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:
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.
Tolkien Jr........2007-09-14
This story is not as good as Lord of the Rings, however it is nice to revisit the same world in an earlier time. This story was written by a younger Tolkien and it is amazing to see how much he improved in Storytelling. You can see the seeds here, but his storytelling is, in this tale, a work in progress. It is actually refreshing to know that Tolkien wasn't simply born an exceptional writer, but rather through craft and practice developed his skill, opened it up. It is here though, as I mentioned, the seeds. You can see a glimpse into his elegant way of understating details to make them even more engaging. The story itself is nice. It doesn't flow and engross like LOTR, but it is nice. It's a nice little story. I don't know if this book is worth the hefty price. The illustrations are nice, and the index is nice as well, however the story is so short. I wish that they had included the other lost tales in with this one and made it an all encompassing book. This is definitely one of the better ancient, or lost tales, but it is almost clear that they should, and could be put together in one book. I enjoyed it. I love the world of Tolkien, and revisiting it. Do not expect LOTR, but it is a seed of the story, and told with a glimpse of that later beautiful story telling, and word craft. His son does a nice job in presenting all of his father's work. I like how he leaves it very raw, even the map.
A dark and tragic story.......2007-09-14
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Children of Hurin is a dark and tragic story. A tale of faerie it might be, but this is certainly no fairy tale! Too grim to be enchanting, it does however enthrall with horrific fascination as it draws the reader forcefully to the inevitable, terrible conclusion. So, a warning: if you're looking for an experience akin to reading The Hobbit, don't fool yourself: as you read the Children of Hurin you'll probably only ever crack a smile in appreciation of the prose. There's not a laugh in it.
Having said that, you'll be doing yourself a favour if you do seek out this refashioned jewel from Tolkien. For those who tried reading The Silmarillion but found it impenetrable, this could be the way back into what is universe building at its very best.
The story of the Children of Hurin occurs in the First Age of Middle Earth, some six and a half thousand years before the events recounted in The Lord of the Rings. So remote in the past is Hurin's tale that by the time Frodo sets out on his journey to destroy the One Ring the very land known to Hurin and his children has long been drowned beneath the sea; the ring does not yet exist; and its creator, the Dark Lord Sauron, is just the servant of Morgoth. Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, and mightiest of the godlike Valar, has fallen from grace through pride and arrogance and the desire to bring all life under his sway. A brutal war (depicted by Tolkien without any romantic delusions) is waged between the Elves and Morgoth. Men at this time are new to the world and some, though not all, have aligned themselves with the Elves against Morgoth. The Children of Hurin is the story of one man's refusal to bend to the Will of Evil and the curse that is visited upon him and his children in consequence. As Christopher Tolkien observes in the introduction to the novel, Morgoth's curse is unlike the curse of lesser beings; Morgoth does not invoke evil on Hurin and his family for he is Evil incarnate - there is no higher power to call upon:
"Upon all whom you love my thought shall weigh as a Cloud of Doom and it shall bring them down into darkness and despair."
What hope then for Hurin and his children, Turin and Nienor?
Not much. But some.
The tale focuses primarily on the exploits of Turin, although his fate and that of his sister Nienor are inextricably and tragically entwined in consequence of their wilful, unbending, often heroic, sometimes arrogant and misguided choices, human choices that are twisted and turned against them and all they love under the influence of Morgoth's Will.
Hurin's defiance of Morgoth promises the destruction of his family - Morgoth is a god, Hurin just a man - but there is nonetheless a wonderful tension between the seeming inevitability of their destruction and the heroic stature of Turin who we feel (and Morgoth fears) might just rise above the curse.
Grim stuff indeed, though not surprisingingly as the story had its inception in the dark days of World War I - the first so called Great War with its innovative methods for destroying lives en masse. Tolkien experienced the trenches first hand and lost his closest friends to the machinery of war and it's not surprising that this grimmest of stories took root in his imagination at that time. The story was nonetheless unfinished at the time of his death, although various versions had been published, most fully realised (in print at least) in The Silmarillion. Some time though it is since I read that work it doesn't seem to me that there is any significant difference between the plot in that version and this latest offering. The difference is that the earlier version is merely a sketch in comparison to this fully realised novel which has been edited from various sources into a seamless whole by Tolkien's son, Christopher, over the last 30 years.
Mention should also be made of the beautiful and evocative illustrations - paintings and sketches - by Alan Lee, long time illustrator of Tolkien's work and conceptual artist / consultant on Peter Jackson's movies of The Lord of the Rings. To be sure, Tolkien's evocation of landscape is so detailed and compelling that it does not require visual assistance to be realised in our mind's eye, and so it is tribute to Lee's artistry that his work is itself a compelling and worthy companion to the text.
In conclusion, the Children of Hurin is highly recommended - it is a truly moving tale, often beautifully written, evoking the harsh beauty of the landscape with the artistry of a great painter and the cruelty of fate with the unflinching eye of a realist. This is fantasy as it should be.
(This review first appeared on www.sffmedia.com)
Book Description
Here is today's most reliable, practical source of guidance on the diagnosis of both neoplastic and non-neoplas¬tic lesions of the female reproductive tract. This book provides all of the assistance needed to arrive at accurate diagnoses and relevant clinical prognoses through an examination of a specimen's distinct pathologic features and morphologic patterns and landmarks. More than 2,000 outstanding photographs and photomicrographs capture the distinct appearance of a full range of normal and abnormal findings.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book.......2007-03-15
Crum has some different ideas about cervical neoplasia from most folks (at least in the places I've trained and practiced), but this text, purchased as an alternative to Kurman's Blaustein book (which I've never thought was a good read), has been a really pleasant suprise!!! The coverage of ovarian neoplasia and benign endometrium are very nice. Illustrations are wonderful and numerous---there is also a CD ROM, but I just haven't used it. A bargain for what you get!!!
Average customer rating:
- Textbook has supported class well.
- Useless.
- Very Poor Writing
- Good introduction to Human Factors Engineering
- Extraordinary!
|
Introduction to Human Factors Engineering (2nd Edition)
Christopher D. Wickens ,
John D. Lee ,
Yili Liu , and
Sallie Gordon-Becker
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Industrial Psychology
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Ergonomics
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Industrial Design
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Safety & Health
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Design of Everyday Things
-
Set Phasers on Stun: And Other True Tales of Design, Technology, and Human Error
-
Introduction to Aircraft Design (Cambridge Aerospace Series)
-
Understanding Space
-
Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications
ASIN: 0131837362 |
Book Description
This book describes the capabilities and limitations of the human operator—both physical and mental—and how these should be used to guide the design of systems with which people interact. General principles of human-system interaction and design are presented, and included are specific examples of successful and unsuccessful interactions. It links theories of human performance that underlie the principles with real-world experience, without a heavy engineering-oriented perspective.
Topics include design and evaluation methods; different systems such as visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular, automated, and transportation; cognition, decision-making, and aesthetics; physiology; and stress, safety, accidents, and human error.
An excellent reference for personnel and managers in the workplace.
Customer Reviews:
Textbook has supported class well........2007-07-19
I've used this book in my human factors grad/undergrad class for 4 years. This book is the only text in human factors with up to date information from research in cognitive science, and a cognitive science perspective on human error. The book is weaker on the ergonomics and design side, and quite weak on social aspects of human factors. I use the book in combination with Don Norman's book and the Casey book of case studies.
I do not require students to memorize the book. They use it as a reference for doing problem solving and case analyses. It contains good research references and many important facts and figures that human factors and design professionals need.
Useless........2006-12-11
This was the single most atrocious example of a "text book" I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. Very poor editing throughout, and often the outline structure was unnavigable. Adding to that problem, was poor grammar and sections that simply made no sense. "...incentive programs are effective over long periods of time as long as they are not dropped permanently at some point." My suggestion, if you have a class that requires this textbook, find a new class.
Very Poor Writing.......2006-12-09
Just finished a HF course and this was the required text for the course. This text is awful. Very poor writing, incorrect or misleading info is presented, in the area's of work physiology, etc. The author did not explore or offer ANY additional insight in area's such as bio-mechanics etc.. HUGE sections of the text are pure quotes from other sources.. Very poor.. All I can say is thank goodness I was able to sell the book.
Good introduction to Human Factors Engineering.......2002-02-20
Wickens et al. really fill the gap between system engineering and cognitive psychology. I have found quite a few of books of this kind.
The book contains good examples and references for workplace design, environmental conditions and several other applications that make it useful for a course textbook or professional's desk reference.
One word of caution (mea culpa as well): the authors did not address in this version the engineering tradition of poor, monotonous writing.
Extraordinary!.......2000-09-30
Wickens is a true pioneer in the field of human factors who fills the gap between (system) engineering and cognitive psychology with great diligence and competence. This book, "An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering", is another excellent reference tool made for engineers to integrate psychologic research results in their creations; I read it in combination with Wickens' "Engineering Psychology and Human Performance", which concentrates rather on the psychological perspective of human factors than on practical design advices. Both books have considerable overlappings, and are similar to each other, even in the structure of the chapters; nevertheless, I highly recommend them both. I have not (yet) found better literature for this field.
Book Description
Geared toward advanced users of Reason, this book offers succinct chunks of guru-level advice. Reason, Propellerhead's flagship music application, is used to emulate audio hardware such as samplers, analog synths, mixers, drum machines, effects and a real-time multi-track sequencer. It is very well respected within the music community and appeals to a large audience as both a Windows- and Mac-compatible application. The tips, presented in bite-size chunks, bring readers to the next level and enable them to hone their skills on various functions within the application. Written to simply provide readers with helpful hints along the way, each tip is covered in a maximum of two pages. It is one of the very first, if not the first, advanced-level Reason books available. Additionally, Reason X Overdrive! provides much desired high-level content to complement the highly successful and best-selling Reason 2.5 Ignite! and Reason 2.5 Power!
Customer Reviews:
An excellent compendium of advanced tips, marred by unclear writing and poor editing.......2006-09-03
This book contains a wealth of great tips and examples for using Reason's devices in new and unexpected ways. The book attempts to be a quick reference work, and is organized around the various parts of the Reason program (e.g., "Sequencer", "Lesser Effects Tricks", etc.). As a quick reference, however, it doesn't quite fit the bill, as it's much too specialized. A reader is better off skimming through the entire book, and then returning to it when a particular track suggests the use of one of the author's ideas.
The real problem here, however, is the writing and editing. While the tips in a work like this should be advanced, there's no reason for the language to be difficult as well. The author occasionally fails to connect the dots, and you'll find yourself reading and rereading a few sentences to try to figure out what he's talking about. Fortunately, usually one can tease out what he means from context, but it's still frustrating. At least equal blame must be laid upon the editor, however, who seems to have limited him- or herself to correcting spelling and punctuation. Reason 3 Power! (the "intermediate" level book in this series) was much better written and edited, and consequently much easier to follow. It's unfortunate that the same care wasn't taken here because the ideas presented certainly deserve it.
Reasons 3.0 (the next frontier).......2005-08-29
After trying Cubase, and a few other music programs, I decided to try Reasons (2.5). First thing I noticed was the almost retro-style controls, drum machine (Redrum) etc, and I fell in love. Pretty soon I could not get enough info about Reasons, and all the things that it could do. Scouring the web for info, I even went as far as joining numerous Reasons User groups. I bought a few books which turned my head around.
Then low and behold Propellerheads decides to make a 3.0 version. Ok, so now I think, Propellerheads is going to put out a super-duper new and inproved Reasons. Which they did, but one thing that I like about the Propellerheads company, is that they don't take away something just to do that and say that you don't need it! YOU HEAR THAT APPLE COMPUTER, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE SOME IDEAS FROM PROPELLERHEADS!! Every module thats been in Reasons 1.0 is still in the 3.0. plus more!! Sorry to go off on a tangent!! Anyway now I want to get some books on all the new features and this book showed up months before it was released!! I pre-ordered it knowing the reputation of Thompson Course Technolgy. I have Reasons "Ignite" and "Power" in that order. The 3rd book in that series is Reason 3 Overdrive. Its not for the feint of heart and people under doctor supervision!! There's are lots and lots of things to try and different ideas that you would not think that Reasons can do.
One of my favorites is "Turntablist" (pages 49-50) & Super Turnablist (pages 202-203).
Don't get me wrong, I'm a little too old (51 y/o) to be scratching with the best of them, but it is a cool idea just in case you need it for composition purposes!!! The book is a no nonsense book that takes you through the paces and even tells you what Reasons can't do and even has ways to get around it. To wrap this up, I would strongly suggest that if you are a new Reasons user and with no prior knowledge, to buy "Ignite" if you have some knowledge then "Power" but if you are bold & daring enough, then Overdrive is the best one for you!!
Average customer rating:
|
This Sceptred Isle, 55bc-1999 (This Sceptred Isle)
Christopher Lee
Manufacturer: BBC Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
General
| Books on CD
| Audiobooks
| Formats
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0563535431 |
Book Description
The Performance Conversations® model is an innovative approach to building partnerships for successful performance between managers and employees.
If you hate performance appraisals, here is an alternative. Learn to:
Use conversation instead of evaluation to describe and achieve great performance.
Develop a sense of shared responsibility for performance results.
Produce a work climate that creates and replicates success.
Engage and empower employees using 21st-century management techniques.
The Performance Conversations® model is a structured feedback and supervision system that uses continuous dialogue and adjustments to manage work efforts, outcomes, and behaviors.
Average customer rating:
|
Readings on Ethan Frome (Literary Companion Series)
Manufacturer: Greenhaven Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary Criticism & Collections
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0737701994 |
Book Description
Tense, intriguing, and darkly compelling, The Falcon and the Snowman is a uniquely American story of betrayal. On the face of it, there was nothing to indicate that Andrew Dalton Lee and Christopher James Boyce were anything but two devout Catholic boys growing up in happy, warm families in one of the most affluent suburbs in America, living one version of the American Dream and facing nothing but the best of futures.
Customer Reviews:
What you did NOT do in the 70's!.......2003-08-07
This tale of young white males with connections, brains and some despair shows just how those qualities can generate WMD's. Drinking, drugging and sexing at the innermost hubs of the worlds' satellite data centers - taking and returning top secret documents barely concealed in potted plants and searching always searching for a reason to care- these kids went over the edge. They sold secrets- incomparable ones- to Soviets without a sense of humor, one boy coincidentally captured falcons and flew them in what were probably the last of the open areas on the California peninsula. They were clueless, their families were clueless and they had barely the sorts of trauma and alienation that the average street hustler has on a good day.
Now that I've read quite a few of these US spy things, it seems, and this is no surprise to others, I'm sure, that we Americans are as dogged in destroying ourselves as we are the environment and those who keep us rich. Then, we have systems that compete with each other and do the same to us by acting unaccountably and keeping these sorts of alienated criminals from being found out and prosecuted to the fullest.
Well, was it the 70's, the wealth or the post- Vietnam era? None, if we look at the current state of affairs, its human and we still haven't seemed to find a way to factor for that in our security and our passions for those who 'seem on the surface to be like us.' Read it.
Stumbling Into High Treason.......2002-08-30
Of all the major spy stories to break open in the last thirty years, the case of John Boyce and Andrew Dalton Lee has to take the prize and the most troubling in its larger implications. Other spies like Aldrich Ames or Robert Hanssen were disillusioned middle aged bureucrats whose spying was an outlet for their frustration as well as a source of additional income. Boyce and Dalton, however, were young men who blundered into the spy game mostly because of boredom with their comfortable upper middle class upbringings. Their betrayal of the country that allowed them to live such an easy life is as baffling, if not as horrific, as the later actions of the shooters at Columbine High School.
Those who enjoyed the popular movie starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn based on this book will particularly enjoy the details that the movie had to leave out. Of the two, Boyce's story is the most tragic. He was highly intellegent with a potentially bright future, and secured a position at defense contractor TRW with a Top Secret security clearance because of his retired FBI agent father's connections. Lee, on the other hand, was a dropout and a drug dealer whose life was spiraling downward toward the inevitable bad conclusion. One of the astonishing facts revealed in the book is just how many second chances Lee squandered along the way. A child of less affluence would have ended up in prison long before he even had the chance to join Boyce in his spying.
Author/journalist Robert Lindsey is an excellent writer and he tells the story in such a way that it reads like a fiction thriller. Lindsey reports astonishing facts such as the incredibly lax security at TRW without editorial comment, letting the events speak for themselves. Lindsey's extensive interviews with all of the principals, including Boyce in particular, make for particularly compelling reading.
Overall, a well-written journalistic account of one of the most unfortunate of America's spy cases.
The Cold Falcon.......2000-10-03
Robert Lindsey's "The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of friendship and Espionage" was a true story about Chris Boyce and Andrew Dalton and how they were selling secrets to the Soviets in the middle of the cold war. You see how simple this was, how they did it, and why they did it. I can't tell you much more with out giving something away. Once you pick it up you can't put it down.
The Real Nightmare of a Seventies Tragedy.......1999-10-30
At the southern tip of L.A. there's a bridge across the harbor. On one side it's beautiful, the other leads to Terminal Island, a federal prison. Boyce and Lee grew up on the beautiful side and ended up in the hell of a prison cell. Lindsey's book tells how. They did it, but to read of their journey downward is frightful when one considers the extreme differences the two sides of the bridge represent. And the book is much much better than the movie.
Even better than the movie........1998-07-30
I read this book about four or five years ago, after I saw the film with Timothy Hutton (also very good). I'm only 20 so this story was a little before my time but... In any event I found it fascinating. Lindsey portrays these men honestly and without judgement butwith great insight. You won't be able to put it down. Also good, if not better, Lindsey's Flight of the Falcon, about Boyce's brief escape from prison.
Book Description
It's a hot day on the savanna. The sun sizzles, bristles, and bakes. A young monkey wants to drink at the water hole.
But wait!
Blocking the way are irritable hippos, sharphoofed zebras, a toothy lion, huge elephants, and a lurking crocodile. Will Monkey ever get to taste cool water? Why is waiting so hard?
Customer Reviews:
Stunning illustrations, rich language, great image of Africa.......2006-12-14
As a homeschooler I've twice taken 2nd grade children through a study of Africa. This book is my favorite. The language consistently uses the richest verbs in a gentle poetry that transports the reader to the site: "Morning slinks onto the savanna and licks up the night shadows..." The illustrations are gorgeous. And the content includes all the relevent animals of the savanna and puts into perspective how they are all living together -- even as some are predators and some are prey. An authors note at the end puts this fictional story into context and explains what is fiction and what is true in the story. I think this book is fantastic for any read-aloud, even if you aren't "studying" Africa. It is a beautiful piece of children's picture book literature.
And not a drop to drink.......2005-04-14
Heaven knows why water holes are such a never ending source of potential picture book plotting. Yet year after year some of the best children's books out there concentrate on those large bodies of water available to the animals of the savanna. This is the case with Graeme Base's remarkable, "The Water Hole" and Bob Graham's touching, "Tales From the Waterhole". Added to the mix is "Water Hole Waiting" by authorial super duo Jane and Christopher Kurtz. Of the aforementioned books, this is the one you'll want to go to if you actually want some factual information to go along with your watering studies. Adept with a peppy rhyming text and some lovingly wielded pastels, the book's a fine addition to any child's water-hole-centric personal library.
In the hot morning sun a young monkey is parched and longs to slake his thirst at the nearest watery hole. However, his ever alert mama is quick to grab ahold of her restless charge, especially when he's about to run into some dangerous animals. A quick grab to his arms saves him from "Hippo's yawning jaws". A paw to the ear and he's not crushed under, "sharp hooves and quick kicks". Catching ahold of his tale saves him from a lion, "who crouches close and lip-laps water between razor teeth". And so on. By the end of the day our little monkey is warier, but able to drink deeply with his fellow monkeys after all the other animals have had their share.
The Kurtzes include a lovely little author's note at the back of the book detailing their own personal experiences in the bush. They mention that the vervet monkeys (shown in this book) have a different warning call for each potential threat. Also, water holes like the one shown here usually do serve animals that "take turns". The Kurtz even suggest the website www.AfriCam.com for kids who want to see real water holes. I did find myself wishing that this book had shown the monkeys and their different calls, but even without that fascinating tidbit the book is still a lovely read. The pictures are bright and lovely, so thanks goes to illustrator Lee Christiansen. One hopes to see more of Christiansen's work in picture books to come.
If you've been trying to find just the right way to introduce kids to the animals and landscape of the East African savanna, this may be a delightful choice. To be honest, I personally prefer the aforementioned "The Water Hole" by Graeme Base, but this is a lovely accompaniment to it. Recommended for all those impatient little monkeys out there.
Don't wait to read this!.......2002-06-03
This beautifully illustrated book is outstanding. I shared it with children in grades K-5 at my school and it was enjoyed by all. The language is lyrical, expressive, rhythmic. We savored each page and I was asked to read it again. Jane Kurtz has given us yet another wonderful book.
Book Description
Lavishly illustrated with 1,000 photos, paintings, maps, sculptures and sketches, most appearing here for the first time, Weapons and Warfare is an indispensable chronicle of The Lord of the Rings' many creatures, warriors, armies and battlegrounds. From the graceful and proficient Elves to the horrendous war machines of the Dark Lord, each culture's approach to warfare is explained - how they fought, why they were fighting, what armor they wore and what weapons they used against their enemies. Now you can get as close to a marauding Orc as you could ever wish, without suffering the consequences!
Treating the filmmakers' notes, designs and props as a true archive, Weapons and Warfare describes in detail every major conflict depicted in the film trilogy - from The Last Alliance of Elves and Men to the climactic Battle of the Pelennor Fields - each accompanied by a battle diagram from the films' chief designers.
Armed with a wealth of fascinating facts and unique imagery, and with an exclusive foreword by Christopher Lee and an introduction by the Academy Award winner Richard Taylor, Weapons and Warfare promises to be the most striking companion to The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy published to date.
Customer Reviews:
Fun to Read, and a Fantastic Reference to Tolkien's World........2006-10-10
If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings and the great battles between the forces of good and evil, then the "Lord of the Rings Weapons & Warfare" is an essential addition to your personal book hoard.
1000+ color photos and drawing illustrate all the weapons of Middle Earth, the battles and the strongholds of the land.
Learn about the weapons of the elves, the elven shield, bow, sword and fighting knives.
Read about famous swords such as Hadhafang, Narsil, and Sting.
Read about the Orcs and Cave Trolls, daggers fashioned out of horn, and the Mumakil a creature of legend as fabulous and fearsome as a dragon.
Elves of Lothlorien
Bows of Middle Earth
The Black Gate of Mordor
The Balrog
Uruk-hai
Dwarves
The Men of Gondor...
And much more
"Lord of the Rings Weapons & Warfare" is a great book. It's fun to read, and is a fantastic reference to Tolkien's World.
Research and Viewing Enhancer Book.......2006-02-10
This is a good research book. It tells you about the history of Middle Earth and the untold parts of The War of the Ring. It's an enhancer of observation while viewing the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the negative part is you might not be able to see it all unless you have the extended version. It talks about the Elves and Orcs of the Second Age. The book gives bios on all the characters that Tolkien created and some that you most likely have never heard of. For example there are two characters called The Mouth of Sauron, and Gil-galad. There is most likely is no other book just like this one.
This book as you most likely suspect has bios on some to the more famous weapons examples like Frodo's weapon Sting, Narsil the sword of Elendil, and the new legendary sword Andúril. Some of the weapons have elven writing on them. The book has translations to the sword Andúril; the translation is `Sun I am Andúril who was Narsil the sword of Elendil. Let the thralls of Mordor flee me. Moon'.
Did you know that the first group of Saruman's Uruk-hai (100 Uruk-hai) that were sent to fight the Fellowship were much stronger than the ten thousand Uruk-hai that attacked Helm's Deep? The reason the second group were weaker was that the 10,000 Uruk-hai were bred too quickly.
The book describes the step by step battle plans of the major battles like The Last Alliance battle at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Siege of Gondor and the Battle of Pelennor Fields (Pelennor Fields is the big plain before Minas Tirith) in Return of the King.
This is a great book buy it with this kind of deal
Not exactly the one I was hoping for..........2005-07-27
Generally it's quite a good one - lots of interesting details, nice photos, logical and easy narrative, etc. It is a reasonable contribution to the collection of the LotR books.
But why have I put only 3 stars? Because this book is based on the LotR film and not on the LotR books, except for the issues that were not covered by and revealed in the film. As a fan more of the LotR books and the STORY itself than of the film I was slightly disappointed with the author's approach to some developments that were covered wrongly by the film in the first place and therefore commented respectively in this book. For instance - death of Saruman is narrated as in the film and only a reference appears that "according to some scholars" Saruman was stabed later on in the Shire. Come on, everyone who was READING LotR knows whow Saruman ended according to the J.R.R.Tolkien himself so how can someone tell us such nonsense! While I can understand P.Jackson who was trying to cut the story into the film I can't accept people writing something as a documentary and distorting the truth.
Good book........2004-10-10
This is an amazing book for any LOTR fans and anyone who is crazy about battles, weapons, armour etc. It has a load of really detailed descriptions of the key battles of the history of Middle Earth. Last Alliance, Helms Deep, Pelennor fields etc. It also has a detailed analysis of all of the warriors you see in the films, the Elves, Uruk-hai, men of Gondor, Numenorean men, riders of Rohan, the list is almost endless.
I found this book thoroughly absorbing and interesting. Drawing inspiration from both the film and the book it gives you series of detailed descriptions. For anyone who likes LOTR this book is a MUST.
The only criticism is that it draws to heavily on the warped events of the film which dissapointed me but then again I hate films getting things wrong. However this could be expected as it is a book of the film and has to draw largely on important events rarely touched on by Tolkien. the last alliance is a good example. It also tends to write as a history instead of a myth which i personally find uncomfortable and a bit pompous. Other than that this book is excellent. Go buy!
Most important book for LOTR fans.......2004-10-10
Buy this book first, then you might not need the visual companion. This book has better information that all the visual companions combined (except for the small maps). The information inside are more than just about weapons and warfare, but also ALL the battle plans (which the visual companion only include some of the plans), all rings design, and ancient archieves of Moria, Saruman etc. IMHP, if you are new to LOTR movies and never read the novel itself, this book will be the first to buy event before the novel itself.
Books:
- The Cinema of David Lynch : American Dreams, Nightmare Visions (Directors' Cuts)
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss
- The Complete Independent Movie Marketing Handbook
- The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
- The DV Rebel's Guide: An All-Digital Approach to Making Killer Action Movies on the Cheap (Peachpit)
- The Encyclopedia of Stanley Kubrick (Library of Great Filmmakers)
- The End of the World as We Know It: Scenes from a Life
- The Glass Castle: A Memoir
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids Favorite Meals
- Rattlesnake Crossing
- May I Quote You, General Longstreet: Observations and Utterances of the South's Great Generals
- How the Irish Saved Civilization
- Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthough Program to End Negative Behavior...and Feel Great Again
- The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House
- Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
- The Job Vault: The One-Stop Job Search Resource
- Occupational Projections And Training Data 2004-2005
- World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth
The Silmarillion
The Hobbit
The Dangerous Book for Boys
