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Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses (Bloom's Guides)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 302 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A compelling story that sacrifices some of its insight, in favor of action and adventure 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I really enjoyed this novel, although it's probably more highly praised than it deserves to be. You can tell its serious literature because of the general lack of punctuation and unconventional composition. McCarthy's writing style is likely to be off-putting to some, but there is a lot to like about this novel. While novels that are branded (rightly or wrongly) as works of serious literature generally have something to say, they often don't have a story to tell. This is something that I really appreciate about McCarthy as an author. There are issues and themes that he clearly wants to explore in his fiction, but he builds his novels (at least the one's I've read) on the foundation of a compelling story.

Ultimately, the theme of this novel reminded me a lot of No Country for Old Men. From my perspective, both novels are essentially about how the world (or at least the Country) is changing and how futile it can be for one man to resist it. In All the Pretty Horses, John Grady Cole romanticizes the cowboy era, a way of life that is fading away, like the setting sun. He stubbornly refuses to compromise his world view, speaking plainly and honestly, doing what he feels is right no matter what the cost, and standing up for what he believes in. Needless to say, this kind of integrity comes with a price and Cole, and his companions suffer greatly for these choices.

McCarthy's prose is at times stark, at times gorgeously realized. Descriptions of the harsh land and vivid sunsets are, at times, quite astonishing. But it is the dialogue in this novel that is especially sharp and insightful. McCarthy draws obvious contrasts between the straight-forward words of John Grady Cole and characters who engage him in philosophical discussions, speaking with eloquence and manipulating language. Some of the best dialogue occurs between Cole and the great aunt of the girl he loves. These passages are worth reading again and again.

I do have a few complaints though. One definite shortcoming is the romance in the story. The character of Alejandra is superficial at best and the entire romance feels a little too contrived. My other complaint might sound strange but I found the action in the final pages of the novel, while compelling, actually held the novel back a little. In the end, the action takes over the final pages of the novel and reflection on the larger issues and themes become secondary. While the pages turn quickly as Cole engages in shootouts and a race across the Mexican badlands, the strength of this novel comes in subtler forms; in the dialogue and ruminations about fate and religion. It's as if the novel abruptly switches gears. While on some level I enjoyed the pacing at the end, I was left with a sense that much of the story's potential had been sacrificed.

McCarthy is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. All the Pretty Horses is not a perfect novel, and perhaps not worthy of all the aclaim it has received, but its well worth reading. 4 1/2 stars.

Editorial Review:

Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses, part of Chelsea House Publishers' Bloom's Guides collection, presents concise critical excerpts from All the Pretty Horses to provide a scholarly overview of the work. This comprehensive study guide also features "The Story Behind the Story" which details the conditions under which All the Pretty Horses was written. This title also includes a short biography on Cormac McCarthy and a descriptive list of characters.

Of Mice and Men (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century)

John Steinbeck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1110 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Worst Book I have Ever Read 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I did not like this book at all. I had to read it in eighth grade. It was so difficult to understand the interactions between the characters. Although the story itself was okay, it was nothing special at all and it isn't something I would look forward to reading. The WORST part is the end, it's VERY SAD. It's the WORST ending I have ever read in a book. I was hoping the book would end happy, but, just like the rest of the book, the ending sucks as well. I don't get how these books become famous. Maybe an adult would like it, but definitely not someone who is in middle school or high school. If you are a teenager, read something like realistic fiction that takes place in a school setting or at least in a more modern setting. Something that is interesting to what you do. Or something like a mystery or a fantasy. I don't get how a book this bad (in my opinion) could become SO famous. This is probably because this is a book ADULTS read and it shouldn't be read by kids my age. If you are unfortunate to have to read this book, GOOD LUCK. Hopefully you will like it, but I only recommend this to adults who like difficult classic "literature" style books.

Editorial Review:

Tragic tale of a retarded man and the friend who loves and tries to protect him. With illustrations from the movie starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinise.

Much Ado About Nothing (Oxford School Shakespeare Series)

William Shakespeare

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Total reviews: 290 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This introductory edition of one of the Bard's most popular comedies has been designed specifically for readers new to Shakespeare's rich literary legacy. The play is presented unabridged and in large print, copiously annotated and preceded by a commentary and character summary. A brief scene synopsis clarifies the plot, while incisive essays describe the historical context and Shakespeare's sources. The explanatory notes are written clearly and simply, illustrated, and positioned right next to the text--no more flipping pages back and forth to squint over microscopic footnotes!
Sparkling with witty dialogue, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most enjoyable and theatrically successful comedies. First published in 1600, it is set in Italy and recounts the romantic misadventures of a large cast of characters. Faked deaths, arranged marriages, foiled plots, veiled maidens, shipwrecks, aristocrats, whispered words of love--the usual suspects are all here. But in the end, all is well that ends well.

Madeline

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Bemelmans, Ludwig

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A great children's book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

"In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines." In 1939, Ludwig Bemelmans began writing stories about a group of girls in a school in Paris, foremost among whom was the irrepressible Madeline. Those books are now considered classics in children's literature, having collected many awards.

This is a great children's book, one that my four-year-old likes having read to her over and over again. Indeed, we now have it down to where she finishes the sentences for me. "In two straight lines they..." I start, and she finishes with, "broke their bread." Well, it's a lot of fun. We both love this book and highly recommend it!

Beautiful, memorable book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This beautifully written and illustrated, very engaging story, is a classic of children's literature and a delight in every way. You may begin reading this to a child from the age of 7-8 mos on. One of my favorites as a child (65 yrs ago) and so for both my daughters. I have just given this new addition to my baby granddaughter.

Editorial Review:

"Bemelmans' drawings have put an authentic Paris within the covers of this book. The rhymes in which the tale is told make it one that children will enjoy repeating."--The New York Times. Caldecott Honor Book; ALA Notable Children's Book. Full-color illustrations.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Laura Joffe Numeroff

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 133 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It was good 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It was good because the end was the opposit of the beginning. You have to read the book to see what I mean. I'd tell you, but that would ruin the ending - review by Rick, age 6

Reaganomics for Kids! 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This story revolves around a mouse who demands ever-increasing amounts of consumer items from an ever-increasingly exasperated boy. Cute pictures hide a terrible message of selfishness and class warfare boiling beneath American society. The whole book devolves into a crude political cartoon, where the boy symbolizes an innocent and hard-working tax payer while the mouse typifies a vile depiction of how the wealthy (or at least those who perceive themselves as wealthy) view the poor and needy. While the boy gives more and more to the mouse the mouse in turn asks more and more of the boy. It paints the situation as unjust and the mouse having little reason to ask for these handouts.

Terrible book. Don't read it to your kids.

One of the best. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This in my opinion is up there with Goodnight Moon and The Hungry Caterpillar...my son loves this book. We actually had to buy this a couple times, because the first copy was paperback, bad decision for a toddler, then we bought a used hardback copy on here, and it has held up great!

Song Of Solomon (Cliffs Notes)

Durthy A. Washington

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 218 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A total distortion of the novel 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I can't believe that an artist like Toni Morrison would allow the book to be slashed and altered with this abridgment. The result of this Reader's Digest style alteration is a work that bears no relation to the novel. If you want to misunderstand the novel, use this recording. You'd be better off in Sparknotes than in listening to this. What a waste.

Song of Solomon is... 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 21 people found this review helpful.

... pretty terrible. I had to read this book for a class in high school. It has the appearance of being deep and meaningful, but in reality, Toni Morrison just throws a bunch of symbols together and calls it a book.

Editorial Review:

Song of Solomon explores the quest for cultural identity through an African American folktale about enslaved Africans who escape slavery by fleeing back to Africa. The novel tells the story of Macon "Milkman" Dead, a young man alienated from himself and estranged from his family, his community, and his historical and cultural roots. Author Toni Morrison, long renowned for her detailed imagery, visual language, and "righting" of black history, guides the protagonist along a 30-year journey that enables him to reconnect with his past and realize his self-worth.

William Golding's Lord of the Flies (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1277 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Lost Innocence 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I enjoyed reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding. It was a very well written novel. Although I believe the beginning started really slow and did not grab my attention right a way, but as I kept going the book became more and more interesting. Golding sure knows how to make a huge plot flow and was able to create a huge conflict for the story. The conflict in the end teaches some very valuable life lessons for the reader and the characters.
Golding expressed each character extremely well. Each character was unique. The only characters that were very similar were the twins, but they were like one character rather than two characters. The four main characters Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack all add to the story. Ralph is the elected leader and he believes very much in keeping order and government. Ralph also wishes to be rescued and builds a signal fire. (Which becomes a source of many future disputes) Jack is Ralph's opposite because he just wishes to hunt, have fun, and is tremendously power hungry. Piggy is the kid who everyone picks on, the misfit, but he very logical and applies sense to the tough situation they are in. Simon rarely does anything wrong. He is always there to help Ralph, but is sort of a loner compared to the rest of the schoolboys.
In the beginning, a group of schoolboys are stranded on an uncharted island and are forced to fend for themselves. At first they try to run a form of government. Which is considerably hard when no adults are there to enforce the rules and as result chaos breaks out. When the boys were thrust into this sort of situation it caused them to grow and mature very rapid. None of them will leave the island the same boy they came to the island as. It shows the dark side of reality and forces us to except the truth is that even the most innocent will fall to evil one day. (Simon) As the boys were taken off the island at the end they all left behind one thing, their innocence.
After reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding I say that it was a great book. I highly recommend it and if you are contemplating putting it down DO NOT it only gets better as it goes on!

Editorial Review:

In this adventure story about a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island, William Golding explores the dark side of humanity and the savagery that surfaces when social structure is broken down, and rules, ideals, and values are lost. New critical essays on "Lord of the Flies" are supplemented by a chronology of the author's life, a bibliography, and notes about the essay contributors.

Alex Haley & Malcolm X's the Autobiography of Malcolm X (Bloom's Notes)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 300 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is Excellent 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent book and truly goes into the depth and breadth of who Malcolm X really was/is. The more you read it, the more you understand the greatness and wisdom of this self educated man who traveled the world and sat with kings and queens and royalty and was able to dialog and debate with the best of them. He was truly a blessing to his generation and future generations. I became a totally different person after reading this book. He answered so many questions that I had and made it so clear. I became totally inspired and increased my love of reading and increasing my knowledge base. I have great love and respect for him. He will always be revered as one who truly loved his people, worked tirelessly to wake them up and cared about the fate of mankind. Malcolm was an amazing man and he will always be missed!

Editorial Review:

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the focus of this title in our Bloom's Notes. Along with a collection of some of the best criticism available on his work, this text includes a brief biography of the authors, Malcolm X and Alex Haley, structural and thematic analysis, an index of themes and ideas, and more. This series is edited by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University; Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Professor of English, New York University Graduate School. These texts are the ideal aid for all students of literature, presenting concise, easy-to-understand biographical, critical, and bibliographical information on a specific literary work. Also provided are multiple sources for book reports and term papers with a wealth of information on literary works, authors, and major characters.

Don Delillo's White Noise (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations)

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Total reviews: 274 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Worthless, fiendishly turgid, self indulgent ultra pretentious bollux 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 7 people found this review helpful.

DeLillo has unwittingly contrived the perfect speedy cure for even compulsive obsessive cabin fever. This is complete and utter garbage!!!! Even the seemingly only mildly ironic title of White Noise fails to convey just how juvenile and puerile these 300+ pages will so often be.

Even allowing for the mid 1980's publication date and the obviously now dated technology/consumer references this rubbish is supremely unamusing and frequently witless. The slobbering self appointed literary pillocks who assert that DeLillo 'anticipated' the internet and media age etc are just shameless fawning morons.

Unsurprisingly once again, supercilious lemming like literary - presumably uber liberal - freaks have tribally banded together to bestow rarefied literary honours on a wholly pointless, unredeemed concoction that is way beyond execrable. Happily DeLillo will all too swiftly lose this readers paltry royalty as this demented drivel is being returned forthwith. The cartoonish characters are about as credible as the windbag Biden is on foreign policy. This excruciatingly tedious literary (as if?) experience approximates a painfully extended, cliche spewing Barak Hussein Obama campaign rally with a decided similar lack of perspicacity. Offering absolutely nothing to the beholder but hapless, almost anal vacuity and tortuous dullardish navel gazing, all enmeshed in regular, almost Fred Flintstonesque postmodern hectoring with all the depth of a Hannah Montana puke fest.

The South Parkesque characters are ALL utterly repugnant, and frequently quite cretinous, except for the noble chemical sniffing German Shepherds - who at least have some plot resonance. DeLillo's creations could easily all die horribly on page one without in anyway coming close to ruining this oft magniloquent crap. The almost non-existent cardboard plot has all the sapience and bite of a typical self absorbed (still after all these years) adolescent Jackson Browne song. Proffering the reader nothing in the way of intellectual sustenance whilst puking up a gossamer thin veneer of an academic setting in some generic non-descript mid-western city. The endless repetition and seemingly unremitting tracts of tumid prose throughout the book compels even the most patient, increasingly concerned for DeLillo reader to begin feverishly skimming. I frequently found myself hoping both the Elvis obsessed professor and the supposedly nationally acclaimed Hitler professor's chubby wife would be mercilessly water boarded at Niagara Falls (geddit DeLillo???).

The absurd, sorry excuse of an ending is weaker and even more poorly written than the worstest (smirk) yet perpetrated by my fellow Brit Nick Hornby who at least has the irrefutable excuse of being an Arse-nal fan. Both the Sopranos and Anne of Green Gables will teach DeLillo much about plotting, characterisation, pacing, and scene setting etc, but then so would even Micky and Donald.

The author's ultra trite unimaginative obsession about death and dying and its insipid, clichéd treatment is more than quite irritating after the first five (hundred) instances. There really is NOTHING WHATEVER to recommend this worse than wretched novel. Other than as a superb real life case study in how to cynically inveigle your way into back slapping post modern literary freak heaven. Penguin should be deeply, deeply ashamed of suggesting this is one of the "great" books of the 20th Century. ZERO STARS!!

Editorial Review:

Winner of the National Book Award, White Noise was immediately hailed as Don DeLillo's "breakout novel" when it first appeared in 1985. The novel entertains a wide array of compelling topics and concerns with consummate agility. Study this spot-on satire of post-war America.

The title, Don DeLillo’s White Noise, part of Chelsea House Publishers’ Modern Critical Interpretations series, presents the most important 20th-century criticism on Don DeLillo’s White Noise through extracts of critical essays by well-known literary critics. This collection of criticism also features a short biography on Don DeLillo, a chronology of the author’s life, and an introductory essay written by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University.

Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations)

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Total reviews: 687 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Old Man and The Sea Review 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ernest Hemingway, the author of The Old Man and the Sea, is a novelist, short-story writer who liked to depict people whose courage and honesty are set against the atrocious ways of society and in the midst of the confrontation, would lose all optimism and faith. A classical novella, The Old Man and the Sea, displays emotional sentiment virtually throughout the story. This is a heroic story that is perfectly written and that is filled with perseverance, pride and friendship. This novella mostly takes action at the sea.

Santiago, the old Cuban man, goes for eighty-four days without catching a fish. His buddy, Manolin, strongly believes in the old man that he can catch a fish. Manolin has been deprived of going with the old man who has worst luck. The two of them like to talk about baseball in their conversation. Santiago's favorite baseball player is the great DiMaggio.

On the eighty-fifth day, Santiago goes sailing far beyond the island's shallow coastal waters and ventures into the Gulf Stream. Like always, whenever he throws the line that has the bait fixed to it, a fish would eat whatever is attached to that line and rapidly move away. The following is a battle which tests the old man's skill to suffer to the limit. It was as if perseverance was in the man's blood. At noon, this particular marlin catches on the line and actually moves the skiff along. The strange man points out that the fish was two feet longer than the skiff. During some time, when the line was steady hard, Santiago's left hand got cramped. He disgustingly looks at his hand and asks it how it is doing after eating fish that he caught earlier.

While weariness hit him, he remembers the time when he and an African American went one day and one night arm wrestling. By remembering this event, he gave himself confidence. At daylight, the old man defeated the African American and became known as "The Champion." This memory effectively shows that the old man has sustained before and can still endure the encounter with the enormous fish.

During the whole story, the old man wishes that the boy was with him to see this magnificent fish. He has only three things that are his brothers, his two hands and the fish. He greatly admires this marlin but at the end, he pities the great fish that he had hooked. On the third day of the struggle, the fish circles around the boat which means exhaustion. This was the time for the old man to strike into the fish.

Hemingway effectively shows his objective by describing an old man against society (the fish and the sea). Frankly, this simple book is mostly about fishing, friendship, and endurance. I strongly encourage anyone who enjoys to fish to read this novella. Its suspenseful climax really lures the reader to finish the book. I liked this book because of the structure on how it is written and its simplistic wording.

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Editorial Review:

The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.