Welcome to Higby

Book Description

Following the national success of Ella Minnow Pea, this second novel from Mark Dunn brings the same charm and love of good language to a small town in the South. A Robert Altmanesque comedy, Welcome to Higby follows the hilarious goings-on in a small town in northern Mississippi over Labor Day weekend. From mousy Carmen Valentine, whose guardian angel, Arnetta, gives her penny-pinching shopping tips, to addled old Hank Grammar, who preaches Jesus to his neighbors' pets, Higby's townsfolk have a knack for getting into -- and trouble getting out of -- outrageous situations. Blessed with an unerring eye for dead-on details, Dunn lovingly traces the eccentric and touching lives of his characters, offering an intelligent yet heartwarming vision of life in small-town America. Welcome to Higby is a Southern comical tale about simple dreams both realized and thwarted by all the complexities of the human heart.

Customer Reviews:

Not as clever as Ella Minnow Pea.............2004-11-18

A fine book but I was disappointed because I was looking for another Ella....

Loved Ella, at least.......2004-10-23

*Welcome to Higby* was a disappointment considering the wit Dunn exhibited in *Ella Minnow Pea*--not that the book didn't have wit; it just didn't have the spark that *Ella* had.

Part of the problem was the writing itself. Dunn spent a lot of time "head-hopping" in this one. He drifted from one point-of-view to another. Not only was this distracting; it was confusing. I had to reread paragraphs to find who the main player was from one minute to the next.

His theme is beaten to death, as well--everything goes as long as "love" is involved. A minister ignores his son, partly because of his grief over his wife's death and partly because of his work; then he falls "truly in love" with a former prostitute and has sex with her upon their second meeting while his son climbs the Higby water tower for the second time. Another man falls instantly for a woman who has rear-ended his vehicle. And another man who has just converted to Christianity--but is still shacked up with his girlfriend due to an imagined "grandfather clause"--decides to bed down with a new flame, then goes back to his girlfriend, making passionate love to her the same day; and then the minister who catches who catches them is made to look ridiculous??? Other types of "love" that are deemed unacceptable by society are gushed over in this book, as well.

What humor is there is pretty run-of-the-mill (for example, a bumbling policeman, an adorable older man bordering on senility).

Little new; little original; little reason to read it.

A fun book..........2004-07-27

Well, it took me a few days to finish this book, I wasn't really able to get into it all that much, but once I finished it I started to like it more and more! Thinking back on all the quirky, eccentric folks of Higby, Mississippi, I was a little disapointed there wasn't more to read.

The book is about Labor Day weekend in the small town, and the going-ons in some of towns peoples lives. The chapters are real short (3-5 pages) and each focuses on a different person. There's Carmen, in love with the handsome Tie who doesn't know she exists...Stewie and Marci, who's relationship is tested, Pastor Cullen who's son Clint falls from the Higby water tower, both of whome are trying to move on after the loss of a wife and mother, and so many more!

I recommend this book as a light fun little read. You'll really enjoy the craziness and quirky drama of the folks from Higby, Mississippi.

Funny and uplifting.......2004-04-24

I loved this book. The people you meet in Higby are eccentric and charming and wonderful. The introductory biblical quotations for each chapter are a real treat and must be reread after finishing the chapter for full appreciation.

Visit to Mississippi town mirrors a Texasville visit of yore.......2004-01-06

The brevity of chapter length in Mark Dunn's Southern comedy entices the reader to keep reading. Yes, the character names are contrived and ridiculous, but no more than other authors have penned in their comic tales. In fact, this tale of the citizens of Higby, Mississippi, mirrors the bizarre cast of Larry McMurtry's ribald "Texasville", and of the humor of the movies "Daddy's Dyin': Whose Got the Will?", "Home Fries", ad nauseum.

But I liked it enough to read on. Perhaps I was wondering how Dunn's plot might parallel T. R. Pearson's "A Short History of a Small Place", what with the town water tower serving as the start and end of the Higby visit.

The characters in this tale are richly eccentric and colorful to match their names. Dunn had fun with these names: Carmen Valentine, Harold and Carold, the Pedloe twins, Klaus and Abbadene Ostermeyer, Stewie, Tie, Ponce, Talitha, Bowmar, and more. And the reader is reminded of the cleverness of Dickens and Twain in their naming of casts of characters.

Dunn's playwright's talent definitely influences his novel. He has a way of setting up scenes that might be vividly played out on stage or on screen. And with the humorous situations into which he places his cast, one also sees the pathos of real life, the true basis of humor, a deep sorrow of the valleys of life, not just the high points.

Each character, starting with a grieving teenaged boy named Clint Cullen, a preacher's son, no less, and a love-starved maker of potato salad, virginal Carmen Valentine, is likeable and believable. In fact, you may swear that you know some of these people. Dunn skillfully manages his "cast of thousands" by weaving them into one another's lives, just as small towns tend to do to their citizens.

I do recommend this book. It is a nice escape from TV and its laugh track sit-coms and over-done reality series. And you will find laugh-out-loud moments, good for what ails you during winter doldrums.

Book Description

In Alosha and The Shaktra, thirteen-year-old Ali Warner discovered that she was not an ordinary teenager, but was actually Queen of the Fairies. Through seven painful trials, Ali reclaimed many of her magical powers and defeated an elemental army that was preparing to attack the Earth. In the elemental world, Ali learned the true nature of her greatest enemy -- the Shaktra -- and discovered why it covets the Yanti, a mystical talisman of immense power that Ali now possesses.Now, in The Yanti, Ali discovers that a mysterious Entity is masterminding the Shaktra's attack on Earth, an attack that will kill billions and leave both Earth and the elemental world shattered. Still reeling from the death of one of her closest friends, Ali finds herself accused of murder on Earth and besieged by enemies in the elemental world. The Shaktra has had years to develop her magical abilities and her evil plots, guided by the otherworldly Entity. Ali has only known about her fairy powers for a month. There are holes in her fairy memories and her powers are still incomplete, while the Shaktra commands vast armies of hideous monsters and rules over hosts of dragons.Ali's allies are few: one dragon, one leprechaun, a single troll,nbsp;a handful of fairies and an African boy, Ra, who has sworn to serve Ali even beyond death. Plus the mysterious disembodied Nemi -- whose love sustains Ali through her darkest moments of despair. Only the Yanti can stop what is to come. Unfortunately, Ali has barely had a chance to study it. The first time she tries to use it as a weapon, it nearly kills her. Unless Ali Warner can solve the riddle of the Yanti - and the mystery behind the Shaktra's insane bitterness -- then the Earth and the elemental world will be doomed.

Customer Reviews:

Gotta read it.......2007-09-09

What can I say? From the beginning of Shaktra, the series picks up pace and takes you on a exciting ride with more mysterious characters coming out of the woodward and throwing you deeper into the world of the Alosha series, where you cannot help but keep reading and wanting more.
It's theme is so strong and relevant and conveyed via such a beautiful and intriguing story. It's part young adult, part adult; part fantasy, part thriller. Fantastical! The rating for this book would be off the scale.

Pike is Genius.......2007-01-10

I am 21 years old and I have been a fan of Christopher Pike's since I was 13.I was worried that because of my age I would not love the Alosha series like I would his other books.Its suppose to be a series for children but does not read like that at all.All 3 books are amazingly insightfull and emotionaly overwelhming but especially this book.Its filled with fairy tales,things that warm your heart,and things that break your heart.Its absolute Genius and defintly lives up to Pike's skill.No matter what your age read this book

Amazing.......2006-11-16

This series just keeps getting better. And there's more to come! Nemi is the next book in the series. :) I have loved Christopher Pike's books for 16 years and he never ceases to amaze me. I very highly recommend this series, as well as all his other books. (Especially The Season of Passage) :)

Come post at my Pike forum: [...]

Average customer rating:

pretty good
YA Fantasy by Pike?
Oh my!
Alosha Trilogy
The Best Book I've Read for A Long Time!

Alosha (Alosha Trilogy)
Christopher Pike
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 0765310988
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

he talented Christopher Pike embraces a new genre with Alosha, a fantasy novel for adults and young adults. Young Ali Warner, born and raised in Southern California, has just learned that she is the Queen of the Fairies. She must now pass seven challenges and claim her magical royal powers. It sounds like a dream come true-except that armies of elves and dwarves are about to invade our world, and Ali is the only one who can stop them. Aided by a reluctant leprechaun and a loyal troll, and with her three closest friends by her side, Ali begins her quest. What should be a simple two-day hike up a mountain will instead be a journey through peril and into the darkest place in her soul. Betrayed by someone she loves, Ali Warner falls into a pit of despair. Yet she will triumph in the powerful climax to this moving novel by an assured author writing at the top of his game.

Customer Reviews:

pretty good.......2007-10-06

this was not as gripping as Pike's books normally are, but I did enjoy it. I have been reading his work since I was about 10 (so almost 20 years), and I am the sort of fan who will read anything he writes, but i definitely recommend this for tween, teens and young adults. The Shaktra (the second in the series) is definitely more adult, and I am currently pleasantly surprised at how much I am enjoying this trilogy.

YA Fantasy by Pike?.......2007-09-09

Started a little slow, but picks up very steadily. A very well thought out plot and very believable characters.

Oh my!.......2007-09-02

Oh my! I absolutely LOVE THIS BOOK! It's fascinating to see the way the characters meld together and this book keeps you reading! I read non-stop on this book and could simply NOT put it down! Highly recommended!

Alosha Trilogy.......2007-07-23

All three books are great. I am a huge fan of christopher pike. I couldn't put the book down.

The Best Book I've Read for A Long Time!.......2007-07-02

Alosha is one of the best books I've read! In fact, I liked it so much that I bought the other two books from the series, The Shaktra and The Yanti. I recommend all fantasy lovers to read this amazing book!

Average customer rating:

promising a wild ride
The Shaktra
A Fantastic Epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Sequel
Somewhat dissapointing

The Shaktra (Alosha Trilogy)
Christopher Pike
Manufacturer: Tor Teen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 0765310996
Release Date: 2005-09-15

Book Description

Christopher Pikes return to young adult storytelling began in Alosha and continues in The Shaktra, the second, stand-alone novel in the Alosha series. Alosha introduced readers to Ali Warner, a typical American teenager who discovered that she really does have the magical powers young people often dream about. With the help of her human and non-human friends, Ali defeated the elves and dwarves who were preparing to attack the Earth, but she knows this was only one battle in a long war. Now, in The Shaktra, Ali must travel to the elemental world: to search for her missing mother, to reclaim more of her own spectacular powers, and to learn what the Shaktra, a source of true evil, really is and how it might be defeated. Her friends Steve and Cindy encounter new evils here on Earth. Someone makes the ultimate sacrifice, while on the elemental world, Ali helps a dragon gain his wings and learns powerful lessons about love, leadership, and war.

Customer Reviews:

promising a wild ride.......2007-09-09

This is where the series pick up its pace. Very exhilirating read, this one.

The Shaktra.......2007-08-12

This book is great. The whole trylogy is fantastic. It is not only a fascinating story but if you read it carefully its a deep spiritual expierence. Harry Potter is nothing against it!!!

A Fantastic Epic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-08

Shaktra is a very quick and exciting read. A roller coaster ride with no slow parts. After reading Alosha, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and to start it. Happily for me, the novel Shaktra was even better than Alosha! The characters and story lines comfortably fit together (again) and one comes away with a great action story with story lines and emotions greatly deeper still. My kid also likes the story, and asks me every day to tell them "What happened next"? The development of the main character Ali and the supporting characters was a pleasure to follow and the many surprises in the story lines were just as plentiful as in Alosha. The symbolic dualism of the elemental world and the earth world unfolded with the characters and stories on each side of the realms. Obviously, I will be starting the Yanti soon. I hope this trilogy turns into a movie some day. It will be nice to have a fantasy action movie that actually has original story plots and life-like character developments. Hollywood, can you hear me? Big money here! All ages will love the story. This was not a comic book story at all. It was way more intriguing, complex, deep, mature, and polished. Do yourself a big favor and read it too. Just make sure the house chores are done before you start it.

Great Sequel.......2006-11-13

The Shaktra was a great sequel to Alosha. The first book took awhile to warm up to, but one Pike gets started, he's on fire. The book was hard to put down! Had to keep reading until I reached the end! Great twists and turns and interesting dual story lines. Was glad I had The Yanti to keep the reading going! Would definitely recommend to any Christopher Pike Fan. He develops his own mythology that only he can pull off.

Somewhat dissapointing.......2006-01-27

I have to say the first half of the book was dissapointing, but the book slowly redeemed itself with the second half, with alot of unexpected things happening and plot changes.

The author has said things like "They were halfway there when the attack came" leaving the event unexciting and expected, where as he could have made it come as a surprise. Pike did this 4-5 times.
He really made alot of the descriptions of some "creatures" or "monsters" sound like a 3rd grade boy would create (saying they had jelly fish legs, an eye where the mouth should be & vise versa, crab claws, oozing blue-green liquid from the mouth, etc.)

Despite these things, I think the ending left a perfect beginning for the 3rd book and his characters were great. If you've read Alosha, you will probably like this book.

Average customer rating:

Alosha

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 141768416X

Average customer rating:

One of the better sci-fis

It's the Best.....

Plutonia...Journey to the Center of the Earth, sort of....

Plutonia
Vladimir Obruchev
Manufacturer: Fredonia Books (NL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1589635612

Book Description

Originally published in 1924, "Plutonia" is a hollow-earth-type of science fiction novel set in an underground world of rivers, lakes, volcanoes, and strange vegetation, a world which has its own sun -Pluto- and inhabited by monstrous animals and primitive people. The author uses the plot for the purpose of introducing the reader to the animal and plant life of ancient geological periods in their natural surroundings.

Academician Vladimir Obruchev was an outstanding Soviet geologist and geographer, a famous explorer and investigator of Central Asia and Siberia, an indefatigable popularizer of scientific knowledge, who wrote thousands of scientific articles and a total of three science fiction novels, including this one.

Customer Reviews:

One of the better sci-fis.......2001-08-17

I am a software engineer and I am tired of the "robotic"science fictions that ignore the things around and make a fiction that prevents to prject anything that we see, enjoy and relish. Most of the science fictions warn and frighten you about the future and present reasearch. That makes people take science negatively. This book, however is different. It enters the system like a slowly cooked steak. Personally, I enjoyed it a lot. I have a lot of interest in all the sciences and I think, this book contributed a lot to that.

It's the Best............2001-05-10

I wasn't a big fan of Russian authors. During my visits to a bookstore in India, I found the title "Plutonia" appealing and bought the book because it was very cheap: 3 US cents.

You may have heard of Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth". "Plutonia" is similar but updated; a story of Russian scientists who travel into the northern Arctic thinking they will discover some unknown land and it will be a part of Russia. However, they experience some inexplicable events during their travels: an extremely continental deep depression into the earth's surface near the Arctic, and warm, fertile lands near the "North Pole", and the strange position of the Sun. Plus, the strange behavior of the barometer, the compass and the altimeter. They also find primitive animals long extinct from Earth.

The explorers realize that they have traveled to the earth's inner surface. After that, the more they go into the inner surface, which they now call "Plutonia", the more they travel back in time and experience the flora and fauna of the different stages of Earth's history. The author, V. A. Obruchev, takes the reader through a journey that is so realistic.

The book is not only about dinosaurs; the scientists have some fun too. The explorers get robbed by ants, yes ants, and they have a hard time figuring out who robbed them in that unmanned land. Later, they have an encounter with the primitive people. The best part about the scientists is the decisions they make; they are very knowledgeable and find the most effective and quick solutions or explanations to any problems, plus, they have a good sense of humor. After all, they are scientists. V. A. Obruchev, himself a geologist, is a very good author and "Plutonia" is the best si-fi book I've ever read.

Plutonia...Journey to the Center of the Earth, sort of...........1999-04-27

V. A. Obruchevs "Plutonia" is a pretty good read! He was inspired by "Journey to the Center of the Earth", and you can tell...but the book has an otherwise original story.

Here is an overview of it:

A Russian scientist seems to think there is a possibility of an underground world, where possibly there are now extinct (above ground) species of animals and plants still alive. Yep, you guessed it, he is right. Anyway, the team that goes there has many adventures dealing with a wide range of animals, from giant ants to wooly mammoths. And theyre not scared to shoot them for meat, either ;-)

This is an entertaining story, although I would imagine animal rights groups would really have a field day with some of the subject matter. Give it a try....it is a little dated, but a truly good book!

Average customer rating:
Plutonia (Plutoniia)
Vladimir Afanasevich Obruchev
Manufacturer: Foreign Languages Publishing House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VKT654

Product Description

This book was originally published in Russian in 1924 as Plutoniia. This book is undated but appears to be from 1960's. John Clute describes the book as an adventure after the style of Jules Verne aimed at younger readers. This is "a hollow Earth story in which a party of Russian explorers enters the Earth via an unknown landmass north of the Bering Strait and finds a Lost World full of prehistoric reptiles.

Plutonia : An Adventure Through Prehistory

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Plutonia : An Adventure Through Prehistory
Vladimir; Solasko, Fainna (translater) Obruchev
Manufacturer: Criterion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TBA6Q8

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Plutonia: An Adventure Through Prehistory
V. A. Obruchev
Manufacturer: Lawrence & Wishart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPVYSE

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Plutonia: An adventure through prehistory
V. A Obruchev
Manufacturer: Lawrence & Wishart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007J5N3S

Compatibility of urania-plutonia fuels with stainless steel and sodium

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Compatibility of urania-plutonia fuels with stainless steel and sodium
T Lauritzen
Manufacturer: General electric Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007HSV8E

High-temperature compatibility study of iridium (DOP-26 Alloy) with graphite and plutonia

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High-temperature compatibility study of iridium (DOP-26 Alloy) with graphite and plutonia
K. M Axler
Manufacturer: Los Alamos National Laboratory
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00072WM52

Irradiation behavior of hyper- and hypo-stoichiometric plutonia-urania fuel at 70,000 MWD/T

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Irradiation behavior of hyper- and hypo-stoichiometric plutonia-urania fuel at 70,000 MWD/T
Edwin Zebroski
Manufacturer: General electric Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007HSPSA

The irradiation of urania-plutonia fuel to 125,000 MWd/Te in a thermal flux

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The irradiation of urania-plutonia fuel to 125,000 MWd/Te in a thermal flux
B. F Rubin
Manufacturer: General electric Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007HSV7K

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Plutonia
Vladimir Obruchev
Manufacturer: Raduga Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PC614W

Book Description

A collection of myths that tell of the creation of the world, the deeds of such gods and heroes as Odin, Thor and Siegfried, the machinations of the evil Loki, and more. Entertaining and readable, these tales present the ancient Germanic and Scandinavian myths that have helped shape literature.

Customer Reviews:

Good if not a bit off.......2005-04-12

Exceltent book for the time it was published(1909). Though a well versed nortic reader would find the many cracks in its "Translation", it never the less is a excellent ground book for a student to get the general feel for the lore of the "norsemen". I would suggest though that you read the Edda's and sagas for yourself, this book will provide a decent starting point for intrested partys in the nortic myths.

Enjoyable if inaccurate.......2004-12-25

The original publcation date of 1909 would explain why many of the tales are watered down and a Victorian morality imposed on them. The style is charming and readable, and there's a wealth of information to pursue. Guearber does some editorializing here and there, and the final chapter which attempts to draw parallels to Greco-Roman mythology was a waste of time. One clue that Guerber did not spend much time doing actual research is that she used Roman names for the "Greek" gods in that final chapter. I'm not familiar enough with Norse mythology to point out errors there, but several reviewers here on Amazon were outraged by Guerber's inaccuracy ... I consider this a good book to start a study of Norse mythology; it's an easy read, and if nothing else at least it tells you what to look for as you continue your reading elsewhere. This should NOT be your _only_ book about Norse myth. Definitely further research is needed since Guerber is not a completely reliable source herself.

Imitation Norse.......2004-12-21

Beware this book.

It is apparently written for older children, but is based much on unidentified sources or the author's own imagination, and is filled with careless, factual errors.

Guerber often refers vaguely and randomly to "some mythologists", "old Northmen", "ancient Northern nations", "Northern races", "the Scandinavians", "some authorities", "some accounts" as sources, only once actually mentioning Snorri Sturluson under the odd misspelling "Snorro - Sturleson". She presents unsourced desciptions and information found in no extant medieval texts. A typical example, one of many, concerns Ægir:

"He was supposed to occasion and quiet the great tempests which swept over the deep, and was generally represented as a gaunt old man, with long white beard and hair, and clawlike fingers ever clutching convulsively, as though he longed to have all things within his grasp. Whenever he appeared above the waves, it was only to pursue and overturn vessels, and to greedily drag them to the bottom of the sea, a vocation in which he was thought to take fiendish delight."

The writing is good and makes Ægir come alive. But every detail is modern invention, whether invented by Guerber or some literary source from which Guerber took it without attribution. Guerber continues with more bogus information that Ægir married his sister. Such passages abound. This might be reasonable in a work which presented itself as a retelling and reworking of Norse mythology (yet even retellings for younger children mostly stick closer to the originals). Who "supposed" Ægir to be as Guerber presents him? What does "generally represented" mean when no representation of Ægir has ever been found? Ægir was "thought to take fiendish delight" by whom? The very passages which are least traditional are often those which Guerber most decorates with wordings that falsely suggest the information comes from extant medieval sources.

Here can be found many other unathentic details: that Bragi was son of Odin by Gunnlod, that the god Uller married Skadi, that Loki's first wife was Glut, and so much more. That last bit of information arises from Victorian scholarly speculation that Loki and the fire-giant Logi may have originally been the same. But the Loki and Logi are quite separate in surviving mythological texts. The name Glut provided by Guerber is not even Norse, but is the modern German word ''glut'' 'glow', presumably coming to Guerber via some contemporary German source as a possible translation of ''Glöð'', the genuine Old Norse wife of Hálogi or Logi (not of Loki) in Thorsteins saga Víkingssonar.

Amusingly, though Guerber does not baulk at retelling accounts of incest, she yet turns almost every male/female liason into a wedding.

The tales themselves, when Geurber does not intrude explanations, are well enough told as tales. The writing generally has a convincing and scholarly feel to it, which makes it easy for the reader to be taken in by it, knowing no better. If all you want is a good read, and do not care that large portions of this account of Norse mythology are not taken from Norse mythology and that many interpretations presented baldly as fact are either disputed or generally deprecated, then you will find nothing wrong here. But though the majority of individual statements are true enough in respect to the source texts, so much is inaccuarate or invented that the reader should take care not to cite anything found here as though it were genuine Norse mythology without first checking more reputable sources.

For those who do want to learn something about genuine Norse mythology, there are good, readible translations of the two ''Eddas'' (the major primary sources) and good, readible translations of the Völsunga saga. There are also other more modern scholarly books. And there are accounts which are more obviously children's books and which are less complete in what they attempt to present but are more generally accurate in what they do give and more openly presented as containing invention.

Guerber provides a trove of misinformation. Her analysis of the similarities between graeco-roman and norse mythology jumps between the obvious and the inaccurate. Her explanations of what the myths mean are mostly the long discarded and arbitrary solar-theories of Max Müller and his disciples, already on the wane when Guerber wrote.

Disjointed but Worthwhile.......2003-07-11

I suppose that a pagan trying to use this book as a catechism might find doctrinal errors, depending on their particular denomination. Whether or not the book provides a proper interpretation of the original sources, it is a good read, a trove of information, and a particularly interesting analysis of the similarities between greco-roman and norse mythology.

It is not an engaging read, in the sense that it is not presented as a saga itself, and thus the demarcations between subjects are dramatic. I suppose that this book falls somewhere between "encyclopedia of norse mythology" and "norse mythology for beginners."

Almost insulting.......2003-05-27

This book does not provide any sort of accurate depiction of the Northern European mythology and folklore that many of us enjoy reading about.

Not only does this book not provide an accurate translation of many of the tales and gods, but the author combines the stories with his own unfounded opinions of the religion.

He says numerous times in the book that the ancient Icelanders never actually believed in any of the tales they told, that everything was simply a story, and their pseudo-religion proves that.

In addition he refers to them as "Aryans." Considering this term didn't come about until the psychic Madam Blavatsky started using it in the late nineteenth century, and it wasn't even an accurate term, I found it a bit confusing and annoying.

I simply could not refer a worse and more inaccurate book to read on this beautiful subject.

Average customer rating:
MYTHS OF THE NORSEMEN: FROM THE EDDAS AND SAGAS.
H A. Guerber
Manufacturer: George G Harrap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O8M060

Average customer rating:
MYTHS OF THE NORSEMEN: FROM THE EDDAS AND SAGAS.

Manufacturer: George G
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HJ2B8S

Average customer rating:
Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and Sagas.
H Guerber
Manufacturer: Harrap 1929. (Myths Series)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q9FKBY

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