Download Description
"Living in the peaceful city of Pickax may be restful, but it certainly isn't dull. At least not for one of the most eligible bachelors in town, veteran newspaperman Jim Qwilleran. Having inherited millions, Qwilleran and his two feline companions, Koko and Yum Yum, are preparing to settle down into a life of purrfect luxury. That is, until the son of a rich banker and his wife are found murdered. To the police, it looks like a robbery gone awry. But then Koko develops an odd appetite for glue. Qwilleran doesn't spot the clue until his beloved Siamese's taste for paste tangles them in a web of love, danger, and their stickiest case yet! "
Customer Reviews:
Koko strikes again.......2007-05-14
Full of odd characters and wierd quirks, Quill and Koko solve another case. Typical Braun. A fun read.
The Cat who Sniffed Glue.......2006-11-10
Always enjoy her mysteries. Being a cat perwon there are a fun read.
My Favorite Cozy Series!.......2006-08-30
In the 8th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is busy with the first issue of the redesigned newspaper to be published in Moose County (400 miles north of everywhere). He is currently living with his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) in an apartment over the old Klingenschoen garage and has settled in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.
As the book begins, Moose County is dealing with a rash of vandalism that has been escalating to increasingly violent acts. One of the suspects in the vandalism ring is Chad Lanspeak, son of the owners of the Lanspeak's Department Store. As Chad's parents are good friends of Qwill, he tries to befriend the young man, and begins to believe that Chad was not involved in the violence. A murder of two prominent citizens occurs, and the prime suspects in the murder are Chad and his friends. When a car crash kills Chad and two other suspects in the vandalism ring, the police are quick to close the case. Qwill suspects that the police have closed the case prematurely, and continues to quietly investigate. With KoKo developing a fascination with glue, and Polly becoming more and more distant to his affections, Qwill is kept busy while trying to solve the murders and to clear the name of his good friend's son.
This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a long-time resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". This installment discusses how the newspaper is launched, and how Qwill starts to write his famous column.
This is a great series by my favorite author!
The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!
What happened to Harley and his wife?.......2006-07-18
Harley Fitch and his wife are discovered murdered in their home. The scions of Pickax society are aghast, as the Fitch's are one of their own. I agree with the formal reviewer that there is no way to figure out whodunnit until the very end when they tell you, but I thoroughly enjoy the ride. The characters in this book are interesting and a bit off the beaten path, for the most part. Enjoy!
Squunk Water Anyone?.......2005-05-12
As I started this, the eighth book of this series I found that the author had decided to use a slightly different tact from that of her previous books. At the beginning of each chapter there are what amounts to stage directions that tell the reader about the location of the action to come and the characters involved. For someone who jumps into the series with this book these directions might be helpful but I found them very distracting.
The story itself revolves around the murder of the scion of a local family of bankers and his wife, of whom the family did not approve. Everyone immediately assumes that a gang of local hoodlums committed the murder but Jim Qwilleran is not so sure about that. By the time the dust has settled, Braun has killed off seven residents of Moose County as she continues to thin the population of this remote area. Through it all, Qwilleran senses that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye but he continually overlooks the clues that his cat Koko is trying to give him. To add to Qwilleran's woes, Yum Yum is behaving strangely and he is having serious women troubles.
The mystery is a little heavier in this book than in the previous installments and the clues are much harder to read. Until the very end, neither the reader nor Qwilleran will know whom the killer or killers are despite Koko's clues. It all just seems so improbable. Still, since the mysteries in these books are secondary to the story of Jim Qwilleran, his cats and the people of Moose County the odd solution to this particular mystery is not too disappointing. The reader should also be wary of fake leads that appear throughout this story.
As is normal for these cat books, the characters are very well developed and interesting. Most of the people to be found in this book have shown up before but we are introduced to the bookseller Eddington Smith, who like Barney Fife carries a pistol with no bullets. We are also introduced to Smith's cat Winston, who dusts the booksellers inventory with his tail. Also intriguing is the bottled water Qwilleran likes so much and the reason that is finally given for it's pleasant taste.
Lilian Jackson Braun can weave a story like few other authors. Her mysteries are light and entertaining with just a little sex rolled in to keep things interesting. Even if you aren't a mystery buff, once you start reading this series you will not be able to stop because you will get very attached to the people and the cats. If there were really a Moose County I think that I would move there.
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite Cozy Mystery Series!.......2006-09-09
In The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is becoming acclimated to his new life as a millionaire in Pickaxe City (400 miles north of everywhere). He has moved his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) into the old Klingenschoen mansion and has settled in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.
As this book begins, Qwill is awaiting the arrival of "the big one", a huge snow fall, as predicted every day on the weather report on WPKX. He is starting to adapt to life as the richest man in Moose County, and has started dating the local librarian, Polly Duncan. He begins to get acquainted with the various families in town, and develops an easy friendship with Junior Goodwinter, the young, energetic editor of the Pickax Picayune. When Junior's father dies suddenly in an accident, Qwill sympathizes with his friend, and looks for ways to save the centuries' old newspaper run for years without profit. Qwill begins to become suspicious of Junior's mother, and her reaction to her husband's death. It seems the widow is ready to sell all of her possessions and has been seen around town with a new man. Could the death of Senior Goodwinter have been anything more than a bad car accident? Distracting Qwill from the suspicious death is the upcoming marriage of his beloved housekeeper, Mrs. Iris Cobb. Qwill brought Mrs. Cobb up from "Down Below" to manage his household and the new museum that is being created in the Klingenschoen mansion. But the man she is marrying is highly disliked in town, and Qwill works hard to insure that Mrs. Cobb is marrying the right man for her.
In the Cat Who Sniffed Glue, Moose County is dealing with a rash of vandalism that has been escalating to increasingly violent acts. One of the suspects in the vandalism ring is Chad Lanspeak, son of the owners of the Lanspeak's Department Store. As Chad's parents are good friends of Qwill, he tries to befriend the young man, and begins to believe that Chad was not involved in the violence. A murder of two prominent citizens occurs, and the prime suspects in the murder are Chad and his friends. When a car crash kills Chad and two other suspects in the vandalism ring, the police are quick to close the case. Qwill suspects that the police have closed the case prematurely, and continues to quietly investigate. With KoKo developing a fascination with glue, and Polly becoming more and more distant to his affections, Qwill is kept busy while trying to solve the murders and to clear the name of his good friend's son.
In the Cat Who Went Underground Qwill, is feeling despondent over the recent absence of Polly Duncan, and decides he needs a change. He moves his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) into his lakefront cottage in Mooseville for the summer, and quickly learns that country living is not for him. He has to call for plumbing repairs almost daily, and with the small size of the cottage, he quickly decides to build an addition to create more room for himself and the cats. Finding a reputable builder during the summer season is a daunting task, however, as all of the builders are booked for months in advance. Qwill finds himself a builder with a stellar reputation and feels smug for his ingenuity. This all comes to a screeching halt when the man goes missing, and Qwill must find himself an "underground" builder to finish the job. This latest carpenter is sluggish and lazy, and Qwill finds himself having to supervise all of the work being slowly performed. When the carpenter is discovered dead on Qwill's property, he becomes a suspect. He quickly learns that summer at the lake is not what he intended and works overtime to discover who has a grudge against carpenters in Moose County.
This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall.
This is a great series by my favorite author!
The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!
Unplug the phone, pull the quilt to your chin and enjoy!.......1998-03-24
Lilian Jackson Braun always delivers, even if it's the latest edition of the "Moose County Something" in Moose County, which is 400 miles north of everywhere. Qwilleran is at his sleuthing best with KoKo, a Siamese cat with keen intelligence, as his mystery-solving partner. As always, the mysteries are well plotted with quirky characters that capture and carry the reader from the first clue to each satisfying conclusion. If you enjoy the "Cat Who . . ." books as much as I do, you'll want to read "The Cat Who Sang for the Birds", the latest in the series. And it's not necessary to read the books in order. Each stands on its own as a complete story. Cuddle with your favorite feline, and as Qwilleran would no doubt recommend, read aloud to stimulate your feline's intelligence.
A fun pair of sleuths for the price of one........1998-03-17
I have read all of "The Cat Who..." books except the very latest one (and it is on a UPS truck at this moment from Amazon.com). Jim Qwilleran is a semi-retired journalist in a small town. His column in the local paper is titled "The Qwill Pen". He is owned by 2 siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. It pays to pay attention to Koko if there has been a foul deed commited and to Qwilleran's own mustache which throbs with unease when lies are being told. When you need a break from more serious reading my suggested antidote is one or more of "The Cat Who..." books.
Engrossing mystery that keeps you on guessing who done it.......1998-03-16
Koko and Qwill are at it again in this combination of mysteries. The antics of Koko will keep you guessing who done it in this series. Braun is her consumate self in depicting the life of Qwill and his mystery solving companion centered in this quaint northern city. Once you start the story, you can't put it down until you have finished, even if it is three in the morning.
Average customer rating:
- My Favorite Mystery Series!
- Very Suspensful
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The Cat Who Sniffed Glue
Lilian Jackson Braun
Manufacturer: Jove Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Braun, Lilian Jackson
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 9994931563 |
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite Mystery Series!.......2006-08-30
In the 8th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is busy with the first issue of the redesigned newspaper to be published in Moose County (400 miles north of everywhere). He is currently living with his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) in an apartment over the old Klingenschoen garage and has settled in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.
As the book begins, Moose County is dealing with a rash of vandalism that has been escalating to increasingly violent acts. One of the suspects in the vandalism ring is Chad Lanspeak, son of the owners of the Lanspeak's Department Store. As Chad's parents are good friends of Qwill, he tries to befriend the young man, and begins to believe that Chad was not involved in the violence. A murder of two prominent citizens occurs, and the prime suspects in the murder are Chad and his friends. When a car crash kills Chad and two other suspects in the vandalism ring, the police are quick to close the case. Qwill suspects that the police have closed the case prematurely, and continues to quietly investigate. With KoKo developing a fascination with glue, and Polly becoming more and more distant to his affections, Qwill is kept busy while trying to solve the murders and to clear the name of his good friend's son.
This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a long-time resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". This installment discusses how the newspaper is launched, and how Qwill starts to write his famous column.
This is a great series by my favorite author!
The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!
Very Suspensful.......2000-09-26
Right up until the end, I wasn't sure "who dun-it." It was one of her better books and I really enjoyed it. I stayed up all night just so I would know who was the murderer because the suspense was killing me.
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite Cozy Series!.......2006-08-30
In the 8th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is busy with the first issue of the redesigned newspaper to be published in Moose County (400 miles north of everywhere). He is currently living with his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) in an apartment over the old Klingenschoen garage and has settled in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.
As the book begins, Moose County is dealing with a rash of vandalism that has been escalating to increasingly violent acts. One of the suspects in the vandalism ring is Chad Lanspeak, son of the owners of the Lanspeak's Department Store. As Chad's parents are good friends of Qwill, he tries to befriend the young man, and begins to believe that Chad was not involved in the violence. A murder of two prominent citizens occurs, and the prime suspects in the murder are Chad and his friends. When a car crash kills Chad and two other suspects in the vandalism ring, the police are quick to close the case. Qwill suspects that the police have closed the case prematurely, and continues to quietly investigate. With KoKo developing a fascination with glue, and Polly becoming more and more distant to his affections, Qwill is kept busy while trying to solve the murders and to clear the name of his good friend's son.
This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a long-time resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". This installment discusses how the newspaper is launched, and how Qwill starts to write his famous column.
This is a great series by my favorite author!
The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite Cozy Mystery Series!.......2006-08-30
In the 8th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is busy with the first issue of the redesigned newspaper to be published in Moose County (400 miles north of everywhere). He is currently living with his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) in an apartment over the old Klingenschoen garage and has settled in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.
As the book begins, Moose County is dealing with a rash of vandalism that has been escalating to increasingly violent acts. One of the suspects in the vandalism ring is Chad Lanspeak, son of the owners of the Lanspeak's Department Store. As Chad's parents are good friends of Qwill, he tries to befriend the young man, and begins to believe that Chad was not involved in the violence. A murder of two prominent citizens occurs, and the prime suspects in the murder are Chad and his friends. When a car crash kills Chad and two other suspects in the vandalism ring, the police are quick to close the case. Qwill suspects that the police have closed the case prematurely, and continues to quietly investigate. With KoKo developing a fascination with glue, and Polly becoming more and more distant to his affections, Qwill is kept busy while trying to solve the murders and to clear the name of his good friend's son.
This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a long-time resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". This installment discusses how the newspaper is launched, and how Qwill starts to write his famous column.
This is a great series by my favorite author!
The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!
Book Description
William “Bull” O'Malley is an intense, focused businessman. His latest project, a cable news channel, is launching just as a hurricane bears down on the Gulf Coast. He needs just the right reporter to cover the story. One who can be professional, yet captivating. One reporter stands out above the rest--Maddy McGehee. Maddy McGehee is an aspiring reporter. Her waitressing job that paid the bills also offered a huge story, launching her into the spotlight. With job offers galore, she is intrigued by just one, covering a hurricane heading for her childhood home. Would the secrets she left there come back to haunt her at the worst possible moment? Could she and her crew along with her new boss survive the serious hurricane? Would love rise up out of the ruins, or would destruction rule the day? These questions will be answered as they attempt to tempt the tempest.
Customer Reviews:
Kathy,A reviewer,May 23,2006.......2006-05-24
I see a bright future for Nikki Wood.She draws you into her vivid and reviting scenes.A real page turner.A must read!!!You don't want it to end.I can't wait for the next volume by this very talented writer.I am so happy to be reading the begining of a wonderful riseing star in the world of literture.Write on Ms.Wood I CAN'T WAIT!
must parrothead read.......2006-03-24
easy read involving jimmy buffet fans ....... a little far fetched in spots but i enjoyed it... its the story that describes my wifes and myselfs parrothead life
Average customer rating:
- Not what expected
- The 3 Stooges Meet The Witch Doctor
- Cliche Characters
- Extraordinary!
- The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm
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The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
Nancy Farmer
Manufacturer: Puffin
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0140376410 |
Book Description
In 2194 in Zimbabwe, General Matsika's three children are kidnapped and put to work in a plastic mine while three mutant detectives use their special powers to search for them.
Customer Reviews:
Not what expected.......2007-07-20
I began my reading of this novel with great expectations ... the premise sounded intriguing. Alas, I was disappointed. Two separate stories were being told (one about the ear, the eye, and the arm ... the other about three kidnapped children), each interesting in their own right, but awkwardly pieced together... fragmented. To be honest, the majority of the story is about the children - I wished it had focused more on the three detectives. The novel, after all, is named after them ... their story would've been more relevant to learn.
The 3 Stooges Meet The Witch Doctor.......2007-03-25
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is one of my all-time favorite books. And I don't mean just one of my all-time favorite KID books. It is rich and complex and imaginative enough for any adult reader to savor.
This story manages to blend and blur comedy with creepy, supernatural and surrealistic horror, cultural legend with a private detective story, far future with distant past, and science fiction with social insight. This is done with a cast of characters that are all splendidly drawn and recognizable, KNOWABLE human beings. From the 3 children at the heart of the adventure, to the mutated, talented, and absolutely luckless 3 private eyes charged with saving them, the characters are all clear, laughable, flawed, and loveable.
Tendai is smart and imaginative, but doubts his own personal courage. Rita, his chubby little sister, is spoiled and self-centered, but strong-minded. Kuda, their little brother, is tough and curious, but has no ability to measure consequences before acting. Escaping from the ultra-safety of their wealthy parents' beautiful but claustrophobic estate, they have mere moments of freedom before they fall into the hands of organized criminals.
They end up finding help from unlikely sources - the Trashman, a homeless tramp that cannot talk, the She-Elephant, the criminal queen of the tunnels of the radioactive dumpheap - but of course, most of all from their own unsuspected resourcefulness and determination, and at last from the 3 private detectives for whom the book is titled, who get everywhere, of course, always a bit too late...
The story line is anything but simple. The children escape from one danger only to fall prey to another, but danger comes not only from expected directions. Repeatedly they seem to have fought free, only to find that they are in a new kind of trap. Farmer effortlessly draws new environments and social structures in each segment of the adventure - all convincing and rich and real.
In Farmer's so-believable post-apocalyptic Zimbabwe, there are many of the same cultural influences of modern time - the Matsikas are immersed in the history of their land, the "Mellower" and his family are utterly British, and the cities and the slums are what they have always been, with the addition of the delicate changes of futuristic radiation-based diseases and mutations. The jewel-like world of Resthaven, hidden and walled away in the middle of the city, makes a poignant argument for the simpler ways of the past - and for the very real improvements which only the painful changes of the modern world have enabled.
This book can be "just fun" for any kid to read. But it is chock full of so much more for the perception of readers at all levels. The names and the language of each character are filled with cross-cultural humor, and background details invite flights of imagination. It is a hugely satisfying book to read, and to re-read. I recommend it for anyone. And everybody.
Cliche Characters.......2007-02-23
It is the year 2194 and three siblings, aged 13, 11, and 4, living in Zimbabwe are bored. Their father is a general who is very important in the government, but he has lots of enemies. He is petrified that someone will kidnap his children, so he doesn't let them leave home by themselves. Their home is surrounded by high walls and has a gate at the front, and the kids have never even been around the corner on their own. Instructors are brought in and school is done through machines, so there has never been any reason for them to leave. They are bored, though, and want to earn some badges for Scouts, so they need an adventure.
One day while their parents are away for the day, the three kids sneak out of the gates and begin their adventure. It quickly takes a turn for the worse when they are drugged and kidnapped by a woman running a forced-labor camp in a dump that used to hold toxic waste. From there, the kids fall into one adventure after another, trying to get home to their parents.
Hot on their trail and always just a step behind them are three detectives whose mothers were exposed to toxins before they were born. As a result, the three detectives have mutations--one has supersensitive eyes, one has supersensitive ears, and the third has disproportionally long arms and legs and also has psychic powers. These detectives use their powers to hunt down the kids, and also get caught in their share of adventures along the way.
I liked some of the concepts in this book, like the isolated community of Resthaven, where the kids spend some time. I also liked the religious references. The characters, though, went through very cliche evolutions. You could see their character flaws right from the beginning and predict exactly how each character would grow.
Extraordinary!.......2007-01-12
Nancy Farmer is a wonderful story teller! This is a very exciting, thought-provoking story for the young and young at heart.
The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm.......2006-12-10
This was one of the best books i have EVER read! and i love to read so, that's a huuuuge accomplishment! I love the futuristic ideas, it was just so cool! It was a fantastic sci-fi story with the perfect addition of the supernatural.
Average customer rating:
- The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
- The ear the eye the arm a great book/cassetette!
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The Ear, the Eye & the Arm
Nancy Farmer
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
ASIN: 0788704311 |
Customer Reviews:
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm.......2005-04-06
Five stars!!! We listened to George Guidall's reading of this story, and we loved it. Our Mom loved it too.
The ear the eye the arm a great book/cassetette!.......2003-07-22
The ear the eye the arm is great!
Product Description
1995 Newberry Award Winner; young adult level
Customer Reviews:
How Good.......2007-01-27
As I read this book, I thought of one thing. The plot is exactly like a roller-coaster. The main characters Tendai, Rita, and Kuda were captured when on an outing. The three stay on the run while being chased by the world's greatest detectives, who always seemed to be just minutes too late. Another reason the book was riveting is that characters like the She Elephant would come back into the story with a new, with a more fiendish plot, and there was always the threat of a viscous gang called The Masks. They were the ultimate evil. Though personally I am not a big reader, I was enthralled with the book.
On the other hand, it could be sort of boring. When Tendai, Rita, and Kuda got to a new place, there would be a long period of time when nothing really important would happen. That is the soul reason that the book was not able to receive the fifth star from me. Other than that, The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is a fantastic book. Any one who loves reading needs to make a place for this book on their shelf.
Product Description
In good shape cover and pages, appears to be unread
Average customer rating:
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Forbidden City/ear, Eye, Arm
Ann M. Alburtus
Manufacturer: Center for Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1560776579 |
Customer Reviews:
Good, but hard!.......2003-09-01
I really enjoyed reading this book! But, it is REALLY hard to do a book report on, because so much happens and there are so many names to include and everything happens FAST!
an ok book.......2003-07-03
The Eye, the Ear, and the Arm had a good plot. It's about three children and their adventure. I found it rather boring because it had too many details. The only reason I read it is because it was required for school.
An okay book.......2002-12-18
The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm is a mix between a sci-fi and a fantasy. It takes place in the country of Zimbabwe in the year 2914. It starts off with three kids (sons and daughter of the general) named Tendai, Kuda, and Rita that get bored of their "normal" life and decide to go out and have a little adventure of their own. All of a sudden they are kidnapped and sent to work for the "She Elephant". If the don't escape, they will be bought by the masks to sere in their gang. They have to use bravery, wits, and trust to escape.
Overall I would give this book three stars because it had a pretty good plot, but it wasnt that interesting.
Five Star Book - Read All About It!.......2002-06-29
This is one of the most entertaining and original science fiction books I have ever read, not to mention one of the best children's books I have ever read. Taking place in a futuristic Zimbabwe in the year 2194, this tale of detectives, genetically engineered blue monkeys, and terrorists is a true edge-of-your-seat delight that will entertain both teenagers and adults.
Tendai, Rita, and Kuda, the General Matsika's three children, are tired of their technologically controlled home and their overprotective parents. They want an adventure and sneak out of the house one morning for a day of exploring only to be kidnapped! Now it's up three very special detectives: The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm, to find them. But will they succeed?
Think Before You Wish.......2001-11-21
Think Before You Wish
Do you want to live with robots and technology system, and live in a big beautiful house with a garden? Sounds great, doesn't it?
But general Matsika's three children got tiered of it. There is an evil gang that is the only one that general couldn't get rid of, because of that, his children have to stay in the house, all daylong!
Tendai, who is the oldest, has a big heart. He feels sympathy for all animals that are lock up in the cages. Rita, who is the second oldest, is really good at math, but she doesn't want to loose from other people. Kuda, the youngest, has a mind of a brave young soldier. He doesn't want to be called "baby." Children get out of the house, they start a new, wild adventure.
They get kidnapped by two men and go to Dead Man's Vlei and dig for plastic items. Can you believe there is no plastic? They have to get out of that place, before they turn into the trash people like the ones before them.
Three weird detectives the Eye, who can see everything, the Ear, who can hear everything, and the Arm, who can feel other people's feelings. They try to find the children.
Can they escape? Even if they do, will they escape from the evil gang the "Masks?" Will they go safely back home by detectives protecting them?
Amazon.com
María Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andalucía, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the Córdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich
Book Description
Mar+a Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andaluc+a, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the C+rdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich
Customer Reviews:
Challenges much of what we learned in school .......2007-03-29
Maria Rosa Menocal opens our eyes to the rich and diverse cultures that made up what she describes as the "first class" culture of Al-Andalus in its days of glory as perhaps the most developed culture of the world in its day. The book is particularly interesting from the perspective of the level of success that tolerance achieved in a difficult age, as the subtitle suggests: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain. Far from perfect but better than most, this story of diversity management challenges much of what we learned in school both about the events of the time and about the role of "the others."
Cuban-born Menocal is a specialist in medieval culture and literature who now teaches at Yale. Her range of expertise shows in the delicate and complete treatment she gives to this historical review of a golden age. Yes, there is inevitably the military and political history that frames the narrative, but the author enriches us with the art, architecture and poetry of the people who made up the cultural constellation of the territories of Cordoba, Seville, Toledo and Granada. In one of my favorite lines of the book she speaks of the Caliph of Cordoba as, "Abd al-Rahman shared with his Arab ancestors an unembarrassed and manly love of poetry." Arabic language and Arabic books--an unbelievable estimate of there being 600,000 of them in the library of Cordoba alone--seemed to be the i-pod equivalent of with-it-ness for the young scholars and career seekers of the time, Jew and Christian as well as Muslim.
From Berber incursions to Muhammad XII's handing over of the keys to Granada to Ferdinand and Isabella (dressed in Muslim finery, we are told) in 1492, the rise and fall of this spectacular culture, is nicely documented and understandable. Notwithstanding, the author adds reflections on the diversity and identity issues that continue through Cervantes, Salman Rushdie and 9/11 that are thought provoking and challenge our understanding of what the dynamics of intergroup conflict are as well as what tolerance and integration can be even when neighbors hold certain non-negotiable values.
Menocal writes well and, indeed, in a rather pedestrian form, rather than indulging in scholarly embellishment. This makes the book an easy read for ESL users as well as those of us who want to relax and enjoy imbibing our history. I found her repeated use of the word "polity" a bit annoying. It is a short and technically correct but uncommon term that, according to my Wikipedia browse, "is often used to describe a loosely organized society such as a tribe or community, but can mean any political group including a government or empire, corporation or academy." She applies it to the cities, religious bodies and states of Al-Andalus.
A must read for those who are planning their visit to the 2008 SIETAR Global Conference in Granada, Spain in October 2008.
Medeival Spain...an unfinshed History..........2007-01-01
Menocal's treatise on haSefarad is a breath of fresh air. Although, it is not a "historical" account per se. One can draw his or her historical conclusions about this epoch by other means which are readily available. This book speaks to the soul of humanity, therefore, transcending the dry analysis of other chronologist who write about this interesting era. If you are looking for dryness and liner accounts don't bother with this book, however, if you are looking for a great bedside read, look no further. This book is sublime and well throughout. What Menocal tries to do here is give snippets of a grand Era, that tie in to a fabric of clear and beautiful colors, which was Sefarad. The premise is simple, Medieval Spain was not a dark era as many might have us think, rather it was a place of opportunity, intellectual creativity, and poetic diversity. The idea that three monolithic faiths can live side by side with respect to intelligentsia is beyond our comprehension in our times. Yet, this was one of the glories of this period in Al-Andalus and then some. Jews thrived in Sefarad beyond anyone's modern imagination. The poetry and the rebirth of Hebrew as a living poetic language was rooted in Al-Andalus. The translation of the Greek classics, books on Mathematics, changed the direction that a then little known Europe would experience. This was achieved by this melting pot of contradicting ideas and peoples. Could this happen in America, another melting pot of ideas and peoples? Certainly not, the people of that era loved and read books, we play video games and watch TV. This is our sad history, where the Jews of America are the most under achieving people in History, where the Muslims are fighting for world recognition through inhumane beheadings and sick violence. Where Christian America is more interested in going to the mall right after Sunday services to catch up with the Jones'. We live in a parody of that Era, so reading about the wonders of that time helps anesthetize me from the humdrum of this pathetic culture.
Interesting anthology of stories, perspective is skewed.......2006-12-02
I thought my opinion might be anomalous on this page, but I see many readers agree. Maria Rosa Menorcal wears rose-colored glasses.
The author is a professor of Spanish and Portugese, not a historian. She obviously loves Iberian literature and has fallen under the poets' spells. Naturally a poet is going to glorify that which he loves, so the historian has to read poetic or literary accounts with caution. There is no evidence of incisive critical source analysis in this book, such as one finds, for instance, in recent writings of Roger Collins about medieval Spain. Menorcal passes on old stories as gospel, some of which (such as early accounts of the Muslim invasion of 711) Collins completely takes apart and reinterprets.
I also agree with other readers who lament the writing style. It's fluid, but the structure is hard to follow. Clear lines of development are not drawn. Rather, stories seem to meld into another. One comes away with impressions rather than a clear picture.
This is definitely a popularizing book, not an authoritative history. There's scarcely a footnote to be found, and the bibliography is surprisingly skimpy for a Yale professor's work. Menorcal lists not one of Collins' books.
Reviewers Bashing is what the author was trying to remedy.......2006-11-29
It's very sad to see a huge number of reviewers all they want to do is bash Muslims regardless of their accomplishment in (Al-Andalus). But with attacks on Islam and Muslims coming from all sides, it's not surprising to see this kind of bias. Yes, Arabs (Muslims) of (Al-Andalus) were not special people, but they had a special gift (Islam). These people without Islam are nothing. Like Omar Ibn AlKhatab once said: "We are people (desert Arabs) were honored with the gift of Islam, If we seek honor without it, we will fail". And it's that simple. So the golden age Muslims lived in Al-Andalus, was not due to tolerant Arabs but rather tolerant Islam.
A Forgotten Chapter in European History.......2006-10-18
Maria Rosa Menocal's ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD is a lively and highly readable account of Al-Andalus, the Spain created by Muslims. It was a world which sparkled with brilliant achievements in poetry and literature, architecture, and technology-- for instance it invented the astrolabe, one of the first instruments facilitating successful navigation. It alone kept Greek learning alive when the rest of Europe was still ignorant of the major Greek classics. Most importantly, it was an oasis of tolerance, for its Muslim leaders considered the adherents of all three Abrahamic religions to be dhimmi, or People of the Book. It was founded in 711 when Abd al Rahman, successor of the Umayyad dynasty driven from Damascus by the victorious Abbasid dynasty, established a new caliphate in Cordoba, Spain. For centuries the empire it unified on the Iberian peninsula produced great writers and scholars of all three religions. Perhaps the best known Muslim product of this culture is Ibn Hazm, author of the Ring of the Dove, a treatise on love. But it was also a golden age of Jewish learning, and an age in which Jews could rise to the highest positions in government as well-- for instance Hasdai ibn Shaprut, or Son of Isaac, grand vizier and general of Abd Al Rahman III. By the 11th Century the unified kingdom of Cordoba had broken apart into a number of competing taifa or city-states, which retained some measure of the glory of Cordoba. It was in this atmosphere that Rodrigo Diaz, known as El Cid from the Arabic Al Sayyid ("lord" or "chief"), a Christian warrior, became a general fighting for one Muslim ruler against another with armies which contained large contingents of Christians. The first groups to try to stamp out this cultural tolerance were Muslims, puritanical and uncultivated Berbers known as Almovarids or Almohads. But the real death knell came in 1492, when Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the last Muslim taifa of Granada, site of the famous Alhambra, and established a form of persecution even worse than religious bigotry, with the most ominous implications for the future of Western civilization. But that dismal turn of events is the subject for another book review.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Middle East Policy, published by Middle East Policy Council on December 22, 2004. The length of the article is 1837 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain.(Book Review)
Author: Charles E. Butterworth
Publication:
Middle East Policy (Refereed)
Date: December 22, 2004
Publisher: Middle East Policy Council
Volume: 11
Issue: 4
Page: 148(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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