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When Lorenzo de' Medici seized control of the Florentine Republic in 1512, he summarily fired the Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Signoria and set in motion a fundamental change in the way we think about politics. The person who held the aforementioned office with the tongue-twisting title was none other than Niccolò Machiavelli, who, suddenly finding himself out of a job after 14 years of patriotic service, followed the career trajectory of many modern politicians into punditry. Unable to become an on-air political analyst for a television network, he only wrote a book. But what a book The Prince is. Its essential contribution to modern political thought lies in Machiavelli's assertion of the then revolutionary idea that theological and moral imperatives have no place in the political arena. "It must be understood," Machiavelli avers, "that a prince ... cannot observe all of those virtues for which men are reputed good, because it is often necessary to act against mercy, against faith, against humanity, against frankness, against religion, in order to preserve the state." With just a little imagination, readers can discern parallels between a 16th-century principality and a 20th-century presidency. --Tim Hogan
Book Description
Here is the world's most famous master plan for seizing and holding power. Astonishing in its candor The Prince even today remains a disturbingly realistic and prophetic work on what it takes to be a prince . . . a king . . . a president. When, in 1512, Machiavelli was removed from his post in his beloved Florence, he resolved to set down a treatise on leadership that was practical, not idealistic. In The Prince he envisioned would be unencumbered by ordinary ethical and moral values; his prince would be man and beast, fox and lion. Today, this small sixteenth-century masterpiece has become essential reading for every student of government, and is the ultimate book on power politics.
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Here is the world's most famous master plan for seizing and holding power. Astonishing in its candor The Prince even today remains a disturbingly realistic and prophetic work on what it takes to be a prince... a king... a president.
When, in 1512, Machiavelli was removed from his post in his beloved Florence, he resolved to set down a treatise on leadership that was practical, not idealistic. In The Prince he envisioned what would be unencumbered by ordinary ethical and moral values; his prince would be man and beast, fox and lion. Today, this small sixteenth-century masterpiece has become essential reading for every student of government, and is the ultimate book on power politics.
Customer Reviews:
How one can rule them all with power........2007-10-14
Published in 1532, dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici, The Prince by Machiavelli is an advanced political science treatise in defence of civilization against barbarianism by way of a single specially disciplined sovereign ruler, a prince.
The Prince by Machiavelli is a brief but complex political management system designed to be run by a prince administered using a series of protocols for any given situation based on Machiavelli's interpretation of the history of the rise and fall of world governments with an emphasis on the Roman Empire and current trends in 16th century monarchy rule.
Machiavelli's analysis of the historical record paved the way for princes to develop awareness of the problem of emergent barbarianism both internal and external. Machiavelli highlighted the need for a prince to always remain liked but indicated that being wanted did not necessarily mean being kind and showed how a cruel prince could also be beneficial to the state which would function, sometimes better, under ruthlessness depending on certain conditions.
Machiavelli was able to successfully understand the different types of principalities and how princes come to power and how they could retain that power tactically. He often cited historical sources to prove his points. The Prince teaches how to acquire cities and how they should be ruled especially after being annexed. In this respect it is also a war treatise although it deals with gain by means other than war. However this is not unusual for a warfare discourse. There are methods of determining strength and calculating a response and so The Prince is a strategic book that has its bases in game theory. The different types of soldiers and how they behave is given a considerable amount of coverage and how a prince should treat them.
The character of a prince becomes a central theme especially concerning how a prince is to be perceived by others. Religion is dealt with and for its time The Prince surprisingly declared Popes potential enemies that could, and would, undermine a monarchy if it was to their advantage. Machiavelli was able to show how a fortress is important for defence but that attack can, and does, come from within. He also had a system to increase a prince's popularity and noted areas in which a prince could socially falter. The book rounds up with a directive to implement these ideas when fortune should arise and to be always on guard against barbarianism which can come from within.
The Prince remains a classic essential in the development of game theory. There are many parallels between this work and the Art of War by Sun Tzu. In fact Machiavelli wrote another book using that very same title. Machiavelli sees power brought into the grasp of one hand by adapting military tactics internally within government operations as opposed to outwardly using them to defeat the enemy. This work is all about controlling what has been gained.
The Prince and its author Machiavelli are often condemned for not only tolerating mistreating people but for advising it in a lot of circumstances especially to prove authority and to take any possible threatening might away from the people. Proponents argue that without a rule of law with stiff penalties people would become barbaric and the system would deteriorate into even more unbearable situations. It is completely open about dealing out harsh measures to guarantee the survival of the state by any means necessary. However The Prince does contain methodologies that incorporate and use control based on kindness but these methods are few and far between.
Overall this book's influence on politics and business cannot be underestimated. Ultimately it is a must read being a very powerful book about being very powerful.
Good information.......2007-10-10
Many of Macchavelli's principal relate to both the Political world and the business world. It should be in every library.
This could be quite hard for those who lack the concentration, it can a valuable book for those who want to obtain a leadership position.
Accomadation.......2007-10-02
The first item was lost in the mail. I contacted Amazon and they sent me another one right away.
A Truely Overrated Book.......2007-09-19
"The Prince" is essentially a "how-to" guide for royalty durring the 1400's in Italy. I'm not going to make this review very long... a short review for a short book. It gets one star. Why? It's a very out dated classic. The advice and philosophical ramblings handed out in this book is quite specific to its time and place, and unlike, say The Communist Manefesto, for example, are no long relevant to us. In fact, it would probably be downright criminal today to run your country in the way Machiavelli suggests you do. This book would be a good read if you are interested in the history of Italian principalities durring this time period. Other than that, there is really no reason to read it. The morality of the book is actually very objectionable, and on top of that... its REALLLLLY borring.
It's probably considered to be a classic work of literature because it is just old. That's all. If I wrote some crap right now about the mythical underpants gnomes, and it survived for 600 years, people in 2600 BC would probably be saying "FIVE STARS for the Underpants Gnome Chronicals. This a great relic from the year 2007! Such insight into their ideology and beliefs...."
Awesome book.......2007-09-06
This book is for serious philosophical readers.
Machiavelli broke down a raw and ruthless political idea. I read the Art of War before this book, and they are similar. However, Machiavelli is much more aggressive. If you're reading this book for entertainment, it can be dry at times. Nonetheless, the information in this book is timeless, and should be an enjoyment for interested readers only.
Amazon.com
From the opening line of his breakthrough cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson plunges the reader into a not-too-distant future. It is a world where the Mafia controls pizza delivery, the United States exists as a patchwork of corporate-franchise city-states, and the Internet--incarnate as the Metaverse--looks something like last year's hype would lead you to believe it should. Enter Hiro Protagonist--hacker, samurai swordsman, and pizza-delivery driver. When his best friend fries his brain on a new designer drug called Snow Crash and his beautiful, brainy ex-girlfriend asks for his help, what's a guy with a name like that to do? He rushes to the rescue. A breakneck-paced 21st-century novel, Snow Crash interweaves everything from Sumerian myth to visions of a postmodern civilization on the brink of collapse. Faster than the speed of television and a whole lot more fun, Snow Crash is the portrayal of a future that is bizarre enough to be plausible.
Book Description
Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison--a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and
Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse.
Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous...you'll recognize it immediately.
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Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison -- a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous... you'll recognize it immediately.
"Stephenson has not stepped, he has vaulted onto the literary stage with this novel."
LOS ANGELES READER
"A cross between Neuromancer and Thomas Pynchon's Vineland. This is no mere hyperbole."
SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN
"Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the 21st century."
WILLIAM GIBSON
"Brilliantly realized... Stephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Customer Reviews:
Started well, at least ..........2007-10-18
This is the second time I've read Stephenson, and the second time I've been quite enthused about the first half of the book only to set it aside.
My problems with it: the futuristic America presented is not explained, nor is it plausible for the world to have changed so much in so short a time. The idea of "corporations" running everything is also contrary to the way our world is unfolding, so I don't know if that was some kind of anti-capitalist statement or what. There's certainly quite a few Politically Correct salutes here and there against "racism" and "sexism" ... I'm really looking forward to reading a novel that doesn't beat me over the head with that preachy crap, guess I'll keep waiting.
Anyway the story itself: I overlooked the above, noting when it was written, and enjoyed the cartoonish/comic book flavour of Hiro, The Raven, and the mysterious "drug" snow crash. Where it lost me was with the long-winded historical explanations ... I mean pages and pages of it, complete reader disconnect here ... am I supposed to memorize all of this? And all this explanation lumped in kind of artlessly too ... oh thank God, a new chapter, some action, the story moves on ... except, now we cut back to Hiro for YET MORE of these clunky explanations ... zzzzz ... Lost me.
A Great Intro to Neal Stephenson.......2007-10-06
Snow Crash was the first NS book I read - but certainly not the last. He's simply the most intriguing, creative writer I've come across and one of my first recommendations for anyone who wants to read intelligent commentary on the human condition through fiction. My only critique of Neal's work is that he doesn't always seem to know how to end a book. But maybe that's because he's such a fine writer, I just don't want it to end. Start with Snow Crash, read The Diamond Age, then if you're hooked, take a shot at reading Cryptonomicon and the Baroque Cycle.
No-Holds-Barred Cyberpunk.......2007-09-16
Years ago, this book was all the rage with a group of my friends, and after hearing them talk so much about it, I had to check it out for myself. I wasn't disappointed; Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash is a superb cyberpunk novel with fun characters thrown in.
Hiro Protagonist (no, really...that's his name) is a sometime pizza boy in an America that has become fractured and conglomerated by corporations. However, his real a/vocation is his life on the net, wherein he is a sword-swing agent. When his net mogul friend, Da5id, is rendered brainless by a strange computer virus called Snow Crash, Hiro is thrown into an adventure with Mesopotamian mythology, mad mafia pizza moguls, a criminal whose weapon of choice is plate-glass spears, a massive floating island of refugees, and a cynical teenage skateboard courier. Stephenson has an eye for both satire and for enthralling description. Highly recommended for any fan of William Gibson.
Cyberpunk is my new love..........2007-09-16
This book had my heart after the first paragraph. I love the way Stephenson is so descriptive, using so many metaphors that your head spins. It was seriously like watching "The Matrix" for the first time. You remember how with just about every action scene you were able to mutter at least one "That was freakin' awesome!"? Well that's how "Snow Crash" is going to be for you. There's not one chapter that goes by where you aren't interested.
Even the less action-packed chapters are just as captivating, not only because Neal Stephenson can write a sentence so full of satire and humor that only weeks later while standing in line at the DMV will you break out in laughter at finally understanding it completely, but because the content is just so intriguing. I also must confess to loving the parts of the book that dealt with Sumerian mythology, as well as the Raft.
Anyway, without giving any more details, I definitely stand by this book as one of the best novels ever written. Even Time Magazine seems to agree, having put it on a list of "All-Time 100 Novels"(http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html). So especially if you've been out of touch with a good book for a while, consider reading "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson. It'll make you fall in love with literature all over again, even if you don't know for sure what Cyberpunk means.
Stunning.......2007-09-13
The combination of technology and cutting edge concepts make this a watershed novel. A pleasure to read was actually sad when I realized only twenty pages were left. Think of that...
[[ASIN:0595681646 Gideon's Fall: When You Dont Have a Prayer, Only a Miracle Will Do]
Book Description
The Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith
It is symbolic that Adam Smith’s masterpiece of economic analysis,
The Wealth of Nations, was first published in 1776, the same year as the Declaration of Independence.
In his book, Smith fervently extolled the simple yet enlightened notion that individuals are fully capable of setting and regulating prices for their own goods and services. He argued passionately in favor of free trade, yet stood up for the little guy.
The Wealth of Nations provided the first--and still the most eloquent--integrated description of the workings of a market economy.
The result of Smith’s efforts is a witty, highly readable work of genius filled with prescient theories that form the basis of a thriving capitalist system. This unabridged edition offers the modern reader a fresh look at a timeless and seminal work that revolutionized the way governments and individuals view the creation and dispersion of wealth--and that continues to influence our economy right up to the present day.
Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly readable.......2007-09-12
If you have any interest at all in Economics, you'll want to go to the source. This is the source. Adam Smith lays the groundwork for the study of Economics in this very readable treatise.
Though he is discussing 18th century Britain, the topics he discusses have direct analogs in the modern American economy. Taxes, trade, money, monopoly, tarrifs, and international trade balance are all tackled with aplomb.
He really lays into Mercantilism and blasts the protectionism it engenders. Never anything less than a champion of the common man, Smith decrys monopolies and other taxes on those most unable to afford them. Though he seems to be a total free marketeer, he takes great pains to examine the types of taxes which would be useful and prudent for a government to levy.
Once or twice may be fine, but Smith uses this construction for almost every sentence in the book. It is just a stylistic gripe, but the length and complexity of each sentence make digesting the information quite a bit more difficult than it otherwise could have been. I would not be at all disappointed to see this book translated to a more modern style.
Again, if you're interested in Economics at all, this book is the place to start. There is so much good information here to be absorbed and pondered. I recommend it highly.
Adam Smith was a fabulous writer!!.......2007-08-13
Do not be dismayed by the book's substantial girth! The Wealth of Nations is not only an essential, brilliant, philosophical read for anyone interested in economics... but, it is also thoroughly entertaining and even humorous at times.
Seminal work from the father of economics.......2007-05-25
Nobody seriously involved in economics can do without this exhaustive work, originally published in five volumes as An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. This classic is a pragmatic and accessible milestone in the history of economics. Its author, Adam Smith, is woven into every economics textbook. However, Smith's theories, which today often are recounted mostly in fragments, frequently incorrectly, reveal their entire social and economic innovative power only in context. Smith burst onto the scene at a time when absolutist national states monopolized the world's precious metal reserves and tried to increase their own wealth through stringent export policies. These states were motivated by an entirely new concept about national wealth: that it stemmed from the work of the country's people, not from gold. Based on that idea, economic markets should balance themselves as if guided by an "invisible hand," impelled by each individual's self-interest. The state has to provide only an orderly framework and specific public goods and services. Even though Smith's image of idealized economic and social harmony may have developed a few cracks over the course of time, his ideas have inspired many well-known economists during the past 250 years, including David Ricardo, Vilfredo Pareto, Friedrich August von Hayek and Milton Friedman. We highly recommend this seminal work.
Go with Bantam.......2007-02-12
If you're wondering which Wealth of Nations to purchase, get the Bantam paperback. This is Smith's complete and unabridged final version of the Wealth of Nations. It provides footnotes on Smith's wording, the historical context, and the differences between Smith's 5th edition and previous editions. In addition, the margin of the pages contain useful notes which summarize Smith's writing. For the price, this is clearly the superior choice.
Now, if you're wondering whether you should undertake such an endeavor, let me just say that Adam Smith was a professor of rhetoric. He explains everything so precisely, yet so comprehensible. Smith's writing is by no means difficult; I actually found it a surprisingly easy read given its antique nature. Once you get through the first chapter, you get quite used to Smith's writing style. If you put adequate time and energy into it, it's not hard at all.
A must read if you are in economics.......2006-09-02
The works of Adam Smith are an essential part of universal culture, especially for economics. The introduction to the book places you at the time it was written, which makes it even more valuable.
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- One of the GREAT ROMANCE CLASSICS of all time !!!
- Pride and Prejudice
- Amazing novel
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- A good classic
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Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics)
Jane Austen
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ASIN: 0553213105
Release Date: 1983-12-01 |
Amazon.com
Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect Austen heroine: intelligent, generous, sensible, incapable of jealousy or any other major sin. That makes her sound like an insufferable goody-goody, but the truth is she's a completely hip character, who if provoked is not above skewering her antagonist with a piece of her exceptionally sharp -- but always polite -- 18th century wit. The point is, you spend the whole book absolutely fixated on the critical question: will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy hook up?
Book Description
For over 150 years, Pride And Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen herself called this brilliant work her "own darling child." Pride And Prejudice, the story of Mrs. Bennet's attempts to marry off her five daughters is one of the best-loved and most enduring classics in English literature. Excitement fizzes through the Bennet household at Longbourn in Hertfordshire when young, eligible Mr. Charles Bingley rents the fine house nearby. He may have sisters, but he also has male friends, and one of these -- the haughty, and even wealthier, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy -- irks the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the Bennet girls. She annoys him. Which is how we know they must one day marry. The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and Darcy is a splendid rendition of civilized sparring. As the characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, Jane Austen's radiantly caustic wit and keen observation sparkle.
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Jane Austen's perfect comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues. "Pride and Prejudice seems as vital today as ever," writes Anna Quindlen in her introduction to this Modern Library edition. "It is a pure joy to read." Eudora Welty agrees: "The gaiety is unextinguished, the irony has kept its bite, the reasoning is still sweet, the sparkle undiminished. [It is] irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."
Customer Reviews:
One of the GREAT ROMANCE CLASSICS of all time !!!.......2007-10-07
I really don't need to say much about this, do I ? Most women can relate to Elizabeth Bennett, and most women love Mr. Darcy....This is my favorite of all of Jane Austen's work, and one of my favorite romances ever.
Pride and Prejudice.......2007-09-10
Not as good a quality of book as I had expected, but it is very nice.
Amazing novel.......2007-08-20
I decided to go to the library and take out the book after seeing the movie a few weeks ago. The movie was good but the book is so much better. It was well written, funny and everything you can expect from a good novel. Definitely a must read even if it is not required for class.
Great seller!.......2007-08-12
I ordered from them after another seller failed to send the books I wanted. They had my order to my mailbox before the other seller even replied about their mistake. Efficient, accurate, fast & great prices.
A good classic.......2007-08-10
This is probably my favorite classics. I don't devote too much time to reading classics but I've read some good ones before. They are not really my style but I do like the ones I have read. The different style is refreshing.
The book is written much differently than books are written these days. I was reading the begining of the book while I was tiered. I realized that I hadn't understood anything I'd read. I had to go and read again when I was completely awake.
It was enjoyable. I loved the characters; they were smarter than so many characters in other books and were very well spoken. That may, however, been how most people were in the 19th century.
It was fun to watch Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy go on with their love hate relationship. Until the end it was a lot of hate.
I thought it was a good classic but having not read many classics I'm not sure how it compares. Better than Wuthering Heights and not as good or as good as Great Expectations.
-cdm
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- An Adventure
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics)
- The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn
- Legendary
- An adventurous novel, my favorite book!
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics)
Mark Twain
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ASIN: 0553210793
Release Date: 1981-02-01 |
Amazon.com
A seminal work of American Literature that still commands deep praise and still elicits controversy, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul. The recent discovery of the first half of Twain's manuscript, long thought lost, made front-page news. And this unprecedented edition, which contains for the first time omitted episodes and other variations present in the first half of the handwritten manuscript, as well as facsimile reproductions of thirty manuscript pages, is indispensable to a full understanding of the novel. The changes, deletions, and additions made in the first half of the manuscript indicate that Mark Twain frequently checked his impulse to write an even darker, more confrontational book than the one he finally published.
Book Description
Hilariously picaresque, epic in scope, alive with the poetry and vigor of the American people, Mark Twain's story about a young boy and his journey down the Mississippi was the first great novel to speak in a truly American voice. Influencing subsequent generations of writers -- from Sherwood Anderson to Twain's fellow Missourian, T.S. Eliot, from Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner to J.D. Salinger -- Huckleberry Finn, like the river which flows through its pages, is one of the great sources which nourished and still nourishes the literature of America.
Customer Reviews:
An Adventure.......2007-08-30
It has been said that all American literature begins with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Reading this book for the first time was a delight. Though I was thoroughly familiar with most of the story, I still found the book to be a page turner. The character of Huck, the manchild, has to be one of the most fascinating in all of literature.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics).......2007-08-05
I read this book years ago when I was very young, but it still stands today as my alltime favorite. As I turned the pages, I lived that exciting adventure along with Huck and Jim. The language is a bit difficult at first, but you get the hang of it rather quickly. It is recommended reading for all ages.
The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn.......2007-07-19
Again, I am never disappointed in purchasing books from you because they are always superior to buying local. Thanks for your service you provide to your customers.
Legendary.......2007-06-25
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: classic. I really enjoyed this book. Mark Twain managed to keep the boyish atmosphere of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer while adding in adult like concepts, such as decisive moral choice and honor, to create a work of fiction that many hail to be the "Great American Novel."
If you're not familiar with the story: Huck, after having found riches with Tom Sawyer, is living with the Widow Douglas and no longer leading a life of vagrancy. I won't go too deeply into the story because: a) there are a lot of plot elements and it would be impossible and b) it really is something that you have to experience through the eyes and in the language of Huck Finn (the entire story is written from his perspective and in his dialect as opposed to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which was written in Twain's distinct voice). Notable plot elements: Huck's escape from Pap, Jim and Huck's travel down the Mississippi, the Duke and the Dauphin and the Royal Nonesuch, and Huck and Tom's (who is present at the end of the book) contrivance to "free" Jim (you'll understand the "quotations" after you read the book).
Overall, all the hype surrounding this book is well deserved. Anyone who can read the English language should read this book (it should be a requirement punishable by death). You won't be disappointed.
An adventurous novel, my favorite book!.......2007-06-12
Witness Huck's transformation into maturity, through reading this captivating book that preaches independence and loyalty. Huck's dedication to his friend, Jim, is truly touching and serves as an inspiration to all!
Since the beginning of Huck's journey, Huck is living on his own without real adult supervision for the first time. He escapes from the custody of his abusive and manipulative father, and runs into Jim, who becomes a father figure to Huck later on in the story. Along with this "independence" Huck is forced to make his own decisions, which Huck first derives from the racist thoughts he had learned growing up, which he was having problems applying to his new African American, and escaped slave, friend. As Huck sees the cruelties of the world, where the white race call African Americans "[...]" and when the life of a slave is not valued, he eventually decides that what he was taught as a young child, no longer applied to the circumstances that he now lived in. As a reader, we can read and marvel at the brave adventures that Huck takes on and acknowledge him for his independent thinking!
Huck's refusal to give up their friendship and trust, and the knowledge and wisdom that Huck gained should be envied by everyone. Therefore, Huck is an inspiration for courageously breaking away from the negative views of society by upholding honor and establishing his individuality. Don't miss out on a book that can change your own outlook on life, learn the positive impact your decisions can make on the world!
Average customer rating:
- You owe it to yourself to read this book.
- Dostoyevsky's Best!
- Spiffy-fantasticness
- Page turner par excellence
- In one word, GREAT
|
Crime and Punishment (Bantam Classics)
Fyodor Dostoevsky , and
Constance Garnett
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
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ASIN: 0553211757
Release Date: 1996-10-15 |
Amazon.com
The talented Alex Jennings creates an atmosphere of gripping psychological tension and brings a variety of characters to life in this new audio edition of a crime classic. When the student Raskolnikov puts his philosophical theory to the ultimate test of murder, a tragic tale of suffering and redemption unfolds in the dismal setting of the slums of czarist, prerevolutionary St. Petersburg. While Jennings's adept repertoire of British accents works to demonstrate the varying classes of characters, it occasionally distracts the listener from the Russian setting. However, Dostoyevsky's rendering of 18th-century Russia emerges unscathed, bringing the dark pathos (such as wretched poverty and rampant suffering) to life. (Running time: 315 minutes; 4 cassettes)
Book Description
A desperate young man plans the perfect crime -- the murder of a despicable pawnbroker, an old women no one loves and no one will mourn. Is it not just, he reasons, for a man of genius to commit such a crime, to transgress moral law -- if it will ultimately benefit humanity? So begins one of the greatest novels ever written: a powerful psychological study, a terrifying murder mystery, a fascinating detective thriller infused with philosophical, religious and social commentary. Raskolnikov, an impoverished student living in a garret in the gloomy slums of St. Petersburg, carries out his grotesque scheme and plunges into a hell of persecution, madness and terror. Crime And Punishment takes the reader on a journey into the darkest recesses of the criminal and depraved mind, and exposes the soul of a man possessed by both good and evil ... a man who cannot escape his own conscience.
Download Description
This epic tells the story of Raskolnikov, a student who believes he is superior and entitled. He commits a crime and the book traces his downfall. After being shipped off to Siberia for a prison sentence, Raskolnikov finds suffering to be a means by which the soul is purified of all its sins.
With the help of CliffsNotes you'll understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.
Customer Reviews:
You owe it to yourself to read this book........2007-10-13
Crime and Punishment is: laced in great characters, a compelling drama, a page turner, at times laugh out loud funny, an opportunity to experience Dostoyevsky in classic form, thought provoking, unpretentious and an easy to read classic. You would be doing yourself a favor to read this book.
Dostoyevsky's Best!.......2007-10-02
I liked this slightly better than The Brothers Karamozov which is also one of the best books ever! The book is similar to Poe's, A Tell-Tale Heart in which a man commits a murder that absolutely nobody suspects. What becomes his undoing is only his guilty conscience.
Spiffy-fantasticness.......2007-09-19
I had my doubts when I started this book. One problem I had was that I bought, what I later discovered, a really awful translation. Several times durring the story I felt myself thinking "oh common, lets move this along!" It seemed like yet another book where there is a main plot that deviates into several smaller plots along the way just to "beed up" the story. I wanted to give up. Fortunately, I'm pig headed and I kept with it to the very end, and I'm glad I did. Upon finishing the book I realized just how beatifully written it actually is. It's honestly a work of art. The development of the characters and the graphic descriptions are so fantastic that I really did lose myself in it.
Page turner par excellence.......2007-09-19
I went into this with an open mind. I had heard of the author, of course, but never expected to read anything of his. Someone left a copy lying around. I grabbed it to have something to read while I soaked in a hot bath. The bath turned cold and I was still reading.
I'm not sophisticated enough to expound on the deeper meaning or the underlying philosophy. For me the book was simply a highly entertaining read. I couldn't put it down, as they say. I didn't want it to finish. The author created a world in which you could fully "immerse" yourself. Good reading for the bath.
In one word, GREAT.......2007-09-18
This book is a masterpiece. Fyodor Dostoevsky makes it so pyschological that you become the murderer and start worrying yourelf. He takes the reader in and out of the mind of a murderer and his consequences. The book is also very fast paced and doesn't lag at all, which is a plus.
The only downside is that the Signet Classic version of Crime and Punishment smears like crazy. The book is tiny itself and your thumbs have to go on the book but then it would also smear letters and make it look ugly.
Average customer rating:
- awful
- Better than I expected!
- Wretched and Painful
- Truly exceptional.
- Classic
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Wuthering Heights (Bantam Classics)
Emily Brontë
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0553212583
Release Date: 1983-10-01 |
Book Description
"My greatest thought in living is Heathcliff. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be... Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure... but as my own being." Wuthering Heights is the only novel of Emily Bronte, who died a year after its publication, at the age of thirty. A brooding Yorkshire tale of a love that is stronger than death, it is also a fierce vision of metaphysical passion, in which heaven and hell, nature and society, are powerfully juxtaposed. Unique, mystical, with a timeless appeal, it has become a classic of English literature.
Download Description
Emily Bronte's only novel appeared to mixed reviews in 1847, a year before her death at the age of thirty. In the relationship of Cathy and Heathcliff, and in the wild, bleak Yorkshire Moors of its setting, Wuthering Heights creates a world of its own, conceived with a disregard for convention, an instinct for poetry and for the dark depths of human psychology that make it one of the greatest novels of passion ever written.
Customer Reviews:
awful.......2007-09-23
I hated this book. I had to read it for a book club and I thought it was terrible. Horrible people doing horrible things to each other. Awful!
Better than I expected!.......2007-09-08
My 13-year old daughter loves this book so I thought that I would try it, fulling expecting to put it down after 30 pages or so. I couldn't! It's not perfectly presented, but the novel does entice the reader into the bizarre world of Wuthering Heights. I normally read war novels (lots of blood and violence) and honestly, Wuthering Heights in some ways is as violent as they are. It is both disturbing and satisfying. I recommend it.
Wretched and Painful.......2007-09-04
I've never before written a negative Amazon reader review. As an author, I know how much they can sting, and I try to limit myself to only reviewing books I've really enjoyed. However, since the author is long dead, I doubt I can hurt her feelings. And if by my words I can possibly prevent one other person from undergoing the suffering I've endured, I'll feel that my job here is done.
I decided that at the age of 52, it was time I started reading some of the classics that I'd missed along the way. I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE first, and though I found Ms. Austen's writing to be tedious, the book was mildly entertaining. I thought I'd try Emily Bronte's WUTHERING HEIGHTS next. I'd always heard how romantic the story was, and no less than three people, upon seeing me with the book, told me, "You'll love it! You'll absolutely love it!"
Please tell me you're kidding.
This book is wretched. Painful to a degree I've never before experienced. I've read books that put me to sleep, books I found impossibly dull, books I found too stupid for words. But I have NEVER hated a book so much in my life. The characters in their entirety don't possess a single redeeming value. They are miserable, obnoxious, hateful excuses for human beings. Even the DOGS are hateful. Why should I care what happens to any of these awful people? Why should I care if they've made themselves miserable through their own choices and then spend the rest of the book whining and complaining about how pathetic their lives are?
I hadn't realized just how much I loathed them until halfway through the book, when a major character died, and all I could think was, "THANK GOD! THANK GOD!"
And then, there's the dialect. Ah, the dialect! I could tolerate it if it was used sparingly. But when a certain character goes into a speech that lasts for half a page of small print, in a language that can only be described as Not Even Resembling English (yes, I know it's supposed to be Scottish), the result is unbearable pain. Every time this character speaks (which is, thankfully, not often), I find myself puzzling over his words in an attempt to translate them into something that seems even mildly coherent. Sometimes, it's possible to do this just by context. At other times, I shake my head in bewilderment and disgust and simply move on to a different page. Considering how slowly the story moves (is there a storyline? a point to all this suffering?), I could probably skip entire chapters and not miss anything.
I'd also like to know where the romance is. Since everybody in this book seems to hate everybody else, with the notable exception of the uncouth monster, Heathcliff, and the spoiled-rotten, obnoxious Catherine, I can't fathom where that might lie. Am I too dense to understand? Or has the literary world been tricking us for 150 years, convincing the sheep of the world to follow along in praise of this "romantic" classic?
I think I would rather have my fingernails pulled out forcefully, one at a time, than finish reading this book. I'm halfway through, and life is short. Am I really willing to spend that much more of my short time here on earth torturing myself just for the satisfaction of knowing I actually read the dreadful thing? I think not.
I also think my foray into the classics has ended right here. I'm off to read some Robert Parker or Janet Evanovich. Maybe even some Jackie Collins. Anything to cleanse my palate of the terrible aftertaste of Heathcliff and Catherine.
To each his own. I know there are people who rave about this book, people who love it. I'm glad somebody does. Every book deserves to be loved by somebody. But in this case, with this particular book, that somebody will have to be Somebody Else. Because it certainly isn't me.
Truly exceptional........2007-08-18
This purely wonderful novel is indisputably a classic, with many wonderfully unique and complex characters that are, at the same time, very hard and very easy to relate to. Just the whole novel and all aspects of it are just breathtaking from first page to last. Recommended to anyone who wants to take a break back to a time where every word is well deserved to be read. Not a book to skim by any means.
Classic.......2007-08-18
This is a true classic. No movie has ever done it justice. The parallel structure within the characters' genealogical table is phenomenal.
Highly Recommended.
James Conroyd Martin, Author of PUSH NOT THE RIVER and AGAINST A CRIMSON SKY Push Not the River
Amazon.com
John Percival Hackworth is a nanotech engineer on the rise when he steals a copy of "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" for his daughter Fiona. The primer is actually a super computer built with nanotechnology that was designed to educate Lord Finkle-McGraw's daughter and to teach her how to think for herself in the stifling neo-Victorian society. But Hackworth loses the primer before he can give it to Fiona, and now the "book" has fallen into the hands of young Nell, an underprivileged girl whose life is about to change.
Book Description
In
Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in
The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life-and the entire future of humanity-is about to be decoded and reprogrammed....
Download Description
In Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life -- and the entire future of humanity -- is about to be decoded and reprogrammed.
Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel, 1996.
"[Stephenson] has gotten even better. The Diamond Age envisions the next century as brilliantly as Snow Crash did the day after tomorrow."
NEWSWEEK
"[Stephenson is] the hottest science fiction writer in America... Snow Crash is without question the biggest SF novel of the 1990s. Neal's SF novel The Diamond Age promises more of the same. Together, they represent a new era in science fiction. People who plow through these mind-bogglers will walk around slack-jawed for days and reemerge with a radically redefined sense of reality."
DETAILS
"Neal Stephenson is the Quentin Tarantino of postcyberpunk science fiction.... Having figured out how to entertain the hell out of a mass audience, Stephenson has likewise upped the form's ante with rambunctious glee."
THE VILLAGE VOICE
"Snow Crash drew its manic energy from the cyberpunkish conceit that anything is possible in virtual reality; in The Diamond Age the wonders of cyberspace pale before the even more dazzling powers of nanotechnology."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"The Diamond Age establishes Neal Stephenson as a powerful voice for the cyber age.... At once whimsical, satirical, and cautionary."
USA TODAY
"Stephenson's world-building skills are extraordinary.... The Diamond Age should cement Stephenson's reputation as one of the brightest and wittiest young authors of American science fiction."
THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
Customer Reviews:
Nanotech? Clash of Cultures? Stephenson got it goin' on.......2007-09-11
Is The Diamond Age a glimpse of a powerful, unique future? Is it a treatise on the limits of technology? Stephenson emerges as the force I hoped he would become, in this strong follow-up to Snow Crash. The story follows Nell, an impoverished thete, and her brother as they struggle to deal with a hierarchical, paternalistic society ruled by "Vickys," new Victorians, the controllers of the Feed: the nanotech hardline that all future technology is based on. Stephenson succeeds because his effort is comprehensible: "Dirty air and dirty water came in and pooled in tanks. Next to each tank was another tank containing slightly cleaner air or cleaner water...all the action took place in the walls separating the tanks, which were not really walls but nearly infinite grids of submicroscopic wheels, ever-rotating and many-spoked. Each spoke grabbed a nitrogen or water molecule on the dirty side and released it after spinning around to the clean side...in the end, all of them were funneled into a bundle of molecular conveyor belts known as the Feed". Stephenson expertly introduces us to his future-tech through the eyes of Nell, our female protagonist. Her brother Harv explains how an MC (matter compiler) works and mugs a nanotech engineer who is carrying a copy of the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer intended for his daughter. Harv recovers it for Nell and then the story really takes off, as we see Nell blossom into a respectable young Vicky, attending a girl's finishing school and completing adventures in the lands of the Primer. The vastness of the book makes the world more credible, as we hear of the foundations of phyles (tribes) of the new society, the extent of the new technologies and the problems in China, a real specter many of us must face in our lifetimes. The combination of scifi, mythology and history makes this an appealing romp through a future still consistent with our present.
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Firstly, it is not really possible for him to top Snow Crash, so I couldn't expect that. I did only find the Diamond Age to be average.
A corporate underling takes a supercomputer in the form of a book to educate his daughter to see beyond the strictures of the society that she has been raised iin. He is a nanoengineer, so some exploration of building by nanomachines is present.
My favourite Sci-Fi book.......2007-07-26
Often, when I read a book with many threads involving different characters it's rare in the extreme to enjoy each thread equally. This is that rare book. It's science fiction bordering on fantasy but with just enough grounding in possibility. It's also a wonderful treatise on parenting. As a parent myself, I found the primer to be a well laid out discussion on the role and possibilities of parenting. Excellently written and a genuine page turner, I finished this book in less than a week.
ONe of the best books I have ever read.......2007-07-11
Simply put, this is a great book. The storyline is excellent, and the characters are incredible. If you like cyberpunk, science fiction or fantasy, you will find something in this book to keep you interested, guaranteed.
Different!.......2007-06-28
First goes first, I enjoyed this book quite much. It has a very well developed story which is fast-paced and intriguing. It is something that goes beyond usual stories in science fiction, originality is something which I think should be quite valued these days. There are quite a few characters whose personalities have also been very well lain through their actions, thoughts, physical descriptions...
Maybe the science in this science fiction book is not that great but just don't expect nothing too realistic, let's just use our imagination to see how the future could be.
Buy if you feel like it and enjoy!
Average customer rating:
- Guilty Pleasure
- Lady Sass to the Rescue
- A little too much going on in the romance department
- Excellent Space Travel Story. Action and romance galore! (B+ Grade)
- AMAZING!
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Games of Command (Bantam Spectra Book)
Linnea Sinclair
Manufacturer: Spectra
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ASIN: 0553589636
Release Date: 2007-02-27 |
Book Description
The universe isn’t what it used to be. With the new Alliance between the Triad and the United Coalition, Captain Tasha “Sass” Sebastian finds herself serving under her former nemesis, biocybe Admiral Branden Kel-Paten–and doing her best to hide a deadly past. But when an injured mercenary winds up in their ship’s sick bay–and in the hands of her best friend, Dr. Eden Fynn–Sass’s efforts may be wasted.
Wanted rebel Jace Serafino has information that could expose all of Sass’s secrets, tear the fragile Alliance apart–and end Sass’s career if Kel-Paten discovers them. But the biocybe has something to hide as well, something once thought impossible for his kind to possess: feelings . . . for Sass. Soon it’s clear that their prisoner could bring down everything they once believed was worth dying for–and everything they now have to live for.
Customer Reviews:
Guilty Pleasure.......2007-10-07
Games of Command is classic Romantic space opera. It is a light, fast read. No hard core sci-fi here; just a fast paced romance. Truly a guilty pleasure.
Lady Sass to the Rescue.......2007-07-04
This author had me befuddled, I couldn't put down the book even though I felt I had stepped into Act 2 of a three part series. By the middle of the book I was Lady Sass, sharing her fears and her life. It turned out to be an excellent read and I want more!
A little too much going on in the romance department.......2007-06-05
Two relationships happening at once bogged this book down, especially in the parts where the two male leads were at each other's throats. The secondary romantic plot felt very un-needed. The furzels were also a little over the top with the cutsie-ness. Otherwise, it was a very likable book.
Overall, not a bad read.
Excellent Space Travel Story. Action and romance galore! (B+ Grade).......2007-05-23
Linnea Sinclair has found her true calling when it comes to writing sci-fi/ space travel fiction. There is a touch of everything in this book. A great hero and heroine, action packed space travel and also some interesting little creatures as side kicks that are so adorable.
Tasha Sebastian is a hardnosed space captain who has a shady past but tries to let it go as she looks forward to the future. She is assigned to go on a mission with a man who has been the bain of her existence for years. Admiral Branden Kel-Paten is as perfect as you can get. When he was a teenager he was made into a half man/ half machine that can run a ship with his body. But Kel-Paten is supposed not to have any real feelings. He even has the nickname "Tin Soldier". Well, everyone was wrong. He has an undying passion for Tasha, who he has secretly loved for years. And he hasn't had a lot of experience with women so he feels he is unworthy of her love. This needs to be kept hidden because if anyone finds out, he will be considered a malfunction and perhaps his life will be ended.
Along for this ride is Tasha's doctor friend Eden and their two little pets known as furzels (Hey, it is sci fiction after all; we need some adorable creatures for comic relief at least). Every time one of these furzels enters the scene, it was a joy and took away some of the heavy action occurring.
Tasha's and Kel-Paten's journey doesn't go well as they pick up Jace who maybe an enemy against the fraction they both work for. Tasha and Jace have a past that if also found out, it could mean the end of Tasha's career and yes, her life. But things go from bad to worse with other enemies coming out from all sides for their own devious reasons. It is up to our two main characters along with Eden and Jace, who also eye each other, to save part of the universe.
There is so much going on in this book that it is an enjoyable wild ride. There are two love affairs going on with four great characters that you can not miss. Kel-Paten is one hero that suffers so silently that you wish Tasha would see what he sees in her and understand his feelings.
Yes, there are undertones of a romance but it doesn't overrun the story. This book is perfect for male and female alike and even teens.
A true intergalactic feat by one storyteller who is reinventing this genre
Katiebabs
Gabriel's Ghost
AMAZING!.......2007-05-21
As the first member of the U-Cee's to be transferred to serve under Triad Admiral Branden Kel-Paten, Captain Tasha Sebastian is thrilled to be on the Vaxxar. The only thing she is not thrilled about is serving under Kel-Paten. Her nemesis for over 12 years, Tasha has no idea why he requested her on board. She does know that if he ever discovers her past as "Lady Sass", mercenary and rim-runner, Tasha is certain that if Kel-Paten finds out, it will be instant death for her.
Admiral Branden Kel-Paten is a bio-cybernetic officer. Though born human, Kel-Paten was made into one of the first (and most deadly) `cybes. Kel-Paten knows that if anyone finds out that he has feelings for the lovely Captain Sebastian, it will be instant death for him.
When Jace Serafino, wanted rebel ends up on the Vaxxar, Tasha knows that all her secrets may be exposed with his arrival. One of the few people left that know who she truly is, Jace could tear her carefully structured world apart. Jace's arrival on the Vaxxar begins the action for the main characters. I don't want to give too much away, but this was a truly fantastic book. It was so believable, even though it seems it wouldn't be so. I was really rooting for Tasha and Kel-Paten. Especially Kel-Paten. As a `cybe he is not supposed to feel, but he does. He's also the only one that knows he feels. Or so he thinks.
Seeing the romance between these two in the midst of a crisis is truly remarkable. I really loved how the author kept a balance between the action and romance. The secondary romance between Jace Serafino and Doctor Eden Fynn also added to the story. Don't miss this one!
Average customer rating:
- Some "classics" aren't. This one is.
- Slog Through It -- It's Worth It
- Free SF Reader
- Strange but...
- Key Work of Literature
|
Moby-Dick (Bantam Classics)
Herman Melville
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Melville, Herman
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Treasure Island (Signet Classics)
ASIN: 0553213113
Release Date: 1981-02-01 |
Book Description
No American masterpiece casts quite as awesome a shadow as Melville's monumental Moby Dick. Mad Captain Ahab's quest for the White Whale is a timeless epic--a stirring tragedy of vengeance and obsession, a searing parable about humanity lost in a universe of moral ambiguity. It is the greatest sea story ever told. Far ahead of its own time, Moby Dick was largely misunderstood and unappreciated by Melville's contemporaries. Today, however, it is indisputably a classic. As D.H. Lawrence wrote, Moby Dick "commands a stillness in the soul, an awe . . . [It is] one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world."
Customer Reviews:
Some "classics" aren't. This one is........2007-09-21
A few years back I made a conscious decision to read (and in some cases re-read) a number of books that fall into the category of "classics." The books that stand the test of time the best have an uncanny ability to feel modern and relevant no matter how long ago they were written. It's almost as if there is a certain current that runs down through the years that flows with a permanence that most don't. If a writer can tap into this current, their writing can be timeless; a classic.
Herman Melville tapped into that current in spades in this story. Despite this book being over 150 years old, the themes Melville selected from many obviously available to him are themes that are just as relevant an engaging today as they were in 1851. Further, Melville somehow had a handle on using language that would not seem outdated even after a century and a half.
What you get is a great story about a revenge-obsessed man, characters to whom you can easily relate and colorful descriptions of the life of a whaleman. It all comes together beautifully.
Any drawbacks? Sure, Melville's story slows in the middle of the book as he goes into a deep examination of the physical characteristics of various whales, but it's still interesting and it's just not enough to take away from the rest of this novel.
Highly recommended.
Slog Through It -- It's Worth It.......2007-09-18
This great American novel of the 19th Century, like some of the great novels of the 20th Century, is at times unreadable. Long riffs about whale biology and whale trivia made me put down this book when I tried to read it many years ago. I got through it this time, with the help of Frank Muller's classic reading on audiotape. Don't bother with anyone else's reading -- go to the library and check out Muller's version. He is one of the top readers and does justice to the poetry and great language of this novel.
The book is not told in the way we would find conventional today -- a fast paced narration of the adventures of men at sea. Melville clearly wants to tell the tale in the epic style. He writes in very short chapters that resemble Biblical passages, both in the poetic use of language and in addressing the most elemental themes of good vs. evil, man vs. nature, and the human condition. In the end, even the whale trivia serves the epic purpose in driving home the extraordinary courage and heroism of these whalers.
I don't buy the idea that Moby Dick, malevolent as he is, somehow represents evil. The sometimes destructive and overwhelming force of nature is more likely the right allegorical symbol. Evil for me is Ahab, given the truly heartless choices he makes in his obsession for the White Whale -- and given what happens to a man after 40 years at sea.
The most attractive characters are Ishmael and Queequeg, Ishmael's cannibal friend. Each demonstrates the best quailities of human nature --companionship, courage, acceptance of their lot in life. Given the racial turmoil of the 1850s, Melville may have been making a political point by portraying the nobility of the dark-skinned. I don't buy the idea that the allegory was any more elaborate than that, though it's clear to me that the novel is a gold mine for all sorts of Ph.D. thesis topics.
In the end, I do think that the great themes explored by Melville are more effectively explored less allegorically and more through character development and moral choices. For that reason, I'd say that Huckleberry Finn is the true Great American Novel of the 19th century and that the great Russian contemploraries of Melville wrote better books. But this certainly is a classic work worth the effort.
Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
This whale hunting job really drives me crazy.
or, longer version:
Take on really stupendously big arse white wale. Add a crazed, obsessive monomaniacal Captain. Add in a couple of narrators and quite a few other unfortunates who get stuck in the middle of his quest for the white whale.
Add in an author waxing lyrical, often at length, and you are left with a pretty decent and often interesting novel.
Strange but..........2007-08-29
The strangeness is what makes Moby-Dick so exceptional and an indisputable classic. It was quite a difficult and long read, but upon completion, it was, without a doubt, completely and utterly worthwhile. The characters were some of the most unique in all of fiction and each of them is leaves their mark.
Key Work of Literature.......2007-08-27
Moby-Dick is a sprawling, unwieldy yet very great novel about the obsessive pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. "Call me Ishmael..." the famous opening lines establishes the omniscient narrator for this whale of an epic. The novel is filled with remarkable characters; their composite comradery is a true achievement of writing. Melville's insistence on explicating precise technical minutia on the craft of whaling and oceanography turned off most readers when the book was initially published (these sections still turn off most who dare penetrate this tome), yet it is really these sections that allow the reader to become immersed in the world of Ahab, the deranged symbol of evil amidst the beauty and sublime grace of the sea. Melville was an undisputed master of literary style, and this masterpiece is difficult to place for the simple reason that its' incomprehensible scale defies categorization. This is a reader's book; it is a divine allegory, a conventional adventure, and a bewitching construction all at once. Not for the weak minded.
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