1961: Comments

Comments on "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"

from dm984101@mserv.cc.seikei.ac.jp (Yoko Abe) from Tokyo, Japan

Teacher who taught her life
When I saw the play in Ediburgh, 1992, I jst saw the play. Now, as I am teaching at girl's schools in Japan, I know what is happeing to the play. Someties I proceed the lesson like Miss Brodie. Each student has some same characters I have. Each student has different types of characteristic. Some of them are shy, sociable, slow in learning or have talent in somethig. Biss Brodie's lesson is about her life, even though it does not lead to high marks on the test. She is the teacher wo taught her life to the students. gives her spiritual power to her students.

Comments on "Herzog"

from Virginia Beach, Va.

Quite possibly the greatest novel of the 20th century.
Anyone who says anything even slightly negative about this wonderous tome needs to immediately stop smoking crack. Herzog should be give to children at birth with the warning, "Life's tough, kid; you're gonna need this." So, what's it about, then? It is the never-ending narrative that plays on a maddening loop in your head at 3 a.m., when all of your deepest anxieties are no longer drowned out by daily distractions. It's about losing the plot completely, forgetting who you are, why you are. For anyone who feels (and sometimes wish they didn't) Herzog is your Bible.

Comments on "Catch 22"

from Montreal, Canada

Horrifically Funny!
An excellent book that is rich with very interesting, yet simply real characters! This book will keep you laughing but once you realise what you're laughing at, it makes you stop and think!
I can't give it the full 5 stars though because I found that it took some time to warm to this book and this style of writing.
If you haven't read it yet I strongly urge you do!

from fishersm@umich.edu from Ann Arbor, MI

Still the Best
Reading Catch 22 was quite an experience. Beginning the novel on the train from Paris to London, I was laughing almost hysterically all the way to the Chunnel. Then, Heller shows exactly what I was laughing at, and suddenly it isn't funny anymore.
The slow trip through Southern England's decrepid rail system was much more somber, and the book went from the best humor I've ever read to the the best novel I've ever read.
Finishing it in a London Hotel room three days later, I sat down with my father to joke about "Flies in your eyes" and discuss whether or not there is a better book out there. He was surprised I thought so highly, thinking it belonged to his generation.
Some books shouldn't go without being read. This is one of them..

Comments on "Rabbit, Run"

from bessie60@hotmail. com from Seoul, Korea

The most touching story I ever read
This book was about a man named Harry who never tried to solve his problems. He always ran away from them and didn't try to handle them. This book gives you and idea on how hard it is to make the right decisions through your life and how hard it is being an adult. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I would give it a 10 because it seemed so realistic. It gave me a better understanding of how difficult life really is. At first, I didn't want to read this book because it seemed so boring, long, and pointless, but once you start reading it, you would want to keep on reading to find out the outcomes of each chapter. I would recommend this book to both young and old readers because it is easy to understand, unless they wouldn't want to be reading a book using lots of profanity.

Comments on "A House for Mr Biswas"

kbfelini@hotmail.com from Cannes, France

Craftmanship
A master at work, certainly the best novel I have ever read.

from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

A superb novel
Certainly one of the greatest novels I have ever read! Stands in the same league as the best of Dostovesky, Dickens, or any other master. A MUST READ

Comments on "Stranger in a Strange Land"

from Cyberflow_1@hotmail.com from Vienna

Best book ever published !!!
I've read this book in german and it was so fascinating to me that I'm not able to describe my feelings. You are captured from the first to the last page and at the end you see the world thru different eyes. It's my favourite book and I can just recommend it to everyone who is a Science-Fiction-Fan. I would even say - you are no SciFi-Fan if you didn't read this outstanding book.

Comments on "West Side Story"

from San Juan, Puerto Rico

A Puerto Rican Perspective
As a Puerto Rican, I am obviously aware of the resentment still harbored by many of my compatriots because of the negative image of Puerto Ricans allegedly presented by this film. Once upon a time, Puerto Rico to the rest of the world (and the USA) was West Side Story. But with Ricky Martin roaming the globe, several Miss Universe's, international salsa stars, legendary baseball players, world class opera singers, NASA engineers, etc., this one sided image has irrevocably been surpassed. (And besides, both the whites and the Puerto Ricans are the "bad guys", no gang is shown to be "gooder" than the other.) I, for one, love the film per se. From the stunning opening (the whistle sends chills down my spine), the jaw dropping choreography, the sets, which to me, capture the seductive soul of New York, an impecable mix of realism and fantasy, to the stirring score, definitely one of the best, most melodic and charismatic in Musicals history, and the Romeo and Juliet plotline, adapted perfectly, a poignant, sobering reminder of the power of heartfelt love and the poison of intolerance. This is a great film. I bristle a bit at the putdown of our island in the "America" number (even though I know it's satire) and at the confusion of having Puerto Ricans dance the mambo (a distinctively Cuban rythm), when our own bouncy plena would have done. But this caveats aside, I believe West Side Story is a masterpiece and feel proud to be related to this jewel.

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