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English Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

English
More Letters from a Nut
Published in Hardcover by Bantam (1998-04-13)
Author: Ted L. Nancy
List price: $19.00
New price: $4.87
Used price: $0.68
Collectible price: $19.00

Average review score:

absurd, surreal, hilarity are all of Mr. Nancy's collections.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-26
Dear Mr. Nancy, I am writing to inform you that your books are absolute hilarity. Almost as funny as a gorilla bowling (only one gutter ball!). The story about the sponge scared me. Is there something I can do about noisy household supplies? Whatever happened to Pip the Mighty Squeak? What about the Turkish Annie? Did you ever get that Nicotine blanket? I would like to go to your sleep and soup restaurant, but I haven't found one in my area. Do you have corn chowder? Your books are definitely an A.

Simple Comedy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-30
Having already read Ted L. Nancy's first volume, I was more than excited to read more outrageous letters. Similar to the Laszlo Letters (but much better), Ted L. Nancy writes zany letters to all sorts of organizations (companies, governments, the military, hotels and more) to make his hilarious requests. Though they are, of course, outlandish, but that's the entertainment.

Equally as entertaining are some of the response letters. Because most aren't totally sure that Ted L. Nancy is fake, they have to diplomatically word their letters -- great stuff.

Jerry Seinfeld has written the forward to both books by Nancy, causing many to speculate that he is the real author. Check out the wikipedia page on Ted Nancy for more details, but I'm not completely convinced that Seinfeld is the real author. Nevertheless, More Letters From a Nut continues the great tradition from before, and also makes for great comedy when read aloud. Enjoy it!

Another Winner
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-01
More hilarious satire (in letter form) from "Ted L. Nancy" who writes these jaw-droppingly unbelievable letters to corporations, governments, businesses and individuals, and the most remarkable part is, more often than not he gets a reply from these poor souls who try to piece together the meaning of Nancy's deadpan inquires about such inanities as the wearing of costumes on public buses, a hotel's policy on dealing with a chronic bedwetter who wishes to check in. A very funny book in a goofy collection.

Pretty Good
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-25
More Letters from a Nut was fairly funny. There were a few laugh out loud moments (like the inquiry as to whether the US Treasury was going to be putting Lincoln's bottom half instead of his portrait on the five dollar bill - gotta love that!) Overall, though, I thought the letters were too far fetched to even be slightly plausible - and being plausible (to a degree) is what makes a premise like this work.

I felt Paul Rosa's Idiot Letters was much funnier. I haven't read the first Letters from a Nut, though. Maybe it will be better...

What a nut
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-07
Ted L. Nancy is such a card!

God bless his little soul, this is an amazing heart-warming novel. You should definitely read this.

English
Power Sales Writing
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill (2003-07-21)
Author: Sue A. Hershkowitz-Coore
List price: $10.95
New price: $4.94
Used price: $4.43

Average review score:

Power is an UNDERSTATEMENT!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-20
Competition is fierce and having the best marketing department or newest product is not good enough. All successful Sales professionals possess skills that set them apart from their competitors and effective writing should be at the top of their skill set. In her new book, Power Sales Writing, Sue provides the tools that will inspire the reader to develop or enhance their writing effectiveness and ultimately set them apart from the competition. Power Sales Writing has a prominent position on my bookshelf - a must read!

Power Sales Writting is as essential a tool as a dictionary!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-10
Share this book with everyone in your organization that has any sales contact and increase their their effectiveness. Sue cuts to the heart of good writting skills. Her book is easy to read and offers countless tips on letter writting, e-mails and better communication.

Sue does it again!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-25
Sue is a nationally recognized speaker who captivates her audience with pithy observations, high energy and charm. She has successfully translated that into a terrific guide that will be helpful to new salespeople as well as pros. My favorite part is how she points out the pompous phrases that are often used instead of everyday common sense language.

OK Book; Not Great
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-20
I must say I am little disappointed. I would not tell someone not to buy this book but I would not tell someone to buy it. The book does deliver what it says on the cover. I am not so sure how powerful it is. It is about writing style and how to make it better, easier and faster. I am still trying to decide if I learned anything from this book that is of great value. I am sure I will reference this book in the future and for $10.00; hay what the hell. I have bought computer books for ten times that amount that I hated. If you have difficulty writing and getting your ideas on to paper maybe this book is for you. It is short and it is very readable. I would classify this as an average book. And sorry Sue since my name is not on this I just pounded it out on the keyboard and let the letters fall where they may.

A "must have" for professionals.
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-08
With all of the advances the age of technology has brought us, there have also been a few setbacks. One of those setbacks comes in the form of a lack of professionalism in writing. The email era has all but eliminated professionalism in business communications. POWER SALES WRITING by Sue Hershkowitz-Coore seeks to restore some of that lost professionalism. What we have here, however, is not just about improving the level of professionalism in email, but is applicable to all realms of business writing.

The author begins by introducing four questions that are basic components of all business writing. The professional writer should always begin their prewriting with these four basic questions. Doing so will insure the writer always achieves the desired result. There is an incredible amount of information on such a wide variety of writing tips, such as proofing, when and how to use buffers, and legal culpability in business communications.

The book seems to be aimed at a general audience (anyone who conducts business communication) as well as a specific audience, (copywriters). The content here is beneficial for both audiences and, I believe, meets reader expectations of either group. The last half of the book does slant more towards the professional copywriter, but can still be applied to general business communications.

In the last half of the book we find direction on sales letters. Here, the focus is on such things as sales letter characteristics, the power of testimony and using stimuli words (visual, auditory and kinesthetic) to appeal to various learning styles.

The final section really helps the reader to challenge him or herself from writing habits found less than admirable. This is somewhat of a melding together and condensed version of Richard Bayan's "Words That Sell" and Strunk's "Elements of Style". Of particular note, I found on the final page of text, a technique I have used for years. That is making a list of the ten most important things learned from the book, picking a couple to focus on for a month, then moving to the next two. The problem here is, for me, it was difficult holding my list down to ten items.

This is a critical edition for professional copywriters. It is beneficial for all professionals who must use written communication. I found the book exceptionally well written. Hershkowitz-Coore's obvious skill as a writer makes the book very easy to comprehend.

English
Roses for Mama (Women of the West #3) (Janette Oke Classics for Girls)
Published in Hardcover by Bethany House Publishers (2002-10-01)
Author: Janette Oke
List price: $9.99
New price: $5.99
Used price: $0.02
Collectible price: $45.00

Average review score:

Favorite of the Women of the West books
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-08
Roses for Mama is my distinct favorite of Janette Oke's Women of the West books. Angela is so sweet she is just about perfect. Yet, there is enough story to move along. If you read nothing else by Janette Oke, choose this book. Enjoy!

Roses for Mama by Janette Oke
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-14
Angela Peterson was only 14 years old and her older brother Thomas was only 16 when they were both left to care for their three younger siblings after their both parents died.
Angela's family moved to the west because their mother wasn't feeling very well and the doctor said that the cooler air might be better for her lungs. Their father sold their farm and they were searching for a new land to build another farm in a region with clear air that would improve their mother's health. Their mother felt better for a while, but when the winter cold made her feel sick again, she knew that she had only months to live. Nobody knew that their father will die even faster.
Now three years had passed. Angela is now seventeen and with the help of her nineteen year old brother Thomas, she worries that she won't be able to raise her siblings to be good people and struggles to teach them what they need to be taught, as her mother would have. Angela also worries that Thomas might soon get married and she'll be left on her own to take care of the children. Angela wishes her mother was still there to guide and help her, but she trusts God and relies on him.
Angela begins to think about her future too. Meanwhile her neighbor's son, a wealthy man from the city moves in and begins to court her. As she begins to know Carter Stratton more and more she realizes that he's not perfect for her, and marries Thane who has been Thomas's best friend ever since Thomas and Angela were little.
I think this book was very interesting and touching. It was also very easy to read. The author described beautifully every point in the story. It's a wonderful story of how God changed their plans, but at the end everything turned out to be even better for them.

Janette Oke is Consistently Good
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-03
This is the third Janette Oke novel I have read, and her books have been consistently good. I think I especially liked this particular novel because the romantic male leads were introduced early, and there were two of them vying for the heroine's attention, which made for a more exciting read. The story begins with Angela and her older brother Thomas running the farm, managing the household, and raising their younger brother and two sisters. Their parents have previously passed away. Enter romantic lead number one - Thane is a good friend of Thomas and the family who works at his father's store in town. It's obvious to the reader Thane is interested in Angela, but she just doesn't seem to see past the old friendship and familiarity to recognize it. Enter romantic lead number two - Carter is the very rich and sophisticated gentleman from back East who comes to town after his estranged father has suffered a stroke and is on his death bed. Angela is taken with Carter's fine appearance, and he makes it know that he is quite taken with her. Obviously, she ends up with one of them, but which one will it be? Finding out is a entertaining read.

My only real complaint about the novel is that it gets a little preachy at one point when Angela explains the salvation process to an elderly neighbor, Charlie. In my opinion, this interupts the flow of the rest of the story. I don't understand why Christian authors feel the need to preach in their novels. Isn't their primary audience already Christian? Wouldn't that audience already understand the basics of the salvation process? It makes me wonder to whom they think they are preaching. I wouldn't expect a casual reader to select a Christian romance novel. Perhaps I am mistaken, and I think this is probably my own little personal irritation anyway. Overall, Roses for Mama is an easy and entertaining read, and the quality is consistent with the other Janette Oke books I have read. I think most readers who enjoy Christian romance novels will enjoy this novel as well.

Romance for 4-8 years olds ???
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-30

Janette Oke is a wonderful author and this is a well written series. The reading level is for ages 4-8. My concern is whether it is wise to introduce romance to girls at such a young age? I don't think so and hence my lower rating.
There are plenty other excellent historical fiction series and clsssics for that do not contain romance that I would rather see my daughter reading.

All-Time-Favorite Janette Oke
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-29
I first read "Roses For Mama" when I was 13 (many years ago), and was completely "hooked" on this story from the start. I have read it over and over and keep thinking about the characters and events even though it's been about a year since my last read. This is excellent fiction for readers of all ages - particularly for teenage girls, as it provides good moral lessons that are strongly needed today.
Though I do agree with some reviewers that Angela is a bit on the perfect side, you can't help but love her. The love that gradually develops between Angela and Thane is very sweet and memorable. One of my favorite scenes between them is after her birthday party, when Thane gives her the necklace (swoon!).
This book is really a page-turner. Thank you, Mrs. Oke, for this story...I wish there was a sequel!

English
Smarts: Are We Hardwired for Success?
Published in Hardcover by AMACOM (2007-01-15)
Authors: Chuck Martin, Peg Dawson, and Richard Guare
List price: $21.95
New price: $0.21
Used price: $0.04
Collectible price: $21.95

Average review score:

An Excellent tool for Business'
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-12
The book Smarts is an exceptional read for anyone interested in the consumer buying process. The book introduces the 12 Executive Skills and explains how they are "hardwired", the strengths and weaknesses, how to identify and use them efficently in the work place. This book would be an excellent training tool for the sales industry as it would enable the associate to correctly identify an individual based on their Executive Skills and then be able to interact appropriately. Ultimately, the correct identification of these skills in consumers could lead to an increase in the organization's sales by allocating time to "needy" consumers.
It is amazing how much this information has helped in the marketing field in aiding to identifying and understanding the consumer which in the end is basically crucial. The informatoin learned through this book will help me as I continue my life in the marketing profession by assesing and understanding the consumers I am marketing to.

SMART read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-07
I realy enjoyed reading this book because it taught me a lot about myself. After reading about the 12 executive skills, I was able to see which skills I was highest in and learned how to manage the skills I was lowest in. The book was clear and to the point. An easy read, but VERY informative.

Smarts also helped me to better understand my friends and family. I was able to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. I recommend this book to all.

SMARTS; Reach your new level of personal success.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-29
SMARTS is an excellent read in relation to business management and also how it plays in ones everyday life. Not only does Chuck Martin provide a great tool to look into your own Executive Skills weaknesses and strengths, but also to understand the skills in those around you.
This book explains some of your interesting character flaws and how to make them work in your favor. If you can learn to manage your weaknesses and play to your strengths you can really learn to reach a new level of potential.
This book could also be a helpful for managers to understand how to make their peers more efficient in their jobs by managing their Executive Skills strengths and weaknesses. I personally found the chapter on matching your Executive Skills to the best job fit very intriguing and helpful.
I would suggest SMARTS to anyone interested in furthering their personal success.

Innovative research that makes sense of people's behaviors
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-28
Smarts is an incredible read. With each chapter comes even more information that answers so many questions about why people behave the way they do. Smarts is easy to read and to understand. It provides great insight into really knowing who around you would be the most punctual, or the most organized, or who's bound to act on an impulse, and so on. Whether you are a top executive or a struggling student, this book will help you understand so much as to why the people around you act the way they do.

Find out if YOU are hardwired for success...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-24
SMARTS is an insightful look at how our workplace strengths and weaknesses are not taught, but rather predetermined. With the help of psychologists Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, business guru Chuck Martin takes a unique approach at explaining how the frontal lobe of our brains work.

Why can you never keep your workplace clean? Why does it take so long for your co-worker to finish his modification report? Why can your boss never fit time in his schedule to take you golfing?

These aren't flaws, but rather weaknesses in one's "12 Executive Skills," which are: Self Restraint, Working Memory, Emotion Control, Focus, Task Initiation, Planning/Prioritization, Organization, Time Management, Defining and Achieving Goals, Flexibility, Observation, and Stress Tolerance.

Each of these skills are have been right under our noses for so many years and Martin finally identifies them in this carefully written business-best seller. Applicable to real-world experiences, SMARTS is a must-read for anyone interested in business-psychology.

English
Testament of Youth
Published in Paperback by Putnam Pub Group (Paper) (1980-11)
Author: Vera Brittain
List price: $7.95
New price: $7.95
Used price: $0.30
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Testament of Youth is a beautifully written,poignant memoir of youth facing tragedy in the hell of World War I
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
Vera Brittain (1893-1970) was raised as the daughter of a mill owner in the north of England. She was an intellectual who dreamed of majoring in English Literature at Oxford University's Somerville College for Women. In the post-World War I period Vera would return to Oxford taking a second in History and later winning a Master's degree.
The first third of this book deals with Vera's autobiographical description of her raising in a conservative Edwardian home. She was close to her brother Edward; fell in love with poet Roland Leighton and enjoyed poetry. She and her generation were not ready for the horrific reality of the war which would kill over 10 million people.
During the war Vera temporarily dropped out of Oxford to serve as a
V.A.D. (a volunteer nurse). She would serve in London, Malta and France.
She would minster to German Prisoners of War as well as serving with distinction. Vera's beloved Roland was killed in battle as was her brother Edward who fell in the last summer of the war. Vera was seared by these overwhelming tragedies. And yet she went on with her life serving with bravery.
As the war ended she returned to Oxford becoming a feminist and pacifist. She lectured all over England on behalf of the League of Nations Union. Vera married a World War I veteran who became an academic.
Vera would write over 25 books becoming a beloved and popular author in her native England.
This is a long book over 600 densely printed pages. It is also one of the best books about non-combat, civilian life ever written about the war. Many of the scenes in which Vera is serving as a nurse are graphic and touch the human heart with the sadness and tragic loss of a bright generation of young Europeans. This book has become a modern classic which should be required reading in any course on World War I. Several years ago it was broadcast in a miniseries by BBC appearing on Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. This is a book which will remain lodged in your memory. Do your self a favor and purchase a copy soon!

Heavy handed prose weakens work
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-13
I clearly am in a minority here but I did not like this book. A peer of other notable young British writers like Robert Graves and Wilfred Owen, Britton's book stands out among the male writers of the period as giving a woman's view of the war. The problem, at least for me, is that Britton is so over come with bitterness that she flogs the reader with it from the start.

An early feminist Britton had strong views and supported her male friends and family going off to the First World War but as they fell to the german guns she, like many of her generation, became disillusioned. This is understandable but in writing her book, Britton cannot set aside her bitterness and it makes the reading ponderous and heavy. For example noting a fete in her early childhood and the bunting and flags put out she says "If only I knew then it was all meaningless." we are taken from a little girl's views to a bitter adult in the blink of an eye and it just gets too much.

By comparrison the autobiography of Robert Graves, Goodby to All That, starts out with the childish illusions being enjoyed as a child and slowly the bitterness slips into the writer's world view as he matures and is exposed to the horrors of the war. this is far more subtle and easier to read, meaning you are guided to the ponit he wants you to reach, instead of trying to bludgeon you into the mindset as Britton does.

Deserves Wider Readership
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-03
This is a fascinating, insightful book that it would behoove many of us modern folk to read. Learn about the harder times of the past, while sipping latte in a comfy chair. You'll be thankful for today's comforts -- and today's modern attitudes towards the capabilities and intelligence of women -- after you read what it was like for one woman early in the 20th century. Simply a great book.

Indispensable autobiography
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-24
The word "classic" gets thrown around a lot these days. Many so-called "modern classics" are not that important, but "Testament of Youth" deserves this reprint as a Penguin Classic. Brittain tells of her early life in the north of England between 1893 and the start of World War I in 1914 in beautifully clear prose, and her clarity of thought and powers of observation make the bulk of the book, dealing with the war's impact on her, painfully vivid without ever lapsing into self-pity. Like too many others of her generation (and the next and the next) Vera Brittain learned almost unimaginable lessons about life and her own inner strength. To that extent, "Testament of Youth" can serve as both example and inspiration.

Vera Brittain came from an upper-middle-class background shared by millions of young women in late Victorian England. One thing that made her different was her great intellectual curiosity and determination to escape a truly suffocating existence that few of today's Western women can easily imagine. What made her like most citizens of the time (and of later times)was her complete ignorance of the meaning of "war." Patriotism, her social conscience, and a desire to take part in the bigger world led her to volunteer as a nursing sister with the British Army. Her grueling hospital experiences were a revelation to her. Her personal losses are even more powerfully revealing of the human condition. Brittain was a "survivor" in every sense of the word.

"Testament of Youth" is just as fresh and moving today as it was when it was written 75 years ago and Vera Brittain tells a story that must be told and retold to each generation. For every reader who finds the book "too long" by current standards (its almost 700 pages), there will be two who wish they could follow the author even further. But even if you find yourself skipping ahead, particularly in the early part, you will not be able to forget Vera Brittain or her story. "Testament of Youth" is one of the great autobiographies of the past 100 years.

Testamony
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-22
Vera Brittain enrolled in Summerville College, Oxford, in a time before degrees were granted to women. This was just before The First World War changed almost everything for almost everyone. When it was over, her best friends, her fiance and her brother had all been killed. She also personally witnessed the agony of thousands in the surgical wards where she worked as a volunteer nurse.

In response, she became a suffragette, a feminist and a liberal writer and lecturer. She sought to prevent such tragedy from reoccurring.

The answers to the political and social questions with which she struggled elude us still. But Vera Brittain's autobiographical account of her generation's trials, Testament of Youth, remains both a stunningly-honest portrait of a courageous young woman and a vivid chronicle of a time almost out of living memory. Through her words we see what we might have thought, felt and believed, had we been born into her era.

English
The Happy Hollisters
Published in Unknown Binding by Garden City Books (1953)
Author: Jerry West
List price:
Used price: $3.55
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

The Happy Hollisters
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-12
This book is awesome with the kids running around and solving mysteries!!!

Wonderful Memories
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-26
As a child in the early sixties, we lived in a rural area, and by most standards we would have been considered poor, and couldn't afford to buy these books. However, there was a small community library in our town. I went there every chance I had and checked out The Happy Hollister books. I am now a Grandmother and I still remember each of the Hollisters names and many of their adventures. I would like for my grandchildren to have the opportunity to read these wonderful books, so I am scouring the internet for them. They don't write em like this anymore.

Introduction to the children's series
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-27
It is increasingly difficult to find the Happy Hollisters series of books. There were 33 books in this series, written between approximately 1953 and 1970. This particular edition was the introduction to the series.

The Happy Hollisters are somewhat of a relic of an era gone by. The family consists of five children, Pete, Pam (Pamela), Ricky, Holly, and Sue, and their parents Mr. and Mrs. Hollister. There are also Zip, a collie, and White Nose, a cat, who has five kittens in this book. Mr. Hollister purchases a store called The Trading Post, which sounds similar to general stores in days gone by.

Throughout the series the children solve mysteries, usually as a family. In this introductory book the family is moving to Shoreham. During their trip a van carrying the children's toys is stolen. The van is also carrying valuable papers for their father. As the story unfolds, the children also believe someone is entering their house. Mr. Hollister does not believe the children, but after Pete gets a picture of a strange man with a red hat in their basement, Mr. Hollister gets the police involved.

We also meet mean Joey Brill in this book. Joey is a recurring character who is a bully and generally obnoxious. As one example, Joey puts White Nose and her kittens on a plank in a lake. However, rest assured that Joey is nearly always thwarted in his attempts to be a bad kid.

The story finally arrives at an exciting chase between boats and a mysterious discovery in the Hollister's new house. However, though there seems to be a lot of danger for everyone, rest assured that everything comes out okay in the end.

The Happy Hollisters series remains a reasonably good, if somewhat outdated, read for younger children, perhaps from ages 4 to 9. I suspect that by age 9 most children are entranced by more modern pursuits. Also, many children may consider families of five children to be somewhat unusual and that may take some explaining. These books may be an excellent way to introduce children to the changes that have taken place in our society over the past half century.

One last word of caution. These books are becoming very difficult to find, and thus their price varies substantially. If you are interested in reading this series you may find editions without covers that sell for less than editions with covers.

I hope you enjoy The Happy Hollisters. They are a reminder of a simpler age.

A Special Heaven for School Librarians
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-13
I wish I could find my former school librarian in Dorval, Quebec, Canada (early 1970's) and let her know the tremendous impact her dedication to her job had on my life. I was in 3rd grade, it was during library period, and I was wandering around looking for a book to check out. She, sensing my interest in books, directed me to a shelf containing the library's collection of Happy Hollisters. I wasn't too interested at first, but with her encouragement I agreed to try one. Many years later, at 42 years of age, not only do I still enjoy reading them, but I have read them to both my girls (12 & 17), and I have been fortunate enough to collect 2 complete series over the years. When my daughters leave home, they will both have a set to read to their children.

I also discovered, when dating my wife, that she too had read and enjoyed the series. We were both amazed that there was somebody else out there who had heard of and loved the HH.

If you've read the books, you don't need me to tell you how wonderful they are. If you haven't read them yet, the comments on this page will let you know why you should. I can only agree and endorse what has been said here.

I have read many books in my life, and my reading level is much more sophisticated today. But every now and then, I grab a Happy Hollisters book from the shelf, and I'm a little kid once more in the sanctuary of the school library, returning to a simpler day, when there was still much magic and wonder to be found in the world.

I think my librarian would be pleased.

Happy-Hollisters.com Book Synopsis
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-02
The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West (a.k.a. Andrew Svenson)

As the Hollisters move to Shoreham, many mysteries follow them on their way. On the way to their new home, they meet a boy named Joey Brill who tells them, "We don't need any more kids in Shoreham. You'll be sorry if you move there." Thus, the Happy Hollisters are presented with their first mystery. Who is this boy, and why is he so mean? Next, they find out that the moving van that contained their toys is missing! The missing van also contains one of their father's inventions. Not only that, but something strange and mysterious is going on at their new house. Not only do neighbors say that their new house is haunted, but they also say that there's a treasure!

Pete, Pam, Ricky, Holly and Sue must solve these mysteries, and many more. They have the help of their parents and their faithful Collie dog named Zip. In the midst of meeting new friends and exploring their new home, the Happy Hollisters find themselves in the middle of one adventure after another. In the process of solving these mysteries, they explore their town, meet neighbors, find new friends and discover clues that help them solve the many mysteries. The brave Hollisters must also face many new dangers in their new home. The family's adventures will keep you turning the page and it will be difficult to put the book down.

If your children are not yet acquainted with the books, The Happy Hollisters is a good book to introduce the series. While the series can be picked up with nearly any of the books, the first one introduces the characters and gives a lot of details that will make reading the other books more enjoyable. It's also a hard book to put down and will help to pique your children's interest in the other books in the series.

English
Practical English Usage
Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press, USA (2005-11-17)
Author: Michael Swan
List price: $31.95
New price: $22.02
Used price: $35.78

Average review score:

Thank you
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-14
The book arrived on time in perfect condition . I am very satisfied. Thank you

Best reference book ever made
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-14
This reference book is almost perfect. I nearly always find in it what I look for. Everything is easily explained an well organized.
I'm so happy with my purchase.

very useful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-11
it's one of the best
english book I have ever seen on the market,

Perfect..
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-01
This book is great for students, teachers and those who want to learn english grammar. Every section is explained by examples. It covers all rules and subjects.

A Staple Resource
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-23
Swan's "Practical English Usage" is a staple book that should be in pretty much any resource collection. The book is arranged in sections that give brief introductions to a huge range of grammatical forms, their functions and a host of other information.

The sections are replete with examples to illustrate the point that Swan is making. The language is very accessible and I have used this book as a rescue resource for difficult questions asked by students.

Perhaps one point, as mentioned by another reviewer, is that the information on each element is not extensive. However, considering that the book weighs in at "hefty" and covers a huge range of things, this is not surprising. One could easily justify supplementing it with another grammar book or two in order to get that comprehensiveness.

However, for everyday teaching purposes, "Practical English Usage" is a mainstay and a fantastic resource.

English
Thirst: Poems
Published in Hardcover by Beacon Press (2006-10-04)
Author: Mary Oliver
List price: $23.00
New price: $12.89
Used price: $8.99

Average review score:

My favorite Mary Oliver collection
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-18
"Thirst" is my favorite book of Mary Oliver's poems and prose. This contains some of her most overtly spiritual work. You can find a kindred spirit in her words. In addition to the title poem "Thirst," I especially loved "Making the House Ready for the Lord."

Inspiring
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-20
* Thirst, Mary Oliver. The tone of this beautiful collection of poems is set in the first line of the first poem, entitled Messenger: "My work is loving the world." It is obvious in this collection and in the larger body of her work throughout her life that her work is loving the world deeply. And it is in this same spirit that, after the death in 2005 of her beloved longtime partner Molly Malone Cook, has led her back to the church she disengaged from many years ago. Her journey has always been a spiritual one. In her poems about Jesus, God, faith and sacraments it is clear that for her, rdeengaging with the church is part of loving the world. A line in her poem "A Beautiful Striped Sparrow" says it best: "as they promised,/ God, once he in your heart,/ is everywhere--"

Though her path is different from mine, and though it may be off-putting to some, I deeply appreciate and respect each of these poems. I look forward to seeing more from her as she continues her work of loving the world.

Poignant
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-07
The poems in this volume are poignant and touched me deeply. I read from it almost daily and find something each time to relate to and discover.

Phenominal!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-21
This is a phenominal book of poetry that both the novice and seasoned poetry reader will enjoy. The poems are filled with palpable imagery and the rhythmic genius that I have come to expect and crave from Mary Oliver.

Superb
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-19
From one of the foremost poets writing in the English language, this is a superb collection of poems reflecting the concerns of loss, faith, beauty and the human condition.
Buy it, read it, savour the power of a writer at her peak.
Beautiful, beautiful work.

English
Wild Sweet Love
Published in Kindle Edition by HarperCollins e-books (2007-04-24)
Author: Beverly, Jenkins
List price: $5.99
New price: $4.79

Average review score:

Wild Sweet Love- A Joyfully Recommended Title
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-09
Second chances...

Following in her four older brothers' footpaths, Teresa July became a renowned bank robber and for many years she was able to stay one step ahead of the law, that was until one day her luck ran out and she was captured and finally sent to prison. After spending three hard years incarcerated, Teresa was released early on good behavior; however, her discharge came with a parole condition - Teresa had to live under the supervision of Molly Nance for an entire year learning how to become a respectable, proper lady and if she resorted back to her old unlawful ways, she would be thrown back into prison. Teresa was willing to do whatever it took to remain free from the hardship of prison life; but she didn't count on Molly's well-to-do, handsome son to throw a monkey wrench into the mix.

After the previous episode, the last thing Madison Nance expected his mother to do was to take in yet another female prisoner. The prior thief robbed his mother blind. This time Madison determined to protect his mother at all cost and the only way to do that was to keep the new houseguest, Teresa July, in check. But, Madison's task proved to be more than he bargained for, because not only was Teresa a bold, sassy woman, she was also very defiant and headstrong. Nevertheless, instead of her wild and unruly actions making him even more outraged, she turned him on like none other. And, it didn't help matters much that his own mother was trying to play matchmaker over them.

Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins was an amazing tale filled with spectacular African American, late 19th century, history and a superb love story between a man and a woman. It was a joy to get to know Teresa and Madison. Both were robust, smart and very outspoken characters with a passion that could not be denied. Wild Sweet Love brought forth a multitude of emotions from me. One moment I was bowing over with laughter because of Teresa's bold behavior or at Molly's matchmaking abilities and then in the very next, I became teary-eyed because of certain events and finally, the chemistry that sparked between Teresa and Madison left me breathless with great desire. Wild Sweet Love was one of the most unforgettable stories that I have read in a long time and I am positive that after you dive in the love story between Teresa and Madison, you will agree that it deserves to be a Joyfully Reviewed Recommended Read!

Nikita
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Oh Yeah!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-28
I know this is fiction. But I expect it to make sense too. Teresa July said that her half brother was an Indian. But I did not get the fact that she was. Yet she called herself a Cherokee. Does she mean culturally and psychologically?

This is minor, but it just stuck out for me. Madison and Teresa July journey was fun to read and as always I learned some AA history. I think these two characters are my favorite. I really like Terasa.

She also mentioned Sisteretta Jones. I have had her on my list to read about for months. Maybe I will get to her soon.

I highly recommend y'all read anything Ms. Jenkins writes.


BJ is the Best
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-12
BJ is awesome writer. I fell in love with her when I was in high school. My first book was Indigo. She has an art of writing history and while including romance. She has a gift to want you to read more, and more, and educate you on the different topics that I did not learn in class.
Yes this is romance; however, you have you black history lesson included.

This book is great. Teresa July is a great character, I think all women can have sass but with passion. All women want to feel special like Madison made Teresa July feel.

A Wild Sweet Read!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-31
This book was so good that I read all 367 pages of it in just a day and a half. Teresa and Madison surely knew how to do that "passion thing." I liked their constant bickering that only added to their passion. There is not a dull moment in this book. BJ gave very vivid descriptions and history lessons that do not take away from the book. I am starting to like historical romance better than contemporary romance. A must read.

Liked the characters and details in this book.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-19
The book was little slow at first but then the more I read the more I liked it. I found the characters very interesting especially Teresa July. Part of her personality reminded me of myself. So I could sort of related to her independence. The author gave good intimate details of the interactions between Teresa and Madison. This book had a good story. Overall, I enjoyed the book.

English
You're Only Old Once! A Book for Obsolete Children
Published in Hardcover by Random House (1986-02-12)
Author: Dr. Seuss
List price: $19.95
New price: $8.96
Used price: $0.36
Collectible price: $19.95

Average review score:

Close to the truth
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
Easy to order. Arrived on time.
A funny book for us old folks. I have ordered copies for my aging friends.

Seussisms
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-30
This is a great gift for all your friends turning 50!
Lets them know exactly what to expect in the coming years.
No one could say it better than Dr. Suess.

You'll Laugh
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-02
I first saw this book while visiting friends in a retirement home. When I got home I immediately ordered it from Amazon and placed it on my coffee table. If you are even on the verge of getting older, you will understand Dr. Seuss' adventure to the doctor's office, and appreciate the humor he injects concerning the many tests, etc. one sometimes must tolerate as we age.

Must Have for 60th Birthdays
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12
The family has given this book to friends for years as a gift on their 60th birthday. It is a fun look at the aging process and brings laughter from all who have received the book. Usually we have the friend sit on our laps and we read it to them as we would a child. Great stuff..

Can't live without prescriptions from the good doctor.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
What more can be said? There will never be another Dr. Suess. I'm never disappointed when it comes to Dr. Suess. And Amazon has great service, by the way.


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