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

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November of the Heart
Published in Paperback by Jove (1994-03-01)
Author: LaVyrle Spencer
List price: $7.99
New price: $4.18
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Predictable, but interesting book...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-19
When I started out reading this book, I was very skeptical, and I did not want to read something, that was set in the 1800's. I was pleasantly surprised though, because of what I learned about those times. I loved the characters and thought that they just fit together, especially Lorna and Jens. The book was romantic, but definitely had tragic and horrible moments, as well. This was a great novel, with an expected ending, but I really did enjoy this book a lot.

LaVyrle Spencer is awesome
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-22
and this book proves she is at the top! I enjoyed this book even though it was a tear jerker.

A Tender and Sweet romance! One of the best i have ever read!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-23
Levyrle Spencer can just make you feel what her characters are feeling so effortlessly that you laugh and cry with them and almost forget that they are not real.
Lorna and Jens are one of her most real characters and their situation is also so real. The way they are helpless against their attraction to each other even after knowing it would be disastrous was so beautifully written that you could feel the sexual tension yourself whenever they were together.
Lorna was a rich girl but not spoilt at all. And Jens was poor but too ambitious and proud to become one of the servents in house for Lorna. Their attraction, like it always happens in Levyrle Spencer's romances, grew with each of their meetings to an extent that it was almost unbearable for me(and i suppose all the readers). It became something too strong and inevitable to ignore anymore. I especially liked the scene when Lorna asked Jens if he was ever going to kiss her, "I have considered ordering you to, but it didn't work before." How sweet!
People like Lorna's parents could make something so beautiful and rare into something cheap and dirty. Her mother was so convincing that she made Lorna question her own feelings. Her mother used her shame and guilt as a weapon against her love for Jens and made her give up hope. Jens was angry with her for giving up and i don't blame him.
The ending was Great! It warmed my heart to see Lorna stand up for her love and her child without any shame or guilt.
This is one of those books that you have got to read again and i definately will.

Just plain AWESOME
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-16
I LOVED this book!!! It is the love story of Lorna, a rich girl (though not spoiled at all), living in the high society of Minnesota in the late 1800s, and Jens, the kitchen handyman, hired by her father to build him the fastest boat possible. The characters come to life in this book - LaVyrle Spencer at her best, so very well written that you can feel their pain, etc. Heartwrenching and very romantic. Reminds me of "Titanic" with the whole upper class/lower class theme. I can't say enough about this book. I just couldn't put it down, it is really that good!!! It is definitely one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone!!!

November of the Heart
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-12
The setting of November of the Heart is Minnesota, 1895. Lorna Barnett, the central figure, is the beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter of Commodore Gideon Barnett, a proud man who's a member of the White Bear Yacht Club. The Barnetts are high on the social ladder, and the Barnetts expect Lorna to marry the handsome, well-off Taylor DuVal. However, one summer at their lake house, Lorna unexpectedly falls in love with the kitchenhand, twenty-five-year-old Jens Harkens, the Norweigan, and they begin a passionate, risky relationship. They both know that if they are discovered, Jens will be banished from the lakehouse. Gideon Barnett is passionate about racing boats, and after bitterly losing a race, Jens suggests that he knows how to build a better boat (after all, he is a Norweigan), so he is commissioned to build a boat for the next race. However, his tenure is cut short as his and Lorna's relationship is exposed, and Lorna's life is almost ruined with scandal.

A poignant, passionate read that deals with love at its cruelest and at its heartwarming best, but a lot of times, I felt like the plot was too stagnant and uninteresting. There are not a lot of driving moments/action that make the plot move forward, and the ending is resolved a little too neatly. However, if one does not mind the verbiage and the intense sexual scenes (if one is not comfortable with these kinds of things), then one can enjoy this cute "coming of age" novel for Lorna Barnett and her undying love for her Norweigan.

News
Now Pitching for the Yankees: Spinning the News for Mickey, Billy and George
Published in Hardcover by SportClassic Books (2003-02-25)
Author: Marty Appel
List price: $19.95
Used price: $39.93
Collectible price: $44.95

Average review score:

LOVED THE BOOK
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-30
I could not put the book down.....fast reading and great stories and lots of humor.....one heck of a story teller....

A smart, sensitive memoir
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-21
Marty Appel served in the Bronx Bombers' public-relations office for nearly nine years, and was the PR director during the tumultuous early George Steinbrenner years (from 1974 to 1977). Appel's "Now Pitching For the Yankees" recalls the turmoil of that period -- and Appel's ability to function under pressure --with wit, a keen eye for detail and sensitivity.

None of the long hours Appel spent at the ballpark, the turmoil he witnessed, or the high-pressure tactics of owner Steinbrenner have dimmed his appreciation for his colleagues and bosses. It comes through in the pages of this warm, often touching memoir.

The boldface names are there -- including Steinbrenner, Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson -- along with less-famous but pivotal Yankee characters like clubhouse man Pete Sheehy, team execs Michael Burke and Gabe Paul, and Appel's mentor in public relations, Bob Fishel. (It even mentions the writers: Appel's anecdote about one scribe's losing battle with bladder control in Boston is priceless.)

Appel also reflects on his vibrant post-Yankees career, including a bittersweet period with the Atlanta Olympics and a still-thriving stint as a baseball author (subjects include early baseball star King Kelly, former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and former Yankee captain Thurman Munson).

"Now Pitching for the Yankees" is a good find for anyone who loves baseball, cherishes its history and appreciates the people behind the scenes who make it happen.

Baseball needs Marty Appel
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-10
As a Red Sox fan, I was ready to read this and get whacked in the face with the hubris usually shown by anything Yankee. I was surprised by the balance shown. Marty Appel knows more about baseball than a lot of people running the game now. He was born about 30 years too late as people like Epsteil, Beane and Riccardi get to run ballclubs, while Mr. Appel 30 years ago had to come up through the ranks with Steinbrenner's Yankees no less. Mr. Appel also wrote an excellent biography on one of the first superstarts of baseball back in the 1800's--King Kelly. I recommend both books highly.

The Other Side of the '70s Yankees
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-12
Only if you really know your New York sports would you realize that Marty Appel's in a much more unique position to write a tell-all book about the 1970s Yankees than many other athletes. During his progression over 10 years from Yankees' fan-mail gopher during the Horace Clarke years, to PR director during the 1976 World Series, Appel had once-in-a-lifetime encounters (with the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Mike Burke, Gabe Paul, George Steinbrenner and ... Oscar Gamble) every single day.

"Now Pitching...", finally out in paperback, shows Appel's origins as a Yankees fan when everyone else was rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and how he turned his love for the game into a career (when everyone else was watching the NFL). Most of the book covers the Yankees from 1968 to 1976, Appel's reign. Although many of the stories are familiar to baseball readers from what seems like 100 other books, only Appel is giving you the inside view. Nowhere else will you get such insider detail about Oscar Gamble's infamous haircut, Sparky Lyle's theme music, or George Steinbrenner's management style.

The book flags a little -- only a little -- when Appel leaves the Yankees and makes his mark in other ventures, such as team tennis and local NYC broadcasting. The most interesting part focusses on Appel's brief fish-out-of-water turn with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics organizers.

Marty Appel's been a very lucky guy -- who else gets to be friends with both Mickey Mantle and Billie Jean King? "Now Pitching for the Yankees" is several cuts above your standard baseball autobiography.

From Big Bad Baseball Website
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-03
Posted 5:49 p.m., December 12, 2001 - Bruce M.
If I may add another book to the list. The best baseball book that I've read this calendar year is Marty Appel's Now Pitching for the Yankees. Marty worked in the Yankees' public relations department from 1968 to 1977, and shares loads of funny and insightful stories about the CBS Yankees and the Yankees of the Steinbrenner Era. The book is well-written, flows smoothly, and strikes me as honest without "hatcheting" people in and around baseball. I'd recommend the book to both Yankee and non-Yankee fans.

News
Owl at Home (I Can Read Book 2)
Published in Paperback by HarperTrophy (1982-09-29)
Author:
List price: $3.99
New price: $1.25
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Tear water tea!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-10
In my opinion its hard to grow up in the 80's and not know "Frog and Toad" it was so popular when I was a kid I don't know anyone that didn't read it and with that I had the name Arnold Lobel branded in my mind since. So when I saw this I had to give it a try. "Owl at home" is made up of a handful of little short stories which i find really useful at bedtime cause I can zip through them quickly yet they don't feel rushed and yet amazingly evoke alot of thought and questions afterward. My daughter is the type to pull out 15 books at bedtime so these are a great way to wrap up the night or read something light. "Tear water tea" is my favorite (I find it to be incredibly creative yet true to what you imagine little minds would find sad) cause the images he uses to make himself sad (in order to cry and collect enough tears in a pot for tea) are so cute like spoons that fell behind the stove and are to never be seen again and mornings nobody saw cause they were too busy sleeping! I just love it love it love it I couldn't recommend a beginner book more!

Wonderful, Whimsical, Wise
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-06
This Arnold Lobel classic should be a fixture on every child's bookshelf. Owl is a gentle soul with whom children can identify, even as they laugh at Owl's silly responses to mundane events in the world around him. Humor ensues when Owl goes too far in anthropomorphizing (tytomorphizing?) winter and the moon, and when he mistakes his own feet for scary bumps under the bed. These stories are a natural for bedtime on a cold winter night, cuddled up under the blankets just before drifting off to sleep.

great memories
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-10
I originally purchased this book when my children were young, and it was nearly worn out from the numerous readings. My children loved the "bumps" and I always used the "tear water tea" to remind my kids when everything seemed to be going wrong in their world. It is a great little book for children...and some of us adults as well.

another lobel must have
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-31
My 2 1/2 yr old daughter loves Lobel books and when I moved "up" from the ones in the Easy Fiction area of the library to the Easy - Reader ones I was very pleased as was she. Very short, simple stories with a very clever and imaginative storyline. Like Mousesoup and Mousetails, the stories are just simply good reading stories that my daughter loves hearing over and over and I dont tire of reading.

A pure and rare jewel
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-06
This book is marvelous. All the stories in this book are so charming, innocent and beautiful. I dont believe my own eyes. Now, all the illustrations are also absolutely wonderful. They are incomparables. As I said, I dont believe my own eyes, because in today's book market (dominated by emptiness, futility and commercial [...]), it is like a glass of pure water in the desert. More, it is a miracle! I read it every night to my children, and cannot put it down myself. I am sad on only one point: I cannot give it 6 stars. Please, buy this beautiful little book to your children. It is a wonderful gift they wont forget. One of these few wonderful souvenirs we all love so much to remember from our childhood.

News
Roses for Mama (Women of the West)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House Publishers (1991-04)
Author: Janette Oke
List price: $11.99
New price: $0.01
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $11.99

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!

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Shambhala
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Bantam (1986-09-01)
Author: Chogyam Trungpa
List price: $17.00
New price: $4.99
Used price: $0.95

Average review score:

I really wanted to like it
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-13
I recently read this book as part of a class in a local Shambhala center. The book, which is a sort of "Bible" for members of the Shambhala community, represents a collection of talks he gave over the years in which he defined many of the basic teachings that have become part of the Shambhala training.

My biggest disappointment in this book was how little grounding there is in Buddhism. There is a little overlap, but most of the book uses very different concepts and terminology that did not resonate with core Buddhist principles. Second, the book didn't seem well organized to me; it had a stream-of-consciousness feel that was difficult to follow.

I really wanted to like this book but ultimately just wasn't able to connect with it. For understanding Shambhala Buddhism, I'd encourage reading the two books by Chogyam Trungpa's son, Sakyong Mipham, and also anything written by Pema Chodron. To read more about Buddhism in general, I'd encourage trying Thich Nhat Hanh; Henepola Gunaratana; Jack Kornfield; Gil Fronsdal; Suzuki Roshi.

the Aha moment
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-17
I was given this book by a friend years ago when struggling with seemingly everything. Many of the concepts at that time flew over my head but through the years, they return in poignant, aha-like flashes. The idea of having a warrior's heart-able to withstand great joy and great pain and accepting both as reasonable in life-is the concept that stands out most. I love this book and just bought another copy for a friend looking to be more present in her life. I recommend it for anyone who is truly serious about living life openly and honestly, not just being herded along.

Path to Liberation
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-05
Dispite Chogyam Trongpa's controversial lifestyle, this is the best Spiritual book I have ever read. I agree with the sentiment that I would like to have this book if stranded on an island.

Quoted from the back cover -- "In this practical guide to enlightened living, Chogyam Trungpa offers an inspiring vision for our time, based on the figure of the sacred warrior. In ancient times, the warrior learned to master the challenges of life, both on and off the battlefield. He acquired a sense of personal freedom and power -- not through violence or aggression, but through gentleness, courage, and self-knowledge."

In his view not only was individual enlightenment not mythical, but Shambhala Kingdom referred to an enlightened society that could actually be realized. The practice of Shambhala vision is to use mindfulness/awareness meditation as a way to connect with one's basic goodness and confidence, as well as with that of others and the world. Shambhala vision is described as a secular approach, rooted in meditation, but accessible to individuals of any, or no, religion. In Shambhala terms, it is possible, moment by moment, for individuals to establish enlightened society. source: wikipedia

also a must read Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Shambala reads good..
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
Enjoyable read. Easy to relate with examples book provides. Author draws out ideas presented in the book pretty well. Reading is light but entertaining.

Uniquely Valuable
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
This book makes a unique contribution to the quest for sanity and significance, for ourselves and our world. It stresses our essential goodness and authenticity. and charts out how we can achieve a standing beyond fear. We can re-focus from fear of death to the "Great Easern Sun vision," appreciating ourselves and our world: a very gentle approach. Written in an approachable and comfortable way, it can help us to reframe our lives, move us to a standing in bravery and tenderness, an orientation so vital to the planet now.

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The Spoken Words of Spirit: Lessons From The Other Side
Published in Paperback by Outskirts Press (2008-03-06)
Author: Jim Fargiano
List price: $15.95
New price: $14.30

Average review score:

Lessons from the Other Side, A Spiritual Face Lift for the Soul
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-27
Author James Fargiano writes in a humble, down to earth, style. The simplicity of style does not take away from the profundity of the message. Although there are many messages, the common thread that runs through the book is that of optimism and positivity. We can change our own reality when negativity is dropped. If enough of us do this, we can change the world. So many prophetic books today are filled with harsh warnings, doom and gloom as well a fear of the future. This book however, inspires hope and trust. It is a soothing balm for the spirit.

The book is filled with beautiful and meaningful sayings which make quite an impression on the human psyche. The one I like best is, "Virtuous living is the indicator of a knowledgeable soul." Also, the book has a section of wonderful prayers. In this review I have only touched upon a few of the metaphysical goodies in this so simple, yet so profound a book.

Awesome
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-11
I was literally in awe the entire time I read this book. It is amazing on so many levels. First, I'm not so into reading but I force myself to, I found myself absorbed with The Spoken Words of Spirit. It is captivating! I actually never wanted to stop reading it. I hope he writes another asap. Second, it is easy to read. It had a certain grace to the way it was written. Third, Oh my God! I felt the presence of spirit while I was reading. It is empowering, inspiring, valadating, and everything that is truly positive in the universe. It kind of centered me again. I will definately re-read this book whenever I feel the slightest off balance, negative, moody, doubtful, etc. It awakened my soul to eternal love. Time no longer feels like prison and suddenly I find myself just progressing, in the few days I read the book! I want everyone to read this book.

Inspiring!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-10
I found myself constantly picking up Jim's book to read more and referring back to pages previously read. I've marked many pages that have touched my heart and soul. I feel as many others have that the entries from Spirit are directed personally to me. Thank you to Jim for sharing the words of Spirit with all of us. I'm saying an extra prayer of two that there will be a second book in the not so distance future.

A GIFT
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-24
This book is truly a gift from the other side. Many thanks to Jim Fargiano,a kind and humble soul, who has shared his ability to communicate with spirit with us. I, for one, am eternally grateful.

CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-19
I have to say it was like almost obtaining a personal reading as I read The Spoken Words Of Spirit. There are some complicated issues going on in my life, and everyone has issues, however as I read through the pages it was as if I was getting answers. Life felt lighter after reading the book. I know this book will remain part of my life as I keep referring back to it. I can only hope that another book by Jim Fargiano is on its way. Thank you for writing such an inspiring book.

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STOP THE PRESSES: The Crisis and Litigation PR Desk Reference
Published in Hardcover by Watershed Press (2007-12-15)
Authors: Esq. Richard S. Levick and Larry Smith
List price: $29.95
New price: $14.75
Used price: $3.47

Average review score:

Clearly written, fun to read, and indispensable
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-29
Richard S. Levick and Larry Smith have delivered the definitive book, at least for now, on crisis communications and litigation PR. (Brief disclosure: I have met and chatted with both of them, but this review is, I hope, unaffected by any personal contacts.)

Levick and Smith don't hold back in describing some disastrous public relations gaffes by major companies, and they also give credit to corporations that understood how important the "court of public opinion" can be. These authors also know how to write: the book is free from marketing and PR jargon, and is easy and even fun to read. As a media relations professional and former reporter and editor, I have put this book on my desk next to my computer.

The authors also recognize the importance of blogs - both as tools that a company or law firm's opponents can use and as tools that are well suited to defense as well.

The recommended use of "message points," though hardly original with Levick and Smith, reaches a high plateau here. Their recommendations for pharmaceutical companies, antitrust defendants, even asbestos makers, are not merely plausible but convincing.

Sometimes a firm needs to stand tough and fight the battle in the media. Sometimes it needs to stand down. Levick and Smith help explain the difference.

This would be a five-star review except that the authors' constant use of brief stories -- in a different and jarring typeface -- as sidebars in the text is off-putting and even a bit amateurish. Sometimes, it's even hard to follow. The fact that they must put "continued" lines into their book ("See page 147") should have been a tip-off that the typography here is not ideal.

Still, this is a terrific book.

Advanced Strategies for Crisis Communication
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-03
Don't buy this book for your PR department. Buy it for your attorneys.

Levick bridges the gap between the need for an organization to speak publicly during a crisis and its legal department's desire to keep the corporate yap locked tight. An attorney himself, Levick understands perception trumps fact, and that at crisis time the real battle won't happen in a court of law; it's already happening in the court of public opinion.

Filled with insights and strategies for short-circuiting a media assault from newspapers still in print to online bloggers, "Stop the Presses" is a must-read for those who think they know crisis communications.

Levick also explains the critical need for advance preparation, on-going media awareness and outside legal and communications counsel in a crisis, three steps lacking in too many organizations.

A clear winner.

Dennis Dean
The Dean Group

"Be prepared" is better than "be sorry."
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-20
It's rare that a book can serve as an "insurance policy," but Stop The Presses comes as close as any I have read. Nobody relishes the idea of a crisis situation befalling them or their business--but crises do strike--and by definition, they are unexpected. If a company's management has read, or even browsed those neat little gray "So Don't Forget" boxes at the end of each chapter of Stop The Presses, it will have taken the first step on the road to preparedness.

Ricard Levick and Larry Smith make this sometimes frightening topic eminently readable, and fill the pages with useful, do's, don't and "don't forgets." Their experience is evident all through the book. No book is a substitute for the right advisers and advice, but this one covers many of the crises and legal/regulatory troubles with just enough explanation to start readers on the path to the right kind of actions.

As I stated at the start: it isn't quite an insurance policy, but for $30, it might just save your reputation or your company. And that's probably the best $30 you could spend. Buy it; read it; and hope you never need it. You'll sleep better at night.

"Must Read" for Outside and Inside Counsel as well as PR Folks
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-04
After having devoured this book, I can highly recommend reading it.

It is easy to read and offers lots of very practical advice on how to master or even prevent crisis. Richard and Larry have apparently broad experience in helping troubled companies in times of difficulties; and they share their knowledge with a good portion of humor, many real world references and examples, and very helpful appendixes.

Their emphasis on "prevention" made it clear to me how important it is for nearly every company's "survival" to anticipate the potential for crisis and to set up early the required structures. I liked in particular the reminder - or wake up call for many of us - on how important it is to become part of the blog community.

This book should be bed side lecture for everybody who manages communication on behalf of any size and type of company, in particular outside counsel, members of legal and PR departments. It is a great 1x1 on crisis management but also offers lots of depth.

I immediately thought of British Airways' management who should have read this book before opening Heathrow's new terminal and entering into disaster. They would most probably be better off today!

Stop the Presses: The Crisis and Litigation PR Desk Reference.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-02
Stop the Presses (2nd Ed.) is a reference book, but it can only be considered a primer for anyone needing to respond to crisis and litigation. I especially like appendix. Most readers will find them helpful.

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Up in the Old Hotel
Published in Paperback by Vintage (1993-06-01)
Author: Joseph Mitchell
List price: $16.95
New price: $7.00
Used price: $2.24
Collectible price: $16.99

Average review score:

Great reading!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-04
A book that covers the nooks and crannies of lower Manhattan. Oddball characters are brought to full
bloom under the author's pen. He knew how to listen! Towards the back some great essays on
growing up along the Carolina coast.

This is the kind of writing that will outlast us all
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-15
Up in the Old Hotel is a masterpiece. I've read it so many times (it is my ultimate desert island book) and have yet to tire of it. The essays (and the few short stories that are included) are timeless, generous works of genius. Joseph Mitchell captures his odd and wonderful subjects as richly realized individuals, and appreciates the smallest of beautiful, dark and humorous nuances. His vision is presented so humbly and offhandedly, yet with absolute precision and so much respect. You truly feel a part of the experience. I'm not sure there is anyone who could write better. All of the essays are amazing, but my favorites are Mr. Hunter's Grave, The Old House at Home, Mazie, and Up in the Old Hotel. The short stories in Section II of the first book are heart wrenching. This book also makes a really great gift.

The Essential New York Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-30
Are you going to visit "the City"? Have you been to NYC (and loved it)? Up in the Old Hotel was written before most of us were born but still delivers the savory secrets of this great metropolis. Characters abound who could only exist in NY. Meet them before you go. And be sure to eat a slice of Ray's pizza on Sixth Ave. and 11th Street!

Some of the greatest journalistic writing ever written
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-21
This writing puts you right into a time and a place and makes it real.. This is one of the most charming collection of writings I have read so far.. Joseph mitchell's characters of New york are so endearing.. From irish saloon keepers to gypsys to stubborn old men who swear by their diet.. this is great story-telling.. this is the legend of new york..the legends of the real people and eccentrics who inhabit its streets..

Truly a great book.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-09
Whenever I can't think of something to read, I pick up Up in the Old Hotel and read a story or two out of it. I've probably read it 4-5 times and never get tired of it. It captures a lost era of American life that is what I think of when I imagine America in its finest light. Reminiscent of Tortilla Flats and other Steinbeck and even On the Road in a way - a gentler time in our history.

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The Way of Youth: Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life's Questions
Published in Paperback by Middleway Press (2000-10-01)
Author: Daisaku Ikeda
List price: $14.95
New price: $7.50
Used price: $2.00

Average review score:

Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-26
I bought this for my kids but I keep reading it myself. They can read it when I'm done. It is well written and very practical for everybody in today's world. This includes adults as well as kids.

Great advice for young people
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
This is a great collection of advice for teenagers, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist. It is relevant in today's world and comes from a place of real humanistic compassion for youth. I'd recommend it to anyone of any age, but especially if you know any teenagers going through tough times or trying to deal with the various issues that come up nowadays. I read a similar book with a Q&A style format by Daisaku Ikeda when I was a teenager and found it very encouraging.

Pretty useful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-31
This is the kind of thing adults should read, let alone kids. I'm reading it because I can't stand most organized religions, especially the one I was raised with - Christianity. Too stringent and angry for me and not realistic in everyday life, IMO. This Buddhist philosophy book aimed at kids really tells it like it is. I could relate to much of the advice given to kids and their parents. I also feel that it reflects the wisdom I've gained through the school of hard knocks. For example, the chapter on friends is relevant. You can't change other people's bad behavior or even influence it, all you can do is be the best possible you, have personal integrity and compassion for those who treat you badly. Basically, if someone behaves badly, you don't have to wish them to go to hell, they're already there. Great stuff in this book. All adults in America should read this!

A Way of Youth for Everyone
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-19
This volume deals in a Q & A format with issues of concern to all young people. Although Daisaku Ikeda is a Buddhist leader, his answers deal with humanity and the wisdom inherent in it rather than with religion -- it is for everyone. As one reads through the book, a common message emerges vividly although never dealt with directly: you are most valuable and precious; find your own voice and use it without fear; find your own self and value it deeply. By the end of the book, the reader finds himself/herself viewing things in a very positive light.

Excellent!
Helpful Votes: 93 out of 94 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-06
This book is an excellent collection of Buddhist responses to the questions of today's young people. "The Way of Youth" includes topics like building confidence, respecting yourself and others, developing happiness from within, dealing with peer pressure and contributing to a peaceful world. The book is written for a general audience and I believe it appeals to both teens and parents regardless of their religious beliefs. I also highly recommend a book called "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom" by a young Buddhist author named Taro Gold. Excellent!

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You Are What You Love
Published in Paperback by Purple Haze Press (2006-05-01)
Author: Vaishali
List price: $24.95
New price: $20.95
Used price: $16.50

Average review score:

Vaishali Rules!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-26
Vaishali's book asks a simple question to the reader, "What do you love?" Throughout the book the reader will continue to ask this question to themselves, and the book helps to guide the individual to find honest answers. If you know what you love, then you know who you are and what you are looking for. Without observation, life will pass you by and leave you with regrets later. Everyone should read this book to help spark their soul journey in the right direction.

FABULOUS
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
Vaishali has the ability to cut through all the extraneous stuff straight to the heart of the matter and make everything so clear!

GREAT READ!

You Are What You Love
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-16
As a personal friend and colleague of Vaishali's, I find her unique infusion of humor and willingness to address the darker aspects of human nature to be a refreshing alternative to most of the Pollyanna fortune cookie platitudes that tend to dominate this genre. "You Are What You Love" is actually a very forthright declaration that each of us must love whatever it is that most occupies our thoughts, even if we are complaining about it.

WOW! I Wish I Had Read This Book Earlier
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-06
Vaishali answered so many questions in this book, I wish I had understood this life changing wisdom earlier, it would have made my life so much easier. I feel so much better about how to deal with challenging people and circumstances now. This is one of the most personally empowering books I have ever read, I highly recommend this book. I also loved it is printed in purple ink.

A beautiful and enlightening conversation.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-03
Vaishali's exquisite You Are What You Love reminds me of a stimulating conversation so juicy it is worth staying up all night to enjoy. The subject matter bridges the metaphysical with the practical and makes the subject matter an exciting adventure for both the mind and the heart. The choice of subtopics reflects the wisdom of the author; and her humility and love shine through on every page. Lighthearted without being lightweight, this is a book I'd recommend to the neophyte as well as the spiritual sophisticated. You Are What You Love is an excellent read: I'll look forward to Vaishali's future works.


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