J Books

I have read this book so many time and it still doesn't get old.

I have always been an avid fan of LJ Smith, so I was not surprised that this series was awesome. Her descriptions are always so clear (and so strange) that you can almost envision the people and things in front of you (unlike everyone else though I loved Rob more than Gabriel). As an adult now, I still read her books (although I have yet to find the last book of the Nightworld Series). A great read for anyone!!!!!!!

Whilst LJ Smith's books are a good read, I do get narked with the characters sometimes. Most of the lead characters are too nice and any 'bad' characters are always gothy and into heavy metal. Goodie is sickly sweet and oh so nice blonde, baddie is hot but very nasty brunette (see how easy it is to follow the plot read the secret circle if you don't believe me) But back to this, this had a great starting point, but lost the plot slighty. LJS seemed to be really hitting us on the head with how 'bad' Gabriel was and how nice everyone else was, and of course the main female is so understanding and desired by all. Liked it but not as much as the Forbidden Game.

I had read several of L.J.Smith's Nightworld series when I read Dark Visions, and I was immediately spellbound. The characters were all well-developed and very appealing - you cared what happened to them. Of course, Gabriel was my favorite. There's something so appealing about a bad boy in need of salvation. I read the whole thing through in one sitting and then sat down and read it through again. I would recommend it for anyone interested in the unknown, in coming-of-age books, or just interested in a good read.

This book is by FAR my favorite book of all time. Kaitlyn Fairchild is my new favorite female character. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings... Yeah, they don't hold a candle to L.J. Smith's Dark Visions Collector's Edition.
Personally, I am AMAZED that this book doesn't get more recognition than it currently does. I would enjoy it more than life itself if this book became a movie. I'm actually telling all my friends about it.
I am not much of a reader... at all... But this book... This book made me cry, made me laugh, made me think hard on certain subjects... everything. I loaned my copy to a friend in hopes of getting her hooked on it too.
I have read and re-read this book, time and time again, for years. It never gets old. Smith's vivid descriptions of surroundings and characteristics give me a good mental image of all her characters.
I am seriously thinking about getting her other books. In fact, I will.
Read this book. If you think you knew what a good book is... you haven't read anything until you read this.

I read this book aloud to my two youngest boys (9 and 10). It has been a profound experience, one which has brought us closer together and has helped me to share things with my boys that I was afraid I would never be able to express in my own words.

Robert Avrech has created a world and its characters that are vividly real, unsparingly realistic and yet inspiring and comfortingly spiritual- all this in a book that is accessible to my sons, substantial enough to leave a lasting impression on me and written with such sturdy elegance that it is a joy to read out-loud.

This is a wonderful book. It is, in fact, a work of gentle and entertaining genius.

Normally being a slow reader with a wandering mind, I read this entire book in just four days, unable to put it down. It was such a sweet, heartwarming story; I could easily imagine the author writing it, as I know him personally, and he truly is such a nice man. But this book is more than a sentimental tear-jerker; actual historical people that existed at the time the story takes place, are here. I learned things about American history I had not previously known. I also found it interesting how the author emphasized how the Jews are not truly white people at all, but their own separate race who may have more affinity with American Indians than with White America.

I'll admit, I bought THE HEBREW KID AND THE APACHE MAIDEN for my 12 year-old nephew, but I couldn't resist taking a peek myself. And, once I started it, I was hooked; couldn't put it down.

Author Robert Avrech has crafted a marvelous plot. He weaves together the history of the Jews with details about traditional anti-Semitism--both in Europe and in the United States--along with lore about the American Wild West of the 19th Century.

This novel is a work which combines great imagination with scholarly research.

Every page here is an adventure, starting with Apaches on the war path and moving on to Mexican desperadoes. The reader, especially the younger reader, definitely will learn much about the Jewish religion as a result of reading this book.

According to the author's biography, he already is a successful screenwriter. I have read novels written by great authors, and I have seen screenplays written by great screenwriters, and THE HEBREW KID AND THE APACHE MAIDEN is the equal of the best of them.

Robert Avrech dedicated this book to the memory of his son.

Robert Avrech's first installment of the adventures of Ariel in the turbulent beginnings of the American Southwest isn't simply a book for young adults. It's an enjoyable must-read for adults -- Jewish and non-Jewish -- interested in Judaism in any way. His explanations of Jewish and Apache spirituality are simple without being simplistic, and are beautifully woven into the adventurous tale of a boy trying to learn how to be a man -- and a "mensch" -- in a dangerous world. Hopefully it won't be too long before we're able to enjoy Ariel's next journey!

An author's intellect too often outstrips his spirit. The observation, the wit, the rendered phrase will display polish, but the work as a whole may lack a certain, deeper luster. And it's that luster that fixes our attention - while we're reading the work and while it lives with us forever after. Fortunately, Robert Avrech's first children's novel is imbued with this kind of luster.

The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden is an entertaining and inspiring tale honed with high craft and deep piety. Written by a career screenwriter for a primarily (though by no means exclusively) young, Jewish, male audience, it is at once plausible and improbable, silly and serious, magical and didactic. I read it one afternoon in a cafe, pausing only to wag its colorful cover in front of a few inquisitive onlookers while telling them that they too ("big people," like me) should read this. Did I adequately communicate this to the other "big people"? I can't say, because before finding out if I had, I let myself be transported again - under the sure, guiding author's hand - to that age....

Yet there's more going on - and at stake - in HKAM than quality entertainment. It has to do with Mr. Avrech's choice of setting the novel in the Arizona of the 1870s, thereby overlaying mass Jewish immigration with mass American expansion and the Indian Wars. It also has to do with the interwoven themes of coming of age, learning to handle firearms, and Jewish self-defense. For while the novel makes no pretense of speaking directly to other - mostly "big people" - works which treat some or all of these themes, HKAM reminds me, indirectly, of some other works that (in part or in whole) do treat them: Primo Levi's If Not Now, When?; Antek Zuckerman's A Surplus of Memory; Romain Gary's A European Education; Esther Forbes's Johnny Tremain; and any number of Hemingway stories. Yet by predating the 20th Century - and the Shoah - and by sticking to the Kid's point of view, Avrech helps preserve that degree of Orthodox Judaism's innocence and wonder and awe which frequently is beyond the scope of "big people" or less observant or 20th Century works. For, as the dedication offers, what's also at stake in this novel is the debt Mr. Avrech is attempting to repay to his departed son - the great inspiration for the Hebrew Kid.

The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden is a mitzvah through and through. Purchase it in hardcover while you still can. You will want your copy to last as long as there are generations to come, generations which will always peer into the lives of past generations, wondering how to learn from them.

The author describes in just the right amount of detail, what his residency in orthopedics was like at the prestigious Mayo Clinic. The struggle between the incredibly demanding hours of training and his responsibilities as a husband and dad are intense. Throw in some moonlighting on weekends in the ER and "you're good to go insane." A perfect summer read.

I really enjoyed this book. The author was very down to earth and had a great sense of humor. He included a number of wonderful stories about his experiences during his residency as a surgeon. I found it very hard to put this book down.

From the moment I started reading it, it was like the initial incision with the scalpel on my brain and I could not stop until I got to the end (close the incision--take the patient to the recovery)!! Dr Collins has done a great job in this fast paced easy to read manual of the 4 years of residency at the prestigious Mayo clinic revealing to us the incredibly long hours of residency while raising up a family, living from pay check to pay check(earned mostly by moonlighting), driving cheap cars(esp the Battleship, ha!),dealing with life and death decisions on a daily basis and eventually making it through it all. The doctor has a great sense of humor (I guess 'tis one of the survival tactics in the battle of life.) His scalpel sharp pen can touch the soul of the reader! You will laugh and weep through it all(as must have Patti(his wife) and the kids). It has given me a greater appreciation for doctors--they have a high endurance coefficient! A must read for all the doclings and doctors-to-be.

After making the decision to return to school after 7 years to become a cardio surgeon- I seriously doubted my own abilities. I read everything I could get my hands on concerning others and there first year experiences. Hot Lights, Cold Steel was amazing. I was able to relate with Dr. Collins and soon realize that I too may be ill prepared for like as a resident but along with anything, time, experience and studying will prove that I too can be just as amazing as he is. (Only difference- he has 12 children, whereas I only have 5). This book is a 5-star hands down.

I can tell when I am reading a book that I really enjoy, it keeps pestering me until I finish it. Read it in 2-3 days!!! Very enjoyable. I even like the binding on this hardcover, large inside margins, etc. Hey Doc, how about writing another book??????

The story of Olive shows us how we all have strengths and those strengths are important even if they are different from others. It can teach us to be creative on how we can best use our strengths. Most of all it is a sweet story about a very sweet dog named Olive. I loved reading it as an adult and gave it to someone who also enjoyed it very much.

this is a great edition of Olive. the illustration is as wonderful as the story. it's one of my husband's favorites and he wasn't disappointed. the look of this book corresponds with the latest movie edition.

No other Christmas carol has such a hold on children's imaginations as "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." (*see note) Even the youngest child understands the joke of this book's title.

When a little dog named Olive hears the lyrics "All of the other reindeer..." she thinks the line is, "Olive, the other reindeer" and concludes that she is in fact, a reindeer, not a dog. Hi-jinks ensue.

This tenth anniversary edition has scratch and sniff gumdrops, flaps to open, levers to pull and a pop-up scene at the end. Reading the "otto-biography" of Seibold on the Chronicle Books site, I learned that the names of his children (and their images) are tucked into the illustrations, shades of Marc Brown and his Arthur books.

Skip the video and enjoy this book. It is a charmer.

I got this for my 3 granddaughters, ages 6 and under. They loved it!

What a great book! My family and I loved the dog, Olive, that came with the book, too. I plan to read this book, and share the stuffed toy with the area school.

One of those books every home needs on the shelf. By the way, read it.

I have made it a habit this year to get through many of the classics on audio book during my daily commute. I picked Pilgrim's Progress since it was one of the most influential English books ever published, and I wanted to see what it was all about.

The audio book was published by Blackstone Audio and the reader was Robert Whitfield. The reader did an excellent job and was very easy to listen to. He did some characterization with his voice that made it easy to know which character was speaking. I was a little worried about the older style English, but it gave me no problem. It probably helps that I am familiar with the King James Version of the Bible. Overall, listening to this book worked out very well.

This is the first book length allegory that I have been through and I thought it was an excellent way to teach. There is no doubt which principal each character is supposed to represent by their name, and their actions represented that well also. I can understand why so many families had this book in their libraries. As far as Christian doctrine goes, there are a few things that some would disagree with, but most of the principals taught are still generally accepted today. The path to God's presence is filled with opposition, but there is help available and the reward is worth it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to understand an important part of our heritage, and to see what an effective tool allegory is.

I love this book. It was written from a jail cell in the 1600s. This version is the original so the text is difficult to read at first but I would not want a watered down modernized version (which can be purchased). I find if I read in chunks it starts to flow nicely. The characters have names like, "Evangelist", "Piety", "Talkative", "Faith", etc. So you know just where someone is coming from. I have marked up this book with pencil just like I do my scriptures! It is like reading one long parable in story form! Cool book. I'm glad to have found it.

We've read this book to our son and he has really enjoyed it. He doesn't yet fully understand everything and we had to stop and explain a lot to him, but it is something that we plan on reading over and over again as our kids continue to grow.
I read a review that stated that a main flaw in this book was the lack of one on one relationship with Christ. I can understand what they are saying, but I think what you have to keep in mind is that while we are here on earth and in our day and age we do not physically see Christ. He was once here walking and living on this earth, but He is now in heaven. He uses other means now to maintain a personal relationship with us. For example, we can know Christ through His word and through prayer. Just as in the book, He often also sends other Christians along in our life to help us and encourage us. This book is a good example of a walk of faith. We can't see and physically touch Christ right now, but when we are in heaven we WILL see Him just as Bunyan talks about in the book. Christian persevered in his walk without physically seeing Christ and he was rewarded in the end for his faith. For now, how much greater our reward is for those who have not seen Him and yet believed!

Every christian household should have this volume to read and share with the famiy. It never fails to bring me to tears when pilgrim falls before the cross and looses the burden of sin. It is a must have for every christian library and the additional insights from Bunyan are a added blessing!! I cannot say enough good things .....

Rain on a Tin Roof (RAIN) is riveting. For those of us who are from the Caribbean, it appears that Gabriel Christian, by the attention given to every descriptive word, every detail, attempts to make those of us who are away from home, wallow in nostalgia. RAIN gives the impression of having never left the Caribbean.

My personal favorite, and the narrative by which this book gets its title, "Rain on a Tin Roof," is especially dear. Gabriel Christian takes what would have normally been a tale of despair, and demonstrates a balanced appreciation for what makes this island, his island, home. The author's ability to thread the diverse history of the island with his personal experiences makes RAIN a must-have. I guarantee you won't stop reading.

This book is a brilliant literary piece. It recalls to mind so many memories for fellow Dominicians and for others, it provides a glimpse into life in Dominica.
The collection is so true to life, captured and dispensed in a vivid setting immediately transporting the reader back in time -life, growing up, all the experiences that help shape our lives and make us who we are today.
My favorite was rain on a tin roof - recalling the catastrophic events of 1979.
Having read this, my pride as a Dominician overflows, and it is certainly inspiring to know that such talent and skill came from my homeland.
This writer is a literary genius and I look forward with eager anticipation to the sequel or future writings!
BRAVO to Mr. Christian!

Rain on a Tin Roof earned me quite a few concerned stares as I erupted into bursts of belly-full laughter while reading. This collection of short stories does not simply describe the innocent joys of growing up in in the Caribbean in the best of bygone eras - ours; it transports you back into those joys (and innocent perceptions of some very serious matters) and awakens dormant delightful memories. Though I have never visited Dominica, I fully understood and identified with the evocations presented. Rain on a Tin Roof underscores the similarities in culture of the various Caribbean islands showing that we are truly one Caribbean nation. Very delightfully and honestly written! Recommended ... Recommended ... Recommended !!!

I bought your book some time ago and I am finally got a chance to read it.

I just have say how much I have enjoyed this book. It's an absolute delight! I read it on the train in the mornings going into New York and I'm sure some of the commuters think I am crazy when I burst out laughing constantly after reading some particularly funny anecdote - and every story is full of them.

You have captured life on Dominica so beautifully that one just relives it again reading your words. It's funny, nostalgic, sometimes sad, such an accurate account on life on the island, and again it is soooooo funny. I can just imagine three scruffy little boys holding on to each other's belt heading into a Carnival band after consuming some of their parents rum from an essence bottle shouting "hold strain".

I am passing this book on to all my sisters when I am done. Every Caribbean person should read this book.

You have done a fantastic job. I can't wait for the next one.

....."We can hear the wind straining to get beneath the galvanized tin sheets that layer our roof. Are the nails lifting?" That was the question and worry of the day back in August 1979, when Hurricane David blew down the entire country. Thanks Gabe for taking me down memory lane.

This collection of short stories clearly indicate the writers passion for his birth country. It brings to life a diversity of family, love, politics, colloquial language and his life in the suburbs, which leave minds totally picturesque.

Once you pick up this fantastic publication, it is difficult to put it down. Though some stories were sad and others tense, humour was never lagging far behind. I definitely had quite a few laughs.

The most unique thing about this collection, is the fact that the old, the young and the middle age are able to read and enjoy this book. It brought and left my heart with much warmth.

Hats Off to You Gabe. Keep up the good work because your creative forces and brilliant ideas I believe regenerate many of our Dominicans living home and abroad and our fellow Caribbean people by extension.

Looking forward to another publication

Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs from Communism to Al-Qaeda Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton with Henry R. Schlesinger, foreword by George J. Tenet. Dutton, $29.95 (576p) ISBN 978-0-525-94980-0



Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton wrote Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spycraft is a great book that depicts the collective historiography of the CIA's Office of Technical Service (OTS) department. Wallace and Melton both have a wealth of information concerning clandestine work in relationship to technology, and its impact on the tradecraft profession globally. The book historically illustrates audio devices, miniature cameras, disguises, codes, and dead drops that are major elements in the profession of national security and espionage. Spycraft covers the epoch of secret intelligence devices from World War II, The Cold War, and Al-Qaeda Terrorism, which is well written for any laymen to discern. I recommend Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA to academic and public libraries.

I was hoping for a lot with a 5 star amzn rating but unfortunately I only got through half of the book because it failed to meet those expectations. I was hoping for a technical presentation of clandestine affairs. If the author was going to describe a particular stakeout and audio operation I was hoping it would be presented with maps, technical layouts, and diagrams of devices such that the detail would justify another book in this area. What I got was a shallow examination of multiple operations where little information was divulged and most of the drama centered around the departments lack of preparation and eventual overcoming of their technical shortfalls through private industry or industrious tech.
I was hoping to read a book about the technicalities of the operation not a book where i had to flip back and forth to the appendix to look up the abundant acronyms used and where I would go pages just reading about the cia's lack of preparation. occasional stories were interesting but would likely not be new to anyone versed in the subject.

SPYCRAFT is the book, every lay person should read. This book shows that good intelligence work rather than being glamorous, can be a tedious and perilous occupation that involves pain-staking preparation. Intelligence means gathering necessary information for policy makers to make realistic and level-headed decisions. With provided intelligence, policy makers can take steps to prevent disasters from occurring or global conflict from taking place.

While reconnaissance satellites can show what physical movements are taken by nations and NGOs, HUMINT or human intelligence is needed by policy makers to decide if a bluff is being made or deterrence will be required. SPYCRAFT shows how the CIA has used innovation and daring in the gathering and transmitting of HUMINT. The innovation of inventing tools is used for gathering and transmitting of intelligence. The personal risk involved usually doesn't involve gun-play or some melodramatic heroism. Personal risk is about not getting caught and taking personal risk to protect a source or helping an exposed source from deadly reprisal.

Too often, the public sees the Central Intelligence Agency as later day Keystone Kops or Americanized versions of James Bond. Neither stereotype is accurate. SPYCRAFT demonstrates that the people who work at the CIA are everyday Americans who have decided to take up the cause of maintaining the peace by sustaining a professional intelligence organization.

I skimread this book, I admit it. Sections were so dry, I just couldn't deal with it. I needed a good mix of the technical and the real-world.

It broke my heart that so much time and effort was needed to get to a place where our Soviet informants could share info, only to be ruined by Hanssen.

Meantime, I roared at the stories of the agents desperately experimenting with inflatable sex-toy women as possible "doubles" for car passengers who had bailed from a car moments before.... and the stories of what was involved in trying to buy bulk numbers of inflatable person-shaped anythings for experimentation as body doubles. THAT tickled me enormously. The ultimate details of why this double was needed, the misery of what the real human would be doing in the meantime, grim grim stuff. James Bond movies have done us all a big disservice. The real spy world is anything but glamorous stuff.

I am in awe and forever grateful to those who stuck it out to get a few seconds of eavesdropped conversation, a page of forbidden blueprints. Thank you guys. I get what you did, what years you sacrified.

Oh, and, yeah, I will no longer be impressed by people who think it's clever and antidisestablishment to sneak over and hang out in Cuba as tourists, having read the detail of the Cuba prison system. Horrific stuff.

Having read and enjoyed Spycraft, I expected it to garner solid reviews. However, I am quite surprised to see that until now, it's received 100% five-star reviews. I've almost never seen a book reviewed this favorably and I've certainly read better books with more mixed reviews.

Don't get me wrong, Spycraft is a good book. It allows its reader behind a curtain into a world that is typically strictly off-limits. You get to experience the real-world existence of spies living and working secretly behind enemy lines. The book reveals a lot of the technology used by spies, focusing in on listening devices, cameras and communication devices. What stands out is the ingenuity and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of the devices upon which people stake their lives.

While the book is written about spy technology, what I found to be the most surprising from the book was the the amount of time and effort invested in some of the CIA's covert operations. Often times, years are spent establishing credible cover or doing piecemeal research about a target to avoid drawing attention. 100% of some peoples' living patterns are built around an operational necessity that takes up only the smallest percentage their time. It's truly amazing to read about the sacrifices made to achieve an intelligence payoff.

There is a problem, however, the book reads unexpectedly dull. I'm sure this is an outgrowth of the fact that real CIA operatives have to be consummate professionals and not suave, womanizing James Bond-types, but it takes away from the book. I am not implying in any way that anything should be fabricated or embellished to add to the excitement, but instead that the story is inherently exciting and that the writing should have reflected that more even if the author's demeanor is necessarily even-keeled.

A great book, but exciting stories get told in a seemingly Prozac-tamed manner. I recommend this one highly, but it could have been better still.

Like many other people, I had heard of Glen Turner, Koscot Interplanetary and Dare To Be Great. Like most people who rely solely on the news, I believed that Turner was a crook, a swindler and a thief. But at that time, I also believed that MLM was crooked and that Amway was a illegal pyramid scheme as well.

A friend of mine knew that I was into personal development and network marketing, had apparently come across some old tapes by Turner and gave them to me.

When I first listened to Turner, I thought he had a bad cold. Later I would find out that he had a harelip and consequently, a permanent speech impediment. Despite that, the man exuded enthusiasm that was incredible. I was glad that my friend gave me these tapes.

With the tapes came a book called "Con Man or Saint?" which reviewed the controversy behind this man. It was written by a pulitzer prize winner. I have no association with Turner other than these tapes and the book, but I came away feeling that this was a very unusual man.

Turner literally turned the MLM industry on it's ear at that time. He was also able to turn $5000 into over $100 million in 2 years. That would be close to a billion in todays dollars.

I did some internet surfing on Turner and came across alot of stuff, most notably I found several articles by Jeffrey Gitomer, America's top sales trainer praising Turner and the positive impact that Turner had on his life as well as others.
Gitomer also say's "to get any tape by Glen that he ever did."
After listening to the tape set, I agree. He is a great motivator.

While I can't say whether Glen Turner was/is a Con Man or Saint, I do feel that the man did a lot more good for this industry that what some people give him credit for. His philosophy is making a major impact for me in the network marketing company that I am in right now. Gitomers book The Sales Bible is also a parcel in my wealth training library. I highly recommend it.

I have no idea what Turner is doing these days, but I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed your tapes and the book and if Turner happens to read this and is open for an opportunity, contact me

http://www.myxango.com/platinumteam

In the 1970's, Glenn W. Turner was a walking and talking advertisement for personal development and positive thinking. "You can have anything you want in life" Turner would say, "If only you will build belief in yourself and go after it."

And how could you argue with the guy? Here was a man with a harelip, a speech impediment and had dropped out of grade school and had created a $300 million company starting with only $5,000 of borrowed money.

Turner would wave his harelip like a magic wand and would blow away any excuses you might have about not being able to succeed.
No matter where or who you where, Glenn W. Turner had started off with much less....but amassed a fortune in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars, lear jets, 78 companies around the globe and "American of the Year."

Turner, Turner, Turner" The King of Network Marketing tells the truth about what really happened to Koscot Interplanetary and Dare to Be Great. It tells the facts about the Great American Mail Fraud Trial.

If you have ever experienced a setback in your life or are experiencing one now, you will find Turner, Turner, Turner inspiring and motivating.

You will also find a thing or two about how our government works (or at least did back in 1970's America) and why you should beware of being Rich and being right. Beware of helping to create over 800 millionaires and positively affecting the lives of thousands more.

Turner, Turner, Turner is a great book about a great man who undeservedly was sold down the river for doing nothing more than challenging people to "Dare to Be Great" and "Better their Best." And then showing them how to reach their dreams if only they were willing to believe in themselves, step up on their toes and go for it.

Great book. Highly recommended.

In 1969 I was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. As I layed in bed hopig to recover, I felt as though my entire world had collapsed. My old job was gone, money was running short and I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk normally, if at all again.Then a friend loaned me a record by Glenn Turner called; "Glenn Turner Speaks Out". I felt as though Turner was talking directly to me and it really inspired me. A key phrase by Turner; "Confidence is the bullfighter who goes into the bullring with mustard on his sword." really fired me up. (Previous to this record, my self confidence, self esteem and self concept had dropped to zero)My Doctor informed me that I recovered faster than normal and I truly believe that it was this and other records by Turner that made the difference. Easy to see why Turner recieved special recognition from the recording industry for this record and why it went on to reach gold status in sales.It is great.I highly recommend any and all records or tapes that you can get by Turner. He is indeed the master of motivation. Nobody, does it any better.Thank you Glenn Turner for getting me back on my feet.

I heard Glenn Turner speak many years ago at Notre Dame. The man spoke to our marketing class and commanded three standing ovations!

While I didn't get into his MLM program, I did abide by his principles of believing in yourself and becoming my own Santy Claus.

Turner spoke in parables and is a great speaker. Despite a harelip which made him sound nasal and slurred a few words, this man can speak and inspire.

After listening to Mr. Turner, I realized that h aving a college degree without knowing how to use it. I also realized that I had to "take back my mind" as Turner stated "because you lost it"

His speech on "the great brain robbery" was so true and awe inspiring.

I wish this book was still available. I know all of those members of the graduating class at Notre Dame would buy it in a second.

Great man--great philosophy.

In the early 1970's, a friend of mine invited me to go to a meeting to listen to a man who was the CEO of a high flying company selling a unique cosmetic line of products and a personal development program called "Dare To Be Great." Needless to say, I was intriqued. Not to mention, I had seent he changes in my friend both from the outside with her new personal appearance and skin tone and from the inside, she seemed like a more fun-loving, caring and optimistic persoan that ever before.

The announcer comes to the microphone and introduces the main speaker of the day, the company CEO, a man named Glenn Turner. The music goes loud, we hear the song "Dare To Be Great" which I was later told was sung by Kirby "Sky King" Grant and then Glenn Turner comes running down the aisle like a bionic man, leaps on the stage while the crowd chants:

GO-GO-GO-GO-GO!!!

I had been to meetings before, but nothing quite like this! It sort of reminded me of a religious revival meeting and it appeared as though Glenn W. Turner was the preacher.

As Turner started to speak, I thought he had a bad cold or something, then I was told he had a harelip which also caused his speech impediment. None the less, I sat there mesmerized by this man who sprouted motivational messages and quoted scriptures. I was also impressed at the incredible control this man had over the crowd of about 1,500 or so who came to see him. Turner would just wave his fist in the air and shout "GO" and the loud audience became silent.

So I ended up signing up in the cosmetic company called "Koscot Interplanetary" and later go involved with the motivational company "Dare To Be Great." I attended the regular meetings and the seminars that were held. They made all the difference in me, physically, mentally, spiritually and financially. I only wish I still had those tapes from Dare To Be Great I through IV, the four adventures as we called them back then. That information was tremendous, life changing material.

Regrettably, the government got involved and Glenn W. Turner was hoodwinked so to speak. Most of us felt that he didn't do anything wrong, but the government, the real lawbreakers of the time and the american media like 60 minutes (yes even before Dan Rather with forged documents) worked their "magic" and took this huge company down. Glenn Turner I was told, had close to 80 companies spun off from Turner Enterprises including "Koscot Interplanetary" and "Dare To Be Great" and Turner was worth over $350,000,000 in 1970's dollars. Today that would be around $1.5 billion.

Yes Glenn W. Turner changed my life for the better too along with many others. And certaintly he did a lot more to help people that the people who attacked him. I highly recomment this book and any tape you can get your hands on by him, especially the Dare To Be Great Adventures VOL I through IV.

Thank you Glenn and God Bless You!

I am not Jewish, but after picking this up, in some ways I wish I was, if only for the traditions that seem so tied to the culture. As a cookbook, it has some unique recipes for some of the basics, but also brings to light many traditional foods that I really have not come in contact with. And I am quite the foodie, so this is fun to find new meals. Also, as the owner of many, many cookbooks, I find that I am more selective now about the ones that add to my collection. One requirement is the abundance of pictures, since it is no fun for me, no matter how good the recipes, if there aren't lots of pictures to whet the appetite. No pics, no deal for me. The many full-size color pics fit the bill and definitely inspire me a bit to try some new foods.

This is an amazing cook book. It is a trip to the past. When I make some of the recipes I feel I am home again at my grandmothers house. I love it and cannot stop recommending the cookbook to my friends. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water. I can taste it reading the ingredient list.

This book amazingly has all my family recipes. We found it in a book store while walking around San Francisco. We have bought one for all our children and nearly all our relatives have bought one too! It has everything in it and it's beautiful. The measurements on my 3x5 cards say a glass of this, a pinch of that and a taste of the other. Now I have actual measurements. It's great.

I am not from Aleppo, nor am I Jewish, so this book was a really great read for me and a learning opportunity! Very informative about the culture, I really enjoyed the history lessons provided for each recipe. The photos are stunning and the recipes simple and easy to follow. I also appreciate that the author provides substitutes for items that cannot be easily obtained in the US(such as Aleppo pepper).

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to make simple, healthful meals, as well as anyone who would like to know the history of Aleppian cooking and traditions.

What a lovely compilation of recipes, pictures and history! It brought back a lot of memories of food I enjoyed in my younger years but had forgotten existed. There is not a large Jewish community where I now live. It's certainly leading me back to food I love and now that I know how to prepare it, it will certainly be a part of my daily fare! It's also my new coffee table book.

Belana

My two-and-half-year-old daughter loves these "How-To" dinosaur books. I bought How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? first, which she was hooked on and triggered me to buy this one, which she equally loves. She can memorize and articulate all the 10 dinosaurs names provided in the book, just as she could with the other dinosaur book, which also introduces 10 types of dinosaurs. However, while the illustrations are highly entertaining to a toddler, the language, like that in the other book, is quite lackluster. It would be ideal if the book also shed some literary value and were enjoyable to read aloud to a child as well.

Hilarious yet education pictures. Short questions that children can answer themselves and also receive proper, precise answers on how a child is suppose to eat at a table and in public.

I love these books. Everyone of the books in the series have met mine and my child's expectations. Of course being a boy he loves the dinosaurs and as I the mom, I love the values, manners and morals they teach.

My son has loved this series since he was 12 months old, and he is now 19 months. I thought the books might be too old for him, but he loves the rhyming and loves looking at the pictures of the different dinosaurs. He picks out little details like trucks, teddy bears, or the cat and dog over and over again, and has his favorite dinosaur (the one eating pancakes on the front of this book).

Whether he understands the lessons about mealtime and bedtime, I can't tell for sure, but we'll get them in early since he makes us read him all of these books just about every night! We have ...Eat Their Food, ...Go To Bed, ...Get Well Soon, and ...Go to School. The board books ...Play with their Friends and ...Clean their Rooms are good also. The counting and colors ones aren't as good.

These books are GREAT. My son is a little over three and he LOVES these books and memorized them almost immediately. I love when he reads them back to me. I highly recommend for any dinosaur lover!! I own three of these books and can;t wait to get another!!!!