D Books

we got the book in great shape and in great time. Good book for my daughters first day of school.

My nieces haven't read this one yet.

The book runs through the excuses Sarah makes to avoid going to her new school (note that she's nervous about switching schools), and she's steadily cajoled into the front of the class where our Surprise! Announcement! reveals (and I admit, I was surprised - this is really well-done) that she's the teacher.

Well, no doubt teachers do get nervous on the first day of school, same as anybody else does :) Kids are likely to be surprised and laugh at the ending too, maybe even not believe it.

I do find it a little off-putting that Sarah's husband and boss essentially talk to her (and, in the beginning, treat her) like she's a child, but that's necessary to make the reveal an actual surprise.

I found the conversation between Sarah and the other characters to be very realistic (maybe a little less so for an adult, but, remember, we have to be surprised at the end), just like the conversations I had with my parents as a kid about school some days.

Bought this book for my grandchild who was transferring from a private school to public school. This funny story helped ease her mind about the change.

Sarah is a scared, tense person who is going to her first day of school. She
doesn't want to go to school because she is so nervous about the students in the school. So she tries to do everything to avoid from getting out of bed but nothing works. What I liked most about this book was that it was funny, had great pictures, and it's surprise ending. I would recommend this book to teachers, parents, and friends.

This book was an excellent read for my students on the first day of school. They loved it!

I'm not a member of any church and I don't consider myself religious but I've always been interested in what the bible says. However, I found it hard to make a start reading the bible when I really know nothing about it. I found this book invaluable in helping me get the most out of my bible reading. It taught me lessons that I can use not only with my study of the bible but with study of other literature as well.
My only problem with the book is that the authors sometimes fail to distinguish thier dogmatic beliefs from what the bible really teaches but, thankfully, the indepth lessons they include in the book will help anyone to see these errors for themselves.
I also didn't like the "one interpretation, many applications" rule. Some of the scriptures quoted in the book and then interpreted by Hendricks ended in conclusions I just could not comprehend. I think the bible can be interpreted many different ways and it's up to us to be able to discern the true message of what we're reading. With the interpretations I didn't agree with I just completed my own study following the rules set out by Hendricks and it gave me a whole new light on what can be found in one simple verse - and what can be lost if even one word is misinterpreted.
I can honestly say that this book is essential to anyone wanting to learn more about what is really in the bible. And it would also make a valuable contribution to any student wanting to get more from their everyday reading.

Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible -- At Last! Someone who knows how to read the bible and is willing to reveal his secrets to us. Why don't church bible studies start with this book? This book should be the first book of the bible study curriculum. I praise God for finally leading me to Howard Hendricks book.

Howard Hendricks is outstanding at revealing how exciting reading the Bible can be, but even more important was how he explains how to accurately determine what the writers were saying to the original hears, but also to us now. His directions reveal tried and true methods to "rightly divide the Word of God" that many other books on how to read the Bible just never see. I have been reading the Bible for more than 30 years and have seen truths that I missed over and over, just like when Sherlock Holmes looks a crime scene and understands all kinds of details that the untrained just can't see.
Reading this will open up the Bible and God's revelation like never before.

As a required reading for my Bible Study Methods course in seminary, this book opened up a new world to me in the area of Bible observation, interpretation, and application. I did not know what I did not know. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn how to read their Bible in a new, more in depth way, to receive all that God's Word wants to reveal to us.

We've just started using this study with our small group from church and I'm thrilled that it will teach everyone how to dig deeper and understand the word on their own. Howard Hendricks is a great bible teacher.

This book is a book that anyone who is considering a career in any type of child services needs to read. I myself am going into social services and this book made me realize what I will be seeing on a daily basis. Mary Ellen was such a brave little girl and I applaud her for surviving her early life!

The book Out Of The Darkness is an awesome book. It shows the hard time that a little girl named Mary Ellen had to go threw. She has such a hard life, but in the end everything work out. I recommend this book for everybody. This is an outstanding book, everybody should read it.

I'm Eric Shelman, co-author of Out of the Darkness. I just wanted to ask that if you buy this book, come on back and write a review of it when you're done. I've never had anything but positive feedback about it, but others can use YOUR personal experience with it to better judge it prior to purchasing. I thank all of you who have read and commented on our book.

The authors of this book have created a wonderful window of understanding how child abuse/neglect has evolved over the years. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in the human service field. Through the heart-felt story of Mary Ellen, we can see why there is such a strong need to protect children and continue to evolve for many more years. Thank you to Shelman & Lazoritz for telling such an important story.

Review of Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson by Eric A. Shelman and Stephen Lazoritz, M.D. Dolphin Moon Publishing, 2003

I chose to review this book because it explains the job of a social worker in the early days of the profession. The book appealed to me as an author and advocate. Set in New York City immediately after the Civil War, this book offers a powerful story in a historical context. Using an original style that combines journalism with fiction, the writers completed a work of art that is based on a true story. The protagonist, Mary Ellen Wilson, was a real orphaned child who experienced devastating cruelty at the hands of the first woman to be tried and convicted of child abuse, Mary Connolly. The story climaxes when Etta Wheeler, a social worker; Henry Bergh, the founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and Elbridge Gerry, ASPCA attorney, come together to rescue Mary Ellen. It's nearly inconceivable that animals were awarded victims' rights before children.

Thomas Wilson was an immigrant from Ireland who fled the potato famine to shuck oysters at a New York City hotel. In 1861 he married Frances Connor, an English immigrant who he'd met while she was a laundress at the hotel. While he was on the front lines during the Civil War, she gave birth to their daughter, named Mary Ellen. The year the child was born was the same year that Tom Wilson died in battle, 1864.

Frances found it difficult to work and care for her child, so she sought the services of a woman named Martha Score. Childcare for the working poor in the tenements of New York City provided meager nutrition and crowded conditions with no sanitation. However, Miss Score took good care of the baby while Frances worked long hours at the hotel. Travel through the tenements was treacherous at night, so Frances could not visit her child as often as she wished. After her husband died during battle, Fanny turned to alcohol for solace, leading to the loss of her job. Eventually, Fanny died in an "inebriate's asylum." When the war ended, working women returned to housekeeping as their husbands went to work. This left Miss Score with no income, thereby having to abandon the then two-year old Mary Ellen to Blackwell Island almshouse. Mary Ellen was illegally adopted to the evil Mrs. Connolly, where she suffered for seven years.

Etta Wheeler worked for St. Luke's Mission; she cared for the "outdoor poor" and frail elderly in the slums of the city. When neighbors spoke about the cries of a child called Mary Ellen, Miss Wheeler used all available resources to rescue Mary Ellen. However, she was often told by pastors, police, and lawyers to not interfere in the family's business. Undaunted by the advice, Etta persisted in her rescue efforts, eventually aided by Henry Bergh of the ASPCA. In 1874, with police assist, Mary Ellen was carried out of the abusive home, covered with a horse blanket provided by the ASPCA. The court proceedings set a precedent: "There had never been a recognized way to remove a child from an unfit home." The jury trial resulted in felony assault charges against Mrs. Connolly.

Etta Wheeler's sister, who lived on a farm in upstate New York, legally adopted Mary Ellen. Etta continued her social work in the tenements of New York City, where she was needed most. Mary Ellen eventually married, and her daughters spoke of their mother's burns and cuts that never fully healed. However, Mary Ellen lived until the age of ninety-two, surviving her husband by thirty-one years. Meanwhile, Mr. Bergh founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Mr. Gerry was responsible for forming the initial laws pertaining to the rights of children.

This story will cause the reader to wince at the cruelty and rejoice at the rescue. Perhaps the most poignant message in the book comes with the ending: "Perhaps we should see Mary Ellen not as the victim of abuse, but as the survivor, and as a persistent reminder that the efforts of a few people on behalf of one child can make a real difference." As a social worker, that is my hope.

As a lover of military history, and WWII in particular, I was eager to read another great sea story, so highly rated. The title, Ship of Ghosts, was most intriguing, suggesting the story of a warship that kept up a fight while out of all communications. Unfortunately, the title turned out to be misleading. The USS Houston was sunk rather quickly, in its second battle of the war, so the bulk of the book describes how the American POWs survived a brutal Japanese imprisonment. An interesting read in itself, but not what it represents to be. I note that out of 420 pages, only 80 are about the sea battles. Hornfischer is a fabulous writer (maybe too good - once in a while the prose seems to get in the way of the storyline)and the story moves along, so "Ship of Ghosts" is worth reading, but readers should expect a story of survival, less so of battle and tactics.

very realistic book about what really happened. my uncle was on this ship and was captured by the japanese and spent the rest of the war in prison camps. he had told me quite a lot about what happened and the book backed up what he said.

At 69, I have never shed so much tear as I did reading "Ship of Ghosts"! I walked away from reading only to wipe or hide my tears.

In a way, I took "comfort" that my father was spared of the ordeal and that "comfort" helps fill somewhat the hole in my heart of my life-long yearning for the father I never knew. The survivors survived, not only to tell the story of the Houston saga, but also to spare the agony of their family members who otherwise would be like me.

Other good books such as Winslow's offered much information about USS Houston and her crew where I first saw my father's name. This "Ship of Ghosts" offers added views from non-Houston survivors.

And lastly, it is well written.

Eric Lien

This was one of those "why not?" choices of reading.

I knew of the heavy cruiser Houston but this book filled in the story. James Hornfischer did a wonderful job accumulating stories to present a good picture of what happened to the men of the Houston in the early days of the war and what happened to them during the war.

The Houston and along with a "rag-tag" collection of ships were given the all but suicide mission to defend Java from the Imperial Navy and the approaching invasion force. Suicide in the fact they were going to a fight severely over gunned and with no air cover.

They tried but were beaten and eventually only the Houstan the and Australian Cruiser HMAS Perth remained. Trying to make a run to Australia, they stumble on the invasion forces even though they thought it was only the navy. The Perth is mortally wounded and the Houston learns she has stumbled on the invasion fleet and rushes in. Four Japanese ships are sunk by the Japanese trying to get the Houston. Eventually she is sunk.

The story reads like an adventure which are greatly added by the personal stories of the survivors. The ship cats of the Perth and Houston. The cat from the Houston runs into the jungle just before the final voyage when the ships stop to refuel. The cat from the Perth is caught 3 times and ordered to be clapped into irons(ie a fuel can with four holes). Poor kitty knew what was coming. The grizzled old marine Sargent who stays at his post firing his 50 calibers while the ship tower sinks into the water(he could not swim). The chaplin who gave up his life in the life boats so the younger men would have a better chance.

The men of both ships try to figure out what to do. Some are picked up but surprisingly many are left by the Japanese. Some unruly Australians cuss out Japanese that try to rescue them. It was commented that in a disaster it's best to be with Australians as they have the penchant to look at everything as an opportunity. One group for instance, made it to shore, made a ragtag ship and sail and were going to make a run for Australia. They were captured.

Next came the stories of the camps. The brutality and the diseases of life in the jungle as a P.O.W. You get to hear the about the amazing doctor who had knowledge of Jungle medicine and probably saved countless men. One thing was surprising was to read these men were involved with the bridge and train system that was told by the move "The Bridge on the River Kawi" I knew Hollywood tends to glamorize things but you will see the full story from this book. One of my favorite characters from this cast is the supreme scavenger named Mccone. The Japanese were scared of him because they thought he was crazy. He assembled a crew which he called the 40 thieves. One story that made me laugh was the arrival of a delivery truck. The thieves stripped it down to the frame in minutes and the tossed the frame next to the junk pile. The driver came back and was subsequently beaten by the guards for loosing the truck. The guards were beaten by the NCOs for the truck being lost and the NCOs were beaten by the commander for the guards loosing the truck. The prisoners had to work from laughing and dreaded what would have happened if the commander had put his hand on the still hot radiator as he looked through the junk pile.

An interesting aspect was the mix of brutality and the rare instances of compassion shown by the Japanese. Beatings were a constant thing but then there were moments of were they would do things. When it came to the Korean guards it was down right brutal.

One interesting side note was the fact the river Kwai was not the original name. It was later renamed after the movie came out.

All in all this is a good book for the historian and the general fan of the area. Numerous sources are listed for further research if so desired. There is also a website listed that keeps track of the survivers and men who died on that day.

The story of the loss of the heavy cruiser USS Houston off the coast of Indonesia on 1 March 1942 is a story which strikes right to the heart of naval traditions which go back beyond the creation of the United State of America itself. It is a story of danger and brave deeds, of gallant actions and bloody combat. Most of all it is a story of ship that went down fighting against insurmountable odds - a ship which never struck her colours and was still fighting when the sea finally claimed her.

Famous for being President F. D. Roosevelt's favourite ship, the Houston was trapped in the Far East immediately after the events of Pearl Harbour and the loss of the British Force Z (Battleships HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse) just a few days later. In company with HMAS Perth, the ships fought off, avoided and evaded overwhelming enemy forces until, low on ammunition, they colluded in the most courageous action now known as the Battle of Sunda Strait where both ships were finally lost.

This, however, is where Mr Hornfischer starts his story about this legendary "Ship of Ghosts."

It is because the Japanese were so very ruthless in their bid to conquer all before them, that prisoners were treated with utter contempt. Consequently, those who survived the sinking of the Houston began a journey that became the stuff of legend and it would be a full 3 years before anyone beyond those Japanese forces would learn what had happened to the ship and that some survivors were still alive - though, by now, far fewer in number.

There is no happy ending to such a story as this because there never can be. War is brutal and warships on both sides get sunk. What actually happened to the survivors of the USS Houston has taken this author right through and beyond the ordinary realms of research into an area of personal accounts, life in captivity and life in the jungle at the hands of a regime far more cruel than anything seen since the dark days of WW2.

And yet, he produces an account of personal achievement for those who possessed that indefinable quality that always meant they were going to survive.

I congratulate Mr Hornfischer on an excellent book, an excellent job of research and a most complete account. Most of all, I congratulate him on making it all so very readable.

NM

First of all this is a teen book and I'm 28. That being said, I loved the book. For advanced readers it's a fast read, but thouroughly enjoyable. I could picture the places the author was describing and picture Æthelflæd easily. With so few historical fiction novels being directed toward great women, this was a welcome read, and the author stayed true to the history of the time.

"Surprise, stealth, unbalancing her enemy, these were the ways her guardian had taught her to save herself, and to win," are the words that are featured on the back of the book, The Edge on the Sword, because the things her guardian taught her is a crucial point. Making history come alive, Rebecca Tingle mixed magnificent facts and fiction together to make an unforgettable story, where any girl can escape. In 2001, it was published by Penguin Putnam Books. Beautifully, remarkably, and magnificently done, the front cover illustration of The Edge on the Sword was drawn by Karen Savary, a memorable artist.

At the end of the ninth century, Flæd was now on her fifteenth year of living. Living in the burgh, staying with family, and learning her languages were all she knew, since she had done that for all her life. Her father was King Alfred of Wessex. He had a passive kingdom. As Flæd grew up, her main companion was her brother, Edward. They enjoyed their ambitious adventures among the forests around the burgh. Eventually, these trips got slim because Flæd began her education in writing, Latin, and Greek under her instructor, (w) Bishop Asser. Little did she know that soon her life would dramatically alter.

As instructed, Flæd headed toward her father's private chamber. Inside the small room she entered, sat King Alfred, who had been waiting. He gestured for her to sit. Alfred looked at her for a second then said gently, "Æthelflæd, as women grow they obtain more responsibilities. Now, that you are almost sixteen, it is time for you to be married. At the end of the summer you will travel to Lundon, Mercia, to be married to my friend and partner, Æthelred." Being the daughter of a very powerful man, Flæd had known this was coming, but it still shocked her. Soon, she would leave everything. She would lose her family. Permanently, she would leave home. Immediately the next morning, a warrior and envoy from Lundon came to be her guardian and warder. His name was Red. Flæd had always had a strong, enduring friendship with her brother, but as that last summer came and went, that friendship was almost lost, but that friendship lasted. No longer could they go on their private adventures in the woods, because of Red, Flæd guardian, who followed her everywhere.

At the end of the summer, Flæd equipped herself, packed up, and prepared her gifts for Æthelred in preparation for her departure to Mercia, because it would be several days before they would arrive in Lundon. As her protection, she had been trained in the arts of the sword and had a minute band of warriors with her. Leading them, Red rode at the front, followed by two wagons and a small amount men on horse back. They followed the river. Surprisingly, they were attacked and many of the men fell in battle, leaving Flæd with a few desperate men and little hope. Could they arrive safely after this tragedy?

This book has a fantastic twist of history and adventure, as if the excitement is literally bounding off the pages. As a great source of entertainment and much more, every pre-teen and early teen girl should read this book. Over all, The Edge on the Sword is an astounding masterpiece, because of the unforgettable story and amazing use of words, which is a charismatic combination.

A teenager named Aethelflaed, is the daughter of the king. That means he picks the husband for her! Her dad picks a man that's about his age (which is about in his fourties!), which she's never met. She sadly can't refuse her dad on this, and is now tortured by the thought of what he looks likeand who he is.

Her dad hire's a protecter for her, since there is a big deal of raiding in the area. Aethelfaed is annoyed by the man who watches her because he follows her everywhere(she is very independant!) She eventually befriends the man, and he teaches her to defend herself, and she teaches him a few tricks as well.

There is a lot of stuff that occurs that I don't want to give away, so you'll have to read it! I'll warn you that there is a sad part, but a happy one fills it in! This book has a slow begining, but gets you hooked!

This was a awesome book, and if you read it you'll enjoy it as much as I did, and I enjoyed it a lot!

I absolutly loved this book. I think Aethelflaed is an amazing heroine. It was sad in some parts, happy in others, with a great plot. Aethelflaed seems so real, and sort of like me. I hope other people can relate to this book as well as I can.

This is definetly one of my favorite books! I've read it countless times and I also love the sequel 'Far Traveler'. The characters are all lovable and the plot is excellent. Another great thing about this book is it is partially a historical fiction novel. The author Rebecca Tingle wrote this book wrote this looking at historical notes. AEthelflaed was a real person and did many great things. Enough great things to be known as Lady of the Mercians.

Flaed is a girl that's only lived fifteen winters but her father King Alfred is making her marry a man named Ethelred of Mercia...a man that she's never met... He's also many years older than her. But Flaed must agree and her father tells her that she cannot be left alone any longer. She must have a bodyguard...a man named Red.

While Flaed and Red are together Red teachers her many things on how to defend herself. She learns how to ride faster and better (which will let her show off to her future husband soon), she uses the sword and many other things. But little does Flaed know that when she leaves for her new home trouble will follow.

You know how you go through life meeting others and feeling their energy, and knowing how their energy effects you and others, but not being able to describe it without sounding foolish? Well, Energy Leadership is that description...that answer.

I do not think I have ever read a book so quickly. I really did not want to put it down. What I enjoyed most about it was feeling like I was in the room with with Bruce, feeling as if I was coaching these individuals. I had faces for them; I could see their reactions. And, best of all, I could see how transformational the process was...is.

I cannot wait to use this tool (I already am) and change my life and the lives of others with it.

Thanks, Bruce!

Energy leadership is an easy, page turning, read. Thank you for writing this book and providing me with a tool I can use to help move my organization out of its catabolic energy.

This one book will change your energy, change your life and unleash the abundance of creative energy in your life and in your business.

We are nothing more that a total energy system of parts. The water you drink, the money you have, your cash flow, your shirt, shoes and socks, the lunch you ate, the things you think about, your feelings and emotions are nothing more than energy. Energy Leadership shows us how to take back control of our lives and business.

We all know that everything (including us) are made up of atoms and smaller sub-atomic particles of energy. What is between the nucleus and it's orbiting electrons is NOTHING or Empty space. There are countless atomic particles making up everything we see, touch, hear, taste. That table in front of you looks totally solid and is nothing but moving waves of potential and possibility, energy! Your employees, your bank account, your corporate logo, your way of being with your customers, your failures, successes, the things that happen to you, around you and through you is nothing more than energy, energy that you have a say in, energy that you can control, change and move up to an abundance of anabolic circumstances and conditions in and around your business and life. Galileo, Copernicus... now Dr. Bruce D. Schneider bring the magic of assessing, understanding and using our god given energy to increase our health, effectiveness, wealth, love and joy in everything we do.

This is a masterpeice of work and nothing compares with its brilliance and everyday language so the non-scientist can understand and benefit from Energy Leadership.

Understanding that energy has an impact in your world as do microwaves, xrays, MRI's and laser beams and now Dr. Schneider teaches us how to access that inherent energy within us to be Leaders energetically to be, have and do anything we want.

This is amazing work and the Energetic Self Preception Chart clearly show us and lead us up the ladder from Level 1 Victim Energy to Level 7 Creation and Wisdom Energy. Step by step we are lead into a world beyond our widlest dream where money, business success, unconditional love and joy reside.

Every CEO and World Leader needs to read this book!!

I have handed this book to all of my clients, prospects, family, friends and the people I care about. Give it away and together we will transform the workplace making work a more joyous and eventful experience for all.

I recommend Energy Leadership by Bruce D. Schneider. This is an excellent book about a business owner who brings his company from the brink of bankruptcy to transformative success. I really enjoyed this book because, for me, it is actually about spirituality. While you may not think of it this way, our spirituality is expressed mostly when we are engaged in the activities of our daily lives.

What can be more engaging than the mundane process of everyday business life? I invite you to broaden your perspective of business to include, for example, what a parent has to do to get their child off to school with lunch and motivate him or her to do homework and chores when they get home; or what it takes for a single person to open their eyes in the morning, get up, go out and face the day of work or school with all of the activities scheduled to be faced on that day.

In all cases, this represents leadership, and I am asserting that the task before us is to discover what is spiritual in every activity we face. Bruce shows us how to empower ourselves, to raise our level of consciousness and thereby discover that spiritual content in every moment. I hope you will take that journey and read Bruce D. Schneider's Energy Leadership!

Energy Leadership is a ground-breaking work. It takes the reader on a unique journey of transformation; one that every person can relate to on some fundamental level. What I love about this book is that it delivers important information on how our energy impacts the totality of our lives through the use of an allegorical story. This engages both our logical and creative mind in a highly effective way. If you loved Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth," you'll really love this book!

Series book. The large, readable print makes this good for children to read.

Summary
Frog and Toad are friends who share life together. I love the "To Do List," which includes "Wake up." Lobel wrote and illustrated more than 70 books. This book received a Newberry Honor Award.

Illustrations
I love the fresh and pleasant green and brown pictures, as did my children.

When Frog and Toad saw a snake, the snake said, "Hi,lunch!" Frog and Toad ran away.
Toad made cookies and Frog said, "They got will power." Toad made a list then when he got to Frog's house, Toad said, "We have to take a walk." They went on a walk. Suddenly, Toad's list blew away.

My daughter's nursery is decked out in Frogs, so the discovery of these books made them books we had to consider. They are fun and the illustrations are grest. At eleven months she is too young to read them herself, but we read them to her - and she enjoys them. The stories are simple with a central theme - do good for others, treat your friends with respect, help your firends when they need help, laugh, and aporach life with adventure. These are great virtues to instill in young minds. If the books were made in cardboard stock, Teah would be even more happy with them - as it is she frequently grabs one of them when it's time for her bedtime story - and great bedtime stories they are. By the time she starts to read she will know the stories by heart, but that's ok - fond memeories of bedtime stories like these should help her build a lifelong interest in reading on her own.

The Frog and Toad books were favorites of my daughters when they were young. I often give them to young friends, and was very happy to share them most recently with my two year old grandson

Learn the value of friendship with one of the most delightful duos in all of children's storytelling! Perfect bedtime stories or beginner's reading books, kids love the animorphed amphibians and funny adventures. Buy one and you'll have to get them all!

J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

There are an awful lot of dead bodies per capita in this book, and quite a bit of fairly mindless violence, but that said, it's a page-turner that is extremely well written. Unlike other reviewers I found nothing confusing about the elements of the plot, just found some of them unlikely in the extreme (both the ostensible pre-historic Chinese settlers of the Americas and the ostensible pre-historic Phoenician settlers just happen to have come upon and used the same underground and under-river storage caverns? Wouldn't proof of Phoenician settlers of North America alone have been enough??) This is clearly a read oriented more towards boys, but girls who like adventure stories will enjoy it too.

I have to agree with another review the cover of this book just hooked me. This came into the library where I work (5/6 grade) and I immediately snagged it. Read it in one night and have not seen the book on our shelves since!!! It has been out constantly since we put it in the collection. Our kids like it (mainly the boys and our teachers love it!!). There's action and creepiness. The scene in the cave was so vivid I could feel the cold damp and the spongy feel of the body as our hero, Tom, groped his way around in the pitch black. Excellent!!

N.D. Wilson's LEEPIKE RIDGE tells of a preteen who has always lived next to Leepike Ridge - but who finds himself lost beneath it when he escapes the man set to marry his mother and finds his escape raft has left him underground. His discoveries under the ridge - of a body, a dog and more - will answer questions and challenge his survival skills in a riveting adventure kids will relish.

I read a review that made comparisons between this book and Louis Sachar's Holes. This kind of comparison always makes me skeptical. "We'll just see about that," I thought. I read it. I saw. And I get it now. This one is worthy of that comparison -- and then some. And this book will definitely appeal to fans of Holes.

Leepike Ridge is a book for every kid (and every grown kid) who played in refrigerator boxes, caught critters in the woods, and floated down creeks on homemade rafts. It's a fantastic story with a grand adventure, a heroic boy, bad guys that you love to hate, a loyal dog, and a hidden treasure. The fact that it's beautifully written with magical, transporting descriptions is gravy.

If you know and like a boy between the ages of, let's say 9 and 13, Leepike Ridge would make a fantastic gift!

I really enjoyed this book, with it's mix of Homer's Illiad, Mark Twain and something else that was completely Nathan Wilson. If you have a young reluctant reader in your family, give them a copy of this & watch the magic happen. I can't wait to see what else Wilson comes up with!

My vet recommended that I get this book. I am so glad that I did take his advise. What I have read so far has been a big help. Before getting this book, I felt helpless. Now I know that Merlin and I will still have a great life together. Thank you so very much.

Sincerly,
Peggy Parker

This book was such a big help I thought my dog that went blind in three days would never have a good life. But since reading this book and using the information I gained from it I and my dog are enjoying things again and we are doing all the same things but just a little different.

I didn't find this book to be very helpful. It seems to be geared to having a pack of dogs as opposed to a single dog.

Either my dog is incredibly bright (okay, he is) or the book implies that dogs need far more training than I have found it to be for my dog.

My dog is completely blind. It happened over a period of a couple of months. He does very well at home and away and does not require all the aids the book suggests a blind dog might need.

My senior dog recently lost most of her vision. This book is excellent in providing ideas that work to help her navigate in the house, down the stairs and outside. The rug at the top and bottom of the steps helps her find her way and the scents added to certain door frames allowed her to find her way in and out of rooms without bumping her head or causing panic. I recommend this book to anyone who has blind or sight impaired animals.

I was devastated when my dog lost her vision. This book has helped me cope, given me reassurance and helped my dog enjoy life again. A must read for someone with a visually challenged pet.

This is a broad, sweeping view of running, primarily from the marathon and up. Noakes covers history, physiology, current runners, ethnographic issues, and several other topics. It is very readable and each chapter is well edited, so that it can stand alone.

Noakes own views also comes through - over-training did in Bedford and Hill. My only comment is that over-training does in every runner, but perhaps this is the cost of burning brighter rahter than longer.

There are several other subjects that can be lumped into all the other various purveyors of training thought - Hadd, Lydiard, Daniels, Canova. They are all directly or indirectly addressed here.

This is the ONLY comprehensive text touching on virtually the entire spectrum of issues surrounding running which I have found. Noakes has his opinions, but this in no way detracts from this fine read.

VERY detailed and explains WHY certain training recommendations are made. I'm a physician and was surprised how technical this book was. If you are not scientifically minded, this is still a great reference, but do not plan to read this cover to cover unless you took a lot of biology in college. I have used this book for help with an injury and the recommendations and explanations seem very sound. If you are merely looking for training schedules, there are other places to find them, but this book has a wide variety of "formulas" for race preparation. For serious runners, this book is a bargain. Probably cheaper and more useful than any running shoes or other equipment you are putting on your wish list.

Noakes's book on the "Lore of Running" covers just about everything, from what happens inside your muscles to training plans for various races, from biographies of great runners to how to stretch. Noakes seems to be writing both for the runner who wants a deeper understanding of the sport, and for the runner's trainer.

Despite the specialized nature of some of the subject matter, Noakes's writing is quite readable. If you like endurance reading and endurance running, treat yourself to this book.

... A book that comprehensively covers the physiology and biochemistry of running. The volume is exceptionally well written, also a first for a book about the science and theory of running. There are some issues with redundancy and some parts of the book that seem a little out of place (training plans to Walk/Run a 5k?). I think if the reader is interested in this level of detail, that they have most likely been running for some time. Some reviewers complain about the long chapter on the history of great runners. The book is, however, called the "Lore" of running - not the 'science of running.' I found that particular chapter to be especially motivating, personally. As the tagline suggests, this book is a MUST for the serious runner or coach.

I have been reading about running for the past couple of years--probably more than I ought to. I came upon this book recently in the library (most of my reading is online!) and upon poring through its pages have realized that a lot of what I've read either came from this book, or this book has a lot of what I've read in it. Noakes has written this tome relying upon the best science we have for running with all of its available studies. He bases his conclusions and statements on journal articles where possible and where not does not go overboard in conjecture.

He is an accomplished marathoner and ultra marathoner and in his practice has treated a lot of runners.

Go ahead and buy any book on running. It will have a section on nutrition with the basics that we all know. Contrast with the nutrition section in this and it's actually worth reading; he spends many pages on such details as the proper sodium levels in a beverage, the amount of liquid we need to drink while exercising (not the vague catch-all of "drink as much as you sweat"). His guides on injury and footware are the best researched I've found anywhere.

This is not just the best book on running I've seen, it's the best book _by far_.

I slight this book in two areas:

1) Injury treatment seems to be really slanted substantially toward footwear and orthotics. Now, there may be a reason for that I'm not aware of, and he does give time to exercises and "holistic" approches for injury prevention, including training the hips for, say, a knee problem and not just the feet, but I would have just preferred a bit more.

2) Running technique. He describes in detail the typical heel-strike of most runners but doesn't spend much time that I have found on particulars of technique, such as possibly forefooting or midfooting. Bits and pieces are throughout the book in this, but a subsection on what is now in vogue (pose technique, chirunning, etc.) would have been nice. I don't know that it's reasonable to dismiss these simply because he feels they're useless; I feel like he missed out.

That said, I really can't stress enough how much solid, quality stuff is in this book. He's not simply taking what "everyone knows" about running and making a thousand pages out of it; he does go into meaningful detail.