Amazon.com
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.
The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.
A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham
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Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hardcover
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Hardcover
Paperback |
Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry. |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis. |
Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling
Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.
Did You Know?
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The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. |
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Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. |
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Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. |
A Few Words from Mary GrandPré
"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.
Customer Reviews:
Another masterpiece from JK!!.......2007-10-17
Although I was saddened to get this book as it was the last in the series, once again JK Rowling pulled me into Harry's magical world and I was devastated to leave it. I actually read the book in one day. I had not planned to do that but I could not put it down. Kids and adults alike will love this last adventure for Harry, Ron and Hermione!
Harry Potter 7.......2007-10-17
Half the book I was just waiting for something interesting to happen. I really liked 6 better. This book was a lot more borrying but you have to find out what happens so you have to keep reading.
Weird, Wacky and Wonderful !!!.......2007-10-16
How can you go wrong with this?
A must purchase for you, your children and grand children!
Love it!
Never understood the hype.......2007-10-15
My review and rating, here, are for the entire series.
I've never understood the hype. Several years and several thousand pages (granted, quick-reading pages) after I embarked with HP on his many many strikingly repetitive adventures, I must weigh in with ambivalence. On the one hand, one can only marvel at the number of kids (not to mention "kids", myself among them) who have flocked to Rowling's books. On the other hand, one can't help but feel -- OK, I can't help but feel -- that the HP series amounts to so many empty calories. Next to the likes of Tolkein, LeGuinn, and Lewis, to name a few of its literary precursors, Rowling's achievement pales in all but page count -- a wildly excessive, woefully underedited page count. I'm glad I read the HP books for two reasons: having done so, I am marginally more culturally literate (by the standards of late 20th/early 21st century western culture) than I would be had I not read them, and I am also better able to relate to/converse with my nephews (huge HP fans, all). But I'm also glad the series is, finally, a wrap. It was way too much of a so-so thing.
Everything you would want in a Potter book.......2007-10-14
Although I do think this is close to, if not the best book, it seemed to me that it was rushed at the end, perhaps she had a deadline with the publisher. I think some things could have been fleshed out a little more, but this was still very enjoyable and she did mange to wrap up nearly everything. If you bought any other Potter books, you will buy this one.
Amazon.com
Best known for his Border Trilogy, hailed in the San Francisco Chronicle as "an American classic to stand with the finest literary achievements of the century," Cormac McCarthy has written ten rich and often brutal novels, including the bestselling No Country for Old Men, and The Road. Profoundly dark, told in spare, searing prose, The Road is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece, one of the best books we've read this year, but in case you need a second (and expert) opinion, we asked Dennis Lehane, author of equally rich, occasionally bleak and brutal novels, to read it and give us his take. Read his glowing review below. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane, master of the hard-boiled thriller, generated a cult following with his series about private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, wowed readers with the intense and gut-wrenching Mystic River, blew fans all away with the mind-bending Shutter Island, and switches gears with Coronado, his new collection of gritty short stories (and one play).
Cormac McCarthy sets his new novel, The Road, in a post-apocalyptic blight of gray skies that drizzle ash, a world in which all matter of wildlife is extinct, starvation is not only prevalent but nearly all-encompassing, and marauding bands of cannibals roam the environment with pieces of human flesh stuck between their teeth. If this sounds oppressive and dispiriting, it is. McCarthy may have just set to paper the definitive vision of the world after nuclear war, and in this recent age of relentless saber-rattling by the global powers, it's not much of a leap to feel his vision could be not far off the mark nor, sadly, right around the corner. Stealing across this horrific (and that's the only word for it) landscape are an unnamed man and his emaciated son, a boy probably around the age of ten. It is the love the father feels for his son, a love as deep and acute as his grief, that could surprise readers of McCarthy's previous work. McCarthy's Gnostic impressions of mankind have left very little place for love. In fact that greatest love affair in any of his novels, I would argue, occurs between the Billy Parham and the wolf in The Crossing. But here the love of a desperate father for his sickly son transcends all else. McCarthy has always written about the battle between light and darkness; the darkness usually comprises 99.9% of the world, while any illumination is the weak shaft thrown by a penlight running low on batteries. In The Road, those batteries are almost out--the entire world is, quite literally, dying--so the final affirmation of hope in the novel's closing pages is all the more shocking and maybe all the more enduring as the boy takes all of his father's (and McCarthy's) rage at the hopeless folly of man and lays it down, lifting up, in its place, the oddest of all things: faith. --Dennis Lehane
Book Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER
National Book Critic's Circle Award Finalist
A New York Times Notable Book
One of the Best Books of the Year
The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor, The Denver Post, The Kansas City Star, Los Angeles Times, New York, People, Rocky Mountain News, Time, The Village Voice, The Washington Post
The searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece.
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food-—and each other.
The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.
Customer Reviews:
Not for every reader.......2007-10-17
I have read many reviews of this book, but it did not prepare me for the impact of this book. The desolation and hopelessness has to be experienced through the author's words. I found the book engrossing and disturbing. Scanning the reviews, I think this is a book that you either can relate to or you can't and no amount of persuasion would change your mind. This is not a criticism of the readers who were bored or unmoved. There are some novels that strike a chord with the reader and others that do not. To me the ultimate success of the book hinged on the conclusion. It was not one that I felt satisfied with. I would like to know what the author had in mind in concluding this way and if he had the end in mind early in the book. I also wondered what the need was for the scavenger episode in the deserted mansion. It seemed to me that topic had been covered in the bomb shelter episode. Reviewers complain about the lack of a plot. There is not a traditional plot, but then this is 2007 and it has long been proven you can sustain interest without a traditional plot. This isn't a book for every reader, but for those it connects with it is a moving experience.
Frustrating Writing.......2007-10-17
First time I ever wrote a review. Sad that it has to be a negative one but thats how frustrated I am with Cormac's writing. The sad truth is that after reading 20 pages I'm thinking this book is a waste of my life, I don't have time to re-read every page trying to make sense of it. I wish I read the other 1 star reviews before buying this book. Hope this prevents somebody from wasting their precious time & money.
Go lick an ashtray and wash it down with sewer water........2007-10-16
This tale of apocalyptic earth is a wonderfully descriptive and disturbing look at just what we could face when the term "nuclear winter" comes to mind.It is a brutal outlook to say the least and McCarthy continues to pound it in with the power of steel sledge hammer meeting anvil.The basics of life, food,safety,warmth,sleep,sex and piece of mind are all compromised and replaced with fear,hunger,despair and horror.Two are left to the characters,a father and son,hope and love,with not much else.Survival in such a scenario is bleak at best and one can only hope to be vaporized instantly if the bombs start falling.I say bombs because that was my own interpretation.The hows and whys are never really addressed in explaining just what did occur.It is full of lasting imagery and is very tactile.Reading this book makes you feel cold,you can almost palpate the heat of the fire,you taste the ash falling everywhere,you feel dirty,and hungry.You can sense the constant fear with every step but most of all a growing paranoia envelops you right up to the end.Mad Max,The Day After,A Boy and His Dog and for some strange reason Charlton Heston kept popping into my mind as I read.You won't want to put it down because every page brings new challenges and being on the road with this couple is an emotional roller coaster as they journey toward a core goal.The constant search for food,water and dry heat makes one appreciate what we do have and stand to loose if the right disaster strikes.If the earth dies,so do we plain and simple.Maybe not right away but life would be most unpleasant.The Road will take you there instantly.I don't know if it is worthy of a Pulitzer but it is written in an unusual style enabling you to zip through it quickly.It captures a global concern and reduces it to a minimalistic, isolated struggle.Hopefully mankinds urge to survive until the last person is standing never has to be put to the test as it was in The Road.Read it,file it away and think about it the next time you hear the term 'Cold War' which may be sooner than you think.
The Idea of Hope in the Post-Apocalyptic Morality Tale.......2007-10-15
A post-apocalyptic fable set in a nameless world after a nameless disaster and peopled by nameless characters, the story explores what happens when structure is gone. A man and his son scavenge through the wreckage for the basic (and extremely scarce) necessities of life, with absolutely no hope for the future, holding on only to their idea of their own "goodness." Goodness is a major theme in this novel: What does it mean to be "the good guys"? With a very stripped down approach to dialogue, the man and his son ponder this and hold it as their only value. "Are we still the good guys?" the son asks after his father has made hard choices for their safety. In a system where survival is the absolute only thing you can hope for, rules for how to go about it are laid down based on this sense of good guys vs. bad guys. The young son is the moral center of the book, raising questions about retribution and compassion.
Despite the bleakness surrounding them, the relationship between the father and the son is redemptive. Their love for one another is what makes them the good guys, because they still hold human life as a value. The father concedes to the words of the mother (who takes her own life before the story begins) when she says he wouldn't be alive without the boy. The boy gives him purpose. And being alive is still something to strive for (which should not be taken for granted in this context).
In fact, the spine of the book is hope, and the characters' relationship to hope. The questions that linger for me have to do with how hope is treated at the ending.I kept asking myself, What's the point of survival? To endure hardship in order to face nothing but more? How does hope fit into this?
I also began thinking about the appeal of the post-apocalypse story. Besides the desert island genre, it's really the only context that gives authors the freedom to envision characters without society, and thus without societal rules. I find that desert island/post-apocalypse narratives usually find the authors falling into one of two camps: utopia or dystopia. While the world set out in The Road is certainly dystopic, I would suggest that the novel is ultimately utopic-at least in the sense of human goodness (for the subjectivity of the novel, not the faceless evils that happened before). Without the hope for any material comfort, the only remaining thing to hope for is human good will. And it's here. In droves. It is tested, but it is here. Is that much hope disingenuous within the world he's laid out? Maybe. But it makes it very easy to connect with this book.
http://booklust.wordpress.com
You'll remember this book for years..........2007-10-14
I have read most of the author's books. This is by far his best. The quality of a book is the impression it makes on you years later. This book is that good. An unpleasantly dark, cold and painful book with simple writing but terrific story telling. You live and breathe it as you turn the pages. It answers the question of what's really most essential for survival - food, water, air, love and well-being of your child. This will will be remembered as a classic years from today.
Amazon.com
Updated Edition: Thomas L. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, as in his earlier, influential Lexus and the Olive Tree, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman's breathless narrative much of its urgency, and which also saves it from the Epcot-style polyester sheen that futurists--the optimistic ones at least--are inevitably prey to.
What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected": the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution that have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. This in itself should not be news to anyone. But the news that Friedman has to deliver is that just when we stopped paying attention to these developments--when the dot-com bust turned interest away from the business and technology pages and when 9/11 and the Iraq War turned all eyes toward the Middle East--is when they actually began to accelerate. Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.)
Friedman has embraced this flat world in his own work, continuing to report on his story after his book's release and releasing an unprecedented hardcover update of the book a year later with 100 pages of revised and expanded material. What's changed in a year? Some of the sections that opened eyes in the first edition--on China and India, for example, and the global supply chain--are largely unaltered. Instead, Friedman has more to say about what he now calls "uploading," the direct-from-the-bottom creation of culture, knowledge, and innovation through blogging, podcasts, and open-source software. And in response to the pleas of many of his readers about how to survive the new flat world, he makes specific recommendations about the technical and creative training he thinks will be required to compete in the "New Middle" class. As before, Friedman tells his story with the catchy slogans and globe-hopping anecdotes that readers of his earlier books and his New York Times columns know well, and he holds to a stern sort of optimism. He wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you're going to be trampled if you don't keep up with it. A year later, one can sense his rising impatience that our popular culture, and our political leaders, are not helping us keep pace. --Tom Nissley
Where Were You When the World Went Flat?
Thomas L. Friedman's reporter's curiosity and his ability to recognize the patterns behind the most complex global developments have made him one of the most entertaining and authoritative sources for information about the wider world we live in, both as the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and as the author of landmark books like From Beirut to Jerusalem and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. They also make him an endlessly fascinating conversation partner, and we've now had the chance to talk to him about The World Is Flat twice. Read our original interview with him following the publication of the first edition of The World Is Flat to learn why there's almost no one from Washington, D.C., listed in the index of a book about the global economy, and what his one-plank platform for president would be. (Hint: his bumper stickers would say, "Can You Hear Me Now?")
And now you can listen to our second interview, in which he talks about the updates he's made in "The World Is Flat 2.0," including his response to parents who said to him, "Great, Mr. Friedman, I'm glad you told us the world is flat. Now what do I tell my kids?"
The Essential Tom Friedman
From Beirut to Jerusalem |
The Lexus and the Olive Tree |
Longitudes and Attitudes |
More on Globalization and Development
China, Inc. by Ted Fishman |
Three Billion New Capitalists by Clyde Prestowitz |
The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs |
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz |
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli |
The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto |
Book Description
The World Is Flat is Thomas L. Friedman’s account of the great changes taking place in our time, as lightning-swift advances in technology and communications put people all over the globe in touch as never before—creating an explosion of wealth in India and China, and challenging the rest of us to run even faster just to stay in place. This updated and expanded edition features more than a hundred pages of fresh reporting and commentary, drawn from Friedman’s travels around the world and across the American heartland—from anyplace where the flattening of the world is being felt.
In The World Is Flat, Friedman at once shows “how and why globalization has now shifted into warp drive” (Robert Wright, Slate) and brilliantly demystifies the new flat world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, he explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; how governments and societies can, and must, adapt; and why terrorists want to stand in the way. More than ever, The World Is Flat is an essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists.
Download Description
The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist gives a bold, timely, and surprising picture of the state of globalization in the twenty-first century
Customer Reviews:
...and so is this book.......2007-10-10
Though it has become an immensely popular book, Friedman's work is fairly shallow and simplistic. It is important to remember that this is a world analysis written by a journalist, not by a political economist or any type of economist or political scientist. His views are oversimplified and his support relies heavily on anecdote, making his 600-pager about 400 pages too long. We read it for a poli sci class and proceeded to tear it apart intellectually.
Ranks up there with Common Sense, Uncle Toms Cabin, The Femine Mystique.......2007-10-10
One of the greatest books ever written. Everyone in America should read this book. Every teacher in America should read and teach Frieman's lessons. Every parent should read and help prepare their children for the world that is coming. Every student should read and begin to prepare for the world they are going to face. This is the most important book of our times, bar none.
Embracing Business Globalization's Irreversibility.......2007-10-10
This is easily the most relevant book written on the new realities of business globalization, its irreversibility, and the practical consequences to our future. Friedman does an excellent job describing the numerous factors that led up to our current global economy including the ongoing fall of communism, the advent of the personal computer, and the ubiquity of the Internet. His historical review and assessment is fascinating and it sets up the reader to understand the context for his theories and practical applications. Friedman delves into numerous industries, businesses, personalities, case studies, technologies, psychological factors, and sociological factors. Although he covers numerous business, technological, and economic concepts, his writing style is very engaging and entertaining, using many personal examples and narratives, thereby holding the reader's interest. Rather than bemoaning some of the common perceived negative consequences of a global economy (such as US auto workers losing jobs to overseas cheaper labor) Friedman helps the reader to understand business globalization's irreversibility. In so doing, he describes many personal, practical, and business strategies for thriving in this new environment. Friedman is realistic and compassionate concerning the changes and the challenges. He states, "the great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people but also do not leave them behind. None of this will be easy. But this is our task. It is inevitable and unavoidable" (pp. 46-47). As Friedman unfolds his strategies, he gives the reader a broader, global perspective that is filled with hope and excitement. Whether as a CEO, a business student, or a brand new professional embarking upon a career, this book is insightful, practical, and essential reading.
What a good boy am I.......2007-10-06
Reading this book is like watching someone else's kids open their Christmas presents from relatives they don't really know. I'm not sure how the author can possibly be so fascinated by technology and yet know absolutely nothing about it at the same time, but his endless diatribes about the miracles of PayPal and Microsoft Word are beyond laughable, and I was pretty much in shock when he started citing howstuffworks-dot-com as a technical reference on fiber optics and SOAP. What editor told him that this was OK?
So enamored with his own cleverness is he that Mr. Friedman dedicates several pages to explaining the book's title, even though a single sentence would have sufficed. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop after the first chapter; rather than make a point and move on, he has to point out the fact that he just made a point and tell you what a wonderful point it was just in case you missed the point. It's like hanging out with that one friend who sits around smiling and pointing to his hindquarters after he rips one off at the dinner table.
If you want to learn about globalization and are not old enough to remember the first light bulb, go read "No Logo" instead. This is horrible, irrelevant geriatric babbling.
My opinion is flat.......2007-10-03
When a book has had over a thousand reviews, what can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? So I will keep it short and not so sweet.
No one will read this book, or any of the updates, for "fun." Do you NEED to read it? Yes, it contains some important economic concepts and realities, but it's a bit overlong. I'd say it could be cut in half, so skim through some of the numerous "interviews," repetition of central points, and endless advice and encouragement. The global pie is getting bigger and better, but the competition for piecies of that pie is heating up. Smart, ambitious, creative people will thrive; slow, lazy, dull people will languish, and everything inbetween. For too long many Americans have been sitting on their laurels and the day of reckoning is near. Heed this warning: Put down your TV remotes, game controllers, and iPods, and start working like your life (or lifestyle) depended on it. Get your rear into some serious gear, and don't balk at the notion that you should be an "expert" in at least three different, unrelated fields. Does this scare or excite you?
In so many interviews with foreign entrepreneurs, we are told (or reassured) that no matter how much of the "mundane" work is performed by countries other than the U.S., America's creative and innovative spark is still unsurpassed: All the world looks to America to lead the way into the future. I'm not sure. A lot of that "mundane" work was high level and highly paid, and why should we expect that America will continue to dominate in creativity and innovation? The truth is, we're in for a flattening of living standards, and from the perspective of the relatively high American standard of living, it will seem like a drop in standards until we reach another equilibrium (who knows how long that will take?). In any case, the reassurances about the talents and abilities of Americans seem at odds with other parts of the book, such as Bill Gates feeling "terrified at the American work force of tomorrow."
If you're already working hard at becoming an expert in three fields, then you probably don't need to read this book. Indeed, you probably don't have time to read it, or to read and write Amazon reviews, for that matter.
Book Description
A sensational addition to the Dresden Files adventures-from a USA Today bestselling author.
Professional wizard Harry Dresden is investigating a series of deaths in Chicago. Someone is killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry's half-brother, Thomas, as the murderer. Determined to clear his sibling's name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too...
Customer Reviews:
Best yet.......2007-10-08
Any series featuring a single main character runs a risk of getting stale, following a formula. I'm delighted to say that has not only NOT happened with White Knight, it's the best book yet.
Harry Dresden grows emotionally. His relationships with his brother and Murphy change and develop in both heartbreaking and heartwarming ways. And the main plot gets more exciting and more engrossing in each book, something that rarely occurs. My only complaint (as usual) is that it will be so long before the next book!
Great as always!.......2007-09-22
Jim does it again! Harry Dresden continues to grow and evolve as a character. Fast paced and I couldn't put it down!
Dead or Disappeared.......2007-09-21
White Night (2007) is the ninth Urban Fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series, following Proven Guilty. In the previous volume, Harry fetched Molly Carpenter back from Arctis Tor, with a little help from his friends. He took her back to her family, but she decided to turn herself in to the White Council for violations of the Fourth Law.
At the trial, the Merlin arbitrarily convicted her of using black magic and sentenced her to death. Harry pointed out that the Gatekeeper hadn't yet cast his vote. Then Ebenezar McCoy arrived with survivors of the Warden training group accompanied by Molly's father Michael. Merlin reconsidered his verdict and Molly became Harry's apprentice.
In this novel, Sergeant Murphy has a probable suicide, but she rides a hunch and calls in Harry. He checks out the scene and casts a spell at a particular place on the wall. The notation "EXODUS 22:18" appears and Karrin knows the victim was murdered.
Suddenly, Murphy strikes out with a foot sweep and a young woman -- little more than a girl -- becomes visible and falls to the floor. Harry's apprentice Molly hasn't done as he told her and now she has a few bruises and pains to remind her to obey her master. Not that she is going to pay attention, but one more lesson won't hurt . . . much!
Harry does congratulate her on the invisibility spell, but points out that both he and Sergeant Murphy had noticed a few out-of-place sounds and smells. Molly needs to put in some extra practice, but she is improving. Molly goes home happy, but aching in several places.
In this story, Harry and Murphy find other victims around Chicago and elsewhere. Most of the Chicago victims belong to a witch group known as Ordo Lebes, which Dresden translates in his correspondence course Latin as "Order of the Big Pot". Karrin, however, suggests that a better interpretation would be "Order of the Cauldron". But one victim does not belong to this order.
Harry also discovers that one of the Ordo Lebes is Helen Beckitt, whom he has had problems with in the past. Although she cooperates with Harry and Murphy and doesn't even deny her prison record, Dresden just can't bring himself to trust her. When he discovers that she works for John Marcone, both Harry and Murphy become suspicious of her behavior.
Harry meets another old acquaintance on this case. Elaine had been his first girl, but they had parted after Harry killed their mentor. While the White Council ruled that the killing was in self-defense, Elaine was already gone. Yet she had not forgotten him and even followed his career path as a consulting wizard.
This story also has a minor side plot involving the fallen angel Lasciel. The shadow of Lasciel residing in his mind provides some useful services, such as translation of dead languages, but is still trying to seduce him to the evil side. It occurs to Harry that such seduction can go both ways and he treats "Lash" as an almost trusted friend. Some surprising changes occur.
While Harry doesn't really like being a Warden of the White Council, he hasn't considered it as a handicap. Then a mysterious Grey Cloak is noticed as somehow involved with the dead witches and everybody is afraid to tell Harry. And his brother Thomas is often observed with these victims shortly before their death or disappearances. Being an enforcer for the Council is bad enough without the paranormal community wondering whether you are responsible for these passings.
Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of preternatural creatures, paranormal individuals, and strange happenings.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Another winner.......2007-09-17
The Dresden File books have maintained their quality and readability. This one is no exception. Love the way these stories play out.
Love harry but need more Bob the Skull.......2007-09-05
I love this series and enjoy the way it is going. Harry is amusing and this one does not disappoint. I do miss Bob the Skull. He was not featured as much in this one and i miss that... just my own personal quirk.
Amazon.com
The first complete book by J.R.R. Tolkien in three decades--since the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977--The Children of Húrin reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, dragons and Dwarves, Eagles and Orcs. Presented for the first time as a complete, standalone story, this stirring narrative will appeal to casual fans and expert readers alike, returning them to the rich landscape and characters unique to Tolkien.
Adam Tolkien on The Children of Húrin
How did a lifetime of stories become The Children of Húrin? In an essay on the making of the book, Adam Tolkien, grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien (and French translator of his History of Middle-earth), explains that the Húrin legends made up the third "Great Tale" of his grandfather's Middle-earth writing, and he describes how his father, Christopher Tolkien, painstakingly collected the pieces of the legend into a complete story told only in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien. "For anyone who has read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings," he writes, The Children of Húrin "allows them to take a step back into a larger world, an ancient land of heroes and vagabonds, honour and jeopardy, hope and tragedy."
A Look Inside the Book
This first edition of The Children of Húrin is illustrated by Alan Lee, who was already well-known for his Tolkien illustrations in previous editions (see our Tolkien Store for more) as well as his classic collaboration with Brian Froud, Faeries, and his Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Black Ships Before Troy, before his Oscar-winning work as conceptual designer for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy brought him even greater acclaim. Here's a quick glimpse of two of Lee's interior illustrations for The Children of Húrin. (Click on each to see larger images.)
Questions for Alan Lee
We had the chance to ask Alan Lee a few questions about his illustrative collaboration with the world imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien:
Amazon.com: How much of a treat was it to get first crack at depicting entirely new characters rather than ones who had been interpreted many times before? Was there one who particularly captured your imagination?
Lee: Although it was a great honor to illustrate The Children of Húrin, the characters and the main elements of the story line are familiar to those who have read The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, and these narratives have inspired quite a few illustrators. Ted Nasmith has illustrated The Silmarillion and touched on some of the same characters and landscapes. This was the first time that I ventured into the First Age; while working on The Lord of the Rings books and films--and The Hobbit--I've had to refer back to events in Middle-earth history but not really depict them.
I'm drawn to characters who bear similarities to the protagonists in myths and legends; these correspondences add layers and shades of meaning, and most of the characters in this story have those archetypal qualities. However, I prefer not to get too close to the characters because the author is delineating them much more carefully than I can, and I'm wary of interfering with the pictures that the text is creating in the reader's mind.
Amazon.com: The Húrin story has been described as darker than some of Tolkien's other work. What mood did you try to set with your illustrations?
Lee: It is a tragic story, but the darkness is offset by the light and beauty of Tolkien's elegiac writing. In the illustrations I tried to show some of the fragile beauty of the landscapes and create an atmosphere that would enhance the sense of foreboding and impending loss. I try to get the setting to tell its part in the story, as evidence of what happened there in the past and as a hint at what is going to occur. My usual scarred and broken trees came in handy.
Amazon.com: You were a conceptual designer (and won an Oscar) for Peter Jackson's film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, which I think we can safely say had a bit of success. How does designing for the screen compare to designing for the page?
Lee: They both have their share of joys and frustrations. It was great to be part of a huge film collaboration and play a small part in something quite magical and monumental; I will always treasure that experience. Film is attractive because I enjoy sketching and coming up with ideas more than producing highly finished artwork, and it's great having several hundred other people lending a hand! But books--as long as they don't get moldy from being left in an empty studio for six years--have their own special quality. I hope that I can continue doing both.
Amazon.com: Of all fiction genres, fantasy seems to have the strongest tradition of illustration. Why do you think that is? Who are some of your favorite illustrators?
Lee: A lot of excellent illustrators are working at the moment--especially in fantasy and children's books. It is exciting also to see graphic artists such as Dave McKean, in his film Mirrormask, moving between different media. I also greatly admire the more traditional work of Gennady Spirin and Roberto Innocenti. Kinuko Craft, John Jude Palencar, John Howe, Charles Vess, Brian Froud ... I'll stop there, as the list would get too long. But--in a fit of pride and justified nepotism--I'll add my daughter, Virginia Lee, to the list. Her first illustrated children's book, The Frog Bride [coming out in the U.K. in September], will be lovely.
More Tolkien Favorites
Visit our J.R.R. Tolkien Store for a complete selection of Tolkien classics, including deluxe editions, young readers' editions, and more.
The Lord of the Rings
50th Anniversary Edition |
The Hobbit
Collector's Edition |
The Atlas of Middle Earth |
Book Description
The first complete book by J.R.R. Tolkien in three decades -- since the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977 --
The Children of Hurin reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, dragons and Dwarves, Eagles and Orcs. Presented for the first time as a complete, standalone story, this stirring narrative will appeal to casual fans and expert readers alike, returning them to the rich landscape and characters unique to Tolkien.
The Children of Hurin, begun in 1918, was one of three 'Great Tales' J.R.R. Tolkien worked on throughout his life, though he never realized his ambition to see it published. Though familiar to many fans from extracts and references within other Tolkien books, it has long been assumed that the story would forever remain an unfinished tale. Now reconstructed by Christopher Tolkien, painstakingly editing together the complete work from his father's many drafts, this book is the culmination of a tireless thirty-year endeavor by him to bring J.R.R.Tolkien's vast body of unpublished work to a wide audience.
Having drawn the distinctive maps for the original The Lord of the Rings more than 50 years ago, Christopher has also created a detailed new map for this book. In addition, it will include a jacket and color paintings by Alan Lee, illustrator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Centenary Edition and Academy Award-winning designer of the film trilogy.
Customer Reviews:
Not done reading........2007-10-17
Usually, Tolkien's works keep me from page one until the end, but I have had to make myself read this one. You need to be an experienced Tolkien reader to really "get" this book.
One can never have enough Tolkien.......2007-10-14
This book, while shorter of the other works of Tolkien, is as immersive as the other ones.
It is a decidedly tragic book, in the greek sense of tragic, but it still feels like Middle Earth.
This book reminds me of how much we owe to Christopher Tolkien, without whom we would not know these wonderful stories.
Additionally, Adam Tolkien has already worked in the completion of this volume, so here is to the thought of having a single-volume of Beren and Luthien in the future!
Tolkien fans rejoice!.......2007-09-27
This one takes a while to get started but once it does, it's wonderful. Just don't expect a happy ending. Great for Tolkien fans who are interested in some of the history of Middle Earth. Probably not good choice for someone who is not thoroughly entranced by Lord of the Rings.
Did you like the Silmarillion?.......2007-09-23
Then yeah, you'll like this. If you thought the Silmarillion was a tough nut to crack, then this is only slightly less so. Great stuff for Tolkien obsessives.
A Dark Tale From the First Age of Middle Earth.......2007-09-18
'The Children of Hurin' - in many ways an expanded chapter of 'The Silmarillion' - is the dark and tragic tale of Turin, the great Hero of Men in the First Age of Middle Earth.
Thousands of years before the events of 'The Hobbit' or 'The Lord of the Rings' the race of Men is proud and the Elves have yet to start their long decline which culminated with their leaving Middle Earth at the end of LOTR. The struggle between Morgoth and the Free Races in 'The Children of Hurin' is the struggle between great powers at their height. There are no reluctant heros in this tale.
After 'The Battle of Unnumbered Tears' Hurin, Human King of Belirand, was captured by Morgoth. When Hurin refused to give Morgoth the location of the hidden Elven city of Gondolin, Morgoth cursed Hurin's children. 'The Children of Hurin' is their tortured story.
Other reviewers have recounted the basic plot and I won't bore you by rehashing it. Instead, I'll give you my impression of the book.
'The Children of Hurin' is Tolkien at his darkest. You imagine this Middle Earth as a dark and frightening place, where even the power and fierceness of those on the side of 'good' is terrifying. This is the story of a cursed man. There are no bright spots, no comic turns, no Samwise Gamgee or Pippin to lighten the mood. This is a story where every character is some version of Boromir, Farimir, and the Last Steward of Gondor. Pride, deceit, struggle, violence and defeat dominate.
The language is slightly more archaic than that of 'The Lord of the Rings' but far less so than 'The Silmarillion,' giving us a very readable story. 'The Children of Hurin' is full of all the same detail and history that we are used to from Tolkien's other works. This story is every bit as good as the rest of the Tolkien canon. The Dragons, the swords, the magical cities and power of fate that Tolkien gave us in 'The Lord of the Rings' is here in spades.
For any true Tolkien fan, 'The Children of Hurin' is unmissable. For those who enjoyed 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' but failed to get through 'The Silmarillion' this new posthumous release is a great inroad into the history of Middle Earth.
Book Description
Follow Harry from his first days at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, through his many adventures with Hermione and Ron, to his confrontations with rival Draco Malfoy and the dreaded Professor Snape. From a dangerous descent into the Chamber of Secrets to the Triwizard Tournament to the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, each adventure is more riveting and exhilarating than its predecessor, and now all six books are available together for the first time in an elegant paperback boxed set.
Customer Reviews:
Great!.......2007-10-17
I am the type of person that was skeptical about Harry Potter... maybe because I loved the Narnia saga and thought nothing could be as good as that... or maybe I was simply too old for such magical childrens stuff. So it took me some time till I saw a couple of movies and still didn't fall in love with Harry.
But it was when I read Harry Potter that I really became trapped in the story. I read one book after the other addict style, I saw the movies in between, and even bought a Ministry of Magic t-shirt.
The books are fantastic! The Prisoner of Askaban is my favourite. And this boxed set is top! I enjoy reading paperbacks too because they don't weigh in the hands and you can read them lying, sitting, or standing in the train...
If you are a kid, almost 40 like me, or even 60 give yourself the chance to enjoy these books as much as I did!
perfect for my son.......2007-10-15
I can't wait to read them all when my son is done! he was so happy to get the box set. he has book 7 but doesn't want to read it until he gets all the way through the first six.
Great deal........2007-10-15
The box is a bit flimsy, but its a good deal overall for reading purposes. However, collectors should probably go with the pricier hardback edition.
Really Great.......2007-10-11
I only spent $30.00 plus S&S but I have already read them all now once and am working on a second time. I currently have 2 books rented out to friends. I have orded the set with them in hard cover and a nice box but I wanted a set that I could through into a suitcase and take with me when I travel or to lend to friends without being to scared of what kind of condition they would return home in. This was a fantastic purchase for me
J.K. Rowling is the writer of the century........2007-10-10
Being an aspiring writer, I can appreciate the potential of a good imagination and an excellent ability to put thoughts into words. J.K. Rowling not only created an entire world in her own mind, she was able to project that world in an interesting, entertaining way to her millions of readers. Harry Potter is the quintessential hero who will appeal to adults as well as young children as he battles his way through a magical world of evil villains and befriends a host of unique and colorful characters. Give these books to the most unenthusiastic readers and you are guaranteed to create faithful Potter fans.
Amazon.com
The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page.
A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way. --Daphne Durham
Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books (box sets and collector's editions), audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more.
Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Hardcover
Paperback |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hardcover
Paperback |
Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry. |
Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling
Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.
Did You Know?
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The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. |
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Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. |
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Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. |
A Few Words from Mary GrandPré
"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.
Book Description
We could tell you, but then we'd have to Obliviate your memory.
Customer Reviews:
Good long read........2007-10-17
Good story, but dreadfully too much book, not enough content. Rowling was right when she said it should have been edited down by a third. At least kids can say, "Look, see! I read all THAT!"
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.......2007-10-17
This book serves as a set up for the final book of the series: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I highly recommend starting at the beginning of the series: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Barring that at least watch the movies up to Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix. In Half Blood Prince we learn the secret of Voldemort's power. We get some more back ground on the characters. Harry finds love and there is a major calamity in store for him. A great book but it will make best sense if the reader is familiar with the series. Also, this book was worth reading as it sets up the Deathly Hallow book, making Deathly Hallows much more coherent and enjoyable.
The Epic Harry Potter Year 6.......2007-10-10
I have not always been a Harry Potter fan until recently. I have all the movies up until Year 4 and all the books including the last one Deathly Hallows year 7. I recommend buying and reading all the Harry Potter books, the excitement and tension truly does not build until this book "The Half Blood Prince" year 6. J.K. Rowlings never ceases to amaze me with her vivid imagination. As I read her books I instantly feel like I am watching the movie and no longer reading. Now I am sure all the true Harry Potter fans saw the latest movie year 5 "The Order of the Phoenix" that catalyzed the journey. I like to thank Amazon.com for keeping all the Harry Potter fans up to date. Stay stuned for the Harry Potter theme park called "Wizarding World" coming to Universal Studios in 2009. I will be the first in line!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince .......2007-10-09
This was by far the best of all the books I loved it and read it in 2 days I couldn't put it down.
Starts out with a Bang and Becomes a Real Page-turner.......2007-10-01
I've got to admit, as the Potter series continues, it only gets better. The Half-blood Prince grabs your attention from the start and unfolds into the darkest of the series. This book contains many twists and turns, most of which leave the reader wanting to find out more. What makes this book different from the others is that there are quite a few surprises as characters reveal personalities that may not have been fully unveiled previously and this, in turn, leads to a highly fascinating read. I'm afraid that I have to admit, I was about to put the book down before calling it a night, with about 100 pages to go and simply couldn't - the story became so enthralling that I just had to go on to finish it! I don't think that there is any question (at least in my mind), that Half-blood Prince, is the best of the series so far. As with all good series, this one left with a real cliff-hanger - I'm only glad that I waited until the Rowling finished the series - that way, I don't have to wait for the next one to come out: I've already started the final book. Got to get back to my reading!
Amazon.com
With her action-packed Hollows series, featuring former bounty hunter--and mistress of the dark arts--Rachel Morgan, Kim Harrison has become one of the hottest authors in the incredibly popular genre of sexy supernaturalism. In her latest Hollows tale, For a Few Dollars More, Rachel unleashes all kinds of undead fury on the greater Cincinnati area when she tries to track down a serial killer. To catch up on the Hollows series so far, and to see the music that has inspired the stories, see below.
Follow the Hollows
Dead Witch Walking (Book 1) |
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Book 2) |
Every Which Way but Dead (Book 3) |
A Fistful of Charms (Book 4) |
Music Is the Muse
For Kim Harrison, music inspires her stories, and especially her characters. In her exclusive Music Is the Muse list for us, she reveals some favorite records that have provided the source, and the soul, for Rachel, Ivy, Trent, and more of her passionate and powerful characters. Among her muses:
Bleed Like Me, Garbage |
With Teeth, Nine Inch Nails |
Fallen, Evanescence |
Book Description
Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay just ahead of trouble . . . until now.
A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, claiming victims across society, and the resulting terror ignites a vicious Inderland gang war. And while the ancient artifact Rachel is hiding may be the key to stopping the murderer, revealing it could also create a battle to the death among the numerous supernatural races that live in and around Cincinnati.
For every action has its price, and when the vampire master Piscary is set free and the demonic Algaliarept dares to walk openly under the sun, even Rachel Morgan can't hide forever.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic!.......2007-10-02
I love this series immensely. The characters are believable and fun. Kim Harrison knows how to write a story. I've love all of her previous books and this one is no different. The plot is intense. It's the kind of book you can't put down. I love how Rachel is portrayed. I look foward to the next ones!
OMGOSH! Amazing!.......2007-09-17
Everytime I think a book cant get any better i get shocked and this book was awesome!! I love Rachel although im a HUGE fan of IVEY! she rocks. I love how this book plays out i think its the best in the series so far!
She is getting better and better.......2007-09-17
Ms Harrison is getting better with each installation. Can't wait for her next book!. The addition of a "few more demons" was brilliant and diversified the storyline nicely.
For a Few Demons More.......2007-09-05
This entire series rocks!!! Pick them up and you can't put them down. The cast of characters are memorable and believable. I had given up on urban fantasy, Laurel K Hamilton will do that to you. (that's called fair warning folks)
However Kim Harrison saved the day. I have all the Rachel Morgan books and have my calender marked as to when I can get the next one coming out. The plots MOVE.. and in unexpected ways at times. While relationships are there, Ms. Harrison doesn't let it become the whole story (thank the goddess for that!)
This books are a must read for all urban fantasy fans!!
Highly Recomended.......2007-08-23
I think this book is the best in the series so far. It seems like Kim Harrison books just get better and better. I love this series and I'm waiting feverishly for the next one. If the rest of the books in her series are any indication, then the next book will be even better than this one. I really liked this book because of the brilliant mix of humor, horror, fantasy, and characters that are so well described I feel like I know them. I've never read an author who could shock me, scare me, then make me laugh out loud so many times in the same book. Trust me, this one is worth several all-nighters.
Average customer rating:
- Dull, Derivative, Didactic
- Awesome Continuation of an Incredible Book
- Amazing book!!!!
- A Derivitave Cluster (Insert Expletive)
- Nice derivation for uses of magic and when it comes from
|
Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)
Christopher Paolini
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Paolini, Christopher
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Similar Items:
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Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)
-
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
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Inkheart
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Inkspell
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The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5)
ASIN: 0375840400
Release Date: 2007-03-13 |
Amazon.com
Surpassing its popular prequel Eragon, this second volume in the Inheritance trilogy shows growing maturity and skill on the part of its very young author, who was only seventeen when the first volume was published in 2003. The story is solidly in the tradition (some might say derivative) of the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the predictable cast of dwarves, elves, and dragons--but also including some imaginatively creepy creatures of evil.
The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language by the wise former Rider Oromis and his elderly dragon Glaedr. Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's home, his cousin Roran is the target of a siege by the hideous Ra'zac, and he must lead the villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains. The two narratives move toward a massive battle with the forces of Galbatorix, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage and commits himself to saving his people.
The sheer size of the novel, as well as its many characters, places with difficult names, and its use of imaginary languages make this a challenging read, even for experienced fantasy readers. It is essential to have the plot threads of the first volume well in mind before beginning--the publisher has provided not only a map, but a helpful synopsis of the first book and a much-needed Language Guide. But no obstacles will deter the many fans of Eragon from diving headfirst into this highly-awaited fantasy. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell
Meet Author Christopher Paolini
Christopher Paolini's abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at age 15.
"Writing is the heart and soul of my being. It is the means through which I bring my stories to life. There is nothing like putting words on a page and knowing that they will summon certain emotions and reactions from the reader. In my writing, I strive for a lyrical beauty somewhere between Tolkien at his best and Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf." --Christopher Paolini
Paolini talks more about the series, and about what inspires him in this video clip.
Watch the video (high bandwith)
Watch the video (low bandwith)
The Eragon/Eldest Boxed Set
Want to learn more about the series? Check out our review of Eragon: Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull over your head like a comfy old sweater and disappear into for a whole weekend. Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was just 15, and the book shows the influence of Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in its traditional quest structure and the generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic swords. Read more
Order your copy of the boxed set today
Learn the Lingo
Our quickie pronunciation guide will help you get to know some of the names and places in the Inheritance series.
|
Ajihad |
AH-zhi-hod |
The Leader of the Varden |
|
Argetlam |
ARE-jet-lahm |
Elven word to describe Dragon Riders meaning "silver hand" |
|
Arya |
AR-ee-uh |
A powerful elf who is both beautiful and a master swordswoman |
|
Eragon |
EHR-uh-gahn |
A Dragon Rider from Carvahall |
|
Ra-zac |
RAA-zack |
Evil creatures |
|
Saphira |
suh-FEAR-uh |
Eragon's dragon |
|
*Art copyright © 2004 John Jude Palencar |
Book Description
Darkness falls…despair abounds…evil reigns…
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.
Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.
Will the king’s dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .
Praise for Eragon:
“Unusual, powerful . . . fresh and fluid. An impressive start to a writing career that’s sure to flourish.” –Booklist, Starred
“Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut.” –People
“The new ‘It’ book of children’s lit.” –U.S. News & World Report
“An auspicious beginning to both career and series.” –Publishers Weekly
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Book of the Year
A #1 Book Sense Selection
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Darkness falls…despair abounds…evil reigns…
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.
Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.
Will the king’s dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .
Praise for Eragon:
“Unusual, powerful . . . fresh and fluid. An impressive start to a writing career that’s sure to flourish.” –Booklist, Starred
“Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut.” –People
“The new ‘It’ book of children’s lit.” –U.S. News & World Report
“An auspicious beginning to both career and series.” –Publishers Weekly
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Book of the Year
A #1 Book Sense Selection
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Dull, Derivative, Didactic.......2007-09-27
In Eldest, Paolini carries over all his mistakes with Eragon. The stealing from LOTR and Star Wars is more blatant than before. The needless details and purple prose are still there. The dialogue and characters are dryer than ever.
In addition to these flaws, Paolini has added in another literary no-no. Preachiness. Though we saw hints of his amateur philosophy in Eragon, it's ten times worse in Eldest. He uses Oromis as a soapbox to inject random sermons on atheism and vegetarianism into his story. I have no problem with sermons in fiction if they are relevant to themes well-woven into the plot. Yet atheism, religion, and vegetarianism seem irrelevant to Eragon's fight with Galbatorix. So why are they there?
The worst part is that Eldest's religious debates are frightfully immature. Neither side is well articulated. Oromis is a superficial question-dodger (which embarrasses me as an atheist). The religious characters are stereotypical screaming, spitting, straw men (that last alliterative bit surpasses all Paolini's poetic ability by the way). I can only pray (pun intended) that Paolini will give up this sad adolescent attempt at depth.
Awesome Continuation of an Incredible Book.......2007-09-17
I had been waiting for years when this came out. After reading Eragon, the first of the Inheritance Trilogy, I was just left hanging with the abrupt ending. Well this one picks up just about as abruptly, and doesn't really let go or calm down throughout.
I had read some reviews which complained about the training which Eragon and Saphira go through - how it takes up so much time and how its so boring and all that. I'll admit I'm a bit of a nerd, but I thought Paolini did an excellent job keeping things moving through the training phase. He actually left me wanting more. He also utilizes that period in the book to explore a little more the history of the world he's created. You can see a very strong Tolkien emphasis there (not to mention with many of the names he's chosen for characters and places!).
And I think this book turns the tale more into a multi-character tale, with the return of Roran and the adventure he undertakes which eventually links him back to Eragon.
Overall, very well done. I pretty much inhaled the book - it definitely moved and kept the story rolling on. I had a really hard time putting it down every night. It's also neat to see Paolini's maturation as an author. And I just can't wait for the third book!
Amazing book!!!!.......2007-09-10
I was bored one day at my libary and so i picked Eragon, that was most likly one of the best desisions of my life. It started my on this world of adventure Eldest, the sequel takes off right where Eragon left off and while being much thicker in length is also much better in story and plot. The Author does a great job in creating a world that just bursts in creativity, while also involving some of the clasic elements of surprise, suspence, romance, and the thrill before a battle. Eldest also brings you deep into the culture of Alligasia, I personaly did an all nighter while reading this book, i just could not put it down. My only disappointnent was that it had such a cliff hanger at the end!!! You should not read this book before reading Eragon, but please do read this eventually because this is currently the best book ever written!
A Derivitave Cluster (Insert Expletive).......2007-09-05
Although some have commented on this previously I will try and put my own spin on this...(warning plot spoilers, what little plot there was are below)
1. Because Obi-Wan Kenobi/Brom's died before completing Luke/Eragon's training, he travels to Dagobah/Elven Lands, to complete his training with Master Yoda/Deebag Lord of Elves.
2. Hero trains for awhile in secluded location by last jedi master/dragonrider left.
3. Luke/Eragon gets a vison of his friends in trouble and travels to Cloud City/Battlefield where he meets a dark figure who he battles and loses his lightsabre/dragonsword in the process. The critical all shocking moment is when Darth Vader/Red Dragon Knight reveals that Luke/Eragon I am your father/brother. Of course if you could be blind as a bat reading the book in braile and seen that Murtag was the red dragon rider about a million miles away...so it wasn't much of a revelation.
4. This book is bad, not in the mildly gosh that's several hours of my life I'll never get back but in a jaw dropping, utterly shocked, the world is now dumber for having read this book way. I read a review that mentioned that the editor of this book did a dismal job. He was certainly accurate in that assessment. Abysmally written, unoriginal to a point of plot plagarism, and editing to shock the conscience.
5. I know that Amazon requires you be over the age of 13 to post a review but I have to sincerely believe that no one over the age of 12 could honestly get mild entertainment out of such a sloppy mess as Eldest. It makes me worry to see so many positive reviews of such utter tripe.
6. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature which I earned departmental Honor's in as well as Juris Doctor degree. Not that it makes my point anymore valid or the book any worse. But I would recommend avoiding this book like a leper with a bad case of herpes.
Nice derivation for uses of magic and when it comes from.......2007-08-29
Very good effort, and with a few parts that I found myself reading 5 or six times at different dates. If your have read it or happen to be Christopher Paolini, all I have to say is "Good Lord" middle section "Eldest", that section was my favorite. I also noticed the werecat clue you dropped in Eragon which as not reared it's head as of 2 books. A very good read, even if you are tired of old style fantasy books. The charactors make all the diffence.
Looking forward to Book 3.
Book Description
Stewart's CALCULUS, Fifth Edition has the mathematical precision, accuracy, clarity of exposition and outstanding examples and problem sets that have characterized the first four editions. Stewart retains the focus on problem solving and the pedagogical system that has made the book a favorite of students and instructors in a wide variety of colleges and universities throughout the world. In this Fifth Edition, he has made hundreds of small improvements: new examples, additional steps in existing examples, updating of data in existing examples and exercises, new phrases and margin notes to clarify the exposition, references to other sources and web sites, redrawn art, and references to the TEC CD (Tools for Enriching Calculus). These refinements ensure that students and instructors have the best materials available. The number of pages in the book, however, remains unchanged from the 4th edition. Further support for students and instructors is now available through a vast array of supplementary material.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2007-10-05
Even though I found out I didnt need it, this book is still in great shape! I might even be able to sell it back to my bookstore!
GREAT book for self study.......2007-07-19
I am thrilled with this book. I think all the bad reviews are from kids who have to take this subject in college who's hearts aren't really in it. To be honest, I can't believe all the negative stuff people are saying about this book!! It is really quite easy to read. Some parts are more difficult to understand, but hey: That's to be expected when studying Calculus! If you are persistent, you will suceed. And Stewart's makes learning the difficult concepts as easy as possible. If you like math, (even it you aren't that good at it), you very likely will LOVE this book. It's a dream. If you don't like math, or don't want to learn calculus, you will probably hate it. I am a previously home-schooled 20 year old and I started studying calculus when I was 16, using Saxon's Calculus textbook. It was a great intro to this text, which reads at a higher level. I enjoyed calculus so much that I am self-studing this book just for the fun of it.
Bottom line: GET THIS BOOK! If you like math, you will love this book!
It doesn't matter what people think, if you need to buy it..........2007-07-09
If your instructor assigns the class this textbook, then you have to get it.
It doesn't matter what people think about it, you just have to get it.
I just searched around and found a torrent. Paid zero. I would recommend that to everyone else, also, search for the solutions manual with evens and odds.
commercial or academic?.......2007-06-22
Teaching math for engineering students is what I did for the past 35 years and still do. This book is heavy (~3.5 kg), expensive and my students find it very frustrating!!. Their english (mine too) is at most their second language and it is very painful and agonizing for them to go through it page after page to get an idea that can be gotten in much fewer statements. I think this book is commercially written rather than academically.
Bad Calc Book.......2007-06-15
This book is awful, plain and simple. It is hard to understand, and not very helpful.
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: 6th Edition (How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (Day))
- Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny (Issues of Our Time)
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