Audio Books

This is just an excellent novel by a fine writer. In all honesty I'm sort of at a loss here so I'll just say that you should read this book. You'll thank all of us who have recommended it to you.

Oh, I heard Lee Smith interviewed and she's really worth hearing. She's funny, self-effacing and smart.

_Fair and Tender Ladies_ tells the secrets of the soul of Appalachia. Tracing the life of Ivy Rowe from youth to old age through her letters, the book is an Appalachian masterpiece. Ms. Smith was supposedly inspired to write this book after coming across a bundle of letters at a yard sale. She claims not to have read the letters (after all, they were private!), but she felt a story like this should be told.
Here, Lee Smith tells the story of Ivy Rowe, rural Appalachia, the impact big business coal mining, love, hope, and life. If you know nothing of Appalachia, let this be your introduction. If you live there, let it be your celebration. If you are alive, let this story draw you along, softly whispering the story of your own humanity to you--one letter at a time.

Our book club read this book and everyone loved it. We discussed it for 2 hours. I would highly recommend it.

I love Ivy Rowe; especially the child Ivy whose words and observations make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud.
While I know some readers find adjusting to the letter-style of this book a little difficult, I found it a compelling read from the first page. I wrote lots of letters as a child, so perhaps that is why this style seems so natural to me.
I was most impressed with Ivy's words and style of speaking - this is exactly what Ivy does; she speaks through her letters because they are written exactly the way an Ivy Rowe would speak. It was very interesting to see how there are subtle changes in Ivy's words, phrases and spelings as she gets older and reads more.
I cried when Ivy hears the bell for the last time: I rarely cry when reading and I read a lot.

How I hated for this book to end! I LOVE Lee Smith's writings. She is truly one of THE BEST authors of our time. If you have not read her, PLEASE DO. She NEVER EVER disappoints.

This wondeful book is written in the form of letters by one Miss Ivy Rowe. The letters span the lifetime of Ivy. She LOVES to write letters and writes to friends, family, acquaintances. Ivy chronicles her entire life from a young teenager to her death (SOB!! -- yes, SOB!!) in these letters.

Ivy lives and dies in the Appalachian Mountain area. She lives through World Wars, ups and downs, feast and famine, good times, bad times, pain, sorrow, joy, happiness. Her letters tell all and tell all very, very well. You meet her family and friends all through her letters to various people. She is outspoken, kind, tough, sweet, loving, caring. Ivy's life was never easy, yet she handles every hurdle with common sense and humor.

At first it was a little slow going reading this book as her letters are written in true form of someone who lived in the early 1900's with very, very little education. However, Ivy is one of the lucky people who can read and write and loves to do both.

Her spunk, wit, and just IVY will make this one of your favorite books of all time. I loved the format of the book, it is different than any other book I have ever read. I know this is one book that I will not soon forget. Ms. Lee Smith has the outstanding talent of making her characters so life-like and totally people you believe in. How sad I was when this wonderful tale ended. This book also contained much history of our country and I believe I learned a great deal -- in a fun and interesting way -- about our country's colorful history.

Do yourself a favor and read this book and then read all of the other treasures that Ms. Smith has waiting for you. You will not be sorry.

Thanks!

Pam

This hard bound book arrived fast and as described. I haven't read this yet, but the book is in excellent condition. I am looking forward to discovering more about Socrates and how he came to his wisdom.

I don't even know why I am bothering to listen... except for the hope that eventually this will get better. Maybe it will. I'm on disk 4 out of 5 and it seems to be picking up.

I read his other book: Way of the Peaceful Warrior and really enjoyed it. It doesn't seem like this Socrates can be the same person? Oh well. I'll keep listening.

All in all, I think Dan is a good author.

In this novel, Socrates, the mysterious guru figure from "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" is revealed. The story of his life is an inspiring
saga of the triumph of the spirit. As the ptotagonist struggles against
almost impossible odds to avenge a hideous crime, we see him learn and
grow into the master martial artist that we first encountered in "Way of the Peaceful Warrior." History, martial arts, mysticism, all wrapped
in a wonderful tale of adventure, this book has it all.

George J. Partington scribbler georgepartington.com

I have not heard of Dan Millman so when a library patron told me that this was a great book, my curiousity was piqued and naturally, I had to check it out to see if it was as good as he said it was. It was very good and very well-written. It is a mystical reading and since I love anything Russian, this satisfied my thirst.

Why a four star? I found it predictable in places. I like to be surprised. I wasn't. But it is still a superb piece of writing though. If you study martial arts and the concepts behind them, you might find this interesting. My husband, if he has extra time on his hands, would absolutely love to read this book. He did study martial arts at one time. And it's not as drab as all that. Socrates meets enemies and friends alike on his journey through life. He was orphaned at an early age, sent to live at the Cossacks training school with his uncle. He saves an older cadet's life and realizes that it was a mistake to do so. He runs away. He meets the love of his life in St. Petersburg and tragically, she was taken away from him. Socrates spends the next ten to fifteen years training to take his revenge on her murderers, only to discover redemption.

It is, like I said, a beautifully written story. I have never heard of Dan Millman nor would I have been interested in reading his books, if it wasn't for a library patron. I plan to read "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" soon.

1/15/08

Reading the prequel to the Peaceful Warrier was quite interesting. The story is a fit and I continue to enjoy Milman's work. This one is well worth the time.

Right from the gitgo Ben Hamper's Rivethead grabs you with gritty gusto of passages such as the above; Hamper is an extraordinary writer about life for the ordinary guy... at least the ordinary guy who winds up as an automotive assembly-line worker for General Motors in Flint, Michigan--once considered the Automobile Capital of the World. The author is a natural shop rat, growing up in Flint, with an alcoholic mostly absentee father and a long-suffering, working-three-jobs mother trying to raise the family as practicing Catholics.

...

For my complete review of this book and for other book and movie
reviews, please visit my site [...]

Brian Wright
Copyright 2008

The endless monotony and idiot bosses drive anybody with an IQ above their shoe size to do something to kill the thought that, if they're lucky, they only have 30 more years of mind numbing drudgery to go before they can retire. I'm not saying alcohol abuse is the proper outlet, but it does seem to be the most common and most convenient. Good book, excellent portrayal of what exactly "blue collar America" does for a living.

Ben Hamper shares his life as a worker on the GM assembly line in Flint, MI. Bold, frank, honest and often hilarious. This book was recommended to me years ago and for some reason I never read it until now. Hamper chronicles a part of American history (manufacturing jobs) that seem to be going stateside or as Ross Perot once described in a quip about NAFTA, what's that whoosing noise? manufacturing jobs headed to Mexico. This is prose for the ages. Loved the book.

I didn't really like reading this book because I too work in a (once) major three Auto plant. I didn't feel that it properly portrayed some of the workers. It made it sound like all workers are like the author where they just really don't give a damn about anything except having a joking time on the job. It also made the workers sound like they were underachieving, undereducated, bottom of the barrel workers and I didn't care to have that stigma for all of us. I hold two bachelor degrees, like my job and take it serious!

I grew up with people like Ben Hamper in a place which was much like Flint. For the first couple years of my adult life, I did the kind of work he did. What he describes is the tail end of a lifestyle; the lifestyle of the shop rat. It's dirty, monotonous and smelly. Many of the people you work with are either below average in intelligence or in sanity. Drugs, booze and having no concept of "forethought" are fundamental parts of the culture. It's nihilism with a rivet gun. If you come from a place like that, chances are, your only way out is via a jail cell or a career in the military. Or, you could win a workmans comp suit. Which is presumably how Ben got out.

I miss rust-belt working class america. It's a hard life, and it doesn't have much in the way of rewards, but the people who make it up are genuine in ways that others are not: they have a lot of heart and spirit. Ben's book brought it all back in a great galloping rush of memories. If you've ever wondered what the factory working classes are, or at least were like (back when we had factories); read the book.

Even though he died in 1998, everything in this book is still valid.
From little simple tips like allowing a little extra time to get somewhere to making sure you have gas in your car so you won't forget to put some in when you are rushed to controlling phone call interuptions this book is chock full of little tips.
Even things like putting your keys in the same spot to having your doors keyed to use the same key, he just keeps on offering ways to save time and hassle that you can avoid if you listen to him.
One of the pioneers of real estate infomercials, he speaks to you on how to enjoy your life.
Shortly before he died he was sued with frivolous lawsuits, so ignore the ignorant reviewers that talk about that. He set up his estate so they couldn't touch his wealth. Good for him. Glad to know Givens kept his money shielded from buzzard lawyers.
Learning how he overcame a hard childhood to go on to live a life most would only dream of should inspire you to do the same.
All in all, a good combination of both inspirational reflecting on his growing up to practical advice once he had made it as an adult.

This is one of the best "self-help" books I have ever read. I am
re-reading it in case I missed something.

Like his financial books, Charles Givens offers a no nonsense system for becoming your best. You will learn how to flatten your fears, generate goals and add several hours of productivity to your day with more free time for fun to boot.

The tape is an overview. The book is very thorough.

Highly recommended along with Stephen Coveys 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Interesting that some people are surprised that Charles Givens produced this audio tape program and the book of the same name--SuperSelf; interesting because this is how Givens started way back in 1975 with his first company The Success Motivation Institute which was incredibly successful. SuperSelf is a program designed to take back control. To destroy the control others or events have over our emotions and the direction of our lives. To stop waiting for our ship to come in and go out and swim to it. Not to wait for things to happen but to make thing happen. Not to find ourselves, but to design ourselves. To take the action in our lives to make our dreams into reality.SuperSelf will show you how to design the rest of your life to become the best of your life and to live your dreams.

I read a classic self-development book on my recent flight called, Super Self Doubling Your Personal Effectiveness by Charles J. Givens. Charles is one of the long-time motivational speakers and rags to riches type person that people like to read about. Often I find these people to be somewhat shallow but the basic message is right.

In the book he shares a number of success strategies. The first one is to learn from the experience of others rather than your own. In my opinion, this is true wisdom and this is something that I still seek.

Charles Givens' outline is very basic and is what you would see in almost any self-help book:

1. Have dreams and goals. (I always thought the difference between dreams and goals is that goals were dreams with action)

2. Develop strategies to achieve these.

3. Practise â" consciously and continuously apply the strategies at every opportunity.

4. Habits - as I have often said before, we become what we repeatedly do.
Results, with these new skills and abilities, you will achieve results.

I would not make it as linear as that, I would make it into a circle. As results start to happen, then new dreams and goals need to be set. I feel a need to constantly revisit goals.

Overall this is a great book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in improving themselves and achieving goals in life.

His program takes it right from the goal setting through the time management area. It is a great refresher on what we need to do to be successful. I always seem to need this. I know what I should do but I frequently fall back into not doing it. books like this challenge me to once again play at the top of my game all the time.

Fast delivery, good quality, nice transaction, and product as advertised.
This book is a classic and the values inherent in the book are timeless.

I have an original hardcover that I have read every Easter, a gift in 1950 from my mother. I have read it to myself, my sons, and various Sunday school classes. The messages of humility,diligence,right priorities are much needed in this era where self-absorbed thinking is rampant. I am purchasing one for my grandchildren.

I read this book with my Dad during my childhood (pushing 40 now, so it's been a tiny little while ;)). I had forgotten all about it until I saw the cover in an Easter ad recently. It was amazing what a huge rush of memories that picture brought back. I immediately came to Amazon.com to find it and am thrilled it is still available. I only strongly remember 3 books I read as a child and this is one of them. I was enchanted with this story and the drawings as well. Now I hope that my own kids will love it as much as I did.

This is one of my favorite books from childhood--an absolutely charming, magical story that I will always remember.

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward and illustrated by Marjorie Hack has been around for yours. In fact, it made its first appearance in 1939 and has gone through several printings since that time. The latest one I could find was 1974, which is far too long ago, as this is one that we had better not loose.

Briefly, this is the story of a little brown country bunny that happens to be a female bunny. In this mythological story, as told by the author, there are actually five Easter Bunnies. These five bunnies are selected for being the kindest, swiftest and wisest bunnies in the whole wide world. Our little brown country girl bunny states that when she grows up, she wants to be one of the five chosen bunnies. The Big White Rich City Bunnies who live in the fine houses laugh at her, as do the male Jack Rabbits with their long legs.

When our little brown country bunny, whose name is Cottontail, grows up she finds herself the mother of twenty-one baby bunnies and responsible not only for their care, but the care of the house and all that goes with it. Cottontail trains her children to be very responsible. They help her with her house work, gardening, washing, sewing, cooking and other skills useful in living a full life. Word goes out that one of the five Easter Bunnies has grown too old to do his job (thus far, all the Easter Bunnies have all been males), and that a new Easter Bunny must be chosen by the Old Grandfather Bunny. This old rabbit, being rather wise above all others, of course, chooses our Mother Cottontail. The story goes on in a sweet way, almost a quest adventure and in the end we find that Mother Cottontail is not only the wisest, kindest and fastest bunny in the world, but also the bravest. Don't want any spoilers here, so will stop with the plot over view.

First, the art work. The artist, Marjorie Hack, has her bunnies dressed in late Victorian or possibly early Edwardian garb. It is quite detailed and quite fitting for the story. She has used very mellow colors and each picture is simple, while at the same time being extremely detailed. In many ways it is typical of the art work featured in children's literature, of that time, but then she throws in surprises, such as in the winter sequence where Cottontail climbs the mountain. The art here jumps way beyond its years. Actually, I cannot see why this art work would not appeal to everyone, young and old alike.

As to the message of the story; if you do a search or some advanced research on this particular book, you will find that it has had a profound influence on at least two, possibly three, generations of small children, following them all the way into adult life. This influence has been extremely positive. You must remember that this book was written in 1939 and you must remember what the world was like at that time.

This is the story of a little girl rabbit that overcame economic, racial, social and sexual biasness and fulfilled her dreams. This is simply an overall good message. I read this particular work to a group of seven year old children, and every single one of them was able to pick up on this theme. I was so proud of them. Now this book has been accused of having a strong feminist message (as if this were some sort of dirty word...how sad.) I suppose it does, indeed, deal quite well with this subject. Again, this is good. I would suggest that, in my humble opinion, if anyone has a problem with any of the messages this work projects, then they probably should move back into the cave they came out of.

This is a work we do not was to lose. Highly recommend this one.

This is a great story about how it's okay for us to be individuals that dance to a different beat. The illustrations are wonderful. Bought the book for our 3-year old son but everyone in the family enjoys reading the story.

I love this book! My mentor read it to her 8th grade class before they went off to high school and i bought it as a parting gift for a friend of mine who just went to college. It has a wonderful message of "dancing to you own beat" or just being yourself, no matter what people think. Seeing that i just had my first child, i will definitely be buying him this book and i will read it to him, even if he is only 3 months old because i don't think anyone is too young to be taught that they deserve individuality.

This is one of the cutest stories I have come across and is not one I mind reading over and over again to my small children. The pictures are bright and interesting, the words just roll off the tongue, and the message is sweet. At first I was afraid it would be a little wordy since my kids are just one and two but they like it and it definitely keeps their interest. It is also the reason my kids have learned the name of jungle animals! They point out the giraffe, monkeys, elephants etc. when even Baby Einstein wasn't able to teach them that.

This book is a very lyrical, very touching story of a giraffe who feels out of place and out of step with the other jungle animals. The rhyming is fantastic, and it isn't sappy. My children love it, and I love reading it out loud. It's just marvelous.

The artwork in this one just pops off the page! The story is precious and it catches a lovely rhyme! Tango, Salsa and ChaCha are all within your reach as you cheer for this awkward giraffe to bust a move! A great read aloud!

I just finished reading Lord of the Fading Lands, and I have to say the only word that comes to my mind is disappointment. I seem to be in the minority, but I still wanted to post my review to voice some of the negatives I found. I was really looking forward to reading this book after finishing the Warlands Chronicles by Elizabeth Vaughan, as it was highly recommended by her readers. I was enthralled by the story of Ellie and Rain from multiple reviews and ran to my local book store to pick up my own copy. I was at once captivated, but as the book progressed regret seeped in, since my high expectations were not met. Here's why.

1. I was surprised to see quite a few similarities to one of my favorite fantasy series' The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. My amazement had to do with the fact that this book is a romantic fantasy novel while WoT is epic fantasy, but there were parallels nonetheless. For example the death of Rain's mate triggered his rage and subsequent insanity which resulted in deaths of thousands of people. In WoT, Lews Therin Telamon went insane and broke the world after finding his Elyena dead. Also Rain is tairen (winged feline), while Lews Therin Telamon is the dragon - somewhat similar. Ellie is a poor woodcrafter's daughter, while Rand (the protagonist of WoT) is a poor shepherd. There is the light and the dark lord which is pretty much identical to the WoT, and the main similarity is the magic - five powers being wielded by the fey, which is exactly the same magic used by Channelers in the WoT. I'm not saying that these points are identical, just akin to one another.

I would be greatly surprised if C.L. Wilson never read the WoT, since there are too many likenesses between the two. That in itself is not what bothered me, since most of the fantasy writers draw from their favorite authors, legends, myths, religions, etc. What I didn't like though is the fact that even those attributes that I absolutely loved in the WoT fell flat for me in this book. Everything felt rushed, the heroes revealed too much too soon.

2. This brings me to my second point. Right from the start we are thrown into Celierian court intrigue, Feyan politics, Elden mage machinations, on top of Ellie's forced betrothal to Dan, family issues, new status as the Feyan Queen, her soul bond to Rain, search for her origin, and a number of other threads. This all happens in the first half of the book, when we are still trying to learn the characters and get used to the new world. It's like the author had all these ideas and tried to cram them into a less then 400 page book, and then tried to confuse the reader even further by adding words/sentences from a Fey language (for which no dictionary was provided by the way). I think the author could've served her readers better by concentrating on a few of the threads and leading them through to a culminating conclusion, versus trying to pack all of her ideas into one small book with no real ending.

3. I found characterization lacking for the most part. Rain killed thousands in his madness and even though I understand why he was left to live, the fact that he is arrogant enough to demand complete obedience from everyone is just ridiculous. The other Fey treat him as a close friend/companion, completely disregarding the madness that visited him before. Is it really gone? Why do they all believe that he is completely sane? How can they trust with such utter devotion when not too long ago by Feyan age he went berserk and almost killed everyone in the world? Marissya calms him down half of the time pointing out his mistakes in losing his tempter, but never have I seen her doubt \ his sanity. Also Rain apologizes to Ellie throughout the book. Either he is continuously aroused, for which he apologizes; or he snaps at her in rage, for which he once again apologizes. Or he forgets to compliment her, for which he apologizes still; or Ellie gets hurt and he nevertheless apologizes yet again for something that was completely out of his control. I found that some of these traits took away from what could've been a great protagonist.

Then there is Ellie, who is a naïve coward at heart with low self esteem. She lets her family put her in a compromising position which results in a forced betrothal, but still holds no grudge against her very unlikeable mother. That alone would be fine with me since it shows her meek acceptance due an unmarried girl of that time. But then in a couple of chapters she snaps at a queen's provocations about her height. So she seems to possess a backbone when mildly insulted by her queen, but when she is being force into marriage to an abusive brute all she can do is cry in her room. Her behavior throughout the book makes no sense, since those unexpected outbursts of spirit come randomly. I also couldn't feel her growth and development since they were baffling and sporadic.

This review is getting too long, so I think I'll try to finish it up. My main complaint about the book was the lack of magic that happens when a captivating story comes alive. I didn't feel it. The idea for the book was great and the cast of characters was well selected, but it lacked development, structure and suspense. Nothing in this book captivated my interest and I felt cheated since I expected so much more.

I loved this book, I was captured in the first few paragraphs and never lost my fervor for the story. Don't buy this without buying the next book, Lady of Light and Shadows, as well. This book is full of magic, true love, evil sorcerors and a believable society people with all kinds of beings. It is a richly texured story and I, for one, am a big fan. I hope the author lives in this world for a very long time becuase I never want to leave.

WOW, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved every single thing about it.
The side that loves fantasy will tell you that this is a wonderfully crafted magic book and that Mrs Wilson has met my most wildest expectations in the development of a new world, which has its own languages, geography, peoples. There are the inner laws of the Magic world and a whole History that goes back thousands of years. Suffice to say that I kept thinking LORD OF THE RINGS, which is my favorite Fantasy novel and one of my top 5 best books of all time.
The other side of me, the side that loves Fairy Tales and Romance will tell you that the romantic aspect of the book is as sublimely crafted as the Fantasy side if not more. It has all the aspects of an epic love story and if the Fantasy is LoTR reminiscent then the Romance reminds me of a Cinderella story, my favorite fairytale.

The Dark is Rising, and it happens to coincide with the fact that the Tairen are dying. And if the Tairen die, the Fey people will follow suit to their strong connection. The Tairen Soul, the King of Fey is desperate for a solution and dares to ask the Eye (...) to show him the way. The eye, shows him the figure of a red-haired woman who is the one that will save the. It just so happens that Ellie, the adopted daughter of a woodscrafter is also the Truemate of Rain. A truemate is the person that shares the soul of a Fey, the connection going beyond that of a wife or a mate of the heart and it is the most precious gift a Fey hope to receive in its existence. It doesn't happen to everyone, it hasn't happened in over a thousand years but most importantly it has never happened to a Tairen Soul.

The scope of the story is grand and with an epic quality to it.All characters are well developed and I loved the fact that the bond between truemates must be worked. It is not a given and it doesn't signify instant love. Even though they share a soul, there must be a period of courtship initiated by Rain and until Ellie accepts herself and him there can never be a true bond between them. It is interesting to note, that she can still deny him and carry on with her life. On the other hand, he will die if the bond doesn't complete. Not only his life hangs by a thread so does the future of the Fey and of their world.

BUY THIS BOOK.

Ana
[...]

Even though you may want to skip this because it's a fantasy, do yourself a favor and give it a chance. I almost passed it up and am grateful I didn't. Although Wilson creates her own world, it's similar enough to ours (similar fairy tales, sayings, customs, etc.) that you're never lost. And there's a nifty glossary at the back for her unfamiliar words--but the ones she uses are easily recalled throughout the reading.

The writing was great! The characters memorable. And each character comes loaded with perfectly reasonable flaws (except maybe Ellie, but I'm holding out hope that we'll see some more in the last two books)--but they are endearing nonetheless. Lots of detail, but it's never overwhelming because you grow to care about the characters and what is going on. You learn all about the Fey and the Tairen as Ellie does and it's a very effective tactic. Any questions you have about their world will be answered in the pages to come. Ms. Wilson opens with an incredibly scripted powerful scene that really drags you in from the beginning, and she manages to hold your attention throughout the rest (so much so that I called in sick to work to finish it).

This book and the sequel--Lady of Light and Shadows--are really 2 parts of the same book, and I would DEFINITELY urge you to buy them both if you're at all interested. The ending of Fading Lands is a stopping point, but you will immediately want to start the next one--Rain and Ellie's story isn't anywhere near over yet.

So interesting...with outstanding characters...ones you won't forget easily, and will re-read the books to to get to know them again. This series is without a doubt one of the BEST out there. C.L. Wilson actually wrote a story. And a darn good one at that. You have action, romance, and a wonderful fantasy story. The second book in the series...The Lady of Light and Shadows...is EXCELLENT also. I am so waiting for the final two books in the series coming out around Oct Nov of 08. It is SO rare nowadays to find a writer and series that takes your breath away!!!! C.L. Wilson has done that with this series!!!!

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Book review
I did my report on the book called On the Banks of Plum Creek.
The author of this novel is Laura Ingalls Wilders. It is also historical fiction.
This story is about a family that is very close. There is baby Carrie the littlest, the middle child was Laura but her nick name was Little Half Pint, and the oldest is named Mary. Mary was such a little lady she always did what her mother told her to do. But Laura was the rebel in the family she was always getting dirty or getting into trouble. But Carrie is too little to have a background. Pa traded his horses and bunny for a dugout from Mr. Nelson. There was a creek close to the house and they played there often but they must never go into the deep waters with out Pa or Ma (Laura learned that lesson fast).
I loved this book because I love the time period it was set in and I have read many stories by the same author like Little House in the Big Woods. It would suit some one who loves Family stories and the time period and his farm world it is more like a fun book to read but it is Historical fiction as well.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

This is one of the best books I have ever read! The revelation was so intense and so deep, that I had to slowly digest and marinate in what I was reading, as I was reading. I never had heard of this author before but I have since gone back and purchased all of his other books. This is a man who has the Word of God in his mouth and he is sharing it! So pay close attention!

This is one of the most life transforming books that I have ever read! If you read it and soak it all in, make it yours, it will bring out the very best in you that God intended. It is freeing and releasing and prophetically sound. I love reading a book that doesn't just teach but has a way of "making it yours" by helping you APPLY what it is trying to convey. Chris has done an excellent job of doing that and is an excellent communicator. He shares many examples from his own life and others that help you understand what he teaches. You are investing in a blessing to change your life, your family's life, and all whom you come into contact with if you partake of the richness of this book. I recommend it 100%.

Save yourself some postage and order more than one because you will want to share it with others so they will be blessed and on the same page as you are. Chris, thank you for your willingness to be a blessing to others and share your life with us. I will say about the book like Chris always says, "Now that was a GOOD WORD." :-)

Kris Vallotton and Bill Johnson have shared something here that has the potential to cause a shift amongst Christians that will catapult us into a whole new realm of living as sons and daughters of the God who created everything. I feel that I have cheated myself out of an inheritance over the past twenty years that i have been a Christian as have most believers i have spoken to. The devil will be really miffed at the contents and the truth that Kris shares as he transitions us to life living in the Palace. Kris's writing style is very engaging his personal snippets from his own testimony give us a wonderful insight into this man of God. As a prophet I believe what Kris has shared in this book is revelation from God to bring the us into the fullness he has for us. We have just brought a stack of these books to give away to some of friends.

After reading Kris' book, I had a whole new level of respect and admiration for him as a "Prince" of God. His humility and vulnerability to share from his life and God's process of refinement within him released grace and empowerment to me personally to live the life I am really called to live. I've bought and given it as gifts, and recommend you read it and do the same!

I have read a multitude of books, both christian and seculare, and this one has changed my life more than any other (outside the bible). As I read I began to see myself and those around me very differently. It encouraged me, and gave me tools for advancing my walk with God in the natural. It, unlike many other books, equipped the reader with the knowledge of a supernatural way of thinking instead of a superspiritual. I would recommend this book to everyone everywhere, and in fact I have to the best of my ability. I think it should be translated into multiple languages and sent around the world.

I own about a dozen different audio Bibles and this one is by far the best. The score and sound effects are beautiful and the actors did an excellent job.

They split the tracks by chapter and did a good job of putting the complete books on one CD.

My only negatives were that sometimes it feels like the actors are just reading it and the voice of satan/demons were a bit...shall we say trick-or-treat (I was hoping for more of an Exorcist/Omen).

I love The Word of Promise. I listen to it every time I'm in my car. I agree that Jim Caviezel can sound flat at times. But overall he did a fine job, especially the final hours of Jesus' life up to the cross. My favorite actor is Stacey Keach as Paul. He is outstanding! I love the sound effects, too. This would be a wonderful gift for someone of the younger generation that doesn't love to read.

This is very well done. The Word of Promise is very well read and acted. Some of the interpretation may be questionable in regard to the book of Revelation. The overall meaning of the scripture is being conveyed very well. The overall tone and feel of the presentation is very similiar to a childrens' program called "Greatest Heroes of the Bible". This would be a good tool to get your kids interested in the Word of God.

We like it.
Both of them, this product and Amazon services are great!!!
We Recommend people should buy this from Amazon.

"The Word of Promise" brings the New Testament to life like never before! Done in the style of an old-time radio program, actors' narration are blended with sound effects and a stirring orchestral score to bring the listener to the Holy Lands when these events took place, bringing power and emotion to the Holy Scriptures!
Overall, the actors' narration is fantastic! Jim Caviezel is fantastic as Jesus, though he is hit-and-miss in some places. Stacey Keach is fantastic as Paul, lending his voice to a huge chunk of this production. Lou Diamond Phillips, Louis Gossett, Jr., Michael York, Marisa Tomei and many others lend their talents to this truly remarkable production!
"The Word of Promise" is brilliant listening; a remarkable interpretation of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Whether you're new to the Bible, or have read the scriptures all your life, you'll find "The Word of Promise" a truly powerful experience!
Grade: A+