Audio Books

i gave this book as a gift once. to like a book enough to give it as a gift.. now that's something. if you appreciate being told the way it really is, you'll love bukowski.

The recording quality may not be absolutely perfect but the item captures Bukowski as he was, and adds significantly to the image one gets about his personality and his views from reading his, frequently repetitive books.

Some one gave this book to me to read highschool and the second I started reading it I was addicted. Now I'm in my late 20's and had to have it again.

Charles Bukowski takes you a trip that you soon won't forget. You will travel through a timeline that will have you anticipating what's next. The raw expression of life as depicted in his book made me want to become a writer.

Not only does he write a mean story he also has section filled with his poems, also amazing. You will not be dissapointed.

Bukowski is merciless. He can be quite cruel. He is a neutron bomb who destroys fantasy and make believe and leaves behind empty unadorned buildings. Like really rough scotch or bourbon, he can only be read in doses. In fact, his writing is an acquired taste. If don't want to see into the core reality of life, do not buy, let alone read his books. But if you are into honesty and courage and already know that no good deed ever goes unpunished, please enjoy. Bukowski's works are an affirmation of reality. Hobbes would love him. Ohm.

This double CD is a total joy! Quintessential Bukowski - there's nothing like hearing poems read by the author, I think, especially with him.
There's two CD's, poems interspersed with conversations with the people doing the recording. The only drawback could be that all of the recordings were done in a room with only a few people there, so there's an odd lack of feeling, the buzz you normally get in a live recording. Bukowski was also almost reluctant at times to read, but at the same time, the stillness in the background frames his voice and the work perfectly somehow. He warms up as it goes on, and as they have a few more drinks, and even reads a short story, which is brilliant.
There's some great photos of him in the booklet; no printed poems, but the sound quality is excellent, so you can hear every word.
If you're a fan, get it! If you want an introduction to Bukowski, get it!

I am a nurse, so of course, I loved this. It has wonderful, uplifting stories. It would be a wonderful gift for any nurse, or for yourself, if you are a nurse or for anyone thinking about becoming one.

As always, very pleased with yet another Chicken Soup book.

Incredibly touching with quotes to remember. A book I will pass along so others can enjoy the soul warming experience as I did.

I was feeling really down until I read this book and now, after 27 years in the profession, I can remember why I love this job!!!

I work as a Director of Nursing and I enjoyed this stories.

Like others reviewers before this, I'm rather surprised how obscure this wonderful, quirky book truly is.

The story revolves around Toseland, a young child who goes to live with Mrs. Oldknow. He goes to live in a big manor in a country estate (think the estate the Pevensies go to live on in Lewis' THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDOBE). He soon realises there's something odd about the house, and is puzzled why Mrs. Oldknow talks about the history and past inhabitents of the place like they were around only yesterday. It turns out the house is inhabited by children of the past, and he learns of an evil gypsey named Green Noah who he ultimately must confront. This final confrontation is rather scary, and Green Noah is one of literature's most memorable villains that I've encountered in a long time.

The book is a rather charming blend of supernatural meets reality, and there is something very delightfully English about the whole affair. The author's Catholocisim is rather apparent n the book, and she fits a lot of different allusions to literature, music, and history.

For those looking for good Children's fiction, this is a powerful story. It's too bad it's not well known.

I found this to be an excellent novel not only for children but also for adults. There is enough intrigue to hold the reader's interest throughout the novel as well as being a lovely, warm family story.

I first read this book when I was a child (in the 60's) and immediately fell in love with it. It has everything I adore in a book; a little magic, a little ghostliness; an English castle; lovely animal companions; characters from times past; people with manners, morals and down to earth values and last but not least--love. I have re-read this book many times and have just finished listening to an audio-version. This is forever a beautiful and enchanting book.

The book I'm going to talk to you about is called; The Children of Green Knowe, by L.M. Boston. I didn't really like this book. It was a little confusing and hard to understand. There just wasn't a clear point. There was not middle, or a climax and resolution. I thought this book was about a mystery or a ghost story, by the cover and the blip from the back. I was very disappointed in the ending, and that it was appoint-less fantasy, that bored me half to death!

The Children of green knowe was about a boy named, Tolly, who was the age of 8-11,whose parents die (they don't say how),so he was sent to live with hisGreat-Grandmother in Penny Soaky. Her house was called Old Knowe.
Three children, Alexander, Toby, and Linnet, died in Tolly's(the boy's name), Great Grandmother's house many centuries ago. They started appearing around the house just days after their death. They played with Tolly, and went on great Adventures. Enjoy one of Granny's stories every 20 pages, and learn about Tolly and Granny's love for the flute andthebirds.

Other reviewers have praised the book. But then, they also liked Harry Potter, and "Series of Unfortunate Events" as well, so that clearly showed me, as a College Prof, now HS dad, that I might not like this book, as the excesses of sardonic humor, death, magic, and evil, are all too prevalent in this day and age, to encourage the reading of fiction to stuff yet MORE garbage into my children's (or my!) head. As it is said, "Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof...".

But Green Knowe is different- perhaps because it was written in a gentler, kinder time. While there is fantasy, and a sense of the blurring of the dimensions (ghosts that are not evil, a world within our world that has connections to the past, and the interpenetration of them all) overall, this work has as much depth as Potter's does for the adult reader, without all the preachiness of 'PC' dogma which has so marred Rowling's later writings, and has influenced all of the film treatments. One really does not need to rehash Shirer's work on WWII in a Children's fantasy novel, which is all Rowling's works have become at the hands of her American editors...

Boston's world is alive- with literature, history, music, and artistry, which Rowling's is not. For adults, the references to the Restoration, Cromwell, Purcell's music, Anglican Church, and British Christmas customs provide a wealth for any HS parent discussing the period 1660-1700. But, as another reviewer noted, she never GOES anywhere- unless just BEING is enough. Her world is one to inhabit, not to holiday through, as if it were an itinerary of sights to check off. The ONE confrontation is scary, and could frighten younger audiences...but a vision of a redeemed world shines through. I was reminded while reading Boston, of Jame's novella, that Britten set to music in the opera, "Turn of the Screw." NOT "cheery" stuff, that!

If I seem ambivalent, it is because, while there is much to recommend in her writing, and the pictures she paints are very vivid, and full of life, the theological issues of the spirit world interacting with the real world, the malevolent curses of a gypsy long dead, and the subtle hints of either a strong genetic lineage, or a nascent reincarnationalism, coupled with clear Christian imagery and pious sentiment (Do ghosts really sing Christmas carols, without malevolent intent?) bothered me.

Is the book magical? oh yes, in many ways. Is it troubling, as say, Wind in the Willows is not? Oh, yes.. in equal measure. Is it a good read? Definitely. But the rest? I'm not sure....

As I sat at my computer, I glanced over at my bookcase and reached for a book. It was a Cup Of Christmas Tea. I began reading out loud and soon started crying. Several times I had to stop and wipe away tears. It takes you back to when holidays were simple and pure and about the people you love.
As I finished the book and wiped away my final tears, I decided that I will make our Chanukah celebration something special for my grandsons.

Symbolized by sharing a cup of tea with an elderly aunt and reminiscing about Christmases past - this is a heart warming poem reminding us to slow down during the holidays and enjoy our time with family and friends.

A friend recommended this book to me several years ago, and when I read it, I was moved to tears. Since that time, I have given countless copies to friends and family because I want to share the message that I received from it with everyone I know. The text is brief, but very descriptive, so I could picture in my mind the events that the authors were describing. The message that I received is that monetary gifts are not as important as the gift of time that we spend with others; so often we set out to do things for others because we feel obligated, and in the end are more blessed than the person who was the object of our attention. This is truly a wonderful Christmas story to read again and again!

I think of this book as an adult "christmas book". I have had a copy for some years and purchased this one to accompany a Spode Christmas "tea pot and cup for one" I gave to my mother. The 25th Anniversary Edition is a celebration of a book that will never go out of style and is a perennial reminder of gracious traditions and feelings that are the heart's treasures.

It's a family tradition to read this book at Christmas

I first recieved this book after Shelly Gill spoke at my elementary school when I was in 3rd grade. It was my favorite book! It is a fun-loving story, and it has very engaging pictures.I would reccomend this to children everywhere...
Side Note: I love this book so much that I am using it as part of one of my College reports!

Danger the Yard Dog Cat was Dangerously Extreme. It is about a cat named Danger & he lives with 57 Huskies! Thanks for the autograph, Shelley Gill.

I give this book four stars. It`s great and really funny! I don`t give it five stars because it is too easy for me. It should be for kids ages 4-6. I recommend this book for kids who like cats.

I like the book Danger the Dog Yard Cat. I recommend this book to you because it tells you about a cat that raced in the Iditarod. The pictures are funny. This book is half true and half make believe. This book is about a cat that gets saved by a dog sled racer that has a lot of dogs. The Cat has to race for the dog leader because he hurt his paw. Danger had one friend that was a dog, and his name was Mud shark.

Danger the Dog Yard Cat was one of the best books I've ever read because it's funny with a very catchy ending. Shelley Gill is funny and cool.

Delivery was super speedy! The product was exactly as the seller described! I would definitely do business with them again!

The product was as I expected it to be according to the product description. Very satisfied.

Cuanto me alegra que haya una autora que cuenta parte de la historia dominicana. Me encanta como Julia escribe. Este libro esta muy bien hecho pero ojo: Julia Alvarez escribe en ingles no en español. Aun asi, me parece que la traduccion de esta historia esta estupenda.

Me quedé muy impresionada con la historia y literalmente me lo devoré. Está basado en hecho reales, lo cual fue un factor para que me gustara más. Lo recomiendo.

Es una historia interesante y entretenida, sobretodo para aquellos latinoamericanos que nos interese la historia. Aunque es una novela, tiene mucho de fondo històrico. Los personajes son agradables, bien logrados. Me dejó el interés de conocer màs sobre la historia de Trujillo. No llega a la excelencia de La Fiesta del Chivo de Vargas Llosa, es una buena Historia

Wonderful writing, did not want it to end. All of her books in this series were captivating. You could almost imagine yourself in the era in which it was set and be a part of it. Can't wait for the next book.

Sarah Donati does it again with the follow up to her previous novels. Her characters are outstanding, makes you feel like you are there with her descriptive narrative. An excellent read!

I do admit that if you haven't read the preceding three books in this fabulous series, this probably won't be as meaningful to you as it would be to a devotee, but, having siad that, perhaps I can convince some readers who wouldn't normally be fans of an historic epic, to start at the beginning..in fact I'm almost envious of what you have ahead! This story continues lives of the Bonner family, their neighbours and friends who live in a settlement high in the mountains of New York State. Elizabeth and her husband Nathaniel's younger son, Daniel, has been captured by the British forces and held prisoner on Ile de Noix, just over the Canadian border. Nathaniel's cousin, Lady Jennet, has arrived from Scotland to marry Luke, Nathanie's son by an early romance and, accompanied by Hannah, Nathaniel's half Indian daughter from his first wife,and Luke, travels incognito to the Island, in an attempt to rescue Daniel who has been badly injured in the fighting. If there seems to be too many half sisters and brothers to take in, it is all perfectly clear in the reading of the book which, while partly ends in happiness, also begins another episode which continues on to the next volume, Queen of Swords, which has just been released and which I'm happily devouring at a great rate!

For any readers who haven't indulged in Sara Donati's series of books about Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner, this is one of the later books in the series. It's a fine book to read without having read the others, but
it's much more informative to start with the introductory novel. Sara Donati is one of those writers who is gifted at writing historical fiction.

Do yourself a favor and read this series. It's great fun without the guilt because it's a love and adventure saga rolled inside a history lesson. I actually missed the characters when I finished the last book and I can only hope Sara Donati is hard at work on the next installment. Start at the beginning so you know who everyone is and how they influence the story as it progresses.
1. Into the Wilderness
2. Dawn on a Distant Shore
3. Lake in the Clouds
4. Fire Along the Sky
5. Queen of Swords
Enjoy.....

Freddy the Detective is about a pig called Freddy who reads Sherlock Holmes and wants to become a detective. The first case starts when the boy who lives in the farmhouse loses his train of cars. Freddy is on the case right away. He goes up to the boy's room and finds clues to who has stolen the cars. He finds out it is the rats, who have come back to the barn. Soon more cases have come up for him to solve, including when Egbert, a bunny, goes missing from his mother, and when Prinny, a little dog, has her dinner go missing.
I enjoyed this book because I like funny stories, and this was very funny. I also enjoyed it because I don't usually read mysteries, and this made me more interested in detective stories. Freddy is very funny in the way he solves cases. I recommend reading this book, even if you don't usually read mysteries. It is a great detective book for anyone who enjoys reading.

Wonerful, Triumph, for all ages.
It tips my planet, shakes my world.

Caleb A. Craig

The second in the utterly charming "Freddy the Pig" series, "Freddy the Detective" chronicles the adventures of Freddy and his barnyard friends as they delve deep into the world of clues, suspects and the criminal world. In the great tradition of Sherlock Holmes, there is a disguise involved.

Cases are solved (like just what becomes of Prinny the dog's dinner), a jail is constructed to house all the freshly-caught criminals (who have more fun inside than out) , and in the ultimate test for a pig, some infamous bank-robbers are caught red-handed and carted away by the thankful police. It all culminates in the trail of Jinx the Cat, during which a hen faints dead away at the mention of roast chicken and the courthouse erupts in cheers at the end of the summation because they admire they way the attorney argued a hopelessly weak case.

The Freddy books are great fun for kids (boy or girl), and they won't put you to sleep reading them aloud, either. I would place them just below the Betsy/Tacy books and the work of Leon Garfield, and high above anything coming out nowadays. They do nicely as a comfort during stressful times, the gentle and goofy stories easing kids to sleep. Highly recommended for ages to 5 to 100.

GRADE: B

Freddy the Detective is one of a series of pig books written by Walter R Brooks. Freddy the cool detective is a master of disguise who helps Mr. Bean and the Bean Farm solve crime.

Freddy the Detective is one of my favorite books because I love pigs and the main character is a very smart pig. The book is exciting and fun to read. I recommend it for people who like pigs! You will love the book if you read it.

Lukas

I run a bookgroup for homeschoolers and have the very great pleasure of introducing this bunch of alternative education kiddies to some of the great classics in children's literature. It can be a very rewarding experience. Once in a while, however, the kids teach me about books that I've never heard of. One of the children I organize has been obsessed with the "Freddy" books for years. Occasionally he would ask me if I had read them or he'd promote them to the group. In my initial ignorance, I assumed that he was referring to the Freddy the Hamster books by Dietlof Reiche. Those books are very good but the kid was actually referring to the classic Freddy the Pig series dating back to the 1930s. Recently these books have been earning themselves an entirely new audience and children everywhere are engulfed in a kind of newfangled Freddy fever. I picked up "Freddy the Detective" (not realizing that "Freddy In Florida" is actually the first book in the series) to give the books a look-see. I did this with a kind of snide attitude that went something along the lines of, "well I'm sure these books have aged poorly over the years and that the only reason kids are reading them because their parents made them". Oh how wrong a children's librarian can be. The Freddy books are marvelous. Author Walter R. Brooks is marvelous. In fact, "Freddy the Detective" is so wry, well-written, and delightful that I am truly shocked that more people are not aware of this series. Consider me a convert of the pig. One who will be singing his praises to the masses every chance I get.

Freddy is just your average highly intelligent pig. He lives on the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Bean and has a lovely little life. He has a fine library in his pen and it is from his books that he gets the idea to become a detective. After reading a couple Sherlock Holmes stories, Freddy is sure that he can pull off becoming the farm's number one crime-ridder. This decision is made not a moment too soon, for a nasty clan of rats has stolen a valuable toy train from the Bean home and is performing dastardly crimes with it. As we follow Freddy, he solves crime after crime and participates in adventure after adventure. When Jinx the cat is ultimately framed for a crime he did not commit, it's up to Freddy to sway a jury of his peers as to the feline's innocence and the true criminals in the case.

One of the first things that caught my attention in this book was the lack of human/animal interaction. For kids that grew up reading that other classic farm text, "Charlotte's Web", the fact that there are two kids on the Bean farm that never ever appear in the book is downright bizarre. In any other story we'd be getting everything from the children's point of view. Brooks, however, knows who the true star of his book is and he's not going to muddle the action with a couple of pesky young 'uns hogging (ho ho!) the spotlight. Another interesting choice comes with the fact that the humans and the animals on the farm cannot talk to one another. This makes quite a bit of sense, when you consider it. Animals have no vocal cords. Animals also don't usually use their hoofs like hands, but that's neither here nor there. The point is that humans and animals have their own fixed roles in Brooks' world, and for kids this is very easy to understand.

But it's the writing of Walter Brooks that has made this series as memorable as it is today. He continually peppers his books with songs and rhymes that not only pan out correctly but are rather clever in their own right. Consider the following:

"Habitually we offend
Against our country's laws.
It works out better in the end
Than being good, because -

No home has a superior
Or cheerier interior
Than this old jail
The which we hail
With constant loud applause".

Nicely done, eh? Better still are the 1930s turns of phrase and common references long since lost to the annals of time. In one section the children reading this book are urged to sing "Aunt Laurie" as fast as they possibly can. If a single child in this country knows both words and tune, I'll be amazed. In another instance a chapter title is simply, "Jinx is indicted", which I thought was great. And opposite the title page is a picture of Freddy falling down a flight of stairs backwards (as occurs later in the book) with the caption, "- but at that moment Freddy came to grief". Obviously the publisher of this book found that turn of phrase just as charming as I did. Well done there, Puffin Books. Paired with these words are German illustrator Kurt Wiese's original pen and inks. Known almost entirely for illustrating books with Asian themes (he won a Newbery for his illustrations in "Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze", for example), Wiese eschews his normal style in favor of this most American of tales. His animals are both deeply familiar and oh-so-slightly human. There is not a picture in this book that jars with the action or distracts from the words. The pairing of Wiese with Brooks can only be described as heavenly.

I was a little afraid when I picked up this book (and took a gander at its copyright date) that we'd have to deal with a fair amount of sexism and racism in this book. To my somewhat naïve shock, no such prejudice pops up. In fact, Brooks could even be credited with breaking down a few barriers here and there. Female characters do just as much good as male ones in Freddy's world. Freddy comes to realize early in the game that while there is no end to his cleverness, he's rather lacking in the common sense department. By partnering with the down-to-earth cow Mrs. Wiggins, however, the two are able to combine their equal strengths and solve any number of crimes.

I haven't even mentioned the clever things Brooks has to say about our legal system or the state of law enforcement itself. You'll just have to discover them on your own as you read through what can certainly be called a true children's classic for the ages. A marvelous and deserves-to-be-remembered tale.

A masterpiece. We use this book in our consulting practice as a textbook of sorts - as an illustration of why and how to develop a cohesive management team and then manage "by the numbers". Stack had to learn the lesson the hard way when his company underwent an employee buy-out. Long-story-short, he figured out how to bring the management team (and the rest of the employees) into the critical reporting metrics by turning it into a "game" similar to a sporting event everyone could follow.. thus the title. It's all about "organizational readiness" and moving your team down the field together. It's also a quick read - good because you can put the ideas to work right away.

Easy to read, concise, and well written. Main points are well organized and put into a story fashion to keep your attention. It provides good insight into how to run a business openly to fully utilize every employees' talents. It makes a good case for not keeping people in the dark. It has good insights into the motivation of employees. Caution, these principles would be very hard to implement in a large corporation, unless top management "buys in". The book shows the value in making work challenging and fun and more like a "game" with healthy competition. It identifies what "healthy" competition looks like, as opposed to keeping secrets, deception, threats, or games where nobody understands the real rules, which is destructive.

Incisive and inspiring....a look at what makes people work, as well as businesses

Open-book management isn't a silver bullet but it can be very powerful. This is a compelling example of how opening up and making the corporate decision-making more transparent can pay big dividends for everyone. If it can work in a manufacturing environment it can certainly work in service businesses full of knowledge workers.

I was recommended to read this from a
good friend and mentor. I fell in love
with the concepts and even hired them to
implement the things inside this book!

If you are in business and want to take
it to another level. I could not tell you
a better book to read then this!

Matt Bacak
Author of Secrets of the Internet Millionaire Mind
and The Ultimate Lead Generation Plan

My husband and I bought this book when we heard it mentioned in a sermon. We have been very blessed by the insight that is helping us to look at ourselves and the way we communicate with each other. It helps you to realize what you've been carrying that has nothing to do with present-day relationships. It also challenges you to look at yourself the way God does. It is teaching us to re-assess our worth through God's eyes. Excellent book!

Great book to help you understand why you are the way you are.
Really helped me a lot.

As a pastor and spiritual director, I've been using this book as a regular give-away to believers when it becomes obvious that they are stuck - some old wound is yet hindering them from normal spiritual growth in Christ. Having ministered among Native People for several years, as well as those dealing with addictions (even as Christians), I found the truths and principles Dr. Seamands expounds on very beneficial in truly helping people heal from their past emotional wounds, and the memories of them, and then be able to progress in spiritual development. I believe our churches have many folks sitting in the pews, Sunday after Sunday, with serious pain from their past adversely affecting their present ability to relate freely to Christ, or to others in relationships. Until we understand this, and how Christ can work through us as "ministers" by his healing grace to nullify the effects of debilitating memories, we will continue to see believers spiritually 'stuck', stagnated in their growth.
Dr. Seamand's book HEALING OF MEMORIES (now titled, REDEEMING THE PAST: RECOVERING FROM MEMORIES THAT CAUSE OUR PAIN), builds on HEALING DAMAGED EMOTIONS by going, in detail, into the process of ministering healing to those with painful, debilitating memories. Every pastor who counsels should understand how to help believers in this way!

I have read this book twice and given it to many friends and the responses are always the same. We need to understand the priciples is this book and apply them in our lives. None of us are exempt at some time or other in our lives from the issues discussed.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It pointed out to me that I've been looking at myself through different mirrors, and I haven't been seeing myself the way God sees me. Instead of placing more guilt on ourselves, David Seamand identifies the lies and misperceptions that we've been taught over the years and encourages us to break free from the bondage of those misperceptions. This is a book that every Christian should read.