Customer Reviews:
Tape to Use With Pollington's Old English Reader.......2003-08-26
This is a great tape that goes along with Pollington's reader, but not so great as a stand alone item. I give it five stars with the book, but only three stars with out the book.
Wyatt Kaldenberg
Average customer rating:
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Beyond the Wild Wood: The World of Kenneth Grahame, Author of the Wind in the Willows
Peter Green
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0871967405 |
Book Description
"In The Wood Beyond the World, a sea voyage separates the more fantastic realms from the hero Walter's mundane home town, though the land of the Wood sends visions even there--of the land's witchy Mistress, her enslaved Maid, and a hideous, savagely energetic dwarf servitor. . . . Walter defies all advice and reason, abandons his fellows, and sets off through mountains and wastes to the Wood where he can meet the mysterious three . . . the stage is set for triangular games of love and power." -- David Langford
Download Description
But on the fifth morrow the ground rose but little, and at last, when he had been going wearily a long while, and now, hard on noontide, his thirst grieved him sorely, he came on a spring welling out from under a high rock, the water wherefrom trickled feebly away. So eager was he to drink, that at first he heeded nought else; but when his thirst was fully quenched his eyes caught sight of the stream which flowed from the well, and he gave a shout, for lo! it was running south.
Customer Reviews:
Beyond the world.......2006-11-14
The multitalented William Morris is reknowned for many things, but in literary circles he's known for having created the first real fantasy stories, even before Dunsany and Tolkien. Though heavy on prose and light on plot, "The Wood Beyond The World" is an intriguing look at the baby steps of the fantasy genre.
After a disastrous marriage to an unfaithful wife, Walter sails away on a ship, but catches a glimpse of a beautiful queenly woman, a misshapen dwarf, and a lovely young slave girl. When he arrives in a distant land, he encounters all three in a beautiful house in the Wood Beyond The World, where the sexy, manipulative Lady is currently living with a cold-hearted prince.
Walter stays there as a guest, and falls in love with the beautiful Maid, despite her mistress's jealousy. But the Lady has taken a liking to him, and despite his love for the Maid, Walter is drawn in by the Lady's magical charm. And breaking free of the jealous sorceress could be fatal for himself and the Maid -- even if they escape, they still have to deal with the savage wilderness of the Wood Beyond the World.
"The Wood Beyond the World" has the distinction of being the first fantasy-quest novel, although it hasn't had nearly the effect on fiction that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis have had. However, it is an interesting read, especially when one considers that Morris had no mold to work with -- he thought it all up himself.
Morris chose to write in a very formal style, with plenty of phrases like "then waxed Walter wood-wroth," whatever that means. It's not a light read, and it gives the story the feeling of a half-forgotten myth rather than a straightforward fairy tale. And despite its formality, the book has plenty of exquisitely described moments, such as Walter eavesdropping on the Lady and her boytoy.
Unfortunately, Morris loses his grip on the plot in the last fourth of the book: the Lady and her evil dwarf are dealt with way too quickly. Boom, they're gone. The primitive Bear tribe is an intriguing idea that Morris brings up, and then drops. And the last chapters of the book feel contrived, as if Morris were trying to think up a happy enough ending. And he also seems to forget that Walter is already married, albeit unhappily.
"The Wood Beyond the World" suffers from a rather weak last quarter, but it's an intriguing and often beautiful read. And if nothing else, a literary milestone.
Weird "world".......2006-08-28
The multitalented William Morris is reknowned for many things, but in literary circles he's known for having created the first real fantasy stories, even before Dunsany and Tolkien. Though heavy on prose and light on plot, "The Wood Beyond The World" is an intriguing look at the baby steps of the fantasy genre.
After a disastrous marriage to an unfaithful wife, Walter sails away on a ship, but catches a glimpse of a beautiful queenly woman, a misshapen dwarf, and a lovely young slave girl. When he arrives in a distant land, he encounters all three in a beautiful house in the Wood Beyond The World, where the sexy, manipulative Lady is currently living with a cold-hearted prince.
Walter stays there as a guest, and falls in love with the beautiful Maid, despite her mistress's jealousy. But the Lady has taken a liking to him, and despite his love for the Maid, Walter is drawn in by the Lady's magical charm. And breaking free of the jealous sorceress could be fatal for himself and the Maid -- even if they escape, they still have to deal with the savage wilderness of the Wood Beyond the World.
"The Wood Beyond the World" has the distinction of being the first fantasy-quest novel, although it hasn't had nearly the effect on fiction that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis have had. However, it is an interesting read, especially when one considers that Morris had no mold to work with -- he thought it all up himself.
Morris chose to write in a very formal style, with plenty of phrases like "then waxed Walter wood-wroth," whatever that means. It's not a light read, and it gives the story the feeling of a minor myth rather than a straightforward fairy tale. And despite its formality, the book has plenty of exquisitely described moments, such as Walter eavesdropping on the Lady and her boytoy.
Unfortunately, Morris loses his grip on the plot iuickly. Boom, they're gone. The primitive Bear tribe is an intriguing idea that Morris brings up, and then drops. And the last chapters of the book feel contrived, as if n the last fourth of the book: the Lady and her evil dwarf are dealt with way too qMorris were trying to think up a happy enough ending. And he also seems to forget that Walter is already married, albeit unhappily.
"The Wood Beyond the World" suffers from a rather weak last quarter, but it's an intriguing and often beautiful read. And if nothing else, a literary milestone.
A literary Waterhouse painting. .......2006-04-14
"The Wood Beyond the World" is many things but let me discuss what it is not. It is not a work of modern fantasy - that is, it does not have a high-paced plot full of swords and sorcery, peopled with rogues, wizards, goblins and elves. There is no attempt at the epic here. The story takes place with a limited cast of characters and only a modicum of natural magic. The lack of sword-play and the slow plot build-up may bore those accustomed to more "riveting" modern tales although patience is rewarded for the more persistent.
The book is also, most definitely, not a fairy tale for children. The hero, Walter, leaves his first wife for unfaithfulness and fares forth on a sea voyage, during the course of which he stumbles onto the wood beyond the world. Here he encounters difficulties of a romantic nature when he falls in love with the maidservant of the Mistress of the Wood. How Walter and the maid escape the Mistress' wiles is subsequently described in fairly adult terms, the Mistress doing her best to seduce the innocent Walter. While C. S. Lewis may have received inspiration for the Narnia series from this book (the Mistress seems an archetype of the White Witch and has Walter slay a Lion at one point) Morris addresses themes of purity and temptation with considerably more directness.
It is also not a typical Victorian novel, dealing with social mores, societal injustice or unrequited love. Rather it is an attempt to create a myth. Walter's entanglement with the Mistress of the wood and his eventual escape play out as a battle between seduction and guile on the one hand, and innocence and honesty on the other. The issue of trust and betrayal is of fundamental importance.
"The Wood Beyond the World" is, however, a splendid little tale, told in a romantic style and written in a pseudo-archaic english (a little practice with a King James Bible might be in order if you are rusty). The plot is full of tension and the descriptions of the Wood, the characters and the rustic scenery are all exquisitely painted. Morris was a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood and perhaps the best way to think of this story is as the literary equivalent of a Waterhouse painting - brooding, mysterious and enchanted.
This book seems like a George MacDonald novel written by Howard Pyle.......2006-01-02
How can you go wrong with a title like The Wood Beyond the World? I think it was C. S. Lewis who said that no book could live up to the titles which Morris gave to his books (this and The Well at the World's End), and he is correct. Morris does, however, come close, and delivers an excellent fantasy book, which is even more excellent considering that he had to come up with it on his own. He had no previous fantasy writers to base his ideas upon, for he, in writing this book, became the one from whom others drew their ideas. I came to read this book through C. S. Lewis influence. I was reading one of his books of letters, and in one he mentioned that he was reading this book, and he thought very highly of it. I also read somewhere else that this book greatly influenced Lewis' Narnian Chronicles, and when reading this book I could see what Lewis drew upon for some of his ideas. For example, he probably got the "Sons of Adam" and "Daughters of Eve" bit from this book, as well as the "wood between the worlds" in his The Magician's Nephew.
I think that this book is best described as a cross between George Macdonald and Howard Pyle, for the fantasy and magic seems similar to Macdonald, but the archaic writing style is extremely similar to Pyle's. Since I love both MacDonald and Pyle's works, I was very pleased to find an author who writes like both of them. I am hoping to find a copy of The Well Beyond the World soon so I can read that as well.
One last thing: the edition I have is a reprint of the original novel printed by Morris at his Kelmscott press, and has fancy letters and print, and it greatly adds to the magic of the story. I would hightly recommend finding this version if at all possible.
Into the "Wood".......2005-06-10
The multitalented William Morris is reknowned for many things, but in literary circles he's known for having created the first real fantasy stories, even before Dunsany and Tolkien. Though heavy on prose and light on plot, "The Wood Beyond The World" is an intriguing look at the baby steps of the fantasy genre.
After a disastrous marriage to an unfaithful wife, Walter sails away on a ship, but catches a glimpse of a beautiful queenly woman, a misshapen dwarf, and a lovely young slave girl. When he arrives in a distant land, he encounters all three in a beautiful house in the Wood Beyond The World, where the sexy, manipulative Lady is currently living with a cold-hearted prince.
Walter stays there as a guest, and falls in love with the beautiful Maid, despite her mistress's jealousy. But the Lady has taken a liking to him, and despite his love for the Maid, Walter is drawn in by the Lady's magical charm. And breaking free of the jealous sorceress could be fatal for himself and the Maid -- even if they escape, they still have to deal with the savage wilderness of the Wood Beyond the World.
"The Wood Beyond the World" has the distinction of being the first fantasy-quest novel, although it hasn't had nearly the effect on fiction that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis have had. However, it is an interesting read, especially when one considers that Morris had no mold to work with -- he thought it all up himself.
Morris chose to write in a very formal style, with plenty of phrases like "then waxed Walter wood-wroth," whatever that means. It's not a light read, and it gives the story the feeling of a minor myth rather than a straightforward fairy tale. And despite its formality, the book has plenty of exquisitely described moments, such as Walter eavesdropping on the Lady and her boytoy.
Unfortunately, Morris loses his grip on the plot in the last fourth of the book: the Lady and her evil dwarf are dealt with way too quickly. Boom, they're gone. The primitive Bear tribe is an intriguing idea that Morris brings up, and then drops. And the last chapters of the book feel contrived, as if Morris were trying to think up a happy enough ending. And he also seems to forget that Walter is already married, albeit unhappily.
"The Wood Beyond the World" suffers from a rather weak last quarter, but it's an intriguing and often beautiful read. And if nothing else, a literary milestone.
Book Description
Tolkien fans who long for more of the same delight that they get from The Lord of the Rings will find it in the writings of William Morris, for it was he who created the literary style that J. R. R. Tolkien brought to such perfection in his tales. As a young man writing to his future wife, Tolkien mentioned the inspiration he was receiving from Morris:
"Amongst other work I am trying to turn one of the short stories [of the Finnish Kalevala] . . . into a short story somewhat on the lines of Morris' romances with chunks of poetry in between."
Forty-six years later, Tolkien still remembered what he had learned from Morris:
"The Lord of the Rings was actually begun, as a separate thing, about 1937, and had reached the inn at Bree, before the shadow of the second war. . . . The Dead Marshes and the approaches to the Morannon owe something to Northern France after the Battle of the Somme. They owe more to William Morris and his Huns and Romans, as in The House of the Wolfings or The Roots of the Mountains."
As The Lord of the Rings was being written, Tolkien's close friend, C. S. Lewis, wrote that Morris provides his readers with a "pleasure so inexhaustible that after twenty or fifty years of reading they find it worked so deeply into all their emotions as to defy analysis." In words that could apply equally well to Tolkien, he said:
It is indeed, this matter-of-factness . . . which lends to all of Morris's stories their somber air of conviction. Other stories have only scenery; his have geography. He is not concerned with 'painting' landscapes; he tells you the lie of the land, and then you paint the landscapes for yourself. To a reader long fed on the almost botanical and entomological niceties of much modern fiction . . . the effect is at first very pale and cold, but also fresh and spacious. No mountains in literature are as far away as distant mountains in Morris. The world of his imagining is as windy, as tangible, as resonant and three dimensional, as that of Scott and Homer.
If you enjoy what Tolkien wrote about Aragorn, if you admire the bravery of the Riders of Rohan, if you long for more tales of adventure in a vast and unspoiled wilderness, and if you wish that Tolkien had more to say about the courage of women or about romances between men and women, then you will be delighted by these two marvelous tales from the pen of the gifted William Morris.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent bargain.......2005-11-13
This book is a fantastic buy! The Well Beyond The World's End is usually published in 2 volumes, so this edition includes the text of 3 books that would normally cost you about $42 if purchased separately.
The text is printed in two columns, as in a magazine. It's very readable and aesthetically pleasing (don't judge by the unfortunate cover). The only downside is that Morris originally published his books in an elaborate illuminated manuscript style (like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kelmscott_Press_-_The_Nature_of_Gothic_by_John_Ruskin_%28first_page%29.jpg). Unfortunately no modern printing of Morris seems to include his gorgeous original format. On the plus side, this edition is definitely more readable.
As for the stories themselves, I think it's fair to say Tolkien (and to a degree C.S. Lewis) retained every innovation Morris made, more or less replacing him. It's likely that only hardcore Tolkien/Lewis fans will find these books worth reading. This and the companion volume are the closest thing to the LOTR prequel.
The text is widely available free online (though it's not fun to read on a screen), so you might test a few pages before committing to a purchase:
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a107
Average customer rating:
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The Wood Beyond the World
William Norris
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0345237307 |
Product Description
The first great fantasy novel ever written. William Morris has been described as "obviously a Nineteenth Century Tolkien..." but he has a quality that is equally obviously and uniquely his own. In Limpid, singing prose, daintily archaic, he tells a fabulous story of the travels of a down-to-earth hero in an enchanted time: of a land beyond reality but of humans governed by very real laws. Every picture is delicately precise; every view dewy fresh. The world of William Morris is truly a jeweled world. Cover art by Gervasio Gallardo.
Book Description
With an introduction by May Morris. This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1913 edition by Longmans, Green, and Company, London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta.
Customer Reviews:
The bank owns the world and everyone on it except one man........1998-07-27
This book explores a potential future of earth that is has been purchased by a bank. In the 120 years it takes the bank to purchase everything it institutes vast changes in the way we live our lives. We literally become indebted to the bank from the age of 18. The bank tells us where to live, whom to marry, and delivers our babies to the front door. The one person on the planet who is not indebted manages to stay alive by pulling one scam or another. When the bank tries to terminate him, society begins to pay attention to this overweight, uneducated, scruffy man and his hypnotic little poems.
Average customer rating:
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STEPFATHER BANK
d.c. Poyer
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTPL3S |
Amazon.com
The King Arthur company has produced flour and other baking ingredients of high reputation for over two centuries. Similarly trustworthy, and reflecting their years of kitchen experience, The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion offers over 400 recipes for all kinds of basic and up-to-the-minute specialties--from pancakes and waffles to muffins and quickbreads; from coffee cakes, pizzas and crackers, to hearthbreads, cakes and cookies, including two complete chocolate chip recipes, for soft and crispy kinds. This is one of those books that no baking kitchen should lack--not only for its comprehensive repertoire and recipe dependability, but for the intimate ease with which it fulfills its promise. What this means, partly, is that technical information is perfectly pitched to ensure relaxed understanding, offering neither too much nor too little detail. It's the range and quality of these baking "backstories," including, for example, how to control cookie-dough spreading while baking, plus numerous hints and shortcuts, that help make the book so valuable.
Beginning, sensibly, with a concise section on measuring--the authors "first plea" is that readers buy and use a scale--the book then treats breakfast specialties, such as Gingerbread Pancakes and Pumpkin Praline Waffles; pursues quickbreads like Maple Cornbread; cobblers including those made under both cake and pie crusts; Sesame Crisps among other crackers; and yeast breads, such as bagels, a basic White Bread 101, and an exemplary Italian Bread, among others. An entire chapter is devoted to sourdough with instructions for creating your own starter. Readers will also want to try Strawberry-Lemon Chess Pies, Chocolate Lava Cake, and Pumpkin Cheesecake. A concluding everything-you've-always-wanted-to know ingredients glossary includes explorations on flour milling; of "faux fats" and sweeteners; the use of eggs in a dough or batter, in yeast breads and custards; information on the latest in European-style cultured butters, among much else. Color photos and numerous step-by-step technical drawings provide further guidance. With an illustrated section on tools, too, both high-tech and homey, such as the flour wand, the book has it all, for new and seasoned bakers alike. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
From Christmas cookies and pancakes to chocolate cake and sandwich bread, The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion will be there to guide home bakers every step of the way.
Every kitchen comes equipped with a fundamental, dependable cookbook classic such as Joy of Cooking or Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook. Now bakers have a modern classic of their own. From leavening, mixing, proofing, and kneading, through shaping and baking, the experts at King Arthur Flour lead you through hundreds of easy and foolproof recipes—from tricky yeast breads and sourdoughs, to trendy flatbreads and crackers, to family favorites such as pancakes and waffles. They also present fried doughs, quick breads, batter breads, biscuits, quiches, cobblers and crisps, cookies, cakes, brownies, pies, tarts, and pastries.
For more than 200 years King Arthur Flour has been in the business of making the highest quality key ingredient in all of baking: flour. They've done decades of experimentation and research in their famous test kitchens on how the various ingredients in baked goods behave and why. The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion now brings you more than 350 recipes that will teach you which ingredients work together, as well as what doesn't, and why. It is this knowledge that will allow you to unleash your own creativity and to experiment in the kitchen.
You'll get a complete overview of ingredients in chapters on flours, sweeteners, leavens, fats, and more. You'll find information on substitutions and variations, as well as troubleshooting advice from the pros at King Arthur. Recipes are enhanced with sidebars that share baking secrets and provide clear-step-by-step instructions, and each recipe is accompanied by a detailed nutritional analysis. Techniques are further explained with easy-to-follow illustrations by culinary illustrator Laura Hartman Maestro.
The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion is the definitive kitchen resource. Exhaustive in scope, authoritative in style, and offering clear, practical, and encouraging instruction, it is the one book you'll turn to every time you bake. Like your set of measuring cups and favorite wooden spoon, it will become an essential kitchen tool. No kitchen in America should be without a copy. Two 8-page color inserts; 150 b/w illustrations; glossary, resources , index.
Customer Reviews:
King Arthur's recipes WORK.......2007-06-02
as a retired pastry chef . . . a legitimate Swiss title involving 3 years of supervised apprenticeship . . . i rarely find anything new so i am amazed at some of the recipes in this book that successfully eliminate many of the
written-in-stone steps with no loss in quality. of course, the foundation of the book is the King Arthur flour;
THE difference in taste between American Breads and those glorious counterparts of France. the quality, the beauty of this flour more than justifies the shipping postage.
An Outstanding Cookbook!.......2007-04-24
This is simply an outstanding cookbook. I have been baking from this book for about eighteen months now and have yet to make a recipe that hasn't been a success. Cakes, scones, cookies, muffins, pancakes and waffles, yeast and quick breads, pies -- all keepers.
I own a number of cookbooks devoted to baking and this is the one I turn to the most often.
Get this book -- you won't be sorry! (Your family and friends will be pretty happy, too.)
A MUST HAVE COOKBOOK.......2007-04-10
I come from a long line of women who take a lot of pride in what they cook. Even with all the recipes I have collected over the years I think this is a must have cookbook for the beginner or the seasoned baker. I was very pleased and will use this for years to come.
A baking companion for everyone.......2007-04-02
This book is one of my most useful recipe books because it covers a lot more than recipes. It starts out discussing measuring and the proper ways to do so. This section also converts measurements into weight in ounces, translates old American measurements such as, "a pinch", "a dash", and even "a gill." It has a table to convert temperatures for anyone using an overseas oven and a section on high altitude baking. The recipes cover a lot! There is a glazed doughnut recipe I'd been looking for as well as a hamburger bun recipe. Breads, crackers, tarts, quiche, fried doughs, and of course desserts. An entire chapter is devoted to making great sourdough. There are a lot of cookie, pie, cobbler, cake, and icing recipes. There are also tips throughout the book on things like keeping cookies soft, the difference various pans make, etc. The book's photos are limited, but the drawings with different recipes are especially helpful to me when I need to fill and shape something. There is a small section for fillings, glazes, and washes, too! What makes this book really stand out for me, though, are the final two chapters. One is on ingredients, and the other on tools. I think it's helpful to talk about the different types of flours, sugars, salts, etc, and the way they react with one another and the effect they have on the finished project. It seems to leave nothing out, either. Cheeses, chocolates, nuts, and herbs are all discussed. While they do mention their own flours, I don't think this book is an advertisement for them. That's selling this short. The tips alone can make a difference in how one's product turns out. The tool section is useful, too. There are a lot of items, such as a lame scorer for bread, that I can't imagine I'd need. I like reading about each item, because I can either decide if I want something like that, or I can think of something I already have that works just as well. It's nice knowing what the difference is and why they are used so I can make informed decisions like that. I recommend this book for people who are new to baking as well as to people like myself who have been baking for years and years. There really is something in there for everyone.
One of my most referenced cookbooks.......2007-03-16
This and the cookie companion are the only cookbooks I give as gifts for weddings or that kind of thing. It is packed with all sorts of useful recipes, including a "quick bake" recipe. Anyone new or intimidated by the thought of baking will actually look forward to trying some of these recipes, but there is also a lot in here for the person who has been cooking for years.
I first checked the King Arthur cookbooks out from the library before using them, but I liked them enough and reference them enough that they were worth buying.
Books:
- Alchymic Journals
- At a Distance: Precursors to Art and Activism on the Internet (Leonardo Books)
- Baise-Moi (Rape Me)
- Before She Kills (The Fredric Brown Pulp Detective Series, Vol 2)
- Beyond Perfect: Beyond Perfect/Far Above Rubies/Family Circle/The Wedding's On (Heaven Sent Heartbeat)
- Cajun and Creole Folktales: The French Oral Tradition of South Louisiana
- Captain Blackman: A Novel (Classic Reprint Series)
- Chronicler of the Winds: A Novel
- Crash Diet: Stories
- Cry Uncle
Books Index
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First Steps in Old English
Wordcraft: New English to Old English Dictionary and Thesaurus
An Introduction to the Old English Language and Its Literature
Beowulf
A Concise Anglo-Saxon dictionary (MART: The Medieval Academy Reprints for Teaching)
