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Related Subjects: Ives, Burl Irons, Jeremy Irwin, Scott Irving, Amy Irwin, Steve Irwin, Tom Ironside, Michael Irving, George Idle, Eric Imrie, Celia Isaacs, Jason Imperioli, Michael Ireland, Kathy
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I Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

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I'll Be in My Trailer: The Creative Wars Between Directors and Actors
Published in Paperback by Michael Wiese Productions (2006-07-15)
Author:
List price: $26.95
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Average review score:

I'll Be in My Trailer
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-02
I've worked in the film business for 30 years and enjoyed reading stories and tips from these film makers. Everything they say is true!! Most Thespians ARE neurotic and if you're going to work with them, you had better be prepared.

A Necessary Step Toward Greater Directing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-20
No matter what the filmmaker's experience may be, John Badham's book is a necessary tool in becoming a greater director. Through stories, quotes, and excellent instruction, this book illustrates top notch methods of working with actors as the creative partners they are. It bridges the gap between crew and talent, and combines the efforts of both for a greater end result that flows easily and successfully conveys the natural emotions and feelings of a directed scene.

As a film student, I have constantly gone back and referenced the book, as well as reading and re-reading particular chapters that are easily outlined and provide excellent advice on everything from holding rehearsals to working with potentially "difficult" actors on the set. Reading this book has changed my methods of directing for the better and given me a greater understanding of how to work with actors for the greatest result of acting. Since I began practicing the techniques found within it, I have seen improvements in my directing, leading to greater performances and all-around better end results. With a fun reading style combined with priceless advice and entertaining stories, I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to become a greater filmmaker.

Having Lunch with a Legend
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-14
John Badham has had an amazing career in film and television. He has had great success in every genre, including directing SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER which is, possibly the greatest 'coming of age' film ever made. It is certainly one of the best films of the amazing decade of the 70's which featured so many great films about the Mean Streets of New York. Any aspiring or seasoned director would do themselves a big favor by buying and STUDYING his wonderful book, I'LL BE IN MY TRAILER. Calling upon nearly 40 years of directing, Mr. Badham fills this book with a myriad of object lessons. Mr. Badham focuses, with great insight and humanity, on the relationship between the director and actor. In addition, he incorporates dozens of interviews and quotes from great directors, actors, cinematographers, etc., to give his reader a rich and broad picture of the movie-making process from casting to post-production. It is a rare book that can encapsulate such a range and depth of experiences about the art of filmmaking into all of 200 pages. Mr. Badham's tone is friendly and conversational. Reading this book is like having lunch with a legend and casually discussing the work of directing actors. A rare opportunity indeed; and one that should not be passed up.

Crafty Directing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-18
Most directing books, I've noticed, are either basic primers (how not to cross the "line") or books of chatty anecdotes by major directors. Sidney Lumet's book is about the only one that gives away trade secrets, and he doesn't give many of those.

Finally John Badham has written the book I was hoping to get to read. I'll Be in My Trailer: Creative Wars Between Actors and Directors is as full of director tradecraft as you might hope, coming from the very crafty director of Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, WarGames and The Jack Bull. Badham hasn't stopped at his own knowledge; he's interviewed fellow directors like Mark Rydell and Richard Donner, and quoted from interviews with other directors.

The tradecraft I'm talking about includes things like shooting closeups first if you're dealing with a scene that might wear out your actor emotionally (generally you shoot the master first, closeups last); the two points of view about rehearsals; what it means when an actor says, "I want to talk to you about my costume; and how not to waste your casting sessions looking important.

This book only focuses on dealing with actors. I'd love to hear what Badham and his colleagues have to say about the more subtle uses of different lenses, when to shoot at a location and when a studio, six day shoots vs. five day shoots, and other technical and production questions. But that really does deserve another book.

If you want to direct, or if you're just a writer or actor who wants to appreciate all that a director has to deal with, buy this book.

Should Be Required Reading for all Directors
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-01
The stories of actors being difficult to work with have long been a staple of Hollywood. And of course some are, and not only in Hollywood but in filming a 30-second commercial, a music video, or even the local church choir.

In this book John Badham, a director of reknown tells these stories from the other side. Here are stories of what he has had to do to get the performance he wanted out of the actor he was using. Most of the stories tell of his own personal expeiences, some are related stories of friends and associates of his. For any director, in business or just aspiring, this should be required reading. For any actor, here is what the educated director should be able to do to convince you that what he needs is what will produce the best work of which you are capable.

Besides being very informative and supplying a lot of tricks of the trade, this book is well written and delightful reading in its own right.

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I'll Miss You Too: An Off-to-College Guide for Parents and Students
Published in Paperback by Sourcebooks Trade (2006-02-18)
Authors: Margo E. Woodacre Bane and Steffany Bane
List price: $12.95
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Average review score:

Turbulent Passages
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-24
The authors of "I'll Miss You Too" offer terrific perspectives and invaluable advice to help both parents and college-bound students navigate this turbulent passage. Too many parents and students are ill-prepared for the emotional turmoil that can begin to overwhelm both parent and student. My husband,son and I were caught off-guard by what we later learned was typical--our son departed for college with high expectations, but soon encountered significant adjustment challenges--trials that impacted his academic record and caused great distress to all. More recently, when our daughter was facing the same transition, we no longer had to make it alone and unprepared. "I'll Miss You Too" was there to guide us and offer support to our entire family. Happily, our daughter successfully completed her freshman year, thanks to this very savvy and to-the-point book!

I'd miss this one, too.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-27
Petty thin on content. Quite a bit less than what I expected. Oh, well...

Essential tool every parent can't afford to be without
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-03
This book was wonderfully insightful. As a single parent with a beautiful intelligent young girl I had many questions that were eloquently answered by the suggestions in this book. There are not many books out there that offer the point of view that this one does. It helped me immensely. It helped bring me and my daughter closer and aided in the confrontation that was inevitable because it eliminated any aggressive behavior due to fear. It brought to my attention the questions that you forget to ask or are unprepared to answer. This book was a great communication guide for me and my daughter to open the doors of what may be expected in this difficult but necessary transition. I am confident of the authenticity of this book and how the advice given really will pertain to your experience with your loved one. Every parent wants to be as prepared as possible in lives huge alteration's for me it was relieving to have material such as these book to make the inevitable progression of a youths education a smooth and healthy one. This book is a brilliant example of how the skills of parenthood have excelled.

Every highschool child and mother should read this book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-03
Best book I've ever read! Most insightful book - every single parent and child should read this prior to college! I am my parents only daughter, so going away to college was tough on my mom and my dad. I only wish there was a book like this out when I had graduated years back. My own mom cried for a good 4 days when I left and then gave me guilt trips and we fought all the time on the phone for no reason (or that was what i thought of then) - her little baby was growing up and I wish she read that book because all I wanted was for her to treat me like an adult, all I wanted was alot of things, things that I thought couldnt be explained, but after reading this book - it makes sense now, everything makes sense. This book can be applied to any kind of person going to any school, whether it is a large public school, or a small private school, or a state school. The point of the matter is that leaving home and entering a new world of adulthood when there is very little transition is hard. Hard for the parents and hard for the children. My little cousin is going to off to college this fall to a public state school half way across the country. I gave this book to my aunt and cousin to read - quote from my cousin "i cant wait until college and to learn how to deal with my parents FINALLY, I read it in one sitting". I sat around the kitchen table with my family discussing how profound this book actually is,,, and how it can actually change your life. I can't wait for a sequel!

Real stuff; not adults writing down to kids
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-12
There is a great line in this book; at a moment of despair, Steffany says `I was one with the car.' It's great because no adult would ever write that; we tend to filter ourselves. This sounds like a kid, dealing with the real emotions of leaving home.

There is so much literature about the students leaving, but so little on how the parent/child relationship is effected. Margo has done a wonderful job of honestly addressing the real issues involved when your child goes off to college.

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I'm Not Anti-Business, I'm Anti-Idiot [Dilbert]
Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (1998-03-01)
Author: Scott Adams
List price: $10.95
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Average review score:

Sometimes I feel as Scott Adams sits in my cubicle...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-27
The point-haired Boss is just like my REAL CEO.
The consultants hired by my company are really as cynical and expensive as Dogbert
...sometimes I had the feeling, Scott Adams worked in my office...

Amazing!

Highly recommended, at least for self-defense purposes!

Classic Dilbert
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-21
Bought this as a Christmas gift for my teenage nephew, I think he has quite a collection now. He was very happy to get it. We are all Dilbert fans in our family!

Classic Dilbert Business Humor
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-21
I'm Not Anti-Business, I'm Anti-Idiot is a marvelous compilation book featuring more of Dilbert's trademark humor on a sometimes dreadful subject: work. While Dogbert schemes to cheat gullible people, Dilbert struggles with his overly incompetent boss, and Alice is working around the clock on pointless tasks. This book also introduces Asok the intern. So join your favorite Dilbert characters on this oddessy through futile projects, idiotic management, and sarcastic co-workers.

i'm not anti-business im anti idiot
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-26
One of scott's best books ever. I could not stop laghing. BUY THIS BOOK

The title pretty much says it all....
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-15
There is a reason that many workplaces ban Dilbert cartoons- they are just too darn close to the truth. I've lost track of the number of times that I've laughed myself silly after finding one of his cartoon arcs describing some experience in my own working career.

In his biography, Scott Adams is described as both an engineer and as a member of Mensa. Inspite of this, however, he has a sense of humor....

I'm sure that this confirmation of the absurdity of corporate "culture" has helped more than a few intelligent wage-slaves maintain their sanity over the years. It almost maintained mine.

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If I Perish
Published in Paperback by PublishAmerica (2002-11)
Author: Deborah R. Turner
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Average review score:

A MASTERFUL STORYTELLER
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-14
If I Perish is the rare book that transports the reader to another place and time. From the moment you pick the up this book, you are immersed in the world of ancient Persia. The people on the pages of the book not only come alive, but the reader is also there, reveling in the sensory delights provided by the author.

The story begins when the young girl who will become Queen Esther is living in the Jewish quarter of town. She is a beauty even before she turns thirteen years old, living under the protective and loving care of her uncle Mordecai who has taken care of her since the death of her parents. She is called Hadassah as a Jewish girl and grows up sure that she will one day marry her best friend's brother, Reuben. But fate has other plans in store for Esther. For after King Xerxes has allowed his queen, Vashti, unprecedented power and influence in his court, his princely advisors are none to happy about a woman having so much say in matters of state. They plot to get rid of her and manage to get her banished, but the king mourns her absence. The princes come up with the idea to have a beauty contest throughout the land to find the most beautiful girl who will then become the King's new bride. While this is transpiring, King Xerxes has begun fall under the influence of Haman, a rug merchant, who appears to be wise and loyal to the King. Xerxes, who is often much too trusting, soon elevates Haman to a position of power, which eventually leads him to become Prime Minister.

Reviewed by Nanacy Rechtman

To read the complete review & interview go to http://betsie.tripod.com/literary/id54.html

A New Voice in Biblical Novels
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-27
Deborah Turner's talent as a writer shines through the pages of her novel If I Perish. She took on the daunting task of writing a fictional account of the Biblical story of Queen Esther. Through vivid narrative and true-to-life dialogue, If I Perish is an excellent story that transports you thousands of years into the past, to the world of a young Jewish girl called of God to save her nation.

Esther risks her life to save her nation by entering the King's throne room. She knows the King trusts the evil prime minister Haman, but in spite of that, she follows through on a plan that had to be divinely inspired.

If I Perish is a book that is a reminder that self-sacrifice for the good of others is not only honorable but also far-reaching. If you have never read the Biblical account, If I Perish compels the reader to do so.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and highly recommend it. In a world where most literature seems to be the same authors and the same kinds of stories, If I Perish is a refreshing change, with a fresh voice from a new writer who has great potential to take her readers into a new place. In your mind's eye, you see the luxurious palace, and the richly colored silks that adorned Esther. The role of the eunuchs is made clear to the reader, for they, too, were men who sacrificed much in order to fulfill their duty to the King.

If I Perish reminds us to stand up for those in need, those in danger, and those who are persecuted. I give this book five stars!

An Enthralling Journey
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-21
This book is absolutely wonderful. Deborah Turner takes you on an enthralling journey to ancient Persia, into lives of servants and royalty and thoughts of greed, power, loyalty, honor, and romance. Deborah's vivid descriptions give evidence of extensive research, enabling the reader to visualize every scene. She gets inside the characters and convincingly conveys them to the reader. The story is well written and fast paced; each step is an experience you won't want to miss! I look forward to her next book.
Marcyle Taliaferro, Louisiana Author
...

Esther....beautifully portrayed
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-13
Author Turner has beautifully portrayed Esther from the Old Testament in her debut novel "If I Perish." The research has been done, but the author obviously took pains to interweave history, biblical truths and emotion in this timeless story brought to life brilliantly. Lost in this well written book is what potential readers have to look forward to when they decide to treat themselves to a great read. Outstanding!

An Epic Adventure of Romance and Intrigue
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-15
"I finished Deb Turner's book, If I Perish." WOW! It is a GREAT book! It is on the story of Esther in the Bible and the way [Mrs. Turner] unravels the story is unique. I stayed up til 3:00 one night and 2:00 the next just so I could finish this wonderful book. She tells the story so well, that you feel as if you are really there and you can see the vivid scenes play out right before your eyes. You get to know each character and go into the minds of Kings, Queens, and Murderers. You come to know Esther for her faith, integrity, courage, and loyalty.

Mrs. Turners'research must have been great, for the amount of detail her story unfolds. I absolutely loved this book! I really believe this author is headed for supreme success! I bow to this great weaver of stories! Now when I read my scriptures Ester's story makes so much more sense. Mrs. Turners' knowledge is truly wonderful."

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The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy
Published in Paperback by Louisiana State University Press (2007-11)
Author: Bell Irvin Wiley
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Average review score:

Vital for understanding the typical rebel soldier of the Civil War
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-09
Well-researched and well-written, this book looks at just about every aspect of the southern soldier: recruitment, messing, billeting, leave, camp life, etc. An excellent book and one that has remained on my shelf ever since I read it. Useful as a reference and entertaining as a good read... how many books can say that?

Most insightful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-16
Few books are written of the common soldiers of the wars. Most are written of the battles they faught in and the generals they served under. This is a nice exception.

A most insightful and highly informative study of the common soldier of the Confederacy. Well written and very well reseached.

A must have for anyone interested in the Civil war.

A Pioneering Study of the Confederate Soldier
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-17
Bell Irvin Wiley (1906-1990), a scholar of the American Civil War, is best known for his two early books describing the lives of common soldiers in the Union and Confederate Armies. His book, "The Life of Johnny Reb" appeared in 1943 and was followed in 1952 by its companion volume "The Life of Billy Yank". At the beginning of his career, Wiley tended to concentrate on the Confederate War effort and wrote his book on "Billy Yank" as a result of the fascination he developed from writing his initial work with the common soldier. Ironically, Wiley's book on "Billy Yank" is the stronger of the two in terms of detail, organization, factual material, and analysis. His book on the Confederate soldier remains an important effort, essential to understanding the Southern Civil War experience.

In the Preface to his book, Wiley points out the fascination that the campaigns and personalities of Lee, Jackson, Stuart, and other Southern leaders exert (and continue to exert) on students of the Civil War. He aimed in his book to discuss the life of the soldier "as it really was" including among much else "how the hungry private fried his bacon, baked his biscuit, smoked his pipe". His book succeeds in that aim. Wiley's book gave me a good picture of life in the Southern Army with all its privations and hardships. He does not romanticize his subject or, for all his affection for the Southern soldier, fall prey to "Lost Cause" mythology.

The book opens with a discussion of the enthusiasm of the Southern soldier during the early stages of the War -- largely resulting from the conviction that the War would be short and that the Yankees would go home. He discusses how the dream of a short, decisive conflict quickly faded and how the troops were left with the dangerous, boring, and dehabilitating business of soldiering. Some men continued througout with their convictions and enthusiasm but for most the War became something that could not end soon enough.

Wiley gives good pictures and stories of the tedium of life in the camps during the winter and during the long periods when the armies were not in combat or on the march. He describes the bad food, shoddy clothes, and low pay that were the lot of the Confederate soldier. He discusses the various ways the troops spent their time. ranging from the sins of gambling, drink, and vice to the repeated attempts at religious revivials. Wiley is sensitive to the instances of cowardice and fear in the Confederate war effort but he rightly praises the valor and courage, overall, of the Confederate soldier. They fought tenaciously and hard. Wiley discusses the loneliness of soldier life as the men in the lines went to great efforts to write letters home and thought of their wives and sweethearts.

I thought Wiley's discussion of the unsanitary conditions of the camps and the toll taken by disease and poor medical treatment among the best sections of the book. He also discusses well the ambivalent relationships that frequently developed between Johnny Reb and his enemy in blue. Although it became a total and brutal combat, the Civil War was marked by attempts at fraternization, and what later writers have termed the "brotherhood of men at arms." The feelings the combatants developed for each other became important in the reconciliation efforts following this devastating conflict. Wiley also offers a good discussion of the various types of shoulder arms used by the Southern troops during the war, their manufacture, and their limitations.

There is a great deal of anecdotal material in this book. The text is repetitive at times. But this book and its companion volume remain essential Civil War reading and will give the student a feel for life in the lines.

Overlooked heroes
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 27 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-27
Bell Irvin Wiley seems to have been the first historian/writer to realize that the Civil War was not just about Lee, Pickett, Grant or Stuart or any of the other guys with stars on their shoulders. The real truth about what happened on those battlefields had to do with the guys in the tattered uniforms and the rotted shoes, trying to fight with defective rifles.

As in his companion book, "The Life of Billy Yank", "The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy" is an unflinching look at the seemingly endless plight of a Confederate soldier. This is a very sobering account, and some of the letters the soldiers wrote home are nothing short of heartbreaking. Even as defeat was becoming more and more apparent, the courage and determination of these men did not waiver. This is a truly admirable account of men who were more than common soldiers. I believe they were really common heroes.

Outstanding, a classic
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-01
I read this book for a military history class and came away very glad I did. The book really lets you know what it was like to be a common soldier in a Confederate army. I agree with another reviewers sentiments that the book reads very much like a research paper, but a well written one at that. You won't always feel like you are right there, but you will come away knowing exactly what these men did, how they did it, and why. To understand the common Southern soldier in the Civil War, start here. Other books have been written since Wiley's, but this is still the place to start.

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Mouse Soup
Published in Paperback by HarperTrophy (1983-09-07)
Author:
List price: $3.99
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Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

We love Mouse Soup
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-09
We have read this book repeatedly, and my first-grader enjoys it every time. Now he enjoys reading it to me. Great for beginning readers.

FUN AND EXCITING
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-20
WHAT A JOY THIS BOOK IS. THE STORY IS FUN AND SO CUTE. ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES TO READ TO THE CHILDREN.

WELL THOUGHTOUT AND WELL ILLUSTRATED BOOK
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-14
This is one of those that is an absolute delight to read to and with kids. A mouse, minding his own business is caught by a weasel who of coure plans to whip up a batch of Mouse Soup. Our fast talking little mouse simply talks his way out of the dinner by telling the weasel four delightful stories, thereby distracting the weasle and at the same time, teaching the weasle a good lesson. The illustrations are great the the story telling is of the highest quality. Cute is a word that is over used, but in this case I have to use it because it fits so well. This work is almost along the same lines as the famous Uncle Remus tales, but in many ways is more appealing. I liked this one and do highly recommend it. The art work alone is worth the price of the book.

Kid Tested and Approved - a review of "Mouse Soup"
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-26
I have to bow to a superior opinion in rating this book. After reading it to my 5 y.o. son, I had come to the conclusion that the subset of stories were pretty lame and uninteresting. I mean one of them is about two rocks that get lied to by a bird (or so the rocks think). And another is about a rose bush growing out of a comfy chair.

But my 5 y.o. informs me that I don't know what I am talking about. This book is great, he told me. And he convinced me that this was true by doing something his active little self seldom does: he went and got the book off his shelf and dragged his father over to the couch so that dad could listen to him read the stories. [Could have knocked me over with bookmark.]

The AR Reading level for this book is 2.4 which means that the Accelerated Reading committee, and it's software, suggests this book for Second Graders in their fourth month of school.

[The AR designation is a general "guide" that rates books on a relative scale of difficulty. Children can certainly read at levels above or below their group range, so that this number should only be used as a aid to help choose books that are appropriate and not frustrating.]

Four Stars. This book has a mouse cum Scheherazade premise: A weasel captures a poor little mouse and the mouse plots to get out of being eaten by telling stories. The stories the mouse tells didn't appeal to me, but my five y.o. son sure liked them. The AR reading level indicates the book is suitable for Second Graders.

Magical, memorable
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-22
This is a completely adorable, inspired and inspiring creation by Mr. Lobel. This book with audio was a mainstay of my children's early years and holds memories we will always cherish.

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Ooka the Wise: Tales of Old Japan
Published in Paperback by Linnet Books (1997-10)
Author: I. G. Edmonds
List price: $16.00

Average review score:

Someone Please Republish Ooka
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
I read one of the stories in a volume of Junior Great Books. Then I went on a hunt for the whole book, after finding it in the library. The stories are wonderful! I really think that the book should be required reading in every school, the lessons are that good.

i really hope this book gets reprinted - I would buy a copy for each of my children, and perhaps a few extra for future grandchildren, too!

Just bought a reprint.... Memorable
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-25
I just found a wrapped reprint hardback and reading the first few stories was bringing back memories from way back. I stopped and put it back in it's wrapping, planning on reaading it a little at a time. Ooka was a good judge who used common sense and compassion. My favorite story is "the Stolen Scent" and I realise how much reading the stories when I was a child gave me an idea on how to base my ideas.

This is a must read!! Once I find the second book, More Stories of Solomon, my set will be complete.

Please bring back Ooka
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-13
I remember reading this book when I was a kid and I absolutely loved it. I was disappointed when I looked it up to buy for my kids and it is out of stock. From the other reviewers comments, I assume it is hard to come by. Isn't there a way to get it re-released?

Loved Ooka!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-28
I got a used paperback copy of all Ooka's stories and still have it. I came online to see if there were any more collections- unfortunately I haven't been able to find any, but I would love to see this book reprinted! I'd really hate to wear out the one copy I own.

Ooka the Wise
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-05
I first read this book when I was 10. That would be 40 years ago. I've tried to find a copy of my own ever since. It was one of the best and most memorable children's books I ever read. It's right up there with Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

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A Rifleman Went To War
Published in Paperback by Kessinger Publishing, LLC (2007-03-01)
Author: Herbert W. McBride
List price: $34.95
New price: $22.55
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Average review score:

Best book on the subject
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-26
Having read a lot of WWI books and books on sniping this one takes the cake. It's written in the autobiographical tradition of Teddy Roosevelt and will impress the old and young alike with its vivid imagery and colorful prose. Great read.

Excellent book for the soldier's craft: infantry
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-14
Mr. McBride has written a book that nearly perfectly talks about what can be expected from a modern infantry man. He talks about sniping, putting in a properly sighted machine gun, raids, and patrols. Honestly, this book is so good that most Army ROTC and Marine Infantry instruction may want to have their future officers and NCO candidates read this book.

I will give you a story that really stuck me as being ahead of its time. Now, this book was written in the mid-1930s. However, Mr. McBride knows the problems of lugging ammunition. A soldier with .303 British (about equal to modern NATO 7.62 ammo) could only carry about 200 to 300 rounds. So, Mr. McBride thinks the armies should carry ammunition of about .27 caliber. That is almost exactly 6.8 mm. This is exactly the same solution the US Army discovered after 5 years in Iraq.

I liked this book. Mr. McBride thinks both the British and Canadian Armies did much better with their training time than the US military. Indeed, he thinks the US Army and military is overly tied up with paperwork. And that observation was made in 1918.

This is a five star book by a soldier who knows his field craft. Pay attention to his anti-sniper traps. They are still useful today. Also, the book is great for telling about how the Germans would leave abandoned grenades after an attack. Some were rigged to go off if picked up.

As written before, this book is five star. Mr. McBride writes a book about the birth of the modern infantry man. Indeed, their is little difference between a Tommy of WWI with a Lewis gun and a Grunt in Vietnam carrying an M-60 machinegun. In 50 years little had changed.

The modern professional soldier can learn a lot from this book. Some university military history departments may want this book for an individual study of a hard infantry man.

Mesmerizing
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-17
A thoughroughly enjoyable, mesmerizing, collection of a soldier's WWI remembrances. Somehow manages to be more than the sum of its plainly told, shy, politically incorrect, wars is hell but you get used to it parts. It ends up assembling and describing bit by bit the remarkable character of the author.

Also notable to me for how it reaches across 70 years to contrast how we've changed as a people. For example, I don't think this book would be published as written today. The editor would have probably added more polish, removed some of the namecalling and stereotyping and would have thus diminished the book.

Straight talking
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-27
As a rifle shooter with a historical interest i bought this book. If your looking for an overly dramatic or gruesome account of life in the first world war trenches dont by this book. From what i can tell it is a written collection of memories by the author. These memories are written in a matter of fact, straight talking way which does not hide the authors zealous approach to his task of being a soldier.

Although at times slightly rambling i found this an interesting read and at times amuzing. A good reference if you are interested in rifle shooting or battle history.

Excellent Book
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-29
It might not be written in perfect English, and it's not always politically correct, but it's definitely always enjoyable.

You get the whole WWI experience from the author's point of view, including enough "war stories" to satisfy any reader.

McBride includes technical details, anecdotes, and just good old story telling, in this tale of a machine gunner / rifleman in the Great War.

I
The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget
Published in Paperback by Robertson Publishing (2007-04-13)
Author: Mary, Kennedy Eastham
List price: $14.00
New price: $9.84
Used price: $9.84

Average review score:

Shadow of a Dog I can't forget
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-22
One of the reasons we read is to remind us we are not ordinary. We are beautiful, complex, brilliant, and flawed at any given moment. Mary takes us deep into the parts of humanity we crave: the excitment of desire, the edge of fear, the loveliness of sorrow, the pull of longing, the danger of love, the disconnects...
She captures us with unique images and strong language and moves us toward a greater understanding of ourselves. Those of us who are seaching creativity are inspired.
We're all connected on this path--if only in imagination

Impressionistic painterly writing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-27
When reading Ms. Eastham's poetry I'm reminded of an impressionist or expressionistic painting. She uses words like an artist uses color. At times the ideas are clear and recognizable coming clearly into focus but more often this artist is not spelling out every detail for the reader. One has to use their imagination, creativity and experience as a human being here. These ideas take a moment to penetrate and sometimes require multiple readings in order to establish a connection. It's definitely an interesting read, one that will give you pause for thought.

One Awesome Writer
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-04
Lovely, lovely words and feelings, images and emotion. Amazing writer you are, Mary. What an imagination and talent you have for moving your reader on a deep level.

"When asked to describe her childhood, she said it was like riding a bicycle through sand." Ahhhhhhh. Perfection.

Kissing Harrison sent me on a journey of emotion that comes from rich and authentic details. In the end, I ached for her lost love. Same with the title poem. Beauty, too. Loss and love, the two thematic threads tie the book together. Universal, thus evocative.

Undertones, deliberate? or not? hint at deeper themes. A man can't give her what she wants because another woman has already stolen his heart. hmmmmmmm

To love and to lose. Mary's book leaves me determined to live fully in love while thumbing my nose at the impending loss...

Prevailing!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-21
Mary utilizes colorful phraseology in her deep and passionate verse. Her contemporary style evokes promise unlike those in similar fashion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys avant-garde, thought inspiring poetry.

surprising and hauting
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-30
What a joy to find this book. Ms. Eastham has found the words for her heart. This is a lovely, special book of poetry that anyone who has thought they were living life will be surprised by. It touches in deep corners.

I
Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair
Published in Hardcover by Harmony (2008-02-05)
Author: Gary David Goldberg
List price: $23.95
New price: $11.95
Used price: $7.00
Collectible price: $50.00

Average review score:

Couldn't put this down!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-07
What a refreshingly funny, sincere, and insightful read. I laughed out loud so many times I lost count. I loved the way he included just the right amounts of different aspects of his life, none dominating the story - his work in television, his adorable chocolate Lab Ubu, his friendships, and his heartwarming relationship with his wife Diana. It was simply delightful cover to cover. I read few books more than once; this will be one of them.

The best book I've read!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-02
I've read sooooooo many books in my day, but this one has the charm, warmth and insight into Gary's humanity, that I couldn't put it down. Now what do I read????!!!! Please, Gary, write another one!!!

Ubu Gets A Treat For Being Such A Good Book!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-01
Sit Ubu Sit is a heart warming,entertaining and thoroughly engaging memoir. The life experiences of Gary David Goldberg are interesting in and of themselves and the lessons learned from his life's path are invaluable to just about everyone.The book is like a Philosophy 101 course putting into perspective the priorities of life using Hollywood and Brooklyn as two polar opposites of life's spectrum. Gary Goldberg is the friend we all want...........the father we all crave........the husband we all dream of......His warmth, sense of humor, family devotion,intelligence and uniqueness all interplay to make this a fabulous read.

Quick and very enjoyable read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-26
Reading this book feels like watching a sitcom, but you don't have to wait from episode to episode to get a few laughs. You get a concentrated dose of humor mixed with some tragedy. Another reason it is better than a sitcom is that all of the stories are true. The book is hard to put down and when you are finished it leaves you feeling uplifted, despite the parts that make you cry.

Terrific Book, Fun Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-19
Wonderful book, very well written and a fun read. Gary David Goldberg tells the best and the most challenging about Hollywood, his wonderful family and especially his wife Diana.

But, when will Brooklyn Bridge be available on DVD?


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Related Subjects: Ives, Burl Irons, Jeremy Irwin, Scott Irving, Amy Irwin, Steve Irwin, Tom Ironside, Michael Irving, George Idle, Eric Imrie, Celia Isaacs, Jason Imperioli, Michael Ireland, Kathy
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