English Books

I read this book to my children (7 and 5) just before our vacation to Newfoundland. It was a great way to learn a bit of historical NL culture and prepare for a wonderful vacation. They loved Thunder and Tom, and could not wait for me to finish reading this book to them. Thunder, a smart and perceptive dog, helps Tom and his adoptive family survive many potential tragedies.

THUNDER OF THE SEA IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!!!!!!!It's about a boy who's never had a home, finally he goes home with strangers and hopes to find a home. then when he's starting to question whether he's going to be just the worker boy or part of the family he finds a miricle dog in the middle a of storm. then everything changes he starts trouble between familys he goes through a constant struggle to belong. thunders love is strong enough to keep them together but is it strong enough to keep the family together as they face nature's fury and other opsticles.

Thunder From the Sea
How would you like to be an orphan who moved into a new family with new people? Well Tom, the main character in this book did and he always wanted a dog. Finally he got one while he was sailing with Enoch and their neighbors the Bosworth's. They saw a black thing in the water when a thunder storm was on the way . They rescued what was a dog and named him Thunder. " Thunder From the Sea" was written by Joan Hiatt Harlow.. If you like realistic fiction you should pick up this book in your library. My favorite part is when Fiona and Tom are trapped in a blizzard on a sheet of ice right before Fiona has her baby . The feeling that I have about this book is that it is a wonderful extravagant book especially if you like dogs. This book takes place on Back "O" the moon island. The most important problem is if Tom can keep Thunder. After all the dog is not really his. He tries to solve the problem by showing how much he loves Thunder. But will it work? Can Tom keep Thunder?

By Emily

The book Thunder from the Sea, by Joan Hiatt Harlow, takes place in 1929 on the island of Back O' the Moon, which is part of Newfoundland. It is a realistic fiction book, and the chapters are a little on the short side (around 5-12 pages long).

The main characters in the book were Tom Campbell, who is an orphan that is going to live with a fisherman and his wife; the fisherman Enoch, who is a kind man that has a nice house on top of a hill, and his wife, Fiona, who is also kind and very friendly. There are other families on the island, like the Bosworths.

In the book, Tom is just starting to live with the Murrays (Enoch & Fiona). He is treated as part of the family and helps Enoch with repairing fishing supplies, and he even goes out fishing with Enoch and his friends. One day, while they are out fishing, a storm appears and Tom rescues a dog struggling to stay alive. Tom names him Thunder, and soon the dog proves his loyalty many times by rescuing various people from disasters. Then Fiona gets pregnant and Enoch is out on a fishing trip. Margaret tells Tom to get Fiona to the doctor, all the way across the frozen harbor, because there isn't much Margaret can do to help under the circumstances. Thunder has to bring Fiona over the harbor with Tom's help very quickly. But then, Tom looses his compass and a blizzard strikes. Will Thunder be able to save Fiona and her new baby?

My favorite part of Thunder from the Sea is when the mummers come to the Murray's house. It is very mysterious, and some parts about that are confusing, but it's interesting to learn about some of the Newfoundland customs. And, later in the book, it's interesting to find out who they were in the first place.

I think that Thunder from the Sea is a very good book with a lot of action. This is a good book about a boy and the loyalty he has for his dog. I would recommend it to people who like dogs and who like suspenseful books. I would give Thunder from the Sea 4 stars. * * * *

I got this book from the book fair at my school.It is a very beloved story.It is about a boy name Tom who gets sent to live with a fisherman and his wife, and he finds a dog of his dreams by the sea in the middle of a storm,but now the fishermans wife is pregnant and the dogs owner may be found.Just read it and find out more.DO NOT listen to any bad reveiws of this book,just trust me read it is VERY VERY good.

This book is extremely well written and I would highly recommend it. As a former Jehovah's Witness, I was able to identify with so much of the story - not the sexual abuse (although I learned of some sexual abuse that occurred and was covered up by the elders) but I have seen so many mothers who were like the author's mother. One of the reasons I first began to question the Watchtower religion was because of the way the children were treated - or mis-treated would be a better description. Kids spanked who were noisy during the lengthy adult services, pinched when they fell asleep at late night meetings on school nights, etc. etc. But that is mild compared to what the author endured. I enjoyed this book very much.

This book was a bit like therapy. It was helpfull to hear a story so much like my own. She is a powerful writer, and honestly portrays what can go wrong in the JW cult.

Joy's memoir is a stark reminder that abuse in all of its various forms is devastating to individuals and relationships. Because it is her story and she was raised by parents who were Jehovah's Witnesses, it includes much of that lifestyle, religious doctrine, and terminology. Joy does a fair job at explaining some of the little understood doctrines when they appear in her story.

If you are looking for a diatribe or poison pen against Jehovah's Witnesses or the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society you may be disappointed. She neither attacks nor excuses them. She more often reflects on the confused contradictions she experienced trying to make sense of the wide gap between what was taught and how it was lived.

Having studied the Witnesses and their organization for more than two years I was familiar with many of the ways they apply scripture to their lives and Joy's descriptions are fair. The fact Joy's parents and step-father clearly took some of them to the extreme only confirms they were unbalanced people. I have some close personal relationships with a few Witnesses but probably could not get them to read this book as they would likely view it as apostate writing.

The book serves to remind us how men and women in any religious following who fail to use the good minds God gave them to discern good from evil but instead faithfully, but blindly follow a religious organization as proof of loyalty to God, can find themselves quite quickly in horrible circumstances.

Joy's book also gives hope to those who seek a relationship with God rather than an organization.

I felt that the book was very well written and engrossing. Having suffered through a very similar situation in my youth with this particular religion it was a comfort to me to know that during those lonely years that I truly wasn't alone: Other people were going through the same confusion and frustration that I had been through. Mrs. Castro did a great job of explaining the JW thought process and the total lack of respect they have for women. They are very willing to place uneducated men to call the shots in their congregations. They allow these men to make decisions that they have had no training, no experience and no business in. The mere fact that they are men is the only qualification many of them need. I felt Mrs. Castro also did a great job of showing how manipulative the JW's are. The "truth" is not what they are interested in at all. Preservation of their beliefs, right or wrong is what fuels them. The book must have been difficult for her to write but I would think cathartic also.

I could not put this book down. The mental and physical abuse that Ms Castro and her brother received is unbelievable. As we move through her incredible life it is inspiring that she was able to rise above her circumstances and find peace within herself and create a loving enviroment for her son. I have no history with JW, but would recommend this book to anyone. Beautifully written. Can't wait for the next book by Joy Castro.

You know, this is not the sort of book I would normally read. But there it was, suddenly, on the coffee table one night. How it got there I have no idea. Just curious, I began to leaf through the pages, and the words began to resonate with me. Unable to sleep, I read it through in one sitting by candlelight. The next morning, I began to look at things around me differently. First, I removed several unessential appliances from the house in an effort to simplify my existence. Then it became time to de-clutter and I threw out several items I realized I had no more use for. Then, and this all seemed so logical in light of the things I'd read, I divorced the wife and sent her on her why. Sure, she cried a bit, but I knew I was doing the right thing. And I've never regretted it. This is, indeed, one of the best books I've read all year.

Please say this review is helpful to you. They told me that if I post another unhelpful review they're going to kill my ferret.

It was obvious to anyone who has known Peyser that something like this was bound to happen. I refer, of course, to Peyser's bout of aphasia during his freshman year at the College. Clearly this mysterious illness has returned in book-length, perhaps even a global, form. We may never really know what Peyser is up to in this book. Oh, for some Young and Champollion to decode this, the Rosetta Stone of post-modernism!

I don't usually tolerate so-called theory, but this was fun!

Don't let the title fool you--this is a down-to-earth, engaging work that deserves to be read by a much larger audience than the academic field it's probably relegated to.

This is a powerful, bleak book. None of the writers Peyser deals with is particularly optimistic. The possible exception is Howells but there is a dark undertow even to his work which Peyser makes sure we see. So a book about utopia is also a strangely, depressing read. 40 years or so after Brooke Farm, who would have thought things would have gotten so sad? Of course it was the turn the century and the best of the Western thinkers were thinking sad and pessimistic thoughts. And now here we are at the turn of another century and we have this powerful, bleak book. Have we come all that far after this century of bloodthirsty carnage? Is Utopia even further away than it was 100 years ago? Read Peyser's powerful, bleak book and see if you can answer some of these sad questions yourself. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Atkinson is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Her writing is outstanding, and her humor is genius.

This was my favorite Brodie novel to date. What I admire so much about this book, is that Atkinson didn't fall into the trap that many authors do when writing a series - turning out the same book again and again. The writing was top notch, and the story engrossing.

When Will There Be Good News was full of the complexity and detail that made Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Novel such a great read. There were a lot of characters, but they were fascinating and likeable, and there were a lot of threads to the story which were woven together excellently.

I hope Atkinson turns out some non-Brodie fiction again in the future, but I will eagerly await the next installment in the series as well.

Kate Atkinson has found her true niche. She writes like nobody else -- it's astounding how she can get into the minds of so many disparate people, tell the story from so many vantages, and despite leaving some questions unanswered, manage to bring it all together in a satisfying whole. She challenges the reader to fill in some gaps. While there are dark aspect to this story, there are as many that are hilarious, and Atkinson's accurate ear for dialogue make for a lively read. This is not Scottish noir, such as the Glaswegian novels of Denise Mina, nor are they police procedurals, such as the series by Ian Rankin (great to think of Inspectors Rebus and Monroe on the same force), but Atkinson is on her way to a franchise that is truly original where past histories and their collisions in the present dramatically affect the future.

I just finished reading When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson, the latest installment in her Jackson Brodie detective saga, and it was terrific! I have greatly enjoyed all three of the Brodie novels.

There are several story lines and a number of characters, but at the center of the book is a question - how do people go on after something truly horrific happens to them? Joanna Hunter is a successful physician and a devoted mother; but she is also the survivor of the murder of her mother and her two siblings, and the murderer is about to be released from prison. There are other women in danger, too, including a truly amazing 16 year old orphan. There's a train wreck, and a woman that Jackson is very attracted to, and confusion of identities. If this sounds rather Gothic, I suppose it is (astounding things are always happening to Brodie), but it's grounded in realistic human emotion.

If you like mysteries, you should read this book. If you like a good story with great insight into character, you should definitely read this book - but read the other two Brodie novels first!

Happy Reading!

The Book Goddess
[...]

I want more Reggie Chase!!! Kate Atkinson is a witty genius when creating characters that amuse, touch and STICK WITH YOU. I was already hooked on Jackson Brodie and now we have young beleaguered Reggie Chase to know and love and worry about. I hope Kate will bring her back in future novels (hint! hint!)

Third of a series of "sort-of" mystery novels set in Scotland and England, "When Will There Be Good News?" is the best and the wryest. It's not so much plot driven, and if you just can't suspend your disbelieve for some unbelievable coincidences, well, maybe this isn't the series for you, but if you CAN, you will be richly rewarded with a panoply of well drawn characters and, despite some of the horrible happenings, humor at every turn.

I'll be pre-ordering Kate Atkinson's next novel...I hope to re-meet Reggie there, but even if I don't, I know I will meet someone else to love.

Kate Atkinson is such a great writer that her characters not only live in her book but jumped out and walked around my house while I was reading this book. Although it takes a while to set up the story once it starts unfolding, it's like a roller coaster ride. You literally can not put the book down because you just NEED to see what's going to happen next. I think it's her best book yet.

I use this book as part of my 100th day of school celebration. It helps my k students to have empathy for the elderly. We also discuss what they may look like when they are 100. Wonderful illustrations - typical Mem Fox style - perfect! Love it!

I discovered this book when my roommate told me it was one of her favorite children's book. Both my roommate and I are currently pursuing our Master's Degree in Elementary Education and are always looking for great books for our future classrooms. She informed me that this book is one she had to have immediately after reading it! Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a young boy who lives next door to an "old people's home" and he describes each of the elderly people he has become friends with. His favorite is Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she has four names just like he does. When Wilford overhears family members discussing the sadness of Miss Nancy losing her memory he sets out to find out what a memory is by asking all his elderly friends. He takes all the things he thinks are a memory and gives them to Miss Nancy. She begins to reminisce about the memories that the items remind her of and she is so happy that Wilford has given her back her memory. This book is incredibly sweet and will have you "awwwww"ing on each and every page. The illustrations are hilarious and depict abstract pictures of the elderly people and Wilford. As a 21 year old I found the book touching and think that children of any age will also be able to relate to it. It is a wonderful book to read to children who have grandparents or family members who have Alzheimer's and can make a little sense about the aspect of losing a memory. This book will most definitely be in my classroom no matter what grade I teach. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age!
-Andrea W.

This book was a favorite of mine when I was young and now I love reading it to my girls. It is so sweet and wonderfully illustrated. My absolute favorite from the spectacular body of work of Mem Fox.

This is a beautiful story. It's perfect for reading to children who have grandparents with major memory loss. The illustrations by Julie Vivas are equally beautiful.

All I can say is I have had this book for many years and it is one of my FAVORITE children's books. Cutely written and the message is wonderful.

This book was almost impossible to put down, with such compelling content that I actually forgot I was having lunch in a restaurant while reading it! This book takes little time to read but should provoke considerable reflection in the reader. We ALL need this reminder of the impact of our words and that we CAN CONTROL our reactions to events and to others and that we MUST consider the consequences of our word choices on others.

The best book around on this subject. Intelligently written without being scholarly and academic. Get copies for yourself and all of your friends. The Bible and Jewish tradition have much to say about speech and that muscle in our mouths that causes so much trouble. Applying the wisdom in this book can change one's life. Be quick to listen, slow to speak. Heed the words of Proverbs and James 3:5-6. Speak like you want others to speak to you. Speak words that build up--not those that tear down.

Wonderful, thought provoking, life changing book. Really caused me to examine my speech habits and to consider the great power of my spoken words. This would be a great book for a club or even a study group. Jew or Gentile could gain much from reading and applying this book.

This book's awesome! Powerful messages that change the way one looks at the words. Loved it. Received as described!

I have owned this book for many years, both my son and daughter have a copy. This is an absolute must read not just for those of the us who are Jewish; but for anyone who struggles with the truth or is incapable of telling it. I have given this particular book many, many times. Only recently I thought of a business arrangement involving a particular couple who would benefit from this book. I have ordered this book for them and hope this reading sets them free.

Every Asterix rules, doesn't matter which one, it rules!
These things are hilarious, has anyone ever read the French version?

Wonderful. what more can I say. You got to have it.

Thanks to the magic potion of the resident druid, Getafix, Asterix and Obelix triumphantly defend the borders of their village against Caesar's legions, to the legions' great dismay ("I hate those Gauls"). My personal favorite is "Asterix and Cleopatra" where they travel to Egypt to help Getafix's buddy Edifis win an architectural contest between Ceasar and Cleopatra. Oh, and the Sphinx's nose? Obelix did that.

In this graphic novel series there is great storytelling, superb drawing, awful puns, wonderful sound effects (yes, really), and sneakily, insidiously, while you're laughing, you're learning.

Asterix and Obelix are Immortal!!

Miss them and you miss some of the more pleasant, happy moments in your life!

Asterix lives in the Gaulish part of the Roman Empire. Doesn't he? Not quite, his village resists the Romans thanks to a magic potion. The Romans want some of this potion for themselves...

"Asterix the Gaul" was the first Asterix comic, published in 1961. Rene Goscinny made the words and Albert Udzero did the pictures. It's a pretty good way to start the series though the sequel "Asterix and the Golden Sickle" (1962) sets up the vibe the other comics enjoy.

I did this book with a friend of mine. What an amazing transformation! It helps you focus on more than just your physical health. Grows your mind, faith and courage to the extreme! Highly recommend every woman to read it!

At the begining of this book, Donna shares how to make certain prayer list. First brainstorming, then organizing, then sharing. The goal of the list is to pray over your top 5 things in each category daily with a friend. I saw my prayer list answered so quickly that now every year I create a new list using this format. As my faith has grown, so has my list! It has been amazing to see God at work in my life! I share this list with everyone!

Be-COMING the woman I want to be.

A Re-NEWING Journey on-going, drawing closer and closer to God; learning to trust God in your life, learning to see your life in a new light enhanced and led by God within your Spirit, Soul and Body

Donna Partow in a practical, down-to-earth style, with wit and humor, engages and entices and challenges the reader on a daily basis to put God first in their life. Little nudgings daily to add important changes in life will assist the BE-COMING process of whom we want to be, to represent, to like, to nurture, to enjoy.

Be-coming is an ongoing process. Change is hard. Donna Partow leads and encourages the reader to continually work toward their goals. How great is that! Its like having your own personal Spirit/Soul/Body Trainer with you for 90 days and then you know what is really great? It is so easy to start all over again the book is in your hands and BE-COMING is worthy of doing over again and again and again Bottom line I highly recommend Donna Partows Becoming the Woman I Want To Be.

God is so good. This book helped me get back on track. I love that it focused on all areas-spirit, soul, and body. The scripture cards really helped me. At the end of my 2nd trimester of my third pregnancy, I was unable to lose any weight, but didn't gain as much as I did with my other pregnancies. The daily e-mails Donna sends for 90 days are really encouraging. I will read this book again.

I didn't think anything could help me get on track with my life. Because of this book and Gods help I am on track again spiritually & physically. I found with Gods help I can change my body, spirit, soul and mind. Nothing short of a miracle!

It turned out to be an O.K book. Reasonably funny but maybe I expected it to be funnier or had already read some of Jack Handey's lines. I would expect a first time reader to enjoy it more than I did.

Yes, this is totally hilarious. But are 40 or so mind-altered quips really a book? So that's why I gave it 4 stars, not 5. If you want a collection of looney, twisted, crazy aphorisms, buy Deep Thoughts; but if you want a humor book, get a Dave Barry.

I loved deep thoughts ever since I saw them on Saturday Night Live. This book is worth every penny!

If I were a rich gal, I would buy everyone in the world a copy of this book, because inside are some of the funniest thoughts ever produced! Each page holds a different "deep thought"; some immediately bring out the laughter, while others take a sec or two to sink in. Then you grin and want to immediately share it with someone. I think this would make a wonderful coffee table book. Put it out there at your next get-together and watch people chuckle, roar, giggle, snort, whoop, guffaw, howl, snicker, crack up, or whatever they do when they've just read something hilarious.

Don't let the small size of this book let you think it a light weight in the world of books on deep thoughts.What I'm really trying to say is that when something is really thought out ,it doesn' take a volumous manuscript to get the message across. Take Moses,for example,he could have filled 50 volumes explaining God's instructions.He took two stones,and in 10 Commandments,got the message across clear and simple.
When Handley set out to explain deep thinking,he managed to do it in so few pages ,he didn't even have to number them.Not only that,most of the page is a simple picture.
Most of the reviewers talk about how funny this book is.What he really makes us laugh so hard ; is how complicated we make the thoughts on living for ourselves.The great Philosophers have tried over the ages to give us great thoughts to live by.You know what? It ain't that difficult.
For instant,much has been written on the meaning of life.Handey tells us to think deep.
"Life is a constant battle between the heart and the brain.
But guess who wins. The skeleton."
Or how about this;
"You might think that the favorite plant of the porcupine is
the cactus,but it's thinking like that that almost ruined
this country."
Then his thoughts on afterlife;
"In my next life,I hope I come back as a parrot,because I
already know quite a few words."
And finally a deep thought in case we are invaded by Aliens;
"Warning to all outer-spage guys: You can capture me and put me
in your "space zoo" if you like,but I will sit way in the
back of my cage,where it's hard to see me.And when I do come
out,I won't be wearing any pants."
Now,how about that; Deep thoughts or what? Yeah,and it'll
make you laugh,too.

The New World Spanish/English English/Spanish dictionary is very helpful in learning Spanish. It has a pronunciation guide and a listing of all irregular verbs. It is very comprehensive for a paper back dictionary.

This Spanish/English dictionary is the best I've used, primarily for the reasons that it is very comprehensive, and it gives Spanish pronunciations, oddly lacking from other such dictionaries.

I have purchased at least 6 different Spanish/English dictionaries and this is the one I always come back to. I am currently using my second copy since the first one fell apart. This one is held together with tape, lots and lots of tape.

I almost always find the word I am looking for, and the definitions make sense, and I am picky.

I have purchased at least 4 more of these as gifts.

So, my only complaint is that the binding is poor quality - the pages easily come out. Fortunately, they can be taped back in, which adds to the character!

I am a high school ESL teacher for new immigrants to the U.S. Our school buys the Merriam-Webster English-Spanish in bulk so each student has one that is easy to carry around, and because they are cheaper. But after experimenting with various dictionaries, I find that I much prefer to keep The New World dictionary right beside me at my desk, when I'm standing at the overhead projector, when I am circulating around the room to help students. I find The New World easier to read and easier to use. For example, when looking at multiple meaning words such as plot or setting, it is easier to pick out the language arts/literary definition in The New World dictionary. It also offers more in the way of support for people learning English or Spanish -- for example the section that helps Spanish speakers understand English prefix/root/suffix is very useful to ESL students and teachers in a high school setting. This year we are going to buy several for each classroom that has ESL students in it.

I have been teaching English as a Second Language for many years and I have become fluent in Spanish. This dictionary for Americans (North and South) is the best for the money. It has many words that are American Spanish and American English whereas many other more expensive dictionaries use European words and sometimes spellings. It is not a good dictionary for travel but then I don't think most are. I don't use a dictionary when on the road. The paper editions wear out rapidly with moderate use but they are cheap enough. Do not waste time and money on smaller dictionaries such as the Chicago. This one not only has American language, it has many idioms, and a reasonable grammar section. I hope this little gem never goes out of print.