Average customer rating:
- Life Collapses
- She's done it again
- xxDreAmLanDxx
- Really good book
- DREAMLAND - a great book!
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Dreamland (reissue)
Sarah Dessen
Manufacturer: Puffin
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0142401757 |
Amazon.com
Strange, sleepy Rogerson, with his long brown dreads and brilliant green eyes, had seemed to Caitlin to be an open door. With him she could be anybody, not just the second-rate shadow of her older sister, Cass. But now she is drowning in the vacuum Cass left behind when she turned her back on her family's expectations by running off with a boyfriend. Caitlin wanders in a dream land of drugs and a nightmare of Rogerson's sudden fists, lost in her search for herself.
Why do so many girls allow themselves to get into abusive relationships--and what keeps them there? In this riveting novel, Sarah Dessen searches for understanding and answers. Caught in a trap that is baited with love and need, Caitlin must frantically manage her every action to avoid being hit by the hands that once seemed so gentle. All around her are women who care--best friends, mother, sister, mentor--but shame keeps her from confiding in any of them, especially Cass, her brilliant older sister, whose own flight from home had seemed to point the way.
Dessen has here created a subtle and compelling work of literature that goes far beyond the teen problem novel in a story rich with symbolism, dark scenes of paralyzing dread, quirky and memorable characters, and gleams of humor. With the consummate skill and psychological depth that brought her praise for Keeping the Moon, she explores the search for self-identity, the warmth of feminine friendships, and the destructive ways our society sets up young women for love gone wrong. (Ages 14 and older) --Patty Campbell
Book Description
Rogerson Biscoe, with his green eyes and dark curly hair, is absolutely seductive. Before long, sixteen-year-old Caitlin finds herself under his spell. And when he starts to abuse her, she finds she's in too deep to get herself out...
Customer Reviews:
Life Collapses.......2007-06-08
Caitlin's older sister Cass was always the star of the family. She was the varsity athlete, the good student, the member of several different clubs, and the one their mother focused on. Cass' schedule was always taped to the refrigerator, and their mother made sure to be at every sporting event, every fundraiser, everything Cass was involved in. Caitlin was much more average than her older sister, and she was a little bit jealous, although she loved Cass.
Then, on Caitlin's sixteenth birthday, just a few days before Cass was set to leave for Yale, Cass is gone. She leaves a note announcing she is running away, and the family guesses she ran away to be with a new boyfriend she started going out with over the summer. Everyone is stunned and no one knows quite what to do. Caitlin's father becomes quiet and sad, but never gives up hope that they will find Cass and convince her to come home. Caitlin's mother at first throws herself into Caitlin's cheerleading, but then gradually drifts away.
Caitlin is determined to finally step out of Cass' shadow and follow her own path. Instead of dating a boring football player, she beings to date Rogerson, a dark and mysterious prep-school student who everyone thinks is dangerous. At first their relationship is exciting and Caitlin is caught up in how interesting it is. But then, after the first time Rogerson hits her, things start going downhill fast. Caitlin is embarrassed that she would let herself go in such a different direction from Cass, but she isn't quite sure what she can do to reverse things.
I really liked Boo and Stewart; they were the exact opposite of Caitlin's family, but that made them even more comforting and a good balance to their neighbors. I thought the ways Caitlin's family fell apart were realitic, and I liked how Caitlin eventually began to see how Cass' life wasn't as perfect as she had thought it was.
It was horrible, though, to read a book about this girl in an abusive relationship. It seemed like Caitlin ought to have been smart enough to get away from Rogerson when he started to hit her, and I found it frustrating that nobody saw what was going on.
She's done it again.......2007-05-25
Sarah Dessen has done it again. As a loyal reader, I find this book one of her best. She has managed to bring her characters to life, again. It is some of her best writing. In this novel, Caitlin O'Koren is a seventeen year-old girl in high school. She has always been compared to her sister Cassandra who was, as everyone else saw her, the perfect kid until she runs off, weeks before heading to Yale, with her boyfriend of three months. Afterwards, her parents are busy worrying of Cass, and Caitlin meets Rogerson Biscoe. It all seems to be perfect for Cass, even though Rogerson is a pot dealer, and secretive. She goes along with it, only to sink to a new low for herself. This realism of characters is something Sarah Dessen works so well. She made these characters come to life, and this story almost becomes a real life movie in your head. I think we can all relate to holding onto something we have control over, even if it isn't right for us, or the time. This book would be a good read for anyone. My recommendation is high for this book, although I do think teenage girls would enjoy it most.
xxDreAmLanDxx.......2007-05-21
Dreamland is about a teenager named Caitlin. On Caitlin's birthday her sister Cass runs away to live with her boyfriend. Due to her sister leaving, Caitlin's parents become so wrapped up in trying to locate her that they start to neglect Caitlin. When Caitlin joins cheerleading, her mom becomes more involved in her life which makes her want to continue with it even though she doesn't want to. One night she meets Rogerson and to Caitlin he is the only one that can make her forget about Cass missing. But when being with Rogerson is a larger issue than being without him, she must decide what to do with. Stay with him? Or leave him?
I really liked this book because the problems that occur in the book could actually happen in real life and I think that was the whole point in the authors way of writing. I would recommend it to anyone who likes realistic fiction/dramatic books.
Really good book.......2007-05-17
it was a good book. Well written. I thought it was especially good because it wasn't predictable. I'm going to read more Sarah Dessen books.
DREAMLAND - a great book!.......2007-05-03
- This book, Dreamland by Sarah Dessen , is about Caitlin (main character), her sister Cass leaves on Caitlin's birthday to be with her boyfriend and get away from the college chaos. Caitlin's family goes through some really tough times and Caitlin, later on, decides to do cheerleading. This cheerleading activity leads to unsupervised parties and boys. Caitlin's new boyfriends name is Rogerson Biscoe, who she sees as a great guy, but ends up getting Caitlin into things she normally would not do. Rogerson is really good to Caitlin, until she doesn't show up for a shopping trip that they had planned , and their relationship pretty much goes downhill from there.
- My favorite part of the book is when Caitlin's parents meet Rogerson. Friends of the family, Boo and Stewart, are playing Trivial Pursuit with Caitlin's parents and everything Rogrson says is correct, leaving the family amazed after some things that they had herd about him.
- I defiantly recommend this book to anyone who is into "real life" books and anyone who will read for hours , because this book will leave you wanting to read on and want to know more.
Amazon.com
Babies and toddlers who loved the "real" ladybugs in Ten Little Ladybugs will adore the nine sparkly, three-dimensional butterflies in Good Night, Sweet Butterflies. Each glitter-covered butterfly flits through a color-themed spread which offers a place for the little winged one to sleep: "on red roses as a red robin sings good night," is the text accompanying a psychedelic, color-saturated image of birds, flowers, and various insects. The meter of the rhyming text is a bit off, which makes it hard to read the book rhythmically, but little ones are likely to be so enthralled with the illustrations that it won't matter. The thick, kid-friendly pages are easy to turn and hard to tear; the butterflies are securely mounted, but not impossible to remove, so it might be a good idea to keep this one for reading together. (Ages 2 to 6) --Jennifer Lindsay
Customer Reviews:
Great for learning colors.......2007-07-22
My daughter is 2 and loves this book. It has helped her learn her colors and she loves to touch the butterflys. The pictures are fun and she finds new things to look at every time we read it.
Beautiful.......2007-05-17
The pictures in this book are so lovely. Short easy to read text for those kids who would rather look at the pictures than listen to the words. We spend most of the time pointing out all the things of like colors on each page (i.e. pink pig, pink possum, pink butterfly, etc.).
Both my girls enjoy this book. It has been a favorite of my younger child for over 6 months (she's 21 mo. now). Whenever we sense an impending meltdow/temper tantrum, we pull this book out to distract her.
sweet, colorful and educational.......2007-02-18
This story is one of my daughter's favorites; she learned her colors listening to this book. The raised butterflies are a great tactile addition to this already interesting book. Bright, colorful illustrations are appealing to little eyes as well as big.
absolutely delightful book.......2007-02-12
This book is so delightful. The colors, the story, the quality---mommy and 36 mo old approve!! Two thumbs up
Big hits in my house.......2007-01-06
This book and 10 little ladybugs are WONDERFUL books - no complaints!
Book Description
A volatile U.S. ally has fallen prey to the terrorist beast. India is the target of radical Islamic jihadists, and the world watches breathlessly as tensions escalate between the uneasy giant and its longtime nemesis Pakistan—with China waiting in the wings, eager to flex its military might. A nuclear showdown seems inevitable, unless the masterminds at Dreamland can get to the mysterious source of the terror and end it, swiftly and permanently. Every technological wonder the military possesses must be employed to avert an all-out Apocalypse—from an awesome new hybrid Navy destroyer to robot Flighthawks. But the fate of the region and the world will depend on the newest brainchild of the Dreamland team: an unproven instrument of ultimate power code-named End Game.
Customer Reviews:
Another average novel by Dale Brown.......2006-12-23
Dale Brown started off with some good novels like the Flight of the Old Dog.
This continues in the same vein as his recent novels. Looking for a new idea but quickly falling back on the old structure.
Time for something new and original.
Book Description
The beast isalive and prowling the high seas. As extremist Islamic pirates, armed and supported by a powerful Saudi terrorist, prey on civilian vessels in the Gulf of Aden, America aggressively answers with serious muscle -- a next-generation littoral warship with a full range of automated weapons systems that the enemy has dubbed "Satan's Tail." However, unforeseen technological problems combined with the suicidal tendencies of a fanatical foe mean support is needed from above -- and a pair of Dreamland's awesome Megafortresses and their Flighthawk escorts are dispatched to the war zone.But bitter professional rivalries threaten to damage, perhaps even destroy,the mission, as a vengeful opponent takes advantage of the disruption -- to strengthen his outlaw navy and set its sights horrifically high -- raising the stakes in a battle the U.S. and the world simply cannot afford to lose.
Customer Reviews:
Satan's Tail.......2006-11-03
Riveting. A look into the future from a time before all the turmoil in todays world started.
Typical Brown.......2006-08-13
Again Dale Brown shows his vile distaste for any service but the Air Force. Unfortunately, his love of a service without a mission blinds him to the capabilities and professionalism of the other services. Book after book he thumps his chest for an air service he loves, but one that has failed to see reality of the real world. Understanding that this is fiction...his venom for his sister services pours through his writing, turning the other services into a reflection of the service he loves. I only give this book 3 Stars because Brown's writing is still a fast paced thriller.
Satan's Tail.......2006-03-11
Although this series, to me, is not quite as good as the "Old Dog" series, it is only a partial step down. The story is a continuation of the same major characters, and they are quite good and very interesting individuals. It is fast paced, has plenty of action, and a few tear-jerker momemts. If you are a Dale Brown addict, as I am, you won't want to miss this book!!
Exciting Reading.......2006-02-01
Very good book! Exciting reading! Would recommend it to all Dale Brown fans.
Outstanding book.......2005-12-23
This book had everything that a person who likes these type of books is looking for. Non stop action, multiple storylines, and it was very hard to put down once I got started. Dale Brown did a great job on this book and anyone who has liked his books in the past will love this one.
Book Description
One of the Air Force's top guns, Captain Breanna Stockard is training Brunei pilots to fly the EB-52 Megafortress. But when a violent attempted kidnapping threatens a major arms deal about to take place, Breanna and her husband Major Jeff "Zen" Stockard must uncover a plot that--in this volatile region of the world--could mean Armageddon.
Amazon.com
Kevin Baker's Dreamland is the kind of novel that begins with a two-page list of characters and ends with a nine-page glossary. In between, this vast, sprawling carnival of a book takes in Coney Island and the Lower East Side, midgets and gangsters, Bowery bars and opium dens, even Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. It is, in short, a novel as big, lively, and ambitious as Gotham itself, and if you can stomach some of the more garish local color, it's every bit as much fun. Set at the turn of the century, in a New York as polyglot as any city on earth, Dreamland opens with an act of misplaced--and very stupid--compassion. Eastern European immigrant Kid Twist intervenes when villainous gangster Gyp the Blood is on the verge of murdering a young newsboy for sport. But surprise: that's no street urchin--that's Trick the Dwarf, self-proclaimed Mayor of Little City and a Coney Island tout, who dresses up as a boy, he says, as "a way I had of leaving myself behind." Trick hides Kid Twist in the hind parts of the Tin Elephant Hotel; Kid Twist meets Esther Abramowitz, impoverished seamstress and labor agitator, then falls in love; Trick woos Mad Carlotta, a three-foot beauty who thinks she's the Empress of Mexico; and Freud and Jung sail for America, where they squabble about psychoanalysis. There are also a few subplots involving police corruption, Tammany Hall, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire--but who's counting? Suffice to say that it all really does come together in the end, and you won't be bored for one step of the way. Baker served as chief historical researcher for Harold Evans's The American Century, and it's clear that he put his time there to good use; Dreamland is full of vivid historical detail, from Lower East Side slang to the lyrics of popular songs. If this is middlebrow entertainment, it's middlebrow in the same way as Dickens: extravagantly plotted, elegantly written, and compassionate to the core. --Mary Park
Book Description
A literary tour de force, a magnificent chronicle of a remarkable era and a place of dreams
In a stunning work of imagination and memory, author Kevin Baker brings to mesmerizing life a vibrant, colorful, thrilling, and dangerous New York City in the earliest years of the twentieth century. A novel breathtaking in its scope and ambition, it is the epic saga of newcomers drawn to the promise of America—gangsters and laborers, hucksters and politicians, radicals, reformers, murderers, and sideshow oddities—whose stories of love, revenge, and tragedy interweave and shine in the artificial electric dazzle of a wondrous place called Dreamland.
Customer Reviews:
Don't read it in bed.......2007-09-14
This seems to be a well-written and interesting book that conveys the atmosphere of the period. (I bought it because I was interested in the amusement park, Dreamland.) HOWEVER, it contains a lot of very disturbing violence such as animal abuse, sadistic killing and crippling of people, the portrayal of horrific poverty, sweatshop workers, child labor, etc., etc. Was the lower East Side of New York in the early 20th century really like this? Perhaps it was, but I found this book too disturbing to read before going to sleep. I read about a third of it and had to put it aside. I hope to work up my courage to pick it up again.
Lots of Interesting History.......2007-09-03
I love a book that can allow me to envision the sights, sounds, and smells of another time and place. Dreamland is wonderful that way. The book tells the intersecting stories of two rival Jewish gangsters, a carnival dwarf, a sewing machine operator, a Tammany politician, and (strangely enough) Sigmund Freud. The ways that they are connected are many and complex; however, let it suffice to say that you'll come away from the book with a new appreciation for the hardscrabble life led by most turn-of-the-century immigrants in New York City. To be perfectly honest, my favorite portions of the story were those involving Esse, the sewing machine operator. I found her struggles with her family and her role within the burgeoning garment union fascinating, and I kept hoping (idly, I know, with her working at the Triangle Factory and all) that she would somehow escape and make a better life for herself. So few of those factory girls ever did. And I loved the descriptions of Coney Island, back when it was a pleasure-seekers paradise.
The only drawback, as I saw it, were the parts involving Freud. They sort of disrupted the story of a city and a generation teeming with life. Freud doesn't enjoy his visit to Dreamland--probably because (I think) he takes dreams way too seriously--and every time the story jumped to him I found myself dreading his analysis of his latest dream about public urination.
But overall, it's a great story, especially for those casually interested in turn of the century American history!
One of History's Bitter Pills.......2005-09-18
"Dreamland" is a far-fetched surreal presentation of some of America's uglier history.
New York in 1909 was, like Deadwood in 1876 or the fictional island in "Lord of the Flies", a laboratory enabling observers (especially future observers) to authenticate the depths of degradation to which we all can sink. As always, the catalysts are poverty, inequality, and an absence of real law and honest law enforcement. People unfamiliar with the background of Baker's spectacular novel will marvel over what a variety of characters would do, and did, for a nickel.
The cast is authentic and the many plots are NOT disjunct, but integrate at levels that are sometime subtle, e.g., the only partial validity of Freudian theory as a screen through which to interpret Baker's panoply of hideous human behavior.
Some critics deride the lack of historical authenticity, but most of Baker's history simply isn't susceptible
to authentification. This wasn't war or presidential politics or international relations: it was mostly filth and heartbreak, and historians, by and large, weren't watching. For example, a deranged killer depicted by Baker known as Gyp the Blood is said by several historians on record to have been electrocuted at Sing Sing in 1915. At least two others place him in the midst of an assassination in New Orleans six years later. And, some, like Baker, imply that Gyp's real name was Lazar Abramowitz, but several others say he was really Herman (or Herschel) Horowitz.
Anyway, if "Dreamland" interests some readers in things like the origins of the women's labor movement, the decline of Tammany, the origins of popular entertainment or the class struggle in America, it will have served an admirable educational purpose. If not, it's fantastic prose and in no way a waste of time.
The seedy side of NYC at the turn of the century.......2005-06-06
In the well-researched "Dreamland," as its name suggests, Kevin Baker gives us a surrealistic portrayal of the seedy side of New York City at the beginning of the 20th Century. Through various (often strange) characters, we are introduced to Jewish immigrants, gang life, corrupt politicians, the introduction of unions and the feminist movement, and the disturbing things that used to pass for entertainment at Coney Island. Baker also effectively depicts the deplorable living and working conditions of immigrants in New York during this era, and the appalling circumstances of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Less effective is a fictitious visit from Freud and Jung to New York, where the former worries that his being Jewish will prevent his teachings in psychology to be taken seriously.
In scene after scene, Baker focuses on the outright evil that exists in some people. The author doesn't mince words or spare the reader instances of cruelty. In one minor scene, for instance, a particularly vicious main character forces a peddler to feed poison to his beloved horse, upon which his livelihood completely depends. The business owners are, for the most part, despicable, making their workers slave 14 hours a day, six days a week, in the most vile conditions imaginable at meager wages.
While some reviewers didn't like the uncertain end, I had no problem with it. Baker reminds us that better days are ahead, and that individual human dignity must never be lost. Perhaps Baker tries to do too much in this book, but "Dreamland" makes a powerful statement, and I recommend it to anyone interested in this part of our history.
Coney Island setting and Yiddish jargon make this worthwhile.......2005-05-21
Having read SOMETIMES YOU SEE IT COMING, one of the best baseball books I've read, I was interested to know if the Kevin Baker who wrote DREAMLAND and PARADISE ALLEY was the same person. It's the same guy, but Baker has the chops to do both, as he is the chief historical researcher for the NEW YORK TIMES.
As I began to read, I was immediately reminded of several other books. AMERICAN TRAGEDY, THE ALIENIST, THE GANGS OF NEW YORK, and even CLOCKWORK ORANGE. The setting is New York City with Coney Island featured most of the time. There are gangsters and factory girls and Tammany Hall politicians and they all speak their own unique language, some Yiddish and Bowery slang. Thankfully I checked out the back of the book. Sure enough, there was a glossary. You'll be paging back and forth for the entire read.
There really isn't any main character, but Esse Abramowitz; her brother "Gyp the Blood;" Esse's lover Josef Kolykia, alias "Kid Twist;" and Tammany Hall politician Big Tim Sullivan do most of the heavy lifting. Trick the Dwarf tells the story. There is a dramatis personae provided at the beginning to help you keep track.
The plot begins when Kid Twist saves Trick the Dwarf's life at a Rat Bating by nailing Gyp the Blood with a shovel. For the rest of the book, Gyp the Blood is out to get Kid Twist. A subplot involves Esse Abramowitz's increasingly involvement in the Labor movement. She also works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co., and if you're up on your history, you know what happened there.
I was a bit disappointed in the ending. Trick the Dwarf suggests what MIGHT have happened to the major actors, rather than telling us. There's also a subplot involving Sigmund Freud that seems to be included just to add some historical credence. As Baker tells us in his acknowledgments, Freud really did visit America in 1909, but his conflict with Carl Jung doesn't seem to have a whole lot to do with anything.
Despite my misgivings, I heartily recommend this book for the Coney Island atmosphere and the Yiddish jargon alone.
Book Description
The weapon is codenamed "Razor"—the brainchild of the brilliant minds at Dreamland—a mobile chemical laser system with a range of 600 kilometers capable of downing anything that flies. The destruction of an American aircraft over northern Iraq suggests the inexplicable and unthinkable: a vengeful foe now possesses the lethal technology. It is fear that draws a retired warrior back to the battlefield, and sends Dreamland's best pilots to the skies to determine what the enemy has and to help take it away from him. But politics threatens to crush a covert engagement that must be won in the air and on the ground, unleashing a devastating rain of friendly fire that could ultimately annihilate a nation's champions ... and perhaps Dreamland itself.
Download Description
Dale Brown: The Novels Death of the Dogfight: An Interview with Dale Brown. The third installment of New York Times best-selling author Dale Brown's Dreamland series. This adventure features a battle in the skies over Iran and Iraq.
Customer Reviews:
Razor's Edge CD.......2005-08-27
this is just another outsatnding audio book if you are in to The dreamland books I just wish there were more of them.
Great Action But . . ........2004-05-21
I made it through the first Dreamland novel due to fast paced, well described aerial combat, an offering of terrific high tech weaponry, good solid plot, and for the most part, interesting characterization; however, by the end of book one I was praying for the slow horrible death of Jeff "Zen" Stockard. A guy who is not only a main character, a romantic lead, but, I think, one of the heroes of the series. Who also happens to be a Class A Schmuck.
We are told Zen was an ace pilot, then a crash causes him to become wheelchair bound. Not a bad concept, could have made for some excellent twists. And indeed, in the beginning of the first book, the anguish/anger/mistrust/fear that Zen illustrated felt real. However, after reading 2/3 of the book I was getting just a tad grumpy that Zen was still piloting the pity pot plane. And his engine was in full whine mode. Well, I finished the book. Forgave the writer. Bought the 2nd Dreamland book.
Guess what? Pain-in-the-ass Zen is still around - kinda like the whine of that mosquito in the middle of the night that won't let you sleep. He detracts from the book. He has caused me to forego the rest of the Dreamland books. A damn shame.
Brown Bores with Rich Military Details, Poor Characters.......2003-11-05
This is a review of the book on tape. The plot was solid and brought with it a sense of authenticity, especially in terms of how problems arose and were solved. To a degree the details about military hardware were fascinating, but they soon overran the book and distracted from the characters. There was only one character who truly mattered, and he was a side-show for most of the novel. The rest of the book was filled with people whose only purpose seemed to be populating the chain of command or demonstrating prowess under fire. A good example of this is Dog. He is some sort of Colonel, and his only role is to talk to the Whiplash team, pace around the room, and then relay the information to some General. Then he gets back on the phone with Whiplash. For all I know this type of exchange may be a normal part of military operations, but its appearance not once but several times in this novel was baffling. Ironically the character's name was well-suited to his part. As my sarcastic girlfriend fake-narrated: "Dog paced around the room and pissed on the carpet."
The cheesiest line of the book: "If the pilot was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen - and she was - then she was second."
C'mon.
Brown scores again.......2003-02-14
Dale Brown's still the champ, and he proves it in this latest thriller. The weaponry, as usual, is top notch, and the story moves along faster than ever. I think, though, that he should consider giving Col. Bastan a promotion - he really has a lot of responsibility for that rank. Besides, he's conceited enough to be a general.
Product Description
Alexander Carter has found a key that takes him back to the land of his childhood dreams. Now every night he enters Dreamland...a magical world filled with Dragons, Fairies, and Giants. Re-united with his childhood friends Paddington, Kiwi, and Nastajia...Alexander now embarks on a quest to save Dreamland from war with the nightmare realm.
Customer Reviews:
Imaginative fantasy for all ages.......2007-01-16
The Dreamland Chronicles: Book One is a fun and entertaining all-ages tale that posits the existence of a magical world of fantastic creatures, visited by children in their dreams. Alexander Carter used to visit every night as a child, and upon waking, would tell his twin brother, Dan, of his adventures, who would write them down and eventually be inspired to become a writer. Now college roommates, Alexander returns to Dreamland after nearly eight years of not dreaming, only to discover he is destined to play a part in the upcoming war between Dreamland and the Nightmare Realm.
Scott Christian Sava has once again created an excellent cast of characters -- Paddington Rumblebottom III, the adorable dancing rock giant, is my favorite -- and deftly balances the two worlds by crafting a realistic relationship between the two brothers that is equal in dramatic weight to the more fantastic elements of Dreamland. As the story reeled me in, I warmed up to the CGI artwork and was eventually able to appreciate its dexterity, as the impressive team of computer artists Sava assembled not only offer distinctive character designs and settings, but manage to communicate emotion surprisingly well. Sava helps by taking full advantage of his nearly 300 pages, pacing the story in a way that allows it to breathe without feeling decompressed. The extras include a look at some of his original painted pages as well as an assortment of character models and page layouts that give the book the feel of a big-budget CGI movie.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans young and old!
It Just Keeps Getting Better.......2006-12-04
This is more than a comic. The characters are three dimensional; we watch them grow up. The art is astounding, and the plot is rich. This is a comic the whole family will love.
Amazing Graphics.... Better Story.......2006-11-30
I have never been a huge fan of comics, but this one has changed my mind. Not only are the characters dynamic and fun, but the graphic quality is amazing. This story is good for young and old, and I can't wait to share it in print with friends. If you love epic stories don't miss out on this one!
Average customer rating:
- Perfect!
- Best Lullaby Book and Tape Ever!
- Best Lullaby Book and Tape Ever!
- if only it were still in print.....
|
Songs from Dreamland
Lois Duncan
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Classics by Age
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Poetry
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Baby-3
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0394899040
Release Date: 1989-04-08 |
Customer Reviews:
Perfect!.......2003-01-19
I saw this at a school book sale while I was pregnant with our last child. We ended up buying a second because we wore the cassette out. This refers to the book and cassette combination.
With our new (13 years old now!) baby, it became a part of our evening routines, the stories read, the songs listened to, and it was peaceful.
I still recall how it started: a soft wind blowing through the breeze, and a lovely voice soeaking quietly "It's bedime now. You've played hard today and I know you must be tired ...".
It was a point of amusement that we figured if we ever accidentally put the tape in the car and played it we would fall asleep at the wheel within 20 seconds (grin)
Truly, I most highly recommend this, and the memories will last a lifetime.
A kindred Mom, soon to be a Grandmother! ~Mariance
Best Lullaby Book and Tape Ever!.......2002-11-04
I bought this set for my first grandchild twelve years ago and it was loved by all of my grandchildren, as well as my daughters.
The music, the lyrics and the illustrations are so beautiful. Definitely first class. Would love to see a new release of this.
Best Lullaby Book and Tape Ever!.......2002-11-04
I bought this set for my first grandchild twelve years ago and it was loved by all of my grandchildren, as well as my daughters.
The music, the lyrics and the illustrations are so beautiful. Definitely first class. Would love to see a new release of this.
if only it were still in print............2000-12-19
This is the most beautiful, enchanting tape of lullabies I have ever heard. Lois Duncan (yes, of I Know What You Did Last Summer fame) wrote the exquisite lyrics for the tape that accompanies this book when her grandchild was born. Her daughter is actually the singer. I have never found a collection of lullabies to equal this one.
Average customer rating:
- A Story of Discovery
- Very little about Area 51, mostly about individuals
- Good Read; Weird Subject
- Easily, the best book I've ever read
- Calling All Crackpots
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Area 51: The Dreamland Chronicles
David Darlington
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0805047778 |
Book Description
Area 51, Dreamland, Groom Lake, Paradise Ranch, Watertown Strip, the Box: all refer to the top-secret research installation, located a hundred miles north of Las Vegas, which, for many, has come to stand for all that is shadowy and nefarious about the military-industrial-intelligence complex. Built under the direction of the CIA in the 1950s, the base served as the original test site for the U-2 spy plane and F-117 stealth fighter jet. In more recent years, Area 51 has spurred public interest from its role in the government's $30 billion "Black Budget," from legal claims of worker illness due to toxic burning, and from sensational charges about captured alien spacecraft. It has also given birth to a feisty guerrilla subculture bent on exploding the secrecy surrounding this mysterious spot. David Darlington unfolds the history, legs, and characters involved with Area 51, weaving a weird tale of intrigue and outrage that speaks volumes about popular culture and American democracy at the of the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
A Story of Discovery.......2007-04-08
This book is primarily about the individuals that hunted down information about the secret Air Force base known as Dreamland, The Ranch, or Area 51. It focuses on the 1990's, when the base became part of popular culture. You will find a lot of information about the personalities of the people associated with the efforts to uncover the base. You won't find a lot of unsubstantiated "facts" about UFOs or secret projects that have been associated with the base. If nothing else, the book is worthwhile for putting in print the story of "Mo". Who is Mo? Read the book.
Very little about Area 51, mostly about individuals.......2004-12-14
This book is obviously written to fill pages between a cover that says "Area 51". The writing isn't very good, the information isn't very good, most of it is downright annoyingly off topic such as a chapter on the Luxor hotel's buffet and rides. There is no information about Area 51 you cannot get for free on the internet. The book is extremely vague about the Area 51 base and instead concentrates of various crackpots that consider themselves Area 51 experts. That might be useful if the subjects were revealed in an Area 51 context but they are not. Instead we are treated to tales of how they like to get drunk and eat tuna with their fingers. There is an abundance of pages on various planes and the people who follow such things but again it's about planes and not nessesarily what they might have at Area 51. Much of the book is so pointless and senseless that I can only draw the conclusion that the mandate was to fill pages with words so the publisher could have an "Area 51" book on the shelves. Content wasn't a priority. Don't waste your time or money.
Good Read; Weird Subject.......2004-09-27
Area 51, the highly classified military installation at Groom Lake in the Nevada desert about 90 miles north of Las Vegas, may be more a state of mind than a physical place. Certainly that is the way it is treated in this engagingly written, witty, and sometimes insightful report on the desert base as it is understood in the mid-1990s and the strange cast of characters seeking to learn its mysteries. This is never more true than in the general public's perception of the installation as depicted in such television programs as the "X-Files" and films like "Independence Day."
Area 51 begins with a discussion of the first trip the author, an investigative journalist and author of three earlier books, made in 1993 to the ramshackle town of Rachel, Nevada, on the north side of the Groom Lake facility and haven of Area 51 watchers. There he met the most rational of the lot, Glenn Campbell (not the country singer), who was on a one-man crusade to find out what the government was up to at this super-secret base. It ends in 1997 with the revelation that Campbell was leaving this crusade.
Between these two Campbellite bookends the author weaves a set of weird stories tied to the base. In the early 1950s Lockheed Skunkworks director Kelly Johnson needed a secure place to test the U-2 reconnaissance airplane. The Air Force's test facility at Muroc dry lake, site of the now famous Chuck Yeager X-1 flights of 1947, was too well known and had too many people watching it. Groom Lake's dry bed provided just as good a runway in much more desolate surroundings and thus Area 51 was born. It has been the site of numerous other equally secret Air Force test programs over the years; those acknowledged now include the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft and the F-117 stealth fighter. Other secret high-technology research projects, both real and imagined by the residents of Rachel, periodically make their way into this book.
But the really enticing thread running through the story of Area 51 is the belief held almost universally by the Rachel residents that the U.S. government is using the base to hide, reverse-engineer, and test alien technology that crashed on Earth. Thus, Area 51 has gained Mecca-like status for UFO hunters the world over. One would have to look for a long time to find as colorful a collection of characters to grace a non-fiction work. If those involved in America's space program look like stuffy establishment types who have taken the adventure out of spaceflight, this crew provides an extreme on the other end.
Bob Lazar serves as a centerpiece for Darlington's account. He says of him, "within the world of ufology, meeting Bob Lazar is tantamount to meeting Bob Dylan. Lazar is similarly a reclusive superstar and a legend in his own time; if not exactly the voice of a generation" (p. 61). Lazar claims to have worked at Area 51, tested alien spacecraft, and actually to have seen extraterrestrials involved in the reverse-engineering process. As such, if one accepts his story without verification, he provided much-needed confirmation and coherence to a range of diffuse anecdotes circulating about Area 51. Darlington does not accept Lazar's story at face-value. Neither did Glenn Campbell and a few others interested in Area 51. They found that many of the verifiable facts of Lazar's life did not pan out and that his wide-ranging statements about the base had serious inconsistencies. All these raised serious questions about his credibility.
But that does not much matter to many of the UFO hunters centered on Rachel. Most accepted his story, and some even added to it. Bill Uhouse, for instance, spun his own story of working as an engineer inside secret government facilities side by side with extraterrestrials who were doling out technological knowledge with an eyedropper to eager government officials. Then there was Ambassador Merlyn Merlin II of Alpha Draconis, who claimed to be an alien in human form sent to Earth to usher in a new order of contact with alien species. Joe and Pat Travis, proprietors of the Little A-Le-Inn in Rachel, have provided the safe haven for many of the UFO hunters in town, even sponsoring 1993's "Ultimate UFO Seminar" in which Lazar and others described their experiences. Finally, Agent X, as he likes to be called, stalks Area 51 to learn about the secret programs conducted there and claims to be a pacifistic hawk and purveyor of privileged national security information.
One over-arching observation springs from Darlington's narrative. There seems to be an unusual linkage between the more strident ufologists and the radical right wing of politics and anti-government militia groups. At numerous points in the book, anti-government rhetoric is voiced about attempts, intergalactic or not, to overthrow the U.S. Constitution and replace it with a "New World Order" in which Americans would become defacto slaves. Ambassador Merlyn Merlin II put an unusual spin on this. "I'm not a government conspiracy wacko," he told Darlington. "These people are radical right-wing conservative Christian fundamentalist militia supporters." Then he said: "I'm for the New World Order. When the United Federation of Planets is connected to the United Nations, that will be the New World Order--a permanent golden age" (p. 203). Slavery or salvation, Area 51 seems to serve as a beacon for each possibility in the minds of those who watch it.
None of this bears much relationship to the activities taking place at Area 51. And Darlington does not provide much serious investigation of them. That would have required research in tons of government records, probably using the "Freedom-of-Information Act" to gain access, and probing among those who live in Washington rather that in Rachel. What he does offer, however, is a fascinating account of what a fringe element of American society believe about what is taking place at Area 51. As such, it is a study of modern popular culture rather than a serious attempt to write history.
Easily, the best book I've ever read.......2003-08-28
I am an Area 51 and US Military and Government Researcher, and I was looking for a book that would inform me not only on speculation as to what is going on in the world's most secretive base, but also honest and truthful facts. After reading David Darlington's best selling biography of the base, I can easily state on Amazon that the book did much more than that. The book is a five star documentary of Area 51, and will inspire the people who work there in to wondering what they are doing in that remote installation in Nevada. The book features how Area 51 came into existence: there was, supposedly, a crash landing of some craft in Roswell, NM, USA in the blistering hot summer of 1947. Who knows where those craft are? The only real piece of evidence to show that the craft are being back engineered to make such historic and monumental aircraft today is Area 51: its sheer size and isolation from the rest of the world is, actually, beyond imagination. The cold war comes and what do you see, but, twenty years after the crash landing and mass speculatory existence of the people of New Mexico, you see craft like the SR71, Have Blue and U-2A and also, later on, the B series. Darlington not only looks at evidence to prove that Area 51 exists, but actually, as a journalist, and a very talented grad. of Yale university, (though not from Skull and Bones!), he looks in a very perspective way at how people live in nevada and cope with what is easily a contradiction of most US regulations on environment and defense. David Darlington spends an increasing amount of time in Rachel, the closest concentration of American citizens to Area 51, otherwise known as Dreamland (hence the title of the book The Dreamland Chronicles), and spends time with just about every famous and widely heard of person in the village. He also spends time with Interceptors, he becomes one himself, looking for planes and travelling with officials to find out, constantly, new things relating to the base. He also uses his intelligence and common sense to seek out red herrings and disinformation, and he does that very well ina humourous and personal way. Area 51, a fantastic matter in modern philosophy, is intriguing, secretive, and always makes you think 'what if?'. But I have never read a book like the one Mr. Darlington wrote. It's good for skeptics, enthusiasts, and interceptors alike, and what I like is that he never gives up hope. Mr. Darlington, you've made me want to read more of the books, and as that phrase is coming from an Area 51 researcher and writer himself, I think I will. I'll award it five 'plus' stars. The book deserves them, don't you worry.
Calling All Crackpots.......2002-06-05
As an open-minded skeptic I'm game to all kinds of weirdness, if the evidence presents itself. In turn I was somewhat familiar with the folklore surrounding Area 51 in Nevada. On a recent cross-country vacation I drove through some of the areas described in this book (though not nearly so extensively), traversing a portion of Nevada 375, and making a personal contribution to the unauthorized bumper sticker tradition. I got this here book later in the trip in Roswell, New Mexico, another center of weirdness that has a much better sense of humor. Here Darlington is not focused on the top-secret military operations at the base known popularly as Area 51 (which would be mostly impossible), but with the folklore practiced by conspiracy buffs and UFO enthusiasts who frequent the area. Centered in the nowheresville of Rachel, this book is populated with all kinds of colorful characters with bizarre theories and backgrounds, with names like Agent X and Ambassador Merlyn Merlin II of Alpha Draconis. Darlington keeps a detached stance, merely reporting each figure's theories and trying not to pass judgment. While most of these folks claim to be activists trying to unveil military and government secrecy, just about all of them come across, through their own words, as the highest class of crackpots, publicity seekers, and connect-the-dots conspiracy theorists that could be debunked by a pre-schooler. Unfortunately, Darlington's detached method leads to a book that can be quite dry and tedious at times, as he tends to use extremely long interviews and speeches verbatim, which sometimes last for several pages in a row. Darlington doesn't bother to propose any universal conclusion about this whole phenomenon, which would be interesting from a cultural standpoint at least. This book is outdated also, with several predictions from the interviewees of momentous events at the turn of the millennium. These sure didn't happen, and I bet it's because the year 2000 is a number based on a human calendar, so why would aliens care? Duh. In the end, this book accomplishes little more than rehashing the weirdness you can get for free from any number of internet news groups.
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