G Books

I have just read Summer Lightning and After the Storm even though they have been out 30 yrs. Found them while broesing local library. 2 very good books that should be on some best reading list in the same catagory as To Kill a Mockingbird. Very good reading.

Note: Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks.

Many decades ago, I wrote in the front of my paperback copy of this novel "A Great Story--very tender!"

Set in Florida in the early 1940s, this novel follows the adventures of Terry Calder, a schoolboy who is on the run truant officers. He roams the Everglades and meets an old man. McCree, who has lived outside the law for decades, teaches Terry much about life during the hot summer.

If you haven't read Richard Bradford's "Red Sky At Morning," I would highly recommend this coming-of-age novel (set in New Mexico in the 1940s).
Red Sky at Morning: A Novel (Perennial Classics)

I would also highly recommend the modern cowboy story "Golden Rod," by Herbert Harker
Goldenrod

These novels are a way of reliving our youth. Frank Lloyd Wright said something to the effect that: "Youth is a fact of birth, but being young is a state of mind."

I hope you liked my little review. I think long reviews are better after you read a novel. I don't like knowing too much before I read a story. Thanks

An amazing look at childhood from the perspective of an adult woman. Wish I'd known McCree and Terry when I was six!

A delightful Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn type novel. Easy reading, suitable for age 13 and up, but very enjoyable for all ages. The characters are very lovable, and it is easy to identify with Terry, the mischevious 6-year-old, if you've ever been a kid and had his spirit.

Its been 13 years since I read this book (when I was 10), but I can still remember the empathic experience afforded by Richards' skillful writing. I remember the thrills of sneaking into a tomato warehouse to sample the sweetiest juciest tomatoes ever pilfered, and the exhilaration of running away once I'd been discovered. I remember the bond with an old man who needed the benefit of youth like I needed the benefit of wisdom. We were a great pair, and he taught me how to catch catfish in a most interesting way. I remember terrifying my teacher and being the best little hellion I could be, and I remember the responsibility I shouldered when I had to, when I crossed a point, on a raft, with a friend in peril, and the everglades my only obstacle to saving him...when I took a step closer to becoming a man. I am writing about this book because it was one of the most memorable of my youth, and because it still sometimes paints on the canvas of my dreams.

G. C. Rosenquist's pen has captured the essence of life's ups and downs. Super Elastic Traveling Sound Circus was my first book of poetry, an experience I will never forget.

Established writer and poet, G.C Rosenquist has penned his first poetry book, Super Elastic Traveling Sound Circus, which consists of fifty diverse and very metaphoric poems.
The book begins with a statement from the author on the meaning of the book and what motivated him to compose these poems.
"A poem, to me, is a novel condensed to its most important and essential elements...This is a raw open wound: do I want the reader to know this?"
Expressing a variety of emotions in his words, the poems are well written, insightful and very symbolic. Each poem conveys a message and I liked how Rosenquist wrote a small paragraph at the top of each poem, to add more meaning to its work.
On the whole, the book is a galactic journey, an open wound, a philosophical discourse, or maybe just a simple explanation of his life.
My favorite poems in the book are: Friendship Down, Kite, Coma, Circle and Old Man. There was a special meaning and wit to those poems and I was able to relate to the sentiments they communicate. Quotes:
Kite: "That for a kite to fly / It must be anchored to the ground"
Circle: "I went to the mountaintops / I found the truth up there / Didn't like what I was told / So I went back home again"
Old Man: "You see me through eyes that deny their age / With spider-leg fingers, paper-skin wrapped / Brown leaf bones and a weathered, velvet head / You're much stronger than I am"

GC Rosenquist has done it again!
Mr Rosenquist shows his diversity as a writer in this superb collection of short poems. He walks you thru virtually every emotion in this touching, funny, and heart warming selection. I highly recommend you jump on the Rosenquist bandwagon and check out his previous books; OPENING and CLOSING of the MOON, and EVERMORE especially! You will not be disappointed!

Written by accomplished novelist G. C Rosenquist, The Super Elastic Traveling Sound Circus is a poetry collection assembled from metaphors drawing on all five senses. Each brief, free-verse poem touches upon the common elements that bind humans together as surely as the uniqueness that sets individuals apart. From cosmic concepts such as string theory to painful yet disturbingly common incidents such as divorce to the mysterious beauty of a sea flower, each topic speaks to a different element of the mystery of life. "Circle": I was born in the ocean / I was one-celled once / I know where I came from / Where the hell am I right now? // I left it all behind / I crawled up into the mud / to be where my future lies / Be neath the beating sun

G.C.Rosenquist has managed to capture the very soul of humanness with this collection. The range of emotions elicited from his words leave you with a good sense of reality. I also recommend his previous books:
The Opening and Closing of the Moon, The Funnel Flyer and Evermore. Do yourself a favor and become a Rosenquist fan........you will not be disappointed.

Swimming With Gandhi And Einstein is author William Colwell's visualized discourse two great human beings. In the foreword, Colwell warns, "If you are looking for a treatise on the life and thoughts of Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi put this book down, it's not for you. Although they speak on topics that would be considered their forte, science, consciousness, and the human spirit, their words are mine." Swimming With Gandhi And Einstein reflects profoundly on both the physical and metaphysical, and what it means in essence to be truly human. A poignant and extensively examined reflection upon eternal questions.

In the past, I've always been a little disappointed with works of philosophical fiction. All of the scenarios seemed too contrived to be realistic. Swimming with Gandhi and Einstein, however, is different. It was easy to identify with the protagonist and the problems that he faced. William Colwell does a fantastic job of creating a sysnthesis of eastern philosophy and physics that actually makes sense. Much of what I was looking for in The TAO of Physics, I was able to find here.
I would also like to point out that the descriptions of Indonesia throughout the course of the book were enchanting. If you want to explore reality in terms of the reconciliation of your spiritual life with the physical universe, this is the perfect place to start! This book offers a practical framework to approaching life that can be utilized by anyone.

Swimming with Gandhi and Einstein is an entertaining and eye-opening book that has shed light on the way I view things. It had me laughing out loud and fighting tears for a week as I traveled to and from work. I've always been interested in stories that help me step back and look at my life and who I am. Some stories I've enjoyed, some I haven't. This book, however, is a clever and important story.

In the Foreword the reader is invited to reflect upon who they are and to examine their life with the same honesty as the main character James. Frankly, the story was so good that I found it challenging to focus on my own life; I was very caught up in his. As such, I want to read the book again, focusing on my own life. Nevertheless, there were many times that something I read made me say, "Wow..." and just close the book and contemplate. I'm always fascinated by stories about the human condition and how the human mind works but this book makes its point in an entertaining and simple way given the magnitude of the subject.

Most profound for me were pages 163-165. At this point in the book, I was sitting outside my office reading and was pulled right out of the story and into my own life. That is when I closed the book to catch my breath. It says it beautifully... "Your life hasn't been about the things that happen in any given moment. It's been about what you've said about those things. Your life is a blank canvas and through your speaking you have been painting on that canvas. The only thing is you have related to that painting like it has always been out there and you have been a powerless viewer. In fact son, you have been the artist...You have a choice." Over the years I have seen how we can take an occurrence, create an entire story around it, and build agreement from others to make ourselves that much more right. It's fascinating the lengths our mind can go in service of the ego - and Swimming with Gandhi and Einstein makes that point well!

However, the part that was like a punch in the stomach for me was when Karra said to James, "Be clear about one thing, my young friend. When you open your mouth to speak you are not describing the world - you are creating it." Wow. Wow. Wow. I can't tell you what that meant to me.

I can see how this book can help people examine their own lives and teach great lessons without making the reader feel that there is something wrong with where they are right now. Self-reflection can be challenging and uncomfortable but Swimming with Gandhi and Einstein actually allows it to happen in a fun way.

"Swimming with Gandhi and Einstein" is an intriguing book with two objectives. On the one hand, Colwell regales us with humorous tales about traveling in Indonesia, and experiences that can't be found in any guide book. (This is probably just as well for the country's tourism industry.) His stressed-out central character, James Connelly, learns the hard way that island life travels at its own pace and that no mere mortal from Toronto with a backpack on his back can alter the natural state of equilibrium.

The other story deals with the spiritual side of his journey, where the learned (and needless to say, deceased) gentlemen of the title appear to him as two fun-loving friends, and turn his already confused world upside down. If you've read "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield, you will identify with some of the concepts of this fictional work, as our own James is taught that everything comes down to the spaces within atoms, and that the world as he knows it exists because of his preconceived ideas and prejudices. Through a series of soul-searching exercises and a lot of trial and error, James learns to identify himself differently, and not as the ego-tripping, unfulfilled, unhappy individual he was before his life-changing journey.

This is one of those books that make you want to examine your life, and wonder to yourself if, just maybe, something wonderful will happen if you relax and allow good things to happen.



Amanda Richards, June 19, 2006

The author actually sent me this book, because he noticed I had reviewed many books on the subject of consciousness.

I truly appreciate having had the opportunity to read it and contrast it with other works I have read.

As we go through life, at some point we have to cross that bridge from ego to higher consciousness and learn to live there, from our higher self vantage point. To live just from your ego consciousness is to live life from a very limited perspective.

Our hero, James makes that journey on our behalf, and we can learn much form his experiences, as he encounters the wisdom of two characters, Gandhi and Einstein, who are higher self representations who impart their wisdom and experience, as he makes these self realisations.

As someone who tamed some of my more brutish ego aspects, I can certainly find echoes of my own experience in James, and the author, I feel gives very good insights into the way men think particularly when it comes to women.

If you are a man reading this book you can relate to James. If you are a woman you may gain insights into how men think.

I hope you find this review helpful, and if you do, please click yes.

I really loved this book. It really did a wonderful job of showing how joyful Tarka's life was, and how, even when he was hunted, his life was still joyful. I highly recommend this book!

This book is quite possibly the best novel about nature ever written. It's gorgeous and epic, not a kid's book by any means. This was T.E. Lawrence's favorite book, by the way, and there is more wonder, beauty, and realism in any one paragraph than in most books you'll ever see

Tarka the Otter is written very descriptively, from an otter's point of view. It's similar to Watership Down, but Tarka's thought is much less anthropomorphized than that of the characters in Watership Down. You'll find this book quite sad in places, perhaps even upsettingly so, because of the realistic (and unfair) interactions Tarka and others have with English hunters and their dogs a few times (such is life). If you cried at the end of Where the Red Fern Grows, beware. If you are unfamiliar with the endearing antics of members of the weasel family, you are in for an educational and fun treat. Perhaps you'll run out and get a ferret after this.

Most classics enjoy a broad audience, and maintain their popularity through the years because they are so fantastic. Other classics are no less fantastic, but for some reason never attained the iconic status that they deserve. This is that kind of classic, a quiet classic which is little-known, but still has that special ability to impact those who read it.

This book tells the life story of Tarka the Otter, who is born in the Devon countryside and faces the struggles that all otters must endure as they grow up, mate, and grow old. Tarka is the main character of the book, but the author refuses to anthropomorphize him, instead bringing us into an utterly realistic world of life, death, joy and loss, without pretending that otters can actually speak in anything approximating a human language.

I've read other books that purport to show us the life of an animal in this way, but none of them bear the richness of detail and the feeling of authenticity that come with this novel. The author has such an intimate understanding of the particulars of Tarka's life that we are drawn into his world with a stunning immediacy. Every feature of the land is known from the ground up; every bend in the creek is lovingly described. The way that the land and the various organisms that populate it interact creates a breathtaking tapestry of life that puts most other nature writers to shame.

The language, particularly the language used to describe the natural settings, is rich and exotic, making us appreciate the wonders of an unremarkable countryside setting in a new way. No matter how well read you are, this book will throw new words at you, and enrich your vocabulary. Turning to a random page, I see references to "a sandy rabbit-bury," the "slot of deer," an "old dismated ketch," and "the frore air." What a wealth of words, and yet the unfamiliarity doesn't prevent us from enjoying every poetic sentence.

If you like to read about animals or appreciate nature, this is a book that will speak to you more profoundly and more eloquently than Thoreau, and which will allow you to appreciate the wonders of nature even moreso than the books of Bernd Heinrich.

If you devote a little time to reading this book, you'll be rewarded out of all proportion to your investment.

My mom bought me this book when I was ten I immediately thought it was going to be a good book as it had a charming front cover showing an innocent looking otter. Tarka is a sweet young otter and the book is like his life story in a way his life is like a human's . He is born ,he grows up,he loves he loses and he dies. The discription of him and his surroundings create a vivid picture in the readers mind. It really is a charming story and I would recommend this to anyone who loves animals and/or reading.

THIS BOOK GAVE ME MANY KNOWLEDGEABLE TIPS ON HOW TO WIN, PLAY, AND GET COMPS WITH "MY MONEY". I AM GOING TO LAS VEGAS SOON AND FOUND THIS BOOK SIMPLIFIES GAMBLING, ETC. FOR THE BEGINNER "WHICH I AM". I ENJOYED THIS BOOK THROUGHLY AND WILL MAKE SURE THIS IS MY ONLY GUIDE IN LAS VEGAS.........I HOPE THE AUTHOR KEEPS WRITING BOOKS LIKE THIS.

Very informative and easy to understand especially for a beginner like myself. Explained the different types of games and odds in an an easy to understand language. I felt more education the next time I played the slots.

THIS BOOK GAVE ME MANY KNOWLEDGEABLE TIPS ON HOW TO WIN, PLAY, AND GET COMPS WITH "MY MONEY I AM GOING TO LAS VEGAS SOON AND THIS BOOK SIMPLIFIES GAMBLING FOR THE BEGINNER (WHICH I AM) I ENJOYED IT THOUTOUGHLY AND WILL MAKE SURE THIS IS MY GUIDE IN LAS VEGAS.

I never knew what I was up against when I played slots, but after reading Thrifty Gambling I found out the truth in plain, common sense language. I will still play slots, but thanks to Thrifty Gambling I am now an informed player. They used to be a mystery. Now I feel like I am in control of both the game and the money. Thrifty Gambling has changed the whole way I play and it's all for the better. I have read a lot of gambling books, but never one so informative with good common sense gambling techniques.An awesome, must buy book!

"Thrifty Gambling", by John G. Brokopp is a wonderfully written treatise on the field of gambling. There are charts, diagrams, statistics, and practical information that will save its readers money and their sanity. Many false premises concerning odds and your chance to win at a given game are laid out and explained. The term "thrifty" is well chosen and defined to give you the best play for your money. Games are defined, explained, and odds spelled out. This is a wonderful book to read and read again, and I bet you'll find your investment in the book will be well paid off with a better understanding of odds and better play for your money.

Edward Vincent editor OakParkJournal.com

Janet Dailey, the New York Times bestselling author who has touched the hearts of millions, shines in this unforgettable novel. Sweeping from the wealth and glamour of a modern Texas city to the rugged majesty of Mexico's High Sierras, this is a magnificent tale of desire and destiny from one of the world's most beloved storytellers.
---------- Reviewed by Janet Sue Terry, author of the contemporary romance, "Set Me Free" series. Book 1 - Possibilities and Book 2 - Resolutions. Newest release is Just Our Best Short Stories 2005. www.janetsueterry.com.

All her life,cool, beautifu Sheila got what she wanted. Now she yearned for the raw passion of a man beyond her reach, a violent mysterious outlaw whose followers adored him. A lion of a man who held her for ransom-a man who would trade her for a fortune in gold. But Shelia wanted only him-with all the reckless longing her body and soul.

I felt that this novel, although it may not have ended the way I wanted it to, was interesting in nature. The characters were well defined and had a lot of depth. Even thought the story line was a little on the exaggerated side, it still kept my undivided attention. If you are looking for a good romance novel, this one will make an excellent read.

I loved this story. I have read it several times. I had read it in the past and lost my copy of it so reordered it. I would like to see Janet Dailey write another book and let us know what happened to the Rafraga? After all he was wanted by the law. She left it up in the air. However I still loved the story.

I was riveted from the beginning till the end of the book. It's a pity that Sheila had to learn the lesson about men the hard way when her newly-married husband turned out to be a jerk.

I like Laredo, the American outlaw who joined the Mexican bandits. His whimsies about home, about eating cherry-topped sundae was really touching. You can actually feel his emotion, how much he missed home, and yet unable to return because he was a wanted man. I like Rafaga too, the outlaw leader, who was a very charismatic man. His mistress committed a crime which amounted to punishment, and despite his heavy heart and sadness, he continued on with the punishment.

Sheila, the Texan heiress, was rather petulant, for me. But I admire her survival spirit and courage. Not many would be like that in her position.

The ending, like all the Janet Dailey books I read so far was rather abrupt and left to the reader to contemplate further what happened next.

A great read.

A green, cloth-bound hardback with a sewn binding. Over 175 b&w illustrations & 16 color plates. Preface and Introduction. 20 p Bibliography. Glossary and Index.

The book arrived very fast for an international shipping and it was in a very good condition.
Despite the publication date of this book, it's remains very actual an usefull for most turtles enthusiastic's and grade students.

A fantastic book for anyone with even a passing interest in learning about most of the world's living species (and I am only slightly moved to say so because the authors cite me for my observations regarding snake-necked turtles!).

This is a great book probably a 5 stars, but the photos are in black and white and because of this I decided to give it 4 stars, there isn't anything on the internal anatomy of turtles as well. But it's a must have if you are seriously interested in turtles

A great book if you are seriously interested in turtles and a bit sick of the kiddie stuff. Natural history is what reptile care MUST be based on, you can believe me I'm a herpetologist, and that is what this book is all about. Good species keys, hard to find elsewhere, Ernst knows what he's talking about.

As a competitive runner I found this book to be extremely valuable to formulate a program that has giveing me that the edge I needed to increase my speed and muscle endurance. I recommend it to any serious runner wanting to improve their performance.

If you train, be it for a goal race or a charity run, then you, like me need motivation to keep going forward. We all need tried and true tips to change things up, this book is full of those. Nobody can or should run everyday, so why not hit the gym on off days? we all need something different and we all need to stay injury free, a different sport, something to cross train with and something to challenge us beyond where we are. Time off keeps the injuries at bay, extra training and working the muscles does too. This book offers examples (through word and picture and charts) of different training exercises for in season and off. It is filled with suggestions on how to mix different exercises up, I love and you will too!

My husband has motivation to workout everyday and requested a book for Christmas that would help him get faster running and do the right kind of weights before a race and when he is not in the race mode and this book was an answer to his prayers because it has all the right formulas for what he was looking for. EXCELLENT BOOK!!!

I'm a multi sport athlete who trains all year round regardless of what sport I play. I bought a few of these Ultimate Guide to Weight Training books, and they definitely helped me train specifically for the different sports that I play. Then about a year later I received an email from amazon that there was a new edition out. These upgraded editions are even better than the originals, with more articles and a lot more sport-specific information. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who plays a lot of sports or wants to specifically focus on training for one sport in particular.

After i finished reading this book, i put it in the front of my collection of running books. This is the most functional and practical book i have ever seen on strength training for runners. the tips on how to weight train for muscular endurance are priceless as i'm beginning to see with my longer distances and lower times. this book has earned my recommendation.

Of all the training books out there today, this is the only one i have seen that really speaks to the swimmer specifically! This is an invaluable resource for any swimmer or coach. I would recommend this to the novice swimmer or a pro. Two thumbs up!

I strongly recommend this book. I've been using it for just one month and I see the improvement in my swimming workouts!!

I found that this book increased my speed, strength, and endurance. Often times, by increasing strenght, swimmers lose efficiency in their strokes. I found that this book did a great job increasing stroke power, while reiterating the need to maintain stroke efficiency. A GREAT BUY!

Every swimmer knows that strength and conditioning is everything. The stronger and better conditioned you are, the better swimmer you will be. That's why i bought this book, and it did exactly that. It improves your strength, conditioning, stamina, and endurance, and reduces injuries too. The weight training programs in this book hit the nail right on the head for what I was looking for - a swimming specific workout.

This book is an excellent training guide for the swimmer at any level. I have been swimming for many years and after reading this book I have taken my skills to a higher level. I feel much stronger in the pool and my endurance has really increased. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anyone who loves to swim.

The concept of fractional real estate is presented in an easy to understand format. Dan Morton has done an excellent job explaining this unique industry along with its benefits and challenges. Be sure to have your highlighter available, this book is full of great information.

I had the chance to read this publication recently in our search for additional information on fractional ownership. The publication does an excellent job of explaining background information on fractinal ownership, as well as, addressing some of the more advanced concepts as use systems. I would recommend this publication to anyone interested in fractional ownership.

Vacation Home Fractional Conversion is one of the most exciting new paradigms I have encountered in quite a while!

Why buy a time share when you can actually own the time share itself and not just "buy into" someone else's profit making. This book should be read by all those who want to own a piece of land or home on a part time basis but don't want the hassels of time share. Yes, there are many more responsiblities that go along with actually owning in this manner, but the rewards are greater also.

Daniel Morton's book is easily read and understood, not only by real estate professionals, but also by the general public. It is truly a "well-thoughtout step by step guide" on how to profit from this new paradigm thinking.

Given the present mortgage market, this book could supply many of the answers people are looking for.

Read it once completely through and then read it again while you plan your strategie!

Personally, I am going to introduce a couple of my realtor friends to this book also. I'm excited about the possiblities!

Tremendously clear, concise and well-researched. Unlike many other guides out there, this was not written to make a quick buck, but to actually HELP people. I would really recommend this for anyone looking into the promising field of fractionals--you won't find a better resource out there.

This is a book whose time has come. With the housing market in the doldrums, and it may be for some time, this book is a "must read" for buyers, sellers, and realtors. There are many people out there who need to sell their homes for a myriad of reasons. Many of these homes were purchased as vacation homes (second homes); others are their primary residences but are located in beautiful vacation spots.

As the author states, first is education, and that means realtors learning what fractional conversion is and how they can make many of these beautiful homes in vacation spots available to many buyers. And, if you're a seller, this book will provide you with the resources and confidence you need to move ahead with a fractional conversion. If you are a buyer and considering purchasing a vacation home, then I encourage you to read this book first. You will become convinced as I was, that it is economically better to purchase a fractional conversion vacation spot as opposed to a regular vacation home. Moreover, from a "green" prospective, when more owners share the same house, it's more ecologically conservative.

Fractional conversion is not appropriate for every home, but some of the more expensive homes in the right location are excellent candidates for fractional conversion. Only a low percentage of the population can afford one of these homes as a second home. Most buyers purchase a much less desirable second home in a less desirable area.

But--best of all, a seller can simultaneously market the house for a sale at the same time they are marketing the home for fractionalization. However, if they find an acceptable buyer and prefer not to own a part of the home, then if set up correctly, the fractional conversion can be cancelled and the house sold. This, of course disappoints the would-be fractional buyers, but they are informed ahead of time of the risk.

This is just a small sampling of information the author provides. It was a very interesting and informative book and a book whose time has come for realtors, sellers and buyers of vacation homes, or homes with vacation-like qualities. I recently considered purchasing a vacation home, so this book was of particular interest to me. I am happy I read the book first.