I Books

A fairly interesting book. O'Donnell lists the campaigns of the elite troops of this theater of command, details the plan of battle, and then gives the oral histories of those who served in those campaigns. Most of the veterans are at the end of their lives, so these oral histories present a heartfelt tribute to the difficulties these soldiers endured during combat. What surprised me most was how these soldiers/veterans got choked up recounting the battles they went through, and the friends they lost. Freedom isn't cheap, and these soldiers are living proof of how America was affected by the battle.
This is a good read. Oral histories are good at describing the personal experiences of soldiers, but they don't put perspective on the actual battle campaigns. If one wants to know more about the War in the Pacific, one needs to read a general history, before reading this book.

This review is of the Audio CD version of this excellent book. Jeff Riggenbach did a fantastic job reading this text. He managed to give proper emphasis without drowning the material.

Many soldiers are reluctant to talk of their wartime experiences for fear of seeming boastful. O'Donnell got these veterans to open up and tell their stories. They did so that the fallen heroes would get proper credit, not to tell of their own exploits in a grand fashion. Many of the other reviewers have told of the specific episodes relayed in the book, but what struck me was the depth of feeling that these men had many decades after the fact. One soldier tells of looking up the family of a fallen buddy after the war. It was as if he felt driven to tell them of their son's valor and his worth to his fellow soldiers. Another tells of a friend he saw die in combat after having met his wife and been their with him during the arrival of their child. It was a common theme that these men had these experiences with them every day, if only just beneath the surface. I highly recommend it to those who would like to grasp the depth of the sacrifice these individuals made on our behalf.

I found this an unusually readable book as first person narratives of combat. The emotion was left in the accounts and you can't help but be touched by the various stories as opposed to a detached historical rendering. The latter is important as a context for these highly personal accounts. There is no attempt to cover the gore and pathos of combat. The accompanying maps were very good also and helped to pinpoint actual events; many of the battles I never heard of. Reminds me of With The Old Breed and Pacific War Diary for its impact, also Flags of Our Fathers. It's great that these veterans lived until a time when they could have permission to express these emotions; they weren't allowed this I don't think until the last decade or two.

I read this book after "Beyond Valor" by the same author and I wasn't disappointed. "Into the Rising Sun" is a collection of first hand accounts of the brave men who fought in the Pacific. The author sets up the accounts with some background material to make more sense to it all. After re-living some of these battle through this book, I started to understand what a living Hell these guys lived through. The intensity of the Japanese soldier was astonishing.

This book has special meaning to me since my father was a Marine fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He was at Guadalcanal and Okinawa .I now know what a hero he was!

This is the second of Patrick O'Donnell's books. O'Donnell is a gifted oral historian who's been collecting the recollections of men who were soldiers and served in the Second World War, partially through a website he set up some years ago, and partially through other sources. This compilation shows off O'Donnnell's strengths, and weaknesses (such as they are) and is a good example of his work.

O'Donnell, for whatever reason, is very attached to "elite" infantry units. In his book on the European Theater, this included paratroopers, rangers, and the members of the 1st Special Service Force. In the current book, which covers the Pacific Theater, the distinction between "elite" forces and the regular ones is somewhat more blurry: Army Rangers, paratroopers, and members of Merril's Marauders are the participants from the army, but the author chose to distinguish the Marine Raider and Parachute units from other Marine outfits. This is a weakness as all of these forces were disbanded in 1943-4, and so the book would be rather truncated as far as the Marine Corps went for the last 18 months or so of the war. This (of course) is unacceptable, so the author merely follows former members of these specialized units who were absorbed into other, regular Marine regiments.

The result is that some battles are covered in considerable detail here, while others (notably Saipan and Peleliu) are ignored because the Marines who participated in these campaigns weren't "elite." This includes members of the 1st Marine Division, who were arguably the most experienced in terms of combat against Japanese soldiers. So what's here is rather skewed and somewhat disjointed, but if you accept that, then the material that's here is worthwhile.

I enjoyed this book, within its limitations, and I would recommend it and the others in O'Donnell's series, provided you accept what they are.

I am a dog lover so I purchase a variety of books pertaining to many breeds. I had not read about the "Jack Russell" breed before so I picked up this book by Don Rainwater; what a great decision!

Mr. Rainwater has included everything you would need to know about Jack Russells. I never realized just how pleasant a pet they can be. They are known to be show dogs but yet are a wonderful pet.

I would suggest this book to anyone interested in owning a Jack Russell, or, like me, anyon curious about the breed. The author did a fine job!

This book couldn't have come at a better time. My husband and I were looking to purchase a dog for our 7 year old daughter. My in-laws have a Jack Russell and it is quit active.I wasn't sure whether or not to purchase this type of dog. The book really helped me make up my mind. I recommend this book to anyone looking to buy this type of dog.

My husband and I were recently buying a Jack Russell Terrier when I ran across this book by Don Rainwater. We read it and decided that we are definately getting that dog after all. Not only that but we are going to keep this book on our nightstand for future reference. We are not sure if this was someones way of confirming our purchase! Great read Don!

Excellent Book!!! Anyone considering buying this breed of dog MUST buy this book. Extremely informative, well-written, organized and interesting. There should be a book just like this one written for every breed of dog. And future pet owners should read them. Then there wouldn't be so many dogs abandoned and given up for the ASPCA. This book presents the information a future pet owner can use to decide whether or not this breed will fit into the family.

This book provides a wealth of information about Jack Russell Terriers. Through this book you will learn about the dog's history, breeding, training, showing ability and much more! In terms of style, the book is a very easy read. There is no fluff or filler writing; everything is concise and to-the-point. Indeed, this book is a must-have for anyone contemplating on getting this particular breed.

I like Laurels's character the most. She have the same character as i am-shy. well, it's a sad story considering the fact that daisy's died in a car accident. it's a touching story but, hey, i luv it! :)i hope that diane will write more books like this!

luv, matul

This was my favorite book of all times. It was very realistic, and some of the stuff in this book reminded me of some people i've known. It is a very true story. And I recommend this book to anyone.

This was such a great book.
Whoevers looking to read it
It shares moments of happiness, mourning, exitement.
It shows there is nothing greater than true love.
There are mixed emotions.
If you are looking for a great read
Read THE YEAR I TURNED SIXTEEN
LAUREL

After reading this book about twice, I thought the author did a remarkable job with this book. It is a touching story about a young woman named Laurel who struggles with family trials after her sister Lily sadly dies. To find out what happens next, read the book! I would reccomend it to anyone who loves to read!

This is the third book of a 4-book series. There are 4 sisters, and there is a book for each sister for the year they turned 16. Each book is written in first-person by that particular sister. The sisters, in order from oldest to youngest, are: Rose, Daisy, Laurel, and Lily.

This book is about the third sister, Laurel May Walker. Laurel's interest is animals. She has lots of pets; she loves to rescue and save animals; and she works at the Wildlife Rescue Center.

Laurel is shy and likes to wear overalls. She is better with animals than with people. She is not good at speaking in front of a crowd. Will she start dating her best guyfriend? Is he the one for her? But there is also a guy who works at the Wildlife Rescue Center that she thinks is wonderful. (But he already has a girlfriend - shucks.)

The 4 sisters have a wonderful relationship with each other. Their mother Maggie is the best and most wonderful mother in the world. She deeply and truly loves her daughters unconditionally. The whole family loves and appreciates each other.

This book is not just about a girl turning 16. It is about family. The important bonds of family love, linking the past, present, and future. If you don't get anything else out of this book, the book will have been worth reading just for that.

You don't have to necessarily read each book, but I would highly recommend that you do. You will enjoy the books a lot more if you read them all, and read them in order. More of the events and characters will be familiar and will be more meaningful if you've read the previous books.

Explores the spiritual formation of King David from his earliest experiences with Goliath to his time in the desert running from Saul to the death of his son Absalom and his eventual death. Makes a great adult study in a small group or Sunday school context.

I found a copy of this book in my in-law's attic. I looked through the contents and decided to read the chapter on Friendship - David and Jonathan. Peterson is profound in this chapter. His comments on friendship as an expression of spirituality were so insightful that I am viewing my relationships with others in a new way already. I was even convicted that my friendship with my wife was not sufficient by God's standard. Wow, what a difference one chapter can make. I can hardly wait to buy this book and read the all of Peterson's reflections on the life of David. I like this "earthy spirituality." Give it a try, you might like it too.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Is the Bible passe, or is it still relevant for today? Does Christianity mean the triumphalstic life? What is the end goal of being a Christian? How can I live an authentic Christian life?

Eugene Peterson (the author of The Message) reflects on the life of David in this book and looks at what we can learn. Every chapter contains important lessons to being a Christian, and areas that we are to reflect on, and how we interact with God in our relationship with Him. The life of David becomes a platform for us to learn about our spirituality and relationship with God.

The following are some facts about David:
- The David story is the most extensively narrated single story in the Bible. We know more about David than any other person in the Bible.
- The life of David showed the humanity of this man after God's heart, and there are many themes that run through the life of David, e.g. parents, relationships, danger, murder, temptation, adultery, pride, humiliation, children, wives, rejection, sickness, justice, fear, peace, death...
- David did not perform any miracles.
- David sinned more than Saul, yet he was known as a person after God's own heart.
- David was known as a man served God's purposes in his generation (Acts 13:36).

The story of David is simultaneously earthy and godly. It shows us that we are never more alive than when we are dealing with God. David was an unfortunate parent, an unfaithful husband, and if we look at him from a purely historical perspective, he was a barbaric chieftain with a talent for poetry. But David's importance isn't in his morality or his military prowess but in his experience and witness to God. Every event in David's life was a confrontation with God.

Spirituality and humanity cannot be separated. We can't grow spiritually without understanding our humanness. We can't grow humanly without understanding our spirituality. David shows us that we can't be human without God. Understanding all this gives hope to many Christians that God looks at the heart, and it is about having a relationship with God. There are many lessons to learn, one of the most impactful to me was David's years in the wilderness.

It seems that all of God's leaders will at sometime go through a wilderness experience at least once. The wilderness experience is not something that any flesh likes, but it is an experience that can sanctify and consecrate the flesh. "Wilderness is the place of testing, the place of tempting" (pp. 75). In David's wilderness experience, he was being set apart, made holy, for God's use. The more he dealt with God, the more human he became (pp. 75). The wilderness was an attack on the flesh and a thrust towards dependence on God. In fact, David seemed most "spiritual" in his days in the wilderness.

Wilderness spirituality also includes being with the company of people we would not ordinarily choose to be with, and who would not ordinarily choose to be with us. (pp. 96). God uses others to point us to Him. If we see that the wilderness is filled with people we do not want to be with, we would have missed God. But if we see the wilderness being filled with God, we would not miss the people in it. "The wilderness taught David to see beauty everywhere. The wilderness was David's school in the preciousness of life; through wilderness testing David learned to see God in places and things he would never have thought to look previously. The wilderness immersed David in beauties so profound that a cheap revenge was unthinkable. The wilderness trained David in loyalties so binding that a broken oath was impossible. The wilderness exposed David to the presence of God in the most barren piece of rock so that no thing, and certainly no man, could ever be treated with scorn or contempt." (pp. 77-8) We cannot be naïve about the wilderness; it is a dangerous place. But we must never avoid the wilderness; for it is a wonderful place (pp. 80). "Hardship brings out the best in David. Suffering can, if we let it, make us better instead of worse" (pp. 198).

If you have ever felt discouraged by your own imperfections in your Christian walk, read this book! David is about as earthy and real as a person gets. As another reviewer wrote, the chapter on the friendship between David and Jonathan is also insightful and valuable. Eugene Petersen explores the reality of David's life situations and choices, and how his relationship with God was affected by them. In so doing, he highlights how God grows us and walks beside us throughout all of the trials of life, even those we bring upon ourselves. Ultimately, despite everything, David remained "A man after God's own heart" proving the existence and endurance of God's grace and acceptance, and that there's hope for us all!

A fantastic life-giving work in the middle of an insipid age. This book about David is a book about real and bold living. A great encouragement and a call to live the Kingdom life now... today. One of the most significant books I have ever read, this belongs alongside the Narnia Chronicles and Robinson Crusoe as a standard bearer book for living bold and free in God's realm.

I loved this book. As it teaches us how people with vision problems have to go though. I have worked with the visual handicap and believe me they can do alot of things you think they cant. A big thanks to the author Jennifer Rothschild. Everyone should read this book.

I had been looking forward to reading about the Lessons learned by a blind person but I was not prepared for Sunday School lessons with each learning experience. I feel the book would have been much better with a little less preaching.

Loved the book! Inspiring! Unique "look" at the lessons learned from loss of sight! I loved the "play" on words!

Jennifer Rothschild writes to make us SEE! She is a wonder and a role model for anyone and everyone. Courage is her badge and the word NEVER enters her life. I honor her and hope to have as much courage and endurance in my life as she does.

Jennifer Rothchild touches our very souls with her encounters with God and his majesty. We begin to "see" for the first time just how powerful and mighty our Heavenly Father can be to his children. While we listen to her stories dealing with her family and her life as a vibrant mother and lecturer, we often forget she is doing all these wonderful things under the cover of darkness. We forget because there is no darkness in Jennifer's soul. Each chapter, enriched by a personal poem or song, introduces us to the holy love and power of Jesus Christ. Uplifting and encouraging, this book begins a journey for us, and we want to walk alongside this amazing woman for the rest of our days. There is no doubt how much she loves the Lord, and this love enables her to make some wonderful connections to his power and light. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to "see" the big picture when it comes to religion, overcoming handicap, emotional triumph, and even awkward moments of victory. As Jennifer runs across a busy street, our thoughts go along with her. Jennifer may have learned lessons in the dark, but she walks in the light of the love of the lamb. That light touches the souls of her readers and transmutes us all to her own special way of seeing. I cannot wait to read more books by this wonderful author.

I chose this book for two reasons: Joyce Rupp is my favorite author of spiritual materials, and I was in the process of walking my daughter home during her final year of life.

The stories and prayers helped me feel that I was not alone in this journey. That others had experienced it before and lived through it to tell the tale gave me strength to do the same. I know that my daughter had a better quality of life through this process of dying from cancer and being in home hospice care because I was better prepared to companion her.

I highly recommend this book to clergy, family members, and other caregivers. It is full of 'hope' as well as practical suggestions gleaned from others' experiences of companioning the dying.

A wonderfully comforting and uplifting book for caregivers and
those they care for.

Author relates how she comforted terminally ill people with compassion and love. Prayers for each situation are excellent.

Someone gave me your book as I was "walking" a dear friend through a terminal illness. Your words gave me comfort, especially when I didn't know what to say or do. Your book was my companion along the journey. Thank you for a wonderful resource--beautifully written!

The prayers and Meditations were so helpful that I purchased extra for those I knew were experiencing this journey. The price enabled me to afford this gift.

The best book I've read since Deathly Hallows!
It's a great start to the series, but not much info about the outside world. Otherwise, it's amazing. Basil the wrathmonk shrinks Measle down to the size of a paperclip. By the time he's back to normal... well; you should read the book!

Throw in an ordinary boy named Measle, a completely insane dark wizard, a mysterious train set, 6 very small people, 1 very little brave dog, and a whole dump truck full of danger and you've got a wonderful adventure story with non-stop action and magic.

Out of all the books I've gone through, this is by far the best in all aspects of reading. If you don't believe me, read it yourself. =)))

My 1st grader thoroughly enjoyed this book being read to him, he found Measle's dog hilarious. We have just bought the next two, Measle and the Dragodon, Measle and the Mallockee.

Measle and the Dragodon is the sequel to the successful Measle and the Wrathmonk and the second in Ian Ogilvy's epic Measle series of book which chronicle the adventures of Measle Stubbs. These books are very entertaining as they are a bit like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events but with magic. The second book is sort of an epic, quest type of story in which Measle is living with his doting parents in glam Merlin Manor when they are kidnapped by a gang of Wrathmonks [mad warlocks] who want revenge for the death of Measle's ex-guardian, Basil Tramplebone [he got what he deserved]. The Wrathmonks take Measle's parents to the Isle of Smiles, a sinister abandoned theme-park in the middle of the ocean. The Wrathmonks are being manipulated by a creature whose name isn't revealed but who is the last survivor of a powerful race of beings known as the Dragodons. Now Measle must go on a quest to the Isle of Smiles, into the catacombs and engage the Dragodon in an almighty battle with the fate of the world at stake.
A dramatic climax, a good villain, a convincing plot and rather disgusting [Roald Dahl disgusting, not vulgar disgusting]humour make Measle and the Dragodon an entertaining book to say the least. I'm currently on the third in the series, Measle and the Malockee.

I really really like this book and have read it several times. I hope other readers won't be intimidated by the creepy cover and title because trust me, if you read this you'll want your own copy. This book is really exciting and suspenseful.

As a kid, my favorite book was, "Iron Men with Wooden Wings" by Lou Cameron. Stories of World War I pilots doing battle in the skies over France and Germany in primitive, cloth covered biplanes ignited my imagination. Years later, I earned a pilot's license and have enjoyed flying my own cloth covered plane.

Recently, I was delighted to learn about and read Marc Wortman's title, "The "Millionaires' Unit", which documents the grass-roots formation of a flying squadron of fresh-faced Yale boys almost a hundred years ago. A war was raging in Europe and America was decidedly unprepared for their eventual involvement. Their experiences together at Yale gave them a deep sense of duty to a greater cause. Their privileged upbringing and family connections gave them access to the money to fund their own military flight school and to the captains of industry and state to endorse and champion their mission. Millionaires' Unit is not simply a tale of "iron men with wooden wings", although we certainly grow with each of them from boys to men.

Much less a documentary and much more a narrative, Wortman weaves their personal ambitions and flaws together with their collective mission to fly and to serve. Not since "The Blue Max" has such a complex story of class, ambition, romance and defiance - set against the exhilarating and dangerous backdrop of the pioneering age of aviation - been told.

The Millionaires' Unit recapitulates in beautiful prose the story I first learned about as a child. It was the story, in part, of my grandfather, Erl Gould whom I called Grandfeathers, as he was Naval Aviator #68.

Marc Wortman has combed historical and private records to harvest the best picture of Trubee Davison and his family, flying boats, 1916 and Great World War, and these intrepid young men from Yale. It is simply a terrific read but also an inspiration at a time when few Americans rise above the fray and dedicate themselves to something larger than their own self-interest. As a former Naval Aviator myself, I wore Grandfeather's wings of gold with an inexpressible pride and humility.

I'm seldom attracted to books about war, especially if they're not written by someone who participated in the conflict. From my reading experience, the tendency by many authors is to regurgitate bland facts and anecdotes and the main theme is clouded by second-hand minutia. Not this book.
Somehow, Mr. Wortman brought these young men to life allowing me to become interested in their successes, failures and fates. He did a terrific job weaving the narrative from historical documents and bringing the characters to life. I didn't expect to react emotionally but I did. Without giving too much of the story away, there are a few instances when I closed the book, filled with sadness.
Making research material come to life is a skill few master. Mr. Wortman has, and I don't think it's by talent alone. He obviously went the extra mile to learn as much as possible about the principal characters, to literally "Flesh them out."
Wortman also did a great job describing the era; a time when the wealthy recognized their obligation to serve and not use their power and influence to shirk responsibilities. I can't believe the risks they took against such lousy odds.

This is a very unusual book about a group of students at Yale in 1916 who all came from very privileged backgrounds, but felt it their duty to do something worthwhile with their lives. Considering the world situation at that time, they decided to form the Yale flying club and its members would become well trained pilots and eventually ended up flying many and extremely dangerous missions in Europe on behalf of America and its Allies during World War I. Unfortunately, several of them did not return, having paid the ultimate sacrifice. This is a book about Yale students who had it all, but whose strong belief in a cause made them turn into a life full of life threatening experiences, but convinced that it was their duty to do so. Such wonderful spirits, unfortunately, do not seem to be much in evidence in today's times. This extremely well researched book is certainly of great interest to those of us who were not aware of such remarkable spirits, but also to those who want to learn more about the beginnings of military aviation and the World War I period in general.

Marc Wortman should be congratulated on this fine piece.

It walks the line between history and adventure and achieves a tremendous blend in the process. Not only does it recall the origins of a fledgling form of warfare, but it also provides a tremendous insight into the world of Yale and American aristocracy as it existed in the early twentieth century.

Highly recommended.

Owen Zupp
Author of 'Down to Earth'. (www.owenzupp.com)

When my son was three, he made me read this book to him so many times that even now, 22 years later, I know the entire thing by heart.

Kids love this book. Parents do, too, at least the first 10 or 12 thousand times they read it to the kids!

I adored this book as a kid (I'm in my 30s now). I haven't gotten my new copy yet, but I think there is a lesson about temperance at the end, but that's not what I recall: I just remember the sheer joy of more, more, more. With books that use so few and such simple words, it's often hard for an adult to distinguish the adequate from the great. Speaking for my very young self, I can tell you that this book is great.

This is my favorite children's book - it is especially fun to read out loud. It has a cute level of humor and I've even had a class of 3-year-olds laughing at it. A good learn to read book - but also a good story in general.

I love reading this book to my daughter (2 1/2). I got it when i was a small child and have held onto it as one of my favorites. It is quickly becoming her favorite as well...the story flows so well its really fun to read...my daughter likes to see how fast I can read it without messing up.

I love this book. It lends itself to many activities with monkeys or spaghetti.

Funny, witty and packed with useful information without being preachy. I first bought this book in the early 1990's when I came out and had never heard of Mrs Greenthumbs. I wore out that first copy and bought a second. I have since given it as gifts and passed around my own copy more times than I can count. Mrs Danz gives practical advice in a down home comfortable way with out being too scientific. The month by month book format works well too. A must own for my gardening book shelf.

I am a relative newcomer to gardening and this book has helpful tips. It is particularly useful if you want to garden in the style of Gertrude Jeykll. I never saw "Mrs. Greenthumbs" on television nor heard her on the radio. She may have been very funny in these appearances, but I didn't feel like it translated to the page very well. Nevertheless, Cassandra Danz died three years ago and this book is part of her legacy, about which she should be proud.

When I grow up, I want to be like Mrs. Greenthumbs!
This book doesn't have any glossy photos - just so much practical gardening information that it's the BEST gardening book I ever read (and I've read many, many, many). Cassandra Danz shares her successes - and her failures - and hard-learned lessons in a funny, easy-to-read, month-by-month format. I LOVE this!!!

WOW, your delivery service is superb! I received this very entertaining book and couldn't put it down. I finished reading it the day Cassandra Danz passed on. I wish I could have seen her on the TV! I bet she was a kick! Her style and tips are helping me alot, being a new gardener and all.

This is a charming and delightful book, as enjoyable a read for the novice (who will appreciate the practical tips) as for the experienced gardener (who will shake their head knowingly in agreement).

Danz is a very funny writer, and I've reread this book just for the pleasure of such sections as translating DayLily Catalogue Language (basically, "red" = orange, "yellow" = orange, "orange" = bright orange, and "red with a yellow throat" = orange-from-more-than-two feet away).

She seems quite a lusty lady as well, and proud of her married status (she claims that as a married woman, she has a rough sense of what 6-8 inches means and thus doesn't need a ruler to plant bulbs).

Very recommended.

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.