G Books

What a treat! So refreshing to have someone as talented and connected as Niven share his uncensored experiences. The stories of Errol were moving beyond anything I'd ever read about him before. Everyone has sung this book's merits, I want to concentrate on "Our Little Girl". WHO THE HECK WAS THAT???? People are saying Vivien Leigh (came from Arizona, left her mother behind, had a baby, married a camera man, married three times, grew up in the Hollywood system, a blonde known as the Erector set?????) Vivien Leigh doesn't even begin to fit this description. Lana Turner seems most viable but these details do not fit her story either. Same with Rita Hayworth. WHO WAS IT???

I read both books at school in the eighties. I well remember coming across them at the back of the room in my English teacher's large bookcase. I don't remember much, just that they were a great read. Well his first time sticks in my memory....

There is something about the way in which David Niven writes about other people where you just know they would approve. David Niven always seemed to play the good guy, the hero, the sort of person to whom we would all wish to aspire. Writing about those people with whom he worked and came into contact was, however, a serious departure from acting - and could easily have gone so horribly wrong.

In this book, however, he confirms his credentials as a writer and pours his own brand of humour onto each and every encounter he describes. Not once does he stoop to the level of gossip monger, not once does attack another person.

Instead, we have a first hand account of that golden age of Hollywood written by a master wordsmith who has also mastered the art of writing humour.

Was it me, or did I detect a certain disappointment from within his own relationship?, or was it that David Niven was far too much the perfect gentleman to describe such things.

If you are a fan of the olden days - the golden days of Hollywood, you will enjoy this book. If you simply want a damned good read, you will enjoy this book. In fact, I cannot think of anyone who would not enjoy such an excellent product.

NM

The stories and writing are incredible and gives you a real sense of what true Hollywood glamor was like back in those wonderful early years. However, I do believe the "our little girl" story was actually about Lana Turner, not Vivien Leigh. He talked about Vivien and Larry Olivier in another book or section of this book, but I doubt it was Vivien that had a breakdown. Nevertheless, the man was a great actor. What a terrible amount of suffering he endured in life and what a tragic death from Lou Gehrig's disease. Would you believe he and his second wife aren't even buried together! Too bad he's not buried next to his first wife Primula in the church where they were married. Primmie was his true love. He was blessed to have his two boys as comfort after her tragic death at a party at Ty Power's house. Get both the books and read them, you'll enjoy every word and all the inside scoop on lots of famous Hollywood folks we all still love.

One of the better books to come out about the "Golden Age of Hollywood". Niven gives a good and funny look at his career and the life back in those days. (The Sad part was that a lot of pain & sadness also followed him with the death of his 1st wife in a tragic accident & then marrying the wrong 2nd wife.He also sadly worked himself to death because of his fear of poverty.)
None the less a 1st rate book about a real life of the party Man & great Actor. I think that Sandhurst must be proud of him!

The kids in my son's fifth grade class were all raving about this book, which was a miracle in itself, so I decided to read it for myself. I have to admit, I've been a big fan of Gina Gershon for a long time and it's hard to imagine her writing a kid's book. What a pleasant surprise! The book is well written, the story is clever, and the dialog is hysterical. The main character, Einstein P. Fleet, is a computer geek turned reluctant hero who faces the challenges of a monster theme camp run by aliens with a great sense of purpose and humor. My son has turned me on to a lot of new experiences --- reading Camp Creepy Time was one of them. Looking forward to the sequel.

Einstein P. Fleet has already logged hundreds of hours trying to blow the whistle on baddies. Through his popular blog, The Smoking Peashooter, Einstein manages to spread the word on all sorts of conspiracy theories, and he's even had a lawsuit pending against him since the fourth grade, all thanks to "The Wilson Incident."

Naturally, he questions his parents' motives for sending him to a remote summer camp for eight agonizing weeks, with no Internet access and a limited supply of Twinkies. From the moment he steps on the bus and sees every other camper in a monster costume, Einstein worries that perhaps this particular camp may be much more difficult to deal with than any normal one would be.

Unfortunately for him and his unsuspecting parents, his fears are well-founded...

Chock full of werewolves, vampires, mummies, giant spiders, and greedy mobster aliens, this book provides the same brand of entertainment as a classically cheesy monster film. Highly recommended for reluctant readers.

Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

I got this book as a present and really had fun reading it. So much so, I ran out and bought 3 books, one for each of my nieces and nephews, ages 8-13. They loved it! We all had fun talking about the adventures of Einstein and his cohort. My 11-year-old niece really loved Roxie and has decided she wants to be an alien spy. I would recommend this book for anyone. We are all looking forward to the movie version to come out.

Every once in a while you come across a book that makes you laugh out loud. Camp Creepy Time is one of them. The main character, Einstein P. Fleet, is a lovable thirteen year old computer geek. You know, the kind of kid that rarely sees the light of day. His parents send him packing off to a monster theme camp smack dab in the middle of the Mojave Desert for the summer ---- which turns out to be merely a stop over on the way to being abducted and sold to an intergalactic monster zoo in another galaxy. The story mixes all types of elements from the science fiction genre and somehow manages to glue them into a cohesive, original plot. It's also funny and very well written, especially for a pair of first time authors. The book ends leaving the door open for a sequel, which I can't wait to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor. You will be pleasantly surprised.

You simply can't go wrong with this wacky zany summer send-up. Einstein P. Fleet, a loner-nerd trapped at a hellish summer camp in the Mojave Desert, leads us through a wild storyline of escape, with monster costumes, vampires, werewolves and aliens all in the mix.

This fast-paced, well-written farce is a quick, irreverent, hilarious read for kids and adult-kids. Highly recommended. It's no surprise that Dreamworks has this story in script development....Can't wait for the movie!

Hart has crafted a great story here. The plot is tight, and of course the characters are believable. In this book Annie struggles to free her beloved Max as he's being framed for the murder of a beautiful young woman. She is dealing with a truly crafty and cold-blooded murderer, but she does not hesitate to put herself in harm's way if it will get her to the truth. Ms. Hart builds up the suspense throughout the book right up until the end when he is finally caught. It is easy to see why Caroline Hart has won so many awards. She is truly gifted. I really do enjoy this series.

This is Carolyn Hart's 17th mystery in the Death on Demand series alone. She can't turn them out fast enough for me. I loved it, all the way through.

I had only two problems with the book: (1)I really relate to Max Darling -- what loving husband wouldn't? -- and he is incapacitated and powerless virtually the entire book. (2)For more than a hundred pages I believed I knew the identity of the murderer; I was wrong.

What a fine read. And when is No. 18 coming out?

I feel this may be the death knell of my love for the Death on Demand series. The previous book was disappointing as well. The "Max-in-peril" plot has been used twice before. And in those cases, Annie did not react like she did in this one. She was too serious, intense, morose. Not that I can't sympathize, but I guess my point is, the whole book was too serious, dark, etc. I like the lighter, funnier books Carolyn Hart used to do. I want Laurel being zany; Emma being intimidating; Henny channeling fictional detectives. And where's Miss Dora? I love her! Hasn't been in a book in ages. Plus, there weren't enough suspects in this one. It was pretty easy to narrow down 'who-dun-it'. I still give 3 stars cause Carolyn Hart is great, but I hope she returns to form in the next books.

Dead Days of Summer
Carolyn Hart

If you like murder mysteries or the author Sue Grafton, you will love Carolyn Hart's Dead Days of Summer. The book is one is a long series called Death on Demand. I have no idea where this book fits into the whole picture, but I never once felt that I was left out of the loop because I had not read any of the others. The book does not have a strong Christian base, but it does speak of the Lord, church, belief, and faith. There is even a character who quotes scripture. As a Christian you would not feel weird, or wrong reading this book.

The story opens up on the slow side, and introduces you to a lot of characters right off the bat. This is definitely one that you have to pay attention to from page one or you could get lost in the mix of all the mayhem.

Annie Darling is the main character. The story revolves around her and her husband Max. Annie is the owner of a mystery book store called Death on Demand. Max is a private detective, but cannot call himself one because of the laws of the island that they live on. Broward Rock is the name of the island that they live on. It is one of the islands off of South Carolina.

Annie and Max had lunch together and are walking back to their offices, Annie insists that Max go to the office today and maybe someone will come in. Annie goes to her bookstore and immediately picks up where she left off on planning Max's surprise birthday party. Her mother-in-law Laurel is helping with the planning. It is almost close of business time when Max calls and says that he has a client and will be home later and call if it is going to be real late.

The client that hires Max is a beautiful woman who says that she is looking for her brother who disappeared the previous year. She shows Max pictures of him, and a note that states that he is seen most nights at a place called Dooley's Mine, which is a sleazy bar, that not many people would be caught dead at. They plan to meet there later that evening to scope the place out and see if he is there.

Max never calls and Annie freaks out. She goes to Max's place of business and finds and intruder. She then calls the police. Nothing is making sense, and just as a precaution a missing persons is released, just on a hunch because there is not enough evidence to go on. Annie calls all of their friends and they all start looking for Max. The friends that she calls are a mystery writer, and ex-military woman, an ex-editor, an ex-reporter, an actress, a newspaper man, and others.

The next morning they find a woman who has been murdered, and Max's car just outside the cabin that she has been murdered in. They don't find Max though. Annie knows from gut instinct that this is the person who hired Max. When they don't find Max, the search is on even harder. One of the friends Emma, who is the author, hires a great attorney for them, since it now looks like Max is wanted for murder.

Later on the same day that they find the dead woman, they find Max. He wakes up, confused, sick, and covered in blood. When the police find him they take him into custody for the murder of Vanessa Taylor, who is the woman that they found dead in the cabin. Max has never heard of Vanessa Taylor, and cannot remember anything that has happened. The police chief ends up having to put Max under arrest for the murder of the woman. While he is in the cell, Annie enters the jail and they talk. She vows to find who set him up, and get to the bottom of all of this mess.

Annie, her mother-in-law and her friends do just that. The majority of the book is them sleuthing around and getting information. They follow leads and end up unraveling the whole set up. Max is freed and life goes on as usual.

The book on the whole is good. It takes a long time for the story to develop and get into the action. If you are into meat and grit from page one this one will leave you wanting. If you have patience and don't mind a long build up and climax, then this is the book for you. Ms. Hart has wonderful characters and many of them. She also finds a way to keep them all tied to the story, even if it is just a sentence in the middle of the book. That is a definite gift, and I am glad that she does not leave the reader wondering what happened to so and so even if they were a minor character. Not a bad read at all, life as usual...until the next Death on Demand book.

Max Darling, a murderer? Annie Darling knows there isn't a chance Max is a murderer, but all of the evidence is stacked against him. After all, his car is found with the murder weapon inside and Max himself was covered in blood with no memory as to what had happened. Annie is willing to do whatever it takes to clear Max's name, even if it means putting herself in harm's way. Will Annie and her friends clear Max's name or will Max forever be branded as an adulterous murderer?

DEAD DAYS OF SUMMER is Carolyn Hart's 17th book in the series, but it is my first foray into her world. Needless to say, it will not be the last Carolyn Hart book I read! Ms. Hart draws even a new reader to the series into her vastly entertaining world, populated by the most colorful characters. Annie and Max have a variety of quirky friends and Ms. Hart makes the most of each individual's unique skills in this clever mystery. In fact, the characters are the true heart of this tale as the mystery itself is fairly easy to figure out. It is the characters who keep the reader turning the pages. After all, who knows what crazy plan this group will come up with next in their quest to clear Max's name?

Carolyn Hart does a beautiful job at establishing the community on Broward's Rock, South Carolina. Not only are the inhabitants vividly portrayed, but one gets a real sense of the layout of the island. Generally, the further a series progresses, the harder it is for new readers to jump in the midst of the storyline as the characters and settings are fairly well established. Instead, Carolyn Hart easily welcomes new readers into her Death on Demand series with DEAD DAYS OF SUMMER. Count me in as a new fan!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

I have the honor of being one of Dr Feig's students studying Eastern European History. I have read many things she has written, this book, like everything else , is amazing. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I have had the honor, and pleasure, of being Dr. Konnilyn Feig's student at Foothill College, CA. I have read this book, and I think I can say that it reflects the personality of the author. Dr. Feig is a Teacher, first and foremost. She is one of the few, rare, great Academics, a scholar of enormous skill and learning. This is shown in every page of her book, her intelligence, her strong, vibrant personality, and her critical, clear eye of a Historian. This book is possibly one of the best histories of Hitler's death camps that could ever be written, because it is written by an intelligent person who strives to keep this horrifying part of our shared past from being forgotten. She writes with strength, with passion, and with the vitality of a woman who has devoted her life to teaching, to one of the most noble professions of this world. Not only is this book an unsurpassed history of a terrifying time, but it is a monument to the vital, burning mind of a woman who can best be designated by a single word, a word that speaks of intelligence, nobility, and necessity-a Teacher. For the author alone, the book is more than worth reading, for Academics such as this are not often found.

I read this book when I was 16, after FINALLY watching a copy of "Schindler's List". From the moment I began the movie, I was entranced by the Holocaust and immediately wanted to read as much as I could about this dark time in Our History. As I expected, there isn't that much available to a 16 year old (I am 19 now), but this book was enough and then some! It is amazing how the author goes through EACH individual camp (major camp) and illuminates the reader as to what occured and what fate awaited not only the comandants, but the female SS officers. From this book, it is so easy to FEEL what the victims of the Holocaust felt and SEE the horror they witnessed. This is one of my most favorite books!

I'll be brief. A deeply disturbing account of Nazi concentration camps and the activities that took place at such locales. It is truly hard to imagine the abhorrent behavior and actions that were used against Jews, mainly Jews, and other non-sanctioned races designated by the National Socialist Worker's Party in the years before and throughout WWII. Feig guides the reader along a nightmarish tour of grisly death and, what many inhabitants of these camps must of felt, psychological hopelessness.

This book does an admirable job of detailing the horrors inflicted on those victims of the Nazi camps. From Chelmno to Bergen-Belsen, all the major camps are described in unflinching language. The only drawback to the book is some of the critcisms the author levels at the Allies during World War II and before the war. Some examples of this unfair treatment: 1) She berates them for not attacking railroads leading to the camps or bombing the crematoriums. However, she herself admitted that the Germans would have quickly repaired the tracks and the crematoriums. Thus it would have taken multiple raids made against these targets, effectively denying the bombers from use against the Nazi war machine. If there were multiple raids made, it could very well have led to defeat of Allied forces on key fronts. It is doubtful that even if these multiple raids had been made that the Germans would have given up on killing their victims. The author herself stated that the Nazis, beyond any reason, was fervently trying to kill as many concentration camp inmates as possible before Allied troops arrived. Thus it would be unlikely that the Nazi effort to kill Jews would have been dissuaded. 2) She berates the US and Britain for not allowing widespread immigration during the Depression. She ignores the fact that both US and Britain were in the grips of (surprise!) the biggest Depression the world had seen and thus didn't need more people competing with American and British workers for scarce jobs. 3) She attacks Britain for not allowing widespread Jewish immigration into Palestine just before World War II and during it. She obviously doesn't understand that if that thing she wished for was allowed, the Arabs might have revolted against the British (as she even mentioned in the book) and may have sided with Germany. If that had happened, the Suez Canal would have been cut and Britain would have lost a vital source of supplies. Being deprived of that, Great Britain might have actually fallen to Nazi juggernaut and Hitler essentially won the war in Europe. If THAT had happened, I guarantee many more inmates would have died.

It's been several days since I've finished this amazing book, and only now, as I begin it again, can I begin to sing its praises. This is one of those rare books that one becomes lost among-- yes, we're talking missed bus stops, phone calls going unanswered, lunch hours long over-extended, and sitting in the car reading when one should be in the office doing something. J.G. Hayes is a writer whose work seems to go directly into one-- so often, even with other superlative artists, one is still aware that one is reading. But with Hayes' work, one is there, one loses the sense that one is reading-- there is no middle man. I can count on one hand the authors who have down that to me.
By no means does one have to be a GLBT person to appreciate and love this book-- I'm not-- just as one does not have to be Native American to weep at Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, or Asian-American to get Amy Tan. Hayes' work transcends genre, if indeed he can be called a genre writer (which I'm sure he would resent.) And his verbal pyrotechnics are astonishing: "It was deep in the green tangle of June when it happened..." or "lost as we were, traversing the Timbuktu of 11-year old boy dreams..."
And, with the creation of Petey Harding, Hayes has given us a Green Man Everyman for the next century-- innocent, cynical, world-weary, joyous, subliminal, despairing and child-like and ancient, all at the same time.
Anyway...gush gush gush. Just buy this book. Then prepare to be late for things until you finish.

Hayes, J.G. "A Map of the Harbor Islands", Harrington Park Press, 2006.

Mapping the Heart

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

For the sheer pleasure of reading and the beauty of the English language, "A Map of the Harbor Islands" is the book to read. Here is such a beautiful story that literally had me weeping as I read. J.G. Hayes has written a book that just happens to be gay as he deals with the friendship between two friends--one gay and one straight.
Danny and Petey are the best of friends even though they come from very different parts of Boston and very different ways of life. Petey is the ideal boy, everyone adores him--he is prize student and star athlete. His world is changed forever during a basketball game but what caused the change I will leave to you to read the book and find out for yourselves. Anyone who has ever had a best friend will love his book. The childhood friendship of the Danny and Petey continues as they reach adulthood even though one is gay and one is straight. Through ups and downs, periods of non-communication and some rough periods, their love for each other matures and mutates but they remain true to each other. Written beautifully, the book has humor in the middle of trouble and the heart is rendered as the friends and nature are described.
It is only fair to say that this is not just a work of gay fiction--it is a wonderful addition to literature at large. Here is a book that must be read and appreciated for the beautiful tome that it is. But I digress--I cannot help but relay my praise.
Looking back at Danny and Petey--they have been friends since kindergarten and the book concentrates on their lives from the seventh grade forward. In Boston there are unwritten codes of behavioral conduct and high on that unspoken list is that there are no gay boys in south Boston. This does not affect the friendship of the two but it did require a great deal of decoding on Danny's part, especially in understanding Petey as the boys stand on the threshold of adulthood.
The core of the narrative is a study of what friendship is and the power it holds. As you read the book, you realize that, for you, Danny and Petey are not just characters on a page of a book but are real and vibrant.
When Petey comes out to Danny, Danny arranges a date for him with a woman and the results were not only disastrous but traumatic for both boys. Danny realizes later that perhaps he is also gay and in order to check himself he enlists in the Armed Services so that he can gain some perspective on his own life. This only adds more confusion and complication to the nature of the relationship.
The plot is a roller coaster ride through the entire gamut of human emotion. When in the last chapter, Danny reflects on his friendship with Petey, we see that despite their differences in sexuality, their friendship is strong and true.
This is not an easy read because of several parts written in the "stream of consciousness" but this is one of the best reads you will ever have. The language and style are intense and pack with emotion. The enchanting friendship of the two boys and the fact that they can openly speak about their own character flaws makes this book monumental. There is no let down anywhere in the book--it begins to cast its spell with the first sentence where it grabs you and holds you until the last sentence.
I felt fulfilled and so much of a better person having read this beautiful book and I am sure you will feel the same.

Quite simply I have to say this is the best published book, gay or otherwise, that I have read in quite some time. I did not want to put it down. I was quite moved by the story throughout the book and was so appreciative of the depth and spirituality of the ending I cried which I do not do easily!
Joe writes like people in South Boston talk and this takes a little getting used to at first but once the cadence is achieved it is smooth sailing (no pun intended) from then on. It is a story of love, hurt, redemption, acceptance, self awareness, friendship and life interwoven with a person's grappling with self and societal homophobia. Joe is a master of creativity dand storytelling. You will NOT be disappointed!

Hayes, J.G. "A Map of the Harbor Islands", Harrington Park Press, 2006.

Mapping the Heart

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

For the sheer pleasure of reading and the beauty of the English language, "A Map of the Harbor Islands" is the book to read. Here is such a beautiful story that literally had me weeping as I read. J.G. Hayes has written a book that just happens to be gay as he deals with the friendship between two friends--one gay and one straight.
Danny and Petey are the best of friends even though they come from very different parts of Boston and very different ways of life. Petey is the ideal boy, everyone adores him--he is prize student and star athlete. His world is changed forever during a basketball game but what caused the change I will leave to you to read the book and find out for yourselves. Anyone who has ever had a best friend will love his book. The childhood friendship of the Danny and Petey continues as they reach adulthood even though one is gay and one is straight. Through ups and downs, periods of non-communication and some rough periods, their love for each other matures and mutates but they remain true to each other. Written beautifully, the book has humor in the middle of trouble and the heart is rendered as the friends and nature are described.
It is only fair to say that this is not just a work of gay fiction--it is a wonderful addition to literature at large. Here is a book that must be read and appreciated for the beautiful tome that it is. But I digress--I cannot help but relay my praise.
Looking back at Danny and Petey--they have been friends since kindergarten and the book concentrates on their lives from the seventh grade forward. In Boston there are unwritten codes of behavioral conduct and high on that unspoken list is that there are no gay boys in south Boston. This does not affect the friendship of the two but it did require a great deal of decoding on Danny's part, especially in understanding Petey as the boys stand on the threshold of adulthood.
The core of the narrative is a study of what friendship is and the power it holds. As you read the book, you realize that, for you, Danny and Petey are not just characters on a page of a book but are real and vibrant.
When Petey comes out to Danny, Danny arranges a date for him with a woman and the results were not only disastrous but traumatic for both boys. Danny realizes later that perhaps he is also gay and in order to check himself he enlists in the Armed Services so that he can gain some perspective on his own life. This only adds more confusion and complication to the nature of the relationship.
The plot is a roller coaster ride through the entire gamut of human emotion. When in the last chapter, Danny reflects on his friendship with Petey, we see that despite their differences in sexuality, their friendship is strong and true.
This is not an easy read because of several parts written in the "stream of consciousness" but this is one of the best reads you will ever have. The language and style are intense and pack with emotion. The enchanting friendship of the two boys and the fact that they can openly speak about their own character flaws makes this book monumental. There is no let down anywhere in the book--it begins to cast its spell with the first sentence where it grabs you and holds you until the last sentence.
I felt fulfilled and so much of a better person having read this beautiful book and I am sure you will feel the same.

Many reviewers have rehashed the plot so I won't go over any plot points in here. In my opinion JG Hayes has produced a classic of gay themed fiction here. I almost wish it did not have to be lumped in with gay fiction because I think so many people of any persuasion would be incredibly touched by the love and the friendship shown in these pages. The success of the book is the putting into words the feelings of unconditional love. With only one minor exception - near the end of the book - he never once uses the melodramatic tv movie of the week prose/storytelling that so many other writers have resorted too to tell stories of friendship.

Love it or hate it the dialougue is fresh and exciting. In the character of Petey he gives us a free thinker whose capacity for learning and loving seem endless. Teaching by example, Petey becomes the shining light that changes forever the lives of those around him.

While the book is very wordy, with many segues to the characters random thoughts - you must read every word! There are so many pearls buried in there. I found myself gasping out loud at some of turns of phrase he uses in telling this compelling story. Prepare be surprised - prepare to enjoy and prepare to meet a gifted writer who will turn your world on its head. Few books have left me this moved.

This is truly a heartwarming story of bringing hearts and destinies together through perseverance and dedication. The story of Marlee's adoption should be an encouragement for others seeking similar adoptions.

Informative, entertaining and inspirational. I highly recommend Shannon's book to anyone who is considering adoption or anyone who would enjoy a heart-warming story of a Mother's journey through the process of adoption. If you are interested in international adoption, especially the adoption of a child from China, you should read this book.

As a mother of a toddler, I have very little "extra" reading time. This book sat on my nightstand until I found an evening to dive into it. I was amazed at how quick a read it was for the thickness of the book. In just two evenings of reading I shared this author's heartache of infertility and her inspiring determination to have another child. I was awed at how she overcomes a multitude of obstacles in an effort to adopt. With a sense of being a traveling companion along on the journey to China, readers share Shannon and Marlee's intimate first days as mother and daughter. Anyone with a heart for children will laugh and cry at the interaction between Marlee and her best friend Chloe as they cling to the familiar in the face of the unknown. The emotional highs and lows kept me turning pages. I feel as though I have traveled across the world and back on this adoption adventure with the Turners. Like a personal journal that comes to a last entry on the last page, this book leaves the reader wanting to know "what happens tomorrow?..."

I recently finished reading Miracles for Marlee by Shannon G. Turner. What a well written book. If you want to know what it's like to adopt a baby from China, you have to read it. I was fascinated by her creative style of writing, and couldn't put her book down until I was done. If you have adopted before, you will find so many experiences that match your own, you find yourself reliving your adoption. If you have never adopted, you're going to want to! Her quest to get her little girl is inspiring and down to earth. You feel her pain, her frustration, and finally her joy in getting her Marlee. Shannon writes with such a sweet sense of humor, so even though I had tears sliding down my cheeks through most of the book, I loved chuckling with her at the circumstances that surrounded her adoption experience.

Our little girls are going to want to read this book when they grow up, so you have to have this one in your library.

julie w

A beautiful, heart-rendering story of a family's love and desire to bring a daughter into their life. The family's dedication to overcome medical and financial obstcales to achieve their dream of adopting a Chinese orphan is a remarkable journey.

Shannon Turner is united with an angel, Three year old Marlee. Marlee is a delightful girl whose precious love and devotion for Chloe, a fellow orphan being adopted by another family, will indelibly impress the reader with the emotions these girls feel.

Experience the love of this family.

As an American child of about 10, I acquired a battered copy of this book along with a bunch of children's books from a family friend whose children had outgrown them. As other reviewers suggest, I was mystified by much of the book (the poet Pope?) but I still found it a great adventure story and loved the illustrations. It didn't hurt that I resembled Maria myself (a bookish tomboy with glasses--thank God for LASIK). I have re-read the book with pleasure on a number of occasions and now understand the references, but I wouldn't hesitate to give this book to an intelligent American child today. Perhaps it would prompt him or her to learn more about British history and literature. I'm glad to see it has been reprinted.

As kids, both my brother and I considered this one of our favorite books - and we did a LOT of reading. I can't tell you how many times I read it. Our copy was lost at some point, so I am thrilled that it is back in print so I can now read it to my own children. My kids are 3 and 6, so still a bit young for this book, but I'll probably buy a copy now for my own pleasure, and another for my brother.
I have always loved books that lead you to another book, and I just had to read "Gulliver's Travels" after reading this one. As a kid, much of it went over my head, but I still enjoyed it. Now that I think about it, I should re-read that one too...

Although one of White's lesser-known works, to my mind it's easily one of his best (Anne Fine regards it as her favourite children's book). The concept of Lilliputians living in an English landscape garden is superb, and White develops his theme in wonderfully enticing ways - and always with his typical 'feel' for character and setting. There's so much to enjoy in this tale - still a classic after 60 years.

I read Mistress Masham's Repose when I was 11 years old, and re-read it now as a Grandparent. It is magical, yet plausible that a little girl could enter such a fantasy world. Both my Granddaughter and my Greatniece will receive a copy for their birthdays with a note telling them why this book has not lost its charm through the years.

After finishing university T. H. White worked as a teacher in the Stowe School which occupies a gigantic former Baroque stately home: here he conceived of the idea of Malplaquet, modeled after the greatest of all British country homes, Blenheim Palace, where the Dukes of Marlborough have lived and where Winston Churchill was born and raised. Malplaquet, an imaginary dilapidated repository of all its nation's history (we find out the Princes in the Tower were executed in its medieval dungeon, which also contains the ax which beheaded Charles I), would make a wonderful setting for any book, but rather than use it for a Gothic (the obvious choice), here White had the inspiration to make it the setting for a children's fantasy. White's mansion is not only the home of the little girl Maria who has inherited the estate (and not much else) and her warders--some cruel, some kind--but also a group of Lilliputians brought over from their island home during the time of Swift, whom Maria encounters one day. Maria's encounter with the Lilliputians becomes for her a means for learning about the nature of tyranny--both that exercised over herself by her guardian the Vicar Mr. Hater and her governess Miss Brown, but also that she herself can hardly keep herself from exercising over the Lilliputian community hidden on her estate.

This is a children's book that, to be honest, will best be appreciated by adults. White imagined his readers not only familiar with GULLIVER'S TRAVELS but also with some of the history of seventeenth and eighteenth-century England: American children particularly today would be confused as to who Mistresses Masham and Morley were, or what Malplaquet is named after, or even who Gulliver was. And their patience might well be tried by White's love of Wodehousean "types": the bluff Lord Lieutenant with an obsession with horses and hounds, and Maria's mentor the absent-minded and esoteric antiquarian the Professor . But adults (and even older children) should love this book, and its well-structured narrative is a real pleasure.

This, to me, was a good example that you don't have to be cut throat to run a successful business. You don't have to be a Harvard graduate. You just need to be energized to help other people the best way you know how, and not be afraid of change, but be excited about innovation.

I could not put this book down. What a great book! One reviewer said to buy a second book to give away. I did, but I should have bought several extras! Now I'm buying more. This book has helped me to recognize God's purpose for my life and the incredible gifts He has given to each of us. A great gift for anyone, especially for someone who has ever been in the construction industry.

A must-read for every Christian, and a great tool for ministry.


Blessings to Amazon!

The first time I read Movers of Men and Mountains was when I started my undergrad work at LeTourneau University. I have since purchased probably ten copies because mine keep getting "borrowed". Go ahead and order two while you're ordering so you'll always have one to keep while sharing!

Everyone should read this book. Mr. LeTourneau is such an incredible inspiration to us all. The story is fantastic, the book is witty and interesting, and the message is life-changing.

This was one fantastic book that I could hardly put down. It is a great story of a man with dreams that were larger then life. He always said there are no big jobs, only small machines. Mr. LeTourneau had the capacity to envision larger and larger machines to make man more productive.

This book is 290 pages short with 26 untitled chapters which cover most of Mr. LeTourneau's life. From his childhood and quiting school in the 7th grade to his struggles and almost bankruptcy, he does a great job at unfolding his life the way it happened. He tells of how his business grew during the depression and of the great success he had in creating machines to do a job that none had done before. He was laughed at by people who couldn't see the value in some of his gigantic creations which were ahead of their time. But he didn't allow other people's negativity stop him from accomplishing his goal of benefiting man by making him far more productive then he would have been otherwise.

He talks about his relationship with God and how he believed that God was with him to protect him and help him to succeed. LeTourneau lived his beliefs by helping others and starting a school called LeTourneau Collage. He had given 90% of his stock in his business to a foundation he started for the benefit of others. He is not overpowering with this but just lets his beliefs take a natural course through the book.

Overall I think anyone would really enjoy this book. It really was one of the more interesting biographies I have read. His life again proves that it doesn't matter what kind of education you have or where you are financially, the only thing that can stop you from fulfilling your dreams is yourself!

Posiedo gia la prima edizione(eccezionale)In Italiano.Gli autori sono semplicemente dei geni.Una guida irrinunciabile per la mia formazione professionale.

The book is very usefull in the everyday-practice for acupuncturists/physical therapists who work with dryneedling!!
Each part of the body is in a different chapter and therefore it's very easy to find the information you need!

When I received this book as a present for passing my medical masseuse exams, I thought I received a "how to fix it" book.
These books are much more for they cover anatomy, innervation, function, testing, reasons behind the pain, differential diagnosis, corrective actions all in addition to Triggerpoint Treatment.
The 2 volumes are a must have in your library for daily reference and/or study. The illustrations are a welcome aid to oneself or for explanatory purposes to clients.

As a massage Therapist I do not use injections, however Travell & Simon's have created a wonderful resource for trigger points and exercises for all Therapists. And Amazon provied a great affordable price for this Second Edition two volume set.

I am an anesthesiologist and learning pain medicine right now. My teacher suggested that I should own this two volumes of trigger point manual. I have read the volume one. The text and illustrations are easy to read. As a foreign purchaser, I am very surprised that I received the book only a few days after I ordered it. It's convenient and less expensive to shop in Amazon.