Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fairy tales; Folklore; Tales; Fiction / Fairy Tales, Folklore ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome!
East o'the Sun, West o'the Moon is probably my most favorite fairy-tale book ever. It includes twenty-two stories, including both more traditional fairy tales ('The Princess on the Glass Hill' and 'East o'the Sun and West o'the Moon') and some that are more along the line of folk-tales, ('Why the Bear is Stumpy-Tailed' and 'Why the Sea is Salt'). The stories are all well-told and accessible for people of all ages.

My only complaints are that it lacks an interactive table of contents (although it's not long enough to matter very much), and that it seems to lack some of the stories I remember from my childhood version (which really isn't likely to bother many people.)

It has since come to my attention that the $.99 version not only has an active table of contents, but is, in fact ILLUSTRATED. I don't know if you feel pictures are worth a dollar, but if you are I'd probably advise getting that version.

If what you're looking for is a book of simple and lovable fairy tales, East o' the Sun is definitely one that I would recommend.

Stories included are:
East o'the Sun and West o'the Moon
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Taper Tom (The Golden Goose)
Why the Bear is Stumpy-tailed
Reynard and the Cock
Bruin and Reynard are Partners
Boots and His Brothers
The Lad Who Went to the North Wind
The Giant Who Had No Heart In His Body
The Sheep and the Pig Who Set Up Housekeeping
The Parson and the Clerk
Father Bruin
The Pancake
Why the Sea is Salt
The Squire's Bride
Peik
The Princess Who Could Not Be Silenced
The Twelve Wild Ducks
Gudbrand-on-the-Hillside
The Princess on the Glass Hill
The Husband Who Was to Mind the House
Little Freddy with his Fiddle.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a mini gift edition of Elsa Beskow's classic story. A mysterious orange egg has fallen into the woods. "It's a sun egg!" declares the elf who finds it nestled on the forest floor. Soon she and her friends find out what it really is, but not before the little elf has one of the best adventures she has ever had. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

The Egg
The Sun Egg is a beautiful story. I did not know much about the author when I ordered it, but have since learned that she is a beloved children's writer. What attracted me was the image of the egg on the cover and the title of the story. My son is fascinated with eggs and their hidden power. The story is as light and pleasant as a summer's day and the illustrations are gorgeous.

Lovely book
The illustrations in this book are worth framing they are so lovley.This is a very sweet story indeed.

Nicely illustrated small book
This is a sweet story with lovely illustrations; I purchased it to send to grandnieces, but will wait until they are reading with full comprehension and can appreciate the mix of magical and factual.The book is in a very small format, good for small hands, and perhaps would be more treasured for that reason.

Perfect for my imaginative 3 yr old and 6 yr old
This captured the attention of both my 3 and 6 year olds. It is a favorite repeat. It is perfect for those children that still believe in magic.Even my daughter's play mate, who reads more mainstream books was in raptures over this the other day.

SUPER CUTE STORY
This book is just darn cute. The little elf and her friends are so sweet. I read this at least a dozen times to my daughter between the age of 3 and 4. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Dispossession...
Imagine, if you will, an anthology of stories that would be read in our schools on the subject of dispossession. The stories would express the fate of various peoples who have been uprooted by "political forces," be they ideological, or racial, or most likely both.These are the justification for the stronger removing the land, livelihood, and the very lives themselves of those who have been cast in a weaker position by fate. All of the stories in this slim collection would merit inclusion, but I would select in particular "The Land of Sad Oranges," which is surely only a thinly disguised autobiographical story of Kanafani's own exile, when he was forced to leave his home in northern Palestine, and seek refuge in Sidon, Lebanon, when he was 12 years old, in 1948. And yes, couple this story with "The Diary of Ann Frank." Both are told by the person to whom the dispossession happened, and these could be coupled to stories about the fate of others who left no written record, and thus would have to be recreated by others; these other stories could include the Navajos who were driven out of the Canyon de Chelly in 1864 by Kit Carson, as well as the ethnic tribes (the "Montangards") of the highlands of Vietnam who lost their homes to the lowland Vietnamese.And that is only a sampling; the list is long.

There are a number of excellent reviews already posted, including by one who lead me to this book - RM Peterson. Thus, I don't want to duplicate, but rather augment what they said. The longest story lends its name to the book's title, and concerns the fate of three men, as well as the smuggler himself, in their efforts to reach the "promised land" of Kuwait. Kanafani is a master story-teller; the literary tension remains high throughout. In terms of technique, I found the juxtapositions of two stories, often within the same paragraph, united by a common theme, for example, rats, most powerful. The style reminded me of Sartre's trilogy, "Roads to Freedom," where the same technique was utilized. In the background, stated in a low-key manner is the central dynamic that has propelled these people to their fate, the "nakba," (the catastrophe), when the Palestinians lost their homeland in '48 (though Kanafani avoids specific reference to that term). The loss of a young girl's leg in the bombardment of Jaffa in that year was the propelling force that led to a young boy of 16 riding in an empty water truck in the month of August, in the Arabian Desert. In fighting at the same time, the smuggler was emasculated, and Kanafani brilliantly, and with bitter irony, uses this as a key determinant in the fate of the men he is smuggling.

In addition to the two above, there are five other short stories, none more than 10 pages long. The final one helps explain the super-human determination of some Palestinians not to join their relatives in the Diaspora, but rather to cling all too stubbornly to the scraps of land and life that they have left.

Kanafani was "taken" from us far too young, along with his young niece, who will always be just so much "collateral damage." He was killed by terrorists, who may only be brought to justice "in the next world." The year was 1972, when Ghassan Kanafani was 36 years old. An excellent 5-star read.

Fabulous
The book arrived in a timely fashion and it was perfect, untouched!Good price.

Compelling tales of the Palestinian diaspora
Ghassan Kanafani was born in 1936 in Acre, northern Palestine, and his family was among the Palestinian diaspora of 1948.Kanafani became a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, but since his assassination in 1972 (in a car bomb most probably the handiwork of the Mossud) Kanafani's impact as a writer has grown so that by now his literary fiction is a much greater part of his legacy than political theory or activism.

The title novella, MEN IN THE SUN, is one of the most powerful stories I have read in some time.Written in 1962, its subject is three Palestinians trying to get from the dead-end refugee camps to Kuwait, where there is work.The smuggler they ultimately choose is yet another Palestinian, who fought for the Palestinian cause in 1948 and was emasculated (literally), and now drives a lorry with a water tank back and forth between Basra, Iraq, and Kuwait.You can probably intuit the horror that unfolds, but in Kanafani's telling the reader is spellbound. Significantly, blame is not parcelled out (it is more that no one and everyone is to blame).Rather than focus on the causes, in MEN IN THE SUN Kanafani focuses on the effects, as they are absorbed by various and sundry everyday people.

The book also contains six short stories, four of which also deal directly with displaced Palestinians."The Land of Sad Oranges" and "Umm Saad" are the best and most effective of these.Finally, the story "The Falcon" is worth reading for the impact of its last few lines.

Kanafani is inescapably a Palestinian writer, but he should not be pigeonholed as some sort of novelty act or relegated to being the token Palestinian in some sort of multicultural literary survey.This book, while not great literature, is literature nonetheless, and I believe the reader who approaches it with an open mind will find it both humane and universal in its scope.

Amazon- you have the wrong Editorial?????????
Hey Amazon

I think you have the wrong Editorial Review at the top of this page!

F

A literary masterpiece from Palestine
This book contains a novella as well as several short stories by the prominent Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani. Kanafani is known in the Arab world as a literary master, and "Men in the Sun" is deemed by many to be his masterpiece.The book was a tremendous pleasure to read and at the same time intensely thought-provoking.Kanafani's original writing style is brought out beautifully in this excellent translation.In these stories, Kanafani experiments with various literary techniques that were revolutionary in the world of literature at their time (1960s).I particularly enjoy the twists of plot at the end of each story, and how the very last sentence forces me to re-think and re-evaluate my entire understanding of the piece.Seeped in the author's struggle for freedom and for a homeland, these stories reflect a deep understanding of human relationships and the human condition.Yet despite (or perhaps because of) this depth, the main characters tend to always be ordinary human beings - usually from the lower classes.Another feature of "Men in the Sun" is the variation of voice and perspective from paragraph to paragraph.For a moment we are in the head of one character, an old man crossing the desert to Kuwait.The next we're taken back in time to 1948, when that man was forced to leave his country by the ravages of war.Then we're transplanted into the shoes of another character, a young man hitching a ride from Jordan to Iraq.All this is done smoothly enough not to interrupt the narrative, but instead, the perspective of the plot wanders as thoughts naturally wander in one's mind.Truly Kanafani was a master of literary techniques.Few have been able to pack so many ideas and characterization and so much change into a short story.

Recommend: "Palestine's Children: Returning to Haifa & Other Stories" and "All that's left to you", both by Kanafani
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Well written, but not sure if there was enough info for a book here.
I enjoyed this book but at times it seemed very reptitive.It does not take long to see the roles of Beardsley and Salazar and understand their personalities.Beardsley (Farm Boy, addicted to Pain killers) & Salazaar (Golden Boy Favorite, religous, depressed, and relentless in his running)However this is continually harped upon throughout the book and eventually becomes tedious.As a veteran marathoner I sometimes find running books are too often written for the masses and are not technical enough.However, this book would appeal to veteran runners and non-runners alike.It was technical enough for my taste and all in all I did enjoy this book.Very interesting take on arguably the most important marathon ever.I would recommend it although it didn't really compare to some of my other running favorites (Once a Runner, Running with the Buffaloes, etc...)

Entertaining Book on the Greatest of All Boston Races
This is a pretty exciting book on the greatest race in Boston Marathon history between two of America's (Salazar was a born in Cuba but has American citizenship)greatest distance runners of that time coming as the career of the great Bill Rodgers was just past peak but stil competetive. As the race did to the top finishers in the 83 Boston, the race was so competetive and intense, both competitors were never quite the same again physically as they were then. It's as if they each damaged part of their physiology that day made worse by the ever pleasing Beardsly's racing schedule. The style of the book is a bit challenging as alternate chapters flash between the race as flasback sections on the careers of both men, family life and even post race experiences flashing forward. I agree with many of the reviewers that the book would have been better served by starting with a bio on the runners up to the race date, providing the race story followed by the post race bios on both runners that sadly includes devastating injuries and health issues, particularly in Beardsly's case. I had already read Beardsly's personal bio on his life that includes the race and in "Duel in the Sun", Beardsly's historical segements are almost verbatim from his book.Thus, you wil enjoy the book better if you read Beardsly's book afterwards or skim through Beardsly's bio parts as presented in Duel if you already read Beardsly's book. The information on Salazar's unique physical issues were very revealing and provide a greater and appreciative pictures of the struggles he went through that finnaly obtained some relief capped by his famous 50 mile untra victoria in Africa. I had also hoped that there would be more pictures of the race and with more commentary from the competitors that stayed wiuth them longest, particularly, the very game Rodgers who was the last to let go on a very hot day. Well worth reading but I think it could have been better but hats off to Beardsly and Salazar for running one of the most competetive races of all time, gutting it all the way.

It's really two stories in one.
Some readers have obviously struggled with the book's structure, but I actually think it adds greatly to the story. If the Author used a linear timeline, the book would fail in its ultimate goal: to demonstrate how the '82 Boston marathon ultimately was so much more than just a race to Beardsley and Salazar: in effect, that race (what it stood for and the ramifications of the race itself) serves to define these two guys.

As I said, Duel in the Sun is two stories in one: it's the story of two men's lives. Of itself, this is interesting enough, because both Salazar and Beardsley make for great character studies. Their lives have contained more ups and downs than the Boston Marathon course itself, so as human interest, it works.

But it's also the story of a race; a wonderful race that everyone who's ever competed in an endurance event can relate to. The narrative of the race itself is written with clear understanding of the runner. This guys gets it. He understands the marathon; he understands what it really means. And it shows.

I think anyone seeking a greater understanding of not only the marathon, but of the human condition, will enjoy this book. It's written with a great deal of empathy and more than a little genuine insight. If I ever wanted to truly explain to someone the real meaning of endurance, I think I'd just loan them this book. Because John Brant captures it perfectly.

A Memorable Yet Tragic Race
This book does a good job showing two runners in their prime: one who drank water during the heat of the race and the other who did not and thus suffered greatly. What we have in the book is an account of one of the greatest marathons ever run--a race so competive, neither runner would gave an inch to the other, and neither runner was capable of breaking away from the other, so instead they pushed each other further into unimaginable exhaustion. The result is that both runners exerted themselves to near-death. The tragedy is that neither runner would ever return to that peak level of performance.They all but destoyed their bodies, especially Olympic gold medal hopeful Alberto Salazar.

Thrilling tale told with great background and insight
I will own up front that the timeline in this book can be confusing. It is important to pay attention to dates as you read the story. But if you can get past that and avoid timeline confusion, the tale is great. I was given this book as a gift by my running club when I qualified to run the Boston Marathon. They all signed it and then I was also able to get Dick Beardsley to sign it as well at the Boston Marathon Race Expo. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was quite a page-turner, and my husband read it and enjoyed it as well. Amazing to see what these great runners have had to struggle with in their lives. ... Read more

Product Description
“Tremendous … a reader-pleaser in every way … The people, places, and times that [Wood] evokes so movingly, so vividly, will haunt me long after I’ve put the book aside … Such a moving ending—and exactly right.”

—Phyllis Whitney, New York Times best-selling author

Customer Reviews (22)

Very, very good!!!! :)
The book is the best! and the service provided was very very good! thank you

Ms B
This is an amazing epic that has kept me reading and reading. I have been spellbound by all her books I have read and am continuing to read the rest. I hope she continues to create such tales that make you a part of them, draw you in to the stories.I first read Sacred Ground and was hooked, from there Blessing Stone and have continued.All amazing!

One of the best
It is one of those books that has to be read again years later, as I am doing.If you want a good summer beach read or a cold winter's night read, then pick this one up.Thisis a good read any time of the year.

A masterpiece of fiction literature
I found this book at a book fair in Washington D.C. and the only reason I bought it was because I needed 10 books in order to have one free. I do not regret my desicion. "Green City In The Sun" is an epic story of the birth of a nation: Kenya. With very likable characters, the story evolves around the Trevetons, a family divided by their ambitions. Only one obstacle will make their dreams dificult to fulfill: Mama Wachera who places a curse on the British family and becomes the spiritual leader of her people, the Kikuyu. Like in a Greek tragedy,all the members of the Treverton family die one by one, except Dr. Grace Treverton who dies of old age, and Debora who comes back to Kenya by Mama Wachera request to her deathbed. Beautiful story, intense plot and very charismatic characters makes this novel a masterpiece of fiction literature.

Nice, but...
I liked the book very muy, although it is too long. The last 100 pages could have been left out, in my opinion. Please notice that there are some rather explicit erotic scenes in de book. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ART OF WAR is the oldest, and is still regarded as one of the best, war manuals ever written. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Art of War
The book arrived really fast and was in excellent shape. Great read. This version is the closest to what I read in school.

Fundamental Considerations of War
Originally read this 40 years ago and foolishly loaned out the book.Given the involvement in 2 current international combat missions, the re-read was timely.Required reading for all war critics, politicians and professional, career military.Insights from Sun Tsu are over 2500 years old (time of classical Greece), yet are applicable today as illustration of stability of human conflict over 25 centuries.Not much cultural improvement in the Art of Peace!

GREAT SERVICE
A PLEASURE TO DO BUSINESS THIS VENDOR AND AMAZON. COM. GOOD PRICE GREAT BOOK AND ON TIME.

LaMoor
The war is within. Must be in a peaceful state to understand this book. The opposition in any war is self. Good reading. I enjoyed The Art of Peace more so.

This book should be in every Hotel room
What is there to say when it comes to the content of this book? This is a must read for every man. This book gives guidelines not only applicable in war, but applicable to peace as well. The point is, that everything can be characterized as war (exams, job, relationships, family, ...), so in that sense this book is rather philosophical. Still, it contains very practical guidelines for your personal and business strategy. I have definitely evolved after reading this book as I have applied some of the concepts and values described, in my daily routines. I have read it twice. I will read it again for sure. ... Read more

Product Description
Tomi was born in Hawaii. His grandfather and parents were born in Japan, and came to America to escape poverty.

World War II seems far away from Tomi and his friends, who are too busy playing ball on their eighth-grade team, the Rats.

But then Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declares war on Japan. Japanese men are rounded up, and Tomi’s father and grandfather are arrested. It’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America.But one thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (84)

Under the Blood red Sun
World War I had just ended, a Japanese family had also just moved to Hawaii. Tomi was born in Pearl Harbor and his parents raised him folling the Japanese culture.
He only has but the friends on his baseball team, the Rats. Tomi's grandpa still wants to be a Japanese family but Tomi doesn't agree. Tomi is used to having his dad very happy, but once Japan invades Pearl Harbor he has his life changed forever. Once Tomi comes face to face with an officer who is looking for his grandpa and father. The officer believes that they are Japanese spies. After this, Tomi's life is changed forever.

I suggest this book for all historical fiction lovers.

Young adult book re: japaese american life during wwii
This is a great way to introduce the dark side of the US during WWII.Our own racism and treament of Japanese Americans is portrayed appropriately for older children and young adults.It is a great companion to books for this age group learning about the holocaust (such as Boy in the Striped Pajamas or Anne Frank)as it demonstrates how pervasive racism is and the consequences of it on a society.The central character is a young Japanese American boy living in Hawaii during the bombing of Pearl Harbor.The conflict between his heritage and his country and how his family is treated is well portrayed.

Great!
I`m in 5th grade and just read it for school.I really liked it.I thought it was a very good book and if you have a chance read it!!!!!

Becoming a Young Man
My favorite book that I read this year for Paces PAidiea is Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. It tells the story of a Japanese boy named Tomi who lives in Hawaii. One day Japanese airplanes bomb Pearl Harbor, causing great fear and anger towards the Japanese-Americans living there. Now it is up to Tomi and his friends to stop this nonsense and restore peace to their community. To see if Tomi can accomplish this, you must read the book for yourself.
This book magnifies examples of one of the fourteen ideas, becoming, that I've learned about by using the Paces PAideia study guide for this book.Including elements like vocabulary, homework items, and journal entries, the Paces study guide for Under the Blood Red Sun enhanced my understanding of this historical fiction paperback. Anyone looking for action and adventure should read this marvelous book.

Tomi and the War
The book, Under the Blood Red Sun, is an historical fiction book that tells how some Japanese were treated during the war in Pearl Harbor.This book is a chilling and thrilling book that has action in every page.Tomi struggles losing his dad and then his grandpa yet his friends keep him joyful by keeping his mind on playing baseball.I feel if he did not lose his dad and grandpa, Tomi would not have become a working man at an early age.I recommend a PACES Study Guide to go along with the book which helped me learn more about the author and more about that time period.There are vocabulary words each week that help you understand new words that relate to the Japanese culture and traditions and their language.Each week has a parent discussion which helps students expand their minds even more.If you like historic fiction you will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Litany of the Long Sun contains the full texts of Nightside the Long Sun and Lake of the Long Sun, that together make up the first half of The Book of the Long Sun. This great work is set on a huge generation starship in the same future as the classic Book of the New Sun (also available in two volumes from Orb).
Amazon.com Review
Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun tetralogy ranks as one of the greatestliterary achievements of 20th-century science fiction. Litany of theLong Sun, comprising the first two books in the series, is suffusedwith looming transcendence and theophany. Wolfe takes familiar speculativefiction tropes and embeds them in a tale so complex and wonderful thatreaders may find themselves wondering whether what they're reading isscience fiction, fantasy, or something different altogether. Or whether itmatters.

The story of Patera Silk, a devout priest whose destiny is wrapped up withthe gods he serves, takes place within the Whorl, a vast, cylindricalstarship that has traveled for generations and is crumbling into disrepair.Through a strange and amazing series of events, Silk finds himselfdescending to base thievery, running afoul of a notorious crime lord,befriending a cyborg soldier, and encountering at least one of the gods ofMainframe.

She shook her head almost imperceptibly. "All that abstinence!And now you've seen a goddess. Me. Was it worth it?"

"Yes, Loving Kypris."

She laughed again, delighted. "Why?"

The question hung in the silence of the baking sellaria while Silk tried tokick his intellect awake. At last he said haltingly, "We are so much likebeasts, Kypris. We eat and we breed; then we spawn and die. The most humbleshare in a higher existence is worth any sacrifice."

But when Silk encounters the Outsider, who may be a God of a very differentsort, all his beliefs are shaken to the core, and his life swiftly takes amessianic turn. In a rousing climax, Silk becomes the reluctant leader of apolitical rebellion against the corrupt Ayuntamiento, who rule thecity-state of Viron.

It is not necessary to have read Wolfe's Book of the New Sun series,which takes place many centuries earlier, to enjoy the Long Sun novels, butkeen-eyed readers will find many clues as to the origin of the Whorl andits gods in those stories. Further, although Wolfe's reputation forliterary precision and trickery is well deserved, the Long Sun series(which continues in Epiphanyof the Long Sun) is one of the more accessible places to startappreciating the author's treasures. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Enigmatic bouquet offers aromatic plot
Wolfe's novels have been said to be poetic, full of prose and the author himself has been said to be the modern day Melville. After reading 264 pages of Nightside of Long Sun, I didn't feel that the words were meticulously chosen or arranged into a flowery literary bouquet. The vocabulary didn't strike me as challenging the intellect nor did it pressure me to reach for the dictionary. Perhaps other reviews and recommendations have simply over exaggerated the writing style of Wolfe or perhaps it's just that I've been around the block a few times in the terms of the written English language in modern sci-fi literature. However, this one point doesn't deduct from the respect I have for the author, the novel or from the situation Silk finds himself in. It seems a blessing to be able to easily relate to the characters and schemes to willingly.

With that popular oversight aside, the flow and texture of the plot is unparalleled. The purposeful transgressions of main character Silk have a progressive element. While each hectic situation Silk finds himself in seems to be abrupt and unplanned, the further unfolding of the plot reveals a meticulous attention to the detail of the plot. Even in between chapters the crossover is seamless; paragraphs merge like beads of oil atop a level aquatic surface. What else can be said...it's beautiful. The one-on-one connections of Silk are intrinsically loose, which is acceptable merely because there are three books which follow in the series; the precedence is set, the foundation laid. I can envisage a great unfurling of the bolt of contextual plot which Wolfe has woven.

On a personal level, my reading has been cut back over the past few months because of a string of bad books (including Pohl, Busby, Bear, Pellegrino, etc). When I started reading Nightside of the Long Sun, I felt the dedication of the author to truly create a work of literature for the sake of literature itself and for the sake of the genre while being courteous to the reader's attention and persuasive to the reader's intellect. It is obvious that Wolfe is a gifted writer, writes with the reader and genre in mind, works scrupulously through an idea and LOVES his production, unlike much of the other popular novels spun out for word count or profit.

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

Having just finished the first book of the tetralogy, Nightside of Long Sun, I quickly delved into the following book to relish in the exposure of details and telescoping personal relationships. I wasn't apprehensive knowing that a master like Wolfe steaming headfirst into the wonderful scene of the Whorl.

Two aspects of Lake of the Long Sun appealed to the science fiction reader in me. First, the flow of the plot yields intriguing hints to the origins of the nebulous Whorl. Bits of tech rear up occasionally, the mindset of the creators becomes topical and persuasive clues to the layout of the cities and landscape within the enticing chapters. Second, the physical structure of the Whorl is briefly brought to light and makes my spine tingle with anticipation of enlightening details of the grand panorama of the ambitious plot. Combine these two points together and the result is a sci-fi fusion tailored for the keen-eyed reader.

Layered atop this is a continuing dynamic intercourse of personal relationships, each strand of connection as interesting as the next. Through half of the novel, the interrelationships are sturdy, tried and tested and remained true. However, the last half sees a change in location and pace, whereas the associations weaken and warp to the point of questioning if these characters are of the same cast as before. The change is beyond dynamically steady, seemingly to the point of the bonds being forcibly stressed to create the rifts seen in the second half. I felt uncomfortable reading dialogue which should be familiar but comes across as unnatural, strained.

The fleeting glimpses of three-century-old technology of pre-Whorl creates exciting passages and the inclusion of hidden secrets makes for a multi-faceted reading experience, the fast change of pace and place threw me off the greater overview of the epic plot, ultimately ending in a predictable conclusion though through erratic means.

Needlessly Confusing
This fantasy novel is very similar in style to Neil Stephenson's Anathem.As in that work, the author in Litany of the Long Sun constructs an alien culture and landscape centered on a quasi-religious order.In doing so, many terms and references are completely foreign to the reader.However, unlike Anathem, no glossary or appendix is included to explain these foreign terms.The result is many pages in which the reader is somewhat left to his own devices in interpreting the text.

Now, I'm used to a period of familiarization, but I've never read an entire book and still been left largely in the dark as to the nature, function or even any explanation whatsoever concerning so many terms and characters.Even the most foreign and difficult to grasp fantasy landscapes clue the reader in to an extent necessary to understand and enjoy the narrative.As an example, what is a "sybil"?Is it a robot? Is it a part biological, part mechanical hybrid?One of them eats, while another does not.One is 300 years old while another is 90 years old and on the verge of wearing out.What is their origin and/or function?

I was able to follow the story through the first "book", but midway through the second book, I lost my way.Perhaps dialogue such as the following contributed to my confusion:

"They'll beat it out of you, grab the deck and send you with him.
It'd be a lily grab on you, Jugs, `cause you helped him.As for
the Patera here, Crane saw to his hoof and rode him to Orchid's
in his own dilly, so it'd be candy to smoke up something...Only
if you go flash, if you roll him over to some bob culls with
somebody like me to say Pas for you, we'll all be stanch cits and
heroes too.You scavy I never turned up the bloody rags, riffling
some cardcase's ken?You scavy I covered `em up and left him be?
Buy it, I washed him if he's stand still.And if he wouldn't, why,
I rolled him over."

Huh?

I'm aware that this is a follow up to a previous series by the author, but was assured that reading the prior works was not necessary to an understanding of this series.Perhaps I was misinformed.In any event, this work, which encompasses the first two "books" in a series of four, was sufficiently unsatisfactory that I will not proceed to the conclusion, a rarity for me.

Off-beat and amusing lost-generation-ship yarn
There are billions and billions of stars out there, but none of them are especially close. Absent hyperspace jumps, relativistic speeds, or reliable hibernation technologies, the generation ship is the way to send people to the stars. A lot can go wrong in a multi-century journey between the stars, however, and the generation ship that somehow gets lost and forgets it's a generation ship is a staple of sci-fi lit ... or at least it was back in the 1950s and 60s.

In Wolfe's tale, the "long sun" is a heating and lighting element that runs the length of the "whorl"--a miles-long cylindrical ship that rotates on its long axis. It is so-called in contrast to the disc-shaped "short sun" that people knew in the world before. People in the whorl are generally ignorant, superstitious, and at best minimally conscious of being space voyagers. They worship as gods the men and women responsible for building the whorl, gods that communicate with them through big-screen TVs that have some sort of mind-hacking software built in.

Patera Silk is a celibate parish priest in a religion dedicated to worship of the gods. One day while playing basketball with boys in the parish school, Silk receives a vision from a minor god telling him that he must save his poor parish, which the church hierarchy has already (without telling him) sold to a gangster. Thus begins a journey that will lead Silk to, in a few short days, consort with thieves and prostitutes, attempt murder and extortion, and become the most loved and hated figure in his native city of Viron.

It is tempting to contrast Silk with Severian, the narrator/protagonist of Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. There is a great deal separating Severian the guilt-ridden torturer and executioner from the optimistic, public-spirited, and deeply religious Silk. Yet, they are both fatherless men (Severian is an orphan), raised into and largely by centralized institutions--the Torturers Guild for Severian, the church for Silk--and are by chance thrust into the most important affairs of their day. Because both men are, in the larger scheme of things, naive, honest, and innocent, they help expose the corruption at the core of their respective societies. Also, both are victims of literary whimsy; in no reality would their adventures be remotely plausible.

Potential readers should be aware that any new Wolfe novel is a chore to begin. I had to re-read the first few pages of this book several times before I got a handle on what was happening, and I had to read quite a bit more to recognize that "Patera" was a title ("Father") and not a first name. Furthermore, Wolfe novels move very slowly; there's a lot of descriptive detail and a lot of internal debate. Finally, while LITANY is nominally science fiction, it falls on the very soft edge of sci-fi. Wolfe gets a lot of adulation from critics for his literary style, but there's a reason his name rarely comes up in discussions among fans.

It's slow going at first.
It's a slow and simple start; the action of this book takes place over only two days. However, if you've read any of the Short Sun books, or better yet all of them, you owe it to yourself to read these. You may not recognize the tone as Wolfe seems to have attempted conciliation with us mere mortals who try to comprehend his works. It is closer in style to the Knight and the Wizard books but good readers will realize that simpler style does not mean a culling of his message. Readers looking for a ripping good yarn full of action and excitement will be fully disappointed by this first book of four. Wolfe apostles will see this for what it is...just the beginning.

The gods are in the window and the windows are behind the curtains
Gene Wolfe may be the smartest writer that SF currently has (or maybe ever, though I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on the genre), possessing prose that is of definite literary quality and able to convey subjects in a multi-layered style that forces you to do a little bit of work on your own to put it all together.He acts with the trappings of SF but presents it in such a clear-headed fashion that you could see it being genre literature in a world where the events described in his novels are quite normal.Most of the time when I read a Wolfe novel I get the impression that I'm missing stuff, not because he's a terrible write but because there are levels of allegory going on that I'm just not intelligent enough to figure out without having reference books near me to get all the hidden meanings.You don't really need to have a library near you to enjoy his books but the fact that could help deepen the experience amuses me greatly.Which is interesting because back in high school if a teacher had trumpeted that aspect of a novel to me, I would have that "That's one more question I'm going to get wrong on the test."It's a funny world sometimes.In this omnibus collecting the first half of Wolfe's "Long Sun" series, we're introduced to the Whorl and augur Patera Silk.He and his fellow pateras and mayteras both worship the gods of the Whorl and profess their teachings to the neighborhood.When it turns out that the place where they live has been sold, Silk decides to do what he can to make sure everyone can stay put.What Wolfe excels at is stringing tiny details along without explaining everything up front, so that the ins and outs of this society are revealed fully at just the right time, although astute readers could be rewarded by reading between the lines and figuring out early.The plot seems to simply meander along from moment to moment and it's not until you're decently far into it that you realize how much it's been expanding slowly and what started out simply is far vaster than it might seem at first glance.Patera Silk initially doesn't impress, he's a young man and a modest one and very religious, but he starts revealing more layers as he goes along.More capable than he lets on, he's far sharper than any of the characters realize, often keeping revelations to himself and putting pieces together faster than you'd think.It forces both us and the other characters to constantly underestimate him and yet it never feels like the author playing games with us.On his own he's fascinating and well worth spending the entire series with.Wolfe's Whorl is richly detailed, capturing the feeling of constricted societies and teeming life off the edges of the pages we can't see.His prose can take some getting used to, because it is rather lush, and things certainly don't move quickly, although there are action packed moments and tense scenes.Instead the books work as tiny explosions gradually leading to threads coming together in ways you didn't expect.All the digressions and asides eventually become relevant, not always obviously and not always immediately but it is one of those series you have to stick with before it really sinks in.Hopefully the second half won't disappoint but we'll find out when we get there. ... Read more

Product Description
Private detective Frank Behr has been perfectly content living a solitary life, working on a few simple cases, and attempting to move on from his painful past. But when Paul and Carol Gabriel ask him to help them find their missing son, he can hardly refuse. Going against everything he fears—Behr's been around too long to hope for a happy ending—he enters into an uneasy partnership with Paul on a quest for the truth that will become both dangerous and haunting. Richly textured and crackling with suspense on every page, City of the Sun masterfully takes readers on an investigation like no other.www.davidlevien.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

Interesting novel but doesn't know Indianapolis
It wasn't a horrible novel and it kept me reading.However, I live in Indianapolis and didn't recognize the city described in this novel at all.It was kinda frustrating.I bought it because it took place in Indianapolis and I thought it would be neat to read a thriller set where I live.

That really made me like the novel less because I felt he didn't do his homework.

same old, same old
this is a subject that has been written about over and over and over again. there really was nothing new or interesting in the author's take on the matter. the whole plot line was predictable and the writing was only decent at best.
the whole story felt like a reworking of a vanity fair investigative article.

"A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city." Proverbs
Hard knuckled P.I. Frank Behr reluctantly agrees to help Paul and Carol Gabriel search for their son Jamie, who has been missing for over a year.

Frank knows that the chances of finding Jamie are slim. He tells the Gabriels that even if they do find where the thirteen year old boy is, they might not find him alive.

Jamie never returned from his job of delivering newspapers. He loved being on his new bike and Frank uses this knowledge to get his first clue. He is able to contact one of his old snitches and gets the name of someone who used to steal children's bikes and resell them.

As the case moves forward, Paul Gabriel feels compelled to be doing something himself to aid in finding his son. He pleads with Frank to allow him to join Frank in the next part of the case. Maybe because Frank had lost a son himself, he breaks one of his cardinal rules and lets Paul join him.

The reader follows this dramatic story as the investigators get a lead and then something stands in the way of further success. It is like peeling an onion, a little at a time.

The novel shows a parent's faith and family love. The Gabriel's never give up and their faith holds them together. The story is well plotted with realistic characters and moves well with suspense that maintains the reader's interest.

City of Sun by David Levien
While the basic premise of the story was enough to hold interest, the writing left something to be desired. Many scenes just felt like filler. The writing seemed to be on a lower level than many of the writers noted by others - Connelly, Coben,Child,Reich. The ending seemed to fall flat and leave a lot of questions unanswered - maybe the writer's intent?
Style seemed heavily cliched. Behr carrying a pack filled with rock salt could have been written for Rocky. The first introduction of Behr - a homeless man sifting through garbage, seemed incongruous with his later feats.
Story seemed to have some large holes - i.e. police not following up on similar missing children in the area. Made the police seem pretty inept - I think a stretch.
Questionable whether I will try any of Levien's follow up novels.

GREATFIRST EFFORT
Say hello to Frank Behr, a new detective in the mystery genre.David Levien does a nice job.This book deals with child trafficking and is a page turner. Some of it is hard to believe, but hey, new series toe stumping.I think a second book is out or due.I will read it.I was looking for something to set Frank Behr apart, that I didn't see but the story line made up for it.Hope the next book helps us know frank better. ... Read more

Product Description
In simple words and sun-drenched paintings, Alma Flor Ada and Simón Silva take us into the fields and orchards, and into the lives of the people who work them. Simple poems in Spanish and English, one for each letter of the Spanish alphabet, describe the wonder of the vegetable and fruit farms. Together, the poems and the rich illustrations celebrate the glory of nature and the hearts of all who dedicate their lives to working the land. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Informative quality product
I bought this book as part of my project assignment. I liked the fact that it was both in Spanish and in English. It teaches the Spanish alphabet through beautiful illustrations of the Mexican culture and farm workers. It is first class print and one can tell that much time and effort went into the preparation of the book. However, I did not like the fact that 'happy' farm workers covered most of the pages. I believe it is stereotyping the Hispanic population to some degree and as someone who has also worked in the farms under the blazing sun, I wasn't smiling most of the time... Overall, I recommend the book provided that parents/teachers exercise caution while using it because of its stereotypical elements.

In praise of migrant workers
This is one of the best bilingual alphabet books I've encountered. It is suitable for children of all ages, including adults. The poems written by Alma Flor Ada are symbolic and elegantly ilustrated by Simon Silva. Silva brings his farmworker roots to his illustrations in this life of the harvester themed book. I can't say enough about the illustrations, suffice to say, they are simple yet stunning colorful depictions of the farmworkers life.This is first and foremost a Spanish alphabet book, with an English translation; it begins with Arboles and Trees, which as you may note are not exactly both A words. Besides the excellent ilustrations, brilliant author (she has a PHD, has done postdoctoral work at Harvard and is a Fullbright Scholar), DR. Aida brings to life the alphabet with her insightful poetry. She uses simple language to convey matters of the earth and a rich cultural heritage. Not overly flowery, her use of language is one that evokes the simplicity and toughness of the life of the farmworker. Her educational and lifetime experiences, reflected in some of her some of her books like A Magical Encounter: Latino Children's Literature in the Classroom (2nd Edition),Under The Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba extend from a broad palette of knowledge that is dedicated to children. This book is one that every child can benefit from, regardless of race. Families, teachers and students will love this book. It is a book to be cherished from one generation to the next. This book belongs in all young bilingual families homes, community and school(K-12) libraries. There is something for everyone to enjoy in this gorgeous, soulful book.

Beautiful book
I highly recommend this book. It has beautiful illustrations and poems, and teaches Mexican history. It is larger than I expected, which is great. A great value, I would have paid a lot more!

Celebrate Latin Heritage and Honor the Work of Farm Workers
Right away, one can see that this is much more than your run-of-the-mill alphabet books.Two extremely talented people, author Alma Flor Ada and Simon Silva, collaborate on 28 short poems that celebrate the pride of the Latino familes that work the fields as migrant farmworkers.In fact, this book is dedicated to the memory of Cesar Chavez.Alma Flor Ada has written extensively on what it is like to be a Latina immigrant in such books as "Me Llamo Isabel," and Simon Silva has illustrated such like-themed books as "La Mariposa" and "El Campo."

The poems tell of the harvest, from Arboles (trees) to Zanahoria (carrot), with C and Ch telling the story of Cesar Chavez.The poems are both in English and Spanish; in both languages, the verse is rendered with great sensitivity.The beautiful illustrations convey not only the hard work of the fields, but also beauty and hope, not to mention a strong and serene sense of family.The people give thanks to the wind, sky, rain, sun, field, flower, and Earth for all the delicious fruits, while extoling honor, both in hard work and caring in the family.I can think of few other books that tell of these things, which most people take for granted, more beautifully.

"In the field row lies a seed, all tucked in like a baby in the crib."


This brilliantly illustrated bilingual book is a delightful adventure into the world of language and art, "simple words and sun-drenched paintings", as Alma Flor Ada and Simon Silva take young readers into orchards and fields, alongside the people who harvest the bounty of nature, dedicated to the living memory of Cesar Chavez: "Your example and your words sprout anew in the field rows as seedlings of quiet hope." The illustrated alphabet is Spanish, text in both Spanish and English: arboles (trees) "the companions of my childhood"; duraznos (peaches) "like a gentle caress in the palm of my hand"; tomates (tomatoes) "red tomato in the kitchen, in the little tacos my godmother loves to make"; zanahoria (carrot) "The carrot hides beneath the earth. After all, she knows the sun's fiery color by heart."

Nothing less than a celebration of a shared heritage of working the land and the language of nature's bounty, the bilingual text is rendered with an eye to the beauty of words and the images wrought from the earth's palette, a rich history of the cycle of growth and those who labor to carry their fruits from field to kitchen, from the hands that toil upon the land to those that prepare the rich foods that grace the tables of grateful families. Saturated with vivid color and the dignity of hard work, Gathering the Sun is nothing less than brilliant, a reflection of the author and illustrator's appreciation for all aspects of growth, from field to heart to spirit, acknowledging "honor and pride, family and friends, history and heritage, and... the bounty of the harvest." Luan Gaines/2006.
... Read more

Product Description
Private detective Frank Behr has been perfectly content living a solitary life, working on a few simple cases, and attempting to move on from his painful past. But when Paul and Carol Gabriel ask him to help them find their missing son, he can hardly refuse. Going against everything he fears—Behr's been around too long to hope for a happy ending—he enters into an uneasy partnership with Paul on a quest for the truth that will become both dangerous and haunting. Richly textured and crackling with suspense on every page, City of the Sun masterfully takes readers on an investigation like no other.www.davidlevien.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

Interesting novel but doesn't know Indianapolis
It wasn't a horrible novel and it kept me reading.However, I live in Indianapolis and didn't recognize the city described in this novel at all.It was kinda frustrating.I bought it because it took place in Indianapolis and I thought it would be neat to read a thriller set where I live.

That really made me like the novel less because I felt he didn't do his homework.

same old, same old
this is a subject that has been written about over and over and over again. there really was nothing new or interesting in the author's take on the matter. the whole plot line was predictable and the writing was only decent at best.
the whole story felt like a reworking of a vanity fair investigative article.

"A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city." Proverbs
Hard knuckled P.I. Frank Behr reluctantly agrees to help Paul and Carol Gabriel search for their son Jamie, who has been missing for over a year.

Frank knows that the chances of finding Jamie are slim. He tells the Gabriels that even if they do find where the thirteen year old boy is, they might not find him alive.

Jamie never returned from his job of delivering newspapers. He loved being on his new bike and Frank uses this knowledge to get his first clue. He is able to contact one of his old snitches and gets the name of someone who used to steal children's bikes and resell them.

As the case moves forward, Paul Gabriel feels compelled to be doing something himself to aid in finding his son. He pleads with Frank to allow him to join Frank in the next part of the case. Maybe because Frank had lost a son himself, he breaks one of his cardinal rules and lets Paul join him.

The reader follows this dramatic story as the investigators get a lead and then something stands in the way of further success. It is like peeling an onion, a little at a time.

The novel shows a parent's faith and family love. The Gabriel's never give up and their faith holds them together. The story is well plotted with realistic characters and moves well with suspense that maintains the reader's interest.

City of Sun by David Levien
While the basic premise of the story was enough to hold interest, the writing left something to be desired. Many scenes just felt like filler. The writing seemed to be on a lower level than many of the writers noted by others - Connelly, Coben,Child,Reich. The ending seemed to fall flat and leave a lot of questions unanswered - maybe the writer's intent?
Style seemed heavily cliched. Behr carrying a pack filled with rock salt could have been written for Rocky. The first introduction of Behr - a homeless man sifting through garbage, seemed incongruous with his later feats.
Story seemed to have some large holes - i.e. police not following up on similar missing children in the area. Made the police seem pretty inept - I think a stretch.
Questionable whether I will try any of Levien's follow up novels.

GREATFIRST EFFORT
Say hello to Frank Behr, a new detective in the mystery genre.David Levien does a nice job.This book deals with child trafficking and is a page turner. Some of it is hard to believe, but hey, new series toe stumping.I think a second book is out or due.I will read it.I was looking for something to set Frank Behr apart, that I didn't see but the story line made up for it.Hope the next book helps us know frank better. ... Read more

Product Description
In simple words and sun-drenched paintings, Alma Flor Ada and Simón Silva take us into the fields and orchards, and into the lives of the people who work them. Simple poems in Spanish and English, one for each letter of the Spanish alphabet, describe the wonder of the vegetable and fruit farms. Together, the poems and the rich illustrations celebrate the glory of nature and the hearts of all who dedicate their lives to working the land. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Informative quality product
I bought this book as part of my project assignment. I liked the fact that it was both in Spanish and in English. It teaches the Spanish alphabet through beautiful illustrations of the Mexican culture and farm workers. It is first class print and one can tell that much time and effort went into the preparation of the book. However, I did not like the fact that 'happy' farm workers covered most of the pages. I believe it is stereotyping the Hispanic population to some degree and as someone who has also worked in the farms under the blazing sun, I wasn't smiling most of the time... Overall, I recommend the book provided that parents/teachers exercise caution while using it because of its stereotypical elements.

In praise of migrant workers
This is one of the best bilingual alphabet books I've encountered. It is suitable for children of all ages, including adults. The poems written by Alma Flor Ada are symbolic and elegantly ilustrated by Simon Silva. Silva brings his farmworker roots to his illustrations in this life of the harvester themed book. I can't say enough about the illustrations, suffice to say, they are simple yet stunning colorful depictions of the farmworkers life.This is first and foremost a Spanish alphabet book, with an English translation; it begins with Arboles and Trees, which as you may note are not exactly both A words. Besides the excellent ilustrations, brilliant author (she has a PHD, has done postdoctoral work at Harvard and is a Fullbright Scholar), DR. Aida brings to life the alphabet with her insightful poetry. She uses simple language to convey matters of the earth and a rich cultural heritage. Not overly flowery, her use of language is one that evokes the simplicity and toughness of the life of the farmworker. Her educational and lifetime experiences, reflected in some of her some of her books like A Magical Encounter: Latino Children's Literature in the Classroom (2nd Edition),Under The Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba extend from a broad palette of knowledge that is dedicated to children. This book is one that every child can benefit from, regardless of race. Families, teachers and students will love this book. It is a book to be cherished from one generation to the next. This book belongs in all young bilingual families homes, community and school(K-12) libraries. There is something for everyone to enjoy in this gorgeous, soulful book.

Beautiful book
I highly recommend this book. It has beautiful illustrations and poems, and teaches Mexican history. It is larger than I expected, which is great. A great value, I would have paid a lot more!

Celebrate Latin Heritage and Honor the Work of Farm Workers
Right away, one can see that this is much more than your run-of-the-mill alphabet books.Two extremely talented people, author Alma Flor Ada and Simon Silva, collaborate on 28 short poems that celebrate the pride of the Latino familes that work the fields as migrant farmworkers.In fact, this book is dedicated to the memory of Cesar Chavez.Alma Flor Ada has written extensively on what it is like to be a Latina immigrant in such books as "Me Llamo Isabel," and Simon Silva has illustrated such like-themed books as "La Mariposa" and "El Campo."

The poems tell of the harvest, from Arboles (trees) to Zanahoria (carrot), with C and Ch telling the story of Cesar Chavez.The poems are both in English and Spanish; in both languages, the verse is rendered with great sensitivity.The beautiful illustrations convey not only the hard work of the fields, but also beauty and hope, not to mention a strong and serene sense of family.The people give thanks to the wind, sky, rain, sun, field, flower, and Earth for all the delicious fruits, while extoling honor, both in hard work and caring in the family.I can think of few other books that tell of these things, which most people take for granted, more beautifully.

"In the field row lies a seed, all tucked in like a baby in the crib."


This brilliantly illustrated bilingual book is a delightful adventure into the world of language and art, "simple words and sun-drenched paintings", as Alma Flor Ada and Simon Silva take young readers into orchards and fields, alongside the people who harvest the bounty of nature, dedicated to the living memory of Cesar Chavez: "Your example and your words sprout anew in the field rows as seedlings of quiet hope." The illustrated alphabet is Spanish, text in both Spanish and English: arboles (trees) "the companions of my childhood"; duraznos (peaches) "like a gentle caress in the palm of my hand"; tomates (tomatoes) "red tomato in the kitchen, in the little tacos my godmother loves to make"; zanahoria (carrot) "The carrot hides beneath the earth. After all, she knows the sun's fiery color by heart."

Nothing less than a celebration of a shared heritage of working the land and the language of nature's bounty, the bilingual text is rendered with an eye to the beauty of words and the images wrought from the earth's palette, a rich history of the cycle of growth and those who labor to carry their fruits from field to kitchen, from the hands that toil upon the land to those that prepare the rich foods that grace the tables of grateful families. Saturated with vivid color and the dignity of hard work, Gathering the Sun is nothing less than brilliant, a reflection of the author and illustrator's appreciation for all aspects of growth, from field to heart to spirit, acknowledging "honor and pride, family and friends, history and heritage, and... the bounty of the harvest." Luan Gaines/2006.
... Read more

Product Description

Find out what to expect in the year ahead, get answers to life's most important questions, and feel inspired every day with Llewellyn's Sun Sign Book.

In addition to horoscopes for every sign by popular astrologer Kris Brandt Riske, you'll find rewarding and challenging days for each month; guidance for love and relationships, your career path, and living a healthy and fulfilling life; and ideal dates to begin a romance, take a vacation, look for a job, and plan other important endeavors.

This edition also features insightful articles by renowned astrologers that contain practical planetary wisdom, which you can use to enrich your life.

Based on your Sun sign, you'll learn to:

Increase your productivity and success in business

Prepare for the new beginnings that Uranus represents

Use color to activate the qualities you need to achieve your goals

Anticipate the changes, challenges, and rewards that Saturn will bring you

Make the most out of your creativity in your career and everyday life

Published annually since 1984 

Product Description
A look at the history of change brought about by and affecting the lives of homo sapiens. Discusses the interdependence of man and nature, contending that adaptability to change and the ability to explore alternatives to the main sources of needed resources will be the key to the survival of mankind. Softcover. DLC: Human ecology--History--20th century.Amazon.com Review
J.R. McNeill, a professor of history at Georgetown University,visits the annals of the past century only to return to the presentwith bad news: in that 100-year span, he writes, the industrializedand developing nations of the world have wrought damage to nearlyevery part of the globe.That much seems obvious to even the mostcasual reader, but what emerges, and forcefully, from McNeill's pagesis just how extensive that damage has been. For example, he writes,"soil degradation in one form or another now affects one-third of theworld's land surface," larger by far than the world's cultivatedareas. Things are worse in some places than in others; McNeillobserves that Africa is "the only continent where food production percapita declined after 1960," due to the loss of productive soil.McNeill's litany continues: the air in most of the world's cities isperilously unhealthy; the drinking water across much of the planet isgrowing ever more polluted; the human species is increasingly locked"in a rigid and uneasy bond with modern agriculture," which trades thepromise of abundant food for the use of carcinogenic pesticides andfossil fuels.

The environmental changes of the last century,McNeill closes by saying, are on an unprecedented scale, so much sothat we can scarcely begin to fathom their implications. We can,however, start to think about them, and McNeill's book is a helpfulprimer. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Excellent narrative with good environmental science info
This book is an excellent overview of the complex ecological, sociological, economic, and technological history of the century when humans became a dominant force shaping the planet Earth. The science is sound, the narratives compelling, and the writing superb. I chose it as a text for my introductory environmental science students instead of a standard textbook. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a comprehensive and interdisciplinary overview of how humans changed the planet in the twentieth century.

Review for Something New Under the Sun
J.R.McNeill, author of Something New Under the Sun, states "it is nearly impossible to see what is happening until it is inconveniently late to do something about it" (358). In his book, McNeill discusses the major changes to the environment, which occurred throughout the twentieth century. Focusing on the four spheres--lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere--McNeill acknowledges that although we may not be in the midst of an environmental crisis, the current means by which humans are living are not ecologically sustainable. He also claims that there are many consequences for some of the environmental changes that have occurred. Throughout the book there is an overarching theme that humans are a main cause of many of the environmental problems of the twentieth century, and as humans, we are the only ones with the knowledge and power to fix it.

McNeill begins his book by concentrating on the lithosphere, the earth's outer shell of rock, and its transformations in the past century. The pedosphere, which is the soil, essentially earth's skin, is located between the lithosphere and atmosphere.According to McNeill, the erosion of soil is primarily caused by humans and ultimately harms them because humans get "97 percent of their food from vanishing soils" (49).

The next sphere, the atmosphere is the "thin gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth" (51). In the early twentieth century, coal combustion, which came from industries and dwellings, primarily caused air pollution, the main topic associated with the atmosphere. Since the development of the automobile road traffic has been the largest source of air pollution worldwide. McNeill also considers the proposed laws and regulations, which have been implemented regarding air pollution. He claims that laws relating to air pollution are difficult to enforce, because "economic development took precedence over other concerns" (83). In addition to air pollution, McNeill covers climate change and its causes as well as the stratosphere.

From the atmosphere, McNeill moves on to the hydrosphere focusing on water use and water pollution in the twentieth century. Water has always been primarily used for irrigation; however people today use water much more frequently than in the past. After the development of new organic chemicals, water pollution started becoming severe, having a dramatic impact on lakes and rivers and killing "tens of millions of people in the twentieth century" (147). Although there are safe water provisions, they focus more on protecting the big cities, not entire countries. Cleaning up polluted rivers and lakes can sometimes be an easy task; nonetheless most times it is difficult, especially in poorer countries. One can only hope that oceans do not get polluted because if they do, it will be almost impossible to reverse the damage.

Lastly, McNeill concentrates on the biosphere. In this section, agriculture is a major issue, along with discussions on deforestation, the decline of whales and fish in oceans, and bioinvasions. Although the consequences of many of these things have yet to occur, McNeill predicts them to be extremely severe and expects humans to find a solution to these problems, in spite of the fact that he is unsure of the different aspects of such a solution.

Overall, Something New Under the Sun provides a well structured and organized critique of many of the environmental changes, which occurred throughout the twentieth century. McNeill does an excellent job in organizing his information, carefully dividing up his sections and clearly stating his opinions and own viewpoints.One positive component of the book is that he applies his concepts to the context of cities and countries so the reader can view the problem from a smaller scale and multiple angles. For instance, when McNeill wrote about water pollution he focused on the Ganges River in India and the measures taken to contend with the pollution of that specific river. This helps the reader comprehend the concepts better as opposed to if they were to be told in a general synopsis of the current circumstances.

Another positive aspect of Something New Under the Sun is the fact that it ties together very nicely. Many times, McNeill will refer to something discussed in a previous chapter. This is very beneficial to the reader, because it shows that what they previously read about actually matters in the context of the entire book. For example, he frequently relates pollution to past statements.Although he specifically discusses pollution in his section on the atmosphere, McNeill reverts back to it in almost every chapter. This helps the reader understand the drastic nature of the problem

One minor problem with the book is the amount of detail regarding many of the topics. While reading Something New Under the Sun I was sometimes overwhelmed by the quantity of detail included. The in-depth qualitative analysis made it difficult to summarize the book concisely. Although some specifics are helpful in understanding the information, too much detail can ultimately end up confusing the reader, which was sometimes the case in this book.

Anyone interested in today's environment and its changes should think about reading Something New Under the Sun. This book takes a specific look at how humans have altered the environment in the past 100 years and the measures that need to be taken to change it in the future. Although McNeill can't pinpoint exactly what can be done to change what has happened, he does have a few potentially effective ideas that could prove to be successful. He declares that every person can make a difference, and he asks everyone to look at what has happened in the past, because we can use the past to change the future.

Something New Under the Sun
I like the book because of the historical perspective on the detrimental effects of the environment with selected topics, although I am preferring my other book which tells the stories of different places on the what the effects of the environment has had over the years of human civilization. Still, both are quite good...

Excellent
This is a must read for people interested in either history, the environment, or people.It is well written and provides an excellent view about the history of the twentieth century that most people do not usually know about.Everyone should read it.

Where we went astray and what we might do about it
Boom. This is a biggie. Yowzah! If you want a clear view of our specie's impact on our world there is no better place to start than here. J.R. McNeill offers a balanced and comprehensive look at the century which changed everything, and his title, contradicting Ecclesiastes' assertion that nothing is new, says it all. The core idea here is that in the last century humanity moved beyond affect of local systems to dominance of the biosphere. We are everywhere. McNeill covers our impact on all of the life on our planet, from his prologue discussion of economy, population and energy, to his deeper analysis of soil, air, water and the whole of living systems. He offers clear views of the demographic and technologic forces which have shaped our modern world. Most illuminating of all are the complicated ways in which each change we have wrought has brought both destruction and remediation. Oil, the number one eco-villain inrecent history, particularly when pumped through internal combustion engines, has also cleaned up city air enormously when it replaced coal and wood for heating and power generation. It also eliminated the need to remove 10-15,000 horse carcasses from average large cities each year and saved the great whales from extinction. Nuclear energy, an utter failure economically and with wastes which will be our generation's longest lasting heirloom, at least doesn't pollute the air. Population growth has had enormous impact on environmental damage, but less than I would have estimated as a percentage, and in some places it has even permitted improvements impossible without many hands. We are, in his words, the "rogue primate" which became smart enough to threaten every other life form on the planet, from smallpox virus to blue whales. Our success has paradoxically been very good for the viruses that cause the common cold and for rabbits. From the general to the specific, whole systems to individual tools (automobile, chain saw) McNeill has achieved a grasp of how and what we did, and tells the story masterfully. For readers who took up my recommendation of A GREEN HISTORY OF THE WORLD (Clive Ponting, St. Martin's Press, 1991), this one is better (and Ponting's work is one of McNeill's sources). Bingo. ... Read more

Product Description
Caught in the middle of a titanic struggle between two alien superpowers, the factions of humanity and their allies, the Ildirans, are under siege. Can they resolve their differences to fight a common threat?

For the leader of the Roamers, survival means extending a helping hand to others, while the chairman of the Terran Hansa plans to use a new, untested alien weapon regardless of the consequences. And for the new Ildiran Mage-Imperator, survival involves throwing off the choking traditions of the Empire - even if it might trigger a civil war.

As old intrigues and dark secrets come to light, a man who is believed to be long dead returns with an ally who may save mankind. But this new fragile hope will be threatened by a fresh betrayal - the most bitter and brutal of them all... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Too many instances of deus ex machina
I would like to offer an overall review of all seven books combined.Even though each book has its own sub-plots, one has to read all seven to stitch every piece together.Unless you plan to read all of them (a major time commitment) I suggest that you go find yourself something shorter to read.This is an epic saga.

I find the books and the story hard to classify.It is science fiction, but what kind?The story starts as if it is going to be hard science fiction.(That's why I probably consider the first book to be the best.)But then it degenerates into several parallel threads, many of which are pure fantasies.By the end of the seventh book, I felt that 90% of the threads and plot were more appropriately described as fantasy than science fiction.

Even if you prefer fantasy over hard science fiction, you will still be disappointed by the repeated "deus ex machina" saving the day.I count seven such cases, three of them occurring in the last volume.Anderson is very good in weaving a complex story to its crescendo and creating a very tense (nearly hopeless) situation for the heroes.Then he cannot get them out of there in any plausible way, and he resorts to dues ex machina time after time. Because of that, you will feel disappointed (perhaps even cheated) once you finish the story, even if you will find it entertaining most of the way.

The characters are one-dimensional.There are good sub-plots of love, hatred, betrayal, revenge... The evil is really evil, and the good-guys could do no wrong.If you don't mind that, you may enjoy the saga.

Still dark before the dawn
Though this is only book 3 of 7, things are still disastrous for humanity.

That is just the worst for my ego tied to humanity. It would be as an American reading the history of WWII in real time, in the Pacific. Sometime in the middle of 42, when things looked bleak. Pearl Harbor hurt, Wake Island fallen, the Philippines lost.

But we know, living so far from the events that things will be turning around. The drama that they aren't, though is painful to watch. Painful to have seen the train wreck of one of the enemies that we know of, revealed and destroyed a very young person's world.

it is painful to watch the leader of the majority of humanity be the anti FDR, or Winston Churchill, and the leader we root for still not think of a way to usurp control. To watch this anti leader of mankind make mistakes and be an egomaniac of his own.

The book moves the plot along. The timing of scenes again is all over the place. The issues of short chapters are still a detriment to the story. The book would help with a plotted timeline by the author and longer chapters that develop scenes. Less plot lines for some new secondary characters are being fleshed out to have their own sagas.

Still a read once. But, an example taken from a true master, I read all the Palliser novel shrunk to a one volume book once. I think this would have been much better if the author followed Trollope's example.

Need a scorecard to follow all the wars!
Book Three of the Saga of the Seven Suns, an ancient war has now fully rekindled in its entirety,The heretofore unknown aliens who were disturbed when one of their planets was destroyed by a human experiment with another alien device in the first book is now REALLY mad.More information has come to light, and it seems the other human empire, the Alderans, does know something of this old war.But they have not been forthcoming with information.Meanwhile, another entity, a sentient fire being living in suns, has seemingly joined the struggle on the behalf of humans.Aligned with the trees and the water, earth, fire and water seem aligned against electricity.

The humans meanwhile have started to strike back by igniting more gas giants into small suns.However, the extinct creators of that technology left behind some evidence that suggests this tactic might not be the best idea -- they are, after all, extinct.To make matters worse he robots created by that race are now in rebellion against the humans (never trust a robot!).And if there isn't enough killin' going on for you, the human factions are splintering amongst themselves, resulting in even more battles.The politics and intrigue during this time of total ware are getting interesting.

Going From Good to Okay
In a nutshell, the book is okay.Overall, the story is getting bigger:More cast of characters, more plot complications, more arcs...

On paper, this sounds like a good thing, but in reality, it is starting to read like a story that just keeps growing and growing with no end in sight, and not in a good way.

There are certain plots that feel like they should have come to a head already, but instead, they keep building and building and building... Also, it is starting to feel like complications are being added just for the sake of making the story more complex as opposed to being necessary for the story...

Overall, I do like the characters, I like the story, I love space operas, and will probably get book four.The stage is set now to start bringing plot arcs to a conclusion.Otherwise, if this story keeps growing in book four, I will stop with this series since it can easily be one of those series that just keeps going forever and ever with no end in sight and not in a good way.

Starts a bit slow, but awesome adventure!
I am new to sci-fi and the Saga of Seven Suns is absolutely awesome.The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it doesn't start out as action-packed as the last book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Great book to get you started on solar power
This is a great book to get you started on solar power. Starts with the basics and takes you through the installation of the three types of systems. Very good information that is real world and very up to date.

Lots of good information
I bought this for my son who is using it as a reference book.He's very happy with the information in it.

Great book for anyone novice to expert
Great book for anyone novice to expert. I am a retired multi-skilled technician with an extensive background in electronics and electrical fields. I found this book very informative for anyone interested in finding out more on solar panels and/or practicle installations. One can choose to get in great depth or just fundamentals. It is a great book.

Great book
Great book and breaks down the concepts and math of solar power into digestable bites.

A top pick for any collection catering to homeowners interested in alternative energy sources
Power from the Sun: Achieving Energy Independence offers a fine guide to solar energy and is written for the layperson wishing to install a solar electric system. Homeowners and business owners will appreciate an easy guide to all the solar energy options, from solar site assessment to inverters, batteries, and more. A top pick for any collection catering to homeowners interested in alternative energy sources. ... Read more

Product Description
A fascinating expose proving that Nazi Germany won the race for the atom bomb in late 1944. Were the Nazis secretly researching the occult, alternative physics and new energy sources’ This scientific-historical journey tracks down the proof and answers these fascinating questions: * What were the Nazis developing in Czechoslovakia’ * Why did the US Army test the atom bomb on Hiroshima’ * Why did the Luftwaffe fly a non-stop round-trip mission within twenty miles of New York City in 1944’ ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Very speculative. Really a novel.
A library would probably file this in fiction. The first part of the book, arguing the Nazis exploded an atomic bomb on the Eastern Front and others inside the Reich, is interesting. He even has a few facts that comply with this interpretation. But he can never convincingly explain why, if Germany had the bomb, it wasn't used against the Allies other than the Soviet Union.

The last part of the book suggests UFOs come from Nazi remnant scientists. This weakens what began as an apparently serious book. Would have rated it a 4 if he'd omitted the UFO part.

Black Empire of Nazi Top Secret Projects
Farrell asserts that the great secret of WWII, which the victorious Allies and Russia have concealed, is that Nazi Germany had the atom bomb. The author presents his theory as to why it wasn't used - although it was tested in late 1944, according to a documented eyewitness report: it was being developed as a detonator for something FAR more destructive.

He also indicates what this might be, pointing out that 60 scientists working on the latter project were murdered by the Nazis just before the end of the war, it was that important to them to ensure there were no leaks. Farrell alleges that, in their most highly classified wartime secret weapons project, the Nazis were working on esoteric weapons using non-linear physics. This aspect is dealt with in much more detail in the author's sequel "The SS Brotherhood of the Bell", written after he got further declassified documents.

Farrell goes further, explaining why he believes the (allegedly untested) atom bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 by the U.S. were actually German, and offering documentary evidence that the US was so far behind that they did not have enough nuclear material then to put together even one bomb. (Why drop untested atom bombs when the U.S. had by then tested a plutonium bomb? Unless they had been tested...)

It is now well known that Operation Paperclip was the code name for the post-war relocation of many Nazi scientists to the U.S. and at the same time Project Lusty transferred 110,000 TONS of scientific papers to the U.S. In his next book Farrell points out the U.S. was so quickly able to identify and transfer thousands of scientists and specialists that it is clear they were guided by an insider, whom he speculates may have been Bormann, probably the most powerful Nazi of all.

Borman may also have been instrumental in the Nazi transfer of enormous wealth, materials and research out of Germany at the end of the war, although many attempts have been made to kill recurring rumours about this. Just two of the many facts: two thousand tons of unrefined uranium disappeared from Germany at the end of the war; Kammler (the Nazi SS general in charge of a range of ultra-secret research projects and facilities) simply disappeared at the end of the war together with his most highly classified research project "The Bell" (leaving behind no less than 4 different stories of his death, none with eyewitnesses).

Much of the information has been extracted from declassified wartime papers available after the Berlin wall came down. Although nothing is conclusively proven (how could it be?!) the book provides both data and logical reasons for many oddities, for instance why, at the start, Hitler attacked Czechoslovakia and annexed the Sudetenland (naturally rich in radioactive materials) and, near the end of the war, for his apparently insane insistence on keeping Nazi forces in Prague and lower Silesia even though Germany was crumbling on other fronts (secret nuclear factories were located there).

This book appears well-researched and well developed; it makes sense of, and ties together, a variety of political and operational discrepancies during, and immediately after, WWII. Farrell certainly demonstrates that WWII history began to be massively re-written even before the end of that war and has been manipulated to an extraordinary degree since then.

Even with the many typos, this is better written and more balanced than so many conspiracy books. It isn't necessary to agree with all of this book, but only a rigid mind - or someone intent on disinformation - could completely dismiss the astounding story that has been pieced together here out of seemingly unconnected disparities and peculiarities.

Highly Interesting
A most interesting inquiry into the world of secret technology, the birth of the atomb bomb, and UFO's, and their likely Nazi origin.

The book is divided in three parts. At first, the atom bomb is the main subject, and the author convincingly argues that Nazis were the first to have this technology, to have an actual atomic bomb, and the first to have tested it. Evidence is shown for every one of the author's claim.

Then the book focuses on Hans Kammler - a rather intriguing figure - and explains historical facts in a new light. The result of this is that history suddenly makes far more sense with the additional knowledge exposed in this volume (such as Patton's not going for Berlin and going south instead, for no apparent reason, or why the Hiroshima bomb was never tested before it was used, and many other instances).

The research done for this book is excellent, footnotes abound, references too. It's a fascinating read, very serious. The author proposes intelligent arguments and is very clear about what is fact and what is supposition and what is speculation. All of which make for a serious book, despite its subject matter.

The only flaw to this excellent work is the impressive amount of typos. Sometimes I found 6 types within the same page; it's usually a reversal of letters, or an omission of letters. This does disturb the reading as you constantly expect new amazing typos, and they never fail to come. "Operaton", "opration", and the likes are legion and they can easily get on your nerves. I hope this will be fixed in a later edition. I also hope that the author will start using square brackets - [...] - and not regular parentheses when he inserts his own words in quoted passages. Actually it's not the only flaw: there should be a bibliography, I would have liked that very much.

Besides that flaw, this book is a fascinating read, never boring, and whose topic is of tremendous importance, if true, and this work certainly does a great job of exposing evidence that would convince more than one that research like this should be continued.

Very recommended.

Worth getting
Farrell's way of looking at things make his books required reading for anyone interested in learning about the world we live in.His books have much speculation, but also are full of "documentation" that always surprises me.

Intriguing, and ultimately awesome
Dr. Farrell (of OXFORD) is I believe honest in his research.

That said, the shear volume of data here cannot all be dead on. It's not possible (but he genuinely tries).

There's a reviewer, some pony-tailed idiot named "John Velonis" who clearly did NOT read the book and then wrote a review about it.

Of all the data in this book, one could not possibly claim to have read and understood any of it, and then harp on one insane detail like Hans Kammler's death. I don't blame Farrell one bit. It's suspect, and I don't think Velonis quoted it correctly. It literally sounds to me like he opened it to a few pages and picked something ridiculous (he is probably a Grade-School teacher who wanted to use the wpord: "INTRIGUING" in a complete sentence).

Decide for yourself. This book is FILLED with historically important and fascinating data that is for the most part I believe, accurate, and obviously genuine in it's research. Go for it, make up your own mind.

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

The Palestinian Experience since the Nakba
Occasionally you come across a great book by a great author and after reading 10-15 pages you realize that you could never write a novel like this, the prose, the detail, the character development are simply outstanding.After finishing the book you sit and reflect on it a bit and recognize that it has, in some greater or lesser manner, changed your world view forever.The novel has left you with images you will never forget.Elias Khoury's novel Gate of the Sun is this type of novel.Future generations will speak of Khoury in the same breathe with Zola, Dickens, and Dostoevsky.

Gate of the Sun is a story about the Nakba (or Catastrophe) that occurred in 1948 when the state of Israel was formed and the Palestinian people were scattered to the winds:some to life as second class citizens in Israel, many forced into ghettos in Gaza and the West Bank, and many other scattered throughout Lebanon, Jordan, and rest of the Muslim world.The story begins as a famous Palestinian freedom fighter lay in a coma dying in a hospital outside Beirut.A close friend sits with him day and night and spends the next seven months recounting stories from their lives.What follows is a recounting of the Palestinian experience from the Nakba through the '67 war, Black September, the Lebanon War, and the massacres at Sabra and Shatila.We learn about life in refugee camps, the struggle of the freedom fighters, how the Israelis drove the Palestinians out of their villages and homes before and after '48.In short, we learn about the peregrinations and vicissitudes of the Palestinian people.

This story isn't told in a linear fashion.There are jumps in both time and space as various episodes in both characters lives are revisted, and stories that were told to them by others recounted.We learn about all aspects of the Palestinian condition, big and small.The tales range from domestic disputes, love affairs, and parent-children stories to tragic tales of expulsion in '48 and genocide in '82.One of the great strengths of this book is that it is not simply a paean to the Palestinians.Khoury recounts many episodes that are not particularly flattering to the Palestinians.

This is not an easy book to read.Although the style is very different, I would compare it to the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez in that it will take a bit of discipline to get through (this is definitely not a beach read).The only negative comment I can make about this book is that it is, in some ways, too bad that this book is so difficult to work through.I wish that this novel was more approachable by the average reader in the United States (not that Khoury was necessarily writing for these people).Any Westerner who reads this book cannot possibly look at the Arab-Israeli conflict in the same light.We have been conditioned to view the Israelis as the victims, after reading this book, you would be hard pressed to hold this view ever again.

Finally, on one quasi-political note, this novel also explained to me why the Palestinians have been so adamant about retaining the right of return in their negociations with the Israelis.I could never understand why they held onto this so tightly, but after reading this novel, you'll completely understand.

Bottom line is that this is one of the most detailed, well written novels I have ever read and I think that it compares favorably with the best novels written in any language.There are so many unforgettable images in this novel that you'll be shell-shocked when you finish it.Not a trivial undertaking, but you'll be richly rewarded if you take this journey.

Excellent
Really a wonderful read - Khoury gives us the people inside the statistics. Reading "700,000 refugees" doesn't make the average person feel much, but Gate of the Sun gives us the individual faces and stories that make it all real. Other reviewers mentioned the artifice in the structure; I found it a touch annoying at first, then very appropriate as the book went along. Given the quality of the novel and the importance of the topic, I am surprised this novel has received only five reviews - are so few people reading this book?

Gate of the Sun
This is a sadly moving, if not depressing book. It is very well-written and tells the saddest of stories, the rip-off and expulsion of a people from their homes and their lands. I found it fascinating and learned from it although I am an Arabist long familiar with the subject matter. I would consider this a must reading for any American who truly wants to understand and come to his/her own conclusions about the on-going crisis in the Middle East. It is for any interested person who is unwilling to swallow the party line as put forward by the zionist entity and its lackeys.

Astonishing and revealing story of beauty in the midst of oppression and suffering
This is an extraordinary story, essentially a personalized account of the history of the Palestinians of Galilee since the Zionist immigrations -- certainly, after the genocide of the Jews in the 1940s, the cruelest assault on a people in the 20th century (though the Armenian genocide too is right up there if one is counting), and it continues today in all its horror.The story is hung on an initially irritating conceit, one man's monologue as he cares for a mentor who has suffered a stroke and is brain dead.The protagonist imagines that his charge can hear and comprehend him.But as the story progresses, the immediacy of the reality of the intertwining biographies and the awful -- and often beautiful -- story they tell is so engaging that the irritation passes.But what also makes this novel extraordinary is that it is told without rancor -- not that hatred wasn't swirling around and everpresent.The people are real, that world is real, the suffering and death are real.It is this, and the opening of a window on that world heretofore glimpsed only on the news, that is the beauty of this book.There were occasional and brief what seemed to me trite pop-philosophical digressions, but they did not seriously affect the power of the reading.Some episodes seem to be present to emphasize that the author is not anti-Jewish, but they feel contrived.In this feverish situation it is no doubt a good thing to emphasize an author's rejection of anti-Semitic prejudice, but one would hope the author could find a way that feels as real as the rest of the book.Well, truth to tell, there was one subplot that stretched credulity in the interest of creating an artful story.Nonetheless, this is a truly powerful book, and the reality of that world comes through despite the occasional novelistic artifice.How to right the wrongs and avoid further horrors for either peoples!But Gate of the Sun is a resolutely non-political novel about individuals -- largely unheard from individuals caught up in the maelstrom of the 20th century's awful story.

Deserves Nobel prize for literature
Elias Khoury weaves a multitude of stories of people, some good, some less so, all flawed in their various ways, into a narrative that makes up the story of a people.One can recognize and identify with the human condition and struggles of each of those individuals, and yet through Khoury's eyes one can also see the whole of the society as it suffers the destruction from being uprooted and exiled by outside forces.

Not just about Palestinians - but about humanity everywhere. ... Read more

Product Description

Definitive, Comprehensive SCEA Exam Prep–Straight from Sun’s Exam Developers!

This book delivers complete, focused review for Sun’s new Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA) for Java EE certification exam–straight from two of the exam’s creators! SCEA lead developer/assessor Mark Cade and SCEA lead developer/assessor Humphrey Sheil offer powerful insights, real-world architectural case studies, and challenging sample questions that systematically prepare you for the actual exam. For every question, the authors show why the right answers are right–and why the other answers are wrong. Cade and Sheil cover every SCEA exam topic, skill, and technique, including:

• Understanding system architecture and its goals
• Decomposing larger systems into components organized by tiers or layers
• Addressing requirements for scalability, maintainability, reliability, availability, extensibility, performance, and security
• Building effective web (presentation) tiers, and analyzing tradeoffs associated with using web frameworks
• Leveraging EJB 3’s enhancements for business tier development
• Covering new enhancements in the JEE 5 platform
• Choosing and architecting the best integration and messaging components for your system
• Using the Java security model to enforce confidentiality, integrity, authorization, authentication, and non-repudiation
• Using the most powerful and useful Java EE architecture patterns
• Documenting Java EE architectures through visual models and narratives

The authors also present detailed guidance for handling every element of the SCEA exam–including your development and defense of a complete real-world architectural solution.

Customer Reviews (73)

SCEA
The material is just kind of pocket guide so this might be useful only for reference not for the complete exam preparation from the scratch.

Excelent Book
Thank You Mark andHumphreythis isan easy and completebookforSCEA Exam ( NowOCMJEA)

thisbookexplain in detailwhat'sthe roleforarchitectin thesoftware processandimportance forSLas.

SCEA study guide Review
This is a very good guide for the SCEA 5.0 preparation. This doesn't have every detail of the topic but will definitely guide you for the exam and cover all the topics required for exam. After I attended SCEA exam step-1, this is my opinion about this book. if you are a person with 7+ yrs of experience in developing/designing J2EE applications buy this book, use it as guidance and refer to other materials for detail study. You should be able to clear the exam step-1 with one month of sincere preparation putting 3hrs on each day. In addition you can take the practice exam offered by SUN.

short focused guide to study
I read the Cade & Shiel study guide in preparation for the SCEA 5 exam.The book is short; only 189 pages; but contains a lot of info.What struck me was how little of the content was obscure.It serves as a good plan for studying/reviewing.I used it for reviewing since the content wasn't new.Most of the book covers the part 1 objectives along with sample multiple choice questions.The rest is for parts 2 and 3.I liked the notes about what differs in practice and the answer explanations about the exam creators think.

I didn't like the sample questions format.It was way too easy to see the correct answer while looking at the question making it difficult to see where you stand.It would have been nice to have them on a different page or in an appendix.Also, one of the answers was wrong.This is obvious from reading the answer explanation of course.I also felt the "background reading" sections were too thorough.It says the successful candidate must read the EJB spec.This is malarkey.The successful candidate must have a high level view of EJB rather than know every detail of the spec.

When I read the book, I thought the questions were too easy.After taking the exam, I can say they were spot on in difficulty.Overall, I do recommend the book.It served its purpose well - to be a concise guide to getting ready for the exam.

Excellent overview of the exam
While this book gives a great perspective of the exam, it doesn't cover exam topics in-depth. As the title says it's a study guide, that gives the right direction for further self study. Overall this is extremely helpful book for all parts of the exam. ... Read more

Product Description
Conflict is an inevitable part of life, according to this ancient Chinese classic of strategy, but everything necessary to deal with conflict wisely, honorably, victoriously, is already present within us. Compiled more than two thousand years ago by a mysterious warrior-philosopher,The Art of War is still perhaps the most prestigious and influential book of strategy in the world, as eagerly studied in Asia by modern politicians and executives as it has been by military leaders since ancient times. As a study of the anatomy of organizations in conflict,The Art of War applies to competition and conflict in general, on every level from the interpersonal to the international. Its aim is invincibility, victory without battle, and unassailable strength through understanding the physics, politics, and psychology of conflict.Amazon.com Review
The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of militarytheory--pop out a different tool for any situation.Folded into thissmall package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning,the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed,positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, andpracticality.Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight,with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinesetradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up onpuzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for theirsoldiers."Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy'sstores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food?The Tang dynastycommentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenlyabandons their food supplies, they should be tested first beforeeating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are thepinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain,take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerabilityis in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond themilitary because they speak directly to the exigencies ofsurvival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flauntthem. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to beineffective." --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

long introduction
The book is very interesting but I thought the translator's introduction was too long (more than a quarter of the whole book).

Good!
The translation is nice, not much lost in the translation.

The condition of the book is great and fast shipping.

If you know both yourself and the danger you face, you can win many contests without a single loss---Sun Tzu
Named for the mythical (?) and mystical kingdom in the East, Shambhala Publications is known for bringing some of the greatest and sometimes most obscure philosophical writings of Mankind to the attention of the general public. Heavily (though not exclusively) concerned with Buddhist and Taoist thought, Shambhala Pocket Classics are an attractive set of unabridged minibooks which fit comfortably in a shirt pocket, making them perfect for reading on planes, trains, and automobiles. Titles in the set include THE BOOK OF TEA, WAY OF THE JEWISH MYSTICS, ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES, THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD, TAO TE CHING, POEMS BY EMILY DICKINSON, THE ART OF PEACE, and this volume by Sun Tzu, THE ART OF WAR.

Written around 600 BC in a war-ravaged China, Sun Tzu's brief classic addresses (in 13 brief chapters) each aspect of the art of war. This text is considered seminal and indispensable even today in military education. It is said (with justification proven over time) that a commander who follows Sun Tzu's dictates cannot be defeated, and every military defeat can be analyzed in terms of its failure to heed these dictates.

These dictates are truly universal, and can be applied to social situations and business. There is a moderately long list of titles applying THE ART OF WAR to almost every human endeavor including dating, contract negotiation and business, real estate sales, and even cooking. just to name a few. The popularity of THE ART OF WAR as The Nasty Man's Bible of Social Dominance amongst the shark-eating human population has obscured Sun Tzu's primary thesis:That the well-disposed leader need not engage in war at all to achieve his desired ends.

Must have book
James Clavell edition is really good as compared to original book. I have read the book couple of times but was not able to understand that unless or until i read James Calvell edition.
I will recommend it to everyone.

Extremely Happy with Purchase
I received Thomas Cleary's translation of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" in a trouble free, very timely fashion, for a great price.When it arrived, I found the book in excellent condition, which is good as I bought the book brand new.Overall, I couldn't be happier with the purchase. ... Read more