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Sorbonne Confidential Laurel Zuckerman Summertime Publications Inc
2009-03-29
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - After losing her high tech job in Paris, Alice Wunderland dreams of a new, unemployment-proof career as English teacher and decides to dedicate a year to training for France's prestigious competitive exam; After all, she reasons, how hard can it be for an educated American to pass a test in English? She enrolls at the Sorbonne, but her Arizona English fails to impress. Even Shakespeare's English falls short. Only one English will do: Sorbonne English! Even while learning this new language, Alice vows to investigate: Why devise an English exam that few native speakers can pass ? Could this explain why French schoolchildren rank last for English skills in Europe? Is it true that Frenchness is a question of formatting? If so, can a foreigner even one with French nationality ever become truly French? As riots break out in France among the children of immigrants, Alice cannot help but wonder: could there be any connection between her bewildering experience and theirs? Reviews THE PARIS TIMES – "Funny and ferocious, Sorbonne Confidential offers new insights into the challenges of integration and education in France." EDUCATION REVIEW – “Sorbonne Confidential… illustrates how objective measures can be far from objective—a concept often difficult to see when looking only at one’s own context. It illustrates how rigor by itself can distract, exclude, and alienate. By taking on an institution that began before the American Revolution, the book demonstrates how systems can develop around programs, allowing them to self-perpetuate without regard for their impact on schools and society. At some level, the book is also an argument for the power and importance of teacher education and of the need for systems that care more about creating good teachers than objectively assigning scores." THE TIMES - "Laurel Zuckerman has split the academic world with a book that relates her experience at the heart of the archaic French teacher-training system." THE GUARDIAN – "[Zuckerman’s] account of her experience in France's teacher training system has… sparked a furious debate over the country's uneasy approach to English." LE MONDE DE l’EDUCATION - "The candidate imagines that being a native English speaker constitutes an advantage. She learns rather that it is a handicap. Her tribulations are the pretext for exploring with humour... why French students rank last in Europe for English." LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR – "savoury and highly instructive" LE POINT – "Her tragi-comic story explains how France produces the worst English teachers in the world" L’EXPRESS - "Absurd, ill-adapted, discriminatory. And dramatically funny…The French university system seen through the half naïve, half incredulous eyes of an American. The reader laughs a lot and concludes that reform is urgent.""A hilarious, hair-raising insider's look at the esoteric world of French Education." -- Harriet Welty Rochefort --author of French Toast.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - After losing her high tech job in Paris, Alice Wunderland dreams of a new, unemployment-proof career as English teacher and decides to dedicate a year to training for France's prestigious competitive exam; After all, she reasons, how hard can it be for an educated American to pass a test in English? She enrolls at the Sorbonne, but her Arizona English fails to impress. Even Shakespeare's English falls short. Only one English will do: Sorbonne English! Even while learning this new language, Alice vows to investigate: Why devise an English exam that few native speakers can pass ? Could this explain why French schoolchildren rank last for English skills in Europe? Is it true that Frenchness is a question of formatting? If so, can a foreigner even one with French nationality ever become truly French? As riots break out in France among the children of immigrants, Alice cannot help but wonder: could there be any connection between her bewildering experience and theirs? Reviews THE PARIS TIMES – "Funny and ferocious, Sorbonne Confidential offers new insights into the challenges of integration and education in France." EDUCATION REVIEW – “Sorbonne Confidential… illustrates how objective measures can be far from objective—a concept often difficult to see when looking only at one’s own context. It illustrates how rigor by itself can distract, exclude, and alienate. By taking on an institution that began before the American Revolution, the book demonstrates how systems can develop around programs, allowing them to self-perpetuate without regard for their impact on schools and society. At some level, the book is also an argument for the power and importance of teacher education and of the need for systems that care more about creating good teachers than objectively assigning scores." THE TIMES - "Laurel Zuckerman has split the academic world with a book that relates her experience at the heart of the archaic French teacher-training system." THE GUARDIAN – "[Zuckerman’s] account of her experience in France's teacher training system has… sparked a furious debate over the country's uneasy approach to English." LE MONDE DE l’EDUCATION - "The candidate imagines that being a native English speaker constitutes an advantage. She learns rather that it is a handicap. Her tribulations are the pretext for exploring with humour... why French students rank last in Europe for English." LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR – "savoury and highly instructive" LE POINT – "Her tragi-comic story explains how France produces the worst English teachers in the world" L’EXPRESS - "Absurd, ill-adapted, discriminatory. And dramatically funny…The French university system seen through the half naïve, half incredulous eyes of an American. The reader laughs a lot and concludes that reform is urgent.""A hilarious, hair-raising insider's look at the esoteric world of French Education." -- Harriet Welty Rochefort --author of French Toast.
Trainspotting Irvine Welsh Vintage Digital
2008-12-05
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced. Choose life.
- >> Amazon.com - Irvine Welsh's controversial first novel, set on the heroin-addicted fringe of working-class youth in Edinburgh, is yet another exploration of the dark side of Scottishness. The main character, Mark Renton, is at the center of a clique of nihilistic slacker junkies with no hopes and no possibilities, and only "mind-numbing and spirit-crushing" alternatives in the straight world they despise. This particular slice of humanity has nothing left but the blackest of humor and a sharpness of wit. American readers can use the glossary in the back to translate the slang and dialect--essential, since the dialogue makes the book. This is a bleak vision sung as musical comedy.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced. Choose life.
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë Public Domain Books
2010-12-16
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen Public Domain Books
1998-06-01
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
- >> Amazon.com - In a remote Hertfordshire village, far off the good coach roads of George III's England, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet -- a country squire of no great means and his scatterbrained wife -- must marry off their five vivacious daughters. At the heart of this all-consuming enterprise are the headstrong second daughter Elizabeth and her aristocratic suitor Fitzwilliam Darcy, two lovers in whom pride and prejudice must be overcome before love can bring the novel to its magnificent conclusion.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
Tout Sweet: Hanging Up my High Heels for a New Life in France Karen Wheeler Summersdale Publishers Ltd
2011-05-20
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - In her mid-thirties, fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London and an array of gorgeous shoes. But when Eric leaves, she hangs up her Manolos and waves goodbye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France.Acquiring a host of new friends and unsuitable suitors, she learns that true happiness can be found in the simplest of things – a bike ride through the countryside on a summer evening, or a kir or three in a neighbour’s courtyard.Perfect summer reading for anyone who dreams of chucking away their BlackBerry in favour of real blackberrying and downshifting to France.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - In her mid-thirties, fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London and an array of gorgeous shoes. But when Eric leaves, she hangs up her Manolos and waves goodbye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France.Acquiring a host of new friends and unsuitable suitors, she learns that true happiness can be found in the simplest of things – a bike ride through the countryside on a summer evening, or a kir or three in a neighbour’s courtyard.Perfect summer reading for anyone who dreams of chucking away their BlackBerry in favour of real blackberrying and downshifting to France.
Inheritance Christopher Paolini Random House Inc.
2011-11-08
Neuf: EUR 12,92
D'occasion: EUR 16,56
- Livres anglais et étrangers > Subjects > Children's Books > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror > Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic >
- Livres anglais et étrangers > Refinements > Format (binding_browse-bin) > Poche et Broché >
In the Blood (A Genealogical Crime Mystery) Featured in 'Best Books of 2011' Steve Robinson
2011-06-14
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - IN THE BLOOD (A Genealogical Crime Mystery). 110,000 words.** One of Amazon UK's 'Best Books of 2011'. A 'Kindle Customer Favourite' **DESCRIPTION Family history was never supposed to be like this…A dark secret locked in the past. A family historian trying against the odds to unlock it. When American genealogist, Jefferson Tayte, accepted his latest assignment, he had no idea it might kill him. But while murder was never part of the curriculum, he is kidding himself if he thinks he can walk away from this one.Driven by the all-consuming irony of being a genealogist who doesn’t know who his own parents are, Tayte soon finds that the assignment shares a stark similarity to his own struggle. Someone has gone to great lengths to erase an entire family bloodline from recorded history and he’s not going home until he’s found out why. After all, if he’s not good enough to find this family, how can he ever expect to be good enough to someday find his own?Set in Cornwall, England, past and present, Tayte's research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark family secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and they will stop at nothing to find them.BOOK CLUBSChosen by Goodreads UK Kindle Forum as book of the month for August 2011.Voted book club reading choice for November 2011 by the Kindle Users Forum.REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS - Parts are reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier but with a modern edge. Rosen Trevithick 13 Dec 2011 - This is a great, cleverly-written book by an author with a descriptive style that is really much better than we have any right to expect from a narrative thriller. Matt James 8 Nov 2011 - I came across this book via the UK Kindle Users Forum where I saw it nominated for November's Book Club read. One of the best books I've read this year. Phil 6 Nov 2011 - It is a fantastic début book from a brilliant writer. Sujay 12 Oct 2011 - This author has written a début novel of such quality it stands up easily among best selling main stream authors. Mrs S.A.Blane 14 Sep 2011 - This has got to be one of my all time favourite crime novels. Neil E. 1 Sep 2011 - Steve Robinson's début novel is a tour de force. Val Roberts 12 Aug 2011 - The combination of genealogy research, heavenly setting, believable, witty dialogue and cliff-hanging action created one bang-up read. Marcia Pitts 12 Aug 2011 - If you want a great mystery that thrills right to the end, you cannot choose better than In The Blood. G.Robbins 4 Aug 2011 - I highly recommend this book, one of the best thrillers I've read. Stewart Watkiss 4 Aug 2011 - Well written and fast paced. So fast sometimes I had to catch my breath. Seaholly 31 Juy 2011 - A book you will read, recommend and keep to read again. P E 26 July 2011
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - IN THE BLOOD (A Genealogical Crime Mystery). 110,000 words.** One of Amazon UK's 'Best Books of 2011'. A 'Kindle Customer Favourite' **DESCRIPTION Family history was never supposed to be like this…A dark secret locked in the past. A family historian trying against the odds to unlock it. When American genealogist, Jefferson Tayte, accepted his latest assignment, he had no idea it might kill him. But while murder was never part of the curriculum, he is kidding himself if he thinks he can walk away from this one.Driven by the all-consuming irony of being a genealogist who doesn’t know who his own parents are, Tayte soon finds that the assignment shares a stark similarity to his own struggle. Someone has gone to great lengths to erase an entire family bloodline from recorded history and he’s not going home until he’s found out why. After all, if he’s not good enough to find this family, how can he ever expect to be good enough to someday find his own?Set in Cornwall, England, past and present, Tayte's research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark family secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and they will stop at nothing to find them.BOOK CLUBSChosen by Goodreads UK Kindle Forum as book of the month for August 2011.Voted book club reading choice for November 2011 by the Kindle Users Forum.REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS - Parts are reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier but with a modern edge. Rosen Trevithick 13 Dec 2011 - This is a great, cleverly-written book by an author with a descriptive style that is really much better than we have any right to expect from a narrative thriller. Matt James 8 Nov 2011 - I came across this book via the UK Kindle Users Forum where I saw it nominated for November's Book Club read. One of the best books I've read this year. Phil 6 Nov 2011 - It is a fantastic début book from a brilliant writer. Sujay 12 Oct 2011 - This author has written a début novel of such quality it stands up easily among best selling main stream authors. Mrs S.A.Blane 14 Sep 2011 - This has got to be one of my all time favourite crime novels. Neil E. 1 Sep 2011 - Steve Robinson's début novel is a tour de force. Val Roberts 12 Aug 2011 - The combination of genealogy research, heavenly setting, believable, witty dialogue and cliff-hanging action created one bang-up read. Marcia Pitts 12 Aug 2011 - If you want a great mystery that thrills right to the end, you cannot choose better than In The Blood. G.Robbins 4 Aug 2011 - I highly recommend this book, one of the best thrillers I've read. Stewart Watkiss 4 Aug 2011 - Well written and fast paced. So fast sometimes I had to catch my breath. Seaholly 31 Juy 2011 - A book you will read, recommend and keep to read again. P E 26 July 2011
Dracula Bram Stoker Public Domain Books
1995-10-01
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
How to Speak and Write Correctly Joseph Devlin Public Domain Books
2004-09-01
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
- >> Présentation de l'éditeur - This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Edition standard) J. K. Rowling Children's High Level Group
2008-12-04
Neuf: EUR 3,98
D'occasion: EUR 0,01
- >> Amazon.co.uk - The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008. Offering the trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling's legions of readers--as well as Aesop's wisdom and the occasional darkness of the Brothers Grimm--each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists in the hearts of all of us. Rowling's new introduction also comments on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting that the characters in Beedle's collection "take their fates into their own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to return a lost shoe," and "that magic causes as much trouble as it cures." But the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters. Professor Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with censorship that eventually led "a certain Beatrix Bloxam" to cleanse the Tales of "much of the darker themes that she found distasteful," forever altering the meaning of the stories for their Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through "Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump" that "many of us [wizards] first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead." Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is all that fans could hope for and more--and an essential volume for the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old. The Children's Voice Campaign The Tales of Beedle the Bard is published by The Childrens High Level Group (CHLG), registered charity number 1112575, a charity co-founded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP to make life better for vulnerable children. All net proceeds* from the sale will be donated to The Children's Voice campaign. The Children's Voice campaign is run by CHLG. It campaigns for child rights across Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe where over a million children and teenagers are growing up in institutions, often in unacceptable conditions. In most cases they are without adequate human or emotional contact and stimulation, while many only just survive without life's basics such as adequate shelter and food. CHLG's Children's Voice campaign helps around a quarter of a million children each year through education activities; outreach work in institutions; and a dedicated telephone and email help line. *We estimate that £20 GBP per unit from the sale of the Collectors Edition from Amazon.co.uk will be donated to CHLG. Also Available: The Collector's Edition, Offered Exclusively by Amazon Amazon is thrilled to be the exclusive seller of the Collector's Edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard featuring an exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, 10 new illustrations, metalwork and clasp, replica gemstones, and tucked in its own case disguised as a wizarding textbook from the Hogwarts library. (Available in limited quantities) Standard Edition Product Features: • All five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard • A new introduction by J.K. Rowling • Illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book • Commentary on each of the tales by Professor Albus Dumbledore Amazon Reviews the Original Handcrafted Edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard The following is Amazon's original December 2007 review. Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction: There is no easy way to define the experience of seeing, holding, or reading J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so let's just start with one word: "Wow." The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself (and it's quite clear from the first few pages that she has some skill as an artist). Rowling's handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt--it's not hard to read, but it does require attention--allowing you to take it slow and savour the mystery of each next word. So how do you review one of the most remarkable tomes you've ever had the pleasure of opening? You just turn each page and allow yourself to be swept away by each story. You soak up the simple tales that read like Aesop's fables and echo the themes of the series; you follow every dip and curve of Rowling's handwriting and revel in every detail that makes the book unique--a slight darkening of a letter here, a place where the writing nearly runs off the page there. You take all that and you try and bring it to life, knowing that you will never be able to do it justice. With that, let's dig in and begin at the beginning, shall we? --Daphne Durham Caution: the full reviews contain spoilers! Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction in December 2007. "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump" "The Tale of the Three Brothers" More images from the original handcrafted edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard Please note that these are images of the handcrafted book purchased at auction in December 2007. Click thumbnails to open full-size images in a new window. See more on our original The Tales of Beedle the Bard pages. The Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest Amazon customers have spoken, and out of thousands of entrants, you have chosen Rhiannon D. of Australia as the winner of the Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest, sending her and a friend on a trip for two to London, England and a weekend with The Tales of Beedle the Bard. See her Grand Prize winning entry, as well as all of the other delightful semifinalist submissions. Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling "I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. Rediscover the Complete Harry Potter Series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Hardcover Paperback Special Edition Hardcover Why We Love Harry: Our Favorite Moments from the Series There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone * Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets * The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban * Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire * Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix * Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince * The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition. "Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles. * Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions. * Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" * Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator. * The effects of Felix Felicis. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows * The revelation of Snape's nature (especially Snapes Patronus and the emotion behind it). It serves as a reminder that it is love (requited or not) in all its forms that drives many of our actions. * Harry asking if the conversation with Dumbledore was real or happening in his head, and Dumbledore responding "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" * Ron gifting Harry a book on dating witches, a subtle reminder that they are still teens, after all. Visit the Harry Potter Store Can't get enough of Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more.
- >> Amazon.com - The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition Offered Exclusively by Amazon (Available in Limited Quantities) In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard (available December 4, 2008) and Amazon is thrilled to exclusively offer a luxuriously packaged Collectors Edition designed to evoke the spirit of the handcrafted original. Tucked in its own case disguised as a wizarding textbook found in the Hogwarts library, the Collector's Edition includes an exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, as well as 10 additional illustrations not found in the Standard Edition or the original. Opening the case reveals a velvet bag embroidered with J.K. Rowlings signature, in which sits the piece de resistance: your very own copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, complete with metal skull, corners, and clasp; replica gemstones; and emerald ribbon. Offering the trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling's legions of readers--as well as Aesop's wisdom and the occasional darkness of the Brothers Grimm--each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists in the hearts of all of us. Rowling's new introduction also comments on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting that the characters in Beedle's collection "take their fates into their own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to return a lost shoe," and "that magic causes as much trouble as it cures." But the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters. Professor Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with censorship that eventually led "a certain Beatrix Bloxam" to cleanse the Tales of "much of the darker themes that she found distasteful," forever altering the meaning of the stories for their Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through "Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump" that "many of us [wizards] first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead." Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is all that fans could hope for and more--and an essential volume for the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old. The Children's Voice Campaign The Tales of Beedle the Bard is published by The Childrens High Level Group (CHLG), registered charity number 1112575, a charity co-founded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP to make life better for vulnerable children. All net proceeds from the sale will be donated to The Children's Voice campaign. The Children's Voice campaign is run by CHLG. It campaigns for child rights across Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe where over a million children and teenagers are growing up in institutions, often in unacceptable conditions. In most cases they are without adequate human or emotional contact and stimulation, while many only just survive without life's basics such as adequate shelter and food. CHLG's Children's Voice campaign helps around a quarter of a million children each year through education activities; outreach work in institutions; and a dedicated telephone and email help line. Also Available: the Standard Edition The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition contains the five fairy tales, a new introduction by J.K. Rowling, illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book, and commentary on each of the tales from Professor Albus Dumbledore. Collector's Edition Product Features: • All five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard • Outer case disguised as a wizarding textbook from the Hogwarts library • Exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction • 10 new illustrations by J.K. Rowling not included in the Standard Edition or the original handcrafted edition • Velvet bag embroidered with J.K. Rowling's signature • Metal skull, corners, and clasp • Replica gemstones • Emerald ribbon Stay tuned for updated images and details about The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition. Amazon Reviews the Original Handcrafted Edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard The following is Amazon's original December 2007 review. Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction: There is no easy way to define the experience of seeing, holding, or reading J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so let's just start with one word: "Whoa." The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself (and it's quite clear from the first few pages that she has some skill as an artist). Rowling's handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt--it's not hard to read, but it does require attention--allowing you to take it slow and savor the mystery of each next word. So how do you review one of the most remarkable tomes you've ever had the pleasure of opening? You just turn each page and allow yourself to be swept away by each story. You soak up the simple tales that read like Aesop's fables and echo the themes of the series; you follow every dip and curve of Rowling's handwriting and revel in every detail that makes the book unique--a slight darkening of a letter here, a place where the writing nearly runs off the page there. You take all that and you try and bring it to life, knowing that you will never be able to do it justice. With that, let's dig in and begin at the beginning, shall we? --Daphne Durham Caution: the full reviews contain spoilers! Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction in December 2007. "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump" "The Tale of the Three Brothers" More images from the original handcrafted edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard Please note that these are images of the handcrafted book purchased at auction in December 2007. Click thumbnails to open full-size images in a new window. See more on our original The Tales of Beedle the Bard pages. The Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest Amazon customers have spoken, and out of thousands of entrants, you have chosen Rhiannon D. of Australia as the winner of the Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest, sending her and a friend on a trip for two to London, England and a weekend with The Tales of Beedle the Bard. See her Grand Prize winning entry, as well as all of the other delightful semifinalist submissions. Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling "I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. Rediscover the Complete Harry Potter Series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Hardcover Deluxe Hardcover Why We Love Harry: Our Favorite Moments from the Series There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone * Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets * The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban * Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire * Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix * Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince * The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition. "Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles. * Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions. * Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" * Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator. * The effects of Felix Felicis. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows * The revelation of Snape's nature (especially Snapes Patronus and the emotion behind it). It serves as a reminder that it is love (requited or not) in all its forms that drives many of our actions. * Harry asking if the conversation with Dumbledore was real or happening in his head, and Dumbledore responding "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" * Ron gifting Harry a book on dating witches, a subtle reminder that they are still teens, after all. Visit the Harry Potter Store Can't get enough of Harry, Ron, and Hermione? 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