F Books

This is truly one of my favorite novels! This magnificent work hit home for me, I grew up with a Chinese mother in the Midwest, and felt deeply connected to the same issues of absorbing Chinese and American cultures - and finding my own identity in the middle of it. I remember so many of the traditional values of being a Chinese woman, having to be a dutiful daughter, and always putting myself last, and "Love Made of Heart" goes deep into the heart of these ideas. Ruby's growth often reminds me of my own realizations and obstacles of overcoming the past.

I highly recommend this book, it truly appeals to anyone, whether you're Chinese, a woman, or just anyone facing those past histories we often try to leave behind. We all have a journey of life, which often leads to reconciling with the things that have made us who we truly are.

LeYung's Book is excellent. I read it in two sittings. Dinner could wait. I had to find out what would happen to Ruby Lin. LeYung Ryan uses her novel to advocate compassion for mental illness and to help survivors of family violence find their own voices. I could relate on many levels to her book. I am Caucasian, way older than Ruby Lin, my family was not violent nor experienced mental illnesses and yet, LeYung's writing is so evocative, so much from the heart. . . she reaches deep and succeeds with her genuine and authentic voice. As I think about this book I read a year ago, I realize I want to read it again. Yes, it's that good.

Ruby Lin's dilemma, though specific to the individual mother-daughter issues she faces of how to support and love her mother who is plagued with mental illness, is universal to all mothers and daughters. How does one break away without breaking the love between them?

I recommend this book to everyone and especially to women who could use a good role model in finding their own personal power to stand up to men who exploit them, abuse them, cast blame or guilt or withhold their love.

Ruby Lin, in her quest to become an American Girl, learns powerful advice and strategies from the black and white American movies she watches as a child. When she steps into her own power goosebumps race.

The moments of love and surrender, and pain and abuse cause laughter and tears.

Above all this book has great heart.

Love Made of Heart is a wonderful book filled with emotion and drama from page 1.

I read all the customer reviews before reading the PW review. Egads. What planet did that person come from?

Honestly, it is as if that reviewer willfully detached themselves from the emotions prevalent throughout the story. It was merely a summary regurgitation of plot lines, but that is not what I look for in reviews to decide whether or not a book is worth my time and money.

I want to know if I will vicariously experience the lives of the characters while turning the pages. I want to laugh, to cry, to feel fully human and alive.

I want dramatic conflict. I want to read things that I would find terribly uncomfortable in real life. Conflict is drama.

This book has all of that, and it is done with grace and a deft touch. Anyone who has a mother should be able to recognize the various guilt trips that Ruby Lin's mother tries to repeatedly foist off on her. It rings true.

I look forward to reading LeYung Ryan's next book.

Love Made From Heart made me laugh, made me think, made me cry. Author Teresa Leyung Ryan takes the reader to a vulnerable place, where she uncovers the tear in a young girl's heart. From there, she shows how to grow from a tragic experience, how to become strong, how to heal. The reader not only comes away with a better understanding of the Chinese culture, the reader comes away with a better understanding of self, and of love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who comes from a dysfunctional family.

Great title but worthless book. Do not be sucked in by the title and excellent cover. There is little in the book except sophomoric drivel. Any other basic book on the subject of the financial ramifications of retirement subsume any thoughts put forward in this book and go way beyond them. Don't waste your money, unless you like pretty covers.

All of us have a picture of what we hope our future retirement (i.e. destination) will look like. In "On Golden Pond...or up a creek?", the author, in a humorous, non-judgmental or condescending tone, shows us not only how to take that picture out of our mind, and transfer onto paper, but also helps us design a "roadmap" to getting there. A roadmap that is as individualized as we are, as each is based on our unique past experience, current situation and responsibilities, and our future hopes and dreams. Should we choose to follow the roadmap we develop based on the principles outlined in this book, our hopes and dreams become the journey. We can be confident about reaching our destination, because we know exactly where we're headed, how we'll get there, and when we'll arrive. Thank you Bill, for unselfishly giving of your time in writing this book; hopefully "Golden Pond" will be very crowded!

Kudos to Bill Billimoria for this very readable and entertaining primer on the blocking and tackling fundamentals of retirement planning. This deceptively simple text should be required reading for every early career person trying to decide about signing up for their employer's 401(k) or an entrepreneur vaguely considering creating an IRA. The concepts outlined in the book should motivate them to action. It's never too soon to start planning for retirement. Once the habit is formed it will stand you in good stead all your life. The alternative to taking Bill's advice is to marry rich.....something most of us have failed to do!
Alice Magos, MSA, CFP, CFE

Financial Planning books are usually eyes glazed over boring, but On Golden Pond or Up The Creek kept my interest the whole time. I found all of the concepts easy to understand and, more importantly, easy to apply to my life. What's best is that it's humorous. I don't know how you turn a book about things financial into a page turner, but Bill pulled it off. Thanks Bill...finally a book about financial planning I can use.

This book is something to provide to younger people in our society who are entering the workforce or a career. Many of them have absolutely no idea about the dynamics of money as a means of achieving wealth to lead an independent life upon retirement. Retirement itself is a foreign concept to many of these younger people who are more intent on consuming than investing. But what is important is that they have the element of time to allow their investment to grow if only they could see that benefit and take advantage of it. This book does exactly that. For those of us who have recognized the principles of time and compounding of interest, dividents, and capital gains in our own investments strategy, there is nothing here that is either revolutionary or adds to the already existing literature on that topic. In one chapter, the author discusses in general terms the impact of estate planning, but there are no details or real explanations about the intricacies of it. There is no discussion of gifting or renunciation of bequests as a means of passing wealth irrespective of ordinary testamentary devices such as outright bequests or through trusts. While I am not suggesting that the author needs to provide legal advice, I would have appreciated seeing a discussion of some other estate planning concepts as those just mentioned. This would have provided some ideas. Instead, he advises people to seek legal counsel after a brief discussion of the complexity of estate planning. There are other books out there providing more detailed information about the concepts of estate planning for retirees. Also there are no details on how to take minimum distributions from tax deferred investments, whether to take early Social Security retirement benefits, advantages or disadvantages in converting from tax deferred IRAs to Roth IRAs, and types of long-term care insurance policies and advantages on how they can be structured. These details can be found in other books but are not included here. Since there is no index to this short volume, it can be said that its chief advantage is really that of a primer rather than an exhaustive discussion. Perhaps it is most useful as a springboard for further reading, especially for younger people. Most of us saving for retirement have already mastered the lessons set forth in this book. It is time to go on. Let me suggest Evensky and Katz's Retirement Income Redesigned and Slott's Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map. While neither of these books deals with all aspects of retirement, they do provide an excellent and detailed discussion of dealing with retirement plans already in effect.

For some time now I've had a fascination with the F-105 Thunderchief and the men who went Downtown during the Vietnam war. To further my knowledge on the aircraft and the men who flew her I picked up When Thunder Rolled.

Overview
When Thunder Rolled is a pilots view of the F-105 and the missions he flew during the Vietnam War. In this book our Fighter Pilot (I mean this a complement to Mr. Rasimus. I believe it would be a greater honor to call him a Fighter Pilot than by his retired rank, read the book if you want to understand why) gives us a view of the F-105 from training thru his time in Thailand flying missions in North Vietnam.

The Good
Wow! What a book. Mr. Rasimus pulls no punches. In all of the books I've read dealing with a persons own experiences in war I've found very few that are as candid about being scared. Mr. Rasimus tells us about how his initial debate is if he should fly combat mission or not and then flies a couple. I have to think that the fear Mr. Rasimus talks about is more common than many other books would have you believe.

I also loved how Mr. Rasimus mentions the maintenance men who took care of the Thud he borrowed (sorry, everyone knows that a fighter is owned by the crew chief, pilots just borrow it). This is something kind of rare and nice to see.

The description of the environment is great. Referencing stealing hubcaps for what it took to be a fighter pilot over there was sheer genius! Between the use of vernaculars and a simple honest approach, one is able to visualize and feel something of what he was experiencing. I also loved the way Mr. Rasimus takes us thru the base and the missions. From premission briefings thru the return. Interestingly there isn't a lot of focus on the post mission time at the Club.

The Bad
The only one I can readily think of is that the book ended. I loved the story telling. It flows so nicely. The real shame is that we know that our fighter pilot went on to fly F-4's in the Linebacker timeframe. I'd have loved it if this would have been brought together to hear the differences in the aircraft and how the war was fought.

Rating Wise
5 Stars! This is the best personal account I've read from an aviator. A solid read and is a must read by anyone interested in knowing about F-105's, the Vietnam airwar, or about a pilots view of combat.

This is the best book along with Jack Broughten's "Thud Ridge" that I have read concerning the Air War in the North, especially as it relates to F105's.If I were to write a book on this subject, this is what I would have written.

Whilst putting you very much in the cockpit Mr Rasimus has at the same time managed to produce a thoughtful, insightful, and instructive book that gives an excellent view of the experiences, feelings and thoughts of what it meant to be a fighter pilot in the early years of the Vietnam war. Highly recommended.

What a great book! I agree that this is the best of the F-105 books about combat during Rolling Thunder. Such detail! Ras explains everything so well and puts it in words that non-pilots can understand. He even takes you on R&R to a Bangkok niteclub to get a "massage" ;-) The difference between a fighter-pilot and a pilot of fighters is explained. I was at Takhli, the other F-105 base in Thailand, and I remember the Wild Weasel/Iron Hand "F" models. The initial group was sent in and shot down. Then another batch was sent in and shot down. I believe there were five or six airplanes in each group. During that initial period, the crewmembers of F-105F (Weasels)were virtually assured of death or capture. What a slaughter.
I loved the noise of that beautiful bird when afterburner with water injection kicked in. Not to mention the noise when a pilot returned after his 100th mission and went "supersonic" right on the deck. Awesome!!!! Also described in the book was the practice of burning off fuel with the speed brakes open and the afterburner on. I saw this on another 100 mission bird going low and slow with the "finger" extended in a pass just above the runway. This book brings back memories of that. In the meantime, back in the "world" (US)Hippies were coming on the scene. It was a shock to me and many others returning. And, by the way, so much for the "domino theory" - Thailand is still there.

As a story of courage and combat flying this book sits near the top of the list. Daily missions into the heart of a well defended N Vietnam, flying against targets selected in DC by those with no combat flying experience, training in tactics of successful air campaigns, appreciation for those who did and with the even greater corruption of a lack of commitment.

Somehow Rasimus and his fellow pilots keep getting up after sleepless nights, getting the brief and launching missions into North Vietnam. It is sad to hear of the lives lost dumping bombs on "suspected truck parks" and other secondary targets.

The author was one of those for whom successful completion of 100 missions over N Vietnam was improbable. One wonders how our nation produces those with the skill and courage to fly these missions day after day. Add to the burden the knowledge that far too often the missions were flown against insignificant targets while truly valuable targets were off limits.

The author was blessed with the skills of a fighter pilot and the writing skills normally associated with those sedentary pursuits of a writing career.

Highly recommended.

Reading this book is like having an angel on your shoulder whispering all the things you already know, but had kind of forgotten along the way and needed reminding of. Every secret is written in such a way that you feel supported and guided, and there were a couple of chapters that just blew me away. It really does help you change the way that you think about things which means that ...without exaggerating it really does change your life.

This book came as a life-saver for me during the time when I was under tremendous stress from juggling the problems and obstacles in my life. I was so stressful that time until my health was deterioriating. Thanks to the book, coz without it, I would not have become a happier and freer person which I am now. I can almost instantly feel my perspective towards life change as I was reading this book.

If you are feeling very stressful with the problems/obstacles in your life, please get this book and read it. It will change your life instantly!

When I first read this book, I had purchased it by mistake. I thought I was buying "Secrets about Men Every Woman Should Know", which I read many years earlier after seeing Barbara DeAngelis on Oprah. I so enjoyed "Secrets about Men..." that when I saw it in a window, I snagged it quickly. To my surprise, I bought an even better book this time, "Secrets about Life...". I gave that copy to my mother who also thoroughly enjoyed it, and then bought a new copy from Amazon to share with another friend.
The author writes from her own experiences using a very personal perspective that I find easy to relate to.

This is an affectionate self-help book, written with love in a very friendly tone. It is motivational, spiritual, devoted to improve your self-esteem. Unlike the other self-help books that merely tell you what do to and give examples, this title helps you to change your beliefs, values and to set the new goals in your life. These goals are aimed to make you happy, strong and self-confident. All of the advises throughout the book are gender-neutral. They can be equally applied for both men and women without any change. Why then the author has called the book "Secrets ... Every Woman Should Know"? Because, as she considers, when women teach each other, something spiritual, magical happens, and the author would be happy to be a teacher as a woman, since most of her teachers were men. The author writes with great amount of love, and the love transmits to the reader. I had great pleasure and inspiration reading the book. What I would have suggested to this book is the index, references and further reading section, although this is somewhat atypical for self-help books.

You know that saying "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, Barbara had been here for some time and whenever I cleared out the old or "never going to read" books, she held on. Now that I needed her, she kind of called out to me from the bookshelf. I read the book in one sitting. I cried, I laughed, I found clarity and I am so thankful. This book can be lifechanging and she'll wait until you're ready.

My book of the latest coin values arrived in excellent condition and expeditiously. The book has proven to be a practical and user-friendly reference source and guide to the most current US coin values.

There is no better guide for the novice or professional coin collector. Reliable information and up to date pricing.

This is the first book a person should buy when entering into coin collecting. It gives a base to prices and where one might start.2008 Guide Book of Us Coins Redbook (Guide Book of United States Coins)

This is a very comprehensive, filled with pictures, easy to understand and follow guidebook for a beginner, as well as a serious collector.

I ordered this book for my son as he is beginning coin collecting. He took up that interest after seeing the collection that my grandfather handed down to me. The book was perfect for showing him what these coins are worth today.

This is an excellent hands-on learning guide. I have been able to put the new skills to use in my own personal files right away.

Very useful guide for studying for the MS Office Specialist certification.
Well laid out.

This is the best book ever for someone that needs to learn anything about excel and how to use the spreadsheets, workbooks and any function within. I would recommend this book to users that have never used excel to the more advanced user that needs to utilize other aspects that they have never used before. Great book.

Excellent how-to book!!! you will be taken by your hand to learn in a easy way how to work in excel

I am so glad I bought this book in that it went and showed me the little details that you may not always hit in your normal day to day workings of Excel. I also bought Microsoft office step by step but I never got to use it as this book was all I needed! I will be buying the Microsoft Wor dversion next.

Oh by the was within two weeks I took the specialist test and passed by quite a bit.

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.

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

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

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.

This book has been an excellent resource for my bible studies. It's very informative and priced reasonable. I recommend it to all who study the bible. I appreciate the preview on the store site, it sealed my purchased. I'm not disapointed I bought this book.

This is the best bible dictionary I have ever purchased. The definitions
are easy to understand. It is well worth the money.

What a difference when used in conjunction with your Bible. This is an excellent tool for study

i am very pleased with my shipment of books from amazon.com i have used this service for other products and have never been disappointed. the shipments always come quickly and are in great shape just exactly what the description describes on the order page.

I ordered this Bible dictionary not knowing quite what to expect. It is absolutely wonderful! It is very easy to understand and quite interesting. I would highly recommend it for the Bible study novice, or as a quick guide for those that are accomplished in this area.

Clever and creative character development, mind absorbing details takes you into the characters lives as it was long ago. A story whose creatively orchestrated plot fascinates you and grips you until the end, anticipating the intrigue of Book II.

A great book to read for all ages which takes you away to the Medieval era with details of life long ago, with virtue and honor and chivalry and nobility to enchant your wishes for the characters and idealize attributes to strive for.

A Very entertaining and enjoyable read with a map to follow and peoples lives at stake for the outcome of Truth.

I read this book in three days while on vacation in Maine. I could not put it down. While it does have a prominent theme of action and fantasy, a Sword For The Immerland King is overflowing with new ideas and true wisdom. F.W. Faller starts each chapter with a quote or proverb that relates to the following chapter. They are all very wise and relevant, and I found myself looking forward to reading each new proverb. For example, two in particular that caught my eye: "Who is the greater prisoner: the caged man whose mind transcends his physical boundaries or the untethered being whose mind holds him in a cage?" and "We are forever doomed to suffer with histories defined by those who are able to shout the loudest.". Faller also deals with some spiritual ideas, such as "cymbic" relationships and the myriad layers of the "vorn" (sort of like the soul). The characters, plot, and scenery are very skillfully developed and described. Aside from everything else, FW Faller has an exquisite way with words, a talent that he exercises in weaving this intricate tale that I will most certainly re-read after I've finished the sequel!

I was happily surprised to find out that there are still great fantasy authors out there who can not only spin a good yarn, but also do so in a way that shows morally why some ways of acting are better than others. I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.

A Sword for the Immerland King is one of the best, if not the best book I have yet read. It is a fantasy good for almost all ages that can comprehend the complex story line. The characters are real and come alive during the book. It is action packed and the world of Tessalindria is an incredible nation with a complete history. I am strongly looking forward to the next book.

The Sword of the Immerland King captivated me with a story in the epic proportion of the Lord of the Rings. With exquisite imagery and just the right balance of suspense and imagination, the author succeeds in creating a book that you never want to put down. Personally, although I read dozens of books a year, I'm not an avid fiction reader. But since I knew this author, I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed. I finished it in less than a week and now I'm reading it to my two boys (8 and 6) who only complain when I stop reading to them!

Fantastic job! I am hungry for the second volume.

ISBN 0789429160 - Cute little board books featuring animals are everywhere, so finding a novelty among them is a pleasant surprise. The touchable, feel-able parts of this book are fairly large and the variety of them is nice.

You're invited to meet the animals on the farm, offering children a tactile experience that non-farm dwellers might otherwise miss out on completely.

That the book also introduces new adjectives into the vocabularies of small readers is a great plus. The only potential negative is that, if you get a used copy, the Touch and Feel parts aren't what they ought to be. The pig's spongy nose, in particular, can get completely flattened and the touchable spot of the chick on the cover will fade after many pettings. Buy it new, and it's well worth it; used, not so much.

Both my kids loved this book from a very young age. The touchy feely aspect really draws the attention of little ones. And all in all the books are quite durable. Mine have been well loved by our two, and are now heading to our baby cousins. The farm and baby animals were my childrens favorites.

This was my daughter's first board book and the first book she took an interest in. She loved the photographs of the animals, as opposed to drawn illustrations. The book includes a variety of textures and recognizable farm animals.

My 2 year old enjoys this set a lot. She loves touching the furry parts of the cards and they are super sturdy (cardboard). There are about 5 cards that are way to hard for her limited vocabulary so we make up the names, other than that they are great!

Whenever we go out to eat, we are sure to take this book along. It keeps my little boy (11 months) entertained while we wait for our food, and works like a charm. There is nothing better when he is screaming his head off than to pull out this book and presto, instant smile. He touches and feels and tries so hard to say baa at the sheep at bark at the dog. It is well worth the money. And so far it has held up remarkably well (even though there is rice in the dogs fur and cheese on the lambs wool).