Authors Books

I love this Learning Spanish Like Crazy Light! At first I thought it was going to be hard to learn like with any other language learning CD/book. I took 6 years of Spanish and barely knew any Spanish, I couldnt even have a conversation in Spanish. I listened to 2 CDs from this set, and learned more than I did than in those 6 years, and can have full conversations without a problem.

When I get more money I will be purchasing the full Learning Spanish Like Crazy sets. This is great, and much cheaper than aot of the one that advertise on TV.

Love it!!

I did a lot of research before buying these CDs. Anna Rivera's review helped a lot and pushed me over the edge.

I took 2 years of high school Spanish, 12 weeks of an evening immersion course and 2 weeks of Spanish immersion living with a Mexican family in Cuernava and attended immersion University daily. Sounds pretty good......but I learned more from the first CD in terms of actually functioning Spanish speaking then from all of the above. Its fun and easy. Before you know it you will be speaking Spanish Like Crazy. Highly recommended.

Learning spanish like crazy light is the first 14 lessons to the overall stage 1 program and is designed to be a sampler. However, it is a serious learning program and has been very well designed. Some of the choices of words are odd (e.g. "pillowcase" in the first lessons), but this is not a problem as each lesson builds very nicely on the previous. I am in the middle of using it and am very happy with my choice of program (though I have not tried some of the other comparable programs). I have never been able to learn languages in the past but do feel that I am making real progress now - and, in the form of spanish I want to speak - latin American (though ? which part(s) I have no idea). Best of all, I am doing it in my car while stuck in the usual commute - I am not even bothered by traffic any longer as it gives time for me to carry out a complete lesson (30-40 minutes) in one journey.

I will definitely be buying the rest of the program once I master these first lessons and recommend the program to anyone wanting to speak spanish with people on the american continents.

I bought this video set for my husband who has a head for numbers but not languages. It teaches you Spanish the way the citizens speak it, which is great since we plan to visit Peru in the future. I thought I was too busy to learn but by listening in I am picking up quite a bit too. We had some trouble with the third CD and they were great about replacing it immediatly. We will continue on with another of their sets after this one.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R4MFGA9FV14UU They just added a new bonus. When you order now, when your package arrives, you get a link to download a bunch of these video lessons. The videos are not part of the main section of this audio course. The videos are bonus gifts. I wanted to share this information because I thought that it would be helpful information for anyone considering buying.

This is a fine book to add to your Little House collection. It's interesting reading even if you never travel to the sites.

I read a number of the Little House books recently, and when I finished I was fired up to learn more about Laura and her family. Even though I can't plan a trip in the near future to visit the places Laura called home, I loved reading about each spot in THE LITTLE HOUSE GUIDEBOOK.

Each chapter discusses the location of each "little house," including places that Laura lived in but didn't write about. Almanzo Wilder's homes are also included. We see photographs and read descriptions of what each place looks like now, how and when each spot was honored as a Laura Ingalls Wilder historical site, along with suggestions for interesting places to visit and stay.

The first chapter, which deals with "the little house in the big woods" of Pepin, Wisconsin, tells the tale of how Charles and Caroline Ingalls (Laura's parents) were among the earliest settlers of western Wisconsin. One interesting note: the house in the big woods was actually the Ingalls's home twice. The family sold the land once, moving to Kansas. However, the buyer quit making payments and the Ingalls returned. As with many of Laura's little houses, the original cabin is gone but visitors can tour a replica.

The next chapter discusses the setting of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, near Independence, Kansas. Here we learn more about the land issues between the Native Americans and the settlers, which eventually prompted the Ingalls to leave their prairie home.

The following chapters cover Plum Creek, near Walnut Grove, Minnesota; the Masters Hotel in Burr Oak, Iowa (covered in OLD TOWN IN THE GREEN GROVES, written by Cynthia Rylant); and De Smet, South Dakota (otherwise known as "The Little Town on the Prairie" and also covered in the books BY THE SHORES OF SILVER LAKE, THESE HAPPY GOLDEN YEARS and THE FIRST FOUR YEARS).

Laura and Almanzo eventually moved to the Ozarks in Mansfield, Missouri, where they established Rocky Ridge Farm. Here, visitors can tour their white farmhouse, kept just as the Wilders had it in the 1940s and 1950s, along with the Rock House that daughter Rose had built for Laura and Almanzo in 1928.

Almanzo's houses come next: his boyhood farm home in Malone, New York, still stands and can be toured. Almanzo's parents moved to Spring Valley, Minnesota; although their Minnesota farmhouse is long gone, rabid Wilder fans may want to visit the town museums and the graveyard where Almanzo's brother Royal is buried.

Speaking of fans, THE LITTLE HOUSE GUIDEBOOK is fascinating for Laura's many admirers. It's eye-opening to read about these various locations. The photographs by Leslie A. Kelly are a fine addition, giving readers a view of each area and a peek into how people lived back in Laura's time.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

It is best for anyone who plan to travel to all sites of where Laura is born and raise and lived in. I am serious considering to go to some sites myself after read that book. It is great book.

Many Minnesotans have visited the original Wilder sites, but this book contains infomation that was new to even a jaded "Wilder" fan!

William Anderson has done a fabulous job in painstakingly documenting everything there is to see from New York to South Dakota that has anything to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" series. Ever wondered what happened to Pa's fiddle? Or if the house dug out from the banks of Plum Creek is still intact? This book has the answers. Complete with color photographs, addresses, phone numbers and maps, as well as ample background information, The Little House Guidebook is a must have for Little House fans everywhere. Even if you never get to visit these places, this book will take you there.

Love of Goldens is wonderful book for anyone who shares their life with a golden or is thinking of adding one to the family. The photographs are beautiful and the essays and biographical stories are heartwarming.
You'll laugh alot and shed some tears before you put this book down. But be forewarned...people who have read this book have been known to suffer an irrepressible urge to run out and find the nearest breeder of Goldens.

We did. And our eight week old Maggie is sitting in my lap as I type this!

Just bought my third golden retriever, and was STILL amazed at how much I enjoyed the absolutely beautiful photography in this book. My brother got it for my Father for Christmas, and I liked it so much I bought one for myself the next day. Amusing stories to read about different goldens, too, but I had not seen a golden retriever book with such a wonderful collection of pictures on almost every page before. Definitely a keeper!!

This is a very light book with some very nice and "cute" photographs. Good for the coffeetable or bathroom.

Love of Goldens has cute stories and some of the best golden photos that I've ever seen! The photos are absolutely beautiful and there's a TON of them!! It's worth it to buy this book even if only to look at the pictures.

i think that if you like goldies and think they are so sweet, then buy this book!! it has stories about goldies, and it has the history of goldies, and such CUTE pictures. oh, by the way, i have a goldie myself, her name is "violet" she is the cutest, sweetest, smartest, most affectionate little doggy.

Novela ganadora del prestigioso Premio Alfaguara (Madrid, 1998) cuyo jurado fue presidido por Carlos Fuentes. Sergio Ramírez se consagra como un gran escritor con esta documentada y entretenida novela que cuenta la historia de dos vidas tan contrarias como paralelas: la del príncipe poeta Rubén Darío y la del tirano Anastasio Somoza García. Espíe o hágase cómplice de los conspiradores del asesinato! Siga a Rigoberto López Pérez en su entrenamiento para convertirse, a un mismo tiempo, en mártir y asesino. Vea cómo "Tacho" Somoza bailaba al son de un rico mambo de Pérez Prado poco antes de ser tiroteado con balas envenenadas por un arrecho y cellinesco orfebre. Llore o ríase de la esperpéntica y triste historia de la Caimana, la lesbiana más famosa de Nicaragua. Conozca a Margarita, la niña inmortalizada en el célebre verso que da título a la novela. Admire o apártese del bisturí del Sabio Debayle, amigo de Darío y difícil suegro de Somoza. Lea cómo todos estos "dramatis personae" integran humorosa comedia o tragedia sangrienta. Sergio Ramírez, respetado político y escritor, conoce la espada, y conoce la pluma. En esta novela nos ha obsequiado con literatura seria, con gracia original, y con estilos y formas modernos y variantes. Creo que este hombre se ha merecido los ciento setenta y cinco mil dólares del Premio Alfaguara. En el 2004 fue publicada su MIL Y UNA MUERTES. Como siga así, siguiendo los pasos de García Márquez, Ramírez podría un día llegar a recibir el Nobel.

Whether you are Nicaraguan or not and whether you know or do not know about their history, this is something you definitely need to read. Ramirez wrote an excellent story from history's point of view with a great touch of imagination. Furthermore, there are touches of humor throughout the whole story that will suit the reader in the right moment. The author has succesfully written a story which contains history as well as fiction. I do not want to say more for it will be better for you to discover what a great story this. Yo will also enjoy the book for it is rich in culture ...

Esta novela es más de lo que dicen los demás lectores que la recomiendan y que por aquí han dejado sus comentarios. Es el ejemplo claro de cómo un autor como Sergio Ramírez utiliza su talento literario para narrar en forma novelada, artística y educativa, y con alturas universales, eventos históricos que a primera vista pueden parecer cansinos y efímeros relatos de provincia. Si, por otro lado, usted no es de los que siguen de cerca la literatura hispanoamericana -centroamericana en este caso,- y no necesariamente quiere añadir este tomo, materialmente más perdurable a su colección, le recomiendo la edición de bolsillo de Punto de Lectura, también de la editora Alfaguara, disponible a mitad de precio. Después de todo, es la misma novela, sólo que más barata.

Even if your native language is Spanish, this is a hard book to read and comprehend. But what an unforgettable experience it brings to the reader! This book will haunt you and impact you for a long time. It is one of the best books of modern Spanish literature. A must read!

The poetry is definitely missing from this novel. It is beyond me how Sergio Ramirez could portray Ruben Dario, the greatest Nicaraguan poet and one of the greatest Hispanic poets ever, as a womanizer and a drunkard. He is a disgusting character. To make things worse, Ramirez does not reveal Ruben Dario's brilliance as a poet, omitting the poem that gives the book its title (Sergio: not everybody reading the book knows the poem by heart). The good side of the book is the story relating to Somoza's assassination, though the sexual innunedoes are very strong here too. Whether or not the assassination plot is fact-based, it is interesting and sort of a cliffhanger. Rigoberto Lopez-Perez, the hero/assassin, has a poignant story; the description of Somoza's first lady is unforgettably humorous. Nevertheless, this could have been a better book.

These books were really good. With everything else being made into a movie these days, I have to say Robert Stanek's work doesn't need to be shown in movies: the best stories are here in the books. The series is about 1700 pages long; I wanted it to be longer. The characters are different. The story fresh. The world captivating. Even though it took me a few months to get through this series, I have loved it since I started it. I am now a certified Stanek fan and plan to read the series again soon. I have bought a copy of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ruin Mist and was pleased it includes more details on the key families than are in the books. This series is great because it is so intricately done.

Robert Stanek is a wonderful new voice in fantasy and Ruin Mist Chronicles is absolutely spectacular. After reading the earlier books, I couldn't wait to start Mark of the Dragon and it provided such a spectacular conclusion to the series that I couldn't wait to go back and re-read it all again.


Like the others, Mark of the Dragon is a fast paced, action filled, fantasy book. It'll keep you reading till midnight and beyond. Very well done!

Ruin Mist Chronicles starts off good with Keeper Martin's Tale and gets better and better. This is a must read series and one of my all time favorites. Like the other books in the series, this book takes place in a world known as Ruin Mist, an ancient world once ruled by titans and dragons. The titan and dragon masters no longer rule, but their reach still affects the lands and the other peoples of the world. I love the author's clear voice and brilliantly conceived world. A must read!

Stanek's contributions to the fantasy genre are considerable. He single-handedly created the independent renaissance we are enjoying, which has brought so many new voices. His style is unequivocally unique and almost every time I read a new author in the genre, especially an indie fantasy author, I see his considerable influence.

Of all Ruin Mist Chronicles, Mark of the Dragon is the one with the most the outstanding moments and brilliant twists. This book is without doubt the best finale I've read in all my years of reading fantasy. It is Stanek's crowning achievement, and what an outstanding achievement it is. This is where the story all comes together and just about every question the reader has is answered. Bravo Robert on a job well done!

There are plenty of reasons to love Stanek's increasingly popular Ruin Mist books. I have plenty of favorite moments, characters, and more from the four books. Here are my reasons why I love Ruin Mist...

Keeper Martin's Tale
* Adrina's first encounter with the mysterious lady, when she turns to the window and the lady disappears and then reappears. This is where readers first learn of the terrible change coming to the land.
* When Vilmos goes into the woods to collect wood for the fire and encounters a bear, he unleashes the magic he is forbidden to use setting off a chain of events that will change his life forever.
* Seth's studies of the peoples of the kingdoms, when he learns of places beyond his world and is unsure of himself. This is where readers get their first glimpse into the world of the elves. This is where readers first learn about the one who has returned.
* Adrina attempts at renewing her friendship with Emel and Emel's encounter with the lowland cat round Braddabaggon way.
* Adrina's first trip beyond Imtal, where she and Emel learn of the betrayal. Readers learn how sheltered her life has been. Stanek does a wonderful job portraying Adrina's awakening, and how closed off she has kept herself after the death of her mother.
* Xith and Vilmos entering Vangar Forest, getting chased by the shapeshifting wolmerrelle. This is the reader's first full introduction to the greater realms of the world and the dark forces at work.
* Vilmos's first lessons with Xith, where he eventually bests Xith if only for a moment.
* Adrina's bittersweet reuniun with her brother in the fallen city.
* Adrina's first encounter with the evil Erravane, the queen of the shapeshifters.

Kingdom Alliance
* Adrina meeting Rudden Klaiveson, and doing what she believes is right.
* Vilmos's arrival at the Mouth of the World, and the continuing of his apprenticeship.
* Emel's awakening to his ancient ancestry.
* Vilmos's first experience with the orbs.
* The arrival of Myrial as witness to Adrina's awakening. This moment provides more insight into Adrina's childhood and the events shaping her life.
* The competitions in the free cities. This is where readers first learn about the trios and the annual competitions.
* Vilmos's journey into the dark place, where he is forced to his the dark magic.
* The journey through Galan's past. This is where the reader first learns the full details of the elven brotherhood.
* Vilmos's experiences with Edward the troant. This is where the reader first learns of King's Mate.
* The return of the old woman, where she takes Valam's sight.
* The arrival of the Adrina's sister, when she delivers the final scroll.
* The dragon tower where two must move as one.
* The first appearance of the dragon king.
* The first competitions and the bitter choice.

Fields of Honor
* The introduction of the titan Amir and the mysterious Noman
* When Amir uses the orb to travel through shadow and later battles a shadow of himself. Stanek's at his best in scenes like these where his characters come to life through their actions.
* The introduction of the great eagles and Ayrian. This reveals more of ages past.
* Valam's first encounter with the trickster Eldrick.
* The confrontation in the sky city, and later discovery of the hidden city.
* Adrina's first meeting with a titan
* The arrival of the prince is the elven lands, and the first meeting with the queen.
* Vilmos's outburst and sudden attack.
* Brodst's meeting with the bandits and the hunter clan.
* The shattering of the alliance of men.

Mark of the Dragon
* The confrontation in the great hall. Stanek brings this together masterfully, as he has done in the past with scenes of conflict.
* The journey into the shadow and the introduction of the stone dragons.
* Adrina's strange sickness, and how she is forced to do what she doesn't want to do.
* Valam and Tsandra's awkward interactions.
* The arrival of a mysterious company.
* Emel's encounter at the Two Hands.
* The arrival of night in the day, and the coming of the one.
* The dream encounters and the forbidden tower.
* Adrina's encounter with the shadows.
* The conflict in the shadow realm and the appearnce of the fourth.
* The dragon king and his queens.
* The passage through the great door and the first encounter with the people.

I would also add that the history of the world is as fascinating as the many characters. Ruin Mist seems real place, and I was fascinated to learn how the name evolved from ancient myth to describe the intetwined realms of earth. These journeys through under earth and over earth, the kingdoms and the reaches are captivating and fascinating. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

Our book study just completed Miracles Do Happen. It was incredible to see God open hearts and minds to Jesus' healing power. It's written in a simple style but it packs a punch in terms of presenting the Gospel. The son of a friend of our group was diagnosed with a recurrence of a brain tumor, and just like in the book, Sister Briege showed up in our town and was able to pray with him and his family. His prognosis is now quite favorable, praise God. If you want to hear the story of how Jesus still cares about His people, how Jesus is still in the healing business and you need a reason to have hope in Christ, this book is the best choice I've ever seen.

This is a great inspiration to me, though I am not catholic.
Her words are uplifting and healing.

"Miracles Do Happen" is an excellent testimony to the power of faith. Briege Mckenna developed sever arthritis as a young adult, which confined her to a wheel chair. When attending a Catholic Charismatic prayer services, she was miraculously healed. Allegedly, she received a private revelation, in which God asked her to be a healer to others. She debated whether the message was really from God, as she was a member of a contemplative community, but after a period of discernment and a series of signs, she lost all doubt.

"Miracles do Happen" is an autobiography of Sr. Briege's healing ministry. She prays for people and many have been healed of spiritual and physical pains and diseases. The book is full of stories and photos of people, whom she has encountered during her journey and many of whom were healed by prayers. It is easy to be skeptical of spiritual healers today, but unlike many charlatans in the field, Sr. Briege does not accept money or promote products or methodology for financial gains. The book is great for renewing faith in prayer, and offers much guidance and learning to discern God's voice in your life through prayer. Sr.Briege herself spends an estimated two-three hours in prayer each day, and write about the types of Christian spiritual practices which have been spiritually edifying for her.

This is a simple book about the role that prayer and faith has played in her life, and in the lives of others whom she has had the fortune to know, during her religious life and is not bogged down in theological explanations or issues related to debatable doctrines. It is written simply as an intimate conversation, as often is the case of works from saints, and when one reads it one has to wonder if they are living in a very special life time of a woman who might be recognized as a saint in the future.

This is a wonderful book. We often need to remind ourselves about the present of our Lord Jesus Christ in our daily lives, and Sr. McKenna has done a wonderful job of doing so. Buy, read and believe...

This is the story of how Sister Breige McKenna became a healer of human bodies and human souls. She herself had a instantaneous healing from Rhematoid Arthritis. Because of this book I sought out her phone number and upon hearing a healing prayer over the phone, I was healed spiritually. I have never been the same and I thank God for it! Buy this, you won't regret it!!!

Mr He Liyi has written a remarkable book. His account of toiling as a political prisoner and suffering all the excesses of China's Maoist period are as stirring as any survivor's story. He is the Robinson Crusoe of Chinese Communism; cast away in a society that persecuted him for no rational reason-yet he survived. Through intelligence, optimism, guile and pluck he constructed the tools of his survival and his family's survival.
But what make's his account so full of life as literature is his ability to translate into English his Bai minority culture and the Han majority culture of Yunnan province. Lao He ("Old He" as I heard him respectfully called) learned English and so wrote his memoir in English. There is no assimilating translation full of Western clichés that distort and keep an author's mind distant from the reader. This is an immediate, passionate, sad and inspiring story of a man who struggled, survived and triumphed. And its funny. His `great discovery' that kept his family from starving involved stealing from community crapper. In love as a young man he is taken away, branded "An enemy of the people" and doesn't see his sweetheart again for years, until remarkable circumstances bring them together again to save the life of his child.
I stumbled across Lao He on the Internet and sent him an e-mail. His gracious reply was all it took for my son and I to change our China travel plans to cross China on a train to see Yunnan Province and visit Lao He in Dali. After 10,000 miles of travel we got off the local bus a couple of days early at 6 am and wandered into Dali. We were standing in the middle of the street orientating our map and my son said "Maybe we'll see Mr He Liyi. Maybe that's him." The man he pointed at was young, "No he's an old man." An old man walked around the corner. "He probably looks more like that man."
"Are you William and Bazyl?"
He is as remarkable as his book. Anyone who loves literature should read his work, anyone who loves travel should visit Yunnan Province and sip tea in his café.

I was travelling around Yunnan reading my guidebook and came across an entry for a small cafe run by a local author. I wandered into the cafe and met with the author. He was very kind. He offered me a drink and we sat and talked about his cafe and his book. I was fascinated at the posters on the walls and the reviews for his book so I had to buy a copy and find out myself.

I have deep admiration for Mr. He. He suffered so much and yet perservered. I can't find any palpable animosity in his writing toward those who mistreated him. It's just amazing how humble and kind this man is.

If you are interested in Chinese culture, communism, or the Cultural Revolution, you should check out Mr. China's Son. I hardly read but this book really got me on many levels.

I thoroughly enjoy reading about Chinese life. I learn quite a bit about a life away from home! I prefer these types of books that whisk me to different parts of the world, chronologically, socially, and culturally. The lives that other people experience elsewhere are fascinating, and one can become engulfed in the stories. I feel as if the author sat down and TOLD me all about his life, something I didn't know about. Like I had an interesting friend over for lunch. This was a superb book to the end!

I think I vaguely remember seeing this book at some point in the States, before I moved to China. But if I had not walked into the author's coffee shop in Dali (Yunnan Province), I probably would not have read this book.

This book is unique in several respects. First of all, it is written in English by a man who is not a native speaker, using the English he learned in University. That is quite an achievement, given the fact that he was a village peasant who did not have much money, and spent most of his life working in the fields. Another very useful feature of this book is the fact that He Liyi was detained as part of the Anti-Rightist campaign, rather than the Cultural Revolution. He was all but untouched by the Cultural Revolution, but the Anti-Rightist campaign affected him profoundly. I have long been interested in the connection between the two events, because disdain of and even abhorrence for the Cultural Revolution is established orthodoxy in China now, but I am not sure China has ever quite come to terms with the Anti-Rightist campaign.

His detention seems to have broken his spirit. He relays a relationship with three women in this book. The first was the girlfriend he almost married, the second was the "ignorant" village girl he did marry, and soon divorced, and the third was the peasant woman who ultimately became his wife. The first woman disappears early in the book, but the other two figure almost throughout. Only one could be his wife, but the other remained his friend, and the warmth of their friendship underlines the pathos of a life lived in the crucible of a world gone mad.

I was mad at him for marrying his first wife. Then I was mad at him for divorcing her. Then I was mad at him for refusing to take her back. My sense of pathos was brought full circle when he finally married a peasant woman and basically became her servant. Slowly the realization hit me that he really had been "emasculated" by the trauma he had suffered. I have certainly read stories of people who went through greater suffering than he did during his time of confinement. But it is not so much what he suffered, but the complete humiliation of his position, and what it did to his spirit.

Mr. China's Son is a good writer. He writes in a simple, personable style that is fun to read, and very absorbing. The book is full of "Chinglish" expressions, which can be a bit misleading if you don't know a little bit of Chinese. For example, he talks about the point when their son becomes a "big school" student. He gets this expression from the literal translation of the characters. The Chinese word for "university" is daxue. The first character means "big," and the second character means "school." So in a literal sense, the term "big-school" is an accurate translation, but a bit misleading. For native speakers of Mandarin, this term does not produce a picture in the mind's eye of a big school. Rather, it induces a picture of a university, because it is, in fact, the Chinese word for university. The equivalent word in English which produces the same picture for native speakers is, of course, the word "university." So using the term "big-school" makes them sound a little bit like country bumpkins, which they were, but not for that reason.

Still, I do like the Chinglish expressions. They add an interesting dimension to the book, which would be missing if they had been edited out. And the folksy style of Mr. China's writing produces a work which is unique in the English language. It actually becomes a contribution to the language, because he has found interesting ways to phrase things that native speakers may not have thought about, but which are perfectly "legal" in the grammatical sense of the term.

This book is published in the United States, and I don't think it is generally available in China. While I was in Dali, I recommended it to a young Chinese lady, and told her how to get to the coffee shop. She went there, but they would not sell her a copy. They did not actually say that she could not buy it because she was Chinese, but they told her that the book was published in the United States. In other words, it is published for foreigners, not Chinese people. My suspicion is that they are being allowed to sell the book out of their store, as long as they only sell it to foreigners. I don't know that for sure; I am just guessing, but I suspect that this is the case.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in that dark period of China's history. But I want to stress that this book is not just another "complaint" about the evils of the Cultural Revolution. It is a window into the nature of village life in China. Some of it of course, deals with the particulars with the Bai minority culture. But much of it is just a simple story about what it is like to live as a village peasant in China. Read it. It will give you a unique view of the lifestyle of folks who are usually disinclined to write about themselves.

This book conveys so many emotions, from all of this one is left almost numb. But having met the man, He LiYi, I can say that this book is a mirror of the man in real life. All that comes out in this book is so exact, in his mannerisms and gentle voice. He is so unassuming and modest, and does not appear to be capable of such strength and determination. This book lets you see that we are all capable of making a difference if only small. I had no knowledge of this book untill I visited his cafe in Dali, I purchased the book directly from him and now pass it to all who are interested. A truly powerful book full of what these people, the Bai, have had to endure at the hands of the ever present "Mr China".

The newest WriteGirl book is a collection of work done by the mentors and young girls that participate in this wonderful non-profit program. The poems especially are truly expressive and creative. The book is a great gift for any young aspiring writer, poet or creative individual. There are also helpful exercises for writing your own short stories and poems, etc.

I love all of my WriteGirl books.

Los Angeles teenage girls and their women writing mentors speak their minds on family, community, and society. Wow--these personal essays, story snippets, and poems ring fiercely true. A great read! Also, this book contains wonderful writing experiments for the reader to try. I tried them and loved them. What a terrific gift! Great to give to young girls, women, or anyone who wants to know what young girls and women are thinking!

Honest, evocative, inspiring pieces from a group of female Los Angeles teens and their mentors. Stories and poems that jump off each page, grab you by the shoulders, and say, "Listen up!" A gift.

This collection of poetry and stories is absolutely a wonderful addition to any coffee table or bookcase, and a wonderful gift for any young woman. Younger writers juxtapose their more experienced counterparts, engaging the reader in a journey of beginnings, ends, learning anew and rediscovering familiar themes and subjects. Anyone interested in the exploration writing provides will absolutely love this collection!!

WriteGirl is a great organization that brings forth incredibly smart, funny, dramatic, original, heartwrenching work from young writers. Their anthologies are a great glimpse into what's on the minds of creative women and girls in Los Angeles and beyond.

Poignant, warm and funny, this lively collection of stories wraps around the reader like that of a real-life experience. The setting is the deep freeze of the cold war - and Russia and China are on most antagonistic terms. But that tension is reflective - as the Chinese themselves seem to, absurdly, turn on themselves, at least in spirit. No lack of wit and great storytelling in "Ocean of Words."

"... whenever we slack a little in ideological education, problems will appear among our men."

Ha Jin, who is easily one of my favorite writers, is in top form in this collection of stories set along the border between Russia and China during the 1970s, when the two nations seemed headed for war. Jin captures the Chinese soldiers in perfect detail and renders them with a great care; they come across as deeply human, complex beings trapped in some pretty ruthless situations. They have little education and few choices in their lives - their only mandate is to serve the revolutionary ideal as prescribed by Chairman Mao and to stamp out "the disease of liberalism" that is plaguing their nation. Education, love, free thought, and many other qualities most of us take for granted are denied them. Even friendship is a dicey proposition, as any one of their compatriots could stab them in the back the moment an opportunity to get ahead in the party presents itself. Among Jin's characters you'll meet a dangerously intellectual young man whose studies may be screwing up his future, a lonely radio worker so desperate for female companionship that merely hearing a woman's voice is enough to steal his heart forever, an instructor who is given the opportunity to either get revenge on a former enemy or show him mercy, a depraved soldier who shockingly acts out against the teachings he has been forced to adapt to, and more. In all of their stories we see the outcome of a generation of men who have been brainwashed to live up to an ideal that even they don't always understand or agree with, but that they must work with in order to get ahead - or, in some cases, just to survive. More than one character falls victim to a witch-hunt of sorts that the soldiers engage in to prove that they are the most loyal to the cause. Without a doubt this was a dangerous time to live in, not only because of the ever-present Russian threat mustering along the borders but because of the paranoia and greed driving one's fellow soldiers to unexpected acts of treachery. Not to mention that what is acceptable one week may become taboo the next, so one must always be careful about which doctrines you follow and how strictly.

As always, Jin has put together a powerful portrait and some spellbinding character studies. While some readers may be put off by his stoic style, it is impossible to deny the enormity of his talent. Any reader would be hard-pressed not to find his writing compelling. I would highly recommend this collection, and I would also recommend picking up War Trash, which is my favorite of Jin's books so far, and Waiting: A Novel, a great read and a National Book Award Winner to boot. I would also recommend Tim O'Brien's Vietnam-era story collection The Things They Carried.
Grade: A

When I read Ocean of Words, I was immediately reminded of two works by "the enemy" from this work, Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time and Tolstoy's Hadji Murad. All three works deal with fear, nature and the other. All three are strangely at peace with their situation and surrounding. All three are great. After reading this collection, I ran out and bought The Bridegroom and Waiting. Neither of these works rose to the level of this collection. This is one of the best short story collections published in the last twenty years. I would recommend this collection to anyone.

Ha Jin brilliantly evokes emotion in short stories that may take some an epic novel to create the same impact. His words are sunbeams bouncing on desolate land and you want to continue despite the heartbreak that you may only survive simply to survive. Never to fully live in the light. He is the most eloquent writer and he allows us to view a world not known to most Americans: China under Mao. Be swept away with words and emotions.

I'm very critical of some Chinese writers like Amy Tan for their distortions of a life they haven't experienced. But this doesn't apply to Ha Jin, who survived the Revolution and was a soldier. I really like this collection of stories because Ha Jin excels in writing vignettes by injecting fresh details. Anyone who is curious about Communist China should read this book. Skip his novels though.

This is a romance novel, an "elder lit" romance novel, if such a category existed. Perhaps it should. I applaud older authors (Williams was 92 when he wrote this book), or any authors, for that matter, who treat elders as real people rather than stereotypes and consider them worthy subjects for fiction.

Main characters Morgan and Dixie meet contentiously in an accidental physical collision outside the Whispering Pines senior residence. Morgan, 89, is considering moving to the independent living section, and Dixie, 79, works there part time.

All the usual problems of old age are present: bad previous family relationships, clouded pasts, suspicions, heath and financial issues, loneliness, hopes, plans, disappointments. At 89 and 79, Morgan and Dixie carry much more emotional baggage than most romance novel characters--but fortunately, more spirit and knowledge, much of it experienced-based, as well.

As they tentatively and gradually fall in love, Morgan and Dixie face their challenges together with the eventual help of Morgan's long-lost grandson. Youth and age combine for a positive outlook toward uncertain futures.

My pessimistic side tells me that this book's ending is unrealistic, yet we all can, and should, hope that our dreams will come true if we keep trying. The positive message overshadows doubts.

This skillfully-written book by a former journalist should be required reading for everyone involved in elder caregiving and everyone contemplating the issue of aging. It is honest, informative, and entertaining, a pleasure to read.

The book includes a Reading Group Guide which would seem to make it an excellent choice for Senior--and Boomer--book clubs.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (1/08)

Mardo Williams, a career journalist, and award-winning author of "One Last Dance," is a highly effective communicator. His writing demonstrates a clear understanding of the reality of growing older. Williams connects with an audience of intergenerational readers as he gives them an insight into the aging process through a backward glance into the past, a glimpse into the future, and the challenge of the present. Williams delivers a clear message of the importance of family stability. This adds an important additional dimension, beyond the delightful entertainment value, to the book.

Eighty-nine-year-old Morgan was considering moving into Whispering Pines Retirement Center and Nursing Home when he literally bumped into seventy-nine-year-old Dixie, a member of the recreation staff at the center. The elements of romance, mystery, and suspense, all add to the message of hope threaded throughout the story of Morgan and Dixie as they enter a relationship based on economic needs in their later years.

Dixie kept secrets from Morgan regarding her medical background and indebtedness, while checking into rumors of scandal in business and family skeletons from Morgan's past life in Chicago. These two strong-willed people are set in their ways; Dixie and Morgan begin to experience change and growth as they discover a new appreciation for each other as their relationship deepens.

Unresolved emotional issues, financial insecurity, and the fear of the unknown plague Dixie as she struggles to find balance in her work, her faith, and loyalty to her friends. The complications of romance at this stage in life, medical expenses, house maintenance, and the loss of independence, all play a part in the dilemmas faced by Morgan and Dixie.

There is an unexpected plot twist when Tony, Morgan's grandson, is introduced into the story. He comes in with a flurry of vengeance, destruction, mistrust, restitution and rehabilitation.

I enjoyed Williams' use of humor and his descriptive language in developing his characters. These characters take on a life of their own as they convey the emotions of criticism, anger, frustration, love, and empathy for each other.

I highly recommend this book for every senior citizen, and for their children. Williams' writing is strong and reveals a deep understanding of the challenge of growing old in America. Inspirational and entertaining, "One Last Dance" offers the promise and hope of finding companionship, love, and meaning and any age and the challenge of living out your dreams.

"One Last Dance" is delightful reading. It has humor, suspense, romance, complexity of character, regrets, yearning and hope. I repeatedly loaned my copy, gave others as gifts to friends and recommended it to everyone. We are all looking ahead or have already achieved the age of the lead characters, Morgan, age 89, and Dixie, age 79. The author's age of 92 when he writes "One Last Dance" is itself an inspiration and more importantly it lends authenticity to the story. The fictional account makes it clear there's more to look forward to but the golden years have as many complexities as those years that preceeded them.

I belong to a book discussion group and have been urging our group to make this one of our monthly selections. Being budget-conscious, though, we have been waiting for a paperback version or good buys on used books. I wasn't able to find the book in our local library, but a friend checked it out for me from the Columbus library.
What a delightful read this book was! I am a slow reader, wanting to picture everything in my mind before moving on. The book has lots of conversation, making it easy to read quickly. The storyline keeps one interested so I found myself not wanting to stop reading to eat or to do anything else. I finished it in a little over one day even though it is 419 pages long.
The book gives us characters who have their faults but are good at the core of their being. We share in their worries and in their triumphs over those worries. We learn the innermost thoughts of the characters, making them feel like our dear friends. We get a glimpse of what it will feel like to be 79 or 89 years old.
What a talented family the Williamses must be! The great writing and editing skills of the father and the two daughters are apparent in the product they have given us readers. How I would love to talk with those two daughters!

Anyone--of any age--contemplating a relationship--of any kind--would benefit greatly from reading this charming, positive, poignant book. It's very close to being a text-book for managing a successful partnership or marriage, or even parenthood. There are a wide variety of life lessons to be garnered from its pages. You don't even have to be of `a certain age' to appreciate the wit and wisdom of the author who was 92 when he began this book!

At 79, Dixie was a very active, involved part-time worker at a retirement home, while Morgan was 89, and had come to that same home to visit a friend in rehab. They literally bumped into each other, leaving remnants of the birthday cake that Dixie was bringing to a friend all over both of them and the sidewalk. Sparks of all kinds flew through the air, some of them verbal.

He was taken by the slender, curvacious blonde with the big blue eyes; she was intrigued by the well-spoken, tall, white-haired gentleman. Before very long, there was another encounter, and another.

These two hardy souls were survivors, and in hardly no time at all, they had decided to survive together. The original plan was for Morgan to rent a room in Dixie's large house, to help pay the expenses, and provide companionship. They became better friends, thinking of maybe more than that, yet they each remained hesitant to share some of the important details in their past--as well as current--lives.

A third person enters their world, causing no little disruption, before bringing even greater happiness to the older couple.

Along the way, they learn important truths about each other and themselves. They learn to appreciate life's little blessings, as well as the bigger ones. They learn to compromise and not anticipate the other's opinions or thoughts. There is a wonderfully happy ending, but not without a bit more trauma along the rocky path to bliss.

The most important truth here is--keep going. Don't just sit and molder. Be active, be involved, you'll be ever so much more alive for the doing.