Books

Books

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself


Book Description

Who are you? When you start to explore this question, you find out how elusive it really is. Are you a physical body? A collection of experiences and memories? A partner to relationships? Each time you consider these aspects of yourself, you realize that there is much more to you than any of these can define. The Untethered Soul, spiritual teacher Michael Singer explores the question of who we are and arrives at the conclusion that our identity is to be found in our consciousness, the fact of our ability to observe ourselves, and the world around us. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.

This book, copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), offers a frank and friendly discussion of consciousness and how we can develop it. In part one, he examines the notion of self and the inner dialogue we all live with. Part two examines the experience of energy as it flows through us and works to show readers how to open their hearts to the energy of experience that permeates their lives. Ways to overcome tendencies to close down to the rest of the world are the subject of part three. Enlightenment, the embrace of universal consciousness, is the subject of part four. And finally, in part five, Singer returns to daily life and the pursuit of unconditional happiness. Throughout, the book maintains a light and engaging tone, free from heavy dogma and prescriptive religious references. The easy exercises that figure in each chapter help readers experience the ideas that Singer presents.


Editorial Reviews

Review

"In the book, The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer takes you step-by-step through the process of Gyana, the Yoga of the Intellect, to the Source. Moreover, he does it with elegant simplicity. Read this book carefully and you will get more than a glimpse of eternity."
Deepak Chopra, Author,
 Life After Death: The Burden of Proof
"In lucid, unadorned prose, Michael Singer delivers the essence of the great spiritual teachings of the Ages. Each chapter of The Untethered Soul is an instructive meditation on the binds of the human condition and how each and every knot can be gracefully untied so that our souls may fly. The accuracy and simplicity of this work is a measure of its pure mastery."
James O’Dea, President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)

"Deep spirituality is within your reach in this book. In it you will find the mirror to see your unconditional, holy Self. If you look for practical spirituality not encumbered by credo and ritual, read this book."
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: coauthor of
 Jewish With Feeling and From Age-ing To Sage-ing

"Michael Singer has opened my mind to an entirely new dimension of thought. Through The Untethered Soul I have been challenged both psychologically and intellectually in a new and exciting way. It may take more than one reading and many hours of introspection but The Untethered Soul is a must read for anyone in search of greater understanding of themselves and of the truth."
Louis Chiavacci, Senior Vice-President, Merrill Lynch, ranked in Barron’s top 15 U.S. Investment Managers

"The Untethered Soul is a brilliant treatment of the path of spiritual consciousness. It is clearly and powerfully written. Michael Singer provides a firm step for those on a spiritual journey."
Abdul Aziz Said, Professor of Peace Studies, Chair of Islamic Peace, American University

"This publication has released boundless joy for the hungry souls of the world."
Ma Yoga Shakti Saraswati,
 founder of Yogashakti International Mission, recipient of Hinduism Today ‘Hindu of the Year 2000’ award

"East is East and West is West, but Michael Singer bridges these two great traditions in a radiant treatise on how to succeed in life from our spiritual quest to our everyday tribulations. Freud said that life was composed of love and work. With great eloquence, wit, and compelling logic, Singer’s brilliant book completes this thought by showing them to be two poles of the same selfless devotion."
Ray Kurzweil, inventor, National Medal of Technology recipient and author of
 The Age of Spiritual Machines, The Singularity is Near, and other books

"This is a seminal book that quite frankly is in a class by itself. In a simple, yet paradoxically profound way, Michael Singer takes the reader on a journey that begins with consciousness tethered to the ego, and ends having taken us beyond our myopic, contained self-image to a state of inner freedom and liberation. Michael Singer’s book is a priceless gift to all who have futilely searched and yearned for a richer, more meaningful, creative life."
Yogi Amrit Desai, internationally recognized pioneer of modern yoga

"The Untethered Soul, in a clear practical manner, shows the reader how to achieve the real goal of human life—self-realization."
—Bikram Choudhury, founder of Bikram Yoga and worldwide Yoga College of India

From the Publisher

"In the book, The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer takes you step-by-step through the process of Gyana, the Yoga of the Intellect, to the Source. Moreover, he does it with elegant simplicity. Read this book carefully and you will get more than a glimpse of eternity."

--Deepak Chopra
Author, Life After Death: The Burden of Proof
"In lucid, unadorned prose, Michael Singer delivers the essence of the great spiritual teachings of the Ages. Each chapter of The Untethered Soul is an instructive meditation on the binds of the human condition and how each and every knot can be gracefully untied so that our souls may fly. The accuracy and simplicity of this work is a measure of its pure mastery."

--James O'Dea
President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)
"This is a seminal book that quite frankly is in a class by itself. In a simple, yet paradoxically profound way, Michael Singer takes the reader on a journey that begins with consciousness tethered to the ego, and ends having taken us beyond our myopic, contained self-image to a state of inner freedom and liberation. Michael Singer's book is a priceless gift to all who have futilely searched and yearned for a richer, more meaningful, creative life."

--Yogi Amrit Desai 
Internationally recognized pioneer of modern yoga
The Untethered Soul, in a clear practical manner, shows the reader how to achieve the real goal of human life--self-realization."

--Bikram Choudhury 
Founder of Bikram Yoga and worldwide Yoga College of India
"East is East and West is West, but Michael Singer bridges these two great traditions in a radiant treatise on how to succeed in life from our spiritual quest to our everyday tribulations. Freud said that life was composed of love and work. With great eloquence, wit, and compelling logic, Singer's brilliant book completes this thought by showing them to be two poles of the same selfless devotion."

--Ray Kurzweil
Inventor, National Medal of Technology recipient and author of The Age of Spiritual Machines, The Singularity is Near, and other books


Michael A. Singer is the author of the highly successful The Untethered Soul, which has been featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday television and many radio shows. The Untethered Soul has also been published in Turkey, Brazil, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Italy.
Singer received a master's degree in economics from the University of Florida in 1971. During his doctoral work, he had a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a now long-established yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, Singer has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, healthcare, and environmental protection. He previously authored two books on the integration of Eastern and Western philosophy: The Search for Truth and Three Essays on Universal Law: Karma, Will and Love. Visit www.untetheredsoul.com for more information.

Product Details

·         Paperback: 200 pages
·         Publisher: New Harbinger Publications/ Noetic Books (October 3, 2007)
·         Language: English
·         ISBN-10: 1572245379
·         ISBN-13: 978-1572245372
·         Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
·         Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces



Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health


Book Description

A renowned cardiologist explains how eliminating wheat from our diets can prevent fat storage, shrink unsightly bulges, and reverse myriad health problems.

Every day, over 200 million Americans consume food products made of wheat. As a result, over 100 million of them experience some form of adverse health effect, ranging from minor rashes and high blood sugar to the unattractive stomach bulges that preventive cardiologist William Davis calls “wheat bellies.” According to Davis, that excess fat has nothing to do with gluttony, sloth, or too much butter: It’s due to the whole grain wraps we eat for lunch.

After witnessing over 2,000 patients regain their health after giving up wheat, Davis reached the disturbing conclusion that wheat is the single largest contributor to the nationwide obesity epidemic— and its elimination is key to dramatic weight loss and optimal health. In Wheat Belly, Davis exposes the harmful effects of what is actually a product of genetic tinkering and agribusiness being sold to the
American public as “wheat”—and provides readers with a user-friendly, step-by-step plan to navigate a new, wheat-free lifestyle.

Informed by cutting-edge science and nutrition, along with case studies from men and women who have experienced life-changing transformations in their health after waving goodbye to wheat, Wheat Belly is an illuminating look at what is truly making Americans sick and an action plan to clear our plates of this seemingly benign ingredient.

William Davis,MD, is a preventive cardiologist whose unique approach to diet allows him to advocate reversal, not just prevention, of heart disease. He is the founder of the Track Your Plaque program. He lives in Wisconsin. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice, but only topics for further discussion with your doctor. I practice cardiology in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Product Details

·         Hardcover: 304 pages
·         Publisher: Rodale Books (August 30, 2011)
·         Language: English
·         ISBN-10: 1609611543
·         ISBN-13: 978-1609611545
·         Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches




Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)


Book Description

The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest?Katniss Everdeen.The final book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins will have hearts racing, pages turning, and everyone talking about one of the biggest and most talked-about books and authors in recent publishing history!!!!


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Product Description
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up–The final installment of Suzanne Collins's trilogy sets Katniss in one more Hunger Game, but this time it is for world control. While it is a clever twist on the original plot, it means that there is less focus on the individual characters and more on political intrigue and large scale destruction. That said, Carolyn McCormick continues to breathe life into a less vibrant Katniss by showing her despair both at those she feels responsible for killing and and at her own motives and choices. This is an older, wiser, sadder, and very reluctant heroine, torn between revenge and compassion. McCormick captures these conflicts by changing the pitch and pacing of Katniss's voice. Katniss is both a pawn of the rebels and the victim of President Snow, who uses Peeta to try to control Katniss. Peeta's struggles are well evidenced in his voice, which goes from rage to puzzlement to an unsure return to sweetness. McCormick also makes the secondary characters—some malevolent, others benevolent, and many confused—very real with distinct voices and agendas/concerns. She acts like an outside chronicler in giving listeners just “the facts” but also respects the individuality and unique challenges of each of the main characters. A successful completion of a monumental series.–Edith Ching, University of Maryland, College Parkα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Bookmarks Magazine

As might be expected for the last volume of a series whose popularity is just below that of Twilight and Harry Potter, much of the ink spent on Mockingjay recreates the great anticipation for the final volume and assures readers it is worth it. Many critics were unwilling to reveal any details of the plot, but those who did argued that what really makes Mockinjay entirely gripping is how it continues to successfully explore the violence and moral ambiguity raised by the first two books. Reviewers were also happy to add Katniss to the list of endearingly kick-ass young female action heroes. "This dystopic-fantasy series," noted the Washington Post, "has had such tremendous crossover appeal that teens and parents may discover themselves vying for--and talking about--the family copy of Mockingjay."

From Booklist

The highly anticipated conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy does not disappoint. If anything, it may give readers more than they bargained for: in action, in love, and in grief. When the book opens, Katniss has survived her ordeal at the Quarter Quell, and she and her family are safe in District 13. Gale is there as well, but Peeta is being held at the Capitol as President Snow’s very special prisoner. Events move quickly, but realization unfolds slowly as Katniss learns that she has been a pawn in more ways than she ever supposed and that her role as the face of the revolution is one with unanticipated consequences, including a climbing death toll for which she holds herself personally responsible. Collins does several things brilliantly, not the least of which is to provide heart-stopping chapter endings that turn events on their heads and then twist them once more. But more ambitious is the way she brings readers to questions and conclusions about war throughout the story. There’s nothing didactic here, and the rush of the narrative sometimes obscures what message there is. Yet readers will instinctively understand what Katniss knows in her soul, that war mixes all the slogans and justifications, the deceptions and plans, the causes and ideals into an unsavory stew whose taste brings madness. That there is still a human spirit yearning for good is the book’s primrose of hope. Grades 6-12. --Ilene Cooper

Review

Praise for Mockingjay:
#1 New York Times Bestseller 
#1
 Publishers Weekly Bestseller 
A
 New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2010 
A
 New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice 
A 2010
 Booklist Editors' Choice 
A 2010
 Kirkus Best Book of the Year 
A
 Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010 
#1
 USA Today Bestseller 
#1
 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

"Fans will be happy to hear that
 Mockingjay is every bit as complex and imaginative as Hunger Games and Catching Fire." — Entertainment Weekly 

"Suspenseful... Collins' fans, grown-ups included, will race to the end." —
 USA Today 

"At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984, the memorable violence of
 A Clockwork Orange, the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter." — New York Times Book Review 

"Unfolding in Collins' engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn't-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears. [Mockingjay] is nearly as shocking, and certainly every bit as original and thought provoking, as
 The Hunger Games. Wow." — Los Angeles Times 

"This concluding volume in Collins's Hunger Games trilogy accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level." —
 Publishers Weekly, starred review


Suzanne Collins is the author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles series, which has more than one million books in print and is available in seven foreign editions. In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Also a successful writer for children's television, Collins lives with her family in Connecticut.


Product Details

·         File Size: 860 KB
·         Print Length: 390 pages
·         Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0439023513
·         Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (August 24, 2010)
·         Language: English
·         ASIN: B003XF1XOQ



Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)

Book Description

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Gr 7 Up--Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Reviewers were happy to report that the Hunger Games trilogy is alive and well, and all looked forward to the third book in the series after this one's stunning conclusion. But they disagreed over whether Catching Fire was as good as the original book Hunger Games or should be viewed as somewhat of a "sophomore slump." Several critics who remained unconvinced by Katniss's romantic dilemma made unfavorable comparisons to the human-vampire-werewolf love triangle in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. But most reviewers felt that Catching Fire was still a thrill because Collins replicated her initial success at balancing action, violence, and heroism in a way that will enthrall young readers without giving them (too many) nightmares.

Review

Praise for Catching Fire:
#1 New York Times Bestseller 
#1
 Publishers Weekly Bestseller 
A
 Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction Book of 2009 
A
 People Magazine (Top 10) Best Book of 2009 
A
 New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice 
A
 Los Angeles Times Best Children's Book of 2009 
A
 Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009 
A
 Booklist Editors' Choice 2009 
A
 Kirkus Best Book of 2009 
#1
 USA Today Bestseller 
#1
 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

"...enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment." — School Library Journal, starred review

"Whereas Katniss kills with finesse, Collins writes with raw power." — Time Magazine

"Collins expertly blends fantasy, romance and political intrigue (so who needs vampires?)." — People Magazine

"Collins has joined J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer as a writer of children's books that adults are eager to read." — Bloomberg.com

"Catching Fire not only lived up to my high expectations, it surpassed them. It's just as exciting as The Hunger Games, but even more gut wrenching, because you already know these characters, you've already suffered with them." — Stephenie Meyer

Suzanne Collins is the author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles series, which has more than one million books in print and is available in seven foreign editions. In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Also a successful writer for children's television, Collins lives with her family in Connecticut.

Product Details

·         File Size: 921 KB
·         Print Length: 391 pages
·         Page Numbers Source ISBN: 043902353X
·         Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (June 3, 2010)
·         Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
·         Language: English
·         ASIN: B003O86FMW




The Hunger Games by, Suzanne Collins


In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead (cont'd)

From The Hunger Games
The moment the anthem ends, we are taken into custody. I don't mean we're handcuffed or anything, but a group of Peacekeepers marches us through the front door of the Justice Building. Maybe tributes have tried to escape in the past. I've never seen that happen though.
Once inside, I'm conducted to a room and left alone. It's the richest place I've ever been in, with thick, deep carpets and a velvet couch and chairs. I know velvet because my mother has a dress with a collar made of the stuff. When I sit on the couch, I can't help running my fingers over the fabric repeatedly. It helps to calm me as I try to prepare for the next hour. The time allotted for the tributes to say good-bye to their loved ones. I cannot afford to get upset, to leave this room with puffy eyes and a red nose. Crying is not an option. There will be more cameras at the train station.
My sister and my mother come first. I reach out to Prim and she climbs on my lap, her arms around my neck, head on my shoulder, just like she did when she was a toddler. My mother sits beside me and wraps her arms around us. For a few minutes, we say nothing. Then I start telling them all the things they must remember to do, now that I will not be there to do them for them.

Suzanne Collins is the author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles series, which has more than one million books in print and is available in seven foreign editions. In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Also a successful writer for children's television, Collins lives with her family in Connecticut.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Reviewed by Megan Whalen Turner 
If there really are only seven original plots in the world, it's odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Yet we have Fahrenheit 451,The Giver, The House of the Scorpion—and now, following a long tradition of Brave New Worlds, The Hunger Games. Collins hasn't tied her future to a specific date, or weighted it down with too much finger wagging. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000, hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. It is her teammate, Peeta, who recognizes the importance of holding on to one's humanity in such inhuman circumstances. It's a credit to Collins's skill at characterization that Katniss, like a new Theseus, is cold, calculating and still likable. She has the attributes to be a winner, where Peeta has the grace to be a good loser.It's no accident that these games are presented as pop culture. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. The State of Panem—which needs to keep its tributaries subdued and its citizens complacent—may have created the Games, but mindless television is the real danger, the means by which society pacifies its citizens and punishes those who fail to conform. Will its connection to reality TV, ubiquitous today, date the book? It might, but for now, it makes this the right book at the right time. What happens if we choose entertainment over humanity? In Collins's world, we'll be obsessed with grooming, we'll talk funny, and all our sentences will end with the same rise as questions. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. They're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet, she thinks. In order not to hate these creatures who are sending her to her death, she imagines them as pets. It isn't just the contestants who risk the loss of their humanity. It is all who watch. Katniss struggles to win not only the Games but the inherent contest for audience approval. Because this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, and what is left unanswered is the central question. Has she sacrificed too much? We know what she has given up to survive, but not whether the price was too high. Readers will wait eagerly to learn more.
Megan Whalen Turner is the author of the Newbery Honor book The Thief and its sequels, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. The next book in the series will be published by Greenwillow in 2010. 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator.' Book one of a planned trilogy.Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist

This is a grand-opening salvo in a new series by the author of the Underland Chronicles. Sixteen-year-old Katniss poaches food for her widowed mother and little sister from the forest outside the legal perimeter of District 12, the poorest of the dozen districts constituting Panem, the North American dystopic state that has replaced the U.S. in the not-too-distant future. Her hunting and tracking skills serve her well when she is then cast into the nation’s annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death where contestants must battle harsh terrain, artificially concocted weather conditions, and two teenaged contestants from each of Panem’s districts. District 12’s second “tribute” is Peeta, the baker’s son, who has been in love with Katniss since he was five. Each new plot twist ratchets up the tension, moving the story forward and keeping the reader on edge. Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents’ next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance. Grades 9-12. --Francisca Goldsmith

 


Praise for The Hunger Games
#1 New York Times Bestseller 
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller 
A Horn Book Fanfare 
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008 
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2008 
A Booklist Editors' Choice 
A New York Times Notable Book of 2008 
A Kirkus Best Book of 2008 
A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice 
A USA Today Bestseller
"[The Hunger Games] is a violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense... I couldn't stop reading." — Stephen King, Entertainment Tonight 

"I was so obsessed with this book that I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading... The Hunger Games is amazing." — Stephanie Meyer 

"[The Hunger Games] is a great book, and very thought-provoking. Read this along with your teen and discuss it." — Charlaine Harris 
"Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced." — John Green, New York Times Book Review 

"A plot-driven blend of suspense, science fiction, and romance." — USA Today 

"Enthralling, imaginative and creepy." — Los Angeles Times 

"{A} superb tale" — Booklist, starred review 

"Readers will wait eagerly to learn more." — Publishers Weekly, starred review


Product Details

·         File Size: 867 KB
·         Print Length: 387 pages
·         Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0545425115
·         Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
·         Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
·         Language: English
·         ASIN: B002MQYOFW