Book Description
Follow the second star on your right and fly straight on till morning and you’ll find a place you know from your dreams–Never Land. Past the pirate ships and Peter Pan’s secret hideaway is Pixie Hollow. A great old maple tree grows there, and in it live hundreds of fairies. For, you see, Pixie Hollow is the Never fairies’ kingdom, and each fairy who lives there has a special, extraordinary talent.
Tinker Bell loves to fix broken pots and pans.
Vidia flies faster than every other fairy.
Beck talks–and listens–to animals.
Lily can make any flower, tree, or plant grow.
Come on a magical journey with Disney Fairies . . . all it takes is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust!
The first four enchanting chapter book stories of Pixie Hollow are available in time for the holidays, boxed together in a lovely set, shrinkwrapped, and packaged with a never-before-available Fairies poster!
Customer Reviews:
Tales from Pixie Hollow 4 copy box set.......2007-07-22
The books are beautiful. The illustrations make the stories come to life. My 5 year old daughter loves them and we have been reading them nightly since we got them.
great.......2007-05-16
I bought this book set for my 10 year old daughter. She read all four books in 1 day. she loves them. Now she is bugging me to buy the rest.
In love with Tink.......2007-04-25
My 8 year old daughter received these books as an easter gift and she loves them!! THe illustrations are colorful and beautiful! I recommend any fairy fan to get these books
Loved Them!!!!.......2007-03-21
I got them for my 5 yr. old and she absolutely loved them. The artwork in them is beautiful. The writing was very good and it actually kept my daughter interested.
My 5 year old daughter loves these books!.......2007-03-16
These books have been done so well. The stories are very cute and teach good lessons. The art is beautiful. My five year old daughter absolutely loves them.
Average customer rating:
- Why all this comparison to Fforde?
- Great Book!!!
- Puns like epées, wild imaginings - both dark and very, very funny
- Unable to Read
- What the hell was that?
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Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse (Gollancz)
Robert Rankin
Manufacturer: Orion Books Limited
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ASIN: 0575074019 |
Book Description
Toy Town—older, bigger, and certainly not wiser. The Old Rich, who have made their millions from the royalties on their world-famous nursery rhymes, are being murdered one by one. A psychopath is on the loose, and he must be stopped at any cost. It’s a job for Toy Town’s only detective—but he’s missing, leaving only Eddie Bear, and his bestest friend Jack, to track down the mad killer.
Customer Reviews:
Why all this comparison to Fforde?.......2007-10-10
I absolutely LOVE jasper Fforde and Robert Rankin. However, they are two different writers with their own unique writing styles. Rankin is definately more "British" in his humour, and some people just don't get that type of humor. Be honest, did you laugh at EVERY Monty Python skit you ever saw? No, because you probably didn't get it. I myself never understood what was supposed to be funny about the Ministry of Silly Walks.
I read about 8 Rankin novels before and "HCBOTA" is my favorite thus far, but I doubt if I got all the humorous references. There are many repeated elements in Raakin's novels, and the repetition is what makes them funny. If you have a pre-conceived notion as to what a story or a writer is like (usually due to the Publishers) then suspend you notions along with your disbelief, and enjoy the ride; in this case a clockwork motorcar. It, indeed, "is as good as"!
Great Book!!!.......2007-09-29
Ths is an "outside the box" hilarious book. Combined with the witty humor, it is a must read for anybody.
Puns like epées, wild imaginings - both dark and very, very funny.......2007-09-23
It must be true that humour varies from one country to another... There are reviews here that are clearly written by readers who were "not amused", as Queen Victoria might have said.
Yet this is one of the wittiest, funniest, blackest, most bizarre and deliciously convoluted novels you're ever likely to find. The humour is self-mocking, parodying writing styles and consumer icons, sending up standards in many walks of life, and creating a world that is brimming over with sallies (and Jacks and Jills), bon mots, equivoge, badinage, peripatetic persiflage, satirical quips, japes, visual puns, running gags and - in short - that wonderful sort of silliness that takes a very clever hand to pull off.
And Robert Rankin DOES pull it off. His creation of the naïve lad named Jack, who wants to go to the big city to make his fortune, teamed up with Billy Winkie's sidekick bear, Eddie, is one of the most perfect of partnerships in detective fiction. Yes, this is a detective story, but a bizarre and weird one, more concerned with festooning the whole thing with witticisms than with telling the story without meandering.
Now clearly this style has put off some readers. Be prepared to let your imagination be taken in directions you might not have visited before. This is not your standard "private eye" story, even though Eddie and Jack form a private investigating duo to discover who's killing off the famous people (the ones featured in nursery rhymes - such as Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horner, Little Boy Blue, etc.) of Toyland. The murders are inventive and dark. This is NOT a children's book, in spite of its being set in Toyland...
I loved this book. It's the first Rankin novel I picked up, and since then (2 weeks ago) I've been buying them wherever I can, for I have frankly and unashamedly become addicted to this weird, grotesque, nonsensical, bizarre, strange, witty and very funny style - which is something like mixing Doug Adams, Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde into a blender and pushing the button.
If you think this style will appeal to you, I heartily recommend this novel, and its sequel, The Toyminator.
Unable to Read.......2007-08-30
I suspect you need to already be a fan of Robert Rankin to read this book.
The blurbs for this book indicated it was funny and had nursery rhyme characters. I'll grant that there were nursery rhyme characters in the part I was able to read - the first 5 chapters. Funny, amusing - very subjective words. I was not amused.
This book did not draw me in with characters or plot. The pacing was too slow. The "amusing" writing style was repetious, dull and heavy-handed. The dialogue? Silly but not funny.
I was looking for something more along the lines of the Jasper Fforde books - silly, witty, fast-paced. Alas, it was not to be.
After 5 chapters, I just can't go on.
What the hell was that?.......2007-05-21
Like many others, I could not resist the title, which is more entertaining than the main read. I give the author 3 stars because it rambled on too long, but the concept was pretty funny and the gist of the book was weird, but interesting. It was surprising, to say the least, but in a good way. It is a detective story in every sense of the word, but hardly a normal one. You have to love it for wandering way off the track.
It begins with a young boy named Jack making his way to the big city to seek his fortune. On the way he runs across a cannibalistic farmer who tries to kill him to eat. He steals the farmers horse and eventually arrives in Toy City, formally known as Toy Town where all the citizens are toys with a caste system. The old rich are the nursery rhymn characters, i,e, Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet. The old rich are being murdered in imaginative ways that relate to their ryhmns. Jack with the help of a drunken, set out to solve the crimes.
Book Description
An invaluable introduction to popular film and the way in which it is studied this book brings together the critical approaches and issues that have sought to define popular film from the 1950s to the present day. It includes discussion of mass culture theory and political economy; auteur theory; genre theory; star studies; historical poetics; screen theory; feminism and cultural studies. Written by specialists, Approaches to popular film is an ideal textbook for students coming to film theory for the first time.
Book Description
With magic, friendship, and pixie dust, the world of Disney Fairies is every little girl's dream come true! And now young artists can discover the secrets behind drawing Tinker Bell, Bess, Lily, and all the other pixies with this magical drawing book and kit. The enclosed book contains clear step-by-step illustrations that make it easy for young artists to follow along. Markers, double-sided colored pencils, and stickers only add to the fun!
Customer Reviews:
Good Choice!.......2007-09-16
I am very glad that I ordered this book. It has very detailed illustrations to help me get a handle on drawing my fairys.
One of the better Disney tie-ins.......2007-08-22
This step-by-step drawing book illustrates ten different characters -- the fairies Beck, Bess, Fira, Lily, Prilla, Rani, Tinker Bell and Vidia; the sparrow man Terence; and Queen Clarion. Best for older elementary-school to early high-school kids, it has easy-to-follow illustrations but goes into lots of intricate detail. Budding artists can use it to create full figures as well as portraits, each in four steps. The sections for Tinker Bell, Rani, Beck, Fira and Vidia also show how to draw portrait details such as shoulders, hair and eyelashes. Throughout the book, sidebar sketches display details such as noses, lips, eyes, clothing and wings, and show both proper and improper techniques. The book itself is printed on quality gloss paper stock, and nicely illustrated with soft floral backgrounds and leafy borders.
One final note: The female figures here all share the impossibly tiny waists common in cartoons and, for that matter, fashion illustration, but they don't have exaggerated bustlines or hips. And though the faces have plenty of personality -- Vidia bears a striking resemblance to Meg, from Disney's "Hercules" -- there's no cleavage, and none of the skirts or dresses shown are very high cut.
-- By Julie Neal, author of The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.
Older or advanced little artists only........2007-01-17
Nice book. A little complex for kids under 10.
good item.......2007-01-10
it shows u how to draw the fairys heads and then a separate pic of their full bodies. and it has some tips to show u how individual fairys are drawn like tinks cheeks always look like this - not this and so on . great for little artist :)
Book Description
Kit is visiting Aunt Millie in Mountain Hollow, Kentucky, in 1934. When a professor arrives to study Kentucky mountain traditions, Kit is thrilled to help with her research--until it becomes clear that somebody doesn't want "outsiders" nosing around. Kit decides to find out who's making trouble, even if it means venturing into Lonesome Hollow in the dark of night. Girls will enjoy solving the mystery right along with Kit. This latest book from Kathleen Ernst, previously nominated for both the Edgar and the Agatha Award, also includes an illustrated "Looking Back" section to provide historical context.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent American Girl Mystery.......2007-05-13
This was a very interesting American Girl Mystery. We have read the entire series (my daughter is just now 7) and she loves them. The story introduces historical facts about life during the Great Depression which were interesting to both of us. All the books in this series include historical information and photos at the end of the book from the time period as well.
Book Description
Keeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, which has been hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Merlin's planning has led Uther to impregnate Ygraine, and conceive
Arthur. This book basically starts with the birth of the boy, and
features his childhood.
This series is still about Merlin, though. Merlin travels, but
still arranges to be around Arthur to teach him, as well as dreaming of
the sword, Caliburn, or Excalibur.
the 2nd of 4.......2007-05-14
In the second book of this 4 book saga, Merlin tutors a young Arthur in anticipation of the King he will one day become.
This book is followed up with The Last Enchantment (The Arthurian Saga, Book 3)
Legendary trilogy about a legendary king.......2006-09-07
It's not uncommon for the middle volume of a trilogy -- the "bridge" -- to be the weakest of the three, but that's certainly not the case here. The story picks up less than an hour after the end of the first volume, The Crystal Cave, with Merlin having ensured Uther's night of lust with Queen Ygraine of Cornwall and the conception of Arthur, the once and future king (i.e., the "new Ambrosius"). Much of the narrative is taken up with Merlin waiting. First, waiting for the child's birth (while being on the outs with Uther), then waiting for the beginning of his guardianship (when Uther becomes more realistic), then waiting while Arthur spends his infancy in Brittany (during which Merlin hits the road to the ancient lands of the Near East), then a long period of waiting while the boy grows up in the care of Count Ector (and he himself becomes the hermit of the Chapel in the Green). Along the way, he acquires the sword of the Emperor Maximus and tucks it away on a sacred island in a lake, knowing Arthur will recover it himself in good time. And, of course, the waiting ends with Arthur being hailed as High King at age fourteen, minutes after his presentation to the lesser kings and his father's sudden death at a victory dinner. The pacing is a bit slower, but there's a strong sense of inevitability, both for Merlin and for the reader. Stewart's amazingly sensitive and evocative descriptive powers are strong as ever. One of my favorite lines, on why you should never take the favor of the gods for granted: "The gods like the taste of salt; the sweat of human effort is the savour of their sacrifices." Marvelous stuff.
Fuel for the imagination.......2006-07-17
Why do a lot of readers apparently find the second book of Mary Stewart's Aruthurian trilogy as not up to par with The Crystal Cave??? It is every bit as good and allows the story to unfold as well as builds a stronger connection with the characters. The Hollow Hills has Merlin finding a suitable hiding spot for the young Arthur to mature in until the time for his acention arrives. It focuses on the development of the central figures and the growing affection bewtween Merlin and young Aruthur, who looks up to the former as a father. There is a also a lot of action in this section of the series. Wonderful stuff!
Doesn't measure up........2005-12-21
The continuation of the saga begun in The Crystal Cave is disapointing. The Crystal cave was a five star book and much better. As usual the sequel just isn't as good.
Product Description
Actors do love their dramas, and the members of the Causton Amateur Dramatic Society are no exception. Passionate love scenes, fits of ego, jealous rages, operatic reconciliations--put together, theyre better than a paycheck, which is good thing, because no one in this production of Amadeus is getting one. However, even the most theatrically minded have to admit that murdering the leading man in full view of the audience is a bit over the top. Luckily, Inspector Tom Barnaby is in that audience, and while he may lack certain skills as a theater critic, hes just the man to figure out who removed the tape from the prop straight-razor, causing the star to slit his own throat downstage-center. With so many dramas playing out, theres no shortage of motives or suspects, including the stars embittered ex-wife and faithless widow, plus secret lovers and jealous understudies galore. Ms. Graham, a former actress, tweaks her collection of community-theater artistes and small-town drama queens with merciless delight, and the readers only regret will be that, eventually, the curtain must come down on the final page. The 2nd Inspector Barnaby Mystery
Customer Reviews:
A great read.......2007-05-12
It is so much fun to read Graham's novels. The writting is so well done and Inspector Barneby and his family
are consistently entertaining , plus the mystery is intriging and has just the right amount of twist and turns to keep you on edge until the last page. I LOVE THIS AUTHOR.
Not One of Her Best.......2007-05-12
I enjoy Caroline Graham's books, as much for their English characters as anything. This is not one of her better books. It drags on, is disjointed, and the conclusion one could not have guessed (usually mystery writers put some clues as to the outcome somewhere earlier).
I made it thru the book but it was not easy.
All Midsumer Murders and Touch of Frost.......2007-03-12
I thoroughly enjoy any "Midsumer Murders"books or DVD and the same goes for "Touch of Frost"
One of Caroline Graham's early books.......2007-01-05
Fair. At least in comparison to Graham's later books. Worth reading, however, if you're interested in character progression and the writerly process.
Another good story........2005-06-21
Tom Barnaby is using his painting skills on scenery for the local theatrical group where is wife, Joyce,is wardrobe mistress and small-parts performer. As the rehearsals for a production of "Amadeus" move along the reader is introduced to the participants. Their lives, nerves, sympathies, likes and dislikes make for an interesting and complex tale. The ego-driven director is determined to show the world his brilliance even if he is only directing a small acting company in a small village. You don't have to be familiar with "Amadeus", or the theater for that matter, to be completely drawn in to the drama behind the drama.
Opening night arrives and the play begins. In the middle of the performance an unexpected death horrifies the audience. It is then that Tom Barnaby has to put down his paint brush, or rather, leave his seat in the audience, and take up his real occupation, that of police inspector.
Another good story from Caroline Graham.
Book Description
This collection of 2003's Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense one-shots kicks off with a goddess imprisoned in a story by Bastard Samurai creative team Miles Gunter and Michael Avon Oeming joined by series creator Mike Mignola. Guy Davis, artist of the new B.P.R.D. series, teams with Brian Augustyn (Gotham by Gaslight). The Flash creative team Geoff Johns & Scott Kolins team for the first Dark Horse work, and Joe Harris, screenwriter of Darkness Falls, and his X-Men collaborator Adam Pollina reunite for Abe Sapien's weirdest adventure yet. With a boost from the major talents involved in this book, and from the Hellboy film in which they were so prominently figured, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and B.P.R.D. has become comics' greatest new team book. Also includes a brand new story by Mignola and Cameron Stewart.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
I am happy to read Mignola BPRD type tales whenever he comes up with them, or the cows come home, whichever comes last. These are Hellboyless, but have some other characters. A homunculus, and a ghost man who wears a suit so that he can interact with the physical environment, and a new field leader hard bitten, deformed military man type.
Some of this is to show the relationships between the characters, and how the BPRD humans are increasingly alienating them. It shows how Hellboy rescues Abe from test after test after test, and then Abe does the same thing for Roger the Homunculus, from the very same scientists, a couple of decades later.
They also have to rescue Liz, who appears in a sending, after being gone yet again, for a couple of years.
A Solid Outing for Hollow Earth.......2006-09-15
B.P.R.D. stands for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a secret U.S. agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. It is a spin-off title from Mike Magnolia's popular Hellboy comic book series, and details the adventures of the agency's other "special" operatives.
The team includes Abe Sapien, a blue-skinned gill-man with a mysterious past; Liz Sherman, a neurotic pyrokinetic; Johann Kraus, a German psychic whose body was destroyed while his spirit was visiting the astral plane; and Roger the Homunculus, a medieval golem with tremendous strength and a child-like personality.
"The Hollow Earth" storyline serves as a general introduction to the B.P.R.D team for those readers unfamiliar with the Hellboy mythos. It does a good job of showing how Hellboy's resignation affects each member. The bureau just brings the newly-disembodied medium, Johann, into the group while Abe Sapien debates quitting the team and taking Roger with him. Meanwhile, Liz Sherman has taken a sabbatical, traveling to the mystical realm of Agarta in the hopes of learning to tame the fire within her.
Outside events soon bring everyone together, however, as an attack on the monastery Liz is staying at prompts her to send a psychic S.O.S. to her friend Abe. The bureau quickly mobilizes and sends the team out on a search and rescue mission that leads them into the very bowels of the earth. This is a very good story. Each member's unique strengths are highlighted, and the group dynamic is set up very well.
This collection also features two shorter stories. The first, "The Killer in My Head" features Lobster Johnson (a grim 1930s paranormal investigator first introduced in "Hellboy: The Conqueror Worm"). Several prominent scientists are found dead inside locked rooms and our hero has to solve the mystery. The second, "Abe Sapien Versus Science" is a short vignette that shows Abe filling the void left by Hellboy by rescuing Roger from the perpetual prodding of the bureau's scientists, mirroring Hellboy's actions years ago when he rescued Abe from the same thing.
Also included is the rare Abe Sapien one-shot, "The Drums of the Dead", written by Brian McDonald and drawn by Derek Thompson. This is a story about the mysterious and deadly happenings aboard cargo and fishing ships along the oceanic trade routes between America and Africa. The artwork is very dark, which mirrors the mood of the story. The plot is simple, but action packed and delivers an emotional punch as well.
good book.......2006-08-24
while i would prefer to read solely about hellboy himself, reading about the bprd is entertaining. the stories contained in this volume fit well into the hellboy mythos. while the art is not mignola's, it has it's own flair to it that sets the mood. the writing is good of course, and the title story and the others hold up well to what has been published in the past. i would of course urge any fan of hellboy and his universe to pick this one up if they have not already. if you are looking to read something different and are a fan of comics, this will hold you over, and i guarantee you will be hooked.
hollow earth full of great stories.......2006-08-20
B.P.R.D. stands for "Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense," an extragovernmental agency that polices the supernatural in the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Think The X-Files meets The X-Men.
"Hollow Earth," the first story in the volume, is tale of Johann Kraus' first adventure with the team, a mission to rescue pyrokinetic Liz Sherman from a swarm of Stanislav Szukalski-inspired subterraneans. The tale is pivotal in Mignola's mythos in that one can see the characters attempting to fill the void created by Hellboy's departure from the Bureau.
As a sort of epilogue to "Hollow Earth," the volume includes the origin of Johann Kraus, the story of the Chengdou Disaster, in newspaper format.
My favorite piece is "The Killer in My Skull," a tale of 1938 New York City, starring my favorite Mignola character, Lobster Johnson. Lobster Johnson is the goggle-wearing, .45-totin', The Shadow-like crime fighter of the series.
Then it's back to the future so that the reader gets a glimpse of what the "R" in BPRD stands for. In "Abe Sapien versus Science," Abe Sapien rescues Roger the homunculus from the scientific pokings-and-proddings of BPRD scientists in much the same way that Hellboy rescued Abe himself from their curious clutches years earlier.
The final story "Drum of The Dead" features Abe Sapien and Gabriel Omatta, a former seminarian who sees dead people for the Bureau, in a supernatural tale of sharks, more sharks, and the Middle Passage.
In an age when one finds it necessary to take out a loan from the bank to buy comic books on a regular basis, this compilation of stories is a great pick for anyone wishing to enjoy great stories bundled together in one reasonably priced package.
Hollow Earth Is Full of Great Stories.......2006-08-20
B.P.R.D. stands for "Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense," an extragovernmental agency that polices the supernatural in the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Think The X-Files meets The X-Man.
"Hollow Earth," the first story in the volume, is tale of Johann Kraus' first adventure with the team, a mission to rescue pyrokinetic Liz Sherman from a swarm of Stanislav Szukalski-inspired subterraneans. The tale is pivotal in Mignola's mythos in that one can see the characters attempting to fill the void created by Hellboy's departure from the Bureau.
As a sort of epilogue to "Hollow Earth," the volume includes the origin of Johann Kraus, the story of the Chengdou Disaster, in newspaper format.
My favorite piece is "The Killer in My Skull," a tale of 1938 New York City, starring my favorite Mignola character, Lobster Johnson. Lobster Johnson is the goggle-wearing, .45-totin', The Shadow-like crime fighter of the series.
Back to the future, the reader gets a glimpse of what the "R" in BPRD stands for. In "Abe Sapien versus Science," Abe Sapien rescues Roger the homunculus from the scientific pokings-and-proddings of BPRD scientists in much the same way that Hellboy rescued Abe himself from their curious clutches years earlier.
The final story "Drum of The Dead" features Abe Sapien and Gabriel Omatta, a former seminarian who sees dead people for the Bureau, in a supernatural tale of sharks, more sharks, and the Middle Passage.
In an age when one finds it necessary to take out a loan from the bank to buy comic books on a regular basis, this compilation of stories is a great pick for anyone wishing to enjoy great stories bundled together in one reasonably priced package.
Average customer rating:
- delightfully entertaining !
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- delightful for all ages
- An Age-Old Classic
- Bedtime story and classic American fiction all in one
|
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Washington Irving
Manufacturer: Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Irving, Washington
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ASIN: 0809594080 |
Book Description
The chief part of the stories, however, turned upon the favorite specter of Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman, who had been heard several times of late, patrolling the country; and, it was said, tethered his horse nightly among the graves in the churchyard. The story was immediately matched by a thrice marvelous adventure of Brom Bones, who made light of the Galloping Hessian as an arrant jockey. He affirmed that on returning one night from the neighboring village of Sing Sing, he had been overtaken by this midnight trooper; that he had offered to race with him for a bowl of punch, and should have won it too, for Daredevil beat the goblin horse all hollow, but just as they came to the church bridge, the Hessian bolted, and vanished in a flash of fire. All these tales, told in that drowsy undertone with which men talk in the dark, the countenances of the listeners only now and then receiving a casual gleam from the glare of a pipe, sank deep in the mind of Ichabod. . . .
Customer Reviews:
delightfully entertaining !.......2007-06-12
I remember reading this story as a child, how it was frightening and suspenseful at times, but always entertaining and an enjoyable read. Re-reading this classic American story for academic purposes, to my surprise I found that the same feeling still persisted through the years, only this time with a deeper understanding of the rhetorics and it's witty brilliance. Irving's exceptional and unique way of combining suspense and humor makes this story a must read for everyone.
The sheer length of the story already got me excited. It's short and a fast-read, but not compromising for its quality. The story primarily deals with a man named Ichabod Crane, a teacher immediately following the American Revolution. Ichabod surrounds himself with beliefs of mystical creatures and legends, such as that of the Headless Horseman. His superstitions are what ultimately brings Ichabod to his downfall. Not only Ichabod, but the entire town is certain that such a creature exists, although no one has uncovered evidence, and as a result myths fly around and everyone is on their toes about the whole issue. This goes to show Irving's primary argument and purpose in this story: that false supersitious beliefs will ultimately lead to ones downfall, as is the case for Ichabod.
The overall tone of this story is light and lyrical, with a dash of wit and humor thrown in to add spice. Irving's eloquent and flowy writing makes this story enjoyable just from the sound of the language, and has an unusual combination of freight and suspense with light-hearted humor. Throughout the book, Irving also gives examples of some of the dark elements present in the story. For example, Irving warns readers that they are about to enter a sleepy land that is open to supernatural happenings. The mythical events that happen in the land correspond to ideas of dark romanticism that incorporated fantastical occurrences. However, not the entire book is plagued with dark and serious elements. For example, the character of Ichabod Crane is intended to be comical, because Irving assigns odd characteristics to him, such as an abnormal nose and gangly frame. Through such traits, Irving adds humor that is shown through the character of Ichabod from the otherwise dark and gloomy storyline.
All in all, this story is simply a must read for any lover of American literature.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.......2007-03-08
I havent read this book since I was a kid and it is as classic as ever.
delightful for all ages.......2007-01-12
What The Legend of Sleepy Hollow lacks in substance it makes up for in quality. Washington Irving writes a short piece crammed with elements of sophisticated literature, Dark Romanticism, and meaningful themes. This short story is a literary masterpiece that is directed to a wide range of readers.
Short and easy to read, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow provides a delightful storyline that fascinates even the youngest audiences. Irving's diction is somewhat elevated, but not so much that it is confusing or difficult. The words would provide an excellent transition for novices that wish to improve on their vocabulary. The style is intriguing and never fails to entertain readers. Children can get an early exposure to writing from another era and gain an early respect for Dark Romantic literature. Most laudable is Washington Irving's extremely vivid imagery. His depiction of the rural town of Sleepy Hollow is unmatched, with each image providing a burst of emotion. The writing is straightforward and will not confuse or perplex readers. The supernatural aspects of the story make this far from bland, exciting children and adults alike. There is a considerable amount of mystery, suspense, and action, each adding to the joy in reading the piece.
The story itself may seem simple, but The Legend of Sleepy Hollow can entertain many intellectuals with its themes and dark Romantic aspects. There are many elements that are sophisticated enough to be dissected, scrutinized and, analyzed. Although the plot is straightforward, themes are hidden and can be vague. The story ends on a note in which nothing is absolute, leaving it to readers to come up with their own theories. Complex themes from Dark Romanticism are rampant and can reveal complex revelations about human nature.
The story is short, but complex in its themes and literary aspects, making the novel a delightful piece to read and analyze.
An Age-Old Classic.......2007-01-12
I remember reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as a child, as it was one of the classic tales that frankly frightened me a lot, but it was always an enjoyable read. Now, having to read the story academically, I have found that Washington Irving subtly covers many themes throughout his story that I would have never realized if I had not been digging for them- revealing the brilliance of Irving's writing. To be able to integrate such classic humor with insights into human nature is an amazing feat, and Irving does so seamlessly.
Written years after the Revolutionary War, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow contains an underlying message about how America needs to act in order to succeed as an established society. It was not until I had read many literary criticisms on the story that I could find this theme apparent throughout the story. Irving brilliantly juxtaposes the practical Brom Van Brunt to the overly imaginative protagonist, Ichabod Crane. The two characters compete to win Katrina Van Tassle's affections. Throughout the story, Ichabod surrounds himself in tales of ethereal creatures, and these tales greatly influence Ichabod's state of mind. After hearing about the infamous Headless Horseman, Ichabod takes an unsettling trek home through nature and is frightened by every little noise, believing each shadow to be a mark of the horseman, revealing his active imagination. In the end, it is his imagination that ultimately brings Ichabod to his downfall and the brawny Brom to his success, as he is the one who successfully woos Katrina. Ichabod represents the idealistic and superstitious mindset that America as a society should not adapt to; rather, America should be more practical and realistic, like Brom.
Irving's writing is humorous and bright and the novel truly deserves its place in classic American literature, as it spawned the dawn of comedic writing in America. From an academic standpoint, however, I cannot say that I would encourage readers to pursue this story for any moralistic lesson in particular. The historical context in which Irving wrote the story creates a bit of barrier to relate the novel to today's society. Despite all of that, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is definitely an enjoyable read that one could indulge in for leisure.
Bedtime story and classic American fiction all in one.......2007-01-12
Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a short and entertaining book which takes the reader on a journey, following the schoolteacher Ichabod Crane and his wild fantasies. The beautiful yet dark setting of Sleepy Hollow creates a curious atmosphere, blending Ichabod's chase after Katrina with his own attempted escape from the headless horseman. The perspective of the story, told through the point of view of a storyteller, gives an interesting view, leaving out parts that the reader must fill in on his or her own. As the reader completes the story, he or she is left with a great mystery which surrounds the ending of the novel, concerning whether the headless horseman was just a hoax created by Brom Bones to scare off Ichabod Crane, or the Galloping Hessian really does haunt the town of Sleepy Hollow. Each reader is allowed to discover his or her own perspective of the story's ending.
Although only a short tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow goes beyond the simple bedtime story. The chimerical nature of Ichabod Crane and his hodgepodge of superstitions ultimately lead to his downfall, a detail not easily uncovered with a quick read-through. Irving's criticism of dwelling too long on dreams and fantasies is exposed through the schoolteacher's flaws and supposed death. Even if the reader does not immediately pick up these points, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is still a delightful tale to indulge in.
What makes The Legend of Sleepy Hollow such a great book is the author's writing style, which appeals to readers of all ages. Irving creates contrasting moods, setting scenes of joy and gaiety next to gloomy nightmares. He places the lovely home of the Van Tassels in the superstitious town of Sleepy Hollow. These contrasts create a beautiful and intricately designed setting for the legend of the headless horseman. Scholarly readers can analyze the effects of the shifts in tone and atmosphere, while younger readers can indulge in Irving's vivid descriptions, picturing themselves feasting with the Van Tassels or riding with Ichabod on his flight from the Galloping Hessian.
Book Description
A remarkable cultural history of what might exist under the Earth's surface—as reflected in mythology, religion, science, literature, and good old crackpottery. Beliefs in mysterious underworlds are as old as humanity. But the idea that the earth has a hollow interior was first proposed as a scientific theory in 1691 by Sir Edmond Halley (of comet fame), who also suggested that there might be life down there as well. Hollow Earth traces the many surprising, marvelous, and just plain weird permutations his ideas have taken over the centuries.Both Edgar Allan Poe and (more famously) Jules Verne picked up the torch in the nineteenth century, the latter with his science fiction epic A Journey to the Center of the Earth. The notion of a hollow earth even inspired a religion at the turn of the twentieth century—Koreshanity, which held not only that the earth was hollow, but also that we're all living on the inside.Utopian novels and adventures abounded at this same time, including L. Frank Baum's hollow earth addition to the Oz series and Edgar Rice Burroughs's Pellucidar books chronicling a stone-age hollow earth. In the 1940s an enterprising science-fiction magazine editor convinced people that the true origins of flying saucers lay within the hollow earth, relics of an advanced alien civilization. And there are still devout hollow earthers today, some of whom claim there is a New Age utopia lurking beneath the earth's surface, with at least one entrance near Mt. Shasta in California. Hollow Earth travels through centuries and cultures, exploring how each era's relationship to the idea of a hollow earth mirrored its hopes, fears, and values. Illustrated with everything from seventeenth-century maps to 1950s pulp art to movie posters and more, Hollow Earth is for anyone interested in the history of strange ideas that just won't go away.
Customer Reviews:
I enjoyed every minute of this fun book.......2007-08-28
In 1692, the famous English astronomer and physicist, Edmond Halley, penned a manuscript in which he speculated that the Earth's magnetism was generated by matter within our world, which is actually hollow. From that time until the present, people have speculated as to what might be within the hollow Earth...and who. This book chronicles the history of those speculations.
Overall, I found this to be a rather interesting read. The author does not treat his subject seriously, adding such statements as, "If this makes sense to you, you're ahead of me." I enjoyed reading about the various philosophical/religious groups that believed(?) in the hollow Earth, and the various authors that used it as a setting for various reasons. I enjoyed every minute of this fun book and highly recommend it!
Odd Book on an Odd Subject.......2007-04-14
David Standish, who first and foremost a journalist and professor of journal ism has take to an odd subject with force. This is a pseudo-science book about a pseudo-science. The basic idea is that for the last three hundred years, people have been writing about the possibility that the earth is hollow inside (either with sphere-in-sphere like nesting dolls, or with large voids or caverns) and that the civilizations contains within are either Utopias or Dystopias.
We begin with the musings of Edward Halley (yeah, the comet guy) though the 'scientific explanation' of Richard Symmes who established that the North and South Poles have hughe openings that lead into the 'underworld'.
We are even treated to a history lesson on 'Korashanity' which was a fin-de-siecle religion that believed in the 'hollow earth' and created a utopia colony in Florida at that time. The story is interesting if a little over done since there were never more that 200 adherents at any one time.
Next we get a lesson on the history of early 'hollow earth' books, which culminate in the publication of Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth". Having established that there were something like fifty book published up-to 1910, he then goes on to review five or six of the stories themselves. All well and good, but this part of the book seems more like 'filler' than anything else.
A whole chapter is then devoted to Edgar Rice Burroughs' writings about "Pellucidar" and "Tarzan". This section being a mini-biography about ERB as well as descriptions and reviews of his books and how they tie-in to many of the previously mentioned theories about hollow earth. Lastly, are reviews of the good, bad and downright horrible, B Movies that were made in the late forties and fifties (including Superman and the Mole People) and how they relate to hollow earth theories.
All-in-all the book tries to be both hip and camp at the same time as it tries to treat the subject seriously, which is a very difficult act to pull off. I for one don't think he was able to do it, but it make nice reading for a rainy day like a coffee table book.
Good picture and lay-out, poor idea behind the content.......2007-03-20
I bought this book because I was attracted by the subject it is about. Unfortunately, once I got it and had the opportunity to read it, I realized that it was rather disappointing towards my expectancies. It's all about the official journalistic mantra of discrediting and crucifying everything with is not "scientifically supported"... Therefore, I pondered on how much paper and ink were consumed to produce this "Torquemada work" against the issue of the "Hollow Earth"... Nonetheless, the pictures and the lay-out of it (for eg., the quality of the paper used) are excellent! If it wasn't for these last details, I would have even rated itlower than 3 stars.
Research plus contemporary viewpoint........2007-01-11
David Standish must have dug through hundreds of libraries and book stores to come up with this wonderful, humorous study of oddball science. By combining myth, geology, the fact that crackpots draw groupies, and a few centuries worth of pop culture, he shows us how legends, even religions, can sprout from the smallest bizarre concept. From Isaac Newton to Indiana Jones, the Earth's core to the heart of academia, Standish records our desires to create utopias and probe odd mysteries. Much info - much fun.
Yes, but does it bounce?.......2006-11-08
Hollow Earth digs deep to uncover the many myths, fallacious science, and fantastic stories that arise from the imagination of what might be below. David Standish chronicles man's fascination with the possibility of subterranean life and delivers all the stories: from the serious concentric magnetic circles of Sir Edmund Halley (of Comet fame) to modern day comic books and sci-fi movies. Standish delivers with a wry sense of humor.
Serious scientists, intrepid explorers, messianic marauders, and imaginative writers feed off one another's vision of why the Earth is hollow, how to get into it, and what the place looks like. Among the colorful characters are the famous - Halley, Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs. But even more interesting are the obscure promoters and charlatans. John Cleves Symmes is the ex-sailor who invents the way in ... through his 'holes' in the poles. Enter via the North Pole, ride the river through the Earth's center, and exit the South Pole. Easy! Let's grab a government sponsored ship and go!
Then a fin-de-siecle promoter of electro-magneto-spiritual energy, Cyrus Teed, provides pseudo scientific explanations of why the Earth is not convex, but concave. A lengthy chapter follows on Teed's philosophy of Koreshanity and subsequent establishment of his utopian community in the swamps of Florida. The Teed chapter runs a bit long and off-topic from the hollow earth theme, but Standish has found a treasure trove of laughs and he knows it. The photograph of two dozen Koreshians on a Florida beach measuring the Earth's concavity with heavy timbers (the Rectilineator) is laugh-out-loud material.
Sometimes, Standish enjoys his topic too much ... he replicates the quirky authors' work in exacting detail, and the 289 page books bogs down. Just skip ahead. Hollow Earth is a fun read, and highly recommended for American Studies majors.
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