B Books

If there ever was a time to read Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck, it's now. Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck: A Conversation About Income, Wealth, and the Steps in Between (Total Candor)is a clear and concise conversation about personal finance that empowers you to take charge of your finances with confidence. The chapter Take This Book and Use It! has become my indispensable resource as I get my financial act together. There are a lot of personal finance books on the market, but I found Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck to be the most effective for me.

Michael Rubin has provided and delivered an effective roadmap to navigate the increasingly complex landscape of personal financial security. Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck disperses uncommonly good sense in an interesting and easily understandable way. Bravo!

Have questions about money, finances, wealth (or the absence of it!!) This is the book you'll wish you read a long time ago. I went from not even knowing I didn't know, through to moving in an excellent direction in comparatively no time at all (especially considering the years it took me to get as far wrong as I was!!) The Authors use of conversational writing coupled with enough humor to keep us non-financial types interested is nothing short of amazing. This book is not only an easy read but also an excellent gift. Again, THANK YOU Mr. Rubin

I'm a 29 y/o -- I point that out because while I did not really take anything away from this book, someone 21/22 years old straight out of college may get a thing or two from it. It covers the basics of saving money, retirement plans, etc...

Having read both Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" and this book, I must highly recommend "Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck" to you.

It covers, in detail, many different aspects of personal finance (insurance, taxes, paychecks and 401(k) considerations, investing, debt, etc.) while maintaining a sense of humor throughout. Although "Total Money Makeover" does get one motivated to get out of debt, it does not supply the thorough education and background, which "Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck" does so well.

If you are looking for a basic/intermediate personal finance education- this is the book to start with. It is very practical and no-nonsense, without angrily clubbing you over the head with words like "stupid" and "idiotic" (as Mr. Ramsey likes to do in "Total Money Makeover"). Also, this book has a useful appendix with helpful websites and a glossary of terms.

A great read! Thank you Mr. Rubin!

Who could imagine that there are gentle apes living in the very heart of darkness, north-central Congo-Kinshasa, somewhere around Colonel Kurtz' proverbial hunting grounds? :-)

"Bonobo. The Forgotten Ape" is a popularized book about the least known great ape. The bonobo wasn't officially discovered by science until 1929. There had been bonobos in captivity before that time, but scientists assumed they were chimpanzees, albeit very gentle and very smart ones! For a long time, the bonobo was mostly studied by German scientists who published their findings in obscure journals such as "Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen". The Anglo-Saxon scientific community didn't pay much attention until the 1970's and 1980's, and even then, much of the research was carried out by Japanese scientists, rather than Westerners. To the general public, bonobos are probably still quite unknown. I heard of bonobos already as a kid, but I assumed they were simply a smaller subspecies of chimp. Back then, bonobos were known as "Pygmy Chimpanzees". Curiously, the myth of the killer ape never reached my neighbourhood, so I grew up assuming that chimps were peaceful. They are not. Bonobos, however, are. Which finally brings us to the reason why these apes are so interesting!

Bonobos and chimpanzees are closely related, and both of them are equally close to humans. Yet, the two species are very different. To simplify somewhat, chimpanzees are patriarchal, aggressive, heterosexual and carnivorous. Bonobos, by contrast, are matriarchal, peaceful, bisexual and near-vegan! Politically correct apes? Who ever heard of such a thing? Since both chimps and bonobos are equally closely related to humans, this makes it harder to claim that humans are necessarily patriarchal or aggressive "by nature". Indeed, some scientists believe that "the missing link" may have more closely resembled a bonobo than a chimp. While none of this proves much in and of itself, it's nevertheless intriguing. Of course, the trait bonobos are mostly known for, is that they have sex for non-reproductive reasons, including "gay" and "lesbian" sex. Unfortunately, they also practice paedophilia.

"Bonobo. The Forgotten Ape" contains seven chapters summarizing the bonobo basics. It contains interviews with scientists studying the bonobos, both those living in the jungles of the Congo, and those preferring the relative safety of American zoos. The text is easy to read, but could perhaps have been better written or edited. (Yes, I'm a perfectionist, and Frans de Waal's books, although interesting, tend to fall short of my splendidly high standards.) A curious anomaly is that the book, published in 1997, constantly refer to Congo-Kinshasa as "Zaire".

The best part of the book are Frans Lanting's full-color photos. Since the book is almost coffee table format, this makes it a worthwhile buy for every nature-lover, photo-lover or ape-lover, including those too busy to read the text! The most exciting photos are those showing the bonobos in almost erect position, standing on two legs. In bipedal position, the bonobos look almost human, especially the females.

You get the feeling that they are us, and that we are indeed the third chimpanzee. Or the second bonobo...

I purchased the book "Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape" for a gift, and received the item in good time and in good condition. I am unfamiliar with the book itself. I would purchase from the company again.

In the popular imagination, the word "ape" conjures a brutish image, evoking a bestial human past in which life contained little more than the ruthless struggle for dominance. Until relatively recently, our knowledge of our genetic cousins seemed to confirm this picture; most apes, including chimps, have strongly hierarchical societies characterized by male dominance and frequent power struggles. The bonobo, however, has shattered scientists' assumptions about primate behavior. This book provides a fascinating glimpse into the complex lives of these gentle apes.

If bonobos could chant slogans, they would probably be imploring us to "make love, not war." Physically, bonobos differ little from other chimps, except for their smaller size. Yet their social lives are remarkably different. Although males are larger and capably of physically dominating females, female bonobos enjoy dominance within a relaxed, relatively fluid hierarchy. Unlike chimps, which can be quite violent toward members of their own species, bonobos are adept at resolving conflicts. Mostly, they achieve this through sexual behavior that would make any fundamentalist preacher turn purple (including homosexuality). Both in the wild and in captivity, they display a level of emotional intelligence that is amazing to find in a nonhuman animal, which the book documents through striking, often humorous anecdotes.

De Waal offers an intriguing discussion of how the bonobo's unique society may have evolved. Interestingly, he postulates that females became promiscuous, bonded with other females, and developed nearly year-round displays of sexual receptivity in order to counter the male habit of infanticide that sometimes occurs in chimps. Since females banded together to defend each other (and each other's offspring), and since males had no way of telling which offspring was their own, infanticide apparently disappeared. Meanwhile, as a result of their bonding, females became dominant.

Lanting's photos are striking, most of all because of the humanlike quality that comes through in so many of them. There is an astonishing...moving, in fact...familiarity in their facial expressions, intelligent eyes, gestures, and postures.

It is deeply tragic that this species, like so many, is threatened with possible extinction. Even though we have much more to learn about bonobos, their behavior raises thought-provoking questions about "human nature" and where we come from. Perhaps the "ape within" has a capacity for not only violence and patriarchy, but for cooperation and female influence as well.

This is a great book with plenty of great photographs by Frans Lanting and a good deal of basic information on these least-known ape cousins of ours from Frans de Waal. Equally genetically and evolutionally related to us as chimpanzees, they are best known for their sexual behavior and their relatively peaceful lives compared to chimpanzees but de Waal warns that the differences are a matter of degree and there is great flexibility.

The differences between the species are interesting. Though in both species the females (normally) leave at puberty and the males always remain in their birth groups, bonobo females bond more and males bond less than in chimpanzees. But the more important difference is that in bonobos the most important and strongest relationship is that between mother and son. This is all-important and at the core of bonobo society and includes serious rivalry between mothers over their sons' dominance ranks - and the fights between the mothers can be viscious.

What most people immediately think of when the bonobo is mentioned is sex, sex, and more sex. This is often misinterpreted and tends to obscure what is really going on. De Waal says their social life is better understood as being peppered by brief moments of sexual activity, the majority of which does not involve intromission nor is it carried through to sexual climax. It is largely brief and casual and used to reduce conflict. And when it comes to full mating with receptive females, this is normally limited to the top two males who occupy, with the females, the center of a travelling party and from where adolescent and lower ranking males are excluded.

De Waal discusses the possibility that the extended female receptivity of the female bonobo - receptive for nearly half of her adult life compared to 5% for the chimpanzee female - may be the bonobo strategy for avoiding male infanticide. In some species one male will remain with one or more females and protect his young from harm from others. In other species females mate with many males, including proactively soliciting males when the females are not normally receptive because they are not fertile, and this 'paternity confusion' is seen as a stategy to counter male infanticide. Infanticide has been observed in increasing numbers of species but, as yet, not in bonobos. De Waal suggests that the particular relationships of bonobos, with the reduced male aggression towards and dominance over females, may be a successful anti male-infantide strategy.

Another suggestion de Waal makes is that, as chimpanzee females have food priority when they are sporting sexual swellings, the extended sexual swellings and receptivity of bonobo females may have extended their food priority. Bonobo females almost always have food priority over males.

Another important difference between bonobo and chimpanzee is the relations between goups. Though chimpanzee females, like bonobo females, move between groups to breed (using sexual swellings as 'passports'), chimpanzee males from different groups are very aggressive and sometimes kill. Though bonobo males are antagonistic towards outsider males and display aggressively, there can be contact between the females of the two groups that meet and sexual contact between males and females of the two groups. I have read elsewhere that this contact between females, who in some cases will be known to each other as females move between groups, may have been something similar to the way our early ancestors were able to overcome full-blown aggression between groups, the females acting as links between groups that would ultimately lead to potentially positive alliances and trading links.

Whether we'll ever learn enough about these apes before they become extinct is unlikely. And that is sad. Whether we are interested in other species for comparision with our own or simply in order to understanding their particular evolutionary stories, we need to convince greater numbers of people that other species are interesting and deserve our full respect and protection. This book contributes to this for the bonobo.

the spine on this book broke - i like to have my books stay in very good shape so this was disappointing

This book is a good historical novel. If you are looking for a history of the Plantangenets with all the footnotes, multiple views and scientific evidence that contemporary history readers are used to, then this is not your book. Jingoistic, culturally biased, misogynistic, stereotypical and severely dated, the book is nevertheless well written and cohesive.

Costain writes 4 history books about the early British Royal Families.The books are very clear, nicely written, and follow the history of England.

I bought the set years ago (actually decades ago) and got through the first two before I gave up. I was "done in" by all the Henrys, Edwards, Eleanors, etc. that my head spun. However, being bullheaded, I started again (since I love history) and this time I went straight through.

English and French history can be extremely difficult for someone new to that period of time. There are a lot of players with the same name (Isabella, the most hated queen of England and wife of Edward II; Isabella of Spain, Henrys I, II, III, IV, etc., not to mention the Henrys (Henris of France). However, plugging away is definitely worth it and reaps great rewards because what could be more fascinating as the truth (as far as it can be told after hundreds of years after the fact). John is more famous as being forced to sign the Magna Carta, not for the fact he murdered one nephew and imprisoned his niece as being threats to his throne while Richard III gets pilloried for his "supposed" murder of this nephews. It was John who had the country excommunicated a few times for his actions (no burials, no communion, no marriages, etc.) until people realized that nothing terrible happened. And it was when I came to the last part and reach about Richard III and the difference between the "real" character and Shakespeare's Richard III when I decided to pursue the case further and then read Josephine Tey's famous book on Richard, The Daughter of Time, that started me on the road to becoming a Ricardian. Eleanor of Aquitaine, the first (to me) feminist.

Great history and worth reading and pursuing if you don't manage it the first time. It's worth the effort. (A genealogical chart would be helpful.)

The title of the book led me to believe that this book would encompass the entire "conquering" family of Normandy as they became the rulers of England. However, I was disappointed that the actual conquest was bypassed and the book opens with introduction of the first Plantagenets and not with William the Conqueror as I incorrectly assumed from the title. The book is very thorough where the author choses to be. For example, he can hit a few highlights of history and move the story along very rapidly and then suddenly spend page after page on one segment of one chapter of one person's life. I know I bought the book used, but the original publication date of 1949 and the republication in 1964 seemed obvious in the authors style and tone. I think the book is very informative, and if you are interested in the Plantagenets, it is something you'd enjoy. Just be aware of the "late" start of the book. The actual Conquest is over before this book begins.

I am writing here for all four books instead just the Conquering Family. Its easier that way since most people who read the first book will definitely end up reading the rest of the three books.

This series by Thomas Costain have been around for a long time. Its one of the easiest to read written history on ruling family of the Plantagenats who ruled England from Henry II to Richard III. That's nearly 300 years of English history. Costain's story telling skills mixed with great history make this series one of the best set of books in introducing anyone to mediveal English history.

Having said that, it should be warned that Costain's history isn't exactly very scholarly. The author does take few liberties with the facts, even putting in few liners here and there to advanced the story. Even some events which may be more mythological then true, have been told as if they may be true. Costain also have his own bend to certain views and his sympathic views on certain events and personalities may not reflect history's. (The series almost does read like "historical fiction novels" and has been mistaken for such by the uneducated. Especially by those who worked in bookstores.)

But Costains' creative inputs should not distract from the fact the most of what written in his four books proves to be very entertaining and accurate history. Even those who may not care for mediveal history have enjoyed it since I have recommended this series to several friends who regards such subject as one of the most boring subject next to watching dust bunnies grow. By the time they were done with my books, they were ordering their own set.

This is a great book and I recommend it to all who wishes to understand Jesus and what he really means in this Life that is filled with many trials and tribulations.

This is my first foray into N.T. Wright's literary discipleship. This is good written stimulus that will lead you to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. This collection of Eucharistic sermons expands from the passion of Christ to the revelation of the Father's plan for true discipleship. The language is easy to read and Dean Wright uses great words and pharases to lead us further along. N.T. Wright has become one of my must read theologians.

This book, though brief, contains a treasure chest of Wright's knowledge on the life and significance of Jesus. In "Following Jesus", Wright seeks to answer the question, "Who exactly is this Jesus that we claim to follow?"

With the thought that many Christians might not know exactly who Jesus is, due to years of watered down religion, Wright uses different books of the Bible, along with personal scholarship, to extract who Jesus was and what that means to those who follow him.

A phenomenal read. Extremely enlightening and refreshing.

This is my first time reading N.T. Wright's books, though I've read an essay and heard him speak. This is an unbelievable book. The first half of the book walks through the New Testament and describes each author's view of Jesus and what it looks like to follow Him. The second half seems to walk through some of the major issues of discipleship and what it actually looks like to follow Jesus. I loved it and will go back to it again and again.

Tom Wright, Anglican bishop in England, once again elucidates in a cogent but thoroughly readable style that only he can what it means to follow Jesus. If one is a sometime Christian who does not want to 'count the cost' of what it means to 'be Jesus' to a hurting world, you'd better avoid this book. In a world full of evangelists who promise 'what's in it for us' if we follow Jesus, Tom Wright challenges us to really take up the cross and follow the Lord. As a Southern Baptist, I can't think of another theologian, of whatever denomination, that is more challenging and encouraging than Tom Wright. Buy it, but be prepared to keep your marker handy.

E.B. White, the author of the classic THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, shows off that style brilliantly in this highly literate, amusing, and passionate memoir of New York City in 1948. Although the surface details of New York have changed in sixty years, the spirit remains the same, and that's what White is really writing about. White is also disturbingly prophetic when he writes, "The subtlest change in New York is something people don't speak much about but that is in everyone's mind. The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions." I doubt that a book such as this could be written today. Some editor would "dumb it down" and politically correct it. But how refreshing it is to read such wonderful prose. This is really a 56-page essay between hard covers, rather than a "book." As such, it's very a very easy and exhilarating reading experience and would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves New York or would like to visit it someday. Five stars, absolutely.

The reviews I read said that White gives the reader a feel for life in New York. Nonsense - the book is vague to the point where it could have been titled, Here is London, or Here is Shanghai. If you want to get a feel for New York, or at least the Bronx where I grew up, read "World Fair" by Doctorow.

Anything by E. B. White is fine - he must have been quite young when he wrote this but I enjoyed reading it and getting a sense of what New York was like at that time - some of it is still true but much has changed.

Early to a party, I was looking at a friend's bookcase and pulled this slim volume from a shelf. After reading the first sentence, I knew I had to have it.

Originally published in 1949, E.B. White, who no longer lived in New York City, captured the soul and spirit of the place. Nothing has changed. At the time, the United Nations building was under construction, and the bombing of London was fresh in his mind. He ends the book with a vision that perfectly balances hope with danger, in words prescient of September 11 - I re-read those paragraphs on every anniversary, it has become my ritual.

But what originally drew me to the book is not only the truth and insight of White, but his style, his felicity of expression. The author of "The Elements of Style" certainly knew the rules, and knew when to break them, as well. The second paragraph ends with a run-on sentence 198 words long, a thrilling joy ride which itself demonstrates how impossible it is to capture, in prose, the enormity and importance of this city.

I agree with Russell Baker, this is "the finest portrait ever painted of the city."

HERE IS NEW YORK is a truly spectacular 1948 essay that originally appeared in Holiday magazine. Written by E.B. White and named one of the ten best books ever written about New York, this is a quick read that will leave you years later savoring White's timeless observations.

Writing in a hotel room during a sweltering heat wave, White takes the reader through the essence of New York City and its eight million inhabitants who he notes roughly fall into three groups: the natives, the commuters and the transplants.

Warning that "no one should come to New York unless he is willing to be lucky," White lovingly explains how the city is more a collection of thousands of small neighborhoods that implausibly operate independently of each other, completely oblivious to what is occurring only a few blocks away.

Though it was written almost 60 years ago, HERE IS NEW YORK is just as accurate today as the moment it was written. Yes, the city has changed but the basic structure of life in New York remains the same.

Overall HERE IS NEW YORK is a very positive book that will leave everyone feeling welcome and needed in America's biggest city. But eerily the book presciently warns that "a single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal passages, cremate the millions."

Though it was tough to read that passage right after 9/11 as I did, I still whole heartedly recommend HERE IS NEW YORK to anyone who lives in New York, commutes to and from there, or has just moved there and is now, as White observed, generating "enough heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company."

- Regina McMenamin

A co-worker of mine got this book and I was entranced. It's a different kind of book in that tells a story while including interesting goodies in all the mail the characters receive.

This has met with mixed success with my son. He is three, and isn't familiar enough with the fairy tales to understand the humor. He gets a little bored with the story, but still likes checking the mail. As he gets older, he'll appreciate it much more.

I can't say how much I loved the Jolly Postman books when I was young. I remember saving my money up to buy both the books. I still have them in excellent condition, and keep them up from my daughter so she doesn't loose the "letters". I can say the only bad thing is that they didn't make more books.

The Jolly Christmas Postman is a MUST for every child. It is timeless!

I have owned this book for over 10 years and it thrills every child I've shared it with from ages 3-7! They LOVE reading the mail and it has a cute way of using familiar characters. I highly recommend.

Simply one of the best holiday books for children! Interactive, which makes it very fun for kids. My kids were given this book when they were little (they're both in college now). The memories of reading this book with my kids really stuck with me; this year I bought two copies to give to my niece and nephew (now 2 and 3 yrs. old) and a third copy for a friend's children.

I bought this for my daughter and later I bought it for friends' children. I'll probably search for it for my grandchildren too. You can probably guess that I like it! Buying for kids is such fun because you get the wow factor, and then you get to see whether they really take to it by reading/playing with it. Kids don't fib about this stuff, do they! I can report 100% success. The enthusiam they have for all the hidden messages, cards, games is so sweet. This truly is a gift that grows and grows on them.

Note - if you have to get a used one, verify all the bits are included. The book wouldn't work without those.

Thoroughly enjoyable! The daily grind and politics of work-life are portrayed here in a very well-written and fun fashion.

Management By Vice is full of razor-sharp, satiric humor. You'll find no boring, longwinded analyses of the characters and the fictitious Company's history, though there is enough exposure of human nature to fill a work psychology manual! I like the way the book stays focused on a series of sprightly, humorous episodes, which show various aspects of interactions between managers and technical staff. I have seen and experienced them in the workplace for many years, so I fully agree that Management By Vice is in every way a true-to-life rendition of what takes place in many companies. The writing style is appealing too with witty, short verses that relect the content of each episode. Management By Vice is head and shoulders above the 1st grade reading primer level of many unrealistic, silly humor books about management and the workplace. The repartee between the characters, such as the managers and technical staff, is also very real and entertaining. What can be done about the less-than-satisfactory management described in The Company? Any bright reader will see this type of management must be replaced for the sake of The Company's survival. In fact, the

Most of the satiritical episodes in CB Don's book entitled " Management by Vice" are quite familiar scenes in both commercial and government settings. "Gettting ahead" at the expense of one's integrity as well as colleagues' future is the only means for some people. Greed often blinds ambitious management. A quick promotion and fat bonouses are the driving forces for these managers. Hence, short-term goals, say 3 to 5 years, are all thay care about at present, regardless of the future of the organization. Cooperation mergers are too common a way to survive and getting ahead than collisons on the highway, and lay-off is only a part of the evolutionary process, in the commercial world, where survival of those who are most vocal, but are deficient in both technical skills and vision, seems to be the rule. I thoroughly enjoyed reading CB Don's book. It is humorous, yet candid. I highly recommend it to the current managers and those who are old enough to drink....

Mr. R. K. MSc., Supervisory Civil Engineer, from Michigan, USA.
I find this to be a most delightful book. If you have ever worked in an office, design or R&D outfit, you can really relate to the adventures portrayed therein. I spent 35 years in the egg-laying part of the duck and found the barbed lampoons a titillating reflection of my own adventures. There's also a pleasant sprinkling of cartoons and verse the summarize each fo the 11 episodes. The heroine survives a cliffhanger for those of you that relish a bit of adventure. It's one of those "once you pick it up, you can't put it down" pieces that are a fast read and leave you satisfied like a good pastrami sandwich. For you managers, the Scots have an appropriate saying, "would some power the great giver give us to see ourselves as others see us". Give it a go!!

Its a sarcastic view of management from the point of R&D scientists. From the point of view of the R&D scientists you get to see some of the underhanded and self serving behavior of incompetent management at the fictional company and how it is tolerated by senior members of management. Unfortunately the book does not explore how "The Company" which was once an R&D powerhouse, got to be in this dysfunctional state. Also the book offers very little hope for dealing with a company in this type of state, short of the company being acquired or getting lucky and having unintended benefits during a passive/aggressive power struggle amongst management. If you were attracted to reading this book by the title "Management by Vice" I would recommend skipping this one and instead read The Below-the-Belt Manager by Eric Broder which I found to be more Humorous than this book.

This book exposed the contradictions of the autopsy report vs events that were publicized after Sam Cooke's death. Also intriguing sides of his personality were revealed; such as the trailblazer he was on the business side of the music industry and other popular entertainers he groomed.

Both these aspects of Cooke's life have been grossly
'under reported'...perspectives that are way overdue!

Of all the artists to populate the pop (as in popular) music scene since it began in 1955 no other artist is better than Sam Cooke. In my opinion, no other artist's music has had relevance in its day, and held its importance even today. Sam Cooke was a musical genius, and an incredible verbal story teller. I have read other books about Sam, and they were fine, but what makes this book different is that those other books leave Sam's passing, and the events surrounding it, a mystery. This book paints a much clearer picture giving much more plausible scenarios for what, more than likely, really happened that day. What is most commendable about Erik's book is that it takes what most people were feeling about Sam's passing ... i.e. that he passed in a tarnished fashion, and turned it around (and I do believe that it is the truth) and showed Sam as the hero that he was. The truth had to come out sometime. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to Sam Cooke fans - this book is a gift.

While reading "Our Uncle Sam" I cried, I laughed and I knew that the Sam Cooke that was in these pages was the real Sam Cooke. Even though the authur did not know his uncle he was able to bring out the real Sam. The book was beautifully written and you can see the love in every page. I am glad I bought "Our Uncle Sam" because it gave me the opportunity to know or feel like I know him. I always knew there was more to the story and now I know for sure. Thank you to the authur, Erik Greene, for writing this wonderfully uplifting and eye-opening book about the greatest song writer/singer/performer there ever was or ever will be.

I have read them all. Erik Greene's book is from the source and from the heart, by the people who knew Sam best: his family; not the people who just wanted a part of Sam or to control Sam.

Great read. Well done. If you love Sam Cooke's music you need to read this. If you're new to Sam's music--this will give you a deeper understanding of the man and his music.

The casual observer really believes that sensationally sexy singer known as Sam Cooke was killed doing the usual shady celebrity ho-down in a seedy hotel deep in a neighborhood that no sensible person would roam about after dark. Sam Cooke's musical brilliance has been almost completely buried in the scandal of his demise.

Erik Greene brought up many facts about Sam's murder that no one else has talked about. I've read Peter Guralnick that pitches Allen Klein as an angel and I've read David Ritz (w/ SR Crain and Cliff White) that pitches Klein as the devil in very flimsy disguise. Looking at Klein's track record with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and more recently (1997) The Verve, Klein is not to be trifled with or trusted. The spin in the "Legends" DVD on how he helped Sam develop Sam's second Copa show was comedy, even to someone on the outside looking in. It's easy to take credit for the success of a man who has been in the grave for 4 decades.

The details about 55 year old Bertha Franklin's composed neat appearance, immediately following her supposed tussle with 33 year old Sam that resulted in his demise is interesting. The dispappearance of all the police and morgue files and the sham of a interrogation directly following Sam's murder all point to people in high places wanting Mr. Cooke dead. After all, Sam was a black man who owned his own publishing and record companies in the 1960's. Not only that, he was encouraging other artists to do the same. Black people had been killed for much less in Sam's day, like sitting at a lunch countr and asking to be served. Sam posed a huge threat to the record company, much of which was and is controlled by the mob. Mr. Green brought all these factors to the forefront, including Sam's penchant for the finer things in life, from clothes to cars to homes and gadgets. If he was to indulge in dealing with call girls, I truly suspect that he would go to an expensive hotel where he was known and the staff would turn a blind eye. Lastly, a Ferrari idling in the ghetto, complete with keys and nobody steals it? Sam was set up, beat up and murdered.

Now Sam was far from a saint, but he did not deserve to be killed, most especially in such a horrific and humiliating manner. In 1964, only white people could pull off such a complete shut down of proper police and medical follow-up. What about Bob Keane owing the mob and having life insurance policies on some of his artists? Who owned the nightclub PJ's where Sam was last seen alive? What really happened to Bobby Fuller?

This book opens up a wound that has festered and remained a sore spot all these long years. Sam Cooke was an incredibly handsome, amazingly talented man; so much so that to watch tapes of him today still display what a sexy dynamic man he was. His appeal is not dated and he is still relevant with "A Change Is Gonna Come" and his many pop hits continue to play on radio stations that cater to the tastes of a wide spectrum of people.

The book reminds us that Sam, though flawed, loved and was loved by his family. He would be 76 today had he not been murdered. Sam's great nephew reminds us of Sam's great talent, forward thinking and charisma. But most importantly, it brings to the forefront the humanity of Sam Cooke, which makes his loss even sadder.

That's so funny about the whistle and the dog. I just got myself a copy of the book from a used book store and have been reading it again after 2? some years. I remembered all the little details and the stories. I just read the whistle in the night and I got freaked out. My favorite story is the one of the white dove. This is a great book for young adults and teens. It is truly a classic.

As everybody has said here, if you were a kid in the 1960s or 1970s and read this, you remember STRANGELY ENOUGH!, strangely enough! It's like THE POCKET TWILIGHT ZONE.

But everyone here had the Scholastic edition, which proclaimed on the cover that it was the (ABRIDGED) version. I find myself wondering how many more stories were in the original, un-abridged, 1959 version.

Of course, some of the stories are just urban rumors, some were later shown to be hoaxes, but they're told well. Reading a random story from this book is sort of a virtual spooky-story-told-round-the-campfire. Short, two-page stories with an illustration that really gives atmosphere.

I came across a strange (and completely apocryphal) reference to this book in the recent Michael Chabon book of essays, MAPS AND LEGENDS, where it's referenced as part of a shaggy-dog story.

While in the midst of a LONG overdue cleaning of my basement the other night, I happened upon a box of belongings that my mother had foisted upon me at one point in time when my parents were cleaning out THEIR basement in advance of a move from my childhood home. Amidst the random belongings in this box was an old dog-eared, yellowed, tattered copy of "Strangely Enough" that I had unknowningly saved. I too, cherished that book fondly and had long assumed that I had lost it forever. I eagerly began flipping the pages, rekindling the memories of the forgotten stories contained within, when suddenly my heart skipped a beat and a weird chill went down my spine - it was almost as if I were in the middle of my own version of a story contained within this book! Why, you might wonder? Just one week prior to my basement-cleaning venture, I had been in the midst of telling a bedtime story to my five year old son. Recently he had started to enjoy stories that had a more mysterious/creepy tone to them and I had started adjusting my stories accordingly. I told him a story about a man who discovered a cave one day while playing on a stretch of a beach, and within the cave he found a small pile of clay balls, of various sizes, and without thinking much about it thought that it would be fun to try and 'skip' the clay balls on the water. After exhausting his supply (or so he thought!) he returned home. Later that night when taking off his shorts he found one of the clay balls remaining in his pocket and on a whim decided to chip away at it, upon which he discovered that contained within the clay ball was a small diamond. YIKES! what else had he thrown in the water? Anyway, why am I telling this story? I had NO IDEA where I came up with that kooky story that night, and a mere week later I find a box in my basement containing the book "Strangley Enough" and upon examination I find that the story of the mysterious clay balls was in that book! How funny. In any event, like the other viewers, if you are reading these reviews, you are most likely familiar with the book. I saved it (thank goodness) because like everyone else here, it left an (obviously!) indelible mark on my imagination. I too, acquired mine through SBS while in elementary school in the early 70's and still cherish it to the day. Like others, I assume they were as equally enthralled by the TV shows that mined this stuff endlessly (The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Night Gallery, Kolchak the Night Stalker, and more recently - the X Files.) It's great stuff, indeed relatively benign by today's standards, but nonetheless worth tracking down if you can find it. As for me, I fully intend to read a story from my tattered copy (held together with a splendid matrix of brittle yellowed cellophane tape)to my son at bedtime each night. If you're of a like mind, see if you can locate a copy of "The Blue Man" by Kin Platt, another book from this era that would appeal to those who are fond of Strangely Enough. "Fortunately" enough, it appeared that I had the foresight to save my yellowed, dog-eared copy of that book as well. Thanks for sharing your memories!

I too read this book when I was quite young. I'm 50 now and am still remembering it. Spooky but not too scary for young readers.

I fondly remember ordering Strangley Enough from Schoolastic Book Services in 1970 and somehow I managed to hang on to it. It's loaded with the neatest short stories covering a little of everything from UFO's, Hauntings, Sea stories, that will cause goosebumps and The Battle of the Cheeses that will get you laughing. Now I'm 53 and last summer the girlfriend and I sat on a park bench while I read her Strangley Enough. She was instantly hooked and we have a new hobby. She liked it so well she ordered a few copies from Amazon to give friends for Christmas. The stories are short 2-3 pages. We now have a collection of "spooky story books" and have a great hobby to do together of just sitting down and reading and having a chat about the stories. CB Colby's Strangley Enough is our favorite. It's amazing the book is as old as it is, my copy is dated 1959 It's a great book for anyone from Jr. High to Baby Boomer age. I or the girlfriend and I highy recommend it for your enjoyment.

Beth Moore really hits home with her writings! She is so inspirational and puts God into your every day life with such zeal and intertainment! She is amazing! This book is a wonderful gift,whether to yourself or for someone else! It will make you want to know God more and keep you smiling through the last page!

Beth Moore is one of the best in her daily walk with the Lord!! She has many Bible studies in which I had read her poems, so I thought this book was a must!! Well worth the read!! Verleen

Having read everything Beth Moore writes, I was again touched by the sensitive way she portays a woman's heart and soul. I believe God annoints her words with a whisper of His.

As always, Beth Moore delivers in her honest, engaging and encouraging way. She is an interesting and intelligent writer who shares her life journey with you. Any woman would be able to relate to her stories and insights. She's one of my favourite Christian writers.

I wish she'd come to Australia so I can see her in person...

A great buy!

i love poetry and these are some of the best poems Ive ever read. They are very deep yet very easy to understand.