This book literally changed my life.

In the eleventh grade in Greenville, South Carolina, i had an English teacher who designated Thursday as "Free Reading Day" and encouraged the entire class to read anything they wanted to (well, within limits -- "Playboy" would have been Right Out, i'm sure.) -- and, in case you had nothing of your own, she laid out an assortment of magazines and books on a table at the front of the room.

On that table, one Thursday, was a copy of "The Cruel Sea". Since i've always been at least a bit interested in sea stories, and it looked interesting, i picked it up. From the first i was hooked solidly.

In the next three or so years, i reread it twice at least, possibly more than that.

And then i joined the Navy -- and i am sure that it was because of what i read in this book, and what i sensed behind it, in what Monsarrat -- who, like his viewpoint character, Lockhart, was there from the beginning, working his way up to command his own ship before the end of the war -- didn't so much say as assume about the sea and the Navy -- *any* Navy.

Monsarrat presents us here with a brotherhood of the sea, corny as that idea may sound. Sailors, more than the other Armed Forces, tend to regard other sailors -- even enemy sailors -- as brothers in arms, and, as Monsarrat says, the only true enemy is the cruel sea itself.

As he shows us here, the sailor who was your enemy five minutes ago, who was trying to kill you as you tried to kill him, is merely another survivor to be rescued from the cruel sea once you've sunk his ship.

And, even more so, as Monsarrat portrays it, there is a kind of brotherhood that binds sailors in the same Navy together in very mcuh a family manner -- you may not like your cousin, but you want to know what's happening to him and, when all is said and done, he IS your relative.

The best summation of this sort of attitude (which i felt to some extent myself during my time in the US Navy) comes when Ericson, the Captain, is touring his new ship as she stands under construction in a Glasgow shipyard; he meets one of his future officers, and mentions the name of his previous ship, which was lost with over three-quarters of her crew, and realises that

"He's heard about 'Compass Rose', he probably remembers the exact details--that she went down in seven minutes, that we lost eighty men out of ninety-one. He knows all about it, like everyone else in the Navy, whether they're in destroyers in the Mediterranean or attached to the base at Scapa Flow: it's part of the linked feeling, part of the fact of family bereavement. Thousands of sailors felt personally sad when they read about her loss; Johnson was one of them, though he'd never been within a thousand miles of 'Compass Rose' and had never heard her name before."

To be part of a band of brothers like that is a proud thing, and Monsarrat captures it perfectly.

He also captures the terrified boredom of being in enemy territory with nothing happening as you wait for the enemy to make the first move, and the shock, confusion and horror of combat (particularly sea combat, in which the battlefield itself is the deadly, patient enemy of both sides).

And he captures the glories and rewards of life at sea, the beauty of a glorious clear dawn at sea, the stars and the moon and the wake at night and so much more.

This is the book that made a sailor out of me.

It will tell you what it is to be a sailor.

Although written for the Royal Navy corvette duty of World War II it brings the adventure of the sea to life for anyone. As a U.S. Navy veteran, I found this book to be outstanding in its reality of the sea, the ships, the men, and the tensions of war. The Cruel Sea is difficult, if not impossible, to put down. I'm ready for other books by Nicholas Monsarrat, he is a powerful and enlightened writer.

The Cruel Sea is perhaps the finest novel written out of World War II. It is drawn on the actual service in the Royal Navy of the author. It is the story of two ships, maybe 200 men, German submarines and the constant relentless ocean. Even when there is no combat action, the sea is always there in all its forms - just waiting for a small defect to occurr and then it will claim another victim - be it man or ship.

The sailors of the Compass Rose are a dramatic cross section. The captain is a reservist from the merchant navy while his officers are all volunteers from the civilian sector. One officer's only sea going experience is crossing the channel in a small yacht with a one woman crew. Not the best of material.

The crew is even more diverse. The senior ratings, coxswain, signalman, engineer and several others, are all professional Royal Navy and it is one these men the captain will lean the most. The remainder of the crew is drawn from all walks of life from clerks to vet assistants. Together they are all molded into a working crew.

The contacts with the German submarines are numerous but the end result is disappointing to some in that only two submarines are sunk between the two ships. Lots of survivors are pulled from the sea though as the submarines whittle away at the convoys chugging across the sea.

One gets a sense of the unending grind that the men endure as the ships make thier rounds from Liverpool to New York with a side trip to Russia for variety. Even shore time is not enjoyed as the local Liverpool area is pounded by German bombers and wives and girlfriends are not willing to endure the constant seperation.

Compass Rose is sunk and the crew, once more, is held together by the captain. Some men are heros and die a heros death and others are simply freightened men trying to stay alive which few do. It is a sobering time for the survivors as they look back at their life in Compass Rose.

The captain and one officer move on to another ship and finish the war in her. Again, it is a return to the grind of fighting the sea and occassionally fighting the Germans. One submarine is sunk by the new ship and the war ends.

There is little glory to be earned in this story, rather it is a tale of survival, hanging on to make it through the day or night. Everyone is a hero in this story from the junior sailor to the captain. It is a story that is being remembered less and less as the survivors of World War II diminish in numbers. It is a story to be read and remembered - when there was no array of electronic weapons and nuclear energy to draw upon to destroy an enemy; rather it was skill, patience, persistance and a willingness to endure that saw a successful outcome from a combat between corvette and submarine. Sometimes the corvette won and sometimes the submarine won. Many times it was a draw.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the war at sea during World War II. It should be in every naval officer's personal library regardless of nationality. Once read, it should never be forgotten.

Immigration. What do we really know about immigrants as people - especially the obstacles they face and the hazards they must endure to reach the United States? No one wants to examine this terrible situation, and the press tries to ignore it. John Annerino is a brave photojournalist who wants to open the eyes of this country and the eyes of Mexico. In Annerino's book, DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS: Crossing America's Desert Borderlands, he writes of crossing the Arizona desert along the historic route called the Camino del Diablo, (Road of the Devil), during the summer. Annerino accompanied 4 Mexican farm workers on a grueling struggle across the desert to get into this country. Annerino risked his own life to experience the killing heat migrants endure to cross the desert, and at one point writes of his and his companion's slim chances of surviving their journey, "We would all die like dogs in a killing ground that has claimed hundreds - perhaps thousands of their countrymen." Annerino not only witnesses and endures the hazards and rigors of his companions, but he also photographed many of the people who died in the middle of the desert. He writes graphically of one dead man: "His mouth was still open from the horror, because no one heard him gasping or saw him dying at the finish line to America's Killing Ground." How long will we permit this tragic situation to continue? One brave man cared enough for people to risk his own life to open our eyes with his camera and pen - John Annerino. And you need to read his book, DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS, to understand the human toll and suffering on our borders, and the lives that are lost among those who flee the poverty of Mexico lured by the same American Dream that brought me here. Why? To quote Annerino, "Because they're out there dying right now."

August 11. I sat down this evening to read DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS, and just finished it. All in one sitting. I really couldn't put it down. I think it's a tremendously important book. It should be required reading for those planning to cross the border, and track and control the border through immigration policies. The author did a huge amount of research, and legwork. I commend Annerino's efforts and results. His photographs, along with the maps, work well together to give the reader a first hand encounter with the land and people who cross it. I like the pacing of the chapters, the inclusion of both the men who cross the border and the Border Patrol agents, and Annerino's very thoughtful reflections on the value of Mexicans killed in the killing fields in search of a paycheck to send home to their families. It makes me feel real bad. It is hard to read at times only because it's so sad. Boy, am I glad I wasn't the photographer on those trips! Thank you for the remarkable book.

A story like this demands a great deal from an author. Although Annerino has obviously spent many hours researching the borderlands of the Southwest, the key to this monumental work is the extent to which he is willing to live the story he writes. He has taken immense risks, walking side by side through the desert with Mexican immigrants, and coming face to face with the coyotes and narcotraficantes and Border Patrol agents and ranchers of this volatile area. With Annerino's books, you always learn tons of local history, but never at the expense of that vivid sensation of dust and sweat and heat and imminent danger that keep it an interesting read. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to learn more about the little-known wilderness along the Mexican border and the human cost it extracts due to current immigration policies.

This is a lovely story. Both the writing and the illustrations are superior. This is one of those books that is definitely worth owning, and in a hardcover version, not a paperback that will wear and tear. Parents: it is a keeper, one that you will save for years and to read to your future grandchildren.

The story is of a boy's journey on a mysterious train, the Polar Express, that takes children (adorned in their pajamas) to the North Pole to Santa's village. I won't spoil the story by telling any more...

There are loads of Christmas themed children's books out there for this age range. Many are mediocre or just plain garbage. This book is in the superior category and a "must own".

Knowing nothing about this story, both my son and I were drawn to it because of his love of trains. If you don't know the story, just be aware it introduces the idea that not all people believe in Santa Claus. This was the first time my (then) three-year-old learned that not everyone believes, whether they are adults or children. It also explains that as some people grow older they change from a believer to a non-believer. Just know that before reading the story to your child. For us it introduced the idea of non-believing. Another family I know read the book after an older child told this young child there is no Santa Claus, and the book helped deal with the issue of when some believe and some don't believe.

The gift pack we purchased had the audio version on CD. Narrator-actor William Hurt's voice is wonderful, slow and flowing...just right to evoke the mood of the story! There is also a CD-ROM for the computer (sold separately), which is a read-aloud story with images that my children watch a handful of times per Christmas season.

The gift pack also comes with a Christmas tree ornament. My children are thrilled to have a Polar Express related ornament to adorn our Christmas tree because they love trains and they love this story.

This book is one of the most magical children's books I have ever come across! As soon as you open the front cover, you enter an exquisite world that has an almost dream-like quality to it. It is told in the first person point of view of an adult recounting his most memorable Christmas experience. And what an experience! The boy in the story is awakened one Christmas Eve by a train whistle and discovers the Polar Express waiting to take him to the North Pole to see Santa. Once there, the boy is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas. The boy has a touchingly simple request --to have one of the bells from the harness of Santa's reindeer. It is given to him, and he is filled with joy! Yet, on the way home, the boy discovers that there is a hole in the pocket of his bathrobe, and he has lost the treasured bell.He is heart broken. The next morning he finds the bell in a box under the tree, and he rejoices in the new-found bell and its marvelous sound! The catch? Only those who truly believe in the magic of Santa can hear the sound of the bell.
I read this story every year to my children, and every year there is absolute silence as they listen, entranced, to this deceptively simple story. Afterward, they always beg to hear it again and again! They are fascinated by the beautiful illustrations and the language of this very moving story. I have a CD with my version and Liam Neeson does a beautiful job of reading the book, along with superb background sounds and effects that will make you feel as if you had taken the journey yourself. You will not for a minute regret buying this book--I guarantee it will become a treasured favorite with your children!As an adult it will fill you with a wistful yearning to go back to your childhood and experience once again the magic of being a child.

The Polar Express is a train that picks up children on Christmas Even and takes them the North Pole, where they can hopefully receive the first Christmas present from Santa Claus. The boy we follow wants a bell from Santa's sleigh and gets it, but loses it through the hole in his pocket. The next morning, the bell is under his tree with a note from "Mr. C." He and his sister can hear it ring, but not his parents because they do not truly believe. The pastel drawings are beautiful and very realistic. They have just the right balance of hard lines and detail with softness and subtlety.

I remember receiving this book as a gift from my father when it was new. I was just a small child and I remember how much I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and longing to receive that special gift just like the boy in the story. Unfortunately so many years have passed that I don't think I could hear the bell either - except when I read this book. It is truly a special gift in itself.

Why 5 stars?:
The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. Clearly, one can see why this book won a Caldecott Award. The magic of Santa Claus is brought back to everyone who reads this book. A wonderful story to read to children at Christmastime - or any time of year.

This was the most fascinating book that I've read in ... well, I don't know how long! THE BONDWOMAN'S NARRATIVE is a fictionalized yet seemingly autobiographical slave narrative written by Hannah Crafts somewhere between 1856-1860. Hannah delves into the the mind and heart of a slave by telling the story of a young woman's personal experiences.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who chairs the Department of African American Studies at Harvard University, came across this hand-written manuscript at an auction for African American artifacts. He then embarked upon an amazing research project which explored the author's identity. From scientific analysis of the manuscript (handwriting, ink, paper quality, etc) to actual genealogical research (census reports, etc.), Professor Gates attempts to prove that Hannah Crafts was indeed the first African-American woman to write such a narrative. ...This is part of the book is intriguing although I do have one word of advice here - READ THE NARRATIVE FIRST! If you read the Introduction first, you will know much of the story before actually reading it (in his discussion, he gives away the ending!). By reading the narrative first, I found that I was able to reach some of my own conclusions before reading those of Professor Gates and I better understood the informative analysis!

I usually don't read books more than once but I would read this one again!

This book is worth buying to read about Gates' research efforts alone! You will be moved along the rollercoaster ride of snowballing excitement as Gates moves from first reading about the handwritten narrative in an auction catalog to authenticating the narrative to publshing the it as this book. Gates devotes the sixty page-plus introduction to his research and the appendices include the narrative's authentication report, the catalog of Hannah's owner's library(containing books from which Hannah borrowed plot elements), and testimony from another female slave that escaped Hannah's owner as well (Hannah mentions her in the narrative).

While some might feel the novel may seem un-original because of Hannah's "borrowing" from literature of her time, I found the book a pleasure to read. Historian/bibliographer Dorothy Porter Wesley (the narrative came from her library) concluded early on that the narrative was by a black woman because the black characters were treated as people first of all AND that some time would pass in the story before it was evident that a character was black at all. Long used to novels (from Uncle Tom's Cabin to Gone with the Wind) where authors, usually white, took immense pains to point out the literal blackness and lowliness of negroes, Hannah's assumed humanity and ordinariness of her black characters is refreshingly different.

Though some punctuation has been added to aid reading (major changes are bracketed to let you know where), Gates left in Hannah's mispellings, strikeouts and other revisions to keep the narrative as close to the handwritten manuscript as possbile. Overall, this book's an engrossing read from start to finish and I'm now looking for some of Gates' other literary finds to read.

I couldn't have been more moved or impressed with a work of literature than I was with "The Bondwoman's Narrative" by Hannah Crafts and Henry Louis Gates Jr (Editor). Sadly, this is a part of history and literature that I am not that familiar with so I was eager to read this and expand my horizons and knowledge base. WOW! I was taken back in time to a world that I can hardly imagine. As a 27 year old white woman living in 2002 I can't even begin to truly understand what it meant to be a black slave in the South. It is a completely different world and existence that I will never comprehend. The mere fact that she was a self-educated woman who survived to reach freedom should be enough to make this a wonderful work but, it's so much more. It's the human condition and spirit that takes the reader on an adventure with Ms. Crafts. I was charmed.

I found the Introduction by Mr. Gates particularly informative and was entranced by his ease and clear explanations. It is truly amazing how he found this unknown jewel. I am so glad that he did, because it provided me with knowledge that I desperately needed. Thank you!

Donald Lynch and Ken Marschall are considered two of the world's foremost experts on Titanic history. While Lynch is more the historian, Marschall's talents also lie in his magnificent maritime artwork. These men are so good and know their subject so well, that director James Cameron used both as consultants on his movie "Titanic," even to calling them in the middle of the night! Lynch even made a cameo in the film (the first class dad watching his son spinning a top). Both say to this day that they still refer to the movie set as "Titanic" and not "the set" because the details were so exact it was like being on board her in reality. I have met both Lynch and Marschall twice at Titanic Historical Society conventions, and they definitely know their subject as is revealed in this book. (Thanks to Lynch, I became interested in the black family who travelled second class. Now THERE'S a fact Cameron regretted he didn't get to use because he knew critics unfamiliar with Titanic history would have ignorantly screamed "That never happened.")

We not only find details of the White Star Line and the famous ship's history -- from her design as one of the three "Olympic" sisters (Olympic, Titanic, Britannic), but the few photographs taken on-board; charts; deck plans; and numerous anecdotes. But often, it is Marschall's recreations in his wonderful artwork that will take your breath away, especially when read alongside Lynch's narrative. To see paintings of her slowly sinking into the Atlantic; the details of her stern high in the air and the sight of tiny figures throwing themselves into the icy water; even his art based on Dr. Robert Ballard's photographs of the wreck site...you would have to be heartless to not be affected by these. To also read the words of many of those few hundred who survived is particularly touching, especially as they watched Titanic go down, most with loved ones still on-board. This is a wonderful book for anyone who -- like me -- fell in love with her at some point in their lives, whether as a child or thanks to Cameron's movie. This book -- along with Marschall's own "Art of Titanic" (which includes work he even did as a young boy) -- will make great additions to your collection of the real life of the true "ship of dreams" and all who were touched by her.

If you buy only one book about the Titanic, this should be the one! I bought it over a year ago primarily as a visual supplement to "A Night to Remember," because of the great Ken Marschall paintings and the many pages of photos of Titanic and related artifacts. However, I became enthralled by the superb book-length text by historian Don Lynch, which is well worth the price all by itself. Walter Lord's book focused primarily on the night of the sinking, but this book tells the whole story of Titanic, from her conception and construction to the post-disaster inquiries and recovery efforts and the discovery of the wreckage, in addition to an engrossing minute-by-minute and lifeboat-by-lifeboat account of the sinking itself. By James Cameron's own account, this is the book that inspired The Movie. Buy the hardcover if you can, since you'll want to look at it over and over again.

If you are looking for a beautifully illustrated, wonderfully arranged and truly awesome book, this is it. Ken Marschall is the gratist Titanic artist ever! His paintings, mixed together with real photos, seem to bring you back to the Titanic. the way Don Lynch gose in depth explaning her maden voyege, you won't need any other Titanic books, Titanic an Illustrated History has it all.

The book starts slow. It builds background knowledge and "flavor", but it may be hard for a pre-teen child to continue to read independently. That's why I think this book would be a good choice for read-aloud or adult-child paired reading. However,the author really grabs the reader by Chapter 10 (The Visitor). It becomes a "can't-put-it-down book" as the reader experiences Omakayas' fear and sorrow because of the White Man's visit. It is an excellent book to show the everyday life of Native Americans before their lives were severely changed by foreigners in their lands. It would be a good book to read with the Little House series to compare lifestyles, but also to illustrate the American Indians' perspective of the pioneer movement.

Reading this story of a young native american girl trying to survive from heart aches, a smallpox epidemic, hunger, the harsh winter, and mixed emotions was one of the best books that I have read in a long time. The author, Louise Erdrich did an outstanding job portraying the life of native americans and the troubles that they went through just trying to survive. The main character, Omakayas, was a young native american girl, who gave this novel life. She learned to hang on by thread on a small island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker, through a cycle of four seasons, that the book subdivided into chapters. Omakayas was found crying and was picked up in a canoe by a woman called 'Old Tallow'. She was adopted by a family on the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker where she is faced with many trials and heartaches. This strong minded and spirited girl guided me through the book like I was actually there during this time in history, the smallpox epidemic of 1847. I would suggest this book to anyone that appreciates survival stories and how even a young girl can get through hardships through the land and spirit.-Susan Brown, Oxford, MS

This book could not of been any better than the autor, Louise Erdrich, made this narrative with the authentic illustrations and Objibwa terms that she infused within the story. This book gave readers a since of hope and duration as she portrayed it through a young native american girl, Omakayas, through a cycle of hardships and troubles. There were times that the story made me laugh, but I could not put this book down as this native american family faced an epidemic of smallpox. I actually felt like I was part of these peoples'lives on the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. To see how Omakayas helped her family and lifted their spirits during these troubling times, I think that it is a excellent and heartwarming story. There were historical documentations that were seen through the young girl, Omakayas's eyes. Knowing that she had to try to get her family through this plague, gave the story more emotion. Omakayas showed devotion to her siblings, parents, friends, animals of the forest, and grandmother. A true enlightenment! -Allison Byrd, Oxford, MS

The Birchbark House was a good book and I think Louise Erdrich is a wonderful author and illustrator. The part I liked the most was when the main character's, Omakayas, grandmother told her a story in the winter. It was about her grandmother when she was a little girl. A sad event in the book was when the visitor came and brought smallpox to the village. It was also sad when Omakayas's little brother died. All in all, everybody should read this book.

The Mitford Series is a collection of incredibly simple books about small town life. Told from the point of view of a preacher in a mythical town in the hills of North Carolina. Everybody knows everybody else, and not much happens. These are the perfect books to curl up with for some summer porch or beach reading.
Like life the plots are winding and not necessarily purposeful but by the end of the stories your can think back and realize how things developed to an inevitable conclusion. You basically follow a 60 year old preacher through his travails. Since he is a Christian man there is quite bit of bible quotation, but otherwise the story is not about his church so much as his efforts to keep life in order and cope with being recently married man, past his youth yet surrounded by a small town that loves him - sometimes too closely.

One warning..this is very much a "sweet" book. It challenged me to forgo my natural skepticism. I put this in the category of a read that won't tax the reader all but may instead impart a little smile.

Also be aware that a stong Christian message plays throughout much of the dialogue and thinking.

this book was the last of a series of books that was so uplifting. So many things I read were so relevant to my life in my community. How I wish I could be in Mitford and know all the characters that lived there. What a beautiful place to be and the church sounded like a great one to be a part of too. I recommend this to anyone who loves life and other people. It is a positive outlook when so much we read is negative. I enjoyed the Christian outlook. What a witness the father is!

Returning to the refreshing town of Mitford in the fourth book of the series was good for my soul. Delving into the lives of Father Tim and his parishoner's is the best medicine I know for relieving the day to day strain of life. This time in Mitford, changes are happening everywhere you turn. Father Tim and Cynthia are deciding about retirement, Buck and Pauline are faced with making life changing decisions, the town's long time Mayor is in a fight against an unscrupulous opponent in the mayoral election, and there is a mystery afoot with a Florida real estate company trying to buy several prime pieces of property. Who is behind the real estate offerings? Why does someone want to buy all the property? Why is Mack trying so hard to become Mayor of Mitford? Will Dooley ever get along with Lace? These questions are all answered as all ways as the story winds its way through the heart of Mitford and its readers. One of my favorite things about the Mitford books is how Father Tim's faith is portrayed. He lives his faith, everyday, with every decision. He moves me in his efforts to be fair and kind and responsive to the many missives he handles in his duties. Read and enjoy.

The Mitford Series is a collection of incredibly simple books about small town life. Told from the point of view of a preacher in a mythical town in the hills of North Carolina. Everybody knows everybody else, and not much happens. These are the perfect books to curl up with for some summer porch or beach reading.

Like life the plots are winding and not necessarily purposeful but by the end of the stories your can think back and realize how things developed to an inevitable conclusion. You basically follow a 60 year old preacher through his travails. Since he is a Christian man there is quite bit of bible quotation, but otherwise the story is not about his church so much as his efforts to keep life in order and cope with being a single man, past his youth yet surrounded by a small town that loves him - sometimes too closely.

One warning..this is very much a "sweet" book. It challenged me to forgo my natural skepticism. I put this in the category of a read that won't tax the reader all but may instead impart a little smile.

Also be aware that a stong Christian message plays throughout much of the dialogue and thinking.

Jan Karon's second tale of Mitford is not quite as good as her first. Her characters don't display as many of those little quirks in their personalities and as much of that homespun philosophy that made me fall in love with the town in her first book ("At Home in Mitford"). And frankly, this entry in the series shows definite signs of belonging on the same shelf as your basic Harlequin romance.

But there was enough of the original charm from the first book to allow me to recommend this one. The spiritual and emotional center of the town is still the local Episcopalian minister, Father Tim Kavanagh (whose last name we finally learn at the end of this book!). His relationship with his next-door neighbor, Cynthia Coppersmith, is still going down the same road as in the first book - although there are a lot of bumps and potholes along the way - and his bond with the boy Dooley is only getting stronger.

Aside from Father Tim's pursuit of Cynthia (and vice-versa), it would be impossible to describe all the little episodes that make up this book. But there are some that stand out. The town's latest widow, Edith Mallory, shows a definite mercenary streak - she's in shameless pursuit of Father Tim and also wants to close down the local diner and replace it with a dress shop that's willing to pay double the current rent. Miss Sadie, the town millionaire, is literally pouring her millions into repairing her home, just so she can give her newfound niece the wedding of her (and Miss Sadie's) dreams. And a redhead comes to Father Tim's door claiming to be his cousin Meg from Sligo, Ireland.

I do wish Ms. Karon had gone more deeply into the "Cousin Meg" sequence, but I can live with what she gave me.

Overall this is a worthy sequel to a fascinating tale of small-town life.

From the first page of At Home in Mitford to the last page of Out To Canaan, I could not put the books down. I've never felt compelled to write to an author before but I would love to write to Karon or visit with her in her kitchen over a cup of coffee. Her integration of faith and life is not preachy or sacchrine but sincere and warm. The characters live out the golden rule and have a wonderful sense of humor that more of our world could use. I hope she continues to write about Mitford and Fr. Tim. What a blessing this series is!

Catharine Carey Logan, or better known a Catey, is a Quaker girl living in the Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania. Catey and her family are frightened by reports of Indian raids, but they believe that the Indians will leave them alone if they show trust and love to them.
That all changes when Catey and her brother Tomas are captured while on their way to school.
Catey is determined not to keep the Indian ways, but she finds herself liking it after a while. And she falls in love with an Indian brave named Snow Hunter who was actually a captive white like her. But when given the chance to go back to her village, will Catey follow the leading of her heart?

I absolutely love this book. Even though it's sad enough to make you want to cry, it possesses a sort of charm that keeps you reading till the end.
I felt so sorry for Catey. And you will too, once you read this book. I won't spill the beans regarding the ending, so you'll just have to read it your self. I promise you, you won't be sorry!

Standing in the Light was a wonderful Dear America book, and one I could read over and over.

It tells, in diary form, about 13 year old Caty Logan who is growing up in her Quaker village in the 1760's. She is perfectly happy, with boys, learning housewifery, and schoolwork to keep her busy - but that all changes one day when she and her younger brother are captured by Lenape Indians.

At first Caty is desperate: she hates living with the rough Indians, who watch her diary writing curiously and force her to follow their Indian ways. But later, she learns that they are good people, though different than the Quakers, and she begins to make friends - and loved ones.

This was a great book! You really care about what will happen, if Caty will stay with them or return to her village. It was sad, but I love it!

I'd recommend this for ages 10 - 14, and I'd recommend some other captive stories: Trouble's Daughter, I Am Regina, Indian Captive, and Calico Captive.

The book called Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborne is a very good book. It is written in diary form. The story takes place in Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania in 1763. The main characters are Catharine Logan and her little brother, Thomas Logan. In Standing in the Light, Catharine realizes that she likes a guy who she's known for a long time. Later she finds out that there are Indiansnear where she lives that have beencapturing and killing people. One day when she and her brother were walking to school they get captured by Indians. They separated Catharine from Thomas. In Catharine's camp she meetsan Indian boy named Wine-lo-wich, which means Snow Hunter,who was also captured by Indians when he was young. Catharine laterrealizes that she loves Snow Hunter. Soon after that Snow Hunter disappearsafter he goes on a hunting trip. If you want to find out what happened to Snow Hunter and if Catharine and Thomas ever get home, you'll have to read Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborne. I thought that it was a wonderful book.

"Democracy in America", published in two parts (the first in 1835, the second in 1840), is the great work of Alexis de Tocqueville, a young, aristocratic Frenchman, who traveled through most of the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States during a 9 month period in 1832. Tocqueville had originally set out to study the U.S. prison system but what he saw inspired him to write about much, much more.

The foresight he had for such a young man is really impressive to read 160 years later. What he saw in the morals, work ethic and government structure of the United States led him to accurately predict many of the ways in which the U.S. would lead and has led the world. At the same time Tocqueville was not oblivious to many of the ills in the America he saw. He very wisely writes of the cancer that the institution of slavery was to not only all black Americans, but to the white, Southern farmers and workers as well.

I hate having to give these books "stars" for ratings because in many cases it takes away from the ultimate importance and classic status of a book like this one. Tocqueville does tend to jump around and venture off into different topics that don't fit with the rest of their chapter, which could be attributed to his youth. Also, a few of his predictions, naturally, were way off. A native Texan, I had a good laugh at his view that "the province of Texas is still part of the Mexican dominions, but it will soon contain no Mexicans." But overall Tocqueville's view of America was honest, accurate, and the perfect explanation of why, on a daily basis, people continue to risk their lives to gain the freedom that only the United States of America offers.

De Tocqueville was an amazing man who posessed amazing insight into the workings (and not-workings) of American society. One only laments the fact that he was not a middle caste American politician arguing amongst great minds during the Constitutional conventions. Then again, we are equally lucky of the fact that he was a curious Frenchman of the leisure class who happened to be passing through. This is what gives de Tocqueville the ability to refrain from emotionalism and give us an outsiders view of what makes America good, bad and just plain different.

See, de tocqueville recognizes, as did our founders, that liberty and democracy are key ingredients to a healthy society. On the other hand, he points out that too much freedom or democracy lead to lazy, public-opinion driven conformity, over-emphasis on materialism and restlessness. Another contradiction de tocqueville points out is that although self-government is generally a good idea, there are times when an all powerful aristocracy is just more efficient. He can see all sides.
The best part then is that de Tocqueville doesn't come to any final conclusion. He just observes and reports on America's inner workings as seen by an aristocratic Frenchman.

A few reccomendations to the de tocqueville virgins. First, as this is the unabridged, it may be advised to read the first book, pause to read something else, then read the second book. I read it straight through and found that not only would I have benefited from reflection, but much of the second book is a rehash the first. Second, keep in mind during the second book that the word 'democracy' is also de tocqueville's word for 'capitalism'. The word 'capitalism' would be introduced only years later by one Karl Marx. So when de tocqueville says that democracy increases industriousness, what the reader should hear is that capitalism increases industriousness. This in itself is a brilliant observation by de tocqueville. Democracy and capitalism really are the same thing, different scale. The producer, like the political candidate, cater to the consumer or the voter. Both systems allow the individual to choose the goods and services he wants and reject those he doesn't. This is why one may also want to read 'Wealth of Nations' with this book.

The only other thing I can tell the reader before he or she embarks on a fascinating reading adventure is to keep in mind why de tocqueville wrote the book. He intended it to be read by the french who were not familiar with or had misconceptions about America. Of course, it provides contemporary America with an amazing historical survey. Like the introductory exclamation to MTV's 'Diary' show says, "You think you know, but you have no idea".

The specific edition I am reviewing is the Heffner addition which is a 300 page abridgement. I also own an unabridged edition but I have only read Heffner cover to cover. What is amazing about de Toqueville is how uncanny many of his observations are over a century and a half later. He accurately predicted in 1844 that the world's two great powers would be the United States and Russia. He aptly pointed out that Americans are a people who join associations and he is so right 156 years later. Although there are both religious extremists on both ends, ie fundamentalists and atheists, he was dead on that, as a whole, we are a religious society but that our religious views are moderate. De Toqueville shows how American characteristics evolved from democracy as opposed to the highly class structered societies of Europe. From de Tocqueville, it could have been predicted that pop culture, such as rock music etc, would develop in America because the lack of an aristocracy causes a less cultured taste in the arts. In a thousand and one different ways, I found myself marveling at how dead on de Toqueville was. Most controversially, those who argue that we have lost our liberties to a welfare state might well find support in de Toqueville. Here, 100 years before the New Deal, he forsaw that a strong central government would take away our liberties but in a manner much more benign than in a totalitarian government. There are certain liberties that Americans would willingly sacrifice for the common good. Critics of 20th century liberalism in the US might well point to this as an uncanny observation. By reading "Democracy in America," the reader understands what makes Americans tick. De Toquville was an astute observer of who we are as a people and should be read by all educated Americans.

I want to note that there are several editions of this great work and in deciding which to buy, be aware that each has a different translator. I feel Heffner's translation is slightly stilted but, he did such a wonderful job in editing this abridgement that it, nontheless, deserves 5 stars.