Audio Books

It was a good book for young children. There grandparents hide a treasure.

1979. I was 7 years old. Found this masterpiece in the elementary school library one day. This book changed my childhood; it introduced the concept of mystery and adventure. It's effects - lasting. Now 35, it's the year 2007, and I once again stumble upon "Key to the Treasure". Life is great. Nostalgia warms my soul. Kids: enjoy your childhood - read as many books as you can. These years are the BEST of your life.

Thank you Mrs. Parish for the memories!

Now... it's on to "The Mystery of Chimney Rock"...

Have you ever searched for hidden treasure? Jed and his twin siblings Bill and Liza do just that in The Key to the Treasure. These three adventurous youngsters must solve clues and do it secretly so that they can surprise their grandparents. Along the way they often learn to set aside their differences and work together.
The three kids were staying with their grandparents for the summer when they accidentally stumbled upon the clue to a treasure their great-great grandfather had hidden over a hundred years ago. Using their wits they solve clues and overcome obstacles to help them find the key to the treasure. Some of the things they encounter are a hissing goose, a mischievous little boy, paper that is so old it falls apart, wasps, and moldy pouches.
I loved this book when I was a child and still read it to my students today. I always tried to figure out the clues before the three kids and I always dreamed of hiding my own treasure for someone to find. The writing style may not be the best especially compared to books written in our day and age but it is a fun book and a quick read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes quick mysteries and hidden treasure.

I thought this was a good book because there are lots of clues and it is very interesting for kids to make pretend discoveries. It was fun and there were lots of decriptions about how the treehouse looked. (Nicolas, Age 7, 3rd Grade)

As a child I read "Key to the Treasure" by Peggy Parish at least three times, if not more. I became enraptured with the story line from the very beginning as the accidental discovery of a piece of paper rolled up in an old Indian war bonnet turns into the adventure of a lifetime for three young children.

What I enjoy most about Peggy Parish's book is that it is fiction based on facts. This lends a great deal of believability to the story while providing young readers with glimpses of a time when life was far more simple and yet much more fun. For this reason alone I purchased a new copy of the book for my nine-year-old daughter.

I highly recommend "Key to the Treasure" for children ages seven through twelve who enjoy reading and also enjoy using their imagination. Many hours of pleasure are sure to be derived from this book that I believe to be a classic children's story.

This is an excellent book. It will give you a more balanced perspective of what means to be a man of Faith, and how society expects this man to actually be.

In my top list of books. Made me cry when I read it. That's powerful writing.

This book was a bit of a surprise. While it is not the best "Catholic" novel I have read, its many good parts provide much to recommend it. I have been familiar with the story line from the Gregory Peck movie which has been a late-show staple. The book is more intricate and nuanced, like novels used to be. Cronin's characters are well-drawn, seem consistent and grow in your imagination like real people. He has a notion of ecumenism that concervative Catholics might find simple-minded and perhaps offensive, but probably reflects his childhood experience, with which many American Catholics could easily identify, that sometimes God lets himself be found extra ecclesiam.
In sum, a good book. I am glad I read it. I had trouble putting it down at night.

I purchased this book on the cheap not knowing a thing about A.J. Cronin. Reading the back, seeing the "Christian" theme, I decided to give it a try (it was on the clearence table!).

Grabbed from the first few pages, one can't help but feel for poor Francis as he struggles through his emotional and tumultous childhood, discovering his faith and ultimately landing in China to rekindle the flame of a forgotten mission. Through the story he meets various characters: the local militia, outcast roughians, the tender and vulnerable Chinese people, Catholic hiarchy and a few friends...

Francis remains true to Scripture (with one notable exception) and his vocation by being pious, and living in only very minor indulgences. He lives for the God, the mission and for the Chinese people, often to his own detriment, leading the way by his example.

A great read...a treasure that I "just" picked up...

Father Chisholm, the main protagonist in this story of Christian faith, flourishes as an example of what it means to be a man of conviction. Archibald Joseph Cronin has pieced together a story that not only is readable but thought provoking. Father Chisholm acts with courage and compasion as he lives out his vocation under trying conditions. This story is an affirmation of faith and if I were the director of curriculum at our seminary I would include this as required reading for our candidates.

Just add me to the pack of people who loved this book as a child, and who are now reading it to their own children.

One of the things I want to add to the accolades is that this makes a good book for children to read. It is particularly satisfying because it has a good story -- something that is sometimes lacking in beginning readers.

As far as level I would say that it is at a first grade level which is to say that the print is still fairly large, but that there are more sentences per page than the very beginning readers are used to.

Big Red got back up on the
bank.
I tried and tried to get there too.
But I could not.
My feet were cold.
My hands were cold.
I was cold all over.
"Help! Help!" I called.
But Big red could not help me.

Five Stars. Classic story with wonderful artwork.

10 Star First Reader for children just learning the value of friendship and the feelings of others. Ideal for learning compassion, how deeply felt are hurt feelings, and how to fix them. Weighs the importance of ego vs humility, easily discernable and also appeals to a child's sense of ineptitude which arises naturally from his or her vulnerability as a child. Always a "first choice" if it hasn't been read in a while, and always a great pick for instilling confidence on difficult days, reminding both parents and adults that everyone is special, and that everyone has value, and can be productive and useful. A wonderful story of intimacy and rescue to which children instantly relate and appreciate, setting a foundation for lifelong compassion in the dignity of others, and respect for their emotions.

This book was one of my first reads in the elementary school library. Little Black, should be in everyone's library. Very good illustrations. Easily read to little children. One of my better memories of childhood books and now hard to find.

I found this book while going through a collection of books that belonged to my Grandmother - a former elementary school teacher. I immediately showed it to my 3 year old son who LOVES horses. We read this book several times a week. It is hands down, his favorite. The book is written in such a way that it holds a child's attention endlessly. My son gets a wide array of expressions on his face as I read it to him and he looks at the neat pictures. It is too bad that this book is no longer in print. Books written like this nowadays are few and far between. A favorite, a classic, a keepsake!

I am angry that the reviews that are shown for this book are the ones for the original version, which appears to be out of print. This is *not* the original story with the wonderful pictures that I loved as a child, the ones that are mentioned in several of the reviews; this seems to be one "translated into Navajo" and with different illustrations. Judging from the cover, I don't like them. Be warned: This is *not* the book you remember.

Being a fan of Walter Lord's impeccably researched book "A Night to Remember," I was instantly intrigued upon learning of "The Night Lives On." I had had several lingering questions for years: why was an order given to turn the ship starboard when the iceberg eventually hit starboard? How, specifically, was the matter of the Californian's involvement dealt with? Which theories about "the gash" don't pan out? All of my questions and more were painstakingly answered as if I had asked Mr. Lord for an explanation myself. His ingenius weaving of history, statistics, personal testimonies, and logic, blended into an easily understandable format, made my love of the Titanic's story grow even more. Anyone can buy one book and know the generalities of the ship. But this book goes above and beyond to educate those already acquainted with the story and wanting a much more in-depth look.

WALTER LORD DOES IT AGAIN. HE BRINGS IT ALL TO LIFE. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL "TITANIC" FANS!

I picked up this audiocasette due to curiosity. The information packed tape was interesting, and even made me angry because this tragedy did not have to happen. Like people say, most tragedies are a string of unfortunate events coming together at the same time. I don't think the sinking of this liner is anything different. It gives a glimpse into the technological limitations of the day, the caste system of the gilded age, and the prevailing seaman's attitude of the time. After listening to this (and reading The Perfect Storm), my interest was certainly piqued. I ordered some books on the Titanic and the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, and can't wait until they get here.

Walter Lord follows up his best seller of the fifties-A Night to Remember--with this eighties version on some mysteries about the sunken liner. One learns about the musicians (two groups actually) and what they played that night while the life boats were being loaded. Another story details the negligence of the freighter Californian for not answering the eight rockets of distress from the Titanic. Another story details the shootings and suicide near the end of the launch of the last life boats. Still another story details why there were not enough life boats on the Titanic and most other ocean liners of the day. Walter Lord clears the air about these mysteries with his well informed writing.
If you want to know more about the Titanic, read both Lord's books on the subject (A Night to Remember, The Night Lives On). They will help the reader understand this tragedy. I have seen the movie and I know the producers consulted these books when they made the movie.

Calling this 'the sequel to _A Night to Remember_' is slightly misleading. Rather than the storytelling style employed to relate the story of the sinking of the Titanic, this is almost a collection of 17 1-chapter essays about various points of the disaster. Excellent stuff, but if you were expecting, say, the story of the Congressional and Parliamentary investigations of the disaster, you need to look elsewhere, e.g. Wyn Craig Wade's _The Titanic: End of a Dream_.

"Unsinkable Subject" - Overview of the popular fascination with Titanic.

"What's in a Name?" - The actual launching of Titanic from Harland & Wolff's shipyards.

"Legendary from the Start" - Titanic was indeed popularly supposed to be unsinkable, but the trend of sacrificing safety features for competitiveness had actually taken hold during her design.

"Had Ships Gotten Too Big for Captain Smith?" - Explores Smith's record, including a near-collision in harbor with Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic.

"Our Coterie" - The group of first class passengers, including Col. Gracie, mentioned in _A Night to Remember_.

"Everything Was Against Us" - Contrasts the ice warnings, lack of coordination between radio room & bridge, and lookouts, with the notion that the accident was a one-in-a-million chance.

"The Gash" - The collision itself.

"I Was Very Soft the Day I Signed That" - How and why ships the size of Titanic could legally sail while carrying so few lifeboats.

"What Happened to the Goodwins?" - Facts and figures about 1st class vs. 3rd, contrasting White Star's implication that those people down there couldn't understand English, with the Goodwin family (an electrical engineer and his family, emigrating from London to New York, all of whom were lost, including the 6-year-old).

"Shots in the Dark" - Explores the stories about Murdoch, one of the officers loading the lifeboats, and whether shots were fired.

"The Sound of Music" - An in-depth look at the "Nearer My God to Thee" myth, and the 2 bands on the Titanic. (I was aggravated to learn that that entire, touching sequence with the cornet in _Raise the Titanic!_, which I loved as a kid, was made up from whole cloth - the musicians were just as courageous as the movie made them out to be, but no cornet players.) And if you're a professional musician who thinks *your* agent is heartless, wait till you read this.

"She's Gone" - Compares the eyewitness accounts of Titanic's last moments with what we now know.

"The Electric Spark" Captain Rostron of the Carpathia, who picked up the survivors at great personal risk.

"A Certain Amount of Slackness" Discussion of Captain Lord (no relation to the author) of the Californian, in sharp contrast to the preceding chapter.

"Second-guessing" - The inquiries and subsequent litigation (Lord's treatment of Senator Smith should be contrasted with Wade's more detailed treatment, but then Wade has a whole book to play with).

"Why Was Craganour Disqualified?" What happened to some of the survivors. (Craganour, owned by a member of the Ismay family, was disqualified from winning a major British horse race.)

"Unlocking the Ocean's Secret" - The search for the Titanic, leading up to Robert Ballard's successful attempt in 1985 (written before others began plundering the ship for relics).

I thought this was a good book, and I do think John Walsh does great things for the missing. I prefer him in person, than reading his book. It was a little too intense for me.

John Walsh got across his feelings and made the reader feel them as well. The book was almost impossible to put down. It never lost my attention once. I wished there was more when I reached the last summary. I thought this book was even better than his first. I cannot wait for the third.

Apart from the traditional American emotional hype that John Walsh brings to this book, it is a good read.
it is good to see he used his anger in a positive way and he definately serves the community in a special way. We need more like him.

I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey where John List murdered his family. I remember clearly how these murders created fear in our town. He hid from authorities for nearly 20-years before America's Most Wanted aired a profile that led to his capture. This is just one of the stories in this book that would get 10-stars if ...(this website) gave out that many. John Walsh deserves a lot of credit for his great work, and this is a book everyone should read.

Be advised that the first story will haunt you for days. It is very disturbing. John Walsh is a modern day hero who sets out to put lowlifes where they belong....behind bars!! God Bless Mr. Walsh, and long may he reign!

This is a beautifully illustrated version of _The Owl and the Pussycat_. My three-year-old son absolutely loves looking at the whimsical pictures of the fish and other sealife that are abundant in this book. The pictures are done with beautiful colors and have their own story.

What a beautiful version of Edward Lear's poem. I've always been a James Marshall fan, but this book is absolute tops for his illustrations. The colors are glorious, the characters, as his always are, deftly and lovingly handled. I understand that it was his last work, and it's a shame that it is out of print. Buy it, save it, and pass it around.

Jan Brett's Caribbean-inspired illustrations for the classic Edward Lear poem are teeming with life, and the effect is stunning. The colors, textures, and shapes are a visual treat. Each page also has a different pattern of "straw" border, adorned with a different tropical flower.

The pictures overflow with detail, to the point where there's even a sub-story (pardon the pun) involving two yellow fish.

I didn't give it the full 5 stars because the way the text is broken up across spreads makes it difficult to read the poem with any kind of flow, and because some of Brett's admittedly gorgeous illustrations could (and perhaps should) have had more of a connection to the text. For one notable example -- there's no pot of honey on the boat, and we never get a look at the money wrapped up in the five-pound note!

But there's no denying the beauty of the illustrations, and the Caribbean theme works surprisingly well. This is a great book for anyone -- for newcomers to the splendid silliness of the poem as well as for old fans of the poem who are looking for an edition with fabulous illustrations.

I have always liked Lear's rhymes, especially this one, but more than the rhyme, it's the illustrations in this version that I like. We live in Florida and all our sub-tropical and tropical flora and fauna is in this book, beautifully illustrated and very recognizable to my 3 year old daughter. Following along with the secondary story of the two damsel fish (I think they're damselfish, but if they're not, the fault is my fish identification skills, not Brett's illustration) is really fun for her too. A bit further south, but still full of recognizable plants for us Floridians, is another of Jan Brett's books, "The Umbrella."

I have the Audio CD that Eric Idle did and it was wonderful. I listened to it with my 5 year-old and we both just loved it. He could understand most of what was going on and I could explain the rest. I'll start looking for other versions, too. Like the original poem and the various hardcover book versions. It is a truly charming story with a playful use of words. There is humor of the best kind here: they classic kind with jokes and puns for the adults and kids at the same time (like the old bugs bunny cartoons). I recommed this with NO reservations!

I have read many of John McPhee's works. They are all excellent and captivating. He writes on so many subjects, it is amazing that they are all great. No wonder he teaches at Princeton, or did as I remember.

My wife gave me this book in 1978, and I devoured it in one evening. I have since been all over the world, and no matter where I go, the pines are always the reference point for me. My teen years were spent in the pines, with my good friend Tom, where we would travel its dirt roads, canoe its streams and fish its lakes, and hike its trails and roads. Mr. McPhee weaves a story that is so true, so historically rich, and for me, so reminiscent of the years of my youth. Please read this book, and then go and make your own memories.

This time John McPhee turns his hand to one of those
anomalous natural treasures that has survived in
spite of intense urbanization. The Pine Barrens are
two-thirds of a million acres-an area the size of
Yosemite that sit beside a major artery of the most
developed region in the country. With the New Jersey
Turnpike to the west and bustling, chintzy Atlantic
City to the East, it's hard to imagine that this great,
weird wilderness could be so little known.

McPhee is the perfect guide to the Pines. He is as
sensitive to the natural history as he is to the
culture. He has a sympathetic ear for both the natives
and the outsiders who wander in from time to time. He's
a writer who can focus on a detail-a threatened fern or
the quality of water and then pull back to the big picture.

A thoroughly entertaining book.


--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Those of us from the Northeast know that wilderness can be found if you're willing to hit the road and search for it, and also that it's precious and worth protecting from the onslaught of industry and sprawl. But even those familiar with the region's wilderness offerings will be surprised by the natural bounty and remoteness of New Jersey's Pine Barrens area. The masterful essayist John McPhee published this travelogue and study of the area back in 1967, when the depths of the Pine Barrens still offered genuine seclusion form the outside world, with hardy folks still living off the land by picking berries or making charcoal. And this beautiful area was surrounded on all sides by the most urbanized and industrialized blight on Earth. Things aren't quite so rustic there anymore, but reading McPhee's engaging treatise on the area should make modern folks wish to both visit the Pine Barrens area as a valuable slice of nature, and to protect it as a precious and dwindling resource. That's what makes this short but lovable book from the great McPhee a timeless classic for nature lovers. [~doomsdayer520~]

I'll keep this short and sweet: McPhee's The Pine Barrens is an entirely outstanding, fascinating look at the unique area that is the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. McPhee covers Piney culture, the unique ecological nature of the region, its history, and its hidden treasures. The writing is poetic and rich, the people interesting, and the information detailed, thorough and never dull. A really great read that anyone living in NJ should get.

My Special Education class loved this book. The pictures are delightful and the story is fun and exciting for my Kindergarten/First Grade Class. This book was selected by my department as a suggested book for use in my class.

The warmth and openness that the authors convey in this book makes you feel like you live in that neighborhood yourself. Cute story; beautiful artwork. Children as young as 2 are drawn in and fascinated by the magical storyline. Great read-aloud book!

This imaginative little fantasy is sure to bring a smile to the lips of the smallest children and start a playful exchange of ideas. This is beginning imagination at its coolest. However be sure that you playfully talk to them about the book and get their ideas on what happens to snowmen during the night. Do not leave them with thre impression that snowmen are animated.

Even though we live in Florida and don't have snow my 3 year old son enjoys this book. It has good rhythm and cute story. This book was one of his preschool teachers favorites so we bought it. I am glad we did.

I've received this book & given it as a gift several times. It is good for young childrem, simple to read & the illustrations are beautiful. It is a great gift for new parents or grandparents. Also the the other book Snowmen at
Christmas is just as great.

The book is excellent. Im' reading it for the second time which I rarely ever do with books. The dissatifation I have is the 1st week I had it the book started to come apart. Books are not made as good as they use to.

Very beneficial book for both counselers and clientele.
I would recommend this book to anyone searching for a Christian solution
to every day problems that are difficult to identify and overcome. I first read this book in 1984.

After reading this life changing book by Backus I am completely transformed. I used to suffer from depression and anxiety (for 10 years) and had paid lots of money for therapy and medications but NOTHING helped me until I read this book. It opened 100 windows and has changed my life for the better.

I read this book many years ago, and it was a huge turning point in my life. I will never forget it, but acutally I lost my copy to someone who borrowed it. I couldnt find it any place and actually forgot about it, until just now when a site i was on recommended it. I am so excited that I can get this book again. It is one of the best books I have read.

I really needed these books a.s.a.p. and they came quickly and in mint condition. Thank you

Michael has done it again. Reading both $30 Film School and $30 Music School back to back has definitely given my confidence and knowledge a jump-start.
With the $30 series and the documentary DIY OR DIE, Michael W Dean has created a foundation to start your own artistic journey and equip you with enough knowledge to survive in what can be a very cutthroat environment.

It is time to wake up, take control of what is left of your life and make an impression to last the ages. The $30 series is here to help prevent you from making the mistake of living old with regret.
For $30 you get way more than what you pay for.

The book's OK, but it's not about music: it's about running a garage band -- which is very different: in music school you study your instrument, solfege, harmony, and counterpoint; in a band you need to know how to find gigs, how to fight with your bandmates and come on top -- every time, all the time, how to deal with the gear, etc. With this in mind, the book is a good read for a newbie (but if you have a couple of years' experience in that area it is unlikely that you'll find anything you don't already know).

What's next for the author? I'm hoping for a $30 Brain Surgery School book, why not. After having starved in the company of beautiful women, one realizes that a man's gotta eat. ;-) God bless.

The title of this book caught my eye and I bought it after reading 1 page. It is well written and informative without being dry. Along with the practical advice given on purchasing gear, dealing with bandmembers, club owners, recording and other facets of getting your music heard, integrity and win/win situations are stressed throughout it. I have already applied some of the info presented and have undergone some major attitude adjustments (positive ones) toward my music and my musical goals. Although there is a lot of humor and an easygoing style about this book, it is very serious in its focus on how to get your music out there. Anybody who wants to pursue music further than garage band status should read this book. People who want to be big rock stars would benefit from $30 Music School, too, as it may prove to be a reality check for them.

Michael W. Dean's $30 Music School is the best book on this subject I've encountered. Mr. Dean (Dr. Dean?) covers every aspect of music-making: the politics of bands, writing songs, getting gear, practice spaces, booking shows, recording, making cds, the music business and the internet, and touring are all addressed at length in a personal, avuncular style that is always inspiring to read. Mr. Dean's enthusiasm is infectious. His DIY aesthetic is uncompromising but his attitude couldn't be more positive. This is a book for people who want to get out there and start living their art life instead of merely thinking about it. I've been a musician for over 20 years and every chapter in this book fired my imagination. If you read this book and don't feel inspired to begin or reinvigorate a DIY music career, you probably have a different calling altogether. I'm hoping he writes a sequel (graduate school?) that addresses many of these subjects at greater length. In the meantime, I'm on my own! Ha! If you liked this book, check out the others in the $30 music school series as well as Mr. Dean's fiction works and his film D.I.Y. or Die. Hooray for Michael Dean for doing so much of the hard work for the rest of us!

Michael's writing style realy makes this an enjoyable read. This how-to for garage banding covers everything from managers and road managers and bookers to the handful of guitar and keyboard chords you need for rock 'n roll to tutorials for various software packages. Hmm. Like a boyscout manual for punk rockers. Lots of anecdotes and real-world advise.