Product Description
For SATB choir. ... Read more

Product Description
Ken Follett follows his bestsellers Jackdaws and Code to Zero with an extraordinary novel of the early days of World War II...

It is June 1941 and the war is not going well for England. Across the North Sea, eighteen-year-old Harald Olufsen takes a shortcut on the German-occupied Danish island of Sande and discovers an astonishing sight that will change the momentum of the war. He must get word to England-except that he has no way to get there. He has only an old derelict Hornet Moth biplane rusting away in a ruined church: a plane so decrepit that it is unlikely ever to get off the ground...even if Harald knew how to fly it.Amazon.com Review
An old-fashioned tale of ordinary people thrown into the drama and danger of war, Hornet Flight is a rippingly good read. The time is 1941, and British bombers attacking Germany are being blown out of the sky in horrific numbers. How do the Nazis know they're coming? The answer is an infant technology called radar, and the Brits--with help from the Danish Resistance--must figure out how and where the German radar stations operate.

Follett, an old pro at World War II storytelling, vividly evokes the period, creating a sense not of historical re-creation but of urgently unfolding news. His cast of characters is memorable, including Harald Olufsen, a brainy 18-year-old pulled into the Resistance half against his will, and--typically for Follett--several central, well-drawn women. The plot does have some predictable elements: for example, from the time Harald first encounters a tiny wood-and-linen biplane called a Hornet Moth, half-rotted and stored away in a Danish barn, we know that it will heroically take to the skies. Then, when the very outcome of the war begins to turn on Harald getting a certain roll of film from Denmark to England, well... you can see where things are headed. But it's great fun to watch them develop, and Follett throws in just enough unexpected shocks to keep you off balance. Though it lacks the intensity of Eye of the Needle, Follett's finest and best-known book, Hornet Flight offers generous helpings of suspense and a climax that could hardly be more satisfying. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (115)

Not great, but...
Many of the criticisms leveled at this book by other reviewers are certainly valid, particularly the contrived manner in which Follett moves his characters about.As readers, we know we are being manipulated by the writer... but the writer should at least have the decency to conceal the fact.If this were a movie, you could see the wires and mirrors.

I liked the gadgetry -- a steam-powered Nimbus, for instance.I also appreciated that the callow teenage characters acted, well, callow.Ever read a book where the teenagers act and talk like super-suave, hyper-cosmopolitan thirty-five year olds?Whether by chance or design, Follett avoids this error.Unfortunately, that bit of realism is just too realistic for some readers.

I also appreciated the fact that the characters are fallible.The too-perfect protagonist has always annoyed me.Well, Follett's characters make mistakes in this book (read: LOTS of mistakes).That is life, especially as a teenager, even a teenage genius.And let us not forget that in real life at least one spy was caught because he was hit by a car while jay-walking.Even spies can be amateurish, and relatively new resistance movements can expect such disasters.

So, I liked it enough to keep it on the shelf for future re-reading, but I would recommend purchasing the book used (as I did), or checking it out at the library.Key to Rebecca was greatly superior.

Missing Pages
The book was missing over 50 pages right in the middle of the book.I felt betrayed.

Farcical?
I suspect that Mr. Follett loves old airplanes and young bumblers.Essentially the future of Western Civilization (not kidding) depends on the efforts of a couple of charming(for a while anyway) 20 year-olds who must smuggle secret information from Denmark to Britain (and interpret it when they get there).They rebuild an old airplane to do so (you will be able to rebuild and perhaps fly your own Hornet by the time you finish this book).They are abetted(?) by a sadly incompetent Danish underground and its amateurish (but likable, sort of) British contacts.They are chased by a competent and very lucky Danish detective who is "not a good person".

The logical solution to Britain's military problem (bomb the stupid sites) is apparent midway through the book but everybody from Churchill (and Stalin) on down must instead wait passively for these two to escape with their extraneous information (else the RAF will be wiped out and Russia will fall).Do they escape and how, minute by minute, bolt by bolt, in a Perils of Pauline plot?You must read the book.

The whole thing is utterly farcical and if it were not for the killing, suffering, and sense of doom of early WWII one would expect Jeeves to show up at any time.Like I say, Follett probably loved the airplane and the kids and had to throw in everything else to have a book.

good read
I love Follet's books, and this one is as good as they get. I love the way he picks a historical event and makes it come alive with the interwoven plot and characters. This one is impossible to put down.

A great Ken Follett novel
Ever since I read the Eye of the Needle I've been a big fan of Ken Follett.
Once You start reading ,You will not be happy until You get to the end.
I hope He continues to write for many more years. ... Read more

Product Description
The Archerfish, a diesel powered Balao-class submarine crafted in the 1940s, won a unique, heroic place in military history and the memories of her crew members. Here is her story: from her assembly in New England and her dedication by Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal secretary, to her service in World War II, where she broke the back of the Japanese Navy, and her critical role in the Cold War.

Here, too, is the story of her crew, who waited years to serve on the Archerfish. In their own words, these men tell how, against all odds, they sent a Japanese aircraft carrier to the ocean floor. Heroic actions, exotic ports, B-girls, perilous shore leaves, and the fascinating details of life aboard a sub—it’s all here. An extraordinary real-life odyssey, Gallant Lady is a vivid, unforgettable portrait of a submariner’s life. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Taylor Mays, George Hoey, Ken Hatfield, Don Dufek, Andy Talley, Mark Dantonio, Eric Ramsey, Eric Berry, Will Pettis, Jermaine Jones, Leon Fuller, Ruffin Mcneill, Garland Rivers, Cecil Doggette, Melvin Bullitt, Aaron Ross, Russ Huesman, Jim Caldwell, Jermaine Mays, Devon Walker, Tom Bradley, Greg Best, Bob Ptacek, Aeneas Williams, Jack Jacobs, Malik Jackson, Sirr Parker, Ed Fullerton, Vaughn Rivers, Raheem Morris, Marijon Ancich, Jeff Mullen, Janzen Jackson, Milt Davis, Kirby Smart, Charley Trippi, Billy Parker, Kareem Larrimore, Tarell Brown, Dwaine Carpenter, Mike Wilpolt, Phil Sarboe, Bob Waterfield, Kenny Wheaton, Fred Bohannon, Carlton Gray, Dick Felt, Charlie Pittman, Bob Wade, Tony Pittman, Bobby Keyes, Demetrice Morley, Dave Baker, Will Poole, Doug Kay, Hank Soar, Michael Griffin, Josh Pinkard, Sean Mcdermott, Billy Bookout, Chuck Beatty, Jay Staggs, Bashir Levingston, Scott Woerner, Don Bishop, Ronnie Bradford, Larry Glueck, Allen Wilson, George Platukis, David Gibbs, Carl Kidd, Don Panciera, Clarence Vaughn, Mike Faragalli, Fred Vinson, Neill Armstrong, Carnell Lake, Johnny Sample, Dave Elmendorf, Al Romine, Russell Stuvaints, Rick Sherrod, Don Sutherin, Mark Estelle, Brian Norwood, Rick Volk, Mike Scurlock, Mark Jackson, John Petitbon, Todd Koenig, Jovon Johnson, George Brancato, Darrell Whitmore, Bob Ligashesky, Billy Kinard, Bill Atkins, Jim Sears, Kevin Thomas, Lee Riley, Otto Schnellbacher, Tripp Welborne, Harold Nash, Dick Lynch, Willie Irvin, Tyrone Braxton, Ted Provost, Mike Bass, Chip Cox, Chris Reis, Terry Ray, Steve Freeman, Dennison Robinson, Dicky Moegle, Bo Orlando, Bret Munsey, Lewis Billups, Bobby Garrett, Jim David, Syvelle Newton, Dennis Meyer, Ken Stephens, Dan Sandifer, Ron Pitts, Willie Gary, Alex Gibbs, Andy Uram, Rufus Brown, J. C. Caroline, Sam Havrilak, Demetrice Martin, Raphel Cherry, Charles Davis, Kevin Ingram, Antoine Burns, Jeremiah Castille, Darren Willis, Johnny Hermann, C...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=11548121 ... Read more

Product Description
The companion volume to the twelve-hour PBS series from the acclaimed filmmaker behind The Civil War, Baseball, and The War

America’s national parks spring from an idea as radical as the Declaration of Independence: that the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. In this evocative and lavishly illustrated narrative, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan delve into the history of the park idea, from the first sighting by white men in 1851 of the valley that would become Yosemite and the creation of the world’s first national park at Yellowstone in 1872, through the most recent additions to a system that now encompasses nearly four hundred sites and 84 million acres.

The authors recount the adventures, mythmaking, and intense political battles behind the evolution of the park system, and the enduring ideals that fostered its growth. They capture the importance and splendors of the individual parks: from Haleakala in Hawaii to Acadia in Maine, from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, from Glacier in Montana to Big Bend in Texas. And they introduce us to a diverse cast of compelling characters—both unsung heroes and famous figures such as John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams—who have been transformed by these special places and committed themselves to saving them from destruction so that the rest of us could be transformed as well.

The National Parks is a glorious celebration of an essential expression of American democracy.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
Amazon Exclusive: Joseph J. Ellis Reviews The National Parks

Educated at the College of William and Mary and Yale University, Joseph J. Ellis is a Ford Foundation Professor of History at Mount Holyoke College. His Founding Brothers won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001, and American Sphinx earned the 1997 National Book Award. His latest work, American Creation, was published in 2007. Read Ellis's exclusive Amazon guest review of The National Parks: America's Best Idea:

If Ken Burns’s upcoming documentary film on America’s National Parks is as good as the book laying open before me, he has another huge winner. Of course the book, entitled The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, is intended as a companion to the film, but as I see it--literally--the book permits the eye and mind to linger over the truly breathtaking pictures in a more meditative way that film does not allow. The result is almost elegiac, producing the same kind of goose bumps that Burns created in his early work on the Brooklyn Bridge and the Civil War.

Burns has been chronicling the American experience for over thirty years, and I think it’s fair to say that no one has influenced more living Americans to think about our history as a people and a nation. His dominant themes have been space and race, his persistent question deceptively simple:who are we? I think The National Parks is his masterpiece on the space theme. And the message that kept whispering to me in these pages was that whoever we are has been decisively shaped by the sheer physicality of the continent we inhabit.

It never occurred to me before, but Americans invented the idea institutionalized in our National Parks. Namely, as Burns puts it in the introduction, “for the first time in human history, land--great sections of our natural landscape--was set aside, not for kings or noblemen or the very rich, but for everyone, for all time.”As Wallace Stegner once observed, and the book’s subtitle echoes, this may have been “America’s best idea.”Burns links the idea to Jefferson’s magic words in the Declaration of Independence (i.e. “We hold these truths...”), our quasi-sacred text on human freedom, which takes on an almost spiritual resonance amidst the vistas of Yosemite or Yellowstone.

Dayton Duncan, Burns's longtime colleague, has provided most of the text, which is designed to cast a spell that matches the wonder of the stunning illustrations. The book looks luxurious and feels expensive, but this visit to the National Parks is a great deal.--Joseph J. Ellis

(Photo © Jim Gipe)

Customer Reviews (59)

National Park
This book is exceptional both in its unique photographs and in its historical value.I have never seen such a complete collection of information gathered all in one place to expose the reader to the background and history of the national park system in the United States.I will be referring to this book quite often in the future as I continue to build vacation plans that include visits to the spectacular natural beauty of this country.

Lots like it
This was an expensive book and I found it much like many other books on Nat'l Parks. A little too wordy for me...more history than 'places to go and things to see'. I was expecting a book with more info on places to go within and around the park areas as well.

The National Parks " America's Best Idea"
I ordered this book when I was on vacation this June visiting all the parks out west. This book is the best keepsake of the trip by far. I was overjoyed to find an exact picture I took when visiting Yellowstone in the book. What a treasure. The book is a true gift for all of America. Thank you to Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns.

Not quite as described
Got the book in a timely fashion.The book was new but the corners were bent so it was not as good as I would have liked.Would have liked to have known this before I selected the vendor.

Good review of America's National Parks including beautiful pictures.
This hardbound book is filled with information on America's National Parks with many breath-taking pictures included. This book sells for $50.00 in retail stores. I purchased it used in excellent condition for less than $20.00; plus additional $4.00 USPS shipping. Recieved book in less than a week; was told it could take up to 2 weeks. Well pleased with the purchase. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

pretty good actually
While probabaly not the best manga I've seen Dragon Drive has some cool stuff.The Dragon designs are intresting and the game-based plot will definatley heat up more in the second book(I'm a fan of the Anime).Reiji is basicly the guy who gives up on eveything..he's the slacker king, but when his best friend Maiko hauls him off to play this undergound game called Dragon drive he actully starts getting into it.He's not too sure of himself at first because he ends up getting assigned what appears to be the weakest dragon in the whole game, but this little dragon actully hold some big secrets...

Better than any manga there ever was
Beleive me this is the ultimate manga. Dragon Drive is my ultimate favorit manga. Its just so sweet. I mean what kind of manga has action, comedy, great art, great story, and... just about everything eles there is.
Dragon Drive is about a loser named Ozora Reiji who just cant find anything that intrests him and everybody thinks hes boring. So his best freind (by the way, his best freind is a girl) black males him to come with her.
So she introduces Reiji to Dragon Drive a game. And Reiji really likes it.
Im not going to spoil the story for you so there you have it. ... Read more

Product Description
paperback/ 16 pages of rare photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Ruthless Look At Ruth
This Ruth biography was obviously written at the bilious end of the angry Sixties decade. Author Ken Sobol has a crisp style and a considerable talent for research, but he bends over backwards to approach Ruth in a confrontational, accusing manner.

Sometimes the debunking style is effective -- Sobol wastes no sentimentality on the Babe's early years at St. Mary's Reform School in Baltimore, ("a tough, medium security prison")or on the "Brothers" who relied on brutality and violence rather than logic and reason to deal with their wayward students. (Does the Catholic Church ever change?)But what's missing is any sense of the Babe's extraordinary resilience and good humor. Sobol points out all of the Babe's coarseness, rudeness and profanity, while giving short shrift to his generosity, humor and warmth.

The chronicle of Babe's playing years is likewise marred by a subtle, persistent effort to represent the man as nothing more than a crude slob. Ironically, Sobol seeks to discredit the Babe mostly by sentimentalizing his teammates, many of whom were still living and cooperating with the author when the book was being written. Far too much of the book is meaningless back-patting of these elderly interview subjects ("today Harry Hooper is still the same wonderful, distinguished, venerable, dignified and decent fellow that he was in 1922 -- and his wife and children and their children all agree.") As a result Sobol's picture of the Major Leagues in the Twenties is like 100 Prince Charmings and one Gorilla. I hardly think that was actually the case, and I also suspect a lot of the Babe's teammates enjoyed his company a lot more than Sobol lets on.

In closing, I would definitely recommend this book for the serious student of baseball, since the historical writing is crisp and Sobol puts together a comprehensive picture of baseball in the Twenties. But his portrait of the Babe's is venemous and distorted, much like Albert Goldman's picture of Elvis Presley (in many ways the only other icon who approaches Babe in significance.)



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hitler relies on The Needle
Hitler must ultimately decide what threats are real and when.He relies on the one man he knows can accomplish the task of finding out the truth.So he sends to England "The Needle" a deep cover spy who is so confident that he does not let the intermediate folk get in his way. Any that do do not live to tell about it.

First, they have to believe that he actually exists.Then they have to find him.It they can find him, can they stop him?

Yes, the story is intriguing.Yet it is the people interaction (loyalty, love, and credibility) and the attitude of "The Needle" that make the story.Ultimately, the question is will he succeed and what effect will this have on future generations of those who knew him.

Eye of the Needle ... Read more

Product Description
A cumulative tale in which a farmer, his wife, his daughter, his cow, his dog, and his cat couldn't pull the enormous pumpkin off its vine until they were helped by a tiny mouse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Love it
This is a cute book.I love the repetition for early readers.

A Fun Book To Read With Children at Halloween
I had the joy of hearing this book read by a lirarian to a class of second graders. The repetitive lines and great illustrations make this book a delight to read with children. They will laugh at the names of the characters used in this book. This book is a must for the lower-elementary grades. ... Read more

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Product Description
Now available with bonus Fresh Airwith Terry Gross interview with the late Ken Kesey.

Ken Kesey's story of life in a state mental hospital is a classic of American literature. This collection features not only a Fresh Air with Terry Gross interview with the late Ken Kesey but also narration by the author himself. ... Read more

Product Description
“'24' meets ‘The West Wing' in the most shocking political thriller of the year.This pulse-pounding political thriller has it all, riveting characters, a spellbinding plot and a shocking conclusion.Tightly wrought characters battle for survival as the plot hurtles forward at warp speed.Plan to stay up late.Highly recommended.”
---VINCE FLYNN, New York Times Bestselling Author

“Frighteningly real, Capital Offense rivets you from the very first page.High-octane suspense, brutal deceit and premeditated murder escalate to an unforgettable conclusion.You'll think about this book long after you’ve read the last page.Impossible to put down.”
--LEE CHILD, New York Times Bestselling Author

“The best kind of thriller . . . fast-paced, spellbinding and complex with a heavy dose of reality.Socially and politically relevant, CAPITAL OFFENSE proves Antrim has the heart of an investigative journalist with the adroit touch of a master novelist . . . A stunning debut.”
--Scott McKibben, The San Francisco Examiner

IS THE FIRST LADY PLOTTING TO OVERTHROW THE PRESIDENT?
This questions seems inconceivable to journalist Jack Rudley, but so did the murder of his own father, Senator William Rudley. Now his father is dead and all roads lead to the White House.Roads Jack must take if he's ever to know the truth. Roads twisted by deceit, revenge, power and murder.Roads First Lady Carolyn Alden Lane navigates with great skill.

When she learns she's a pawn in a deadly bid for the White House, her world comes crashing down. Driven by desperation, she refuses to take the fall alone. But how far will she go to even the score? Against all odds, Jack searches for the truth, a truth that may cost him his life, while Carolyn struggles to survive in a web of savage political corruption. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

absurd and shallow
Capitol Offense does have an intriguing premise.What happens when the grasp for political power causes people to stop at nothing, even murder, to get elected?But this book has too many evil plots that involve so many of it's characters, that it strains believability. I'm tired of the good guy, predictably named "Jack", who fights for the love of the green-eyed, auburned-hair beauty. She spurns him, then accepts him, then ,of course, is integral in helping him bring down the bad guys. No one is ever suspicious of the many deaths and accidents that occur during the politicians rise to power, and the ditsy, helpless electorate swallows whatever line the parties pitch. I found it difficult to finish this book because I really didn't care how it ended.

Great Read!!!
Well developed characters that just go and go...........twists and turns............it is a fantastic read!
For all political junkies or just one who enjoys a good book!

A roller coaster political thriller
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat.It's hard to pinpoint the good and bad characters.It'll keep you guessing until the end.

addictive
Wow, i just couldn't put it down......the plotting of the book was super....Kathleen Antrim has a way with making her people come alive....i could see the adventure onfolding with each page and would love to see it as a film.....days after i had finished the novel i pictured in my mind what actor/actress i saw as each character....then i realized that i could not picture what actress would do justice to the first lady, Carolyn.....Ms. Antrim created an original, a character solely onto herself...still in all, i would be curious to see the novel as a film.....Can't wait to read Ms.Antrim's next endeavor....k.k.barto

Letter to the author
I am a retired CEO of a regional bank and an avid reader of books.It has been many many years since I devoted one whole day to reading an entire novel from cover to cover.Your book Capital Offense compelled me to do just that.I literally could not put it down and turned each page with great anticipation of what was to come.Your ability to not only make the reader become involved in the story, but almost to feel as if they were one of the characters is truly exceptional.

I look forward to any of your future novels and hope you accept my thanks for a really exciting day of outstanding reading enjoyment. ... Read more

Product Description
With America Back on Track, his first major policy book in more than forty years, Senator Edward Kennedy reveals a critical plan to revive the lapsed values of our nation.

Abridged CDs - 5 CDs, 6 hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Great
Great book! Great read. It's unfortunate that I purchased the book prior to the pasting of greatest senator of our time.

This is a must buy CD!!
Uncle Ted tells it like it is! He shoots from the hip and tells it all the good bad & the ugly! Its a must own CD!! But it now!

Inspirational and informative.
Teddy delves into his childhood to explain his passion for wanting to get America back on track to being a truly equal opportunity country. With some sharp criticism of actions and policies of some that seek to expand their own power and that of their friends, this book opens the eyes of the open minded reader. It is a fast paced read with lots of information and references to US history.

If you prefer to feel that equality of all Americans is not an issue and that women and minorities have equal access to jobs and salaries as that of white males, this might not be the book for you. I did not feel ashamed for being a white male after reading it. However, I did come away with a sense of responsibility to participate more in the process to ensure America stays a hallmark to the world as the place for freedom and opportunity.

Back on Track Lacks Specific Solutions to Problems
Ted Kennedy is a career politician who has served in the U.S. Senate since 1962 and he is one of the most recognizable names/faces in American politics. He is very passionate about what he feels is wrong about the America of the twenty- first century and he feels that many changes need to be made to get America "back on track". He doesn't like government secrecy. He doesn't like the growing economic divide between the rich and poor. He doesn't like the general state of fear that people have lived in since the attacks of September 11, 2001. He feels that race relations need to improve and he would like to see woman's rights advance to the point of full equality. These are positions that Ted Kennedy is known for and he doesn't offer anything surprising in this book. He states exactly what one would expect, given his outspoken voice on these many economic and social issues over the past fifty years. There is nothing that is new or noteworthy in this book, since much of what Ted Kennedy feels passionately about is the same today as it was yesterday.

With no new material to absorb, the only way to judge this book is for its content and for its persuasive ability. And it is here that Kennedy's book comes up short. Most anyone would agree with the issues that are dear to Ted's heart, like improving race relations, making the nation secure, and improving women's rights. However, the main problem I have with "America: Back on Track" is that it doesn't offer enough direct solutions to the problems. Basically, it is a book that features Ted sounding off on what he feels is wrong with American and how the problems need to be corrected. But there is no direct solution given to most of the problems, making the reader wonder exactly what Ted proposes to correct the issue. Throughout the book, Ted makes quotes such as `Our health care system must be improved'...'National Security must not include open violations of the U.S. Constitution", etc. This is all fine and good, and I am certain that many readers will agree with Ted Kennedy in principle. But he generally doesn't say how he proposes to achieve these ends. Other than a few places in the book that mention increasing taxes to pay the bill, there are no innovative solutions offered to correct these problems. Throwing additional money after the problem seems to be the book's only answer.

Senator Kennedy is highly critical of George W. Bush and Bush's dismantling of the U.S. Constitution, and he makes his disagreements well known in this book. However, I felt the book doesn't take its arguments and disagreements far enough. I like that Ted doesn't resort to name- calling toward Bush or others with whom he disagrees, but I would have preferred a little more constructive criticism, not to mention some intellectual discussion. The book is actually a little too nice and too civil. At one point, the book refers to some of Bush's actions as "cruel", but that is about as critical as it gets. Given Kennedy's feelings about Bush in general and his many disagreements with the current administration, I don't know how he managed to hold back. I would have preferred that he unleash his displeasure and offer more criticism where criticism is due.

Overall, "America: Back on Track" isn't one of the better political books I have read in recent memory. Yes, it was written by a longstanding U.S. Senator and yes, it is written with passion for its core beliefs. But the book is too lacking with solutions to problems and it doesn't dish out the criticism to the extent that a political book should. It needs to be about 100 pages longer than it is, and it needs a little more intellectualism to make it a well- rounded and more persuasive book. Otherwise, taken as is, "America: Back on Track" seems a little bit derailed itself; much like the state of the nation to which the book is directed.

The swimmer fails again
Only in Massachusetts can this fat blowhard be taken seriously.This book is a rambling attack on President Bush.Bush is evil.Bush is causing inflation.Bush is the cause of terrorism.Blah, blah, blah.

There is almost nothing that Teddy does not blame Bush for.I also get the impression that he dearly wishes that he was 20 years younger.I don't get the impression that he is wildly impressed with the Democratic candidates for 2008.

The most ironic part of the book is where Kennedy attempts to speak for the virtues of the "common man, the factory worker, etc.".He would know a common man if his life depended on it. And Mary Jo Koepekne was not available for comment. ... Read more

Product Description
Will Barrett, a lonely widower, suffers from a depression so strange and severe that he decides he doesn't want to continue living.But then he meets Allison, a mental hospital escapee making a new life for herself, living alone in a greenhouse.What follows is by turns touching and zany, tragic and comic, as Will goes in search of proof of God and winds up finding much more.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Major Flaws in What Could Have Been a Great Novel
The Second Coming held my interest and I enjoyed reading it, even though it did drag a little sometimes. The strength of the novel was Percy's portrayal of the disaffection I imagine many affluent and "successful" Americans feel. But I have to subtract at least one star for what one reviewer called the author's "lecherous fantasy" (truly troubling) and another for the ending that seemed rushed and not believable.

Never received order
I purchased this book (The Second Coming by Walker Percy) with a gift certificate, June 1,2010 and marked for expedited delivery - to arrive June 11 as I needed the book no later than June 14 for a book club review. On June 12 delivery had not been received so I emailed regarding the status. Not until June 14 did I receive an email indicating that the book was not available and the cost had been reimbursed to my gift certificate account. I certainly understand if the book was not available; however, timely notification of this fact would have shown that my order was of value and given me time to locate the product elsewhere.As it turned out, I was very frustrated with #1) I did not receive the book and #2) the lack of good (timely) customer service.

Liked it
Quick Review:this book takes place mostly within the mind of Will Barrett, who is sliding in and out of reality throughout the entire book.He is often lost within his memories, self analysis and existential wonderings.It is one of those books you have to read slowly and without a desire for plot.I enjoyed the eccentricities of the Allison character a lot, especially her language.I recommend it for anyone who enjoys books with psychological themes, as the two leading characters are each dealing with their own issues and the book is largely composed of them.The book is interesting, humorous, stimulating and raises questions about our relationship to God and religion and other humans.

A brilliant literary tapestry
This book is quite easily the best book I have read all year! Granted it's only January 8, but I'm pretty sure the statement will hold. The people who have criticized this book as repetitious and boring are misinterpreting Percy's writing. What grates them about his writing, is what makes Percy a master. There are points of tedium in the book (very very brief ones), there is repetition, there are twists and turns, but all this is done in order to bring to life the great story which he is trying to tell. The story doesn't progress in a straight line, but every time it twists, doubles back and shoots out at unforeseen angles, it makes the story all the more engaging. That is the magic of Percy's writing, his characters truly come to life, warts and all. I read this book over several evenings, and the last time I sat down to read it, I couldn't put it down until it was over.

Waiting for a Sign
Walker Percy was an unusally gifted novelist.He had the ability to bring the unlikeliest characters to life amid stories that were both fantastic and real.His characters deal with the oddities of life in search of what is true for them.With "The Second Coming", Percy may have created his most bizarre characters and outcomes out of any of his novels.

"The Second Coming" drifts back and forth between the narrations of a young girl named Allison and a retired lawyer named Will Barrett.Allison has just escaped from a mental institution and is intent upon making her life her own, if she can only remember or discover who she really is.Will Barrett retired young and spends his days playing golf, living an ordinary life, until he starts falling down, victim to supposed "petty mall" spells.By chance he encounters Allison in the woods, and the two strike up a strange friendship, and turn out to be the only ones who understand each other.But their unlikely friendship falls victim to Will's sickness, and both most sort out their lives before they can truly begin living.

Walker Percy was a gifted writer, who managed to explore intellectual and spiritual issues in a lighthearted, comic way."The Second Coming" can definitely be hard to read at times, with the strange way Allison constructs sentences and Will's fascination with the "exodus" of the Jews from Carolina.Both characters, especially Will, drift back and forth in time, and their rambling minds can make for some tangential reading.The ending feels a bit rushed after the long strange trip the two characters take, but it is a perfect fit for these characters and the answers Will has been looking for. ... Read more