Every time I read a fresh book by Kate Breslin, it becomes my favorite of her books because each story is EVEN BETTER than the latest brilliant story!!! Far Side of the Sea exceeded all of my expectations!!!Set during Globe Battle 1, the author has a truly remarkable method of opening up this era of history for the reader. I always learn fascinating info (like military dovecotes and spy items from WW1) in addition to enjoying a riveting mystery! And the settings came alive for me! From the glitz and glam to the dirty and scary, each detail and zone of this adventure was vivid in my mind's eye!The author's fans will squeal (like I did) as they begin Colin's journey! While we are first introduced to Colin in Not By Sight, readers will have no issue following this standalone adventure. (But if you have read Not By Sight, then you're going to be giddy with the cameos the author gave us!) At the begin of the story, we search Colin worn down and weary after an injury at the front results in the loss of his hand. This trauma has colourful how Colin views himself, and he believes he is less than everyone else. My heart also ached for Johanna as the extent of her desire to be loved and the mistakes of her past were revealed throughout the spite everything working to hold them apart, Colin and Johanna's romance is the kind of epic love story that reminds me of some of my favorite Cary Grant movies! While their chemistry will create your heart swoon, there's a deeper love story in the works for both of them through God's loving pursuit of their hearts. Colin is drawn out of his self-doubt as he embraces not only loving someone else despite their flaws but also himself, and Johanna discovers a deeper love that she's always required in our loving God Who wants her for her. Truly, my words do not give the depth and emotion of these spiritual journeys justice, so you should trust me and read it for yourself!Five Stars ~ Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin is a masterful adventure with the kind of romance that will create you swoon!!!Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

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I recently read “Far Side of the Sea”, Kate Breslin’s recent addictive, impossible-to-put-down work of historical fiction. It’s the spring of 1918, and British soldier Lieutenant Colin Mabry (who faithful readers of Breslin’s work will recognize from “Not by Sight”) has just received an urgent notice via carrier pigeon. The notice is from Jewel Reyer, a woman who had once saved his life. Although they had been in love, he created the difficult choice to leave her behind in France, and now believed her to be dead. He immediately gets permission from MI8 to travel to France to search her, only to explore that the notice was not from Jewel, but from her half-sister, Johanna. Johanna works for French Troops Intelligence, and is convinced that her sister is alive and in the company of a German officer. Jewel’s diary is the only link Johanna has to her sister, and needs Colin’s support to search om the very start, you are pulled into the story and immediately become attached to the characters. Colin Mabry, who was wounded in battle, is trying to overcome what we now call PTSD and survivor’s guilt, and we sympathize with his struggles and his desire to create amends to Jewel and her family for leaving her behind. Johanna is a bright spot in this story—she’s so adventurous and brave and I wish to be just like her when I grow up. Everyone’s motives and agendas are questioned, and you never quite know who to trust, which is what makes this book impossible to place down. Is Jewel still alive? Is she held versus her will, or did she go with the German agent freely? Does she still love Colin? As his relationship with Johanna grows, Colin wonders if the love he felt for Jewel was long-lasting, or just a effect of their cirtances.I came across Kate Breslin’s work through her book “For Such a Time”, and it is still one of my top 10 favorite books ever, and “Far Side of the Sea” has just created it into that list, as well. I love all the plot twists and turns; you have no idea how this is going to turn out until the very latest page. I love how she weaves into her stories messages of faith and God’s ever-constant love for all of us. I also always learn something interesting in her books—here, Johanna teaches Colin (and the rest of us) about the dovecote and the pigeons that were used to carry messages during the war. Those small nuggets of info create the setting more authentic and always create me wish to pick up a history book and do some research of my own. You know you’re reading a amazing book when 1) You’re exhausted but you can’t go to bed until you search out what happened, and 2) You have a not good book-hangover afterwards. I have wandered aimlessly through bookstores trying to figure out what to read next, when what I really wish is more of Colin and Johanna. Maybe I’ll just read it again. I encourage you to pick it up and read it. You won’t be disappointed.*The author sent me an advance copy, but the comments and opinions are my own.

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"God sees us with the heart."A Downton Abbeyish spy thriller that held me completely spellbound. I binge-listened to the audible ver which was brilliantly narrated by Sarah Zimmerman. I hung on every word and was sorely tempted to hike up the speed and listen chipmunk-style when things got tense. You'll be satisfied to know I resisted the urge...barely, choosing instead to savor every nuance of the exceptional rigue, danger, romance! Plot twists galore! I was thunderstruck numerous times. I'd obtain beautiful full of myself, thinking I'd figured something out only to have Breslin blow me away with something so much better than anything I could imagine. And all the rich historical info -- be still my heart! Lots for a historical fiction connoisseur to swoon over. The carrier pigeon angle was utterly fascinating -- especially in view of our 21st century communication devices. Riveting stuff.And then there's the character and heroine. Colin with his misplaced sense of loyalty that set my heart aflutter even though I didn't wish him to be that noble. lol And Johanna who has her own agenda. I wasn't sure about her at first but she grew on me, especially as the author wove a attractive redeeming thread into her story. Theirs is the kind of love story that has the power to shred a sensitive reader's heart if she's not careful.Another stunning novel from an author who knows how to deliver a delicious mix of intrigue, inspiration and the sweet promise of romance.

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This felt like a sequel, of sorts, to Not by Sight, but this time focusing on the other Mabry sibling, Colin. He and Johanna had some private problems they were dealing with as they band together to search Johanna's sister. There is intrigue, romance, and faith-building adventure. The danger continues to grow as the story progresses and there are some amazing twists. Plus I learned a bit about the use of carrier pigeons during WWI. It was satisfying to catch up with Grace and Jack from the previous book and to see them obtain married. Overall, another amazing read about WWI.

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After time spent at the Front in WWI, Colin Mabry is left with scars both physical and emotional. Despite these limitations, Colin is determined to do right by Jewel Reyer, the French woman who protected him behind opponent lines. He is caught completely off guard by an urgent note from her, requesting his help. When he arrives back in France and finds Johanna, Jewel’s half-sister, instead, he’s immediately suspicious. As they work together to untangle an increasingly complex plot, they are drawn closer to each other and further into , I admit that I was curious to see how Kate Breslin was going to bring the story to a peaceful conclusion with the chance of two sisters competing for one man’s affection. I shouldn’t have worried, though. Colin’s and Johanna’s private struggles are handled with sensitivity and a attractive notice of hope, and the ending is so wonderfully satisfying!Far Side of the Sea has all the right notes of mystery, tender romance, and faith. I highly recommend this book to everyone but especially to those who are interested in the special history of Globe Battle I. While this book can be read as a standalone story, I recommend enjoying Not By Sight first. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and am under no obligation to provide a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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Sadly, this book just didn’t hold my interest like the author’s previous work. It had been so long since I’d read “Not By Sight” that I totally missed that connection until I read the Author’s Note at the end. I never felt invested in Colin and Jo and just didn’t feel they had the chemistry of Breslin’s usual main characters. I will still continue to read the author’s future offerings.

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The story takes put just over 100 years ago latest spring. Kate Breslins talent in bringing this time period into focus with compelling characters, vivid descriptions and a page turning adventure.If it was not for the battle the main characters, Lieutenant Colin Mabry and Johanna Reyer, would never have met nor enter into a journey with danger, espionage and betrayal. Adding interesting visuals and historical elements adds a depth of intrigue that takes this story into a memorable and believable tale. Not only does Kate Breslin cover the spiritual aspects with a natural rhythm but in a very believable way.I highly recommend this book. I even got teary eyed toward the end with the vivid descriptions of the emotional scenes. This is a very adventurous book that will leave you wanting more.

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I thought I'd obtain that out of the way, just so you know where my bias is. Jimmy Buffett puts out about an album a year, tours and makes dozens of money, but hasn't had a Top 10 hit since "Margaritaville". No matter, he always produces a listenable album, one that grows on you the more you play it. Not all of the songs are my all time favorites, but they are alway enjoyable to listen to and he doesn't beat you over the head with his beliefs or about how he's a tortured artist. He seems like he's having fun and that makes it so much more pleasurable to listen to.

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Since I preordered the CD over a month ago seems I had to wait forever for it's release, but glad to say I wasn't dissappointed! Though this CD won't sound like some of his usual stuff, ie. "Cheeseburger in Paradise" etc., it's amazing to hear Jimmy is growing musically and emotionally."Savannah Fare You Well", "Someday I Will" and Far Side of the World" are my private favorites, and present a more mellow and introspective Buffett.If this is an indication of his fresh direction I'm certainly looking forward to his next release. Love you Jimmy!

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The CD was in amazing shape. Exactly as listed.

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I'm a JB fan from waaay back, but I just can't warm up to this CD. I have read a lot of of the glowing reviews and have to wonder if they would not have been the same if JB had just hummed the hokey pokey for the entire cut. Africa meets Nashville and the two just don't create a JB album. The Nashville sound crops up in the most unexpected locations and has the same result as fingernails on a chalk board, leaving you with a itchy feeling and wondering how it fits. Jimmy has come a long method in his melody style, The latest latest departure from the standard Buffett, Don't stop the Carnival, was an interesting album, a very amazing story, and had several very amazing songs. This departure leaves me wondering when Buffett will really be back.

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Jimmy did a small better with this effort, compared with latest releases. It seems that it takes about two releases for him to come up with enough amazing melody for one (get rid of the garbage on Beach House and Far Side, and you've got one amazing CD). Why is it that no one does covers better than Jimmy Buffett, yet the items he writes for himself is just plain awful?I'll hold listening (1/2 the time), as long as Jimmy Buffett keeps putting them out.

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Several years ago, I took my husband, son and mother to their first Jimmy Buffett concert for my mom's 62nd birthday. We wore matching Hawaiian (authentic) shirts and even created THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. It was one of 'those moments' in your life where all the cylinders are firing and all's right with the world...my mother even told me that the 'aroma' in the air smelled like my father's pipe tobacco!I love this fresh CD....it's a mellow Buffett, but I'm more mellow than 10 years ago, too! My favorites are AUTOUR DU ROCHER, LAST MAN STANDING, WHAT IF THE HOKEY POKEY IS ALL IT REALLY IS ABOUT, ALTERED BOY, SOMEDAY I WILL and TONIGHT I JUST NEED MY GUITAR.I've had the CD for a week now and think Jimmy Buffett is a national treasure. You cannot be depressed when you listen to Buffett! Twenty-five years after my first concert, I'm still smiling!TONIGHT I JUST NEED MY GUITAR is a excellent moment for any Buffett fan...he's leting us know that HE knows just how lucky he is to do what he loves and love what he MEDAY I WILL gives you hope that the promise of our youth might yet see daylight before "they gaze upon our taxidermic smile(s)."I will be enjoying this CD for a long, long time!Enjoy yourself...become a Parrothead and have a "deep moat" of fun.

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If you are only focused on Jimmy's island sound, you will be a bit disappointed with this one, but hold listening, there are some jewels here. Jimmy makes some amazing forays into other musical styles on this CD and, mostly, he is quite successful. In my humble opinion, he does a bit too much talking, but overall, it is amazing to listen to with some very catchy tunes.

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This album effectively gels a lot of Jimmy's latest past into a cohesive story, particularly in light of Don't Stop the Carnival. In Far Side, Jimmy drops the glittery scene style and goes straight to the heart of the matter, and the end effect is a soul-stirring blend of African and Caribbean rhythms and melodies. He even wrote a song about the small hotel he owned on St. Bart's (welcome back Norman Paperman).Jimmy's melody increasingly reflects the wisdom that can only come with experience (age). It's comfortably nestled into life's slow lane, keen to maintain a wide-angle perspective steeped in philosophy (What if the hokey-pokey is all it really is about?).Don't expect the shallow-but-fun pace of Math Suks and I Will Play for Gumbo. This fresh sound is slow and delicious, like a silky smooth clam e album cover and enhanced-CD video are nice, too.

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as expected

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You know how you flip through your CD collection and run across an album you've nearly forgotten about, slip it in and you remember *this is a GREAT album*?This isn't one of those 's far and away better than the Beach House On The Moon, but still quite away from the Buffett of earlier ybe that's what I miss, those albums where it could just as easily be JB with his guitar and a few other instruments--and that's all you need. Now, there's just so much going on in the song, you lose the words. Which, as gifted as a singer-songwriter as Jimmy is, is just ckily, you can see the flicker of the muse returning on this album, but it's not the classic Buffett of 10 years ago, or earlier.

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Set in the attractive Bahama’s in 1943, this is a page-turning read of mystery that brings together two very various woman – the shy twenty-two-year old Dodie Wyatt and the very elegant wife of a wealthy diplomat, Ella Stanford. Dodie has already endured a turbulent past, and wants nothing but peace, but her peace is shattered when she chooses to support a man stabbed in an alleyway. When the man dies, despite her best efforts, it becomes clear that some people think she knows more than she does, and they wish to silence her…but then the richest man on the island is found dead, and Ella and Dodie are drawn together, while around them happenings spiral into yet more violence, deceit and death. Meanwhile Dodie is drawn to Flynn, a mate to the stabbed man she tried to save, and Ella is drawn to a police officer who has been seconded as her bodyguard…Kate Furnivall consistently delivers a unbelievable read that ticks all the boxes for an epic story, unbelievable characters, an exotic setting and a novel that will reward until the end. Highly recommended.

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I love the author but this story was long -winded and it felt that the words were written to fill the page, to a lot of characters, with a lot of useless information.

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We loved My Side of the Mountain, but didn’t like this as much. There were still unbelievable things about it, but the conflict with the bird was too hard for my kid to deal with.

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Actual pages of the story are fine but the feel of the cover feels cheap. So that is a disappointment. I'm wondering if it's almost like a third party knockoff printing?

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Took a bit to read it. I enjoyed it as it had true twists and turns in the course of the story

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I didn't have fun this book, only read it because I had bought it.If I had loaned it from the library I wouldn't have finished it.

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I read the first book as a girl and loved it. I recently purchased "My Side of the Mountain" to read with my nine year old daughter. Before we were done, I realized that I required to obtain this sequel to it.I enjoyed this book, but not nearly as much as the first, to me it seemed a small bit forced, almost as though there were an agenda for writing it. This one did not have quite the carefree feel to it as the original, which of course we know is common in sequels. I did like the story line of this one and it did build nicely on the first may be a generational thing, but I found this book less believable than the first book. Even though it was written in the 60's, I search it hard to believe that so a lot of people would know about these young children living off the land like this without there being considerable grief for the parents, something that was alluded to in the first l in all though, a fun book with a lot of really neat, well thought out, and researched wilderness survival skills included.

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What a amazing book for a ten year old child. I only don't recommend it if your kid has no love of the outdoors or nature as it is about a boy who runs away and lives on the side of a is an adventure that is written so gently. Each chapter presents the boy with a issue he has to overcome and then takes us through his s, it is very old fashioned but a lovely antidote to all the dystopian fantasy fiction that is around at the moment for kids.

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Very disappointing. It was like reading a slightly upmarket Mills and Boon romance. Nothing near as exciting as her previous books. The plot was to my mind weak and very thin.

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Not worth buying, one of my top 5 WORST READS of 2015!!

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This one is a classic and your kids will love it. I read this to our kids when they were young and bought it to read to my grandsons on a latest visit. It’s timeless and they were captivated to the latest word and hungry for more.

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Our grandson loves this series! So glad he owns his own set now.

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An enjoyable read. will read more of hers in the future but felt the end lacked 'something'. was recommnded this book as i am a Penny vincenze fan but in that respect was slightly disappointed - but still an ok read.

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I liked the story line, however I did search it a small disjointed, not free flowing as I would like, I had to test and read a whole chapter at a time, as each chapter was similar to a particular character. Overall I enjoyed the book, and I will look forward to another book written by Kate Furnivall.

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On the Far Side of the Mountain is the second book in the My Side of the Mountain trilogy. Sam and his sister Alice are living on Gribley’s Mountain. A conservation officer shows up to confiscate Sam’s falcon for breeding purposes. Shortly thereafter, Alice disappears, leaving clues for Sam to follow. The android game turns into a risky adventure and a heartbreaking decision.WHAT I LIKED: The book gave interesting info about topographical maps and tracking. The end was exciting and touching, with a surprise twist.WHAT I DIDNT LIKE: The second book just didn’t have the “magic” of the first book. It was okay, but it lacked the wonder of My Side of the Mountain, and it got a small on the preachy side, environmentally speaking. On the Far Side of the Mountain is the second book in the My Side of the Mountain trilogy. Sam and his sister Alice are living on Gribley’s Mountain. A conservation officer shows up to confiscate Sam’s falcon for breeding purposes. Shortly thereafter, Alice disappears, leaving clues for Sam to follow. The android game turns into a risky adventure and a heartbreaking decision.WHAT I LIKED: The book gave interesting info about topographical maps and tracking. The end was exciting and touching, with a surprise twist.WHAT I DIDNT LIKE: The second book just didn’t have the “magic” of the first book. It was okay, but it lacked the wonder of My Side of the Mountain, and it got a small on the preachy side, environmentally speaking.

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This is such a classic children's book. I read this to my 2 and 4 year old, and now I just wish to go hollow it my own tree to live in it. The entire trilogy is really great, and addresses necessary conservation problems including endangered species (although this first book doesn't speak to that as much as the next two in the series).

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This is a amazing book, but not as enjoyable as My Side of the Mountain. I did not recommend it to my 10 year old grandson because as a camper he enjoyed the method Sam was able to rough it and live off of the land. Also the loss of Frightful would have been disappointing to him.

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Kate Furnivall's books are never a disappointment... always a gripping story, totally believable characters, exotic settings and beautifully written. Loved this one!

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this was really interesting, and i love how furnivall is always willing to write about such wildly various things and periods in history. the who-dun-it element of the story was a small so-so, i think mainly because it was very unexpected and i didn't really know where she was going with it, but even if you have doubts please read on because it is worth it. hero and plot is fantastic, and each fresh heroine furnivall creates brings something fresh to the tapestry. it was exciting to read about a little island that doesn't obtain much press, particularly its little part in history. can't wait for the next novel she decides to write!

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"My Side of the Mountain"  My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics) is a timeless classic that describes a young boy becoming one with nature. It is one of the rare stories that can appeal to both young and old. "On the Far Side of the Mountain" (OTFSOTM) is the sequel that takes put about a year later. Amazon does a amazing job of capturing what the story is about so I will not go over the basics of the plot. However, "On the Far Side of the Mountain" is unable to recapture all of the original's charm. One of the issues is that the story is complicated and created messy - compared to the easy "Boy vs. Nature" conflict/theme of the original. OTFSOTM focuses less on "Boy versus Nature" and more on "Boy vs. Man" and the exploitation of the environment - you obtain the impression that Jean Craighead George is more intent on making a point about protecting endangered species and less on how Sam is able to have fun his natural environment (which I found a strong statement in the original). In fact, Sam focuses less on his love for his natural surroundings than his disdain for the ways of society - such as his refusal to eat at a restaurant. Overall, I would still highly recommend OTFSOTM for both children and adults. However, I do think that children could learn a lesson on the need to protect animals and the environment. 4 stars

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I love the Far Side, the cartoons are great, some of the best literary work of the latest 50 years. However, this collection makes me furious because somebody decided to be cute with the formatting and leave mostly blank pages. When I first got it my thought was, "Are you kidding me?" Because every cartoon can be about 25% larger. I'm 43 now and thanks to this collection I'm starting to realize I need glasses. Any cartoon that has hand scrawled print in the frame is nearly impossible to read. But lo and behold, there's plenty of blank white zone surrounding each cartoon! What the heck man! Slap the designer upside the head, I didn't pay for a book of empty blank space. Come out with a fresh collection please!

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If you're a Gary Larson fan, this is a must-have collection of all of his work. The hard cover edition is beautiful, but it weighs a ton. Definitely solely a coffee table item or for keeping as a collector's item. The paperback edition is no lightweight either, but it can be held and read without too much effort. Not as "glorious" as the hard cover, but it's attractive in its own right and, most importantly, also includes all of Larson's work, a lot of in color, most in b&w, as originally printed back in the day.If you love The Far Side, this is for you. Makes a amazing bonus for Larson fans. Either edition is worth owning, they're both place together well and will provide years of enjoyment and laughter.I LOVE The Far Side and was so satisfied when I stumbled across this. I just HAD to have it. When the hard cover proved to be too much to read while relaxing in my favorite chair, I went ahead and bought the paperback, too. I can't think of any other work for which I'd spring for two editions. I like Gary Larson that much :)

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I have long been a fan of the Far Side, but I was always disappointed by the fact Gary Larson's humor was spread out across multiple volumes, and that even if you were willing to purchase all of those books, there was no guarantee you had every one of his cartoons. When the complete collection came out in hardback, I was sorely tempted to purchase it, but its high price and my college student-sized budget deterred me from placing an order. Now that I have graduated and it is available in paperback for half the price, I readily shelled out my cash for a be clear, this is an edition well worth its cost. Even though in paperback, the binding is firm and the cartoons are printed on a high quality, glossy paper. It also comes with a nice slipcase to fit the volumes in. There are three volumes in total: the first volume covers the cartoon's first strips in 1980 through 1984, the second is from 1984 to 1988, and the final third covers 1988 to the series' conclusion in 1994. Each volume is approximately four hundred pages in length. Needless to say, the strips are printed in chronological order, typically three or four to a page. Each year is also divided by a small essay by Larson explaining the evolution of a particular drawing or telling a humorous story relating to his craft. Because I have seen only a few interviews by him, I felt this gave the book a private sense of the author. Also, in the earliest strips Larson would frequently draw in black-and-white (with the occasional color Sunday strip), but as time went on the cartoons increasingly became color almost every for the cartoons themselves, it is nice to finally have an official complete version. Often on the Internet there are cartoons that are visually related to Larson and claim him as their progenitor, but if you do not see it in this book, then it is safe to assume it is a fake. The same goes for some of the cartoons that have altered coloring to test and escape copyright enforcement by Mr. Larson's attorneys. The humor of Mr. Larson is obviously somewhat "far out" and has probably warped my own worldview, but there were a lot of occasions in these books when I found myself laughing out loud. Mr. Larson does not aim for the lowest common denominator, so while some cartoons' punchlines are immediately understandable, a few leave you saying, "What the...?" for a few moments before figuring it out. On one or two rare occasions, I simply had to admit conquer and move on to the next one. Fortunately, however, those occasions are rare and Mr. Larson actually contains small explanations (and sometimes hate mail) for some of his most challenging pieces. As a side note, while Mr. Larson's humor is bizarre, I think these are actually amazing books for children. Mr. Larson respects his audience and uses relatively advanced scientific and historical subjects as the basis for jokes on some occasions, and he avoids any vulgarity (it is a newspaper comic, after all) that would worry parents of younger kids. Most of the cartoons match the size of the originals, but a few are very slightly smaller. As a final note, the forward mentions there are over four thousand strips in this book, and you would expect the editors to have missed a few. Apparently, however, they are all there except for a few little pieces from Larson's collection Wiener Dog Art.If you are looking to interest a young person in cartooning, or simply looking to search a nice bonus for a close friend, this is an perfect collection to buy that will guarantee its reader hours of laughs.

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I like most all the cartoons; and want they'd have just stuck to them; or been classier in their approach...But, the editor's didn't really do a amazing service to readers or past editors by showing their words (gossip) about readers' letters and thoughts. A lot of disrespect towards the readers who wrote in; I'm quite certain the editors did not agree with those people and certainly didn't admire some of their globe views. However, it was disgraceful to contain that in here. It was a bit like listening to the Gold medalist talk trash about all those he beat in the race. Even if the 'losers' were jerks; it's not classy to berate or patronize mple solution for those who think the same and don't wish to read that sort of 'talk?' Just cross out all the 'letters' and 'essays' included in the book and stick to the actual Far Side cartoons.

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This review is for the HARDCOVER ver of The Complete Far Side.I am such a fan of Gary Larson. I can honestly say that The Far Side has created my life better, and I'm a firm believer that people should be paid for entertainment, and art... which is why I bought this, even though I've bought all the other books, in paperback... over the years. If you're reading this, I'm not telling you anything you don't know about the brilliance that is, The Far Side.Well... so why 4 stars? Why not 5? I'm going to offer some honest opinions that I think will support you decide between this version, The Complete Far Side IN HARDCOVER versus the very same, in need to draw out this review, but depending on who you are buying this for... the WEIGHT is a factor. Wow... 20lbs! Each volume of course, is just under 10lbs. These are books that you set on a table to read... or leave begin on a coffee table, or somewhere that a person can leaf through a couple pages briefly. I had no idea they would be so... big! Huge is good, but inside, the individual comics have a lot of zone around them. These books could have been 3" shorter while keeping the comics the same size... I'd have been thrilled (full 5-stars) if the comics were enlarged to fill more of each page. When I pick up the book I can't support wondering why I'm lifting 3-4lbs of blank paper. At the spine of the book, I can appreciate a amazing margin so the comics aren't draining in, but beyond that, I appreciate a bigger picture (or less book).My old paperbacks that I've bought through the years, as they were released, have sentimental value for me... as they created for a nice break in high-school, but they are starting to smell like old books... and hopefully some charity will appreciate them, so I guess I'll ALSO be buying the paperback "complete" version... just for a more user-friendly experience. (and "fresh" comics to re-read)I think The Complete Far Side might very well be the thing that would create me buy a Kindle or similar, if it were available in that format. I bought this from seeing TFS posted online... and realizing that, again, Gary should be paid for his work rather than have it "shared" for free... however, that's also why the publishers should create a paid ver to have fun TFS on a tablet.

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The entire Gary Larson collection! This was a amazing bonus for myself. I say this collection is ALMOST perfect. The books are softcover. Want they were hardcover but I'm willing to allow that slide. The one thing that did bother me was that for each page, they showed four pieces of art (with the occasional full page colourful piece) that were kinda little on the page. There was a lot of white zone around it. Solution: enlarge EACH picture and test to fill it up as much as possible.

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I have coveted this set since it came out in 2003, perused it in bookstores a few times, and finally decided to cough up the cash for it upon becoming worried that it was out of print and going to be unavailable soon. It appears my fears were misplaced, as my copy is from an 11th (!) printing from July e physical presentation is acceptable. The binding of the huge hardbacks is a small cheaply done; careful handling seems appropriate, although they aren't falling apart either. I feel like the quality of the volumes doesn't help the list price of almost $200 -- I would expect some archival-quality items at that premium -- but is acceptable at the price I others have pointed out, the layout compares a small unfavorably to the classic paperback Far Side collections; the cartoons are laid out in a weird staggered format with dozens of whitespace, inconsistently sized, and the printed size on the page is almost always smaller than how these originally appeared in the print collections. However, the resolution of the printing is amazing enough to maintain the legibility of the ere is a lot of fresh foreword-type material in these volumes, but I would have liked to see more commentary and background info amidst the cartoons themselves a la The PreHistory of The Far Side: A 10th Anniversary careful when ordering this from Amazon. Inspect the item thoroughly on delivery. This is a large, heavy, unwieldy item that Amazon does a beautiful not good job of packaging. I had to return the first set due to shipping damage.

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I received this from my Wife & Daughter for Christmas, unbelievable bonus and greatly appreciated! I've always been a fan of Larson's work, just too funny!This is a massive set of books but it is the complete works so go figure. Once I create my method through the whole collection I will repeat the process, probably a lot of times!I've already seen quite a number of his drawings that I never saw before, amazing stuff.

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The quality of this hardcover set is amazing! I read the reviews of how massive this is, but you don't realize just how massive until you test to keep it on your lap. You need a ow or lap desk to keep it's weight. This set is for people who truly appreciate quality, and the quality of this far exceeds the cost. Of course The Far Side itself needs no explanation; it's brilliant.

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Can't go wrong with Far Side cartoons. My only want is that the cartoons would have been bigger on the pages, as in when they published the single books. It is funny to read the letters that are inserted within the pages of each book, as Gary Larson or the papers that carried his cartoons received a lot of letters. It really does create you realize that truth is stranger than fiction when you read these letters from very upset people who are either offended, don't obtain the joke he was trying to make, or in one case the writer of the letter wanted him to withdraw the cartoon because it undermined the evolutionist's theory of how life evolved! His mother got a phone call from a reporter over a cartoon that no one seemed to understand and so they thought if anyone knew what Gary was trying to say, mom would know. Sadly, mom didn't obtain the joke either so Gary had to give a huge explanation as to what was going through his mind when he drew it. Can't create this items up! This is a amazing show (I got it for my birthday). I'm having to purposely only let myself so a lot of pages of amusement at a time as I could sit there for hours, having a amazing laugh.

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This is a nice blend of the actual soundtrack melody from the movie, plus some expanded tracks featuring the full orchestral music, such as Boccherini's Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid, that was incorporated and adapted in the original soundtrack. Well worth the price.

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I enjoyed the film and the books by Patrick O'Brien that it was based on and while not a huge fan of Russell Crowe I thought the film was very amazing and depicted the books very well. The books noted frequently the musical obtain togethers of the 2 main characters, the captain and the doctor and the film had the melody as more than just those sessions. So, I bought the soundtrack. If you like classical melody this is a amazing one . . . not a amazing one, but I have fun it.

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-This sound track CD is excellent. I have been listening to it a lot since I received it from Amazon. Please see my review of the DVD movie, which includes more comments about the melody on this are some excerpts from my DVD review:...The overall musical presentations of this movie are very impressive, and the CD of the musical score is far from a disappointment. The skillfully repetitious use of percussion instruments throughout the movie successfully recreates the sound of a thumping on the ship's hull: a sound that chills the heart of every sailor and alerts him to danger. The blood, the bravery, the glories of battle, as well as the continued yearning to acquire knowledge and discover the unknown, are punctuated by the melody of Mozart, Corelli, Bach, and Boccherini, each of whom is the product of a refined, highly developed European culture, represented here by one French and one British warship on the untamed, empty sea......The original score's musical reverberations suggest a beating versus the hull, rather than the sound of cannons shooting-there is no sharp "crack" as might be expected with the sound of gunfire. This simplicity of deep aboriginal-like drumming is a counterpoint to the sweet complexity of the classical compositions punctuating the story...If, indeed, all art aspires to the condition of music, then the miraculous melodies in this movie represents the culmination of two thousand, and more, years of unequaled European cultural achievements. Listen to it! Experience it!

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This is a terrific score, and nice to listen to in 44.1 kHz (uncompressed). The manufacturer must have know the melody was terrific, as the shop is absolutely flooded with them. However, this is definitely one worth picking up.

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I have never seen the movie Master and Commander but recently purchased the score as Iva Davies (of Icehouse fame) had composed melody for the movie along with fellow Austrailian composers Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti both had worked previously with Iva on his Ghost of Time album. All of the tracks are well written and performed wonderfully. For me there is not one sour note and since I have never seen the movie sea shantys sung in the movie are the least of my worries (besides this works wonders on its own merits). A soild 10 out of 10.

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Watching this movie, I was very disappointed that they did not movie more of the series about a wise sea captain during the Napoleonic wars.

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The melody on this disc, obviously taken from the unbelievable film, is a pleasing combination of very nice original compositions, classical favourites and a few sea shanties thrown in for amazing measure. The performances are fine and the recording is excellent. This CD is sure to please.

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The soundtrack for Master and Commander includes two distinct types of music. First there is the incidental melody for the film. These pieces are massive on the bass side of the orchestra and are often emphasized with bass drums and tympani. This melody is very effective and appropriate for the scenes in the film, and I commend the composers for making a soundtrack that so seemlessly and effortlessly invokes the moods and excitement of the visuals. Unfortunately, these pieces are quite moody and slow moving - amazing as incidental melody but not so interesting to listen to as straight orchestral e second type of melody is much more enjoyable to listen to. Those that have seen the movie know there are several scenes in which people are playing melody - for example, Aubrey and Maturin in the captain's cabin performing a cello-violin duet, or the sailors on deck playing sea shanties on tin whistles. The pieces chosen for the movie range from Bach to traditional folk music, and are a welcome addition to the soundtrack. The performances are very amazing (including a cello solo by Yo Yo Ma), and the recording quality is excellent. Deserving unique mention is the Boccherini piece (La Musica Notturna Delle Strada di Madrid), which serves as a second unofficial theme song for the movie. The piece itself is presented in its entirety, and there is a callback to the piece in the incidental melody as well, which is a welcome ray of levity in an otherwise oppressive ople purchasing this disc run the true risk of being disappointed - the incidental melody works so well in the context of the movie that you are likely to think (as I did) that the melody is itself worth listening to alone. Unfortunately, I don't search this is the case, but the classical melody that is included makes this a soundtrack worth having, especially for the Boccherini piece.

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I only buy about 3 DVD's a year now. But I've ordered this enough times off my Roku and Amazon that I decided to buy it. The story is a amazing adventure and it's very well done. The war scenes are incredible, and the photography is really stunning. Of course, with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany as the lead characters, you know the acting is top notch. Peter Weir directed. It's also fascinating to see how an old sailing ship worked in battle. If you wish to read a long series of unbelievable adventure stories, this is based on a 20 or 21 (can't remember) book set written by Patrick O'Brien about Lucky Jack Aubrey and his doctor friend, Stephen Maturin.

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The film is on my top ten list. Part of that choice is that the melody compliments the action in the film - as is intended. It is throbbing, pounding, tender, and whimsical throughout as it plays to the plots and sub-plots. There are drums, tin whistles, violins, cellos, and full orchestral pieces. It helps if you know the film so that the melody can be place into a proper context. This is amazing music, for the films or stand-alone.

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This Amazing Shufu is one of the most touching and addictive books I have read in latest years. The story, about author's experiences as a progressive, Jewish American married to a Japanese salaryman in a romance that straddles 2 hemispheres, brings readers on a richly transporting journey, complete with total immersion in a the utterly fascinating culture of Japan and heaping servings of exotic t the journey is also one of incredibly thoughtful introspection as the author reflects upon the slow but sure transformation of her worldview from one shaped by the values of upper middle-class, educated America -- where the individual and his or her private needs are given top priority -- to one shaped by a culture where conformity, respect for others and devotion to one's guild (which contains one's workplace) take precedent over the individual. Over the course of the book, the author must shed the layers of fierce independence she has always fought for as her positions of foreign wife and loving daughter-in-law to her husband's ailing father push her inadvertently into a caregiving role. At the same time, she grapples with years of difficult fertility treatments and the lessons in humility, patience and mortality these bring. All the while observing, astutely, the paradoxes of the human condition, which forces all of us to not only accept difficult cirtances and and options that are far from ideal, but to embrace is is a book to savor, then read again.

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I started this book and couldn't place it down until I finished it two days later. And even then I tried to savor every page. Tracy Slater is a natural storyteller who brilliantly and honestly relays the story of how she met and fell in love with her Japanese salaryman husband, Toru. I've read lots of memoirs and even when the narrator's hero comes across as sympathetic, it's often difficult to relate to other characters in the book. This was not the case in The Amazing Shufu. Toru sounds like a unbelievable guy, so patient and understanding. When I read about him, I thought, no wonder Tracy wanted to move to Japan for him. Nice guys like that are hard to find. And then there is Toru's father, who is one of my favorite characters in this book. He sounded like such a lovely man and I was so impressed with Tracy's care and devotion to him. I hope Tracy will write a follow-up to this book because memoir isn't enough!

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This is the story about a woman who was leading the life she thought she should lead until she met a man who created her explore that she was is book is very well written, very thoughtful, very touching, and very interesting. It's also very unusual for several reasons for a western woman to be married to a Japanese man. Another very interesting book written by a western woman who married a Japanese man is AT HOME IN JAPAN by Rebecca Otowa.I have spent a lot of time in Japan and read a lot of books by westerners who lived in Japan. One thing I have noticed is that they tend to think that the Japan they live is the only Japan. I have traveled all Japan from the northern most hint of Hokkaido (Wakkanai and the islands) to the southern hint of Kyushu. The Japanese people and the geography of Japan are as diverse as the people and geography of the United States. Your experiences will be various depending on where you go. Or, you may have totally various experiences from others who visit the same cities or may be annoyed, at times, by Tracy Slater's difficulty in giving up her Boston security blanket. I know I was. Still, she is so honest about her difficulties and when she decides that getting married temporarily is a amazing idea I couldn't support but giggle. I loved the book even though I didn't expect to and I hope that there is a second one.

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Those of us who have fallen in love and then plunged head-first into an unknown culture will love this book and feel large respect for Tracy Slater. She had no unique academic or cultural interest in Japan before she went there. She went at an age when adaptation to a fresh culture is extremely difficult, but she did it for a amazing reason-- she had been offered a gift: a man she trusted completely, who loved her in a method we all long to be loved. The writing is honest and sometimes very funny. Slater's big, generous heart shines on every page. We can see why Toru created the sacrifices he did, and we marvel at the method Slater responds to him and his family. That's the magic of 'The Amazing Shufu'.

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The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is presently running an exhibition on shoes entitled "The Pleasure and the Pain". Reading an exhibition review, my mind immediately jumped to Tracey Slater's "The Amazing Shufu" in which she amusingly describes her Boston apartment ‘I-don't-cook-kitchen’:"In the storage loft above the mini kitchen were all the shoes I couldn't fit in the studio’s little closet: rows of heels and boots and small ballet-slipper flats stacked on wooden racks."How, I wondered, would a amazing shufu handle her shoe addiction in a six-mat tatami room? Pain indeed!Ms Slater doesn't respond that question but there is plenty to ponder in this memoir / romance: the mind-boggling dozens in the relationships we call families, the mystery of attraction, the conflict between career and motherhood, the struggle to make meaning in our lives through the activities we engage in and the friendships we a fellow foreign resident in Japan, I search Ms Slater’s observations simultaneously ethnocentric, comical, embarrassingly intimate, and frequently at one with my own initial reactions to Japanese culture. There is much to admire in the Land of the Rising Sun. Ms Slater finds the gems and gives them to us in her precise descriptions of places, situations, and people. Her dialogue is natural, and her representation of the foreigner’s early misunderstandings of adopted culture all too is is a book full of the wonder of discovery. Read it to have fun how strange we are to one another and ourselves.H. MallettKobe, Japan

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This book was both introspective and funny, serious and lighthearted . Slater has a unbelievable method of putting into words the complex emotions of living with dichotomies. Incidentally I too am a proud Bostonian, teacher, expat , mother and IVF patient and white woman married to an Asian man ( though not Japan ) and I believe she she hit the nail on the head while describing truthfully the emotions that comes with navigating this complex emotional life.

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A delightful read. At latest a book that reflects the life I know so well, as a fellow "foreign wife". Her story is authentic and reflects the experiences of a lot of foreign women who are married to Japanese men in a method that speaks to the heart. Not all of us were as naive about Japan as she was in the beginning, but we have all had to face the same steep learning curve in our cross-cultural marriages which has in turn created us grow in ways that would never had been possible if Japan hadn't been a part of our lives. Thank you for writing this book Tracy and sharing your story which has shed light on the positive side of relationships like ours and generous Japanese men like Toru who have welcomed us into their lives as wives, unlike anything they could have possibly imagined growing up in Japan. I look forward to reading a lot of more of your books in the future!

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THE GOOD SHUFU will give you some comfort that your kid has not lost their mind and is doing something meaningful with their life, beyond anything that you could give them. This story of "coming of age" or better yet, learning that life experiences in a culture far far away from your own, takes courage and a resourcefulness that you as a parent never could teach in a million years. Tracy Slater has given us an honest refreshing view of what it is like to "fend for oneself" but maybe more importantly she has discovered a view of life that cultural experiences can only teach. I especially loved the relationship with her Japanese father in-law and how each of them developed a respect for each other without demanding it or with too much conversation over explaining as one might search in other cultures, i.e France or Germany, etc. The subtle way, the Japanese communicate, issue solve and "think" through life problems is worth the discovery and should pique your curiosity. Tracy to her husband Toru after being told that Toru could be transferred to the US by his employer, "Well, what was his reaction? Is he coming with us if we go? Did he seem upset? Or excited?" "Oh, no reaction," Toru said, turning for the couch with his teacup still in hand." " What do you mean no reaction? Or is he in shock? Is that why he didn't react?" No, not in shock," Toru said. "Just no reaction. Not yet." "...since this was all still just speculation, there was no need for his father to think too much about it. "We'll worry the logistics later," Toru said. "Imagine, I thought, not trying to sort out future what-ifs until they become show realities....they weren't excellent Buddhas, after all; they were human. But they didn't need to fix all the angles of a situation before they knew there was really something to address." As Buddha taught us, "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Thank you Tracy Slater. Thank you for helping us understand. Peace.

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I found this book because I was searching the web for info on older mothers. Tracy’s path to becoming a mother really resonated with me, but I ended up really liking her entire story. I’ve always loved quirky and special “How We Met” stories and her’s is one of the best. Being adventurous enough to teach abroad, then fall in love across cultural worlds, and the learning process she went through (along with the deep soul searching that comes with deciding to leave one’s family, career and life plans) are just some of the reasons I really enjoyed this book. I studied abroad for a semester, so I got a little taste of what fresh cultures/languages/traditions bring, but it was nothing like the complete submersion of this author’s life choice. What an interesting read!

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Reading "The Amazing Shufu" is an emotional roller coaster. The reader will laugh, feel sadness, empathy and have some "Ah hah!" moments. This memoir was written exquisitely by a highly skilled writer, Tracy Slater. It is an extraordinary real story of a privileged childhood and a perfectly planned academic and social life in Boston. Then the unexpected happens. While working on a temporary position in Japan teaching English to Japanese businessmen, she finds love, a lot of unplanned adventures, trials, tragedies and her life turned upside down. It is a very well written acc of life's twists and turns, joy, sadness, heartbreak and triumph! This is a unique story told with much humor and insight. A must read!

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bonus to cheer up hospital patient. worked like a charm

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these have stood up well to the try of time. Still funny after a lot of years.

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I love Gary Larson's humor. There are so a lot of cartoons and some of them I don't search very funny, but I don't even care. Because most of them crack me up!

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This is guaranteed to create you laugh, unless you’re dead from the neck up.

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I read it gave it to a mate funny. Always loved Gary Larsons humor

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we've enjoyed it

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Most people's children have never seen the Far Side. So look like a cool parent by introducing your child to this intelligent and funny classic.

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Oh how I miss The Far Side! This is awesome!

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Absolutely funny. My sons learned how to read using one of these books...and other comics too.

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I can't even count the number of copies of this I've bought over the years. Still hilarious after all these years.

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Amazing book even for my teenager, even though a lot of the jokes are dated, he still laughs at almost everything.

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These were a Christmas bonus for my son and he loved all of them!

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So satisfied I found this! I used to read this all the time as a kid. Using it for creative writing. Students love it.

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Far Side is always a sure hit

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unbelievable collection of Gary Larsen cartoons

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Sent this to my brother undergoing cancer treatment. Best medicine in the world, a GREAT LAUGH. Pam

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For better or worse "The Far Side" had a huge role in shaping my sense of humor when I was grow up. Maybe that's why I still search it absolutely hilarious to this e jokes are generally bizarre or somewhat dark in tone, so this is a amazing fit if you like that sort of humor.

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Christmas show for my wife. She loves the Far Side.

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I love Gary Larson’s humor, and the Far Side Gallery brought back the everyday comic strips and calendars I used to enjoy. This book was a Christmas bonus for my sister, who shares my sense of humor and that of Gary Larson.

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Amazing book. Amazing Seller.

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Down in the dumps? Mirror appears to be aging? Can't read the menu without glasses? Join the club, pick up How to Complain When There's Nothing to Complain About: More Thoughts About Life from the Far Side of the Hill by Susan Goldfein - and appreciate the humorous side of life after "a certain age"!! Laughed my method thorough this collection of essays as well as her How Old Am I in Dog Years?

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This is an eclectic mix of essays that has a few to which everyone can nod theirs heads in agreement. Others would speak to particular groups of women; and a lot of to men as well. I savored the reading over a lot of weeks. I think being read aloud to another would give the humor the most zing.

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This is a attractive piece of music, inspiring, relaxing, invigorating.

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Love it.

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Susan makes me laugh. Again and again. Her view of life/human foibles is refreshing and uplifting.

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Sadly I have to agree with the review that called this calendar sadistic. All 12 "new" cartoons feature violent situations, past show or coming, clustered to the point of repulsion. I certainly don't wish to curse myself by having it on my wall for twelve months. Two cartoons search amusement in the eating of cub scouts and infants [by bears and sharks] and don't seem to have any justification for their existence except to encourage a kid abusing attitude in the reader. An wonderful disappointment from someone I could usually rely on for a amazing philosophic laugh at some unexpected twists of human and animal interaction. Now Larson seems devoted to glorying bullies and having others join him in his cheap thrills.

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It only took forever to ship. I was so excited to keep it, but left it in my car. Today, my Pastor tells me yesterday was his birthday, so I walk him to my vehicle and handed it to him. He had the largest smile, and right then, I knew, he appreciates fine art. I am getting the everyday one next.

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Far Side is the best! Amazing print!

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I'm satisfied to see Gary Larson's still making fresh comics after so a lot of years. Purchasing this was a no-brainer. Hoping for some fresh books as well.

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Wish some amazing laughs next year. Look no further. No one does it better than Gary Larson. Glad he’s back for an encore.

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