L Books

This book was recommended by a friend who has it and reads it to her granddaughter. I bought it to give as a gift to my granddaughter, but was so thrilled at the charming and spectacular content, I have kept it for myself. The pop ups have such amazing color and are on heavy enough paper that it should last a long time. I have been a great fan of all the Oz books (which I Have, some printed in the early 1900's) and believe this will be a great addition to my collection.
Sincerely, Lise Jones

My father got my sister and I some beautiful fairy tale popup books from Europe when we were children. We have never seen a popup book come even close to the details in those books. I took a chance after reading the reviews and ordered the Wizard of Oz popup for my sister for Christmas. Well, it comes very close to the books we had as children. Its very entertaining, even for us "older" kids.

Purchased item for my niece who adores the wizard of oz. The item was as described. Shipped promptly and she LOVED it.

I BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR A 2 MONTH OLD BABY FOR WHEN SHE GETS OLDER.I OPENED THE BOOK WHEN IT CAME IN THE MAIL AND I FELT LIKE A LITTLE KID IT WAS SO AWESOME. EACH PAGE IS FILLED WITH AMAZING DETAIL. IT WILL REALLY PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE

I was gifted this book about 4 or 5 years ago and my family has really enjoyed it over those years. I recently ordered another one for a friend as a Christmas gift. My copy has held up (made in South America), I am apprehensive about the newer one because it is made in China.

This book does a wonderful job of taking the scientific information available regarding nutrition and puts it a format the lay public can easily understand. Very professional.

Glad to find a book that breaks down what I'm eating and what it does or doesn't do for me. Tired of wasting my time eating junk. I want more energy and food, sleep, and exercise are key!

Willett and Skerrett have put it all together in one reader-friendly book. Based on all the solid science out there, their recommendations are what I live by. The thing I really like about this book is that you can see where the big fad diets got their ideas, but you can also see all the other research they neglected in their rush to cash in on the diet book craze.

Finally! A book with some real information I can use to make my diet healthier and remain easy to follow. I only take off a star because a lot of the information was repeated over and over and over. The book could have easily been slimmed down 100 pages without losing any content. I also appreciate the sample menus and recipes in the back. Overall, I think everyone should be forced to read this book- our collective health would be much better!

An evidence based, comprehensive nutrition plan for anyone looking to optimize their diet. It serves as a heart healthy, cancer preventing, wt controlling, all purpose guide to better lifestyle. I recommend it to family, friends and patients. - Thomas G. Smith MD

I bought this book after seeing ``From the Earth to the Moon,'' and found it to be a very interesting and informative overview of the American manned space program through Apollo. I would highly recommend it to anyone who may have been too young or not born yet to understand the accomplishments of the astronauts and all the men and women of NASA and contractors who were the real heart behind the Apollo space program.A Man on the Moon

The Apollo astronauts accomplished a feat which few thought possible. In a captivating fashion, author Andrew Chaikin offers a version of the Moon flights which most astronauts could not communicate.

The vivid details of the lunar features and the astronauts' private thoughts are brought to life in a way that makes you feel as if you are really there. The astronauts often stumble into "thrust-to-weight ratios" and "angles of trajectory" when they talk about their experiences. This is not what the public wants to hear. This book is the definitive book for mankind's greatest adventure.

Tahir Rahman, author of We Came in Peace for all Mankind
www.silicondisc.com

This is the most well written story about all of NASA's Apollo missions from Apollo 7 to Apollo 17. If you like space travel and can't get enough of the moon landings than this is the book you must have. I thought I knew a lot about the Apollo missions, since I was a Navy SEAL during Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo and had teammates working in these programs, but was not prepared for the detailed documentary and laymen language approach to this book. It is, also, a great reference book with lots of other suggested reading. I couldn't put it down!

Chaikin scores with this book. He successfully captures the underappreciated story of humankind's climb to the Moon.

I have read many books about the Apollo missions and this is the first one I recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

--Guy P. Harrison, author of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (Prometheus)

If you want to know the history of the Apollo moon landings, this is one of the 2 book you MUST read (Mike Collins "Carrying the fire" being the other) A history of the Apollo program, with flashbacks to Gemini and Mercury for perspective. Chaikin has EVERYTHING that happened here, and he worked to get it. Anyone that had anything to do with the missions, Chaikin talked to him or her. Want to know who flew what, and when, here it is. Why did it happen the way it did? Here ya go.
Even the warts, although, I think Deke was romanticized a bit.

Very informative, and a lot of fun.

Along with brief episode descriptions and information there is a whole lot more fun stuff to be found in this look at the first couple of seasons of the tv show.

Informations on the various quips and references made by the characters, and also some quotable quotes will come in handy for fans, no doubt about it.

Plenty of other bits and pieces following the characters and their relationships.

Good stuff.

The watcher guides are great. But The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008 contains things even they missed. For Buffy collectors the Watchers Guides are must have and great reads. But for the avid fanatical BtVS fan who wants it all I highly recommend The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008. This book is up to date (2008 and season 8 info), and contains everything you could possibly want to know about Buffy the Vampire Slayer...and more. One feature I have not seen in any other book, is a detailed time line of all the slayers...from the First Slayer...all the way to Buffy. This was a pleasant surprise.

This isnt the best book if you're looking for a behind the scenes one. But it is great when it comes to quotes. Behind the Scenes is more in the 2nd volume.

This has an excellent array of quotes from seasons 1 and 2(which is what this book covers). It also has pretty good episode reviews, with some deleted scenes usually showing up along with some unknown facts.

But it also has some information that I found boring, which included a tour of Sunnydale.

But on the whole, not to bad of a book.

I like the books by Kenneth Topping a lot more than the official guides. They are more fun, more informative, and because they aren't "official" can be fans more than authors maintaining an official relationship with the show. But having said that, this and its companion volume are both really informative. And although I knew all the quotes anyway, it was a lot of fun reading them all. The best part of the book is the interviews with people you normally don't hear as much about, like set designers and associate producers and such.

Any serious fan of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will want this book on their shelf, along with its sequel THE WATCHER'S GUIDE II. The first volume contains a wealth of information about the first two seasons, while the second does the same for Seasons Three and Four. Unfortunately, there has not yet appeared a volume for the last three seasons. Hopefully that will be forthcoming.

These volumes are valuable for a variety of reasons. First, the early sections give a summation of each major character along with a collection of humorous quotations. It then proceeds to an episode-by-episode summation, which is great because it provides a lot of information that is otherwise not that easy to obtain. But far and away the best part of the book--for me, anyway--is the final section, which contains a host of great and informative interviews with actors, directors, writers, and technical folk. This final section is great because while Joss Whedon is widely acknowledged to be the main creative force behind BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, he has always ruled with a light hand. BUFFY is clearly a team effort, and it is great to see the roles the various team players play in the construction of the series.

Although the final episode of BUFFY has been shot, I hope this won't dissuade the publishers from producing a final WATCHER'S GUIDE to cover the final three seasons. I ardently believe that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the new STAR TREK. Just as STAR TREK managed to attract more and more new fans over the decades, I believe that BUFFY will have an ever expanding fan base, as more and more people are persuaded to give it a try. The shows of the seven seasons will be in syndication for years, each season will be available on DVD within the next year and a half, and spin offs like ANGEL and the other projects that have been mentioned will keep the interest in BUFFY alive for years.

Well researched and well written. If you want to know about Special Forces recon teams in Vietnam, don't pass this one up.

Read this book a while back and I just want to say it was a terrific read, with good stories about our fighting men who performed magnificently in an unpopular war for an ungrateful populace. Thank you Vietnam veterans for your service.

A very comprehensive account of until recently unknown military activities in Viet Nam. I purchased the book because it had references to my brother-in-law, Walter Shumate and it provided me with some insight on his role in this action.

This is a book I bought based on the VERY high reviews on Amazon. To me this one lived up to the high praise. I had no idea what SOG was - now I do ...& I am very impressed. There are so many great stories in here - almost all incredible life & death situations. I have the highest respect for the men who served in SOG. Worth buying for sure.

Excellent! As a Huey pilot who participated in a number of SOG insertions and extractions out of Quan Tri (CCN), it was interesting to read what was happening in between. At the time, we only told "were to put them and when and where to pick them up". We were not told their mission.... we did not have a need to know. I can tell you it was at times very exciting. There is nothing in the world like seeing tracers flying by or having the crew telling you we are taking hits. After my Huey was shot down, it was these guys who clipped me into the harness for my rope ride out. They were also the first faces that I saw when I awoke two days later in a hospital bed. They are truly the bravest of the brave... I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know what war is really about.

I have never been a big fan of books on CD. This changed with Gift from the Sea with the forward by Reeve Lindbergh and beautifully read by Claudette Colbert. This is a beautifully written and recorded book. I keep it in my car and play it quite often. I have orderered additional copies to share with friends. It is indeed as relevant today as it was fifty years ago and probably even more pertinent in today's fast paced world where we fail to slow down give ourselves alone time to comtemplate our lives. Reeve Lindbergh's forward about her mother was a lovely bonus. Although I have not read any of her childrens books, I have read everything else she has written that I can find and encourage anyone who has not read her books to check her out on [...].

This is a very touching book and it brings up many feelings that I needed to get in touch with. I would highly recommend it.

Eventhough this book was written almost sixty years ago, it speaks to women today. Anne Morrow Lindburgh writes as though she is visiting with the reader. It is so easy to hear the sea, see the sea shell she is describing and feel as though you truly know this author. This is a book I will read again and again, as well as give as a gift.

This is a must read for anyone & especially for women (of all ages). I
re-read it every few years just to be rejuvinated again. I've been giving
it ,for yrs., as gifts to special friends. The last time I gave it to my
friend ( a Presby. lay pastor)who took it with her from the WV mts. to
her family home in Fla....she read it while on the beach & upon returning used it as the basis for her sermon for Women's Sunday.Each time I find
something "new/eye-opening & worthy" in the examination of the shells to
our individual lives.

Everyone should read "A Gift From the Sea". This is a book filled with wisdom. Unfortunately I read it later in my life. I wish I would have had this book in my twenties. Anne Morrow Lindbergh was a woman who understood life.

This book is one of the most amazing books i've ever read. it's got a great depth to it and explain in a discreet way about sociology and friendships. It's a page turner.

This book is defianitely the best book out of all the Night World books, even though each of them are excellent in their own way! I think its just the way that Jez and Morgead's love is so pure and brilliant! Also Jez is so powerful! But Jez and Morgead are so different and them being together could never work, if Morgead knew her secret, that makes me never want to put the book down!

I've been a fan of L.J. Smith's since I first read "Chosen" six years ago. I've read all of her books, including her little known play on the King Authur myth that involves the Fey. I've read all of her trilogies, and the NightWorld books at least twice a piece.

I've even gone back and reread the NightWorld books and have been pleased to see that they still hold up. Even though I'm not a 15 year old girl anymore. My mother even read them and enjoyed them.

The thing I like the most about the L.J Smith books are the heroines and the heroes. Both characters are somehow vastly appealing. Well, save the ones in "Spellbinder" and "Dark Angel".

In "Huntress" the heroine is no aception to L.J. Smith's rule. She's even more of an outsider than Rashel, and is a bit wiser than the Cat. However, she's got a bit of a wild streak, not to mention she's more cunning in her own fashion.

She's sypmathetic and strong at the same time.

However, her hero, Morgred isn't.

Usually, when L.J Smith writes "bad boys" they're so bad they're sinful. Morgred falls short of that. He seems to be a pale copy of Smith's previous heroes Ash and Quinn, except he falls short of their charisma, sympathy, and sheer sexiness. Not to mention he's lacking a personality.

The plot is good and the writing is excellent. However, Morgred keeps the book from getting a perfect rating. Sorry Jez, you tried your best.

I think that Lisa Jane Smith is an exceptional author! behind Tolkien. Like Francine Pascale (author of fearless) she's got this thing that makes you want to go on reading until you've finished the book.Huntress like the rest of the series is a very original story...it's too cool

"Huntress" is the seventh book in the "Night World" series, a range of books concerning the secret going-ons of vampires, witches and shapeshifters in our everyday world. Previously, the books were predominantly love stories between humans and Night World members, but "Huntress" is the book where things begin to get a bit more interesting...

Jez Redfern is confident in her abilities and her life - she spends her nights hunting down humans with her gang for fun, and alternatively flirting/fighting with her second-in-command Morgead Blackthorn. But then a vision disrupts this life forever: she is not a full-blooded vampire, but the daughter of a vampiric father and a human mother. As this knowledge endangers her very life, she abandons her gang, joins the benevolent Circle Daybreak and goes to live with her human relatives.

Several years later, Jez is leading a double-life: attending school by day with her annoying cousin Clare, and hunting her former allies at night under the instructions of the Circle. On this particular night she arrives home (in trouble with her family once more) to find another member of Circle Daybreak in her room: Hugh Davis. Hugh gives her the most important mission yet: a prophecy has risen that describes four "Wild Powers" that are destined to stop the coming apocalypse at the turn of the millennium.

And why has Jez been chosen to find the first of these Wild Powers? - (whose clue to their identity is used for my review's title) - Because someone has come forward claiming knowledge of the first Wild Power, and it's none other than Morgead. She must return to her gang and reclaim leadership, all the time knowing that if her true identity is found out then her life would be forfeit. And there are other darker powers looking for the Wild Power...

"Huntress" is one of the most rewarding books in the "Night World" series, concerning a desperate search, family ties, identity issues, Night World politics, and a growing sense of doom as the apocalypse ticks closer. However, don't get too involved in the characters and their situation - L. J. Smith has never published the last book in this series "Strange Fate" that wraps up the entire story (but as the millenium has come and gone without a hitch, I think we can assume that the good guys were successful).

L. J. gives some nice touches to the mix, with mentions of previous characters and events, plus the actual appearence of a character from "The Chosen", that has an unexplained burn mark that only readers of that previous book will understand. We also get another retelling of the Night World ancient history that fits in nicely to what we already know about Hellewise/Maya/the dragons and all the other eras of history.

At times it feels a bit rushed - Jez has found out her secret and moved in with her human family at the end of three very short chapters, and I'm getting increasingly amused at the ages of the vampires: despite the fact that they are immortal, all of her lamia characters just *happen* to be either seventeen or eighteen years old - where are all the grown-ups?!

I first read this book and the two before it as a teenager about a decade ago and still enjoy re-reading them. Through the story the characters change and grow lending an air of conviction and meaning to their actions and their fight. The true "villian" is not Faye, but the same dark force fought by the young coven's parents, with devestating results, the generation before. Cassie, Diana, and Faye come together to fight in the end.

The first time around, I read this trilogy out of order. I picked this book up in a used bookstore when I was about ten, and I loved it so much that I went out and bought the two other books in the trilogy, and every other one that L.J. Smith had written at that point. Eight years later and it's still probably my favorite book by her.

The development of Cassie throughout all three books is fantastic, and so gradual that you almost don't see it until the second or third book, when you suddenly go, "Cassie, my girl! When did you grow a spine?" In the first book she's a mouse, and by the third one she's a heroine in every sense of the word, without being so larger-than-life and perfect that you can't identify her. The development of the other characters is equally fabulous.

As I mentioned in my review for the second book, I absolutely adore the fact that this author can have half a dozen seemingly disparate plots running, then tie them together in a way which is both elegant and believable. In this book, all of the loose ends are tied up: the Master Tools are found, Black John makes his appearance, the murders are solved, and the coven is faced the choice of standing together or falling apart. The final confrontation with the villain is more mystical than violent, and a fitting conclusion to this marvelous series.

The entire trilogy is excellent, but this is without a doubt the best book of the three.

I liked the twist in this book. I really wasn't expecting some of the things that happened, though they may have been right under my nose. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, but you're going to be surprised.

This book, more than the first two, is very complex. Smith really does an excellent job of playing on many of the central themes of most pagan philosophy. The story is woven around the ideas of balance and sort of yin-yang philosophy. Plus, she obviously did her research on stones and herbs (as with the previous novels). The only complaint I really have is that there isn't a fourth book.

This was a really terrific book and so is the author. Cassie loyalty to Diana is threaten by Faye when Faye find out some dirt on Cassie. Faye leads Cassie further into the path she walks. After doing her bidding, she releases John Black, the one who doing all the killing and who is Cassie father. He also turn the people against the witches. It ends up being Cassie who must stopped John Black. The ending is cool because Cassie ends up being a leader of the coven with Faye and Diana. The ending was awesome.

In this conclusion ea. of the characters must really make a choice as to who they want to be. Despite all the characters being sworn into a coven they have never been united. There has always been Faye's gang of wild and reckless witches that like to use their powers to have fun and then Diana's gang of goody-goody brainiacs. Then there's Nick - who's remained quietly reserved about his feelings the whole time.
Now that there is a common evil outside of their group (John Black)they have made a pact to work together to destroy him, with the exception of Faye who is drawn to the power he possesses. Now the time has come. The final battle.
Together the coven must select a permanent leader and figure out a way of stopping John Black and protecting the town of New Salem.
I enjoyed every minute of this book. It was fully of mystery, romance, betrayal, strategic battles, poems, etc. But it really shows what we all experience and must battle (figuratively) while growing up and leaving HS.
I do however have one complaint and what really takes the review down from 5 to 4 stars is Cassie's choice in a mate. The 2nd book hinted at a likeness Nick had for Cassie but he really starts to open himself slowly up to Cassie and it is so sweet because you know how hard it is for Nick to lay openly exposed like that. But Cassie forever stays convicted to this love she has for Adam. I'm totally an advocate for love at first sight, but Adam is just too polite and nice w/o any layers at all. In her third "Dark Visions" book, "The Passion", she has a similar quartet of lovers. Kait and Cassie (the main characters) are very similarly attracted to the nice boy (Rob/Adam) but where "The Passions" ends w/ Kait discovering a true connection of equalness to the "bad boy" Gabriel this book ends w/ Cassie never really feeling any attraction to Nick - only using him as a security blanket while she battled her lust for Adam.
Nick and Cassie have so much in common - personality wise - and I think she could really make him happier and together they'd work so well. Whereas I just see quietness between Adam and Cassie - I think they'll end up just empty.
Despite my dissatisfaction w/ the person Cassie chooses (sorry for giving that away) I strongly reccommend you to read each of the books of this trilogy. They are just incredibly real!!

I have read many military books. This is the best one I have ever read. I suggest the sequel "back in the life" as well as "Weapon" and "Solo". Anything written by Mason is good.

Bob Mason wrote a very eloquent, very eye-opening account of his Vietnam tour as a helicopter pilot.

Having just lost my older brother, who was also a helicopter (slick) pilot in 67-68 with the D Troop 1/10 Cav (Shamrocks) and A Co., 4th Avn Bn (Black Jack), I found just how much he sugar-coated the "war stories" he told myself and our siblings when we were pre-teens/teens. After reading Chickenhawk, it's a miracle that Bob Mason (and my brother) ever made it home at all. It seems that if this war didn't get you physically, it sure got you mentally and emotionally - making you pay one way or another.

From a woman's point of view, I recommend this book to every woman who ever had a son, brother, uncle or husband in Vietnam. This is what our Vietnam heroes went through for US ... somehow, a mere "thank you" will never be enough.

Welcome home, Bob. Thanks for all you gave up for us.

I was in the 1/9th Blues at the time of which this was written. I was in the "Horseshoe LZ", wounded and medivaced. This book is real, like I wish I didn't remember it. We didn't know each other but we were in the same place at the same time. Belive me this guy was there and does a very good job of describing the situation. I sometimes give lectures to classrooms about Vietnam and I always recommend this book, so I recommend it to you readers as well.

Chickenhawk? Yes, these men in their 20s both feared their missions and fought for them to the limits of what their harware allowed them to do, displaying incredible bravery. This story takes you in South-Vietnam and into the world of the Air Cavalry that distinguished brilliantly itself in this theater of operations. Reading this book tells even tricks to better fly the very much famed "Huey Chopper" under extreme conditions. This book is one of the very finest choice for the UH-1D engagement in SEA. Thank you so much Mr. R. Mason!

The author has a easy to read come-a-long with me style of writing that works exceptionally well given that he by-in-large avoids the politics except as they intersect in the daily life of an army pilot making these rare scenes very compelling such as Bob in is Saigon hotel on R&R contemplating the question, "Why don't the Vietnamese fight the VC like the VC fight the Vietnamese?" We share these thought with Bob as if for the first time in spite of the many years that have passed. The understanding that the war was not "winable" the way it was being fought dawns on both the author and the reader and we share the author's dispair.

The air action scenes are the best ever put to pen and the best ever likely to emerge from the SE Asian conflict. The author exhibits a rare and powerful ability to paint vivid scenes with a great economy of words that makes the text both crisp and very fast paced.

Honesty and rye humor coexist with raw human emotions of grief, injustice, fear and anger providing an authentic feel as the author spares no one especially himself a good hard look in the mirror and in spite of his defects the author becomes an unlikely hero who you can't help but like and this makes the closing lines so very painful.

Chickhawk is the best book produced for laymen on airmoble warfare and is certainly in the running for the best book ever about the Vietnam war.

I bought this book in a second hand book it is a briellient story and enjoyed reading it very much.

I first read these in high school and now atleast every 2 or 3 years I read them again. This time around (I'm 27 now) when I had the urge to read them I couldn't find them. I really wish they would make them into a movie trilogy! It's just a great read if you love nature and magic and remember being 16 and in highschool. I hope I read this until I am an old grandma and can get lost in time and pretend I am cassie!

I love this trilogy. I've loved it since I was about ten, and I still love it. It has pride of place on my bookshelf, and every now and again, I go back and re-read it.

In this first book, Cassie Blake, a highschool junior, finds herself suddenly uprooted when her mother moves them back to the tiny Massachusetts town of New Salem. They move in with her grandmother, and before long, a girl at Cassie's school has been murdered and Cassie has taken her place in the mysterious 'Club', a group of teenage witches who can trace their lineage all the way back to the days of the Salem witchcraft trials. Add to that is the menacing and beautiful Faye, Cassie's growing attraction to her best friend's boyfriend, and the search for the coven's lost Master Tools, and you have yourself a gripping and fast-paced start to a thrilling young adult trilogy.

That's not to say that the story doesn't have its problems, one of which is the somewhat underdeveloped secondary characters. Even this is excusable, however, given that there are eleven of them in the coven itself, not to mention various relations and townspeople. If nothing else, most of the coven members are clearly defined and given at least a few pages of close attention, such as the bike ride with Deborah in the second novel. Overall, a very satisfactory read, and well worth buying.

When I was about 13 or 14 I read and re-read these book over and over again. I even recorded them on tape so that I could listen to it while I was out and about.

I loved this trilogy.

Everyone can relate to Cassie in feeling different in a group and in this day and age magic is really popular, so this trilogy is the best for those that are coming of age in this time period when we are obsessed with darkness and magic, etc.

I plan on buying a new set because I wore my old set (given that was 13 years ago) out.

I first read this book when I was 12. For some reason I was not able to get ahold of the next two books in the series. Well, the ending left me so curious to know what happened that I felt compelled (at the age of 24) to track down the next two books in the series to find out what happened. I have to say that I enjoyed reading it the second time as much as I enjoyed the first. The characters are all well formed and interesting. These books are an excellent synthesis of religious accuracy and compelling imagination.