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N Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

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The Dog Chapel: Welcome All Creeds, All Breeds. No Dogmas Allowed
Published in Hardcover by Harry N. Abrams (2002-11-01)
Author: Stephen Huneck
List price: $19.95
New price: $7.98
Used price: $5.00
Collectible price: $19.95

Average review score:

Loved this book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-20
This book should be required reading for all dog lovers and those that have lost their canine loves. Huneck is in touch with those feelings. Recommend to all.

comforting especially for those enduring the recent loss a beloved pet
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-12
Very sweet and comforting book for those who have suffered the loss of a beloved pet. Good for children & adults. How wonderful to be offered an opportunity to send pictures of your pet to be placed in memory at the Remembrance Wall at the DOG CHAPEL-
Mr Huneck- the author as well as artist for the book-must be a special person to create this loving tribute. I'll bet his dogs think so too!

for dog lovers
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-22
This is the best book. I always gift it when someone has a beloved dog pass away. Huneck has a gift with his books.

The perfect gift for one who has lost a dog
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-15
This is a beautiful book, well written, and full of wonderful pictures. The authors account of how the book came to be is touching. For anyone who has had to put their dog to sleep, a gift of this book would be of great comfort. There is even a memorial picture frame in the back of the book in which you can send a photo of your dog up to the chapel.

Great Book any time!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-14
This is a great book anytime, but when you lose a pet, it is the BEST!

We gift it to all our friends that are grieving.

You should do the same.

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Fiction: The Art and Craft of Writing and Getting Published
Published in Paperback by Pomegranate Press (CA) (1999-04)
Author: Michael Seidman
List price: $15.95
New price: $3.97
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $7.00

Average review score:

Hey Mikey, He Likes It!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-02-11
I was thoroughly impressed with Michael Seidman's ingenue in the subject of fiction writing... I've only read half the book and I already have a considerably solid idea of how my book should be constructed... I recommend this book to anyone who has the desire to write or anyone who has written before.

Want to hone your craft? Then listen to the editor.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-30
Seidman's approach to writing is not for the faint-hearted or those with a cookie-cutter mentality, but it is for someone who wants to get a solid handle on craft. With decades of experience working for top publishers and editing some of the best in the business, Seidman has distilled his knowledge and made it easily available for anyone truly interested in learning how to write. Seidman's books on writing should line every writer's reference shelf.

A very special book.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-06
Seidman does something very special in this book: he talks to writers as a friend trying to demystify the process of writing and the process of getting published and beyond. It's an absolutely refreshing change from other writing books that admonish, cajole, preach, and give self-help pep talks. It's an enjoyable book, which makes it that much more important to those of us who want to learn.

Books can't really do that, can they?
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-05
This is what happens when Strunk & White takes An Idiot's Guide to Getting Published to a cheesy motel room for a weekend of frolic. You get the perfect love child of how to write a book for publication without looking like the proverbial idiot. Seidman manages to beat the unsuspecting reader over the head with his well worn copy of Elements of Style in such a way that you don't really notice the lumps until later. Then he switches hats and lets you know exactly what's going on behind those closed editorial doors. Apparently they aren't designing new and inventive ways of make authors pull the rest of the hair out and swear to take up horticulture.

If you want to write a book and you want to publish it, then this is one of those that should grace your collection of how to write books and get published tomes. It's compact, it's laminated cover doubles as a coaster in a pinch, and you can actually learn some punctuation rules if you're not careful.

An Incisive, Positive, Constructive Book
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-03
This is a concise, intelligent piece of work written in three clearly defined segments; the most intensive being the first part which deals directly with the art of writing in the real world. There is then a short, centrally located segment which is about networking that makes plain good sense look quite simply like a brilliant idea. The Third and last section deals in no uncertain terms with the Business of Publishing, and make no mistake, the guy who wrote it has more than 40 years experience in the field, so each page he presents to us is not only useful, it's a no fooling around, fact-filled leaf within a series of only hundred and some business oriented pages that complete this valuable text. The book then is punctuated with an ending comprised of short, comprehensively helpful lists. Do yourself a favor and don't miss it.

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Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1
Published in Spiral-bound by Flip n Flop Learning LLC (2008-02-01)
Author: Senora Gose
List price: $29.95
New price: $29.95
Used price: $26.96

Average review score:

Easy to learn and easy to teach!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-12
Flip Flop Spanish is a fun activity book that is user friendly for the teacher and the student. The author explains how to teach Spanish right down to the correct pronunciation of words and keeps my four year old wanting more! I got more for my money than I expected a cd, flash cards, and advice from the author! Lastly, this book suggests easy ways to incorporate Spanish outside of the class where it really matters! I do not think there is another Spanish workbook like this; I will definitely be looking for the next levels. Thanks!!!

Spanish Fun
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-17
I bought one for me and one for my grandkids (age 6 and 11). Takes more time than I have, but I'm planning on using it w/grandkids on the plane to Mexico and we should have some fun together.

A fun, practical way to introduce Spanish to your child
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-04
I began using this book with my first child when he was 7 and am currently using it with my 3 year old. Senora Gose provides vocabulary that is interesting and practical for a child to learn, for example, colors, animals, clothing, weather. There are 14 lessons in all, each designed to take approximately one week in time, allowing time for fun and practice to find their way into each lesson. As a parent, I really appreciate the pronunciation guide for each word introduced -- a great way to remind me of the proper pronunciation before I teach it to my child. If there's any doubt, the included CD offers help as well.

You will like this just as much as your child
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-08
I got this for my daughter and I ended up liking it just as much as her. The pics were also lots of help. I haven't bought the second level yet but we will. I have bought lots of products for learning Spanish at Amazon and this is the first one that my child enjoys using just as much as I do. The others she simply had no interest in. I highly recommend this as a product that you can use to teach both parents and children Spanish.

Excellent beginning Spanish
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-17
I have 6 children from the ages of 3-13. All of us, including myself enjoy listening to the cd. She talks to the kids, not down to the kids. It is not dry, just reading the words, but more converstational sounding. I highly recommend the book and cd set. It is worth every penny.

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Full Moon Soup
Published in Hardcover by Boxer Books (2007-09-01)
Author: Alastair Graham
List price: $12.95
New price: $7.89
Used price: $7.58

Average review score:

Double your fun with Full Moon Soup and Full Moon Afloat!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-25
I read these books with both younger sons for years and we loved them. It's amazing how many times you can "read" one of the books and yet find something you had never noticed before. Such a neat way to engage young children in books. We would make up our own stories and the boys would try to best each other in finding the most unusual happening on each page. If you buy one I'm sure you'll want the other. Very, very enjoyable!

Engaging!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07
My daughter brought this home from her school library last year when she was in kindergarten. We had great fun with it. She checked it out two more times over the course of the school year. She's in Grade 1 now and has already brought the book home once. So we bought it for her, and she was delighted to get it.

The book is a series of pictures of the inside of a hotel. In each of the rooms, you see various characters engaged in activities (cooking, cleaning, checking in, etc). As you turn the pages, you see looming disasters from all directions, and each page shows how each character is affected at each stage. It's very humourously done.

The newer edition is in the form of a "find the . . . " book. This addition is entirely unnecessary as our daughter found the original version highly entertaining. But she's very happy with the new edition we ordered, as well.

A great book.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-10
My 5-year old son found this book in the library and could not put it down. At the end of our borrowing period, he was still in love with this book, spending up to an hour at a time following individual characters from one page to another. So I had to buy a copy.

My 6-year-old loves this book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-17
I gave this book to my 6-year-old on the second leg of a loooong plane trip. It kept her absorbed for almost an hour. She isn't reading yet, so it was a relief to give her something she could look at independently (especially as she was seated across the aisle). Since that trip, the book gets moved from the car to the church bag, and it continues to hold her interest several months later.
Have to admit I haven't really looked at it myself, but after seeing some of the other reviews I'll have to give it a try!

Endlessly entertaining and quite bonkers!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-01
These wordless story books are rich in detail and drama and can inspire the most book phobic child to reconsider their viewpoint. The story here centres on a peaceful evening in a tranquil country hotel. Weird and wonderful things begin to happen when the soup is served up! The Hotel action is shown in double page spreads of glorious activity and superbly detailed art work. With each page turn you have a myriad of events to witness and decipher as each character has progressively madcap events unfold for them. You will want to cross reference several times to grasp a fuller understanding of the action. There are factfinding questions at the rear of the book which will have you hunting all over again! A marvellous, amusing and highly innovative route into concentrating the minds of reluctant readers and hyperactive minds. Devilishly funny for adults too! Must have books as the possibilities for spur off activities and fun learning are endless.

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I Am Plastic: The Designer Toy Explosion
Published in Hardcover by "Harry N. Abrams, Inc." (2006-11-01)
Author: Paul Budnitz
List price: $40.00
New price: $21.56
Used price: $10.00

Average review score:

Great book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-28
one of the best toy art books around, lots of designs, this book is a must have

Strange and Fascinating
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-26
This is one of those books that simply has to be seen to be believed - who would have thought that toys (yes, toys) could become a new artistic medium? Within "I Am Plastic" you'll find a wild and wonderful selection of toys from creators from across the globe, everything from evil cartoon characters and superdeformed abstractions to fantastically detailed and realized robots, gorillas, and others. Browsing through this volume I was reminded of the art in the book "The Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion" - the artists and their art in each of these books seem to have the same feel, the same vibe and life to them: definitely non-conformist, and definitely imaginative, as though pop culture was put in a blender and the results painted on canvas or molded into plastic toys. Anyone interested in modern art would do well to give this book a look.

Great visual resource
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-03
This book has great images of toys from around the world. I bought it for a friend who is a graphic designer and she plans to use it as a visual reference for a childrens book she is illustrating.

Perfect
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-29
You couldn't ask for anything more from a toy review. Beautifully presented and with enough info to get what you want.

Inspiring. And Funny !
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-17
I bought this book without really knowing it, trusting the reviews and the intriguing cover. I was not disappointed. (Except by Amazon's delivery- the book was torn and not clean). This book shows a lot of funny toys. No words, only nice funny pictures. I would recommend this for anyone who likes toys and action figures.

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Introduction to Flight
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math (2007-10-25)
Author: John D. Anderson
List price:
New price: $131.99
Used price: $115.00

Average review score:

Best Intro to Aero Book Ever
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-14
all of my rocket scientist friends (literally rocket scientists!) say this is the best, bar none, intro to Aero book on the planet.

An effective intro to the subject
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-09
This is a very good read, for an engineering textbook. It uses a rare combination of technical and historical explanations that holds the reader's interest enough to effectively provide him/her with the basic concepts of the subject it teaches.

Deep text, but good intro book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-10
This book is definitely for serious aero engineering students. Very in-depth, very detailed. Don't expect light material for those who are with no background in some physics, statics and dynamics. Wish it had more examples for working on to better understand concepts, and more illustrations. Interesting book nonetheless.

Flight Mechanics
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-16
5 Stars.

Introduction to Flight, by John D. Anderson, is the ultimate introduction to flight mechanics and aircraft performance for engineers. Much of the content is also applicable to pilots, although some may find the math to be excessive at some points.

Anderson's writing reflects an excellent grasp of the subject matter, as well as an obvious talent for teaching complex content to those new to the field. Whether you're using this book as a primary or secondary text, for self-instruction, or as a professional reference, you'll find it up to the task.

Also recommended are Dr. Anderson's other titles, including:

- Fundamentals of Aerodynamics

- Modern Compressible Flow with a Historical Perspective

- Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics

Very Good Introductory Textbook
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-19

"Introduction to Flight" is an excellent book on the fundamentals of aerodynamics, and the history of flight. The book gives a comprehensive coverage of a wide range of topics including aerodynamics, aircraft design, aircraft control, propulsion systems, supersonic and hypersonic flight as well as structures and materials.

The author did a good job of taking the otherwise complex subject of flight into a clearly explained and illustrated subject making it interesting and easy to follow by anyone with a high school level of knowledge of physics and mathematics. The book is well written with easy to follow explanations and worked examples. The reader will find the book simple to understand due to the author's generous use of diagrams and graphs.

The book is recommended reading for aeronautical engineering students, flight enthusiasts and pilots.

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The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
Published in Hardcover by InterVarsity Press (1994-02)
Author: Craig S. Keener
List price: $35.00
New price: $20.00
Used price: $12.50

Average review score:

useful both for preaching and personal devotions
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-30
This book has been an excellent resource for me both in my personal Bible reading and in preparing sermons.

The first sermon I ever gave was directly informed by the historical information I learned about from this book.

It really illuminates the historical background for all the verses in the New Testament.

Informative and Accessible
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-19
I have taken a course with Dr. Keener, and his passion shines through in this book. I have never met someone who works harder than he does. It is big, but it is not a difficult read. If you are looking for answers, you will find them here. Want to know why the signs in John are so important (and it is "signs" rather than "miracles" in John for a reason), you will know. If you want to know the significance of the numbers and churches in Revelation, you will know.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-09
This is a helpful resource in helping to understand who the Bible text is written to. By understanding the historical background, you can interpret the scriptures accurately.

An Enriching Look at the Cultural and Historical Background of each New Testament Verse
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-07
I was given this book as an ordination present back in 1996, and I have used it faithfully ever since. It is the work of Craig Keener, New Testament professor at Eastern Seminary. He works verse by verse from Matthew through Revelation, giving cultural and historical information that lies behind the text. He teaches about the different kinds of tax collectors, the roles and responsibilities of the teachers of the law, and Jewish customs and traditions that bring to light the meaning of certain verses.

This is one of the first books I consult when I am researching information for a Sunday sermon, and I am always rewarded with something to chew on to give to my people. I highly recommend this resource as one of the ten books every Bible teacher should own.

Great info, even for stories you've known all your life!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
I've found it to be priceless to have this book (and the OT edition also) at the table whenever doing a Bible study. When I do group Bible Studies (especially inductive studies), people love to crack this reference book open so that they can get more clues into the significance of objects and names and motivation of the characters in the Bible. I am not a Biblical scholar, so there would simply no way for me to learn about some of the more obscure details we come across during even common passages for study. I also own the electronic version of this book, so that I have it with me wherever I go with my laptop.

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Krazy Kat
Published in Hardcover by Harry N. Abrams (1999-04-01)
Author: Patrick McDonnell
List price: $19.98
New price: $49.95
Used price: $13.45
Collectible price: $110.00

Average review score:

Interested in Krazy Kat? Start here...
Helpful Votes: 16 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-14
This book stands as the best introduction to one of the best comic strips ever produced. Not only is it packed with hard to find "Krazy Kat" strips, but it also includes a biography of the artist, George Herriman. Some consider Herriman the first African-American mainstream cartoonist. His colleagues didn't know his ethnicity (and Herriman didn't tell them) so some called him "the Greek". He felt he had to hide some of his features from the public. For example, he kept his very curly hair closely cut and hidden under a hat. Not only that, his birth certificate shows his parent's ethnicity as "colored". The prejudices of the time likely would not have allowed an African-American the mainstream status and freedom allowed to George Herriman. So through "Krazy Kat" we get a glimpse of what early 20th century American culture may have missed out on due to its racial myopia. For "Krazy Kat" stands as an absolute masterpiece of its genre.

Herriman found some modicum of fame in his lifetime. William Randolph Hearst (the newspaper magnate) loved Herriman's work and rewarded him with a lifetime contract (according to the biography in the book, Hearst once read a "Krazy Kat" Sunday page and immediately demanded a raise for the artist). Herriman's success didn't come quickly, however. His first big break came in 1897 with the sale of a sketch to the Los Angeles Herald. Around 1901 he landed his first job as a "Staff Cartoonist" (a person who literally reported to the office every day and rattled off strip after strip; very different from today's cartoonists). Between 1901 and 1916 Herriman penned numerous strips (the book includes samples of many of these strips - many in color), including: "Musical Mose" (this strip's overt racial humor would not fly today), "Professor Otto and His Auto", "Acrobatic Archie", "Two Jolly Jackies", "Major Ozone's Fresh Air Crusade", "Home Sweet Home", "Baron Mooch", "Mary's Home From College", "Gooseberry Sprig" (considered to be a direct forerunner to "Krazy Kat"), "Alexander the Cat", "Daniel and Pansy", and finally, in 1910, "The Dingbat Family" (which changed its name briefly to "The Family Upstairs"; it was Herriman's first hit). It was in a "Dingbat Family" strip in 1910 that a mouse first "beaned" a "Kat" with a projectile (in the "running boards" of the strip). Eventually the Kat and mouse sideshow surpassed the main strip's popularity, and "Krazy Kat" debuted as a daily in October 1913 (the famous Sunday pages began in 1916). Herriman kept experimenting with other strips through 1923 when he finally placed his focus squarely on "Krazy Kat".

From roughly 1913 to 1944 (when Herriman passed away leaving a week's worth of unfinished Krazy Kat's on his drawing table) "Krazy Kat" developed from a "Kat" and mouse game (filled with puns, misunderstandings, and musings on the imperfections of language) into a complex love triangle between Krazy (the "Kat"), Ignatz (the mouse) and Offisa Pupp (the dog). Ignatz's entire being revolves around "beaning" the "Kat" with a brick, and Krazy interprets this as an act of love (unbeknownst to Ignatz). Offisa Pupp loves Krazy (in a fatherly sort of way) and his obsession revolves around catching Ignatz in the act and jailing him. Three obsessions collide in an almost jazz-style derivation of themes. Herriman developed this theme brilliantly over 30 years of strips. But overall it defies analysis: the strip can only speak for itself.

Sadly, though "Krazy Kat" counted such dignatiries as e.e. cummings, George Gershwin, Gilbert Seldes, James Joyce, and other literati, as fans, its popularity waned dramatically throughout the 1930s (as it became more surreal, esoteric and unabashedly uncommercial). It was kept in print by Hearst himself. The book does not cover the frustration of Hearst editors at the inclusion of the strip in their papers. They rebelled against it in some cases. Many simply tried to remove it from circulation only to find Hearst himself yelling "keep it in!" So we have, of all people, the controversial William Randolph Hearst to thank for the continuation of "Krazy Kat". By the end of its run "Krazy Kat" only appeared in some 30 papers.

The main focus of this book lies in its numerous incredible strips. The book includes daily strips (most dating from 1938 to 1944) and Sunday pages (dating from 1916 to 1944 with some in color; it also includes both the first and last Sunday pages). If one reason exists to purchase this book, here it is. The strips retain their amazing character even after decades of aging. And the artwork remains astounding. Not only that, the book includes samples of hand colored drawings of Herriman's, and photos of Herriman and his family. All in all, this book opens the door on one of the comic strip medium's most celebrated strips. Those that get hooked should continue thier obsessions (in the true spirit of Krazy, Ignatz, and Offisa Pupp) with the Fantagraphics' series of Sunday pages, and the Pacific Comics club's reprints of daily strips. Someday every Krazy Kat strip Herriman drew will finally appear in printed form. We can hope, at least.

Wow! Beautiful book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-24
This is a wonderful book for Krazy Katz fans to own. It is large, colorful and very informative on one of Americas great cartoonists. The delivery through Amazon was fast and effortless. The book, a treasure to own. Worth the lower price through Amazon.

Pop art...pop life, the beginning of the 20th cent. is Krazy
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-03
This is what all popular art forms should be. A social commentary as love poem. And poem this is. There is very little that someone can write about the Krazy experience without treading in the same terran as this wonderful book. This is were your Krazy love afair begins. And unlike Ignatz you don't show your love with a brick.

The Kraziest love triangle ever
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-19
This is a wonderful introduction to George Herriman's great comic strip Krazy Kat that ran for several decades in the early twentieth century. This introduction provides biographical background to Herriman's art, a survey of some of his influences, and a very healthy dose of Krazy Kat panels, both color and black & white. It also discusses the way that Krazy Kat became a cultural phenomenon, easily one of the most highly regarded comics of the century, and permeating many other arts as well.

The Krazy Kat strip is utterly insane, surreal stuff. Here is the premise: Krazy Kat (who is usually female but is sometimes apparently male) is in love with Ignatz Mouse. Ignatz loathes Krazy, and to prove it konstantly kreases that kat's krown with a brick. Incredibly, Krazy sees this as proof of Ignatz's affection, and falls even more deeply in love (many panels show hearts rising from Krazy's heart when she is hit by one of Ignatz's bricks). Officer Pup, the town constable, is in love with Krazy and frequently throws Ignatz into jail for hitting Krazy, which causes Krazy to pine for her would-be lover. This is merely the barest sketch of this weird and wild world. The town of Concocino is populated by a host of equally outrageous characters, though the focus continually comes back to the three principals.

Though even the most recent of these strips are over sixty years old, Krazy Kat has stood up magnificently over the years. Part of the reason surely lies with Herriman's enormous gifts as an illustrator. The Sunday strips in particular are things of great beauty, with the frames arcing around the page in spectacular designs of considerable innovation and complexity. The content of the comics reflects a genuine wit and substantial intelligence, while the bizarre love triangle possesses endless possibilities for both humor and pathos. This truly is one of the most unique comics in the history of the medium, and even those who do not usually respond to the genre are apt to find this enormously entertaining.

The greatest comic strip ever? You bet.
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-27
When I noticed that many of my favourite cartoonists have said that Herriman's 'Krazy Kat' is the greatest comic strip ever, I decided I should check it out. It didn't take long before I agreed with them.

George Herriman is one of those rare individuals who genuinely deserves to be called a genius. That's a word that gets thrown around a little too casually perhaps, but in Herriman's case it is almost an understatement.

He was a brilliantly inventive artist, but his writing is what really sets him apart. A lot of the dialogue is written phonetically in bizarre dialects, a tricky thing to do, but he uses it to great effect.

Whereas space restrictions force cartoonists today to avoid using more words than is necessary, Herriman would often use a lot more, and much of the pleasure of reading 'Krazy Kat' comes from the sheer virtuosity with which Herriman uses language.

That a comic strip could be as funny, as intellectually stimulating, and as beautiful to look at as 'Krazy Kat' seems to me to be some kind of miracle. This book is a great introduction to Herriman and his work. There's a generous helping of 'Krazy Kat' strips, as well as some of Herriman's other work. Anyone who loves comics should have it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Leaps of Faith
Published in Hardcover by Farrar Straus & Giroux (T) (2000-02)
Author: Rachel Kranz
List price: $25.00
New price: $4.98
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

An amazing book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-27
Leaps of Faith is truly captivating. Its plot is rich and moving. Its characters are endearing and vividly alive, especially Warren and Flip. However too much emphasis is placed on the union and the strike. Also, the side stories of Tanya and the lesbian couple in Flip's theatre group seem irrelevant. But the relationship developments between Warren and Flip, between the couple and their respective sister, between the couple and their little girl,Juliet, makes the book shines. The strength in Warren and Flip's relationship culminating to their "marriage" is rare, touching, deeply emotional and beautifully told. I hope Kranz will invest her talents in another novel soon.

A delightful, wonderful book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-16
"Leaps of Faith" is a work of love. It is warm, funny, sweet and moving, with elements of suspense and drama. Rachel Kranz tackles major themes of race, sexuality, family and betrayal. She searches her characters with great affection for the best they have to offer and finds an array of human qualities that contribute to a most satisfying reading experience. The book is stylishly written, but in a friendly, down-to-earth way, and at the end of the nearly 600 pages, I only wished for more. I can't wait for Rachel Kranz's next book.

Politics & love
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-05
Kranz's remarkable novel is a hefty mix of comedy, politics, and the daily grind of love in all its forms. Flip's psychic boyfriend Warren doesn't fully support his fledgling acting career. Rosie, Flip's sister, is juggling what could be her first union strike with her so-called dating life. While Flip and Warren's relationship struggles, Warren's estranged sister sends her biracial daughter into Warren's life, causing him to adjust to life in totally new ways. Kranz changes viewpoints through the story, making it a mosaic of life in New York City, and this is one of the strongest aspects of the story. The most potent aspect of the story is Warren and Flip's love. It's incredibly tangible in its constant variations from positive to negative to inbetween. Like real life, their love is inconsistent with one saying something honestly to the other, and watching as it's misunderstood. And it's this honesty that resonates with the reader, drawing us further and further into the book until it's unquestionable that this book would be set aside. If you want to give yourself a fulfilling, joyful treat, grab this book and settle into a comfortable chair.

Life in the Big Apple
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-04
Set in the vibrant Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen neighborhoods of New York City, Leaps of Faith explores gay and lesbian relationships, struggling actors, racism and union activists. There's something for everyone in this novel, but the author invested so much of her own experiences, I wonder if she has anything left to contribute to subsequent novels.

Warren is a professional psychic, raised in a wealthy family who only partially accepts his gay lifestyle. He is suddenly saddled with raising his sister's French bi-racial 8-year old daughter, Juliette, after his sister admits herself into an asylum in Paris. Although he is totally unprepared for this role, he adapts quickly to it and learns to love Juliette totally. The central theme of the novel is Warren's volatile relationship with Flip, 13 years younger, struggling actor, and the love of his life. After much angst and soul searching Warren and Flip decide to pledge their troth to each other, and many humorous scenes are built around their "wedding" planning.

Flip's sister Rosie is also struggling to come to terms with her love relationship with a much younger man of a different ethnicity. She is also a determined union activist and struggles with some serious health problems. I found the chapters relating to the clerical workers strike at the university to be overdone and boring, and some skillful editing could have made this section of the book more concise and entertaining.

The structure of the book, which was told in multiple voices, allowed you to have insight into the perspective of multiple characters, and was a useful device until the chapters relating to the strike. Moving rapidly from the voice of one character to another character, none of whom were adequately fleshed out, was confusing and tedious.

But, all in all, the book was amusing, quick reading and gave some fascinating insights into New York, the gay life, the theater, and the behind the scenes union organizing. A little less detail in some areas could have shortened it somewhat and made the pace more brisk.

Memorable and Epic
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-03
I loved this book! It's a real page-turner. Ms. Kranz has captured the pulse of New York City with an exquisite array of pitch perfect voices running the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender and political position. It is epic in scope and yet very detailed and personal in each of its unique points of view. She has written a novel about intimacy and how we construct our intimate relationships that is political without being preachy. Her insightful glimpses into actor's lives, union organizers, traditional and non-traditional family structures and the web of relationships that keep them together are both painful and heartfelt. The characters have lingered with me long after the last page has been turned. The book reminds me of a fine tapestry, rich in texture and pattern, its story-lines beautifully woven together into a satisfying whole. I highly recommend this book!

N
Letters of a Woman Homesteader
Published in Paperback by Mariner Books (1982-04-13)
Author: Elinore Pruitt Stewart
List price: $11.95
New price: $0.11
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $11.95

Average review score:

Insight into homesteading in the turn of the century Wyoming
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-24
Wonderfull stories actually written by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. The woman was a tireless worker with a special kindness to her fellow man. You can picture in your mind just what she lived. Her descriptions are as good as they can be. Her kindness will melt your heart. She makes me wish I had lived in the area at the same time. It's such a world of difference from todays progression. I'm not so sure we have progressed to a better life. Even though it was a hard life and a short one I think it may have been a slice of heaven back in old Wyoming. She will tug at your heart at times and make you smile at others.
A great easy enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
Steve from Boulder Creek, Ca.

Joyous and Inspiring and a Great Gift
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
The audio version of this book is so well read -- it is well worth the cost. You cannot help feeling cheerful and energized about your own life, as you hear it. I gave the paperback version to a couple of discouraged women friends who prefer to read rather than listen to books. Both women loved it, and were inspired to face their own hardships more buoyantly. The very gifted author has blessed us with a wonderful history and narrative!

I can't put it down!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-03
Dear fellow Book-lovers:
I found this little gem at the local library today and I can't put it down. It is so good--easy to read (perfect for a busy Mom of 5 like me), inspiring, wholesome, funny, and informative. I am fascinated with this woman: her love for people, her giving heart, and her passion for fun and for life. I'm only on page 81 (out of 282) but I can already sit here and tell you to buy this book and enjoy it! I'm buying myself a copy and also one for my best friend. Christmas is coming!

Pioneer grit
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-01
Genuine substance and sincerity describe Stewart's letters from the early twentieth century while homesteading in this remote corner of Wyoming. Whereas most women would not even consider putting down roots in such an isolated area, Mrs. Stewart was determined to make a life for herself in this territory. And she did just that. It took a special kind of person to live in this far-removed landscape.

Her writing, subject matter and approach to life were most admirable. Hard working and always enthusiastic for adventure, she writes of various encounters with surrounding neighbors and experiences into the countryside. If she had any dull moments on the ranch they must have been few and far between.

Very optimistic about life, Mrs. Stewart affirms, "...all my own efforts have always been just to make the best of everything and to take things as they come."
To further quote, "It has always been a theory of mine that when we become sorry for ourselves we make our misfortunes harder to bear, because we lose courage and can't think without bias."

A wonderful read furthering an appreciation for life in the homesteading era.

So good, I thought it was a contemporary novel!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-29
I listened to the audio version of this book and after the first part, I went online to check to see if this was actually taken from real letters or just a modern novel. It was so interesting and so well-written that I couldn't believe it wasn't the creation of a novelist. But no, they are the authentic letters of an incredible woman. Ironically, she apologizes in her letters, for writing too much. If only she could have known that a century later, people around the world would be wishing she wrote even more.

If you choose the audio book, try to get the Sound Room Publishers version, narracted by Kate Fleming. It is far superior than Blackstone Audio's version read by Rebecca Burns (who does a good job, but whose voice is too much like a young girl's to express the wisdom and experience that Fleming projects).


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