Fighting the Lamb's War: Skirmishes With the American Empire : The Autobiography of Philip Berrigan

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In his own voice, still clear and strong, Philip Berrigan has written the story of how he and his brother became the two most infamous Catholic radicals of the Vietnam era and chronicles his ongoing resistance to war and injustice through the Ploughshares movement. Berrigan begins with moving descriptions of his family life. His mother, caught in a troubled and tumultuous marriage, was a constant source of love and a living example of kindness and commitment. His father, an unstable Irishman, socialist, labor organizer, and unsuccessful bard, was prone to settling disagreements with fisticuffs; readers do not wonder long where the Berrigan brothers' blend of righteous fierceness and principled courage comes from. The detailed stories of their paths toward the priesthood, their burning of draft cards at Catonsville, their underground cat-and-mouse games with Hoover's FBI, and their courtroom and prison-yard challenges are recounted in crisp language with little sentimentality.

Customer Reviews:

Living the Passion of Christ.......2004-04-05

The perfect antidote to Mel Gibson's version of Christian values. Phil Berrigan was a typical product of the depression--family of dirt poor immigrants, went into the army to fight Hitler and do his patriotic duty--but then came home and entered the seminary. His first posting was to inner City Washington DC, where he encountered racism and poverty up close. Rather than just put in his time, and then turn his back, serving out his priesthood in a comfortable middle class white community and give an occasional sermon about poverty, Berrigan engaged the poor children he was working with as brothers in Christ, and asked why.

His quest for answers continued as he was posted in the deep south (Louisiana) in the late 50's, early 60's...Emmett Till through the Freedom Rides. He concluded that racism was a violation of Christ's principle that all men are brothers--and said so.

Forced out of the deep south, he relocated to Baltimore--still a racially divided city, where Blacks were in poverty. As the Vietnam War escalated, Berrigan saw that the racism and poverty he experienced daily were inextricably linked to this country's increasing military industrial complex, and its position of world domination/exploitation.

As a Christian, Berrigan felt he had no choice but to resist this injustice, demand that the world put aside militarism, and treat all of mankind as brothers in Christ. He joined civil rights movements, and the anti-war movement--always maintaining that non-violent resistance was not only the right tactic, but was the only course open to a practicing Christian in America.

He poured blood on draft files, burned them with napalm, and spent six years in high security prisons as a result. While imprisoned, the FBI charged him (along with his brother, Daniel Berrigan and his by then wife, Elizabeth McAllister) with plotting to bomb the White House and kidnap Kissinger himself.

Berrigan freely admitted to discussions about making a citizens arrest of Kissinger for war crimes, but denied all other charges. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges.

For the rest of his life, Phillip Berrigan resisted the military. A founder of the Catholic Ploughshares movement, he consistently sought to beat swords (nuclear weapons) into ploughshares. As he explains at length, he did not expect his actions to cowl the US government into abandoning its nuclear program. Rather, he was acting on his conscience.

Reading his autobiography makes one ashamed of all of the excuses we each make on a daily basis of why we can't act better--too busy, might affect my job, I have kids, and on and on. Berrigan let none of this stop him. He married, raised three kids, and spent most of his adult life in prison, on bail awaiting trial, or on parole.

His courage is magnificent. His dedication to living a life of conscience is inspirational. But above all, Berrigan's version of Christ and Christian duty is one of universal love and respect. If these principles were lived by everyone, we would live in a far better world than that of Mel Gibson and his glorification of pain and violent sacrifice.

Berrigan lived the life (as he put it) of a Catholic attempting to become a Christian. Whatever one's beliefs, Berrigan's was a life worth understanding.

A wonderful book about a wonderful man.......2003-02-10

This book is an autobiography by Phillip Berrigan, a man that hated war and murder by nations and people. He fought for peace and justice but the state continually locked him up in prison for his beliefs. But that did not stop him from spreading the word of the Gospel and being and activist for peace, against war, invuluntary inlistment into the army and nuclear weapons.

UNNERVING, PROPHETIC NON DRAMATIC telling of a life.......2001-11-11

Philip Berrigan,who beacame {in}famous for being the first Catholic priest jailed ON PRINCIPLE{for his destroying of draft files in Baltimore in 1967},has penned a sort of autobiography. Philip Berrigan has always been a huge burr in the side of everyone in power:religious superiors,wardens, govenment officials{his encounter with Rober McNamara during the war is telling}et,al. He has courage that is beyond my comprehension,continually going forth to non violently protest the ongoing nuclear threat{often by hammering a submarine,or desnt the hollow nose cone od a missle, the pouring blood as a symbol over the objects] For these protest, he has served the majority of the past 30 years in tough penitentaries.What would make this talented handsome intelligent man do such things? The story that he tells, almost mundanely is captivating. Childhood on the Iron range in Minnesota,Stern Irish father and sweet,loving german mother,brood of brothers,athlete,decorated soldier in WWII[they didnt give medals out for laying in foxholes},the he joined the only Roman Catholic order dedicated to serving Black americans, the josephites.{S.S.J} His older brother Daniel,Jesuit priest and famous poet and peace activist,was his role model on this. Throughot the momoir, Phillip Berrigan recounts the good life and hrad times of the next 35 years of his life. His eventual leaving the priesthood, his marriage to Elizabeth McCallister{a former nun , which coused much idiotic tounge wagging back then},his three daughters, his life in Jonah House in Baltimore,Md.{a kind of catholic woker house}, and his dogged, relentless pursuit of the Gospel truth as he sees it. Whether or not one agrees with Berrigan{and in the current climate, thew number of sympathizers must have shruken dramatically}, his almost sisyphusian struggle is admirable. Time alone will decide whethere or not Philip Berrigan has been a prophet or not. What he is is a courageous,honorable man who is willing to put his life, NOT YOURS, on the line for his beliefs. Now that is quite extraordianry.Good book, well written{if almost purposely low-keyed},simply astonishing story.

Book Description

This is the true story of a married man from a patrician southern family who left his wife and two children to set up home with a younger man among the mountain people of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina. Their story confounds many stereotypes, prejudices and expectations - not only with regard to homosexuality itself, but also to general attitudes and responses to it. The story has all the elements of high drama - including their induction into "mountain ways", battles with the "Georgia Mafia", and a court action brought by the estranged wife. There are a number of surprising twists and turns,including the fact that they became the first same-sex couple in their state (and possibly in America) to host the annual county debutantes' coming out party.

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Intensa volatilidad en los mercados. (mercados financieros internacionales; incluye artculo sobre la crisis bancaria en Mxico)(TT: Intense volatility in ... crisis in Mexico): An article from: Siempre!

Manufacturer: Edicional Siempre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00098BKSY
Release Date: 2005-05-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on August 27, 1998. The length of the article is 1419 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Intensa volatilidad en los mercados. (mercados financieros internacionales; incluye artculo sobre la crisis bancaria en Mxico)(TT: Intense volatility in the markets) (TA: international financial markets; includes article about the financial crisis in Mexico)
Publication: Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: August 27, 1998
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: v45 Issue: n2358 Page: p43(1)

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Mercados Financieros Internacionales y Su Globalizacion

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Mercados Financieros Internacionales y Su Globalizacion
F. Arnaldos , M. T. Diaz , and U. Faura
Manufacturer: Alfa Centauro
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

... Y los rentistas de la antiglobalizacion. (Espana: polemica).(aplicacion de la Tasa Tobin a la especulacion, mercados financieros internacionales ): An article from: Epoca

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... Y los rentistas de la antiglobalizacion. (Espana: polemica).(aplicacion de la Tasa Tobin a la especulacion, mercados financieros internacionales ): An article from: Epoca

Manufacturer: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008G6BAO
Release Date: 2005-06-01

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on January 24, 2003. The length of the article is 803 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ... Y los rentistas de la antiglobalizacion. (Espana: polemica).(aplicacion de la Tasa Tobin a la especulacion, mercados financieros internacionales )
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 24, 2003
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 15(1)

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Mercados financieros internacionales (Biblioteca de economia)

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Mercados financieros internacionales (Biblioteca de economia)

Manufacturer: Espasa Calpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Public Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive professional guide to the strategies and techniques of competitor analysis for the financial industry. It explains how to set up systems and models to identify and analyze competitors and their products. Practical in approach and international in coverage, is essential for all financial services professionals seeking a competitive advantage.

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The Official Blackbood Price Guide to World Coins

The Official Blackbook Price Guide to World Coins 2006, Edition #9 (Official Price Guide to World Coins)
Thomas E. Jr Hudgeons
Manufacturer: House of Collectibles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Coins & Medals | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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A Guide Book of United States Coins 2006: The Official Red Book (Guide Book of United States Coins (Spiral))

The Official Blackbook Price Guide to U.S. Paper Money 2006, Edition #38 (Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Paper Money)

2007 North American Coins & Prices: A Guide to U.s., Canadian And Mexican Coins (North American Coins and Prices)

A Guide Book of United States Coins 2007 (60th Edition)

2006 Standard Catalog Of World Coins 1901-present

ASIN: 1400048478
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Book Description

Collecting world money has never been more exciting! The Official® Blackbook Price Guide to World Coins will show you how to buy, sell, and grade world coins. It also provides valuable information on how to collect mint errors or oddball world coins, important auction sales over the past year, and listings of international numismatic organizations and publications. With a brand-new market review highlighting the most recent trends in collecting and investing in world coins, this new edition is a must-have!

Special Features:

• Every country's coins listed!

• Hundreds of illustrations to quickly identify world coins

• Exclusive special section that looks at technological trends impacting world coins

• Masses of information on world coins minted by the US Mint

Customer Reviews:

The Official Blackbood Price Guide to World Coins.......2006-03-19

It says all countries are listed, yet they are not. And those that are listed do not have all their coins. I found only one or two of the twenty or so I was looking for.

Book Description

Truly exquisite designs, intricate details, brilliant color schemes...on an egg? Achieve all this and more with ease while admiring the unbelievable beauty displayed in glorious color throughout these pages. Apply gem-like colors and watch as they awaken the design “written” on the egg in wax. From classic “quilt” patterns, to traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs and everything in between, you’re sure to be enchanted by this age-old craft.

Customer Reviews:

I'm a beginner.......2006-04-29

This is a beautiful book. I bought it so that my children and I could get started in this art form. This book provides beautiful inspiration for the beginner, and has thorough instructions. There wasn't much info on dividing up the egg, but that information is easily found online, and not everyone wants a perfectly symetrical egg....especially children :)

Informative and inspiring.......2006-03-09

I was looking into possibly wanting to take up this craft. But before doing so, I wanted to make sure I conpletely understood the art. This book clearly spelled out step by step and even why it is done so. But the author also gives other options.

This book was also inspiring with all it creative, wonderful pictures. Jane Pollak gives you wonderful ideas to start with and even gives you a focus to find more inspiration.

I just finished the book last night and am ordering a Kistka kit today!

Even if you do not have the patience to create such eggs...this book will give you a better appreciation for those that are able to design such wonderful pieces of art.

enchanting.......2006-02-01

This book is absolutely beautiful! The photographs are lovely, and the instructions are very clear. Even if you don't plan on attempting the craft, the pictures are well worth the price of the book!

excellent resource!.......2004-02-22

I am just beginning with pysanky and this book has been a treasure trove! It begins with a brief history of the art, clear explanations and wonderful photos of the tools of the trade, and moves into very easy-to-follow instructions for making decorated eggs. Throughout, the book is filled with wonderful full-color photos of lovely eggs, sparking the imagination with possibilities. The waxing and dying process is documented clearly with photographs and explained fully in detailed step-by-step instructions for making a simple but stunning beginner's egg. Pollak always gives options, not just her preferred method of doing it, explaining the differences between traditional and modern tools, different ways of removing the wax and blowing the egg, etc. There is an entire chapter on playing with color and the effects of one color on top of another color, followed by a chapter on simple two-color designs. She encourages playing with design and color to see what happens! Next are chapters on traditional Ukrainian designs and symbolism, "quilting" on eggshells using patterns inspired by quilts, where to find inspiration for new and original decoration ideas (fabric, cultural images, modern art, etc), and finally, chapters on creating lovely eggshell jewelry and other nontraditional egg designs and uses (like bowls from ostrich eggs!). I would think this book would be as indispensable on the shelf of an experienced egg decorator as I know it is on my beginner's shelf! The only thing to be aware of is that this is NOT a pattern book. It gives clear instructions on how to do pysanky, step-by-step directions for one pattern, shows various design elements used in traditional Ukrainian eggs, and is filled with inspiring photos of finished eggs, but it does not have the patterns for those eggs. I didn't rate it down for this, because it is not designed to be a pattern book, but the buyer should be aware that it doesn't contain patterns. It is, however, filled with education, inspiration, and encouragement!

Inspirational and Fun!!.......2003-11-27

First let me say that the color photographs throughout this book are simply amazing! I get excited to play around with the techniques just by looking at the pictures and what "could be". I'm a beginner at this but this book has really taken me a long way. There are pictures (in color) demonstrating the different techniques described. Tools are described and shown in pictures so when you go out looking for them you know what it should be. This book is all about using wax and dyes - the Ukranian style eggs. They turn out simply beautiful (ok, so mine look like beginners eggs - I just call them "primitives" :) The instructions in the chapter entitled "Decorating an Egg: From the Beginning" are excellent. Its very step-wise (eg in the sub-section dying the egg....Step 1, step 2 etc)The pictures in this chapter use a simple geometric design with the finished egg shown as well. The following chapters just step it up a notch in each - showing different traditional patterns/designs, "playing with color", and getting really advanced with things like making jewelry and eggs that open. (I'm still hanging out around chapters 1&2 but maybe I'll get to the rest of the ideas at some point.) Great book, great pictures that help with learning, and lots of fun.

Book Description

While the mother-daughter bond gets most of the attention, there are other crucial female influences on a girl's life. There is no doubt that the relationship with a beloved aunt is one of the most important and influential alliances a young girl can experience. Aunts benefit too. Yet an auntie's contribution to the lives of a little girl and her parents may never be acknowledged. The Aunties Keepsake Book is an exquisite way for an aunt or niece to show how much they appreciate the relationship. More than a book, The Aunties Keepsake Book is an experience that combines all-new true stories, artwork, poetry, and plenty of room to share thoughts, remembrances, photos, and other mementos. Fun to fill out and sure to be treasured through generations, The Aunties Keepsake Book honors a unique friendship.

Book Description

Otis Redding's definitive southern soul voice resonates down the years as a thing of profound beauty and unfathomable emotional depth. His unique vocal delivery gave Motown's pop artists a run for their money, while his stage presence matched pioneering funk magus -- and fellow Georgia native -- James Brown for sheer entertainment value. Crucial to the success of the Stax label, Otis quickly rose from obscurity to mainstream crossover fame, thanks chiefly to his dizzying performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. In this, the first serious book on the soul legend, Geoff Brown talks to Stax illuminati Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes, and David Porter, plus many others, about Redding's tragically brief life and incredible talent.

Book Description

" A brilliantly documented chronicle of young woman's long struggle with schizophrenia."

-- Willard Gaylin, The New Republic

"Sylvia Frumkin," highly intelligent young girl, became a schizophrenic in her late teens and spent most of the next seventeen years in anti out of mental institutions. Susan Sheehan, a talented reporter followed "Sylvia" for almost a year talking with and observing her listening to her monologues, sitting in on consultations with doctors, even for a period sleeping in the bed next to her in a mental hospital.

"Susan Sheehan has committed an extraordinary act of journalism....She brings relentless intelligent attention to bear on a particular case, a journalistic practice that almost always results in new and disturbing insights into those mindless generalities and prejudice and certitudes we tend to carry around with us." -- Meg Greenfield, front page Washington Post Book World

"Sheehan is tenacious, observant and unsentimental. The history of a single patient leads us into a maze of understaffed institutions, bureaucratic fumbling, trial-and-error treatment and familial incomprehension. Though Sheehan keeps herself invisible, her sympathy is palpable."

-- Walter Clemons, Newsweek

By the author of Lift for Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair

Customer Reviews:

An exceptional piece of investigative journalism that is potently affective........2007-07-23

If the investigative reporter Nellie Bly were still alive, she probably would have declared Susan Sheehan to be her comrade-in-arms, journalistically speaking, at least, for so eye-opening is this book, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1983 in the nonfiction category, that one can't help but somehow feel indirectly involved in this true story in regards to time, place and manner.

By chronicling the schizophrenic oddesy of a single patient, "Sylvia Frumkin", a pseudonym, Susan Sheehan has performed an intimate piece of extraordinary journalism, whereby she brings the reader into the frightening and oftentimes misunderstood world of those possessed by mental illness. With compassionate, intellectual and keen, almost anthropological observation, Sheehan weaves through the blurred and confusing healthcare bureaucracy which "Sylvia Frumkin" and her family incrementally find themselves trying to navigate. Coupled with psychiatric doctors who seem tartly bent on competing against each other in regards to what drug perscriptions are best (and there is a flurry of them), a frazzled family who is so thinly glued together that a feather could crack them apart and "Sylvia Frumkin" herself, whose fragile mental health goes up and down faster than a blinking eye, a reader would want to toss the book aside simply because of the consistent up and down emotional tolls that are flatly patterned in each passing chapter. Yet, as each chapter occurs, it also provides a clean slate and or a new beginning where the illness can be kept at bay and "Sylvia Frumkin" can finally have the good normal life that she deserves. However, it is the rare bouts of normalcy that are fleeting and therein is where the loss of hope and frustration lie. It is that very fleetingness that is so expertly conveyed in, Is There No Place On Earth For Me?

Sheehan's book is one of those rare type of books, not simply because of its high journalistic caliber, but because it is one of those works that can actually bring about good, positive change in a very flawed system, and if a system, governmentally, medically and administratively speaking ever needed change, Creedmore Hospital and those of a similar ilk, definitely required serious correction. Sheehan's book was an eye-opening and engrossing read, amd one can only gravely echo Sheehan's own words in the afterword: "I want there to be a decent place for "Sylvia Frumkin"...and for the many thousands of other people like her."

Insightful and Well Written.......2007-01-09

Sheehan gives an objective and interesting view of schizophrenia and institutionalization. Her writing is funny and engaging.

The Revolving Door of Schizophrenia.......2005-05-01

Reading this book is like watching a train wreck in progress. You can't take your eyes off of it because you want to know how it all works out. When I was putting together a course on psychology in literature a friend gave me this book but made me promise to return it because it was a favorite of hers. After reading it, I can understand why. The author does a fantastic (although disturbing) job of describing the life of a woman with schizophrenia while also discussing the impact that the woman's illness has on her family. While reading the book the reader often begins to feel the anxiety and frustration experienced by Sylvia, a woman with schizophrenia, and her family, and can see in their mind's eye how the disease unfolds and engulfs their lives.
This is a great text for a student of psychology who is interested in descriptions of the disease and also of historical (1970s) views of the mental health system. It would also be helpful for the family members of a person diagnosed with schizophrenia to read so that they can have a greater understanding of the life of a person affected by the disorder.

nicely researched.......2001-12-30

but having read it just this year, it seems a little outdated. I would recommend this book as an introduction to the subject of mental illness, institutionalization etc., but if you know a little more on the subject, skip the book and read something else.

True, intimate, and slow.......2001-06-24

I think this book shows the reality of liveing with schizophrenia and the feeling that there is no place for you. This book takes you through relaspe and healing periods with the main women character. It also shows the failures in our system. I think the book gets a little slow at points, it is a book you can definately put down, but it does do justice to teaching and learning about life with schizophrenia.

The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again: An Illustrated Edition

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The Hobbit
More Than Expected!
Barrel Rider
Tolkien at his best!
The Hobbit

The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again: An Illustrated Edition
J. R. R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Harry N Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0810910608

Amazon.com

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, would eventually spring. Though The Hobbit is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when first published more than sixty years ago. Now recognized as a timeless classic with sales of more than 40 million copies worldwide, this introduction to Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Wizard, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth tells of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.

Customer Reviews:

The Hobbit.......2007-10-21

Great to use as a classroom novel for 7th graders. A high percentage of them do not feel that reading this novel is work, and wish more homework could be as enjoyable.

More Than Expected!.......2007-10-19

We all know the story of The Hobbit...as perceived the last time we read it. And we'll know it even better each time we revisit it. Nothing increases our appreciation of history more than having a history of our own. So if you plan on returning to The Hobbit at various stages of your life, this is the edition to own. It will endure for generations to come with its handsome gold-stamped, deep green leatherette binding and sturdy slip case that allows the volume to vertically free-stand when outside a bookcase.

The crisp, clear print allows your eyes to flow effortlessly over the text with occasional pauses to delight in Tolkien's original illustrations rendered with elegant simplicity. Gandalf's observation that "There is always more about you than anyone expects" could very well be said about this special edition of The Hobbit. Highly recommended.

Barrel Rider.......2007-10-11

"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien is commonly referred as a classic. While this is an often over-used term, it definitely applies in this case. Of the four books Tolkien is known for primarily, "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers", "The Return of the King" and "The Hobbit", this is the most satisfying. I t introduces and sets up key characters for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy consisting of the three books previously named.

In Tolkien's Middle-Earth, the principle races are men, elves and dwarves. There also goblins (orcs), giants dragons, wizards and assorted odd characters and fantastic beasts. Then there are hobbits who have as little to do with the rest of Middle-Earth as possible.

They like it that way.

Hobbits are interested in green growing things, eating and smoking pipe weed. When they aren't being industrious, they enjoy their comforts. They are very short in stature and move through the woods efficiently and silently. This isn't so they can sneak up on someone so much as it is to stay out of adventures.

Of these conservative, predictable folk, there is one Bilbo Baggins. The Bagginses are prosperous and respectable as hobbits go. Which means Bilbo is perfectly happy leading his boring comfortable life. The only mild eccentricity noted in Bilbo's line is he's related to the Tooks through his mother. Tooks had been known to get into little adventures from time to time and as such were of questionable respectability.

Central to this connection is Gandalf the Grey, a wizard. For some reason he has developed a curiosity and a fondness for these little people. Maybe it`s because in his adventure-filled life, it's nice to have a little peace and quiet. Gandalf is also renowned for his fireworks of which everyone enjoys.

One day the family friend shows up on Bilbo's doorstep. Shortly after this, Bilbo finds himself hosting not just Gandalf but also twelve dwarves lead by Thorin Oakenshield. Not long after this, Bilbo finds himself `assigned' to this motley crew as a "Burglar". They are on a quest to recover Thorin's lost fortune.

This is when the book really begins. This is a journey tale. That means Bilbo goes through transformation in the process of this quest. Relationships are developed and tested in a way none can predict. This being a fantasy they see and do fantastic things.

Eventually Bilbo returns home no longer respectable. Along the way he has picked up a ring...........

Tolkien at his best!.......2007-10-09

As the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit or There and Back Again, is a magnificent tale of magic, fantasy, and adventure. I found that I could not set this book down. With each page, I was that much more drawn into the realm of Middle Earth, and I made myself put the book down for a little bit in order to enjoy it.

The characterization in this book is phenomenal. Both the protagonists and antagonists throughout the novel help creat the landscape of the book, as well as set the foundation for Middle Earth. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, displays the ideal character in that he is forced into a world of adventure of magic. As an innocent creature unaware of the outside world, Bilbo matures throughout the book, and is a classic example of a character who, by the end of the book, has developed into a great intellectual character. Bilbo continues to display this intellect throughout the Lord of the Rings.

I have experienced many a conflict with other readers who did not enjoy the Hobbit, and I'm not saying that this book is in everyone's favor, but any reader of fantasy, magic, and adventure will love this book. I recommend the Hobbit to every person no matter what age. As a timeless tale of Tolkien, I give this book five stars (although, it probably deserves more).

The Hobbit.......2007-10-06

This book was boasting with the great imagination of J.R.R Tolkein. About 60 years before the lord of the seires Bilbo Gandlaf and a gang of Dwarfs travel through the misty moantians to get to a treasure stolen from the Dwarfs. As the gang travels through the land they meet tons of epic characters (elfs dwarfs goblins trolls). Tolkein could have written more voilence like its sequel Lord of the Rings. Overall it was a epic classic.

California's Spanish Place-Names: What They Mean and How They Got There: What They Mean and How They Got There

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California's Spanish Place-Names: What They Mean and How They Got There: What They Mean and How They Got There
Barbara and Rudy Marinacci
Manufacturer: Gulf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

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The story begins
The Hobbit... A modern classic

The Hobbit or There and Back Again
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0786251778

Book Description

A New York Times Bestseller

Available in Basic 5 and 6.

Customer Reviews:

The story begins.......2005-04-12

"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is the first story of Middle-Earth that was ever read by the masses. And to this day it remains a beloved favorite due to Tolkien's exceptional writing, realistic and lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero: a fuzzy-footed hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life in the Shire, in a luxurious hole under a hill. ("It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort") But his life is completely turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield, want to regain the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug, who drove out the dwarves long ago. Why do they want Bilbo? Because Gandalf has told them that he'd make a good burglar (even though Bilbo has never burgled in his life).

So before Bilbo is entirely sure what is going on, he is being swept off on a very unrespectable -- and dangerous -- adventure. Bilbo and the Dwarves battle goblins and spiders, are nearly eaten twice, are captured and Bilbo is forced to riddle with the treacherous, withered Gollum, and ends up escaping with a magical Ring. But even after these obstacles, the dragon Smaug is still in the Lonely Mountain, and Bilbo is not entirely sure what to do to deal with this enemy.

Author J.R.R. Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and Men for years before writing "The Hobbit," but "The Hobbit" is the first story that people had the opportunity to read. It began as a line scrawled on a sheet of blank paper, and then into a bedtime story for his children. And even though it's overshadowed by "Lord of the Rings" and "Silmarillion," this book is an essential link. It's definitely sillier and lighter, but it provides the springboard for a lot of the stuff in "Lord of the Rings" -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern.

The concept of hobbits started in this book -- the quintessential peaceful "wee" people, based on British countryfolk, with simple pleasures and unexpected depths of strength and resourcefulness. And, of course, fuzz on their large feet. Tolkien's Elves are a little more ethereal and less dignified, and his dwarves are a bit more comical and less grim. But Elrond hints at the full majesty of the Elves, and Thorin Oakenshield is still the most dignified, proud and impressively flawed dwarf there is. The last chapters of the book hint at the epic majesty of "Lord of the Rings," and some of the same victory/loss themes. And of course, the idea that even little people -- like a hobbit or a bird -- can change the world.

Tolkien's writing is quick and light, while providing sufficient detail to let you picture what's going on. The dialogue is less influenced by Old English, and the pace is a lot faster -- not surprising, since it was originally read to his kids before bedtime. Bilbo is a likable little guy -- he seems to be the last person whom you'd expect to be a courageous hero, but he shows incredibly strength and smarts when he's under pressure. Supporting characters like Thorin, Bard the Guardsman-turned-King, the king of the wood-elves, and even Smaug himself are never cookie-cutter, but complex and sometimes menacing.

"The Hobbit" was written for children, but adults can appreciate and enjoy it just as much. So read this book, then scoop up "The Fellowship of the Ring" and continue reading. A timeless treasure and classic.

The Hobbit... A modern classic.......2003-05-13

The definition of a classic is a book that is read and bought many years after it's publication. The hobbit is a book that thousands of children have been enchanted by all around the world, and will continue to for generations to come.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit living a normal hobbit life. Then Gandalf the grey turns his quiet life into an adventure that will impact the rest of his existance. Encoutering races of men, elves, trolls, orcs, dwarves, dragons and goblins, he tries to change the way people forever look at the somber hobbits.

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