Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

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Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham

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Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.

A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

Customer Reviews:

As expected.......2007-10-10

AS everyone knows by now, the last book was pretty much a repeat of previous themes, style and timing. This book perhaps meandered more in the telling of the tale, as the characters also wandered around lost for a period. The most interesting thing is the appearance of christian themes, particularly about dying and resurrection. Previous books very carefully avoided religion. But when fighting the ultimate evil, well...

Fabulous Book.......2007-10-10

As always, JK Rowling has done an amazing job with this book. It's a shame the series has ended.

Great Ending for the Harry Potter Books.......2007-10-10

I really enjoyed this book. I am not sure how she would end the series but I think that she did it perfectly.

"Bless the children, give them triumph now." Aeschylus.......2007-10-10

From absolutely nothing, a blank page, a blank world, comes the dream, vision, saga, magic, drama, and epic of Harry Potter. What spark ignited in J.K. Rowling's brain that set this entire super-reality into motion and melded together a huge plot on a massive canvas that goes beyond the known world into an incredible, shocking, frightening, but always entertaining world? It must be what genius is about. As the final coda to this modern-day equivalent of Ulysess, "Deathly Hallows" brings together all the characters we have previously met and draws the action to its bald-faced basics. Good is looking squarely into the eyes of evil. Battles rage, the action rushes forward, amazing tales are told, and everything I've ever liked about this series is magnified times ten as Harry, Ron, and Hermione seek to accomplish the extraordinary mission Dumbledore has bequeathed to Harry.

Who is Harry to the reader? Is he not the embodiment of the reader's better self, a nonhero whose spirit of loyalty, humanity, kindness, and love drive him into heroic action? His genuine nature is what we all see ourselves as having. He is the innocent who has been thrust into a complex and duplicitous world of pain and suffering merely by the act of being born. He is also the literary orphan seeking the mythic lost father and mother. His only real family are his friends and his only real home his beloved school. He is a deeply sympathetic figure who speaks to whatever has been lost within ourselves and he symbolizes our yearning and hope to defeat those inexplicable losses. Voldemart: who can really explain his nature? Such an evil character is as old as the Old Testament. He is a fallen angel with amazing powers that only an unlikely but utterly sincere figure can defeat. Voldemart is death itself, the ultimate evil that humanity must face.

"Deathly Hallows" brings out the best of J.K. Rowling's writing style. I was surprised a number of times here by her good prose, as I've grown used to her straight-ahead action-driven writing that generally is flat and simple. The action has always been what the language has been about, not brilliant metaphors or stirring feats of linguistic art. Surely she is no Homer or James Joyce. But she possesses the visionary imagination of a genius. As I began, so shall I end. Harry Potter is a wonder, a world unto itself, well worth entering.

The best of the series, and that's saying a lot!.......2007-10-09

I'm part of the increasing adult fan base of JK Rowling's. Having read all six of the earlier books, I was apprehensive about reading the last one. Firstly, I didn't want such a good thing to come to an end. Secondly, I was convinced that she would not be able to keep up her previous level of excellence. I was wrong! The final book was without a doubt the best in the series.

In his quest to find the Horacruxes, Harry discovers some difficult lessons about friendship with both the dead and the living. He learns surprising things, teaching us all that we must go far beyond the surface in order to see the depth of a human soul and measure the value of an entire human lifespan.

Action-packed from the get-go, we are taken on a startling adventure with so many twists and turns that we hardly have time to catch our breath. But every event is credible and leads towards the complex, brilliant and inevitable conclusion.

Although, like Star Wars, HP has always been about the battle between right and wrong and good and evil, we discover that the latter is set in stone whereas the former has many shades of gray; people are fallible and make mistakes or do things that don't always look so stellar at the time. When Harry discovers surprising things about the people in his life, forgiveness comes to him easily, along with his other magnificent traits of bravery, persistence, ingenuity and loyalty.

This is the first Potter book that I've actually read in print, having preferred to listen to the others on audio because of the marvelous English accent. I'm quite sure that I will listen to this book as well, and am very tempted to go back to the first book and start reading them all over again!

Hats off to you, Ms. Rowling! Who else could combine such originality, imagination, humor, moral tales and compulsively enjoyable reading?

Sigrid Macdonald
Ottawa, Ontario

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)

Average customer rating:

The Epic Harry Potter Year 6
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Starts out with a Bang and Becomes a Real Page-turner
Harry Potter book 6
A great book!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
J. K. Rowling
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439784549
Release Date: 2005-07-16

Amazon.com

The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page.

A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way. --Daphne Durham

Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books (box sets and collector's editions), audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more.

Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.

Book Description

We could tell you, but then we'd have to Obliviate your memory.

Customer Reviews:

The Epic Harry Potter Year 6.......2007-10-10

I have not always been a Harry Potter fan until recently. I have all the movies up until Year 4 and all the books including the last one Deathly Hallows year 7. I recommend buying and reading all the Harry Potter books, the excitement and tension truly does not build until this book "The Half Blood Prince" year 6. J.K. Rowlings never ceases to amaze me with her vivid imagination. As I read her books I instantly feel like I am watching the movie and no longer reading. Now I am sure all the true Harry Potter fans saw the latest movie year 5 "The Order of the Phoenix" that catalyzed the journey. I like to thank Amazon.com for keeping all the Harry Potter fans up to date. Stay stuned for the Harry Potter theme park called "Wizarding World" coming to Universal Studios in 2009. I will be the first in line!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince .......2007-10-09

This was by far the best of all the books I loved it and read it in 2 days I couldn't put it down.

Starts out with a Bang and Becomes a Real Page-turner.......2007-10-01

I've got to admit, as the Potter series continues, it only gets better. The Half-blood Prince grabs your attention from the start and unfolds into the darkest of the series. This book contains many twists and turns, most of which leave the reader wanting to find out more. What makes this book different from the others is that there are quite a few surprises as characters reveal personalities that may not have been fully unveiled previously and this, in turn, leads to a highly fascinating read. I'm afraid that I have to admit, I was about to put the book down before calling it a night, with about 100 pages to go and simply couldn't - the story became so enthralling that I just had to go on to finish it! I don't think that there is any question (at least in my mind), that Half-blood Prince, is the best of the series so far. As with all good series, this one left with a real cliff-hanger - I'm only glad that I waited until the Rowling finished the series - that way, I don't have to wait for the next one to come out: I've already started the final book. Got to get back to my reading!

Harry Potter book 6.......2007-09-26

Great book!!!
Highly recommended book, however it is not for kids. It is for young adults and up.

A great book!.......2007-09-25

This book will be something to be read for generations. I put this series somewhere between Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings for greatest series of books of all time. This particular book is mostly an introduction to the final book in the series, "The Deathly Hallows". It is a self contained plot but leaves much to the next book to finish. I highly recommend the entire series.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)

Average customer rating:

Great book Fast delivery
The Order of the Phoenix rises...
Entertaining and kept my interest
Adolescents at Hogwarts
I am still going to give it five stars..

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
J. K. Rowling
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 043935806X
Release Date: 2003-06-21

Amazon.com

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?

The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemed black-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

We could tell you, but then we'd have to Obliviate your memory.

Customer Reviews:

Great book Fast delivery.......2007-10-05

this was a great book to read the series is starting to get good and this person delivered faster then my other book

The Order of the Phoenix rises..........2007-09-23

After reading the fourth book in the series I thought it could just not get any better... boy was I wrong! Harry staves off an attack by Dementors, saves his cousin's life, and has to face a trial at the Ministry of Magic, all before the school year even begins.

With Voldemort back, Dumbledore has recalled the Order of the Phoenix, a group of Wizards and Witches that fought against You-Know-Who the last time. Harry is hidden away for a short period of time at the secret head quarters of the Order, while awaiting his trail at the Ministry of Magic for 'Under Age Use of Magic away from School'. It soon becomes evident that the Minister of Magic is not only determined to not believe that Voldemort has returned, but has even started a compaign to discredit both Harry and Dumbledore to try and prevent people from believing them.

During the School year Harry and the other fifth years have increasingly large piles of school work to complete, and to perpare for their OWLs, which come at the end of their fifth year. Meanwhile the students, and teachers, have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to deal with, who has been appointed by the Ministry of Magic! Things at Hogwarts go from bad to worse, as this new teacher is given a wide range of powers over the other teachers via a stream of Ministry 'Educational Decrees'. Meanwhile Harry is plagued by troubling dreams, of traveling down a darkened hallway to a mysterious door, which leaves his scar burning more and more intensely. Perhaps even more puzzling, and disturbing, to Harry is the fact that Dumbledore seems to be going to lengths to ignore him.

Anyone who has enjoyed the past books in this series will love 'The Order of the Phoenix. This book takes the mystical fantasy elements of the earlier books, and ties them into an increasingly darkening plot line, pitting Harry and his friends against even worse dangers around every corner.

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'.

Entertaining and kept my interest.......2007-09-21

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was far darker than the previous book but kept my interest throughout. Many of the characters are either becoming more sinister or are displaying a great tenacity to fight evil. Overall, I enjoyed this book far more than the previous one although the Potter series, as a whole, still doesn't strike me a "great literature" but rather an entertaining experience. I will say that as the plot progressed, I've become more eager to find out what's going to happen next; therefore, I'm going to start book six tonight.

Adolescents at Hogwarts.......2007-09-17

In this fifth book of the Harry Potter series we join Harry at the first part of the summer after his fourth year at Hogwarts. Harry finds himself back with the Dursleys, isolated in the Muggles' world once again. But all this changes as Dementors attack him. We then move into the school year where things do not look up for Harry. It seems that the Ministry of Magic has made sure that no one would believe of Harry's encounter with Voldemort of nothing more than his imagination.

During the school year it seems our hero does not deal well with his adolescent years. He is clueless about everything; what is happening to him, his friends, relationships, and common sense nor is he able to take advice. It is his almost constant whining, inability to control his anger and ineptitude in daily teenage life that has me drop my rating to three. Even with this the plot is moved along as we are introduced to the Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts curriculum trying to cause change by the Ministry of Magic, and Harry scar gives more warnings.

I am still going to give it five stars.........2007-09-13

I too thought the book was very drawn out, however, I understand why this needed to happen. The Order of the Phoenix takes place after the fourth (Duh) in which the readers come to find that the lovely Voldermort has come back and stronger than ever. Plagued with constant ridicule from the daily prophet and the minister of magic Harry must remain calm and continue to do as he does and fight the snickers and the sneers from the people at Hogwarts. I really liked the beginning of this book because it started off with some pretty good suspense. There is an introduction of two new characters and I thought very much that they added quite nicely to the dynamic of the story. I positivley promise that you are going to loathe one of the new people so much, it will make your head spin. The kids at Hogwarts begin to take matters in their own hands when forces are way out of their control and the book moves nicely into some history of Harry's family and professor snape. The end is a great ending and a brilliant set up for the sixth ( I have already started it, soo good). If you have seen the movie and are wondering if this book may be for you, just pick it up and enjoy it.

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Fun, light, but emotional
Great Summer Read!
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 2)
Ann Brashares
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385731051
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Amazon.com

Teens who loved Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2001) will cheer its equally riveting sequel The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. As in the first novel, four teen girls who have known each other since birth (their moms shared a pregnancy aerobics class) further forge their bond of friendship through a pair of thrift-store jeans that magically, impossibly, fits them all perfectly.

Like the summer before, Carmen, Bridget, Tibby, and Lena share their individual adventures with the Pants collective, creating an engaging, kaleidoscopic narrative of four voices. This summer, Tibby attends a film program in Virginia and Bridget (Bee), whose mother has died, impulsively jets off to Alabama to get reacquainted with her estranged grandmother. Lovely Lena tries to protect herself from the heartbreak of loving her long-distance Greek god boyfriend Kostos, and Carmen deals (poorly) with her mother dating again and having the nerve to borrow the Pants!

The Second Summer, while breezy and fun to read, deals seriously with love lost and found, death, and finding the courage to live honestly. The teens' lessons are often painful, but the Sisterhood prevails. Quotations from luminaries such as Charlie Brown ("Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love") to Nelson Mandela ("There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered") open each chapter and cleverly reflect the novel's many moods. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Can't wait for the next installment of the Pants? Check out the SPECIAL EDITION of The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, in stores now!
Inside you'll find an exclusive "Who's Your Soul Mate Quiz" and a sneak peak at the third book, Girls in Pants.

With a bit of last summer's sand in the pockets, the Traveling Pants and the Sisterhood that wears them embark on their 16th summer.

Bridget: Impulsively sets off for Alabama, wanting to both confront her demons about her family and avoid them all at once.

Lena: Spends a blissful week with Kostos, making the unexplainable silence that follows his visit even more painful.

Carmen: Is concerned that her mother is making a fool of herself over a man. When she discovers that her mother borrowed the Pants to wear on a date, she's certain of it.

Tibby: Not about to spend another summer working at Wallman's, she takes a film course only to find it's what happens off-camera that teaches her the most.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

With a bit of last summer's sand in the pockets, the Traveling Pants and the Sisterhood that wears them embark on their 16th summer.

Bridget: Impulsively sets off for Alabama, wanting to both confront her demons about her family and avoid them all at once.

Lena: Spends a blissful week with Kostos, making the unexplainable silence that follows his visit even more painful.

Carmen: Is concerned that her mother is making a fool of herself over a man. When she discovers that her mother borrowed the Pants to wear on a date, she's certain of it.

Tibby: Not about to spend another summer working at Wallman's, she takes a film course only to find it's what happens off-camera that teaches her the most.

Customer Reviews:

Fun, light, but emotional.......2007-09-07

In the second summer after discovering the mystery pants, Bridget, Carmen, Tibby, and Lena are getting ready for summer jobs, a break from school, and another summer where they will not all be together in the same city all summer long. But they know from last year that they will stay close and share the beloved pants to keep the magic alive. But unlike last year, each of the girls summers is off to a disappointing start.

Bridget has not been feeling herself all year long and her friends are worried about her. She discovers that her grandmother has been attempting to communicate with her for years but her father has kept the cards and letters a secret. Frustrated and curious, Bridget decides to move to Alabama for the summer to see what she can learn from her grandmother and rekindle the lost relationship.

Carmen is beginning to date and wondering how her life will be affected by boys. What she least expected was for her mother to begin to date again as well. That change concerns her more than her own love life. Add the complication of dealing with her stepsister who appears practically at her door after running away and Carmen does not know which crisis is worse.

Tibby is off to film school for the summer and feeling less appreciated by her mother than ever. In an effort to impress classmates that she thinks are "cool" she manages to offend Brian - one of her closest friends and, she later realizes, a true friend. She must work to repair the damaged relationships in her life all the while dealing with the pain she still feels after Bailey's death.

Lena is wrestling with the feelings she still has for Kostas even though in the spring she wrote to him and broke off the relationship. She is trying to salvage a friendship while ignoring the love that she still feels for him. When he surprises her by appearing on her doorstep things look as though the relationship will only improve. But Kostas has a secret that threatens to ruin their happiness.

Brashares has written another fun installment perfect for summer beach reading. It is light and simplistic yet arguably more emotional than the first novel. The reader gets a sense of the strong friendship between the girls and can relate that relationship to the reader's own friendships. But the individual tragedys pull at the heartstrings and are believable as well. This book is the perfect beach read and will entertain from the first page. Sprinkled between chapters are fun and appropriate quotes - both real and invented - that make the perfect transition from chapter to chapter.

Great Summer Read!.......2007-06-23

I just finished reading this book. This book tells of the girls hardships and friendship over the next summer. Ann Brashares did a great job with this book. I really would recommend this to anybody, but you probably want to read the first one first. I was totally interesting in reading this book and couldn't keep it down. It truly was an amazing book. Lena falls back in love with Kostos but he unfortunatley has to marry another girl back in Greece, and also her grandpa died! Tibby goes to a college in Virginia to work in a film class. There she mad a stunning video about Bailey, which shocks all of her friends and peers. Bridget goes to Alabama to meet her grandma, but not as Bridget. She pretends to be a young person looking for a job, to help herself get to her grandma, but in the end her grandma could secretly tell that it was her all along. Carmen's mom falls in love, and Carmen is scared. She breaks them up but eventually feels sad about that, so she reunites them. This is another great book which I would recommend to anybody who likes happy endings.

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood.......2007-06-05

The pants are back again to work their magic for a second summer. It's 12:00 midnight. The night before the sisterhood will be separated for another summer of adventure, love, and finding their true selves. What will the magic of the Traveling Pants have in store for each of the girls this summer?
The four members of the sisterhood, Carmen, Bridget, Lena, and Tibby pick the lock on Gilda's Aerobics Center, (who knows why anyone would even want to get into that old smelly place besides them) where the four of them first united many years ago when they were still in their mother's stomachs. If you haven't read the first book of this series, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I highly recommend it. Last summer, Carmen and the other girls stumbled across the pants in a thrift shop near their town. They knew the pants contained some sort of indescribable magic when each of them tried the pants on, and they fit each of them perfectly. Over the summer the pants were sent from one girl to the next, keeping the girls connected even though they were oceans apart. Now, it's the second summer that the girls have had the pants, and they are about to take them out of their winter storage bag, where they put them last September. There is sure to be some work for the pants this summer as Bridget seeks out her family in Alabama, Carmen finds love for herself and her mother, Lena gets her heart broken form past loves, and Tibby tries to find ways to cope with her lost loved ones. Through all these hardships their friendship remains true. Remember, "Pants=Love, Love your friends, love the pants."
What I enjoy most about Ann Brashares books is how you can relate yourself to one of the four characters. Whether you're a Bridget, a Lena, a Tibby, or a Carmen, each of the girls represents a different type of personality that everyone can relate to in some way.
The most important key to understanding this book would be seeing how great the friendship is between the four girls. You need to be able to understand the changes the girls are going through as they grow up together, but also how one thing stays constant and true between them, their friendship.
The reason why I recommend this book to you is because I think the message of the story it tells on something everyone should learn. This book, along with the three others in its series, has been the only book I have read that shows exactly what true friendship is. Any teen girls who want to read a happy, uplifting story would be missing out if you passed this book up.

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood.......2007-05-24

I really enjoyed this sequel to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The four girls, Carmen, Lena, Tibby, Bridget, all go on their ways again. This time Bridget is off to Alabama and Tibby goes to Williamston College in Virginia. Carmen and Lena stay home. This book is full of drama, love, heartbreak, deceiving, and everything in between. If you like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, then you will love The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. I highly recommend this book to girls age 13 and over. Enjoy!

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood.......2007-05-06

Imagine having a pair of pants that fit anyone no matter what size they are. The Traveling Pants are back in the Sisterhood. This is the second summer with the Traveling Pants for Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby. They try to make it the best summer, but things don't go as well as planned. Bridget sets off on a journey to Alabama to meet her grandma, Greta; Carmen is concerned that her mother is acting like a teenager over a man, and that she had worn the Pants on her date; Tibby makes a movie that she'd like to be proud of and Lena spent months hiding from love until the day she puts on the pants. To find out how these four best friends summer ends, you'll have to read the book.
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood is a companion to the New York Times bestseller, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The Second Summer is my favorite out of these two books. I like it because it kept me wondering about what'll happen. I wanted to read on and on to see how they handle their problems. The book also has specific details, good characters, and humor. The author, Ann Brashares, resides in New York with her husband and their three children. With her great writing skills, both these books became New York Times bestsellers. These two books also held my attention very well! The third summer of the Sisterhood also came alive when Ann Brashares wrote Girl in Pants; The Third Summer of the Sisterhood.
If you've read the first book, I would highly recommend reading this one. This is a very good book for teenage girls to read. I would suggest any girls over thirteen years of age because of mature language and events. I would also recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about love, and friendship. I hope that you will be interested in reading this book as much as I was!

Preparing for Life: The Complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome

Average customer rating:

A necessary tool for social skills groups.
Excellent!!!
Knowledge delivered effectively is empowering!
Brilliant Navigator
Great Life Skills Training

Preparing for Life: The Complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Jed Baker
Manufacturer: Future Horizons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932565337

Book Description

A comprehensive resource for students on the autism spectrum preparing for life after high school, best-selling author/counselor Dr. Jed Baker offers "life skills training" on subjects such as non-verbal cues, body language, dealing with anger, frustration and anxiety, as well as building and maintaining friendships, roommates, and intimate relationships. He focuses on conversational and employment skills, ways to balance work/school with family demands, and problematic areas such as finances, emergencies and transportation matters. The assessment tools he provides for parents and the analysis of the laws that provide accommodations to adults with disabilities are critical for success in life after high school.

Customer Reviews:

A necessary tool for social skills groups........2007-01-10

I use Dr. Bakers manuals and pictures books in my group practice, and find them to be an invaluable tool for social skills training. They are easy to use and address the areas of difficulty that many of my clients struggle with. I also share the skills sheets with my clients' teachers and other caregivers to promote genrealization of the skills.

The gains my clients have made by learning and using the skills are measueable. Dr. Baker's books are a necessary tool for any social skills trainging program.

Excellent!!!.......2007-01-08

Another practical, informative and totally user-friendly book from Dr. Baker. Every professional working with adolescents and young adults will benefit from having this in their collection.

Knowledge delivered effectively is empowering!.......2007-01-05

In this indispensable guide, Dr. Baker gives parents and educators solid tools and strategies to embrace what's unique about our students in a way the adds ease and empowerment to the process.

Brilliant Navigator.......2006-12-11

This book is truly a Godsend. It is ideal for people on the autism/Asperger's spectrum who are approaching adulthood. Dr. Baker is plainly a gifted man and this book is proof positive of his logical vision. He is also a brilliant navigator who leads expeditions for people on the a/A spectrum into understanding the neurotypical world and issues in it.

I like the way he organizes assets and challenges by putting them into categories, e.g. work, social, etc. Dr. Baker includes some good practical techniques for handling difficult emotions. His advice on dating and employment issues is something no adult on the spectrum should go without reading. If you are an adult on the spectrum, please make this book your best friend.

Great Life Skills Training.......2006-07-11

This is a great motivational book for someone on the verge of entering into adulthood. Dr. Baker pinpoints specific skills needed for a variety of "life situations" by catagorizing them and dealing with them individually. It starts out with mapping out assets and challenges. There are activity pages to use when anger is an issue and suggestions on calming ones self. The book includes a 16 page section on dating. It offers great advice for job seekers, from writing resumes to handling rejection. These are only a few of the sections found in this book. It truly is indispensable for anyone with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome. I definitely recommend this one.

Average customer rating:

For all adolescent boys, and the people who love them
An enjoyable read, but not for everyone.
Good story, reads quickly
Couldn't get into this book
What is it REALLY like to be a 13-year-old boy?

Black Swan Green: A Novel
David Mitchell
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812974018
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

From award-winning writer David Mitchell comes a sinewy, meditative novel of boyhood on the cusp of adulthood and the old on the cusp of the new.
Black Swan tracks a single year in what is, for thirteen-year-old Jason Taylor, the sleepiest village in muddiest Worcestershire in a dying Cold War England, 1982. But the thirteen chapters, each a short story in its own right, create an exquisitely observed world that is anything but sleepy. A world of Kissingeresque realpolitik enacted in boys’ games on a frozen lake; of “nightcreeping” through the summer backyards of strangers; of the tabloid-fueled thrills of the Falklands War and its human toll; of the cruel, luscious Dawn Madden and her power-hungry boyfriend, Ross Wilcox; of a certain Madame Eva van Outryve de Crommelynck, an elderly bohemian emigré who is both more and less than she appears; of Jason’s search to replace his dead grandfather’s irreplaceable smashed watch before the crime is discovered; of first cigarettes, first kisses, first Duran Duran Lps, and first deaths; of Margaret Thatcher’s recession; of Gypsies camping in the woods and the hysteria they inspire; and, even closer to home, of a slow-motion divorce in four seasons.
Pointed, funny, profound, left-field, elegiac, and painted with the stuff of life, Black Swan Green is David Mitchell’s subtlest and most effective achievement to date.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

David Mitchell is the author of Ghostwritten, Number9Dream, and Cloud Atlas, the last 2 finalists for the Booker Prize. Granta magazine named him one of Britain’s best young novelists in 2003. He lives in County Cork with his wife and daughter.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

For all adolescent boys, and the people who love them.......2007-10-09

This book took me inside the mind of a witty, scared, and dear adolescent boy with some of the best (often internal) dialogue since George V Higgins

An enjoyable read, but not for everyone........2007-10-02

Black Swan Green: A Novel

"Black Swan Green" By David Mitchell.

"Black Swan Green" chronicles one year in the life of 13 year old Jason Taylor who lives in a small town in England named Black Swan Green in 1982. The book is broken into 13 chapters with each chapter devoted to one month in Jason's life starting in January and ending in January (January man).

This book was very good and I rate it on a par with "Catcher in the Rye" or "A Separate Peace". Be warned this book is not for everyone and is a little bit of a sleeper. Initially it was slow going, a book about the trials and tribulations of a 13 year old yada yada. Right when I thought I was getting bored with the book the hooks were in. The initial part of the book which seemed a little slow was the necessary character building stage and after that the characters were alive and I cared about them and had to find out what happened. I say it isn't for everyone and this it true. This story isn't an action packed thrill ride and it isn't filled with mystery or violence or sex. What it is full of is very life like realistic characters that you come to see could have been you or someone you knew growing up. If you enjoy character driven stories you will probably like this however if you need action etc, this may not be for you.

The Good: As stated the characters are superbly written. Not a lot to elaborate on. This is a character driven story and the characters are excellently drawn.

The Bad: A little slow at first but the patient reader will be rewarded.

Overall: I recommend this book. It was very enjoyable and worth giving a read!

Good story, reads quickly.......2007-09-19

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked how the story was constructed over one year in the boy's life, and there were several interesting plots going on, that all seemed to resolve by the end. I found myself laughing out loud from time to time. It was a fast read for me, and I thought that the 13-y/o's narrative made it even more interesting. I liked all the characters that came in and out of the novel, especially the old woman who was going to teach French. I was shocked by the depravity of some of Taylor's "friends" and their families, though I guess I shouldn't have been...that's everywhere. I wish this story didn't end!

Couldn't get into this book.......2007-09-08

This book was recommended to me because I enjoyed Middlesex, no comparison. I gave up reading "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell in the middle of chapter one. I started reading again, put it down picked it up and finally..........Yes, it was that dull. However, the New York Times has a positive review of "Black Swan Green". I could find only one negative comment in the entire review

What is it REALLY like to be a 13-year-old boy? .......2007-08-19

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell answers that very question. I choose this book to read because it was listed as a New York Times Notable book in 2006, and I'm certainly glad I did!

Black Swan Green is the name of the small village in Worcestershire where 13-year-old Jason Taylor lives. It's a sleepy little village minus the swans. The year is 1982, and Jason is trying to navigate his way through a maze of difficulties: bullies at school, trying to blend in, overcoming a stammer that could label him forever, parents at war with each other, an older sister that calls him "The Thing", a war in the Falklands, and gypsies that have taken up residence is the village. Can life really be so difficult at 13? You bet it can!

Eliot Bolivar is a poet that submits his writing to the local parish magazine. He is talented and writes eloquently. And he is actually Jason Taylor, our 13-year-old antagonist. But really, could a kid hold up his head in school if he admits to being a POET? I think not!

This book is chocked full of insight. It is exactly one year in the life of Jason Taylor. Mitchell's writing is so fantastic, you can actually see through the eyes of this boy. At first, it was a bit difficult to understand some of the British phrasing and terms, but that didn't stop any enjoyment I felt reading this book. When Jason was called on to read aloud in class, I actually could FEEL his fear in the pit of MY stomach. Trying to navigate through school without being seen, not popular enough to be part of the in-crowd, and not detested enough to be one of the lepers, Jason tries hard to fit in. And he has to fit in in a way that lets him live with himself.

One of my favorite passages in the book comes right at the end: "The world's a Headmaster who works on your faults. I don't mean in a mystical or a Jesus way. More how you'll keep tripping over a hidden step, over and over, till you finally understand: Watch out for that step! Everything that's wrong with us, if we're too selfish or too Yessir, Nosir, Three bags full sir or too anything, that's a hidden step. Either you suffer the consequences of not noticing your fault forever, or , one day, you DO notice it, and fix it. Joke is, once you get it into your brain about THAT hidden step and think, Hey, life isn't so bad after all again, then BUMP! Down you go, a whole new flight of hidden steps. There are always more."

The entire book is filled with this type of writing and insight. The characters are all well-rounded, simple yet complex. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry. And it will make you exceedingly glad that you never have to go through that horrible time in life again. I would recommend it whole-heartedly!

Brother One Cell: An American Coming of Age in South Korea's Prisons

Average customer rating:

so good I didn't sleep for two days..
Phenomenal
Could not put it down
Gets to the Marrow of Korea
An incredible experience that inspired an incredible book!!!

Brother One Cell: An American Coming of Age in South Korea's Prisons
Cullen Thomas
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 067003827X
Release Date: 2007-03-15

Book Description

A gripping first-person account of one young American's life-changing years in a South Korean prison

At age twenty-three Cullen Thomas was, like most middle-class kids his age, looking for something meaningful and exciting to do before settling into the 9-to-5 routine. Possessed of a youthful, romantic view of the world, he set off for adventure in Asia and a job teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. But he got more than he ever bargained for when an ill-advised stunt led to a drugsmuggling arrest and a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Brother One Cell is Cullen's memoir of that time—the harrowing and unusual story of a good kid forced to grow up in very unusual circumstances.

One of only a handful of foreign inmates, Cullen shared a cell block with human-traffickers, jewel smugglers, murderers, and thieves. Fortunately for him, the strict Confucian social mores that dominated the prison made it almost a safe place, different from the brutal, lawless setting most would imagine. In the relative calm of this environment Cullen would learn invaluable life lessons and come out of the experience a wise and grounded adult. With its gritty descriptions of life behind the concrete walls, colorful depictions of his fellow inmates, and acute insights about Korean society, Brother One Cell is part gritty prison story, part cautionary tale, and part insightful travelogue into the places most people never see.

Customer Reviews:

so good I didn't sleep for two days.........2007-08-23

This book is riveting. It chronicles a worst nightmare come true with a tone that is wise, witty and utterly accessible. I can't recommend it highly enough. I was entranced by the various transformations of optimism that this author traipses through on his seemingly horrific yet 'can't look away' journey.

Phenomenal.......2007-08-13

This book is incredible! I agree with the other reviewer who pointed out that one particular negative review on this book seemed grossly uninformed. To sum up just how that review errs, this book is not at all "uneventful"; the entire point of the memoir is just how humbled Thomas *did* feel by his experience; and while he does comment on ethnic diversity in the prison, he by no means sees his fellow convicts as "losers." Please don't do yourself a disservice by assuming that this book is nothing more than some whiny, poorly adjusted, rich boy's lament.

As for my own reactions to Brother One Cell, I feel that everyone can take something from it. While receiving a prison sentence is obviously no small deal, the appeal of this book is broader than many might assume. Some readers who never had to deal with a jail term may still find that it strikes a chord, have they ever found themselves faced with a prolonged set of difficult circumstances far away from home. The soul-searching that Thomas does, the way he articulates his pain over being kept apart from his loved ones, his insistence on "going it alone" despite his feelings of isolation, and his discussions of the fear of losing himself (on a fundamental and psychological level) are all of universal interest. He talks at length about the internal change that leads him to value the most mundane of acts -- things that he does not have in jail -- such as reading whatever he wants, looking at members of the opposite sex, walking around outside, and so much more.

I feel that there are probably a number of people out there who could relate to the types of emotional and psychological changes explored and documented in this book. He even mentions (in varying amounts of detail) experiences such as phantom pains, flashbacks, and his unique relationship with Korea and feelings about the time he spent there. The author starts off by showing us the aimless vagabond he once was, allows us to accompany him very intimately through his periods of rage and depression following his arrest, and concludes with a sense that Korea is now very much a part of who he is.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the following
-prison memoirs
-unique glimpses into seldom-seen aspects of Korean culture
-anyone familiar with Korean culture who is interested in outsiders' impressions of it
-stories of self-discovery
-culture shock
-autobiographical accounts of the profound personal changes borne out of unrelenting hardships faced in relative isolation (as well as the changes in an individual's perspective on said hardships as time wears on)

The latter reason to read this book appeals not only to those who have been forever changed by circumstances that their loved ones will never truly know, but it could also be of immense help to anyone trying to understand their loved one's experience and the depth of the impact it has left.

Brother One Cell is fascinating--this book is raw, yet compassionate and, above all else, honest. Just as other reviewers have noted, I too can see this book taking a place on required reading lists; it is only a matter of time before it becomes a classic.

Could not put it down.......2007-07-25

Heard Thomas on a pod-cast of the Diane Rehm show. Thought it was interesting and got a copy. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I was so captivated with his writting that I had a hard time putting it down to get other things done. The writting is easy on the eyes, flows well and just slips off the page. In this coming of age story we not only have the story but a true transformation. Highly recommend it.

Gets to the Marrow of Korea.......2007-05-06

It took me a while to get my hands on this book after reading about Thomas in an issue of Esquire Magazine, I think it was. I had to get it shipped to me here in Korea through a book importer. I couldn't wait for it to arrive because I was so impressed with the magazine article that I had high expectations for the book.

My expectations were fully met. I've been interested in Korea for about seven years now, coming here twice as a student, and now living and working here while studying Korean. I've read several books about Korean culture, economy, etc, etc. None of the previous books I have read were able to paint such a vivid and profound picture of the culture I have come to love, in spite of its flaws.

Somehow, by experiencing a side of the country that we rarely hear about, he is able to understand the essence of Korean society and illustrate it in ways that rang true with my own experiences while simultaneously shedding new light on aspects that I still struggle with. In particular, it was interesting reading this book while settling into a job as the only non-Korean full-time employee of a Korean company. Not that prison compares to company life in the least.

This book is good on several levels. Other reviewers have already discussed the merits of the book as a memoir, etc, so I wanted to praise the book specifically as a book that relates to Korea, though perhaps not as many readers will be interested in this aspect of the book. I hope a Korean translation is released, because I think it would be an interesting perspective for Koreans to read about as well.

An incredible experience that inspired an incredible book!!!.......2007-04-30

This book is a lighthouse of hope in a fog banked world of despair. If Cullen Thomas can take his incredible, torturous, horrific but ultimately beautiful experience, find the good in it and share it with the world, then there are no problems in my (presently mundane by comparison) life that I shouldn't be able to overcome. This book made me take stock of my life while at the same time realizing just how lucky I have it...thanks Cullen!

Average customer rating:

Not angry... Just historically honest
Descriptive, emotional, engaging
Wasn't reasonable or logical or comprehensible
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Remarkable, Unforgettable, Invaluable, Candid, Daring, Astounding...

Coming of Age in Mississippi
Anne Moody
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0440314887
Release Date: 1992-01-04

Book Description

Written without a trace of sentimentality or apology, this is an unforgettable personal story -- the truth as a remarkable young woman named Anne Moody lived it. To read her book is to know what it is to have grown up black in Mississippi in the forties an fifties -- and to have survived with pride and courage intact.

In this now classic autobiography, she details the sights, smells, and suffering of growing up in a racist society and candidily reveals the soul of a black girl who had the courage to challenge it. The result is a touchstone work: an accurate, authoritative portrait of black family life in the rural South and a moving account of a woman's indomitable heart.

Customer Reviews:

Not angry... Just historically honest.......2007-07-10

Though I read this book many years ago, I had to strongly disagree with part of the editor's initial characterization of this book as being "angry". Powerful, painful and anxiety producing, yes. Angry, no.

I personally came away with the lasting impression of a very honest and heart-felt description of the events and struggles that shaped Ann Moody's life, and her active participation in the Civil Rights Movement. She describes beautifully the fears and pains felt by communities during tragic events such as the murder of the young Emmett Till, and injects the intensity felt by the leaders of the Movement, including MLK Jr., as they constantly tried to dodge authorities.

I strongly believe, and echo other reviewer's opinions, that every High School and young college student should be required to read this book.

Descriptive, emotional, engaging.......2007-03-20

Thus a civil rights advocate was born.

I read this book seven years ago, on a whim, because I was wanting to understand why Southerners were especially proud of their heritage when there was so much suffering among its own people, especially its blacks.

Ann Moddy lived a life that most whites would be ashamed of, but that many blacks endured. This is a part of American history that mainstreem history books seldom cover in any detail and leave to the "Black Studies" department.

Moody lived her life struggling for identity, struggling for change, struggling for advancement. She made something of herself and has never looked back. (I read somewhere that she doesn't like to talk about her growing-up years and has lived a life of seclusion.). She can only be admired for what she has made of herself.

Moody never once expresses hurt. All she wanted was justice for all. She left Mississippi with more than a tinge of anger.

This book should be required reading for all social studies classes. It is engrossing without being sentimental or overly emotional (and it certainly is not "girly" at all.) For anyone, regardless of color, gender or legal status, this should be a must-read.

Wasn't reasonable or logical or comprehensible.......2007-03-05

I quit early on and here's why.
Anne's mother leaves her 6 month old infant and Anne (who is "almost 4") in the hands of her (anne's mother) 8 y/o brother, then later her 12y/o brother, for 12+ hours every day. According to Anne they never took care of them and in fact took off as soon as her parents were out of sight.
Who's feeding the 6 month old for those 12+ hours? They were living on a farm with lots of other black families. Surely the women had some kind of communal child care system going. Where's the wet nurse? I don't believe it.

Same happens with the next infant. Mom's never home. All male babysitters. One male adult would take all three kids (ages 5, 2.5 and a little over a year old) HUNTING with him in the swamps! I don't believe it. I don't believe Anne Moody.

How is it that Anne goes to school at age 5 but her mom's 8 y/o and 12y/o brothers don't?
In Anne Moody's story the boys and some men stayed home and babysat while the girls go to school/work. Now I always thought it was just the opposite. Girls usually stayed home and tended to their younger siblings, cleaned, cooked etc., while the boys if they didn't go to school, worked along side the men.

How is it that little 5 y/o Anne walks 2 miles up and 2 miles back to school everyday all by herself. Just try and picture that in your mind. A tiny little threadbare 5 y/o girl all alone walking 4 miles a day in the rain, humid heat or cold. Then hiding in the schools outhouse for as long as she can because she doesn't like school or the teacher! I don't see it. I don't believe it. Four miles is nothing for a healthy adult/teen/kid but a 5 y/o "baby"? I don't think they'd have the mind to do it nor the legs.

How is it that when Anne is 6 and back at school, her mom just leaves the 3.5 y/o and 1.5 y/o all by themselves, all day at the house, no babysitter? I don't believe it. Was Anne's mother mentally retarded? They're living in town at this time. What about the neighbors, friends or church? Women have always gotten together to help care for the children?

The story just wasn't adding up so I quit. Sorry.

I also don't believe the memoirs of Augusten Burroughs "Running with Scissors" etc. and Mary Karr "The Liars' Club".

Prompt Service.......2007-02-28

I do not have any complaints about Amazon.com service. I got my book on time and in the conditions stated on the site. I am very satisfied. The book is a great addition for my library and it is very helpful for my classes in college.

Remarkable, Unforgettable, Invaluable, Candid, Daring, Astounding..........2007-01-29

This book is one of the the best books to help you to REALLY understand the Civil Rights Movement and what it meant to be black in the south during that era. Anne Moody lets the reader into her life in a remarkable way and helps her audience comprehend what the south was like (not only for the black population, but for black women as well) and why Civil Rights workers, like herself, put up with so much for their cause. It is very hard for me to put into words what a great book this is-it will open your eyes to history even if you don't like history or reading I guarantee you will LOVE this book! Definitely a MUST READ.

Other books that compliment this book well, if you're interested in the subject are: Passing, Quicksand, and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

A Political Education: Coming of Age in Paris and New York

Average customer rating:

a great understanding of why we live the way we do
Captivating
A Unique "Coming of Age" Tale from the 1940s and 1950s

A Political Education: Coming of Age in Paris and New York
Andre Schiffrin
Manufacturer: Melville House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1933633158

Book Description

"If I could write with Andre Schiffrin's grace and ease, I'd be writing my own -memoir-and a lot more."-Bill Moyers

Andre Schiffrin's father was one of France's most important publishers, discovering Andre Gide and others. But the family had to flee Nazi-occupied Paris. They landed in New York, along with friends including Hannah Arendt and visitors such as Sartre.

By the time Andre went to college, he felt more American than French. But family history left him unable to idly watch the rise of the American Right under Senator Joseph McCarthy.

At Yale, he became a radicalized leftist, joining a student political group he -renamed Students for a Democratic Society-the SDS. Continuing his education at Cambridge, he befriended some of England's greatest publishers and discovered ways to channel his political interests through publishing.

This absorbing saga about a tumultuous period is told from a unique perspective, encompassing both sides of the Atlantic and some of the leading figures of the day. It is also a fascinating glimpse into the development of a celebrated publisher and a passionate testament to the importance of books as a force for betterment.

Customer Reviews:

a great understanding of why we live the way we do.......2007-06-18

Andre Schiffrin gives insight of what happened to the left in America and a great understanding of the problems of corporate greed. He was born in France and escaped the Vichy government to the USA where his father continued as a publisher.

An interesting analysis of the demise of small independant publishers and how it affects free speech.

A whole lot more packed into this facinating memoir.

Captivating.......2007-05-12

I found A Political Education by André Schiffrin to be an eloquent, charming and captivating read. It is an autobiography of a man who has had dual national allegiances, born in France and with a father prominent in French intellectual circles as a publisher, but who as a child had to flee with his family to America due to the antisemitism of Vichy France. He tells of his memories of growing up in NYC, a