-out, famine, and disease that would afflict all survivors to a greater or lesser degree. These things are touched upon (and even encountered), but they don't affect the residents of Fort Repose in a severe way. In any case, this is a powerful story about survival and the attempt to maintain and rebuild civilization after the catastrophic destruction of our organized society. A great book though that you will never forget, definitely worth the money to buy as you'll likely want to read it again and again.

very good book.......2007-06-27

somewhat outdated in belveability, however, it could still happen today. This book was written at the height of the Cold War and the fears of nuclear war. well written and worth ther time it takes to read it.

Average customer rating:

Lessons in Life
Great book
Inspiring & Touching book
A Tree Grows...
The Best Book Ever

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (P.S.)
Betty Smith
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0061120073
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Amazon.com

Francie Nolan, avid reader, penny-candy connoisseur, and adroit observer of human nature, has much to ponder in colorful, turn-of-the-century Brooklyn. She grows up with a sweet, tragic father, a severely realistic mother, and an aunt who gives her love too freely--to men, and to a brother who will always be the favored child. Francie learns early the meaning of hunger and the value of a penny. She is her father's child--romantic and hungry for beauty. But she is her mother's child, too--deeply practical and in constant need of truth. Like the Tree of Heaven that grows out of cement or through cellar gratings, resourceful Francie struggles against all odds to survive and thrive. Betty Smith's poignant, honest novel created a big stir when it was first published over 50 years ago. Her frank writing about life's squalor was alarming to some of the more genteel society, but the book's humor and pathos ensured its place in the realm of classics--and in the hearts of readers, young and old. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

Download Description

E-Book Extra: Self-Reliance: A Reading Group Guide

Named by the New York Public Library as "one of the books of the century," A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan -- and her erratic, eccentric family -- in the turn-of-the-century Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn. Originally published in 1943, this true American classic has sold millions of copies worldwide, and includes a foreword by Anna Quindlen.

Customer Reviews:

Lessons in Life.......2007-09-27

This is the kind of book where there is no interwoven complex plot - just life, death, marriage, sacrifice and lessons learned. It's these simple writings that sometimes touch us the most and are the most thought-provoking. A girls life from childhood into womanhood, and all the dreams and devastations in between... Excellent.

Great book.......2007-09-24

This is one of the best books I have ever read...it has a great plot and a great setting too. Once I started reading it, i couldn't stop. The characters and problems they face seem so real! I recommend this book for people 13 and up because It does have minor "things" in it. BEST BOOK EVER!

Inspiring & Touching book.......2007-09-20

I'm so glad that I decided to read this book. I'd initially purchased it because it was on sale (and I really needed something new to read). Nonetheless, this book has become one of my, if not all time, favorite novels. The characters and situations are so real, and I'm a firm believer that ANYONE (male or female, young or old) can somehow relate to Francie Nolan. In this day and age where the youth seldomly read and are exposed to terrible mediums of entertainment (reality tv--Paris Hilton??) we need books such as "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." It's so genuine and full of spirit and heart, despite the characters' dismal situations. This book has the ability to inspire readers to live their lives with integrity and to persevere--especially in seemingly hopeless situations.

A Tree Grows..........2007-09-20

Like before...I am pleased to say your product was sent in a timely fashion and in very good condition. Good job...keep it up!

The Best Book Ever.......2007-08-30

This book was required reading by a Jewish teacher in my 8th grade English class, in Brooklyn. Being a know-it-all Black girl from Brooklyn, I never wanted to read it because I thought I knew it all. Fast forward 10+ years and I finally read the book as a semi-adult. Fast forward 10+ more years and I read it AT LEAST twice a year. This is, in my opinion, the best book for any young woman to read, EVER. It made me read everything else that Betty Smith wrote. It makes me check my local library's supply to make sure they have adequate copies for other young (or older, wiser) girls to read. I have searched and found a 1st printing of the book and I hold it more dearly that my most profound treasure. I would suggest this book to anyone that can read. It will surely teach you something about love, sacrifice and the complexity of the human heart. It is full of romantic love, child-parent love, hopes, dreams, fears, innocence, everything! I recently purchased the movie and I've watched it at least 15 times already. This is a really good book. Oprah thinks so too; she lists it as one of the few books that changed her life. I wholeheartedly agree.

A Hatful of Seuss: Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories

Average customer rating:

Hatful of Seuss
I did not received yet.
Wonderful Seuss
A good buy, but Six by Seuss is better
Some of the best of Dr. Seuss

A Hatful of Seuss: Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories
Dr. Seuss
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679883886
Release Date: 1997-01-13

Amazon.com

This collection of five complete, illustrated Dr. Seuss classics is a "hatful," but you'd have to have a Cat-in-the-Hat-sized chapeau to contain all the treasures in this hefty book. Within its pages you'll find Theodor Seuss Geisel's exuberant creations Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949), If I Ran the Zoo (1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1954), The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961), and Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book (1962). In Bartholomew and the Oobleck, a non-rhyming Seuss story, prepare for an eyeful of green goo. In If I Ran the Zoo, young Gerald McGrew decides he would make a few changes if he ran the zoo--including the acquisition of more unusual beasts (such as an Elephant-Cat) from places "quite out-of-the-way." In addition to the potentially unsettling concept of traversing continents in search of wild beasts to trap and cage, there are a couple of dated references that parents may want to preview before reading to kids. For example, McGrew proclaims, "I'll hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant/With helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant,/And capture a fine fluffy bird called the Bustard/Who only eats custard with sauce made of mustard."

As for the rest of this delightful collection, Horton Hears a Who! is a tale that teaches us "a person's a person, no matter how small." And of course, you may remember the Star-Belly Sneetches, the "snooty old smarties" who pranced antagonistically in front of the Plain-Belly Sneetches, or Mrs. McCave who had 23 sons and named them all Dave. Finally, Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book is about the snortiest snorers, the curious sleepwalking Crandalls, World-Champion Sleep-Talkers, and other somnambulant types--a perfect bedtime finale to a book that could keep youngsters entertained all night. (All ages)

Book Description

Come join us for the celebration of the Cat's fortieth birthday. Following the stunning success of Six by Seuss, which has sold over 734,000 copies, is the delightful debut of A Hatful of Seuss--304 pages of wonderfully nonsensical vintage material. This elegant bind-up copy consists of complete versions of: Bartholomew and the Oobleck, If I Ran the Zoo, Horton Hears a Who, The Sneetches and Other Stories, and Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book. An exceptional gift to give and receive, A Hatful of Seuss is being offered as a full selection by The Book-of-the-Month Club (adult) for Christmas 1996.

Customer Reviews:

Hatful of Seuss.......2007-07-16

This book is great for children. I rated it 4 stars because I think the book is larger than it should be for children. The book has several stories in it and is rather thick. The stories are great for children learning to read on their own and learning rhyming.

I did not received yet........2007-03-08

I am trying to complain about delaying of this book, but I cannot make anyone to answer my question.

Wonderful Seuss.......2005-08-09

Typically wonderful Seuss. A collection of favorites which still entertain and delight childern of all ages! Told in the whimsical, melodic, rhyming style that is Seuss' alone these stories present the challenges and triumph of basic human goodness that we want our children to learn. I highly recommend this collection. I read them to my grandson and notice that by the end of a story the whole house has tuned in and is anxiously awaiting that heart tickling sensation that comes at the conclusion of every Suess tale.

A good buy, but Six by Seuss is better.......2005-03-23

Two of the books collected here are classics (Sleep Book and The Sneetches) and the other three are also pretty good, so this is well worth buying. The now out-of-print "Six by Seuss" however, is an even better value, since it includes five of his very best stories (Yertle, Mulberry Street, the Grinch, the Lorax, and Horton Hatches the Egg) under one cover. I would recommend looking for that book first, then getting this if your child turns out to be a hardcore Seuss fan.

Some of the best of Dr. Seuss.......2004-11-16

Here's a rare book that gives you more than it promises. While it's titled "Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories," you actually get EIGHT stories. That's because there's three extra ones ("The Zax," "Too Many Daves," and "What Was I Scared Of?") included with "The Sneetches and Other Stories."

It's hard to say enough good things about this book. You have a collection of delightful stories, fun wordplay ("I'll go to the far-away mountains of Tobsk / Near the river of Nobsk, and I'll bring back an obsk"), nice life lessons ("A person's a person no matter how small"), and some of the most imaginative artwork anywhere. I enjoy these as much as my kids (ages 3 and a half, and 2).

The only negative I can think of is that the book is rather large for a child to easily rest on his or her lap. If you're reading to your child, that's less of an issue.

If I HAD to pick, I'd say that "Sneetches" is our household's favorite story in this collection, followed by "Horton Hears a Who." But occasionally we'll opt for one of the others. It's good to have a selection of stories, because kids' interests change and they can suddenly decide a different one is the one they want to hear all the time.

Most of these stories are good for reading to your kids right from birth, because the rhyming play and colorful pictures are fun no matter the level of comprehension. The one exception is "Bartholomew and the Oobleck," which is a bit more involved story that probably is best for ages five and up.

Flannery O'Connor : Collected Works : Wise Blood / A Good Man Is Hard to Find / The Violent Bear It Away / Everything that Rises Must Converge / Essays & Letters (Library of America)

Average customer rating:

Classic
Great literature in great binding
Amazing Grace
a lovely book
Just Read It All

Flannery O'Connor : Collected Works : Wise Blood / A Good Man Is Hard to Find / The Violent Bear It Away / Everything that Rises Must Converge / Essays & Letters (Library of America)
Flannery O'Connor
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0940450372

Customer Reviews:

Classic.......2007-05-11

Now that I've read everything by O'Connor (including works that were part of her thesis for her degree in writing) I am still amazed and inspired by her work. I'm not from the south or Catholic and I was not alive during the eras of which she wrote, but her writing transcends region and time. My favorites remain A Good Man is Hard to Find, Everything That Rises Must Converge, and Revelation, but I love all her stories, although I find the novels a bit more challenging - I think short story was her finest form. Her ability to mix desperation and violence with comedy is amazing, and often when I read her I think: "I shouldn't be laughing at that." I often wonder what additional work she would have produced if she had not died so young. Highly recommended.

Great literature in great binding.......2007-01-16

I am thoroughly enjoying this authoritative collection of O'Connor's writings. The writing speaks for itself as truly great and unique. This particular book is very classy and well put together; an excellent choice for someone with a significant interest in O'Connor.

Amazing Grace.......2006-01-21

How sweet the sound that saved this wreched human race. O'Connor writes of God's love and redemption of humanity. She uses exaggeration to make her point. Her characters are so very silly, obtuse, bigoted, loathsome they become cartoons, yet there is a deep integrity to their shallowness. She's not making fun of them, but giving them the justice of a pitiless description. Indeed they do not seem judged, but naked -- the fruits of their stupid, misguided ideas and actions on display. And these children of God do shocking things to others and themselves. And yet . . ..

And yet God allows them to live and learn, or not learn if that is their inclination. He gives them this freedom. He loves them. How can this be? How?

I love O'Connor for her art, her convictions, her courage, and her love. She is so very true and honest.

In addition to her novels and a thorough selection of short stories, there is a chronology of her life and a selection of her letters which are rewarding reading. The book itself is a wonderful object. The pages are of fine paper. The binding is such that you can lay it open on a table without breaking its back, and the pages will not move unless a breeze or you do so.

a lovely book.......2004-12-23

Oh yes! I adore her, and so do my mum and dad. They talk about her all of the time, and so I grew up with the prose ringing in my ears. I am so pleased to be reading her now.

Just Read It All.......2004-09-02

The complaints about the poor organization of the collection can be overcome by simply reading it from front to back. Surely it is that good.

My foray into the works of Flannery O'Connor, a southern, gothic author of darkly humorous novels and short stories came via a recommendation in Harold Bloom's, "What to Read and Why." As it turned ot, I had read one of her short stories, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," in a collection somewhere and had been surprised and shocked, by the turn of events and ending of the story, so much so, that I remembered it instantly, even though it has to have been thirty years since I read it. I enjoyed everything, short stories, novellas, and even her letters. She writes about southern Christ-haunted people, most backward, all damned, but many redeemed. Bloom says that according to her, we are all damned but one should put that aside and simply enjoy her beautiful, grotesque, and wonderful comedic stories. Her protagonist is often a woman, forced to take on a role and duties she didn't sign up for but resignedly and with no illusions playing and discharging both out of a sense of morality or necessity; those women are usually the most superior beings in her stories.

Many of her insights stick with me months afterwards. For example, O'Connor says in one of her letters, "...Hazel's integrity lies in his not being able to do so. Does one's integrity ever lie in what he is not able to do? I think that usually it does, for free will does not mean one will, but many wills conflicting in one man. Freedom cannot be conceived simply. It is a mystery and one which a novel, even a comic novel, can only be asked to deepen." That brought tears to my eyes -- perhaps because it is so beautifully put.

The Best American Short Stories of the Century (The Best American Series)

Average customer rating:

Not what I really wanted
A good effort
Very Well Done
Grand American tales of the nineteen hundreds
NOT THE BEST

The Best American Short Stories of the Century (The Best American Series)

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395843677

Amazon.com

At age 67, the perennially youthful John Updike may at last qualify as something of an elder statesman. But the Best American Short Stories annual--whose greatest hits package Updike has now assembled--is almost a generation older, having commenced publication in 1915. This staying power allows the hefty Best American Short Stories of the Century to perform double duty. It is, on the one hand, a priceless compendium of American manners and morals--a decade-by-decade survey of how we lived then, and how we live now. Yet Updike very consciously avoided the sociological angle in making his selection. "I tried not to select stories because they illustrated a theme or portion of the national experience," he writes in his introduction, "but because they struck me as lively, beautiful, believable, and, in the human news they brought, important." In this he succeeded: the 55 fictions that made the grade are most notable for their human (rather than merely historical) interest.

So who got in? There are a good number of cut-and-dried classics here, including Hemingway's "The Killers," Faulkner's "That Evening Sun Go Down," and Philip Roth's acidic spin on religious connivance, "Defender of the Faith." In other cases, major authors are represented by relatively minor works. Yet it's hard to quibble with the inclusion of Willa Cather, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tennessee Williams, J.F. Powers, Eudora Welty--particularly when you take into account that their second-tier creations are fully the equal of anybody else's masterpieces. And the final third of the book really does constitute an honor roll of contemporary American fiction, with brilliant entries by Saul Bellow, Donald Barthelme, Raymond Carver, Tim O'Brien, Bernard Malamud, Cynthia Ozick, John Cheever, and Vladimir Nabokov. (For the latter, Updike actually succumbed to his own idolatry and bent the rules for admission--but nobody who reads the hallucinatory "That in Aleppo Once..." will regret it.) It goes without saying that fiction fans will be complaining about the editor's sins of omission well into the next century. But no matter how you slice it, this remains an elegant and essential advertisement for the short form. --James Marcus

Book Description

Since the series' inception in 1915, the annual volumes of The Best American Short Stories have launched literary careers, showcased the most compelling stories of each year, and confirmed for all time the significance of the short story in our national literature. Now THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES OF THE CENTURY brings together the best -- fifty-six extraordinary stories that represent a century's worth of unsurpassed achievements in this quintessentially American literary genre. This expanded edition includes a new story from The Best American Short Stories 1999 to round out the century, as well as an index including every story published in the series. Of all the writers whose work has appeared in the series, only John Updike has been represented in each of the last five decades, from his first appearance, in 1959, to his most recent, in 1998. Updike worked with coeditor Katrina Kenison to choose the finest stories from the years since 1915. The result is "extraordinary . . . A one-volume literary history of this country's immeasurable pains and near-infinite hopes" (Boston Globe).

Customer Reviews:

Not what I really wanted.......2007-10-10

Only unknown authors to me. I was expecting some works by Edgar Allan Poe, O. Henry and/or Agatha Christie (maybe I ordered the wrong volume!). Also, some of the stories are quite dull and end as if the author didn't know how to end it! Quite disappointing!

A good effort.......2007-06-20

I read "The Best American Short Stories of the Century" to get a broad overview of the contemporary American short story genre. John Updike edited the collection. The introduction, written by Updike, is an interesting essay on the difficulties inherent in assembling any best-of collection. I suppose I would have liked to have read more of his thoughts on the form, its progress over the century and perhaps its place in contemporary fiction rather than his struggle in selecting pieces. But taken together with the forward, written by co-editor Katrina Kenison, the two essays offer an interesting look into the fickleness of publishing tastes and how those tastes can be influenced by only a few people. It makes the current consolidation of the publishing world seem slightly less troubling.

In any event, there are many people I would have included in the collection that are absent--John Edger Wideman comes quickly to mind, and Latino writers seem strikingly absent. And similarly, though I would not even pretend to know all that one needs to know to authoritatively assemble a collection with such a presumptuous title, I would nonetheless exclude more than one or two pieces that were included in the anthology. But as I reflect on the collection, it occurs to me that it was written more for the general reading public and less for a person interested in the diversity of the form and its practitioners. There are some great stories in the collection, however, I suspect that it more closely represents a particular writer's tastes than a true overview of the form.

The most interesting pieces for me were those written by writers who I associate with other genres. Robert Penn Warren's "Christmas Gift" is a beautifully raw and sensual story. And although it has been some years since I've read Warren's work, my vision of him was always that of a country gentlemen poet living the gentlemanly life in semi-rural Connecticut. The "Christmas Gift" rivals Faulkner or O'Connor in the evocation of the rough-knuckled rural life. The language of the piece and the structure of the lines felt fresh and new. The images were so unique and evocative that I must make a point not to mimic them in my own writing. The opening paragraph is wonderful, his attention to the details of the place and its people comes out with poetic precision that is at once authentic for the place and yet far, far above the circumstances of anybody involved. In this sense it brought to mind Steinbeck (another writer who didn't make the cut) yet his prose seemed even more carefully measured.

I have always admired E.B. White's essays and now, after having read the short story, "The Second Tree from the Corner," I have come to appreciate his abilities as a fiction writer. It has inspired me to track down some of his fiction--other than that written for children, though those stories are also good. "The Second Tree from the Corner" was somewhat unexpected. It's a decidedly non-country story--a far cry from many of the essays I have read. Its protagonist is a patient who is undergoing therapy--another surprise. However when I think about many of his essays, even the most well known essays written at the height of the war, essays that were intended to bring some measure of comfort to a society and culture that could not escape the general sense that they were indeed fighting for their very survival, I still find in these essays a certain sense of existential angst, of an uncertainty that seems thoroughly modern and non-sentimental.

When I hear people talk about White's well-known essay, "Once More to the Lake," it seems almost as though the last lines are forgotten. There is so much talk of lake weather, farm-girls, and berry pies that that final line seems to somehow not stick to memory. But what a line--the entire piece is informed by that last line. The last two paragraphs keep the essay from become a simple, shallow reflection on the American way of life. It was almost as though, despite the Nazis and the Imperial Japanese Emperor, White could not help but feel almost desperately modern. When he wrote, "As he buckled the swollen belt, suddenly my groin felt the chill of death," he rescued the essay from the slash pile of Americana.

And just as he rescued "Once More to the Lake," he may have condemned "The Second Tree from the Corner." Though it is a good short story, it is not at all the warm and fuzzy piece that some may expect from White. And again, in the story White waits to put the last nail in the emotional structure of the piece, which could until the final line go in any one of a number of directions. The final direction of the piece is not nearly as comfortable as it perhaps could be. He closes: "He crossed the Madison, boarded the downtown bus, and rode all the way to Fifty-second Street before he had a thought that could rightly have been called bizarre."

We never discover the nature of his bizarre thoughts, we are left to fill them in with our own interpretation of the strange, never the less, the piece is far from conclusive or comforting.

Similarly, I was impressed with Elizabeth Bishop's "The Farmer's Children." Again I am familiar with her essays and of course her poetry, but I had never before read one of her short stories.

There were also stories by writers whom I have never before read, at least as far as I can remember. Susan Glaspell's 1917 story, "A Jury of her Peers," was impressively fresh and full of a very modern sense of feminism. Grace Stone Coates', "Wild Plums," was an emotionally complex story about class in the early years of the Great Depression.

I did not find what I wanted in the collection--that is, an overview of the contemporary American short story form. I suspect that there is no easy or fast way to come to such an understanding. Maybe that has something to do with the nature of the short story, like the personal essay it is a constantly shifting form, something that responds quickly to contemporary pressures, but also somehow stays true to its form as laid down by Chekhov (or in the case of the essay, Montaign).

I did find some things I did not expect in the collection. And thought I confess that I did not like some of the stories in the and found myself questioning why they were included at the expense of other writers, it was a worthwhile read.

Very Well Done.......2007-06-14

To reduce the boredom of exercise I decided to listen to audio books. Short stories work well as I'm inclined to keep moving until the end.

This audio CD collection is very good and really well done. Many of the stories are read by their authors. The sound is crisp and clean, and (with rare exception) the diction fluid and natural. The stories themselves are varied and high-quality.

One thing to note, though, is that the audio version does not contain all the stories from the print version. That may seem obvious, but if you are expecting to hear one or anther of the stories from the book, know that the CD set only includes 22 stories.

Grand American tales of the nineteen hundreds.......2007-03-24

The quintessential in the American short story is represented in this collection of fiction. I am reading these tales both for the pleasure they bring me and as a means of studying the craft of masters in a field I hope to enter. As part of my fiction class at the University of Iowa, I have read "Janus" and "Where are you going, Where have you been?" (Beattie and Oates).

These two tales explore the psyches of two women: one a successful married realtor obsessed who owns an artistic bowl that assumes a character of its own and, the other, a young girl who becomes a victim of her and others' obsession with her beauty.

Lesser-known authors are represented alongside the giants of American literature. Points of view representing various walks of life, ethnicities, languages and periods of time abound in the volume. For my own pleasure and out of curiosity, I have read "Zelig," a tale about a lonely man obsessed with saving his money, torn between his new home in America and his native Russian village (Rosenblatt).

Ann Beattie, Joyce Carol Oates and Benjamin Rosenblatt are authors whose works I have relished so far from the collection, and because the stories are so intricately woven, I find myself re-reading them, delaying the pleasure awaiting me in the remaining fifty plus tales.

NOT THE BEST.......2007-01-30

I AM A FAN OF BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES SERIES, BUT I DID NOT ENJOY THE STORIES CHOSEN HERE. I STARTED AT THE BEGINNING, TRIED THE END, FLIPPED THROUGH A FEW IN THE MIDDLE AND FOUND THEM DISAPPOINTING. THIS SERIES WOULD DO BETTER WITH MORE THAN ONE EDITOR TO MAKE THE FINAL CHOICES.

Average customer rating:

Best Bang for the Buck
Contains some of the best short stories I have ever read.
Great book

American Short Story Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440204232
Release Date: 1989-04-02

Customer Reviews:

Best Bang for the Buck.......2004-05-11

Perhaps I am biased by nostalgia since this was the text used way back in my high school creative writing class, but this sublime anthology is pound for pound the best collection of short fiction around. There are other excellent collections -- Scribner's Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction comes to mind -- but ASS masterpieces (as we called it back then) has a splendid mix of short story classics in addition to an absurd number of gems. On the all-time classic side, there is "Sonny's Blues," "Rock Springs," "Where are you Going, Where Have you Been?", "A Good Man is Hard to Find," "The Conversion of the Jews," and "The Liar" just to name a few. It's already a terrific list; how many other collections have all these under one roof? But then there are a whole host of lesser-known stories that push this sucker over the top. "1/3, 1/3, 1/3," "A Poetics for Bullies," "The Ledge," "The Heavenly Animal" ... all first-rate stories. And it's only $8.00! Forget Best American Short Stories of the Century. Forget the Norton Anthology. If you can only have one fiction anthology on your shelf, this should be the one.

Contains some of the best short stories I have ever read........2003-05-22

I read "Midair" standing up in the bookstore. This book contains some true classics in short story writing.

Great book.......2000-05-05

This book will boggle your mind. The words used to describe the situations in the short stories. There are more that many excellent stories in this book. I find it more enjoyable that a single novel. Advanced school programs use this as a learning experience. It is a 4 star book.

Average customer rating:

jajaja!
Wonderful Novel
Caramelo, an American Dream
Simply wonderful
brilla con muchos colores

Caramelo
Sandra Cisneros
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679742581
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Amazon.com

Caramelo, Sandra Cisneros's first novel since her celebrated The House on Mango Street, weaves a large yet intricate pattern, much like the decorative fringe on a rebozo, the traditional Mexican shawl. Through the eyes of young Celaya, or Lala, the Reyes family saga twists and turns over three generations of truths, half-truths, and outright lies. And, like Celaya's grandmother's prized caramelo (striped) rebozo, so is "the universe a cloth, and all humanity interwoven.... Pull one string and the whole thing comes undone." The Reyes clan, from Awful Grandmother Soledad and her favorite son Inocencio to Celaya, follow their destinies from Mexico City to the U.S. armed forces, jobs upholstering furniture, and to Chicago and San Antonio. Celaya gathers and retells, in over 80 chapters, the stories that reinforce her family's, and subsequently her own, identity as they travel between the U.S.-Mexican border and within the United States. Rich with sensory descriptions and animated conversations and peppered with Mexican cultural and historical details, this novel can hardly contain itself. Also an acclaimed poet, Cisneros writes fiercely and thoroughly, and her characters enter and exit the page with uncommon humanity. Although the book is long--over 400 pages plus a relevant U.S.-Mexico chronology--in many ways it's not long enough. The world of the 20th-century Mexican family, and of the Reyeses in particular, is as complicated, timeless, and satisfying as our own family stories. --Emily Russin

Book Description

Every year, Ceyala "Lala" Reyes' family--aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, and Lala's six older brothers--packs up three cars and, in a wild ride, drive from Chicago to the Little Grandfather and Awful Grandmother's house in Mexico City for the summer. Struggling to find a voice above the boom of her brothers and to understand her place on this side of the border and that, Lala is a shrewd observer of family life. But when she starts telling the Awful Grandmother's life story, seeking clues to how she got to be so awful, grandmother accuses Lala of exaggerating. Soon, a multigenerational family narrative turns into a whirlwind exploration of storytelling, lies, and life. Like the cherished rebozo, or shawl, that has been passed down through generations of Reyes women, Caramelo is alive with the vibrations of history, family, and love.

Customer Reviews:

jajaja!.......2007-06-28

This book is so authentic it will definitely make you laugh. Lala's story of a Mexican-American girl learning about the women in her family's lives are deep, lighthearted, funny, and serious all at the same time. There are serious themes and funny ones, and this book outlines life for Mexican women, and the traditions that follow.

A great book and a must-read!

Wonderful Novel.......2007-05-25

In this familiar story, Cisneros uses the language in a very special way. She mixes English with Spanish expressions to show its bilingual and bi-cultural heritage. A must for all those who want to know more about the Chicano reality.

Caramelo, an American Dream.......2007-04-22

During the last 3 months, I have read three Hispanic books written in the USA. "Caramelo" "American Dreams" and "El Corrido de Dante". Sincerely, I believe they are the best that I read in many years.

Sandra Cisneros moves gracefully from hope to challenge and onto nostalgia, courage, adventure, and finally to love in "Caramelo". "American Dreams" and "El Corrido de Dante" by Gonzalez-Viana are probably one of the most creative and far-reaching books about the Hispanic immigration to the United States.

I have had the feeling that my readers are the new classic of the American literature for the present century.

Simply wonderful.......2007-01-06

In Sandra Cisneros's "Caramelo" Celaya, or Lala tells story of her family who travels to Mexico City every summer to visit her "awful" grandmother. Celaya has six other sibblings and as her family is not well-off, they had to share a tiny apartment in Chicago. Through the eyes of Lala, we learned about her the relationships among her extended family, which was reminded me a lot of the "telenovelas." Their relationships were rather complex as Lala's uncles (Uncle Fat Face and Uncle Baby) were somewhat jealous of her father, and her mother did not get along with her awful grandmother at all. This almost felt like a compilation of stories from different individuals, all told by the rather observant Lala.

I enjoyed reading "Caramelo" as the author did a fantastic job of describing the experiences of a Mexican-American family. It was also great to see things through the eyes of Lala, who was torn between two cultures and had to deal with the pros and cons of having a big family. The characters in this book were extremely memorable and their stories were well-explained. The writing was clear, concise and very conversational. I highly recommend "Caramelo" as it was highly engaging and fascinating.

brilla con muchos colores.......2006-11-16

Noto que los comentarios de la edicion en espanol son todos en ingles. Porque? No los se, pero yo por mi parte estoy contentisima que lo lei en espanol. La verdad, actualmente lo estoy leyendo de vuelta. Como me encantan las voces de los personajes! Ay, cuando la abuela enojona habla es como si estuviera saliendo de las paginas una persona tan inolvidable,tan reganona, tan unica... casi puedo oir su voz en mi cocina. Y saber mas de su ninez nos ayuda en entenderla mejor (aunque sigue siendo dificil...)

La traductora Liliana Valenzuela hizo un trabajo extraordinario con este libro. No hay nada de rigidez ni de torpeza- fluye con gracia y humor.

Me gusta este libro bien mas que La Casa en Mango Street. Este cuento esta lleno de color, de vibracion, de gracia. Lindisimo. GRACIAS!

Average customer rating:

Great Series---read the others!
Gabaldon's work revisited.
Outlander
Revealing Glimpse Into the Mind of a Writer
Looking for a Little Extra?...

The Outlandish Companion
Diana Gabaldon
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385324138
Release Date: 1999-06-29

Amazon.com

For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Outlander series. Her superb writing has earned a loyal audience, but after a million and a half words, even the most fervent of fans may have a difficult time trying to recall the exact details of the secondary characters, let alone the obscure ones. Thankfully, Gabaldon's The Outlandish Companion is here to help.

Part crib notes and part trivia guide, this essential handbook includes synopses of the first four novels, a character guide, notes on plot development and research, answers to frequently asked questions, and teasers for the upcoming novels--there're even horoscope charts of the central characters, a list of fan Web sites, and choice recipes for the truly devoted.

Readers looking for a fix of Gabaldon's humorous voice or insight into her writing processes and characters will certainly be more than satisfied, but those looking for the next installment of Jamie and Claire's adventures will have to wait for The Fiery Cross, the fifth book in this bestselling series, expected sometime in late 1999 to early 2000. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Book Description

New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon has captured the hearts of millions with her critically acclaimed novels, Outlander. Dragonfly In Amber, Voyager, and Drums Of Autumn. From the moment Claire Randall accidentally steps through a magical stone that transports her back in time more than 200 years to 1743, and into the arms of Scottish soldier Jamie Fraser, readers have been enthralled with this epic saga of time travel, adventure, and love everlasting.

Now Diana Gabaldon has written the ultimate companion guide to her bestselling series, the book only she could write - a beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish. As a special bonus for those who are eagerly awaiting the next appearance of Jamie and Claire, she includes never - before - published excerpts from upcoming works in the series. And there's lots more in this lavish keepsake volume for the many devoted fans who yearn to learn the stories behind the stories:

• Full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
• A complete listing of the characters in all four novels, including extensively researched family trees and genealogical notes
• Professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire
• A comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage
• The fully explicated Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel
• Frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers
• An annotated bibliography
• Tips, personal stories - even a recipe or two
• Essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, and more

With the insight, humor, and eye for detail that has made her novels such an outstanding success story. Diana Gabaldon here gives her readers the best gift of all— The Outlandish Companion.

Customer Reviews:

Great Series---read the others!.......2007-08-27

I have enjoyed this series and particularly like this one as it gives alot of details about Scotland...

Gabaldon's work revisited........2007-08-23

I almost enjoyed this book as much as the series books themselves. It brought back so many wonderful points I'd enjoyed and forgotten about, questions remaining to be answered, thoughts of other readers that enjoyed the series as much as I did. This is a great gift for anyone that's read (and looks forward to perhaps more) Gabaldon's Outlander series.

Outlander .......2007-06-14

This book is excellent. It helps you to remember back to previous books in the Outlander Series. It even has Claire and Jamie's astological tree.
Buy it and you will be pleased. Megan Sutherland Newcastle, Australia

Revealing Glimpse Into the Mind of a Writer.......2007-05-04

When author Diane Gabaldon published her first novel, "Outlander" in the early 1990s, she had no inkling of the phenomenon she would create. Her characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser and Jamie Fraser have appeared in a dozen different languages and millions of volumes. This delightful book is a glimpse into the creative process. Gabaldon reveals her inspiration for Jamie (a character on Dr. Who); she discusses her methods of research, devotes an entire chapter to correcting mistakes in various volumes and includes some fascinating exchanges with readers and critics. Breezy, light hearted and downright fun, the book is an absolute necessity to fans of Claire and Jamie. Th reader is treated to Gabaldon's theories about the purpose of writing and character development. She freely admits that she has no idea where a story will end up when she begins. The first book, "Outlander" was just an experiment to teach her how to write. Originally, Gabaldon planned to write a pure historical novel, but when her heroine, Claire Beauchamp stubbornly insisted on speaking twentieth century slang, Gabaldon had to create a way for Claire to appear in 18th century Scotland while sounding like a modern, independent woman. Thus, Gabaldon hit upon the time travel device. It is a unique pleasure to read the answers to the many questions that a reader can develop about a beloved series and characters.

Looking for a Little Extra?..........2007-04-04

This book is all about the extra little things you missed, never got or wanted more of in Gabaldon's novel series Outlander. The introduction is informative, enjoyable, page-turning and rather quirky in its explanation of Outlander's birth and much of the book is the same in its behind-the-creation of favorite characters; although she can go overboard with side characters that she attempts to highlight when she didn't do so in the series itself and the horoscopes of Jamie and Claire are clearly for fun alone since they only add to what any Outlander fan already knows about them. The best parts of The Companion are the language translations and pronunciations (Gaelic anyone?) of Gabaldon's bi-lingual characters' diction and the excerpts chapters that reveal future books for the Outlander series--You have to read Surgeon's Steel! The anticipation of where she's going with that little snip-it is killing me!

Defintely a must read, but not necessarily a must own since The Companion was written before her latest book: A Breath of Snow and Ashes was released, so theres nothing in it about that book and her website hints at two more books to complete the series which will leave The Companion throughly out of date for any of us who are waiting for something new.

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