Silver on the Tree (The Dark is Rising Sequence)

Book Description

The Dark is rising in its last and greatest bid to control the world. And Will Stanton -- last-born of the immortal Old Ones, dedicated to keeping the world free -- must join forces with this ageless master Merriman and Bran, the Welsh boy whose destiny ties him to the Light. Drawn in with them are the three Drew children, who are mortal, but have their own vital part in the story. These six fight fear and death in the darkly brooding Welsh hills, in a quest through time and space that touches the most ancient myths of the British Isles, and that brings Susan Cooper's masterful sequence of novels to a satysfying close.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

The conclusion to the fabulous Dark is Rising sequence brings it all together. The Drew children, Will, Merriman Lyon, Bran, and their human relatives and acquaintances, one of whom will prove crucial, and a traitor will be revealed.

Will and Bran must undergo the most perilous quest, to the find the sword of power.

Again, the clues are poetic :-

I am the womb of every holt,
I am the blaze on every hill,
I am the queen of every hive,
I am the shield for every head,
I am the tomb of every hope --
I am Eirias

At the end, a decision must be made by those who are not mortal, about those who are mortal.

Changed My Life.......2007-07-19

Reading the last sentence of this book 24 years ago changed my life. BOYCOTT the travesty that is the Dark Is Rising film. Keep the pure elements of Cooper alive. The amazing tale she spun, weaving in elements of Celtic/Welsh mythology into a modern narrative leaves me shaking today. This book made me who I am today. I will not stand by and watch it raped and pillaged. READ the BOOK and BOYCOTT the film.

Peace.

silver on the tree.......2006-10-16

For the last time, the Dark will attempt to rise once again. But Will and his friends of the Light will be there to stop it. This book is the ending to an ancient rivalry between the Light and the Dark. For centuries the Old Ones, a group of magical beings, have been preventing the Dark from rising since the beginning of time. I suggest this to people who like books with mystery and magic and magic because this book is full of it. Susan Cooper's series are suspenseful and exciting; you'll always be back for more. When you read this book you'll find out how badly Will and the Light need to defeat the Dark and stop it from rising this one last time.

A wonderful slice of imagination........2006-07-31

This is the magical conclusion to an equally magical series of books. Susan Cooper's seamless mix of timeless legend, wonderful imagination and beautiful use of language, make it difficult to find many to equal her.
Silver On The Tree is a coming together of the prophecies that we've been hearing tantalising titbits from all through the series, and a culminating of the quest of Will Stanton, last of the old ones and his immortal master Meriman, Bran Davis, the welsh boy with an extraordinary destiny, and the three Drew Children, ordinary kids with a knack for being in the thick of things.
This story takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through time, space and other worlds, with a climax that has you quite literally on the edge of your seat.
There are some extremely moving scenes, and I for one was very sad at the end. What, I cry plaintively, will become of Will?
There now, I hope that wet your apatite.
Just to complete your satisfaction, I can confirm for fans of the audio books that Alex Jennings reads the last book in the series, as he did with nearly all the others, and his high quality narration makes for a delightful listening experience.

Silver on the Tree, ages 9-11 or 11-14?.......2006-05-01

Silver on the Tree, written by Susan Cooper, has a wonderful amount of description to it.
Although I enjoyed some of the books from the series, I must say that many others from the series seemed to have no value to read. My class of 21 students read this, and only about 2 people out of this class actually enjoyed this book. I myself can say I would not rate this book as 9-12, but 11-14 due to the way susan cooper will carry away from the excitement of the story with the description.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed these books, and hope to see more of the age group I think is appropriate will read it.

The Male and Female Figure in Motion: 60 Classic Photographic Sequences

Average customer rating:

Good references for animation.
Great, but a tip...
one of the great wonders of photography

The Male and Female Figure in Motion: 60 Classic Photographic Sequences
Eadweard Muybridge
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

History | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Physiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0486247457

Book Description

60 of the best, most representative sequences from original 5,000 prints. Taken at speeds up to 1/6000th of a second, incredibly precise images show undraped male and female subjects against a ruled background, running, walking, leaping, twisting, throwing, many other activities. Views from front, rear and three-quarter angle.

Customer Reviews:

Good references for animation........2005-11-09

This book has a lot of photos for understanding human locomotion.

Great, but a tip..........2000-08-17

Its all covered in "The Human Figure in Motion". If you want Muybridge, may as well get a more comprehensive volume, eh?

one of the great wonders of photography.......1999-11-26

Muybridge's seemingly artless photography sequences are one of the great wonders of photography, fascinating & humorous. How else could one react to a series of photos showing a nude woman stepping on to a chair to pour cold water on to another? Or to two young men playing leap frog?

Here are rather average bodies - by contemporary standards - throwing baseballs, kneeling & turning, heaving rocks, crawling, descending stairs, walking, running, carrying buckets, attempting a somersault while a pigeon crosses the path. The backgrounds of graphs & lines not only provide the artist's units of measurement, but establish a visual continuity more modern than he could have known.

The Male and Female Figure in Motion is a classic collection, beautifully produced & inexpensively priced. Great for artists & lovers of photography, this volume is part of Dover Publication's Pictorial Archive series, which means you are free to use them in your arts & crafts or post them on web pages. Dover also offers a companion collection of Muybridge's important animal locomotion photographs.

Bob Rixon

Over Sea, Under Stone : The Dark is Rising Sequence [UNABRIDGED]

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable Adventure story
Outstanding Audio Performance
old stereotypes don't get better with time
Unimpressed
Super Reader

Over Sea, Under Stone : The Dark is Rising Sequence [UNABRIDGED]
Susan Cooper
Manufacturer: Listening Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0807204803
Release Date: 2001-07-31

Book Description

Read by Alex Jennings
Approx. 8 hours
6 cassettes

The first volume of Susan Cooper's brilliant and absorbing fantasy sequence known as The Dark Is Rising.

On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in. They know immediately that it is special. It is even more than that—the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark. And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable Adventure story.......2007-09-21

The three Drew children, Simon, Jane and Barney, are on holidays in Cornwall with their mysterious Great- Uncle Merry. One rainy day they stumble on a hidden staircase to the attic of the old house they are staying in. In the attic they find a centuries old manuscript and what appears to be a map.
The manuscript and map appear to give directions to finding the hiding place of the Holy Grail, but the Drew children must decipher the clues quickly, as other, unsavoury people are also after the grail.
Susan Cooper's `Over Sea, Under Stone" is first in the `Dark is Rising' series, but it is really more of an adventure story, rather than a fantasy story. It is an enjoyable story, with the Grail angle adding a little spice to the story

Outstanding Audio Performance.......2007-09-15

"Over Sea Under Stone" is the first of the "Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper. At this summer's Harry Potter movie, I saw a preview for the DIR film and thought I'd read the books.

I found the audio book for the first one at the library and thought that would be a relatively low-investment way to get the story. I will say that I have never heard an audiobook performance to equal Alex Jennings. The story was a good kid's tale, with the classic treasure map, quest, and bad guys. It had a few nice touches along the way that made it good, not necessarily great, story. But the audio performance is in a league by itself.

Alex Jennings pulled off the widest range of voices I have ever heard, from the deep and grumbling Uncle Merry to the Irish housekeeper, to the male and female children. His telling of the story was nothing short of remarkable. I look forward to hearing others of his readings in this series. If you read the book and weren't impressed, try the audiobook, and you may come away with a different opinion.

old stereotypes don't get better with time.......2007-08-26

Written in the '60's, this book (and the series that follows it) explores a classic battle between Light and Dark; in Over Sea, Under Stone three children on vacation in Cornwall discover a set of clues that may lead them to recovery of a Grail linked to King Arthur. This book is the least original of the series-- it feels a lot like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe-- but all of the books suffer from the same problem: the female characters are so out-of-date. Throughout the book, Jane, the middle child, acts like a cross between nagging sister and nagging mom; she is easily scared, she always has a reason not to try to find the Grail, she's the one who's fooled into giving away some secrets, and when the boys go in to explore the frightening cave "poor Jane" (as Cooper calls her) stays outside, standing guard (and screws that up too). Even reading these books in the early 80s as a kid I found the women unlikeable and identified with the boys instead, but at this point Young Adult fantasy has moved so far past that-- with tough, smart girls in works by authors like Tamora Pierce and Diane Duane-- that you have to wonder what the point is of resurrecting these books now-- except for the tie-in with the movie. (This applies to the other books in the series as well; in The Dark Is Rising, Will's sisters are clothes- and boy-obsessed, whiny, and the character who goes to the Dark Side is a weak-willed, vain woman... *yawn*.) With so much good work being written now, why would anyone want their little girls (or little boys) reading this-- and, will children want to read it?

Unimpressed.......2007-08-15

After seeing the movie trailer I was pretty excited to start this series, especially since I am a big fan of fantasy books (Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, etc). However, I couldn't have been more disappointed. There search for the Grail won't be exciting to anyone older than 10, its predictable, unbeilievable, and the characters are underdeveloped and boring. Hopefully this series gets better as i have already bought the second book...

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

The not actually a great uncle great uncle invites his relatives, which includes three children, to Cornwall for the holidays.

He does have an ulterior motive, as the children later realise their 'Gumerry', or Great Uncle Merriman Lyon, is Merlion, or Merlin.

He is leading the forces of the Dark away from the kids, while he, one of the power Old Ones, warriors for the Light serves as a decoy.

He hopes with some clues and firing of the imagination the children will find one of the artifacts of power that will be crucial in the conflict between the superhuman supernatural forces of Light and Dark.

This artifact is The Grail.

He has to hope his misdirection and vigilance will keep the children safe enough, without being able to help directly and endanger them directly.

The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising Sequence)

Average customer rating:

DaRk Is RiSinG~ KCS
Disappointing Indeed
Uneven
Super Reader
good story, poor writing

The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising Sequence)
Susan Cooper
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0689829833

Amazon.com

"When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back,
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone."

With these mysterious words, Will Stanton discovers on his 11th birthday that he is no mere boy. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, destined to battle the powers of evil that trouble the land. His task is monumental: he must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light, which, when joined, will create a force strong enough to match and perhaps overcome that of the Dark. Embarking on this endeavor is dangerous as well as deeply rewarding; Will must work within a continuum of time and space much broader than he ever imagined.

Susan Cooper, in her five-title Dark Is Rising sequence, creates a world where the conflict between good and evil reaches epic proportions. She ranks with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien in her ability to deliver a moral vision in the context of breathtaking adventure. No one can stop at just one of her thrilling fantasy novels. Among many other prestigious awards, The Dark Is Rising is a Newbery Honor Book and a Carnegie Medal Honor Book. (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift -- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.

Download Description

On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift-- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.

Customer Reviews:

DaRk Is RiSinG~ KCS.......2007-10-04

When Will Stanton turns 11, he experiences a birthday different than most and learns that he is the last of the old ones. The old ones were put on earth to protect the world from being over taken by an evil power, the Dark. He has to find six signs that will be of key importance in the battle between Dark and Light. Will the Dark take over the world? or will he be able to prevent it?

I didn't really care for this book because I lost interest in certain parts. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy books and although I got bored the writers craft is pretty good.

Disappointing Indeed.......2007-10-02

Normally I like these sorts of children's series; however, this is quite poorly done. I was disappointed not only with the stylistic elements of this book, but with the story itself. Perhaps it's just the way Susan Cooper tells a story, but the action sequences are rather dull; after they're over you're rather unsure of what happened. Also, nothing difficult is ever required of the main character; things, it seems, just happen to or for him.

I hate to compare this book with the genius of J.K. Rowling, but, in Harry Potter, we are always told what is happening during action sequences. Harry casts such-and-such a spell, Volde-pardon me-he who must not be named casts such-and-such back etc. Whereas in Susan Cooper's book there's always some kind of unexplained grandios event, a blinding light, and then the fight with the abstract entity is over.

Maybe it's just me; the book almost won the Newberry Prize for children's literature.

I, however, recommend staying away from this book and this series -especially if you're suffering from Harry Potter withdrawal and looking for a replacement.

Uneven.......2007-09-21

After seeing the trailer of the upcoming movie, I decided to read this book. However I decided to read the first in the series `Over Sea, Under Stone' first, and I enjoyed it. `The Dark is Rising' is a much different book, in style, in tone and with new characters (with one exception). It is a fantasy story, whereas `Over Sea, Under Stone' was more of an adventure story. Many of the reviews I read of the first book complained it wasn't as good as The Dark is Rising because of the lack of magical elements. But frankly the magic in the Dark is rising is a bit of a mess.
First of all it is unclear what the signs are for, or what exactly their power is. It is mentioned that when all six signs are joined then the Dark will be defeated, but by the time the signs have been joined, the Dark has already been defeated.
Secondly the use of time travel is really problematic here. I will just give one example; the Book of Gramarye has to be destroyed after Will has read it, so that it won't be in danger of being stolen by the dark. Will travels back to the 1800's to read it, it is then destroyed- but what's to stop the Dark from traveling further back in time and stealing it then? The whole exercise seems pointless. There are many other plot points like that.
Also the story lacks tension, the Dark Rider is not really menacing, and Will being immortal is never in any danger. He is `The Sign Seeker' but he doesn't do much seeking, he basically goes somewhere and someone gives him a sign- because it is the anointed time.
Having said all that it is enjoyable in parts, and I will probably continue the series, but I must say if cold weather is a sign of the Dark, then the Dark must really be powerful here in Alberta!

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

Will Stanton's 11th birthday is different. He learns that he is one of the Old Ones, the newst, and is now a warrior for the Light, and things will never be the same again, as he is drawn into the battle.

Supernatural happenings begin to occur, but he does have a mentor, and a prediction to live by.

When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone.

Iron for the birthday, bronze carried long;
Wood from the burning, stone out of song;
Fire in the candle-ring, water from the thaw;
Six signs the circle, and the grail gone before

Fire on the mountain shall find the harp of gold
Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old;
Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea;
All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree.

It will be Will's task to find the Six Signs of Power, needed by the Light to turn back the Dark. The forces of Light are week, so Will, barely a boy becomes a necessary soldier, despite the risks.

Will must travel in time, master the Gramarye and powers of the Old Ones, find the Signs, encounter mythological figures, and weather a supernaturally harsh winter, all while staying alive and fitting into his normal, large, mortal family.

good story, poor writing.......2007-07-26

The story in this book is pretty good and interesting, but the characters annoy me. Maybe I was expecting them to be as good as Harry Potter, where, unlike this book, the main character can solve his own problems and is courageous. I know this book was written before Harry Potter, but JK Rowling had Harry Potter in her head long before. her story is more interesting and has more subplots and a unique style of writing. this book is sort of unique, but I have read ones quite like it. If you want a good book, read the Harry Potter series. Oh, contrary to other comments, Harry does not just revolve around quiddich, in the last book, he doesn't even play it.

The Sonnet Sequence: A Study of Its Strategies (Studies in Literary Themes and Genres, No. 13)

Average customer rating:

The Sonnet Sequence: A Study of Its Strategies (Studies in Literary Themes and Genres, No. 13)
Michael R. G. Spiller
Manufacturer: Twayne Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Criticism | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0805709703

Book Description

Studies in Literary Themes and Genres SeriesSeries Editor, Ronald Gottesman, University of Southern CaliforniaWhen the thematic approach is called for in the study of American or English literature, Twayne's Studies in Literary Themes and Genres Series is first choice in reference material. This series is the first to investigate comprehensively yet concisely continuities and changes within individual literary themes and genres. Each book includes:an overview of the evolution of the theme or genre in-depth analyses of four to six exemplary texts an extensive annotated list of works for further reading a discursive critical bibliography a chronology of major authors, works, and historical events of importance in the development of the theme or genreIdeal for classes studying the sonnets of John Donne or Shakespeare, this complete introduction examines all stages of the genre's development from it's thirteenth to twentieth-century form. Such greats as Dante, John Donne, William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Rainer Maria Rilke are discussed, and four sonnet sequences are identified and explained: the formal, narrative, lyrical, and philosophical.

Horses and Other Animals in Motion: 45 Classic Photographic Sequences

Average customer rating:

Six of one, a half dozen of the other
Too bad was only 95 pages!
This book is great for 3d Animators

Horses and Other Animals in Motion: 45 Classic Photographic Sequences
Eadweard Muybridge
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

History | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Physiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0486249115

Book Description

Best, most representative sequences have been specially selected from the monumental original and are presented here in crisp, double-page plates printed on high-quality stock. Horses hauling, walking, trotting, etc., plus sequences of donkeys, an ox, pig, dog, cat, deer and other animals capture details of anatomy and movement with astonishing clarity.

Customer Reviews:

Six of one, a half dozen of the other.......2006-07-16

The 45 sequences in Horses and Other Animals are included in the larger Animals in Motion by Muybridge. The difference being that in Animals, you get more sequences and usually better reproductions; in Horses and Other Animals you get fewer sequences, but larger images making the detail a little more visible - except in those cases where the reproductions are a little gray and washed out. You choose - more and better or fewer and more gray. You don't really need both books.

Too bad was only 95 pages!.......2003-07-29

I should have got Animals in Motion that is over 400 pages, though this book was just fine, it was, I presume, the appetizer for his other book which had four times as many illustrations for only a few dollars more. Perhaps I'll sell this one and buy the other one and see for sure. Otherwise, its a great book. It had about 13 pages just horses, then went to a donkey and cats, lions, camels and other stuff I didn't need nor was interested in. I wonder if the other book has MORE horses? There was an introduction of one page, a short summary, and the rest was whole pages filled with movie clip style shots that were about 2" SQUARE each frame, maybe 8 - 12 frames per page, each page one animal in motion. I need to see more, more and more of everything, but that's because I'm drawing horses and wanted to see 30 movement shots of one animal instead of 8. The more I have to choose from the better, so guess I'm gonna use the images here until I need to move up to the next Muybridge book, the 418 page one, Animals in motion which I now realize I should have got in the first place.

This book is great for 3d Animators.......2000-07-21

For those of you who are 3d animators this book is great, it really helps to know how to truly make lifelike those horses or other animals that are more complex then bipeds. I recommend this book to all.

Book Description

"AND THOSE WHO ARE CROSSED, OR BARREN, OR WHO WOULD MAKE ANY WISH, MUST TOUCH

THE GREENWITCH"

The Dark has stolen an object of great power -- a golden grail that holds a

vital secret. Will embarks on a new quest to reclaim the grail, and to drive

back the Dark once again. But first he will need the help of three former

grail seekers: Jane, Simon, and Barney Drew.

Learning to work together, they must take back the grail and retrieve the

missing manuscript that unlocks its mystical secret. But the manuscript is

located at the bottom of the sea, and their only hope of obtaining both

grail and script is entangled in the mysterious ritual of the Greenwitch....

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

A very short section of the Dark is Rising sequence, and probably limited at that. The Drew children are reunited, and a bit older and more mature, having arrived from different places for a short break.

This book focuses on them, and in particular Jane, who becomes an important element in finding what the Old Ones, and their agents, the Drews, are after. Together, the warriors of Light must recover the Grail, or all is lost.

Will Stanton and Merriman Lyon are also here, and Will befriends the Drew kids, but again, they are there in a guardian role and for Will's training. They are also not the only Old Ones around at the time, waiting for the Greenwitch ceremony.

Greenwitch.......2006-07-31

Greenwitch is the third in the superb Dark Is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper.
Shorter than the others in the series, it brings together the Drew Children, Simon, Jane and Barney, encountered in Over Sea Under Stone. And Will Stanton from The Dark Is Rising.
We're back in Cornwall for this particular adventure, and as always, Susan Cooper portrays her setting with her usual attention to detail.
Greenwitch is somewhat darker than Over Sea Under Stone, the only other book in the series to be set in Cornwall. But like the other books, it makes for compulsive reading.
My only little gripe is that I would have liked to see the friendship between Will and the Drews develop more. The Drews are hostile towards Will to begin with, yet Jane at least has warmed to him by the end with no real progression from one state of mind to the next. But its only a little moan. Greenwitch is a worthy addition to the series and not to be missed.
Alex Jennings takes the helm for the reading of this book, as he does for all except book four, and he does a splendid job.

A great adventure/quest! Shared it with my grandson!.......2006-05-02

Greenwitch is a wonderful book. I bought it at a garage sale for my grandson. He's twelve and thinks he's too big for me to read it to him, so let me borrow it when he was through.

We discussed it afterward and agreed that it was an exciting "witch" adventure/quest. It's an older book, but I'm going to try to find the rest of this series.

Ms. Cooper has incorporated all the elements that should make this book a classic to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Great job; highly recommended for boys and girls. Grandparents, too. LOL

Book One continued.......2006-01-26

The third continues from Book one
Along the Cornish shore
With Simon, Jane and Barney Drew
And Merriman once more

Someone's made off with the Grail
It's got to be the Dark
This time Will Stanton's in the mix
And Barney makes his mark

The Grail requires a secret code
To understand the writing
This fell into the deep blue sea
while Light and Dark were fighting

The Greenwitch claims a soggy prize
They need to get it back
While Jane tries her best to be nice
The Dark starts to attack

A lone dark minion on a quest
Gets greedy with his role
He stirs up all the Wild Magic
Before losing control

Will they locate the precious Grail
And break its ancient code?
And will the Greenwitch be appeased
Surrendering her load

For younger fans of fantasy
This series is a must
So go tell your Librarian
"Susan Cooper - or bust!"

Amanda Richards, January 26, 2006

A bittersweet take on a folk tradition/mystery, within the Dark vs Light setting.......2006-01-25

I think this is one of her most magical and enchanting stories. A shining gem in the Dark Is Rising series - not that the others aren't marvelous too, in their own way. The idea of the sad, melancholy elemental, and the child who is the only one to perceive the sadness, and whose sympathy is rewarded - beautiful. And the Cornish setting is drawn with just the right number of deft touches.

Japanese Linked Poetry: An Account With Translations of Renega and Haikai Sequences

Average customer rating:

Japanese Linked Poetry: An Account With Translations of Renega and Haikai Sequences
Earl Miner
Manufacturer: Princeton Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Road to Komatsubara: A Classical Reading of the Renga Hyakuin (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

ASIN: 0691013683

Red Lights Shakko: Selected Tanka Sequences from Shakko

Average customer rating:

Great poetry, great translation

Red Lights Shakko: Selected Tanka Sequences from Shakko
Mokichi Saito
Manufacturer: Purdue University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese & Haiku | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Asian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0911198903

Book Description

Red Lights by Mokichi Saito (1882-1953), who was a major Japanese tankaist, continued the trend in bringing new life to tanka. Sbakko, translated as Red Lights, appeared in 1913. This collection of tanka created an immediate sensation in Japan as it introduced into this venerable art form the modern note of a rich variety of subject matter, including sordid sexuality and chaste love, psychiatric scrutiny, and the complicated mental processes of a mind reaching into those layers of nature and human nature that hardly seemed possible in thirty-one syllables.

Customer Reviews:

Great poetry, great translation.......2006-10-21

Mokichi Saito was a very interesting person in addition to being a prolific poet. He excelled in tanka sequences, and this book represents his first contribution to the form. The modern tanka was first developed by haiku master Shiki around the turn of the 20th century. Saito came a little later but owes much to the path blazed by Shiki. While Shiki's tanka tend toward the sentimental and imagistic, Saito can address the grittier issues of life.

The translations flow beautifully, and the book provides a Romaji transliteration of all the poems. Of course, this book is only a small fraction of Saito's tremendous poetic output, but like so many great Japanese poets we must be content to get this much in English.

As for the price, try to get a used copy. The list price is way overinflated. I got a used copy for just a few dollars through bookfinder. I note Amazon has used copies for as little as $10. Since this book was (sadly) remaindered it shouldn't be too hard to find inexpensive copies.

Basho's Narrow Road: Spring & Autumn Passages : Narrow Road to the Interior and the Renga Sequence : A Farewell Gift to Sora : Two Works (Rock Spring Collection of Japanese Literature)

Average customer rating:

A Japanese journey during the 17th century
Nice
To start with it's Basho.

Basho's Narrow Road: Spring & Autumn Passages : Narrow Road to the Interior and the Renga Sequence : A Farewell Gift to Sora : Two Works (Rock Spring Collection of Japanese Literature)
Matsuo Basho
Manufacturer: Stone Bridge Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese & Haiku | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1880656205

Book Description

Matsuo Basho (1644-94) is considered Japan's greatest haiku poet. Narrow Road to the Interior (Oku no Hosomichi) is his masterpiece. Ostensibly a chronological account of the poet's five-month journey in 1689 into the deep country north and west of the old capital, Edo, the work is in fact artful and carefully sculpted, rich in literary and Zen allusion and filled with great insights and vital rhythms. In Basho's Narrow Road: Spring and Autumn Passages, poet and translator Hiroaki Sato presents the complete work in English and examines the threads of history, geography, philosophy, and literature that are woven into Basho's exposition. He details in particular the extent to which Basho relied on the community of writers with whom he traveled and joined in linked verse (renga) poetry sessions, an example of which, A Farewell Gift to Sora, is included in this volume. In explaining how and why Basho made the literary choices he did, Sato shows how the poet was able to transform his passing observations into words that resonate across time and culture.

Customer Reviews:

A Japanese journey during the 17th century.......2006-09-28

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/06)

Matsuo Basho (1644-94) was a famous Japanese haiku poet. In 1689, he took a 1,233 mile journey across Japan. His travels lasted five months. He was joined by his friend Kawai Sora. Basho wrote about this trip. He titled it, "Oku No Hosomichi," which translates to "Narrow Road to the Interior." This story is considered to be a masterpiece of Japanese literature. He took four years to write it and revise it.

Basho started this trip when his house burned down. He had two goals. One goal was spiritual; it involved "poetic truth." The other goal was a practical one in which he would use his travels to become well known as a poet. Sora developed stomach problems and had to end his travels with Basho. Basho wrote a short piece for him. In the second part of this book, there is a translation of "A Farewell Gift to Sora."

Basho funded his travels with donations from wealthy friends and students. He felt that there were three types of poets. The first type is confused noisemakers. The second type is wealthy people who desire to write instead of gossip. The third type is poets who work hard at writing true poetry. These poets write to "soothe their heart." Basho was the third type of poet.

Hiroaki Sato includes annotations to go along with the writings. This adds richness to the story and helps explain more about the culture and what was happening at the time. I read the story first with the annotations to gain understanding of what I was reading; then I went back and reread the story by itself so that I could feel how it flowed. Without the annotations, I would have enjoyed Basho's story, but I would not have understood much of what was written. Sato also includes pages of notes and commentaries. This is a well researched piece. "Basho's Narrow Road" is a beautiful story about Basho's travels. In it he reflects on the beauty of the countryside and the spirit of the people that he encounters.

I recommend "Basho's Narrow Road" to people that enjoy Japanese poetry, especially Haiku. It would also be a great book to use for a college literature class. I really enjoyed Basho's journey.

Nice.......2002-11-24

This was the first time that I have read Basho's Narrow Road to Oku, snd I enjoyed it a great deal. Actually I read it twice this week. The first time I read through it I tried to read it without using the notes. I was lazy, so it came out that I really didn't enjoy what I was reading because I really didn't know what was going on throughout most of the book, so I read it again using the notes, and I got much more out of it. The annotations are on the left page while the actual text is on the right page, so there is no flipping to the back of the book every time that you need to look up something. There are endnotes that give more information about the haiku Basho writes. This is a very cool book, that gives the reader a glimpse at the literary world of japan back during the 17th century.

To start with it's Basho........1998-08-08

This is a very well translated and annotated edition of this great work.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books