Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography   2. Biography / Autobiography   3. Biography/Autobiography   4. General   5. Historical - General   6. Personal Memoirs   

Subjects:  1. Modern fiction   

Customer Reviews (2)

the european colloquy for all time and space
Readers of this book beware, its themes are huge! It contains lucid narrative of the competition from Cartesians to Newtonians for the best model of the universe and the nature of time and space. There are scarcely any baggy corners into which the reader will turn unwillingly. However, there is not terribly much about the science or the methods of discovery employed by these thinkers in their shared pursuit of important results. Koyre has written a classic study of intellectual history. Discussion of divinity and its aspects is abundant because this presence was one that the scientists were working diligently to situate without offending the authorities and employers of the age. The universe is a source whose study has profoundly metaphysical and ontological implications. Koyre brings these alive for the reader and shares the tumult of ideas that produced much of what we consider now to be a satisfactory vision of the universe.

Intellectual Elegance Defined
Korye's decades-old book is still a pleasure and a marvel to read. The ideas developed in this first-rate work are lucidly and extensively developed and contain such subtle gems of thought that one could not possibly discover all of them with a single reading. Anyone with even but a passing interest in the history and philosophy of science should add this book to his library. A true classic! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cosmology   2. History   3. History & Surveys - 17th/18th Century   4. Literary Criticism   5. Philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Literature - Classics / Criticism   

Customer Reviews (2)

The Count of Monte Cristo adapted by Mitsu Yamamoto
I just received this edition and am disappointed to find out that Mitsu Yamamoto is not the illustrator, but the adaptor of this work, and that it is also an extremely abridged edition. While it may be very good reading, I was expecting to receive an unabridged edition.

The Count of Monte Cristco (Great Ilustrated classics)
This book was excellent! I loved it! If you are looking for a great adventure I want you to try this book. It is a tale of love, adventure, and revange. The main character is accused of trason, and is sentenced to a awful prison. He soon meets a prest who wants him to escape with him. They keep trying but soon only Edmund escapes. He wants to get all the people back who sent him to prison. He does at the end with the help of many people. The ending is a great surprise and a fabulous ending. Though it may be a little expecting. I have given it to my friends and they all have loved it. The movie was great too. Even if it was a bit different. Next time I read the Count I always feel excited and happy. Please try it! I am sure you will love it! Even though at time it is a bit grusome! It is a great book, and the author is great maybe I will be able to read the real version of the story one day! I reccomend it to any 11-13 year old who enjoys history and advanture, with a bit of revenge! You will truely enjoy this great book! I like it and you will to! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century   2. Action & Adventure   3. Adventure and adventurers   4. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary   5. Children: Grades 4-6   6. Classics   7. Fiction   8. France   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Revenge   11. Social life and customs   

Subjects:  1. 1844-1900   2. 19th century   3. Aesthetics, German   4. Art   5. Contributions in art and archi   6. Criticism   7. Fine Arts   8. History & Surveys - 19th Century   9. Movements - Existentialism   10. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm,   11. Philosophy   12. Philosophy Of Art   13. Contributions in art and architecture   14. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm   

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - General   4. General   5. Literature: Classics   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Bakst, Léon   3. Benois, Alexandre   4. Exhibitions   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Catalogs   3. Interviews   4. Sarmento, Julião   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography   2. Biography / Autobiography   3. Biography/Autobiography   4. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union   5. General   6. Historical - General   7. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

Too much blather, too little information
How have important archaeological discoveries of the last half-century revolutionized our thinking about the origins of Rome, especially the foundation myth of Romulus? That's the subject of this book, and it's a fascinating one - the subject, that is, NOT the book. Grandazzi does present a few interesting ideas, but they are few and far between, and could easily have appeared in a 30-page monograph rather than a book-length work. Much too much of the book is filled with digressions such as this one: "Paradoxically, it is the technological development made possible by the use of computers that has raised the risk of rigidifying this still necessary evolution. On the luminescent screens of these miraculous little machines, which archaeologists for good reason put to great use, the date attached to each of the catalogued objects is stripped of it hypothetical character and acquires a legitimacy, an obviousness, an objectivity - the weight of reality in short." This kind of blather goes on for page after page. And despite the fact this is a paperback reprint of a previous hardcover, there remain uncorrected errors in spelling (Asier for Aesir, the Norse gods; Tarquinius Piscus for Tarquinius Priscus) as well as errors in the footnoted references to other works (the wrong date for an article in a philological journal, for example). Readers interested in the subject will find much greater rewards in THE BEGINNINGS OF ROME by T.J. Cornell, who deals with the same material in far greater depth and proves that even the most complex issues can be clearly presented and cogently argued. More theoretical but equally disciplined is REMUS: A ROMAN MYTH by T.P. Wiseman, who presents ideas far more daring than those of Grandazzi yet still keeps his feet firmly on the ground (and his prose firmly on subject). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome   2. Anthropology - General   3. Archaeology and history   4. Excavations (Archaeology)   5. History   6. History - General History   7. Italy   8. Literature: Classics   9. Mythology, Roman   10. Rome   11. Rome (Italy)   12. Social Science   13. To 476   14. To 510 B.C   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Individual Artist   

Subjects:  1. General   2. History & Surveys - Modern   3. Philosophy   

Customer Reviews (4)

waiting for the Count of Montecristo
This short novel By Alexander Dumas is nice and quite interesting in spite of the fact that the plot is not particualrly elaborated.
The plot goes more or less as follows. Dumas is a famous writer undertaking a journey in Corsica, meets one the two Corsican brothers, goes back to Paris, meets and befriends the other brother who enjoying the life Parisian high society. This second brother falls in love, has to fight in a duel and dies. The other brother who had sworn never to leave his mother and his (father)land goes to Paris and avenges the death of his beloved brother.
What is interesting is that Dumas demonstrates a phenomenal understanding of the customs and the institutions of the Corsican society. His treatment of the 'revenge' as a social institution is simply masterful.
Even more interesting is the fact that both the setting (a Mediterranean Island, Paris) and the themes (the journey, the revenge) of the Corsican Brothers are the same that Dumas adopts in the Count of Montecristo.
The reader has the impression that the Corsican Brothers is a study that Dumas made to prepare himself to write The Count of Montecristo. I think they should be read in exactly this order.

A Pleasant Surprise!
As The Corsican Brothers is one of Dumas' less popular works (I'm not sure if I should call it a novella or a short story), I expected it to be fairly dry: either very historical or very travel-oriented. It IS travel-oriented, and one CAN see the travel writer incarnation of Dumas, but it is far from boring and does not lack for interesting characters. The brothers may not have the relentless adventures of D'Artagnan, but they leap off the page and make themselves unforgettable nonetheless. There are some beautifully humorous moments as well (Dumas walks into one brother's library and checks to see if the man has any Dumas books!). If I had to compare this work to a more famous Dumas work, though, I would compare it to "A Masked Ball." Short, quick to read, using Dumas himself as narrator, and brilliant. I very much reccomend this one.

a smoother read than i had thought it would be
i had always wondered why it was near impossible to find this book, unlike the other dumas novels which had been turned into movies. the reason is apparent; the book has nothing to do with the movie, beyond the notion of sympathetic twins.

yet this is a nice read, more of a novella than a short story -- you should be able to finish it in two hours. and it gives a nice idea of that travel writer that dumas was, tho we barely know him as such. this is a good travelog of 19th century corsica (and certainly more readable than trash like thoreau's bloated "cape cod".)

don't expect d'artagnan or edmond dantes, but settle in for a pleasant afternoon's read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Literature - Classics / Criticism   

Subjects:  1. Law   2. Movements - Phenomenology   3. Phenomenology   4. Philosophy   5. Political   6. Social Justice (Ethics)   

Subjects:  1. Mathematical Physics   2. Physics   3. Science   4. Science/Mathematics   5. Solitons   6. Wave Mechanics   7. Waves & Wave Mechanics   

Customer Reviews (19)

Without options! This will force you to call in sick to work
As so many others who have read these books I too find myself locked away in the linen closet till the book is done. Wow what a great way to compose a story from three supporting characters of past novels! However I must admitt that I am stuck on Jason and his epic tale to come. This one was a good buffer to wet our taste buds but I was a little dissapointed to find out that this was not the Jason story! Oh well, I still really enjoyed this book and Rosenberg is now the only fantasy author that I will read! Just because his stuff is: THAT GOOD! So do yourself a favor and pick this up or you will miss out on an inportant part of the GUARDIANS saga.

Rather sad what has happened to this series
I truly loved the first three Guardians of the Flame novels, which is why it was so sad reading this book. This new book starts off slow, continues on at a plodding pace until the last 80 pages, and just when it starts to get good, it's all over. The characterization is wonderfull, as always. Joel Rosenberg is a master of that. Unfortunately, the plot has fallen by the wayside. A description of many tiny misadventures that befall the heroes seems to be a substitute for a plot: you hear all about their trip in excruciating detail. You keep waiting for the plot to advance, and it hardly budges until the very end. The first three Guardians of the Flame books were great, but this one has the feel of 'a day in the life of three soldiers loyal to Barony Cullinane' rather than offering a fast paced and interesting plot that initially made this series so enjoyable. I would give it one star, but since the characterization is of the same high quality I expect from Rosenburg, I give it two.

Definitely an enjoyable book.
I actually started the series by reading this book (thank you, Andy, for the gift. Good call) and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Summary: Three soldiers are dragged into a political argument and ordered to investigate a minor dispute in the outreaches of the realm, which leads to more than anyone had bargained for.

Pretty good opening concept, although I never read the backs of the books (it ruins the surprise for me). What interested me more than anything else was the pure grittiness of the world that Joel, whom I'm sure doesn't mind being on a first-name basis from me, captured and dropped into my hands. In a land of magic, legends and dragons, one wouldn't expect there to be hardship in simply travelling or even danger in getting a simple drink.
If life were so simple, there wouldn't be much of a story. So the attention to detail, the dangers of everyday life in a world without constant police presence, was impressive.

The characters are hardened veterans, having fought, bled and watched those they've known fall in battle, or even in a street fight. They're honorable without being fanatical about it, exceptionally practical and utterly dedicated to their lord. Joel captures and keeps the societal differences between our world and theirs, and the consistency of it was well done indeed.

The characters are Pirojil, ugly as can be and never is he portrayed otherwise, Durine, large and dangerous and distant, and Kethol, heroic and not too bright but humble. Despite their weaknesses, they are engaging and make for some plausible interaction. It seems obvious that people who have worked together for a long time would know each other, but Joel makes it a point to note some of their conversational short-cuts, and includes some failings among friends that are understandable.

Summary: Great characterizations, a good story and some creative solutions to tricky problems. If you liked Glory Road, Outlaws of Sherwood and/or the Deed of Paksenarrion series, you'll like Not Exactly the Three Musketeers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1802-1870   2. American Science Fiction And Fantasy   3. Dumas, Alexandre,   4. Fantastic fiction   5. Fantasy   6. Fantasy - General   7. Fiction   8. Parodies, imitations, etc   9. Trois mousquetaires   10. Dumas, Alexandre   

Subjects:  1. History   2. History Of Science   3. Philosophy   4. Philosophy Of Science   5. Science   6. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. Architecture   2. Individual Architect   3. Reference   

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Literature - Classics / Criticism   3. Untranslated Fiction - French