Non-fiction Books

This is a great book for kids as well as parents. The story, along with the rhyming, keeps our toddler wanting to read it over and over again.

We have this book as well as "Where's My Teddy" and my son LOVES these books. They are super cute and fun to read. Highly recommend.

Our 2.5 year old adores this and other books by Jez Alborough. "It's the Bear" has lovely rhyming language, great illustrations and is a sure winner at bedtime.

The story itself provides opportunities for little ones to participate in punch lines and share their thoughts on what is going on in the pictures.

It's the bear is a frequent read in my home. All my children, ages 7 to 2, love the bear who is just as afraid of little Eddie as Eddie is of him. Infact, my (almost) 4 year old chose a teddy bear picnic theme for his birthday based on this book. A copy for each child attending made a wonderful gift.

"It's the Bear" is a fun book to read aloud to young children. It's simply written, in near-rhyme, with lots of opportunity for the reader to whimper, yell, growl, and sniff. My son loves to holler some of the lines along with me. The drawings are great, with an absolutely oversized bear grasping a huge teddy bear of his own, and eating a bite-sized picnic that he stumbles upon.

Very enjoyable, a great bedtime read. I'll be getting more by this author.

this was the first little mermaid story i was aware of. i'm not really a fan of disney because they alter the stories, among other things, and so in retrospect i thank my mother for getting me this book when i was young. The story is beautiful and the pictures are as beautiful as the story. This is my standard for the little mermaid story and to date all other renditions i've read have been sub-par in comparison.

The illustrations are very pretty in this book, The story was also great and good for any mermaid fans! Specifically The Little Mermaid!

My title is correct, I've had this book for 10 years-- I received it as a gift from my father when I was 9 and even now I'll look back on it for more than childish nostalgia. It's truly a gorgeous book.
You can read the story of The Little Mermaid 100 times, but there's nothing like skimming the pages of this book and awing at the illustrations. There is nothing bad I can say about this book...

If you don't have it, get it now!

I would recommend this book for girls between the ages of 14-16, as it is gothic, dark and disturbing. I could only read a few pages at night before putting the book down. This is the original Hans Christian Anderson telling, and not some gay, twisted-up with a happy-ending Disney-version! The Little Mermaid is obsessive about those of us living up here on land... Perhaps, feeling she doesn't belong in her world in the sea. So to show her devotion to her land Prince, she allows the Sea Hag to bewitch her, that she may walk and dance on land. She is in terrible emotional and physical pain, and in the end becomes a silent martyr for love. As this is how things go when one resorts to spells and manipulation! Santore's paintings seem to carry this depth with the pages of dark blue, green and gray colors. Personally, the painting are too dark for my taste. Santore's Little Mermaid could be any little neighbor girl you know. This story comes across as a metaphor for someone who thinks like a victim, or who is self-destructive. It could be a metaphor for someone who is disabled, or wanting to turn towards a spiritual life. I feel this book would make for interesting group discussion for teen girls. Finally, this story is based on true events from Hans Christian Anderson's life as a young man. It was his first original fairy tale for which he is most well-known.

I have seen a lot of versions of this story, numerous illustrations and countless paintings, sketches, and drawings. This book has by far the most beautiful of them all. THe art work is enchanting! Colorful, and detailed, and perfect for the story. I highly recomend this to anyone who shares an interest in fairytale art, and storybooks.

This book is an amazing document about an amazing performer, born at the right time, in the right place, with the right set of talents needed to succeed (and fail, spectacularly).

If you are interested at all in American culture from the sixties to now, this is essential reading. Basically, David was born in Santa Barbara, grew up in the 50s loving sailing, cars, and women, later to be joined by music. He fell into the folk scenes then emerging in the early 60s, and by dint of personality and talent, worked his way into the Byrds, then CSN, then a sybaritic lifestyle that broke the mold.

Holy cow -- this is a highly entertaining, engrossing story of the American Dream gone good, gone bad, then gone good again. You will not put it down.

Hooray for the survivors, the dreamers, the lovers, the music-makers.

Whenever I may be asked to recount books I have enjoyed / lives I've enjoyed reading about - THIS book and THIS life will forever be upon that list.

David Crosby - the genuine article.

Long time gone provides an insight into one of the great survivors, nay legends, of the 65-75 era as well as entertaining observations on the culture of the times. fascinating reading for anyone of a certain age.

I am reading a first edition used hard-cover of this book and it sure brings back some memories! Like the one reviewer said,if you lived in those times,came of age in those times,this book will flood your mind with a-hankering for the good old days of mellow music,mellow weed and mellow and friendly girls. what an age of innocence!
i miss it very bad...gottlieb i think got it right,the "60's" were actually the decade of 1965-1975...a fantastic time that will never be back.i think the times we're in now could use some of the attitudes of the 65-75 era.good golden and red marijuana included. too bad human nature took it all and trashed it.thanks,david crosby for making me think about my youth as it developed into adulthood.
god bless you.
i was on the edge of the CSN and CSNY,Byrds,Springfield music...i was into the British groups and was gone on the Beatles and Who especially.
alot of my amigos were heavy into CSNY,much more than i was and i should've been myself-just never got around to them...(except for the Deja Vu LP- a top 10 classic.)i was also involved w/ the grateful dead and jazz and pink floyd.i liked the electric attitude of hendrix,too.
CSNY,CSN were too acoustic for my tastes at that time.it was a stroke of genius to get neil young-he made all the difference for me.
anyway,i am ranging...the book is great.read it and be prepared to go down Memory Lane.

As I write (Monday morning, January 07 2008) this product has not yet been received !!!!!

This second-hand copy of "The Madness of a Seduced Woman" sat on my book shelf for a number of years before I finally pulled it out. After looking at the cover I thought to myself that it really didn't appear to be the style of book I usually enjoy and considered tossing it or trading it back in for something else. However, hating to give up on any book, I decided to read a few pages and give it a chance. What a great decision that was! I was drawn into the story of Agnes Dempster, her unusual family, and her tragic love story, from the first beautifully written page to the very last. From her unhappy childhood, her turbulent and violent youth, her sad journey through depression and mental illness, to her somewhat calmer and more stable maturity, you will travel with Agnes from birth to the grave and she is someone you will not soon forget.

This is a book to be treasured and will remain in my personal library along with other all-time favorites such as "Gone With the Wind" and "How Green was My Valley." I'm now planning on reading "Anya" by the same author with the hope that it will come somewhere close to the perfection of this one.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If ten stars were available in the rating system it would certainly deserve every one of them.

"The Madness of a Seduced Woman" is the story of Agnes Dempster, who enters life with a strong legacy from either side of her family. From her father's side she has inherited wealth and from her mother's, beauty, yet people in each of her parents' families have exhibited mental instability in recent generations. As with her mother and grandmother before her, Agnes' dissatisfaction with life leads her to believe that there must be something more for her if she can leave her home town and escape the influence of her family. After the death of her grandmother, Agnes leaves her family's farm at the young age of 16 to live and work in a nearby city.

Agnes meets Frank Holt, a young stonecutter who lives in the same boarding house as her, and they begin a relationship. In her naiveté and immaturity, Agnes believes Frank to be all that she has been looking for in her search for a meaningful life. Their romance begins normally, but over the course of time is tested by a series of difficulties and Agnes' increasing dependence on and obsession with Frank. When Frank realizes that he cannot love Agnes in the same, all-encompassing way in which she loves him, he begins to cool off the relationship. This leads Agnes to a decision that will affect her and those around her for the rest of their lives.

This is one of my favorite S.F. Schaeffer books, even though it is a very dark one. This is definitely not a light read for the beach, and the description of a home abortion is not for you if you are at all squeamish. What the book does is capture what I like about Susan Fromberg Schaeffer's writing - her ability to transport the reader into the times and places of her stories. I am also impressed by the timelessness of the subject - obsessive desire is something very common to hear and read about, but the twist to "The Madness... " is the period in which it takes place (the 1890's). This book is a study on all that can go wrong with life if one is dependent on others and their happiness in order to feel fulfillment themselves.

This book is my absolute favorite and I've read it several times. It is the story of how an extremely beautiful woman's obsession takes hold, grows, and eventually takes over her life.
The story follows Agnes Dempster through her late teens, early twenties as she discovers men and relationships. Her first relationship is with the perfect "nice" man who completely falls for her. She had to work so hard for her father's love that she feels any love easily given isn't worth it,s o she quickly becomes tired of his doting. Suddenly the untouchable man, the one our mother's warned us about, seems to reach out to her and she completely falls for him and, it would seem, vice versa.
This dark, heartbreaking story is so intense, so real, so incredibly moving that at one point I had to put the book aside to wipe my tears. At another point I found myself holding my breath. I could feel her obsession growing while knowing that he was using her and leading her on, and yet, Agnes is still drawn to him. He repeatedly gave her just enough attention to draw her in and give her reason to believe; and then he was gone again.
This protrayal of obsession was so intricate and detailed that the web was spun around me as I read what seemed to be a love story. The abortion is so real that I felt her pain and shame, yet understood her sense of duty. The field scene at the end is so well described that I feel like I was there. The court scene is so well written that I found myself gripping the book tightly.
This book is for every woman who has ever loved and lost or loved and obsessed or loved and borderline obsessed, and I think that covers every woman alive. We've all been there.

This author does a fabulous job of conveying the main character's madness in a way that comes across as a dream sequence. One seldom finds an author who can write a well-rounded story that truly involves the reader. By the end of the book, Agnes comes shining through -- with all her shortcomings. Read this book! "...a woman scorned..."

This is a novel that springs from an amazing imagination. It is as if the author tapped into a dream vision of Agnes to creat a haunting and memorable charcter in an ethralling narrative. The story is gothic in its imagry, and brings the reader deep into the spooky farm country of New England, and enchants us with a kind of psychological mystery. There are some flaws, though- because this book obviously stems from the author's fantasy, rather than real life experience, there are obvious inconsitencies. For instance,the novel purports to describe a rich farming family, but at one point the narrative asserts that girls in the family were out working in the field as soon as they were old enough. I don't think the daughters of the area's most wealthy family would be "working in the fields." Also, there are weird little problems like descriptions of apple blossoms... in the wrong season. If you can swallow the little editing problems,this is a wonerful and entertaining read.

...this novel is far, far superior! A truly great exploration of human loneliness and the desire for companionship. Quite funny and bizarre in parts, too.

Not being an expert on the modern American novel, I'm reluctant to state that "Midnight Cowboy" is one of the great American novels, but I will, anyway. It's vastly superior to the film, a shallow and perverse adaptation. (Please see my Amazon review.)

Herlihy's characters are so vividly realistic, and his writing so elegantly simple, that one is not immediately aware that the story is an attack on American society's grossly materialistic "values".

The ending leaves the reader hanging. Joe has decided to abandon prostitution, to find a regular job and get Ratso the treatment he needs, but before he can do any of these things, Ratso dies. Lacking another human being to help -- and thus, no unselfed purpose in life -- what will Joe do?

The implication is that Joe will fall back into a life of aimless prostitution (he's learned enough to know how to turn tricks), as he no longer has the motive -- a sincere personal relationship -- for changing. If Herlihy _wanted_ Joe to be "saved", would he not have shown it?

Herlihy might be suggesting that we are what we are, and it is almost impossible to change our values. But that is perhaps reading too much into the novel's intent. Nevertheless, this is hardly an "uplifting" story. One might even interpret it as cyncial.

However you interpret it, "Midnight Cowboy" is an exceptional novel, one of those rare books that rewards the time spent reading it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Herlihy has brought us a classic. The American Dream and the struggle to attain it. Certainly not the happiest of storylines but well worth reading. I've yet to see the film, but if it's half as good as the book then it has to be a winner too. 100% Recommended.

I have watched the movie many times and recently, based on the reviews here, decided to read the book. While I am not a big reader of fiction, I could not put it down!!! Herlihy is one of those rare authors that can articulate the human condition in a way that resonates with everyone. I found myself reading certain paragraphs over and over because they were so beautiful. Joe is a symbol of loneliness and alienation. Emotionally stunted by a neglectful past, he becomes a full human being through a series of events that enable him to become aware of how broken he really is and what he really needs.

If you loved the movie, I highly recommend reading the book -- you will never see Joe Buck or Ratso Rizzo the same way again.

Herlihy's gift to American literature was this novel. Though the rest of his work is less remarkable, the author created a special vision of American life in Midnight Cowboy. Herlihy's reputation was founded on his ability to write about "grotesqueries" in an authentic voice, and nowhere is this talent better illustrated than in the exploits of Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo. The novel is full of contrasting elements that go to the heart of Buck's desire to be more than he has been in his young life. His failures as a son, as a military man and as a women's man were only glossed over in the movie, but are fully explored in the book, and serve as impetus for him to continually seek what he perceives to be his destiny. Buck's transition from southwestern hayseed to knowledgeable New Yorker (with the characteristics of each location carefully explored) is painfully rendered; his ignorance of sophisticated (if not corrupt) urban behavior is contrasted against Rizzo's phenomenal knowledge of all things sleazy (though Rizzo maintains a kind of corrupt righteousness in his appraisal of his own bizarre talents). Joe Buck moves from the Purgatorial heat of Texas to the frozen Hell of New York City, and, with the help of the complex mentality of Rizzo, manages to find redemption in the dream of Florida sunshine. Again, this Dantesque journey of a naïve dreamer is beautifully explored in the most grotesque environments. That Joe Buck was able to carry Rizzo with him into that light of redemption is the most poignant aspect of the novel.

Malloy's deeply moving words about love, loss and life are so intense that the reader is actually able to experience what the author expresses so beautifully. I continue to collect her works as I have yet to find another author that compares. Her words fill in our "lack of" when describing the incredible depths of our human emotions. The reader will know the author intimately and will find self-realization in the everyday life subject matter about which she writes. Powerful and insightful. Reflection and renewal of one's own emotional being will be envoked after the first page. Malloy is highly deserving of the recognition that she was never awarded. Only the Bible could be more moving. ....

I was introduced to Ms. Malloys words by my 9th grade English teacher while preparing for a speech tournament. I had never read poetry like that before, didn't know poetry could be like that before. Her words were honest and real and no holds barred.
Because of this one book I have been writing poetry for the last twenty years myself. Everytime I go into a book store I look for her books, old or, hopefully new. They are a rare find. I even wrote this poem in her honor, circa 1985.

Merrit

How could I know exactly
What you meant
Understand your heart
When I'd never seen your face.

I felt like you
Were close to me
It didn't matter that
We'd never met
You had touched me
With your pen
Said things I'd felt
All along
It was as though
You knew what I was feeling
Before I even
Felt it

I had met you
on paper
You were like an
Old friend
That maybe
I understood
your soul
Because you
Understood
Mine

I just wondered
How you Knew
Your words
Were on my mind

If you are looking for a collection of poetry to make you laugh, cry, and smile, then this is the book!

I was introduced to Ms. Malloys words by my 9th grade English teacher while preparing for a speech tournament. I had never read poetry like that before, didn't know poetry could be like that before. Her words were honest and real and no holds barred.
Because of this one book I have been writing poetry for the last twenty years myself. Everytime I go into a book store I look for her books, old or, hopefully new. They are a rare find. I even wrote this poem in her honor, circa 1985.

Merrit

How could I know exactly
What you meant
Understand your heart
When I'd never seen your face.

I felt like you
Were close to me
It didn't matter that
We'd never met
You had touched me
With your pen
Said things I'd felt
All along
It was as though
You knew what I was feeling
Before I even
Felt it

I had met you
on paper
You were like an
Old friend
That maybe
I understood
your soul
Because you
Understood
Mine

I just wondered
How you Knew
Your words
Were on my mind

I cannot recall who handed me this book of poems in 1976. Obviously it was someone who knew what an "incurable romantic" I was during my years as a single male. Although I was a big fan of Wordsworth, Byron, Keats and many of the pop music lyricists, I was so moved by Merrit Malloy's prose the all the so-called "classics" have never since seemed so lofty. Merrit and I were both living in L.A. at that time, and I could not resist finding her through her local publisher who offered me a mailing address. With my letter of gushing praise, I boldly included a couple of my own poems. Shortly thereafter, she actually wrote to me and included a phone number. We spoke -- she also has a lovely voice -- and set a date for tea (I think that was the beverage mentioned). Shortly before our scheduled rendezvous, she called to cancel, but said we could try again. I phoned once or twice after that, but do not recall ever getting through to her again. Merrit, if you're reading your reviews, I have not forgotten your poems and the kindness you showed by contacting this fan. We can still meet for tea whenever you're ready.

This is my first ever James Bond novel, I can't remember if I saw the movie. This is a thinking person's spy story with few gimmicks but great finesse and ingenuity. Fleming fascinated millions with his suave 007 personality and his missions against villains who were larger than life and twice as nasty.
The pace is slow, a good armchair read with a briar pipe in hand. An entire new generation will find the foreshadowing deep and miss the absence of the now classic action adventure. But Fleming's astute writing style will continue to attack new fans who enjoy a good story well told.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

James Bond is still hunting for Blofeld. After a year Bond thinks he is useless, and wants to quit. In Italy he saves a girl who was trying to kill herself. This leads to a relationship, and Bond learns that she is the daughter of a high ranking Italian gangster.

He has info on Blofeld. He is in Switzerland running a finishing school type or organisation, after having undergone plastic surgery. It is really a brainwashing organisation to get women to basically be terrorist weapon carriers.

Bond infiltrates Blofeld's organisation, gets out of there, and here Tracy helps him out.

He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.

Bond, with some of Tracy's dads' men, assaults Blofeld's organisation, but the supervillain gets away again, and has a nasty surprise waiting at Bond's wedding.

Among the titles of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, I'd have to say that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my least favorite, with neither the brevity of a Dr. No or Goldfinger nor the plot descriptive nature of The Man with the Golden Gun or From Russia with Love. Even if I dislike the title, however, this is one of Fleming's best Bond books.

The story opens around a year after the events of Thunderball (the intervening book, The Spy Who Loved Me, is not even mentioned). The villain in that book, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the mastermind behind SPECTRE, has been in hiding and James Bond is trying to seek him out. It is a more-or-less futile assignment and Bond is disillusioned enough to consider quitting. Before submitting his resignation letter, however, he takes a break at a casino. During this mini-vacation, he performs a chivalrous act to save a beautiful countess from embarrassment; she in turns, rewards him in her own special way.

This countess, familiarly named Tracy, is also the daughter of a genial but ruthless mob boss who Bond winds up (pardon the pun) bonding with. The boss, Marc-Ange, realizes that his daughter is troubled (in fact, suicidal), but that Bond may be able to help her by marrying her. Bond is not willing to do that, but is willing to see her again after she gets treatment. In the meanwhile, Marc-Ange gives Bond a lead on Blofeld.

Blofeld has holed himself up in the Swiss Alps, where extradition is nearly impossible. Bond goes undercover, hoping to lure Blofeld into Germany where he can be arrested. While there, he stumbles upon a strange plot that seems to involve young women seeking treatment for allergies. What Blofeld's scheme is goes beyond Bond's expertise, but the superspy will have more immediate problems as his cover is threatened.

Eventually, Tracy gets back into the mix, which adds another level to the story. Bond versus Blofeld is good, but at long last, Bond meets a woman who he can truly love. Since the first Bond book, Casino Royale, when Bond found himself betrayed by a lover, he has never been willing to truly risk emotional attachment. This time he does, and this adds an extra depth to this particular novel.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the middle part of what I think of as the Blofeld Trilogy, which started with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice, so it may not be the best Bond book to start with. For Bond fans, however, this book is a treat and one of the very best that Fleming wrote.

This is definitely one of the better Bonds since, like CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the more formulaic elements are so well integrated in the story.

What I loved about FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was that the obligatory romance was the actual scheme of SMERSH to ensnare and kill 007. The characters were well-drawn and Bond doesn't come off as such an indestructible superman. His heart is broken in CASINO ROYALE, confused in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and then shattered in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. (It's also very cool that we learn that Bond annually visits the grave of Vesper Lynd as well as still checks into Casino Royale as well).

We meet Ernst Stavro Blofeld again, not because of some grandiose world-conquering plot, but because he wants the respect and nobility of a title. The College of Arms angle of the story should be the dullest part of the story but Fleming actually makes it interesting by revealing the desire of everyone--except James Bond--to be "somebody."

The biological warfare passages may seem dated but I like revisiting the 007 books while keeping them in context: they must have been fantastic reads in the 1950s and 1960s. These books really anticipated the very modern threat of what Fleming referred to as "the man with the suitcase"...which contains an atomic device. Blofeld's plot in this book to attack England through its livestock with a virus is certainly something to think about in this day of Mad Cow and Bird Flu epidemics.

Although I'm only quibbling, I wished there had been more development between Bond and Tracy, the only woman to ever become Mrs. James Bond. After reading the novel, I felt as if I saw more of her in the movie! (The movie version of OHMSS is also one of the best).

I recently started reading all of the Bond novels and overall have enjoyed them a lot. While Flemings writing style is consistently solid the plots and characters differ greatly. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (number 11 in the series) shares with Casino Royale the title of My Favorite Bond Novel.

The plot is interesting and not *too* far-fetched (for a bond book - some are very cheesy), the characters are very likable and Fleming really nails the mood of "European decadence". This book, like Casino Royale and a few others metes out a healthy serving of bond's classic vices laced with action.

If you like less-than-serious action novels, then I would highly recommend this. Perfect for a long flight or drive

One of the best Gone With the Wind- type books I've ever read and never wanted it to end. Following 10-year old Fancy Deverell after rescue from a slave and her journey to adulthood, from poverty to fame and fortune makes it a classic epic that I will save on my bookshelf for many years to pass on to future generations.
I continue to look for more books by Ms. Spellman. If you like epic saga books with lots of pages that continually hold your interest, make this one of them.

I absolutely loved this book. At over 800 pages, I thought it would take forever. Well, it did in a way, I'm planning a wedding and couldn't reserve the time I use to to reading. But in the past month, I just couldn't put it down. This book is just such a sweeping saga, you can't help but get wrapped up in the characters lives. It begins in the 1860's and covers over 30 years. I loved the fact that the end is a journal entry 20 years later. This book is definitely a keeper. Hopefully, I can find another copy, because mine is so worn from so long going in and out of my purse.

I was fully totally consumed by this book and was left craving for more. Truly, a one of a kind, epic novel that will leave you wishing it would never end! I read this magical book every couple of years and I am still moved each time. Even the most cynical of my friends break down into tears and swear by the end that this is the best book they have ever read. period. This is right up there with Gone with the Wind! Buy it today!

This is another book which I. read years ago and it is a keeper.I loved the main female character Fancy and her love for two brothers made me cry.Such a good love story and it just is a book you must read at least once.I plan on reading it again.Wish I could find more like this one.

This truly is one of the best books I've ever read. It was 700 pages long and it wasn't long enough. I wish she wrote a sequel.

This is the type of Vietnam book that I have been searching for. No nonsense, to the point, and not afraid to offend. Funny, sad and anger provoking all at once. Quick moving and an easy read. I have let friends borrow this book and they have all enjoyed it.

This book really tells it like it Was.Very possibly the
best account I've read. Highly recommended,Vets or civilian!Three thumbs up!

Helms' writing engages the reader from the beginning, and draws them into the story. I laughed with him in boot camp, had a knot in my stomach as he trudged through the rain and fighting in Vietnam, and hoped the best for him at the end. I've read the book several times, and each time feel the same strong emotions. The best book about Vietnam I've read. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to know what grunts went through during the war.

Never have I read a more gripping combat account. It's a wild, unfettered ride. From the author's numbing, raunchy belittlement at Parris Island Marine boot camp to fighting in a faraway country he found "luring, lovely, and lethal," Helms pulls no punches. I especially like "Mikey's" biting, insightful running dialogue with himself.

Often as I read a book I will pause and thumb through a few pages to see how soon the chapter will end; perhaps because I've lost focus and I'm ready for it to end. I never did that while reading "The Proud Bastards" because Mr. Helms spared me the bother. He has the blessed knack to know when his readers are ready for a chapter to end and he writes accordingly.

Helms is observant in other ways that made reading this book an adventure. Seldom have I read a brutal war story graced with so many coloful descriptive passages about the lay of the land: the trees, birds, mountains, ocean, stars, and the weather. Such contrasting lends realism that "takes the reader there." I think it both sets the stage for and respites the gruesome battle scenes to follow.

I owe E. Michael Helms. He took me to Vietnam, showed me around, then got me out of there when he knew it was time for both of us to leave. He is an especially gifted writer, which "The Proud Bastards" proves abundantly.

I highly recommend this book.

###

Perhaps the best book about combat I've ever read. The writing is superb, and like all good writing, becomes transparent as you are carried into the story. The setting is horrific, the language raw, as you share a teenager's thoughts and emotions in the face of violent death. Words are not wasted here - the writing is spare and accurate.

There is no moralizing about the "meaning" of the war. In effect, the author says, "Here's my story. Draw your own conclusions." My conclusion is that Mr. Helms is one hell of a writer!

Both of my kids (boy 8, girl 11) have read this book twice in the few weeks that we have had it. They just loved it that much. My son is softhearted and found it sad enough for tears at one point, but still insists that it is a great book.

I've had trouble finding good, engaging, book-length stories for my young daughter. This book is a pleasure - my daughter was immediately drawn into the story of Rauolino and his reptile friends, who are trying to flee the confines of the zoo and find their way home. The dialogue is snappy and, if you're paying attention, humorous for adults. My daughter and I read it together in a day and a half.

As a teacher,those are words I love to hear, and those
are the words I heard when I gave REALLY RAOULINO to
several of my students. This book has everything
children enjoy: sympathetic, resourceful characters;
exciting adventure; mystery; humor; good values; and
an ending that makes kids smile. REALLY RAOULINO is a beautifully written winner!

Reading Really Raoulino with my two older daughters, ages 8 and 6, was wonderful. They would tell me at breakfast how excited they were to find out what was going to happen next in the book. We rode the emotional rollercoaster with Raoulino and his friends and adored the story. I emphatically urge other families to enjoy this book together.

REALLY RAOULINO is a fantastic book! My nine year old nephew and I immediately connected with the appealing characters: Raoulino, a mysterious little animal who was adopted by a family of lizards when he was an egg and doesn't know who he is, Basil, a well-educated skink, Wally, a tough-talking chuckwalla, and the wise and regal cobra. We were both enthralled by their adventures as they concocted an ingenious plan to escape from the zoo, then risked their lives to cross the dangerous city in search of ships that would carry them home. The story is filled with excitement,warmth, and humor and the issues it addresses, adoption, bullying, the use of power,and the values of
family and friendship, are relevant to children's
lives and handled with a deft, light touch. Raoulino's
amazing transformation is surprising and satisfying.
My nephew and I really loved REALLY RAOULINO. You and
your kids will, too!