The Haunted Bookshop (Common Reader Editions)
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Paperback (March, 2000)
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Reviews (8)

Quaint and Delightful - Perfect Gift for Book Lovers
The Haunted Bookshop is quaint, delightful fiction that is simultaneously entertaining and thought provoking. Like its predecessor, Parnassus on Wheels, it is first and foremost a book for book lovers. The exuberant Roger Mifflin, the owner of a dusty, out-of-the way, used bookstore in Brooklyn, thrives on helping people discover new books and authors. His bookshop motto reads: "We have what you want, though you may not know you want it." Making money is secondary to him and his favorite pastime is talking and arguing, especially about books.

Written in 1919, the action centers upon a then contemporary event, the planned voyage of Woodrow Wilson to the Peace Conference in Europe. Roger's leather bound copy of Carlyle's Oliver Cromwell disappears from its shelf, only to reappear the following night. A clever story of espionage follows.

Roger is a man of his times and is deeply concerned that the mistakes leading to the Great War not be repeated. His hopes for future world peace are poignant, especially as we modern readers realize that in just two decades the Great War would be renamed, and numbered.

Christopher Morley's characters - the irrepressible Roger Mifflin, his pragmatic and loveable wife Helen McGill Mifflin, the youthful, diligent Titania Chapman that works in their shop, and her idealistic suitor Aubrey Gilbert - are all eminently likeable characters. The villains are indeed villainous, but thankfully, miscommunications within their ranks causes their plans to go awry. Aubrey, acting as an amateur sleuth, misinterprets the situation, but ultimately all works out for the best.

I suppose it is best to read Parnassus on Wheels and its sequel, The Haunted Bookshop, in order, but it is certainly not necessary. I suspect that whichever you begin with, you will immediately begin searching for the other. It is no surprise that Christopher Morley, author of more than 50 books, is primarily remembered for these two marvelous stories.

Years ago my wife and I stumbled upon a pleasantly enticing, used bookstore on a narrow street in downtown Mobile. It was appropriately named The Haunted Bookshop.

"A face of fanatical ecstasy."
"The Haunted Bookshop" is the sequel to "Parnassus on Wheels." In "Parnassus on Wheels", Roger Mifflin romances spinster Helen McGill. In "The Haunted Bookshop", Roger and Helen have parked the traveling caravan of books, and they've opened a bookshop in Brooklyn. Roger has very definite ideas about books and his role as a bookseller. Roger sees himself as "a specialist in adjusting the book to the human need." So he "prescribes books" for his customers, refuses to sell rubbish or bestsellers, and has a keen eye for the customer whose "mind is ill for lack of books." One day, a young man named Aubrey Gilbert steps inside the Haunted Bookshop in hopes of selling his advertising services to Roger Mifflin. Instead, Roger spots that Aubrey is in desperate need of a few good books, and so they strike up a friendship. Aubrey's relationship with the Mifflins intensifies when Miss Titania Chapman arrives to work in the bookshop. Titania is the precious daughter of Mr. Chapman of Chapman Daintybits Company--one of Aubrey's biggest clients. Titania is sent to the bookshop to divest herself of "absurd, wasteful, snobbish notions." Titania's father believes that she will benefit from "being surrounded by books."

Shortly after the beautiful Titania arrives, Aubrey keeps finding excuses to visit the shop. And he discovers that there are mysterious goings on taking place. Books disappear only to reappear on the shelf within days, and sinister characters lurk in the alley behind the bookshop. Aubrey's curiosity results in a vicious assault, and soon he's on the scent of a great mystery ...

"The Haunted Bookshop" was written in 1919--just after the end of WWI. While not as quaint as "Parnassus on Wheels", it is also much more serious. It's part romance, part mystery, but the best parts of all are the pages jammed packed with Mifflin's (or the author's) philosophy about books. Clearly Morley is a man who understands perfectly the power of good books, and these pages ring out with a joyous truth. Mifflin states: "but there is indeed a heaven on this earth, a heaven which we inhabit when we read a good book." And Mifflin promotes the names of many books within these delightful pages. Many of the titles Mifflin recommends are now almost lost, and several pages are devoted to WWI literature. Mifflin argues that the Truth is "rationed by the government ... I saw the world clawing itself to threads in blind rage. I saw the glutton, the idler, and the fool applauding, while brave and simple men walked into the horrors of hell." The novel's dalliance with espionage is the book's weakest but necessary element. Mifflin's description of the dedicated bibliophile and anti-war sentiments are unforgettable, and make the novel, ultimately, rewarding--displacedhuman

An Unusual and Enjoyable Book
This was an unusual little book but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a few quirky points I could nitpick about -- the characters are a little mannered and Mr. Mifflin, the eccentric but charming bookseller, is at his best discussing books and less interesting as an anti-war crusader, but these I wrote off to the time period the book was written.For me, they didn't distract much from the overall enjoyment of the book.Even the mystery to the plot turned out better than I'd expected.I haven't read the prior book, "Parnassus on Wheels" but I've added it to my future reading list. ... Read more

Isbn: 1888173572
Sales Rank: 158237
Subjects:  1. 20th Century American Novel And Short Story    2. Classics    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. General    6. Literature   

The Best American Travel Writing 2000
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

The world may be getting smaller, but that doesn't mean it's any less varied, surprising, or exotic--as is made evident by the 25 essays collected in the inaugural edition of the Best American Travel Writing series. In search of America's sharpest, most original, and often, most curious travel writers, editor Bill Bryson and series editor Jason Wilson sifted through hundreds of stories. What the resulting collection demonstrates is that, as Wilson writes, travel stories matter:

Having a travel writer report on particular things, small things, the specific ways in which people act and interact, is perhaps our best way of getting beyond the clichés that we tell each other about different places and cultures, and about ourselves.

And, as Bryson notes, many of the freshest voices are being drawn to foreign subjects far beyond the trampled paths of tourism. Within these pages, they chart the world from Nantucket to Zanzibar, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco to Australia's Cape York Peninsula with originality and keen observation. Some even go where none would follow: drawn by the allure of danger zones, Patrick Symmes rides a dirt bike to "perhaps the most forbidden city in the world" in search of the Khmer Rouge. Tim Cahill describes his own personal journey in hell--11 long days on a barge on the Ubangi River with 3,000 people packed so close together it's impossible to move without apologizing. (Fortunately, he's befriended by a man named God who is always in the know.)

Distance is not a prerequisite for travel writing, though humor is invaluable, as Bill Buford shows in his attempt to do what you just don't do--spend the night in Central Park. When Dave Eggers discovers hitchhiking is what makes Cuba move, it becomes the point of his trip to "pick up and move people, from here to there." Tongue in cheek, he declares, "So easy to change the quality, the very direction, of Cubans' lives!"Then again, sometimes humor is just not appropriate, particularly if you've been kidnapped by Ugandan rebels (as was Mark Ross) or you're trying to help the Dalai Lama choose the next Panchen Lama without jeopardizing lives (as did Isabel Hilton). In any case, it's all happening here--golf in Greenland, cheese smuggling from France, even a ride with the Toughest Truck Driver in the World. This collection proves that travel writing is a genre whose time has come. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Travels well
My wife and I came across this CD in preparation for a very long drive to northern Michigan over the July 4th weekend and I am thoroughly pleased with this most-random selection. Aside from David Halberstam's self-absorbed "Nantucket" which barely passes as travel writing let alone good, let alone fresh (it may have helped if he read this piece) the selections were excellent and varied. Bryson's reading of "Winter Rules" nearly had us off the road southbound on US 127 near Midland, and Adamson's reading of the the thoroughly politically/socially incorrect (and excellent) "Weird Karma" nearly put us into a barrier near Ann Arbor on US 23. Thank you Mr. Bryson et al for that travel moment.

Best yet, the table was so wonderfully set by Bryon himself with his reading of "From the people who brought you the killing fields" by Patrick Symmes. I can only express my appreciation of this selection in the memories it brought back to my days in the 1980s and the wonderfully in-poor-taste song by the Dead Kennedys "A Holiday in Cambodia." Wonderful writing does that to you.

We look forward to reading and hearing the 2001, 2002, and 2003 editions.

An Outsanding Collection of Stories
"Best American Travel Writing 2000" is the first edition in yet another outstanding entry in the "Best American" series.It is structured like other "Best American" books, with a series editor and a yearly guest editor putting their heads together and selecting two dozen or so of the best articles to be published in the field during the previous year.Bill Bryson was a very canny choice to be the first guest editor for the travel series, given his recent stature as one of the best selling travel writers around.

The best articeles in the debut 2000 edition include Tom Clynes'saccount of a truck driver in the Australian Outback, a lament by David Halberstam on the yuppie-fication of Nantucket Island, P.J. O'Rourke's amusing piece about driving in India, and Mark Ross's harrowing first person account of the slaying of eco-tourists in Uganda by Interhamwe rebels.Some of the articles are amusing, some are scary, others are full of wonder, but they are all well written and informative.Anyone who enjoys good travel writing, or who simply likes good storytelling, ought to pick up a copy.

Funny how an editor chooses stories written in his style
If you like Bill Bryson's writing (and I do), you'll enjoy this book. The stories are, for the most part, light, entertaining and enjoyable. My favorite was the one about hitchhiking through Cuba! It wasn't until I moved on to the 2001 Best American Travel Writing edited by Paul Thoreau that I realized how much the stories reflect Bill Bryson's writing. As I worked my way through the book, the writing seemed to be uneven, but I did enjoy the book on the whole and do recommend it to anyone who's into travel literature. ... Read more

Isbn: 0618074678
Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Travel    3. Travel - General    4. Travelers' writings, American    5. Voyages and travels    6. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (01 April, 1996)
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Reviews (9)

A Great Read!!!
I was so happy to find this series!Mrs. Jeffries is a delightful lady who runs the house for Inspector Witherspoon.He isn't very good at solving murders, but Mrs. Jeffries and her staff are, so they help him out by doing some behind the scenes investigating. Then they steer the inspector in the right direction without letting him know.The characters are wonderful and they grow with each book.This may not be the greatest mystery you have ever read, but it will still be one you can't wait to finish so you can start the next one.I love them!!!!

A very light Victorian mystery.
I read a lot of historical mysteries, and I love Victorian ones, so that is why I've begun the Emily Brightwell series about the clever Mrs. Jeffries.This book is written with a light hand, but the characters show promise.The bumbling Inspector Witherspoon, the street smart Smythe, the uppity cook Mrs. Goodge, and Betsey and Wiggins, as well as Mrs. Jeffries.These characters show a lot of promise, and I will continue to read this series.But readers don't expect a real Victorian flavour to these books.I found while reading the book that it was set in the Victorian age, but it very easily could have been any other era or place.Even the English cozy atmosphere that the writer tries to depict seems a bit contrived. For those who read the historical genre for atmosphere, they will find that as well as a sense of time and place is somewhat lacking in this series.Still a fun mystery (even though an easy one to figure out).

Great Series for Mystery Fans
I collected Emily Brightwell's Inspector Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries series ever since the first book came out and I just fell in love with the series.It's a combination of Victorian style and atmosphere with a hilarious tone and tons of fun.I could think of nothing more to do on a weekend than curling up on the couch with a hot mug of coffee and a blanket and just let your mind read the entire series.Each one of them is full of excitement and fun sleuthing by Mrs. Jeffries and her staff, Betsy, Smythe, Mrs. Goodge, and Wiggles(?) and the household dog Fred along with some of their friends are involved in solving cases that Inspector Witherspoon relunctantly but dutly solves. Including in the series, the ever hilarious Luty Belle Crookshank and her butler Hatchet especially with her wealthy, American attitude and her outspoken views versus his stiff upper lip Brtishiness and that adds up to some really wild exchanges between the two of them.The joy of this is that the Inspector has no clue that he has help from his devoted staff and their friends.Even the loyal Constable Barnes clued in to their sleuthing but supports them. ... Read more

Isbn: 0425136221
Sales Rank: 314463
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Mystery & Detective - Traditional British    5. Mystery and detective stories    6. Mystery/Suspense   

The Return Journey
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (08 June, 1999)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Editorial Review

The Return Journey is a collection of 14 short stories of life, love, and learning that enables the most harried reader to enjoy a well-told tale in its entirety before checking on the kids or folding the clothes. In the tradition of Binchy's classic tales Circle of Friends and Tara Road, this consummate summer beach book introduces readers not to models of literary and romantic indefectibility, but to folks just like us, who have bad hair days, runs in their hose, and freckles both physical and metaphorical. The title story paints a portrait of the embattled relationship between a mother who left her home in Dunglass, Ireland, and her daughter, who has traveled to Ireland to find her history and finds love, as well. Through weekly correspondence, mother and daughter repair the damage to their relationship, laying to rest ghosts of an earlier mother-daughter relationship gone irrevocably wrong. And Binchy's "Victor and St. Valentine" renews faith that truly romantic men do exist and are often overlooked, their motives suspect in an increasingly self-reliant world. No one can accuse Binchy of overtelling a tale; she has perfected the art of leading her readers to the verge and then allowing them to loose their imaginations as they see fit. A wonderful and thoroughly engaging read. --Alison Trinkle ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Formulaic, But An Escape Read
Give Binchy credit, she knows what the public wants, and apparently, it is a lucrative business.But after reading three of her books, the rest become fairly predictable.This collection of shorts is very much thus.

Many Happy Returns
Maeve Binchy is a best-selling author for numerous reasons.Her novels are filled with vivid, well-written, believable characters who experience lives that anyone could relate to.Yet her more recent writings have not lived up to her reputation or the weight of her early novels.While always a pleasure to read, Binchy's more recent forays have fallen short of her own glorious tradition.

"The Return Journey" is a collection of pleasant stories.Yes the topics and characters may seem familiar - they are 'old hat' to Binchy in a number of ways.Yet she is able to infuse her storytelling with concern for these characters and makes her readers relate to them as well.Standouts in this collection include "Vincent and St. Valentine" and the title story.

I have read every piece of published fiction by Maeve Binchy.I believe her to be a master storyteller and I would read anything that she wrote.For the times in between her novels, or the rereading of her novels, her short stories are a nice return into Binchy's spellbinding worlds.

A book of great stories
When I first started reading this book, I never realized it was one of short stories.As usual Maeve Binchy fleshes out the characters and you can understand very quickly what is going on.

What I like about each of these stories, is that it shows a point of view, of a character at a pin point of time.That pin point of time, is a crossroads.They can opt to continue on, in their well worn rut or they can make decisions that change their lives.These are not earthshattering choices, but ones that define their character.

If you don't want to settle into a book that will take a while to read, and you've never read Maeve Binchy, here is a good taste. I liked it especially well, as when I read it, I had little time available to read, it gave me just enough story to ponder on, each time I read.

Excellent bunch of stories. ... Read more

Isbn: 0440224594
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Romance - General    5. Short stories    6. Fiction / General   

All Creatures Great and Small
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 April, 1998)
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Reviews (78)

Marvelous Book for Animal Lovers
The life of a country Veterinarian may sound quite unexciting, and rather boring. However, it is anything but, and that is proven by the tales that James Herriot (aka James Wight) tells about his time working in a small Yorkshire Village as just that. Straight out of University, James is given a position as assistant to resident Veterinarian Siegfried Farnon - a quirky fellow with very short-term memory. Through tales of strange animals and even stranger people he has met up with, Dr. Herriot weaves together a marvelous story that will make you laugh, cry, and so much more. A lovely book for animal lovers.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

An adoring story to read!
All Creatures Great and Small is a heartfelt story about James Herriot, a local English veterinarian, and his adventures of being a vet.

Herriot begins his novel by talking about himself and what he does as a vet, "If you decide to become a veterinary surgeon you will never grow rich but you will have a life of endless interest and variety." He says. He uses flashbacks from college to relate to his work, "The old chap certainly wasn't kidding. Variety. That it was- variety." Herriot says, referring to his college professor.Herriot also describes his "love of life" in the nonfiction novel.James Herriot shares stories about his friends' pet pig or a dog he is caring for, during the period of time he needs for surgeries. He also comes across small problems, such as, cows with milk fever and a horse having difficulty getting up off the ground.

When I first began reading All Creatures Great and Small, I didn't know if I would finish the novel because of the amount of pages and chapters, but as I reached Chapter five, I was hooked because of his enchanting and joyful tone.

Don't let the number of pages fool you; if you love animals or are interested in becoming a veterinarian, this is such a great and loving novel to read.

A master storyteller with the perfect subject
Well, books of short stories just don't get much better than this, do they?

For me, Herriot is the only author in the world who can pull off heartwarming without being cloying. His amazing feel for the lives and dialogue of the Scottish farmers who he services gives each and every story a score of interesting details and conversation that is captivating for its novelty and authenticity.

In this first book of the series, Herriot has more to say than at any other point in his career. Not that his brand of storytelling ever gets old, but here there is the added excitement of reading his first stories, for the first time.

Another major draw for these stories is the look inside the nuts and bolts of veterinary practice, at a time when science was still struggling to overtake centuries of medieval techniques. Reading about sutures and powders and presentations is more fascinating than I ever would have thought possible.

The character of Herriot himself is unflaggingly goodhearted, and yet utterly realistic; we see in him the best part of ourselves, and this too makes the stories a joy to read.

I highly recommend reading this series chronologically, so that you can join Herriot as he moves from young apprentice to old master.

I wish there were a hundred books in this series, but at the same time I'm thrilled that there's even one book out there that acts as such a standard-bearer for excellence in storytelling.
... Read more

Isbn: 0312965788
Sales Rank: 4051
Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. England    5. Herriot, James    6. Medical - Physicians    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Veterinarians    10. Yorkshire    11. Pets / General   

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: All 4 Novels and 56 Short Stories
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (06 October, 1998)
list price: $13.90 -- our price: $11.12
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Editorial Review

This volume, authorized by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate, contains all 4 full-length novels and all 56 short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. At over a thousand pages, the weighty tome is a perfect gift for budding amateur sleuths, and it is an ideal companion for a long stay on a desert island (or a leisurely trip through the English countryside). As the reader wades past the tense introductions of A Study in Scarlet and moves towards such classic tales as The Hound of the Baskervilles, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," and "The Final Problem," she is sure to draw her own conclusions about Holmes's veiled past and his quirky relationship with his "Boswell," Watson. Doyle never revealed much about Holmes's early life, but the joy of reading the complete Holmes is assembling the trivia of each story into something like a portrait of the detective and his creator. By the end of the long journey through London and across Europe (with a long stopover at Reichenbach Falls), one is apt to have found a friend for life. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (107)

The definitive Sherlock Holmes
You don't need any more if you are looking for all the stories of the most famous detective.
Though the type is a tinny one, a must have for the book lover.

Let's Get Small
This, without any doubt, is the smallest type I have ever seen in a book. Ever.
There must be 10,000 words on a page.
You know how Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not has the entire King James bible on a postage stamp?
Sort of like that.
UNreadable.

I had this, but somehow lost it!:-(
I once owned this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it.Somewhere, somehow, I lost it, probably by loaning it out and then having it be purloined.


Anyway, the "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" really is complete.I had once burrowed another book, from a library (and I returned it), that was also supposed to be a complete Sherlock Holmes, but then discovered otherwise, when I got this book as a gift.That other collection had several missing stories.I like this one's completeness, plus how it is arranged.


The only admonition I would give, is to read this book in spurts, which is easily done, with its many short stories.Why do I suggest this?If you try to read it, cover-to-cover, you will see that many of the Holmes stories do follow somewhat of a pattern or formula.That does not come through if you read the book in pieces.It makes a great traveling book, or a book to read before sleep, unless you are highly prone to nightmares (i.e., some people do get killed). ... Read more

Isbn: 0553328255
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Mystery & Detective - Sherlock Holmes    5. Mystery & Detective - Traditional British    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Short Stories (single author)   

84, Charing Cross Road
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 1990)
list price: $13.00 -- our price: $10.40
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Editorial Review

84, Charing Cross Road is a charming record of bibliophilia, cultural difference, and imaginative sympathy. For 20 years, an outspoken New York writer and a rather more restrained London bookseller carried on an increasingly touching correspondence. In her first letter to Marks & Co., Helene Hanff encloses a wish list, but warns, "The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive." Twenty days later, on October 25, 1949, a correspondent identified only as FPD let Hanff know that works by Hazlitt and Robert Louis Stevenson would be coming under separate cover. When they arrive, Hanff is ecstatic--but unsure she'll ever conquer "bilingual arithmetic." By early December 1949, Hanff is suddenly worried that the six-pound ham she's sent off to augment British rations will arrive in a kosher office. But only when FPD turns out to have an actual name, Frank Doel, does the real fun begin.

Two years later, Hanff is outraged that Marks & Co. has dared to send an abridged Pepys diary. "i enclose two limp singles, i will make do with this thing till you find me a real Pepys. THEN i will rip up this ersatz book, page by page, AND WRAP THINGS IN IT." Nonetheless, her postscript asks whether they want fresh or powdered eggs for Christmas. Soon they're sharing news of Frank's family and Hanff's career. No doubt their letters would have continued, but in 1969, the firm's secretary informed her that Frank Doel had died. In the collection's penultimate entry, Helene Hanff urges a tourist friend, "If you happen to pass by 84, Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me. I owe it so much." ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Wit, charm, and genuine friendship
After meaning to read this classic for ages, yesterday I came across the cassette version at the library. Put it on this afternoon and never turned it off. Charing Cross is a delightful memoir, and this reading of it is all the more so as each correspondent's letters are read by a different narrator, all of them wonderful. The quintessential postwar (WW II) New Yorker meets the quintessential Londoner in this series of letters brimming with warmth, wit, and humor. Surprisingly, Helene Hanff did not develop her passion for good literature through conventional educational experience, but via an encounter with A. Quiller-Couch in a library. She would have made a fantastic English lit professor. (The reader of her letters reminds me of Debra Winger in Shadowlands). Frank Doel, his family and co-workers bring the 50's and 60's with all England's deprivation alive, and respond to Helene's heartfelt American generosity in kind. Wish I had read this gem long ago; just glad I've done so at last. Will now begin a search formy own print copy, hopefully, in an "antique" edition.

Heart-warming cult classic
"84 Charing Cross Road" is a series of letters charting the twenty-year correspondence between a would-be playwright in NY and Frank Doel, a London antiquarian bookseller.From such a modest premise, Helene Hanff has created something with an almost unique charm which continues to endure as a successful book, play and film.

To me the great joy of Hanff is her style.She is wonderfully conversational, humorous and self-depreciating.She describes her life - learning ancient Greek or watching endless English films - with panache.However, in truth very little happens in these pages.Rather, it is the gently teasing nature of her relationship with Doel which shines out, the feistiness of the young American lady chaffing against the more reserved nature of the quiet, polite English gent, as they read their way through the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

On her death, the London Times said tartly, "Seldom has a writer sailed to literary fame in so slender a craft."It is true that 84 CXR is a very slim tome.Yet it is one that bears much re-reading, as it seems that somewhere between the lines there lie more than a few life-lessons for us all.

Pilgrims to the real-life 84 Charing Cross Road will be sad to find that it no longer exists as such.Look out for an "All Bar One" outlet however and a dull, bronze plaque commemorating the bookstore.

Pour l'amour des livres...
Je me suis fait prendre par ce petit livre! Je l'ai juste feuilleté un peu. Après quelques pages, j'étais accro et je ne pouvais plus le lâcher. Je l'ai donc lu en moins de 2 heures.

J'ai adoré cet échange de lettres entre deux passionnés des livres qui finissent par devenir amis sans s'être jamais rencontrés. C'est touchant, humain, parfois drôle mais toujours passionnant. C'est aussi très intéressant de voir les messages devenir de moins en moins professionnels et de plus en plus personnels à mesure que l'amitié grandit.

Un très belle lecture et un gros coup de coeur! À lire sans faute! ... Read more

Isbn: 0140143505
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. American - General    3. Authors, American    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Correspondence    7. Doel, Frank    8. Hanff, Helene    9. Literary    10. Biography & Autobiography / General   

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (12 September, 1990)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
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Editorial Review

A travelogue by Bill Bryson is as close to a sure thing as funny books get. The Lost Continent is no exception. Following an urge to rediscover his youth (he should know better), the author leaves his native Des Moines, Iowa, in a journey that takes him across 38 states. Lucky for us, he brought a notebook.

With a razor wit and a kind heart, Bryson serves up a colorful tale of boredom, kitsch, and beauty when you least expect it. Gentler elements aside, The Lost Continent is an amusing book. Here's Bryson on the women of his native state: "I will say this, however--and it's a strange, strange thing--the teenaged daughters of these fat women are always utterly delectable ... I don't know what it is that happens to them, but it must be awful to marry one of those nubile cuties knowing that there is a time bomb ticking away in her that will at some unknown date make her bloat out into something huge and grotesque, presumably all of a sudden and without much notice, like a self-inflating raft from which the pin has been yanked."

Yes, Bill, but be honest: what do you really think? ... Read more

Reviews (222)

Small Town America Like No Other...

It was the coffee stain that first caught my attention. I was walking out of the bookstore and there sat a book with a coffee ring on it. I paused and smiled. The book looked like it came from my desk, coffee stain and all. I smiled at the yellow roadside sign with the red arrow. I had observed many of these as I crisscrossed the United States over the last several years. With all these associations, how could I not pause and begin reading?

A few minutes later I walked out of the bookstore with a smile and the book under my arm. Here was a kindred spirit, a sojourner lost in his own country, navigating his way through all that was familiar and strange.

Mr. Bryson encircles the United States in a large figure eight with Des Moines, Iowa in the center, as it should be. He covers every region of the nation, aghast and agape at what he sees. He describes it in dry prose punctuated by laugh-out-loud comments. Mr. Bryson is pithy and riotously funny.

If you are not planning on traversing the byways of the U.S. soon, by all means read this book now. If you have a trip planned, hold off reading this. Have your own experience, then pick up this book and see how many times your paths crossed. You'll laugh out loud too.

almost good
i think it important to remember that bryson was younger when he wrote this book. parts of it contain his very genuine love of people and places. parts of it, particularly his out-right hatred of the south, are mean spirited, but bryson grows out of this. just read "i'm a stranger here myself" to see this.
not my favorite bryson book, but i read it and i laughed.

love Bill Bryson-- hate this book
Usually, Bryson is down right-laugh out loud funny... This book was a whiney travelogue of uninteresting places.

There are many lovely, interesting small towns throughout the US, Bryson didn't find one of them. And similarly, there are numerous unique characters in the country and Bryson didn't meet any of them.Just traveling around small towns, expecting some sort of revelation about yourself and life growing up in the middle of nowhere... could happen, but didn't.

Not a bright spot among these leaves!
... Read more

Isbn: 0060920084
Subjects:  1. 1971-    2. Cities and towns    3. Description and travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Form - Essays    6. General    7. Humor    8. Social life and customs    9. Travel - United States    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (27 September, 1995)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $5.71
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Editorial Review

Join Douglas Adams's hapless hero Arthur Dent as he travels the galaxywith his intrepid pal Ford Prefect, getting into horrible messes and generally wreaking hilarious havoc. Dent is grabbed from Earth moments before a cosmic construction team obliterates the planet to build a freeway. You'll never read funnier science fiction; Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue. The Hitchhiker's Guide is rich in comedic detail and thought-provoking situations and stands up to multiple reads. Required reading for science fiction fans, this book (and its follow-ups) is also sure to please fans of Monty Python, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, and British sitcoms. ... Read more

Reviews (570)

A wonderful novel
Some of the people who have read my many (okay, less than a dozen) reviews for various music products (and I hope there are some) may think I never read, but the truth is, I am a voracious reader. Out of the many books I have read and owned, this is definitely one of the greatest. The great characters, the hilarious storytelling and dialogue, the comical, strange situations, and Douglas Adams' unique talent make this a good read from start to finish. If you like comedy, science fiction, or any good book whatsoever, you will like this.

P.S.- What's P.S. stand for anyway?

Just fantastic
Two years ago I had the privilege of hosting Douglas Adams at my home in San Francisco for a brainstorming meeting on a game project (which eventually became Starship Titanic). I had heard of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, aka H2G2, but hadn't read it. What I had heard was that it was very funny - Monty Pythonesque humor applied to sci fi. Wanting to get a rise out of Douglas, I made him some tea and served it in a ceramic mug from Japan with a little ceramic frog hiding in the bottom of the cup. Douglas sipped his tea coolly, and when the frog emerged from the depths of the tea Douglas gave a little startled grunt, caught my eye and laughed, and continued to drink his tea. As I expected, unflappable.

Now years later, and three years after Douglas' untimely passing, I am finally enjoying what brought Douglas his initial fame. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the first book in a five book trilogy in which our unsuspecting hero Arthur Dent narrowly escapes the Earth seconds before it is demolished to make way for an interstellar highway. Arthur escapes with his colleague Ford Prefect, who reveals to Arthur that he is actually from another planet and was working on a guidebook to the galaxy before getting stranded on Earth. Catching a lift with the cooking crew of the Vogon ship that destroyed Earth, Arthur and Ford are subjected to the torture of Vogon poetry before being ejected into space, only to be picked up by Zaphod Beeblebrox, the galaxy's BMOC, with his Heart of Gold improbability spaceship.

Thus starts the string of ever more unlikely events in this romp through astrophysics and the hilarious imaginings of Douglas Adams' mind. Adams is a master storyteller, rarely letting his readers rest before hitting them with another plot twist or belly-acher. His humor is quintessentially British. One could easily imagine a young John Cleese in the role of Arthur Dent, deadpanning his way through the most absurd of events. Even if you have never read or enjoyed science fiction in your life, if you have any sliver of a sense of humor, you will enjoy this book.

Since the combination of a lot of driving, an iPod purchase, and a subscription to audible.com, I've started to listen to more books than I actually read. The Hitchhiker's Guide is one of those books, read outloud and with great fourish by the author himself, Douglas Adams. As I understand it (someone correct me if I'm wrong) H2G2 was originally broadcast by radio. Thus it is ideally suited to be listened to as an audiobook. Adams has perfect comic timing in his delivery, though the book moves so quickly and covers so many diversions and plot twists I may want to listen to it again just to make sure I catch everything.

The next book in the H2G2 5 part trilogy is The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Equally funny and absurd, Dent and his co-horts escape total destruction once again and set off to find this fabled restaurant.

Mostly harmless
I'm probably treading on thin ice here, talking about a revered piece of pop culture. When I was in college, Douglas Adams had a cult following that knew all the jokes and could quote them to each other.

I find myself in a middle ground. I was first exposed to Hitchhiker's Guide when it ran as a BBC radio serial (I heard it on NPR, I think). It got a some laughs out of me, and I enjoyed it, but it didn't inspire in me the kind of devotion that it did in other geeks.

Having read the first book, I have to say the radio series is my favorite presentation of this material. Playing as a serial, the gags were front and center, the serial format left the listener with the impression that there was a lot more to come and ensured that Adams didn't overstay his welcome. Read as a novel, the book seems a little pointless. Adams wouldn't know a narrative arc if it hit him.

That said, a lot of the jokes are still funny. Adams was a vocal atheist, and at his best he has the satiric touch of a Voltaire. Evenhanded, he enjoys skewering atheists in his book: Oolon Coluphid, the atheist writer that Adams posits as "the author of philosophical blockbusters," seems quite pretentious and silly, at least in his choice of book titles.

Occasionally, there is a true insight that is nicely played for a joke. My favorite revolves around the babelfish, a fish that is used a universal translator. When a babelfish is placed in one's hear, one can hear and understand the words spoken by another, regardless of the original language spoken. The end of Adams digression on the babelfish ends with the acidly ironic observation that the babelfish is responsible for more wars than any other species in the universe.

(John Durham Peters, author of Speaking into the Air: A History of the Idea of Communication, makes the point that we often hold an implicitly utopian view of communication, believing that differences between people will automatically be resolved with better communication, whereas sometimes the truth is the opposite: the better two groups of people understand each other, the less they like each other.)

I place Adams in the same category as Kurt Vonnegut. They're both writers that have a special appeal to the young, to high school and college age readers. They both write satirical, absurdist fiction in which the skewer traditional beliefs and middle class norms. Adams tends to be more detached, more bemused, less pointed, passionate, and angry than Vonnegut. In some ways, that makes him easier to take. On the other hand, I don't think he's as compelling, for the same reason. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345391802
Subjects:  1. Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction - Adventure    4. Science Fiction - Series    5. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Here Is New York
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 July, 1999)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Editorial Review

"On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow thegift of loneliness and the gift of privacy." So begins E.B. White's classic meditation on that noisiest, most public of American cities. Written during the summer of 1948, well after the author and editor had taken up permanent residence in Maine, Here Is New York is a fond glance back at the city of his youth, when White was one of the "young worshipful beginners" who give New York its passionate character. It's also a tribute to the sheer implausibility of the place--the tangled infrastructure, the teeming humanity, the dearth of air and light. Much has changed since White wrote this essay, yet in a city"both changeless and changing" there are things here that will doubtless ring equally true 100 years from now. To wit, "New Yorkers temperamentally do not crave comfort and convenience--if they did they would live elsewhere."

Anyone who's ever cherished his essays--or even Charlotte's Web--knows that White is the most elegant of all possible stylists. There's not a sentence here that does not make itself felt right down to the reader's very bones. What would the author make of Giuliani's New York? Or of Times Square, Disney-style? It's hard to say for sure. But not even Planet Hollywood could ruin White's abiding sense of wonder: "The city is like poetry: it compresses all life ... into a small island and adds music and the accompaniment of internal engines." This lovely new edition marks the 100th anniversary of E.B. White's birth--cause for celebration indeed. --Mary Park ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Perenially Amazing
There have been a number of books that have tried to "define" what New York means.Rem Koolhaus did it majestically in his"Delirious New York" as others (such as Walt Whitman, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and J.G. Huneker, to name only three) have also done.White's majestic essay ranks among the best of the bunch.Though it's more than fifty years old it illustrates something timeless about the spirit of New York (especially in the first half of the book) that is still unmistakably present today.I hope fifty years from now I'll still be able to say that.

For those who love New York, love the idea of New York, or are thinking of going there soon, you might want to take a gander at this short, charming, beautiful essay.I would also imagine it would make a great small gift to someone fixated on the Big Apple.

None better than E.B. White
Prompted by his son-in-law to return to New York City to write a magazine article, E.B. White wound up writing one of the most elegant, compact and poignant books on the subject. And although White rhapsodized about the New York of youth, and was a little saddened by the New York he was revisiting in the mid-40s, there is no doubting his love and fascination with Gotham. His descriptions of a walk through The Park in the evening, the sounds of ships' horns in the distance, and the comings and goings of commuters are especially provocative.

One of the central theses of this little tome is that so much of the destinies of New Yorkers are measured in inches. He describes how everyday New Yorkers can wind up inches away from a celebrity at a luncheonette, and that at any time you can be as close to or as distant from any significant event or person. He describes the fate of one New Yorker who was crushed by a falling piece of masonry from an old building. If that person had been six inches away in any direction on the sidewalk, that person would've gone on living. A matter of inches.

And so it is with this slender volume, which is not even a half- inch thick. And yet it, like the crowded little island of Manhattan, is filled with so much richness, humanity, and life that it draws you in like a supermagnet. And only E.B. White could have pulled off something as beautiful as this book. Buy it, read it.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points.

A gem
Like the Elements of Style, the timeless writing manifesto that White revised and rewrote for generation after generation of scribes, Here is New York has lasting appeal.

White captures a very large city in a very small book. Yet the end this slender volume is as satisfying as a weighty tome because White seems to get the philosophy of New York right.

And I must agree, the final pages seem to eerily fortell September 11, 2001.

If you already love New York, or if you want to know why so many do, pick this baby up and guarantee yourself a good night's reading. ... Read more

Isbn: 1892145022
Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. Description    3. Description and travel    4. Essays    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. New York (N.Y.)    7. Travel    8. United States - Mid Atlantic - New York City    9. United States - Northeast - Middle Atlantic (General)    10. White, E. B. (Elwyn Brooks), 1899-1985   

TIME AND AGAIN
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 February, 1995)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
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Reviews (141)

BEST BOOK EVER!
This is my favorite time travel book.I've read it multiple times and never fail to enjoy it.It draws you in and keeps you there.It's both a time travel book and a mystery.Enjoy it!

Imagine !
I read this book in 1970 in its first printing, and just finished my first re-read last week, 25 years later.I was once again overwhelmed by the scope of this novel, and the attention to detail that Mr. Finney devoted to his work.I was captured by the romance and magic of the characters and the concept, and the plot came to life as I read this fascinating glimpse into 19th Century New York.Anyone who is in the least bit interested in historic New York should read this book.You will fall under its spell and perhaps, not want to return to the 21st Century.

Cultural sci fi
The book did a great job of depicting the late 1800s in New York City and how a present day man would interpret what he saw.Though the book has a sci-fi premise, the actual story is much more about the culture of the late 1800s. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684801051
Sales Rank: 14206
Subjects:  1. 1865-1898    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Science Fiction    4. History    5. Literary    6. New York (N.Y.)    7. Science Fiction - General    8. Science fiction    9. Time travel    10. Fiction / General   

The Best Short Stories of O. Henry (Modern Library)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (22 March, 1994)
list price: $22.95 -- our price: $16.07
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Reviews (7)

O. Boy
Probably the best short story writer of all time, O. Henry began his career in prison and spent innumerable hours fine-tuning this craft.What's so amazing is that his stories hold up today as well as they did years ago when they were written.If you enjoy these little gems I suggest you try Jackson McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER which is also an excellent collection of stories, some of which are shocking and some which are touching and poignant.

Good Collection
This is a very good collection of my favorite short story author.

It's hard to imagine anyone who hasn't read and loved O. Henry, but if for some reason you have discovered this work yet, this collection is a great place to begin.

a great collection
O. Henry's short stories are tiny masterpieces.Each story takes literally only minutes to read (they're an average 6 - 12 pages long), but they are brilliant in plot and character development, each with an unexpected twist of some sort at the end, and each different from the other.

The stories are set in New York City at the dawn of the 20th century, so there is much that is slighly unfamiliar, especially some of the language (who knows what a "masher" is, anyway?).This aside, I found myself laughing out loud more than once, and frequently shaking my head at the entertaining and masterful way in which each story unfolded.A recommended read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679601228
Sales Rank: 22835
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Literature: Classics    4. Porter, William Sydney, 1862-1910    5. Short Stories (single author)    6. Short stories    7. Fiction / Short Stories (single author)   

Le Creuset 2-1/4-Quart Tomato Casserole, Chili Red
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $100.00 -- our price: $99.99
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Editorial Review

Beautiful enough to bring to the table and durable enough tooutlive its 101-year warranty against defects, this heavy casserole isshaped like a bright red tomato, perfect for preparing andceremoniously serving a vegetable stew or other festive dish. Use it inthe oven or on the stovetop. Made of cast-iron with an exterior andinterior clad in Le Creuset's famous, bright enamel, this casseroleholds 2 quarts. Because cast iron is unexcelled for heat distributionand retention, the casserole cooks foods evenly and gently without hotspots. The knob on its heavy, tight-fitting lid is ovenproof to 450degrees F. Handles facilitate carrying, and the casserole isdishwasher-safe. Like all Le Creuset products, it's made in France.--Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• 101-year warranty
• Can be used in the oven or on the stovetop; holds 2 quarts
• Made of enameled cast iron--unexcelled for heat distribution, retention
• Heavy, tight-fitting lid; knob on lid ovenproof to 450 degrees F
• Dishwasher-safe

Reviews (11)

Love love love it!
I received this tomato pot for my wedding last year, and it has not yet been put into my cupboard. I keep it out on my stove!

I have made rice, potatoes, soup and sauces in it ... all to perfection. It really works and I have no complaints with it. It was actually my favorite gift, looking back. And the one I have used the most.

I plan to collect as many Le Creuset items as I can ... they are beautiful, durable ... and I remember coveting my roommate's when we were in college.

For the reviewer who can't believe people pay $100 for a casserole dish: What about as a nice gift for someone who will treasure it forever?

Tomato Red, Fun to Use, Delight to the Eye
I have collected ALL of Le Creuset's fruit and vegetable shaped cast iron enameled casseroles. In my 40+ years of cooking these casseroles are at the top of the list for fun, functionality and beauty all rolled up into one. They are beautiful to display on a table or on a kitchen counter and very practical in cooking superb casseroles, soups, stews and other wonderful dishes. The color that they can add to a kitchen brightens every vist there. The exterior and interior enamel coating is very durable and easy to clean. I have cooked a multitude of dishes in these casseroles and have found them to be excellent in heat conduction and preventing "hot spots". The wider and lower shaped casseroles are a little better in spreading the heat.

The warranty against defects of 101 years will certainly last beyond my expected needs but it is nice to know that I have the protection since these are not inexpensive purchases.

The comments of guests served from these casseroles is always positive and never fails to bring a smile to my face. I use them regularly for the family as well.

There is a drawback to these whimsical cookers and that is the rim of both the top and bottom of the casseroles. There is no enamel on these rims and they can rust if not dried immediately after hand washing. They are dishwasher safe but I do recommend that you hand wash and dry immediately. I also recommend that you let them sit out for an hour or so to air dry before storing them.

When wet this casserole can be very slippery and the handles on the bottom and top help in preventing dropping them. Be really careful!

Finally, closely inspect your casserole when it arrives. My first garlic casserole had a two inch crack in the enamel. I did not have to contact Le Crueset since Amazon.com immediately sent a replacement to me and had the defective item picked up at my home at no charge. I commend them for standing behind the products they sell.

The RIPEST Tomato!
This casserole is excellent.I bought this one, and the green pepper, as a set to use when serving salsas and sauces.They look great on the table together.Then I went and gave them their own shelf and they've been so pretty together up there.I get compliments on them EVERY TIME someone new comes into my kitchen - often from regulars who just admire them all the time.I think they are worth the money just for the quality and uniqueness of the product but make no mistake, as darling as they are they are real workhorses when it comes to cooking and serving and a delight to use for host and guest alike.

Both of my pots came with a "stemlike" handle, not the round handle shown in the pic.Check out the yellow pepper to see the handle you'll probably get. ... Read more

Asin: B00005AWC5
Subjects:  1. (Cook Ware)    2. (Lecreuset)    3. (Le Cruset)    4. (Le Crueset)    5. Bakers    6. Casseroles    7. (Caseroles)    8. Baking Dishes    9. Bakeware    10. (Bake Ware)    11. Cookware