L Books

Although the thoughts are a bit strange and outlandish, this book will make everyone laugh and recall their childhood questions and thoughts. For children and adults, ages 3 to 103, this will quickly become your favorite. Pick up a copy and see for yourself.

This book is hilarious. LW Lewis out shines any other childrens poet writer. Every poem on every page is knee slapping hilarious. Every teacher should read a poem a day to their class. They would become the coolest teacher. EVerytime we finish our work early we all sit quietly in hopes that our teacher will read us a poem. Some of them have a lesson within the funny story.

If you are a kid who is always is blue and have no good humour then you are going to want to read this book.There is a lot of a funny poems in this book and you'll go nuts to read them again so aftrer yuo read this you will go nuts.

We are two fifth grade girls from Waccamaw Elem. L.W Lewis came to our school and read some of his poems we think he is a superb author and that everyone should read his wonderous poem book called "Why Do Flies Eat Doggy Poop?" and "Poodles,tigers,monsters and you"!!!! sit back relax and read a few poems by L.W.Lewis ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is so good you will laugh your pants off. Litterally! Parents think that this book is bad but really it has some good teaching poems that rock out loud. Some are serious and they also have morals. L.W Lewis is one of the best poem writer that has ever came to our school. All Mr.Lewis wants to do is make people laugh. You should read his book sometime!

This book is called Wrong Number 2 by R.L.Stine. I'm 11 years old in the 6th grade. I think people ages 11-13 would like this book. The book is about 3 kids going into a house looking for some money. But they find themselves downstairs in the basement. A man came in and lit a candle. Will they ever get out? I guess you will have to read the book to find out. I like scary stories. I liked the part when they were in the house in the basement. And when the man tried to run them over but they got away.

I loved the book Wrong Number#2. I am in the 6th grade and 11 years old. I think people ages 9-15 should read it. It is about two girls, Jade and Deena and these two boys Chuck and Farberson. Farberson got out of jail and went to go look for his hidden money. When he went to find it wasn't there. I love the book, it is a good book and at the end it is sad because someone dies. If you want to know how and who you will have to reed the book. And there is something scary. I did not like that part, you might. But the book was good. I hope you have fun with it.

The part of the book i read from Wrong Number Two was very good. The kids I think would like this book are 10-14 years old. Also kids who like mystery And suspense stories would like this book. I am in 7th grade when I read this book.This book was about 3 kids who get trapped in a killers world. Then after a year the killer got out of jail. One of the kids went back to find money the killer had hidden. Then the other two kids go to the killers house to go and get him but the killer is on his way. So, after they get there and get him they go to leave but the killer is standing in the doorway. I don't want to give too much away so read the book to find out what happens. I liked this book because it was a mystery and suspense book. That is what wrong number 2 is about.

The story I read was Wrong Number 2. It was about three teenag kids, Deena, Jade and Chuck.They had an enemy, Stanley Farberson. Farberson was a murderer and he killed his wife. Now he was put in jail and Deena and Jade are in school. Chuck is in college. One night Deena and Jade came home from school the phone rang Jade asked if she could answer it. Deena picked up the phone 'Hello' she said no reply. 'Hello' she said again. Then a low voice answered 'Is jade there' a man with a scary said.Then he hung up the phone. As soon as Jade walked in the room Deena said ' A man was looking for you' .'Then he hung up' Deena said. 'Oh well'. So all night Deena and Jade were talking about the basketball game they were going to on Friday. At one thirty a.m. Deena went up to here room and went straight to bed. At three a.m the phone rang 'Hello' Deena said. The same man called and he said 'I already called your friend'. This Review Was Written By Ashley Estrada

Can it really be Mr Farberson on the line? He has to still be locked up after trying to kill Jade and Deena last year. Maybe the calls are just someone's idea of a sick joke. But who else could possibly know the things the caller knows?

Then they realize that someone is nearby, watching them, close enough to know their every move. Someone who desperately wants revenge. Someone who wants to reach out... and kill them..

I loved this book. It covers everything. It answered every question I had and then some, and gave lots of great advice.
If you are even thinking about going to the Air Force Academy or any academy...get this book. You're going to need it.

This book was a great resource for my child's application to the Academy.
It provided insight and helpful tips on how to maximize your chances of getting that coveted 'letter of assurance'.
AND, it talks to the parents about what things will be like and what you can AND shouldn't do to help.
Definitely a must have for anyone even thinking about a service academy or their parents.

This book is an insightful, solid resource for any student planning to apply to the Air Force Academy. Written in a clear, concise style with chapter titles like "How to Obtain a Nomination," this book offers each applicant a clear path to the AFA.

Additionally, this book presents a realistic picture, making it clear what trials, physical, academic, & emotional, each cadet undergoes. My son asked me to read the chapter for parents. With a plethora of Do's & Don'ts tips, it made a lot of sense & helped me tremendously to not nag my son. I glanced at another chapter, & then couldn't put the book down. Perhaps a bit dated, for it advises applicants to phone, not email ...

As a parent of a junior planning to matriculate in 2008, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I'm a high schooler considering the Academy, and this book had tons of really useful information. Apllication tips, with a whole chapter on nominations, how to prepare mentally (VERY important) and physically, what to expect, and even a section for parents! This is an awesome book, if you have any interest in the Air Force or the Academy, BUY IT!!!

This book is indeed sold at the USAFA gift shop. That alone should tell you how much of a slant it has. This is a rose-tinted view of the Academy (nothing about the abiding hatred that most of us have for our lives, the futility of our training, or the ... shoot that is pilot slot allocation), and its information on cadet life is a bit dated. As for its admissions info- pretty good. I've bought this book for friends who wanted to come here.

I read this book when I was younger and I loved it, but then I lost it. I got it on amazon for a decent price, and read it again. It was a pretty quick read, but it is scarier when you are younger.

I read this book a few years back, and the only word I can use to describe it is, AMAZING!!!! This may be one of R.L. Stines best pieces of literary work yet. I started reading the first book at nine o'clock pm, and figured I would just finish the rest the next day, and then the second book the day after that, and so on and so forth. No, I stayed up the whole night reading all three books I was that captivated by it. I highly recommend this book, it's also a fun book to read to your siblings.

I loved this book from 6 years ago i havent read it since but i know what its about. The Fier family and the Goode family have it in for each other and the mysterious murders don't even start there.. there are deep dark secrets from hundreds of years before that slowly become unraveled and also become regreted. This is the best Fear Street novel i've ever read and i dont mind reding it over & over.I just can't believe how so many spirits can take over an entire family's lives!!!!!The book is really creepy, & you can sometimes feel like you're there wanting to tell a person to do the right thing.I read it so long ago, & I remember faint details & names but i do recall the strong intensity of the book that didn't let me put it down for days until i finished. I was only eleven but i'm seventen now, and i really have to buy this book again!!!!!!!

i read this book a long time ago and i still love it!!! i would recommend this book to anyone, even if its not your reading level. its so entertaining and you almost feel sorry for both families.

I read this book when I was 13 and became totally enchanted by it. I lost the book, and ended up buying used for $20.00, but when I read it again, I was able to understand and totally wrap myself into it, and read faster than I did before. 19 years old and reading these books, cheap little thrills. I wouldn't reccomend this book to anyone younger than 13 because of the strong violence that occurs. Other than that, if you love the dark-side..read it.

I own the original French version of this book: "Peau noire masques blancs"! Franz Fanon addressed very well the racial issues encounted by previously colonized civilizations like the French island of Martinique. But Martinique is just an example. The truth is raw, but it's the truth, and there is still a long way for the freedom of the mind.

Frantz Fanon was a contemporary writer of the 1950's. Born in Martinique, he studied psychiatry and medicine in France as a young man after volunteering his services in World War II. He had an educational background in post colonial studies including racism and colonization. At the age of 27 he published "Black Skin, White Masks" which played a vital role in civil rights and Black consciousness movements throughout its time. Fanon's analysis of the Black psyche, "Black Skin, White Masks", was amazingly interesting and educational. It gave me a fresh perspective to what it means to live as the minority, as a person of color in a White world. This is a wonderful review of how the French of different backgrounds interacted with each other. There are also a few downfalls in understanding "Black Skin, White Masks". This book is hard to follow because it jumps around quite a bit, making various points throughout the same train of thought. There are many topics covered, one of the most thoroughly explored being romantic love between interracial couples. It also explores the use of language and the importance of knowing one's familial, racial, and cultural history.
One of the topics Fanon concentrates on is the Black man and his goals in life. To understand what Black men go through, one has to first understand the history of the particular Black man he is talking about which is born in an island off of France then moves to France and faces the culture shock of entering a country where the language and customs are different. Here the Black man goes from being comfortable and part of a larger entity to being the minority. At this stage the Black man feels he is worthless because of the history of the relationship of Blacks and Whites, where the Black man has led a forced life of servitude and abuse which has caused him to believe that he is inferior to the White man. The White man's racism has created the White man's feeling of superiority which correlates with the Black man's feeling of inferiority. Because of this inferiority complex the Black man has an overpowering need to prove himself equal to the White man. Fanon goes on to argue that the Black man's goal is to prove to Whites, Blacks and himself that he is an intelligent, good, and worthy of pursuing happiness individual. One of the most detailed examples was how the Black man attempts to get closer to being White by having any relationship, be it friendship or romantic (preferably sexual), with a White person other than a master/slave association. As an example Fanon tells a story of a young mulatto woman who marries a White man and in a split second goes from being the slave to being the master. Yet there are other cases when the Black man succeeds and he is not only rejected by Whites, he is repudiated by Blacks.
Another theme was that of language and what happens to a Black person when he arrives to France. The Black man has to learn how to speak French as it is spoken in France in order to become "whiter", for example, an educated Black man is no longer seen as Black because Blacks are savages while the intellectual is civilized. Yet there have been many cases where despite the success of the Black man, Whites refuse to accept them as equals and show it by speaking to them in pidgin or as children. There is also the struggle of remaining part of the Black community after assimilating into the White world. After learning to speak French, he returns home as white in the eyes of other Black people. The Black man must be able to code change in order to survive in both worlds.
Antillean education is looked at carefully in this book. Fanon compares the children of France with those of Martinique. As French children learn about their culture and their ancestors, Martinique children learn of the ancestors of others. Fanon proposes that the Black Martinique children should learn about Black history as a separate section in order to build self esteem and confidence. Children need to learn that there have been others in similar situations that have pulled through and made it despite discrimination and hate. If the educational system increases the Martinique children's knowledge and understanding of their own heritage and history, they will be able to make connections with their own ancestors and their amazing accomplishments. This would thus curb ideas of inferiority.
There was a contrast between Blacks and Whites that kept the world as it was. In order for there to be white, there has to be black. In order for there to be a slave there has to be a master. In order for one group of peoples to be superior another group has to be inferior, and this is the case with Whites and Blacks. As a result, whatever one group is the other is the opposite. Here arise a series of stereotypes that support how people think of these two groups. Whites are intelligent, progressive, civil people while Blacks are primitive savages in need of taming. Since Blacks are savages they cannot control their emotional and sexual needs hence in contrast Whites are not sexual and have the ability to suppress their emotions. From this Fanon argues that a subtle jealousy was born; the White man envied the Black man's sexual freedom.
As I read this book I could not help but think of my students and how they embody many of the same believes as Black men in the 1950's. The children I teach Mathematics to are people of color, either Latino or Black. I spend much of my day listening to them speak among themselves about various topics and have picked up on certain ideas that reflect that of past colonized populations. Although there is this total rejection of anything and everything that is White, there is also an underlining want to be White (perhaps mainstream is a better word). For example, I have heard my students discuss accents and the implication that those who have one are in some way less intelligent than those who speak like Americans. Students have also expressed in happiness that they do not speak their parent's native tongue, typically Spanish, which is an indication that they are closer to being white than those who's first language is not English. Another disturbing behavior I have noticed is the animosity towards Whites. It seems my students have been programmed to be hostile towards White people, especially peers. They constantly refer to Whites in derogatory terms; for example, when one of my mentors (an older White woman) spend a period in my classroom the students were flustered and after she left referred to her as "the white b*$^%" as opposed to "the lady who was just here". At the same time they insult each other by using terms that are associated with being Black such as insulting the wideness of their nose and/or thickness of their lips. I find this to be an interesting contradiction and would like to explore it further in hopes of understanding the contemporary adolescent.
As a teacher I found this book to be very helpful in understanding why our children of color behave the way they do and why they consistently fail in a system designed for children who are not exposed to the gruesome situations the students in the South Bronx (where I teach) go through on a daily basis. These children could very well have an inferiority complex which they will have to overcome before being able to succeed in this White man's world.

Frantz Fanon was a black man born in the French colony and island of Martinique. He trained as a doctor specialising in psychiatry. He was deeply concerned about the impact of colonialism on the people of colour, particularly how it humiliated them, destroyed their culture, values and dignity. This led him to get involved in the Algerian war of independence in the 1950s.

The book "Black Skin, White Masks" was written almost fifty years ago. This was during the time when decolonisation of the African continent and elsewhere was gathering momentum.

To adequately capture and assimilate Fanon's thinking of the question of colonialism and racism and their impact on the coloured people, one also needs to read Fanon's other great works: "The Wretched of the Earth" and "Dying Colonialism". Here one can see his anger and the background to his conclusion that it was only through violence that people of colour could liberate themselves from colonialism, particularly from mental bondage and inferiority complex that accompanied colonial subjugation.

In "Black Skin, White Masks", Fanon develops his thesis about the impact of inferiority complex of subjugated peoples and the alienation of some of them from their kind resulting in their wish to identified with the colonialists or imitate the European. There are a number of celebrated and classic cases of coloured people who have tried various formulas to change the colour of their skins, the tone of their voices or their names so that they sound more civilised (European).

Fanon's ideas about how the coloured people can liberate themselves (physically and mentally) influenced many leaders of revolutionary movements that were fighting colonialism. Some organisations in the USA, such as the Nation of Islam, appear to embrace a lot of Fanon's ideas and thinking.

The book is recommended reading for those who wish to understand the impact of colonialism on the colonised around the world and their different reactions to this menace.

If you want to understand racial identity, you should read Fanon's approach. The most influential author on ethnicity and colonization in the twentieth century.

Fanon really draws you in with this book. One feels involved with Fanon's fight not just against racism and colonization, but also his own self evaluation and struggle within himself to accept himself for who he is.

Among other things, what struck me the most was the way Fanon showed that minorities do not feel inferior because they were thrust in the midst of a majority. Considering that South Africa has minority white population and yet the black population there took on the brunt of racism and that had nothing to do with the minority subjugation.

Another line of thought that Fanon brings about is the domination of the colonized language. In Martinique, the average middle class family would insist children to speak French like the French would and not the commonly spoken Creole. The Martinican returning from France was expected to uphold that standard and speak proper French. If he reverted to his old ways of speaking, it was looked down upon. Fanon shows that the black man of Martinique maintains locked in his own cultural impositions and unless that is shed it would make it difficult for him to rise out of it.

Fanon brings about how the psychological impact of colonization through language, culture and history plays on the black man. Fanon delves into studies done by others and compares or rejects ideas put forth by them either with by presenting his own experiences or a generalistic view of the colonized Martinique land.

Fanon digresses frequently from topics of discussion and jumps around wildly in some of the chapters. But overall the book is well written and makes you think and begs you to put your own experience and thought into it.

I first saw this book at the library and after taking it home was so impressed with the content. The poems are lovely and the illustrations are beautiful. It is also a wonderful idea to have a little question at the end of each poem to search for a 'hidden' object in the picture (i.e. for 'd', 'can you find my drum').

This book is such a wonderful catalyst to introduce children to the wonder and beauty of the alphabet and the words that they create. I suggest utilizing a real shadow box with objects beginning with a letter in conjunction with the book. Continue the wonder with fun that even your children can help to create ('What can we add to the shadow box that begins with the letter A'?).

Thank you Ms. Seeley. Yours is a beautiful book indeed :).

As an educator, this book is wonderful for develeoping minds. Excellent vocabulary, very well illustrated!

What can I say about a book that gets chosen over and over by your child? As the parent, I am glad to read a book that is so clever and challenging for BOTH the child and the parent. Hunt and find helps you bond with your child as you seek out the various objects etc. in the shadowboxes. "There's the anchor, Mommy!"

Wholeheartedly recommend this book.

My 4 year old son was severely speech impaired when he started bringing me "The Book of Shadowboxes" to read. Every day I would read it to him and he would point to the wonderful illustrations. After about 4 weeks, he began to say some of the words from the book. Every time we would read it together he would use a new word from the book. It was neat how he would point to the pictures and say the names of the items. For us, it was a miracle; for my son, it was just fun! Thank you Laura Seeley for this delightful book; it made such a huge difference in our son's life !

My son & I love this book. The illustrations are terrific! I bought copies for all my nieces & nephews as well as my son's Preschool, Kindergarten & 1st grade teachers! I highly recommend it:)

I really enjoyed this book. You meet famous and not so famous people in this book. Some you will never forget like Hystercine Rankin, who made a quilt of her fathers killing in Mississippi, when she was only ten.She eventually won a $5000 prize for it. Or how the author talks about his family and the "healing quilt" and his lifelong affinity of quilts. The stories in here are good, and the quilts are out of this world. One of the best oral African American history books out there.

Influenced by his love of quilts, photographer Roland Freeman acts as anthrolopologist and quilting historian in this beautiful, comprehensive book. Featuring full color photos of African-American quilts and quilters and well-researched text, this book is a must-read even for non-quilting enthusiasts. The history and cultural heritage of a people have been preserved in this beautiful artform. I found myself moved after reading this book. You will be too.

This book is truly awesome. Although I have almost every quiltmaking book in print, the photos here are of the most unique and breathtakingly beautiful I've ever seen. And the accompanying stories about the quiltmakers are at once inspirational and humbling ... e.g., a quilt depicting the lynching of a woman's father, and explanation of how neighbors were afraid to attend the funeral. (Don't let that discourage you; most of the quilts are uplifting and gorgeous by any standards -- and the few sad ones are incredibly moving and meaningful.)

I can't imagine anyone not loving this book. Frankly, I was so awed by the gifted artists whose work is contained therein that my first thought was that African Americans have all the talent and creativity (and, no, I'm not an African American). Even if you're not moved by the stories/bios (although I can't imagine not being), you've *GOT* to be awed and inspired by the extraordinarily beautiful and truly unique quilting, which cannot help but enable you to improve your own designs.

I wish that there were more stars than 5 ... This book deserves the highest rating imaginable.

African-American Quilters, Preservers and Their Stories represents the first national survey & a personal record of how this photographer & folkorist's life has intertwined with the world of quiltmaking.

The communion refers to the power of quilts to create a virtual web of connections-individual, generational, professional, physical, spiritual, cultural & historical. Some of the names of those glorious quilts are: Rainbow Block; Slave Chain; Log Cabin; Three Pigs in a Pen; Double Wedding Ring; Black Jack Scarecrow; Monsters, Dragons and Flies; African Diaspora; African-American Women; African-American Men; Memories of My Father's Death; Memories; Scripture; Martin Luther King Jr.; Hand Me Down My Mother's Work; Mother Africa's Children; The Underground Railroad; Baltimore Arabber Selling Watermelons; Harriet Tubman Quilt & Tableau.

For all those who consider quilt making one of America's finest crafts, this will be a lifetime companion & will rekindle that dramatic & endearing form of art. Very well done!

You have got to read this book! It is filled with women & men & the love of fabric & colors; of the love of design & community coming together to stitch lives together. Do visit my site for my full review & more books on quilting.

This book thoroughly documents quilting and quilt makers from across the USA. Roland Freeman tells the story of the quilt makers largely through his spectacular photographs. He includes unknown but highly talented artists as well as celebrities who also quilt. The photographs are accompanied with stories from the artists, and these narratives provide a terrific base for understanding why this folk art retains its vibrancy in the 21st century. In many ways, Freeman's photography and writing can also be understood as part of the artistic fabric that he stitches together.

Coyote has always been a special animal to me, so the title jumped out at me. The two feathers and physician's symbol on the cover present a beautiful balance. The physician's symbol has the twin serpents and the two wings of the one. In the background is the four, the Mystery.

Lewis' experiences are related in an interwoven manner. He rushes through life in the quest for medical expertise and validation. In doing so, he trips himself into bouts with infinity as his beautiful plans fall through, day-by-day, year-by-year. However, his rapidly depleted physical/mental being is slowly but surely filling from the inside out. The book is a wonderful, candid sharing of one human's journey to clarify his purpose, his vocation, and to realize such.

He seems like a powerless pawn at times. Have you felt that way? I have. It takes courage to choose the walk toward balance with a fellow being. Lewis had to learn the way of the warrior to survive his path as a healer.

The sweat lodge accounts are beautifully done. I felt it better than any other accounts I have read. Although I have not participated in a lodge, I have experienced years of "spirit stuff". He is talking from experience. Lewis tells us without violating the trust of his friends, manifested or otherwise.

The visions he describes are direct accounts, rather than attempts to relay deep knowings into a form the reader may understand. Visions come in dreams, in rituals, in waking, everyday consciousness, you name it. If we need it and are open to input, we will receive guidance. A vision is experiential, so there is no way to relay the richness and life of such an experience.

Ya gotta walk the walk--it's the only way.

I laughed pretty good at his experience learning to talk with the desert. I too learned this while out alone walking in the desert. At first I thought my spirit friends were nuts--and said so--but I did it and learned a lot. You'll have to read the book to find out.

There were tears of joy and tears of sorrow while reading this book, and a lot of laughter. Thank-you for making the great leap and taking the risk of sharing, Lewis!

This book is a well written merging of two subjects. The first is a personal sharing of Lewis Mehl-Madrona's upbringing and life experience as a half N.A. Native, his pursuit of a medical degree and specialty and his increasing disillusionment with the "science" of medicine as it is now widely practiced. The second is about Lewis' discovery of N.A. Native spirituality and shamani sm. He leads us on a winding path of discovery that introduces us to the intriguing characters who use shamanism to heal others, often while their own lives are in disarray, to those who sought healing and perhaps most importantly, to the spirits who assisted in the ceremonies. While pursuing this path of curing the individual, rather than the symptom, it seems that Lewis will lose site of his original goal to obtain his medical speciality. But, as so often occurs, as he helps others to heal, the path circles around to encompass his own needs and he completes his original path, a more well-rounded and enlightened human. More capable of understanding. More capable of giving what is really required. I found the writing to be powerful, the personal drama riveting and the glimpse into the ceremonies, symbolism and spiritualism of the N.A. shaman both moving and educational. After all these years of hearing the stories shared by N.A. natives, but not really understanding, I finally "got it". This book slaked a thirst I didn't know I had. Lewis not only shared his story but acted as a teacher and I know that I've grown as a result. I highly recommend it and hope that we'll hear more from this writer.

This book blew me away. I have reread much of it so many times and bought multiple copies for friends. I have filled the margins of my copy with notes and filled notebooks with essays and thoughts inspired by Dr. Mehl-Madrona's book. It is nothing short of miraculous itself, in addition to describing medical miracles and how they are brought about by spiritual intervention and Native American healing.

A child prodigy, Lewis Mehl-Madrona hitchhiked to a local college while still in high school, read philosophy science voraciously and was the youngest peacetime graduate of Stanford Medical School. The more impressive since his childhood was at times difficult.

At medical school, Dr. Mehl-Madrona became interested in shamanic traditions and attended some sweat lodge and tipi ceremonies. Here he encountered otherwordly phenomena such as blue light, sparks, sensorial stimulation and miracle cures in cases that were deemed too far gone by western doctors. Most importantly, Dr. Mehl-Madrona learned how shamans talked to patients, asked questions about their families and lives and spent long periods of time with them. The author learned that shamans tap into the inner healer of the patient, and consider themselves only partially responsible for any cure.

At the same time, Dr. Mehl-Madrona was encountering negligent and dehumanizing healing practices in his western medical pursuits. A few spine-chilling tales display the callousness and arrogance that exists in some hospitals and clinics. One example: two obstetricians made a bet concerning the fastest C-Section birth and the winner, very triumphant at seventeen minutes, accidentally tied something shut in the woman's internal organs. It was fixed and the woman even wrote a letter of thanks to the hospital! Such is the blind and sometimes unjustified trust the public has in the medical establishment.

The book is wonderfully woven with many colorful strands of storytelling. On one level, it is a memoir of Dr. Mehl-Madrona's journey to reconcile his western medical training with holistic and in particular Native American healing. He is part Native American, so this pursuit poignantly reflects his mixed heritage. Poignant because Dr. Mehl-Madrona often felt like an outsider in all areas of his life, as a Native American man, as an American man, as a western doctor and as an aspiring and ultimately successful shaman.

Another strand of his story is the Native American tradition of healing itself, which we discover in almost the same timeframe that he does. We are introduced to the traditional practice of storytelling as a healing technique at the same time that he is. Early in the book, when the doctor is a resident, he is tending a man whose medical condition is exacerbated (and perhaps caused) by his intensely critical nature. A wonderful passage in recounts Dr. Mehl-Madrona's tentative attempt at telling a story to the cynical patient, himself a psychologist, who groans with sarcasm as the story begins. As it continued, he was intrigued, however, and even hazards a guess at the meaning, to which guess the doctor gives an ambiguous confirmation. The great part of this passage is how Dr. Mehl-Madrona successfully enacts the role of enigmatic shaman even though he himself is still unsure of the story's meaning.

Coyote Medicine also discusses the role of the supernatural in shamanic healing, and the perception of magic and nature. For anyone who ever sat in the woods or even on his aparment steps late at night and felt a mystical connection to something unseen and bigger than himself, Coyote Medicine is a kindred spirit.

At one point the author goes on his vision quest and meets his power animals and is given shamanic healing tools. We as readers are present at many important moments in his life, including personal and family struggles (his first wife, according to the book, seemed to wrestle his children away from him and resented his shamanic efforts), professional travails (Dr. Mehl-Madrona's questioning intelligence, sense of dignity for the patient and also his holistic beliefs created friction with several different western medical institutions). When, at the end of the book, the author finds an accepting partner and on a professional level, a venue where he could combine holistic healing with Western, we feel as thought a close friend has triumphed in the face of great odds.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in healing, either for herself or others, and also about finding one's own individual path, as difficult as and untraveled as it might be, but that is true to the traveler.

Many blessings on this book and thank you Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona.

Robert Murray Diefendorf, Author of Release the Butterfly

"Coyote Medicine" is a tremendous source of insight and experience within the path of shamanism and health. Dr. Mehl-Madrona's story-telling is magnificent and at times very suspenseful hitting directly on our sensitive health and spiritual issues we face culturally. But, he doesn't give you easy answers, because his path to becoming a healer was very complex. For me, this book opened up parts of my consciousness and answered questions I was asking and some of those I hadn't yet asked. This book was truly a God-send and I am savoring every word I read.

I enjoyed this book very much! It is full of truths ! I believe as does this man. I look forward to reading any book he writes.It was a easy read and on a level that I understood completely.I laughed and cried with his stories.I just loved it!

Dance on His Grave is Sylvia Dickey Smith's first in her Sidra Smart/Third Eye series. This is a mystery with a touch of paranormal, in that the protagonist has a sixth sense about things.

Sidra Smart and the other characters in the book are true to life. This is not to say they aren't larger than life, which they are, but they certainly hold true for east Texas. You could pluck just about any character from Dance on His Grave, set him or her in the real setting and they'd be right at home.

Orange, Texas, is fictional, but Smith creates the town in such detail and with such love that it comes to life - vivid and believable.

The protagonist of Dance on His Grave, Sidra Smart, starts off as a fish out of water, but by the end of the book, she's grown into her role as sleuth and unexpected P.I. If you like character driven mystery with a touch of fantasy, you'll most likely like this book - and will look forward to more in the series.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. Though it's extremely bizarre at times and walks a line of becoming unthinkable, yet it never fully crosses that line. "Dance On His Grave" is suspenseful, engaging and anything but predictable and rekindles your love of why you started reading it in the first place.

As a former native of the area where much of the story takes place, I think the story works because the cast of characters are quite an interesting ensemble. While each new character introduced is appealing enough to catch your eye, Sylvia Dickey Smith doesn't go into too much detail to detract from the main story or main characters.

The descriptions of the place and the people and even the food are detailed enough to give the reader a good feel of the setting and atmosphere. From start to end, it is an interesting tale because the characters are unbelievable (in a good way) and it takes place in an area where anything and everything is know to happen. This area along the Sabine River as it winds its way to the Gulf of Mexico has always intrigued me. From the fantastic architecture, to the culture and people, they are all truly fascinating and Sylvia Dickey Smith paints a picture that is easy to visualize. She has a definitely unique style of writing and I was left wondering how in the world she came up with some of the things that are exposed in "Dance On His Grave." This story totally captures the hot, sultry mood of Orange, Texas, and goes at that pace - any faster and the heat would have caused a melt down. This book is a thrill-ride a minute.

Cliff Johnson
Author, Wrong Side of the River

The Sidra Smart stories carry you right along; they are intriguing and mesmerizing for the reader who likes `real' characters and a puzzle to solve--a good write!

I enjoy getting to know Sid; a very interesting person. I'm very glad to see that she has moved beyond the rules (which are made to be broken) and seen beyond words (which are meant to control). Especially that she had/has the strength (guts) to move/stay out of a relationship that was damaging her and move on to a life that calls to her. All of us are where we need to be at any given time and when the urge to move on comes, it is because we are ready to do just that, even if we don't know what's waiting for us out there.

If studying Zen has done anything for me, it has made me more tolerant of everyone else; allowing me to see that each of us is on our own path and each of us needs different supports and trials at different times and in different ways. It is not for us to judge where a person is but to accept that it is their journey. It only becomes sad when one gets so involved in being `human', they cannot see their way. I know; I've been there.

I don't see either the Zen or Buddhism as a religion, or the worshiping of some mythical creature/person, rather as a way of life--a way to live with the Earth, the Universe and more importantly, with myself.

Thank you for introducing/releasing her.

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Mary Higgins Clark and Phyllis A. Whitney, Sylvia spins a tale of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. It didn't take much past the first few lines for me to know that I would do nothing much except read this book in it's entirety for the next few hours. I have just come into possession of the second book in the series, and cannot wait to jump into it with both feet! Excellent read!

Sidra Smart is 51 years old and recently divorced from her preacher husband. When her brother dies in a motor vehicle accident, Sid, inherits his investigative firm, The Third Eye, in Orange, Texas. Sidra has no experience as an investigator and initially intends to sell the business but is intrigued by a young woman named Jewell, who claims her father murdered a woman 30 years before. Although Jewell was three when it happened, her memories are so intense, Sid can't help but wonder if they're real. She questions Jewell's sister, Emma, who corroborates much of what Jewell remembers. Emma and Jewell confide in Sid their father's cruelty, and both, along with their mother, are suffering mental and emotional sequelae as a result of his abuse. Sid contacts the sheriff of Orange, Texas with the information Jewell has provided, and shortly thereafter, her life is threatened. This makes Sid more determined than ever to bring justice upon the man who has severely damaged so many lives. But someone is intent on stopping her.

Dance on his Grave is a strong start to the Third Eye series and is sure to develop a large reader base. Sid Smart is a compelling character; a woman who lived a sheltered life until she decided she wanted out of a controlling relationship and is now determined to start her life anew, despite antagonistic actions from members of her husband's parsonage. A female baby-boomer as a private eye is a fresh addition to the mystery genre, even more appealing, one with intelligence and maturity. Sid's Aunt Annie is a likeable, albeit quirky character, and Sid's mentor George Leger lends a colorful Cajun ambience to the story. This well-written mystery falls under the category of page-turner and will keep the reader entertained throughout.

These stories set in Mr. Parkhill's classroom at the American Night Preparatory School for Adults ("English -- Americanization -- Civics -- Preparation for Naturalization") are wonderfully humorous and warm. They reflect a generous humanity and a keen ear for language in author Leo Rosten (1908-1997), who first wrote the stories for The New Yorker using the pen name Leonard Q. Ross.

When Rosten wrote the stories in the 1930s, the debate that had roiled American society over the high levels of immigration at the beginning of the century had ended with passage of the restrictive Johnson-Reed Immigration Act of 1924. Readers of The New Yorker could well remember the rancor and the stereotyping of the debate.

Rosten countered the prejudice against immigrants by portraying Mr. Parkhill's students, drawn from several national and ethnic groups, as earnest learners eager to know about and join American society by first learning the English language.

When people from different cultures meet, there are bound to be some collisions. A dark side take on those meetings is the ethnic joke. The bright side is this book, finding humor in the encounters that all can smile at.

I read The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N as a teenager in the early 1960s. Though I do not recall negative attitudes about immigration in my family, school, or suburban New Jersey neighborhood in that decade, the book surely shaped my attitudes and feelings about immigrants and immigration in a positive way. Hyman Kaplan taught me immigrants make America a better and richer society.

Each time I look through the book now, I worry whether Rosten crossed any of our modern "PC" redlines that would cause it to be crossed off reading lists. The book's humor ("comic dialect" is the scholar's term) depends on the rendering of accents, not much used at present. I found one use of the N-word (misspelled, in accent, not in anger) by a student character. On the whole, however, the book stands up well.

I give copies of this book to friends who are ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers. Leo Rosten's own nights as an ESL teacher, while he was working on his Ph.D., gave him the inspiration for the stories.

The shape of our nation's immigration policy is certainly a licit issue for debate and disagreement. Current immigration has some different countours than in the 1930s. Some voices, however, get carried away and tip over into negative stereotyping. They should take a break, have a cup of coffee, read this book, and meet Mr. Kaplan.

-30-

Think you can read an uproariously funny book without laughing out loud? Think again. Adventures of an English-as-a-second-language class for new immigrants in 1950's America.

Having just begun teaching English As A Second Language to a group of Asian adults, a relative thought I might enjoy "The Education of Hyman Kaplan". The novel takes place entirely at the American Night Preparatory School for Adults. There under the tutelage of Mr. Parkhill, Hyman Kaplan, Miss Mitnick, Miss Caravello, Mrs. Moskowitz and an assortment of Jewish and Italian immigrants struggle with the complexities of the English language, anxious to master the language and learn about the history and culture of their newly adopted home. The irrepressible Mr. Kaplan takes center stage in the classroom with his singular logic in using the English language. Abraham Lincoln becomes Abram Lincohen, King George III of England is an autocrap, and Valley Forge becomes Velly Fudges. Kaplan conjugates the tense to die as "die, dead, funeral", and when talking of the contents of a newpaper he can't understand why he must say "it said", instead of "he said", since the paper is decidedly of the masculine gender. It's the Harold Tribune after all. This is a hilarious yet touching book. We are never laughing at Hyman Kaplan's linguistic foibles but with him, as we appreciate the struggles of all immigrants, those seventy years ago, or those today to come to terms with becoming Americans and learning the language that binds us together.

As a new ESL teacher, my husband thought I'd enjoy this book. H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N* is an irrepressible immigrant to the US, struggling to master English, but that doesn't stop him from communicating at every opportunity. Waves of malapropisms spoken with a thick Eastern European accent don't get in the way of his enthusiasm. Set in the 30's, this is a world where teachers and students are Mr., Mrs. and Miss, immigrants worked in garment factories, and all still believe in the American Dream. Even Mr. Parkhill, the god-like teacher, can't help but be infected by Mr. Kaplan's unique interpretations of the great works of English literature--the Shakespeare story was a classic. Definitely dated, certainly politically incorrect, these stories hail from a simpler, but maybe tougher time--Leo Rosten originally wrote under the name Leonard Ross. A lovely little collection of stories!

This book, along with its sequel, "The Return of H*y*m*a*n K*a*p*l*a*n," (and don't be fooled, those stars are important) is a beautiful work and one that I'm surprised hasn't been rediscovered by critics and readers alike. Originally published as a series of stories in a magazine, these stories were finally collected into book form and later combined with its sequel in a grand form called O, K*a*p*l*a*n, My K*a*p*l*a*n (which is now out-of-print, but worth reading if you find it in a library or rare book store, since it was edited and improved by the author, with new characters and stories).

The stories all revolve around a group of immigrant adults attending the American Night Preparatory School for Adults in New York City in the 1930s. Under the tutelage of the fastidious, but patient and kind, Mr. Parkhill, the book chronicles their challenges in learning the English language. This is in and of itself a masterpiece: Leo Rosten (who had to publish the stories under a pseudonym since he wrote them while living off a fellowship and did not want to let his professors know that he was working on totally unrelated research) has found humor in GRAMMAR!! He not only shows how difficult English is to master, but how irrational and arbitrary the grammatical rules are that we all, as students, desperately try to commit to memory. Moreover, he writes with an expert ear, hearing the subtle differences in the accents and common foibles of English speakers from various language backgrounds. The fact that these passages are life-out-loud funny (and not at all in the sense of laughing at any character's mistakes but at the English language itself for torturing non-native speakers so) is astounding enough.

But this is the story, however, of a true comic hero - Hyman Kaplan. Leo Rosten has created a character as complex and poignant as Shakespeare's Falstaff, or John Kennedy Toole's Ignatius J. Reilly. Hyman Kaplan is a force of nature, yet distinctly human -- irrascible, dogmatic, determined and yet sensitive, noble and joyous. He is a man who refuses to kow-tow to the rules and guidelines of the English language and who truly relishes the joys of wrestling with learning. Since his exuberance leads him into constant conflict with his fellow students, his character is one of the greatest literary devices ever devised by an author. The stars emblazoned in red, green and blue crayon that are part of his signature, only serve as the ultimate monogram, defining this character as one worthy of the ages.

While this book is about efforts by foreigners to assimilate as Americans, it also highlights the glories of America's immigrant, melting-pot past -- a heritage and tradition that is sadly rapidly being forgotten and lost in this modern globalized world. Moreover, with the advent of the politically correct era of hypersensitivity, it is likely that this book will never experience a renaissance of popular support that it richly deserves. This is a true treasure -- I discovered it as a teenager and have often enjoyed returning many times to visit with these charming, inspiring characters. I cannot recommend it enough!