J Books

beautifull book a number of people at my life drawing session have seen it and want a copy

Was absolutely delighted when we received this book. This is an artist who is so ripe for a reappraisal! Waterhouse managed to pull off a genuine and moving romantic vision. The writing is thoughtful and spirited. The reproductions are first rate. Can't imagine anyone would fail to love this one.

Philip Koch
Professor of Fine Art
Maryland Institute College of Art

This is the best book I have found on J.W. Waterhouse. Not only does this book talk about the painter's life, but more importantly, each of J.W .Waterhouse's paintings are described in very full detail (eg: OPHELIA).

I was so intrigued by reading about Waterhouses' pictures, because the author of this wonderful book (ie: PETER TRIPPI) elaborated in great detail about each work of Art, by contrasting and comparing Waterhouses' paintings to other famous paintings and sculptures (eg: Bourne Jones from the 1800's, and also many famous Italian 1400-th Century Artists) .

The author has attempted, (& with great success, I may add), to show how Waterhouse was influenced by past Rapheaelite Artists and also by some of the other famous first-phase Pre-Raheaelite English Artists.

Each synopsis, of each Waterhouse painting is quite amazing and like no other interpretation that I have read on this famous late-Pre-Raphaelite Artist.

The repro-photos of Waterhouse's works are amazing, -----showing such wonderful details and colors.

If you are an art lover of paintings that can take your breath away, and pulling you int it than John Waterhouse is a must for your collection. He is such a great artist and this book is so incredible you want to devour it. He is one of the greatest artists of his time that I would recommend this book because it is affordable and wonderful.

I received this book quickly and with no delays.

Would love to have ordered the hardcover for a coffee table book but this one does just fine for the cost and over-seas shipping it would have taken for the hardcover. Lots of information on J W Waterhouse and great pictures. It even has some of his less known works and pictures that you can't find prints for. A true keep sake and treasure for those who are interested in this artist and his time. Oh, and a few of the house guests, students, have even asked to borrow the book. First table book to have created some interesting conversations.

This book's focus fills a hole in the literature on leadership. Bestselling authors Noel M. Tichy and Warren G. Bennis concentrate on a key issue that is central to leadership: how leaders make judgment calls, and how you should make, execute and evaluate them. They provide a good, useful framework to guide your decision-making process. They offer intriguing tools, such as using a storyline to spur people to help implement your judgments. The book does have weaknesses, however, and those are due to the authors' definitions of two key terms: "results" and "long-term." While their case studies examine judgment calls they find successful, they define success as meeting "the espoused goals of the institution. Period." This assumes that the institution's goals are already examined and valid, when in many cases they are not. Their definition of "long-term" may strike some as only moderate in duration, or even as short-term. Nonetheless, their work is clearly written and rich in examples. getAbstract recommends it to anyone who is seriously interested in leadership, execution, and organizational strategy and culture.

I very much recommend this book to anyone who faces the challenge of making judgment calls--which, as this book points out, is everyone. This book is inspiring, to the point, and well organized. However, it's most attractive feature is that the methods it suggests are proven through many examples. I think the other reviewers have said it best: this is simply the best framework for decision making on the market.

I throughly enjoyed reading this book. I have studied Warren Bennis extensively within my Doctorate program in Organization Development. Tichy and Bennis are throughly enjoyable to read.

The audio book CD version of "Judgment" is excellent. Tichey & Bennis offer a thorough and practical framework- framing & naming the issue, making the call, and execution- for considering and making business judgments. Tichey is highly regarded in the field and provided many useful examples from his tenure running GE's famed Crotonville Leadership Center. Unlike some other business books, Tichey & Bennis were not afraid to say when bad judgments and mistakes were made, such as HP's Board's hiring Carly Fiorina along with numerous bad judgments made during Fiorina's tenure as CEO. It's an excellent guide to the judgment process.

If you are a manager who wants to develop the skills of executive management, this book is for you. The authors provide a methodology that is not simple, but still quite understandable. It would be ideal for a course of MBA or Executive MBA students wanting to get a framework for decision making.

The book has 13 chapters and then a handbook. The handbook is designed to help you take the material learned in the book and apply it to your personal situation. The chapters start by showing you the connection between judgment and leadership. They then provide a framework (a matrix) for "leadership judgment". This process is used heavily throughout the book, so pay attention to this chapter.

Chapters 3 through 6 are key to understanding the personal aspect to leadership and judgment. The authors want you to have a story line that you can not only communicate, but teach to others and in that way lead. The connection between character and courage is explored including where courage becomes foolhardy and takes you off the rails. The two chapters on the importance of people judgment are very important and you should pay close attention to them.

Chapters 7 and 8 focus on judgments regarding strategy while chapters 9 and 10 deal with judgments in times of crisis (and how to prepare for it and how to prevent most of it). Chapter 11 shows the connection between good judgment and continuous learning and chapter 12 talks about teaching leadership. I wasn't particularly wowed by this material.

The concluding chapter is a two page summary of the book and notes that the dimensions in which the complex process of judgment unfolds are time, domain (people, strategy, crisis), and constituencies (being aware of your audience, who is and needs to be involved, and how to interact effectively). Tichy and Bennis also reiterate the four types of knowledge a leader must have to make good judgments: Self-knlowedge. Social Network Knowledge, Organizational Knowledge, and Contextual Knowledge.

The book is full of great examples from real companies and real people. They illustrate the points of the text quite aptly. However, they are the one bone I would pick with the authors. It is easy to intentionally or unintentionally mislead readers with stories of success and say that these successes were the results of this method or demonstrate that our principles work because they worked in these instances. However, the positive connection to them is not proven beyond the sheer number of them. But leaders with good judgment also fail at times because a certain amount of randomness is built into the system.

Jack Welch is quoted as saying that he gets his people decisions right about 80% of the time. OK, I don't want to argue with him about his perceptions, but what exactly does "getting it right" mean? Jeff Immelt is heralded in the book, but recent events show him able to make huge mistakes as well. Does this mean he wasn't prepared to lead? Or that he turned stupid? Or is it that sometimes reality overtakes even the best preparations and plans? You can make your own judgments. However, I would love to see the book where the authors look at current events at the time they are writing the book and make strong and precise PREDICTIONS as the do in analysis of past events. If they can get those right, I will trust their analyses more.

Still, quite a good and useful book.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

This is a great book for ages 5-15. I read it a long while ago, when I was at the elder end of this age group (the older version of it!) and I absloutely loved it. It brings all the factors of growing up into a purely fun and adventure-like childrens novel. I adore this book for kids!

The book is interesting and funny. It's all about four children, two of whom must go to their cousin's house because it is close to the hospital where their dad will be treated. Suddenly, one the children's toys comes to life and starts talking. He tells them about a magic world and offers them a wish. They want their father to be well, but for that to happen, they have to earn the wish by living in the toy's world - in the time of Robin Hood!
As the children play in the world, they end up messing up history. They even play baseball with the Saxons.
This was a funny book. There were so many funny parts, that I don't have a favorite

Four children and a magical toy castle, what could happen? Everything! When Ann and Roger visit their cousins in Baltimore, Roger is given a toy castle, with toy figures from Ivanhoe and other legends. But the tables turn when they find they can become part of the world that Robin Hood, Rebecca, and Maurice De Bracey inhabited. Can the children solve the problems that they cause as they change the plots of these famous stories? If you like history, and fantasy this book is a definite read. I absolutely adored it!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've read all books by Eager from the Magic Box set, and I would rate them in this order (from best to worst):
1)Half-Magic
2)The Time Garden
3)Magic by the Lake
4)Knight's Castle

Knight's Castle was confusing and not as funny as it tried to be. It is about 4 children that live in the story of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood at night. However, there were some good moments between Roger and his sister Ann.
If I were a child between 9-12, I think I would have loved all of them. However, Eager's books are not as modern as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, and won't be enjoyed as much by adults.

...This is a simple little tale of a group of children who discover a little bit of magic in an old toy soldier. In Eager's work, magic has fairly strict rules (in _Half-Magic_, the charm granted any wish--but only in halves), and here the rules work as a kind of companion to the idea that magic can only work if you continue to believe in it (that is, if you start to think of the creatures you are interacting with simply as dolls, they revert to being dolls again). The plot achieves its urgency through a possible problem in the family, but, with a little help, everything can be solved. A little more moralistic and straight-forward than some of his others, but well worth reading--especially if you've never tried Eager before.

WotF XIX is a compilation of excellent stories (with a few, notable exceptions) spanning the genre range from historical fiction through horror and fantasy to science fiction. Despite the ever-present copy-editing errors, this was a very good read.

I would put the stories in four categories of excellence (well, three of excellence and one of crap).

Group One: The best

Walking Rain - Ian Keane's tale of supernatural beings in present day America, reminiscent (but not derivative) of American Gods, is compelling. The writing is lush, the characterizations beautiful. Hands down the best of the best. I can't say enough about this story. The book is worth buying for this story alone.

Into The Gardens of Sweet Night - Algis Budrys weaves a fairy tale-like tapestry of words as a boy takes a fantastic journey into the sky looking for the fabled gardens. Sometimes the discussions on freedom get a bit thick, but still great.

Blood and Horses - Myke Cole brings us a story of military sf where rebels riding horses seek the oil that gives life, losing their own blood fighting against a technically far superior opponent.

Group Two: The very excellent (in no particular order)

From All the Work Which He Had Made - Michael Churchman's style is strikingly odd at first, but within a page he had made me a convert with this interesting tale about the development of a humanoid robot exploring the questions of his soul.

Dark Harvest - Geoffrey Girard brings us a story about what happens when you find your worst nightmare dying in a field, and it becomes a tourist attraction. Excellent writing, and a wonderful story.

Beautiful Singer - Steve Bein's story of a haunted sword is elegant in its way of presenting feudal Japanese culture and characters. Every word of this story echoes with the culture of the samurai. The only thing holding back this most savory of writing from the top slot was the way the ending rushed together (a common difficulty in short-story writing).

A Few Days North of Vienna - Brandon Butler takes us along as a band of thieves join up with a group of vampire hunters to eradicate those evil creatures. The plot is nothing new or innovative, but the writing is top notch, and that's more important anyway.

Group Three: The still excellent (still in no particular order)

A Ship That Bends - whatever Butler lacked in innovation, Luc Reid makes up for in spades with his characters who live on a flat world and must build a bending ship if they wish to sail to the other side without falling off. The ending is its great weakness, suddenly ending the story before it really reaches its climax. Fun world, great writing, but it just stops cold.

A Silky Touch to No Man - a weak ending is also the problem with Robert J. Defendi's exploration of life in the near future where virtual reality has become the only reality. For a murder mystery, it was painfully apparent "whodunit" from the very beginning. But the writing is strong and the world well conceived (almost scary, actually) which makes it fun anyway.

Gossamer - Ken Liu offers a scenario where Earth finally makes contact with an alien species, and has no idea if they can even communicate. Art seems to be the only thing the Gossamers are interested in, but what does that mean? Interesting twist on the first contact plot.

Numbers - Joel Best brings us a stark account of a world where mathematicians can do almost anything, including make animals and people. In this world one woman seeks to create the perfect mate, but learns that perfection (and creation) are about more than doing everything flawlessly.

Group Four: The stories that really don't belong

Trust Is A Child - Matthew Candelaria's overly long story of negotiations with aliens is really just a painful rehash of about a thousand other identical stories, offering no new slants or anything. That alone wouldn't make it so horrible, but the main character is painfully stupid, and the plot has a hole in it the size of a small star system (it has to do with her being stopped by Marine guards while the aliens can just cruise on by and enter her private quarters without explanation). Also, her solution to being stopped is just horrible (apparently the guard is even dumber than she is). Still, with a good edit and re-write, I think it could have been decent, so I wouldn't write off the author.

A Boy and His Bicycle - Carl Frederick offers a story about just that: a boy and his bike. They don't do anything interesting, or go anywhere fun, or give us any reason not to hope that they just crash into a bus and die. The only saving grace is that it's short and over quickly. And to think this story got first place that quarter...

Bury My Heart At the Garrick - Steve Savile takes the prize for plodding, pointlessness. This story of Houdini was confusing, but not in that good way where you want to know what's going on, more in the way where you just don't care and want to skip to the next story. I kept reading to see if it would get better (imagine a short story that took me a week to read!). It didn't.

A Boy and His Bicycle is a great story.
(I put this in so I don't continuously trip over the review by someone who apparently didn't get it. I must offer the disclaimer however, that I wrote that story. It's a subtle tale, and I'm very grateful that the judges understood it and gave it a First Place award.)

This anthology, Volume XIX, (IMO) contains richly tapestried stories, strewn with new ideas or new takes on old ones. I've no doubt that before long, many of the authors will be Hugo winners

Before he went on to invent Cybernetics, L. Ron Hubbard was a prominent author of science fiction and eventually launched annual collections of science fiction and fantasy drawn from the best and the brightest in the field. The newest addition to the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers Of The Future" series is volume 18, ably compiled and edited by long time science fiction expert Algis Budrys and highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan and science fiction enthusiast. Included in this outstanding anthology are: The Dragon Cave (Drew Morby); The Haunted Seed (Ray Roberts); Rewind (David D. Levine); Windseekers (Nnedi Okorafor); Magic Out Of A Hat (L. Ron Hubbard); Lost On The Road (Ari Goelman); Graveyard Tea (Susan Fry); Carry The God (Lee Battersby); A Few Tips On The Craft Of Illustration (H. R. Van Dongen); Memoria Technica (Leon J. West); Free Fall (Tom Brennan); All Winter Long (Jae Brim); The Art Of Creation (Carl Frederick); Advice To The New Writer (Andre Norton); The Road To Levenshir (Patrick Rothfuss); Eating, Drinking, Walking (Dylan Otto Krider); Origami Cranes (Seppo Kurki); A New Anthology (Tim Powers); Worlds Apart (Woody O. Carsky-Wilson); Prague 47 (Joel Best); and What Became Of The King (Aimee C. Amodeo). L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future, Volume XVIII concludes with "The Year In Contests" by Algis Budrys and "Contest Information".

While I do not get a chance to read much science fiction, I decided to pick up this book mainly because I enjoy short stories. And I must say that this book surprised me. There are a number of well-written, very entertaining stories in this book. There is also a good amount of variety. As more than 12 authors contribute to this book, if you are not a fan of one story, you can move onto the next. There should be four stories in this book that will captivate you. From the quality of the prose and the structure of the stories, I was at first surprised to see that these are first time authors. Now realizing that these are contest winnners from L Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest, it makes more sense. My favorites include Oragami Cranes, Eating Drinking and Walking, Windseekers, and Rewind (for it's writing style).

It's not perfect but I found this anthology very satisfying. When every single one of the stories is able to take me somewhere interesting, then the anthology is worth the money.. Favorite stories: Graveyard Tea, Windseekers, and Origami Cranes.

My husband found this book and bought it for the time when our beloved dog passes on. A friend's dog passed on a month ago and I gave her our book. We read sections of it when 8 of us gathered to comfort our friend. The words brought tears to our eyes and helped us honor the memory of her small companion. We repurchased the book to help us get through our grief when the time comes. Definitely recommended to anyone with a beloved dog.

I, unfortunately, have bought this book about 12 times. I buy this as a gift whenever someone close loses a dog from their family. Anyone who has lost a canine member of the family can use this book, it becomes personal to anyone.

i think this is an excelint gift for someone who has lost a loved dog.

...as only a master of literature can do. This is a beautifully told tale, one which I have shared with friends who have lost their best four-legged friends. O'Neill captures the depth of feeling these creatures share with us for too short a time...
A wonderfully positive, uplifting book for anyone dealing with the loss of a beloved pet.
A treasure.

I have sent this little book to dear friends who have recently suffered the loss of a canine family member. They have told me that this little book has brought them tremendous comfort at a very difficult time.

Very useful book but too verbiose! If the author could be a bit more succinct, this book would be an all time 5 star!

He can say what he is saying with fewer words!

It was so refreshing to read such honest, clear information about protecting my assets. Mark Kohler helped me not only understand what I needed to do, but also gave me the confidence that I could do it! I was one of those that got scared into buying a "Bullet proof Nevada Corp" from one of those seminar companies. It was only after I spent thousands of dollars did I realize that I had wasted all my money. That event made me fearful to do anything again, especially with another "lying attorney!"

Thank you Mark for restoring my faith knowing that there is at least ONE honest attorney and also restoring faith in my ability to protect my assets for my children.

Dr. Steven Clegg
Roseville, CA

I am a higher education lawyer who has learned this the hard way: Lawyers should never be afraid to say what they do NOT know, and they should not be ashamed to learn from other lawyers. Even though I know a lot about risk management in the post-secondary world, I knew less than a lot about asset protection itself - until I read Mark's book. Other lawyers would do well to get off their professional high-horse (driven by secret professional and sometimes personal insecurity), get past the (yes, too numerous) typos and grammatical errors, and the (yes, too gratuitous) title of this book...and learn some great things for their clients and for themselves.

I thought the book provided a wonderful asset protection review for any consumer. The beauty of the book, in my mind, is its ability to simplify complex topics in a manner that is reader friendly - i.e. it keeps a reader engaged, whereas other legal reads often create an instant disconnect with the non-legal community. I look forward to the next book on tax strategies and I compliment the author in leading a campaign to educate consumers on prevalent scams.

Matt Foley, Esq.

Mark has hit a homerun out of the park. This is a must read for any entreprenuer or Real Estate investor. Setting up your business entity the correct way will pay huge dividends over the long haul. He tells it like it is and debunks all the myths and scams that continue to haunt the lives of many. Keep it by your desk for easy reference on issues of high importance.

It's been several days since I've finished this amazing book, and only now, as I begin it again, can I begin to sing its praises. This is one of those rare books that one becomes lost among-- yes, we're talking missed bus stops, phone calls going unanswered, lunch hours long over-extended, and sitting in the car reading when one should be in the office doing something. J.G. Hayes is a writer whose work seems to go directly into one-- so often, even with other superlative artists, one is still aware that one is reading. But with Hayes' work, one is there, one loses the sense that one is reading-- there is no middle man. I can count on one hand the authors who have down that to me.
By no means does one have to be a GLBT person to appreciate and love this book-- I'm not-- just as one does not have to be Native American to weep at Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, or Asian-American to get Amy Tan. Hayes' work transcends genre, if indeed he can be called a genre writer (which I'm sure he would resent.) And his verbal pyrotechnics are astonishing: "It was deep in the green tangle of June when it happened..." or "lost as we were, traversing the Timbuktu of 11-year old boy dreams..."
And, with the creation of Petey Harding, Hayes has given us a Green Man Everyman for the next century-- innocent, cynical, world-weary, joyous, subliminal, despairing and child-like and ancient, all at the same time.
Anyway...gush gush gush. Just buy this book. Then prepare to be late for things until you finish.

Hayes, J.G. "A Map of the Harbor Islands", Harrington Park Press, 2006.

Mapping the Heart

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

For the sheer pleasure of reading and the beauty of the English language, "A Map of the Harbor Islands" is the book to read. Here is such a beautiful story that literally had me weeping as I read. J.G. Hayes has written a book that just happens to be gay as he deals with the friendship between two friends--one gay and one straight.
Danny and Petey are the best of friends even though they come from very different parts of Boston and very different ways of life. Petey is the ideal boy, everyone adores him--he is prize student and star athlete. His world is changed forever during a basketball game but what caused the change I will leave to you to read the book and find out for yourselves. Anyone who has ever had a best friend will love his book. The childhood friendship of the Danny and Petey continues as they reach adulthood even though one is gay and one is straight. Through ups and downs, periods of non-communication and some rough periods, their love for each other matures and mutates but they remain true to each other. Written beautifully, the book has humor in the middle of trouble and the heart is rendered as the friends and nature are described.
It is only fair to say that this is not just a work of gay fiction--it is a wonderful addition to literature at large. Here is a book that must be read and appreciated for the beautiful tome that it is. But I digress--I cannot help but relay my praise.
Looking back at Danny and Petey--they have been friends since kindergarten and the book concentrates on their lives from the seventh grade forward. In Boston there are unwritten codes of behavioral conduct and high on that unspoken list is that there are no gay boys in south Boston. This does not affect the friendship of the two but it did require a great deal of decoding on Danny's part, especially in understanding Petey as the boys stand on the threshold of adulthood.
The core of the narrative is a study of what friendship is and the power it holds. As you read the book, you realize that, for you, Danny and Petey are not just characters on a page of a book but are real and vibrant.
When Petey comes out to Danny, Danny arranges a date for him with a woman and the results were not only disastrous but traumatic for both boys. Danny realizes later that perhaps he is also gay and in order to check himself he enlists in the Armed Services so that he can gain some perspective on his own life. This only adds more confusion and complication to the nature of the relationship.
The plot is a roller coaster ride through the entire gamut of human emotion. When in the last chapter, Danny reflects on his friendship with Petey, we see that despite their differences in sexuality, their friendship is strong and true.
This is not an easy read because of several parts written in the "stream of consciousness" but this is one of the best reads you will ever have. The language and style are intense and pack with emotion. The enchanting friendship of the two boys and the fact that they can openly speak about their own character flaws makes this book monumental. There is no let down anywhere in the book--it begins to cast its spell with the first sentence where it grabs you and holds you until the last sentence.
I felt fulfilled and so much of a better person having read this beautiful book and I am sure you will feel the same.

Quite simply I have to say this is the best published book, gay or otherwise, that I have read in quite some time. I did not want to put it down. I was quite moved by the story throughout the book and was so appreciative of the depth and spirituality of the ending I cried which I do not do easily!
Joe writes like people in South Boston talk and this takes a little getting used to at first but once the cadence is achieved it is smooth sailing (no pun intended) from then on. It is a story of love, hurt, redemption, acceptance, self awareness, friendship and life interwoven with a person's grappling with self and societal homophobia. Joe is a master of creativity dand storytelling. You will NOT be disappointed!

Hayes, J.G. "A Map of the Harbor Islands", Harrington Park Press, 2006.

Mapping the Heart

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

For the sheer pleasure of reading and the beauty of the English language, "A Map of the Harbor Islands" is the book to read. Here is such a beautiful story that literally had me weeping as I read. J.G. Hayes has written a book that just happens to be gay as he deals with the friendship between two friends--one gay and one straight.
Danny and Petey are the best of friends even though they come from very different parts of Boston and very different ways of life. Petey is the ideal boy, everyone adores him--he is prize student and star athlete. His world is changed forever during a basketball game but what caused the change I will leave to you to read the book and find out for yourselves. Anyone who has ever had a best friend will love his book. The childhood friendship of the Danny and Petey continues as they reach adulthood even though one is gay and one is straight. Through ups and downs, periods of non-communication and some rough periods, their love for each other matures and mutates but they remain true to each other. Written beautifully, the book has humor in the middle of trouble and the heart is rendered as the friends and nature are described.
It is only fair to say that this is not just a work of gay fiction--it is a wonderful addition to literature at large. Here is a book that must be read and appreciated for the beautiful tome that it is. But I digress--I cannot help but relay my praise.
Looking back at Danny and Petey--they have been friends since kindergarten and the book concentrates on their lives from the seventh grade forward. In Boston there are unwritten codes of behavioral conduct and high on that unspoken list is that there are no gay boys in south Boston. This does not affect the friendship of the two but it did require a great deal of decoding on Danny's part, especially in understanding Petey as the boys stand on the threshold of adulthood.
The core of the narrative is a study of what friendship is and the power it holds. As you read the book, you realize that, for you, Danny and Petey are not just characters on a page of a book but are real and vibrant.
When Petey comes out to Danny, Danny arranges a date for him with a woman and the results were not only disastrous but traumatic for both boys. Danny realizes later that perhaps he is also gay and in order to check himself he enlists in the Armed Services so that he can gain some perspective on his own life. This only adds more confusion and complication to the nature of the relationship.
The plot is a roller coaster ride through the entire gamut of human emotion. When in the last chapter, Danny reflects on his friendship with Petey, we see that despite their differences in sexuality, their friendship is strong and true.
This is not an easy read because of several parts written in the "stream of consciousness" but this is one of the best reads you will ever have. The language and style are intense and pack with emotion. The enchanting friendship of the two boys and the fact that they can openly speak about their own character flaws makes this book monumental. There is no let down anywhere in the book--it begins to cast its spell with the first sentence where it grabs you and holds you until the last sentence.
I felt fulfilled and so much of a better person having read this beautiful book and I am sure you will feel the same.

Many reviewers have rehashed the plot so I won't go over any plot points in here. In my opinion JG Hayes has produced a classic of gay themed fiction here. I almost wish it did not have to be lumped in with gay fiction because I think so many people of any persuasion would be incredibly touched by the love and the friendship shown in these pages. The success of the book is the putting into words the feelings of unconditional love. With only one minor exception - near the end of the book - he never once uses the melodramatic tv movie of the week prose/storytelling that so many other writers have resorted too to tell stories of friendship.

Love it or hate it the dialougue is fresh and exciting. In the character of Petey he gives us a free thinker whose capacity for learning and loving seem endless. Teaching by example, Petey becomes the shining light that changes forever the lives of those around him.

While the book is very wordy, with many segues to the characters random thoughts - you must read every word! There are so many pearls buried in there. I found myself gasping out loud at some of turns of phrase he uses in telling this compelling story. Prepare be surprised - prepare to enjoy and prepare to meet a gifted writer who will turn your world on its head. Few books have left me this moved.

I have just received my sixth copy of Mrs. Fields Best Cookie Book Ever. My daugher found it at the library-very old, yellow, torn. She and her daughters were writing recipes and trying recipes from it and they are delicious. Maybe this is an old cookbook but it keeps up with modern times. Now all my daughters and two granddaughters have it. What a rare find! Most were brand new and bought used and were in perfect condition. Most not even out of wrappers.

I like the fact that there's a variety of different cookies.
I've also made quiet a number of them.All taste pretty good.
Flavor combinations of the cookies surprised me at first but
proven good aroma and pleasing on the palet.My favorite is
the Banana chocolate chip cookies.Except I replace the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips it brings out the flavor of the bananas.The only thing I don't like about this book is that
I wish it had more recipes.

This is my favorite cookie cookbook. Pictures of every recipe, is what makes it special. I'm on my second copy.

This is the most tastiest book in the world!!!! The recipes in here are decadent. This is my favourite cookie book in the world!!! I try to bake 1 recipe from it a week and it is an enjoyable experience!!!

"Cookies" is almost synonymous with "Mrs. Fields" and that's what attracted me to this book. I expected Mrs. Fields' recipe for her famous chocolate chip cookies to be revealed -- unfortunately, it isn't. The recipes are standard cookie recipes, with an emphasis on chocolate chip types. There's even one recipe that calls for the use of all kinds (semisweet, white, bittersweet) in one cookie. What I like are the pictures. The cookies look just like the ones I make at home and that, to me, is reassuring. I also like the straightforward way in which the recipes are presented. They all look simple and easy to do. The book encourages and gives one the confidence to go into the kitchen and bake.

This is great trivia for those who already have a basic knowledge of the middle ages. It's filled with gross and gristly bits that will entertain and inform. Don't let the juvenile presentation of the book deter you. A really fun read for teens and adults alike. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

Who says history has to be boring and serious? Measly Middle Ages tells the history of the middle ages while completely entertaining the reader. The book itself is filled with lots of interesting information, surprising facts, and insider jokes. It's great fun!

Measly Middle Ages is part of a series of Horrible Histories which teaches history in a interesting, fun, and humorous way. All of these books have great titles like Rotten Romans, Awesome Egyptians, Groovy Greeks, and Vicious Vikings. A copy of these books should be in every local school library.

This great, enchanting, and captivating series attracted me since i was a child. Not only is this an educating experience, this also provides information in a very enjoyable way. Attractive to the most intelligent minds, and interesting to every child, this makes a great gift and also a great reader.
It will make you smile and even laugh out loud as you read book after book. My only question is, why would they ever stop priting? I ask Scholastic to continue print so all who desire a book can recieve one. Thank you.

The book really had no main characters. This book was an informational book covering the Middle ages. The book covered such great people in history as Queen Isabeau, King Richard II, and King Richard III.

The plot of the story is about the middle ages. Also about
how the people changed history and life as it was during the Middle Ages. The history that I learned was a lot different of how it is today. The story also focused on famous kings and Queens and important people who changes history forever and their improtant contributions to the Middle Ages.

The setting of the story is during the Middle Ages which is from 410A.D.-1453A.D.

The Measly Middle Ages is about the people in life that made a diffrence for the people of today. It also tells you about important events and the historic importance of individuals of during the middle ages.

One of the resons I liked this book is because I am realy into history. Another reason that I liked reading this book is because of the awsome illistrations throughout the book. I also enjoyed how the book kept my attention throghtout the story and this is why this was one of best books i have read in a long time.

I came across Terry Deary completely by accident ~ in a gift shop in Scotland, shoved amongst other more "scholarly" hardcovers. As my graduate area of study is the Middle Ages, I was intrigued and bought the book on a whim ~ and haven't stopped buying Terry Deary's books since! Are the books chock-full of historical facts guaranteed to allow someone to walk away thinking they know everything about the Middle Ages, Greece, Rome, France, or any of Deary's other topics? No, of course not. Are the books a wonderfully entertaining (and illustrated!) way of addressing what can admittedly be a bit of a dry topic? Of course! I say any books that can make someone, young or old, become interested in history should be embraced fully. And, hey, I learn something new from every book I read, which is an added bonus! Further, I think these books definitely appeal to adults who have an interest or education in history ~ much as what "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" teaches us about Shakepeare is true about Deary's treatment of history: the better you know the original, the more funny and entertaining the condensed versions are.