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Reviewed by Anne Marie Medema (age 12) for Reader Views (7/08)

Mary O'Hara is an excellent author because she ties in real things that happen into a fictional family. The breeds of horses O'Hara writes about are real and it is obvious she is educated in each horse's individual characteristics. O'Hara writes using authentic western language terms. In "My Friend Flicka" the story comes alive to the reader as O'Hara writes with much description about the farm, the horses and life out West. O'Hara weaves into her story punishment and reward in real times -- the reward of a boy's joy when he finally receives his filly.

Can you tame a wild heart? The cover states it well. This question explains "My Friend Flicka" to the reader. It is a book about taming both a young boy and a horse. The storyline begins with Ken on a horse ride. While riding, Ken loses many different horse articles. Ken's father had been an army officer and thus raised Ken with firmness and strictness. He demanded respect. Ken has always been dreaming of a horse of his own.

Due to poor grades in school and a missed assignment about horses Ken must repeat a grade in school. His father requires Ken to complete an hour of homework a day throughout the entire summer. Ken's brother gets him in trouble by asking many questions that Ken must answer and tell the truth.

One day Ken scares his father's horses towards a landslide. One horse cuts the other horses off so none of them fall off and are saved. Ken's mother encourages his father to give his son a horse. Ken's father finally gives him a chance to care for a colt or filly. Ken chooses a colt that is a yearling. Since there are many yearlings to choose from, Ken anxiously awaits to make a choice.

The doctor arrives at their farm because four horses need to be gelded. Gelded means the horse can not reproduce and is done to the stallions. The procedure was so horrible and so much blood lost that one of the horses dies due to the gelding. The colts act sad after the gelding. Ken is greatly disturbed by it. This incident means Ken will choose a filly for his horse.

Rocket is a wild horse who has a filly named Flicka. Ken sees Flicka and falls in love with her and wants her. Flicka is caught for Ken. One day Flicka falls sick. After she is sick, Ken finds Flicka in a river lying down ill on a cold night. By the morning, Ken is sick and Flicka's fever is gone. Ken's father wants to kill Flicka but decides against it. Flicka turns into a well-bred horse and a companion for Ken. Flicka and Ken grow up together and learn life lessons from each other.

"My Friend Flicka" by Mary O'Hara is a great book I would recommend for young and old alike. Boys and girls who have a love for ranches, horses and the outdoors would particularly enjoy the storyline. I have read many books in my life time and I rank this one as one of the best. Break-in a book called "My Friend Flicka" and gallop away from the world.

I have to give this book 5 stars. Mary O'Hara wrote an incredibly beautiful story about a struggling family. Many of the details of the story are so true to life. As an adult reading this story, I found the details about the parents to be more interesting than the story of the horse and the boy. O'Hara really understands the concerns of a parent for a struggling child and it's very true to life in the book. Many important issues are touched upon in this book too; responsibility for our domestic animals, love for people and animals, doing our duty in our every day life are all there with out being mushy and sentimental. O'hara also paints a vivid picture of Wyoming and old-time ranch life. It makes me wish it was still like that, so I could visit it. This is another great book for a read aloud family time.

This is a very good book. My granddaughter really enjoyed it.

Although he made his audio book debut just two readings ago, stage, screen and television actor Michael Louis Wells is in full command of the metier with his narration of the classic My Friend Flicka. Many will remember the story as a film with Roddy McDowall, as a TV series or as a current film. Wells is on a par with all of the actors who have undertaken bringing this touching tale to life. The reason for the story's many incarnations is obvious - it is one of our best-loved books and well deserves its place among others that are enjoyed from generation to generation, such as Treasure Island and Mutiny on the Bounty.

Pivotal to O'Hara's story is Ken and his seeming laissez faire attitude. Where his mind is his father, Rob, certainly doesn't know. He's a young boy who would much rather just look out a window than study his arithmetic. He should have studied because his report card is so poor that he's doomed to repeat a grade. Rob undoubtedly wonders whether he'll even catch on the second time around.

Their home is Wyoming's Goose Bar Ranch and Rob is working hard to make a go of it. He doesn't need a son who seems given to daydreams. Then, along comes Flicka, a beautiful chestnut filly, with a wild streak inherited from her sire. Ken is certain he can tame Flicka, and so begins the unforgettable relationship between a boy and his horse.

O'Hara wrote a follow-up to her story, Thunderhead, but it never achieved the popularity of My Friend Flicka, a timeless story to be enjoyed over and over again.

- Gail Cooke

I am in the middle of lstening to this book. Its detailed descriptions of ranch life and horses are quite compelling. But what surprised me was the absolutely accurate description of a boy with ADD. This book was written some two decades before attention deficit disorder gained anyone's attention, but O'Hara's descriptions of Ken's behavior are absolutely consistent.

And then O'Hara answers the question of what to do about the condition: give the kid something he really wants to do and stand back. Of course, it helps that Ken has two wise and good-hearted parents; but then, maybe that is the start to solving most problems that children have.

A fine book on many levels, and a fine companion on the road for adult and child.

Great way to end the series! Its somehow related to the TV series and gives you a little perspective on things. A must have for any Roswell fan! =)

Several of the books in this series had a rushed feel to them, I thought the writing got better in this one.
The teens finally figure out a way to free Max from the collective consciousness and free the alien homeworld from it's grip as well. I'd expected the story to be pretty sloppy but was pleased to see it was better.
The Max/Liz and Michael/Maria romances even ran pretty much the way the TV series did with the exception that in this story Michael was going to return to the homeworld with brother Trevor and Isabel was going to go with him. Isabel decides to remain with her "family"and Michael, who had never admitted his feeling to Maria, decided that he too had to stay.
You do kind of get left with a "where's the rest of the series?" feeling as this is the last we see of the Roswell storyline.

Melinda Metz is a fantastic author. I loved her other Roswell books but this is, by far, the best one yet. I was jumping out of my seet from the first page. I love how Melinda ended the book, it was very twisty and tourney and almost made me cry. When I was done with the book I felt good to know what happens but I also felt sad to know that this was the end of Roswell. It's so depressing realizing somethings going to end.

OK, this book, in my opinion was the best at the end for romantic reasons. Michael and Maria both had a thing for the other, but, yes, Michael is a little dense, and once he fooled around with this evil Cameron (as you can probably tell, I hate her). Finally though, Michael and Maria admitted feelings, and it was so sweet! (I'm Michael-Maria crazy). The bad thing is that Alex and Isabel practically said (yes, they did) they only wanted to be friends, which totally sucks. Another thing: Max and Liz have always been totally corny in the books, but this time, they crossed the line. They act all lovey-dovey even after Liz's problems with Adam. If you ask me, they're too perfect a couple to be real. All in all, though, this book really came through.

The Salvation by Melinda Metz was truely a terrific ending to the Roswell High series. After all of the conflicts and terrors that Max, Liz, Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel had gone through in previous books, The Salvation needed a happy ending to calm the reader's nerves. And that's just what Metz delivered. If you've read the other Roswell high books don't even hesitate to read about their final battle in The Salvation.
The only thing I wish now was that she had written more!

...particularly if you are one of those people who think Shakespeare is boring or too difficult (most of us remember the NIGHTMARE of getting through one play at school, right?). Well, kiss boredom goodbye, banish your nightmares and prepare for a TREAT! This is funny, intelligent, fast-paced and heartbreaking, all at the same time - rather like Shakespeare, in fact!

If you're a sucker for Shakespeare, like me, I would defenately bye this book. I had a proffessor who told me once that people go to the movies to escape from reality. This movie supports that statement. When I watch this movie or read the screenplay I fall into another time were love is the object your heart longs for most. One thing I like about this movie is how it brings facts into a fictional affair. The "actors" portrayed in this movie really did exist and they played in the very theatres dipicted; I love that! Marlowe, Shakespeare's "enemy" was really stabbed in a bar fight and there are many more factual things about the movie. I also like how the writers made it so that Will Shakespeare gave Viola the sonnet Shall I Compare Thee To A Summers Day and incorporated Romeo and Juliet into the movie. Sheer genious! And a great tear jerker! Wonderfully acted and written. It makes you fall in love with a time period almost forgotten. I simply loved it!

This movie showed us what true love really is. One person said "Ryan should have gotten best pic". Well, Red Line was way much better than that pic becuase it explored emotions and showed the feelings of each character. Ryan...good effects. Shakespeare In Love is well written and well acted. It is a love story that is never told. Just like our own lives.

I truly love this book! It shows passion,love,comedy,and history.The movie, Shakespeare in Love is my favorite movie, so I loved this book!

Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard wrote the screenplay of Shakespeare in Love. The film is marvellous and so powerful that no one can resist that love drama. The story of Romeo and Juliet is itself so frightfully emotional that no one can resist the charm of the tragedy and the pain of the love story. So many artists, in so many genres and arts, have tried themselves at adapting this story, this play, this tragedy to their stages or screens or canvasses, and all have been inspired so deeply by Shakespeare's story that Romeo and Juliet have become a true galaxy of masterpieces and stars. The latest ever produced is Shakespeare in Love and the screenplay is richer, more poignant and freer than the images of the film. The screenplay is enriched with stage directions that are so brilliant, so precious that the text, the dialogue, what is going to become the words of the actors, is enhanced and beautified by them. After a while we don't even know what is the gem and what is the golden bed that carries the gem. The screenplay is by itself a work of art, a masterpiece, and the film, if you watch it again afterwards, finds tremendous new meanings and undeemable finesse in the recollections you may have kept of all those lines that are not said, that are not shown, that are at best translated into images, settings, flying visual impressions that the words of the stage directions anchor in your memory, your heart and your brain with delicate tendrils that cannot break anymore. Any lover of Shakespeare, any lover of literature, any lover of love dramas and hate tragedies must read that screenplay to see how laughter and tears can intermingle in an unbreakable alliance. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Universities of Paris, IX and II.

A wonderful book that sends you on a mystery filled christmas wish. The book will keep you reading for hours. I read this book every Christmas to remind me of virtues such as love, forgiving, and living a Christ-like life. I also love the movie by Debbie Reynolds and Neal Patick Harris on DVD.

This is the novel on which the movie is based. In it, Will Martin, a big-city business success even though he is in his early thirties, returns to the small town where his grandparents raised him. Will's parents died in a car accident when Will was four, so his grandparents are essentially his parents. Will's grandfather's death is what takes Will back home, largely to decide what to do with the real estate business that the grandfather ran for decades and willed to Will. The plan is fairly simple. Will will spend the time necessary to upgrade the business or sell it, spend time with his grandmother, and then head back to New York with the socialite woman whom he is dating.

From this premise, the majority of the plot should be obvious--and it is. However, there is another part. Will's grandmother has asked for one gift. She and her husband kept journals for nearly all of their married life, and cryptic references to a Lillian in the grandfather's journals have piqued her curiosity. She asks Will to find out who Lillian is--or was.

"The Christmas Wish" is probably everything one could ask for from a short Christmas novel. There seems to be a bit too much going on, though, for Will's Scrooge-like metamorphosis seems rushed. We welcome it, to be sure, since it is the point of the novel, but it still rings slightly hollow. I don't think most readers will care too much. I didn't. But I did notice it.

This was surely one of the best Christmas family oriented book I've ever read! It had morals and values to each and every page. This story tells of a young man around his early 30's who gave up his Wall Street life to help take over the family real estate business due to his grandfather's sudden death. His sense of determination to find out who the mysterious "Lillian" is keeps the reader itching to turn the page. You will find that the ending will surprise you! I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little uplifting to their holiday spirit.

I recommend this book, it kept me curious to find out what would happen at the end and the end was I would want it to be.

This is a wonderful book. A very touching story. I highly recommend it.

I come to the conclussion that The Man Who Laughs is the most descriptive, saddest, romantic and most beautifully written book that Victor Hugo has written. It is unfortunate that this book doesn't have the standing that Les Miserables or Our Lady of Notre Dame occupies. Also, it is a very hard to find book, specially in Spanish, which is my first language. The traduction is done extremely well (I have verified it with a Russian version I have). It is highly recommended.

This is a difficult and demanding read, but entirely worth it for those who want more from a novel. The story is of a confrontation of moral opposites set in England in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, as a deliberately disfigured outcast named Gwynplaine faces a powerful conflict between the simple life of a mountebank, with the love of a pure-hearted blind girl, and the power, glamor, and corruption of nobility, with the love of a depraved, self-loathing noblewoman. Gwynplaine's disfigurement hides his true identity from all, including himself; and out of the eventual revelation of this truth, Hugo constructs a magnificent and heart-wrenching symbolic drama that is as filled with meaning as anything you'll find in literature. Again, this is not light reading, and it is not made for those who prefer to breeze through an action thriller in an afternoon.

Hugo has much to say about the destructive nature of political power, as well as the envy and injustice that conspire to keep the high and low in their respective places. The Mohawk Club of the nobility exemplifies these themes through their vicious and destructive pranks, victimizing the helpless in the name of "fun."

Hugo's contempt for the period's institutions of power is evident throughout the novel; on the wicked Barkilphedro's rise to prominence, he writes: "He had crawled where he wanted. Flat beasts can get in everywhere. Louis XIV had bugs in his bed and Jesuits in his policy. The incompatibility is nil." Clearly this is a novel of ideas, written by one who had a great deal to say and knew how to express it. Even so, I must acknowledge that Hugo's expository passages, although witty, impassioned, and eloquent, occasionally become a distraction from the story.

Hugo's style is astonishingly lofty, in a way that just doesn't happen in the present day. It is an ambitious and demanding discipline, now so far gone that we scarcely even know to miss it. As such, it may strike today's readers as unnatural and overdone; or so it did to me, at first. But by the finish, I was fully seduced into Hugo's stylistic world, and left unable to choose what to read next -- for what is there today that is even conscious of this standard of craftsmanship? I can only imagine how much of the effect of this high language is lost in translation from the original French.

If you are interested in this book, I strongly recommend the Paper Tiger edition, with its afterword by Shoshana Milgram. This afterword was of great use in understanding the book's ending, which to me was difficult; it clarified how the ending was necessitated by the novel's overall theme -- and it made the extent of Hugo's achievement that much more evident.

I read this book as a teenager, along with "Toilers of the Sea," Ninety Three" and "Hunchback of Notre Dame."
I have re-read only "Toilers of the Sea" and found it as riveting now as were all of Hugo's book then. I can't imagine a library system not containing these timeless classics or their being out of print.

I have read almost all of Hugo's novels and I feel he was a master beyond most as far as story telling goes. This particular books is ingenious with the various characters and the twists and turns and the tragedies and political statements. It broke my heart, while exciting me to cheer on the lead character in his efforts to right the wrongs of the parliament. I loved the characters of this books and the story line and I would strongly recommend it to any who are fans of "Hunchback" or "Les Miz" (forgive me). While I really loved Les Miz (and again, it broke my heart, as did the musical,which I thought was brilliant), this is the one that stayed with me. I read it many years ago and have a number of copies (some very old). When I bought this movie, I had no expectations, and I was amazed to see how much of the story was included. It was brilliantly produced, directed and acted. Even though it is a silent movie, it speaks volumes. I highly recommend the book and then the film. I also urge everyone to see the musical "Les Miserables" because it is all so wonderful. Hugo was a true master!

This is extremely well written and the story is easy to follow. The story had me smile and cry. The method that Victor Hugo collected the sections of this book is similiar to the style Ayn Rand used in writing Atlas Shrugged-my favorite book. The Man Who Laughs is one I think every Victor Hugo fan would want to read and read again--I loved it!

Matthiessen's book deeply affected me, mostly because it is unsettling and so well "done" that I imagined myself doing and being all the beautiful and hideous things its characters do and are. The copy of the book I have has a one-line cover review that mentions something about the great compassion that comes across its pages. I agree with all the other reviews here on Amazon about what makes this book so great: evocative writing, a driving plot, compelling characters, an exotic yet beautifully and believably rendered setting, humor, horror, longing, lust, irony and juxtaposition of things as they are, and on and on. However, as I have thought often during the reading of the book I must say that I agree with the cover reviewer, and for me, what elevates this book to the highest level (which I believe it is on) is its compassion. Matthiessen shows his readers people being people, which as anyone can tell you, is often ugly. But, more importantly it is beautiful, and if you allow Matthiessen to show you how this can be, he will. I think this book is about perfect and reading it made me glad to be alive.

"The way to innocence, to the uncreated and to God leads on, not back, not back to the wolf or to the child, but even further into sin, ever deeper into human life." - Herman Hesse.

I almost forgot to mention the above quote, inscribed in the opening pages of this book, which I believe states what I intended to convey in my review.

Finally, I have not seen any discussion of Padre Xantes in any of these reviews and I was wondering if anyone would like to comment on him. To me, he was one of the most mysterious characters, especially in his final appearance where he eats a barely boiled egg. Thoughts?

I am an evangelical Christian and I have recommended this book to many fellow believers about to embark on a mission somewhere. As far as I'm concerned, it's essential reading for anyone taking the Gospel to people who have never heard it.

I also have lived and worked in the so-called "Third World" and seen the remnants of Christian mission work over the past several centuries -- the great, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Matthiessen tells a story here of mostly bad, of course, and some ugly. Narrow-minded, holier-than-thus, do-good Christians come in and almost destroy a native culture. That, in itself, is indeed a fascinating if predictable story line.

But the story does indeed include some of the good -- of self-discovery and loving sacrifice by one of the do-gooders, and of self-discovery and perhaps "deliverance" of another major character, a Native American Indian. All involved leave changed -- one way or another -- after the arrival of the do-gooders and their attempted intervention.

It is an outstanding story that will stand the test of time, worth telling for a very long time to come.

I highly recommend it to any thinking person anywhere.

This is a very good book, but not great. Matthiessen's writing is engrossing and it is difficult to put it down. However, the vileness of some of the subject matter is a bit hard to swallow. This is, no doubt, a realistic tale, written after Matthiessen had traveled throughout the continent. The movie does have an influence, as one keeps thinking of Ms. Hannah. The plight and evolution of the natives and their values is intriguing. The disaster that results from outsiders forcing culture and religion down the throats of the "savages" is thought provoking and relates to many situations one sees. The characters aren't all that likable, but certainly very real. Hazel is a sad case. The jaguar shaman-to-be is a character about which it would be nice to learn more. Matthiessen says that he rewrote the last journey many times. This is the toughest part of the book to follow; is it real or a dream? I actually did reread parts of the end. There's no escaping the depression that comes from dwelling on the conflict in the jungle. I still feel that, despite the author's beliefs, his nonfiction work is better. But this is an enjoyable novel, regardless.

An excellent adventure story that is both fast paced and well developed. I've read a number of books by Matthiessen. This is the best I've read yet by him. His fiction is far better than his non fiction in my opinion.

This case study of culture clash is the story of Protestant missionaries trying to bring the Word of God to jungle savages. They think themselves heroes of The Lord, but there are no heroes here save, perhaps, Louis Moon a reservation half-breed who lost his faith. Moon is now an aimless mercenary staggering through life, bouncing off one obstacle after another. When it becomes his job to massacre the indigenous people, he is revisited by drug-induced dreams of his youth and instead joins them as their rain god fallen from the sky (and a failing airplane).

Self-righteous missionary Martin Quarier, becomes less certain of his beliefs as the novel progresses, but seems incapable of moving beyond them. He sees the absurdity of the doctrinal feud between Catholics and Protestants, yet cannot think of priests as anything but the Enemy, in league with Satin. And Satin seems to be working on him, as well, churning up lust for the wife of another missionary.

The religious beliefs of the natives give a glimpse of how faith gets started. Their minor gods clearly provide more for them on a day-to-day basis than the major one Quarier tries to serve. He creates a "rice convert" or two, but is ultimately a miserable failure.
At Play in the Fields of the Lord is a classic tragedy of misunderstanding and miscommunication. If you haven't read it, it's worth that first read. If you have, it was probably long enough ago that it deserves a second look.

I never picked up a copy of this wonderous guide when it was published. There were a few mistakes I made last decade, not buying this book was one of them.

There is not much storyline given away here. Mostly background info regarding the Cardassians, Bajorans and the Federation. Deep Space Nine was the best "Star Trek" series, in my humble opinion. This guide is useful to those who wish to write about the series of the future, as well as daydreamers like myself. The thrill of walking down every corridor, knowing the details of Quark's bar and Ops...

It is all like dream, now that it is over. I never watched the original broadcast in the 1990s. What a loss on my behalf. Now in the age of hopelessly dull reality T.V., what a better way to pass the time than watching the epic unfold on DVD. Though a little overpriced, to an avid fan like myself, worth every penny! Make sure you have a copy of this manual sitting close by!

This is a must own for anyone who has ever needed to know why something works the way it does in Star Trek. This covers almost everything you can imagine in how Deep Space Nine and space craft work. If it isn't covered in this book it is covered in the TNG Tech Manual. If you write Fan Fiction, play a character in a Trek RPG, or operate a Trek Website You will treat the Tech Manuals as your gospal in Trek technology. Other good books are out there, but they don't compete with this book.

The tech isn't much different in manner from the TNG Tech Manual, but the images in this, the DS9, manual are far superior. All Trek Geeks (come on, fess up) need this book.

While I am a long time Star Trek fan, I tend to stay away from books such as this one because I just see it as another way for Paramount to get into our pocket books. I just lightly browsed this book one day in a book store and next thing I knew almost an hour had gone by!

This has to be one of the most engrossing works of fictional tech I have ever seen. There are times where you almost wonder if some form of prototype exists for the items they discuss.

Both richly written and illustrated this book is a absolute must buy for the die hard Star Trek fan! And if your favorite Star Trek is DS9 (like myself), I am not sure how you have lived without this book!

This book is amazing. I read it from cover to cover and ended up satisfied with all the details the authors placed in them. The book carries details ranging from the subspace communications system to the weapons and even the environmental system of the station. The information on it is not contained only to details about the station but everything connected to it including the Runabouts, and the Defiant. It gives off an effect that there is really a station named Deep Space Nine. The paper used was high quality glossy paper which doesn't crumple easily and the numerous images in them were in color. Although it could have been better with a hard cover, it's excellent the way it is.

First off, this book is anything but a disappointment. It is a packed with information on the series and its fictional technology from the station's basic layout to things like tricorders and sensor probes. It has great illustrations, mostly rendered in 3D by Doug Drexler and all in color. This is a quite obvious advancement since the STTNG Technical Manual.

One reason why I like the DS9 Technical Manual less than its "sister manual" is that its reliability is lacking. This is in part not the fault of the authors, considering that technical specs and especially the size of the station and of the Defiant were always subject to change throughout DS9. Nevertheless, it is dissatisfactory that none of the size figures given in the book correspond with the schematic diagrams in the same book, the latter of which consistently show a smaller 120m Defiant and a station diameter of at most 1000m. The section on starships is even much worse, since ship types and specs are arbitrarily and hastily made up, sizes of well-known ships are wrong and the Saber and Norway class even have exactly the same specs. Considering that many fans who took the specs for their websites didn't even notice the latter error, I may be overly critical, but from an officical manual I would expact much more carefulness than that.

The other point of criticism is that the Deep Space Nine Technical Manual isn't very technical and it isn't useful as a manual. It is rather like prose that has been supplemented with a certain limited amount of Technobabble, a couple of size figures and many nice images. It doesn't care about the technology in such detail as the STTNG Technical Manual, and if it is only shown how to operate it. Summarizing, as a novel the book is rather boring, while it is just not complete enough for a technical manual. Anyway, at least the drawings are great, especially the fold-outs, and most of the book with the exception of the starship section is pleasant reading, so I recommend to buy it.

Most of the time, I read nonfiction because I can't find a novel interesting enough to buy and read all the way through, but this book is definitely an exception. I took it with me on vacation with my husband and my mother, and I couldn't stop reading it. I took it to dinner with me and totally ignored my companions. I know it was rude to read at the dinner table, but I just couldn't help myself. The book is funny, fast-paced, and very engaging. There was not one part of the book that I found tedious or boring. I won't spoil the surprise, but I will say that I had to read that part three times because I was so shocked. I thought maybe I had dozed off and missed something, or perhaps I dozed off and dreamed it, but, no, it was on the page. Never has an author so surprised me with a plot twist. I later rented the movie which was a total waste of time and money. I read that the author didn't like the way the movie turned out either. Just make sure that you read the book first because I can't imagine watching that dreadful movie first and being the slightest bit interested in reading the book. In my life time, I have read thousands of books, but this is one of those books that I will never forget.

I have read this book once a year for 10 years, and each time I find myself laughing out loud at Byrd's witty language and characterization. This version of the book has a guide to book groups, which contains some interesting background on how Sarah Byrd developed the novel. I have also given this book to several friends, all of whom have found it delightful. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a funny frolic with a lot of heart.

Sarah Bird is a Texas novelist who humorously celebrates all the stages in a woman's life in her witty and zany books. I have chuckled my way through them all and loved them, but her second book THE BOYFRIEND SCHOOL, remains my favorite. It recounts the amorous escapades of photojournalist (for the Austin GRACKLE) Gretchen Griner as she is faced with the dilemma of choosing between three love prospects: fuzzy-haired brother of best friend romance novelist, suave foreign-accented bad boy, or Grackle editor/master manipulator. Delightful escapism with mad-cap plot twists and ultimately, a big sigh at the end.

I was a little different. I saw the MOVIE first back when it first came out and it quickly became a favorite of mine. I FINALLY found the movie on DVD recently (I didn't know that the name had been changed from "Don't Tell Her It's Me" to "The Boyfriend School") and saw that it was based on a book by Sarah Bird. The book and the movie were quite a bit different, but since Sarah Bird wrote both the book and the screenplay that made it OK. I love books that make you feel that you are going to miss the the characters when you get through reading. This is one of those books. A credit to Sarah Birds writing ability. It's a funny, feel good book. Her sense/style of humor in this book remind me of the comedian Dennis Miller's style of delivery. I just can't say enough good things about this book! A must read! (and re-read!!!!)

This is only my second Sarah Bird novel and I am hooked beyond belief. Her dialogue and characters put you inside the book. You're there watching the whole novel unfold around you.

Gretchen is a talented photojournalist stuck at a two bit publication that has entwined itself thouroughly into her life. From the sordid past of the newsroom to the flim flam ways of her occasional boyfriend and hokey boss who is as unreliable as her salary, she's come to the conclusion that it was all a lost cause. The writing is on the wall as far as Gretchen is concerned when she's assigned to cover the Luvboree. Little does she know that entering the Pink Ghetto will be her ticket to leaving the Grackle behind and gaining her new life.

Reading Gretchen's trials and tribulations over starting her own Romance novel are hilarious. And you definitely feel for her as she goes through her 'dry spell'. Well that is until the handsome stranger comes along. From there on, buckle your seatbelts and make sure you can read until the end - you won't be disappointed.

I really enjoyed the character antics in this book. Dyanmics ruled for all of those involved. All of the elements of a good novel come together as the plot and development go hand in hand with the set up and characters. Also this particular edition of the book has an afterword by Bird as well as a reader's guide for afficionados or book clubs which I enjoy reading as a way to bring closure to the novel experience.

This was a fantastic book and one that I am going to enjoy reading many times to come. Sarah Bird is a terrific writer and her novels should be known far and wide for their witty and humorous entertainment.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR MOVIE: ALL THE SKILLS TO DODGE THE KILLS is, on the surface, a satirical look at horror movies and slasher films. But author Seth Grahame-Smith is not merely dismissing horror films as hackneyed dreck; rather, he is having a ripping good time by poking fun at the well-known cliches of a genre he obviously loves, and he's inviting other genre fans to come along for the joyride. Parodying those nuclear-holocaust, natural-disaster, and Y2K survival manuals that were ubiquitous in the 20th century, the book's format is simple: the reader is asked to put himself or herself in the position of a horror-movie victim, then the author offers "experienced" instruction on how to avoid the various perils the reader is likely to face in common horror-film scenarios. Admittedly, those who are not horror fans probably won't get all the jokes and gags, but this pseudo survival guide is a hilarious and nostalgic romp through the conventions of cinematic horror that is certain to delight and entertain hardcore fans of the genre.

Excellent parody of those military, natural disaster, camping survival guide books that by the end of it has you ready to survive when it suddenly dawns on you - hey this situation looks like I'm in a horror movie! Oh no what do I do? If you're not sure you are in fact actually in this situation a handy chapter at the front will allow you to be sure.

Various chapters that follow are Slasher Survival School, where you'll learn about the five types of slashers and how to defeat them. What to do if you did something last summer, how to survive a night babysitting and much more. Inanimate Evil - The Manmade Instruments of Death teaches readers how to survive a haunted house, an evil vehicle, killer doll and importantly how to tell if an object is indeed evil. Crypt-Ography-Ghosts, Zombies and the Reanimated basically teaches you how to survive against various undead foe. Plus this chapter makes a good point against those killing zombies not really being "big man" type heroes, pointing out how slow these things move, their minimum brain capacity meaning you could just run away instead of stupidly barricading an isolated house and so forth.

Fangs of Fury - Aliens and Beasts tackles space set movies, aliens, as well as animals back here on earth. Chapter 666 The Satanic Versus-Curses Demons and The Devil Himself teaches those rural readers amongst us what to do if your cornfield is infested with children. For everyone how to perform an exorcism, what to do if you've only got 7 days to live and the biggest task of them all, how to defeat Satan, where girls, you'll learn the male population, well if you come across Satan you'll be wishing you were a man.

If humorous human peril survival guides against what we hope we will only ever come across in the movies, is your type of thing, also get Max Brook's The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead as well as Daniel H Wilson's How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion.

The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Day and The Action Hero's Handbook: are also good tongue in cheek entertainment themed survival guides. Whilst not survival guides How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator and Hardly Working: The Overachieving Underperformer's Guide to Doing as Little as Possible in the Office are also good and written in the same sort of tongue in cheek style.

This book is hilarious and so well-written. I picked it up in a theater gift shop while waiting for friends, and ended up buying it to give to someone who loves horror movies. But I had to read it myself before passing it on. It's great - so funny.

This Book is hilarious from the begining till the end. Basically all the questions you ask yourself while watching a horror movie is in this book.The writer covers everything like the rules in I know what you did last summer.Do not read this book in company of people they will think you are nuts for laughing constantly.

I have to hand it to the author, he certainly knows his horror movies. This book was fun to read; very entertaining and brought back a lot of memories about many of the horror movies I'd seen. If you want some light, funny, laugh out loud reading, this is a great book to read. I'm still boggled by the author's knowledge! Fun read!

MARLEY A DOG LIKE NO OTHER is a great book. I'm a teen, and almost anybody will love it. It's exciting but be sure to have a bunch of kleenex's with you too. I got it from my local library, and I liked it alot. I can't wait to see the movie coming out Christmas this year too.
It will have you crying and it will have you wanting to have your own puppy. It's a very well written book, and caps off to John Grogan for writing it. I recomend it to any age, but if you are a little emotional you may want to skip it though. 5 stars!

The Marley books are just wonderful. I really enjoy reading about Marley. Cute, funny, & lively, this book is a page turner. Wonderful for all ages & a perfect gift for a dog lover! You can't go wrong with this book-great choice, lots of laughs!

Reviewed by Avery Largent (age 9) for Reader Views (11/08)

"Marley: A Dog Like No Other" by John Grogan is a true story about a very wild dog that does many insane and odd things. This book is very enjoyable; it's funny and a quick-read. I felt like I really got to see Marley's personality, and by the end, I felt like I had really gotten attached to him.

This book was funny and mostly easy to read. There are jokes at the dog's crazy antics, insane things the dog does that you couldn't help but laugh at. At one point, it showed something funny the dog had learned. If the owner shouted "INCOMING!," the dog would throw itself on the ground, legs widely splayed! Also there was a story told about him going to Dog Beach, and what trouble he got into there! I had a fit of laughter as I read that one. However, at a few points, it was harder to read because the scenes would become a blur. I think this was caused because each chapter is a story, and sometimes the scenes would switch so fast you would be left confused.

Through these hilarious stories, this book really lets you see the dog's personality. After reading it, I knew what would happen if Marley moved into our house and how he would react to our family. I even know what would happen if a thunderstorm came and what types of dogs he liked. Also, there are pictures in the middle of the book that are not only funny, but let you know the dog a little better. One showed him darting around the house as a puppy after grabbing his water bowl and splashing all over the house. Others showed when he dove into the pool and when he was at the beach, all showing a bit his personality and funny things he would do. I also got to know the owner pretty well; I could see he had faith in the dog. Even when Marley did crazy things, even when it seemed the rest of his family might be ready to get rid of him, he kept him.

All in all, "Marley: A Dog Like No Other" by John Grogan is a very good book. It is humorous and easy to read, despite a few scenes that switch rather fast. I really liked how much you got to see the dog's personality and the owner's faith in the dog. I would recommend this book to my friends, and hope they enjoy it just as much as I did.

While my 11 year old daughter would have been able to read the original book Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog, some parts were not age appropriate for her. Luckily this version was written for kids to read on their own and retains all the humor of the original. It is a fun read for any kid who loves dogs and loves to laugh! This book is guaranteed to leave you laughing out loud, and reading passages to everyone nearby.

My 13 yr old son really enjoyed this book, and I am glad this version is available. Unfortunately they have not included all the footnotes that were in the adult version, I felt they added closure to the story.