Book Description
A gorgeous gift and a landmark work that is an essential addition to everyone's personal library.
Never before have the four great works of Charles Darwin—Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle (1845), The Origin of Species (1859), The Descent of Man (1871), and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)—been collected under one cover. Undertaking this challenging endeavor 123 years after Darwin's death, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson has written an introductory essay for the occasion, while providing new, insightful introductions to each of the four volumes and an afterword that examines the fate of evolutionary theory in an era of religious resistance. In addition, Wilson has crafted a creative new index to accompany these four texts, which links the nineteenth-century, Darwinian evolutionary concepts to contemporary biological thought. Beautifully slipcased, and including restored versions of the original illustrations, From So Simple a Beginning turns our attention to the astounding power of the natural creative process and the magnificence of its products. Slipcased hardcover; 101 illustrations, map.
Customer Reviews:
Can't Beat It.......2007-04-03
I bought this book knowing very little about Darwin or his theories. From So Simple a Beginning was an easy read about a very interesting man. I would hope that not just supporters of evolution would read this book there is more to the man then just one theory.
Four classics.......2007-01-12
Excellent in every particular. Five stars in delivery time, condition, quality of the experience.
Wonderful writing wrong package.......2007-01-10
There is no gainsaying the writings of Darwin or the thinking of my favorite living scientist, E.O.Wilson. But the package is wrong.
Four books in one. Too heavy, too cumbersome. Discouraging.
Too big.......2007-01-05
This book is way too big to hold to read, so it is not useful. From the picture I thought I was ordering 4 different books in a book holder, not one giant book. I recommend buying them separately unless you have very strong arms and wrists.
From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, T.......2006-07-02
Good
Average customer rating:
- My friend loved the book
- Timeless Story
- the last unnniiiicccooorrrnnnn!!!! I'M ALIIIIIIIIVEEEEE!!!!
- My favorite fantasy novel of all time.
- Pretty good for a fairy tale
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The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle
Manufacturer: Roc Trade
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0451450523 |
Amazon.com
The Last Unicorn is one of the true classics of fantasy, ranking with Tolkien's The Hobbit, Le Guin's Earthsea Trilogy, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Beagle writes a shimmering prose-poetry, the voice of fairy tales and childhood:
The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.
The unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world, and sets off to find the others. She meets Schmendrick the Magician--whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended--when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions. They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men. Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land.
This is a book no fantasy reader should miss; Beagle argues brilliantly the need for magic in our lives and the folly of forgetting to dream. --Nona Vero
Customer Reviews:
My friend loved the book.......2007-10-05
I got this book as a birthday gift to my friend that doesn't so much like Sci-Fi stuff. She loved it. She has a thing for unicorns and everything that she's made up about unicorns has been mentioned in the book. It's a good book.
Timeless Story.......2007-09-13
This has been my favorite book since I was a small child. Lovely cover on this edition.
the last unnniiiicccooorrrnnnn!!!! I'M ALIIIIIIIIVEEEEE!!!!.......2007-09-06
while I have not read this amazing work of fiction, i have seen the movie! and let me say....WOW!
this compelling drama is about a young unicorn coming to terms about her magic pals, who in the words of the eccentric butterfly (has anybody here seen Kelly?? Red rover red rover send Charlie on over!!) "passed down the old roads long ago, and the Red Bull ran close behind him and covered their footprints." This journey takes us through the mind of a troubled young mythic beast who goes through a wide range of emotions including love, curiosity, loss and ......REGRET!!!! After crossing paths with a befuddled young magician, Schmendrick, she starts her journey to recover the lost unicorns and solve the mystery of the Red Bull! Now I don't want to give away the ending, so you just go buy that book/movie and read/watch it!!!
I'm serious. I was genuinely touched by this book/movie and hope that it will change your life as it has changed mine.
Thank you for your time.
P.S. Now that I'M A WOMAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!!
and I'm a UNIIICORRRNNN!!!
(man is she confused).
My favorite fantasy novel of all time. .......2007-09-02
I have read a lot of novels over the years, most of them fantasy and science fiction. And this is one of the few than I keep coming back to again and again. I reccomend it to anyone I know, regardless of if they read fantasy or not.
And I reccomend it to you. Try this book, you will not be dissapointed.
Pretty good for a fairy tale.......2007-08-28
Saw the cartoon as a child but just recently read the book. It's fun and entertaining, and a little tongue-in-cheek, but not ridiculously so. I wish Beagle had written more over the years, he's definitely got talent. Highly recommended!
Customer Reviews:
One of the best travel books written by one of the best scientists.......2007-10-04
Forget the image of Darwin as an old white-beard scholar. In The Voyage of The Beagle, written in 1839, we have the discoverer of the theory of evolution as an energetic young man in his early twenties travelling aroung the world in a three-mast ship. After a brief stop in Cape Verde, he travels to then slaveholding Brazil (where he visits for the first time a tropical jungle), to the Plata region (he visits both Buenos Aires and Montevideo and travels on horseback on the surroundings), to the Patagonia (where he meets strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas as he launches a campaign against the pampa Indians), the Falkland Islands, Southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego (where they bring back three Fuegians previously kidnapped by an earlier expedition), Chile from south to north, the Galapagos Islands (whose findings would be crucial for the theory of evolution), Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa. As he travels, he writes about both the natural history of the places as well as the people he meets. He does a lot of fearless things, travelling on horseback around the Pampas then under the dominion of hostile indians, crossing the Andes from Chile to Argentina through some of the world's highest mountains outside the Himalayas, witnessing the life of the now extinguished Fuegians (considered to be among the most primitive societies in the world), crossing the dense, cold forests of the island of Chiloe, witnessing the aboriginal australians as they cope with the massive arrival of white people to their land, seeing the gravestone of Napoleon Bonaparte in the island of Saint Helena. Darwin was no racist and he forcefully denounces the slavery he witnesses in Brazil (in this respect, he was much more thoughtful and liberal than some of his later disciples). In short, one of the greatest travel/adventure books by one of the greatest scientists of all time.
Must-Read Combo of Science, Adventure, and Literary Flair.......2007-06-07
Darwin's autobiography gives us some idea of his zeal for the study of the natural world (remember the bug-in-mouth incident?) and The Origin of Species provides us with more than enough evidence of Darwin's incredible capacity for logically combining empircal evidence in support of his theory, but is his autobiographical Voyage of the Beagle that gives us the best look at Darwin's habits as a naturalist and that provides us with a deeper understanding of his unmatched skills of observation and analysis.
While the voyage is most famous for being the time when Darwin visited the Galapagos, it is striking that he actually spends very little time discussing this segment of his journey. Much of his time is instead spent on the portion of his trip that was spent in Argentina, and it is his observations of the wildlife, the landscape, and the locals here that make for the most enjoyable reading.
The Voyage works because of its successful combination of science, adventure, and literary flair (he often gets rather poetic) that Darwin was superbly capable of. While certainly long (and possibly even too long for some readers), The Voyage is a must-read for any self-respecting Darwinophile.
Another Handy Penguin Edition of Darwin.......2007-05-17
Much as is the case with the Penguin edition of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," this relatively inexpensive edition is packed with helpful features that add to the reader's understanding of what Darwin was about on his prolonged scientific voyage. First among these features is an excellent introduction by Janet Browne and Michael Neve, both of that wonderful Wellcome Institute in London. Dr. Browne is the author of what many consider to be the finest biography of Darwin ever written; Dr. Neve also has contributed to the Darwin literature. Although 26 pages in length, a bit shorter than that in the "Origin" edition by J.W. Burrow, this introduction nicely puts the "Journal of Researches" into context, while pointing out several areas that are of special interest to the reader. While the text is abridged about 1/3 in length, a Note carefully explains how and why the deletions were made. For example, nothing relating to the Galapagos has been cut. The editors have added a brief guide to the individuals and books mentioned in the text which is quite helpful. Also added as appendices are the Admiralty Instructions for the Beagle voyage and an essay by Captain Robert FitzRoy on "Remarks with reference to the Deluge," reflecting his reversion to traditional Christian thinking during the voyage. Several very helpful maps and a chronology are also included, which come in quite handy. Obviously, it is of immeasurable value to read the "Journal of Researches" in conjunction wit the "Origin." One comes away truly amazed at the dedication and professionalism of Darwin (who was only 22 when he commenced his five year excursion) as he collects his speciments and charts various geological dimensions. So, this book is to my way of thinking indispensable for getting a grasp on Darwin, and this skillfully edited edition makes the experience a most pleasing one.
For the Serious Darwin Fan Only.......2007-05-14
Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle is an interesting, but often tedious detail of his journey around the world. With this in mind, I would have to recommend this book to the Darwin enthusiast and to those who are just looking for a deeper grasp of Darwin, the man. It's not for anyone looking for a quick, easy, or particularly exciting or sensationalist read. If that's what you're looking for, I recommend Cyril Aydon's biography.
With this disclaimer, the book really does offer insight into Darwin and why this journey would be such a critical point in his life. Darwin is incredibly observant, and details flora and fauna throughout with sometimes discouraging detail. But this fact just gives us a clue as to what made this man different from all the other preeminent scientists of the day. Why did Darwin fully get evolution while the others didn't? Certainly this incredible power to really see things provided him with evidence that others might have missed.
My favorite parts would have to be Darwin's description of his time in the inside of South America and his interactions with the people living there. His reactions were varied. He often voices disgust at the barbarism of the settlers towards the Indians in the wars that occur there, while simultaneously describing the Indians as savages with terrible habits. Overall, however, he seems impressed with South America from the classical liberal point of view, saying "It is impossible to doubt that the extreme liberalism of these countries, must ultimately lead to good results." It would be interesting to see what Darwin would think of South America today. Throughout the book he adamately denounces the slavery sees with a keen insight, saying of an escaped slave woman who killed herself rather than be reenslaved, "In a Roman matron this would have been called the noble love of freedom: in a poor negress it is mere brutal obstinancy." Darwin was ahead of his time in this respect.
The part of the book covering his time in the Galapagos is surprisingly short, at least in respect to the emphasis Darwin later put on his time in the islands. It's also interesting to consider Darwin's reaction to them (he thought they were ugly and barren) when considering the impact the diversity of species on the islands played in his evidence for evolution.
All in all, the book has really good, insightful things to pick up, but other parts, such as Darwin's lengthy description of the masses of tiny floating sea creatures, I could have done without. Pick it up if you are really looking to put together a really complete picture of Darwin's life, with tedious details included.
Did I Just Return from South America? No Wait, I Read Darwin.......2007-05-10
The striking characteristic of Darwin's "Voyage of the Beagle" is its completeness. Not only is Darwin infinitely observant and insightful in all of his descriptions, he takes interest in everything! He continues for pages about worms (Planaria) and fireflies (Lampyris occidentalis) in Rio de Janeiro, gauchos and the pampas in Argentina, and of course the famous giant tortoises (Testudo Indicus) in the Galapagos-- just for a few examples. The scope of his observations is stunning; he is equally comfortable discussing algae or societal conventions, such as slavery. However, the depth is equally impressive; the amount of information provided on, for instance, ostrich breeding patterns, makes one wonder how Darwin possibly absorbed so much information on such a relatively short trip-- five years is not so long when you're trying to catalog every single animal, plant, and person around you! The extraordinary detail combined with the range of subject matter creates such a vivid image that the journal reads more like an travel book than anything else; I definitely recommend it for an engaging and both naturally and historically informative read.
Product Description
These cheerful canines have been trained as hunters since the dawn of history, but they also make affectionate house pets. Here is everything the neophyte owner needs to know about the Beagle and its traits. Teaches ordinary nonexpert dog owners how to train their own pets. Virtually every aspect of training is covered, with special focus on the distinctive traits of individual breeds. Dog owners are instructed on humane but effective methods of housebreaking and paper training, obedience training, teaching the dog to respond to verbal commands and hand signals, walking on a leash, and more. Also covered are methods of correcting bad habits such as begging, unwanted barking, and showing hostile behavior. There are many instructive, full color photos in each book.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-09-27
This book is very helpful in learning about Beagles. Buy the book before the puppy. Information was very helpful in training my puppies.
helpfull.......2007-06-20
this book definately helped me to understand my pup. i was able to teach him to shake in just one ten minute session. but it does lack on more extensive tricks and training. but i love the different games it recommends.
Great for your Beagle to Show!.......2006-03-25
This book started off to be very helpful, but then we don't plan on showing our beagle, so a lot of the chapters weren't geared for our purposes. But again, this is just our opinion. Good reading.
Training Your Beagle.......2006-03-09
This book has been an absolute Godsend! We just got Baxter 3 and 1/2 weeks ago, he's now almost 12 weeks old and neither myself or my husband have had a dog since we were children. So we were clueless!
We're doing everything the author says to do regarding housetraining, crate training, etc. and it is working wonderfully. We purchased a few other books as well, but this one is proving to be the most helpful by far.
Kristine Kraeuter is the Beagle Pro and other reviews that I read about this book prompted me to buy it and I am elated I did.
Thank you so much! If anyone who is considering a Beagle puppy, this book is for you!
Recently Adopted a Beagle.......2005-07-28
I ordered this book the day I brought our newly adopted 13 in Beagle home. He's 4 years old and my first Beagle. This book is extremely helpful to anyone who has been fortunate enough to have a Beagle to love!
Average customer rating:
- The Unicorn Sonata
- Fall asleep and dream of this beautiful fantasy world
- A lovely book
- The Unicorn Sonata
- The Last Unicorn for elementary school readers!
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The Unicorn Sonata
Peter S. Beagle
Manufacturer: Turner Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1570362882 |
Customer Reviews:
The Unicorn Sonata.......2006-05-24
This book is very carefully bittersweet. Joey, short for Josephine, is disenchanted with modern life. She spends most of her time in a small California music shop owned by an old Greek man who gives her music lessons in exchange for her help around the store. One day she begins hearing strange, enchanting music, seemingly started by a mysterious boy named Indigo who plays an instrument unlike anything she has ever seen, and follows the melody until she stumbles into an entirely different world. Here she meets satyrs and tiny dragons and water-nymphs... and eventually, unicorns.
The plot in this book is somewhat subtle. You go into it thinking it will be a typical 80s/90s feel-good type of thing where a troubled young teenager has a great adventure, is bettered for it, and ends up loving the normal world just because s/he has grown up some over the course of the adventure. But eventually you see the book it is not about that at all, but more about Joey's keeping contact with it, her struggling desire to capture unicorn songs in the modern world, and unblinding the old unicorns. This book definitely has more to do with its world, the unicorns, and the simple obersvations of characters than it does with a plot. Luckily the story flows smoothly and this works out OK, if only because Peter S. Beagle is such an amazing author.
I did not like this book as much as I enjoyed The Last Unicorn, since I do typically get more swept up in dynamic storylines rather than subtle ones, but this book definitely kept my fancy well. It is also not quite as beautifully written as Peter S. Beagle's most well-known novel, but perhaps this one just speaks to me less on a personal level. I'm an unfortunate escapist, so I did instantly connect with Joey, but this story is just not as touching as The Last Unicorn.
Definitely a good novel and a book worth reading.
Fall asleep and dream of this beautiful fantasy world.......2005-06-07
I am a huge fan of the last unicorn and I've been collecting unicorns since I was a little girl (When The Last Unicorn movie came out in 1982). Even though this book is at about an elementary/Jr. High reading level, I had to pick it up and read it. I was not disappointed. I was drawn into the beautiful fantasy world created by Mr. Beagle. After finishing the book I went to sleep that night and had a wonderful dream that I was in the world with the unicorns and other creatures. You have to read this book and drift into this wonderful world of childhood, if only for one good dream.
A lovely book.......2003-09-22
This really is a beautiful book, and I believe if it had been published 20 years ago it would have been a huge seller in the fantasy market. I think the reason some of the other reviewers have not enjoyed the work as much is because this sort of fantasy kingdom has been portrayed before--Never Never Land, Middle Earth, Narnia--even the world of The Last Unicorn itself. Still, at the end, I found myself yearning for Beagle's mythical kingdom. And Abuelita is a wonderful character. A slower, older style, but worth finishing.
The Unicorn Sonata.......2003-04-10
The Unicorn Sonata, written by Peter S. Beagle, is about a lack-luster 13 year old girl named Josephine Riveira who accidentally stumbles upon a magical land called Shei'rah. The story that unfolds is both riveting and beautiful. The Unicorn Sonata is a wonderful read, accessible to both children and adults and successfully brings back the sort of magical world that we seem to have forgotten in today's chaotic society.
The Last Unicorn for elementary school readers!.......2003-02-24
I am huge fan of Beagle's "The Last Unicorn," and finally have decided to check out some of his other works. This is the first one I grabbed off the shelf because it is also about unicorns. I was a little disappointed because the plot is very slow and not that interesting, and the dialogue is not very deep or memorable. It lacks most of the lyrical qualities of "The Last Unicorn" in both plot and style. However, I don't think this a bad book!!! Its just different, that's all. I'm sure that Beagle had a different audience in mind. If I were 10 or 12 I would be raving about this book for sure! Call it a "Last Unicorn" for elementary school readers. "The Last Unicorn" is a difficult book after all, full of beautiful poetry, deep characters, and detailed descriptions. Perhaps this is a good stepping stone for younger readers to use... and eventually discover "The Last Unicorn!"
Product Description
"Information Commons" often refers to the theoretical production, sharing, and democratic discussion of information that is afforded by new technologies. It also refers to the physical manifestation of this concept - new facilities that bring together researchers, instructors, students, teachers, and users into one space and equip them with technology (computers, projectors, Internet) and facilities (workstations, conference and class rooms, print stations) for success. In this comprehensive guidebook, Beagle helps academic, public, and school librarians create new spaces that encourage research, discovery, instruction, and learning and meld the traditional research library with the latest technology. This comprehensive handbook guides librarians through: Space planning, budgeting, and technology set-up; Service modification, staff reallocation, and training; Assessment, improvement, and modification of services and facilities, and Publicity and marketing of the new commons. Descriptions, photographs, and plans from information commons of various types and sizes are included. The companion CD-ROM features model plans from various institutions and working documents from successful information commons projects. Grounded in the theory of information commons, this forward-looking handbook will transform traditional spaces and redefine library service models for the information age.
Customer Reviews:
Excerpts from all five reviews.......2007-08-05
Since its October 2006 release, The Information Commons Handbook has received five reviews in the professional media, and all five have been highly favorable. In a "starred" review in Library Journal (1/15/07), Robert L. Battenfield wrote "There is a great deal of information here from a knowledgeable IC expert...Recommended for all librarians, library directors, library science faculty, and students with a keen interest in this timely issue." In American Libraries (Jan 2007) Mary Ellen Quinn commented "...according to The Information Commons Handbook, the [IC] concept is about more than technology; it is about 'how an organization reshapes itself around people using technology in pursuit of learning.'...this book provides a framework and useful tools for making the process a more proactive one." In the well-regard Canadian journal Partnership, Cees-Jan de Jong states that the IC Handbook "...is much more than a guide to developing a Commons in your library, rather it's a guide that will assist you in positioning your library to take advantage of collaboration, technology, and educational movements...[the book] is well-organized and thoroughly researched...recommended for library administrators, librarians (academic, school, and public), faculty, and teachers interested in realizing a new service model..." And in the July 2007 issue of portal: Libraries & the Academy, Robert A. Seal notes that: "...Beagle is a pioneer in the development of the concept and is perhaps the best-known name in the field." The book, he adds, is "...one of the most thorough and thoughtful analyses of its type in the literature...a thoroughly researched and thought-provoking volume that will be of use to practitioners and administrators alike."
Book Description
The long-awaited sequel to the popular classic The Last Unicorn is the centerpiece of this powerful collection of new tales from a fantasy master. As longtime fans have come to expect, the stories are written with a grace and style similar to fantasy's most original voices, such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Fritz Leiber, and Kurt Vonnegut. Traditional themes are typically infused with modern sensibilities—reincarnated lovers and waning kings rub shoulders with heroic waifs; Schmendrick the Magician returns to adventure, as does the ghost of an off-Broadway actor and a dream-stealing shapeshifter; and Gordon, the delightfully charming "self-made cat," appears for the first time in print, taking his place alongside Stuart Little as a new favorite of the young at heart. This wide-ranging compilation contains sly humor and a resounding depth that will charm fans of literary fantasy.
Customer Reviews:
The Line Between.......2007-04-13
Short stories are a tricky thing to write - many authors open their own collections with a note about how silly they were to attempt the form. Not surprising, since a short story is not simply a novel with the details cut out. Short story writing requires a precise sense of pacing and an almost directoral view of the subject matter. There are not hundreds of pages to develop characters and create mood; the best the short story writer can do is point out to you the defining moments of a character or a scene and hope you can keep up. Short fiction is most often effective to offer a setup leading to a quick plot twist or a startling ending, not for world-building or profound observations on the human psyche.
That said, the depth of feeling contained in the latest Peter Beagle book is astounding. Twice as much when you consider that this is a short story collection, not a novel. No story spans more than forty pages - a few run no more that five, but many have their own emotional resonance most novelists dream of.
There are plenty of funny, quick reads throughout the collection too. In Gordon, the Self-Made Cat a mouse with no desire to play the traditional role of bait earns his cat card and the respect of his fellow felines. A set of four fables, while feeling a little rushed in execution, have deliciously cynical morals. Salt Wine puts some grand old seagoing-myths on their heads, and Quarry fills in yet another piece of the world of Innkeeper's Song and the short story collection from the same world. There's also A Dance For Emilia - a beautiful story of friendship and love printed here for every fan who missed the much overlooked gift book edition from several years ago.
There is always a strong musical theme running through Beagle's work - and of course there is one musical story here: Mr. Sigerson. Mr. Siegerson is a brilliant violinist and also a persona of the great Sherlock Holmes. In this mystery, Holmes and the conductor of a Norwegian orchestra uncover underhanded dealings and an illicit affair and any musician will recognize one of their own in the narrator and characters of the story.
The real jewels in this book are El Regalo and Two Hearts. El Regalo introduces two new characters, Marvyn and Angie. With promises to tell their whole story in a novel, Beagle introduces two kids growing up in Avicenna and growing into some magical powers. Marvyn, like any well-balanced kid, uses his abilities to take out the garbage and wash the dishes, but Angie is still concerned that his powers might get them into trouble. When Angie makes an embarrassing choice to confess her love to a boy at school, Marvyn rushes in to save the day and lands both of them in last Thursday, possibly permanently. Two Hearts is quite simply a gift to any fan of The Last Unicorn. In Beagle's earlier days he created each book in its own world, and the short stories that he wrote never went back to those places. After more than thirty years, the story is told of Shmendrick and Molly Grue's further adventures, along with Lir and the land he rules. Two Hearts seems almost to be something dug up from the days immediately following the writing of The Last Unicorn. The characters remain as true to themselves as any reader could hope and again, Beagle promises a full-length story of Sooz, the narrator.
Once again, Beagle has topped his previous efforts and not only re-asserted his status as a master of the Fantasy genre, but shown that he still has plenty more stories to tell us.
Peter S. Beagle: Living National Treasure.......2007-02-12
I hereby nominate Peter S. Beagle as a Living National Treasure. How many of us have laughed and wept and felt goose flesh while reading his stories? And for decades!! The Line Between contains the novella for which Peter won (finally, finally) a Hugo Award. What a treat to see Schmendrick, Molly and King Lir again. Rather than seem like an epilogue to The Last Unicorn, this reads more like a prologue to a new epic story of love and adventure. I can't wait to find out what happens to Sooz when she turns seventeen and gets to use her gift of magic. If I were a king I'd build a special wing at the castle for Sir Peter and give him all the food, wine and song (okay, and women too) his heart desires so he could happily and contentedly write me tales until I'm an old man.
(UPDATE: Since first writing this review Peter won the Nebula award for Two Hearts, the coda to the Last Unicorn included in this collection.)
Delightful fantastic fiction -- moving and wise.......2007-01-22
Peter S. Beagle has had a long career and is already a legend for such novels as The Last Unicorn and such short fiction as "Farrell and Lila the Werewolf". But just in the past few years he has produced a string of wonderful shorter works that rank with the best work of his career. This collection includes most of those recent stories, including a few new to 2006, as well as one or two older pieces. Beagle's characters are the heart of his works - thoroughly believable, often a bit battered, often somewhat worldy wise. Though he also depicts much younger characters very well.
The very moving closing story, "A Dance for Emilia", tells of a late-middle-aged actor mourning the death of his childhood friend, a critic, in the company of that friend's young lover, and of his strangely possessed cat. "Two Hearts" is a lovely sequel to The Last Unicorn. "Quarry" is first rate adventure fantasy, with a young man fleeing scary monsters meeting an older man and joining with him, only to face another monster. "Salt Wine", one of my favorites here (though the stories are wonderful throughout - hard to name a favorite) is an absorbing sea story about a sailor and the formula for a special drink he gets from a merman (or merrow), with a sharply pointed moral dimension. "Mr. Sigerson" is a satisfyingly different Sherlock Holmes story, featuring Holmes under the title alias spending time playing violin for a backwoods Central European orchestra - only mysteries to solve find him there as well. "El Regalo" and "Gordon, the Self-Made Cat" are both focused a bit on younger readers - but quite fine for adults - the first about a young Korean-American boy who is a witch, and his long-suffering sister, the second about a mouse who wants to be a cat. We also get "Four Fables", three of them brand new, mostly cynical (though with heart) short pieces about such subjects as a Tyrannosaurus told of the coming asteroid.
What more can I say? There are simply delightful stories - a lovely lovely collection from one of the best contemporary fantasists.
Excellent, excellent, excellent.......2006-09-28
The short and sweet: Get this book. If it helps, know that "Two Hearts" won the Hugo award for Best Novelette. If you loved The Last Unicorn (how could you not?), then you must read "Two Hearts." It's also got the story "Quarry," starring my favorite character from The Inkeeper's Song: the fox.
Warm & Winning.......2006-08-05
Peter Beagle belongs to that vanishing type of writer whose strengths are in strong characterization rather than plot, although their plots are often quite strong. Writers like the late Theodore Sturgeon, Edgar Pangborn, Mary Pangborn & Avram Davidson. Writers like the still living Algis Budrys, Ed Gorman or, on his better days, Stephen King.
He also doesn't write (or at least, publish) nearly enough. Yet here is a collection of short stories, all fairly recent, and many with their first publication herein.
The lead-off tale is a little charmer about a mouse who decides it's a whole lot better to live as a cat than a mouse, so he goes off to cat school, with some humorous and ironic results. Beagle's note to the story mentions that he hopes to turn this into a children's book in the manner of 'Charlotte's Web'. If so, this is a pretty good start.
The next story, 'Two Hearts' is a sequel to Beagle's best known novel 'The Last Unicorn'. I'm always leary when a writer returns to the world of a major work, years after that work's publication. In this case, it's been 38 years but Beagle pulls it off, returning many of the major characters from that novel and developing a new character that will lead into a new novel. Brillant, warm and hearttouching.
Next up are four fables, dealing with moths, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, ostriches and octopi. Funny stuff. In fact, Beagle is so good at this type of writing that one could easily see a complete book of such fables. Listen up, Mr. Beagle!! The world needs more bluejay stories.
Next is 'El Regalo, which deals with two Korean-American kids and their witchy abilities. Another good story that one can easily see expanded into a complete novel.
'Quarry' is a tasty prequel to Beagle's novel 'The Innkeeper's Song', which tells an early tale of one of that novel's major characters.
'Salt Wine' is the best story in the book (and that's saying something, considering that 'Two Hearts' is here too). An old sailor relates the horrific tale of his shipmate who saves a merman and is granted the merman's most cherished secret, the ability to make salt wine. The gift comes with a horrible price, however, that makes itself known in a quiet, understated fashion. This story ought to be in the running for a number of major awards next year. Very disturbing.
'Mr. Sigerson' is a Sherlock Holmes tale, related by a narrator who doesn't appear to like Mr. Holmes at all. There are tons of Sherlock Holmes knockoff stories out there but this is a good one.
The closer is 'A Dance For Emilia', a warm story of a dead man possessing his own cat so that he can leave one last message for the love of his life. Warm, tender and haunting, in the best sense of the word.
You're gonna love this book. Buy one for yourself and one for your best friend. You'll both be happy you did.
Product Description
Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn has sold at least six million copies around the world since it was published in 1968, and tens of millions of viewers have delighted in the animated film version (for which Peter also wrote the screenplay). But none of the fans of this amazing work have ever known the full story of how The Last Unicorn came to be. In 1962, the 23 year-old Beagle was at a career crossroads. His fantasy novel A Fine and Private Place had been released to great critical acclaim in 1960, but his mainstream second book had been flatly rejected by his publisher. What Peter wrote next was an 80-page fragment about a unicorn, the last of her kind, lost in the modern world of superhighways and Kodak cameras, with only a banished demon from Hell for a traveling companion. This first take on the beloved classic -- so much the same, so very different -- is now available to readers for the first time, with an introduction and commentary by the author.
Customer Reviews:
Facinating.......2007-06-12
I've loved The Last Unicorn for years, and love so much of Peter S. Beagle's writing. So it was really facinating to read the first version of his novel.
A few pieces are very much the same as the book I've come to know and love, but the vast majority of this first draft is entirely different. Schmendric and Mommy Fortuna's circus are gone, as is any mention of Haggard and the Red Bull. In their place are different characters, and it's obvious that Beagle was taking the story in an entirely different direction....
If you haven't read the Last Unicorn, you should. Go read that instead of this version. But if you've already read that, and want to see where it started, I highly reccomend this book.
So thankful for the opportunity to see this version........2007-06-08
Have read The Last Unicorn at least 8 times, each time loving it more. Mr. Beagle is in my Top FIVE of favorite authors, so this first rendering of The Last Unicorn is fascinating to see and compare to the finished work. I am treating this book as a precious collectible of a supreme story-teller and incredible mind. Thank you, Mr. Beagle. And thanks to your wife for wanting to know how the story ended!!! We are in her debt!
Book Description
Not since Moby-Dick...No, not since Treasure Island...Actually, not since Jonah and the Whale has there been a sea saga to rival The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, featuring the greatest sea-faring hero of all time, the immortal Pirate Captain, who, although he lives for months at a time at sea, somehow manages to keep his beard silky and in good condition.
Worried that his pirates are growing bored with a life of winking at pretty native ladies and trying to stick enough jellyfish together to make a bouncy castle, the Pirate Captain decides it's high time to spearhead an adventure.
While searching for some major pirate booty, he mistakenly attacks the young Charles Darwin's Beagle and then leads his ragtag crew from the exotic Galapagos Islands to the fog-filled streets of Victorian London. There they encounter grisly murder, vanishing ladies, radioactive elephants, and the Holy Ghost himself. And that's not even the half of it.
Customer Reviews:
Pirates and Science -- a Dangerous Mix.......2007-05-27
Belay your search for a salty tale and batten on to this slender tome! Creationists may want to avoid this book, as Charles Darwin is a central character. The Pirate Captain takes his descriptively named crew on a rousing adventure around the world and back to London, employing clever disguises and foiling the dastardly plans of the Bishop along the way. Black Bellamy confounds the Pirate Captain yet again, but as usual the dashing Pirate Captain has the word. Written in the best homage to Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance", this series continues to delight and titillate the salty senses of the sea-faring soul. Practice reading in an authentic pirate voice, and have some cured ham handy for snacking.
The Pirates!.......2007-03-09
The Pirates! are hilarious in there unexpected adventures! I can't wait for the next one!
Pirates! In an Adventure with Me.......2007-01-15
If you love Monty Python - you'll love the Pirates! series. Get ready to howl with laughter - you won't be disappointed (Though, if this is your first, I'd start with An Adventure with Ahab - still - you'll be entertained either way)
Intellectually humorous.......2006-12-12
This is one of the few books that I finished really fast. It may be because it is a relatively short novel, but it is also because it is never boring and it makes you want to read more. It makes you really hungry for an actual adventure! Well, at least that's how I felt as I was reading. It was easy to understand as it will not require much thinking for other possible meanings of the text, and usually I don't like that (because I like texts that have a lot of metaphors), but here I just have to love the text for providing me with pure entertainment during my free time.
Of course, I have other good reasons for liking The Pirates this much. Not only is it very funny, it is also intellectual. The author provides information on things that readers would probably be interested in, like why our fingers wrinkle every time we stay in the bath too long, and it was really clever of him to do so. The characters of this book have some personality that would make you like them a lot, especially the Pirate Captain. I also like his favorite comrade, the pirate with a scarf. It was also enjoybale to have Charles Darwin, Robert Fitzroy, and the Bishop of Oxford as characters, because in this novel I saw them in another light; the not so serious kind of light... and it was really entertaining because in textbooks all there is to them are their importance to science and religion. At least here, even if it's fiction, you would get to see that maybe after all they had a comedic side.
And of course, it was always easy to picture the scenarios playing in your head. Along with it, you'll smile and laugh for sure!
I would have to praise the author, Mr. Defoe for having a really imaginative mind. I'm sure, if Charles Darwin and Robert Fitzroy were alive now, they would have liked this really nice novel as much as I did.
Super funny stuff........2006-11-23
Surreal and hilarious. I'm a fan of Monty Python and other such UK silliness and this is right up there. Highly recommended!
Amazon.com
In this Locus Award-winning novel, young Tikat enters a shadow world of magic and mystery as he searches for the lover whose death and resurrection he witnessed. It's a wild ride that sets him on the trail of three cloaked women who are on a mission of their own.
"A beautifully written tale of love and loss, set in a world of hard-edged magic." --The New York Times Book Review
" A wonderfully astonishing novel... a
tour de force." --Washington Post Book World
Customer Reviews:
Delightful.......2007-08-01
In terms of length, The Innkeeper's Song is one of the shorter fantasy novels I've read; it's not a series, not a huge book, but for its modest length, it manages to achieve the depth sorely lacking in many works twice its size. To appreciate the book, it's best if you don't go in wanting or expecting a lot of action and adventure. Yes, there is a wizard, a warrior-nun, a sailor slash swordsman, and even something of a 'quest', but at its core, The Innkeeper's Song is not about magic or quests or swords. It's about people. It's about loss and love and things that go unsaid. It's about interpersonal tragedy and people who deal with their own private tragedies in different ways, all interacting with one another in whatever manner life has conditioned them to.
The prologue begins with a boy and girl, Tikat and Lukassa, childhood loves who are soon to be wed. One day, Lukassa falls into the river, and though Tikat tries to save her, she slips from his arms and drowns. As he sits awake mourning for her that night, he hears singing and looks up to see a black woman on a horse who has revived Lukassa with an emerald ring. The two ride off together, and though Tikat calls to Lukassa, she does not answer. He pursues them; the prologue ends by stating that he never sees the village of his birth again.
But Tikat and Lukassa are only two characters in this fantasy drama. The black woman, Lal (Lal Alone, Lal After Dark, Swordcane Lal; what an amazing character), has her own story, her own past which is alluded to but never fully explained. Lal is on her way to search for her wizard friend, whose sendings reveal that he's in great peril. As she and Lukassa travel, they encounter a brown woman, Nyateneri, who has escaped from a convent, and who carries with her a fox (who is not, in fact, always a fox). All of these characters take turns narrating the story in first person, recounted years later to some unknown person or people, and along with them, there's also fat, gruff Karsh, innkeeper at The Gaff and Slasher (where most of the novel takes place) and Rosseth, the stable boy who dreams of adventure. In another writer's hands, such characters could easily be types, but Beagle's superb characterization renders each with a unique voice and a unique story to tell. No one comes close to being a shelf character. Even the most minor character seems to come with nuances, depth, life.
Additionally, I can't review this novel without mentioning Beagle's exceptional descriptive style. The prose is lyrical without being overwhelming (though I did occasionally have to take breaks after reading particularly intense chapters), and there's something about the way Beagle writes descriptions that really makes you feel them all throughout your body. When Lal speaks of how Lukassa's soul cried out with such intensity that it hurt her all over, even in the soles of her feet, I could practically feel it. Much is hinted at but never elaborated upon, which is maddening, but it also leaves me with a great desire to read more stories about these characters and their lives. Greatly recommended.
The Innkeeper's Song.......2007-04-03
Peter Beagle's musical background seeps into most of his fictional works, but none more so than The Innkeeper's Song. Told from the rotating perspectives of the main characters, including a stable boy, an innkeeper and the three travelers who find each other at his inn, of music and magical power, coming of age and love-both physical and spiritual. The innkeeper is prickly, the stable boy curious, shy and fumbling. The three travelers as they are slowly revealed through the narrative are legends in Beagle's richly imagined world, students of a mighty magician who is now close to death. The three travelers unite purposes to save their dying mentor and combat the magician's nemesis who seeks to inherit his power.
The world of the Innkeepers Song went on to inhabit Beagle's imagination to such a degree that he created a collection of short stories (Giant Bones) that live in the same world, and in one case follow the protagonists of the book into their future adventures.
I would also like to gush..........2004-09-29
...about Peter Beagle. He writes simple stories that mean more to you the more you read them. He has a quirky and ironic way of writing that makes him fantasy's answer to Vonnegut. I read this book from a proof copy I found at a used book store, which meant it had quite a few typos and some missing lines, which did not make it any less endearing.
This story plays with the form, much like Vonnegut did in Slaughter-House Five. Instead of coming unstuck in time, Beagle's story comes unstuck in narrator, as each chapter is told from inside a different head than the last. By the end, you know all the characters so well it's hard to let go.
This book was a little hard to find, but the search made it sweeter. It is more mature than the Last Unicorn-- there is a sex scene that's probably too vivid for youngsters-- but if you're old enough to handle it, you will enjoy this book.
A heretical take on Peter S Beagle.......2003-11-30
I kept hearing about Peter S Beagle, so I kept trying his books. I read about half of "The Last Unicorn", and couldn't be bothered to finish it. I read "A Fine and Private Place", and it was OK - well written and unusual, but that's as far as I would go. Then I read "The Folk of the Air" and I thought: what is a writer this good, doing writing a book like that? Is it a famous author, writing a "genre" book under a pseudonym, or what?
And then I read "The Inkeeper's Song" and I fell hopelessly, shamelessly in love with it. Never mind the obligatory supernatural climax, which thankfully does not end the book. Never mind some quibbles about plot mechanics. The book is populated by compellingly vivid characters, who by the end become utterly real people, living in a real world. This is writing of a quality verging on magical, which leaves one with the lasting impression of knowing the book's characters in all their quirky, individual humanity - and caring for them!
So, ignore those who say that "The Inkeeper's Song" is not up to Beagle's best standard. It IS Beagle's best standard! Just don't read it in the "quick - what happens next?" frame of mind. Read it, and get to know Rosseth, Neyteneri, Lal (Swordcane Lal, Saylor Lal, Lal Alone, Lal After Dark) and all the others. It is worth it. Believe me it is worth it! And I don't rave easily.
Something new at last.......2003-05-30
I was waiting for this. A fantasy novel that doesn't involve games of state (I guess I should say kingdom), plots of kings and princes, teenage hero + party of five deliver world from evil doom, or the quest for the magic sword. Instead, you get treated to a very quiet tale about a couple of characters who all converge at an inn. No earth-shattering battles. Rather, the tale deals with questions of loyalty and friendship in a very personal way, never overdoing it, not going for the cheap drama. If the plot is rather simple, the book more than makes up for it with the characters and world-building. Beautiful writing and a fresh taste.
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