The Higher Power of Lucky

Customer Reviews:

Scrotum.......2007-10-10

Scrotum scrotum scrotum, scroty scrot scrotum. Scrotum, scrot scroty-scrot; scrotum scrotbag. Scrotum scrotum scrotum, scrotumish scrotums scrot scrotly (scrtotum). Beanbag.

Not a Newbery.......2007-10-07

I have read 90% of the Newbery winners and I have to say that I was disappointed with this year's choice. Don't get me wrong, it is worth reading, but not worthy of this distinguished award. I just don't think it is a page turner for any age. While the characters are well developed, it just didn't spark for me. However, I read Rules, an honorable Newbery, and I felt this book was a better suited for the award. I really wonder how the judges choose their book. Sometimes, they are right on the money, Holes & Because of Winn Dixie, while other times they are off. Unfortunately The Higher Power of Lucky is not one of their better choices.

Scrrrrrrumptious!.......2007-10-05

When I finished this book, I had to brush away tears and hug it for a while. Then I had to page through it, back to front, looking for those morsels that made it so delicious. There's motherless Miles, who wanders through town scattering Fig Newton crumbs clutching the book which asks his most pressing question. There's Lincoln, the artist who "could see the heart of a knot" and totally change the meaning of a message with well placed punctuation. There's Brigitte, who wraps her arms around Lucky "like a present." There's the red dress, that "turned her into someone else ... who could make a dessert that had flames coming out of it purpose." There's the desert, so close you feel the stinging sand. But above all, there's Lucky, that "scientist and girl-spec" puzzling about "churning enzymes" and the "valve that kept secrets locked up in her heart," making good use of meager resources to search for her Higher Power, one step at a time. Thank you, Susan Patron, for this beautiful portrait of child in need of a parent who can provide sensible answers to the questions that life poses.

The Higher Power of Lucky.......2007-09-27

The Higher Power of Lucky

God Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

That little piece of wisdom is known as the Serenity Prayer, and it's read a lot at twelve-step meetings. It reminds me of my uncle who is chock full of wisdom-such as don't draw to an inside straight, don't gamble with a man whose moniker is the same as any city, and don't count your money at the table. Wait, maybe that was Kenny Rogers- anyway, he says, "the power of luck is that you don't know if it's bad or good, until after the fact."

I always consider myself lucky when I discover a great book. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron and illustrated by Matt Phelan is one of those books. Winner of the Newbery Award for 2007, which is given every year for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, this is a book that doesn't talk down to it's audience, which is 9 to 11 year olds.

Controversy has arisen over the book due to the word "scrotum" being used on the first page. A number of school librarians and teachers have called for banning or censoring the book. Lucky for Tioga County, the Green Free Library is not among those banning the book. I feel it's something the parent should decide, since not every book is for every person. Knowledge is power, but the ability to share that knowledge is freedom.

Some accuse the author of endorsing shock value, but the incident is based on a true story and she uses it to explain anatomy to developing readers. I've had a lot of Anatomy classes and every part of your body has a scientific name (usually Latin), and it comes in handy sooner or later. Scrotum: A pouch of skin, which contains the testes, epididymides, and lower portions of the spermatic cords. My nephews are 9 and 11 and they already have lots of words for this piece of anatomy. It's about time they read the proper word in context and not some slang word that you can't say in front of your Grandma.

The novel features Lucky, a 10-year-old girl who lives in a small town named Hard Pan (population 43) in the California desert. After her mother died two years ago, her father called upon his ex-wife, Brigette, to come to the United States from France to take care of Lucky. Lucky fears that Brigette is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan. Her experiences lead her to believe that Brigette will abadon her and return to France. This anxiety prompts Lucky to seek help from her "Higher Power," a notion she gets from eavesdropping at her town's 12-step meetings.

I enjoyed reading about Lucky's world: the hard, dusty life in a remote California town, and the people who populate it. The book reads real. The reality of life is that kids in this age range have all kinds of scary ideas and powerful curiosities, letting kids read about Lucky going through some of the same problems can give opportunities to talk and think about what's going on in their lives. It's a story of a girl with a precarious family situation, trying to find her place in the world. She's a scrappy, intelligent girl interested in Charles Darwin and the search for truth, but the problem with the power truth is that you don't always know if it's good or bad until after the fact....

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

Heartwarming Story Deserving of Newbery Award.......2007-08-24

The Higher Power of Lucky is a small little book with an enormous amount of power. It's the most recent recipient of the Newbery Medal.

Lucky is a 10-year old girl living in the town of Hard Pan, California, population of 43. Her mother passed away two years ago while admiring the rain and accidentally stepping on a down power line. She is left in the care of her father's previous wife Brigitte, who has flown from Paris to take care of her. Lucky never knew her father as her father never wanted children and had no desire to meet her. Lucky and Brigitte get along well enough, but Lucky is left with the fear that Brigitte will surely leave her one day to go back to Paris leaving Lucky to an orphanage.

Lucky has one of the few jobs available in the small town. She sweeps up cigarette butts and picks up candy wrappers outside of the wind-chime museum where the alcoholics/smokers/overeaters/gamblers anonymous groups meet. While the groups are meeting, she listens from a crack on the outside of the building and here's stories of people reaching "rock bottom" and then finding their "higher power" and redeeming theirselves...finding hope in their lives. Lucky is on a search for her own higher power, her own hope.

Lucky's best friend is Lincoln, a boy who is misunderstood and is seen as a "special" child. Lincoln is a member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers and always has a piece of rope or string in his hand and is tying intricate knots. He sees the world through a different filter and offers a fresh perspective. Lincoln's mother wants him to be the perfect son...he's named after a president because she wants him to be president one day.

Miles is another boy that is somewhat annoying, but looks up to Lucky in an almost mother type way. Miles is 5 years old and doesn't know his mother. His favorite book is one of my childhood favorites: Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman. Miles is raised by his grandmother and is always looking for cookies and a story from Lucky.

Patron has crafted a beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming story of coming to terms with the cards that life deals and finding hope in dark situations. There's a message of community in this tale...it's so easy for us to fall into the mindset of "I have to do this on my own" when in reality there is help all around us if we only take a second to accept it, for most of the time it freely offered.

The story is wonderfully illustrated throughout by Matt Phelan who I was unfamiliar with. The drawings go very well with the story and the whole book is very nicely packaged. I highly recommend this book for readers young and old. I certainly enjoyed it.

Average customer rating:

How strong is a mothers love?
profound and solid expression of parental love
Must have book for kids!
The Runaway Bunny
A story every child deserves to be told, with wonderful images, and in perfect size

The Runaway Bunny
Margaret Wise Brown
Manufacturer: HarperFestival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0061074292

Amazon.com

Since its publication in 1942, The Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. Generations of sleepy children and grateful parents have loved the classics of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, including Goodnight Moon. The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away: "'If you run away,' said his mother, 'I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'" And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. No matter how many forms the little bunny takes--a fish in a stream, a crocus in a hidden garden, a rock on a mountain--his steadfast, adoring, protective mother finds a way of retrieving him. The soothing rhythm of the bunny banter--along with the surreal, dream-like pictures--never fail to infuse young readers with a complete sense of security and peace. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom's love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure. (Baby to preschool)

Book Description

Clement Hurd redrew some of his pictures for this new edition of the profoundly comforting story of a bunny's imaginary game of hide-and-seek and the lovingly steadfast mother who finds him every time.

Customer Reviews:

How strong is a mothers love?.......2007-09-18

A sweet tale, that reaches to illustrate that uniquely elusive bond between mother and child. It's just this type of love that promotes meaning and purpose into the lives of our children. A must read! It will surely tug on your heart-strings! Author/Illustrator

profound and solid expression of parental love.......2007-09-12

Enchanting and delightful expression of the devotion of motherhood, and a gentle answer to something every child at one point says they will do "I'm going to run away!" And this is the point.....at some stage children discover and become more deeply aware that they are separate beings from their closest family, and this is both a frightening and inspiring idea. Even today our own political debates on libertarian verses communitarian policies is but this idea write large. And yet in "Runaway Bunny" this idea is not writ small...for the Mother Bunny always replies "if you run away, I will become...." Acknowledging the child's growing ability and independence, but also expressing devotion, attention, and care.

Margaret Wise Brown is an unacknowledged genius of American letters and child psychology and I highly recommend her works, and especially Runaway Bunny.

Must have book for kids!.......2007-08-26

This is a wonderful story for the whole family. My son loved this book when he was little, and our daughter now enjoys it too. We love reading it because of the beautiful story.

The Runaway Bunny.......2007-07-29

This is a favorite of mine. If you are religious, this book is similar to Psalm 139 in Hebrew Scriptures. For that reason I am very fond of the book.

A story every child deserves to be told, with wonderful images, and in perfect size.......2007-06-08

I bought this book for my son when he just over a year old. I read to him ever since he was born, and he loves books.

This book is a good size for small hands, and very resistant for toddlers due to the cardboard pages. I was always able to let him hold it because of that, without having to tell him to be careful with it. And because of the beautiful and colorful pictures that the book has on every other page, he has always been inclined to take the book himself.

The story itself is beautiful. It speaks of a little bunny at a "silly" age, where he tells his mother all the things he will do to get away from her. The mother answers each of these "ideas" to run away, lovingly and patiently, telling him HOW she will always run after him, no matter what. The last idea that the bunny has "gets him caught", and he then gives up the thought of running away. The mother's reaction to this is to warmly welcome him back with a homely gesture that is to give him a snack.

My son was first drawn to the book by the pictures and the rhythm of the words... and well, he has always loved the "bunny" and "mommy" voices that one can make while reading it aloud. But now that he is almost three, he tells ME the whole story, and starts to giggle when we get to the page where the bunny gets caught. He loves it when I hold him in my arms and start tickling and kissing him at that point.

This is definitely his favorite bedtime book.

It's a book that has helped strengthen the mother-son bond in my family. It also teaches both mommy and son, if you read between the lines: unconditional love and patience.

I already have my older son's copy, but when I have my second son/daughter, I will get him/her a copy of their own. It's a book that belongs on a night table, and that every child deserves to listen to.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Average customer rating:

I Want to Go There!
Children's Classic
midnight museum magic
From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
E.L. Konigsburg
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689711816

Amazon.com

After reading this book, I guarantee that you will never visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or any wonderful, old cavern of a museum) without sneaking into the bathrooms to look for Claudia and her brother Jamie. They're standing on the toilets, still, hiding until the museum closes and their adventure begins. Such is the impact of timeless novels . . . they never leave us. E. L. Konigsburg won the 1967 Newbery Medal for this tale of how Claudia and her brother run away to the museum in order to teach their parents a lesson. Little do they know that mystery awaits!

Book Description

Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped -- right into a mystery that made headlines!

Customer Reviews:

I Want to Go There!.......2007-09-15

I want to go to New York to see this museum. This book was incredible and I loved the style of writing and the way the story unfolded letting each character have their own voice. I loved the notes at the end from the author. I really could tell she loved these characters and did care about their ever after. Every child should read this book. Wait, every adult should read this book!

Children's Classic.......2007-07-08

I bought this book for a class that I was student teaching for, and to my dismay none of them heard of it. Thanks to standardized testing books like these collect dust. My class loved it, and I highly recommened having it on the bookshelf for future generations

midnight museum magic.......2007-06-13

Do you like adventure, mystery and fun? Well then this is the book for you. It is about a girl named Claudia (11), and her brother, Jamie(9); they decided to run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They worked together which helped them to survive many days and nights in the museum. I learned that you should work together no matter who it is you are working with; your brother, your sister, a friend, or even Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! I'd love to tell you more, but I can't spoil the story befroe you read "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler.......2007-06-12

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
E.L Konigsburg

Twelve year old Claudia Kincaid, is bored with her life - being an "A" student all the time, not having a big allowance, and having to deal with being the only girl and oldest of all her brothers. So, she decides to change things a bit to make them exciting. She takes all her allowance, her brother's allowance, her brother (Jamie) and a trumpet and violin case and heads off on an enjoyable, fun adventure to the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City. There, they take tours everyday, sleep in queens' beds and do whatever they please while being careful not to get caught. One day, they uncover a beautiful, exquisite statue of an angel. As they get to know more about this angel, they find out that it is a mystery. No one knows who actually created this angel. Claudia is determined to find out who the artist is. But will she ever figure it out without getting caught?

This book was full of adventure, and filled determination and concentration. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I was in the story with the characters through their good and bad times. Konigsburg makes this story become so realistic, it comes to life.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves a good adventure. The plot and setting of Konigsburg's book makes it an incredible, thrilling quest that I am sure you will enjoy! I know I enjoyed it!

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler.......2007-04-17

E.L. Konigsburg wrote, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a Newberry children or teens book. The book is about two children running away from their house and staying at the Metropolitan Museums of Art. The obstacles they go through to live independently include regrets from going anyway. It reminds you how much you care about your parents. While at the museum the kids find a mysterious puzzle that has clues that to an unexpected conclusion. There are no weaknesses in this book. I read this book because my Aunt is the author. I am not saying this book is good because I am related to the Author but because it is a fantastic and interesting novel. I totally recommend this book to anyone. There is also other books of hers that have won Newberry medals. A movie has been made to go with the book if you are more of a movie kind of guy.

Average customer rating:

Suspend your disbelief and it's pretty good
Fascinating
FINN, a dark chapter of racism in America
Pretentious
Very good

Finn: A Novel
Jon Clinch
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400065917
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Book Description

In this masterful debut by a major new voice in fiction, Jon Clinch takes us on a journey into the history and heart of one of American literature’s most brutal and mysterious figures: Huckleberry Finn’s father. The result is a deeply original tour de force that springs from Twain’s classic novel but takes on a fully realized life of its own.

Finn sets a tragic figure loose in a landscape at once familiar and mythic. It begins and ends with a lifeless body–flayed and stripped of all identifying marks–drifting down the Mississippi. The circumstances of the murder, and the secret of the victim’s identity, shape Finn’s story as they will shape his life and his death.

Along the way Clinch introduces a cast of unforgettable characters: Finn’s terrifying father, known only as the Judge; his sickly, sycophantic brother, Will; blind Bliss, a secretive moonshiner; the strong and quick-witted Mary, a stolen slave who becomes Finn’s mistress; and of course young Huck himself. In daring to re-create Huck for a new generation, Clinch gives us a living boy in all his human complexity–not an icon, not a myth, but a real child facing vast possibilities in a world alternately dangerous and bright.

Finn is a novel about race; about paternity in its many guises; about the shame of a nation recapitulated by the shame of one absolutely unforgettable family. Above all, Finn reaches back into the darkest waters of America’s past to fashion something compelling, fearless, and new.

Praise for Finn
“A brave and ambitious debut novel… It stands on its own while giving new life and meaning to Twain’s novel, which has been stirring passions and debates since 1885… triumph of imagination and graceful writing…. Bookstores and libraries shelve novels alphabetically by authors’ names. That leaves Clinch a long way from Twain. But on my bookshelves, they'll lean against each other. I’d like to think that the cantankerous Twain would welcome the company.”
–USA TODAY

“Ravishing…In the saga of this tormented human being, Clinch brings us a radical (and endlessly debatable) new take on Twain’s classic, and a stand-alone marvel of a novel. Grade: A.”
–ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

“A fascinating, original read.”
–people

“Haunting…Clinch reimagines Finn in a strikingly original way, replacing Huck’s voice with his own magisterial vision–one that’s nothing short of revelatory…Spellbinding.”
–WASHINGTON POST

“Meticulously crafted…Marvelous imagination…The Finn of Clinch’s novel is certainly a racist villain but also psychologically disturbed and disconcertingly compelling.”
–SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“From the barest of hints in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Clinch has created a fully believable world inhabited by fully realized characters. Clinch treads dangerous ground in making one of America’s greatest novels his jumping-off point, but he brings it off magnificently…The language of this book is one of its great beauties…Finn is far from one-dimensional, and that is another beauty of the book. Clinch has a knack for putting us squarely inside the heads of his characters….Clinch draws as compelling and realistic a picture as any we’re likely to find…Finn stands on its own. The richness of its language, the depth of its characters, the emotional and societal tangles through which they struggle to navigate add up to a portrait of life on the Mississippi as we’ve never before experienced it.”
–dallas morning news

“His models may include Cormac McCarthy, and Charles Frazier, whose Cold Mountain also has a voice that sounds like 19th-century American (both formal and colloquial) but has a contemporary terseness and spikiness. This voice couldn’t be better suited to a historical novel with a modernist sensibility: Clinch’s riverbank Missouri feels postapocalyptic, and his Pap Finn is a crazed yet wily survivor in a polluted landscape…Clinch’s Pap is a convincingly nightmarish extrapolation of Twain’s. He’s the mad, lost and dangerous center of a world we’d hate to live in–or do we still live there?–and crave to revisit as soon as we close the book.”
–newsweek

“I haven’t been swallowed whole by a work of fiction in some time. Jon Clinch’s first novel has done it: sucked me under like I was a rag doll thrown into the wake of a Mississippi steamboat…Jon Clinch has turned in a nearly perfect first book, a creative response that matches The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in intensity and tenacious soul-searching about racism. I wish I could write well enough to construct a dramatic, subtle and mysterious story out of careful, plodding and unromantic prose, but for now I’m just happy to have an alchemist like Jon Clinch do it for me.”
–BOOKSLUT

“Finn strikes its most original chords in its bold imagining of possibilities left unexplored by Huckleberry Finn.”
–austin american-statesman

“An inspired riff on one of literature’s all-time great villains…This tale of fathers and sons, slavery and freedom, better angels at war with dark demons, is filled with passages of brilliant description, violence that is close-up and terrifying…Everything in this novel could have happened, and we believe it… so the great river of stories is too, twisting and turning, inspiring such surprising and inspired riffs and tributes as Finn.”
–new orleans times-picayune

“A triumph of succesful plotting, convincing characterization and lyrical prose.”
–ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

“Shocking and charming. Clinch creates a folk-art masterpiece that will delight, beguile and entertain as it does justice to its predecessor…In Finn, Clinch expands the bloodlines and scope of the original story and casts new light on the troubled legacy of our country’s infamous past.”
–new york post

“In Clinch’s retelling, Pap Finn comes vibrantly to life as a complex, mysterious, strangely likable figure…Clinch includes many sharply realized, sometimes harrowing, even gruesome scenes…Finn should appeal not only to scholars of 19th century literature but to anyone who cares to sample a forceful debut novel inspired by a now-mythic American story.”
–atlanta journal-consitution

“What makes bearable this river voyage that never ventures far beyond the banks is the compelling narrative Clinch has created. He writes exceedingly well, not with the immediacy Twain imbued to Huck's voice, but with an impersonal narrator’s voice that almost perversely refuses to take sides. And the plot is masterful.”
–fredericksburg freelance-star

“Disturbing and darkly compelling…Clinch displays impressive imagination and descriptiveness…anyone who encounters Finn will long be hautned by this dark and bloody tale.”
–hartford courant

“Jon Clinch pulls off the near impossible in his new novel, Finn, which brings Huck's dad to life in all his terrible humanness…Clinch vividly paints the origins of the amazing Huck...powerfully told.”
–winston-salem journal

“Gripping…he inventively remaps known literary territory…the descriptive riffs are lucent.”
–chicago tribune

“The best debut so far of 2007.”
–men’s journal

“Inventing Huckleberry Finn’s father using only the thin scraps of information that Mark Twain provided is a pretty admirable feat, and reading Jon Clinch’s first novel provides an almost tactile pleasure…Clinch clearly respects Twain, but he doesn’t feel especially cowed by his inspiration, and some of his inventions qualify as genuine improvements on the original text.”
–washington city paper

“In this darkly luminous debut…Clinch lyrically renders the Mississippi River’s ceaseless flow, while revealing Finn’s brutal contradictions, his violence, arrogance and self-reproach.”
–Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“Bold and deeply disturbing. . . A few incidents duplicate those in Twain,
but the novels could not be more different; instead of Huck’s unlettered child’s voice,
we have an omniscient narrative, grave, erudite and rich in the secretions of adult knowledge;
terse dialogue acts as an effective counterpoint. All along, Clinch’s intent
is to probe the nature of evil . . . a memorable debut, likely to make waves.”
–KIRKUS REVIEWS, STARRED review

“Every fan of Twain’s masterpiece will want to read this inspired spin-off, which could become an unofficial companion volume.”
–LIBRARY JOURNAL, STARRED review

“This is a bold debut that takes a few tentative steps in tandem with the familiar Twain,
but then veers off dexterously down a much more insidious, harrowing path.”
–BOOKLIST

“Jon Clinch’s first novel Finn…succeeds wonderfully because its gritty lyricism is at once authentic and original…reminiscent at times of Cormac McCarthy…the eloquence of the telling will never make the courageous reader wish for a gentler touch. Like any appealing novel, Finn achieves the force of a dream with fascinating actions, indelible characters and spellbinding language. Its ...

Customer Reviews:

Suspend your disbelief and it's pretty good.......2007-09-27

If your favorite folk song got reworked by Queen, you might like it. Or maybe not.

The writing is vivid, the "I can't put it down," type, and this is good because there are built in roadblocks: you know what's gonna happen to Pap Finn before you even pick up the book, the language and history are not in sync with the time represented, and--most importantly, Clinch fails to convince me that Huck is half black.

I am aware that the inspiration for Huck was very likely a black boy Twain knew, whom everyone envied for his freedom. However, the boy Twain talks about was not someone Twain said hated and denigrated [his own race]. In Twain's book, Huck's racism comes so naturally to him, and his realization that Jim is a human being is so difficult for him, it is not possible to reconcile that person with one raised lovingly by a black mother. In addition, by the time Finn lies to Huck about his mother Huck knows Pap to be a liar about everything else.

That said, Clinch delivers quite a few "Aha! THAT explains it!" moments, such as his explanation for why there was writing on the walls of the "house of death" or how Huck got so superstitious. And his pictures of the Widow and of Judge Thatcher are intriguing.

Good for when you're already in a nasty, cynical mood. Also good for making me want to pick up Huck Finn again.

Fascinating.......2007-09-12

Finn is not an easy book to read because, in its own way, it is even more horrifying than the fantastical books by writers such as Thomas Harris who splash gore around to such a degree that their books lose all sense of realism. The horrible crimes that are committed in Finn, on the other hand, always make the reader cringe simply because they seem to be happening to real people in a real world. As is so often the case in a man like Finn, he is the product of cold and abusive parents who warped him from the beginning. He is in constant rebellion against his father, a town judge who rules his courtroom and his home with an iron fist and who has no more sympathy for his sons than he does for the criminals he sees in court.

Clinch, of course, begins with the world created by Mark Twain in Huckleberry Finn but he fleshes out that world in a way that Twain himself was unable to do in the period in which he wrote. Using incidents and characters from Twain's book, Clinch provides the back story to Huck's tale that explains much of what Twain had to leave unsaid in the original.

The elder Finn depends on the Mississippi River for his very life. The river provides him with the catfish that he sells or exchanges in town for the supplies that keep him alive. More importantly to Finn, it is the sale of those same fish that make it possible for him to consume the amount of alcohol that makes life worth living for him. Equally important, the Mississippi is always there to cover a man's sins and, as the book begins, one of those sins, a dead woman who has been skinned, is floating down the middle of the river toward town. But since Finn is a psychopath this is hardly the last of his crimes that the reader will witness.

The most controversial aspect of the novel is Clinch's contention that Huck was a mulatto whose mother had been purchased off a steamboat in slave territory and taken back to Illinois against her will. That Huckleberry Finn was a black child is not a new theory, and Clinch has made that possibility the centerpiece of his novel. That fact alone determines the ultimate fate of not only Finn but of Mary, Huck's mother, and it leads to the complete moral collapse of Judge Finn.

This may not be an easy book to read, and I don't feel that I should say that I enjoyed it, but it is definitely one that will stay with me for a while. I've read many books that I can barely remember any details of just a year or two later. Finn is in no danger of becoming one of those.

FINN, a dark chapter of racism in America.......2007-09-11

When you read FINN by Jon Clinch, you are immediately taken back to the 19th century where the story begins about the detestable life of Pap Finn, the father of Huckleberry Finn from Mark Twain's THE ADVENTURES OFFINN HUCKLEBERRY FINN.

FINN is a sequel to Huckleberry Finn concentrating on the life of Huck's father and his misdeeds. The writing is formal and the slang mimics the language used at that time so much so that you sometimes don't know what they are talking about.

Clinch, a professor of American literature, breathed life into some of the characters from the original story - the widow Douglas, Judge Thatcher and even weaves the $6,000 in gold Huck found in the cave.

The thrust of this book, however, is the character Finn, a laid back drunkard, who shuns authority and all its trappings including his respectable father, Judge Thatcher and his often spineless brother, Will, who cannot stand up to the Judge.

But what comes across most powerfully in this story is the raw brutality of life, the cruelty to others, the subsistent poverty and the entrenched disregard and racism towards blacks. The characters treat blacks in the story no differently than you would a bug found in your house and don't even flinch when they sometimes swat the life out of these innocents for a wrong word or an indifferent look. The brutality is so intense in some of the scenes that I cringed reading it. However, Clinch says in his note at the end of the book that these characteristics were, "...all drawn whole from Twain's novel and followed here to their likely ends."

FINN is the dark version of Huckleberry Finn portraying the brutality and cruelty of life in the 19th century and perhaps Clinch was trying to awaken us to the horrors and senselessness of blatant racism.

Pretentious.......2007-09-04

This seems like a college writing class assignment taken too far. Or a literary publicity stunt. I don't understand the idea of attaching yourself to someonelse's work. I'm unhappy, beacause I was actually excited to read this book. Now everytime I read Huck Finn I have this book's stain to erase.

First it is so slow that it put me to sleep every 10 pages.

I don't understand why it is written so far from Twain's style. I know he's not trying to be Twain, but he's using Twain's setting, characters and some of his scenes!

Why put in big words, like micturate, when Twain didn't. Should we be impressed?

Can we also stop with novels mixing up the timeline! Is this supposed to make it more excitng or mysterious? If your story isn't good enough for a linear timeline then something is wrong.

The part that really pushed me over the top was the afterword, the author talks about being humble and reverential but then concludes that Twain would have liked what he did with his characters. Come on.

I would recommend this book to insomniacs and fishermen. We have to read about catfish every page.
Everyone else stay away and don't ruin Huckleberry Finn for yourself.

Very good.......2007-07-29

The supple and complex "Finn" is a good example of what I would call gorgeous writing. The prose loops around grandly at times, but there is a legitimate end to this approach. Layers of intent and personality are detected, examined and explained. Most thoughful readers will find delight in that process.

One minor frustration with this novel? It sometimes needed more of the hard slap of context, if only as interlude.

Average customer rating:

Ran away with my heart
The Way To Go
Superb
Being teenagers is rough enough without having super villains for parents
Fantastic

Runaways, Vol. 1
Brian K Vaughan
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0785118764

Book Description

In Pride & Joy, six young friends discover their parents are all secretly super-powered villains! Finding strength in one another, the shocked teens run away from home and straight into the adventure of their lives - vowing to turn the tables on their evil legacy. In Teenage Wasteland, the Runaways find a kindred spirit in a daring young stranger and welcome him into their fold. But will this dashing young man help the teenagers defeat their villainous parents... or tear them apart? Plus: who do you send to catch a group of missing, runaway teenage super-heroes? Marvel's original teen runaway crimefighters, Cloak and Dagger, make their first major appearance in years! In The Good Die Young, the world as we know it is about to end, and the Runaways are the only hope to prevent it! Our fledgling teenage heroes have learned how their parents' criminal organization began, and now they must decide how it should end. As the Runaways' epic battle against their evil parents reaches its shocking conclusion, the team's mole stands revealed, and blood must be shed. Which kids will still be standing when the smoke finally clears?

Customer Reviews:

Ran away with my heart.......2007-10-07

This hardcover trade collects the entire first run of the series Runaways, created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona.

Included are issues #1-18 of the first run of Runaways.
The story arcs:
Pride and Joy (issues 1-6)
Teenage Wasteland (issues 7-10)
Lost and Found (issues 11-12)
The Good Die Young (issues 13-17)
Eighteen (issue 18)

If you've never read Runaways, this is the place to start. The beginning of the story. Brian K. Vaughan has an amazing talent for creating characters that you care about.

If you enjoy this book, continue reading the series with Runaways, Vol. 2 and Runaways, Vol. 3, as well as Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways.

The Way To Go.......2007-09-27

For Runaways Fans: This is THE way to read Runaways. Under the attractive dust jacket, the cover is made up of a soft black vinyl material that is extremely durable. The book itself is huge, letting you appreciate the art in a way that it may not have been able to be appreciated in the original comics and the infinitely smaller digest trade paperbacks. Plus, the book is loaded with extras. We've got an introduction, sketches, a letter from Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, and the man who eventually takes over the writing duties of Runaways himself), and the actual proposal for the series by Brian K. Vaughan. Whether you're buying this because you want to get the most you can out of the series or because you're a fan wanting to own a true collectors item, this is more than worth the $[...]. Forget those tiny, manga-looking digests. THIS is the way to go.

For New Comers: Not too long ago, I was one of you. I'll help you make your decision. Have you read any of Brian K. Vaughan's previous work? Do you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Veronica Mars, Heroes, Supernatural, YA lit, or comics in general? Do you like quirk? How about a bit of geekery? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, give this book a try. It's a comic series worth getting into.

For Nay Sayers: The biggest complaint I'm hearing is that "Runaways" is 'too young' or 'too immature' for them. I say unto thee: the first issue left that impression on me as well. But read past it. Read between the lines, and a complex story will emerge through what seems simplistic. The mythology of the story (and the villainous "Pride") will grow, and the characters will have a sort of endearing depth to them. Give it another try, will you?

For Me: I loved this book. Eighteen issues of quirky, Young Adult, fantasy-drama written, pencilled, and colored beautifully is precisely what I was looking for when I purchased this book. My reviews for the individual six-issue arcs found in this book can be found HERE (Runaways Vol. 1: Pride and Joy, (No Link Here For #2, So Here's The URL:) [...], and Runaways Vol. 3: The Good Die Young). The only problem I had with this book was finding a shelf big enough for it to fit in!

9/10

Superb.......2007-09-12

This is one of the best comics series I've ever read (I'm 34 and a longtime comics reader). It is simply great. If you are familiar with the Marvel universe, you should like it even more.

Being teenagers is rough enough without having super villains for parents.......2007-05-14

I picked up this collection of the original eighteen issues of "Runaways" because on a recent visit to my local comic book store I learned that Joss Whedon was now scripting the title. I had never read "Runaways," but since I was already reading "Astonishing X-Men" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight," the other two comics that Whedon was scripting for Marvel, I picked up issue #25 of the title. The problem, of course, is that I have never read "Runaways," even though it was the 2006 Harvey Award Winner for Best Continuing Series. Marvel published a one-shot comic "Runaways Saga," obviously intended for readers like me who have come late to the party, that recaps all of the 42-issues by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona (Volumes 2 and 3 of "Runaways" has the next two dozen issues). But "Saga" is like a string of 42 "previous on 'Runaways'" segments and since it is relatively easy to get the entire run of pre-Whedon "Runaways" that was what I decided to do (Besides, I read "Saga" and apparently retained none of it by the time I got Volume 1 and read it).

The Runaways are six teenagers who meet each year at an annual gathering of their parents, only this time they manage to spy on what is happening and see the ritual sacrifice of a young girl. Figuring out that their parents must be super villains of some type, calling themselves the Pride, the teenagers run away, discovering in the process their unique abilities, which they then plan to use to bring their parents to justice. Finding out about the kids and their powers is half the fun, so there is no reason to give everything away. Suffice it to say that some of the powers are relatively basic, but a couple are quite interesting, especially the one with the mystical Staff of One. There is an interesting wrinkle is that the parents of each of the Runaways are unique, from time-travelers, aliens and criminal bosses to mutants, mad scientists, and dark wizards, which has significant implications for the Runaways.

Actually, it seems nobody calls them the Runaways; at this point they are simply the children of the Pride, and my biggest reservation about this story is when we find out what is up with Pride. That "deal" is strange enough, but then the Pride's twist on the original deal is where I started rolling my eyes and asking myself a lot of questions: Would the Gibborim allow this reinterpretation of the deal? Do humans, mutants, and aliens granted immortality age or do they stay the same age--adult or teenager--forever? Are they prohibited from being fruitful and multiplying? Do not ask me what this has to do with the Celestials, Galactus, the dread Dormammu and every other extraordinarily powerful creature in the Marvel Universe, because it would only make my head explode, and realize that these questions will not make sense until you read these stories.

Ultimately, the problems with the back story on the Pride does not matter because the big appeal with these comic books is that this is a group of teenage superheroes. This makes them distinct from both the pre-adolescents of Power Pack and because they are going after their "rents" they are devoid of a mentor like the X-Men had with Professor X. Being mentored matter because these kids are still a step away from being novices, as opposed to the Teen Titans, who at least in their original instantiation were all superhero sidekicks. The Runaways squabble a lot more than the Merry Mutants ever did (although I suppose a lot of what they do is better qualified as whining). When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby came up with the Fantastic Four the idea of a bickering group of superheroes was a radical notion, but Vaughn and Alphona get to deal with puberty, hormones, and a telepathic velociraptor. The genesis for the Runaways was the idea that while superheroes from Superman to Spider-Man had total respect for their (foster) parents, most teenagers are playing out some primordial death match with their parents (Pick your complex: Oedipus, Elektra, or mix and match as necessary). Besides, the Runaways have a pretty good excuse for disobeying their parents.

"Runaways" is also different in two other significant ways from your regular superhero comic books. The first is that it takes place in Malibu, which means this is off the beaten path when it comes to superheroes. Cloak and Dagger show up, not because this is their turf, but because being a runaway is something that they know about. So this comic takes place in the Marvel Universe in much the same way as "Tomb of Dracula" and "Man-Thing," where a superhero might show up from time to time, but that is the exception rather than the rule. The second difference is that the pacing of these comics is similar to the television show "24." Issue #1 starts at 6:01 p.m. on Day One and by issue #12 we are at 12:26 a.m. on Day Four; so that initial story takes place over the span of 54 hours. Issue #9 takes place over the span of 22 minutes. Issue #13 jumps ahead a week, and then #14-17 covers an evening and night of the same day, and then #18 is an epilogue that takes place later. I am not totally enamored with the results, but there is enough here that is intriguing enough to justify rounding up, and I think that with the different situation that will present the Runaways in Volume 2 things can only get better, which would explain the aforementioned Harvey Award. Plus, Joss Whedon likes it enough to do six issues.

Fantastic.......2007-05-06

Brian K Vaughan has done it again. Just when you thought he couldn't get any better, he does, and he gives us Runaways. This 18 issue volume is quite the page turner, filled with plot twists, comic book cliches (which are humorously made fun of to no end), and the freshest group of characters in the Marvel Universe. Six teenagers (Alex, Nico, Karolina, Chase, Gert, and 11 year old Molly) discover that their parents are actually evil crimelords who control almost all of LA. They decide to Runaway and put a stop to their parents evildoings. BKV cleverly plays off classic teenager attitudes and puts them in a comic book world. The art is also amazing. Adrian Alphona has a unique and attractive style that can be summed up as simply beautiful. And his teenagers actually look like teenagers, which is rare for comic books, where most characters are adults. Part of the draw to this book is that it is set in LA, a place in the Marvel Universe that doesn't have many super heroes or villains. So we get a fresh setting, fresh art, fresh characters, fresh stories, and an amazing time overall.

Average customer rating:

Ran away with my heart
Consult Wikipedia for the hardcover/paperback breaks.
Runaways Vol. 2
The Runaways get another shot at life, atoning for the sins of their 'rents
Keep on running!

Runaways, Vol. 2
Brian K Vaughan , Adrian Alphona , and Takeshi Miyazawa
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 078512358X

Book Description

This deluxe hardcover collects Runaways Vols. 5-7, plus extras. In True Believers, it's an all-new beginning for the book that Wizard calls "the best original concept from Marvel in thirty years!" When a group of teenagers discovers that their parents are actually super-villains, they run away from home... but that's only step one! Now that the evil Pride is gone, nearly every bad guy in the Marvel Universe is trying to fill the power vacuum in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only heroes who can stop them! Plus: What does a mysterious new team of young heroes want with the Runaways, and which fan-favorite Marvel characters are part of this group? In Escape to New York, the Runaways embark on a coast-to-coast adventure, guest-starring Cloak and Dagger AND the New Avengers! When Cloak is accused of a crime he didn't commit by the heroes of New York City, the vigilante is forced to turn to the teenage Runaways for help. This story will take our teens to a place they've never been: NYC! And in Parental Guidance, the villainous Pride returns, but this all-new group isn't made up of the Runaways' evil parents. Who are these shadowy players, and what do they want with the Marvel Universe's next generation of heroes? Collects Runaways (Vol. 2) #1-18.

Customer Reviews:

Ran away with my heart.......2007-10-07

This second hardcover of the Runaways is as amazingly well-done as the first hardcover.

Included in this trade is Runaways Volume 2 issues #1-12, as well as the X-Men/Runaways Free Comic Book Day crossover from 2006.
The Story Arcs:
True Believers (issues 1-6)
Star-Crossed Lovers (issues 7-8)
East Coast/West Coast (issues 9-12)

The X-Men/Runaways crossover is correctly placed in this trade, after issue 12, where it takes place.

Consult Wikipedia for the hardcover/paperback breaks........2007-07-15

Superb characterizations extend the simple (yet extremely interesting) original idea that control and authority are two very different things.
These three hardcover volumes rework, refine and re-explore that idea brilliantly. The seven paperback volumes contain the same material.

Wikipedia may help you avoid buying parts of this amazing saga more than once.

Runaways Vol. 2.......2007-06-15

It took awhile for this to arrive but it was worth it. An excellent follow up to the first volume. Runaways is probably BK Vaughan's best Marvel work. I can hardly wait for Volume 3. I wish that Marvel will collect the rest of Runaways issue even though its not by Vaughan in a similar hardcover format. (ie Runaways/Young Avengers: Civil War.
An excellent buy for me.

The Runaways get another shot at life, atoning for the sins of their 'rents.......2007-06-02

My attention was drawn to "Runaways" when I learned the Joss Whedon would be scripting the title this summer. With three volumes of reprints providing all of the pre-Whedon issues of "Runaway" I decided to keep the current issues on the shelf while I went back and started from the beginning. This was not only because I am inclined to read everything that Whedon writes, but also because in checking out "Runaways" I learned the title won the 2006 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series (meanwhile, over at the Eisner Awards, it as Whedon and artist John Cassady whose "Astonishing X-Men" was named Best Continuing Series for that same year). "Runaways, Volume 2" collects "Runaways" #1-12 plus "Free Comic Book Day 2006," and much more so that the original run of the title in Volume 1, I understand why many fans see this title, written by Brian K. Vaughan and penciled by Adrian Alphona, as something different.

The first six issues make up the "True Believers" story-arc, which begins with the kids trying to kids trying to do something about the supervillains who are starting to show up in L.A. to take advantage of the power vacuum created by the defeat of the Pryde. Meanwhile, a teenage superhero support group named Excelsior gets an offer of $1 million to track down the Runaways. That is before the kids get a new mission when a future version of Gert pops up and warns that in the future a man named Victorius is going to betray and kill not only the Avengers, but the Fantastic Fourteen and every other superhero. Before she dies, future-Gert tells them to find Victor Mancha, the boy who will grow up to become Victorius, and kill him now, before he becomes too powerful. So basically this is the old quandary about killing Hitler when he was a baby, with the added question of exactly who is Victor's daddy. Of course when the Runaways find Victor, the Excelsiors find them and the fun begins.

"Star-Crossed" is a two-part story (issues #7-8, drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa) where Karolina learns that another important thing her parents neglected to tell her, besides the fact she is an alien, is that they arranged a marriage for her. But when a space ship lands and her fiance shows up, which is the first of several interesting twists. My only complaint is that these interesting things end up on the back burner by the end of the story (good thing I have everything that follows, so I do not have to wait months to see where this is going).

Finally, there is what Molly calls the "Field trip" that is "East Coast/West Coast" (issues #9-12). If the superheroes will not come from New York City, then the Runaways will cross the continent courtesy of Cloak. It seems Dagger is at death's door and the Avengers think that Cloak was her assailant, so Cloak turns to the Runaways for help. I think there are some economic considerations in having the kids go to the right coast because that means the kids run into not only Captain America but also Spider-Man and Wolverine (a.k.a. "a hairy little Canadian guy"). I wanted the kids to stay in L.A., but the scenes between Molly and Wolverine tip the scale the other way. The "Free Comic Book" issue also teams up the X-Men and Runaways, featuring art by Skottie Young, as the mutants show up to try and persuade Molly to be one of them. Also included are the full script for (new) issue #1 and an Adrian Alphona Sketchbook.

On the one hand the Runaways exist on the superhero continuum between Power Pack and the New Mutants, but on the other hand the series reminds me a lot of Marvel's "New Universe" titles (1986-89), which took place in a more realistic world, totally divorced from the Marvel Universe and operated more or less in real time. Not that "Runaways" takes place in a world devoid of aliens, magic, supertechnology, etc., but rather that it is off the beaten path. New York City has always been the center of the superhero world in the Marvel Universe, but with the Pryde there is an explanation for why Los Angeles has been relatively devoid of supertypes. Of course, in the aftermath of the Civil War each state gets its own roster of superheroes, which will probably have an effect on a series that is dealing with, as Iron Man calls, them "more super-kids," which will be Whedon's headache.

Keep on running!.......2007-05-09

Volume two isn't quite as compelling as volume one, but still a good read. I recommend the hardcover, because the softcover collections are teeny.

Average customer rating:

Bud, Not Buddy
Truely Teachable
Bud, Not Buddy
Sweet book...
Bud is my Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy
Christopher Paul Curtis
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553494104
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Amazon.com

"It's funny how ideas are, in a lot of ways they're just like seeds. Both of them start real, real small and then... woop, zoop, sloop... before you can say Jack Robinson, they've gone and grown a lot bigger than you ever thought they could." So figures scrappy 10-year-old philosopher Bud--"not Buddy"--Caldwell, an orphan on the run from abusive foster homes and Hoovervilles in 1930s Michigan. And the idea that's planted itself in his head is that Herman E. Calloway, standup-bass player for the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, is his father.

Guided only by a flier for one of Calloway's shows--a small, blue poster that had mysteriously upset his mother shortly before she died--Bud sets off to track down his supposed dad, a man he's never laid eyes on. And, being 10, Bud-not-Buddy gets into all sorts of trouble along the way, barely escaping a monster-infested woodshed, stealing a vampire's car, and even getting tricked into "busting slob with a real live girl." Christopher Paul Curtis, author of The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, once again exhibits his skill for capturing the language and feel of an era and creates an authentic, touching, often hilarious voice in little Bud. (Ages 8 to 12) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan, and when 10-year-old Bud decides to hit the road to find his father, nothing can stop him.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Download Description

After his mother's death in 1936, 10-year-old Bud can't squelch a yearning to find out his father's identity. Bud has a hunch from clues his mother left--posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band. The fearless fellow takes off on a journey to find his father and himself. The latest release from Newbery Honor winner Christopher Paul Curtis promises to be a warm adventure.

Book Description

An adventure made for the young reader. This book has captured many awards and enticed the interest of numerous young readers.

Customer Reviews:

Bud, Not Buddy.......2007-10-08

Bud Not Buddy Review
Bud Not Buddy is a great book! I would greatly recommend it to any reader. In the book, Bud Not Buddy lives in an orphanage home in Flint Michigan. The orphanage pays people to take care of him and some other people in the orphanage. Then Bud Not Buddy runs away from the orphanage and wanders around, soon meeting one of his friends from the orphanage. His friend and him get separated boarding a train and then Bud Not Buddy thinks he knows who his father is. Bud Not Buddy then sets off on a journey across Michigan to find his father. With a few extra people helping him along the way, Bud Not Buddy travels across Michigan to the Grand Rapids. If you want to know the end, read the book.

Truely Teachable.......2007-09-30

A great book to use for Middle School students in Language Arts or Social Studies Classes!!!

This was a heart wrenching story of a boy who is searching for a father he never knew. He is in a home for boys during the depression era at the beginning of the story, and you learn a lot about the culture at that time.

I found the back of the book most interesting where there is a section about the author's own family history and where the inspiration for some of the characters came from to write this wonderful story.

An enjoyable read for all!

Bud, Not Buddy.......2007-09-16

My 10 year old grandson read this book last year in school.. When Al Roker recommended it for his summer reading club, Carson was sure his cousins would enjoy it.

Sweet book..........2007-08-14

about a boy on the run to find his father. Bud brings a boyish attitude to his struggle in life after his mother dies. The book is sweet and has a great ending.

Bud is my Buddy.......2007-07-05

I liked this book because it was exciting, sad, and happy at different times. This book takes place during the Depression in Flint, Michigan with 10 year old Bud looking for his father after his mom dies. There is a happy ending, but not before Bud has many troubles.

Average customer rating:

Collection of Runaways comic books in a hard cover book
Ran away with my heart
Runaways
Find the breaks at Wikipedia.
The Runaway have to deal with the death of one of their members

Runaways, Vol. 3
Brian K Vaughan , Adrian Alphona , and Mike Norton
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0785125396

Book Description

This deluxe hardcover collects Runaways Volume 6: Parental Guidance and Runaways Volume 7: Live Fast, plus extras. In Parental Guidance, the secret super-villain society is back, but this all-new group isn't made up of the Runaways' evil parents. Who are these shadowy players, and what do they want with the Marvel Universe's next generation of heroes? Plus: When the youngest member of the Runaways is separated from her teammates, Molly Hayes must survive a night alone on the mean streets of Los Angeles! The 11-year-old mutant girl soon hooks up with a new group of runaways, but is their mysterious leader a hero or a villain? And in Live Fast, the Runaways say good-bye to the past, and make hard decisions about their future. Plus: Still reeling from the events of Young Avengers/Runaways, the teenage heroes must now confront a horrific enemy who threatens to tear the team apart. Collects Runaways #13-24.

Customer Reviews:

Collection of Runaways comic books in a hard cover book.......2007-10-11

Like new condition. Less expensive to buy this than all the comics individually. Haven't read yet; but I did read a Young Avengers comic book in which the Runaways were featured- and they were a pretty cool group of kids/outcasts/heroes.

Ran away with my heart.......2007-10-07

Runaways is one of my top three favorite comic book series. This hardcover trade is a must-have for collectors.

This hardcover trade collects Runaways Volume 2 issues #13-24
The Story Arcs:
Dead Ringers (issue 13)
Parental Guidance (issues 14-18)
Dead Means Dead (issues 19-21)
Live Fast (issues 22-24)

I suggest you pick up Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways as well. This trade, written by Zeb Wells with art by Stefano Caselli, occurs between issues 21 and 22 of Runaways. If you like the characters in Runaways, read the Young Avengers and Runaways crossover. You won't regret it.

This trade concludes Brian K. Vaughan's run as writer of Runaways. Issues 25 - 30 will be written by Joss Whedon. After Joss' brief run, Terry Moore will take over as writer of Runaways.

Runaways.......2007-08-23

Easily one of the best written comic books series that I've ever read. I can't say enough about the series. Great character development, good action and dialogue that keeps me laughing and intrigued all the way through. I have the first 3 volumes and I can't wait for the next one.

Find the breaks at Wikipedia........2007-07-15

Superb characterizations extend the simple (yet extremely interesting) original idea that control and authority are two very different things.
These three hardcover volumes rework, refine and re-explore that idea brilliantly. The seven paperback volumes contain the same material.
Wikipedia may help you avoid buying parts of this amazing saga more than once.

The Runaway have to deal with the death of one of their members.......2007-06-10

Knowing that the announcement that Joss Whedon was going to take over scripting duties on "Runaways," Marvel Comics put out a one-shot comic book entitled "Runaways Saga" that would help late comers such as myself get up to speed. The comic book recaped the entire 42-issue series and include four new original pages that I would learn were necessitated by the fact that at the end of "Runaways" #24, Iron Man shows up with a S.H.I.E.L.D. team at the gang's Los Angeles hideout, but at the start of Whedon's first issue a new story has started without any explanation for what happened with Iron Man. But the recap did not really make an impression on me and since "Runaways" was the 2006 Harvey Award Winner for Best Continuing Series in addition to being Whedon's third title for Marvel, I thought I would just go back and read all 42 of those previous issues, which have conveniently been collected into three hardback volumes, of which this would be the third.

This volume collects issues #13-24 of the second "Runaways" title (which is why the 42nd issue is numbered #24), all of which are written by Brian K. Vaughan and most of which are penciled by Adrian Alphona (Mike Norton pencils issues #19-21), with Craig Yeung doing the inking. First up there is a solo-story for Molly Hayes, "Dead Ringers," that should remind you of "Oliver" (or even "Oliver Twist") when Molly ends up with a crazy old guy who teaches children the fine art of thievery. The rest of the volume consists of a trio of story-arcs. "Parental Guidance" is a four-part story that begins when Alex's online friends, who think the Pride was a group of heroes rather than super villains, work a spell to try and bring Alex back to life. Instead, they summon a younger version of Geoffrey Wilder, Alex's father, who promptly tries to sacrifice first Nico and then Chase to the Gibborim to bring Alex and his wife back to life. The good news is that the Runaways stop Geoffrey, but the bad news is that one of the Runaways is killed (no, I will not give it away).

Obviously, this is going to be a major development for the series and not something that will be quickly forgotten, like when they decided Thunderbird was too much like Wolverine and killed the character off a few issues after the X-Men went international. The three-part "Dead Mean's Dead" is somewhat ironic, because it is hard to count on one hand the number of Marvel superheroes who have managed to die and stay dead. But one of the Runaways refuses to accept the death of their teammate and decides to do something about it, a story-arc that has both short-term and long-range implications for the group. "Live-Fast" is another three-part tale that starts when a giant pink monster attacks L.A, but it is more the second half of the previous story because the Gibborim want to make good on their offer to bring the dead Runaway back to life. Lots of times when major characters die in comic books somebody tries to do something about it, but it does play out a bit differently this time around since we are talking about a bunch of (mostly) teenagers.

Of course, that is what makes "Runaway" different from the rest of Marvel's comic books, that they are kids acting like kids only these are kids whose parents were dark wizards (Nico), alien invaders (Karolina), mutants (Molly), mad scientists (Chase), time travelers (Gert), Skrulls (Xavin), and a robot (Victor). Yes, they are fast approaching the number of times that Molly can surprise somebody by punching them through a wall or throwing a car at them, but you can hardly blame anybody for milking a good joke. Hormones are starting to play more of a role in the relationships between the characters, but the main attraction is still the idea that the kids have to make amends for not only what their parents did as the Pryde but they have to protect Los Angeles now that they have created a power vacuum by getting rid of their 'rents. Hopefully the S.H.I.E.L.D. initiative to put a team of superheroes in every state will not detract too much from the whole idea of L.A. having been essentially a superhero free zone for such a long time. It will be interesting to see how Whedon does, because I have found each of the successful hardback collections in this series to have been better than the previous ones and keeping the upward momentum going might be hard even for Joss.

The Runaway Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel

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The Runaway Quilt
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Runaway Quilt
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The Runaway Quilt

The Runaway Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
Jennifer Chiaverini
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452283981
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Book Description

The fourth book in the popular Elm Creek Quilts series explores a question that has long captured the imagination of quilters and historians alike: Did stationmasters of the Underground Railroad use quilts to signal to fugitive slaves?

In her first novel, The Quilter's Apprentice, Jennifer Chiaverini wove quilting lore with tales from the World War II home front. Now, following Round Robin and The Cross-Country Quilters, Chiaverini revisits the legends of Elm Creek Manor, as Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors' courageous involvement in the Underground Railroad.

Alerted to the possibility that her family had ties to the slaveholding South, Sylvia scours her attic and finds three quilts and a memoir written by Gerda, the spinster sister of clan patriarch Hans Bergstrom. The memoir describes the founding of Elm Creek Manor and how, using quilts as markers, Hans, his wife, Anneke, and Gerda came to beckon fugitive slaves to safety within its walls. When a runaway named Joanna arrives from a South Carolina plantation pregnant with her master's child, the Bergstroms shelter her through a long, dangerous winter -- imagining neither the impact of her presence nor the betrayal that awaits them.

The memoir raises new questions for every one it answers, leading Sylvia ever deeper into the tangle of the Bergstrom legacy. Aided by the Elm Creek Quilters, as well as by descendants of others named in Gerda's tale, Sylvia dares to face the demons of her family's past and at the same time reaffirm her own moral center. A spellbinding fugue on the mysteries of heritage, The Runaway Quilt unfolds with all the drama and suspense of a classic in the making.

Customer Reviews:

The Runaway Quilt.......2007-09-22

The Runaway Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novelis well written with characters you care about. In addition, it provides a history lesson about the underground railroad that is anything but boring.

Awesome.......2007-07-26

I thought this book was the best one so far in the series. If you have never read any of the Elm Creek Quilt books, then be sure to start at the beginning with The Quilter's Apprentice.

Runaway Quilt.......2007-06-08

Great book.....a must read for those who are into quilts and good stories!!

I love this book.......2007-01-15

I have read the three first books in this series. I loved them and was eager to read this one too. This book has answered some questions I had about Anneke and Gerda. The history about the Underground Railroad was interesting and it was facinating to see how it impacted the family.

The Runaway Quilt.......2006-07-18

Jennifer Chiaverini is amazing. This book was yet another that I couldn't put down. Who knew that an author could be so talented as to write novels based on quilting that would be so riveting? Jennifer Chiaverini is now one of my favorite authors because she mixes two of my favorite things (reading and quilting) so well!

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A Coward's Narrative...
Must Read
Bradbury is alive and well
A different perspective
The book is entertaining. Perhaps a better read when read as a teenager.

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316769533

Amazon.com

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them."

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation.

Book Description

Since his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent." Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his sixteen-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins, "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them." His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation.

Customer Reviews:

A Coward's Narrative..........2007-10-08

For years, friends and family noted the classic, The Catcher in the Rye, as a "must read." I was pleasantly surprised with Salinger's ahead-of-the-times writing of Holden Caufield and his experiences/thoughts with sex, drinking, and his general disenchantment with the world, as he is expelled from prep school. Holden narrates as he bounces around for a few days before heading home to tell his parents.

On some level, readers will relate their own lives to that of Holden's. How could you not? He's depressed, rebellious, and negative. He's a coward, a braggart, a phony, and a wannabe. We've all been like him at times. But that is his whole character and you rarely see another side... only his love for his sibling showed a side of Holden that could be defined as positive.

There is no real payoff or conclusion in the end. You'll find the value of this writing after finishing it, putting it back on the shelf, and thinking about it for a few days. Keep digging, it's there.

Have fun,

David Tobias
Redondo Beach, CA

Must Read.......2007-10-01

Unfortunately this book was not on my reading list for High School. It is a shame because I would have enjoyed it then, just as I enjoyed it now. Anybody can relate to some aspect of this novel. Whether it be growing up, the akward situations that we find ourselves in struggling through adolecence and our teenage years. Bottom line, is great book and everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime.

Bradbury is alive and well.......2007-09-28

This novel is more alive today than ever. Books are not being burned, but no one reads. The effect is the same. The few lucky ones have their favorite books in their heads.

A different perspective.......2007-09-24

Mid-aged now, I had a few spotty memories of this book from my high school years and in my mind's eye it seemed forgettable, but later in life I bought the book and read it again, partly because I wanted to see if I could figure out why John Lennon's murderer was carrying the book when he was arrested. Was there a clue in the story that inspired the twisted killer to attack Lennon? Anyhow, if so, then Chapman was not caught and saved by the Catcher, but instead went entirely off the cliff. And if Chapman envisioned himself as the Catcher, he was wrong. The Catcher in the Rye is a saver not a destroyer.
Although I rate this book five stars it is by far not my favorite, but I would still recommend it to anyone just because it is so popular. I did find it interesting and in my youth I spent a lot of time in New York City and had been to some of the places referenced in the story. When I was a kid growing up on a dairy farm, my cousins and friends and I used to play hide and seek in the cornfields, (Catcher in the Corn) way before we ever heard of Catcher in the Rye. So While reading this book I felt those kind of connections, as in, I felt like I was there in the story at times. But back when I first saw the title Catcher in the Rye, I imagined, (before reading), that it must have been about something in life to watch out for, something that may catch you if you let your guard down, something that might be out to get you. Maybe that's the connection Chapman made. Maybe Chapman didn't actually read the book before he killed. I just hope they keep the guy locked up.
And I, for one, hope they finally get finicky J.D.'s novel made into a movie. By the way, I think it is very healthy to turn off the TV and read books in quiet solitude. I find the best time is before I fall off to sleep, reading can also help to cultivate dreams.
note: I still sorely miss John Lennon.

The book is entertaining. Perhaps a better read when read as a teenager........2007-09-18

The Catcher in the Rye is written in the first person and tells the story of a teenager, HOLDEN CAULFIELD, who is struggling with the normal teenage crisis of misdirection and apathy. I don't remember reading this book in High School. Perhaps it was assigned and I ignored it.

I believe the story would have resonated more with me when I was about Holden's age (16) than it does now. The book is an easy read and the story and characters are very real. Why is it a classic? I don't really know, perhaps it was ahead of its time; perhaps the prose was unconventional. I enjoyed the story but didn't feel much connection with the characters even though Holden reminded me of kids I knew in High School, perhaps even a little bit of me. Enjoy!

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