General Books

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story

Diane Ackerman

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Total reviews: 86 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

the New York Times bestseller: a true story in which the keepers of the Warsaw zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands.

When Germany invaded poland, stuka bombers devastated warsaw—and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen "guests" hid inside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants—otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes.

with her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. She shows us how Antonina refused to give in to the penetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her. 8 pages of illustrations.

Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon

Melissa Anelli

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

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The Harry Potter Books Were Just The Beginning of the Story...

During the brief span of just one decade, hundreds of millions of perfectly ordinary people made history: they became the only ones who would remember what it was like when the Harry Potter saga was still unfinished. What it was like to seek out friends, families, online forums, fan fiction, and podcasts to get a fix between novels. When the potential death of a character was a hotter bet than the World Series. When the unfolding story of a boy wizard changed the way books are read for all time.

And as webmistress of the Leaky Cauldron, one of the most popular Harry Potter sites on the Internet, Melissa Anelli had a front row seat to it all. Whether it was helping Scholastic stop leaks and track down counterfeiters, hosting live PotterCasts at bookstores across the country, touring with the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters, or traveling to Edinburgh to interview J. K. Rowling personally, Melissa was at the center of the Harry Potter tornado, and nothing about her life would ever be the same.

The Harry Potter books are a triumph of the imagination that did far more than break sales records for all time. They restored the world's sense of wonder and took on a magical life of their own. Now the series has ended, but the story is not over. With remembrances from J. K. Rowling's editors, agents, publicists, fans, and Rowling herself, Melissa Anelli takes us on a personal journey through every aspect of the Harry Potter phenomenon -- from his very first spell to his lasting impact on the way we live and dream.

The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World (Vintage)

Lewis Hyde

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Bad-boy critic deploys magic charm against vampire economy 4 out of 5 stars.
42 of 48 people found this review helpful.

This book has been published under various subtitles since it first appeared in 1983: "Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property", "How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World" and "Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World". None of these quite captures what it really is, and that's probably because the book doesn't know what it really is, either. Lewis Hyde takes obvious delight in his work's ability to defy categorization or the pithy summary. Unique books have that quality. So do many that are poorly written. It took me a while to figure out which kind this is.

Hyde's central theorem - that true art does, and must of its nature, stand outside the market economy, and this therefore presents a serious problem for the artist forced to live in a world increasingly subsumed by the market economy - could have achieved its full elaboration in the space of a single chapter. In the first half of the book we get that, but we also get quite a lot of wide-ranging argument about economics and the traditional tribal life of gift exchange. Not all of this is relevant, but it's all admittedly fascinating. Less fascinating are Hyde's attempts to locate contemporary examples. For example, he argues rather unconvincingly that the scientific community is "a gift community to the extent that its ideas move as gifts". Fair enough, but the extent to which they do in fact move as gifts is negligible. Scientists are among the most egotistical, petty and jealously self-serving academics ever born. Science isn't about sharing ideas, or not only that. It's about promoting "my ideas" and having "my name" forever associated with them. It's about personal prestige and glory. Ask any scientist how he or she would feel about all work being published in journals anonymously, and used thereafter without attribution.

The second half of the book is given over to two long essays on poets, and here Hyde - a poet himself - is clearly on stronger ground. One is a very engaging treatment of Walt Whitman which traces elements of "the gift" idea through his poetry and sad personal life, though for some inexplicable reason Hyde doesn't quite want to state clearly what he constantly implies: that Whitman's charitable works had a good deal more sublimated homosexuality in them than they did Christian love for his fellow man. The other is an interesting analysis of Ezra Pound which traces the arc of his genius and generosity, and yet doesn't hold back from depicting him as a frustrated bigot and fascist lunatic who only recanted his vile "suburban prejudice" (anti-Semitism) at the very end.

The conclusion and afterword link elements of the gift argument to the support for the arts in postwar America and its relationship to the Cold War.

Margaret Atwood overstated the case when she apparently called this book "a masterpiece". It's very good, but it isn't that. It's overlong, weirdly structured, and in places poorly argued. Hyde often makes huge leaps in order to connect the "evidence" with his argument, or asks us to assume an assertion is true and then builds a case on the assertion without ever coming back to prove it. Disappointingly, there is very little synthesis here, nothing that binds all of these ideas into a consistent argument - and very little in the way of recommendations about how art might flourish in a market economy. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. I came away from this book uplifted and refreshed, with a whole new way of looking at Whitman and Pound, and a new way of looking at art's place in the world. There really is no place for art in the market economy, and that's probably why art will outlive it. There is something primal and fundamentally human in art and "the gift" economy on which it relies. Both are necessary functions of human life.

Editorial Review:

By now a modern classic, The Gift is a brilliantly orchestrated defense of the value of creativity and of its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities. Widely available again after twenty-five years, this book is even more necessary today than when it first appeared. An illuminating and transformative book, and completely original in its view of the world, The Gift is cherished by artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. It is in itself a gift to all who discover the classic wisdom found in its pages.

John Adams (Barnes and Noble Reader's Companion) (Barnes & Noble Reader's Companion)

David McCullough

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Total reviews: 779 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Magnificent biography 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

David McCullough paints a remarkable story of one of the greatest heroes in American history, John Adams.

This underrated founding father and president finally gets his due as a devoted husband,father, and patriot, a man who did not seek great fame or honor, but had it thrust upon him. Adams emerges as a strong intellect, sharp debater, and clever diplomat,ready to engage in dangerous missions to save his country. A man does not need to be a soldier to fight for one's country.

The tome is always accessible and readable, even for a casual reader. Don't let the size intimidate you.

Editorial Review:

In 2001, David McCullough's Pulitzer prizewinning and bestselling biography John Adams rediscovered our second president and revealed fascinating aspects of his life that few had known before. Here is additional background and historical context that can help you better understand McCullough's brilliantly written and illuminating portrait:

• Why do some consider Adams to be the first "real" U.S. president?
• How might Adams fare if he were a candidate today?
• What are Adams's greatest political legacies?

The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger

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Total reviews: 2785 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Thankfully, not all teens are like this one 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

To the book's credit, it did keep my attention, and parts of it were pretty funny. This isn't a poorly written book by any stretch of the imagination. My problem stems from the fact that you have to deal with the spoiled complaining of a teen who probably didn't get beat up enough in school. I understand the awkwardness of being a teen, but a couple hundred pages of listening to a jerk complain about "phonies" was more than enough for me.

Make a little time for a classic 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

So I've been on a "classic book" kick, deciding that with all of the reading I do, I should try to work in more well-known literary novels. The ones I should have been reading in HS or college. Catcher in the Rye was on my list this month.

Interesting book...although not my favorite of all the "classics" I've read, it definitely left an impression. Amazing descriptives and it really puts you in the mindset of Holden Caulfield. And you might be shocked at what you feel/think about. It's easy to slip into this character and get lost in how he is feeling and who he is and what he's dealing with. A close look at a hard life. For those merits alone it's worthy of a Pulitzer in my opinion. (Although it notoriously did not win one.)

It's an easy read, nothing to be intimidated by, and it's short at only 250 pages. What do you have to lose? I'd recommend it.

Editorial Review:

Ever since it was first published in 1951, this novel has been the coming-of-age story against which all others are judged. Read and cherished by generations, the story of Holden Caulfield is truly one of America's literary treasures.

Fahrenheit 451 (Cliffs Notes)

Kristi Hiner

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Total reviews: 1270 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into key elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the familiar format.

CliffsNotes on Fahrenheit 451 explores a twenty-fourth century world in which books are considered evil because they inspire people to think and to question.

Following the story of a 30-year-old fireman who’s spent the last decade destroying books for a living, this study guide features a graphical map to show how the novel’s characters relate to one another. In addition, CliffsNotes provides character analyses that take you deeper into the minds and mechanical workings of Ray Bradbury’s famous social criticism.  Other features that help you figure out this important work include

• Personal background on the author
• Synopsis of the book and a look at major themes
• Summaries and commentaries on each part of the book
• Review section that features multiple-choice questions, quoted passages, and suggested essay topics and practice projects
• Resource Center with books, articles, and Web sites that can help round out your knowledge

Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby (The Cambridge Edition of the Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald)

F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Total reviews: 1123 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Since its publication in 1925, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's account of the American dream gone awry, has established itself as one of the most popular and widely read novels in the English language. Until now, however, no edition has printed the novel exactly as Fitzgerald intended. The first edition was marred by errors resulting from Fitzgerald's extensive rewriting in proof and the conditions under which the book was produced; moreover, the subsequent transmission of the text introduced proliferating departures from the author's words. This critical edition draws on the manuscript and surviving proofs of the novel, together with Fitzgerald's subsequent revisions to key passages, to provide the first authoritative text of The Great Gatsby. This volume also includes a detailed account of the genesis, composition, and publication of the novel; a full textual apparatus; crucial early draft material; helpful glosses on the peculiar geography and chronology of the book; and explanatory notes on topical allusions and historical references that contemporary readers might otherwise miss. Fitzgerald's masterpiece is thus brought closer to a cross-section of readers, more accessibly and more authentically than ever before. Matthew J. Bruccoli has published widely. He is the author of Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald (1980) and editor of New Essays on The Great Gatsby (CUP, 1985).

The Red Tent (Barnes and Noble Reader's Companion) (Barnes & Noble Reader's Companion)

Anita Diamant

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Total reviews: 1437 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Pagan women in an early Jewish world 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Anita Diamant, The Red Tent
This book tells a fictionalized story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. It's a story of the women of ancient Hebrew society, with emphasis on the wives of Jacob. Though Dinah makes only a cameo appearance in the Hebrew bible, Diamant manages to milk quite a novel out of very little raw material.

As a guy, I am definitely not in the target audience for this book, which is undoubtedly marketed as "chick lit." (The Amazon reviewers, I note, are overwhelmingly women.) So let me speak to the guys out there: this is a really good book. Diamant focuses on the sisterhood of the red tent, where women retreat during menses and childbirth, but she manages to give us a convincing reconstruction of the ancient Hebrew world. The characters are real, and the setting feels right.

The most striking aspect of this book has less to do with the book than with the author. Diamant is a convert to Judaism who has written several books on the practices of contemporary Judaism. However, this book is remarkably pagan. She emphasizes the pagan practices of the women, which she juxtaposes to the Jewish (or Yahwist) practices of the men. This feminist narrative sides with the women, of course, which means that the author's voice sympathizes with the pagans. Seeing this perspective into the world of early Judaism makes this book distinctive.

Editorial Review:

Anita Diamant's bestseller The Red Tent boldly reimagines the biblical story of Dinah, a woman who makes only a brief, tragic appearance in the book of Genesis. Diamant's controversial novel has fascinated countless readers and enraged others, who believe it takes too many liberties with Hebrew scripture. Learn more, and see what you think about this:

• How much of The Red Tent is really based on known biblical history?
• Why did Diamant make the changes she made to the original biblical story?
• Why is the story of Dinah so different when told from a woman's perspective?

Adventure of Huckleberry Finn (A+ Audio)

Mark Twain

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Total reviews: 511 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Huck Finn 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is required reading for my 16 yr old son....the
book arrived quickly & in great shape! Saved me driving all
over town to compete w/ other parents also looking!! Thanks!

Huckleberry Finn 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Huckleberry Finn is a classic. Simple as that. It provides a look into what life was probably like for a 19th century boy. It was different than the life of children today, because today life centers around education. Back then, it was a regular thing to play hooky, even though they got in trouble for it when they were caught. And when they were punished, usually it was with a beating instead of `You're Grounded!'.

The book shows us how badly slaves were treated. They weren't even considered humans! It was like they didn't have feelings, and didn't see things the same way white people did. They way the slaves actually did think was odd. It was sad to see that they could slap a slave for no reason, and the slave would accept it either because they were used to it or they thought that whites were better than them.

Huck Finn is rather unrealistic in the aspect of adventure. I'm guessing most boys back then didn't run off with an escaped slave to Cairo. The way that Mark Twain wrote the book was different than other first/second person books I've seen. The dialogue was very much like the 19th century southern Mississippi talk. Sometimes it got hard to decipher what a paragraph in slave-speak meant because it was so obscure.

All in all, Mark Twain's writing style is different than the traditional Southern book, but that doesn't detract at all from the story. I liked it!

Editorial Review:

An abridged audio version of Twain's classic novel of life on the Mississippi and of Huck Finn's attempt to help an escaped slave is accompanied by a guidebook containing a glossary, character list, scene-by-scene synopsis, and study references. Narrated by John O'Connell.

The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume II: Pride and Prejudice (Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen)

Jane Austen

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Total reviews: 904 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Worth paying for on the Kindle 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Kindle owners hopefully are aware of the wealth of free editions of the classics which are available through Feedbooks and other sources.

I obtained a copy of P&P from feedbooks originally and while it was easy to get and the price was right, the overall quality of the text is not great. I've found several typos, presumably the result of OCR errors and it's somewhat distracting.

Since P&P is one of my wife's favorite books, I was delighted to see
Penguin had released an electronic edition for $0.50 complete with the usual footnotes, essays and maps that one's used to
finding in textbook editions of the classics.

The table of contents is pretty minimal. The headings include the editor's material, and the three volume headings.

Editorial Review:

This is the first of the novels published in 'The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen' series, illustrated with early nineteenth-century plates. From its famous opening sentence, the story of the Bennet family and of the novel's two protagonists, Elizabeth and Darcy, told with a wit that its author feared might prove 'rather too light and bright, and sparkling, ' delights its most familiar readers as thoroughly as it does those who encounter it for the first time. And while she entertains us, Jane Austen teaches us the wisdom of balance, the folly of 'pride' and 'prejudice.'