Contests Books

This is my absolute favorite story from the mighty pen of Eva Ibbotson. Maybe it's because I love a good fluffy love story. Maybe it's because I like an infusion of odd fantasy every now and then. Maybe it is simply because this is a great story that has a little bit of something for everyone.

In the spirit of Harry Potter, I was sucked into the story with its charming beginning when a set of average parents are practical enough to change their parenting style when they learn their infant son is actually destined to be a dark sorcerer. See? How can you not love this?

This sets into motion a story of warlocks, witches, and extinct sea monsters, all wrapped in the strangest beauty pageant on the face of the earth.

The characters are quirky and adorable despite all their weirdest (or maybe because of that). They're not terribly complex, but fun and fresh just the same and all the more entertaining for the storybook personalities. It was a well-thought plot that allowed its characters to do the work even as it let itself twist.

The ending came as a surprise to me, but I loved the sheer sweetness of this strange, cute story.

This book has excellent detail, suspense and excitement. It is a perfect book for harry potter lovers and fantasy mysteries.It is very enjoyable and loveable. I very much enjoyed the tryouts of the witches because of the suspense and action in what they do. There wasn't very much to dislike about the book except for the part that the beggining didn't attract me that much. This is my opinion of the book which witch? and it is an excellent book.I hope that if you read it you will enjoy it as much as I did

This book is great because it's fun and exciting.When you get done on each chapter it makes you wonder what happens next.This book is great for Harry Potter fans because it has wizardy and mysteries in this book.The person who wrote this book made it go with the flow.The book made sense.The person who wrote this had good descrpitions on things and she made what she talked about specific.I personally like this book and I guarantee Harry Potter fans will like this book too!Also,probably other people who like mysteries and like reading the book more and more who would like to find the answers you are looking for in a book.

Which Witch?
By Eva Ibbotson
Reviewed by M. Lin
P.6

A handsome wizard of the north named Arriman the Awful has decided to find a wife. Many witches want to be the one true love, but which witch will it be? There were only seven proper witches: Mabel Wrack, the sea witch who was related to mermaids, but was part human and owns a familiar (creature that increases magic powers) that is an octopus, Ethel Feedbag, a country witch, who grew up looking like a pig owns a pig for a familiar, Nancy and Nora Shouter, the two twin witches that own chicken as familiars, think that a day without shouting at each other is a day lost, Mother Bloodwart, a cranky old witch who often changed into a coffee table and not know how to change back, owns flies for familiars, or Madam Olympia, the most powerful black enchantress who had many husbands, but all disappearing mysteriously and leaving her mounds of gold. Madame Olympia was envied for she had an aardvark, a powerful creature with a snout and sharp claws. The last witch was a white witch named Belladonna, who is despised because of being a good witch. She always wanted to be a black witch and she has fallen in love with Arriman the awful, but unfortunately, Arriman was only willing to marry a dark witch. Terance, a boy at an orphanage, is saved by Belladonna and become an assistant to help her become an evil witch. His worm, Rover, is discovered to be a familiar that can cause Belladonna to do evil magic. Rover, however, disappears and Belladonna has to wait helplessly for it to be found. All the witches had to perform some dark magic in the contest, but all the witches failed except for Madame Olympia who got nine out of ten as her score. Belladonna, having no choice, went up to try to perform the darkest magic of all, bringing back the dead. She succeeds, or she had thought, for Terance had hired an actor to pretend to be a dead person returning. She wins the contest and is allowed to marry Arriman. But later on, it is discovered that Madame Olympia had stolen Rover and was disqualified from the contest. Terance soon finds out that he can do magic as well, and that after accidentally changing his matron into a spider, that he found out he was the one who brought back the man from the dead when he was standing behind Belladonna during her turn, and that the actor for playing as the man never arrived to act. Though Belladonna was never able to become a black witch, she and Arriman fell in love with each other, and as usual, live happily ever after.
What I loved about the book was the humor and the things that happened during each witch's turn to perform. "Summoned here, I bid thee hearken, you have been to fetch the Kraken, Search the corners of the ocean-
She broke off, trying to find a rhyme for "ocean" and also wondering a bit weather and ocean really had corners." This part was extremely funny and you can't help but laugh. And after every performance, you just can't wait to see what is going to happen next.
What I didn't like about the book was that it started to rush through things near the end, like right after Belladonna won the contest, Arriman's ogre, Lester instantly jump to conclusions that Madame Olympia must have taken Rover and he just so happens to be right.
My Favorite part of the book was when Arriman had entered Belladonna's room. When he entered, there was Belladonna sitting in a bed. "The sun steaming through the east window had turned her hair into a shower of gold; her eyes were bright with happiness with blue as a summer sky, and she was singing a sweet and foolish song: the kind with roses in it and springtime and love. Rather a lot of love." the description was very beautiful and the picture matched the paragraph very well. There is no part I don't like.

I loved this book when i was younger. It was such amazing story, and made me want to read more from Ibbotson. The next year I went to the scolastics book fair at my school and picked up the book "The Secret of Platform 13" and thought it was very amazing also. I think people should stop comparing works to Harry Potter. Sure Harry Potter is amazing, and I am obsessed minus the fact that i've only read each book once which was when they each first came out, but you cannot compare another book to Harry Potter unless it is very similar to Harry Potter. Some people say that the books A Series of Unfortunate Events are just as good as Harry Potter, but their wrong. I am reading that series right now and it's nowhere near as good as Harry Potter.

I think you should definitely
read this book along with others
by Ibbotson.
thank you for your time,
Loran

Loved it! It was one of the best books I have ever read! It teaches you some valuable lessons and it teaches you how to make your foul shots 100%(really it works). It was also funny and it teaches you the value of friendship.

The book I am reviewing is The Million Dollar Shot, and is written by Dan Gutman. I think this book deserves 4 stars because it's a good book but it's not suitable for younger kids. This book is about Eddie trying to make the million dollar shot, a basket from the foul line because his name was pulled out for the contest. The problem that occurs in this story is that he can't make the shot because he doesn't have his lucky coin. The problem is solved when Annie Stockley finds it for him. Does he win the million dollars? Read to find out! I'd recommend this book to 7-12 year olds because younger kids won't get it and 7-12 year olds like chapter books about kids their own age. I like this book because it has basketball. Other books by this author are Babe and me, Virtually Perfect, and The kid who became President.

Sarah
The Million Dollar Shot!
The book that i have been reading is " The Million dollar shot". By, Dan Gutman. This book is about A boy who has a chance to win one million dollars by making a foul shot at the NBA finals.
I would recommend this book to people who like to read about sports, or just basketball. This book is probably one of the best books i have read this year. I say this because i like sports and this was a sport book. This book could have been better if there was one or two more suprises. Other that this book was very good.
One of the suprises could be that the boy gets a girlfriend or if some one famous asked to hang out with him or something like that. This was a very good book, that is what the book the Million Dollar Shot was about.

The Million Dollar Shot
By: Dan Gutman

The Million Dollar Shot is a great book of suspence.This book is about a boy who gets a chance to shoot a foul shot for $1,000,000.00 in the first game of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York where he shoots and...will it go in or out you will have to find that on your own. If I had to choose a star rating of 1-10 I would choose a 9/10 stars because there are some parts that he could improve in.

Matthew

Million Dollar Shot: Review

My lit circle book, The Million Dollar Shot is a really good book so far. Eddie Ball and his Mom been dreaming of moving out of their trailer where they live but she lost her job at Finkle Foods. It's a good book because it describes a boy that's playing basketball and he enters a contest. The part I don't like is when Eddie says he'll make the shot at the end of the book. It would have been better if he left us hanging at the part when he shot it at Madison Square Garden, when it rolled around and around the hoop, wondering if it'll go in or not! Now, that would be suspenseful!!!!!!! If I had to rate it, I'd give it 3.5 stars. I would give it that because it's kind of a good book. But it is kind of boring if you read it for a second time!


BY: Rigo

Great short story, good book club read. Has odd twists, that if your paying attention you can see coming. A quick easy read, that makes you feel good. Must read with an open mind to relationships.

This was certainly worth your time, but lacked the punch of Dogs of Babel. I loved Dogs of Babel, the intensity, the mystery, etc. was a story I couldn't put down.

Lost and Found had some of the same vibe but muted. Switching among so many characters made it difficult to like or hate any of them.

The story would have been more interesting if it were told from the perspective of the producers, who were referred to as plotting and sinister throughout, but we never really knew their motives in such a way that proved they were manipulative.

This book is a good idea, implemented well, but not with brilliance. Even though I'm not thrilled about this effort, I'll definitely check out her next one based on Dogs of Babel.

Larry Nocella
Author of the novel, Where Did This Come From?
Where Did This Come From?

I loved, loved, loved this book! Much like reality TV itself, it is hooked based. I keep reading chapter after chapter to learn where the characters were going, what secrets they were hiding, and what was going to happen to each of them. I wish every book I read could be as engaging as this one.

The novel envisions "The Amazing Race" if it were hosted by Anne Robinson (is that the name of "The Weakest Link" host?) and if the teams had many secrets that the show wanted to exploit. As the teams travel the globe, we learn their inner thoughts as they narrate separate chapters. (I think there are six narrators in all.) As it turns out, there is enough drama to fill a week of Oprahs.

My only complaint about the book (other than the fact that some of the twists were easy to predict, especially if you watch "AR") is about the (paperback) book design. Who came up with this ultra feminine, dippy cover? For one thing, Cassie was supposed to be zaftig, and the girl on the cover is slender. For another, the image bears no resemblance to the events of the book. Would you even guess what the book was about from this image?

This is going right to the top of my favorite reads of this year, followed by "The Myth of You and Me" by Leah Stewart, "Scorpio Rising" by RG Vliet (an unknown book you need to seek out), "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield, and "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner. It was great fun, and I didn't want it to end.

This is just a fun, terrific book! I am a closet watcher of reality TV shows so this book highly entertained me! It isn't a deep, thought provoking story but it did offer insights into the characters, who were likeable. I can't wait for Carolyn Parkhurst's next book.

I'd read Dogs of Babel and very much enjoyed it, but I was curious to see if this author had something special, staying power. Or was she a one-book-author for me? The topic certainly had me, as I'm a reality TV fan. As soon as I started reading I knew this was going to be a great book and it didn't disappoint all the way through.

The teams that were racing across countries competing to win the prize money were full of diverse and interesting people and interpersonal dynamics. This is what kept me turning the pages, to hear their stories, to see what would work out for their lives or situations.

Overall this was a fun book, I enjoyed it very much. I'll definitely be checking out Parkhurst's next novel!

This is the first of Ms. Spencer-Fleming's books that I have read. I enjoyed it overall. Some slow spots, but all books do that. Recommended.

I'm not a big fan of who-dun-it type books, but I really enjoyed this one. The writing style is entertaining, and the twists and turns of the plot kept me going back for more. I was sure I knew who did it....and I was totally wrong. I'll definitely be buying more books by this author.

Book was in great condition and sent very quickly. Would recommend seller and purchase from them again.

I found Reverend Clare totally annoying. She had no business playing (fairly stupid) cop; the supposed sexual tension was way out of line. Single young female priest do not hang around endlessly alone with a married man. The amount of dinners and rides she had with the lonesome police chief would have her booted out of a small town parish in a flash. Couldn't they just have a platonic friendship? Her constant meddling in the murder case was laughable, her near demise, ridiculous. The writing style was okay but it wasn't enough to make me like this book. A very medium effort.

Great characters, interesting setting, suspenseful and gripping. This is the first of 3 or 4 novels featuring these very human, very appealing people. I hope to see more of them!

Well, here we are, a half-vampire readying himself to show himself to the vampire clan. The trials certainly seem awful, but for reasons unknown to me, they just didn't...seem right? I dunno. Lately, however, Darren seems to be lacking. He's not exactly beinga strong character to me. And he's awesomely lucky. Trouble is, I knew what was going to happen...sort of. The Blooded Boars, I was NOT expecting. I loved Darren Shan's works, until these last two books. Oh, Darren, please shape up!

Cirque Du Freak #5
By: Darren Shan
Reviewed by : K. Arita
P:1

Cirque Du Freak #5 is the fifth book of the Cirque Du Freak series. There are 17 ways to die in the trials of death unless the luck of the vampire is with you. He has to prove to the vampire clan that he is good enough to be one of the Princes. He has to risk his life in 5 deadly ways. The first three ways is finding a secret door in a maze that slowley fills up with water in aproximately 17 minutes. The second trial is when he has to walk through the Hall of Flames. That trial is when he has to survive in a big box for 15 minutes while furious bursts of flames are coming straight at him. The third trial is the Cave of Needles. This is when Darren has to climb through a slippery cave that has needle sharp stalagmites and stalagtites. Any faint noise will cause some of the stalagmites and stalagtites to fall and maybe pierce through his body and kill him. But in the end, one of his close friends, a Prince, turns out to be a vampeze prince (an eviler version of the vampire. The vampeze actually kills its victims while sucking the blood out of it.)
I liked this book because it keeps you in suspense. Lots of cliff hangers. One of the cliff hangers is at the very end when Darren finds out that his friend, Gavner Pearl, is the Vampeze Prince. The vampires hate the vampeze because it kills its victims, so Gavner decides to spare his life and Darren makes a run for it. He runs to the Hall of Princes, but the Vampeze are all over the place, so he was trapped. And thats where the book ended. Now I really want to buy the 6th book!
Also I liked it when he was in the Hall of Flames. It said, "It was a lousy choice, but there was no time to complain. I covered my fave with my arms and darted forward into the wall of crackling flames." I was planning to only read a chapter a day, but when i read those sentences at the end of the chapter, I just HAD TO read on! I couldn't stop myself. This book is really good at the suspense that he leaves you with at the end of each chapter.
My favorite part was during the Hall of Flames. During the resting period before he had to go on with the next trial, the Blooded Boars, he was really messed up because of all of his burns. He had only 2 days as a resting period, and his feet couldn't even support his weight because his feet were badly burnt. So when the Trials came, he had to do them so that he wouldn't be exicuted. When he was about to die because he was pinned down by a boar and another boar was headed straight for him, his friendm Harakat, saved him. That was the most exciting part of the book.

"May luck be with me even in times of death," said Darren Shan as he let go of the rock and is taken by the strong current down a dark river tunnel. This is the fifth book in the Cirque Du Freak saga and this has to be the most suspenseful. Darren is the half-human, half-vampire that is the assistant to another vampire, Mr. Crepsley. Darren wants to earn the respect of his peers and can also be made into a general by taking the trials of death. The trials of death are very simple to complete; there are five trials and then you are welcomed in the vampire world. If you fail one of them, you will die in one of the thirteen ways in the hall of death. This book expands the mind of kids like me. The words are hard and the plot is full of twists and turns. Also there are surprises that will shock and dismay you. Overall, I really like this book. Darren Shan is a great writer and I hope he continues this heart pumping saga.

Great book. This has the most action out of the first 5 books in the series. In Trials Of Death, Darren is really tested physically and mentally by the vampire clan. He has to undergo Trials, that will test him mainly physically, but also mentally. Has to fight through water, fire, sharp objects and so on but i'll let you read about that.

This is the best book out of the first 5, because there are big turns of events in the middle to end of the book. At the end, Darren thinks he might be doomed, but is he? When you reach the end of this book, your gonna want to read book 6 directly after to find out what happens. Get this!

One of the main characters, Darren Shan, was living a normal life until he met a vampire at a freak show by the name of Vur Horston but everyone calls him Mr. Crepsely. Now he has become the assisstant of Mr. Crepsly. Darren has begun his journy of becoming a Vampire Prince and to do so he has to complete 5 trials. The trials are held in Vampire Mountain(a secret temple inside a mountain). Each trial is very difficult and if Darren shall fail any then he will be killed from a fall into a pit of stakes. Will Darren make it out alive? A couple of the trials include fire, SHARP nails, and 2 vampire blooded boars. During one of the trials something happens, I'm not saying he failed, but Darren has to make a decision of a lifetime. Die or runaway. You must read to find out what happens next. You will NEVER expect it. This book has a cliffhanger at the end of EVERY chapter making you read more so you can't stop. If you like horror books then this would be perfect for you, boy or girl. be sure to read the other 4 books first because there will be so much detail missing, enjoy!

Everest Book One: The Contest was extremely exciting, although slightly unrealistic. Everest is about a group of young kids who want to be the youngest to climb Mount Everest. One boy has already climbed Everest, sixteen year old Ethan Zaph, and the corporation sponsoring the climb, Summit, would like one boy and one girl under sixteen to climb Everest along with famous alpinist and expedition leader Ciercio. At first it seems that Dominic, the most interesting character, will not make the cut, but as time goes by the leader starts to see himself in Dominic and keeps him around. I enjoyed the book because it is very suspenseful. While trying to "solve a problem" (a tough boulder to climb) Dominic runs and jumps twenty five feet into the air off the base of the boulder reaching out for a finger hold a few inches wide and swinging to the top. I actually learned a lot about climbing although this is a fictional book. It gives you a good perspective of the dangers and strains involved with climbing. I did like that it was fast moving, but the author Gordon Korman was scant on the details. I think outdoorsmen especially climbers of all ages would enjoy this book. This is a good book, and I would definitely recommend it.

My dad and I read "Everest - The Contest" together and we both loved it! The story is full of unusual characters including Dominic, a small, but powerful climber. He never gives up. The story also has an antagonist named Tilt who is a rude troublemaker. Tilt thinks he's the best climber in the SummitQuest group. The reader will definitely root against crummy old Tilt! Now that we have finished book one, we are excited to continue on to book two when the climbers are on Everest.

To understand this book you have to know about climbing. This book inspired me to start rock climbing. I read all the books in 6 hours!!!!! I loved them and i hope you do too.

This is a children's series that doesn't try to talk down to kids. Instead, these books introduce new terms and techniques from the sport of climbing that even many adults have not come in contact with. This series does not try to make reading easy. It focuses more on the story and the adventure. I do have complaints about the series, like the fact that it is a series. The beginning of books two and three both have to recap what has occurred to that point in the story. Just make it one book so that you can have the flow of the story continue with out forcing the reader to reread. It also seems questionable that anytime the team of boys goes anywhere they are faced with a major problem. Yet, I understand that these were written for kids. Together this series cannot be as powerful as Harry Potter, but will help kids know the fun of reading. I can't wait to go climbing in the snow.

The author of the book I read is Gordon Korman. The title of the book is Everest. The type of book that Everest is historical fiction.
In this story several kids train to become part of a team to climb Mount Everest. They go through hard and extreme tests of their climbing abilities. At different times some of the climbers are cut from the team until there four left. Cap Cicero is the team leader. E first chosen at first are Ethan, Chris, Bryn, and Perry. But Ethan drops out. Who takes his place?
The book is very interesting. It made me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. It is best suited for people who like to read suspence books and adventure.

Lots of lovely socks! If you want to learn how to knit socks, try Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks (Getting Started series). If you want to design your own, go with Charlene Schurch's books Sensational Knitted Socks or More Sensational Knitted Socks. But if you want to knit some really cool socks, buy this.
I especially liked the fact that these patterns give the type of yarn needed (i.e., sock weight or DK weight) so it's easy to make them your own by choosing the yarns you want to knit with, rather than finding a beautiful sock but realizing that it is beautiful because of the specific yarn used, not because of the pattern.
The book is divided into seven chapters, for Simple, Kids, Lace, Color, Texture, Whimsical, and Icelandic socks. There are some that I don't think I'll ever knit, but seeing how someone else did them is a source of inspiration for me.

If you like knitting socks, you'll love this book. It has the most basic to very challenging patterns. The socks on the cover are something else!
Knitter's always provides us with the best to knit! If you like knitting socks, you'll enjoy this book.

I've been knitting forever but hadn't tackled socks because I was intimidated. I've had this beek since it came out and it doesn't leave my side. The instructions on heels and gussets were instrumental in my becoming a competent sock knitter. Even today, when I can knit a sock without a pattern, I still reference this book for various heel turns. This book gave me the skills sets needed to use other sock books.

That's not to say I'd make all of the socks in this book (many are very silly). But, I do use this book more than 95% of the books in my knit/crochet collection.

This book has a wide range of patterns in both skill level and creativity. There is enough information here that a beginner could easily make their first sock from this book; there are also patterns here that would stretch the skills of even advanced knitters. All patterns are very well written and photographed. While not a technique book, there is a very nice index with multiple methods given for most techniques. I particularly enjoy looking at the socks in the section entitled "Whimsical", as these designs are very creative, ranging from edible licorice socks to miniature stockings to the cover photo, socks with a complex swirling pattern. Many of these patterns are on my "To Make" list and hopefully I will eventually have the skill to make some of their 'adventurous' level designs.

I haven't knit many socks, but I love this book.
Instructions are for double pointed needles. Easy read instructions. I did fine switching the instructions to circular needles instead. The books is set up with easy socks in the front and most difficult in the back. So they reach many different areas in experience of sock knitters. They also have all different people for the sock patterns, meaning for baby, children, man, woman; not just one type.

I've worked in the airline and airplane game all my years and bought this book from Amazon a while back. It sat on the shelf until I got time to read it but when I picked it up I couldn't put it down. My biggest regret is taking so long to read it - a travesty. Having sat in rooms as part of negotiating such deals as taking over an airline, all the shady stuff is true and yet believable and entertaining. Add to that a great author with superb writing skills and I rate this one of the best. Buy the book!

Thomas Petzinger's Hard Landing is an in-depth and fascinating analysis of the history of the airline industry. Petzinger takes the reader from the birth of the airline industry just after World War I to the rise of industry giant Southwest Airlines. The book is not short. Including Petzinger's "Postscript to the Paperback Edition," Hard Landing is just short of five hundred pages long. The length of Hard Landing should not be a deterrent to the reader but rather an incentive. Petzinger filled Hard Landing with so much information that one is surprised he completed the book in five hundred pages. Petzinger's research is also noteworthy. Petzinger filled the bibliography with books, articles, papers, and primary source interviews that give Hard Landing a historical authenticity that many current books lack. Hard Landing should be read by anyone who has an interest in politics, the airline industry, history, and the combination thereof.

In Hard Landing, Thomas Petzinger transports the reader back the glory days of the airline industry. Early on, Petzinger introduces the mythological giants Herb Kelleher, Frank Lorenzo, and Bob Crandall early in their respective careers. Petzinger introduces most of his characters directly out of their respective Ivy League school. All men are classic airline giants--hard drinking, cursing, smoking, demonstrative men of the airline industry. Petzinger uses profanity-laced quotes to show the vigor with which the heads of the various airlines competed against each other. In some books, writers inappropriately use profanity to underscore points that ultimately require no underscoring. In Hard Landing, Petzinger selectively drops profanity filled quotes into the narrative to place the reader "in the action" of the story. This method works quite well as the reader will find him/herself unable to stop reading this insightful work.

The airline industry is a complex monstrosity. Petzinger deconstructs the industry with masterful precision. As an editor of the Wall Street Journal, Thomas Petzinger is likely accustomed to deconstructing complex stories. A search on Amazon.com reveals that Petzinger wrote two other books on complex subjects. Petzinger's other books deal with men and women in the modern marketplace and the large oil companies. Petzinger may not have aviation industry experience but it is quite clear that he researched Hard Landing meticulously and gave his subjects the utmost respect.

Some reviewers have criticized Petzinger for his focus only on America's airlines, specifically his focus on Texas-based airlines. This is an unfair criticism because it displays a lack of understanding of the history of the airline industry. Texas International, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Continental Airlines all have strong roots in Texas. Furthermore, Walter Folger Brown and the eventual Civil Aeronautics Board built the most extensive and successful airline structure in the world. Petzinger is correct to focus exclusively on the American airlines.

Beyond the history of the airline industry, Petzinger also shows the collusion between the airlines and the United States government. When the Carter Administration took office in 1977, the corruption and collusion between the airlines and the government reached a monumental scale. Petzinger's account of the political wrangling involved in the deregulation of the airline industry is simply fascinating. Many major political players of today played a major role in deregulation. Even George W. Bush's former Transportation Secretary, Norman Mineta, appears to provide the decisive vote needed to pass deregulation. Petzinger's political history is as fascinating as his airline industry history.

Petzinger makes an interesting point in his postscript. When he completed Hard Landing in the late 1990's, the airlines were in a period of relative calm. In the final lines of Hard Landing, Petzinger says, "Only when the economy again moved into the minus column would anyone know for sure whether the leaders of the industry had changed their war-mongering ways, or whether at last, they, and their industry, had matured." Subsequent to the tragic events of September 11, it is safe to say that the airline industry has moved into the "minus column" once again. The amazing airline drama continues.

although the book probably started in good condition, the seller did not package it properly and it came with cover and first 100 or so pages horribly bent.

The fundamental story of commercial aviation in the United States, as Eddie Rickenacker, aptly if not crassly said, is of "putting bums in seats."(175) At first there were no airline companies with aircraft or routes to transport those seats in which to place the bums. The public's early perception of flight as reckless and dangerous was not unwarranted. It took time for people to become comfortable with the concept of air transportation. Whether commercial aviation would have eventually emerged on its own, without the encouragement of federal involvement, is one of the great unknowns of modern times.

In any case, it was the Post Office Department that was the seedbed of America's commercial aviation industry. Under the tutelage and bulldog determination of Second Assistant Postmaster General Otto Praeger, a rudimentary experimental mail system took shape, proving scheduling reliability, if not profitability. From this tenuous beginning private commercial aviation took root within a permissive system of federal oversight. Until the DC-3 came along, a mail subsidy was the key to making a profit. The remarkable DC-3 was the first aircraft capable of operating profitably without carrying the mail.

The challenge of building a system capable of reliably and safely carrying people by air was, by the late nineteen thirties, largely resolved. Airlines were flying aircraft over established air routes to airports at cities across the country. An unanticipated consequence of this success was that ironically there were now too many seats! Carriers flew in direct competition in prime markets. Consequently none were making money and the industry was threatened by total collapse. What was the answer? Well of course, government help! The Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 brought monopoly rights to air routes and direct federal economic regulation to the industry. This state existed for forty years, until the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 was enacted. The law removed the government from responsibility for awarding routes and establishing fares. What happened next is the subject of Thomas Petzinger's, Hard Landing.

Hard Landing is the story of the airline industry in the United States following deregulation. It is a rough and tumble ride typical of an airplane flight through bad weather. There was no doubt that the industry would survive, but there would be some sick passengers in route. New carriers emerged while some old-line pioneers disappeared. In command during this turbulent time the older generation of executives gave way to a new cadre of younger leaders. Petzinger focuses his story around these dynamic new leaders.

Fundamental to understanding the story is the power of the market place; "putting bums in seats." Once the aircraft leaves the gate any empty seat represents a lost opportunity. Airlines "sell one of the few products consumed while it is being produced." (xix) How an airline CEO managed his enterprise to fill those seats after deregulation would determined his company's success or failure. Operating an efficient airline in the post-regulated environment pitted managers in conflict externally with each other and internally with their own employees.

In the deregulated era, in addition to unregulated competition, executives had to deal with the controller's strike, recessions, accidents, fuel cost spikes, bankruptcies and wars. What kind of personal attributes attract individuals to aspire to leadership in this type of business and competitive arena? They are extreme types with some common denominators: a huge ego, an obsession with control, a single strategic vision, and a need to be at the center of all decision making.

At the highest level, at the airlines that matter, barely a dozen people have played this game in the past 25 years - a small group of white men who made the industry their sandlot from the late 1960s to the mid - 1990s. Although it was through their efforts that flying became inexpensive and commonplace, they entered the industry at a time when flying was special and when the men in charge were looked upon as demigods of the industrial world. (xx)

Airline executives are aggressor types. Indeed, Crandall's nickname was "Fang," though it was not used to his face. But not all executives were cutthroat. Kelleher and Marshall (British Airways) "distinguished themselves with dignity."(478)

Within the pages of Hard Landing there are few successes and many failures. Frank Lorenzo (Trans-Texas Airways, Texas International, Continental, New York Air, Eastern) was a central figure throughout the period. But not only did he lose out at the end of the game, he also ended up being remembered as a remorseless villain within the aviation community. Herbert Kelleher (Southwest), on the other hand, emerges as an innovative, charismatic leader of a perennially profitable carrier. Bob Crandall (American) earns our respect, if not our endearment. The peripatetic Stephen Wolf "turned around, and reaped tremendous profits at more airlines than perhaps any executive in aviation history" (479)

Petzinger's writing carries the reader along with the action but one of his strengths is in his explanation of airline economics. The competitive circumstances are made clear and the critical decisions are placed in context with marketing principles. The economic relationship of price and capacity are explained in understandable terms.

Trippe [Pan American Airlines] discovered what might be called The First Rule of Economics: If a plane is going to take off anyway - once the fuel is purchased and the pilot paid and the interest rendered on the money borrowed to buy the plane in the first place - any paying passenger or payload recruited to the flight is pure profit. The fare paid by the last passenger taken aboard represents a fabulously lucrative rate of return. (7)

Another rule of marketing was used by Southwest briefly when Braniff undercut its already low fares in an attempt to drive Southwest from the market. Southwest matched the fares but gave anyone who paid full fare a bottle of Chivas Regal.

For a time in 1973 Southwest had discovered another lesson in airline marketing: giving the expense-account customer something for free that he could take home instead of to the office - in short a kickback - won his undying loyalty. (37)

Southwest managed to hold on and prosper. Under deregulation Braniff filed for bankruptcy only to reemerge as a smaller Braniff II, which eventually failed completely.

Crandall combined American's informational technology advantage from its powerful Saber reservation system to create a method to win the undying loyalty of business travelers. Frequent Flier points rewarded frequent business travelers. In competition with the new entry and upstart carriers, yield management programs enabled dynamic carriers like American and United to compete against new lines such as People Express. People Express did not have a reservations system and would not pay to use American's. Passengers could not get through on the phone lines and customer service suffered. Donald Burr eventually was forced to sell People Express to his former boss and archrival, Frank Lorenzo.

People Express was folded into Continental just as were parts of Eastern. Eastern Airlines became another victim of deregulation under Frank Lorenzo`s heavy-handed style of aggressive management. In the process, former astronaut Frank Borman, departed the scene as well. Charlie Bryan, of Eastern's machinists union, dragged the carrier to the ground by his refusal to consider any labor concessions.

In Hard Landing, Petzinger discusses the effects of new aircraft such as the Boeing 767 as a smaller and more economical aircraft to use on long thin routes rather than the larger Boeing 747. He covers the controversy and ill will generated by Crandall's b-scale employee pay program. United's Boeing 737 featherbedding issue (two crew design, but third pilot required by a union contract) and employee buyout are explained. Pilot slowdowns and strikes, mergers and buyouts, and a myriad of other issues generated by deregulation are extensively described.

While Hard Landing traces the actions of a few dominant actors, not spoken about are the many employees who lived, prospered or suffered from the decisions made on high. The forces of the market place hit them too. Many of them lost jobs without any severance. Of all their bosses, only three executives, Herb Kelleher, Sir Collin Marshall, and Bob Crandall remained at the time Petzinger`s book was published. The others lost their executive positions but took some solace from their acquired wealth.

An additional point, which Petzinger makes, is the importance of the safety issue. All through this unsettled time, the executives and managers universally upheld the need for safety. While accidents occurred, the causes were not attributed to any broad industry problem. It should be noted that deregulation did not change government oversight of safety and operational scrutiny. Indeed the FAA conducted an extensive investigation of New York Air after it was reported that safety practices were being violated. None were found however.

The airline industry is experiencing another cycle of distress. As a consequence of the attacks on September 11, once again too many seats are available for the bums that want to fill them. Petzinger would well be advised to write a sequel entitled Harder Landing. In the history of the airline industry in the United States, each succeeding peak and valley seems to eclipse the one that came before. One day it is certain that the good times will return but for now, fasten your seat belts!

"Hard Landing" is a well written book that is delightful to read. The book gives critical insights into the airline industry focusing on its history and describing the various players highlighting the different individual management styles.

It was fascinating to learn how the USA airline industry went through deregulation and some of the lessons are very useful to the African airline industry which is gradually going through profound changes. I particularly enjoyed the story of the aviation industry from its very beginning through the First and Second World Wars, the emergence of the low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines, the emergence and disappearance of several airlines, the deregulation of the USA airline industry, the computer reservation system, the hub and spoke networks, discounted pricing, among others.

Among the most interesting characters I enjoyed reading about include Frank Lorenzo, Bob Crandall and Herb Kelleher. This is good reading particularly for those that wish to learn about the history and development of the aviation industry. The book would be greatly enhanced if the author updates it to take into account the profound changes that have taken place since its publication.

Scottie-Anne's older sister Dane has always been the superstar of the family. She was in her first beauty pageant when she was two years old, and she hasn't stopped since then. Now she is in high school and is practically famous in their town. Her parents and Scottie-Anne spend every weekend driving around in a custom-made van attending beauty pageants. Dane usually wins. Scottie-Anne isn't particularly beautiful; she is more likely to be an academic star than a beauty queen. Sometimes she wishes she had the attention Dane has, though.

Now Scottie-Anne's middle school has decided to hold a beauty pageant as a fund-raiser. Scottie-Anne's best friend Lillie really wants to enter the pageant, but her parents are against it because they think beauty pageants are degrading to girls. Finally her parents agree to let Lillie enter, under the condition that Scottie-Anne enters as well. They think it's a safe bet that Scottie-Anne wouldn't be caught dead in a beauty pageant.

With pressure from Lillie and pressure from Dane, who wants Lillie to enter and win to teach her parents a lesson, Scottie-Anne reluctantly enters the pageant. Soon, though, she finds that she is more invested in this thing than she thought. She is almost surprised to find that she really does want to win the pageant. As the event gets cloer and closer, though, she begins to simply hope she won't embarrass herself in front of so many people.

The characters in this story were really vivid and honestly portrayed. The author is good at capturing what it is like to be a teenager. I liked that beauty pageants weren't portrayed as evil in this book. Dane was somewhat obnoxious, but she was confident and articulate in defending pageants, which made her a good character.

This was the first of Cooney's books I read. I picked it up at the library one lazy summer afternoon. I was drawn. Scottie-Anne is a very relatable character. Used to living in her sister's shadow, she had grown to despise pageants after always watching her beauty queen sister, Dane, compete and always win. Her school is hosting a beauty pageant and all of her friends want to compete. Scottie-Anne initially thinks it's stupid and she doesn't want to participate. As the story progresses, she begins to want to compete. She wants Dane to look up at her. Scottie-Anne now wants attention. She wants the spotlight. The only question is...will she win?

This book is about beauty pageants which was everything said. I didn't like the big idea of the book which was beauty counts and smarts does not mean anything. Which is not true! Scottie-Anne at first thinks beauty pageants are stupid and sees no point in them, then suddenly she is FORCED to enter one because of her best friends mom. Eventually Scotts suddenly wants to win out of no where. Scotts is asked at the end if she enjoyed the pageant and she says YES but there is no talk about her enjoying the pageant in the book! Again this book is more for people who are into modeling, pageants, and how YOU LOOK. This was not a good big idea to teach to girls at the age of ten like me therefore I found this book pointless. This book was also hard to do a book project on in school because of its big idea. The back of the book made it seem like it tought a good lesson which is that beauty doesn't matter its whats inside that counts. But the book said the exact oposite. This really let me down.

This book is about beauty pageants which was everything said. I didn't like the big idea of the book which was beauty counts and smarts does not mean anything. Which is not true! Scottie-Anne at first thinks beauty pageants are stupid and sees no point in them, then suddenly she is FORCED to enter one because of her best friends mom. Eventually Scotts suddenly wants to win out of no where. Scotts is asked at the end if she enjoyed the pageant and she says YES but there is no talk about her enjoying the pageant in the book! Again this book is more for people who are into modeling, pageants, and how YOU LOOK. This was not a good big idea to teach to girls at the age of ten like me therefore I found this book pointless. This book was also hard to do a book project on in school because of its big idea. The back of the book made it seem like it tought a good lesson which is that beauty doesn't matter its whats inside that counts. But the book said the exact oposite. This really let me down.

Twenty Pageants Later is a book about a girl named Scotti-Anne who's older sister, Dane, is a beauty queen. Dane has won alot of pageants and pretty much Scotti-Anne's whole life is in the back seat of her parent's van driving Dane to pageants all over the country. One day, Scotti-Anne's middle school has a pageant called Marsh Mid. Princess. She didn't want to be in it but her best friend's mom wouldn't let her be in the pageant if Scotti- Anne wasn't in the pageants also, so she entered. This story is about Scotti-Anne, who at first thought she wouldn't care if she won or lost, trying SO hard to win. I like this book because the author makes the characters in the book come alive. This is one of the very best books I have ever read.

This first novel was good enough to keep me reading late into the night while my wife, usually the late reader, had gone to sleep. In fact, one night I stopped reading, turned out the lights and then tossed and turned for an hour trying to figure out where the novel was going (that's a compliment, not a criticism). The author, Terry Shaw, provides several misdirections that make you want to read the next chapter. I didn't see the ending coming--and that's how a good mystery should proceed. (I'm passing the novel on to my neighbors, who once lived in Maine.)

I can see Tom Seleck as editor John Quinn in a made-for-TV movie. I hope Terry is working on a sequel.

This is a fast paced, page turning first novel by an up and coming writer. From the first sentence to the very end Mr. Shaw keeps the readers attention. There are a few twists and turns to the tale, until you reach the end and find out who 'really done it'. And it wasn't the butler. I hope to read many more by Mr. Shaw in the future. This is a promising new author, with a bright future ahead.

Terry has the writing skills to create settings and scenes that welcome the reader to come right in. It's like being there as a witness to the crime. The prologue is a fine example of that. He brings you to the crime scene at the park with such force that the image of it stays throughout the book until the suspense of who-done-it finally surfaces. We have not heard the last of Terry Shaw.

This book is a great page-turner! I could not put it down once I started reading this novel. The author paints vivid scenes of a small-town murder mystery. This book definatly kept me wanting to read chapter after chapter, from begining to end. Read it!!

Shortly after submitting the first chapter of my novel in the Next Great Crime Writer Contest, I wondered just how good (or not so good) a former Gather.com contest winner's novel might be. When I learned that Terry Shaw's "The Way Life Should Be" had won the First Chapters Writing Competition, I decided to check it out. I requested a copy as a Christmas present from my wife and it was with great anticipation that I began reading Terry's novel the following day.

From the chilling prologue to the last page, I was very impressed with this book - having promptly forgotten I was reading a first-time published novel. Instead, I found myself drawn into this story about newspaper editor John Quinn and his search for the truth surrounding the murder of his childhood friend, Paul Stanwood.

Quinn, along with his wife and young son, has recently moved back to his hometown of Stone Harbor, Maine. The story begins with the mysterious murder of his friend in the bathhouse of a local park where gays have been known to hang out in search of some action. The local politics of the small town becomes blatantly apparent when Quinn realizes that very little is being done to track down Paul Stanwood's killer. This general apathy and lack of progress in the investigation thereby prompts Quinn to set out on his own to unravel the truth.

The most endearing qualities of this mystery novel are Shaw's keen skill at characterization and its solid story line. John Quinn is an intriguing protagonist with many layers to his personal and public persona. We see these layers stripped away piece by piece as Quinn struggles to come to grips with the loss of Paul and his struggle to find his killer amidst the allegations being made about his lifelong friend.

Quinn encounters a host of memorable characters throughout his one-man investigation including the arrogant police chief Al Sears, Paul Stanwood's grieving widow Lizzy, and her father-in-law Angus Stanwood. The story moves along smoothly with a lot of twists and turns, never failing to keep the reader engrossed and entertained.

After finishing "The Way Life Would Be," I felt that rare sensation one gets after reading a really good work of fiction. I was sorry to see it end and at the same time couldn't wait to read the author's next book. I also couldn't wait to contact Terry and tell him how much I enjoyed his first published novel. As an unpublished author, I felt inspired and motivated after witnessing firsthand how these writing competitions can yield such positive results.

To say that I recommend "The Way Life Should Be" is an understatement. You owe it to yourself to discover just how good this First Chapter's Writing Competition winning submission truly is!