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Reader's Digest Condensed Books; 1979 #1, Volume 122: Eye of the Needle / Orphan Train / Overload / A Dangerous Magic
Reader's Digest Condensed Books
Volume 1: 1979
Series volume 122
Eye of the Needle - Ken Follett
Orphan Train - James Magnuson & Dorothea Petrie
Overload - Arthur Hailey
A Dangerous Magic - Frances Lynch
Volume 1: 1979
Series volume 122
Eye of the Needle - Ken Follett
Orphan Train - James Magnuson & Dorothea Petrie
Overload - Arthur Hailey
A Dangerous Magic - Frances Lynch
576 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Ken Follett
600 books59.9k followersKen Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. Over 170 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 33 languages.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 19, 2007
*Eye of the Needle
This story involved "Die Nadel," a German spy in WWII, trying to tell his side about the British deception. I thought there would be romance from the description on the letter jacket, but was pleasantly surprised at the heroine.
*Orphan Train
I had seen the movie of this book, so I thought I would pull this RDCB volume aside. I enjoyed the story just as much written as it was in the movie.
*Overload
This was about a California power company struggling against OPEC's restrictions, environmentalists, and a crazy bomber. Almost everyone escaped their fate, but the tragedy was well done.
*A Dangerous Magic
This was a somehow-cute romantic gothic mystery, set in Scotland.
This story involved "Die Nadel," a German spy in WWII, trying to tell his side about the British deception. I thought there would be romance from the description on the letter jacket, but was pleasantly surprised at the heroine.
*Orphan Train
I had seen the movie of this book, so I thought I would pull this RDCB volume aside. I enjoyed the story just as much written as it was in the movie.
*Overload
This was about a California power company struggling against OPEC's restrictions, environmentalists, and a crazy bomber. Almost everyone escaped their fate, but the tragedy was well done.
*A Dangerous Magic
This was a somehow-cute romantic gothic mystery, set in Scotland.
November 29, 2012
I really enjoyed Orphan Train and would recommend it to everyone. Vivid characters. A couple of the quotes that I would highlight: Mr. Whitcomb says, "Son, if there's anyone who understands orphans, it's actors, because actors are orphans themselves."
"Emma reached out automatically to fix it, and when she did, the boy moved toward her, crying out, and she lifted her arms to him and held him. Dear God, forgive my cruelty, open my heart to this boy, dear Jesus, only Your love is great enough to forgive us both..."
"Emma reached out automatically to fix it, and when she did, the boy moved toward her, crying out, and she lifted her arms to him and held him. Dear God, forgive my cruelty, open my heart to this boy, dear Jesus, only Your love is great enough to forgive us both..."
Read
November 9, 2009I read Orphan Train and really don't remember if I read the other books. Orphan Train was pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews