Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

Quindlen hits a nerve with One True Thing, which captures an experience seldom dealt with in popular culture. Though the heroine, Ellen Gulden, is a golden girl with two brothers who'll lose her career the instant she steps off the fast track, society concurs with her dad, who says, "It seems to me another woman is what's wanted here."

The book is a mother-daughter tale that should please fans of, say, The Joy Luck Club. It's not flashy, but it has a deep feel for the way children often discover, just before it's too late, who their parents really are. "Our parents are never people to us," Ellen writes, "they're always character traits.... There is only room in the lifeboat of your life for one, and you always choose yourself, and turn your parents into whatever it takes to keep you afloat." The mercy-killing subplot isn't gripping, but the palpable sense of deepening family intimacy certainly is. --Tim Appelo

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her father take place within the context of her arrest and its aftermath, as she comes to a new recognition that life's important questions have no absolute answers. A fine novel which reveals the ambiguities of love and family relationships, the novel stresses the changing roles within families as people face the inevitabilities of life, growth, and death. Mary Whipple

Very moving story, 13 Dec 2000
A well written novel about a successful young woman who somewhat reluctantly puts her career on hold to become carer for her mother who is dying of cancer. This book very thought-provoking and extremely moving. The honesty of the characters sets it apart from the rest and although it is sad it is not depressing at all. I thoroughly recommend that you experience this book.

A moving, well-written tale which cannot fail to touch, 18 Jan 1999
Ellen, the protagonist in this story, begins as a hard-nosed, ambitious, selfish young woman who has grown up in the shadow of her academic father. By the end of the story she has developed into a caring, moving character with whom the reader empathises. Forced by her father to give up her job in order to care for her dying mother, Ellen goes through emotions ranging from bitterness and resentment to love and admiration for her suffering mother. Quindlen deals with the subject matter in a sensitive but upfront manner, confronting the fears harboured by many of us that faced with such a tragic situation we would not have the patience, courage or selflessness to care for our parents in their decline. Ellen learns a lot during this period, and not only about herself. When the inevitable happens, she realises that had she not accepted the task of caring for her mother, she would never had known her properly. She had always dismissed her mother's role as homemaker and wife, but she soon realises that there is so much more to her mother, a dimension and a strength which Ellen had never appreciated as a child. This is a sad but very powerful, thought-provoking book which is definitely worth reading. One piece of advice: READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE FILM - AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEMORIES RUINED!!

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her father take place within the context of her arrest and its aftermath, as she comes to a new recognition that life's important questions have no absolute answers. A fine novel which reveals the ambiguities of love and family relationships, the novel stresses the changing roles within families as people face the inevitabilities of life, growth, and death. Mary Whipple

Very moving story, 13 Dec 2000
A well written novel about a successful young woman who somewhat reluctantly puts her career on hold to become carer for her mother who is dying of cancer. This book very thought-provoking and extremely moving. The honesty of the characters sets it apart from the rest and although it is sad it is not depressing at all. I thoroughly recommend that you experience this book.

A moving, well-written tale which cannot fail to touch, 18 Jan 1999
Ellen, the protagonist in this story, begins as a hard-nosed, ambitious, selfish young woman who has grown up in the shadow of her academic father. By the end of the story she has developed into a caring, moving character with whom the reader empathises. Forced by her father to give up her job in order to care for her dying mother, Ellen goes through emotions ranging from bitterness and resentment to love and admiration for her suffering mother. Quindlen deals with the subject matter in a sensitive but upfront manner, confronting the fears harboured by many of us that faced with such a tragic situation we would not have the patience, courage or selflessness to care for our parents in their decline. Ellen learns a lot during this period, and not only about herself. When the inevitable happens, she realises that had she not accepted the task of caring for her mother, she would never had known her properly. She had always dismissed her mother's role as homemaker and wife, but she soon realises that there is so much more to her mother, a dimension and a strength which Ellen had never appreciated as a child. This is a sad but very powerful, thought-provoking book which is definitely worth reading. One piece of advice: READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE FILM - AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEMORIES RUINED!!

A very good but different way of looking at Anne Frank's life , 02 Aug 2006
I thought that this was a v. original and creative way of looking at Anne Frank's life. It was well set out and was always interesting.

Basically, it is pictures of Anne Frank and things to do with her. It was very good.

moving, 16 Oct 2005
I read this book largely because I wanted more insight. Yet I found myselfmoved to tears. it is a cleverly constructed, beautiful colection which certainly fulfills its pupuse of celebrating Anne's life way before the war or any other horror touched her.
It is hard to reflect on Anne Frank without contemplating the impact of the Nazis and yet this book manages to touch on her life pre-war and during her hiding that she becomes a person who exists seperately - as she deserves.
It moved me to tears as did the diary yet also filled me with hope .

A very great book., 02 Feb 1999
This book has pictures of Anne Frank and her family. She also writes in her diary about how she feels going in to hiding and wearing a yellow star to show she is Jewish. This is a really fabulous book because it talks about how she feels and what it is like when her and her family go into hiding. They went into hiding because Adolf Hitler started preparing Germany for war. They were sending all Jewish people to camps so that they'd starve and freeze to death. I like this book because sometimes I imagine I'm in hiding and that I get lonely and am not able to have boyfriends or have any friends that I could tell secrets or talk to or trust. When Anne Frank talks about how it feels when you are in hiding you could actually feel how she feels.

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her father take place within the context of her arrest and its aftermath, as she comes to a new recognition that life's important questions have no absolute answers. A fine novel which reveals the ambiguities of love and family relationships, the novel stresses the changing roles within families as people face the inevitabilities of life, growth, and death. Mary Whipple

Very moving story, 13 Dec 2000
A well written novel about a successful young woman who somewhat reluctantly puts her career on hold to become carer for her mother who is dying of cancer. This book very thought-provoking and extremely moving. The honesty of the characters sets it apart from the rest and although it is sad it is not depressing at all. I thoroughly recommend that you experience this book.

A moving, well-written tale which cannot fail to touch, 18 Jan 1999
Ellen, the protagonist in this story, begins as a hard-nosed, ambitious, selfish young woman who has grown up in the shadow of her academic father. By the end of the story she has developed into a caring, moving character with whom the reader empathises. Forced by her father to give up her job in order to care for her dying mother, Ellen goes through emotions ranging from bitterness and resentment to love and admiration for her suffering mother. Quindlen deals with the subject matter in a sensitive but upfront manner, confronting the fears harboured by many of us that faced with such a tragic situation we would not have the patience, courage or selflessness to care for our parents in their decline. Ellen learns a lot during this period, and not only about herself. When the inevitable happens, she realises that had she not accepted the task of caring for her mother, she would never had known her properly. She had always dismissed her mother's role as homemaker and wife, but she soon realises that there is so much more to her mother, a dimension and a strength which Ellen had never appreciated as a child. This is a sad but very powerful, thought-provoking book which is definitely worth reading. One piece of advice: READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE FILM - AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEMORIES RUINED!!

A very good but different way of looking at Anne Frank's life , 02 Aug 2006
I thought that this was a v. original and creative way of looking at Anne Frank's life. It was well set out and was always interesting.

Basically, it is pictures of Anne Frank and things to do with her. It was very good.

moving, 16 Oct 2005
I read this book largely because I wanted more insight. Yet I found myselfmoved to tears. it is a cleverly constructed, beautiful colection which certainly fulfills its pupuse of celebrating Anne's life way before the war or any other horror touched her.
It is hard to reflect on Anne Frank without contemplating the impact of the Nazis and yet this book manages to touch on her life pre-war and during her hiding that she becomes a person who exists seperately - as she deserves.
It moved me to tears as did the diary yet also filled me with hope .

A very great book., 02 Feb 1999
This book has pictures of Anne Frank and her family. She also writes in her diary about how she feels going in to hiding and wearing a yellow star to show she is Jewish. This is a really fabulous book because it talks about how she feels and what it is like when her and her family go into hiding. They went into hiding because Adolf Hitler started preparing Germany for war. They were sending all Jewish people to camps so that they'd starve and freeze to death. I like this book because sometimes I imagine I'm in hiding and that I get lonely and am not able to have boyfriends or have any friends that I could tell secrets or talk to or trust. When Anne Frank talks about how it feels when you are in hiding you could actually feel how she feels.

Easy to read chick lit, 15 Aug 2008
I enjoyed this read even though the ending was a little unbelievable.

It was a nice easy read for the train to work - it was an interesting topic, grabbed my attention and the chapters were a good length for a commute!

I have since bought other books by Anna Quindlen and whilst I am not expecting to be swept away by great literature the topics seem to be substantial enough for a good read and thought provoking chick lit.

Boring, bland and unbelievable, 02 Oct 2007
The words "The New York Times Number One Bestseller" emblazoned on the front cover enticed me to buy this book, and the accolades on the back led me to expect great things. What a disappointment.

The story which revolves around the lives of two sisters, one a famous television personality and one a socially-conscious community worker did not grab my attention or seem likely or believable in any way. The characters did not generate enough interest for me to actually care what happened to them, and although I slogged my way through the book hoping it would get better, my only reward for this persistency was an ending that was almost unbearably bad.

I only wish I'd spent my £7.99 on something else, and would advise anyone thinking of reading this book to do just that.


Superficial Satire Overwhelms a Story with an Unsatisfying Ending, 29 Nov 2006

What is it like to be "the most famous woman in America?" What is it like to be her sister? What is it like to be her son? All of those questions make for an intriguing premise for a novel. Unfortunately Rise and Shine settles for developing the premise with all of the depth of a weekly picture magazine. Unless you have never read or thought about celebrities, little that happens will surprise or inform you. The ending is particularly grating in evading the potential for telling a compelling story.

Where Ms. Quindlen (a stylish word slinger) goes wrong is in deciding that she wants to polish her premise with satire of the whole media business, our fascination with celebrities and the more claustrophobic elements of living on the top tier in Manhattan. The satire doesn't tell us anything we don't already know, fails to make us laugh or wince, and keeps the story from seeming like a serious attempt to develop the characters of the two sisters and the people in their lives.

The story basically develops around the complementary relationships of Meghan Fitzmaurice, female host of a morning television show called Rise and Shine, who will remind many of Katie Couric, and her unmarried social worker sister, Bridget, who serves as mother stand-in for Meghan's son, Leo. Meghan is successful. Bridget is not. Meghan lives in the world of unreality and spin. Bridget lives in the gritty world of the housing projects. Their daily lives seldom overlap except for an occasional fund-raising appearance by Meghan to help Bridget's budget and when they happen to appear where Leo is. Into that static relationship a bombshell is thrown when Meghan finds herself no longer the apple of everyone's eye. Meghan retreats and Bridget tries to help pick up the pieces. As all of that occurs, other forces begin to move that derail both lives from their familiar tracks.

In the long run, does it matter? You'll have to decide. I didn't find that the events mattered enough to make me happy I read the book. If the word craft weren't so strong, I would probably have graded this as a two star book.

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her father take place within the context of her arrest and its aftermath, as she comes to a new recognition that life's important questions have no absolute answers. A fine novel which reveals the ambiguities of love and family relationships, the novel stresses the changing roles within families as people face the inevitabilities of life, growth, and death. Mary Whipple

Very moving story, 13 Dec 2000
A well written novel about a successful young woman who somewhat reluctantly puts her career on hold to become carer for her mother who is dying of cancer. This book very thought-provoking and extremely moving. The honesty of the characters sets it apart from the rest and although it is sad it is not depressing at all. I thoroughly recommend that you experience this book.

A moving, well-written tale which cannot fail to touch, 18 Jan 1999
Ellen, the protagonist in this story, begins as a hard-nosed, ambitious, selfish young woman who has grown up in the shadow of her academic father. By the end of the story she has developed into a caring, moving character with whom the reader empathises. Forced by her father to give up her job in order to care for her dying mother, Ellen goes through emotions ranging from bitterness and resentment to love and admiration for her suffering mother. Quindlen deals with the subject matter in a sensitive but upfront manner, confronting the fears harboured by many of us that faced with such a tragic situation we would not have the patience, courage or selflessness to care for our parents in their decline. Ellen learns a lot during this period, and not only about herself. When the inevitable happens, she realises that had she not accepted the task of caring for her mother, she would never had known her properly. She had always dismissed her mother's role as homemaker and wife, but she soon realises that there is so much more to her mother, a dimension and a strength which Ellen had never appreciated as a child. This is a sad but very powerful, thought-provoking book which is definitely worth reading. One piece of advice: READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE FILM - AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEMORIES RUINED!!

A very good but different way of looking at Anne Frank's life , 02 Aug 2006
I thought that this was a v. original and creative way of looking at Anne Frank's life. It was well set out and was always interesting.

Basically, it is pictures of Anne Frank and things to do with her. It was very good.

moving, 16 Oct 2005
I read this book largely because I wanted more insight. Yet I found myselfmoved to tears. it is a cleverly constructed, beautiful colection which certainly fulfills its pupuse of celebrating Anne's life way before the war or any other horror touched her.
It is hard to reflect on Anne Frank without contemplating the impact of the Nazis and yet this book manages to touch on her life pre-war and during her hiding that she becomes a person who exists seperately - as she deserves.
It moved me to tears as did the diary yet also filled me with hope .

A very great book., 02 Feb 1999
This book has pictures of Anne Frank and her family. She also writes in her diary about how she feels going in to hiding and wearing a yellow star to show she is Jewish. This is a really fabulous book because it talks about how she feels and what it is like when her and her family go into hiding. They went into hiding because Adolf Hitler started preparing Germany for war. They were sending all Jewish people to camps so that they'd starve and freeze to death. I like this book because sometimes I imagine I'm in hiding and that I get lonely and am not able to have boyfriends or have any friends that I could tell secrets or talk to or trust. When Anne Frank talks about how it feels when you are in hiding you could actually feel how she feels.

Easy to read chick lit, 15 Aug 2008
I enjoyed this read even though the ending was a little unbelievable.

It was a nice easy read for the train to work - it was an interesting topic, grabbed my attention and the chapters were a good length for a commute!

I have since bought other books by Anna Quindlen and whilst I am not expecting to be swept away by great literature the topics seem to be substantial enough for a good read and thought provoking chick lit.

Boring, bland and unbelievable, 02 Oct 2007
The words "The New York Times Number One Bestseller" emblazoned on the front cover enticed me to buy this book, and the accolades on the back led me to expect great things. What a disappointment.

The story which revolves around the lives of two sisters, one a famous television personality and one a socially-conscious community worker did not grab my attention or seem likely or believable in any way. The characters did not generate enough interest for me to actually care what happened to them, and although I slogged my way through the book hoping it would get better, my only reward for this persistency was an ending that was almost unbearably bad.

I only wish I'd spent my £7.99 on something else, and would advise anyone thinking of reading this book to do just that.


Superficial Satire Overwhelms a Story with an Unsatisfying Ending, 29 Nov 2006

What is it like to be "the most famous woman in America?" What is it like to be her sister? What is it like to be her son? All of those questions make for an intriguing premise for a novel. Unfortunately Rise and Shine settles for developing the premise with all of the depth of a weekly picture magazine. Unless you have never read or thought about celebrities, little that happens will surprise or inform you. The ending is particularly grating in evading the potential for telling a compelling story.

Where Ms. Quindlen (a stylish word slinger) goes wrong is in deciding that she wants to polish her premise with satire of the whole media business, our fascination with celebrities and the more claustrophobic elements of living on the top tier in Manhattan. The satire doesn't tell us anything we don't already know, fails to make us laugh or wince, and keeps the story from seeming like a serious attempt to develop the characters of the two sisters and the people in their lives.

The story basically develops around the complementary relationships of Meghan Fitzmaurice, female host of a morning television show called Rise and Shine, who will remind many of Katie Couric, and her unmarried social worker sister, Bridget, who serves as mother stand-in for Meghan's son, Leo. Meghan is successful. Bridget is not. Meghan lives in the world of unreality and spin. Bridget lives in the gritty world of the housing projects. Their daily lives seldom overlap except for an occasional fund-raising appearance by Meghan to help Bridget's budget and when they happen to appear where Leo is. Into that static relationship a bombshell is thrown when Meghan finds herself no longer the apple of everyone's eye. Meghan retreats and Bridget tries to help pick up the pieces. As all of that occurs, other forces begin to move that derail both lives from their familiar tracks.

In the long run, does it matter? You'll have to decide. I didn't find that the events mattered enough to make me happy I read the book. If the word craft weren't so strong, I would probably have graded this as a two star book.

brilliant and original, 25 Apr 2002
This book is fantastic. It is one of the most original books that i think i have ever read. The language and dialogue is so wonderful that despite the fact there is no physical or mental description of the characters you are able to picture and understand them through the language.
The book although it has very little plot is some how held together by the fact that we care so much for the characters, and when it finished i couldn't help but wonder what else might have happened on her next visit and whether she had changed.
Zazie, Unkoo Gabriel and all the other cast of characters are just so fantastic and i couldn't forget Zazie after i had put it down.
The book does sometimes employ strange spelling and long words to sentences that often cut into them and occasionally don't flow as well as others, but once you understand what Queneau wanted to do it is understandable and doesn't really matter all that much.
You have to read this book, and don't let the fact that people pigeon hole it with ulysees put you off as it is nothing like it.

Incorrect spelling? Yep!, 27 Sep 2001
...If you want wordplay almost on a par with Ulysses, try this. The film captures its spirit of jest visually but it is verbal inventiveness that makes this book.

stunningly good...and also very, very funny., 23 Jun 2001
this book is fabulous. it's light and funny but also brilliantly written (and brilliantly translated). queneau wanted to write in the mixed-up way that people speak, and with zazie that's exactly what he did. buy it, read it and then put on your bluejeanses and track down the louis malle film of zazie which is also great!

A wonderful book., 26 Nov 2000
This is Queneau's lightest read - an amusing Parisian romp with an admirably foul-mouthed young heroine leading a cast of likeable eccentrics.

If, like the author of the heartbreakingly dreary one-star review below, you are closed to playful experimentation in literature, then of course you should steer well clear of this lively, thoroughly enjoyable book.

1 star is still too many stars., 25 Oct 2000
This book is dire. How anybody could describe it as a classic is beyond me.

Many words are incorrectly spelt throughout the book (albeit deliberately). Whilst this may be used within quotes to indicate accents, dialect and pronounciation it should not be used in the narrative.

By the end I realised that there is no point to the story. It is possible that the original in French is using a clever play on words that just doesn't translate into English...

It would be interesting to hear from somebody who has read the French (original) version.

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her father take place within the context of her arrest and its aftermath, as she comes to a new recognition that life's important questions have no absolute answers. A fine novel which reveals the ambiguities of love and family relationships, the novel stresses the changing roles within families as people face the inevitabilities of life, growth, and death. Mary Whipple

Very moving story, 13 Dec 2000
A well written novel about a successful young woman who somewhat reluctantly puts her career on hold to become carer for her mother who is dying of cancer. This book very thought-provoking and extremely moving. The honesty of the characters sets it apart from the rest and although it is sad it is not depressing at all. I thoroughly recommend that you experience this book.

A moving, well-written tale which cannot fail to touch, 18 Jan 1999
Ellen, the protagonist in this story, begins as a hard-nosed, ambitious, selfish young woman who has grown up in the shadow of her academic father. By the end of the story she has developed into a caring, moving character with whom the reader empathises. Forced by her father to give up her job in order to care for her dying mother, Ellen goes through emotions ranging from bitterness and resentment to love and admiration for her suffering mother. Quindlen deals with the subject matter in a sensitive but upfront manner, confronting the fears harboured by many of us that faced with such a tragic situation we would not have the patience, courage or selflessness to care for our parents in their decline. Ellen learns a lot during this period, and not only about herself. When the inevitable happens, she realises that had she not accepted the task of caring for her mother, she would never had known her properly. She had always dismissed her mother's role as homemaker and wife, but she soon realises that there is so much more to her mother, a dimension and a strength which Ellen had never appreciated as a child. This is a sad but very powerful, thought-provoking book which is definitely worth reading. One piece of advice: READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU SEE THE FILM - AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEMORIES RUINED!!

A very good but different way of looking at Anne Frank's life , 02 Aug 2006
I thought that this was a v. original and creative way of looking at Anne Frank's life. It was well set out and was always interesting.

Basically, it is pictures of Anne Frank and things to do with her. It was very good.

moving, 16 Oct 2005
I read this book largely because I wanted more insight. Yet I found myselfmoved to tears. it is a cleverly constructed, beautiful colection which certainly fulfills its pupuse of celebrating Anne's life way before the war or any other horror touched her.
It is hard to reflect on Anne Frank without contemplating the impact of the Nazis and yet this book manages to touch on her life pre-war and during her hiding that she becomes a person who exists seperately - as she deserves.
It moved me to tears as did the diary yet also filled me with hope .

A very great book., 02 Feb 1999
This book has pictures of Anne Frank and her family. She also writes in her diary about how she feels going in to hiding and wearing a yellow star to show she is Jewish. This is a really fabulous book because it talks about how she feels and what it is like when her and her family go into hiding. They went into hiding because Adolf Hitler started preparing Germany for war. They were sending all Jewish people to camps so that they'd starve and freeze to death. I like this book because sometimes I imagine I'm in hiding and that I get lonely and am not able to have boyfriends or have any friends that I could tell secrets or talk to or trust. When Anne Frank talks about how it feels when you are in hiding you could actually feel how she feels.

Easy to read chick lit, 15 Aug 2008
I enjoyed this read even though the ending was a little unbelievable.

It was a nice easy read for the train to work - it was an interesting topic, grabbed my attention and the chapters were a good length for a commute!

I have since bought other books by Anna Quindlen and whilst I am not expecting to be swept away by great literature the topics seem to be substantial enough for a good read and thought provoking chick lit.

Boring, bland and unbelievable, 02 Oct 2007
The words "The New York Times Number One Bestseller" emblazoned on the front cover enticed me to buy this book, and the accolades on the back led me to expect great things. What a disappointment.

The story which revolves around the lives of two sisters, one a famous television personality and one a socially-conscious community worker did not grab my attention or seem likely or believable in any way. The characters did not generate enough interest for me to actually care what happened to them, and although I slogged my way through the book hoping it would get better, my only reward for this persistency was an ending that was almost unbearably bad.

I only wish I'd spent my £7.99 on something else, and would advise anyone thinking of reading this book to do just that.


Superficial Satire Overwhelms a Story with an Unsatisfying Ending, 29 Nov 2006

What is it like to be "the most famous woman in America?" What is it like to be her sister? What is it like to be her son? All of those questions make for an intriguing premise for a novel. Unfortunately Rise and Shine settles for developing the premise with all of the depth of a weekly picture magazine. Unless you have never read or thought about celebrities, little that happens will surprise or inform you. The ending is particularly grating in evading the potential for telling a compelling story.

Where Ms. Quindlen (a stylish word slinger) goes wrong is in deciding that she wants to polish her premise with satire of the whole media business, our fascination with celebrities and the more claustrophobic elements of living on the top tier in Manhattan. The satire doesn't tell us anything we don't already know, fails to make us laugh or wince, and keeps the story from seeming like a serious attempt to develop the characters of the two sisters and the people in their lives.

The story basically develops around the complementary relationships of Meghan Fitzmaurice, female host of a morning television show called Rise and Shine, who will remind many of Katie Couric, and her unmarried social worker sister, Bridget, who serves as mother stand-in for Meghan's son, Leo. Meghan is successful. Bridget is not. Meghan lives in the world of unreality and spin. Bridget lives in the gritty world of the housing projects. Their daily lives seldom overlap except for an occasional fund-raising appearance by Meghan to help Bridget's budget and when they happen to appear where Leo is. Into that static relationship a bombshell is thrown when Meghan finds herself no longer the apple of everyone's eye. Meghan retreats and Bridget tries to help pick up the pieces. As all of that occurs, other forces begin to move that derail both lives from their familiar tracks.

In the long run, does it matter? You'll have to decide. I didn't find that the events mattered enough to make me happy I read the book. If the word craft weren't so strong, I would probably have graded this as a two star book.

brilliant and original, 25 Apr 2002
This book is fantastic. It is one of the most original books that i think i have ever read. The language and dialogue is so wonderful that despite the fact there is no physical or mental description of the characters you are able to picture and understand them through the language.
The book although it has very little plot is some how held together by the fact that we care so much for the characters, and when it finished i couldn't help but wonder what else might have happened on her next visit and whether she had changed.
Zazie, Unkoo Gabriel and all the other cast of characters are just so fantastic and i couldn't forget Zazie after i had put it down.
The book does sometimes employ strange spelling and long words to sentences that often cut into them and occasionally don't flow as well as others, but once you understand what Queneau wanted to do it is understandable and doesn't really matter all that much.
You have to read this book, and don't let the fact that people pigeon hole it with ulysees put you off as it is nothing like it.

Incorrect spelling? Yep!, 27 Sep 2001
...If you want wordplay almost on a par with Ulysses, try this. The film captures its spirit of jest visually but it is verbal inventiveness that makes this book.

stunningly good...and also very, very funny., 23 Jun 2001
this book is fabulous. it's light and funny but also brilliantly written (and brilliantly translated). queneau wanted to write in the mixed-up way that people speak, and with zazie that's exactly what he did. buy it, read it and then put on your bluejeanses and track down the louis malle film of zazie which is also great!

A wonderful book., 26 Nov 2000
This is Queneau's lightest read - an amusing Parisian romp with an admirably foul-mouthed young heroine leading a cast of likeable eccentrics.

If, like the author of the heartbreakingly dreary one-star review below, you are closed to playful experimentation in literature, then of course you should steer well clear of this lively, thoroughly enjoyable book.

1 star is still too many stars., 25 Oct 2000
This book is dire. How anybody could describe it as a classic is beyond me.

Many words are incorrectly spelt throughout the book (albeit deliberately). Whilst this may be used within quotes to indicate accents, dialect and pronounciation it should not be used in the narrative.

By the end I realised that there is no point to the story. It is possible that the original in French is using a clever play on words that just doesn't translate into English...

It would be interesting to hear from somebody who has read the French (original) version.

A very dangerous book, 09 Dec 2000
This book is very dangerous. After reading it, I was reeling from the shock for about two weeks. Once you let it seep in, the message is so obvious. The message in this book is applicable to every single person on this planet, and any argument you could ever have can be traced back to principles laid down in this book. It's nice and easy to read, but the message in intense. YOU must read this book.

My personal favorite!, 04 Sep 1999
Of all of Daniel Quinn's books, The Story of B, is my personal favorite. It brings the message out clearly and forcefully and really helps fill in the mosaic begun in Ishmael. Please put this book on your reading list and when you're finished you'll have no doubt in your mind why I am calling this and the rest of Daniel Quinn's books the most important books in the world. Please do the world a favor and read one of Quinn's books as soon as possible.

The book is fiction but the ideas are real, 23 Aug 1999
This book has emense power. It's power lies in it's ability to make one question life's purpose and the lies we've all been taught to live for. This book along with Quinn's other works has changed the way I precieve existance. Read it: Love it or hate it it will change you.

More than Ishmael, 12 Aug 1999
In Ishmael, new ideas were expressed and I assumed that The Story of B would be the same stuff only regurgitated into a different format, so I actually put off reading it for a while. But it actually goes further than Ishmael with a plot that made you hang on enthusiastically.

The best book I have ever read, period., 29 Jul 1999
I enjoyed THE STORY OF B even more than ISHMAEL, Quinn's previous work. To me the message was obviously almost identical, but I preferred the format Quinn used in THE STORY OF B. I would urge followers of organized religion be it Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc, to read this book, and read it with an open mind.

I fail to see how anyone can disagree with Quinn on a logical basis. The fact is that our history began millions of years ago, yet our history books focus solely on the last 10,000 years ( a mere blip in our true history.) Quinn also skillfully points out how the agricultural revolution marked the beginning of the "wonderful" civilization we have today. This revolution has led to an population explosion that continues today, suicide, alcoholism, war, famine, and so on. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Rubbish, 26 Jun 2007
Don't waste your money, this book is very very poor to say the least.
One star is really one too many!!

Erotic???? No Way, 18 Jun 2007
In a word, this book is dreadful! Sorry for all those who have said they enjoyed it but this book didn't even get me luke warm let alone hot. I kept waiting for each story to start then it ended. Yes, short 5 minute reads but nothing of any substance in them to read. Save your money.

Short and Sweet, 26 Feb 2007
A very enjoyable book with bite size stories that don't waffle about with excess padding. The storyline is established and cuts to the action very quickly. It is a collection of erotic stories by different writers so each has a different style and feel about it. That is not a bad thing and on the whole most of the stories are excellent. The odd one, perhaps leaves you feeling a bit short, you feel they could have taken the bit in their teeth (or something else) and taken the story on a bit further, but on the whole it is very good. I found that it was a good book to open for a few minutes read to perk you up for the day. I particularly liked THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER by Carol Queen, that was very erotic story. I would highly recommend the book. Another book I would recommend that you have a look at, which has perhaps a stronger sexual content, is 100 PERCENT EROTICA by Suzie Van Aartman. This book could well become a classic in my opinion.

The rating says it all!, 01 Feb 2007
After reading the recommendations I ordered this book with high expectations only to be completely underwhelmed! This book wouldn't even shock or arouse my Gran. If you are a fan of Nancy Friday and some Black Lace books this one isn't for you.

Short and Sweet, 28 Nov 2004
I liked these erotic stories very much. There was something for everyone in this book (there are 35 different and unique stories). The stories are very short but they are interesting. I felt that they could have gone a little farther than they went, they were a little tame for my tastes, but they were still a lot of fun to read and I would recommend this as a gift for any woman who enjoys reading erotica or romance. And for an even more erotic read I would recommend Nancy Madore's "Bedtime Stories for Women," which re-tells fairy tales in a very erotic and exciting format.

dvd entertained & educated, 04 Jul 2007
This book has gradually grown on me to become a regular bedside drawer item, kept there for the purpose of 'firing up the imagination' when required. It sure does that even if some of the stories seem tame, it's more by comparison with others within the compilation, the average writing standard being quite high. Not as 'hot' 'hard' or explicit as some may have hoped but a satisfying read nontheless.

We love "Madeline". We read them all the time., 22 Aug 1999
I am sitting here with a young lady four years old who is also called Madeline and a large part of her being named Madeline was that I as her father - am "Mad about Madeline" too.

It is the flow and rythmn of the stories plus the beautiful water color illustrations. My four year old's favorite is "Madeline's Rescue". My favorite is "Madeline and the Gypsies" but they are all outstanding. A childhood without one of these books - buy one of the paperbacks if you you are new to Madeline and don't want to buy the complete selection yet- is incomprehensible.

Wonderful for All ages!, 17 Jul 1999
I absolutely love the madeline books. I think you can be any age and still enjoy them. This particular book happens to have all the stories in one fabulous book.

Our first choice EVERY night!, 07 Jan 1999
Our two little girls, three and two years old, LOVE Madeline. Daddy reads them one story each night -- they always get to pick which. For Christmas they got two new books which are still almost unread, since every night they want Madeline! The stories are exciting, but gentle and sweet; they are moral but not preachy. And the poetry is wonderful! Also the stories are not too long for a tired parent's voice at bedtime. But with only two little ones of my own, I wonder how DOES Miss Clavel keep TWELVE little girls in two straight lines?

Excellent, 21 Aug 1998
This is an excellent book for little girls. Our daughter loves it. My only objection is the recommended age range. Our daughter has loved the books and the videos since she was one, and she is four years old now.

"I tried to do it all without screaming "I am dying, too", 03 Jan 2006
As the novel opens, Ellen Gulden is in jail, on suspicion of having aided in the death of her mother, a woman who had been experiencing agonizing pain from inoperable cancer. As Ellen reminisces about the five months she spent caring for her mother, the novel develops into much more than the story of her mother's death. Ultimately, it is the story of Ellen's emotional and spiritual coming of age, a positive story of growth and love, not the maudlin tearjerker that one might expect on the basis of plot summaries.

When her father first asks her to come home to care for her mother, Ellen is resentful. She has been out of college only a couple of years, and her career as a journalist in New York is just starting. She resents the fact that she will have to give up her whole life and return home indefinitely--perhaps permanently--believing that her father has not been doing his part to help her mother. Ellen, nevertheless, returns home, and she and her mother begin to know each other in new ways, starting, at first, with their two-person book club and then moving on to a sharing of holiday decorating and cooking secrets. Her resentment of her father increases, as her own relationships, especially with her long-term lover, deteriorate.

As her mother moves to a wheelchair, then to a hospital bed, Ellen is the staunch caregiver, and when her mother's morphine dosage increases and she still begs for an end to her pain, Ellen must decide whether to help her. When an autopsy after her mother's death shows suspicious results, Ellen is jailed, pending an appearance before a grand jury.

The death of Kate Gulden is part of the much larger story of Ellen's discoveries about herself and her new understandings of her parents, her parents' marriage, and how one faces one's inevitable fate. Her ability to make peace with both her mother's death and her changed feelings for her