K Books

Meet Alexand and Rich, two sons of Lord Dekoven Woolf. Alexand is the heir, an intelligent, controlled young man undergoing his apprenticeship in politics. Rich is the gentle, brilliant younger brother who becomes fascinated -and deeply involved-with some sociological problems in their society. The brothers are very close, and they face many problems together. The bond between them brings about many of the events that occur throughout the trilogy.

Ignore the cover art. This is a great trilogy that spends time on characters, plot, sociology, politics and religion. The actual science in the science fiction is a bit lacking. So if that will bug you, you might have a problem with some of the issues in the series. Beyond that, the scope is wide, the plot is gripping, the characters are people you care about, and the writing is seamless.

I loved this story as a kid, and it still holds up well under adult scrutiny.

As a life long fan of SiFI and History I rate this book among my favorites along side the Foundation series. I found Vol. 1 at a used book sale and located the rest. Good Character development and realistic plot line based on past history. When I finished the series I was sorry there weren't more.

I recommend this book, but only if you can get hold of all three in the series. This is the first, "Shadow of the Swan" is the second, "House of the Wolf" is the third and final of this "The Phoenix Legacy" series. I would say this is one novel in three installments. In my 1981 edition the second and third books both have maps, previous part synopsis (there are 6 parts altogether), and a cast of characters; the third book also has an extensive glossary. It unfortunately has some pretty lame cover art. You can easily find plot synopsis elsewhere. I want to say that this book nicely combines political intrigue with some hard science fiction and social idealism in the context of a far future feudal society. One plot element involves a pseudo-christian religion, but it is not thematic and there is no supernatural, fantastic, or faith-based action. There's enough action and plot twists to keep you turning the pages, but the real strength of the novel is in the characters and the drama. To my mind, there is nothing particularly profound or inventive about this series, but it is well written and entertaining.

The Legacy of the Phoenix series is a little soap opera-ish, but the characters grip you, and once you start on the first book you will get sucked in and want to read the next two. I recommend the series full heartedly, though I wouldn't start reading the first one unless I was sure I was able to procure the next two, as once you are hooked on the series you will want to blow through all three books back to back. Not five star, but the series is very close to it, and well worth the read.

Beautifully crafted. I was delighted to have the opportunity to replace my original extremely battered books. Among science fiction books that examine or explore socio-political structures, these books rank at the top of my list along with the Ender's Game trilogy by Orson Scott Card and "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein.

A fine read and repeated read. Highly recommended...it's good enough to be enjoyed by straight readers as well :)

I stumbled upon this book as something to read on vacation when I had read everything there was already by my favorite authors. What I found was a book I could not put down. It was beautiful, intriquing, true to the challenges in the lives of so many, and wrought with history! I hope that everyone meets someone in their life that cativates their hearts like Nessie. This book was of the best I have ever read and I hope there will be others like it from Marianne in the future.

If you have any interest whatsoever in the Civil War or just like stories about life, friendships, and love....this novel is a MUST READ!

This is Marianne K. Martin most enjoyable book so far. It is mysterious and conflictual. The character are unique and this is a tale told well.

Dhari Weston inherits an old house by a distant relative, an aunt she didn't even know. So why in the world would she leave the house to Dhari? Dhari is convinced no one would want to live there when she sees what condition the old house is in. But someone does.

There she meets an old woman by the name of Nessie Tinker. Nessie has lived near the old house all her life and knows its secrets. One of which could be that the house seems to be waiting for someone. Does Nessie know who it is? Does she know what event a majestic old tree, known as a "Witness Tree", growing near the house might have bore silent witness to? If she does, will she tell?

University professor, Dr. Erin Hughes has a love of the Civil War era frequently lecturing on the era and the role of women during the war. And she loves old houses. Dhari is pointed in Erin's direction when she seeks information on the old house and the possibility that the house could be pre-Civil War. Upon seeing the old house, Erin is immediately captivated by both the house and the witness tree. Dhari, whose life back home has its own set of problems, is only interested in selling the house. But something - or is it someone - keeps drawing her back to the old house. Could it be the house calling to her?

The house it seems may also be calling to Erin. Together both women begin to explore the mystery contained within. As they spend more and more time together, a friendship is formed. A friendship that could lead to more if only both women would let feelings they are holding close to their own hearts surface. Will they or will the secrets of the old house be too much to overcome?

Under the Witness Tree is a fantastic book. The author blends a truly terrific mix of romance, with just the right amount of intrigue and suspense in a tale that keeps you guessing until the very end. Sit down and rest beneath the witness tree and let the secrets unfold to your heart's desire.

I had very high expectations for this novel as it was a Lambda Literary finalist and deservedly so. Much more than a romance it's the story of many different people with a variety of issues that by the end of the novel you end up knowing as you do your own friends. Believe the other reviews, this should be on your must read list. I've read it twice now and enjoyed it even more the second time. Perfect for a lazy afternoon or evening.

Book Description

After inheriting an old plantation house from an aunt she didn't know existed, Dhari Weston heads 800 miles south to see the place and meets intriguing Dr. Erin Hughes, a local history professor with a passion for old houses. Dhari's life is complicated enough without meeting such an attractive and intelligent woman: Her mother needs her, her father relies on her and her girlfriend worries her. But when Erin finds old letters and a diary, Dhari knows she can't leave until she finds out the truth .

Bob Schwartz book is a delight. A joy to read and lots to laugh about. For more short easy-to-read family-related humor check out ParentLaughs: Quips, Quotes, and Anecdotes about Raising Kids. (also available on Amazon.)

Truly brilliant humor!! It doesn't matter whether you have children or not, this book will have you laughing from the beginning to the end. It's truly a must read book.

I have found that a quick fix to relieveing stress or if I just need to laugh out loud is to pick up Bob Schwartz' book and start reading --what a difference it makes... really, just ask my kids (or co-workers)!!

Very funny - been there, done that and it's ok. Get this for all of your friends!

For me the funniest thing I have ever read about becoming a parent was Dave Barry's infamous column on the birth of a child and that special moment when the doctor asks the new father if he would like to view the placenta (Barry suggests that particular experience is something that should be tacked on to criminal penalties). I bring that up that particular comedic reference point because the humor you will find in Bob Schwartz's "Would Somebody Please Send Me to My Room! A Hilarious Look at Family Life" is not like that. This is a kindly, gentler look at the "joys" of parenthood and of adults attempting to co-exist in a household with adolescents, at which point the notion of parenthood no longer seems to be an accurate description of what is going on.

In other words, ultimately the humor here comes more from Schwartz's observations than his jokes. These pieces have been collected from various magazines and newspapers. They are devoted to subjects from eternal concerns such as babies crying ("In the Shrill of the Night") to 21st century concerns such as the Harry Potter books ("The Sorcerer's Stone and My Cover Is Blown"). The pieces are arranged thematically with half of an eye towards the chronological experiences of raising children, so we begin with "'That's the Crib Post Up Ahead, Your Next Stop--The "Newborn Zone!"'" (I think I got the quote marks right on that one) and end in the vicinity of "Tag Teaming Family Life," which involves things like music clubs, food warehouses, and changing the diaper on the newest family arrival. So you can see that this one rally is all about the kids, no matter how much parents want to try and move the agenda to other subjects.

You want to go through these pieces one or two at a time. "Would Somebody Please Send Me to My Room!" is one of those books that probably works best sitting on your nightstand so that you can read a chapter or two each night as a reminder that you really did plan on having children taking over your entire life. You are not the only one who does not remember how to do Algebra, has to clear a driveway of snow over and over again during winter, and who is seriously being dated by their music (and not in a good way). This book reminds you that you are not alone and that most of the time laughing is the superior option to crying. If you know a beleaguered parent or two (they tend to come in pairs when found in nature), then this could be an appropriate Christmas present.

I ended up rounding up on this one because of the illustrations by B.K. Taylor. All too often the illustrations in such books end up being rather inconsequential to the proceedings, but that is not the case her. My favorite (82) shows a smiling father comforting his crying daughter over the horrifically mislaid eye thingamajig of her favorite doll, but I also like the father and son confronting the wall of blue jeans (152), the Halloween candy thief (250), and, of course, Freud at the marshmallow roast (258). I also appreciate the fact that Taylor does a drawing for every single one of these 49 pieces, because on some of these there is no obvious visual joke to draw up.

"Don't put marbles down the garbage disposal" and "the shower curtain goes INSIDE the tub" are just two pieces of advice author Bob Schwartz has to teach his kids. If this resonates with you (you, there, fishing the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich out of the VCR) then this book is for you. The book is a combination humor and parental guidance, mainly reminding parents that children are, well, children. They aren't perfect, they don't reason well and well, *$%@ happens.

Bob's writing is like listening to a friend talk. His family has the same wacky traditions you find in any family-such as "Trombone Standard Time" (an incredibly accelerated time warp characterized by a half an hour of trombone practice that actually takes up only seconds in Standard Time.)

My favorite section is about how the two families (his and his wife's) celebrate Thanksgiving differently. Bob's family serves traditional foods, nothing more exciting than green peas on a plate. When, relates Schwartz, diced carrots were added one holiday to the peas, a family meeting had to be hurriedly arranged to vote on this new and strange addition. By contrast, his wife's family celebrates the holiday with ear-splitting karaoke, wild jello salads, jalapeno quiche and an uncle's rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (one can only imagine this scene in one's head. Schwartz gives the barest of descriptions, I feel, because words fail him here!)

The book is something that most families will enjoy, and will give examples of child behavior and how to handle it with grace and humor that probably will serve to destress the harried parent. Fun book.

This is a beautiful book; it is fun just to page through and look at the pictures. My granddaughter will love it. It is not only beautiful in appearance, but the message is beautiful, as well. I highly recommend it.

Our grandson has most of the Bear books now, and he loves each of them. (I think his dad enjoys them just as much as he does!) The text is playful, and the illustrations are rich with little details.

This series of books is a positive addition to any little one's library.

"Bear feels sick" is the first book I've read by Karma Wilson. My daughter, who is 3, simply adores this book. Upon reading this book, I plan to purchase other Bear titles.

A quick recap of book: A bear becomes sick one Autumn day. All of his friends from the forest come to his aide. Eventually bear takes a long nap and when he awakes, he feels GOOD, thanks to his friends. But oh no! Now all his friends are sick and it is his turn to tenderly take care of them.

Endearing story and lovely illustrations.

A+

I just got this for my son for his third birthday while coincidentally his sister is sick!

I have always loved Jane Chapman's illustrations and Bear Snores On is one of my favorite picture books. I wasn't as thrilled with the second one in this series but this one is a hit with me.

It's very sweet and thoughtful and stands on it's own.
Very nice!

We got this for my 3 yr old for Christmas and it has become one of both of our favorites. "Bear Snores On" has longtime been in my top 5 of children's books to read to her, and this one is another wonderful story. We've been reading it a lot lately with both of us having bad winter colds and there's something soothing and relatable about it. I love how it ends -- Bear finally feels better, but his friends are now sick and he tells them he'll take care of them. Very sweet. And -- the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. You will love it!

James Qwilleran stayed the compulsory five years in Pickax to complete the requirements placed on his inheritance. He is now officially a billionaire. Now it is time to decide what to do with the rest of his life. He intends to go somewhere--a quiet island with a beach or a mountain hideaway--someplace where he can have seclusion and quiet to sort out his options and make plans.

Qwill (as his friends call him) decides on a whim to spend three months in Spudsboro, a small town in the Potato Mountains. It was recommended highly by some friends who camped there recently. Finding a house to rent is always difficult with two Siamese cats as roommates. The only thing he can find is a huge house on the very top of Big Potato Mountain. It was originally built as an exclusive lodge for well-to-do tourists. More recently it was the home of the area's most influential businessman--owner of the local newspaper. It didn't take long for Qwill to discover the house he rented had been the scene of a ghastly murder a year earlier.

I do admire Jim Qwilleran's ability to converse with everyone he meets. He is well practiced, of course, since he made his living for years as an investigative reporter for various newspapers. He knows just how to steer the conversation and just the right questions to ask. He makes people so comfortable that they usually tell him anything he wants to know. Of course, he has an uncanny ability to read people and know when he is being lied to. Within two days of arriving in town, he is sure that the wrong man is in prison for the murder.

The author does an amazing job of making us empathize with Qwill's frustration with the situation he has gotten himself into. He came to the mountains for solitude and a time of reflection. He had no desire to get mixed up in the politics of the region--environmentalists vs. developers. He really had no desire to get mixed up in the mystery surrounding the murder. But...being a reporter for so many years (and truly caring about the innocent man in prison), he just could not resist finding the truth. It doesn't take long. Qwill has learned to trust his instincts--and the instincts of his cat Koko. Together they follow the clues and confront the real murder.

I highly recommend that you get acquainted with Jim Qwilleran through the "Cat Who..." mystery series. You will like him.

This is a great book about a man and his to crime finding clue cat Koko and YumYum. There is a mystery on potatoe mountain on a death of a local well known man. Was the wrong person framed. This book is fantastic except kind of has a dissapointing end. But i loved it anyway. I hope you enjoy this book and look for my other reviews

The Cat Who is the best serries ever full of humor wit and complexity,
James Macentosh Qwilerin is a off beat repoter/Billion air with his 2 cats Koko and Yumyum who are no shorter than extra ordinary.
This is the best book serries I have ever read and would recomend it to any one over 10.
[...]

In an earlier book in this series Jim Qwilleran inherited a pot full of money but there was a stipulation. He had to live in Moose County for five years or he forfeited his windfall. As this book begins, Qwilleran has just completed his five years and is contemplating his future. He has come to love Moose County and it's quirky residents but he was born and raised a city boy and sometimes he longs for more action. The former reporter decides that he needs some time in a quiet atmosphere to think through his options and one of his friends suggests that he spend some time in the Potato Mountains.

In order to find a summer retreat that will accept pets, Qwilleran has to rent a huge former mountain inn that sets on the peak of Big Potato Mountain. It turns out that the last owner of the home was murdered and as normal, Koko immediately begins to exhibit strange behavior. Yum Yum on the other hand starts to tear out bits of her own fur, a behavior that has Qwilleran very upset until the veterinarian tells him that this is not unusual in a spayed female. It is a trait that I have witnessed in my own spayed female cat and this little sidebar makes it very clear that Mrs. Braun most assuredly knows her cats.

Qwilleran for his part has all kinds of trouble in the unfamiliar mountain setting. He has learned some things about rural life during his sojourn in Moose County but the mountains provide an entirely different set of challenges. He gets lost on the mountain roads, almost falls over a waterfall, gets lost while hiking in the woods and gets trapped on the mountain after a dam break. What's a poor city slicker to do?

Despite all of his trials, Qwilleran still manages to get involved in local politics. More specifically he gets involved in a fight between the Spuds (people who live in town and support development) and the Taters (mountain people who oppose development) and he finds that a serious injustice has been done to one of the Tater families. With the help of Koko, Qwilleran wades through the evidence (and a mudslide) and discovers the truth, which once again puts his life in danger and requires a cat to save the day.

The mystery itself, as is often the case in this series, plays a decidedly secondary role in a plot that is laced with humor and oddball characters, including an old mountain man who builds Qwilleran a gazebo that has no door. This book is also a warm fuzzy mystery with a conscience as Mrs. Braun goes to great lengths to point out what happens when humans try to bend mother nature to their own ends. As usual, the writing style is engaging, fun and entertaining. This author's characters are always unpredictable and unforgettable and the cats are fascinating. Mrs. Braun even throws a few witches into this book, just to keep things interesting. This is one of the best books in the series so far and it was a real pleasure to read.

In "'The Cat Who Moved a Mountain', Jim Qwilleran took a vacation to the Potato Mountains to have a much-needed rest away from it all. It was here he found he had rented a hotel that had been the site of a year old murder. The locals tell him that the man is now in jail. But Qwill finds out that they have the wrong guy! Then, with the help of Koko, he finds the real murderer and lures him into addmitting it was him. Then Qwill has a near-fatal run-in with the murderer. What will happen? I'll let you see for yourself! Enjoy the book!

This is perhaps the most gripping World War II era thriller I have ever read (and fantasy is my more usual genre).

It pits the wits between a hyper-intelligent 11 year old, against the equally brilliant mind of a professor, who for the most part uses his rank in the Nazi military machine to further his own ends (which isn't money - he is somewhat depraved, and a borderline sociopath). In a nutshell, the boy has a wealth of information stored in his head concerning bank account information, which is worth a fortune, and the Nazis want the information so that they can access those funds. The daddy to which the title refers is the boy's biological father, who makes a late entrance in the book, yet does a lot to bring the boy out of his shell, not to mention doing some truly heroic things to protect the boy.

My only fault with the novel are the two main characters (Thomas, the boy, and Gregor, the professor). The mind of the boy is brilliant, yet robotic, often referring to the thought processes of his brain as "the machine", which made me often wonder if the author was going to reveal that the child was really some bizarrely futuristic android. The professor, on the other hand is openly contemptuous of the third Reich and it's officers, something I highly doubt would be tolerated considering the fanatical zeal of the Nazi supporters during that era.

However, if you can get past those two points, you will discover a taut, well crafted thriller, which is very difficult to put down, outlining the battle between these two brilliant minds who see everything as a game of chess, willing to sacrifice everything to put the other in checkmate.

While the ending is somewhat abrupt, I would nonetheless highly recommend this book.

This is one of the most "sitting on the edge of my chair" books I ever read. The publisher should definitely reprint the English edition. It is within my all-time top 5 favorite stories of the past 40 years.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I won't even lend my copy out unless I buy another one as back up. Daddy by Loup Durand is so far and above any other Thriller. The characters are so vivid and the plot is so intricate it grabs you by the throat on the first few pages and pulls you threw the entire book before you look up and realize you've read till four in the morning again. This book inspired me to start writing thrillers; I hope I'll be worthy of it.

This is the story of a young genius, his unknown father, their evil enemy (a Nazi officer yet) and their travails as they run across Europe. It is both poignant and dramatic as they both dance the familiar patterns of a father and son discovering as much about themselves as each other. The character of the boy is especially well-told - from his terror to his confusion.

I have read this book several times and have never failed to enjoy the read. It may be hard to find but the search is certainly worth the effort.

This story would count as a very long THRILLER, if done by Graham Greene. It tells of an endless chase on behalf of wartime Nazis of a prepubescent multi-lingual boy who carries in his head data on hundreds of accounts whose contents have the smell of wealth to the masters of the Third Reich. It is about human intelligence and its foibles: in the boy, his German tormentors and his Daddy--a title which his playboy turned hero biological father earns in spades as he seeks to save his reluctant son not just from Nazis but also from his inner demons.+++

It is hard to believe that this is a translation from another language (French) into English. I would go so far as to say that this is the first translated novel I have ever read that does not read like a translation.

So kudos all around. This is sheer diversion. Made for a movie serial.The game's afoot!
-OOO-

If you love this era of art, this is a beauty. Great coffee table book to spark conversation.

He wasn't the first but he was the best. In terms of technique, taste and visual impact Gil Elvgren ranks as the modern day Rembrandt in the world of illustration of beautiful women. He was my principal inspiration as I am a nationally published illustrator and am frequently called upon to paint beautiful girls in ads. As a student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in studio art, my style and artistic goals were the pariah of most of the art faculty except the very best artist they had on the faculty staff. He understood what I wanted to achieve and I never got less than an A in any studio class. In my senior year I visited Brown & Bigelow Company in St. Paul, where I lived, and submitted samples to Clair Fry, the famous art director who commissioned Elvgren and many other top flight artists for their famous calendars. It was then that I learned that none of these men were on staff but located across the country. He loved my work and gave me great early advice as to how to get going in the commercial art business as they knew nothing about that at the U. of M. I followed his advice and started my career which has lasted over thirty years.

Gil Elvgren was the best for the reasons I previously stated but in addition his work was always in good taste. His girls were downright wholesome and "the girl next door type". They often had the look of being unaware that they were being watched and were usually caught in somewhat innocent and private moments. His work could never ever be termed salacious or perverse as so many of his later day copiers are. The art of the pinup, for the most part, has degenerated somehwhat since Gil Elvgrens day. It probably started with the advent of Playboy and Penthouse magazine and their "foldouts". As long as we have these wonderful retrospective books on artists like Elvgren the public will have the chance to see what great pinup art used to be by the absolute master of the genre.

For anyone interested in my contributions to this art genre my official website is www.dickbobnick.com .

Wonderful picture book, many "suitable for framing." There is something charming about these pinups from another era, not at all sleazy.

What a great Chistmas present this great book made!
There are countless images of funny, sexy and clever pin up situations.
This book spans several decades of incredible art.
Gil Elvgren is indeed a master of his craft.

As someone who enjoys beatiful women, art and illustrations; This is a great book to add to any collection.

Ed Schenng

Gil Elvgren is by far the best pinup artist of all the pinup artists. Just compare his art to some other pinup artists. Put them next to each other and you will see that Elvgren is the best. This book is the best collection of Elvgren's art to date. It collects nearly all of his art in categorical order. The only complaint is the size of some of the art reproduced is quite small -- maybe too small to appreciate properly -- but nonetheless, it is the definitive Elvgren pinup collection.

This has been my favorite book ever since I read it in 1994. Its perfection is other-worldly. If you are a Dillard novice, better to start with "An American Childhood," to get a sense of the author and her style. It is about growing up, experiencing wonder, becoming fully alive. "Holy the Firm" borders on a spiritual meditation; some of my friends have found it too abstract. Whatever you do, steer clear of "The Maytrees," Dillard's most recent book--it doesn't measure up.

Annie Dillard is a creator of writing that frequently works like poetry trapped in prose's body. This little offering, in three jewel-like parts, is rather like her more extended "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek": a gorgeous and unflinching experience of the natural world, an angry wrestling with the problem of suffering and a theological discussion in light of these two other preoccupations. The theology in "Holy the Firm" is thus grounded in trauma and reality but expressed in heady, spinning, sometimes impenetrable language that highlights the mysteries within her subject but at the same time obscured for me what attitudes of the heart or mind she had come to at the end of her struggles. I finished the book still feeling rather angry myself and, perhaps unsurprisingly, unsatisfied.

Recommended (especially the hilarious description of Sunday in a small Episcopalian Church).

In Holy the Firm, Annie Dillard certainly can not be accused for excess verbiage. Her little book, consisting of less than eighty pages, is a thoughtful and sometimes intense investigation into the soul. One can almost imagine her staring deeply at a flowing river or a particular kind of tree and genuinely seeing Divinity in and around it, authentically feeling it and being transportated to the nether reaches of the unexplained. Yet, it is a good place or moment where nothing can touch you or hurt you. It is the zone where you have that elongated, never ending epihany. However, in Holy the Firm, she has that exact moment or moments, citing a couple of specific occasions and or happenings: a moth engulfed in a candle flame, a child severely burned in an airplane mishap and lastly, a baptism on a chilly day on a beach. Her stabbing gaze and visual processing is an inherent endowment for us all but very seldom used, sad to say. Each example that she bethinks, on the surface, looks violent and harsh and horrible. But behind that mask of the unpleasant, there is profound cheer at the transformation of the perception, of soul development, and yes, of course, of the logical, humanistic and psychological plain of thought processing, filtering and transforming. The essay, in no uncertain terms, conveys a kind of WOW factor that says, I don't really know how this whole thing operates, but isn't it amazing nonetheless? The deity of God has to be here, right in front of our very eyes, every moment, every instance, every half second. Holiness is under a rock, in people, in nature, in moments (good and bad), one giant gelatinous glob with so many tags and definitions attached to it. But only the Holy makes it cohesive and function. This work is not so little in its implications and gratitude. There is a majesty here, an august celebration. And we're all in it together, a gem of a book!

This is a gift from Annie Dillard. She share her struggle with the question of "What kind of God would let --- happen?" Whose responsibility is it? Do we matter one whit to God? Dillard shares her pain, her longing for truth, her disappointment, her faith with grace and soaring language. It is a short book but is definitely not an easy read.

Ponder the definition of Holy the Firm, as believed by esoteric Christianity. "It is a created substance, lower than metals and minerals on a 'spiritual scale,' and lower than salts and earths, occurring beneath salts and earths in the waxy deepness of planets, but never on the surface of planets where men could discern it; and it is in touch with the Absolute, at base."

"Does something that touched something that touched Holy the Firm in touch with the Absolute at base seep into ground water, into grain; are islands rooted in it, and trees? Of course."

Then there is Dillard's description of the risk of losing someone you love.
"And you can get caught holding one end of a love, when your father drops, and your mother; when a land is lost, or a time, and your friend blotted out, gone, your brother's body spoiled, and cold, your infant dead, and you dying: you reel out love's long line alone, stripped like a live wire loosing its sparks to a cloud, like a live wire loosed in space to longing and grief everlasting."

While attending Western Washington University I had the great good fortune to take a poetry class from Annie Dillard. My own poetry was abysmal and she gave me this advice, "writing is like prayer; you sit and listen for the still small voice." She had won the Pulitzer prize for Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and was in the process of writing Holy the Firm while at Fairhaven College at Western. She read us the bits about the moth and the flame. This is her slenderest book, but the one in which she most takes her own advice. It's prose that reads like poetry.

This is a book that makes me think that everything else I've ever read was only approximate use of language to convey some idea. In this book it seems like every word is carefully chosen, as if it comes from some place of meditation, of listening to a still small voice. It's a very human book, for all the sparks of the divine. By another accident I heard her read from it at the University of Washington. The final passage seemed to rise to a climax and hang in the air. No one spoke, no one left. It was one of those magical moments. Holy the Firm is all one piece and can be read through in one sitting as one experience. It's very much a writer's book, and I see most of the reviews are by writers finding some echo in a fellow writer. Some reviewers have put much better than I what it's about. I merely suggest that Dillardians (and other readers) may enjoy this oft-overlooked book.

I would say outright the easiest billiards book I have came across. It goes from the basics to the strong techniques. A step by step program to improve your game. My game has increased dramatically using the simple guidelines in this book.

I bought this book for myself last year. It is an excellent reference for everyone from the beginner to those who would like to learn and refine more complex shots. It explains the physics of pool, and best of all, there are links to a web site where you can see every shot demonstrated. That was invaluable to me, as I can see exactly where the cue is positioned on the ball, how the stroke is delivered, and the end result in cue ball position. I highly recommend this book, and bought it this year for my brother-in-law, so he can be better competition for me (smile).

Win at Pocket BilliardsRack Up a VictoryRunning the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler

I'm returning to pool playing and found this book helpful. It's a lot more informative then the books from the 80'. I learn something on every page. Even stuff that I already thought I knew about pool after reading 99 Critical Shots.
I would recommend "rack up a victory" for kicking and banking and "Running the Tables" about Kid Delicious's life as a Hustler.
I'm looking forward to purchasing "Win at Pocket Billiards" for more information on Kicking and Banking.

I was surprised at the rather low price being asked for this book, but after receiving it, it became perfectly clear that I had been mislead into believing that all instruction was included with the book, including a CD.
If you don't have a High Band Width computer hook-up, your really going to be surprised that the only way to get what you thought you had paid for is to send an addition $18 to $24 to get the CD or DVD.
The book was fairly well written, but the CD/DVD business left a bad taste in my mouth.

THis is very good. Dr Dave complements the reading with videos posted in a web site, you can also write to him, and he will answer within hours. great book great help. Perhaps not the best for banking methods, but good.

Of the many novels Louis L'Amour wrote about the Sackett family, Jubal Sackett may be his best. The story is set in early America in the wild Rocky Mountain country--before the mountain men arrived. The story is addictive. I listened to the CDs at home, at the office, and in my car. It may also be the most creative and imaginative story that L'Amour every wrote. It is highly recommended.

I loved the content and the reader. Louis L'Amour did extensive research for the book and did a fabulous job a capturing the adventure and romance of the era. It's hard to imagine the frontier with all of the modern conveniences we currently have but the author paints a reasonable picture.
The reader did a fabulous job of relaying the essence of the book.

A typical L'Amour book - a dashing, trustworthy protagonist, just trying to live in peace but able to defend himself if and when necessary. Jubal Sackett is loved and trusted by all except the villains, who themselves have absolutely no redeeming qualities at all. In other words, the characters are very flat and monochromatic, and as a result, they come across as very artificial.

One thing you have to hand to L'Amour, though - he writes book easily read in an evening.

A very good story. I would have liked to know more of what happened before it ended. I found out that there are 3 books in the series that I needed to read before this one so I ordered them today. I would recommend this series to my friends and family.

This by far is the best audio book Ive listened to.

The guy reading the story has an accent that fits the story perfectly. While this is a lengthy book it is never boring
The pacing is perfect and the story itself is riviting.
Do yourself a favor and get this on audio. You will not be dissappionted