Audio Books

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 has to be one of my favorites and no child should be without it. The text is lively and easy to read and reads like people really talk, which gives the story a lot of warmth. The illustrations are beautifully drawn with lots of detail and humor and also look true to life, from the pained expression on the dad's face as he's rowing the boat, to sister Jane peeking from the top of the stairs or chasing the cat under the bench in Mr. Condon's store. Jane is depicted just as most children her age really are - a real livewire who is both curious and active, climbing and getting into things - she reminds me of my 16 month old daughter! And Sal is accurately portrayed as a typical preschooler - asking detailed questions about everything and talking up a storm.

You won't be disappointed. This classic is a must for any preschooler.

This book is a beautiful picture book, and I still enjoy looking at it. The pictures are gorgeous. And this isn't a cheesy book. It's a wonderful story for children, and I highly recommend it! Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Great condition! I remember this childhood book being illustrated in navy blue ink. Has this been changed? I was looking forward to that. Great service. Thank you.

I had this book when I was a child and bought it for my grand-neice because I love the book. I was so happy to see that it is still in print. It is a wonderful little story and the illustrations are amazing. I highly recommend this story for all youngsters.

To a child, every morning is a new start with infinite possibilities; at least that's how it should be. In this classic 1953 book Robert McCloskey brings a child's simple world to life. McCloskey, better known for his Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, gives us another look at little Sal. The story is timeless and his line drawings bring the children to life.

The simple coastal lifestyle of more than half a century ago may be hard to find today, in part because of the high local tax valuation of shore and island properties. Still, if you were to take a child to the rocky coast of Maine this summer, she could be little Sal in the clam flats. One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) is full of that magical atmosphere where the land and ocean meet. We all want that magic!

McCloskey's Caldecott-honored book tells a simple story. Young Sal wakes up on a sunny morning in Maine with an adventure in store. She and her little sister are going with their father in the boat to Buck's Harbor to dig clams. There are idyllic family scenes, lessons from their father about the world around them, ice cream cones at the store, and the disappointment of a loose tooth lost in the clam flats.

Simple stuff? It certainly is, and just the sort of simple stuff children thrive on. Sal's morning may be long ago and far away, but the curiosity and wonder of a child's new day will be with us forever.

Linda Bulger, 2008

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.

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~]

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.

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.

In times of crisis, Barry is a voice of clarity. She interprets these moments as opportunities for growth and change by using a method of personal exploration that runs so deep she touches a place we have all been. Our biggest fears and the most humiliating moments of our lives are expressed simply and cleanly in Practically Shameless. The reader identifies with Barry's biographical descriptions throughout the course of the book. Perfect for beginners, the reader follows Barry's discovery of the ShadowWork technique, and the personal transformations she achieves using it. What she finds out is that uncovering and working through those crises is the key to her own happiness, and is perhaps the key to removing shame from our lives as well.

This review relates to the audio book. First the caveats: (1) As Alyce makes clear in the book, Shadow Work is brand name for a particular method of personal growth and the certified practitioners who offer it for a fee; (2) The book may be difficult to fully understand or appreciate if one has no experience in self-examination or the 'inner path', (3) While I personally have no stake in Shadow Work, I did attend one of their workshops in 1998 which was completely ethical, safe and professional. It was also very helpful for me.

That said, I found this short book to be a wonderful listening experience. I have been an avid audio book listener for over 25 years, and when I see an author reading their own material I usually brace myself for a difficult listen. I was pleasantly surprised that Alyce has a clear, friendly and authentic reading voice. Listening to her story in her own voice proved to be very touching. My only technical complaint is the occasional transition in the audio, probably associated with the editing/recording process, where her voice is louder, or quieter, and the tone or feeling seems a bit disconnected. This was a temporary experience, and always faded away once I refocused on the content.

And the content is really helpful. I won't go into too much detail, but will say that the Shadow Work method, and how Alyce almost stumbled into it by accident (and is now a practitioner and author) is reflective of experiences many of us can see in ourselves. She is honest and direct about her journey without making herself the center of the story. The center is how each of us can heal painful patterns in our thinking, feeling and behavior if we are willing to "do the work". The project of self realization takes time and effort, and is incremental. Alyce suggests this when she describes her happiness and wholeness today as "most of the time". She also gives due recognition to the ManKind Project and Women Within as 'entry points' for many people into healthy spiritual growth. My life is richer because of this book.

Practically Shameless: How Shadow Work Helped Me Find My Voice, My Path, and My Inner Gold is the unabridged audiobook rendition of author and Shadow Work facilitator Alyce Barry's self-help guide to revitalizing one's life. Barry draws upon her personal story of overcoming depression to explain the human shadow, and the transformative power of the Shadow Work processes. Shadow Work founder Cliff Barry provides a foreword to this helpful guide to positive metamorphosis, which delves into why humans resist change so much and how to tap into one's positive inner sources. Especially recommended for anyone interested in discovering the mental and emotional benefits of shadow work. 5 CDs, 5 hours 32 min.

This is the only book of its kind--an explanation of Shadow Work, a powerfully effective and safe method of personal growth and emotional healing, authoritatively written by a skilled and experienced practitioner. Its explanations and metaphors are clear and insightful. By telling of her own healing journey through Shadow Work, the author lends solid credibility to her material. The "Honoring Your Risk Manager" exercise brings the entire subject home vividly. This is a wonderful book for anyone wanting to become more conscious, more alive and practically shameless.
--Dennis Hartwell (Michigan)

This personal story about her own journey was insightful and helped me to understand the terminology & process of "shadow work". The book was easy to read for those of us who struggle with technical jargon. I found myself cheering for her as her personal growth unfolded right before me!

This book shows how we can all grow and "become" as long as we live. It is delightfully written, characters are real and can be related to!!

This is a must read for the over 40 crowd. A GREAT read for teens on up.

I have enjoyed this series of books. They are an easy read and you can't help but laugh out loud sometimes. I enjoy the words of wisdom that you receive from the book. It is easy to think of the book as a sort of devotional. I have shared the books with my friends. I have just purchased the last two in the series and can't wait to read them. I have the hardback devotional book that goes along with the Sisterchick books and it is very good also.

This was the first book I read and I am now forever hooked!

"Sisterchicks on the Loose" is a fun and hilarious read! Women of all ages can relate to these two crazy sisterchicks, lost in drama and searching for God in the midst of their adventures. You'll both tear up and giggle while reading this fantastic story! =)

A great Christian fiction book. It is so much fun to live through this pair of sisterchicks! It is about two best friends going on an adventure and then, learning more and more about themselves. No one goes home the same! It is fun but also thought provoking!

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.

Wow! Book arrived in perfect condition and delivered as promised.
I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you.

This book shares with the reader the incredible ability of one woman to take all of the bumps that life has to offer and to never give up. The importance of a name and the need to hear it spoken is powerful.

This book was excellent it told the story of slavery from an female point of view "Roots" was from a male point of view. It taught me so much I would definetly use this book for students in African American studies classes. GOOD JOB! If you are interested in African Americans past and what we went though as a whole get this book it teaches very well! It is a BIG book I loved it so much I read it in 3 days!

I read this book for my book club. I wouldn't have chosen it myself. I read the book with the same obligation that you take medicine - you know you should to make you feel better. I felt like this was a "should" book.

I like historical fiction, but I really don't enjoy reading about the torture and killing and slavery of other human beings. I think that Hill did an incredible job with his historical facts, but I found the main character implausible.

This book is amazing. It is incredibly well written and the storyline is envoking. Once you start, you'll find you can't put it down. The author does an amazing job at describing events and situations. And when you read about those events you really feel the emotions with each scenario. Wonderful book!!

Although I admit I intensely disliked certain parts of this book ( I won't spoil the book by saying which ones) I loved the language and the gritty description of life in north philadelphia. Although, I also believe that the author doesn't capture enough of the community. He doesn't mention enough the close-knit relationships and the welcome embrace you will recieve no matter your background. This book highlights a problem in the city that can have consequences like what happened in the novel. However, (stepping on soapbox)I don't believe they are going about it the right way and police officers, especially, are taking their rage out on bystanders and people that live in the neighborhood. Don't terrorize the citizens, because you have a score to settle!

this is one of my all time favorite books. the story is so engaging and it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from pure laughter to genuine tears. the writing is so detailed and accurate, i swear you don't read this book - you see it. the images are simply etched in your mind. all the characters are rounded real people, each with his/her own unique personality and motives. you feel all of them, you relate to them, and you carry them with you long after you finish reading this book. Lopez doesn't adorn nor judge his characters; he tells it like it is, and that's what makes this book so intense and whole. an extraordinary work.

got there on time but the case was broken. did you warn me about that? i don't remember. sometimes the tape skips too, but i enjoyed listening to it

I recently attended a graduate class and heard this novel being discussed by high school teachers. Though the content and language are not appropriate for me (el ed), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a consistently engaging read. I also saw many levels in the characters, and loved the foreshadowing and imagery. We live about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia and I was curious to see how much truth to real life the text was. I saw some reviews that claimed the book portrayed violence to an extreme, not surfacing the goodness of the city. Local news broadcasts reveal deaths and muggings daily. So, the reasons for the violence may not be the same as in the book, but I suspect it's not too far from the truth. For me, the goodness and beauty of the city developed through the characters. In reality, I would love to see someone do the bodies on the streets, every big city needs a wake-up call for peace and nonviolence, and sometimes nothing says that better than a visual. This is a book I highly recommend and will read again.

Steve Lopez has a straightforward storytelling style that manages to come up with interesting metaphors, images, and symbols without going overboard as too many contemporary literary writers do. The dialogue is accurate and the characters are truthful, and the story is riveting. Other 'hip' writers like Jonathan Lathem or Rick Moody have been acclaimed for their baroque, hyperrealist style that is supposed to awe the reader into something like a 'wow, that is SO original and unique.' But the minutae of everday life these more 'acclaimed' writers weave into their stories can get downright boring. I mean who needs to read a two-page description of a 10-year old examining the cracks in a sidewalk square in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn (that's the sort of stuff I did as a kid, but if someone found the process interesting, I'd tell him or her to get a life). Unlike such neo-baroque ventures, Third & Indiana places basic situation, interaction, struggle, tragedy and character--first: to give the reader time to consider not just the writing but the story. But since the literati get a bang out of arcana and cleverness, books such as this one will not get the credit they deserve for a long time.

Wow! I couldn't beleive how much I truly enjoyed this book. The love story between Summer and Peter was a bittersweet event. Summer, who lost her whole family to disease, and Peter, widow and father of a young son, must learn to love again and let someone new into their lives. Wonderful is all I have to say - a MUST READ!

I enjoyed this book very much. Good book. Look forward to more books by this author.

Set on the early 1900's mid-western prairie, "Waiting for Summer's Return" is masterfully written. A glimpse into the old Mennonite way of life, a sprinkling of German, a handful of elegantly crafted characters, and Sawyer's attention to detail makes for delightful historical fiction.
With delicate skill, Sawyer lays out the clear plan of salvation and a God-ordained prescription for coping with and overcoming withering grief. However, do not be deceived by the book's weighty topics. "Waiting for Summer's Return" is well-rounded with an enchanting plot complete with touches of gentle humor that break the tension at just the right moments.
This is one of the better books, I have read recently. Recommended.

I have to admit that I've read this "story" before. We all have. The grief-stricken widow finds new hope through a widower and his son. HOWEVER, Kim Sawyer has brushed freshness over the plot and inserted twists that erase predictability. Also her writing style is perfection. Waiting for Summer's Return is high on my recommended list.

Kim Vogel Sawyer created a believable story of a mother and wife suffering the pangs of grief after the loss of her four children and husband.

Summer Steadman finds herself alone in a small Mennonite community in Gaeddart, Kansas during the fall of 1894. So deep in mourning that she finds food repugnant, she has allowed her body to become weakened. Her soul has become as emaciated as her body. No longer sure that God loves her or anyone else, Summer's only real wish is to join her family in death. It seems God has other plans for her, though.

Peter Ollenburger, a local gristmill owner, is in need of a teacher for his son, Thomas. Since the young boy is housebound after an accident resulting in broken ribs and can't ride his horse to school, he is falling behind in his studies. Peter's wife, Elsa, would be the logical choice to be his teacher, but she died six years earlier. Peter needs someone to live on his property and give the boy his lessons until he is fully recovered. After learning that Summer Steadman has lost her family to illness and has need of a position, he proposes that she come live in his home as Thomas's teacher. When objections to the impropriety of the situation are brought to his attention, Peter agrees that Summer could live in his shariah rather than in the house with the family. Wanting only to be close to the graves of her family, Summer accepts Peter's proposition and moves to his property.

What awaits the reader of Waiting for Summer's Return is a journey of relationship renewals. Summer and Peter both travel the path toward new knowledge of people and God. The trip is filled with bumps and ruts much like the road to the town of Gaeddart. As Thomas grows to know his temporary teacher, his affection for her grows to become the love of a child for a mother. Neither Summer nor Peter had planned on this complication. What are they to do? How will God orchestrate the symphony of their lives?

Kim Vogel Sawyer's writing is a joy to read. Her characters catch the reader's heart. It is hard to put the book down in order to carry on with life. Waiting for Summer's Return is one of those books you will want to keep reading to the point where the dishes will stack up in the sink and the laundry will go unwashed because you have to read just one more chapter. And that chapter leads to another and then another. Go ahead read those chapters. The dishes and the laundry will be there when you finish the book.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Plasker at the 1st annual DCS Jam and the book is a must for anyone who wants to be in on the 100 year lifestyle. This is also a great read for your patients!

Dr Erik Plasker's Book is a great read for anyone looking to take stock of their life. The main message revolves around the fact that many of us will live to be 100 and beyond, so we may as well start preparing for this increased longevity that not many of us have planned for.
"What changes would you make today, if you knew you would live to be 100?"
Health, finances, relationships, career, social, and more are looked at in this book.
What will we do with this advanced warning our ancestors didn't get?

This book is life changing! Realizing that we have all this time to accomplish things in life is an awesome feeling. I loved the comparison of cris care vs. self care. If people realized this and started practicing this we would have a healthier nation. I have personally given out over a hundred copies of this book and everyone for Christmas will be getting a copy!

I've given this book to more than 100 people. They are changing their lives from stopping smoking and loosing weight, to starting exercise. The people that take the message of the 100 year lifestyle to heart are playing harder and living a higher quality of life. Thank you Dr. Plasker for allowing me the privilege of helping so many people through your wonderful book.

Dr. Plasker presents a compelling blueprint for a hundred year lifestyle. Whether or not you seriously have a shot at living to be a centenarian, his advice here on health, diet, fitness and emotional/spiritual well-being makes eminent sense. It is truly a holistic approach to lifestyle and longevity that has merit. Making the book more practical is the fact that it has a number of checklists and each chapter closes with a list of action items for the reader to take. The latter underscores the point that merely reading a book will not improve your lifestyle unless you follow through, act and execute upon it.

Since Dr Plasker himself is a chiropractor, there is a pitch for preventative chiropractic care. His plea here is not over-the-top or in-your-face, however, and is probably well founded.

The author's point is that many lifestyle changes can produce long-term positive results. In many cases, though perhaps not all, certain types of illness are products of lifestyle and tiny diet and fitness decisions made over the course of months and years. Making better fitness and health decisions every day can put extra years in your life and life in your years.