N Books

This is not only a great period read, but a truly outstanding novel. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. Caldwell's research of the time period helps make the novel more believable, and makes the reader feel as if they were in the first century Roman Empire. Caldwell pays fine attention to detail when describing her settings, emotional natures, and physical traits of her characters. An example can be found on page 493; "The earth danced in heat waves; the sea flashed like blue fire." Here Caldwell personifies the earth, and uses simile to provide imagery of Lucanus's searching, and his attempts to record the life of Jesus. Again in the journey narrative, Caldwell uses metaphor to bring an ominous atmosphere to the mind's eye saying, "The moon was a yellow skull in the dark sky." Caldwell is careful not to clutter the work with description; she develops the plot well. I found her writing style easy to follow, which engages the reader and keeps them wanting more. There is no overwhelming theme of the novel; the book follows one man's journey, Lucanus (St. Luke), to come to know God and document the life of Christ. Although the book is religous in nature, Caldwell gives an objective perspective and does not preach to the reader. This is a great novel for people of all walks of life.

This book is to be read and re-read!!! It contains so much wisdom, insight, and all of it written in such a powerful way.
If you are curious about one of history's most fascinating time periods, this book will definetely enthuse you. It is filled with so many visual descriptions capable of transporting you back in time as you read! I could not put it down
Luke's story is inpiring and Caldwell's treatment is sublime.
GET YOUR HANDS ON IT TODAY!

This book is REALLY awesome. I like how Taylor makes St. Luke ( Lucanus) like a real person instead of some holy guy that you can't relate yourself to. It's full of Israelites, Romans, and Lucanus' quest to find who he is and what God calls him to do. It's truely hard to put down and is a beautiful story. I'm 13 and I reccomend this book to kids my age and up. If you want a really good book to read... this book is for you!

I just read this book and found it hard to put down. Ms Caldwell's description of the Roman world along with the portrait of the main character make this novel a must whether you are a religious person or simply a lover of history.

Even though I am agnostic I enjoyed this book a lot. I read it in under a week. It is a wonderful story, not overly religious. A fascinating look at life 2000 years ago.

Lou Thesz's "Hooker" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of sports entertainment, er, professional wrestling. It provides a good overview of the career of an indisputably great figure in this strange business. My only reservation is that the book isn't long enough. Anyone who read Thesz's letters to the Wrestling Observer knows the man had a wealth of anecdotes and insights about the wrestling business. It's a pity Thesz hadn't been more free with the anecdotes. It's also a shame Thesz didn't talk about life after wrestling - perhaps he didn't think anyone would be interested in Lou Thesz, the man? Oh, and by the way, am I the only one who found that anecdote about George Tragos to be seriously unsettling? Tragos might have been a great wrestler, but he sounded like a monster to me. Again, a great contribution to the under-recorded history of this business. It's like history itself talking.

This book comes across very well even if you are not old enough to know of Lou Thesz. You have to come to grips with the fact that most of his matches were fake to one degree or the other, but some were totally real, or even outright fights, and he was a highly skilled wrestler. His sportsmanship comes across loud and clear. I could cheer for this guy however he played it.

Every wrestling fan should read this book. There is more "TRUTH" about the sport here than in any book that I've read. Thesz was a master back when real men ruled the (then) sport. The difference between Lou Thesz and the wrestlers today is enormous. An excellent read for anyone with even a remote interest in the wrestling business. Classic.

In this book, Thesz gives an honest, open and interesting view of professional wrestling from an old timer's view point. Thesz was a reknowned "hooker", being that he was capable enough in the ring to actually destroy an opponent if need be, and has no qualms with giving the truth behind many figures in history. Ironically, you'd think he hated those deemed "performers," or those who were simply acters instead of accomplished amateurs or hookers, yet he seems to have been open-minded enough to realize that for the big money to occur, things had to change.

Thesz is a very open and honest person and I'd suggest this book to any wrestling fan who truly wants a good insight to the roots of professional wrestling through the 20th century.

This book is amazing! On telling the history of professional wrestling its second to none. And the best source for the history of Catch Wrestlers(Hookers), How wrestling went from Carnivals to the big time. And the stages of evolution it went through on the way to the Sports Entertainment its evolved to today. All the greats are talked about in length. Frank Gotch, Ed Lewis, Joe Stecher all the great hookers of yesteryear. This book tells how all the old promoters used to run the Business. Very intersting reading.

This book's weak point is in the actually biography of Lou Thesz. Way to much stuff left out. He would rattle on for page after page about Toots Mondt and other promoters. And then throw in a sentence like "I was married for 30 years to so and so. I wished I never met her." And just leave it at that. So he comes out of this book kind of like a cardboard cut out of the good guy he played in the ring. But dont get me wrong this book is awesome and a must read. 5 star supreme, one of the most interesting books Ive ever read. Just dont think that Lou reveals much about his self. Because he dosent. He talks about his 3 sons with just a one liner about he has three sons. Very shallow about his family life. And no pictures. But a great biography of the actual wrestling and behind the scene promotions. And how George Tragos took the son of a Hungarian/German shoe maker and made him one of the most dangerous human beings to ever walk the planet. Must read!

Up in the Old Hotel is a masterpiece. I've read it so many times (it is my ultimate desert island book) and have yet to tire of it. The essays (and the few short stories that are included) are timeless, generous works of genius. Joseph Mitchell captures his odd and wonderful subjects as richly realized individuals, and appreciates the smallest of beautiful, dark and humorous nuances. His vision is presented so humbly and offhandedly, yet with absolute precision and so much respect. You truly feel a part of the experience. I'm not sure there is anyone who could write better. All of the essays are amazing, but my favorites are Mr. Hunter's Grave, The Old House at Home, Mazie, and Up in the Old Hotel. The short stories in Section II of the first book are heart wrenching. This book also makes a really great gift.

Are you going to visit "the City"? Have you been to NYC (and loved it)? Up in the Old Hotel was written before most of us were born but still delivers the savory secrets of this great metropolis. Characters abound who could only exist in NY. Meet them before you go. And be sure to eat a slice of Ray's pizza on Sixth Ave. and 11th Street!

This writing puts you right into a time and a place and makes it real.. This is one of the most charming collection of writings I have read so far.. Joseph mitchell's characters of New york are so endearing.. From irish saloon keepers to gypsys to stubborn old men who swear by their diet.. this is great story-telling.. this is the legend of new york..the legends of the real people and eccentrics who inhabit its streets..

Well, there is, in the form of several stories of fact and fiction that center around the Fulton Fish Market, and just about all of them are enjoyable. I'll say one thing. If, after reading Up In The Old Hotel, you don't know how to trawl for fish then you didn't really read this book. All in all, over 700 pages of unique character studies. Mitchell seemed to find someone interesting where no one else cared to look. I fully intend to buy more Mitchell.

Whenever I can't think of something to read, I pick up Up in the Old Hotel and read a story or two out of it. I've probably read it 4-5 times and never get tired of it. It captures a lost era of American life that is what I think of when I imagine America in its finest light. Reminiscent of Tortilla Flats and other Steinbeck and even On the Road in a way - a gentler time in our history.

It is an honor to be a part of the company Art Williams started. There has never been a dull day or wasted moment listening to Art, reading his books, and working his message. It is all I can do.

I loved this book, and I constantly refer to it when I go about my day.

What I love about it is that it's written by somebody who's done it, and it doesn't sugar coat what it takes to be a success. Because Art's ~560th richest person, he doesn't have ulterior motives for writing this book, as some other motivational gurus do (ie buy their audio CD's & DVDs and go to their seminars for $3000 a pop).

Art doesn't lie.

It takes a ton of will and determination & positive attitude to do what he's done. It takes a lot of hard work to succeed. It's sad to see people today constantly chasing after the next quick fix, the next scheme that promises them a million bucks in 30 days. Because it won't happen. As Art says, nothing worthwhile comes easy. If you want success in your life, you've got to work hard at it, you've got to be positive no matter what hits the fan, you've got to believe in yourself & what you're doing.

Art doesn't just pay lip service to this information - he's lived by it & is a billionaire because of it. Go figure.

So get this book and you'll get no-nonsense advice on getting successful. This isn't fluff he's got from pulling advice from self help books - this is advice he's giving from his 20 odd years of being in the trenches, fighting an industry that spent millions trying to put him out of business.

As they say, you'll never truly know what it's like being in war until you've been out in the battlefield. This guy's been there, done that, and now he's going to share with you his advice.

This book flew below the radar for some reason, and is abit of a sleeper when it comes to universal popularity.
It is a personal favorite of mine.
This guy walks the walk as well as talking. He is not an ATNA. (All Talk and No Action). He's got the stats to back up his crusade. Guys like him, and say, Guiness Bk #1 Salesman Joe Girard, are the real deal.

A. L. Williams was a football coach... a man who loved his guys and pushed them to excel in life. And he lived what he preached! You want to be inspired to just DO IT? Get this book.

Williams emphasizes that you have to work hard and be PERSISTENT. Just NEVER, EVER quit. And that's the key. Know what you want, DESIRE it and go for it. Don't let anybody steal your dream. Just do it and hang in there.

He talks about how he got MAD at the rip-off insurance companies, and that anger fueled his drive to excel. He and his friends became tough and tenacious and made things work. Again, that's the key. What a book! Get a copy and mark it up. Read it repeatedly and it'll fire up your soul!

Read this book years ago when it came out and read it regularly for motivation and inspiration. AL Williams went out and did what so many of us want to do and talk about doing. This book takes you through the steps of making a difference from his high school coaching days to his motivation to help others and driving incredible change in the insurance world. Great great book and a must read if you want to know how one man achieved success beyond his wildest dreams and than anyone else thought he could do.

I had read this particular book at another house and was so enthralled with it that I wanted one for my Library and I am giving one for a birthday
present.I probably would not have bought it had I not seen it first.

Product received in timely manner..great book for those seeking to develop in their relationship with God. We can learn much from the writers of the devotions contained in this book.

St. Francis of Assisi wrote, "Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." This remarkable book will inspire your team members with the poignant commentaries from the early heroes of the Christian faith.

New books are important, but the classics are imperative. As you mentor and encourage your team members, it might be time to remind them that long before Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Beth Moore, Chuck Colson, Dr. James Dobson, and even D. L. Moody, the pioneers of the faith were building our theological foundations, brick by brick.

Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, the book editors, begin, "We today suffer from the unexamined notion that the more recent something is, the better, the more true it must be. This book is our attempt to counter this present-day myopia. It brings together fifty-two carefully chosen selections from the great devotional classics."

If your team members have never read (or even heard of) Jonathan Edwards, Frances de Sales, Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Soren Kierkegaard, Evelyn Underhill, or John Baillie--order the book. These fifty-two pillars span the centuries: Gregory of Nyssa (331), Francis of Assisi (1182), Catherine of Genoa (1447), John Bunyan (1628) and Watchman Nee (1903).

If you're in what John of the Cross (1542-1591) called the "dark night of the soul," when you've lost all the pleasure you once experienced in your devotional life, you can feed on the riches of these classic writings from our brothers and sisters past.

In the chapter on The Book Bucket, from Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit, I warn about the dangers of "management-by-bestseller syndrome." Have no fear about Devotional Classics. It endures. The editors remind us of C.S. Lewis' savvy counsel, "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between."

I really enjoyed this book. It was part of the assigned reading for a Spiritual Formation retreat I took through my college. The collected devotionals in this book are wonderful. I like the different sections included in the book as well. If you want to just read devotionals to stir up your prayer life you can just read that section.

Also at the end of each devotional there are reflection questions and spiritual discipline exercises to do. I found this to be very helpful in breaking out of the routine in my devotional time with God.

It is so inspiring to read the writings of these great men and women of faith throughout the history of Christianity. I reccommend this to anyone looking to deepen their faith.

I just finished reading Frank Nappi's first novel after hearing about the second one, which is being released this April. I usually only read baseball novels, but I figured I'd give this WWII one a shot while I wait for the next one, The Legend Of Mickey Tussler, which sounds like a fabulous baseball classic. This book is all that everyone before me has said. It is powerful, well written, and informative. I honestly think that it reads just like a movie would play out. I saw everything so clearly in my head. If The Legend of Mickey Tussler is even half as good, I will be a very happy camper!

Yes, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read. I don't understand all the gushing reviews. I did not find the book emotionally stirring. Nor did I find the writing that compelling. If you are looking for a great book on a soldier's journey in WWII -actually a pilot- I recommend "In the Shadow of War" by Childers. If you want a truly lyrical novel of a soldiers travails during war -in this case WWI- I would recommend "A Soldier of the Great War" by Helprin.

James McCleary has been attempting to put the horrors of the battlefield behind him for years. Unfortunately, his sordid tries have fallen flat, and the days of battle are still ingrained in his mind, rearing their evil heads at the worst possible times. All John McCleary wants, on the other hand, is to know his father. The father who has cast him aside. Who has refused to learn more about him. Who has refused to let anyone in. Memory has left James trapped in a world of his own. A world where he is locked inside his own mind, where the only person who is permitted entry is himself. He cannot embrace his wife, nor his children, he can only sit and ponder what happened out there. Out on the battlefield all those years ago. While James is in this infirmary of a world, John is in his own place. For John is wrestling with the memories of a life with a man he calls his father. A man he is related to - flesh and blood - but who he knows nothing about, and, in return, a man who knows nothing about him. Now, the death of John's mother has begun to change things. Suddenly, the two men, father and son, are being brought together for a final exchange. As John begins searching through family heirlooms and artifacts in his parents attic, he suddenly begins finding missing pieces to the puzzle. A puzzle that will give him a glimpse into the frozen battlefields that have left his father eternally scarred mentally, and of a secret romance that kept him whole as he traveled through wartime Europe, fighting for our country.

I will admit right off the bat that I don't normally read books in this particular genre, and rarely read anything related to war - fiction or non. However, I was sucked in by Frank Nappi's ECHOES FROM THE INFANTRY from the very first paragraph. Nappi's descriptiveness is uncanny, and hard to resist, from the way that he illustrates the lasting effects of war, and how it can tear apart a family; to the flashbacks of various war scenes that can easily choke the reader up. Nappi's character development was also a shining point throughout this particular novel, as it showed the maturation of characters as realization dawned on them regarding different situations, while at the same time gave them the chance to learn more about their family's history by "digging through the past," as opposed to confronting various people to learn more about their father's heroic, yet troubled life. Whether you're a fan of war novels or not, Frank Nappi's ECHOES FROM THE INFANTRY will leave a lasting impression upon you, and have you wiping a tear from your eye once the book is complete.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I decided to pick up a copy of Echoes from the Infantry. Echoes is not a genre that would typically call out to me while browsing the shelves but I was glad I was able to break away from Oprah's book club, if only for the weekend. Usually anything with war gets crossed off my reading list, but it was well worth the departure.

Nappi tells the story of James McCleary, a World War II veteran who survives the horrors of war, but he's haunted by guilt and memories for many years to come. Nappi's writing is so eloquent; I often read sentences twice, just to absorb the impact. While at war, McCleary encounters a young girl standing over her deceased grandmother which he tries to forget but, Nappi writes, "She was always there, a restless soul, just like him, sustained forever by the enduring vitality of his memory." Before reading this story, I had never considered how a sharp memory could be such a curse to a war veteran.

The story toggles back and forth between war time and present day. During war time, the character development is so rich that the soldiers begin to remind me of people I know. Although the war details are at times disturbing, Nappi weaves in enough beauty to balance out the horrors. The soldiers at one point are described as lying there, "clutching the ground like orphans seeking refuge in the maternal folds of the earth." I am reminded that, despite the historical subject matter, Nappi is indeed an English teacher. Only a master of the language can come up with image-inspiring similes like that (at least I think that's a simile).

It takes me a while to realize why this book struck such a cord with me. Beyond the beautiful language and the true to life the characters is an incredibly moving story. My husband is shocked to see me flipping through the pages of a historical fiction novel so quickly (he can't get me to watch a minute of the history channel). He smiles knowingly as I read parts aloud to him, love letters. Echoes may be historical fiction but in the end, it's a love story, not just between husband and wife, but father and son. I think it's a story about forgiveness, of ourselves and others. I wonder how many men and women returning from war have stories like McCleary's, and are now battling guilt and shame within themselves.

The only time I really think about what it must be like to be a veteran returning from war is when I see those signs hanging from the parkway overpass welcoming home a soldier from Iraq, or when we adopt a soldier at Christmas time and send over a basket of cheer. This book made me examine my conscience and think about how I will honor our war veterans, past and present, and more importantly how I will teach my students to do the same. I have always thought there is no better way to teach a lesson than through a wonderful story. This story taught me a thing or two about patriotism that will long be echoing through my mind.

It's easy to overlook writing flaws when a story like this is so good. I can't knock this book in any way. It was a well thought out story with an unpredictable ending. I would tell you in advance that the story jumps back and forth from present time to WW2 quite often so be prepared. Some of the time the authors transitions weren't done that well and a few more narrative set ups would have been nice but I was never lost except in the comfort of the story. I would recommend and I personally look forward to reading his second book whenever it comes out. He has a lot of potential.

In the late autumn of his life, evangelist Billy Graham has given us a wonderful gift.

In clear and compassionate terms, he shares the accumulated wisdom and anecdotes of an extraordinary lifetime, providing guidance and encouragement to make our own lives meaningful and extraordinary. The book is carefully structured in four parts. In "The Journey Begins", he explores the primary questions of life. In "Strength for the Journey", he discusses practical measures to find peace and joy with God, others, and ourselves. "Challenges Along the Way" covers external, internal, and spiritual difficulties; and "Staying the Course" provides guidance and hope in facing issues arising in middle age and beyond.

This, like "Mere Christianity" and other works by C.S. Lewis, is a must-read for anyone seeking truthful answers to life's painful and confusing questions, as well as for Christians looking to deepen their faith. I didn't find a single false word in it and will likely re-read it more than once in the years to come.

And even if there are no years to come, even if my journey should end tonight, I know it ends well. For anyone seeking peace in life's journey, the truths in this book could be invaluable assets. Five shining stars.

I was very happy with my selection of the "Journey" and very pleased with the good service I received on the delivery. We are using the book as a guide in a Women's Bible Study at our church and are currently in the 4th Chapter, as we discontinued our study for the Christmas holiday and will resume on Jan. 8, 2008.

Fight The Good FightProbably the last book written by the greatest Preacher of our day. Life truly is a journey and not the destination as Dr. Graham has so aptly declared in his teachings throughout the years.

I previously ordered 7 copies of "The Journey" by Billy Graham. Our men's group is in the midst of studying the book for the next 30 weeks at a weekly breakfast devotional. It is packed with wonderful guidance on how we are to live our lives. The book is perfectly divided into manageable sections that are just right for from a 30 to 50 minute devotion. It also is great in that it is written in such a way as to encourage participation. It is easily understood while at the same time elegant in its delivery of ideas. It is suitable for both those new to the faith as well as for "old" Christian soldiers.

Tha Journey: Living by Faith in an Uncertain World has been a blessing in my life. When I was given this book I had thought "Oh boy another Billy Graham Book" and I love Billy Graham BUT this book is so much more. It is a guide for living and is full of RICHNESS that you can turn to in any situation and receive GLORIOUS advise. Blly Graham is an instrument from God and I believe God speaks right through him. I EVEN GAVE A COPY TO MY DAUGHTER WHEN I LEFT HER FOR HER FIRST DAY/YEAR OF COLLEGE. I keep it close at hand to always look up answers for my life. GET IT, READ IT, GIVE IT!!!!!

My 9 year old daughter devoured this, and quickly after, the "Empress Tomb" sequel. I haven't yet read them but her fascination/identification with the characters, her expanded vocabulary (truly interesting words like "mausoleum") and her desire to share the books with all of her literary friends has me sold. Quick note: the kikistrike website is fantastic as well. Thank you to Kirsten Miller for creating complex, empowered girls and for kicking off what I hope will continue to be an unprecedented series!

Technically, this would be 4.5 stars, but Amazon doesn't allow half stars.

Ananka Fishbein. Your normal twelve-year-old girl whose life is a "flavorless mush". Until. Until a sinkhole appears in a the park across the street, and she discovers the Shadow City deep beneath the streets of New York City. Until she meets Kiki Strike, a mysterious girl who wants to be "dangerous". So begins an adventure to explore the Shadow City that will bring together six very different but very talented twelve-year-old girls.

This book is brilliant. Yes. It honestly is. Completely witty with a fun narration by Ananka and with great characters. Unrealistic? Probably. Do I care? Maybe a little. Not a lot, but...just enough to keep me from completely loving this book. I just didn't believe that characters all the time. But setting aside disbelif, this book is great fun. Exciting and hard to put down and definitely full of enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I will definitely be reading Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb.

Im not even finished with the book and im already in trance in the books "spell". If you love mystery this is the book for you .Its about a group of exceptionally different girls. Dont judge this book by the cover , it looks like its for a older group of girls but its not.Its a good read for mature 9 year olds and up.At first my mom would'nt buy it for me because it looked to old but if you asked me I'd say "this is one of the best books I've ever read.I like this book because its about smart, powerful ,strong girls...Girl with a plan

This book was like a breath of fresh air to me! Unlike the many different series of Chicklit for teen girls, this book is a great contribution to what's available for teen girls to read. I confess that I am a fan of the Eoin Colfer series of Artemis Fowl books and at times Kiki reminded me of the main character in the series i.e. Artemis Fowl.

One other major character is Ananka Fishbein, who is called upon to help Kiki with a certain mission. Together with a small group of other girls each of whom has a special ability to give to the 'team', Kiki and Ananka face smugglers and kidnappers to come out victorious if not a little bruised.
Ananka is the perfect main character because she is both courageous and smart but also not infallible.

I had to read this book for my college English class, and I have to admitt that I wasn't thrilled about reading a children's book. My class started reading the book last Tuesday, and I had it finished by Thursday. Even though it was a kid's book, normally I wouldn't be able to finish it in two days unless I had both days off, which I didn't. This book was so good that I couldn't put it down! I almost missed my bus stop because I was reading it on my way home. It was written so well, and had a better plot than most Adult novels. I am about to order the second book even though it is a hardcover, and I don't have any place for it.

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright was first published in 1941, and though it was written many years ago, is as delightful now as it was then. It's a story about a family who loves each other, works hard and strives to do the right thing. How refreshing!

Mona (13), Rush (12), Miranda (10 ½), who is known as Randy, and Oliver (6) live in New Your City in a brownstone that is rather shabby, but has many floors and fits their lifestyle perfectly. The Melendy children's mother died, but their father and Cuffy, the beloved housekeeper, provide the love, attention and care the children need.

Each of the children has dreams and desires for their futures. Their interests are varied and they each are independent and inquisitive about life and their surroundings.

But while the Melendy children find life generally interesting, Saturdays can sometimes be just plain boring. The children form a club they call the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (I.S.A.A.C.). All of the children agree to pool their allowances and each child takes a Saturday with all the money to do something by themselves that they really want to do.

The Saturdays are exciting, not just because of the activities they choose, but because of the people they meet and the stories they hear. Well, Oliver does make one Saturday particularly memorable, but you'll have to read the book to learn about his adventure.

In the day of the novels that glamorize the worst society has to offer, The Saturdays is delightfully refreshing.

Armchair Interviews says: Read the series and enjoy!

This book is different in a good way. It is about 4 children who decide to put there allowences to a good use. Every Saturday the add up there allowence and one of the children gets to do any thing that they will always remember.
By,
Girl With A Plan

I had doubts for this book because it didn't sound very interesting but my Mom wanted me to read it so I did-I loved it. It's original and imaginative and above all easy to read for hours without getting bored. It's original and fun like the story of Mrs. Olifount being kidnapped by jypsies, or Isaac the dog saving the family from suffocating. It's a wonderful book I can't wait to read the sequils.

When I was nine years old I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Enright's "The Melendy Family" on sale for 25 cents at my school Christmas fair, donated by some eighth-grader who evidently felt she had "outgrown" it. I wonder, does anybody ever outgrow the Melendys? "The Melendy Family" was a three-in-one volume comprising "The Saturdays", "The Four Story Mistake", and "Then There were Five". Alas, "The Melendy Family" is no longer in print, but fifty years later, I still have my copy, read to shreds, patched and repatched with scotch tape, a book to be treasured forever and never thrown away. Fortunately, the books making up "The Melendy Family" have been reissued as individual volumes available to enchant yet another generation of young readers.

"The Saturdays", the first volume in the series, introduces us to the four Melendy children: Mona, age 13, Rush, age 12, Randy, who is ten-and-a-half, and Oliver, age 6. Each is given a distinct personality and Enright modeled them on children she had known in her own life, her own children or childhood friends. The result is four fictional characters so totally believable that for years after the books were published, Enright continued to get letters from readers wondering if the Melendys were "real".

The Melendy children's mother is deceased, but they are raised by a devoted, caring father and Cuffy, their beloved housekeeper, who stands in as nurse, cook, substitute mother, grandmother, and aunt, and generally rules the roost. The children are funny, refreshing and unspoiled. Mona has aspirations of being a famous actress and already at thirteen can recite "yards and yards of Shakespeare at the drop of a hat." Rush is the next to the oldest, a musical prodigy with a penchant for getting into and out of trouble. Randy at ten-and-a-half (the half is very important at that age) is an endearing mixture of grace and klutziness, a talented dancer and artist who keeps falling over her own feet when it comes to manual labor. And six-year-old Oliver is the baby of the family, placid and calm, very much his own person, as his story shows.

The story opens on a rainy Saturday which finds Randy and Rush monumentally bored with nothing to do. Randy wants to see a some French paintings. Rush wants to go to the opera. Mona wants to see a play. But in the early 1940s (the approximate time in which the story is set is revealed in the opening pages when Enright tells us that the long scars on the linoleum floor were made by Rush trying out a pair of ice skates on Christmas afternoon, 1939), fifty cents a week allowance was standard, and there wasn't a whole lot you could do with that. Randy has a brainstorm. Let's start a club, she says, and pool our allowances together each week so one of us can spend them on something we've always wanted to do. This idea is adopted enthusiastically by all the children (Oliver wants to contribute his ten cents, too), and thus the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (ISAAC) is born.

Each following chapter describes an adventure that takes place on each child's Saturday. Randy goes to see an exhibition of French paintings, runs into an old family acquaintance, Mrs. Oliphant, and is treated to tea at the Plaza while she hears a delightful story of the time Mrs. Oliphant was kidnapped by gypsies during her childhood.

Rush goes to the opera, walks home in a snowstorm, and finds a lost puppy that becomes the family's devoted friend and companion from that day on.

Mona, tired of her long braids, goes to a beauty parlor and treats herself to a haircut and a manicure. The resulting uproar by her father and Cuffy seems a trifle overdone, but as Father later admits, it's hard for parents to realize that their children are growing up.

And Oliver, keeping his own counsel, sneaks out of the house when his Saturday comes and goes to the circus all by himself. An even greater adventure occurs when he is given a ride back home by a mounted policeman on a horse, after he gets lost leaving Madison Square Garden.

After Oliver's adventure the kids decide to spend their Saturdays as a group, but that doesn't stop them from having mishaps such as Randy falling overboard from a boat in Central Park, the family almost suffocating from coal gas when Rush forgets to shut the furnace door, and the storeroom catching fire. It all comes to an exciting conclusion when Mrs. Oliphant invites the children to spend the summer in her lighthouse in Long Island.

"The Saturdays" takes us back to a simpler time and to adventures that probably couldn't happen today (no parent in his right mind would allow a ten year old to go to a museum alone in the New York City nowadays), but kids are still kids, and the Melendys seem so real they could be anyone we knew when we were children, or wish we had known. The time frame may help children understand what a dollar could purchase back then (a wash, set and manicure, or admission to a museum with change to spare). The whole series is a gem for every child and every generation. I still marvel at the priceless find I picked up off a bookshelf at random fifty years ago for only twenty-five cents. It's paid me back a zillion-fold ever since.

Judy Lind

I wanted to respond to the reviews below that thought it was either implausible or dated for children aged 10-13 to wander around New York by themselves. I grew up in New York (in Manhattan, across the park from the Melendys) in the late 1980s. I turned 13, just Mona's age, in 1990. I started walking home from school alone in fourth grade (when I was nine, a year younger than Randy). Like Mr. Melendy and Cuffy, my parents' major worry was that I was careful crossing the street. (Reasonably enough, they feared that drivers would not be able to see a small child.) Many of my friends from elementary school walked or took the bus to school alone at the same age. By twelve (Rush's age), I was allowed to take the subway to visit friends from junior high school, and they took the subway to visit me. By fourteen our teachers assumed that we were competent to find the Metropolitan Museum of Art on our own for projects. None of these people were neglectful, and none of them were "horrified" at the idea of pre-adolescents wandering around the city alone. This was in the supposed "bad old days" when crime was theoretically much higher than it is now, and none of us ever suffered any accident. (Although a group of friends and I got lost coming back from the theater in eighth grade, and were pretty embarrassed that we looked like tourists.)

Anyone familiar with the geography of New York City knows that the Melendy children stay within a fairly small geographic area in THE SATURDAYS, and that the areas where most of their adventures take place are some of the richest and safest in the city. Most sensible New York parents would allow their children to wander there on Saturday afternoons with no more concern than the appropriate ones that Mr. Melendy shows. (Be careful of traffic, don't talk to strangers, and don't get lost.)

Ironically, this ties in with the review that says that Enright did not take enough "risks" with the book, by having her characters get kidnapped by gypsies or run away from home. The fact is, she wrote a fairly realistic description of the childhood of the middle and upper-middle classes of New York City....kids who come into CONTACT with a relatively diverse group of people who have had a variety of experiences, but who actually live in a fairly safe, and sheltered world.

As a New York City kid, I was thrilled to read a book that reflected MY real life experience, as opposed to yet another story about kids who lived in houses with back yards and rode a school bus, and generally had no relationship to my real life. I still love THE SATURDAYS for its loving description of a New York that has in some ways remained startingly the same, even though parts of it have disappeared (no more two way traffic on Fifth Avenue, and no double decker buses!). As other reviews have said, The Saturdays is a charming, well-written book for kids, that can also be enjoyed by adults. It's also one of the few accurate and positive stories about growing up in a great city. I would recommend it for all ages.

This is a very thoughtful book that includes the wit and wisdom of Mr. Rogers, in an easy-to-read format that is both interesting and educational. I can't imagine anyone who doesn't know who Mr. Rogers is. Like virtually all American Children of the '80s & '90s I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. Of course I didn't know it then, but looking back, Mr. Rogers was a very unique person. Mr. Rogers was perhaps the only man in modern pop-culture who was able to speak to kids in such an honest and intelligent way. Mr. Rogers taught me the importance of compassion and the importance of never taking anyone (or anything) for granted. I recommend this book to anyone with a heart and a mind.

A nice little book full of simple, innocuous sayings displaying a keen grasp of the obvious. But by and large, I didn't find anything that really grabbed me, anything that made me think "Wow!" I did find one or two exceptions to this. Rogers writes:

"Sometimes, though, I wonder if we confuse strength with other words - like aggression, and even violence."

I wonder what Mister Rogers would have made of politicians defining "strength" as "support for war."

this ought to be a required textbook in all the schools and colleges in the world.it is that good without a doubt.

Great book to have on the coffee table. Just a quick read with great thoughts.

When I sat down with this book I intended to give it a quick read and set it aside. And then I read it a second time and TOOK NOTES because I found so many pieces and parts of the book inspiring and eye-opening and comforting.

For instance, Mr. Rogers says that when he was a boy and there were tragedies in the news, his mom would tell him, "look for the helpers; look for the people who are helping others." That shifted his perspective and helped assuage some of his fears.

Another treasure is the introduction by Mrs. Rogers (Joanne) who states, "The person Fred became in his later years came out of growth and struggle. As he got older, it seemed as if the nurturing of his soul and mind became more and more important...Discipline was his very strong suit."

And in another part of the intro she states that if she were to isolate a single thing that changed Fred's life more than anything else, it was a statement made by Dr. Margaret McFarland, a mentor and teacher. "She let him know it was okay to be sensitive."

Reading that was a comfort, since most of us "sensitive souls" are repeatedly admonished to "stop being so sensitive," and yet it is that very sensitivity that should be nurtured and developed in artists and writers.

Several months ago, I made extensive notes of this book and re-read them each morning as part of my daily mediations. That's how much I loved "The World According to Mister Rogers."

It's a well-written, easy-to-read book that leaves a lasting impression.