J Books

I'm the mom of two boys (13 and 10) who usually hate to read. The only books they have devoured are Harry Potter and the Stinky Boys Club series! And the Stinky Boys Club books are amazing because I think four year olds would like them, too. My kids cannot get enough, and even FIGHT over who gets to read them in the car. My 13 year old thinks they are hilarious (he writes his own humor); my ten year old loves to read about burps and farts. These authors know kids!

Our son, age 8, is addicted to the Stinky Boys Club! He cant get enough. He re-reads each of these books...which is a huge achievement for a boy who didnt want to read. He will even sit down and read to his little sister! He loves all of the gross and cool things the stinky boys do (who wouldnt love a throw-up recipe?). Sam and MJ are so good at coming up with pranks, kids of all ages will laugh.

I am a parent of two children who loved this book. It was very fun and funny to read... and even funnier when my kids read it to me. The character descriptions are particularly cool and interesting, we loved all the characters. A really good start to what I hope is a nice, long series. I look forward to more.

One of my friends recommended The Stinky Boys Club because her two kids loved it. So I read them to my 7 and 9 year old boys and they thought the Stinky Boys were the best! They loved the characters and to hear Mom say 'poop' and 'fart', oh they thought that was the highlight. The nicest thing I can say about The Stinky Boys Club is after I was done reading, I noticed both my boys picking them back up and reading the books on their own, what more could a parent hope for! I think the stories are great fun and I highly recommend them for young readers.

I have a six year old boy and a ten year old girl. My daughter loved the full page illustrations with desriptions of kids at the school. My son was interested in the throw up recipe, but really loved being able to read the word FART. Fun reading for all.

Someone recommended this author to me and I almost didn't read the book when I got it because of the cover, it looked like it was for very young readers, but it was a great book! I have read almost all of Janette Rallison's books now and I really like them.

Loved it. Janette Rallison really knows how to keep a reader entertained and her brand of humor is so subtle. At times, I had tears in my eyes from laughing. Her protrayal of a high school play gone awry is priceless.

I wasn't expecting this book to be that great, but it was. The characters are very realistic. It's about a young girl who wants to be a star. She broke up with her boyfriend, but then wants him back. Meanwhile, a new boy shows up. Turns up that he is the son of a big movie star. Find out more! It's really good!

I used this book for a book report, now im not into reading much but this book was the best one i have ever read. I love to act so it was a great book for me. it took me about two weeks to read it but wonderful book. If your doing a book report there are lots of charaters. Ilove that book

There is simply no other way to put it-- this book is hilarious. I was lying on my bed reading it and laughing out loud! If you love humor with a touch of everything else this book is perfect. It ends off perfectly. At first I thought the book looked a little babyish, but it was just sooo awesome. Enjoy!

This haggadah made our seder very enjoyable. It is excellent for families with young children, as well as those with both Jews and non-Jews celebrating.

We've been using this haggadah for 5+ years, and just love it. I see there is a new version, so I will be checking that out, but might just buy up a few of the old ones that are left. It is great with the kids, and good for long time jews, new jews, and non-jews... my kids love hopping around the floor during the frog song. And of course, racing through "Who knows one?".

This is the 3rd year we've used this haggadah--we decided to invest in enough for the whole table. It's great because it's got clearly written Hebrew, English and transliteration. It's simple, with good questions and comments in the sidebars to spark some additional conversation. Your seder can be simple and straightforward, or more thought-provoking using this haggadah. I also like the CD of Passover songs that is available to go with this. We had fun singing along while preparing our Pesach meal! If the illustrations were better, I'd give it 5 stars.

This Haggadah has been used in our family for over 10 years and is appropriate for the traditional members, the less indoctrinated, and the children. There are activities to include the youngest members and questions to involve the sophisticated participants. The participation in a Seder is for everyone, and this Haggadah is inclusive of all!

We used A Family Haggadah at the last Passover Seder. The children found it easy to follow and understand. The adults liked the special commentaries and additional information. Everyone said it helped make the Seder special.

As a beginner in the world of theatre and stage combat, this book has helped me more than any other text out there. Anyone who hopes to stage a fight in ANY production should read this first AND THEN keep it around throughout rehearsals! Its insightful tips are like having someone there to help you along your way, keeping you focused on what is important : safe and effective dramatic storytelling through combat. Balancing level-headed practicality with clear artistic vision, it can be understood and enjoyed by any theatre practitioner. From the shop to the director's chair, it is a must have.

"Fight Directing" is a great resource for directors and acting teachers. When directors ask me about a combat resource I tell them to pick up this book and a copy of Swashbuckling.

Whether you are an experienced fight director or just getting started (I'd suggest a high level of proficiency in stage combat first), fight master J. Allen Suddeth's book is packed with useful, practical, and creative information on directing stage combat sequences. Best of all, he offers numerous approaches to comabt choreography and encourages the reader discover what works best for him/herself. Directors should also be encouraged to read this, as it will assist in the collaborative process between director and fight director. Incredibly useful and absolutely necessary!

I bought Mr. Suddeth's book a year or so ago simply looking for some pointers on choreographing a fight. What I found was an invaluable guide to directing, not just a fight, but the entire scene in which it was contained. I also found that FDftT had much to offer for experienced fight directors and novice stage combatants alike. The language was clear, the writing engaging and the content comprehensive. The issues addressed in this book transcend the mere basics of staged violence and focus instead on the scene and its integral relationship with the fight. If you are looking to "brush-up" on stage combat technique I would suggest that you get out and enroll in a stage combat class, not try to hone a hard earned skill by reading a book. If you are looking for insights on how to go about safely and effeciently directing a scene or play that contains staged violence, put up your feet, relax and open Fight Directing for the Theatre by J. Allen Suddeth.

This book is an excellent guide to what the Society of American Fight Directors preach--Safety! Fight Master Suddeth details the many traps and common practices that put actors in harms way, then shows us the safe alternatives. It is a guide that should be kept in every theater as a reference for actors, stage managers, directors, etc. It doesn't pretend to teach you how to direct fights--this only comes with intense training--but rather teach you how to protect yourself and fellow artists. Included are details of weaponry and how to maintain them, tips, pointers, tricks, etc.

With decades of experience under his belt, this book is an extremely valuable tool if you are participating in any form of staged violence. Don't leave your safety to trial & error.

Although the best way to learn any knot is to be shown, this is a good way to remember and practice them. It's small, light, sturdy and waterproof. There's not much more you can expect from a product like this. This is one of those ideas I wish I had come up with.

This is an excellent product I purchased the Saltwater edition for 1 tackle box and the Freshwater edition for my other, it's an excellent reference. The plastic coating makes it waterproof,cleanable and durable.
Thank You

This is a great starter to intermediate knot tying manual. 'Ultimate' might be stretching it but it's close. Definitely adequate! You would 'the man' if you mastered every knot in this manual! The envy of every other deckhand for sure! ciao, Scott

Buy it, use it, love it; enough said.

I have used the tool and find it very helpful. Good price. Fast shipping.

Unscrupulous knights, castle intrique, unrequited love, misplaced children; Sitting down to read my first Medieval novel, I rather expected a 13th century cautionary tale about making foolish decisions and being set right by good folk.
Instead I found myself on tenderhooks at Ms. Atwell's unexpectedly vivid portrayal of poverty, jealousy, loyalty, and depravity within individuals and families which made me care deeply about their outcome.
My favorite character was the good Lady Eleanor who endured a lifetime of humiliation while remaining true to a higher calling.
The book, in it's cultural twists and turns never disappoints, and I felt Ms. Atwell's knowledge of this time period was stunning. I highly recommend this book.

Great book. Story was unpredictable and very enjoyable. I loved the characters and was sad when the book ended.

A wonderful book! Nancy Attwell blends action, intrigue and romance in a story that is realistic yet grand and noble. Her characters, both those central to the weaving plots and those just passing through, are vibrantly alive, and your concern for their fate carries you through the story and draws you deeper into the land of Lothemia. Swordfights and battles, wit and revenge, love and loyalty- this book has a very wide appeal. A rare find that manages to have something for everyone without sacrificing quality.

This was one of those books that once you start, you just want to keep reading. I ended up reading it in one sitting. The fairytale influences woven into the real world made for an entertaining read, and the characters were beyond the often one dimensional characters found in historical/fantasy writing

This is a page-turner brimming with lifelike characters, interesting historical detail and surprising plot twists. Ms. Attwell's crisp prose propels the tale forward, and populates the world of the 13th Century with characters both true to their time, and timeless. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in traveling back in time for a rollicking adventure filled with romance and intrigue.

A note on stars: I seem to be the only one withholding that last star. The book is very fine historical romance. I think this means only that I'm a tougher grader, and my 4 stars is equivalent to someone else's 5.

This is historically the best book I've read since, "Sister outsider". In only 129 pages you will find the history of the world. Historians will truly enjoy this witty and humorous text. It reminds one of the teachings of Fanon. What I would like to know, if anyone can answer this question for me. Who is the M. Finot that J.A. Rogers often quotes in the book? Thanks Sincerely.Jm

I had this book for five years before I finally picked it up to read and to my surprise, it was magnificent...an exciting verbal exchange between a politician whose knowledge regarding people is neglegeable and a porter whose knowledge of people is extensive. The two strike up a conversation first as servant to customer then ending as teacher informer to student learner. Its very passionate, engrossing and will keep your interest.

While cleaning out a closet full of books at the community center where I serve as its Educational Director, this book falls off of the shelf. It has been the most enlightening book I have ever read! The previous reviewers have spoken ever so eloquently, I will simply say, given the psuedo-intellectual, "we have overcome" times we live in, J.A. Rogers' work should be manditory reading for all. At home and abroad. This book keeps it "real.

This book was given to me by a good friend. I've read it at least 3 times. The clever way the author used this fictional story to illustrate that genotype among the human race is unilateral and how differentiating us by phenotype is ridiculous, is brilliant. "Prejudice is the reason of fools."-Voltaire. This book should be required in all areas of sociology and cultural studies. Again, a must read.

Hands down this book should be a MANDATORY read of all young African Americans. If BET were to share just a fact a day with it's viewers; that would single handedly change the state of todays youth, which would entail a more productive renasiance-esque future for all!!! Please read this book!! And share with all!!

This work is full of interesting, insightful, and provocative ideas that will make readers rethink the impact of the Supreme Court's civil rights decisions. I predict that the revisionist arguments in this masterpiece will some day become the orthodoxy. This book will be read by many future generations of American history and law students.

Professor Klarman's book is a study of the interplay between Politics, Social Forces, and legal doctrine. He's searching for the links between political realities and legal rulings. How are they shaping each other? In studying the relations between the decisions of the US Supreme Court and the reality of White-Black relations in the American South, Klarman's conclusion is that the Supreme Court's opinions are very much shaped by the social and political realities. The effect of the Supreme Court's decision on the political landscape is more subtle.

Between the 1890s and the outbreak of the Second World War, judicial rulings became slowly but steadily more pro-blacks. The earlier decisions were epitomized by the Plessey case, which held that states were allowed to discriminate in public transportation. Only one Justice, former slave-owner John Marshall Harlan had dissented, and argued that the "constitution is color-blind". But even Harlan did not doubt the propriety of segregation in education, and neither he nor any other Justice did much to prevent Lynching, voter intimidation, all-white-Juries and a variety of other discriminatory practices.

In this, the Justices were very much men of their time, an era of unquestioned white supremacy. America was a white man's land; with the Civil War receding into distant memory, White Northerners, who faced increasing immigration from blacks, Asians, and East Europeans, did not feel compelled to intervene on behalf of the Blacks.

But even if the Justices were inclined to combat Jim Crow (the popular name of the racist Southern regime), there was not much they could have done. Unlike the post-World War 2 era, the Federal government was not closely engaged within Southern states. Thus the Court's decisions had to be executed by Southern Judges, Politicians, and Policemen - the very leaders of Jim Crow. Furthermore, the legal segregation and discrimination were mostly formalities. Jim Crow kept Blacks "in their place" with the hanging rope and the burning cross, with economic sanctions and social intimidation. Whether their misery was legally sanctioned or not could not have made a large difference in the daily lives of Southern Blacks.

From the outbreak of the First World War to the outbreak of the second, race relations in America slowly improved, and the Judges' decisions became increasingly, albeit subtly, black-friendly. Beaten confessions were thrown out; patently racist disenfranchising laws were declared unconstitutional. The Justices for the first time inferred discrimination in Jury selection from the fact that Juries were, de facto, always white.

But the changes were slow. Only with the creation of Roosevelt's Court, with the appointment of new Justices such as Hugo Black and William Douglas, did the Court stridently strike against segregation and Jim Crow. The shift in the Court during and after the Second World War reflected the social changes in American society, which has become more egalitarian as the economic and political power of Blacks increased, as the nation was becoming more unified, and as revulsion of Fascism translated into widespread anti-racist views. The Cold War also played its part: When America competed for the alliance of Non-Western Countries, Jim Crow has become a liability and an embarrassment.

The New Deal Justices, and their successors, were strongly committed to destroying the racist policies of the South. They ruled against segregation in higher education, against all-white political primaries, against unfair police practices. And most famously, they hit the Apartheid's system's most cherished institution. The landmark case of "Brown vs. Board of Education" barred segregation in public schools.

Brown, Klarman argues, had a paradoxical effect: It made things better by first making them worse. Brown led to desegregation of the boarder South, but not in the Deep South. There, Brown's effect was to radicalize the white population. Before "Brown", Southerners were inclined to allow Jim Crow to be chipped away - the desegregation of higher education and public accommodation caused little or no fuss, and the opposition to voting rights was hardly insurmountable. Southern politicians in the pre-Brown era downplayed the racial element and focused on common 1940s and 1950s era issues: social programs and communist-baiting.

But after Brown, moderation in the South was dead. Rallying against the Northern intervention, moderate Southern politicians either lost their job (Alabama governor Big Jim Folsom) or transformed into fire-breathing segregationist demagogues (the infamous successor of Folsom, George Wallace, who had been a relative moderate in the 1940s and early 50s, as evidenced by his refusal to follow the Dixiecrats in 1948). Accommodation was out - resistance and rebellion became the rule for Southern whites.

The growing belligerency of Southerners played right into the hand of the new generation of social activists, led by Martin Luther King. With boycotts, "Freedom Rides", sit ins, and mass demonstrations, the protestors courted Southern violence. With the flames fanned by segregationist political leadership, Southerners lashed out against schoolchildren, white liberal college students, and ordinary middle class African Americans. The national opinion, formerly weary of forced segregation, swung. Buoyed by public opinion, Presidents Kennedy and Johnson pushed through Congress a radical Civil Rights agenda. Now King and his supporters had the government on their side, and the opposition to desegregation crumbled.

Thus, Klarman argues, by striking at the heart of segregation, the Supreme Court's decision transformed the struggle for Civil Rights from a gradualist movement to a radical one. This is how, because of "Brown", Jim Crow came to an end: not in a whimper, but in a bang.

Having had the opportunity to hear Professor Klarman speak, I knew before reading the book that it would be a great work of scholarship. I was blown away. Meticulously researched, eminently readable, and full of the details necessary to support any conclusions about that troubling time in American history. It's a must read for every law student, historian, and American.

A comprehensive account not just of civil rights legal history, but also the political and social context that Klarman shows were never far in the background of court decisions regarding civil rights. The book doesn't just chronical events, but uses history to test and illustrate theories for why courts decide cases as they do.

This was required reading for a graduate course in American history.

The question that the author posits is: does the Supreme Court actually affect society? Klarman contends that Supreme Court rulings in the 1940s, specifically when dealing with criminal procedure (as opposed to black enfranchisement), had little tangible impact on the lives of African Americans in the South. He cites four cases, Moore v. Dempsey (1923), which dealt with verdicts rendered amid mob pressure, Powell v. Alabama (1932), which dealt with the appointment of adequate counsel for felonies, Norris v. Alabama (1935), which dealt with jury selections, and Brown v. Mississippi
(1936), which dealt with confessions obtained using torture.

Klarman contends that despite these constitutional safeguard, African American rights were still trampled in the South. He cites numerous "legal loopholes" for circumventing these cases, or in some cases, just blatant disregard. For instance, many times, lawyers were appointed at most a few days before trial, and were unable to adequately prepare. He also cites the reluctance of white lawyers to take on black clients for fear of reprisal, and out of blatant racism. After the Norris ruling, African Americans were usually selected to be in the jury pool, but never on the juries. The use of torture
was always suspect, and a jury would almost always take a white sheriffs word over a black mans if he claimed he was tortured. Lynching and mob violence still permeated Southern Courts as well. Klarman maintains that there was a set of "unwritten laws" which governed the South despite the federal rulings of the Supreme Court. Klarman also contends that the Supreme Court even showed hesitance toward their professed principles. Despite passing this legislation, the Supreme Court did not always enforce their decisions. Despite obvious "miscarriages of justice," many felt that even the presence of these rulings-whether enforced or not-was a step in the right direction (although I think many African Americans would probably disagree with this). It is an argument of intention versus actuality.

He contends that Supreme Court justices are products of their time and rarely make groundbreaking decisions, instead he contends that justices are "a part of the society that they are trying to transform," and cannot truly step outside of that society. Rather, they can only "go with the flow." And this I believe to be his thesis. He cites public opinion at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education, and that those cases were not truly revolutionary because the "tide" of public opinion was moving in that direction.

However, while Klarman denies the existence of tangible gains resulting from these cases, he does not think them futile. Instead, he posits that these cases led to intangible results for the African-American community. Namely, it gave African
Americans confidence that the oppressive system in which they lived could be changed, however slightly. All in all, Klarman believes that these verdicts, while not rendering tangible results, began the impetus to toward a higher race consciousness in the United States, and ultimately to the groundbreaking civil rights legislation of the 1960s. The
decisions showed that change was possible, and thus were relevant, but not in a conventional sense. And I believe this to a story of wider historical analysis. Events such as the civil rights movement usually do not simply "occur," they have visible, sometimes intangible; antecedents that eventually help to birth a new consensuses.

Recommended reading for anyone interested in American history, civil rights history.

This book was awesome, I could not put it down. You can really tell that he wrote it. It makes you understand what goes on in his head.

Jason McElwain's autobiography is well written and informative.
It describes the essential details of his life. The book presents
interviews with the most important people who have interacted with
Jason. It is highly recommended reading.
Jason's coping with his autism is relieved by his pleasure of
playing basketball. Jason in one basketball game colossally surmounts
being autistic by being artistic with his incredible three point shooting
accuracy. He sinks a total of twenty points with six three point shots and a two point field goal( where he mistakenly was standing on the three point line ) within the last three minutes and nine seconds of
his team's game. This performance was so incredibly phenomenal Jason's
life story is currently being developed into a national movie release.
One facet of Jason ( "J-Mac's" ) personal basketball practice
( "shootarounds" ) was never revealed in his autobiography that might
potentially be interesting to the public is his personal "best" basketball
shooting statistics and records. What percentage of three point shots
and free throws did Jason sink in practice? What were the most consecutive
three point shots or most consecutive free throws Jason ever sank in practice? What was the longest practice session shot Jason ever sank? Did Jason ever sink or perfect any practice "trick shots" or any other trick basketball handling or dribbling skills such as spinning the basketball upon his finger? I am an internationally famous basketball trick shooter and inspirational and motivational speaker named JIM "TRICK SHOT" LISTER.
I sink many of the most unusual and most difficult basketball trick
shots in basketball history with an astonishingly high degree of accuracy
despite shooting the basketball with a crippled right shooting hand.
My own personal basketball triumph over adversity is considered
by some basketball experts to be one of the greatest true basketball stories of all time.
I personally rate Jason McElwain's heart-wrenchingly and tear-jerkingly basketball triumph-over-an-obstacle accomplishment as the
single greatest true basketball story of all time!!!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK VERY QUICKLY. GREAT CONDITION. REAL BARGAIN. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SELLER!

After seeing the tail end of Jason's recent appearance on "Larry King Live", I immediately went on line to buy "The Game of My Life". Jason's compelling story kept me up past 2:00 a.m. last night because I couldn't get enough of his unique ponderings on the importance of "focus" and his astonishing feat [20 points in just over 4 minutes of playing time!] on the basketball court.

Many parts of his narrative made me smile while others moved me to tears. I was even reminded of the brilliant screenplay penned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for their 1997 breakout film, "Good Will Hunting".

I can't wait to see the movie based on Jason "J-Mac" McElwain's life and to see who plays the lead role. If I were directing, I would cast J-Mac to star as himself!

Many people probably remember hearing about Jason McElwain on the news back in 2006. He scored a record six three-point shots for his high school basketball team. That might not have been outstanding for a superior high school player, but Jason was the team manager, not a first string player. And, in addition to that, he was a young man diagnosed as autistic.

In THE GAME OF MY LIFE, Jason McElwain tells his story. He shares what he recalls from family stories about his early childhood years, unable to communicate or even tolerate his mother's loving touch. Extensive medical testing resulted in a diagnosis of severe autism. With the help of dedicated parents, Jason was able to learn coping skills and manage many of his autistic outbursts. Sports provided a focus point and an outlet for his energy, and ultimately earned Jason his moments of fame.

Jason's unique voice can be clearly heard as he tells his memories of early treatments thought to reduce the symptoms of autism. He explains the frustration of moving from one school to the next as school administrators searched for the best programs to help him. As Jason became interested and involved in a variety of sports, he found not only friends, but also a way to achieve success. Always in touch with reality, Jason knew his skills were adequate but not exceptional, and his success came as a chance to just be part of a team. But with the care and concern of his coach and teammates, his part on the team gave him the chance of his life and memories that have changed him forever.

THE GAME OF MY LIFE is an inspiring story about living with an increasingly common condition. It is an excellent book for teens suffering with autism or connected to someone with the condition. Jason's positive, up-beat personality is refreshing, as well as direct and realistic.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

This is just a collection of Garfield comics you can get off the Garfield website. There isn't even any of the new stuff with Luz and John ending up together.

A great book if you like Garfield. I like the cat and the dog too. I didn't like how the man put the collar on the dog, it was cruel of him.

I have been a long time Garfield fan. While sometimes the strip seems to fall a little short, by and large it stays consistently funny. What I especially have liked about Garfield in recent years is that Jim Davis seems to have really cultivated his taste for the bizarre, so recent Garfield strips have often had a Far Sidian quality to them. This can especially be seen in the recent books, including this one.

I think this is a good book if you like garfield. I like when the dog and garfield dance. I didn't like when the men put the shock collar on the dog,that was mean of them.

While i don't have this book it still souds delightful!!!! After many years Garfield still puts a smile on your face! In this book it celebrates that as Garfield get older he still probaly the same and with his good and funny attitude. so enjoy as many others will enjoy i too!