Clubs Books

Mr. Bill Hasbrouck's book The Chicago Architecture Club proves examples of late 19th century architecture are fascinating with their stew-pot excesses of decoration and exotic blends of classic styles. They achieve a unique beauty as they reflect the sensibilities of their time and stand as elegant baroque backgrounds to the more spartan work of Wright and Mies.

His account of the Chicago Architecture Club is a delight, describing how it grew, offered draftsmen a place to hone their skills and have fun in a club atmosphere. All too often, these artists are viewed in their stiff portraits and group photos as a bunch of stuffed shirts. Hasbrouck's descriptions of the hail-fellow-well-met activities contrasted with the sketching competitions that required hours of unpaid time in order to compete and were endlessly conjured up by the senior members of the club add a very human touch. The renderings are excellent and each period is very well visualized to provide a context.

The Chicago Architecture Club is a go-to book at the end of a long day, to pick it up again and see how the fellows are doing after the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and find out who won the club competition for the design of a Gatekeeper's Cottage. This book allows the reader to look into a world we've glimpsed, but never seen with such warm clarity.

A history of a club of draftsmen? You would think such a book would be a slog. On the contrary, Hasbrouck evokes the City of the Century (the 19th, that is) and its astonishing group of architects with grace and verve. The carefully selected illustrations, in their hundreds, let us look into American professional life around 1900, with its human comedy and sadness and joy, tossed by Windy-City puffery. What a sweet and illuminating book, an instant classic in the history of the Chicago School!

Mr. Hasbrouck's detailed and well-written account of the Chicago Architectural Club does more than document the history of this seminal organization. It reveals the architectural and cultural milieu in Chicago during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This book is exceptionally researched, documented, and profusely illustrated. Mr. Hasbrouck's excellent writing capability is evident on every page and the layout and presentation of the book benefits from his many years as editor and publisher of the Prairie School Review.

More than just a good read, this book will be an important research tool for anyone interested in the history of Chicago, its architecture, and the Prairie School. Your library will not be current without a copy of this book.

Hill is a wonderful writer, and this series just gets better and better. In this book we have a little bit of everything - greed, murder, police politics, and of course the guy who never lets any of that bother him in his efforts to solve mysteries - Andy Dalziel. Hill unfolds his plot like a wonderfully wrapped package - layer upon layer comes off until we get to the surprising ending! One thing about Reginald Hill - he is never predictable and every book is surprisingly different. Enough to keep me guessing, and continuing to read this wonderful series.

Hill is one of the top mystery writers. The world he has created in the Dalziel and Pascoe series is as real as Nero Wolfe's. The interplay between liberal, educated, and sexy Pascoe and gross, vulgar, and brilliant Dalziel is well observed and outrageously funny. Hill has a sly wit, often leading to laugh-out-loud outbursts that can be embarrassing in public places. Read the whole series, spend time with his characters.

I'm flabbergasted that nobody has chosen to review this book before. This is my first exposure to Mr. Hill's writing and I am impressed. Hill is an English writer of detective mystery fiction. This book is one in a series that revolves around the workings of a pair of policemen based in Northern England, one of whom is a Rabelaisian, dyed in the wool Yorkshireman, the other a University educated middle class everyman. Childs Play is a story that evolves around the entwined fates of two families and, of all things, a repressed homosexual cop. When a mystery man appears graveside to claim the heritance of a prodigal son, things quickly spin wildly out of control when he and another complete stranger are killed within a week of each other in apparently unrelated incidents. Complexity is added when an eager representative of a named party in the origingal deceased's will begins to cobble together an alliance in order to overturn the will, which makes any one of the interested parties a suspect in the murders. Dalziel and Pascoe work together to puzzle the pieces and solve this fine mystery in an ending that is sure to have you curling your toes in anticipation and suspense. I am giving this book five stars because it is truly well-written and the suspense becomes wonderfully excruciating as the author proceeds to weave a half-dozen seemingly disparate threads together into Gordian knot before cutting it. My only objections to Mr. Hill's story telling is his penchant for throwing in obscure high culture references that seem oddly out of place and his willingness to place extreme pressure upon his audience's suspension of disbelief. All in all though, this story will have you panting for more, I am quite sure.

As a child, I remember walking down Main Street to New Dollar Lane, holding tight to my mother's hand. Upon reaching the fabled street, I would eagerly search up and down the lane, until I was sure that I had found the right house. "That's the one, mom!" I would shout. I was sure that was the house occupied by none other than Obadiah, the Quaker boy from Nantucket. Of course, there was no real Obadiah, and he didn't actually live on New Dollar Lane, but my mother always agreed with me that the house that I had chosen was Obadiaha's house without a doubt. This particular story chronicles a slice of life for the young Quaker boy Obadiah, who lives on Nantucket. A sea gull befriends Obadiah, much to his consternation, and will not leave him alone. Much like Mary's little lamb, the sea gull follows Obadiah everywhere: to school, to the store, and all over town. Obadiah learns an important lesson about friendship in this book that can be enjoyed by "children" of all ages. It holds a special poignancy for anyone who has spent time on Nantucket, but teaches truths that are universal in their scope, and are not geographically limited. I spent many a rainy afternoon on Nantucket reading "Thy Friend Obadiah", as well as other books about Obadiah. I absolutely loved those books then, and love them just as much now, as I pass on to my own son the tradition of love for the Obadiah books. I can't wait until next summer, when we can go look for Obadiah's house on New Dollar Lane. I just hope it's still there... -Andrew Spencer

Thy Friend Obadiah is a simple but beautiful story about a six-year-old Quaker boy on Nantucket Island who is followed around by a seagull. At first the bird annoys him, especially when his brothers and sisters tease him about his "friend." But when the bird disappears for a time, Obadiah begins to realize how much he misses its company, and when it returns, injured, he takes car of it, and appreciates the friendship it has given him.

IÕve always thought of this as a deeply religious book, although looking it over now I realize there is only one religious reference in the whole book Ñ when ObadiahÕs mother tells him, "I think it is very nice that one of GodÕs creatures favors thee." But the tone of the book is deeply spiritual. It is about love, friendship, and respect for creation. I especially like the fact that ObadiahÕs parents both seem wise, patient and kind. Old-fashioned, maybe, but itÕs a nice contrast to a lot of more current childrenÕs books IÕve looked at.

Although this is the most popular of the series, there are three more books about Obadiah: The Adventures of Obadiah, Rachel and Obadiah, and Obadiah the Bold. All of them are excellent.

I remember some winter evenings by the fire while my mom and I sipped tea and she read Thy Friend, Obadiah to me. Recently, while I was babysitting, I read this to the kids, and they were quite calm and content by the time I was done. A great way to end the evening. I think this book was the start of my interest in the Quakers. Such a lovely story about true friendship and loyalty between man and nature. Great for all ages.

It seems some barnyard cleanup is in order: one cat gossips; another is a bully. When Christopher Cat's mother informs her son that cats need to learn character, but that cats can't be taught, Christopher takes up the challenge. He is sure that if they launch a Character Club, the other barnyard cats - all inquisitive creatures - will want to join it. And they do.

Christopher's enthusiasm is contagious and wins over his mother. Through her character, young readers will hear such gems as: "Character is ... always doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching." And "How can we learn character if we don't know what it is?"

The cats learn that everyone has character traits, "like little tags hanging from your collar, telling everyone what you are." They find out that character isn't something that happens as a result of wishful thinking; it takes effort. They also learn that character means little unless it's put into practice.

This is a delightful and instructive book, good for countless re-readings, and should be on the shelf of every parent, teacher and caregiver. Desirable character traits are listed for easy reference and will make discussion easier. Best of all, in our age of quick fixes, children will learn that building character isn't an overnight achievement but an ongoing process - and that the benefits are priceless.

[...]

Elizabeth Hamilton's Christopher Cat's Character Club is a charming story on how to develop character as told through the eyes of a mother cat to her kittens.Her beautiful illustrations
make the story come alive to her readers.Young readers and children at heart will enjoy this book.
Madeline Frank, Ph.D. author of The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music and Musical Notes On Math, teaching fractions and decimals through the rhythm of Music.

"I am particularly impressed with the beauty and richness of the language of this work. Rich, colorful imagery and warmly personalized narrative combine with natural dialogue to engage and delight the reader. Hamilton's little animal characters romp across the pages with a vibrancy, verve and level of reflection, easily modeled by young audiences. Beautiful illustrations punctuate the margins, providing visual cues for the young reader and prompts for enriched class discussion. (In this latter regard, it is a welcome relief to see beautiful illustrations, rather than the clumsy, often horrific caricatures that currently populate children's literature, cartoons, and even textbooks.) Thank you for the "visual treat"

I can picture the Character Critter series (especially, Christopher Cat's Character Club) taking its place on bookshelves alongside classics such as the Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy series, Charlotte's Web, and Winnie the Pooh."

This book more than any other I have ever read actually delivered the goods. I was able to put into practice the principles of 5 element astrology without refering to other books, and without banging my head against the wall of confusing presentations of similar material. It is simply the best source for the practical application of this ancient, and until now hidden Chinese tradition. If you want to learn and put into practice traditional Chinese 5 element astrology, then this book is a must. It creates a whole new benchmark for books on the subject. I recommend it without reservation. If you are a serious student or just curious you cannot go wrong here. I look forward to other books from this same author.

This book makes sense out of the often obfuscated subject of Chinese Astrology! Dr. Twicken has the gift of condensing information without losing any, and of bringing in pertinent information from many systems! I have discarded my piles of books on the subject, most of whose calendars were incorrect, or whose pages had missing info, like the "secret recipes" your aunt gives you, that turn out to be missing an ingredient. Dr. Twicken's book has been much needed. I hope to see more from him!

David Twicken's book "Classical Five Element Chinese Astrology Made Easy" is an excellent book on the4 Pillars of Destiny Astrology. Especially for the Western student not familiar with the Chinese language, it makes it so much easier to understand this fascinating art. For beginners, it will easily walk you through the steps for calculating a natal chart. For the person already studying 4 Pillars, it can provide some additional techniques for analysis. Excellent job, David!

I remember meeting him as a boy of the age of 6. My grandmother was Thelma Chouinard up here in Maine. If you'd like, please contact me.

exellent book for beginners to expert. although it does not go into great detail and by no means is meant to be an instructional guide. Yvonne Chouinard is probable the most knowledgable author on the subject. i'd rate it a 10++++ Yvonne is also my cousin.

Chounard's book on ice climbing is an old classic. It retains its charm inspite of its age and much subsequent development in ice climbing tools and techniques. This is so because it is more than a technical manual. Chouinard was a pioneer in the development of ice axes and tools, and presents the unique perspective of an expert climber and master craftsman. Chouinard pays attention to the history and evolution of ice climbing, but also dwells in detail on all the basic technical requirements of ice climbing. He liberally sprinkles anecdotes and stories from his vast mountain experience. This gives his book a sense of first person immediacy that cannot usually be conveyed vicariously by a book. One of the things that makes this book really special is its wonderful layout and beautiful black and white photographs. In every respect, this book is a great work of art - it will remain sacred to climbers for many generations.

I have read Stephanie Bond before, so when I saw this book sitting in a thrift store, I just had to grab it. And all I can say is Wow.

I think this is one of Ms. Bond's best works. It's funny, sexy, and - most importantly - character and emotionally driven. She's tended to veer away from this in her latest works, so I was relieved to find it in this book.

It's a take a break, change your life, do what you gotta do feel good book. Frankie is a stressed exec who is so dedicated to her job she takes her work on vacation with her. Randy is a beach bum whose main goal in life is to avoid responsibility of any kind. These two get together and manage to teach each other something about living life to the fullest and being true to yourself. The real joy of this book though was the ending. Ms. Bond didn't take the easy way out, she took both of her characters and made them grow as people, beyond the relationship. I would definitely recommoned this book to the romance reader who is tired of heavy angst and social issues and just wants to have fun. This is a great light-hearted romantic read, perfect for summer or any vacation.

Having a bad day...purse snatched...missed the cruise ship? But it's not all bad. Frankie is on Key West about to be saved from the rat race. Once again Stephanie Bond creates a story filled with laughter, heart and a lot of wicked touching!!

I am ready to fly down to Key West--NOW!

This book is about that girl chass what has been moving for her hole life and didnt event know her real name until the end of the first book. She had been doing this because if you read the book before this one wich is the first one you would know all about Kyle Van Epic and when he did. This book is mostly about him trying to catch Chass and her mother again.
In this book my favorite part of the book was when Chass was being chased my the police and she was thinking about how she was going to get away. When this we happning it was my favorite part because she was saying how she wasnt that athletic and she didnt realy like to be in gym class and everything but she still jumpted and caught the wire. That was also my favorite part of the book because it was very unexpected and I didnt do that she was going to do that.
I would recemend this book to everyone because it is a awsome book and i love it and i think that they would love it too. I would mostly recomend that book to people who really want to have some adventure, and to people who have read the first book.

Club Dread is the sequal to Fake ID, wich was also a great book. But, this book is about a young girl in high school named, Chastity, who is a musian looking for a gig. When she winesses the murder of Josh Emmit she's the prime subject and the police are after her. Her or her moms names can not get out or else the person that they are running from will catch up with them. She has to figure out who killed Josh before she is caught by the police.

My favorite part of this book is when all of her new friends are in the basement of Marco's house and they find the recordings of Josh Emmit. Iliked this part because it makes the whole rest of the book make sence. This part puts all the clues together.

I will deffinatatly recomend this book. This book was as great as the first. I hope Walter Sorrells countines with this series. This books made me keep on reading and reading. I read each one of these books in three days, and there are alot of pages. I loved this book and I hope you will to.

this is a very good sequal to the first book, fake id. it shows true friendship, and teamwork. it is very suspensful, and the end was surprising to me! i didn't guess the cunclusion at all. if i were you, i would read this. but after you read the first book, fake id.

Humans can learn much from bird behavior, and this book provides a very entertaining glimpse into the social and biological world of our feathered friends. Whether or not you are a bird watcher, you will enjoy Bob Levy's easy yet intellectual and witty writing style, and you may be very surprised to discover how closely their stories of love, survival, triumph and tragedy parallel the human condition. Levy makes excellent and timely references to insights from legendary bird experts Sibley, Yasakawa, and others to explain the 'why' behind his sometimes puzzling observations. When faced with limited resources, environmental challenges, life- or lifestyle-threatening conflict or other Darwinian forces, the birds' adaptation and response leaves this mere human in awe...

A wonderful journey through one summer in Central Park in Manhattan, where we meet and learn to love a cast of birds who are residents of the Park.

This is one of the most enjoyable "birder" books I've read in years. The author writes with a delightful sense of humor; if you don't find yourself chuckling over something at least every couple of pages, better check your pulse! Even if you can barely tell the difference between a cardinal and a bluejay, you will enjoy this book; anyone with more than a casual interest in birds will absolutely love it.

I jest finished reading this book it was great, I myself Have adhd so i know some of the heartships, so if you do or don't have adhd this book is a must. I just couldn't put it down, until my mom borowed it and finished it in the same day

A friend who's son has ADHD lent me this book. I read it in one sitting. "Club Meds" does for ADHD what "Motherless Brooklyn" by Jonathan Lethem did for Tourette's Syndrome: we get a glimpse inside the head of someone suffering from a condition few of us can recognize or understand. Written from the perspective of Jack Sutton, an irreverent, realistic young teen dealing with the effects of going off his medication when the high school bully confiscates his Ritalin, which Jack has been taking since the 3rd grade.

A good book for kids with ADHD who need a peer character to look up to, and to remind them that they are not alone with their condition. A good book for parents who want a better understanding of what their "different" kids might be going through at school AND at home. A good book for anyone who enjoys a good story and interesting, well developed characters. A side note: my 54 year old husband woke up in the middle of the night, went down to the kitchen, found the book on the counter, and started reading while eating some cereal. He read a third of it before going back to bed, then finished it the next day. Now that's impressive!

For John "Jack" Sutton, life is made up of two things--when the meds he takes for ADHD are streaming through his system, and when they're wearing off. For as long as he can remember, he's taken medication at regular intervals throughout the day to help with his ADHD, otherwise known as Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder. Although there are still plenty of times when his mind wanders, or when he can't answer a direct question, or when he's in his own world and doesn't even realize that someone is speaking to him, these times are fewer and farther between when he's taking his Ritalin.

Jack has a pretty close-knit group of friends: Mary, who also has ADHD, and Sam, who takes medication to keep him from having seizures due to epilepsy. Along with a few other students at Busby Memorial High School, they make up Club Meds--the students who arrive at the nurse's office daily for their mid-day dose of medication.

Jack's life isn't only made up of Club Meds, though. There's also his mother, a stay-at-home mom who has the art of worrying down to an exact science. For someone who is a freshman in high school, Jack has very little freedom. He's not allowed to talk on the phone after eight p.m., especially to Mary, who for some reason is persona non grata to his mother. He doesn't go out to parties, or stay out late, or date. And when and if he does get in trouble, which happens a lot when he deals with his father, his punishment is to have his computer taken away. Since Jack's idea of light reading is a Mac manual, this is torture. For his father, a former jock who doesn't even truly believe in either ADHD or the need for medication, dealing with Jack is something he tries to avoid at all costs.

And then there's Chuck Williams, the bully of all bullies, who gets off on tormenting the members of Club Meds. For Jack, things get even worse when Chuck starts demanding he turn over some of his weekly medication for his own purposes. How is Jack supposed to deal with everyday life without his medicine? As things go from bad to worse, it's up to the members of Club Meds to come up with a plan to end Chuck's assault.

CLUB MEDS is a great, entertaining, quick read. I've been fortunate to read some of Ms. Page's previous releases in the adult mystery market, and have to say that the same fast-paced style is in play here. A great read about being different, tolerating cruelty, and having what's mentioned in the book as "a disability that no one can see."