Entertainment Books

This is a wonderful book. I found a copy at our local thrift store and had to buy it because it was such a great deal (65 cents). My three year old son fell in love with it. The illustrations are perfect for young children and have made learning geography really fun. The entire family has learned a lot from this book. There are some things that are out of date (The Central African Republic of Congo is labeled as Zaire.) but that has been educational, too, as we have talked about the history behind those changes.

As a upcoming teacher and lover of geography, I just had to buy this book! My decision was made much easier since it was on sale at a local bookstore for only $3.50!

This is one of my children's most used books. Very large, colorful, informative, and fun. Made of sturdy cardboard, too.

I had to buy this elsewhere since my seller never shipped but my son just loves this book. It is a great way to get your kids interested in geography. It is so large and colorful and with the thick pages, they can't tear them!

I'm a homeschool mom will small children and I had borrowed this from a library. The kids instantly got the concept of the continants and were able to easily see the countries in this colorful format.

The best part is that it's a tall sturdy board book that you can prop up and have the kids point at, hold, grab, etc... without it getting torn. What better way for them to learn!

sry for anyone who thinks otherwise...but i am joshua jacksons bigest fan...and obsessor...i honestly cannot speak for everyone but almost everyone i know finds out how much i love joshua jackson in the forst 5 minutes of knowing me...so for all those heartbroken girls who dotn quite grasp it..i am joshuas biggest and most adoring fan
xoxo

This book was way cool. I don't just give it five stars, i give it 10,000! Scince I am Joshua Jackson's BIGGEST fan (sorry all those other girls out there, but i know I beat you!) I want to know as much about Joshua Jackson as I can. I thought this book did a lot of that. I could have done with more pictures though. (but of course I already don't think there are enough Joshua Jackson pictures in the world as it is) This book is great, but even if it wasn't i would buy it anyways because it's about Joshua Jackson! What more do you need in a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this book was great because it brought out a lot in his home life as well as his personal life. I kno we all love gossip gals! ! I also think Josh Is the HOTTEST guy on the planet and that also makes this book great ! ! !

I think Joshua Jackson Is Brilliant. He has done a lot for himself. He always looks great and all the films hes been in are exellent! I have seen all of them so far. This book tells you what hes really like. Not pacey in Dawsons creek, not damon in Urban Ledgend but Joshua Jackon,the greatest star in the world. I love him! Email me if you think so too

I really liked this book. It told me a lot about Josh. He's a really great guy, and funny as well as cute. I always loved Pacey, but now I think I prefer Josh.

Great variety - especially in the art styles, tone and energy - will keep you looking forward to each story. The stories themselves are very interesting. Whether it's epic battle, insightful character work, humorous genre pieces, or even abstracted explorations, these artists did a wonderful job. I can't wait for the sequel!

A fun book. Lots of sillyness, a little romance, a little drama, all from a fan based perspective.
The high point was the film noir/50's sci-fi murder mystery, "Hazzard Von Braun, Astronaut Detective". Purposfully campy, definitely fun.
It's a thick book and a good read. Highly recommended!

I really liked this book. It was a chance for me to see more than one aspect of anime. It also gave me a taste of what each of the artists can do. I look forward to seeing more from each artist. I gave the book to friends and family to read and they too seem to have enjoyed it. Most of them didn't know what anime was, so this was a great introduction for them.

There truly is something here for everyone. From the short, wordless giant monster story to the sentai parody that takes itself seriously (Dairooster) and everything in between, you'll get your money's worth of solid black and white entertainment.

You can get a whole lot less for your money from some of the big-name publishers, that's for sure. You'll be reading JUKU for well over an hour!

This collaborative work by five longtime manga artists and fans shows that hard work and patience does indeed pay off in the end. This book is a collection of eight separate stories by five artists. There's a little something for everyone here: action, tongue-in-cheek humor, romance, and more!

The gems of this collection are Shaindle Minuk's "Holly's Father," a holiday story that takes a peek into the private lives of a fifties' Hollywood family, and Bruce Lewis' "It Happened in Seventh Grade." Lewis' recollection of a cherished event in his childhood is made more heartfelt by his simple-but-fully-recognizable drawing style.

The other stories included are an exciting detective story...IN SPACE...by David Merrill, quick cute textless vignettes from Ed Hill, a surprisingly twisted parody of two popular Japanese icons by Dan Baker, and one of Bruce Lewis' epic war stories, "Dairooster 5!"

Definitely recommended!

A book I read for review at work.

Sabrina ad Dreama have a bad time when Harvey and her school's Football team decided to stop cleaning themselves after they win a match, due to the silly superstition. Much to Sabrina's horror, Dreama had cast a dreadful spell that would turn any supertitions as real as possible and they no longer recognise the world they are in. They can't cast any spells cause any spells would have a reverse effect. Salem has it worse, since Black cats are pretty much bad luck to any supertitious being.

Great book. I've finished it all in one go. A page turner and fast pace. A book thta would pull you in as soon as you sit down and read it.

I loved this book, it was excelent, its almost like watching sabrina the teenage witch on TV, but you are reading the book. Especially that was my first sabrina the teenage witch book that i ever ready, and because i liked this book i want to try all the others. Its like the book gave me a passion for reading Sabrina the teenage witch books! Its great! i really recomend to order this book, because if i liked it, maybe you will too!!!

We Win! Thats whats happening in Westbridge High, the football team seems to be winning games all of a sudden. So Brad says that all the football players should not change underwear, take showers, or even change socks, and of course the football players do just that! But once Sabrina finds out she is determined to stop all this sill superstition and get the football players to take showers. Just then a spell is cast, superstitions start to really come true. So when someone walks under a lader or brakes a mirror they have bad luck! What will Sabrina do?

I loved this book, it was excelent, its almost like watching sabrina the teenage witch on TV, but you are reading the book. Especially that was my first sabrina the teenage witch book that i ever ready, and because i liked this book i want to try all the others. Its like the book gave me a passion for reading Sabrina the teenage witch books! Its great! i really recomend to order this book, because if i liked it, maybe you will too!!!

As an 8th grade teacher, I love any book that keeps my kids reading, and according to the girls in my class, this is a must read. So I tried it, and really enjoyed it, even though I'm a bit older than the target market. Very cute, and it reminds me of my kids at school!

The history of (soul) music has been predominantly the domain of men. Only the really exceptional women like Billie, Aretha and Diane Washington were mentioned among the greats.

This book is made up from different interviews with Ladies of Soul like Bettye LaVett, Maxine Brown but also Timi Yuro (white).

I haven't seen a book yet that gives so much attention to the female voices of soul and is therefore worth buying. It is also a very pleasant read.

How many times have I gone to a club and watched fabulous singers give astounding performances and ended up asking myself, "why isn't she/he a star?" Many of these entertainers are professionals, but for some reason, have not achieved the heights that many other, equally talented people have.

My record collection is filled with such artists: Howard Tate, Loleatta Holloway, Syl Johnson, Vanetta Fields, Otis Clay, Anna King, Shirley Brown and many others.

Author, David Freeland, obviously felt the same way, as he set out to showcase seven unheralded female soul singers from '60s, by giving them some overdue recognition in his new book, "Ladies of Soul". Among them are some of my personal favorites, starting with the incomparable, Bettye LaVette ("Let Me Down Easy"), who knocked me out when I first heard her demanding voice on the radio singing "You Killed the Love". I had no idea that this singer was only in her teens, for she emoted like an experienced woman of 40. That voice was coarse, even nasty at times, pleading and fraught with the damages of cigarettes, booze and life. Many feel she has a "churchy" sound, but LaVette swears that she is a child of the blues. Wherever it came from, that voice affected me deeply. Since, I have seen her bear witness, "live" in performance, giving 110% of herself and working harder than Tina Turner during her torrid times with Ike. Tina, by the way, covered Bettye's first hit record, "My Man (He's a Lovin' Man)".

Maxine Brown is gifted singer who has had many hits and deserves the spotlight in this book. Her immense talent has grown with experience and she is one of the best soul singers around. One of her big hits, "Oh No Not My Baby" was later recorded by Aretha Franklin.

The misunderstood, Timi Yuro, who's career and voice puzzled many (some thought she was a man, others were convinced she was African-American). She's Italian and has a soul as deep as the rivers. As a young girl, not only did she sing opera to appease her father, she sang in black churches (thanks to a religious black nanny) and toured later, as a professional, with the icons of soul like Little Richard and Etta James on the chitlin' circuit. She was asked by Frank Sinatra to tour Australia with him in the late 60s and her records were produced by such giants as Quincy Jones and Clyde Otis. Timi's first hit, "Hurt", was covered by Elvis Presley.

David Freeland has done a remarkable job with his hands on research and wasted not a second, quoting what others had written on this subject. He traveled the USA and found these women and interviewed them, in person, in depth. It seems that he quickly became the vehicle they could utilize to voice their anger, frustration, exhilaration and hope.

Also fascinating, were Freeland's conversations with Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records, whose candid insights into achieving success in the record business (then and now) and the unpredictable tastes of the record buying public were truly telling. Frank perceptions into the lives of many soul performers were punctuated by Juggy Murray, founder of Sue Records.

David interviewed DJ's, engineers...numerous people who make their living in the recording industry. This gives his book its distinctive authenticity.

I was not familiar with the personal life of Denise LaSalle ("Trapped, By this Thing Called Love"), before reading this book. Over the years I have purchased her albums and enjoyed her brassy brand of r & b. After reading her story, I conclude that she is substantive, opinionated and also a savvy, smart business woman. Carla Thomas ("Gee Whiz") turns out to be an interesting character. Her career sizzled just below the boiling point and she never achieved the stardom she deserved. It was also interesting to read about Barbara Mason ("Yes, I'm Ready"), whose records I've enjoyed over the years, and to get to know the one singer I wasn't familiar with, Ruby Johnson.

The book is not just "I made this record and sang with this person", it covers the morose as well, not only in the music industry, but societal injustice, as well. Travels through the south, having to deal with the America's ugliest demon, racism, brushes with the Ku Klux Klan, all are undeniably apart of these scenarios.

Very revealing are the observations by Bettye LaVette regarding the city of Detroit, during the heyday of Motown. Hers is a much darker portrayal of the same occurrences that were described in other books like Mary Wilson's, the Temptations' or Martha Reeves' biographies.

The important accomplishment here, is that this book stimulates one's appetite to hear these grand ladies sing! Enter their names on any Internet search engine and you'll find more information on each of them. Thankfully, they have CDs in the large record stores or can be ordered online.

a Book such as this Enlightens Many of Artists that didn't get a fair shake for Various Reasons.I got a chance to read this while also Reading David Nathen's Book on Diva's.this Book is very well Detailed&gives alot of Insight to many things.worth a checking into.

David has written a compelling, honest and excellent tome on a diverse range of soul sisters some of whom have never received the mainstream recognition enjoyed by others. That he would take time out to track down Ruby Johnson and Timi Yuro and include such soulful divas as Bettye Lavette, Maxine Brown and Carla Thomas is to his eternal credit; I'm hopeful that there will be a follow-up since there are other women who deserve the kind of truth-telling treatment he offers. Bravo!

David Freeland's Ladies Of Soul profiles the rise and fall of seven female performers of the 1960s. Maxine Brown, Ruby Johnson, Carla Thomas, Timi Yuro and others are revealed, from their struggles for success to issues involved in their music. A very different, unusual account.

A Life Full Of Days ( Publisher: Authorhouse (May 1, 2003) ISBN: 141072607X) is a sincere and genuine memoir by Chalmers (Chum) Dale. Chalmers Dale is a (now retired) Emmy award-winning CBS news producer whose journalism career brought him face-to-face with distinguished citizens ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. to Bob Hope.

While reading A Life Full Of Days, I couldn't help but hear the song The Long And Winding Road by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

"The long and winding road that leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before it always leads me here
Leads me to your door..."

In his memoir Mr. Dale speaks from a life that has lived on both sides of the tracks -- A man who in his search for his true self and his honest sexual representation while living a double life as a gay man in a "straight" world. From a confused young man to WW2 military service to a ten-year marriage with two children, Chalmers endures to find his true self. Chalmers Dale does an exceptional job at sharing with us his 'personal' meaning of life and living that life as "who he is" and not what society dictates "who he should be".

A Life Full Of Days is an important book with a more important message. As the author says, "Was it time to stop kidding myself and recognize that I was a homosexual? The answer was yes." Chalmers Dale's story is one that will reach and enlighten everyone who reads it but especially this book puts his life out there for young people to see and possibly to "...ease some pain they feel during adolescence, with sexual confusion nagging at them." Mr. Dale's life and story also explores the compassion and understanding he brought to his assignments at CBS -- shows that "made a difference" for millions of viewers."

A Life Full Of Days is the verse and soul of a life and author who so perfectly sums everything up in a quote by Soren Kierkegaard that says, "LIFE CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD BACKWARDS: BUT MUST BE LIVED FORWARDS." In this outstanding and well-written memoir this particular reader traveled "The long and winding road" that was and is the life of Chalmers "Chum" Dale. Thank you Mr. Dale for your story and your life. Hopefully many will read A Life Full Of Days, a book, that leads to your door.
John Weaver -Editor BooksandAuthors.net

A Life Full Of Days is the personal memoir of Emmy award-winning CBS news producer Chalmers (Chum) Dale, and entails the globe-spanning journalism that brought him face-to-face with distinguished citizens ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. to Bob Hope. Recounting his life from a confused childhood to his adult determination to seek out evidence of the human condition for all to see, A Life Full Of Days is an absorbing read and a highly recommended addition to community library American Biography collections.

These were the most exciting times in television history. This personal narrative--fascinating, difficult, ironic, and funny--tells of an ordinary life filled with extraordinary moments. Emmy Award-winning CBS News producer Chalmers (Chum) Dale examined and documented the human condition in over 300 shows. His work took him around the world, introducing him to many of the most distinguished citizens and celebrities of our time, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Bob Hope.
This compelling memoir, written in an approachable, conversational style, also tells of Chum's lonely struggle in leading a double life: A search for true sexual identity during adolescence, WW2 military service, a short teaching career, and a ten-year marriage with two children. His existence begins to make sense when he meets his significant other of forty-two years and starts piecing his life together. Through these enduring experiences, Chum's story also explores the compassion and understanding he brought to his assignments at CBS--shows that "made a difference" for millions of viewers.

Chalmers Dale reveals all about his interesting life. Dale was truly a pioneer, and his courage, integrity, and creativity are evident on every page.

The author tells his story in an honest but tasteful way. Seems like he did some cool things over the years even if it did take him a while to figure out who he was.

There are interesting reflections on music, sports, urban and suburban life in the 20th century and especially TV. The guy was on hand as TV became basically what it is today.

This book'd make great reading for young people in a similar position: figuring out their sexuality and family while trying to make the most of thier time.

His style is unpretentious and relaxed. I felt like I was sitting around one afternoon having a chat. There are photos.

The man that poetry made stands luminous
on the broken corners of history's suicidal cravings,
he watches splashing in the street
birds cleaning their feathers inside
the crystal flow of words he gave them,

he is a vintage wine now,
traveling with ease over the tongues
of other people's intentions,
he is a quilt
made of one billion black hands
spread like guarantees from a single living God
over the heads of the misbegotten.

The man that poetry made wonders
on which day will he finally recite his soul.
Ask him who his mother is
and he will sing for you memories
of bosom-heavy haikus
filling his mouth with the milk and nectar
of joy neverdying.
Ask about his father
and he will boast about a ballad
that thundered all the way
from Spain to Zaire
bouncing him like a sack full of sonnets
upon his broad whistling shoulders.

This man that poetry made stumbles barefoot
through the city, a huge blue ribbon wrapped
around one big toe, a small pink one tied
to the other, ragged jeans loose
upon free-verse hips, fluorescent eyes blinking
surrealistic kisses of negritude revisited--

To the woman confused
by his lust for peace
he begs "forgive me lovely genius
I was not born as you were born,
my blood was written
by a different kind of coupling."
To the man frustrated
by his lack of animalia
he sang, "Beauty is a thing finer
than exalted fears of actual love."

The man that poetry made sometimes
blows himself to pieces with bombs
made from metaphors, he enjoys watching
the words that shape his life
scatter like golden ashes of imagination
then one by one float back down to earth
covering him with forms and meanings
he never knew existed.
People passing the corner
where he stands luminous and throbbing
rarely see a man at all.
They look at the man that poetry made
and see a public toilet
or a burning bush flaming in the most unlikely place.
Sometimes they see him as a rare jewel
and snatch him up before anyone else
can look. He is always curious riding along
inside the pockets of strangers
wondering how they shall react
when they see him for what he is,
and he reveals, with
love lighting up his every cell
exactly who they are.


by Author-Poet Aberjhani
author of I Made My Boy Out of Poetry
and Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (Facts on File Library of American History)

This is the most complete writing on Hughes' life. Beautifully written yet very thorough. Arnold Rampersad is probably the most talented biographer alive.

I thought this was a very interesting book. It is VERY well written, I recomend it!

Long before the advent of the 1960's motto of black pride and black beauty, there was Langston Hughes who championed and celebrated black pride and black beauty, both African and black American, at the height racial inequality in the United States.

The two definitive biographies of Langston Hughes are written by Faith Berry, LANGSTON HUGHES: BEFORE AND BEYOND HARLEM, and, the two by Arnold Rampersad's, THE LIFE OF LANGSTON HUGHES VOLS. 1 AND 2. For those able to do it, I would recommend reading Berry's biography first and then DEFINITLY follow it by reading Rampersad two exquisite biographies of Hughes. Reading the two is the only real way to get a complete and accurate picture of Langston Hughes. Both books briefly address Hughes family background which isn't unique to him alone in the black American community as those non-persons of African decent on the outside repeatedly fail to understand. Both books address Hughes' humanity despite of the racism he faced as an extremely confident and proud African-American. Both acknowledge Hughes dislike of those blacks like Toomer ashamed of being black and their African heritage. Both reveal his living through all the moments in early 20th century American history like the Harlem Renaissance and meeting and befriending such figures as Dubois and facing McCarthy on charges of communism while punctuated moments of his life with wanderlust in world travels. Both books address the obstacles and triumphs he faced as being only the second black American to earn a living by writing , the first being Paul Lawrence Dunbar who was also Hughes idol and influence alongside Whitman and Sandburg. Both books take care to explain how Hughes relationships with his parents and grandmother may have shadowed his other relationships in terms of his race pride and the half hearted and insincere assignations with women he was linked to.

Where the two books differ is in discussing Hughes being gay. Berry appears unbridled by prejudice in acknowledging use as gay. Rampersad, a conservative black scholar and now part executor of the Hughes estate, is too eagerly fulsome in his attempts to deny Hughes being gay along with the coded references Hughes used to describe his affections for black men in poems which are similar to those used by Whitman in describing his same sex interest. This dangerously borders the homophobic line. (** READ the recent appendix in Rampersad biography where he rightfully takes issue with being called homophobic by his critics.**) This has been the chief criticism by many of Rampersad two biographies of Hughes. The great irony is that Rampersad actually confirms Hughes being gay by indicating the price Hughes would have paid if he was openly identified as gay at the wrong time in history (even in some circles of the black community today for that matter). Plus, in volume 2 of the LIFE OF HUGHES, Rampersad is less virulent in denying Hughes being gay and pretty much comes close to acknowledging him being gay but holds back for reasons of
his own.

Moreover, Berry discusses Hughes in a straight foreword manner. Rampersad biography is almost lyrical in its historical documentation of Hughes life like a number of biographies being written these days by certain scholars. Rampersad goes into great psychological analysis of Hughes and barring certain before mentioned instances gets it right.

"'The Africans looked at me and would not believe I was a Negro': ...
`You - white man'," they said. Repudiating the idea that he was not one of them,
Hughes asserted "the unity of blacks everywhere." Hughes' choice to embrace
his African-American heritage is a major theme of Rampersad's biography.
Hughes rejected his father's path and the chance to pass, to escape prejudice
and win easy acceptance as a member of Mexican society. Poetic inspiration
came from Harlem, from Jazz, and from anger at prejudice. Despite, or because of
its format, with chapters divided by years, this book made riveting summer reading.
Along the way it introduced me to wonderful poetry in the context of the life:
-----
Mercedes is a jungle-lily in a death house.
Mercedes is a doomed star.
Mercedes is a charnel rose. ... ----
AND:
Passionate, cruel,
Honey-lipped, syphilitic -
That is the South.
And I, who am black, would love her
But she spits in my face . . .

I have bought all of the picture puzzle books and love giving them for gifts. There is not an age group, gender, or personality type that has not enjoyed them. Great for traveling, waiting rooms, or coffee table. I bought the whole series for my friends 5th grade class room; she "lets the kids play with them as rewards". The kids beg to play! You or the intended receiver of gift will not be disappointed. 100% guarantee A+++++

I bought this set for my grandchild (5) but had a hard time getting it away from my son (35)...book consists of side by side identical pix except for some subtle differences which are "puzzling" to find...fun!

This Christmas, I wanted to get my 8-year-old son something that didn't require batteries, something that we could spend quiet time working on together. I bought this picture puzzle set on impulse, not knowing what it really contained.

Just as I had hoped, he really got into solving some of the puzzles with me. In fact, I was the one who wanted to take a break after I got a little cross-eyed :-)

I also like that the puzzles are so portable and would be easy to use in a waiting room or on an airplane.

Finally, as an ESL teacher, I can see how these would come in handy for expanding my students' vocabulary.

I always liked getting the weekly Life spot-the-difference puzzle in the Saturday morning paper to do over coffee. Now we bring the books along for road trips.

If you are a fan, this collection of paperbacks will not disappoint.

After buying one of these Life Picture Puzzle Books at the store and finding they are great I raced here to Amazon to buy more. I do them in the car while my husband drives..LOL.. They are great and I will be buying more so keep them in stock Amazon...

Sound familiar? Does what goes around -- come around
again? Are the malls the 21st century version of
the Roman baths? Are the Nascar racetracks the 21st
century version of the chariot races? Are our
football stadiums the 21st century version of the
Colosseum? This book does not present its themes
in these terms, but one cannot help but think about
these things as one reads it -- in tandem with reading
the Roman writers who satirized or caught in verse the
goings-on in their own times: Catullus, Martial,
Petronius, Juvenal.
Besides the "Introduction" by David S. Porter, there
are 3 large Parts to the division of the book. Part
I is titled: "Social Structures and Demography". Within
this section are informative and highly interesting essays
on "The Roman Family," "Elite Male Identity in the Roman
Empire," and "Roman Demography." Part II is titled:
"Religion." There is only one essay in this Part --
"Roman Religion: Ideas and Action." Part III is titled:
"Bread and Circuses" [the famous phrase used to describe
how the rulers and the "elite" kept the masses under their
control -- by giving them doles of food or by providing
them with mass entertainments to keep their minds off
the fact of their gruelling lives and that they did
not lead the "good life" that the "elites" were leading --
sound familiar?]. In this Part are the essays: "Feeding
the City: The Organization, Operation,and Scale of the
Supply System for Rome," "Amusing the Masses: Buildings
for Entertainment and Leisure in the Roman World," and
"Entertainers in the Roman World." Since our modern
era also seems to be so much into shallow entertainment
and pleasures, perhaps the titles of the subsections of
this last chapter will be intriguing: Actors and Athletes.
Chariot Racing.[the factions and their fans sound like
ancient Roman predecessors to the WWF and Nascar
fanatics...] Gladiators, Beast Hunts, and Executions.
[well, we haven't "progressed" in our tastes and
"sophistication" that far yet...but, who knows? ...]
All in all, this is a very interesting, insightful,
intriguing -- as well as provoking book. The
section that interested me the most was the one
on the Roman emphasis and hang-up on male identity -
what was considered manly, and what was not. It isn't,
as if that is one of the main obsessions in our own
times in the U.S. of A. , of course. And what are
all the "manly" types contributing to the betterment,
stability, and nobility of our present society and culture?
It gives one pause, for reflection.

First off, this book is a collection of seven very long essays by different experts. The essays deal with the minutest details of Roman life, ranging from religious practice to construction to gladiatorial combat and criminal execution. Not all essays are created equal, and there are two in here that I found rather dry, but perhaps that is because I couldn't care less about the specifics of amphitheater construction. The others were phenomenal, and even the "boring" ones contain excellent and useful information.

I read L,D,&E (as I have begun to call it) for an undergraduate class in Roman History and had to write a critical review-type paper about it. I have to say I actually enjoyed the assignment. The book was, overall, excellent. It features real-life "snapshots" of different aspects of Roman life, and unlike many books about Ancient Rome, it doesn't focus solely on the upper classes. It also doesn't spend any time discussing politics or history or "great men" of the times, so if you're looking for that, go elsewhere. This book is NOT an introduction to imperial Rome -- you'll need to have one of those under your belt already -- but it IS the most wonderful, complete, and readable supplementary material available. It really fills in the gaps and answers questions you didn't know you had, giving you a vastly more complete picture of Rome under the Emperors.

This book discusses aspects of Roman life that are frequently difficult to research... such as the kinds of toys Roman children enjoyed or the types of birth control that were popular. It covers such subjects as "feeding the city" and "entertaining the populace" as well as religion and other expected items. The work comprises a sweeping approach to "real life stuff" in a framework that is scholarly (with plenty of documentation) but highly entertaining. It's the kind of book I've been wanting to own for years.

Nothing further to add, but wanted to point out that this work is not as slanted politically correct as Encolp in his review above make it seem. The book is much more objective, all the pseudo-intellectual babbling is purely the reviewer's preferred conlcusions using the data in the book as a springboard. I just can't help wonder why he is so disturbed by so-called "manly types" (or what he means by that).

This is an interesting, well-written book that would be a good edition to the library of any student of Roman history as well as being a good resource for writers of historical fiction.

This book is awesomely beautiful with brilliant colors and fine art! Ms. Lewis and her illustrator Mr. Clarke have created a masterpiece for children of color!

The Christian theme throughout the book demostrates values. It shows how thankful a young child is for the world around them. A lesson some adult could learn.

Little Lumpy is a priceless keepsake for generations to come. I look forward to the line of children's books Ms. Lewis has to share with our young readers. -LC

If you want your children to experience the true value of family and spirituality, then this book will help you and must be a part of your kid's library. I commend the author for focusing on bringing our children back home to where they belong. This is a must read for your sons and daughters.

Page by page, Little Lumpy's Book of Blessings unfolds "goodness" how to eat nutritiously, enjoy nature, doing things children love to do. I would say this is a book that shouts family values.

Families are the back bone of our society and today, books like Little Lumpy's Book of Blessings are needed more than ever, this book speak volumes of loving families, wonderful neighbors, grandparents, playmates, - even the babysitter is shown in a positive light. The writings and illustrations are superb; this book has my blessings.

Let Little Lumpy Lulu warm your heart with this wonderful story of appreciation and thanksgiving. This playful story with smiling faces and rich vibrant artwork will warm the hearts of children, teens, as well as adults of any age. This is the type of book that children should be reading to instill an appreciation of family and foster a giving spirit! A joy to read - a must have for everyone with a child!

Let Little Lumpy Lulu warm your heart with this wonderful story of appreciation and thanksgiving. This playful story with smiling faces and rich vibrant artwork will warm the hearts of children, teens, as well as adults of any age. This is the type of book that children should be reading to instill an appreciation of family and foster a giving spirit! A joy to read - a must have for everyone with a child!