E Books

Once again Peter Gomes has provided a combination of sound information, humor and relevance to enhance Biblical understanding for lay readers and clergy alike.

I am a fan of Peter Gomes, so I was among the first to buy his new book. It did not disappoint. Gomes' insights into the gospel are, as usual, penetrating and thought-provoking. However, be warned: this book may upset entrenched religious people--wait, isn't that just what Jesus did?

I'm glad Christians are finally disseminating what's true and what's not about what they're thought. But we should view both sides, this book should be linked to the discussion about the movie here:

http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Terrorist-politically-incorrect-observations/dp/B0015KLHG0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1207958517&sr=8-4

This is the best book I have seen on what Jesus' teachings really were including how radical they were at the time and are presently if they are taken seriously. Unfortunately, much of the current debate is over such things as the right to birth (a more accurate term than right to life, especially when concern disappears after birth), homosexuality, etc., with major emphasis on being judgmental rather than tolerance and compassion.

This is clearly inspired and moving to me. The message is something I feel all Christians should hear.

I was only disappointed that the reader on this Audiobook was not the author, and a little too "vanilla". I always found Gomes own voice to be more engaging and authoritative, especially since they are his words. A more warm reading would have been preferred, but it does not detract from the message here.

This story is about Catherine and Grayston and is set in the 13th century. Grayson, a powerful lord, is ordered by the King to marry Elise to try and stop a conflict between her brother Eduard and Grayson. Grayson has no choice but to agree. However the bride that comes to him is not Elise but is Elise's widowed sister-in-law Catherine.

Eduard, a very nasty person and makes my top ten bad guy list, decides that since the King has ordered the marriage of his sister Elise to Grayson he would have her set him up to be murdered several months after their vows. That way no one would suspect Eduards or Elises involvement and Graysons property would then become his.

Elise, having been severely abused by Eduard and not wanting to be an accessory to Graysons murder, commits suicide, leaving Eduard in a quandry. That's when Catherine comes into the picture. Since Grayson, or anyone for that matter, has never really seen Catherine before, he beats Catherine for days to submit to his murderous plot. She refuses until he kidnaps and threatens to kill her children. She is then forced to comply and assumes the role of Elise. The story continues with relationship developement and some good action scenes. Both characters have their own problems to work out, which is done pretty smoothly.

This story also has an interesting twist which really hooked me. The prologue starts in first person, as if Catherine was writing the reader a letter. You could really feel Catherine's pain and hopelessness in the writings. The first chapter then goes into 3rd person.

This book will definately be a keeper of mine for a long time.

This is one of the best romance novels that I have read in a long time. I got the book because it was rated highly and I was pleasantly surpised that everyone who rated it before me was absoutely correct in saying it was a 5 star read.

I bought this book on the strength of the Amazon community reviews...famous last words.

Let me say that I read lots of romance novels. And this one is pretty good -- but five stars? Hmmmmmmmm. The story/plotting has good moments, and the writer is creative & a fresh voice, but still...I can't put my finger on it, but I was able to put this one down with no problem. My criteria for a 5-star read has to be that I just can't put it down. I didn't have that feeling with this novel -- and I could wait to pick it up again too. Maybe I thought it was too melodramatic. Maybe I've met this hero & heroine before. If I were grading it like in school, I'd give it an 85 out of 100, or a B+. So, yes, I think it's good, but it's not the gripping keeper that other reviewers described, at least not for me.

When the book started with a first person narrative, it stopped me cold. I reluctantly trudge through it but was already thinking about tossing it. Well, I am glad that I did. It may start out a bit slow but by chapter 3, you can NOT put this down. The characters are so real, issues, warts and all. Our heroine starts out as emotionally and physically beaten and terrified.She's been forced into an evil plot to save her children by a sadistic, psychotic man. Our groom has demons that torment him and is also forced to wed against his will. This sounds same old-same old.......and to that point it probably is. BUT the rest of the story takes it in different directions. You will never regret reading this story. Accolades to Ms. McCall.The epilogue is also first person by our heroine but by then she is a strong, confident woman and it is perfectly done. The notes by the author explain several cultural aspects of the time and are informative and helpful. Wow..how far we've come as woman and as a society. Hoping for a sequel about sir alban.....enjoy.........

An excellent read...sensual, romantic, compelling, agonizing, and intense. McCall's story weaves a superb romance with harrowing personal demons and manipulative, exceedingly dangerous villains. McCall allows to to see Catherine and Gray fall in love, to feel them struggle with their pasts and their fears, to alternately worry and cheer as they face Eduard's manipulations.

Superb. Don't pass it up.

I just received this book yesterday but have already looked all the way thru it glancing at the recipes...Which look very good. There is also little stories and bible verses..A good collection to my cookbooks.

I find this book to be such a great help to me in my daily life, I recently lost my 18 year old grandson in a car wreck, it's a great lost to our whole family, but Wanda's devotional has really helped me in many ways. I recommend this book to anyone, it can only inprove their spititual life.

I love this devotional! It helps me to slow down and enjoy life and all God has given to me. I have gone through the book once already, and now I am reading it again, but this time I'm sharing it with my husband. He is also enjoying it. The recipes at the end of each devotional are a nice addition. I have even tried a few!

This is a delightful book that helps me to start my day "simply" every day. The stories are a gentle reminder to appreciate God's gifts in every moment. And the recipes are just wonderful. I have made the melt in your mouth biscuits so often that my book is permanently creased in that spot! And my kids love the haystacks and double treat cookies. This books is really jam packed with recipes and inspiration. Thank you Wanda Brunstetter! :)

I loved this devotional. Each day I take the time to have that breath of fresh air of thoughts and appreciation for the life I have. This book has helped to ground me and make me mindful of what I take for granted. Great read!

Hello avid readers of true stories. I appreciated The State Boy's Rebellion, as I too was a victim of the mental health system when I was 8 years old. I remained institutionalized for 10 years; even though authorities were informed I was not retarded. Like the kids in The State Boys Rebellion, I was deprived of my civil liberties, denied an education, and horribly abused. If you want to read a remarkable story of the human spirit to survive horrific odds, read my true story. You'll be glad you did.
Charles A. Carroll, Author, Victim/Victim's Advocate
HARD CANDY: Nobody Ever Flies Over the Cuckoo's Nest

A must read for anybody. I am currently employed at one of the said institutions in MA and heard of this book through a co-worker. I have worked here for over 20 years, long after they stopped admitting people. The residents that currently reside there get the best of care available and the staffing ratios way outnumber the amount of clients residing here. I am in no way condoning what happened to Freddie and all the other state children, I just wonder how some of the residents would have turned out if not institutionalized. My supervisor and I have roamed through the old dormitories and found a wealth of info and pictures. Some of the pics show young children about Freddies admission age that looked scared to death, it brought tears to my eyes to think of what these poor kids went through and reading Freddie's story helped me better understand just exactly why these children were admitted. When I started working here, over 1,000 residents lived here, now we have under 300 and the remaining people really do benefit from the care they receive. I just could not comprehend why some of the residents were there 20 years ago, now I know. My family has welcomed in a former resident in the shared living program and it has been benificial to both him and my family. After reading the "State Boys Rebellion", my only regret is that I never got to meet Freddie Boyce. In my eyes, he and all the other state children are true heroes for surviving the great injustice done to them. In closing, I have to truly say that I have been humbled.

Michael D'Antonio has provided us with a very interesting book that he has subtitled "The Inspiring True Story of American Eugenics and the Men Who Overcame It". There is no doubt that he cares tremendously for his subject, but this is not a comprehensive history of the Eugenics movement or even of the the State Boys Rebellion at the Fernald School for the Feebleminded.

From a journalistic perspective, this is a tremendous piece of writing & investigation. Evaluating the events primarily through the eyes of Fred Boyce, the author skillfully weaves in the stories of fellow inmates at the Fernald school and the events leading up to the rebellion. Unfortunately, the key point that I see as the "rebellion" only gets about 4 pages of treatment, with regular references to the people involved in the riot throughout the rest of the book. Boyce's life is traced up through the time when the book was written, and is a compelling story.

From a historical standpoint, although there is no clear thesis, the book obviously was written to educate the reader about the Fernald school and a few key residents that were able to make great strides in their lives and lead a relatively "normal" life after being released from the institution. The most interesting argument the author presents is that some of the medical experiments conducted within the confines of the Fernald school were reflective of Cold War America, where government aims included furthering science in an effort to find a way to defeat the Communists.

Overall, this is a very interesting book and an easy read. The story is enthralling, and keeps the reader entertained throughout. If the reader is looking for a comprehensive story of the American Eugenic movement, this is not the book; I believe there are probably better scholarly works out there that address eugenics in America. I would recommend this as a book to start one's understanding of eugenics and how this one school in the Boston area plays into the bigger picture.

I never gave the imposing Fernald School campus much thought, even though the house I shared with my friends was literally across the street from the large brick buildings. It was not until I researched the effects of radiation on soldiers during the Cold War that I learned Fernald's dirty secrets. I immediately bought this book, and it filled me with rage and despair. D'Antonio's style is not preachy, nor does he editorialize. He allows the recollections of those who were there to speak for him. Wherever he can, he uses several sources to shade each event, from conversations with the boys, to the memories of the staff members, to the cold, un-enlightening medical records from the school. As others have said, the story ends not in misery but in triumph. It is a cautionary tale about society's complacency and willingness to let the horrors of our past remain behind the locked doors of our crumbling institutions.

The State Boys Rebellion tells the story of the Fernald State School in Massachusetts. Michael D'Antonio does a great job of telling the story through the eyes of Freddie Boyce, a child that grew up in Fernald. The story is quite chilling, specially to those of us who did not live through that time period. It is disgraceful that we, the United States actually started Eugenics, although I was taught in school that Nazi Germany was the creator. This book should remind us that as a society, we sometimes leave out the bad stuff our forefathers did, even if they meant no harm. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone, but it will touch the heart of anyone with a child who is considered "special".

I can't really add anything the other reviews haven't already covered. I just wanted to add my praise of this classic. This book is very relevant in a lab setting. I would recommend it to everyone to start with, but especially those with experimental problems to solve in an objective way.

I used the Montgomery DOE book as an undergrad...but chatting with a Stat prof freind of mine..she recommened Box Hunter & Hunter over this. I had never covered the entire book..& was reading up on Factorial designs...I went ahead and bought Box Hunter & Hunter...(do wait & buy the 2nd edition due out in May-I think Amazon trys to sell you the old inventory if you are not careful)...nonetheless, the old edition I bought actually is much more intuitive and easy to follow that the "Design and Analysis of Experiments" book by Montgomery....I think its b/c the latter is written by an engineer..no offense to you out there...just that engineers cover so much material that there texts seem more "cookbook" like..here's how...w/ no too much intuition as to why ...probably catering to the engineer who has not the time to care about the why...I am thoutoughly enjoying the read...some of the quotes in hte book are pretty funny yet all the while relevant...

All of the reviews on this book are generally consistent in their praise for the book and the authors. I do not have any points to add to the discussion other than this:

It is a credit to this version of Statistics for Experimenters that it has remained relevant throughout the years as a classic introductory text that has kept selling consistently since it was released in the 1970's. Nevertheless, unless you have a particular reason for purchasing this version, you should purchase the updated version(also available through Amazon).

The full title of the newer edition is:

Statistics for Experimenters: Design, Innovation, and Discovery, 2nd Edition

The 2nd edition, written in the same engaging and readable style as the 1st, contains virtually all of the content of the 1st edition plus advances in design of experiments that have happened since the 1st edition was published.

George E.P. Box, the senior author of this magnificent example of great teaching for adults, is one of the great statisticians of modern times. He is a master at teaching those with experience, especially industrial experience, but not necessarily the most advanced mathematical training. My own background in econometrics and decades of work experience left me in a position of having too little knowledge to apply sophisitcated statistical methods to experiments and too much knowledge to settle for the exposition of statistics in many experimental design texts, especially those for behavioral scientists. I had read some of Mr. Box's "Evolutionary Operation" [with Norman Draper] ("EvOp") (also outstanding, practical, and unusual) and looked at "Bayesian Inference in Statistical Analysis" [with George Tiao] ("BISA") and hoped the book was as practical as EvOp rather than as mathematical as BISA. It has turned out to be so without being unsophisticated.

Once you have mastered this, I am sure you will be prepared for many of the challenges of applying statistics to practical industrial and experimental situations and for more advanced and modern methods that have emerged since 1978 with the ubiquity of very cheap computing power.

What it may lack in the most contemporary methods it more than makes up for by helping the reader develop a good intuition for applying statistical methods and judgment.

This book was published in 1978 but as other reviewers have noted its practical methods and advice are timeless. George Box and Stu Hunter are both very famous statisticians who are also great teachers and lecturers. Bill Hunter is now deceased. All three authors have made major contributions to the design of experiments. The book is written for practitioners and in the simplest language possible. Emphasis is placed on practical designs and not optimal designs because optimal designs are very sensitive to model specification.
It does not include the robust designs of Taguchi which came later and could easily be included if the authors choose to revise it.

I recommend this book to anyone either starting an ebay business or wanting to improve the one they have. Suzanne gives you all the information that you need to get started. She gives you ideas as to what to sell, time saving short cuts, and how to fit in your busy schedule as a mom. In her book you will also find tips for setting up your store, taking pictures of your goods, listing, marketing, shipping and handling feedback. The "Stay-At-Home Mom's Guide to successful eBay Selling" is worth the read!

Book is packed with information on all the different aspects of selling on Ebay. I have been selling on Ebay for a few years now but have always wanted to expand my business. This book has answered a lot of my questions and opened up many more possibilities for me to explore. A very easy to understand book and helps the beginner to the more advanced seller. Awesome!

Like many of you reading this, I've only recently begun selling on eBay as an actual business. For me, this book has provided valuable insight into how to shape and build my business in order to position myself for maximum profit. Easy to read, honest and straightforward, in reading this guide I was able to discover the answers to many of my questions such as finding products to sell, how to avoid and even handle negative feedback and how to save money on certain eBay fees. I was particularly inspired by the section on international selling. I've been a little hesitant in doing so, but I feel empowered to now offer international auctions through eBay as this guide has shared insight into how the process works and what a useful tool it can be in building my business.

Besides covering all of the basics in an easy to read format (and offering very sound marketing ideas), perhaps the best part of this book is the sharing of helpful links, money saving tips and useful resources available outside of the book. Susan Arant-Wells has done more than share the basic "how-to's" of the eBay business, but has also been so gracious as to provide the "where-to's" of where her readers can find even more powerful information, supplies and business tools to support their businesses.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering an eBay business or for anyone who is already in the beginning stages of an eBay business, but ready to expand their efforts and step into their next level of selling success. After reading this book, I'm even more excited about the almost limitless possibilities of an eBay business and I trust all of you will be equally inspired as well!

Suzanne has compiled an easy-to-read, concise guide to selling on eBay. The book is geared towards Stay-at-Home Moms, but the information applies to everyone including eBay newbies and those intermediate sellers wishing to achieve PowerSeller status.

I highly recommend this well written guide to anyone looking for information on how to make the most of their eBay selling. This book is packed with real life experience and relevant resources to help you reach your eBay goals.

I've been on eBay for years, but only recently started selling on eBay. In the past few months, I've made some mistakes and learned the hard way. Oh, how I wish I would have read this BEFORE I started selling! Great information on everything without bogging you down with too much technical information. Even though I thought I had it figured out, the author has opened my eyes to even more possibilities! It's an easy read, with great links to her podcast, and website, along with other great online resources.

She covers everything from where to get what you sell, pricing, shipping, and even the scary stuff like international shipping and how to deal with difficult buyers. Even more advanced things like cross promoting and marketing.

It's a great reassurance to see a mom like me who's making it on eBay.

I find it easy to see why Sue Henry has consistently earned five star ratings for Termination Dust. As a mystery writer I loved the interweaving of two stories a century apart and the parallels between some of the characters then and now. I also appreciated the maps at the beginning of the book. Not having been in that part of the world, I found them helpful anchoring the action to the place.

I particularly liked Henry's thorough character development, not only of Alex Jensen and Jim Hampton, but also of the less central characters. I fell in love with Jessie Arnold, Jensen's significant other and even felt a little sympathy for Charlie, the grubby city kid who couldn't seem to do anything right.

To sum up, while I found myself sad to have finished Termination Dust, as I always am finishing a good book, I was also glad to discover Sue Henry has ten more books out to explore. Highly recommended.

i began my sue henry travels with another mystery line and then bought the jesse arnold series. this is the second one in the series and is well written, entertaining and also been an education about a part of the world i am unfamiliar with - alaska and canada.
these books should appeal to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, or a cozy mystery or learning about new enviroments and places. I am hooked!

I particularly enjoyed this book, I think because of the interesting contrast between the present and the past. The author skillfully switches between the two stories, and she is adept at conveying both a sense of time and place. I've already finished Death Takes Passage, another one containing lots of interesting historical information, and I'm looking forward to more by Sue Henry. Thanks for taking me away!

I couldnt put this book down. 2nd in Sue Henry's series set in Alaska. A canoeist finds a journal set 100 years in the past of a journey to find gold. He is set upon by the bad guys and the book takes off from there. Alex Jensen and a Canadian Mountie are called in to investigate and work hand in hand to solve this intricate but fascinating plot.

Sue Henry writes one good mystery with a little romance thrown in to the mix. I read this thru a New England snow storm and enjoyed it immensely.(The book; now the snow storm :))

Sue Henry writes another winner in "Termination Dust", the second book of her Alex Jensen Mystery Series. Canoeist Jim Hampton is on a trip down the Yukon River when he discovers the bones and the journal of a prospecter, Addison Riser from the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897. While pondering the question of what may have caused Riser's death, Hampton is attacked and left for dead himself. He escapes and is discovered by Detective Alex Jensen and Inspector Charles Delafosse who are investigating a stolen car ring and the murder of a prominent man. There is evidence to suggest that Hampton committed the murder and the two lawmen investigate that possibility. The story continues with the constant weaving of Riser's story from the 1800's with that of modern-day Hampton. The story includes lost treasure and a further murder. Henry makes the story rich and complex, yet manages to convincingly tie up all of the loose ends at the end. The reader is also treated to the rich background of the Yukon and a history lesson about the Gold Rush.

This is a wonderful book for young children. They love moving the mouse through the house to see where he will be next. Expect to read this one over and over again!

This book comes with a cardboard mouse who slides through slots in the sturdy pages as he goes on his adventures. This is not a board book; the slots can tear if handled roughly but easily remedied with a little scotch tape. There is a template for a mouse, on the back cover of the book, so you can make another one if the original is lost. I made a spare for use while my daughter is younger and very rough with her books. The original started to peel a bit but that is easily fixed with a little glue. So although this is a fairly sturdy book it is not indestructible. My two year old loves this book.

As a child I read this book a hundred times with my parents. It was truly my favorite book and I can't wait to purchase a copy for my future children.

My son loved this book so much and I didn't mind reading it over and over....the first one hundred times! You will be asked to read this book more than once. IT is such a cute story action book.

This is a delightful and fun interactive book! I've owned a copy for many years and my five-year-old just recently pulled it out and has shown interest in reading along with the captions in the book. He loves moving the mouse in and out of the pages. I find that him being able to move the mouse around has helped him pay attention to the story.

We lost the fist mouse but were able to trace the one on the back cover to create a new mouse. We've since ordered other copies of Richard Fowler's books. They are all cute books but this one is our favorite.

I bought six of my favorite childhood books for my great-grandson..."Little Black Sambo", "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", "Henny Penny", "Chicken Little", "The Three Little Kittens", and "Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit". My great-grandie is 2-1/2 and I can't wait to read these wonderful stories to him.

I bought this book on an impulse, simply based on the brightly colored illustrations and a brief refrain that that appears when you look inside the book. I couldn't be more delighted with this purchase. The book is a wonderful addition to my fairy tale library and my kindergarten kids absolutely LOVE listening to and participating in the retelling of the story, especially the rhyming refrain..... "I'm a troll from a deep dark hole - my belly's getting thinner. I need to eat and goat's a treat - so I'll have you for my dinner!".

Timely delivery. The book was great. My great grandson loved it.

Cute book with pictures that keep their attention. My boys walk around all the time saying "who is going over my bridge" in their gruff little troll voice! "Don't eat me... I too little," they say. I am so glad I added this book to our collection.

PS - I agree: How lame that Amazon has mixed together reviews for all these various versions of "Three Billy Goats Gruff." They are all so different and all by different illustrators and authors!

Anyway, this is a comment about Marcia Brown's 1957 version, which I found to be incredibly gory. Rather than merely knock the troll off the bridge, this billy goat gruff graphically dismembers him, poking out his eyes and reducing him to "bits, body and bones." Yuck! There are other, mellower version out there... This one's not a favorite. (ReadThatAgain!)

Town House by Tish Cohen is a light, funny, interesting novel about how our man, Jack Madigan, a famous rockstar's only son, deals with hurt and painful memories he can't leave, can't escape and seems to not want to. He is locked into the town house with them, and this he does completely willingly, except for his problem, he is an agoraphobic (no that does not mean a fear of spiders). He is completely unable to go outside without taking a heavy medication, which lately isn't even doing the trick. Jack's time in the town house is father left him is coming to an end, he needs to sell the house since he is not keeping up with the payments. Will he be able to leave the house and find a job? Will he be able to keep his house?

Two women in his life push and shove him to break through his fears( his naive Realtor, and his precocious neglected 8-year-old next door neighbor girl), but he constantly lets them down. He can't help them if they are standing outside his house, and how can a friendship stand strong when it seems so one-sided at times?His son Harlan, an amazing kid with a true loving heart, is slowly loosing hope for his father. He is a teen, a teen should not be seen with a father who cannot leave the house except to get dizzy, create a scene and embarrass his son (or so Harlan thinks!!!)

Well, read it!! Town House is a perfect book that is not as silly as chick lit, and has much more substance...but it also is very funny. Jack the main character is full of sarcasm, and he will draw you right in, and you will love him, at least I do. So, if you are looking for a book in between reading Tolstoy and Henry James, this is it. The quality is there, the lightness and humor are there as well, and yet it is completely quirky and real. Dive in!

Quotes from the book:

" No, the rood of your problem lies in your lack of a stable childhood home. Lack of parenting. Lack of a solid family life. Your father was and obsessive -compulsive with olfactory issues who left you to sleep in a Coca-Cola crate" (p. 21).

" Harlan would be much better off with his mother, Jack thought. Hell, he'd be better off with this Yale guy, who takes all the vitamins. Only the most selfish of fathers wouldn't see this" (p. 62).

"This house has turned you into a prisoner. It being sold is, like the best thing that could ever happen to you. And me! Let's get the hell out of it!" (p. 81).

"It was all so delicate, so temporary, this thing called life. One minute this was your world; the next minute it was gone" (p. 249).

My mother heard I was thinking of moving into a Boston townhouse, and she sent me this book as a sort of warning, for Tish Cohen lays out all too clearly the perils of getting settled into a town house, no matter how spacious and airy. In this way, the book is rather like the forthcoming Dale Peck novel, in which a young boy who inherits an entire New York brownstone mansion, soon finds himself climbing the walls with loneliness (THE GARDEN OF LOST AND FOUND). Cohen's treatment is rather different, for she mixes the whimsical with the deadly and dangerous disease (or neurosis I suppose) people call "agoraphobia," where you never want to go outside. Jack Madigan has it made, the son of a famous rock star, and the father of a handsome teenage son Harlan, he has it all on the outside, but for him, there is no outside, it is a spooky and unimaginable world to which, as it happens, he has now lost his lovely wife Penelope who, or so it seems from the outset, has just about given him up for there are some people who just don't understand those of us who hesitate before lesving the house.

I heard the author of SEABISCUIT, Laura Hillebrand, recommend this book on one of those NPR radio chat shows where famous authors give tips on what's new and deserving. Hillebrand, as many know, herself is a real life victim of agoraphobia and despite that she did what Tish Cohen has done, built up a whole world out of a place where she has never been.

If asked what the book is like, I would pause and then reply that it is sort of a cross between ABOUT A BOY and PANIC ROOM. It would be a great movie with Hugh Grant and Jodie Foster! And some cute little girl like the one who played Foster's daughter in PANIC ROOM. There's also a good part for a realtor, someone like oh, Thelma Ritter used to play. Dorrie Allsop, the realtor in charge of selling the town house, provokes the crisis in Jack's life, by making him realize that even the safest refuge isn't always the best option in life. A funny chapter shows her perplexed when the ad she puts up describing the town house, that read, "Shelves in Cellar," is altered by the compositors so it looks like "She Lives in Cellar," and people reading the ad stop and say, "Who lives in the cellar?"

It's also a little bit like LOVE ACTUALLY (also with Hugh Grant), but with a Canadian twist. (Although set in the USA, it has some Canadian locutions that give it a strange, though welcome, freshness.

Town House is an amazing story by Toronto author Tish Cohen, whom I met in June with authors Patry Francis and Jennifer McMahon. Not only did Tish write her book in three and one half-weeks, (it WAS fully plotted - but, still - that is an amazingly fast write - even for a writer who writes, as Tish does - everywhere - (on the keyboard or on scraps of paper scrawled while grocery shopping) she soon sold Town House to Fox movies.


Ridley Scott has been signed as the producer; Doug Wright as the screenwriter.

Tish told me recently in an email that filming is slated to begin in Boston in January.

NEWS FROM THE AUTHOR, (Tish herself!)We've had some nice film news--John Carney, who directed the much-acclaimed indie film, ONCE, has signed on to direct Town House. ONCE won at Sundance, it's a great film that's getting a lot of Oscar buzz.


Tish has a fantastically creative and quirky style. That is one reason her book sold so quickly. Another reason? I have no idea. But hum a few bars for me or give me the recipe and I'll try my hand...Hmm. Maybe not. Tish is sui generis, a unique author with a unique story to tell.

On to Tish's book. Admittedly, an agoraphobic herself, Tish's main character, Jack Madigan, is also agoraphobic. He lives in the house his dead, rock-star legend father, Baz Madigan, left in his will.

(This fictional house and the cover of the book is a Boston Town House, the subject of the book. Once upon a time, Tish fell in love with Boston when she was here for a conference. She skipped the conference but toured Boston with its fabulous history, culture, and architecture.)


Like Jack's life, the house is a once-glorious enterprise now in near ruins. Yet, Jack is still way too good looking for his own good and is fast spending the inheritance from his father's royalties. However, in Town House, like in real life, once the money runs out, it becomes time to pay the piper. Jack must negotiate his way through many characters in this fast-paced story. The bank is threatening to foreclose; the ex-wife wants to take their son to California - and a maddening girl next door keeps barging in on his life. Then there is the matter of the real estate agent.

So Jack turns to his ingenuity to save his mortgage, his sanity and his son. And to venture out into the real world beyond his front door. This is a comic read in the best sense - zany characters who seem too nutsy to be real and yet they are characters you recognize as your own neighbors (or, possibly as yourself).

* * *

Excerpt:

This is from the Prologue:

"The pills clung to the bottom of Baz's dry tongue like barnacles. He held his breath, waiting for the nurse's tyrannical bosom to swing away and lead her downstairs, toward the street where her teenage son was waiting, or honking rather, in his shiny new '78 Pinto.

"Swallow," said the nurse, narrowing her eyes.

He opened his mouth to show his empty tongue. "Were you always this bossy?" One of the pills struck the underside of his tongue stud.

"Only with the sneaky ones."

The Pinto beeped again.

"Go ahead, Louisa." Baz's words hung, wafer-thin and dusty, in the stale air of his bedroom. He closed his eyes and swallowed, sending trickles of pain across his temples and down his neck. "I'm going to sleep until Francine comes up with my dinner."

"How that fine woman ever birthed a wretch like you, I'll never know." She gathered his mane into a loose ponytail and stuffed it down his T-shirt. "Your hair smells nice today."

Baz cracked one eye open as she lifted the leather jacket from his shoulders and replaced it with a soft guilt. Having assured himself she wasn't mocking him, he glanced up to admire the giant Bazmaniacs logo on the back of the battered jacket as she hung it on a chair - right next to his Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and three framed gold records."

And from Chapter 1:

" Jack Madigan squeezed his eyes shut. Hard. He wasn't going to cry over this. There were exactly three events in his thirty-six-year-old memory that had brought him to tears, typically life-splintering events; such as his father dying on him while he was away at a sleepover; his son, Harlan, bursting - squalling an bawling - out of the womb and into his heart; and his ex-wife sashaying out the front door of the old Boston town house and wishing Jack a good life.

She'd forgotten the tweezers."

* * *

So will Jack be able to find love? Save his house and child? Venture outside into the real world? All that will become evident in the final chapters of this MUST read!

Although this is a novel, it has the ring of truth throughout. Imagine trying to save your home and maintain sanity and stability while battling agoraphobia (for those not in the know, this is a phobia which makes it nearly impossible for sufferers to leave their homes without feeling extreme anxiety,including panic attacks).

What I found amazing about this book was the humor inherent in a very difficult situation. Jack Madigan has lived within his home in an old townhouse along with his son, a cat and his wife. His wife left him and s already planning her marriage. Whenever Jack tries to leave his home, he has panic attacks, a particular type which causes him to feel dizzy, head spinning,unable to stay upright. While this could be milked for far more drama, I liked the rather wry take Jack has on his condition, even as his son expresses a mixture of emotions, from resentment to compassion to shame.

Of course, nothing stays the same, not even in a seemingly controlled environment and the world comes crashing in on Jack. His income dries up and the townhouse is put up for sale, pressuring him to face the reality of change - and far more change than simply stepping outside his door, something he finds difficult unless he is extremely angry- and even then, his anger generally wears off quickly and he is panicky again. To add to the mix, his real estate agent is a quirky person who is quite chatty, often overwhelming or baffling Jack. But there is more to her than meets the eye.

I thought the author managed to convey the particular traits of agoraphobia quite well, although there are many types and varieties of this condition. Some people can make it outside their home, within a certain area of safety. Jack has a far more severe form than those people, finding it impossible to even step outside to pick up a dead bird. He is known as a "hermit" by many in the neighborhood, even taunted by children.

Few anxieties are cookie cutter imitations of others and depend on the person, their will, their biochemistry and other factors. For those who find the novel a bit contrived or can't relate to Jack's quirkiness, I hope you'll find the writer's style unique enough to balance anything that seems a bit pat. For those who are prone to anxiety and panic, they may find some comfort in a book which acknowledges the realities in a far more accepting and matter of fact way than you might expect.

There's Jack, the agoraphobic son of a late rock star. Dorrie, the ditzy real estate agent whose strategy to try to sell a house is to point out its every flaw. Mrs. Brady, a one-eyed male cat. Lucinda, the girl next door who dreams of becoming an ice skater and barges into Jack's kitchen--and life. These are the characters who populate Town House, Tish Cohen's debut novel.

But Ms. Cohen has done more than simply give us a bunch of quirky characters trying to make the best in less than favorable circumstances. She makes the reader care for them--as flawed as they are. Lucinda is one of the loveliest and most unforgettable characters of any book I've read in a very long time--she made me laugh, she almost made me cry, and at the end I was sorry to say goodbye to her.

Town House is the rare thing: a novel that makes you laugh, breaks your heart, and remains with you long after you've read the last page.