Koncocoo

Best Literary History & Criticism Reference

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Outlander series.
Reviews
"Bought this as a gift, so I really did not read it, but have read most of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, which I love."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"If you LOVE Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER books and TV series this is a MUST HAVE!!!"
"good show to Collection >> very comprehensive."
"I gave this book to my wife for an anniversary present and she squealed she was so excited."
"books of the OUTLANDER SAGA SO...if you haven't read them or even watched the 1st half of season 1 on Starz...DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER you've done so...unless, that's what you want to do."
"review of story and how scenes were done- I am an Outlander fan - a great addition to my collection."
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DC Comics Encyclopedia All-New Edition
Formatted in an easy-to use A-to-Z layout, this guide is packed with information and thrilling comic book art and features more than 1,100 characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, and much more. Matthew K. Manning has contributed to over 40 books and comic books, including DK's Batman™: A Visual History , DC Comics: A Visual History , and DC Comics: Year by Year .
Reviews
"My 12 year old son got this book at our local library and then kept renewing it over and over again because he liked it so much."
"Got it as a gift for a friend and he loves it, he says the illustrations are from comics and so far every character is included, he is yet to find any character missing, and the illustrations are really nice."
"So far so good."
"Awesome encyclopedia for newcomers to DC comics or fanatics like me!"
"This book is so awesome!"
"I had no idea the history and detail of the superhero world."
"My brother received a marvel encyclopedia for his bday so I gave him this for Christmas."
"I purchased this book for my son as a birthday present."
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The Outlandish Companion Volume Two: The Companion to The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander)
Written with Gabaldon’s signature wit and intelligence, this compendium is bursting with generous commentary and juicy insider details, including. • a complete chronology of the series thus far. • full synopses of A Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood • recaps of the Lord John Grey novels: Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Hand of Devils, and The Scottish Prisoner • a who’s who of the cast of Outlander characters, cross-referenced by book. • detailed maps and floor plans. • a bibliographic guide to research sources. • essays on subjects as wide ranging as Outlandish controversies regarding sex and violence, the unique responsibilities of a writer of historical fiction, and Gabaldon’s writing process. • a guided tour of the clothes, food, and music of the eighteenth century. • a Scottish glossary and pronunciation guide. • personal photos from the author taken on the set of the Starz Outlander series. As entertaining, sweeping, and addictive as the series itself, this second volume of The Outlandish Companion is a one (or two)-of-a-kind gift from an incomparable author. Diana Gabaldon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Outlander novels— Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (for which she won a Quill Award and the Corine International Book Prize), An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood —as well as the related Lord John Grey books Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Hand of Devils, and The Scottish Prisoner; one work of nonfiction, The Outlandish Companion; and the Outlander graphic novel The Exile .
Reviews
"The book, however, really covers the entirety of the series including information and discussion about the hit Outlander television series. An Essay on History and Historical fiction including the justification of falsity in historical fiction. A guide to the Scottish language as used in the books including a pronunciation guide. An essay on writing. A section on the people who work on the Outlander television series. Some maps and floor plans. Recommended books. Bibliography of the books Gabaldon uses to underpin the writing of the Outlander books. Some photographs from the set of the television show. Outlander family tree. This book is for fans of the series, but also anyone who wants to know more about the process of creating these novels."
"All will be explained by the author in this book."
"This one covers the second set of four books and gives information about the characters, the historical period and the reasons the author chose the things she chose to write about."
"This book is about the last four books of the original 8."
"Reading this book was like having a lengthy and satisfying personal exchange with Diana over her own views of her writings and her writing process."
"This second companion book is great especially after reading the first companion book."
"It shipped quickly as expected and in perfect condition."
"The volume includes a lot of extra information on how the TV series is produced and the talented people involved."
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Best European Literary History & Criticism

The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics)
"On what slender threads do life and fortune hang" Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. "Dumas was... a summit of art.
Reviews
"Material previously omitted by Victorian-era translators such as Franz' hashish-fueled sexual fantasies and the strongly implied lesbian relationship between Eugenie and Louise remain intact and uncensored. As another reviewer pointed out, Buss will provide footnotes to explain subtleties that aren't easily translated from French to English, such as insults delivered by using the formal you (vous) rather than the informal/friendly/intimate you (tu). A detailed appendix provides valuable historical and cultural context that aids the reader in understanding Dumas' masterpiece, and includes a primer on the rise, fall, return, and final downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte that is crucial to making sense of the politics driving the novel's plot."
"The story is amazing!"
"On top of the marvellous novel, I had the pleasure of listening to Bill Homewood's exemplary narration, which is superb due his perfect mastery of pronunciation, pace, pausing and variation of voice."
"Edmond Dantes returns from a job at sea at age 19 to the promise of a beautiful bride and captainship of the vessel the next time it sails, only to have others send anonymous allegations about him to the crown prosecutor, who has his own reasons for Dantes to disappear. Dumas' literary references and some points of geography, politics, and monetary denominations and their relationships went past me, but those modest issues aside, I found it a truly special read for both its writing (in the Penguin Classics modern translation - easier to follow than older translations) and a story line that keeps the reader completely engaged."
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Best Science Fiction History & Criticism

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Outlander series.
Reviews
"Bought this as a gift, so I really did not read it, but have read most of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, which I love."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"If you LOVE Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER books and TV series this is a MUST HAVE!!!"
"Gave me all the background information I expected."
"A must have for the Outlander series of books by the same author."
"I was introduced to the Outlander series by my husband. At 1st I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit myself to the time it would take to read four 800+ page novels, knowing there wasn't an end to them."
"good show to Collection >> very comprehensive."
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Best Renaissance Literary Criticism

The Prince (Dover Thrift Editions)
In this classic guide to acquiring and maintaining political power, Machiavelli used a rational approach to advise prospective rulers, developing logical arguments and alternatives for a number of potential problems, among them governing hereditary monarchies, dealing with colonies and the treatment of conquered peoples. The person who held the aforementioned office with the tongue-twisting title was none other than Niccolò Machiavelli, who, suddenly finding himself out of a job after 14 years of patriotic service, followed the career trajectory of many modern politicians into punditry.
Reviews
"What can one say about Nicole Machiavelli........He was prescient and wasn't, ultimately, afraid to present his views."
"For a more modern take, a modern, but much much better written book to this one in many ways is "The 33 Laws of power" by Robert Greene - a book i cannot recommend highly enough."
"There is nothing false about Niccolo Machiavelli."
"I have to agree with T. Simons previously - The idea of "reviewing" this is kind of silly, but I thought I'd put in a quick note for those looking to read it on the Kindle."
"This is a classic about how to run a government to stay in power and suit your own needs."
"The Prince is, of course the foundation stone for all modern political writings on the art and science of governing."
"Liked the great summary of the BIG general ideas of The Prince."
"Niccolo Machiavelli was a genius - he understood human nature."
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Best Middle Eastern Literary Criticism

The Complete Works of Kahlil Gibran: All poems and short stories (Global Classics)
This enriching collection of his works includes more than 150 of his stories, prose poems, verse, parables, and autobiographical essays. General Press is proud to bring together, for the first time in ebook form, all of Gibran’s works into a single collection. Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer, born in 1883 in Lebanon and died in New York in 1931. As a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. In his early teens, the artistry of Gibran's drawings caught the eye of his teachers and he was introduced to the avant-garde Boston artist, photographer, and publisher Fred Holland Day, who encouraged and supported Gibran in his creative endeavors. He is chiefly known in the English-speaking world for his 1923 book 'The Prophet', an early example of inspirational fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. "[Kahlil Gibran] speaks about fundamental things--those which are, or should be, a part of every human life--love, giving, food and drink, work, sorrow and joy, children, clothes and housing, buying and selling, crime and punishment, freedom, reason and passion, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion and death . Like most wisdom, most of what he has to tell is ancient, the possession of all men who have thought much and hard about fundamental things . To many he is a genius whose philosophical and prophetic style convey important messages about life and humanity in a simple, yet beautifully eloquent manner, that are as fresh and meaningful in today's world as when they were first written.
Reviews
"Kahlil Gibran has earned the right to be called one of the greatest philosophical writers in modern times."
"Everything this brilliant man wrote is well - brilliant - you cannot go wrong with any of his work!"
"any words of Mr. Gibran, and I am in love...he speaks to your heart always."
"my favorite life book, teacher, beautiful prose, great writer."
"classic writings, simple and intelligent."
"I read his complete words many years ago."
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Best Medieval Literary Critism

The Odyssey
The great epic of Western literature, translated by the acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles Robert Fagles, winner of the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation and a 1996 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, presents us with Homer's best-loved and most accessible poem in a stunning modern-verse translation. Odysseus' reliance on his wit and wiliness for survival in his encounters with divine and natural forces during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War is at once a timeless human story and an individual test of moral endurance. Odysseus, on his way home from the Trojan War, encounters all kinds of marvels from one-eyed giants to witches and beautiful temptresses. His adventures are many and memorable before he gets back to Ithaca and his faithful wife Penelope. His translations include Sophocles’s Three Theban Plays , Aeschylus’s Oresteia (nominated for a National Book Award), Homer’s Iliad (winner of the 1991 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award by The Academy of American Poets), Homer’s Odyssey , and Virgil's Aeneid . His works include The Heroic Temper: Studies in Sophoclean Tragedy, Oedipus at Thebes: Sophocles’ Tragic Hero and His Time and Essays Ancient and Modern (awarded the 1989 PEN/Spielvogel-Diamonstein Award).
Reviews
"Peter Green states in the introduction that he is following in the footsteps of Lattimore, to preserve as much of the poem in Greek--wording, sentence structure, meter, and so on--in English, but to also make it declaimable. There is the Fagles translation, in modern free verse, is wonderful to read aloud. The Fagles Odyssey was on Selected Shorts once, and for a long time after I insisted that there was no other worthwhile contemporary translation of Homer. Lombardo's translation is pretty common in colleges because of the price and the slangy presentation. In the Greek, the Iliad has "μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος" Quite literally, "Rage! The first word is the theme of the poem, the way it is directed first against Agamemnon, then toward the Trojans, and then tempered for a common moment of humanity, is the internal trajectory of the whole epic. Make it into readable English, and you wind up with a host of compromises where thousands of close translations might do. Go far enough you wind up with Girardoux's "The Trojan War Will Not Take Place," worthwhile on its own, but not really a "translation." The introduction includes a plot summary of the whole Trojan War, of which the Iliad only covers a small portion. There is also a synopsis of the poem keyed to the poem in the back matter to help find your place, an enlightening glossary of names and concepts to help you through your first read, and footnotes to inform the reader of context that has since been lost."
"With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. -Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990. “Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”. -Translated by Samuel Butler, 1888. “Rage: Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks. Incalculable pain pitched countless souls. Of heroes into Hades’ dark, And let their bodies rot as feasts. For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done. Begin with the clash between Agamemnon—. The Greek Warlord—and godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997. “Anger be now your song, immortal one, Akhilleus’ anger, doomed and ruinous, that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss. and crowded brave souls into the undergloom, leaving so many dead men—carrion. for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done. Begin it when the two men first contending. broke with one another—. the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus’ son, and Prince Akhilleus.”. -Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1963. “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains, hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus’ son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus.”. –Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951. “Sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son Achilles’ anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus’s will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles.”. -Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008. “An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment.”. -Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1950. “Achilles’ wrath, to Greece the direful spring. Of woes unnumber’d, heavenly goddess, sing! That wrath which hurl’d to Pluto’s gloomy reign. The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain; Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore, Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore. Peleus’ son; His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes. Caused to Achaia’s host, sent many a soul. Illustrious into Ades premature, And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove). To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey, When fierce dispute had separated once. The noble Chief Achilles from the son. Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men.”. -Translated by William Cowper, London 1791. “Achilles’ baneful wrath – resound, O goddess – that impos’d. Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos’d. From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*. That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave: To all which Jove’s will give effect; from whom the first strife begun. Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son*”. -Translated by George Chapman, 1616. “The Rage of Achilles—sing it now, goddess, sing through me. the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief. and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters, leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs. and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished. Begin at the time when bitter words first divided. that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Stephen Mitchell. “Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus, ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions; many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades, those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies, plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__”. -Translated by Rodney Merrill. “Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus’ son, the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless. agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades, causing them to become the prey of dogs. and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.”. -Translated by Anthony Verity. Antony does not attempt to be poetic. “Of Peleus’ son, Achilles, sing, O Muse, The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece. Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul. Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades. Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain. Unburied lay, to rav’ning dogs, And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,”. -Translated by Edward Smith-Stanly 1862. “Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-. that murderous anger witch condemned Achaeans. to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls. deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies. carrion food for dogs and birds-. all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus”. - Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia 2006. “The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus, The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the. Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house. of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs. and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus.”. - Translated by Barry B. Powell. “Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians countless ills many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs, souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs and all birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled from the first moment those two men parted in fury, Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Peter Green. “Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles.”. - Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A. --------. Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles, that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans, hurled fourth to Hades many strong souls of warriors. and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs, for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished; sing from when they to first stood in conflict-. Ateus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles. We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes form position."
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Best Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology Literary Criticism

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, 75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition
In celebration of of the 75th anniversary of this classic bestseller, this stunningly illustrated, beautifully packaged, larger-format hardcover edition will be beloved by fans of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology of all ages. She regarded as the high point of her life a 1957 ceremony in which King Paul of Greece named her an honorary citizen of Athens.
Reviews
"It's a classic for good reason."
"Required for freshman English class."
"Good book, but mine came with the spine bent ever so slightly diagonally that it drives me insane."
"This book gives you details about the gods that you didn't know you wanted to know!"
"Edith Hamilton's classic."
"Needed this For my English IS class and it provided spot on and flawless information over Greek mythology down to the core."
"books are great (and we ha to have it for school)."
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Best Literary Genre History & Criticism

DC Comics Encyclopedia All-New Edition
Formatted in an easy-to use A-to-Z layout, this guide is packed with information and thrilling comic book art and features more than 1,100 characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, and much more.
Reviews
"My 12 year old son got this book at our local library and then kept renewing it over and over again because he liked it so much."
"Got it as a gift for a friend and he loves it, he says the illustrations are from comics and so far every character is included, he is yet to find any character missing, and the illustrations are really nice."
"So far so good."
"Awesome encyclopedia for newcomers to DC comics or fanatics like me!"
"This book is so awesome!"
"I had no idea the history and detail of the superhero world."
"My brother received a marvel encyclopedia for his bday so I gave him this for Christmas."
"I purchased this book for my son as a birthday present."
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Best Literary Criticism & Theory

The Night Before Christmas
Our modern image of Santa Claus as a bearded, plump, jolly figure can be traced back to Moore’s famous description of St. Nick: "He had a broad face, and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly." PreS Up–Spirin's richly colored and ornate colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations opposite each page of text place this version of the classic poem in a nostalgic, 18th-century European town.
Reviews
"It is the night before Christmas, what other story is appropriate to read to my grandson."
"I didn't read the dimensions, this is a pocket size book."
"Very nice book."
"Perfect gift for infants book collection."
"The illustrations in this book are fantastic."
"Great book and beautiful pictures!"
"I cannot explain the excitement I felt being able to share "the night before Christmas" story with my only grandchild I'd never met in person."
"the book is very small in size."
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Best Book History & Criticism

Remarkable Books: The World's Most Beautiful and Historic Works
A beautifully illustrated guide to more than 75 of the world's most celebrated, rare, and seminal books and handwritten manuscripts ever produced, with discussions of their purpose, features, and creators. Michael Collins is a native of Ireland and studied theology at the University College Dublin.
Reviews
"The definition of a good coffee table book, this work is almost impossible to avoid picking it up and paging through. Along with photographs of pages from the first edition which include a discussion of 16th century typesetting, is a general synopsis of the book’s subject matter, a thumbnail biography of the author, an over-view of culture during the book’s release and an In Context section which explores its impact in history which in this case is a look at the founding fathers of the U.S. Not every work in the book is covered as lavishly, for example in the final section most books, On the Road by Jack Kerouak has four or five columnar inches and a picture of the cover of the book. The inclusions cover a vast range of subjects from definitive botanical and anatomical works, ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead and the I Ching to Beatrice Potter’s Peter Rabbit along with Penguin publishers first 10 paperback books creating a thoroughly engaging volume."
"A stunning volume spanning centuries of beautiful books from all cultures."
"From earliest times, when books were laboriously written on clay tablets, papyrus, parchment, and paper, until the present, with millions of us obtaining books, magazines, and other reading matter electronically, books have been a hallmark of civilization. While doing so, you will discover a treasure trove about the Gutenberg Bible, Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable notebooks, Vesalius's studies of the human body that set "a new standard for anatomical illustration," Samuel Johnson's extraordinary dictionary, Audubon's masterpiece, "Birds of America," Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.""
"I thought not...). "Remarkable Books" is too big to sit down with and read all at once. However, it's a wonderful book to start at the beginning - 3000BCE - and goes on through the ages to modern times."
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Best Women Author Literary Criticism

We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live: Collected Nonfiction (Everyman's Library)
Includes seven books in one volume: the full texts of. Slouching Towards Bethlehem; The White Album; Salvador; Miami; After Henry; Political Fictions; and Where I Was From. The White Album covers the revolutionary politics and the “contemporary wasteland” of the late sixties and early seventies, in pieces on the Manson family, the Black Panthers, and Hollywood. “[Didion’s is] one of the most recognizable—and brilliant—literary styles to emerge in America during the past four decades . Didion has remained a clearheaded and original writer all her long life.”. — Newsweek. They come at you, if not from ambush, then in gnomic haikus, ice pick laser beams, or waves. Even the space on the page around these sentences is more interesting than it ought to be, as if to square a sandbox for a Sphinx.”. —from the Introduction by John Leonard.
Reviews
"A wonderful collection that will leaving you feeling you are not missing out on any of the essential non-fiction of Didion."
"This is an outstanding collection of vintage and new Didion."
"I only became aware of Joan Didion after hearing about her bestseller, The Year of Magical Thinking, which I got, and found absolutely touching."
"What can I say, Didion is a great writer."
"She's one of my favorite writers and I was happy to get an anthology of her non-fiction work."
"Joan wrote her best when she wrote about California."
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Best Regional & Cultural Literary Criticism

A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic
A delightful Christmas storybook for adults based on the action-packed Die Hard movie. All John McClane wants for Christmas is to reunite with his estranged family. Author: Doogie Horner is a comedian, author, and illustrator.
Reviews
"which is the most amazing part of this book."
"It's a must buy for Die Hard fans and an "Hmm, I'm not sure" buy for parents who want to introduce their toddlers to Die Hard."
"Written in the style of the classic "Twas the Night Before Christmas" this hilarious story sets the ongoing argument to rest, proving once and for all that Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie."
"I bought this for my fiancé for Christmas because we both love Die Hard and I thought this would be a cute gift idea and he loved it."
"Doogie Horner is genius."
"If you love the greatest Christmas movie ever and have any sense of humor, you MUST get this book."
"Got it as a joke gift and a card for the entire family."
"Well drawn, funny, and rhymes!"
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Best Literary Movements & Periods

The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World
As an immigrant from Poland to England, and in travels from Malaya to Congo to the Caribbean, Conrad navigated an interconnected world, and captured it in a literary oeuvre of extraordinary depth. In a compelling blend of history, biography, and travelogue, Maya Jasanoff follows Conrad’s routes and the stories of his four greatest works— The Secret Agent , Lord Jim , Heart of Darkness , and Nostromo . “Brilliant…Jasanoff is an insightful and imaginative historian…The book comes in the form of a biography of Joseph Conrad, but in fact through Conrad she tells the story of a whole phase in world history…Boundless curiosity is also an attribute of Maya Jasanoff...[Her] travels have given her an empathy and an understanding for Conrad, and also for the victims of imperialism, that breathe on every page of this magnificent book…This is the best book on Conrad since [Ian] Watt’s. “Enlightening, compassionate, superb” —John Le Carré “With wit, nuance, and roving insight, Harvard historian Maya Jasanoff’s The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World maps the massively influential and controversial author’s life and work, finding that the themes of his time—dislocation and connection, immigration and xenophobia, power and powerlessness—uncannily mirror our own.” — Megan O’Grady, Vogue.com’s 10 Best Books of 2017 “[A] brilliant study . “[Jasanoff] Skillfully integrates details of Conrad’s life and accounts of his four greatest works, linking the challenges and forces that lie behind and within the novels to those of the 21st century…A powerful encouragement to read his books.” —. The Economist “This is an unobtrusively skillful, subtle, clear-eyed book, beautifully narrated…It is Jasanoff’s warmth towards her subject that comes through.” — Financial Times. “[Conrad’s] life story has been told many times, but Maya Jasanoff’s stands out for its vivid and imaginative writing…she provides rich background details on multiple topics…her attempts to reveal the hidden springs of Conrad’s fiction are often perceptive.” — Sunday Times (UK). “A great biography of Conrad for our times could never be just a biography of Conrad. To read it is to be a stowaway in the hull of a ship sailing from Conrad’s times to our own, as swift as the wind.” —Jill Lepore “In Dawn Watch , Maya Jasanoff has fashioned a singular craft for exploring the rapids and crosscurrents of a newly globalized era. The journey is intellectually exhilarating, and brings us to a richer understanding not only of Conrad’s world but our own.” —Kwame Anthony Appiah "Maya Jasanoff’s masterpiece....one of the most important books on colonialism to be written in our time, and by one of our most brilliant young historians." Maya Jasanoff is an eloquent historian and an erudite storyteller; she almost persuaded me to re-read Nostromo .” —Geoff Dyer “Jasanoff has done her research on sea and land as well as in the archives, and her book is often thrilling to read as it travels the world with Conrad. An admirable and profoundly meditated biography, worthy of its subject.” —Claire Tomalin “A guided tour of the underside of empire, led by the fiction of Joseph Conrad and the erudition of Maya Jasanoff, The Dawn Watch is history, biography, and adventure story.
Reviews
"This is a wonderfully written piece of excellent engaging prose."
"Really good, especially if you have any interest in Joseph Conrad and his works."
"If you have an interest in the works of Joseph Conrad or wish to learn more about how he lived his life, then this book should be read."
"She observes, “In this book I set out to explore Conrad’s world with the compass of a historian, the chart of a biographer, and the navigational sextant of a fiction reader.”. Conrad was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski on December 3, 1857, to Polish parents in Berdichev (now Berdychiv), Ukraine, and was raised and educated primarily in Poland. The silhouette of forest scrolled past, interrupted now and then by villages of thatched huts on poles...But the jungle wasn’t closing in, there was no sense of menace, and rather than feeling alienated from my surroundings, I was embraced into a veritable floating village...I had come to Congo to find Conrad, yet he had never felt further away. Perhaps moreso today than when Korzeniowski embarked on his first voyage and retired from his last, our world is vulnerable to “the awful attribute of our nature...[one that] is not so far under the surface as we think.”. In this context, I am again reminded of an observation by Joan Didion: " “I suppose I am talking about just that: the ambiguity of belonging to a generation distrustful of political highs, the historical irrelevancy of growing up convinced that the heart of darkness lay not in some error of social organization but in man’s own blood.”. I plan to re-read once again Maya Jasanoff’s brilliant book as well as Heart of Darkness and probably Lord Jim."
"As this suggests, her range is wide and her knowledge is deep. Here are a couple of particularly lovely sentences: “Pine-scented summer veered into dank, frost-nipped autumn.” Or, a page later, “Even when you can trace the fault lines, there’s no knowing where or when an earthquake will strike.” Yes, sometimes an “off” sentence sounds, “Fog slung moist arms around the town’s shoulders.” But the next sentence redeems: “Wet, black forest scratched its back.” Jasanoff has traveled down the Congo and other Conradian places, all the better to give you a sense of what he may have experienced and seen (albeit with an eye to how things have changed) and how this author has a restless and insatiable appetite for experience, akin to Conrad’s."
"With the sweeping narrative of a great history, the perception of an insightful biography, and the eloquence of a great novel, The Dawn Watch recounts much more than the story of Polish-born British author Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)."
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Best Comparative Literature

The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present
A brilliant book by Nobel Prize winner Eric R. Kandel, The Age of Insight takes us to Vienna 1900, where leaders in science, medicine, and art began a revolution that changed forever how we think about the human mind—our conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions—and how mind and brain relate to art. Kandel tells the story of how these pioneers—Freud, Schnitzler, Klimt, Kokoschka, and Schiele—inspired by the Vienna School of Medicine, in turn influenced the founders of the Vienna School of Art History to ask pivotal questions such as What does the viewer bring to a work of art? Kandel, one of the leading scientific thinkers of our time, places these five innovators in the context of today’s cutting-edge science and gives us a new understanding of the modernist art of Klimt, Kokoschka, and Schiele, as well as the school of thought of Freud and Schnitzler. Advance praise for The Age of Insight “Eric Kandel has succeeded in a brilliant synthesis that would have delighted and fascinated Freud: Using Viennese culture of the twentieth century as a lens, he examines the intersections of psychology, neuroscience, and art. No one else could have written this book—all its readers will be amply rewarded.” —Howard Gardner, Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education “Eric Kandel’s training as a psychiatrist and his vast knowledge of how the brain works enrich this thoroughly original exploration of the relationship between the birth of psychoanalysis, Austrian Expressionism, and Modernism in Vienna.” —Margaret Livingstone, Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School “This is the book that Charles Darwin would have produced, had he chosen to write about art and aesthetics. ‘I don’t render the visible,’ said Paul Klee, ‘I make visible.’ He echoed Edna St. Vincent Millay’s ‘Euclid alone looked on beauty bare.’ Eric Kandel is of that company.” —Frederic Morton “Nobel laureate Eric Kandel’s path-setting exploration of the connections between neuroscience and the painters Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka establishes a new frontier in the study of this all-important historical period. The shift toward a biological conception of self, which began in Vienna over a hundred years ago, has since decisively shaped our understanding of human nature.” — Jane Kallir, director, Galerie St. Etienne “With infectuous enthusiasm and limitless reverence for his multiple subjects, Kandel deftly steers the reader through a vast and inviting territory of science, the creative process, the mind, emotion, eroticism, empathy, feminism, and the unconscious.
Reviews
"In this richLY rewarding book, Nobel laureate Eric Kandel (2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) attempts to draw together two widely disparate disciplines, the visual arts and brain science. Using the art world and science world of turn of the century Vienna, and focusing on the three extraordinary artists who among them forged Austrian Expressionism -Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980), and Egon Schiele (1890-1918) - asks three questions: *Does art have universal functions and features? While they add little new to our understanding of their works, Kandel's comments on why they worked are sensible and, more important yet, given the eventual aim of the book (the book's arc) they provide a bridge to the later discussion of how in fact the brain processes visual information and, briefly, a discussion of "the brain as a creativity machine." After a relatively short (40 pp) discussion of the cognitive psychology of perception, it concentrates on how the brain receives, stores and organizes information, and the implications of this for the visual arts. Discussing the dominant role of line in art, Kandel observes: "Artists have always realized that objects are defined by their shapes, which in turn derive from their edges. There are numerous color illustrations, works of art and diagrams of the brain, and black and white photographs and schematic drawings of the nervous system, etc."
"Author has masterful knowledge of neurology, and deep insight into Freud and Klimt, but I felt that the master plan of the book never quite came together."
"I read this book on loan from a friend, and decided I needed to own my own copy."
"It appears that the connection was made in private homes in Vienna near the turn of the last century, when scientists, physicians and artists who were most prominent during those years and at that place liked to get together, informally and talk about what interested them most. So, they began to change the way they painted, trying ever and ever to indicate the way humans act and think."
""The Age of Insight" gave me enormous insight into Vienna before World War I, the wonderful confluence of artists, psychologists, scientists, writers, and musicians who knew and influenced one another."
"It was very informative and well connected between the multiple disciplines of art, psychology, biology, chemistry, and science in general."
"I cannot really say where Dr. Kandel's wide-spanning mind might not seek to go."
"I bought Amazon Prime so I could get this shipped in time for Christmas."
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