Woody Allen Books

Reading Forgiveness for Forgotten Dreams touched my heart. I had to call friends and read some of them over the phone. The pictures that Mr. LeVine draws with his words are incredible. The love he has of life and those who share it with him is apparent! I will never think of blue socks the same way again! Thank you for sharing your heart. I recommend this book to everyone!!

I just loved this beautiful book! It gave me a view into the heart and soul of the poet, but also contained so many thoughts and feelings that I could personally relate to in my own life. It is both insightful and inspirational...and a quick, easy read for those like myself who don't have a lot of time to spare. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

I couldn't put this book down.
The day I got this collection, I read it through, with some poems read several times and I recall looking at my bedside clock, and it was 1:35 AM.
I could have kept reading...
I suppose what I like most about Mr. LeVine's work is the superb word pictures and how they touch on heart connections made throughout his life. "Seventy-Five Stories Above Ground" describing his connection with his father in dream state, as well as "I still Love November", both brought me to tears.
This is a book that I will read and re-read, share with friends, give as gifts, and generally keep at hand until his next body of work is published.
This poet's work makes me want to write!
I want to share my appreciation and enthusiasm for this offering. It's inspired me to look inward more often.
Ron Davis,
Long Beach CA

Although well educated and traveled, to me poetry has always been a mystery, words and emotions of uncertain origin. "Forgiveness for Forgotten Dreams" is quite the opposite. It is poetry for the everyman. Dreams and passions from and for each of our lives. Wayne Levine's prose elevates us all to a place of retrospect and romance that we seldom see.
This book should be read by all whom have dreamt.

This book is not just pages filled with poetry. Each poem contains a story that anyone could relate their life to. Once you start reading, it is difficult to stop. I cried, laughed and felt ecstatic at times. The feeling of living through so many of his experiences amazed me. I feel so inspired by Mr. Levine and can't wait for his next book to be published.

As Catalans we love cooking and (specially) eating. This book is just the perfect balance between exquisite recipes, excellent presentation and informative reading. Do not miss the chance to get it

I just returned from a lovely stay at La Luna e i Falo, and enjoyed six nights of impeccable meals prepared by Elena and Franco. Our meals included all of the recipes from this cookbook, and I must say, not one of them disappointed! I was able to read this cookbook while at the farm, and made a note to immediately try to find it when I returned home. Amazon is the only place to get it, since it is now out of print. It was only released in America, so you can't even find an Italian version of the book. The other recipes from other cooks featured in the book look equally as good. You can't get more authentic, regional recipes than those that are found here. I highly recommend it!

This is a great Italian cookbook, very different from most of the cookbooks you see. Not only does it have great recipes but it also tells great stories about all the various farms the authors visit. And it also tells you how you can visit the farms yourself. The pictures in particular are very interesting. They are not the usual slick shots. It seems like they were all done on location and they have a feel of food photo-journalism. This book has great recipes and great heart and soul.

I love this book. It is the most unusual cookbook.I have travelled the Italian Countryside many times and this book reflects much of its uniqueness. I bought four copies for friends.

In this world inundated with tomes devoted to Italian cooking, this wonderful book stands out. The author spent years researching, collecting and testing authentic, seasonal farmhouse recipes (from all over the country) made with only the freshest ingredients. (The recipes are full-proof!!) This is one of the few books that allows everyone to make some of the most appetizing Italian dishes--just as the Italians do. Everything is explained in detail--from ingredients to techniques to customs to mail-order sources--in one of the most complete books ever written on the subject. And if this weren't enough, the flavor of the food is beautifully captured in some of the most exquisite photographs ever taken of Italy and its food. This book is a MUST for anyone who likes to cook and/or eat the most mouth-watering Italian cuisine!!

I am an immigrant from El Salvador and this book made me cry because reading it was like reading about my own life. The writer spent a lot of time knowing the people because she tells the story of thousands of people like me and those in her study. If you want to know what life has been like for Salvadorans, read this book.

This is a great book. It has a lot of information about Salvadorans. Obviously, the author is an expert. But you know what makes this book unusual? It's because it was written by a Salvadoran scholar (very few around here...) about Salvadorans. So just for the information alone, it's worth it. That's why I said that this is an unusual book.

This book debunks many assumptions we have about help among poor people. It presents vividly what happens when there are very few resources and people must make heartwrenching decisions whether to help their mom with a small loan of money or their children with school supplies. The poor often don't have enough resources to help everyone and end up in difficult situations that sometimes lead to tension. This book is an eye opener! Anyone working with poor and disadvantaged populations should read it!

This book is a truly exceptional. It provides a sophisticated analysis of the complexities and intricacies of family relations. It is a must for those interested in immigration, but also for anyone else who would like to know how social networks and families operate under situations of extreme poverty. The stories are riveting (often heartbreaking) and the style simple yet elegant. Although it is an academic book it sometimes reads like a novel. A GREAT read!

This is simply outstanding. It is very complex, very rich, but incredibly human. The people laugh, cry, mistrust, love, etc. In sum, they have feelings--good and bad--just like you and me. I highly recommend it to anyone--it'll make you think twice before helping (or not helping) a relative or a friend!!!!

Excellent! Well defined, well written, and precise in the accounts of A. M. Keeler during the American Civil War, pre, during and post the war. The Allen's put heart and soul into this book, and is simply a must read for any and all Civil War historians. We all read, we all study, and we all try to remember, but without a good story-line we forget, this book makes the imprint, and the feel for what took place at the time. The book compliments the historical regiment known as the Michigan 22nd. Douglas M. Casamer, Author "The Michigan 22nd Infantry and the Men Who Served".

I have never been a student of American history and have regretted that fact many times. Reading this greatly researched and well written book was just wonderful for someone like me. I have loved reading every detail of Keeler's confinement.There were a lot of facts that surprised me such as his family and friends sending him money, food and other items. It must have been extremely difficult for them to accomplish that in those times.
I graduated from Armada Agricultural High School and was so surprised to find out that he taught there after his service. It was exciting to read names and places that are familiar to me having grown up in Macomb County.
Write another book,Bob and Cheryl!!

An easy read, this day by day account of the life of Captain Alonzo M. Keeler, a "Guest" of the Confederacy, paints a vivid picture of a Michigan soldier's experiences in a Confederate prison camp.
William & Muriel Beltz, Israel B. Richardson Civil War Roundtable

Any serious study of a battle or regiment is enhanced when the conditions the troops fought under can be included. Because so much time was spent in camp as compared to actual time spent in battle, to understand how the weather, terrain and health of the soldiers contributed to the outcome, adds depth and texture to the strategies of military maneuvers. Bob and Cherie Allen have brought together Captain Alonzo Keeler's diary, letters and speeches to the GAR to provide us with just such a look into the daily life of a 22nd Michigan Union Officer. Captain Keeler's own words illustrated the highs and lows of his confinement in Libby prison and, after the war, his return to civilian life. His depth of feeling and dedication to his regiment never wavered. This book is a great companion piece to anyone studying battles involving the 22nd Michigan.
-Bill Grandstaff, Facilitator, Israel B. Richardson Civil War Roundtable

Very well written. The investigation and detail show the author's extensive knowledge of the Civil War. The many original diary entries show this book's authenticity and helps you to empathize with the emotions of Keeler as well as the many trials that the soldiers faced on a daily basis.

Great for the history buff who wants factual details about the Civil War.

In middle age,life can seem to drag to a halt. Marion Woodman and her coauthors demonstrate that the richest part of inner work is possible when we no longer are focusing most of our energy on the outer world of our families,or our careers. the stories these women tell of their own dream journeys are almost beyond belief, and inspired me to resume dream work i abandoned years ago. the journey never ends, and Leaving My Father's House begins a whole new ring on the spiral to wholeness. my only complaint is that at times the book felt too wordy.

If life had a reading list, this book would certainly be on it. Woodman does a supreme job of linking the women's narratives -- clarifying and filling in their experiences in archtypical and Jungian terms -- without dimming the spotlight on their individual experiences.

How long will we live our lives unwhole and blaming others (or even ourselves!) for our unhappiness? Until we all read this book and others like it, I'd guess.

With this book, Marion Woodman guides us through a complex and difficult journey. Her work with women through the often painful and lonely process of coming into their own life is shared with wisdom, compassion and deep love. I have found this book to be fundamental to my growth and my process. The women who shared their stories have enriched my life and have helped guide me on my way. I've given this book as a gift to many women friends, and I feel it can be a helpful and useful tool for anyone embarking on the inner journey.

We can't think about fathers without thinking about how our relationships with the men in our lives are shaped by the patriarchal culture in which we live.

Leaving My Father's House offers the personal journeys of three wise women, mapping for us the process of understanding and turning away from the constraints that we must transcend if we are to become individuals, both strong and feminine at the same time. Each woman takes a different journey toward her own truth, each defines herself in different ways as she creates her own house, her own space, her own personal time. Working with dreams, journals, spaces, art, and music, the three women show us how to see our lives and our surroundings as metaphors for the process of interior growth, and teach us to understand how important it is to leave our Father's house in order to build and furnish the home of our own spirits.

This isn't an easy book--the narratives are dense and interwoven and the language is influenced by Woodman's Jungian perspective. But for women who want to explore the archetype of the Father's House and its crucial importance in our lives, this is a classic must-read book.

by Susan Wittig Albert
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Buy this book if

1. You're looking to go there.

2. You're tired of pretending.

3. You want to read something your body likes as well as your head.

4. The book falls off the shelf and hits you on the head.

When I left England to live in the United States for one year last August, there was only one book I took with me - Alistair Cooke's `Letter From America'. What else could I have taken? Cooke saw into America like no other Brit (or no other non-American, for that matter).

Starting at the mid 1940s, the book winds its way through post-war America nearly right up until the authors death in 2004, picking out the best of his weekly broadcasts. The subject matters range from politics, history, current affairs, entertainment and the topics from the New England fall, jazz, Robert Kennedy's assassination and O.J Simpson.

But it is not the subject matter that makes this book so special (for we already know about most of them anyway) it is none other than Cooke's insight and writing style. The articles flow like the finest novel or poem (which is probably attributed to Cooke's background in theatre). Each time you come back to read the book again it feels as though you are receiving the opinions of a familiar friend, and not some distant journalist.

There are drawbacks. Cooke was often criticised, and quite rightly so, for ignoring the darker side of the American dream. The other possible drawback, depending on your viewpoint, is that Cooke was a committed conservative, especially in the latter half of his career. Many of the final articles from the late 90's and early 00's lament the current position of America and (what he saw as) the sliding standards of journalism. Maybe, but you also can't help feel that he was by this point slightly out of touch.

These minor quibbles, however, cannot undermine Cooke's overall achievement of helping us better understand this important nation, which could be described as love letters to America.

Alistair Cooke is an observer of the American social fabric, of our heros, of our blemishes, of our short history and sense of place. His first hand accounts of American and Americans is not unlike a nation looking at itself in a mirror. He is at times generous with his observations. At other times he is very British in his ability to be critical with a smile. He can describe a familiar person and make us see the person anew. The book is a pleasure to read, each chapter a new adventure of wit and insight. He wanders a bit but his style makes you enjoy the journey and look forward to the next excursion.

For many years I listened to Alistair Cooke's ' Letters from America'. The calm, erudite voice , the super- civilized tone , the suggestion of great intelligence somehow always promised to provide insight into America that no one else had. The British Tocqueville of the airways who knew more about the Americans than the Americans knew about themselves.
Yet somehow I more often than not felt a certain disappointment in the communications. Reading them without the Cooke tone and pause, without his special emphasis diminishes them further. There is it seems to me a great deal of observation and color , and not enough striving for deep general understanding.
And there is too in the calm of Cooke's tone something strange and distant.The many rich voices of America, its ways of shouting and making itself felt are not transmitted strongly here.
Nonetheless in close to sixty years of reporting there are numerous insights and observations and much that entertains.
I think of Cooke's elegy for his old friend Isaiah Berlin. I think of reports made from all kinds of whistle stops on Presidential campaigns. I think too of his capacity for friendship, and how that does move through these letters and give them a warmer feeling of comraderie.
I think also of Cooke's basic real affection for America, his interest and appreciation of much what is good and beautiful in it.
I think too of how many listeners he delighted with his wit, and dry humor and clear - cut language.
This is a lifetime work of special meaning and value for the many thousands who waited each week for those fifteen minutes of his often most delightful and insightful talk.

Alistair Cooke's wonderful Letter from America broadcasts were heard world-wide and were an institution for close to 60 years. In that time, Cooke - UK born but for most of his life a resident of New York City - sought through his thoughtful pieces to convey the complexity of life, of society and of politics in the United States.

In this collection of essays, organised chronologically, Cooke takes us from post-war America through to mid 2005, and his subject matter ranges from the specific relatively "small" topics (for example McLaren's dogged creation of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park) through to large, world-changing subjects including the Vietnam question and the assassinations of both John and Robert Kennedy. The latter is a riveting account because Cooke was there when it happened and his journalistic and observational skills come through as finely honed, dispassionate yet all the more powerful.

What gives this volume real richness are two things in particular.

First; Cooke has an unfailing grasp of history. In writing each week's snapshot of a changing nation, he manages to contextualise what he sees, and to draw upon both his enormous grasp of history and his unparalled contact with top politicians, writers and artists over 60 years. In today's age of soundbyte editorializing and glib simplifications (history seen through the eyes of Forrest Gump, if you will), Cooke's essays are thoughtful, well researched and highly reasoned. As a reader I'm struck by how prescient his comments are, and I'm also struck at how relevant his thought provoking comments about previous political events resonate in today's unfolding history.

The second facet of this rich gem is Cooke's beautifully crafted writing style. He wrote these essays for radio and perhaps this is why they read so beautifully. In his portrait of Charles Lindbergh, for example, he talks about the man for 500 words - creating a vivid, recognisable picture before he even mentions the name of his subject. In so doing, Cooke furnishes the reader (or listener) with the frisson of a delightful guessing game (he's talking about Lindbergh, right?) that allows us to hear more about the subject matter without letting us backfill the story with our own preconceptions. His humour is delightfully wry, and his ability to choose surprising and sometimes quite earthy quotes from the history makers of the past 60 years provides additional pleasure. Cooke clearly laboured over each and every essay to ensure their seamless recipe of wit, fact and observation.

This volume is a remarkable collection of essays: a format that encourages thoughtful, enjoyable bedside reading. In devouring this marvellous book, you are taken to the heart of a complex nation. An easy 5 stars; I'd add that this book makes an excellent gift, regardless of which way your friends vote.

When I left England to live in the United States for one year last August, there was only one book I took with me - Alistair Cooke's `Letter From America'. What else could I have taken? Cooke saw into America like no other Brit (or no other non-American, for that matter).

Starting at the mid 1940s, the book winds its way through post-war America nearly right up until the authors death in 2004, picking out the best of his weekly broadcasts. The subject matters range from politics, history, current affairs, entertainment and the topics from the New England fall, jazz, Robert Kennedy's assassination and O.J Simpson.

But it is not the subject matter that makes this book so special (for we already know about most of them anyway) it is none other than Cooke's insight and writing style. The articles flow like the finest novel or poem (which is probably attributed to Cooke's background in theatre). Each time you come back to read the book again it feels as though you are receiving the opinions of a familiar friend, and not some distant journalist.

There are drawbacks. Cooke was often criticised, and quite rightly so, for ignoring the darker side of the American dream. The other possible drawback, depending on your viewpoint, is that Cooke was a committed conservative, especially in the latter half of his career. Many of the final articles from the late 90's and early 00's lament the current position of America and (what he saw as) the sliding standards of journalism. Maybe, but you also can't help feel that he was by this point slightly out of touch.

These minor quibbles, however, cannot undermine Cooke's overall achievement of helping us better understand this important nation, which could be described as love letters to America.

I read every pet-loss book I could find when my beloved dog, an 11-year cancer survivor on all natural remedies, died in my arms at the age of 19.
This was one of the very few books that truly spoke to the depth of my pain and provided solace. It gave me a way to be with my grief without plunging me face first into it.

This is Boone's timeless, poetic, and insightful journal, which documents his inner journey while outwardly, he travels and observes the world after the passing of his beloved dog, Strongheart. It left me feeling comforted, introspective, and no longer so alone. A beautiful and wise book, one I have given as a gift to many.

I bought this book many years ago and it has been my very favorite book ever since. I love animals. I believe all sentient life is interrelated and the feeling of love and belonging is the greatest emotion possible. I would like more information about the author. I also have Kinship with All Life.

I read this book when I was in high school, and it changed the way I interact with animals, and my outlook on life. I couldn't find it until I looked for it on Amazon.com. 25 years later, it still inspires me the way it did then. Now I'm excited to share it with everyone I meet. It teaches the unconditional love of animals for the humans who are willing to share their lives with them and learn from them. Everyone should read Letters to Strongheart.

If you love animals, most of all pets this is a must read book as it reveals insight about how to communicate
and understand your pets with respect and love. Boone's timeless book was published in the late 1930's and because of his British background his use of words may seem 'dated' to some readers. I found this to be a wonderful book. I recommend it.

Boone lived - and no doubt still lives - what he believes. He believes what he learned from a receptive and appreciative relationship with a very special dog. Because of reading Boone, I've greatly enhanced my relationships with All Life and it has become easy (most of the time) to love and appreciate life for itself - no matter what shape it comes in. But it is still somewhat difficult to fully love centipedes, for example. Not only are they fast-moving crawly beings whom we cannot keep out, but they are moderately toxic to our cats - all of whom are hunters. So the cats invariably catch the centipedes and get bitten in the act of dispatching them to centipede heaven. Our flies stay out of trouble by staying just out of reach, although a huge moth lost a battle a couple of days ago! I've had communications from many of my animals who have passed out of physical form but who are definitely still alive, as is Strongheart. In my list of Strongheart's (and Boone's) qualities are those that have taught me to hear more clearly what my animal and human friends are sharing with me from the "other" side. My life has been - and is still being - greatly enriched.

Literary Savannah
By multiple authors, including poet and writer Aberjhani, edited by Patrick Allen

A Gem!

Literary Savannah is the collection of multiple authors input on the beautiful city with a long and important history in Georgia.
Having lived ourselves in this magnificent city and still calling it our home in our hearts, this book has not only charmed us, but has taught us much about the Savannah history as well as the history of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and partly Florida in general.
The colonial cemetery was a large park crisscrossed with avenues where the finest trees in Savannah cast a constantly moving shade over paths of pink brick. Sycamores, catalpas, cork oaks, all bore in their foliage shreds of grey moss like long torn veils, stirring by the slightest breath of air. Originally from Barbados and borne by the wind, this almost ethereal vegetation added a melancholy element to even the most cheerful countryside land its strange attraction finally had its effect on the imagination. You could pull it out from the green depths, but it would come back, like some obsession...from Julien Green (1900-1998) The Distant Lands.
Let us close our review with a few short strophes from Aberjhanie's poem Return to Savannah, because, after all who would not want to!
Memories: vicious Like a thicket made hot With cobras. The wrong step or erroneous beat of the heart and I could turn into a tower, bursting with death.
Legends tell the tourists that specters roam this city but I've no need for tales to explain the red-eyed shadows hopping like squirrels through the greenless branches of my immediate apprehension. I remember when they died. Stand amazed, now, watching them haunt reflections of their former lives...

The stories of the area's history come to life as we turn the pages, read from the pen of Conrad Aiken, Sherwood Anderson, William Bartram, John Berendt, Emily Pilsbury Burke, Juliette Gordon Low, Johnny Mercer and Aberjhani and so many more.
Of course even some ghost stories will be found, after all, Savannah is known to friends of the paranormal as the most haunted city in the South.
Naturally, the South has always been of interest to us and our knowledge has been reasonable, but, after reading Literary Savannah, we felt truly educated and Savannah grew even dearer to our hearts.
If you like the South, you should not miss out on this literary adventure, if you love Savannah, you really should include this exceptional work in your home library.

© Birgit and Roger Pratcher, 2008

Literary Savannah was among the first in a series of literary travel anthologies published by Hill Street Press when the company was founded in 1998. To include the city of Savannah, Georgia, in such a series would have made good sense at pretty much any time but particularly during the last decade because of the spotlight cast on it by a developing film industry within the city and by the immense popularity of author John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

The genius of this exceptional travel literary anthology is the eclectic mixture of names it includes. Some--like founding father George Washington and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano--many readers would not expect to find because of their globe-spanning historical stature. Others--like Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Lowe and songwriter Johnny Mercer--were natives of the city and therefore are less surprising. In total, the voices of some 37 writers, plus that of editor Patrick Allen, comprise the volume.

Among those voices are such modern chroniclers of Savannah's ongoing story as: Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alan McPherson; journalist Tom Coffey; playwright and educator Ja A. Jahannes; author and writing instructor Rosemary Danielle; and the author of "Savannah Spectres," Margaret Wayt DeBolt.

Much of the book's richness is also due to the variety of literary genres sampled within it. From passing glimpses of the city as jotted down in a notebook entry by novelist Henry James to famous declarations as made by General William T. Sherman in a letter to his commander in chief. Memoirs, fiction, essays, poetry, "true" accounts of hauntings, and songs all blend to create a finely balanced and nuanced portrait of one of the most uniquely beautiful cities in the United States.

by Author-Poet Aberjhani
author of "The Bridge of Silver Wings"
and The Wisdom Of W.E.B. Du Bois (Wisdom Library)

I can only visit this beautiful, ineffable city once a year, but this wonderful volume of literary gems makes me feel like I live there all year around. There is SO much more to know about the Hostess City of the South than one finds in "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

This book is exceptionally well done and brings all the facets of a Southern Gem - Savannah - together in one book. For anyone who loves the old South, I would strongly suggest this book. The compilation of stories show a rich wonderful city that has had its own share of joy and sorrow. The editor did a wonderful job pulling literary tones together in a unique and complimentary fashion, sounding a true lyrical tribute. My favorite stories are by Conrad Aiken and Flannery O'Connor. The description of Savannah by James Ogelthorpe is astonishing. The piece that stole my heart , however, was written by Aberjhani entitled "Return to Savannah." The voice of the poet moves the words straight to the core of the reader.

I've been to Savannah I don't know how many times; have walked the streets and squares and read the historical markers; have devoured some local history and novels--such as MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL. But, now I don't feel like I knew Savannah at all. I learned so much more in LITERARY SAVANNAH. I highly recommend it for anyone who has visited (and loved, of course) or is planning a visit to Savannah.

Allen Schoen and Pam Proctor bring us a rich, detailed spectrum of ways in which love, intuition and complementary/ alternative therapies can help animals small and large. This book is rich in anecdotes and reports of healings on physical, psychological and spiritual levels for animals with these approaches after conventional veterinary care had exhausted its potentials to help. Schoen integrates acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal remedies in his practice.

This is a truly wholistic book, addressing body, emotions, mind, relationships and spirit - both of the animals who were helped and of their owners.

Schoen illustrates his work with many heartwarming stories of his challenges and adventures with animals and their owners.

A typical example is Schoen's description of how he nursed a wild hawk who was paralyzed from the neck down following injuries from a power line. Schoen found ways to tame and heal this wary creature so that it could recover, eventually returning to his wilderness home. As with many of his animal patients, Schoen found himself learning and growing in the process of his ministrations.

" ...no creature can remain forever closed to the healing power of love. I knew that if I could establish an intimate relationship with a bird of prey, I could communicate with any animal, no matter how distant or fearsome it might appear to be. All I would need was a sensitivity of spirit, a willingness to open myself nonjudgmentally to a dimension of reality where feathers, fur, skin, scales, or hair are stripped away - and where the only language is love.

"Hawkeye had his freedom, and now I had mine. He had given me my wings, and I was ready to soar." (p. 71)

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning about ways of healing that extend beyond conventional veterinary care.

I am twelve years old, and have great dreams of being a vet some day. I always like to read vet books, and when I found this one at the library I was amazed, it look awsome. I read it, and thought it was even better. I am now looking to purchase a copy, one for me, and one for Nina,(a friend of mine) and one for Kendra(another friend). I think that this is an awsome book, and if you haven't read it you should.
Allan tells wonderful tales of his life as a vet, and the absured treatments that he used. Nothing was too absured, he even untwisted the cow when he couldn't untwist the uterous! He also uses acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
I don't have a pet:(, but if I did I would want a vet like Allan to take care of it for me.

Dr. Schoen has once again succesfully captured the attention of his readers with a warm yet informative account on the veterinary experience. His years of medical expertise and devotion to his field add to the composition of his book. Flavored with plenty of heart-felt emotions, his tales of his animal companions really remind Us, as humans, what it is to care for another living creature. Dr. Schoen effectively conveys his numerous veterinary experiences, and even manages to shed some Western thought on the ancient, Eastern art of acupuncture.

DR. SCHOEN IS AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL. IT WAS AMAZING TO READ MY OWN BELIEFS IN PRINT. THE FEELINGS I HAVE ABOUT ANIMALS AND THEIR ABILITIES ARE THE EXACT PRINCIPLES BY WHICH DR. SCHOEN PRACTICES. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY ANIMAL LOVER. I RECEIVED IT FOR CHRISTMAS AND FINISHED IT CHRISTMAS NIGHT. IT IS TRULY A TREASURE

A mixture of tender stories and practical advice. I've read the book many times and with each reading, I'm always moved to try a little harder to communicate with my pets. Great book. Wish I had a vet like this.

This book is a great way to introduce a child to the idea that 'pretend'can be part of a story, at least as much as real events can. Every second opening allows the reader to become part of the fantasy land inhabited by the children in the story. The illustrations are beautifully done and the rhythm of the rhyming text engages younger children as well as older. Both of my children (ages three and six) find aspects of this book entertaining and interesting. Very highly recommended for pre-schoolers to infants school age children!

This book is a favourite of both me and my two year old son. The beautiful, detailed pictures capture the essence of summer and the magic of being a child, when any activity can be transformed by imagination into something more. Many aspects of beach life are shown, from playing in the surf, to wading in rockpools, to a moonlight bonfire. The verse flows well and complements the pictures, although I would agree with the previous reviewer that the illustrations are the highlight. I love all of Alison Lester's books, but I would rate this one as the best.

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A rhyming story line in a child's picture book seldom works well. They often seem so contrived and sometimes downright corny.

Not so in Alison Lester's << Magic Beach >>. This book deserves the status of a classic in contemporary children's literature. In fact, the book is regularly listed in the Best Seller lists in Australia, where the author resides. ...

All children love the freedom and fun of a trip to the beach. Alison transports us to one of the childhood's favourite playground, that place where the land meets the sea. The real joys of beachside fun are joined with pleasurable and harmless seaside fantasies.

On alternate pages, we are taken from beautiful realities to even more captivating fantasies. We go from a scene with a sparkling sea to an exciting world where we can ride waves pretending they are "wild white horses". We go from sandcastle building to a land of fire breathing dragons. We explore rock-pools and their magic world of starfish and crabs, and then go to an evenmore magic Kingdom where we can ride seahorses.

The beach is still magic when it's a cloudy and gray day, our imaginations will help us discovered a treasure chest. We can go boating in the safety of bay, and then let the wind and our fantasies take us to the "edge of the world".

We fish and laze on the jetty, and in our daydreams, we catch a monstrous shark.

It is now evening-time, we are toasting marshmallows around the glowing fire, and in the shadows, there may be smugglers hauling in crate-loads of booty.

It's time for bed, and to the sounds of the ocean, we drift off to sleep on the evening tide.

This is a fabulous book which has universal and popular appeal. Let's see if we can get it back on the publisher's lists in the US. It deserves the widest audience possible.

Not O/P in Australia - available in many book shops.

This is a lovely book. It depicts various activities throughout the day at the beach, from building sand castles falling asleep at night within sound of the ocean.

Each double page describes a time and activity (the verse is a little bit inferior to the pics). The subsequent double page has an imagined fantasy activity.

I give this 5 stars for the illustrations, 4 for the text.

There is good reason to rejoice in the States, for it has not been possible to purchase new copies of this incredibly imaginative and lyrical picture book for years. One of my Top 20 during my years of running the childcare center, MAGIC BEACH exudes salt, sand, seaweed, and shells, as it bounces back and forth between the real and imagined adventures of a buoyant cast of young characters. Australia's Alison Lester has done some great illustrating over the past 25 years. This is the best of the best.