Leather Books

A short, skinny boy with untidy hair and broken glasses and a scar on his forehead. A tall, gangly red-head with various hand-me-downs from his five older brothers. A bushy-haired girl who is absolutely book-smart, but also sometimes bossy and rash. It amazes me to this day that such a hugely popular book series could star a main cast such as the one I just described. Even more amazingly, we actually care about these characters and all of their adventures.

Harry Potter owes a debt to the great fantasy that came before it, but it never falls into the trap of copying everything that preceded it. Sure, there are the fairly cliched plot devices of a young boy with dead parents who goes on an incredible journey to kill the male antagonist, but others like Hagrid the half-giant, Diagon Alley, Platform 9 3/4, Quidditch, the Invisibility Cloak, and the incredibly touching Mirror of Erised all came straight from Rowling's incredible imagination. There is something marvelous in every chapter of Harry Potter.

The writing in Sorcerer's Stone isn't perfect, and one could argue that it's not even good, but Rowling's sense of humor, and again, her imagination really shine through. Her writing is very accessible but never patronizing, making Harry Potter a perfect choice for young readers, not only to give them a perfect reading choice, but also to spur a possible life-long interest in reading.

One thing I like about the series is that it's not a clear-cut tale about good vs. evil (this is made clear by the last few books in the series). Plenty of important themes are tackled, and all of them with grace--another argument for why young readers should read Harry Potter.

All in all, there is just so much to love about the series. The first book will have you hooked; by the time you reach the third book, you will desperately want to finish up the whole series, even though you know that means about 3,000 more pages of reading. I think that Harry Potter will go down in history as one of the best fantasy series of all time--you can think about that what you will, as not everybody would agree with me on this one. But I can give this whole series a heartfelt recommendation.

Sadly I had seen the first Harry Potter movie before I read the book. For all of those who declared the first book superior I would have to disagree. Granted it is the begining source for all that we come to love about Harry and his friends, Hogwarts and the long driven drama against Voldemort but the story itself pales in comparison to such a brilliantly done movie. However, for those who have somehow avoided the tidal wave of media buzz concerning these books I would recommend that you start from the begining and enjoy this wonderful world one page at a time. Between the prose and film productions you are about to take a grand journey unlike anything available in the fantasy market.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Apparently, I am the 5434th person to leave a review. I will try to keep it short.

I am a retired older person and, ten years ago, I bought a copy of the previous edition for myself and my wife and a second copy for my, then, eight-year-old step granddaughter and her eleven-year-old brother. We, each, enjoyed the story tremendously. We have followed the Harry Potter stories through to finishing the seventh book, last year.

This is the easiest and the shortest book of the series. However, the author, J.K. Rowling, introduces the reader to many new sorts of things. The ending of this book is very good and this novel is a complete story.

I have read this story several times and am still happy with it, from beginning to end.

You may hear or see criticisms of the Harry Potter books. You may, also, hear or see many folks who praise the books. Please form your own opinions by reading this book for yourself. At first, Harry will be the character that you get to know the best. As the series continues, you will get to know several characters, very well. None of the characters are perfect people. However, Harry and his friends are people whom you would like as your friends. Finally, Harry and his friends do good things throughout the series of books. That is an important point that some folks have a hard time seeing, but it is there in every book.

I recommend this book, highly.

I got this book on the exact date it said I would and it's exactly what I wanted. Hard cover, brand new. Perfect. :)

If you like card board characters, tired old plot, bad writing, this book is for you. Kids, please, there are so many better books out there. And we wonder why the aliens don't want to meet us.

I bought this set in 2007. It is big and well bound.

The problem with it is that each volume is big & heavy and takes a lot of space to read. In a lot of ways, someone might be better off with a collection of lighter, paper bound versions. It is sort of like do you buy hard bound books or paper bound? I usually buy paper bound as they are more convenient and are easy to carry around. Others, who primarily read in one place, prefer hard bound.

Also, I am not a fan of colouring images that originally were black and white. To me, they are more subtle and interesting when in their original black and white.

WOW! When people stress the weight of this item, they are NOT kidding! I received the package in a half-open box. Luckily, the content inside was well wrapped! Not only is this a collection of Gary Larson's work throughout the years, it also has a fascinating history about him as well. In addition to his cartoons, there are also some pretty cool tid-bits throughout the book. For example, when someone wrote a letter to Mr. Larson explaining that his humor is sick and demented. Hahaha... there are copies of such letters in these books. AWESOME PURCHASE! I bought it for my husband as a birthday gift. Any Far Side follower MUST have this purchase!!!!

If you are of a certain age then you grew up with the daily Far Side and likely had a Far Side calendar on your desk at some point. I love Larson's humor and this two volume set (as some have noted it is very very heavy) is well worth reading and re-reading. All the normal Larson favorites are there: the bugs, the nerds, and animals of all sorts. I've enjoyed coming across those special cartoons that touched me at some point in my life in the 80's and 90's.

I found the introductory comments for each year by Gary Larson to be fluff pieces, hardly worth reading and they don't add much to the overall edition. Perhaps as funny as some of the cartoons are the letters from people and companies who have been impinged upon by Gary's humor; some of the letters against his cartoons are funny because of the poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and indicate that the world indeed is populated by people as strange as anything ever included in a cartoon.

After reading through the volumes over the Christmas vacation I'm not sure what to do with the books now. They are too large and heavy for bedside reading and don't fit the mold for a coffee table book. I guess they will go back on the shelf until the next time I need a Larson fix.

This is even better than I had expected. The background notes and supplemental response letters are fantastic. I've missed his humor through theses years and now, when the desire arises, all I have to do is pick up a book and open to a page.

Having grown up on the Far Side daily "tear-sheet" calendars (man I miss those) it was awesome to be able to get everything in a giant collectible-type tome. This anchor is worth it's weight in laughs! Remembering your favorites and revisiting the forgotten gems - funny how timeless actually are!

The person I bought the book for enjoyed the book and praised the information on grief.

After the loss of my husband it was suggested that I read this book. It is a book that should be read several times to get the full impact. Lewis goes through several mood changes in his journal and only after reading this book did I fully realize I shared many of the same feelings in my grief journey. Madeleine L'Engle wrote the foreword and it should also be read after the loss of a loved one.

Heartfelt and gripping. This genra is one that is hard to put your mind around, however it is something we must witness and cope with. Read this if your stuggling with loss.

Easily the saddest book I have ever read, C.S. Lewis' book A Grief Observed is his journal he wrote after his wife Joy died of cancer.
It was the first time in his life that he had experienced such a sudden jolt of pain and it is evident in his words that he was completely lost. Lewis' faith was tested and he shares his doubts and anger towards God with readers.
"What chokes every prayer and every hope is the memory of all the prayers H. and I offered and all the false hopes we had. Not hopes raised merely by our own wishful thinking, hopes encouraged, even forced upon us, by false diagnoses, by X-ray photographs, by strange remissions, by one temporary recovery that might have ranked as a miracle. Step by step we were 'led up the garden path.' Time after time, when He seemed most gracious He was really preparing the next torture."

It is a very personal experience that few people are willing to share with the world. As time passes, Lewis comes to conclusions about death and life that will give hope to anyone who has lost a loved one.

"God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't."

When my husband died after a long illness, someone recommended this book. One of the hardest parts about beginning to grieve is putting your feelings into words. C S Lewis does so here in his memoir of losing his beloved wife. This quick read helped me make sense of what I was feeling and that I was not alone feeling like this. I give it as a gift to people who suffer and extreme loss.

The content is excellent; the language and style is dated and therefore, cumbersome. An updated version would be easier for many to follow.

The book was in the stated condition, arrived in a timely manner, was priced well, and made a good gift.

I purchased My Utmost For His Highest as an appreciation gift for the Church School Staff Members at my church. The Book was very well received and appreciated. Some of the older members were especially pleased with the Large Print. I definitely recommend this product.

Book was in said condition, very nice. It arrived in a timely manner.
I am happy to have purchased it as the content is very meaningful and helpful.

I have been an Oswald Chambers follower for many years. I had been reading a tattered copy that belonged to my dad. For my birthday today I got this copy for my birthday and it is so very special. The leather cover is so soft and beautiful. Two shades of purple and liliac. Soft and comfortable to hold.

The dovotions are still current today. They make you look deep within your heart to what God is saying to you.

Highly recommend.

I received this book as a gift from a friend who knows the value of prayer and how I also treasure this communication with God. I now give the book to those whom I feel led to share so that they, too, can be touched by these praises and petitions from the hearts of those in a simpler time of life. To meditate on these moves me to know my own heart's desires and slows me down so that I can value and embrace my relationship with God. I am encouraged to be more of who God wants me to be.

This is a book of Puritan prayers and devotionals. One of these prayers was read at Ruth Graham's funeral. That's what made me interested. The Puritans avoided pride like the plague, so some of the prayers may seem that they were "down on themselves." However, each phrase has such deep thought it could be contemplated all day and ends on positive praise for God. The language is poetic and beautiful, early American English. I purchased one for myself and 7 to give as gifts (to be used as a devotional book reading one each day.)

Excellent :) I would like to know who wrote each prayer, but this is an amazing collection of prayers, written by awesome men of God.

The Puritans were know for their deep devotion to God. This little leather bound book is a wonderful insight into that devotion. Over 360 pages of excerpts from their written prayers.

I love this book of Puritan praises and prayers. If you appreciate poetry, you will love Valley of Vision. It is so deeply written and humble and very refreshing to find what you feel put exactly into words.

The Everyday Life Bible: The Power of God's Word for Everyday Living by Joyce Meyer is a book that teaches the bible in a sensible and down to earth manner. Joyce delivers her powerful message in every page of this book.
If you are interested in the hope and faith that God and Jesus can only bring in this day and age, I suggest you read a great book entitled "The Enlightenment, What God Told Me After One Million Prayers: A Message for Everyone," by John H. Eagan. It brought me to tears. It's great and deals with Jesus' Passion. I think if you liked Joyce's book you will love this book too.

THIS BIBLE IS EXCELLENT FOR ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO HOLD ON TO GOD IN THESE TRYING TIMES. IT REALLY ALLOWS YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE TEACHINGS. IT HAS EXTRA STORIES BY THE AUTHOR, WHICH LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE .AND NOTHING THAT IS TAKING PLACE TODAY IS HARD FOR GOD TO HANDLE ,IF YOU ALLOW HIM TO. IT TELLS YOU PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING KNOWING THAT EVERY THING IS GOING TO BE ALLRIGHT. IT IS WELL WRITTEN IN LARGE PRINT. I LOVE IT AND THE AUTHOR JOYCE MEYERS, PURCHASE ONE FOR YOU AND A FREIND.

I have had many bibles over the years but this version is my favorite. Joyce Meyer's notes and commentary make bible study simple and easy. My husband has another amplified bible he loves. It just confuses me. This bible makes the bible less intimidating and much easier to study.

The Everyday Living Bible is the best Bible I have seen to date. It is excellent for those seeking a better understanding of the Word, and to enhance your personal relationship with the Lord through Jesus Christ. I am forever thankful to Joyce for having taken the time to add her personal notes/reflections that are very honest and extremely helpful to the average person to pursue a deeper personal faith life and to help us with daily issues. I purchased one for each member of my family, and they also have expressed how much they enjoy reading scripture in this Bible

I've always tried to read through a different translation of the Bible each year or so. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that again. I love this Bible that much! There are amazing commentary notes that have been so eye opening. In trying to read the Bible through, I like to complete the scripture for each page and then read Joyce's notes. Priceless! I want to buy one for everyone I know!

This is the most fantastic reference tool I have ever used! Every nuance of meaning for any word you can think of. The perfect writer's tool.

I have own a number of thesauruses in my day, but no one compares with the Synonym Finder by Rodale. The invaluable resource not only gives you dozens of alternative words, it also includes archaic and rare usages, too.

Simply the best!

Although I rarely use these types of books when I'm writing my first draft, The Synonym Finder and it's companion, published by the same author, Word Finder, is never far from my reach during the re-writes. My only complaint would be that I haven't yet found it in software form.

Although Mr Rodale is known for his studies in the area of organic gardening, his synonym finder is excellent. Easy to use, without having to do cross referencing, the book has numerous words to choose from.

This is an amazing book which is the last word in Thesauruses. It is over 1,350 pages. I have written three books using this Synonym finder and have found it to be invaluable! My copy has so many dog ears I probably need to open a kennel.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Although this is an older title I still use it quite frequently. If you do any kind of writing, whether academic/legal/leisure I highly recommend this book. Sometimes I just can't find the right word to convey the intended message so I open this up and 9 times out of 10 I come away with the word I'm looking for.

This book has the annointing of the Holy Spirit and is an amazing devotion for those going through the trials and tribulations that occur in Spiritual Growth.

I purchased this devotional because it is used by my pastor and others in my Church. It is filled with substance and thought-provoking insights to help a person grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

This has to be the best devotional book I've ever bought. Each morning, I look forward to reading in it along with my Bible scripture. I plan to buy several copies to give to my friends. It's a treasure!

This is one of the best devotionals I've gone through. I started it in January and am almost done. It's goes pretty deep and that's what I like about it. This one I ordered for a friend. I would recommend it to all.

This is an amazing devotional book, not only because of it's content, but because of how it relates. Currently my sister and I have been reading this devotional while we've been at college, my father is reading it while he's deployed, and my mother while she's at home. I find it to be a book that relates to many different generations, bring fresh insights for all. I very highly recommend this book.

As a fellow fan of HHGG, allow me to share with you my copy of ALL 12 of the Original BBC series broadcasts from 1980 in an MP3 format. The original audio is even better than the book. (Zephod's heads are in stereo.) I have posted the 30 minute episodes on my Hotmail Skydrive space at:

http://cid-0493e421824a27f2.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy

Enjoy!

This book is on my very short list of "I wish I had been smart enough to write this book" books. It is incredibly clever and imaginative. There really is no genre for this book. It is stand alone - in a class of its own. I highly, highly recommend reading it. If I were to write my own recommended reading list, this book would be very near to the top.

The books them selves get 5 stars without a 2nd guess. I really enjoyed the introduction to this collection by Adams him self and the added short story is great!

The book it self is not the best quality. the ribbon severly frayed on me before i got a couple chapters in. I had to cut it down and put glue on it. The pages are rather thin and the leather is stiff.

But all in all, i am verry glad I purchased it.

The Hitchhiker's Series is wonderful and quirky. The Main Character, Arthur Dent, is swept up in events beyond his control when the Earth is destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Accompanied on his journey across the galaxy by assorted friends, or at least traveling companions, Arthur learns to take things in stride, the importance of a good cup of tea and to NEVER go anywhere without his towel.
Douglas Adams was a true visionary. To me sci-fi books about space travel were always a bit too clean and perfect, think "Federation." Adams, however, has created a bizarre and often ridiculous universe where literally anything can happen. This series is one I have read several times and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys comedy, sci-fi, or fantasy. In a world of writers, Douglas Adams will be sorely missed by his fans.

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide contains all 6 of the stories, or rather, 5 complete novels and one story...You'll love this book. This edition also comes with a sweet padded leatherbound cover and a bookmark.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF YOU LIKE TO LAUGH!!!!