Hobbits, Elves and Wizards: The Wonders and Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" Review

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Hobbits, Elves and Wizards: The Wonders and Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" ReviewAs a scholar who has studied and taught J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy for twenty-five years, there are very probably very few better qualified to write an introductory book on the subject than Michael Stanton. He's obviously a great fan on the book (that is, he does not seem to be simply trying to cash in on the recent popularity that the movies have caused) and writes in a simple, chatty style that is easy for most non-academics to understand. For those who are more experienced in reading essays and critiques, "Hobbits, Wizards and Elves" may come across as either too simplistic or repetitive - and I admit that there was very little here that I hadn't already come across in more comprehensive essays on this subject.
But Stanton is well aware of this, and has no delusions about what it is that he's writing - in fact on many occasions he encourages other authors that go deeper into the text, and often apologises for his `bare-bones' treatment of the subject. To like the author's own voice makes up a great part of one's enjoyment of these exploratory books, and there's nothing pretentious or overtly opinionated in Stanton's techniques.
In saying that however, this is a book for beginners to the world of Tolkien - long time studiers or fanatical fans will know all this stuff already - and probably through their own readings of the book. Yet for those starting out, or those that need a helping hand in grasping the finer details of Tolkien's great work, this is a readable and clear-cut `helpmeet' to "the Lord of the Rings".
In Part One of the book Stanton gives us a (very) brief biographical account of Tolkien's life and his inspiration for the book, and the publishing history, followed by a chapter devoted to the geography, history and themes that make up Middle-Earth. The bulk of the book is taken up with accounts of the six books that make up the complete "Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King." This is perhaps the most interesting part (at least for me), as he explores the meanings and finer details of the chapters and the events and characters within them.
Part Two divides up the `species' of Middle Earth and explores their cultures closer: Elves, Dwarves, Ents, Humankind (including Hobbits) and the forces of evil are all discussed separately, and then finally Tolkien's use of language (undoubtedly the basis of the entire saga) and the use of dreams and spirituality throughout the story.
Lastly comes a chapter on the Peter Jackson version of "the Fellowship of the Ring" that is enthusiastically advertised by the publishers on the front cover: "includes a new essay on the first part of "the Lord of the Rings" film trilogy!" As it turns out, this is the most unnecessary parts of the book, and I couldn't help but feel that Stanton was either coerced into doing this for the benefit of sales, or was simply a little `pet-project' of his that he wanted to sneak in. As it is, it is not an `essay' at all, but simply a list of opinions concerning the movie that nearly verges into being a movie review. As you may have guessed, the absence of Tom Bombadil and the role of Arwen are mentioned, as are a few other little nitpicks, but at least Stanton appreciates Sean Bean's role as Boromir - a performance that I believe is often overlooked by viewers.
He's not afraid to criticise certain portions of the book (he points out that only three of five wizards sent to Middle Earth are identified, and that Tolkien puts the title of `oldest living thing in Middle Earth' on two separate characters: Tom Bombadil and Treebeard), and to go against popular fan speculation (in his opinion the `unsung hero' of the story is not Samwise Gamgee, but Prince Imrahil) but on the whole you can tell that he simply adores Tolkien's work and has read it multiple times.
He also points out some interesting titbits that are obvious in hindsight, but which were overlooked by me in my own reading of "Lord of the Rings" - such as the fact that Pippin is the only character in the book to directly converse with Sauron.
It is not a thick book, nor a very deep one, but it is interesting nonetheless and would be valuable to those just beginning to explore Tolkien's world. I've been exploring for a few years now, and I still found some interesting theories and explanations - but then I brought this book at the University's book store for only two dollars, so I'm hardly going to take a harsh view of something brought so cheaply. Any one well-versed in Tolkien's universe has more comprehensive works to explore, but beginners are most welcome here.Hobbits, Elves and Wizards: The Wonders and Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" Overview

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J.R.R. Tolkien Collection (The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, Four Volume Set) Review

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J.R.R. Tolkien Collection (The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, Four Volume Set) ReviewThere have been innumerable depictions of JRR Tolkien's works in various media, but I feel that few would have met with the Professor's approval. The JRR Tolkien Collection created by BBC Radio is a rare exception. The radio dramatizations of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the shorter works (Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major,and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil) collected in Tales From the Perilous Realm have all been collected in this beautiful box set of 21 CDs with 20 hours of material. As a bonus the very fine JRR Tolkien: An Audio Portrait, which contains some of Tolkien's own interviews, has been included as well.
I just received this set for Christmas and I've just begun to enjoy them by dipping into the various CDs and listening to small bits and pieces. I anticipate many happy hours with them through the coming years. The acting and presentation is superbly done, and the listener recognizes that the production had to have been put together by people who were not only familiar with but deeply admiring of Tolkien's works.
I suppose what I like most about these radio dramatizations is that of necessity the listener must use his or her own imagination, and thus each person's experience of them will be almost as deeply individual as it is when actually reading the stories. In my opinion that's the best and indeed the only way to really appreciate Tolkien, and I think the Professor himself would agree.J.R.R. Tolkien Collection (The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, Four Volume Set) Overview

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Book of Five Rings Review

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Book of Five Rings ReviewThe book written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645 is considered a classic treatise on military strategy, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and taking the advantage to be relevant to their work.
The term "Ichi School", which is referred to in the book, Go Rin No Sho, when referring to such books, refers to "Niten No Ichi Ryu", or "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu", which literally translated, means "Two Swords, one heaven".
Throughout the book it is clear: what is primary for Musashi is The Goal, while the means of achieving the goal are secondary. He wrote "According to this Ichi school, you can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size."
The same is in business: the leaders who are attracted by the goal rather than by embellishments are the true leaders. For example, the dot-com bubble of 2000 was caused by the managers who forgot about the primary goal of the business: net income. Those who were obsessed by their stock prices regarding of massive losses and the lack of revenue became bankrupt. They put attention to the fancy office buildings and furniture rather than to the assets that generate earning. Musashi wrote about it: "Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons. Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly. Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use: bows and guns must be sturdy. Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative".
Musashi also encourages to maintain a balance of your skills throughout your life. This balance could be thought of as Yin and Yang. The balance is to be neither over-familiar with something nor under-familiar. The over-familiarity or over-use of one weapon is not recommended by Musashi, as it would be seen to reveal your spirituality to your enemy, and thus your boisterousness, or over-calm. The over-familiarity makes you stick to a conviction. This is a very important for the business. Take, for example, mr. Warren Buffet. A quality standing out about Mr. Buffett is his ability to morph. If you read his materials from the 1960s, he said very different things than in the 1970s and early-1980s. Early on he was buying dirt-cheap stocks by simple statistical standards and typically smaller stocks (smallcap), later he bought "franchises", then he entered a period of buying great managements of big companies and being a long-term holder, then, amazingly, he was buying smaller things dirt cheap again just as value came back into play as the twenty-first century began. He tactically morphed steadily over the decades. Trying to freeze his tactics from any decade and replicate them in the next few would never have led you to his actual actions. Musashi wrote about that this way: "You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troops to have likes and dislikes."Book of Five Rings Overview

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The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings (4 Volume Box Set) Review

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The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings (4 Volume Box Set) ReviewThis review is for regular size paperback only, as far as the books themselves, of course they're classics. Unfortunately Amazon links their reviews to multiple versions of the same product (meaning you can write a review for an audio book and that same review show up on a paperback edition of the same title. It's really bad for music reviews, let me tell you!).
If you should by this edition of HOBBIT/LOTR really depends on what you what for your money. I first purchased trade paperback editions of THE LORD OF THE RINGS back in the early to mid nineties. They're nice and more portable than, perhaps, other editions of the book if you looking for some quick reading on the beach/airport/wherever and they're economical.
However, these editions tend of have more misprints, are not as sturdy as other editions of Tolkien's classic texts, and the maps are just hell to look at. As any regular size paperback they are not as hardy as other, better found bound books.
The oversize paperback editions are better, but overall the books do not hold up as well or are durable as hard back editions. If you do want to read the stories though without having to worry about the shape the books are in then the regular paperbacks would be the way to go, as (for me anyway) I want to keep the nicer editions in relatively clean condition.
Given Tolkien's status of one of the world's most popular writers, I would recommend picking up nicer editions of these works anyway, as you can get them at reasonable prices and they are much better purchases than the paperback box sets. The only real drawback is there is no general uniformity between the editions of THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS that I recommend, if that is important to you.
Douglas A. Anderson's THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT, is the definitive text of THE HOBBIT, has numerous textual annotations and examines in complete detail all the different revisions Tolkien made to the work in the subsequent decades after its initial publication in 1937.
For THE LORD OF THE RINGS, the most accurate text is the 50th Anniversay edition prepared by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull. I have the one volume oversize paperback edition of LOTR and am quite pleased with it.
The only way I would recommend purchasing the boxset of these books is if they published The Annotated Hobbit and the 50th Annivesary LOTR text as a uniform set as those are the definitive versions, and personally I'd prefer to see all four volumes hardbound. I don't think I've seen a hardbound version box set of all four works, though there are plenty to be had of LOTR.
In summary, unless you are wanting cheap editions of these books, you will be better served by purchasing other editions of Tolkien's books
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As that was only in regards to these actual editions of Tolkien's work and not reviews of the books themselves, I am also including my separate reviews I have written for Amazon of THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Also included is an abandoned review I wrote for THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING all the way back in early 2000 but was never posted on Amazon, explaining how Tolkien's life work of THE LORD OF THE RINGS is NOT a trilogy but rather three parts of one work divided up for publishing purposes
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THE HOBBIT Review - Inferior to THE LORD OF THE RINGS? I think not! No, just different!, April 7, 2000
The biggest problem with this novel is perception. Tolkien wrote this story for children; to be more specific, this was written for HIS children. There were several stories like this, but it was this, The Hobbit, that was his master achievement in children's literature.
The Lord of the Rings ( a single epic, NOT a trilogy) was written to cash in on The Hobbit's success. Tolkien wanted to get on with the more serious work of his mythology, and ultimately that is what happened with The Lord of the Rings. It became attached to his mythology, and became as important to him as The Silmarillion.
So delineation is required if you want to read this. Do not go in with the thought that The Hobbit is a "precursor" or any such nonsense to The Lord of the Rings. Think of it like you would think of any other children's classics: children's classics. If you take it on The L. R.'s terms, this is a failure, primary because it is not written to be like that. But, on the flipside, The L. R. is as much a failure in children's fiction. It is not children's fiction, it is epic fantasy, and one should not equate it with children's fiction. That is EXACTLY what people try to do with The Hobbit. They try to put it in the same type of genre or playing field as The L. R. They are both masterpieces, and I love them both dearly. But one is for children, the other with adults.
Of course, Tolkien is part of the problem. How many books do you know that is a children's book and has an adult sequel? Not very many. The Hobbit, scarcely 300 pages, was written and published in the children's market. He then talked to his publishers, and they wanted a sequel. So he began "the new Hobbit", as C. S. (Jack) Lewis so aptly put it. He was preoccupied with his mythology, and the sequel was drawn into it. So we have two works, spanning two different genres, and as far as surface connections go its little more than prequel/sequel. Instead of looking at The Hobbit as a prequel, a precursor to his ADULT masterpiece, an inferiour version, think of as his CHILDREN'S masterpiece. The Hobbit is top of the class in children's fiction, one of the few contenders against such other great children's works as Narnia and Wrinkle in Time. The Lord of the Rings, likewise, is THE crowning masterpiece of the fantasy genre, of which its influence is incalculable to that fantasy market. Both are as important as the other, just in different fields.
I haven't talked about The Silmarillion much. I have already reviewed it, so I won't go real in-depth here. But the same thing happened with it. People, expecting another Lord of the Rings, were inevitably disappointed with the Biblical style of the published version. If Tolkien wrote that book out in narrative form as he did Lord of the Rings, it would be ten times longer than Lord of the Rings. The biggest problem with Tolkien is people have to many preconceptions that are incorrect.
So, basically, in conclusion, think of it like this:
1. The Hobbit - Children's masterpiece. He scores big with this one.
2. The Lord of the Rings - a single fantasy, not a trilogy. (Tolkien was always quick to point that out). The Crowning achievement of modern fantasy.
3. The Silmarillion - the Bible of Middle-earth. Much more for students of his work than the causal reader.
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The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
***** Despite vehement critical hostility, Tolkien is among our most important writers because the way he handles Myth, 26 Sep 2007
Over the past several decades, THE LORD OF THE RINGS has sold millions of copies and is commonly regarded as one of the most influential fantasy novels ever published. Many first time readers have began their trek into Middle-earth with Frodo and the Company of the Ring in recent years. What they will encounter there has been loved by millions of readers before them, and if they allow themselves to respond to Tolkien and his Myth will doubtless become a loyal and ardent fan of Tolkien and those furry-footed hobbits. What's also notable about THE LORD OF THE RINGS is, for a book as long as it is, many of its readers reread the novel many times over. Yet despite its enduring popularity, Tolkien is often held in complete disregard by the literary establishment.
The real question is why? In the literary climate that is characterized by modernism and post-modernism where the twentieth and twenty first century is a wasteland why does a "series" of fantasy novels become one of the most beloved works in modern times?
It's because the power of myth over the human imagination works wonders, creating a longing and a hunger that, Tolkien argues, is met by the Christian religion. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis are the flip-sides of the same coin, with Lewis giving us accounts of the longing and Tolkien providing the books that would create that longing. And what about the longing? It's that longing for Myth, that love for those beauties which Tolkien shows us in THE LORD OF THE RINGS. It's that longing that sets man apart from all other creatures in the universe: a craving for beauty and for joy. The German word for this longing is "senhsucht". In a time characterized by fast-food, cell-phones, materialism, superficiality, the account of a Hobbit working against all odds in a mythic landscape so captures the human imagination (and this is NOT hype) that an entire genre is created. It is because of how Tolkien so masterfully handles Myth that he has been so highly treasured by such a large fan base.
Still, there are a few things to consider when reading Tolkien nowadays. Looking over the reviews, it proved rather shocking to me that people have been complaining that, although it was original when it was published, much of what Tolkien has done has become cliche and that other writers are much better working with these cliches and making them more exciting than Tolkien. They complain about his "endless descriptions" of the natural world, very detailed accounts of geography and not enough "characterization." The characters are unrealistic: the "human drama" required by the book's very nature is beyond Tolkien's scope as a writer. THE FELLOWSHIP...Read more›The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings (4 Volume Box Set) Overview

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The Lord of the Rings - Part I - The Fellowship of the Ring Review

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The Lord of the Rings - Part I - The Fellowship of the Ring ReviewMost people coming to this review already have a good idea what the story is all about from either other readers or people who have seen the movies made from this three part story. This is not a trilogy the three-part story so you can buy the individual books but it might be prudent to buy all three at the same time or a combined volume.
The reason I say buy the complete "Lord of the Rings" now is that you will just be picking up speed and getting everything straight in your mind and you will come to the end of this volume. Talk about a cliffhanger. This animal leaves you with several.
Even though the adventure takes place six years after the adventures in Tolkien's "the Hobbit or There and Back Again", the writing style is also a little more in-depth.
I am not going to paraphrase the story. J.R.R. Tolkien himself tells you what you need to know in the prolog.
Many people have read things into this story thinking it was maybe an allegory of things like the bomb; but Tolkien says himself that this is not an allegory.
Tolkien creates a rich world in which you the reader will feel you are part of the adventure. If you've only seen the movies than you've only seen a synopsis and you will not be disappointed in this book.The Lord of the Rings - Part I - The Fellowship of the Ring Overview

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Ring Lardner's You know me Al: The comic strip adventures of Jack Keefe (A Harvest book) Review

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Ring Lardner's You know me Al: The comic strip adventures of Jack Keefe (A Harvest book) ReviewThe book was sent to me promptly and in good condition.
I recommend this bookseller.Ring Lardner's You know me Al: The comic strip adventures of Jack Keefe (A Harvest book) Overview

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Return of the Heroes: The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Social Conflict Review

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Return of the Heroes: The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Social Conflict ReviewAs a fan of Tolkein, Star Wars, and Harry Potter and one who has appreciated a number of analytic treatments of their themes in relation to culture and society, I was expecting something a little different. Perhaps a more accurate title might have been "Defending the Heroes: Debating Critics of Tolkein and Star Wars, with a Little Harry Potter Thrown in."
The larger portion of the book consists of the author cataloging an extensive list of negative criticisms and in turn criticizing the critics for their method and mood. Granted, his arguments make a lot of sense. But there is much less positive treatment of heroic themes and their potential validity and usefulness in modern society, and much repetitive groaning about how mistaken the critics are.
Not only that, the subtitle suggests that three different series will be treated in the book. In fact, Harry Potter is mentioned only briefly, a few times, almost as if his inclusion were meant to capitalize on his current popularity. For the amount of space devoted to Harry Potter themes, he could just as easily (and more accurately) have been excluded from the title. I found this to be misleading.Return of the Heroes: The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Social Conflict Overview

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The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings (Pb)) Review

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The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings (Pb)) ReviewI am not one who usually buys books-on-tape (or CD as in this case) but I have long wanted to obtain the Lord of the Rings so as to hear this incredible story over and over. After having read it several times, my book is in tatters and so I searched for an unabridged audio recording. Many of those that I have seen claim to be "unabridged" but the fact is that they are not complete! They give parts of the books in full but leave out many sections or chapters. This set by Rob Inglis is COMPLETE!!! It is very well read with no drastic voicing of characters. Characters are easily distinguished and thoroughly enjoyable. This set is not full of sound effects and music, so if you are looking for that this is not for you. However, I personally prefer the fact that this is not an over-production and is rather quite focussed on what I wanted in the first place, the characters and the story. Inglis does a marvelous job and I am very happy with this set. Again, not to harp on it but, this is a "complete" package well worth the money!!!The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings (Pb)) Overview

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The Book of Five Rings for Executives: Musashi's Classic Book of Competitive Tactics Review

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The Book of Five Rings for Executives: Musashi's Classic Book of Competitive Tactics ReviewThis book is a valuable development of the metaphor of a samurai swordfight for how to gain competitive tactical advantage in business. The author has taken Miyamoto Musashi's 1643 classic and put it into the context of business issues. The book contains Musashi's principles updated and customized for the current business world in seven principles, five aspects (or rings), examples from Japanese companies' use of these ideas, and cases (Starbucks, Robert E. Lee, Warren Buffett, George Washington crossing the Delaware, Andy Grove, Bill Gates, Lawrence of Arabia, and Donald Trump). As a result, the lessons are quite accessible and clear.
The seven principles are: Ordered Flexibility ("the nature of water"), Execution ("appropriate action at the right time"), Resources ("information is the fabric of tactics"), Environment ("approach derives from circumstances"), Attitude ("firm, yet flexible . . . centering on a determining reality"), Concentration ("concentrating strength against weakness or resources against opportunity"), and Timing ("when the scale is tipped in favor of the tactics you have chosen").
The Japanese business application of this approach is to: 1) copy technology and train people. (2) recombine elements and widen market acceptance. (3) increase quality/price ratio and dominate markets.
The five aspects are: (1) Foundation (2) Form (3) Fire (4) Fabric and (5) Focus.
Let me elaborate on the Foundation concept to give you a sense of what is in these sections. The rules of Foundation are: (1) Do what is right, what is correct. (2) Sense the rhythm and timing in everyday situations. (3) Broaden your knowledge of management. (4) Study other arts and professions. (5) Distinguish between profitable and unprofitable activities. (6) See reality under all circumstances. (7) Look for what is not obvious. (8) Concentrate on critical details. (9) Eliminate useless activity. (This last sound's like Peter Drucker's famous exhortation to "slough off yesterday.")
This book is the third volume in a series that Mr. Krause has created about how business people can compete more effectively that draw on classic books on this subject.
Musashi's work is much better known in Japan than in the United States. He was a legendary samurai swordsman who from ages 13 to 29 defeated 60 men in duels. Death or severe injury was always at risk. Then he retired to a cave and lived as a pauper writing about the lessons of his battles for the next 30 years. This book is based on those writings which were a five part letter to his followers and students. The essence of that advice is to "look beneath the surface" of the events around you to distill their meaning.
Those who wish to improve their sword fighting and dueling skills should read the original. Those who enjoy this book may wish to read the original as well. You will be rewarded by obtaining a deeper sense of the Zen philosophy behind these observations.
All business people will benefit from this book. Highly recommended!
Although this book focuses on tactics, you would do well to combine it with Sun Tzu's thinking about how to use strategy to create situations where no battle is needed. Then you need only practice your tactics to keep sharp, not to secure your advantage. For example, if your advantages in quality, effectiveness, honor, and prestige are so great that others know they cannot compete and would be harmed or simply waste time and effort by doing so, they will seek you out as a partner instead. Then, much more can be accomplished for all!
Be sharp!
The Book of Five Rings for Executives: Musashi's Classic Book of Competitive Tactics Overview

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Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Review

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Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Review"Return of the King" is the worthy climax to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, the fantasy that created the genre as we know it today. Now, as the blockbuster movie adaptation is over, many readers are checking out the dramatic story that ends Tolkien's masterpiece and life's work.
Gandalf has ridden to the city of Gondor with Pippin (partly to keep him out of trouble), where the forces of Mordor are attacking. There is upheaval in the city itself, as the steward of Gondor is going nuts. Merry pledges his service to King Theoden of Rohan, not knowing what is ahead for the king and his relatives. And Aragorn is seeking out allies to fight Sauron on a military scale, even if they can't defeat him unless the Ring is destroyed. His search will take him to tribes of forest-dwellers, to Gondor -- and even to summon an army of the dead.
In Mordor, the unconscious Frodo has been captured by Sauron's orcs, and taken to the fortress of Cirith Ungol. Sam is desperate to free his friend, but knows that he can't take on an army, and that Frodo would want him to finish the quest. Sam manages to free Frodo from captivity, but they must still brave more dangers before they can come to Mount Doom, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed. As they travel Sam sees Frodo slipping further and further into the Ring's grasp. Will Frodo be able to destroy the Ring?
Usually, the climax of an epic adventure is a disappointment. "Return of the King" succeeds in almost every way, wrapping up each individual storyline, one by one. The ending has a feeling of finality; this is one story that could never have a sequel; Tolkien shows that in a war like this, there is no true "happy ending." Even if the good guys win, there will still be scarring, and death, and haunting memories of what once happened. And even if a person survives, he will never be the same.
This is the grimmest of the three books in this trilogy. Frodo and Sam are stuck in the vividly horrific Mordor, while the city of Minas Tirith is on the verge of completely crumbling. Tolkien does a phenomenal job of exploring the madness, despair, rage and sorrow that accompany a war, and the way it can affect even the idyllic Shire. And he doesn't forget the slow period of healing that follows -- for people, for civilizations, and even for nature.
Though a section of the book near the end descends into near-biblical prose, which changes post-Gondor, Tolkien does not waver in his ability to evoke emotion. One of the most touching scenes in the book is when Sam finds Frodo naked, unconscious and being beaten by an orc. Others include Merry's farewell to Theoden, Eowyn's slaying of the Witch-King, and of course the bittersweet final scene.
Speaking of Frodo, this trilogy's hero is almost unrecognizable in parts of this book. The bright, naive young hobbit of the first book has been worn down to a pale shadow of himself. As he grows increasingly attached to the Ring, we even see him doing what seems unimaginable: threatening Sam with a dagger. Sam has come a long way from the shy young hobbit who couldn't say a word around the High Elves -- now he's attacking orcs and carrying Frodo to Mount Doom.
And the supporting characters are not neglected either, with the younger hobbits being exposed to the horrors of war, Aragorn breaking fully into his role as the future king of Gondor, and passionate war-maiden Eowyn affecting the war as nobody else could. Some much-loved characters are lost, and others will be permanently changed.
The story doesn't really end on the last page; for more background, especially on Aragorn and Arwen, readers should also read the appendices at the end of the book. Another good addition is "The End of the Third Age," in which the unpublished epilogue of this book can be found. Though this is probably not canonical, it nicely concludes the story and is a heartwarming look at what happens in the years following "Return of the King."
It's difficult, once the story has finished, to accept that one has to say goodbye to Middle-Earth and its enchanting inhabitants. But as Gandalf says, "I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Overview

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Works of William Makepeace Thackeray. (100+ Works) Incl: Vanity Fair, The Book of Snobs, The Rose and the Ring, The Virginians, The Newcomes & more (Mobi Collected Works) Review

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Works of William Makepeace Thackeray. (100+ Works) Incl: Vanity Fair, The Book of Snobs, The Rose and the Ring, The Virginians, The Newcomes & more (Mobi Collected Works) ReviewWorks of William Makepeace Thackeray. (100+ Works) Incl: Vanity Fair, The Book of Snobs, The Rose and the Ring, The Virginians, The Newcomes & more. Published by MobileReference (mobi)
Thackeray's writing is insanely funny. Witticisms and quips litter the pages, even if you don't pick them all up at once. At first Thackeray seems incredibly cynical, but taken as a social satire, it's easier to understand why he was so cynical about the society of the time.Works of William Makepeace Thackeray. (100+ Works) Incl: Vanity Fair, The Book of Snobs, The Rose and the Ring, The Virginians, The Newcomes & more (Mobi Collected Works) OverviewThis collection was designed for optimal navigation on Kindle and other electronic devices. It is indexed alphabetically, chronologically and by category, making it easier to access individual books, stories and poems. This collection offers lower price, the convenience of a one-time download, and it reduces the clutter in your digital library. All books included in this collection feature a hyperlinked table of contents and footnotes. The collection is complimented by an author biography. Table of Contents List of Works by Genre and TitleList of Works in Alphabetical Order List of Works in Chronological OrderWilliam Makepeace Thackeray BiographyFiction :: Play :: Non-Fiction :: Poetry :: Short Stories FictionBarry Lyndon BurlesquesThe Book of Snobs CatherineThe Christmas Books of Mr. M. A. TitmarshThe History of Henry EsmondThe History of Pendennis The History of Samuel Titmarsh and the Great Hoggarty DiamondThe Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush Men's Wives The NewcomesThe Paris Sketch Book The Rose and the RingRoundabout Papers Vanity Fair The Virginians PlayThe Wolves and the Lamb Non-FictionFrom Cornhill to Grand CairoPoetryThe Chronicle of the Drum (14 Ballads)The Ballads of Policeman X (13 Ballads) Five German Ditties (5 Ballads) Four Imitations of Beranger Imitation of Horace Love-songs Made Easy (7 Songs) The Loving Ballad of Lord Bateman (8 poems) Lyra Hibernica Old Friends With New Faces (16 Ballads)Short StoriesThe Bedford-Row Conspiracy The Fatal Boots The Fitz-Boodle Papers George Cruikshank John Leech's Pictures of Life and Character A Little Dinner at Timmin'sLittle Travels and Roadside SketchesThe Second Funeral of Napoleon

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Ring Around the Bases: The Complete Baseball Stories of Ring Lardner Review

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Ring Around the Bases: The Complete Baseball Stories of Ring Lardner ReviewNobody wrote more good baseball stories than Ring Lardner, nor has anybody written better ones. This book brings them all together in one volume for the first time.
It begins with the "You Know Me Al" stories, consisting of letters from Jack Keefe to his friend Al. More than two-hundred pages are devoted to these, which is a bit of a problem; after the first fifty, Lardner has established that Jack is a blowhard with no spine and isn't very bright, and the theme starts to pall. The stories must have worked much better published individually or in groups of a few.
The other stories are unrelieved successes, however. It would be, I think, going too far to say that Lardner uses baseball as a metaphor for life, but baseball is just the setting that he uses to show us things about his characters, and about human nature.
The writing is superb, and the stories bear out the frequently-made observation about the excellence of Lardner's ear for vernacular American speech.
Very entertaining and highly recommended.Ring Around the Bases: The Complete Baseball Stories of Ring Lardner Overview

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The Lord of the Rings 1st (first) edition Text Only Review

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The Lord of the Rings 1st (first) edition Text Only ReviewAs a long time Lord of the Rings fan,.... I have had the paper back set for years... I saw this set and immediately ordered it... To start with, the presentation of the set is excellent... The three books are delivered in a cardboard case that is covered in Allan Lee`s art work... The books themselves are 8x10.5 inches in size and are hefty in weight.. There is nothing like sitting and reading a book that has some weight to it... maybe just me, but reading a hardback over a paperback is the difference between night and day even if the words are identical. The type face is excellent and the artwork through out is images from Allen Lee.If you are reading this review, you are most likely already a Tolkien fan, so to review the book itself can be set aside as this set of books has probably been the most reviewed books in history. (save for he Bible of course). This set has a quality that is far above some of the other sets out there. I personally give this set 10 out of 10 and it has a special spot on my bookself.. Enjoy!!!The Lord of the Rings 1st (first) edition Text Only Overview

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The real dope Review

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The real dope ReviewThis is one of those books that was recommended for someone with my browsing history. I had never heard of the book nor the author. I have subsequently looked him up and found that this book is a continuation of a device Mr Lardner used in a previous title, that of a major league pitcher writing letters to his minor league buddy. The entire book is epistolary, and from the viewpoint of the protagonist. It starts on the troop transport taking the writer to France to fight in the trenches in WWI. The protagonist thinks quite highly of himself, having achieved success in professional sports, but he is really more of a country bumpkin forever falling prey to the gags of his troop mates. That is the double play of the title. This is a lightweight read and not for those who wish to gain insight into WWI. Because is uses the device of letters, the author uses spellings that are not quite right and some written shortcuts, so texters will get it easily. There is quite a lot of funny stories in these pages, including when they set him up with a "real queen" for his liberty, one Marie Antoinette, whose address is "O. D. Cologne." Lots of laughs and well worth the read if you like enjoy older titles. This book is available free, so you are not taking much of a chance by loading it onto your Kindle. I enjoyed it.The real dope Overview

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The Book of Five Rings from SmarterComics Review

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The Book of Five Rings from SmarterComics ReviewPictures say a thousand words. Here you have a dynamic way to learn strategy from one of the best martial artists in history. I love the concept. I love the way it's presented, in beautiful color. I love the bullet-points presented to the back-drop of what each speaks to. This is treasure just as art, but 100-fold for what it teaches. I highly recommend this to everybody. I'm a big fan.The Book of Five Rings from SmarterComics Overview

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The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Selected Stories (Everyman's Library Classics) Review

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The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Selected Stories (Everyman's Library Classics) ReviewAlthough Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler are better known today, James M. Cain (1892-1977) is at least their equal--and many consider that he bested both in his finest novels, which combined sin-blacked characters, sordid plots, terse prose, and all the power of a blast furnace. This anthology collects all three of his landmark novels as well as several short stories, all of them showing Cain at the height of his powers.
Published in 1934, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE is the truly deadly story of a drifter who squirms his way into a job at a California truck stop--and then squirms his way into the bed of a sexy waitress. Trouble is, the waitress is married to the boss... and she doesn't like it, not one little bit. Dripping with lust, deception, and irony, POSTMAN is at once sickening and fascinating, a true powerhouse of a novel that festers long after the story has ended.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY, published in 1936, is equally hot--the tale of an insurance sales man who stays on the right side of the law until he is tempted by a psychopathic femme fatale who doesn't see anything wrong with picking up a few bucks on the unexpected death of her unwanted husband. MILDRED PIERCE, published in 1941, is equally memorable in its portrait of a driven housewife with a wayward husband who discovers that she will do absolutely anything for her vicious, serpentine daughter.
All three novels have been famously filmed, but while the film versions (most created during the 1940s) stand well on their own, the novels out distance them in nothing flat. Cora, begging Frank to bite her lips until they bleed; Phyllis with lipstick splashed across her mouth like a bleeding gash; sleek Monte and his viper-like stepdaughter Veda--all portraits of reckless abandon so powerful that they blister the page.
The volume also includes five hard-to-find Cain stories that are often as memorable as the best of his novels, most notably I think "The Baby in the Ice Box" and "Brush Fire." But whether it is novels or his shorter works, you simply can't go wrong when it comes to the best of James M. Cain. Welcome to the inferno. Brace yourself for the straight-down ride.
GFT, Amazon ReviewerThe Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Selected Stories (Everyman's Library Classics) Overview

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Haircut and Other Stories Review

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Haircut and Other Stories ReviewI had this book in hardback and it dissappeared when I lent it to a friend. A long time went buy until I found Amazon and was able to replace the book. To tell you the truth I enjoyed it even more the second time around. Alibi Ike could probably make someone laugh on his way to the electric chair. Also for young people, this book could show you the path we followed to get here.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Book One Review

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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Book One ReviewThis is, as other reviewers have said, the only unabridged BOT version of this classic book. Rob Inglis does a great job reading.
But: If you plan on downloading CDs onto your MP3 player, keep reading.
The book is broken into 48 CDs (all 3 books (16 CDs per book)). And each CD is broken up into 3 min tracks (about 275 tracks per disc).
And no freaking consistent organization.
Each CD has a completely (ugh!!!) different way of titling the tracks.
So, my Ipod now has 800+ 3 minute LOTR tracks . . . in no particular order!!!
There's no way I can listen to the book in chronological order. Instead my Ipod shuffles randomly between tracks, changing every 3 minutes.
It's a disaster.
But I love this book. So, I'm listening anyway.
It's the equivalent of cutting the book into 800 pieces, throwing them in the air, and then reading them: William S. Burroughs, please meet J.R.R. Tolkien.The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Book One Overview

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Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism Review

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Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism ReviewThis book reprints several of the best essays from the editors' 1968 collection *Tolkien and the Critics,* combining them with several new essays by some of the best Tolkien scholars writing today. Together, they make a strong case for the strength of Tolkien's masterpiece on solid literary grounds (rebutting the main early critiques). It is very useful for my Philosophy and Fantasy course, and the papers are all accessible and interesting for the general reader. I can strongly recommend this book to all fans and literary critics alike.Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism Overview

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The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) Review

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The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) ReviewI have studied this book for years, and have read five different translations. The William Scott Wilson translation is by far the best. I always get the feeling that other translators are putting too much of themselves or their ideas about what Musashi is saying into the translations. Wilson's translation is clear and concise and yet does not feel filtered.
Here is a passage from the Thomas Cleary translation "Upset happens in all sorts of things. One way it happens is through a feeling of being under acute pressure. Another is through a feeling of unreasonable strain. A third is through a feeling of surprise at the unexpected."
Here is the same passage translated by Wilson "There are many kinds of agitation. One is a feeling of danger, a second is a feeling that something is beyond your capability and a third is a feeling of the unexpected. This should be investigated thoroughly."
They say the same thing, but Wilson is clearer.
As for the book itself, it is a classic masterpiece that describes not only a style of swordsmanship, but a way of living.The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) Overview

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