Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

Amazon.com

Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

The amazing popularity of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone means that now even Muggles know about the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Whether or not you've read about Harry, this unabridged audiobook brings his world to life. Reader Jim Dale brings an excellent range of voices to the characters, from well-meaning Hermione's soft, earnest voice to Malfoy's nasal droning; from Professor McGonagall's crisp brogue to Hagrid's broad Somerset accent; and from snarling Mr. Filch to p-p-poor, st-tuttering P-Professor Quirrel. Some of the characterizations are peculiar--why do the centaurs have Welsh accents?--but that's a small price to pay to hear one of the myriad ways to sing the Hogwarts School song. Harry Potter fans of all ages--Muggle or not--will enjoy curling up with a few chocolate frogs, a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans ("Alas! Ear wax!"), and this marvelous, magical audiobook. (Running time: 8 hours, 6 cassettes) --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

Read by Jim Dale
8 hours 17 minutes, 7 CDs

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable muggle aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's a wizard, just as his parents were.

But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright.

From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

Customer Reviews:

Makes a long drive fun!.......2007-10-02

I was going to call in sick the next day just because I felt I needed the day off, but then I received my Sorcer's Stone CDs in the mail. I decided going to work wouldn't be so bad if I could listen to someone read Harry Potter to me while I drove my 1 hour commute.

WOW! I was so caught up in the story that I didn't realize I was traveling well below the speed limit. Warning, listening to these CDs could make you late for work or cause you to get off at the wrong exit.

Jim Dale does a fabulous job of changing his voice to sound like the characters he's imitating. I was able to really get lost in the story. The hardest part was turning the car off because I wanted to hear what happened next.

A brilliant work of art, Harry Potter. Really brilliant.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - CD w/ Jim Dale.......2007-10-01

Jim Dale does an excellent job dramatizing the first book in the Harry Potter series.

finally the end.......2007-09-30

i finally got to read a book without being told the ending before i finished

Where's the substance?.......2007-09-28

There is nothing good about Harry Potter. The story is lacking in creativity in every way, there is no suspense, it is not controversial, and everything always works out.

The characters are obviously derived from racism. I do not have a problem with this. After all we are all racists, and anyone that says racism is wrong, is the one that's wrong. That said, J. K. Rowling does not use this in any way. She could have used it to create some controversy, create conflict among the characters, explain why some people are friends and some aren't or easiest of all, humor. But she doesn't, why not? The only racism she uses is Hermione being a half breed. It would have been so much better if, instead of one parent being non-magical, that parent were French.

To keep this review short, I head straight to the end with the "obstacles" which are not obstacles at all. The three headed dog (cause three heads are just so cool and scary) gets put to sleep by a flute. Oh my God she did not use a flute to do that, how many times have I seen this? Why is it always a flute when it comes to putting things to sleep, or waking things that always sleep. Where did she get this from... poke'mon? Then there's the part with the door that needs a key. Wow, a locked door, I've never thought of that before. And the key is right there in the room, they just have to pick the right one, and nothing goes wrong if they pick the wrong one. Why didn't she just put the key in the door so as not to waste paper, and turn the key too for that matter. Next comes the Chess Board. It would have been so much better for them to lose the game and then walk across the board any way just to show all the readers that love the book just how foolish they are. And all the rest of the obstacles are just as bad, but I must stop writing because thinking about this book gives me a migraine.

Harry Potter Numero Uno.......2007-09-27

A good book and a flight of fantasy. Rowling surely has an imagination! Enjoyable overall.

Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

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Gracie's review of Junie B. Jones - Dumb Bunny
Yes to Junie B.
A very loquacious first grader with a vocabulary far beyond her age
Kids Love Junie B.
Hilarious tale

Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Barbara Park
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375838090
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

It's an Easter Egg-stravaganza!

Lucille is having an Easter Egg Hunt at her rich expensive mansion! And guess what? The winner gets a play date to swim in Lucille's heated indoor swimming pool! Only, here is the problem. How did Junie B. get stuck wearing a big dumb bunny suit? And how can she possibly find eggs when she keeps tripping over her huge big rabbit feet? Being a dumb bunny is definitely not as easy as it looks. Will Junie B. end up with egg on her face? Or will the day deliver some very uneggspected results?

Customer Reviews:

Gracie's review of Junie B. Jones - Dumb Bunny.......2007-09-19

Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

I love all of Barbara Parks books about Junie B. Jones. I think they should make a movie of this book. I think this is the funniest of all the Junie B.books. If you have a little girl who loves to read or be read to, I cannot recommend all of the Junie B. books enough.

Would make a great addition to any Easter basket! This book is a little better than cheater pants!

Yes to Junie B........2007-07-24

My daughter has the whole collection she love keeping up with Junie B. I have not read a book in it's entire but from what I've read she is a very curious, funny little girl. I recommend this book and all the others also. My daughter was hooked after the 1st Barbara Parks books and althought she is older now she still cracks up laughing when reading. Totaling entertaining!

A very loquacious first grader with a vocabulary far beyond her age .......2007-06-05

After more than 25 books, Barbara Park's series about a very loquacious first grader with a vocabulary far beyond her age (and the writing ability to go with it) is still going strong. So I suspended my disbelief and read JUNIE B., FIRST GRADER: DUMB BUNNY to my six-year-old.

In this adventure, the rich girl in class, Lucille, invites everyone over to her mansion to participate in an over-the-top Easter Egg Hunt that will result in a play date in Lucille's heated indoor swimming pool. Lucille wants her boyfriend Sheldon to win, but Junie B. and her arch-nemesis May (the original "dumb bunny" in the title until Junie B. gets something of a comeuppance later on) are ready to pounce, pound and scrabble their opponents in order to get a dip in that grand pool.

There is a lot of falling down and Batman-type expletives (WHOOSH! SMASH!), and the kids are none too nice to each other until Junie B., in a sudden acknowledgment of good judgment, makes a quick and well-appreciated sacrifice to save the day. We laughed at some of the pratfalls, and Lucille's annoyed Nanna character was amusing as well. Junie B. shares the stage with a lot of different people, but she is clearly the star of the show, the story told from her point of view.

Whether humiliated in a pink bunny suit or gloating over her lack of selfishness, Junie B. thinks in capital letters with lots of exclamation points and writes in her journal about what she has learned. The journal entries are cute and engaging, and spell out the moral of the story without being too pointed, which we appreciated.

If this is your first Junie B. foray, it might be helpful to go back and read some of the earlier books first to relax into her strange environment. Otherwise, DUMB BUNNY certainly will offer fans of the series more of what they have come to expect from this little girl and her friends.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

Kids Love Junie B........2007-05-14

My daughter love this series. It's a little hard for me to read due to the poor grammar and name calling. Let's face it though most first graders have poor grammar. There are worse things that she could be reading. We have all of these books and they are well loved.

Hilarious tale.......2007-04-14

Barbara Park's JUNIE B. FIRST GRADER: DUMB BUNNY provides another excellent first grader tale: this taking place at Easter and telling of an Easter egg hunt with an unusual prize. But Junie B. gets stuck wearing an impossible costume and a series of mishaps might prevent her from her goals in this hilarious tale for grades 4-6.

When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race

Average customer rating:

A Translated Life
An emotionally charged, highly recommended pick.
History Is So Interesting
Sisters speak
A story of a mixed-race girl in Apartheid South Africa

When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race
Judith Stone
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786868988

Book Description

When I Was White is the mesmerizing story of a black woman born to white parents during the most unforgiving years of official racism in South Africa. Sandra Laing was officially registered and raised as a white child. But when she was sent to a conservative boarding school, she was mercilessly persecuted because of her dark skin and frizzy hair-the results, her parents said, of a genetic throwback. In 1966, when Sandra was ten, the police removed her from school and she was reclassified as 'colored.' In a bitter court battle followed closely by the press, Sandra's parents fought, and lost. Then, as a teenager, Sandra eloped with a black man, and her parents disowned her. She struggled with poverty, illness, and the injustice of race laws. With the end of apartheid in 1994, Sandra vowed to find her mother. Her long, troubling search and their ultimate reunion forms the book's surprising and deeply moving conclusion. Drawing on a wealth of research, including extensive interviews with Sandra Laing, her family and friends, as well as access to previously sealed government files, Judith Stone has written a close-up, compelling account of a remarkable woman whose life stands as a tribute to the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

A Translated Life.......2007-09-24

I want to commend Judith Stone for the phenomenal work she has done in discussing a number of difficult subjects: Sandra Laing herself, the history of South Africa, and the nature of memory, family, and the examined life. Clearly, Sandra's lack (repression) of memory, and her inability to articulate her feelings, left Stone with an enormous challenge. She works through this brilliantly by marshaling the journalistic reports from the time and later, interviewing people who know Sandra, and sensitively explaining and exploring Apartheid's tortured history. Stone uses her knowledge of studies of PTSD, false-memory syndrome, and other relevant fields in psychology to examine Sandra's individual and South Africa's collective forgetfulness/refusal to admit reality. All in all, Stone has done a stunningly professional and sensitive job in illuminating one person's life, the cruel and terrible absurdities of Apartheid South Africa, and, more broadly still, what it means to live in a world where an ideological rigidity based on lies and hypocrisy sucks the life out of everyone--oppressor or oppressed.

An emotionally charged, highly recommended pick........2007-08-04

When Sandra Laing was born in 1955 to a pro-apartheid Afrikaner couple in South Africa she was registered as a white child - but upon entering a white boarding school, was persecuted by students and teachers because of her brown skin. Her parents believed an interracial union back in their family history was to blame, but neighbors thought Mrs. Laing had committed adultery with a black man and the entire family was shunned. She was reclassified as 'coloured', her parents fought the South African courts to reverse the determination, then as a teen Sandra eloped - with a black man - and her parents disowned her. WHEN SHE WAS WHITE: THE TRUE STORY OF A FAMILY DIVIDED BY RACE crosses back and forth along discrimination lines and is riveting. Impossible to put down, it will enhance any general-interest lending library and is an emotionally charged, highly recommended pick.

History Is So Interesting.......2007-08-01

Histry is so interesting. It is the tie to learning about how things use to be. This book is full of history and tells us how the African people were treated long ago. The sad thing is that even today these people are still treated very different. My nieces who are black and white are beautiful, but experience racism everyday. The book can be difficult reading in some parts because it is history. So be patient and enjoy it. I experienced many feelings while reading it. Makes me want to go talk to my 95 year old grandma and just listen to all her stories.

Sisters speak.......2007-06-04

With great anticipation, i began to read a riviting life story. However, i couldn't get through the first two chapters because of the dry manner in which the book was written. It was an extremely difficult read. I never finished the book. I was very disappointed.

A story of a mixed-race girl in Apartheid South Africa.......2007-05-30

Sandra Laing was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. South Africa was in the midst of apartheid, and the little girl didn't fit in to the country's strict classifications of white, black and Coloured. Instead she baffled family and neighbors in Eastern Transvaal by sprouting kinky hair that shaped her dark complexion, much to the dismay of her ethnically Dutch, Afrikaner parents. Judith Stone writes the history of this troubled girl, from her first encounters with racism all the way to her middle-aged life in the present day.

Sandra's parents tried to turn a blind eye to their daughter's physical differences, but the white boarding school she attended would do no such thing. Parents and faculty were outraged that an obviously non-white student was being admitted to their school and mingling with their fair-skinned children. Apartheid was about separation and segregation, and Sandra was getting in the way of their long-established system. Her mother was accused of sleeping with a black man, and her father had to constantly defend his paternity. Admitting to some "color-mixing" in their ancestry was not acceptable in such a polarized climate, even though this had gone on unspoken in South Africa for decades.

When Sandra was finally escorted off the grounds of her school, she had no idea what she did wrong. Her father was launching his own private campaign to keep her white; Sandra didn't see things in color yet, and her mom and dad were determined to keep it that way. But she did see that her parents treated her differently from her brothers, and she did notice the disgustful looks of those who had been in charge of her care. She knew that something about her was just not right. At the hands of government officials, Sandra's official race changed from white to Coloured to white again. She realized that she must take her fate into her own hands, creating an identity for herself that no one would be able to take away from her.

WHEN SHE WAS WHITE isn't a traditional biography. It chronicles not only the life of the protagonist but also the struggle of those who tried to bring her life into the public eye. In this way, the book is both a story and a study in psychoanalysis, in sociology and in consumer culture. Sandra was a willing but confused eyewitness to her own history, and half the struggle of chronicling it has been in getting the story straight. Sandra doesn't see herself as a hero or a representation of the ills of apartheid. All she sees is the pain that she feels she caused her family, and her only wish is for their forgiveness --- not recognizing that they are the ones who have a lot to be forgiven for.

This book does much to present the contradictions of apartheid to those outside of South Africa. It also paints a strong picture of the landscape and individuals who made the country what it was. The expanse of the Transvaal countryside sharply contrasts with the polarized societies who lived there, and it is as if it were a beautiful cake on top of a precarious tower that was threatening to come crashing down at any second. Sandra represented some of the flaws of that cake, and she was therefore shunned by those who wanted to keep things as they were.

WHEN SHE WAS WHITE is the print edition of the movie "Skin," which is scheduled to appear in 2008. It is a story in its own right, though, and shouldn't be left on the shelf in anticipation of the film. Judith Stone speaks of both the cruelty and the perceived justification of apartheid, and no one is presented as a simple-minded individual. Bigotry runs deep in South Africa's history, but the focus of this book is in healing the wounds from the past and embracing this new, free country, where government-regulated racial caste systems no longer exist.

--- Reviewed by Shannon Luders-Manuel

Average customer rating:

Lovecraft for people who don't like Lovecraft
A great Lovecraftian suspense!
this is a companion to Wilson's "Mind Parasites"

Philosophers Stone P
Wilson
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0874775094

Customer Reviews:

Lovecraft for people who don't like Lovecraft.......2002-11-09

Colin Wilson wrote this book because although he liked the basic ideas behind the "Lovecraftian" genre, he did not like the writing style of H.P. Lovecraft. His goal was to develop a well-written novel using the rules of the genre, such as making everything as real as possible in regards to references, events and places.

This book also deals extensively with the concepts that are more at home in a Frank Herbert novel, such as the limits of what it means to be human and what human beings are capable of. This book is part mystery, part science-fiction, part primer to Wilson's occult philosophy.

A great Lovecraftian suspense!.......1999-07-23

This is one of the best Lovecraft-style stories I have read. The suspense in this book is great. You never know what will be uncovered in the next page. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good suspense story.

this is a companion to Wilson's "Mind Parasites".......1997-12-20

Colin Wilson continues his exploration of "Intentionality" as a key element in his existential philosophy. If you liked The Mind Parasites, then you owe it to yourself to read this book (as well as The Space Vampires). His use of fiction as a vehicle to philosophical discourse is worth the effort to find these books.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Boring..boring..boring
Read her other books first
GOOD READ
Time to move on from Big Stone Gap
Decent Read

Home to Big Stone Gap: A Novel
Adriana Trigiani
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400060087
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

Millions of readers around the world have fallen in love with the novels of the New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani. In Home to Big Stone Gap, she tells her most powerful story yet, full of humor and heart, wisdom and hope.

Nestled in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the town of Big Stone Gap has been home for Ave Maria Mulligan Machesney and her family for generations. She’s been married to her beloved Jack for nearly twenty years, raised one child and buried another, and run a business that binds her community together, all while holding her tight circle of family and friends close.

But with her daughter, Etta, having flown the nest to enchanting Italy, Ave Maria has reached a turning point. When a friend’s postcard arrives with the message “It’s time to live your life for you,” Ave Maria realizes that it’s time to go in search of brand-new dreams. But before she can put her foot on the path, her life is turned upside down.

Ave Maria agrees to helm the town musical, a hilarious reunion of local talent past and present. A lifelong friendship collapses when a mysterious stranger comes to town and reveals a long-buried secret. An unexpected health crisis threatens her family. An old heartthrob reappears, challenging her marriage and offering a way out of her troubles. An opportunistic coal company comes to town and threatens to undermine the town’s way of life and the mountain landscape Ave Maria has treasured since she was a girl. Now she has no choice but to reinvent her world, her life, and herself, whether she wants to or not.
Trigiani is at her best in this exquisite page-turner. Home to Big Stone Gap is an emotional and unforgettable journey that reminds us that you can go home again and again.

From BOOKLIST
*STAR* Trigiani, Adriana. Home to Big Stone Gap. Nov. 2006. 301p. Random, $25.95 (1-4000-6008-7).
Tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is Big Stone Gap, the bucolic backdrop for Trigiani’s popular series. In this fourth entry, Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney and her husband, Jack, must come to terms with the absence of daughter Etta, newly married and living in Italy. (The country holds a special place in Ave Maria’s heart: her biological father, Mario, whom she learned of and met only after her mother’s death, is Italian). Ave Maria has plenty to keep her mind off missing her only child (the MacChesney’s son, Joe, died of leukemia at age four). She’s a full-time pharmacist and the newly appointed director of the town’s annual musical. Then comes news that her longtime friend, glamorous librarian Iva Lou, has been keeping a startling secret for nearly 20 years. Other developments, including a health scare for Jack and a Christmas visit from a colorful former resident, move the plot along briskly. With her original cast of characters, playwright and television writer Trigiani blends playfulness and pathos in this evocative portrait of a small southern town. Fans of the Big Stone Gap series can look forward to a feature film; Trigiani has written the screenplay and is slated to direct. –Allison Block
"Is there ever trouble for Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney, heroine of Trigiani's beloved Big Stone Gap novels, starting with her married daughter's move to Italy and leading right up to a stranger's disturbing appearance in town."–Library Journal

Praise for the Big Stone Gap novels:
“Delightfully quirky . . . chock-full of engaging, oddball characters and unexpected plot twists.”
–People (Book of the Week)

“Funny, charming, and original.”
–Fannie Flagg

“Satisfying reading . . . As skillfully as Ms. Trigiani makes us laugh, she makes us cry.”
–Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Heartwarming . . . Everything that really matters is here: humor, romance, wisdom, and drama.”
–The Dallas Morning News

Customer Reviews:

Boring..boring..boring.......2007-10-10

After reading the delightful book Queen of the Big Time, I was very disappointed in this book by Adriana Trigani. Somehow it just didn't work. I stuggled to find a plot and to discover in-depth characters who held my interest.

Read her other books first.......2007-09-29

Here I am a book lover and had not read any of Adriana Trigiani's books. Luckily I started with her series on Big Stone Gap. There are 3 of them. Read these first, then finish with the Home to Big Stone Gap. She is a witty but insightful author. She brings chuckles, tears and even good recipe's to the reader. You will not be disapointed!

GOOD READ.......2007-06-01

I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY AUNT. SHE IS FROM THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. AND SHE ENJOYED READING ABOUT PLACES SHE KNEW.

Time to move on from Big Stone Gap.......2007-05-10

I have really enjoyed this series of books, but this one seemed "forced." I agree with another reiviewr that this book seemed not like a novel, but more of a diary. At the end of the books, usually everything comes together and you feel like you "got" something from the book. When I finished this book, I realized there was absolutely no plot and nothing really happened with the characters. It was really boring, big disappointment.

Decent Read.......2007-04-22

I have to agree with another poster that Ave comes across as a bit of a whiner in this book. Still, I do enjoy the series and was interested to see how things are going for everyone in Big Stone Gap.

The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and Over Sea, Under Stone

Average customer rating:

One of the best series ever written...
new movie
Light Is Rising
Wonderful, wonderful series
DiRS: Box Set

The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and Over Sea, Under Stone
Susan Cooper
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0020425651

Amazon.com

Joined by destiny, the lives of the Drew children, Will Stanton, and a boy named Bran weave together in an exquisite, sometimes terrifying tapestry of mystery and quests. In the five-title series of novels known as The Dark Is Rising Sequence, these children pit the power of good against the evil forces of Dark in a timeless and dangerous battle that includes crystal swords, golden grails, and a silver-eyed dog that can see the wind. Susan Cooper's highly acclaimed fantasy novels, steeped in Celtic and Welsh legends, have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal and the Newbery Honor. Now all five paperback volumes have been collected in one smart boxed set. These classic fantasies, complex and multifaceted, should not be missed, by child or adult. The set includes Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark Is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Customer Reviews:

One of the best series ever written..........2007-08-10

I can't even begin to describe this series and I won't try to. I'm afraid I'd only do it a disservice! Susan Cooper says SO much in so few eloquent words that her books are rather like listening to fine music. I rank this easily with the Narnia series as well as Lord of the Rings. And while I adore the Harry Potter books and think JK is a fabulous writer, I truly feel that even they cannot live up to the quiet serious intensity of these books.

Every year I read this series again. I love it more and more with each read.

Recently many illiterate folks have called these books 'boring' and 'flat'. Those same modern day readers often have to be babied through text & dazzled with fancy action scenes. It has also become a fad to bash things that have won awards or recommendations.

This is a story told with very deep and quiet emotions and if you give it a chance then I can promise you, you won't be disappointed. :)

new movie.......2007-05-18

I remember reading this series years ago and since then I have always thought that it would make a great movie and guess what someone else thought so as well. IMDB is reporting that this movie is in production and will be released in October 2007. I am very excited about this and I am really wishing and hoping that they translate it well to the big screen. I have since lost my books but I have just purchased this set to read all the books again and relive my youth again.

Light Is Rising.......2007-05-12

The series as a whole is great. if you have never read them before but enjoy other great fantasy such as Harry Potter, the Forgotten Realms, or even the Lord Of The Rings these are a must read. they have been great books for the last 35 years or so and will continue to be great books 50 years from now.

Wonderful, wonderful series.......2007-05-06

This series is my son's absolute FAVORITE. He's 8 and I recently decided to introduce him to the books, and he ate them up. He said he likes how the bad people aren't always perfect, and he likes the way the Drew siblings work together in OVER SEA, UNDER STONE and again in GREENWICH and SILVER ON THE TREE. I'm pretty sure that he didn't understand all the symbolism in THE DARK IS RISING, though he liked it and made up his own belt of rings as a result.

This series is really wonderful, and I agree with other reviewers - it should be better known. It's mythical elements mix well with the action scenes. Plus, it's very well written and edited - creating really unique and interesting characters.

I'm sort of judicious with my 5 star ratings, but this one definitely deserved it. Pick them up - you won't be disappointed.

DiRS: Box Set.......2007-03-04

I love these books, and I was glad to see that they were now available in a box set!

Average customer rating:

May I have another please?
want to forget it
Definitely not worthy of the praise it's getting on Amazon, but a very readable book nonetheless
Boring
Excellent spy thriller

The Echelon Vendetta
David Stone
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399154086
Release Date: 2007-02-15

Book Description

An international spy thriller of the highest order that traverses from Venice to London to Washington, D.C.

Micah Dalton is not paid to ask questions. He's the man the CIA sends to clean up the mess when something goes wrong-an agent gets in trouble, or worse. But when his colleague and friend Porter Nauman turns up dead in an idyllic Tuscan hill town, as a result of an apparent and unimaginably gruesome suicide, Dalton can't help but ask questions. And when Nauman's family is subsequently slaughtered back home in London, Dalton can sit back no longer.

Moving from Venice to London to Washington, D.C., to the unbearably beautiful mountains of the American West, Dalton tracks the specter who, with a penchant for intricate knifework influenced by Native American mysticism, is killing a disparate group of agents, former agents, and contract men-all of whom seem to have a connection to ECHELON, a mysterious company operation. The murders appear to be acts of retribution, but for what?

Elegant, horrifying, and chillingly suspenseful, The Echelon Vendetta will keep you enthralled, through its final, supremely satisfying twist.

Customer Reviews:

May I have another please?.......2007-08-12

I enjoyed this book enough to be on Amazon searching for anything additional this author has written. If you have read a lot of mysteries (and I think many of us can say "thousands,) you can usually figure out where an author is going with a plot. Not so much in this case. I was literally four-fifths through the book before the plot started to become clear. We know there is a killer, but he is extremely violent and we don't know why. Is he murdering the way he does for some special reason (for instance, to terrorize future victims), or is he just crazy? The killer is very good, far better than the hero actually, and bests him at least three times in the book. So, since the hero is a trained CIA agent, does that mean that the villain is a trained enemy agent, rogue CIA agent, or just a homicidal maniac? We are suspicious of the hero's bosses. They don't seem to be telling him everything. Is one or are all of them lying to him? We have a suspect half-way through the book, but he appears to be dead. Or, is he? The hero sees ghosts. Is he haunted, delusional or crazy?

So, the point I am making is that about three-quarters through the book I thought, "I have no idea why these people are being killed and who is killing them." I lacked a motive. I liked that a lot. The author had managed to wrap these mysteries with enough camouflage to make it difficult to do the old "Ah, the butler did it" by page 3. I hope he has another few books in him. I liked him a lot.

want to forget it.......2007-08-07

Echelon makes one think of security, government, encryption, eavesdropping. In this book there is some government.
OK, so, onto the story... which I can not make out.
I'm as much a fan of Carlos Castaneda (yes, same guy) as the next person, but this is not Castaneda-ish, or spy-ish or much of anything.
Good luck to the readers.

Definitely not worthy of the praise it's getting on Amazon, but a very readable book nonetheless.......2007-07-13

No spoilers.

If you are to take to heart the reviews on Amazon, you would think that this is one of the best action/thriller books out there. It is not. While I did like many parts of the plot, the novel is so-so on an aggregate level and at some points it putters along slow enough to make one sleepy, yet just fast enough to not send you entirely to sleep.

On the front jacket of the hardcover edition, the book is described as follows: "Vivid characters and spellbinding, heart-pounding, hallucinogetic plotting...". I'll agree with the vivid characters and the hallucinogetic plotting (if you read it, you understand how appropriate 'hallucionogetic' is) but only a handful of scenes can be describes and spellbinding and/or hear-pounding.

In addition to that puttering around of the plot, I also found the book to be kind of confusing in terms of the cast of characters because it was my experience that I forgot about who people were and what they did when they were introduced early on, only to find out that they played an important role that I would find out later in the story. Now, I'm not an idiot and I read quite a lot so it's not that I'm retarded, it's just that I don't think the author did a good enough job of making the background/supporting characters both memorable enough for me to not have to search my brain for what they did in the past, yet ambiguous enough for me to not know right off the bat that they were involved.

Bottom line for this story is that if you breeze through a lot of books in a short period of time then this is probably worthy your time, but if you are selective of your books and dedicate an extensive period of time to each one, then I recommend you not invest in this one.

Boring.......2007-07-09

This is just too boring and too drawn out to get even half way through the book. The main character is a drunk and a parinoid one at that. Not worth picking up much less reading.

Excellent spy thriller.......2007-06-05

This novel runs along at quite a frenetic pace and keeps the reader glued to the pages waiting to find out what happens next. For a first novel it is very good and I hope to see more from Mr. Stone. It is pretty much standard thriller fare, with a bad guy killing a bunch of supposedly good guys and a weary spy with his own demons trying to catch him. But Mr. Stone plots this story very well and the characters are a cut above most spy novels. Be warned that there is some fairly graphic violence and several very brutal murders so this is not for the faint of heart. One minor point is that several of the secondary characters have some type of cancer, mostly attributed to the use of tobacco products. Could the author be trying to make a statement here? It doesn't really take away from the story, but I found it a little strange. In any event, it is a very good book. Highly recommended.

The Monster at the End of this Book (Big Little Golden Book)

Average customer rating:

One of the all time best kids' books!
Exactly what I was looking for
Loved it!
GREAT BOOK
Cute!

The Monster at the End of this Book (Big Little Golden Book)
Jon Stone
Manufacturer: Golden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 037582913X
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Book Description

Many, many adults name this book as their favorite Little Golden Book. Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page—for fear of a monster at the end of the book. “Oh, I am so embarrassed,” he says on the last page . . . for, of course, the monster is Grover himself! This all-time favorite is now available as a Big Little Golden Book—perfect for lap-time reading.

Customer Reviews:

One of the all time best kids' books!.......2007-09-28

Both my husband and I loved this book as children, and now our son does too! It drags the child into the action of the story, and they love doing what Grover asks them not to. I have not yet met the child who didn't enjoy it.

Exactly what I was looking for.......2007-09-16

I was very pleased with my purchase. It was exactly what I wanted and in the condition I expected.

Loved it!.......2007-09-10

Just like I remember! A classic, adorable story. I was so glad to find it so that my son can read it.

GREAT BOOK.......2007-09-04

This is such a cute little story - such a fun book to read as it has many opportunities to add character in your voice fluctuation. It is smaller in size so it travels easily. This was one of my favorites as a child.

Cute!.......2007-09-03

I have loved this book ever since I read it to my oldest son (who's now 16) and I recently re-purchased it for my one year old and one of my nephews. They both love this book as much as I do. It's an adorable little story!

Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (p.s. so does May.) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Average customer rating:

Great Holiday Book!
Junie B - elf girl
So funny you will laugh at loud!
Hilarious and adorable!
Love All Junie B Books!

Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (p.s. so does May.) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Barbara Park
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375828087
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

It’s holiday time, and Room One is doing lots of fun things to celebrate.
Like making elf costumes! And singing joyful songs! Only, how can Junie B. enjoy the festivities when Tattletale May keeps ruining her holiday glee? And here is the worst part of all! When everyone picks names for Secret Santa, Junie B. gets stuck with Tattletale you-know-who! It’s enough to fizzle your holiday spirit! Hmm . . . or is it? Maybe, just maybe, a Secret Santa gift is the perfect opportunity to give May exactly what she deserves.

Customer Reviews:

Great Holiday Book!.......2007-08-06

Junie B. does it again...she makes us laugh during one of the most memorable holidays in a young child's life!! We see a soft side of Junie B. which rarely shows itself, but allows us to get to know her that much more AND teaches us a life lesson! My daughter and I loved reading this together!

Junie B - elf girl.......2007-07-14

Another story in the series by Park! Keeps you laughing - and will take you down memory lane as Junie B. gets ready for Christmas & will remind you of ALL those "fun" lyrics we made up to Christmas songs! She's still irrepressible & even though her language is "becoming more adult" there are still enough "Junie B.-isms" to keep you in stitches. If you're collecting the series, get going to the cash register!

So funny you will laugh at loud!.......2007-03-18

Barbara Park the author of this book and the entire Junie B. series has a writing style like no other. Her way of getting kids wanting to read through the real true to life stories of the kindergartener and first grader Junie B. Jones is fantastic. Barbara Park and her Junie B. books are consistently on the both the New York Times and the USA Today bestseller lists.

As of this date their are 26 books in the Junie B. series with the newest being Junie B. Dumb Bunny and this being the second newest. We have this book in the hard cover edition that has a paper cover sleeve and attached red satin ribbon bookmark for easily holding your current page. Santa left this in my then six year old's stocking the Christmas before last. It had just come out that previous month of 2005.

Junie B. Jones were the first chapter books that my daughter started reading. She was captivated by them as most kids this age are. They don't tell of a sticky sweet child but rather of the true to life hardships from the kid's view that a determined, opinionated, and sometimes frantic girl. She has some of the funniest moments in this book that my daughter and I burst out laughing at. Junie B. Likes to do things her own way and expects the world to pretty much revolve around her. Of course it doesn't and the trouble starts. In the end Junie B. learns a little bit anyway how to handle things.

In this book it Christmas time as the title suggests. The first grade classroom is getting ready for the holiday and the celebrations to come. They are learning and singing holiday songs and wearing elf costumes all of which are extremely exiciting to Junie B. As we have learned through previous books a classmate May is not exactly one of Junie B.'s favorite people. This time May has become a tattletale that is ruining the fun for Junie B. The part that stops Junie B. in her tracts and just may destroy this whole holiday season is that she draws May's name in the Secret Santa exchange that classroom number one is having. Junie B. comes up with a plan to get back May through the gift she plans on giving her. As usual things don't turn out as Junie B. has planned.

The books has 118 pages with 11 chapters. Their are usually about two illustrations per chapter. These are done in black and white print. The illustrator, Denise Brunkus perfectly captures the emotions of the fun and frustration of Junie B. But it's the cleverly written words that draw you in and make you feel like you can feel not only Junie B.'s joy but also her pain. She's is not quite the kid that you want your child to emulate but just the same a kid can learn from Junie B.'s problems that they are likely to encounter at some point in there grade school career.

Must have!

Hilarious and adorable!.......2007-01-10

My daughter is so in love with Junie B! When she opened this up and started reading, it was wonderful to hear the laughter it brought!!! If you want many laughs brought on by a child's perspective, get this book...too cute!!

Love All Junie B Books!.......2006-12-26

Love them! This one is so cute! We can't wait to get the new book in February.

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