E Books

Wishing on Dandelions is a great follow up to Watching the Tree Limbs in the Maranatha Series. I'm glad DeMuth let readers see what happens to Maranatha. While this novel contains a love story, it's so natural and sweet that the book doesn't come across like a romance, but more of a journey where readers get to see Maranatha learn to let herself be loved.

Can you trust God once more after your life has been broken? It doesn't happen overnight, as 17-year-old Maranatha Winningham learns in this well-crafted story. WISHING ON DANDELIONS is a follow-up to WATCHING THE TREE LIMBS, in which Maranatha is abused by a young neighbor. In the opening pages of Mary DeMuth's latest novel, the reader learns that Natha's best friend Camille has left the small town of Burl, Texas, for college. Natha, meanwhile, plunges into her senior year of high school.

Because both her parents are dead, Natha lives with her father's brother. Since his stroke, Uncle Zane moves much slower and, while never much of a conversationalist, talks even less. Natha's home life is in turmoil when Uncle Zane marries Georgeanne, who has her own ideas about how the household should be run and in what part of town to live. Throughout the story, Georgeanne tries to build some sort of a relationship with Natha but often ends up crossing some imaginary barrier and offending the teen.

Then Violin Charlie, the son of a judge who lives in a better area in Burl, invites Natha to the Homecoming Dance. Georgeanne pitches in and takes Natha to purchase a new pink dress, building a bit of good will. Ultimately, Georgeanne has plans to move the entire family to this better part of town, which throws Natha into a panic as she wonders if she will be able to leave the protection of the house she has always known.

The abuse from the past comes roaring back into Natha's life. One day she rides her bicycle to a property where she likes to think. A man named Jake Gully confronts her about trespassing and then offers her a ride into town. When she gets into his truck, he takes off away from town and acts suggestively toward her. Natha manages to escape and reports the incident to the police. Miss Nichols, the assistant district attorney, pressures Natha to testify against Gully. After being convinced that he will be freed without her testimony, a reluctant Natha finally agrees to take that big step, as friends and family gather to support her throughout the trial.

WISHING ON DANDELIONS will keep the reader turning pages to see how Natha deals with the various obstacles that life throws in her direction. DeMuth has written an emotionally-charged novel that will help others grow in their own faith relationship.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin

If you are looking for a book that stirs your emotions and keeps you up until the wee hours of the morning, then I highly recommend Wishing on Dandelions by Mary DeMuth. WOD is the sequel to DeMuth's debut novel, Watching the Tree Limbs. Although it took me a little longer to be drawn into this second book, it surpasses the first. WTTL focuses on redemption, and as a natural progression, WOD focuses on learning how to accept God's love and growing deeper in understanding our redemption.

I found this story heavier that the first book, despite the fact that the main traumatic events occur to Maranatha in WTTL. For me, I identified on a deeper level with the struggle to fully grasp and accept that God loves me despite all my faults. While I enjoyed the first book, I connected more with the second. I appreciated the new characters Mary introduced as well. Some of them I liked immediately, and only wished to know them more. Some of them had to grow on me, but the more glimpses I got into their hearts, the more I wanted to know about their back stories. Still others I appreciated for the reality of their humanity. One character in particular I really thought was going to have a change of heart after he heard Maranatha's story, but he didn't. In fact, the depth of the judgment in his soul only became more evident. At first I was appalled, but then quickly realized that people like that do exist and therefore have an appropriate - even necessary - place in a novel like this.

One of the many things I enjoy about Mary's writing is that while she is a Christian author who discusses Christian values and issues, her books do not feel "Christian." Do you follow me here? Writing a great story is what comes first for Mary, not writing a Christian story that she hopes is great. Of course, Jesus pours out onto her page, but that's because He's so pervasive in her life, not because she has an agenda to write about Him. I applaud her for writing reality, writing authentically and writing with excellence. It's no wonder she's nominated for a Christy Award.

In a style and setting similar to Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Wishing on Dandelions" is the story of a girl sprouting into womanhood in a lazy town where everyone knows everyone else's business.
Maranatha Winningham, a seventeen-year-old orphan, is one of the most charming and endearing characters you'll come across. Well-mannered and respectful, she's everything you'd hope for in a teenager, but frequent glimpses into her thought life reveal a load of secrets and fears that she shares with no one--not even Charlie.
Charlie is everything a boyfriend should be--loyal, protective, forgiving. There's only one problem. He's black, and in Burl, it's simply not done. A mere blip on the sun-scored Texas map, 1980's Burl applauds young love, unless it comes in package of a different color.
His complete opposite, Georgeanne is loud, obnoxious, bossy, and irreversibly engaged to Maranatha's Uncle Zane. Maranatha pleads with God for her uncle to wake up and realize what he's about to get himself into, but God doesn't seem to be listening. Maybe the saying is right. Maybe hurt people hurt people. Maybe Maranatha needs to love Georgeanne anyway... Nah. It's easier to hate her.
A delightful encore to the celebrated "Watching the Tree Limbs," DeMuth's story tackles some serious issues while downplaying them with wit, humor, and a passel of quirky characters.
DeMuth has done a superb job of reviving 1980's Texas, complete with big hair, big trucks, and big attitudes. Who would have thought a Texas drawl could be written with such grace?
"Wishing on Dandelions" is worth sticking it out through the slow start. The heart of the book is worth waiting for. It's fun yet impacting, nostalgic and delightfully familiar.

Wishing On Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth couldn't come soon enough for me. I had devoured the first in the Maranatha series (Watching Tree Limbs) and was left wanting more. Part of the appeal for me was the raw Texas setting, since I lived several years in East Texas.
In Wishing On Dandelions, the main character, Maranatha Winningham is now a teenager trying to find her place in the world. Her history of sexual abuse taints the many events teenagers usually enjoy. She has more than teenage angst to blame for her struggles.
Maranatha also has to learn to deal with a new woman in her life. Uncle Zane married shallow Georganne Peach and brought her home amid many changes. While wedding drama is going on, Maranatha grapples with her feelings for Charlie. Was it wrong for her to love him as more than a friend? Nothing was black and white.
Reading this book will possibly be like rubbing salt in a wound. The same salt that stings, heals. As Wishing On Dandelions comes to a close, you will find issues resolved in your own life-issues you didn't even realize you were still struggling with. Go ahead, blow away the dandelion seeds and make a wish. It just might come true!

South African fiction is generally political, but this book, from Nigeria perhaps, goes way beyond that. There is a civil war that impacts the story, but much of it concerns chimpanzees, who have names just like humans and are studied carefully by the main character, a British woman who has left her husband, a brilliant but troubled mathematician, to start a new life. As Hope Clearwater uncovers riveting new info about the chimps, that they are warlike and cannibalistic, like humans, she reminisces about her relationship with her husband, John and her new relationship with an Egyptian MIG flier who dreamed of being an astronaut. The events of her life combine with the philosophical and intellectual musings of her characters (mathematical theorums and more)to accentuate a story that is full of interesting characters and an authentic African setting from the 1960s.

If someone had given me a basic description of what this novel was about, I probably would not have read it. I don't really have any interest in reading about the life of a scientist studying primates in Africa. But William Gibson is a masterful storyteller and I became enthralled with this book. It's truly moving and exciting and yes, even thrilling and hilarious sometimes. I read this book shortly after it was published and it's with me all these years later. They don't come much better than this.

I just read Boyd's latest, "Restless," and went back to re-read Brazzaville Beach which I first discovered 15 years ago. (Whoever recommended that, thanks!) Brazzaville still retains an intriguing set of themes, and somehow sets the scene to the troubles that west and central Africa have suffered in the past decade and today.
I won't go over the plot, but would suggest that Boyd's use of language is something that other reviewers have not stressed. It is very economical, and very rich; sometimes you have to read a sentence over to find the nuances of comedy, despair, cynicisms, and then go back to the purely narrative description that pulls his stories along.
Kudos to Boyd, and Brazzaville remains my favorite of the many novels of his that I've read. Will Hollywood wake up and make a film of this?

Since many readers have reviewed this book before me, I will not summarize its plot, or plots. I found both interconnected stories quite interesting. The account of the central character's life among the chimpanzees and in an African civil war was clearly based on first-hand experience as other readers have noted, and the tale of her troubled marriage to a mathematician in the John Nash mould (A BEAUTIFUL MIND) had personal resonance for me as the son and father of mathematicians. Although I found the methods by which these two stories are interlinked to be cumbersome or even pretentious at times, there is an extensive tissue of ideas knitting the book together into a whole. Among these are the values and limitations inherent in the pursuit of knowledge, and the dynamics of comradeship and friendship in closed societies. But the stories are connected most of all in the character of Hope Clearwater, who emerges as a strong but fallible woman, and entirely human.

The book also makes an interesting comparison with Russell Banks' more recent THE DARLING, whose female central character also works with chimps in a country torn by civil war. In that book, too, sections set in Africa are set off against a portrayal of the heroine on her own ground. I happen to prefer the Banks, but this may only be because I read it first.

Is there are trend to construct contemporary novels out of separate stories which are only loosely connected? Within a six-week period, I have also read David Mitchell's CLOUD ATLAS (billed as a novel) and Joan Silber's IDEAS OF HEAVEN (billed as a "ring of stories," but with at least as much interconnectedness as the Mitchell). Also Anne Michaels' FUGITIVE PIECES, which introduces an entirely new life-story in the last quarter of the book in order to cast oblique light on the subject of the first three-quarters. The multiple story is also a favorite technique of W. G. Sebald (THE EMIGRANTS and VERTIGO), whose novels are closer to memoirs anyway. But you also see it in more popular works, such as Jennifer Haigh's MRS KIMBLE and the opening at least of Kate Atkinson's CASE HISTORIES. It is an interesting and potentially powerful trend -- provided only that the various tales ARE connected in significant ways. The test, I think, is whether any one of the stories would lose by being told on its own; in this particular case, I think it would lose something, but not much; hence my reluctant reduction of my vote from 5 stars to only 4.

Man vs chimpanzee: Boyd takes the wonderfully named Hope Clearwater's experience as a chimp-sanctuary research scientist in Africa and interleaves it with her crumbling marriage to a failed mathematical genius/lunatic, John.

Hope suffers from an unerring scientific passion to tell the truth about her empirical observations, a quality not always shared by her colleagues or bosses, whose agendas and motives grow darker as the book progresses.

Boyd jumps seamlessly across time and place to make this an easy one-day read and a very rewarding one. Brazzaville Beach blends a depth of detail, well-juxtaposed mathematical theories and the realisation that chimps can be just as brutal as human beings.

This is an intelligent, quality novel from an intelligent, world-class novelist.

Throughout my college career, I have become more and more aware of America's history in regards to inequality. Class Action brought up one of the most publicized forms of inequality in our nation, which is the inequality between men and women, especially in the workplace. Today, women are still only making $0.74-$0.76 on the dollar that every man makes, but that is only a mild form of the inequality that occurred only 30 years ago.

On March 25, 1975, Lois Jensen begins work at Eveleth Taconite in the mines to earn enough money to support her young son so they both could get off welfare. While the pay was very good, Lois, and other women who worked at the mines, endured sexual harassment that ranged from sexual comments to inappropriate touching and coercion by the male workers. Twelve years later, Lois finally decides that the only way to deal with the sexual harassment is through legal action since none of her bosses in the mines will correct the male workers' behaviors. Unfortunately, Lois only endures more hardship through trying to gain support of the other women at the mines, retain her job, and keep her sanity while being harassed even more. Lois's commitment to "right the wrong" of how the men treated the women at the mines brings up many questions of our society and what is legal that reside within.

Class Action helps us evaluate male privilege in the workforce, laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) and how they were upheld, the immortal power of companies, and the human cost to achieve social change. It is astounding to read the type of harassment that these women endured and to realize that it happened in other parts of the country, and to some extent, still does today. The only things that Lois Jensen truly wanted was knowing that women would not have to live what she did through the company adopting a sexual harassment policy and an apology. She never got the apology, but thankfully, the former occurred on December 30, 1998.

The was a great book if you are interested in Civil Rights history and activism, women's rights, the jural system in relation to gender, and the economics of inequality. While Lois, other women, and the mines settled in 1998, the women essentially lost. After all that had happened, to achieve this precedent for sexual harassment law the women had to sacrifice their lives. This ultimately brings up the issue of how we have to be martyrs to make any social change truly happen.

The book is so much better than the movie. It gives you a much truer sense of what the women went through. Which is to be expected, of course, but I was surprised at the changes in the movie.

I assume that you will have seen the Movie first. I would have never heard of this book, without references in the DVD. BUT it is not necessary that you see the movie first. AND if you see the movie after reading the book be prepared for differences. But aside from comparisons, this is a terrific read about the first successful Sexual Harrassment case in the USA. It is set in the North Country made famous by Mr. Zimmerman. In fact some of the scenes and some of the characters are from Hibbing. Hero is one of the many misused words in Americana. But hero could be safely applied to the Lawyers who defended Lois Jenen.

I grew up on "da range" and I'm familiar with the mines. My hometown is Hoyt Lakes, not very far from Eveleth. My dad and one of my uncles worked at LTV Steel outside of Hoyt Lakes, I think even my brother worked there for a while. I don't remember hearing anything of the trial. Back in 1998 I was 9 years old. I became familiar with it, when they were filming the movie North Country while I was going to the community college in Virginia. I've watched the movie multiple times. Then this summer in one of my English classes we were required to read Class Action. By the time the class finished I hadn't finished the book yet, but that didn't stop me from reading it. This is a really great book, and I've had a hard time putting it down. Its so interesting to learn the facts of the case, and was even more surprised when I recognized some of the last names of the people. I haven't quite finished yet, I have about 60 pages to go. I keep finding myself getting irritated with the rulings of Judge McNulty. This is a very important book, and in my opinion everyone should read it.

Like some other reviewers I came across this book after seeing the movie North Country. The movie though is just good entertainment pulling at the heartstrings and very loosely based on the legal problems of single mother Lois Jenson.

The book, I'm pleased to say, is much more gripping and will keep you turning the pages until the end. I thought it raised various issues like:

*Why did the legal aspects of this case take from 1984 until a settlement in 1998? In 1997 a judgement from the Eighth Circuit court commented on the 'inordinate delay' and that it simply was not possible for the parties to get justice 'when a final outcome is issued more than ten years' after the case was filed and more than fifteen years since Lois started her class action.

*Why did the mineworkers union maintain such a male chauvinist view towards its female members? I always assumed that Minnesota folk, historically populated by hard working European immigrants in a hostile physical environment would have been much more sympathetic to the sexual harassment that went on year after year in the mines. In fact very few males come out of this story with much credibility, from the mine management down to the union, they are really shown to be sexist and ultra conservative when females start to (legally) work in their domain.

*Why did it take so long for the mines main insurance company, who were going to be the ultimate payers of any compensation, to get to grips with the case? When they did get closely involved in 1998 the problems seemed to evaporate and the ladies got their money

The authors write in a simple straightforward style fortunately avoiding flowery generalisations that seem a staple of non-fiction writing. The story unfolds in a logically time frame from March 1975 to the final financial settlement in November 1998. Early on there is an excellent historical overview of the Mesabi Range and the importance of the raw materials lying just under the surface. A nice touch I thought was the frequent explanations of points of law and how these affected the progress of the case.

A couple of points occurred to me as a read the book: I would have liked to see a listing at the start describing the principals, frequently a name popped up and I wondered who the person was having seen a mention maybe a hundred pages earlier. So much of the story describes the mine and other buildings, a simple diagram of the plant layout would have been helpful.

'Class Action' is a powerful narrative about a hostile working environment and the legal system and it reminds of a quote by Thomas Noon Talfourd:
Fill the seats of justice
With good men not so absolute in goodness
As to forget what human frailty is.

BTW. I wanted to see photos of the four heroes of the book, the wonderful Lois Jenson and her legal team Paul Sprenger, Jane Lang and Jean Boler and I found them all through Google Images.

Think about your daily physical exercise regimen. Now compare that to the mental exercise routine you use in your journey to become a life-long learner. Come up a little short? The Daily Drucker will help.

In my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit, "The Drucker Bucket" honors Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, who was welcomed to his heavenly home in 2005, just a few days shy of his 96th birthday. His seminal book, Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, runs 839 pages. Here's the Drucker Bucket core competency:

"We are privileged to be leaders and managers and we steward that privilege by being lifelong learners and practitioners in the art of management. We don't just give lip service to management--we are disciplined students of great leadership and management thinkers like Peter Drucker, Ken Blanchard and others."

I encourage my clients to read at least one book by Peter Drucker every year. If you're in management, why would you not want to learn from the management guru? To dip your toe in the Drucker Bucket, read The Daily Drucker.

Bestselling author Bob Buford, who graciously wrote the foreword to my book, mentions Drucker in the foreword, "Peter always said, `The purpose of management is not to make the Church more businesslike, but more Church-like." Drucker was a gift to all of us. This is the perfect book.

I think one has to be mature enough to understand, at least on some level, and appreciate the wisdoms of Mr. Drucker collected in this compact and very intense book, but once you get them, you become a different person.

This book offers excellent insight into Drucker's writings on business philosophy. For those who have never read Drucker at all, this book is a great starting point, as it encapsulates much of his writing into a single volume. The book is of particular value to anyone working in a service-related company, especially in a society where knowledge is one of the most powerful assets managers are required to protect and preserve.

An entry from January 7th reads: "Knowledge workers own the means of production...the organization needs them more than they need the organization..." The action point listed is, "Attract and retain the highest producing knowledge workers by treating them and their knowledge as the organization's most valuable assets."

The information provided in this book, when put into practice, will help any manager become more efficient and reflective about how her/his actions fit into the bigger picture. The foreword, by Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, is also very worth reading and gives a little-seen and inspirational glimpse of Drucker.

The book was in good condition and was delivered on time. It is a great read!!

Every morning when you get to your office, you boot up your computer and you wait - conservatively - 2 minutes. During those 2 minutes, you should be reading that day's entry in the "Daily Drucker." Whether the Topic of the Month is "decision-making," "leadership" or "organizational behavior," Drucker's signature style will clear your head and give you a "swing thought" for the rest of the day. A daily dose of Drucker will remind you how you "should" run your business day, in order to be effective, rather than running things the way they really "are."
If you make his insights your own, you will learn about yourself and your organization. Eventually, you will reach your goals.
Unlike other books, this one does not contain a sustained argument, so it doesn't become dull. And, many of the quotes might be regarded as some of Drucker's most user-friendly. Plus, each quote is capped off with an "action item" by the editor, Maciarello, who does an admirable job in teasing out some of the implications of Drucker's writing.
P.S. This is the perfect gift to give an executive.

One of the most enlightening books I have ever read. It delivers, in spades, a strategy for gaining positive publicity. On the way, it provides extremely interesting and thought provoking insight into how the media (and media professionals) operates.

The book is logically structured, with each chapter building on the previous. The result is a memorable system, as opposed to a jumble of rules.

Each chapter provides valuable insights into the how's and why's of gaining access to media. The insight that had the most impact on me was that you have a client relationship with reporters. The only thing is, the reporter is the client. That insight alone was worth the price of the book.

This is a great read, and a must-have on your short list if you're interested in Media Relations. Mark breaks down his book into easy to digest chapters, with real world examples of how each media rule works. By the time you get done with this book, you'll have it highlighted, with notes and ideas written in the margins, eager to try them out for your cause. Then you'll read it again to see what you missed the first time!

I'm getting ready to return to college and get my degree in Communications/PR. After seeing Mark give a presentation at a luncheon, getting the chance to read his book and taking the opportunity to talk with him, I was convinced more than ever to stay on track. I'm hoping to use the ideas in his book to stun my professors. Thanks Mark!

I don't think anyone can read Feeding the Media Beast and not be entertained. Better yet they will learn valuable insights about dealing with the media. There has always been a mystique about the media, that somehow they are greater beings than mere mortals. Mathis easily puts that to rest through his personal stories and often humorous examples. Mathis knows the media and is generous in his willingness to share.

Once anyone with a product to sell or something to promote figures out that the media need US they will be halfway to meeting their goal. Knowing how the game is played, and how important we are to them, is what Mathis does an excellent job of teaching.

Prepare. That is the key principle that Mathis shares and that we need to remember over and over. The media can be intimidating and daunting if we allow it, but with the information in Feeding the Media Beast it doesn't have to be. The media should be our best friend and after reading this book you'll feel much more confident and remember that they need us.

If you have any interest in working with the media successfully, read this book. Before you write a press release, before you call a journalist, and definitely before you accept an interview, listen to what Mark Mathis has to say about the nature of the media industry. His experience and his insights are invaluable. Initially I had thought that the cartoon on the front and the constant reference to the media as a "Beast" seemed infantile, and then I realized that this is in keeping with the message. The media IS infantile. Modern media is hardly a mature form of communication--it's more like a three-year-old throwing a tantrum. Why it's that way is a subject for sociologists and philosophers. All I'm concerned with is how to work with this three-year-old, and this book shows me the way.

Mathis' book is *excellent*, but government communicators should also see a book written by a Washington pro, see Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits and Congress. The Handbook is written by Brad Fitch, who has more than a decade of Washington PR experience, with a Foreword by Mike McCurry.

What others have said about Fitch's book (about which you can see more at MediaRelationsHandbook.com ):

"Great advice for beginners and experienced media hands. If you are a media relations professional--either beginner or seasoned veteran--this is the book for you. Brad Fitch, who spent many years fielding reporters' tough questions on Capitol Hill, has written a timely, practical guide to handling media relations that is filled with solid professional advice. What goes into a press release? How do you develop a strategic message? You've got a digital camera and a fax machine, but what else does your office need to effectively handle the media? Before you start talking to a reporter, do you know the difference between 'on the record,' 'off the record,' and 'background'? When there's an immediate crisis in your organization, what are the eight mistakes that you absolutely must avoid? How do you handle your paranoid boss when he or she has to confront the press? You'll find the answers to these and many other everyday problems in this book. Fitch also gives valuable advice on how to set up an effective website and how to use e-mail for optimum communications. Excellent book for professionals who work in federal or state agencies, trade associations, non-profits, state legislatures or Congress. It's the only handbook you'll ever need."
-- Dennis W. Johnson, college professor and former Capitol Hill senior staffer

"Provides valuable advice for those who flack for a living."
-- Roll Call

"A superb blend of theory and practice, written by someone who uses words like Gallup uses polls."
-- Steve O'Keefe, author "Complete Guide to Internet Publicity" and Adjunct Faculty, Tulane University College

"Uncertain how to interest the press in your pressing issue? Having difficulty preparing your media-unfriendly boss for a tough interview? Worried about the next communications crisis and how to handle it? Brad Fitch answers those questions and many more in this crisp, clear and completely useful book."
-- Tucker Carlson, Co-Host CNN Crossfire, author

"A seminar from TheCapitol.Net is one of the best ways to learn from the experts about how Washington really works. Now all that insight and information has been packed into this invaluable volume. I suggest you read it, and become your own expert."
-- Steven V. Roberts, syndicated columnist, TV and radio analyst, college professor

"Brad Fitch has performed an admirable public service by giving public relations students and professionals alike an indispensable tool. His book provides a road map on both the practicalities and principles of PR, and he shows that honest PR is not an oxymoron. Now it's up to all of us in the media and spin industries to keep our end of the bargain."
-- Ed Henry, Congressional Correspondent, CNN (formerly Senior Editor of Roll Call)

"This volume is an invaluable road map to the mean streets of a city where information is power and power is everything. Brad Fitch has written a rich 'how-to' lesson for pros and for novices who must negotiate the competitive landscape of America's new media."
-- Ann Compton, White House Correspondent, ABC News

"Media Relations Handbook is to political campaigns what The Art of War is to military campaigns: an essential strategic reference that winners should never be without."
-- James Carville, Co-Host CNN Crossfire, author

If you're a government communicator, you should get both Feeding the Media BeastAgain and Fitch's book, MediaRelationsHandbook.com , or search Amazon using the ISBN: 1587330032

This book is outstanding. I found my 12 year old son crying in his room because he knew that something was happening to him that he didn't understand. Soon, thereafter, he wouldn't go outside at night, he was afraid to go to school, the checking rituals were exhausting him, the popups (explained in the book) were frightening to him......all of this developed shortly after he turned 12 years old. Once it began, it felt like each day, something new and confusing was happening to him. Because I have some understanding of OCD, I was able to recognize the symptoms, but I did not know how to specifically help him. He started seeing a counselor, we had other support, I tried to educate myself, using all available avenues, to try to help my son, and our doctor was involved, as well. Although our doctors and counselors are wonderful, ultimately, I spend the most time with my son, and I knew that I would be doing the "work" with my son to help him deal with OCD. This book taught me how to communicate this issue to my son and it worked WONDERS. Within about four months, my son had control over these issues. It did take several months of hard work, but I saw progress with each week It's been 18 months and he has no symptoms. He's functioning absolutely fine in our family and in the community (school, sports, etc.) I've read several books on this subject and this book is what 'turned the key' for us. I read it and then he and I have read sections of it together that pertained to him. He was relieved to know that he is not the only person that deals with this issue, that what he was going through actually had a name, and as soon as we were able to identify it, he and I were able to begin to talk about how to help him. This is an amazing book and I am so thankful to the other reviewers that recommended this book. Until you actually go through something like this with your child, you can not understand how exhausting OCD can be for the child and how helpless you can feel as a parent. This book explains what OCD is and how to clearly help your child with their specific symptoms.

I bought 3 OCD books from Amazon and so happy with all three of them. They are books that you have to keep going back to make sure you understand and doing what it tells you to do for the sake of your child.
OCD is not fun for children with it and they need our help to get them out of it if all possible.
Shop Amazon they have more good reading on the subject.

Excellent book for parents of a child (no matter the age) who is struggling with OCD. Gives good insight and tips for helping your child along the path to wellness.

This book was recommended by my 9 year old daughter's counselor as a guide for parents and it definitely hits the mark for me. Beginning with 'What is OCD' and moving towards the 'What to do if you suspect OCD', this book is written in a clear, detailed way. I found myself slowly reading, and sometimes re-reading sections of the book prior to moving forward. It's filled with a lot of information. Take your time and soak it in and build on your knowledge.

Eventually you will get to sections of the book that focus on treatment and what parents can do to assist their children in combating OCD. The book alone will not 'fix' OCD, but it helps guide you to recognize it and what you can do; as a parent, to help your child. The book lets you know you are not alone and there is hope for getting your child, family and life back on track and away from OCD's grasp.

I have shared this book with my daughter's grandparents and her teachers. It really has helped us all to gain knowledge as to what is OCD, and how we can not let this bully take away the joyful spirit of those who are dear to us.

If your child is suffering from OCD and you're exploring therapy, this book should help reinforce the behavior therapy techniques that will be taught to get the disorder under control. You'll learn exactly what kinds of things to say and what not to in a crisis moment. This book made me feel like there is hope, and it has helped enormously.

I am not an accomplished reader so it has to really hold my attention to finish a book. This book is written exactly from L&C's journals. Lots of mispelled words and some confusion. Sometimes hard to follow. Sometimes the minute details are a bit much. They don't really expound on things. I guess what they go through on a day to day basis is somewhat mundane at times. Overall a decent read IMO...I wouldn't get it again if I knew what I know now. Oh well. Enjoy!

I read books in a wide variety of topics. I decided to read about Lewis and Clark because I felt I just did not know enough about it and I felt that I should. When I received the book, I opened it and was fearful that I made a mistake because it was made up of journal entries, day by day in Lewis and Clark's own words. I started reading and I found myself immmediately engrossed in the story. I mean immediately. You can read the letter from Jefferson containing the instructions and mission of the expedition- just fascinating. Then you get the story of the expedition, day by day, straight from the horses' mouth. I could not put this book down. I could not stop talking about it. I used Google Earth (so cool!!!) to follow the Missouri River into the Rockies, across the mountains, finally to the Columbia to the Pacific and then back. Canoeing up rivers, down rivers, fighting bears, trading and smoking with indians, fighting with some indians, at times overheated, at times freezing. Surving on the land with strategy and forethought. I learn an incredible amount of information about that time in our country's history. I was blown away. And the greatest part, I had to keep reminding myself of, is that it was absent all of the politically corrected revisionism we read today. This story is straight from them. They are sitting down at night and recording what they experienced in 1804 (05-06). Those notes are delivered to you via an author Bernard Devoto who uses only the most relevant parts of the journals (leaves out the volumes of strict scientific research data). Then, when he has to make the occasion insertion of a letter or two to make sure a misspelled word is not misinterpreted, he gives very clear instruction on how he has denoted the change. He also, upon occasion will give a summary of events, or a note of interest.
The end result is a splendid story, rich in historical information, written by the men who lived it, about one of the most important events in our country's history. I leave you with this excerpt, logged Sunday August 18th, 1805 by a man who is in the middle of the American West, where no white man has tread before, trading and smoking with Indians, shooting bear and deer to survive, canoeing upriver for 2000 miles;
"This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this subluminary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence..."

I would use one word to characterize this work: Timeless. To relive the great expedition through the words of Lewis and Clark themselves is a fantastic experience. I think that most people who enjoy American history will love this book. People who are not inclined to read or enjoy historical non-fiction might find it tedious (such as students forced to do so for class assignments), as it is long and detailed.

I previously read Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" (which itself is excellent), which contains many passages from these journals, but the journals themselves are unsurpassed.

I recently took a college class about the hidden history of the West--and it was a great class, one of the best ever--but one of the books we read in there was all about the Native American perspective of the Lewis and Clark expedition and while it was interesting to hear that take on the subject, I couldn't have been more at odds with the discussion that followed, most of which had to do with the low characters of the men of the expedition, the subversive agenda behind it all, and the thought that the world would have been a better place if the entire undertaking had never taken place.
That's because, to me, there has never been anything cooler than the Corps of Discovery, than the journey West, than Lewis and Clark and their whole ragged crew.
Actually, I take that back: the journals they kept...those are even cooler.
From Lewis's insightful reflections, to Clark's lyrical descriptions, to their hilariously bad attempts at spelling, to the thought of moving unknowing into America at its most pristine, these journals have it all. This is the quintessential American adventure story, an amazing account of men against the unknown. This edited collection of the journals, well-compiled by Bernard DeVoto, is one of the greatest things I have ever read, and ever since reading it, I have had an undeniable love for Lewis and Clark, and for their expedition.
Words fail me, but they didn't fail these guys, because here is the West of 1803, vividly rendered for us all to see today. When I first read these in 1999, they convinced me to move into the wild, onto the water, and I spent seven months afterward living out of a canoe...keeping a journal of my own.
If you haven't read these journals, do yourself a favor, and do so now: read them. DeVoto has already made it easy for you, by picking out all the most interesting parts, and by putting them in context with a well-written introduction. You need this book, and you may not even know it.

This work has been edited for the general reader. Many entries have been considerably shortened in the hope of gaining a wider public. For the most part only the highlights are kept, being the actual journal in its full version is so extensive. Most of the original punctuation's and spellings are kept (this gives it a feel of nostalgia). There is repetition. But this, I would think would be impossible to overcome. DeVoto has "produced a straight forward text which could be read without distraction".

The introduction is lengthy; discussed are: the importance of the Louisiana Purchase; the history and purpose leading up to the exploration; earlier expeditions, such as Thompsons' and Mckenzies'; and Lewis' and Clark's background. This was said of these two great men: "The two agreed and worked together with a mutuality unknown elsewhere in the history of exploration and rare in any kind of human association", and "Ingenuity and resourcefulness [by Lewis and Clark] in the field are so continuous that a casual reader may not notice them".

Each chapter is identified by the author whose journal it is taken from, such as Lewis, Clark, Biddle, Orduray, and others. The journal writings have been left as original, giving it that early America mystique. On the 14th of May, 1804, 32 men embark in search of a trade route from the Atlantic to the Pacific:

Dangers lurk around every curve. Indian, grizzly, and immense animal herd encounters are prevalent throughout the journey. To think of the rich bounty contained in the wilderness of the past is beyond comprehension. With leadership that is both strong and wise, Lewis and Clark take this large party of men on a blind epic journey. And on looking back, it was relatively safe. The treatment of the Natives is to be commended, even though many tribes were untrustworthy and warring to other Nations. Trade with the Indians was essential if they were to survive. Also recorded were observations and behaviors of the different tribes. A few of these tribes possessed a huge wealth in horses. Lewis and Clark's party purchased these horses both for traveling overland (which I was never aware) and for food. They did not seem to be displeased with eating horse-meat, dog or roots, which they bought and traded for. The days spent on the Pacific coast were to be the most miserable. The medical remedies used were almost comical; some that were proved beneficial have since been lost through time. The journey ends over 28 months later on the 25th of September, 1806.

I don't know if we can understand completely, how important this expedition was for our country. The undertaking involved in putting this book together from the hundreds of pages of numerous journals is truly amazing. And finally: Appendix I contains Jefferson's instructions; Appendix II is the personnel (32+); and appendix III is the list of specimens brought back.

Wish you well
Scott

My title says it all. I'm not going to write a long, involved review. Suffice to say, I read a lot. A LOT. And this one is definitely in my top 5.

I noticed below under "tag suggestions" that it has "gay fiction" and "gay classic" (I assume because the author is gay), and I want to point out that (from what I remember) there is no homosexuality in this book. (Not that there's anything wrong with homosexuality, yada, yada, yada...)

It's funny and touching. I've read it several times over the years, and it's always stayed with me.

His "Tales of the City" books are great too, but this one just stood out for me as an all-time great.

Armistead Maupin has been one of my favorite writers since way back when his Tales of the City was serialized in the San Francisco Chronicle. I read all of them and then just kept going, reading everything he's ever written. Maybe the Moon is one of his most poignant and one of his best.
For this masterpiece, we have a change of venue from SF to LA, and instead of the broad humor with which Maupin painted the characters in the Tales series, he's delved deeply into the development of his protagonist, Cadence Roth, a dwarf. Although teensy, there's nothing small about her personality, a personality that is thwarted only by the fact that she rose to movie fame wearing a highly-recognizable costume in a famous sci-fi movie - and by contract she's forbidden from revealing her real ID. We follow her from one career disappointment to the next, and her personal life isn't very hopeful, either. In spite of a bit of a shocker ending, Maybe the Moon (great title, very apt) is really a paean of hopefulness for people who are different, and you end up smiling thru your tears.

I did not care for this work about the drarf although I imagine she like so many people who are different had a very difficult time in life the suibject matter was not my cup of tea as to reading material. It's a well written piece of work if you're into dwarfs' life stories.

Received this book out of the blue from a seller on Amazon who bundled this with an order I placed. Tossed it aside for half a year before I sat down to read it last night and did NOT put it down until the last page -- then went back to the beginning once more. Touching, warm, creative, full of personality. At worst, it's entertaining. Do read it.

This is one of the best fiction books I have read. As an average sized person, I found this extraordinarily enlightening as to the difficulties and prejudices that little people go through each and every day. It was one of the most unique love stories ever and it really, truly made me feel the full gamut of emotions. If you buy one fiction book in your life, this is the one.

I would recommend this book to girls who like journal style writing. Kristiana Gregory writes this book as the main character, Suzanna's, diary. She uses the elements of suspense and surprise to hold your attention; including how, when, and where Suzanna and Clara's mother died. I learned a lot from this book about the Gold Rush. I learned what gold fever was and how some men became thieves because of it. If you want to learn more about the Gold Rush and you like surprises then you should definitely read this book.

I am a huge fan of all the Dear America books. The Gold Rush is really cool and this book made me feel like I was there. This story is about a young girl who leaves her home to go and live with relatives. On the way her father gets gold fever, so they head out west. I really enjoyed reading about Susanna and all her many adventures

This book is the most fantastic book I have ever read! Susanna(the main charecter of this book)a girl who has no mom, a father who is a doctor in the Gold Rush, a bossy older sister, and who gets merried at the age of 15. She is always getting into trouble during the Gold Rush, But Wait! I don't want to spoil the whole story! I want you to read it yourself. I love this story more than anything ! Please consider this amazing book!

If your like me loving the past than you should read this book. It's about a girl and her father is a minner so they have to go differnet places so he can find work. At some parts it's hard for her and her sister. I SAY YOU SHOULD READ IT!!!

This book is about a girl named Susanne whose dad finds out about the California Gold Rush. They decide to stay for about a year, then go back to Oregon. Their dad goes away for a little while, leaving Susanne and her sister in charge of the cabin. A boy gets sick, and they want to help him, but their dad is away. They go searching for him, and they come upon a chunk of gold weighed around 1,000 dollars. Back then, that was a lot of money to just find. Anyway, this is a very good book and I suggest it to readers. READ IT!!!

HE TELLS WHAT HOLLYWOOD IS ALLBOUT. HE WRITES GREAT AND TELLS WHAT HIS LIFES ALBOUT.

This book is a great journey of someone's life. Skip E. Lowe is a true show business character--as much a part of the town as the Holllywood Sign and the billboards of Angelyne. His life is filled with pathos and happiness. From cover to cover the book is a pure joy. You'll find yourself wondering who could possibly play Mr. Lowe in the movie that undoubtedly will come from this fabulous life memoir.

Okay, I'll admit it. I bought Skip E. Lowe's memoir with the idea that it would be a horrendous hack-job full of celebrity groveler and rampant name-dropping. Needless to say, I was floored when The Boy with the Betty Grable Legs turned out to be a compelling autobiography written with panache and a good deal of humility.

Lowe's book is difficult to put down. Lowe does well to balance his personal tragedies (Lowe seemed to attract molestation the way flowers attract bees) with his career as an entertainer. While his brief mention of his part in BLACK SHAMPOO is akin to Orson Welles skipping over CITIZEN KANE, Lowe's book manages to stand tall on its own shapely legs. (ISBN: 0964963582)

LOVE THIS BOOK IT TAKES YOU EVERY ALL OVER THE WORLD AND FEEL LIKE I WAS THERE.ITS SO GOOD LOVE IT THANKS FOR THE JOURNEY .. WHAT A LIFE.

I picked up Skip E. Lowe's book on the recommendation of a friend, but had no idea that I was in for such an amazing read. In addition to having some unforgettable stories to tell, he is able to share them with complete emotional honesty, which provides surprisingly human insight into this larger-than-life world in which he has lived. I recommend this as a "must read" to all who are interested in learning about the Golden Days of Hollywood, the truly fascinating character once known as Sammy Labella, and the ups and downs of an unconventional life. By relating his madcap adventures and the lessons he has learned, Skippy does the best job I've ever seen at creating a road map for the road less travelled.