If you’re not headed into a deep, technical class on Old English, this is the best book on learning Old English that I’ve seen.

Atherton has done ordinary folks a huge service with his work on this. In addition to presenting the language from the very beginning, in itself rare, he also gives a lot of cultural context. This context is critical, since you can’t visit Old England the way a student of Spanish or Danish can visit Spain or Denmark. He really takes a gentle approach to the inflection of Old English, which should aid learners who don’t know an inflected language. Of course, for those of us who do, it’s nice to have the various uses of the cases spun out one by one.

The texts selected for the book are of a wide variety and should hold your interest. If you don’t like the Joseph story from the Bible, there are snips from the anglo-Saxon Chronicle. And if you don’t like either of those, there are riddles and snips of poetry.

Another nice touch is the audio that comes with. It really makes the language come alive. As for how accurate the recordings are to how the language was spoken, I cannot say—but they breathe life into it and that’s enough for me. In any case, spend the extra for the audio.

Is the book perfect? No, but it’s so much better than everything else (not meant for graduate level classes) that there’s no reason to get anything else for a first look at Old English.

I saw this in Jersey City with my daughter. I thought it was one of those limited release things to keep it from being labeled “straight to video”. I was wrong. Apparently this has been released nationally.

The story is very simple, but that’s just the point. It is simple: and awful in its simplicity. What’s worse is that the climax of the film is the title. Every frame builds up to the stoning of this woman, which is depicted with an unswerving lens. You aren’t allowed to turn away. The suspense leading to the actual stoning is wrenching, and then it gets worse.

I don’t know that there is much of a message to take away from this movie other than people can be brutal to each other for no good reason.

I took my daughter to see this recently. I don’t think I’m blowing any major plot points when I say that the movie is wholly predictable within the first 20 minutes and doesn’t demand that you have seen the previous Kung Fu Panda to understand the sequel. No, kids entertainment designed to vacuum money out of parents’ wallets.

Suffice to say, Little Girl loved it.

Shameful to admit, this series keeps getting better.

Looking for a book that won’t make you think but will keep you turning the pages? Look no further.

This is a classic for good reason. The writing is not overly florid given when and where it was written (late 19th Century Britain). The plot is absolutely ridiculous, but the pace of action will keep you on board with it. The entire story revolves around a plot to dethrone the king of Ruritania (forerunner of Latveria, Elbonia and Kerplakistan) and a lookalike. I’ll say no more as the whole plot hinges on your ignorance of it.

That’s right: the turn from bad to so bad it’s good. Why? Joan Baez (henceforward known to me as “the old-lady-in-church singer”) started singing and a bird of prey alit on Bruce Dern’s arm. It really doesn’t get any worse than that.

501 Must See Movies? Yeah, only if they meant must see it make the turn.

Please tell me this isn’t representative of Ayn Rand’s writing.

I can ignore the bits of her philosophy that I don’t care for, but the much of the rest is tough. She’s got a story that is compelling and fast moving. I can appreciate that as well done, but the prose itself is tough. It almost felt that she didn’t have an ear for the music of English, which is strange considering she made her living with words both as a screenwriter and novelist. (Yes, I know English isn’t her first language, but this goes beyond that.)

Of course I can forgive that, since the story is different enough to be memorable.

God bless America, and no place else!

It’s not scholarly or in-depth, but this little book presents a breezy explanation about how one of the most influential books in Western civilization came to be. It was not a straightforward process.

This book is not sectarian, nor is it particularly religious. It does what it claims to in the title. This book sticks to the facts. If you’re ever mildly curious about the topic and don’t want to read der wiki, this is for you.