O Books

An excellect book for anyone. It was a great Christmas stocking stuffer and will make a great birthday gift when you want to give more than a card.

This is quintessential O. Henry. If you want a gift for a friend or a way to introduce someone to the joys of the short story, this is a great pick.

This book begins with the one of the lesser-known Christmas stories that illustrates how we should give to the utmost during this season of giving. O. Henry is able to use wit to show wisdom, and the ridiculous to show the sublime.

The poor married couple is forced to scrounge for Christmas. The husband hocks his watch to buy hair combs for his wife, and his wife sell her hair to a wig-maker to buy a fob-chain. Bit this story isn't about a couple's holiday folly, but the desire to love and serve other people to the utmost.

One of the classics is "The Last Leaf," about a boy who in inspired by a last leaf, which is really a painting. Another story is "The Cop And the Anthem," about the bum who tries to get arrested, then has a turn of heart second before he is booked for vagrancy. It also has the immortal "The Ransom Of Red Chief," the story about the kidnappers who get the redheaded brat, and try their darndest to get rid of the kid.

O. Henry has the a gift of the twist, like Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame, or M. Night Shyamalan, the director of "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs." As you read, it keeps your eyes on their toes, since at any minute the whole story will twist upside-down. This roller-coaster writing is like a well-told joke.

When I was a teenager, I listened to the Gift of the Magi, the Last Leaf, After Twenty Years etc on public radio stations (Guess where?). I was so moved then. I think these among other great works had played a role in my decision to pursue an English Literature major.
Now life had challenged me into a somewhat different world where often times we forget about the literature, the philosophy and the simpliest pleasures of life.
I bought this book again so that I could read it to my children someday. My first born is only 3. But I think he is starting to show some appreciation.

"The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories" brings together 16 pieces by O. Henry. The stories in this collection are taken from 8 of O. Henry's books; the original volumes have publication dates ranging from 1906 to 1911. This book includes a short introductory note on the colorful life and career of the author, who lived from 1862 to 1910.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. O. Henry writes about criminals, dreamers, artists, lovers, and lost souls. Many of these stories have a New York City setting--he really captures the energy and color of the city. There are also a Western story ("The Pimienta Pancakes"), a Southern Gothic tale ("A Municipal Report"), a story set primarily in a small town in Arkansas ("A Retrieved Reformation"), and a story set in rural Alabama ("The Ransom of Red Chief").

If you like stories with "twist" endings, you will probably like this collection. The book as a whole is a lot of fun--full of life and charm. Some of the stories may strike contemporary readers as corny, but I found each tale to be an enjoyable gem of storytelling. The book is rich in irony, with some really funny scenes.

O. Henry tells stories of love, justice, deception, sacrifice, and heroism. He makes some intriguing creative choices; this is clearly the work of a master in total command of the short story genre. His prose style is very readable and engaging, with touches of baroque elegance.

This is an excellent book, Great artwork and the poetry sings with all the magic of God's creation, a great book for all ages.

This boook is full of fun colorful poems. I've only seen the the original copy. The only bad thing about it is the pictures which look very 60s and poorly done. Still I love the poems.

This was one of all time favorite books as a child. It's not a story per say, however, its' value lies in its' ability to teach even the youngest of kids about feelings, emotions and "color" through poetry. Each page dedicates itself to a different color and describes the essences and feelings that those colors evoke in us. It's a very useful teaching tool for young children in the primary grades.

This was my absolute favorite book when I was in elementary school. Now that I have 2 small children of my own, I have rediscovered it with them. The poems are soothing to hear on a lazy afternoon and the colors are as fresh as watercolor can get. After reading it to the kids, I go back and indulge myself and read it again. Definitely a rainy day pick!

This slim book was originally published in 1961 and by now, we may safely call it a classic. The title is taken from her poem "What is White?" A series of poems each entitled "What Is--- (Green, Gold, Red, Blue, etc.)" describes in ways you have never thought of what exactly the color is. I have never found the child who was not fascinated by the ideas presented and usually had a few additions of his/her own to add. I always thought this vivid book would bring much pleasure to a blind person who had never "seen" a color. Ms. O'Neill brings the feel, the taste and the mood of each color to a shimmering life of its own.

--the purple feeling

is rather put out.

The purple look is a

Definite pout.

But the purple sound

Is the loveliest thing

It's a violet opening

In the spring.

Hitler's Prisoners offers great insights into the horrors of the Nazi regime's "other victims." Caught in Hitler's unthinkable plan to rule over Europe, seven German cell mates tell their stories of how a once ordinary life can become a twisted nightmare in an inescapable Nazi Prison. It is definately a war story of another kind. I highly recommend this book.

This is truly an amazing account of the hardships the average man and woman faced in Nazi Germany. This book is intriquing and a must read for anyone interested in a real life historical account of Germany during World War II. I strongly recommend this book.

Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. I was shocked by the plight of Erich Friedrich and his cell mates. A fascinating and intriguing real life story and account of the "Other" side of Germany that we so rarely hear about. I strongly recommend this book. For other readers please let me know of any other books similar to this one.

Thanks

Persons interested in the rise of Nazism and World War II, who have read the general histories of the era will appreciate these personal stories by citizens who lived in Germany at the time. "Hitler's Prisoners," told by Erich Friedrich (edited by his daughter Renate)about his imprisonment for criticizing Hermann Goering and aspects of the war, also is the story of six others who defied or offended the regime in various ways. None were Jews or committed Nazis: Franz's "crime" was that as a Jehovah's Witness he opposed war; Fritz was a socialist, Gerhard an aristocrat, Alex a dilettante. Willi deserted from the Wehrmacht, so there may be some justification for his fate, but
Richard's chapter is titled The "Good German." All the men experienced the pre-World War I years and the political, social and economic unrest that spawned Hitler's rise and Germany's militaristic conquest of Europe and Russia. These true accounts, from notes kept by the author, are written in the form of a novel: each man in turn tells the story of his life as he awaits trial and sentencing - usually execution. The author is last to tell of his upbringing in Thuringia, campaign service and wounding on the Russian front, and harrowing return to Germany, where he was subsequently arrested and imprisoned until July 1944. After the war's end, Friedrich was employed as a detective and civil servant, before moving to Virginia with his wife to live with their daughter's family. A must read for understanding the gradual eroding of law, justice and civility in the Germany of 1933-45.

Having grown up in Germany during the Third Reich - I was nine when World War II ended- I have read obsessively about this subject. The question, " How did it happen"? has perhaps no answer. But this book offers a salutary counterbalance to Goldhagen's one-sided "Hitler's Willing Executioners." How many of us would follow our conscience into such a prison as Franzl, the Jehova's Witness and Conscientious Objector, Fritz Römer, the Socialist, or Erich Friedrich, the author, endured for their convictions? Friedrich was arrested for not giving the Nazi salute, and for making disparaging remarks about Hermann Goering. The government acted legally, because what these prisoners did was against German law at that time. This book shows the American reader, who has no personal experience of a totalitarian regime, what it means to resist such a government.

My knowledge of Oracle and Java is beginner/intermediate level and I like this book a lot.

The book explains how SQLJ relates to SQL, PL/SQL, Java, JDBC and it provides a good introduction to the JDeveloper IDE (Integrated Development Environment).

The book is written very clearly and the appearance and organization of the text is well up to the O'Reilly standard.
I can't comment on the worked examples yet as I have not yet tried them out.

This is just an easy read with good code examples. It is geared toward the intermediate or beginner programmer, and presents clear explanation for easy understanding.

This is an outstanding book. SQLJ is a simpler way of embedding SQL statements in a Java programming, and is possibly the successor to PL/SQL.

I liked this book because it covers SQLJ programming, as well as:
1. Oracle SQL.
2. Oracle PL/SQL.
3. Oracle JDeveloper.
4. Developing J2EE components for the Oracle9i Application server (9iAS) such as EJB, servlets and JSP.
5. Java stored procedures.

I liked the author's writing style: it is clear and to the point. I found it very easy to read, and was able to follow the examples in the book and apply them to my own programs.

I highly recommend this great little book!

This is a great book if you are interested in building J2EE applications and want to link to an Oracle database but don't want to learn the complicated JDBC API. It isn't an 'intro to programming' book like so many out there; it is, however, perfect for object-oriented programmers who are wanting to learn java with a quikness. Finally, a great SQLJ book has emerged!

I found this book to be concise, to the point, and very readable. A large amount of material was well presented in a relatively small amount of space. And the examples worked as advertised.

I found myself incorporating the material presented into my work before I finished reading the book.

An excellent resource.

This book about a Roman Catholic monk, Mark Gruber, and his extra-ordinary journey from the green fields of the U.S. to the deserts of Egypt is just breathtaking. As a member of the Coptic Orthodox church, and of Egyptian stock, i simply found Mr Gruber's plain and truthful telling of his experiance just so refreshing. It's funny, this man spoke more wonderfully about the Coptic people then most people at my church think of themselves. He showed them for their weaknesses, and their strengths, just as he saw it. It has helped me to appreciate who I am, my background, and my traditions so much more.

This book is great if you enjoy stories regarding exotic lands and peoples, and an honest telling of their journey.

The comtemplative monk is a baffling figure to Westerners, even to many Catholics, and moreover, most Westerners probably do not think very much of the Christians in Egypt, which we tend to think of as a wholly Muslim nation.

Fr. Gruber's evocative descriptions of Coptic monasticism and spirituality beautifully illustrate how inner conversion and contemplation are the heart of the Church. In the West we often hear an emphasis on practical action, or social justice, over and above contemplative prayer. Fr. Gruber's writings about the Copts show how contemplative prayer nurtures us and gives life to all our actions. It is a great window into a neglected and persecuted Christian population, and an inspiration for our daily lives and relationship with God.

This memoir of the year that Fr. Gruber spent among the Coptic monasteries of Egypt is fascinating. Fr. Gruber lovingly describes these men and their piety, along with the phenomenal faith of the Coptic lay people. There appears to be a direct line back to the conferences of John Cassian in the lives of these monks, but that perhaps is because Fr. Gruber has crafted the chapters in such a way to invite the comparison. But maybe not. These men live lives of remarkable holiness. I loved the image of people grabbing them by the ankle and holding on till the monk will bless them. I also loved the hike in 130 degree heat, and realization that the cave he has been brought to, and in which he spends the next three days, probably saves his life, in that it is much cooler than the monastery, nothing is swimming in the drinking water, etc. At any rate, I highly recommend this book. I do agree with the review that states this treats more of his exterior life than interior, but why should he discuss his private life with us. Also, there is another book (can't recall the author) called "Coptic Nuns" that makes a nice companion to this book, in terms of knowing more about the culture.

I just finished this book and absolutely loved it. It thrills me to see someone who is not Coptic, slowly develop a deep since of your mindset and feelings. The monks must have truly accepted the author to share so much with him and in turn, the author poetically describes everything to the reader.

For anyone that is curious about us (the Copts) and our religion, this book is a wonderful introduction. It capture a very true sense of who we are, what we believe, and how we worship God. I can't thank the author enough for bringing to light, this hidden treasures of my culture.

I don't know which was more interesting, the author's anthropological observations or his spiritual journey. Both fascinating and enlightening. Originally, Br. Gruber sets out to study the fathers of monasticism with a scholar's eye (albeit a fellow Monk-scholar), but the desert and those who live there transform him eternally.

This book is a fresh drink of water! Here are my favorite passages:

"In all of this," Abuna Elia said, "the desert was a teacher for Abraham. The desert teaches us how helpless we are, how much we depend upon one another for survival. It is with a complete sense of dependence, a complete sense of helplessness that we must approach God, and that we must approach one another in terms of possessiveness and control."

"By complete openness and availability to one another, we are obedient to each other in matters of charity. We are at each other's service.... But at the same time... our relationships must be ordered by a surrender, a letting go, a sacrifice. We own no one; we possess no one."

"Abuna Elia assured me that the sacrifices we make in our lives as Monks, as Christians, will always be enfolded in layer upon layer of the sacrifices that went before us."

"Abuna Elia said, 'When God asks us to make heroic sacrifices, it is not because he is heedless of what we are giving up; he is profoundly aware of it. When we are offering gifts to God, we are not really offering much, unless, at the same time, we are also submitting all those things that are valuable to us. We must submit to God's will everything which is dearest to us, that which is our only one of something, that which we love, that which is even beyond our ordinary capacity to imagine losing. Otherwise, all of our prayers and protestations of fidelity are somewhat strategic and not genuine or sincere." pp42-43


Later, during a time of pilgrim visits, the author is left with the small children to care for. He builds a fire and answers their endless questions about heaven, about "what it is like to see Jesus there," about Mary, about who God is. Night falls and the children keep talking until they fall asleep by the fire.

"So there I was, sitting by the dying fire, with all of these sleeping children around me. I looked at them in the starlight and the moonlight and was touched by the fact that they are so filled with faith so innocently seeking God. This is the second time since coming here to Egypt that I have found myself in exactly the same setting, surrounded by young people asking questions and listening to answers, tiring themselves out into exhaustion and sleep. And, just as before, there is once again that stabbing realization that none of these are my children, that I shall never have children such as these to instruct and teach."

"I looked up at the sky on this beauiful, clear desert night. I thought to myself that I had never seen such an array of stars, so numerous and so bright. Then, of course, at this moment, the passage from the Book of Genesis came to mind where God said to Abraham, 'Look up into the night sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be' (cf. Genesis 15:5). So there I was sitting, looking up at the night sky, knowing how impossible it is in the desert night to count the stars. And even while I was feeling the special poignancy of not having children, I suddenly realized that these children all around me are not only children of Abraham, but they are also mine as well. For I have instructed them in faith, and I have given them tonight a greater realization of their own religion, their own spirituality. I have placed them confidently in the presence of God." pp 84-85

Very amusing, particularly to Brits. Purchased as a gag gift for a British ex-pat returning home to the UK for a trip.

I love this book! I'm a big Britcom fan and can now get a lot more laughs out of my favorite shows.

This little book, which crams an enormous amount of information, both practical and interesting, should be in every Amnerican's pocket before they leave for the UK. I learned more from it than from several larger books put together. It even explains cricket, that baffling sport! I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page, and while I wasn't going to travel to Wales or Scotland to practice those versions of Gaelic, it is contained within should you wish to. A most superior book, and entertainingly written besides. Enjoy!

This book is great. It's tiny, easily hidden, extremely funny, and you can make British people laugh with it. Really! Even Brits find it fun to read... "Oh, so THAT'S what they mean on those American programs on the telly. I was wondering."

I read this little book before setting out to Scotland for a year. What a great thing to do! I was more prepared than many of the people I was traveling with to deal with the idiosyncracies of Brit-speak. I especially love the foreign language section in the back... you don't really need it, since everyone speaks English, but it's fun to whip out something in Gaelic and see how many people understand (answer: not many).

I highly recommend this book, if only for its entertainment value. You won't regret it! I'm even able to watch the BBC now!

Lonely Planet's "British Phrasebook" is a great introduction to the British way of life and speaking for foreigners. Whether you are an American going to visit the British Isles, or a person studying English as a foreign language this can be a good guide and reading supplement. Traditionally to Lonely Planet phrasebooks, this one gives you a short and easy-read introduction to the origin and modern state of English. Then follow the sections dealing with British English and regional languages.

The section on British English is, again traditionally, an introduction to the language through British culture, institutions, traditions and way of life. Some chapters open with humorous sketches by S. Hughes that will make you laugh out loud. You will learn how to greet people, how to talk over the phone, how to find your way in the world of slang and cockney (not being a thorough textbook or dictionary of these), how to brace yourself with the features of British pronunciation (not being a course on phonetics), how to tell a British word or expression from an American (not being a British-American dictionary), how to address the Queen or peers (without making you bored with the detailed description of the aristocratic history). But most of the contents are not even the lists of typically British words and expressions. It is an interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes witty, often highly informative yet brief description of British culture (music, sports, food, drink, housing, etc.) and institutions (political, educational, etc.), as well as of ways of travelling, spending your free time and free money. If you need to know the names of high-street shops or intend to watch a report from some cricket match, think of driving a car or going on a train journey, want to read a paper and know what's meant and what's not - "British Phrasebook" is one way of helping you survive in Britain.

The regional section tells you about regional accents and dialects of English with some examples. It also deals with Scottish Gaelic and Welsh. Here (in the last two chapters) there is a true phrasebook letting you say a lot of useful things in the native tongues of Scotland and Wales. Practical transcription enables you to pronounce sometimes quirky letter-combinations of these Celtic languages.

Written in a simple language and entertaining manner, while being very informative "British Phrasebook" is nearly a must-have on your next trip to the Isles and will certainly be your good companion, which will easily fit in a pocket.

This is a very cool book, chock full of wild and creative illustrations. A quick, but fun read.

Reading this book, I felt like I could see the movie in my mind. The vivid descriptions and word play are incredible. The book is filled with awesome illustrations to accompany the equality descriptive words. This futuristic adventure is mildly paranoid while still touching on enough reality to make you think. It is almost like a cousin to a comic book. It was incredibly well written and engaging. I highly recommend this book.

Similar to Jack Kerouac's seminal beat novel On the Road, Montauk Babies is the story of Al Leedskalnin and quantum physicist Peabody Freeman, who are traveling across country in 2011 in a '73 Buick Riviera, on a mission to keep time-space from imploding in on itself.

The title comes from the 1930s secret government experiments in invisibility, time travel, and mind control, when Nikola Tesla and several other physicists undertook experiments in multiple realities, eventually creating a "time tunnel" between 1943 and Montauk Island of 1983. According to the story, Leedskalnin was a subject of the Montauk experiments and is thus acutely aware of how these interdimensional gaps threaten to destroy humanity. And only a "Montauk baby" is spiritually equipped to save the earth.

Montauk Babies could loosely be called a graphic novel because of its lavish illustrations, though the narrative is in text form, albeit printed, at times, on the horizontal and even upside down, in a font that is nigh impossible to read clearly. While this may echo the plot conceit of a world falling apart and of events dislocated in time, it is also downright impossible to read.

Even with this in mind, Montauk Babies is an entertaining and provocative read, of interest to science fiction buffs, conspiracists, and comic-book lovers.
[...]

This is a really well done graphic novel. The story is exciting and keeps you glued from beginning to end and the beautiful color illustrations are unlike anything I have seen in other graphic novels.

Great read and cool art. This book is really unique. Lots and lots of depth to these characters. I can really see this being made into a movie. I'll be the first in line. Best graphic novel to date that I've come across.

What a wonderful book of the American Family. Written from the perspective of the oldest sibling, who is also the only girl, it is just plain fun. Growing up without a lot of money doesn't mean life has to be boring or painful. Parents don't have to be perfect and neither do the kids.

For anyone who grew up around Columbus, OH in the 60s and 70s, this is a must. But, incredibly, O'Neill makes the book fascinating as well for her look at NY and its restaurant scene in the 80s and 90s. And the glue to the whole narrative is her and her family,including her famous little brother, Paul. Well done Molly.

Molly O'Neill has a very engaging writing style that pulls you into her world. It's a world peopled with the wildly obsessed, but go along as the ride is enjoyable. Molly O'Neill writes about a life that straddled midwest big city longings with utopian politics and food plays a big role at all stops. My only quibble is that the book has less to do about being Paul O'Neill's sister than the book jacket may lead you to believe.

After reading this book I ordered several copies as gifts. That probably says it all, but I can't just leave it there. Molly O'Neill and her family grew up in the neighborhood where I live and I was taken by her memories of family life where she was the only girl with five male siblings and a father whose main focus was baseball. The exploits of the boys had me laughing out loud while also being thankful I didn't live next door to them.
I enjoyed reading how Molly's cooking expertise evolved and even included her brothers in this endeavor. Her writing, as always, was a delight.

I've been reading Molly O'Neill's book. Being a Central Ohio native I'm familiar with many of the places and situations she describes from her childhood. I'm enjoying the memories and the quality of her writing.
I do want to make one remark about part of her book. Molly writes in several places about her family's ventures into playing baseball in Plain City, Ohio. I was raised in Plain City in the same time period as Molly's childhood and while she does describe the ball field very accurately, she tends to refer to the city as being an Amish community. Plain City, in the 60's, was a home to a lot of Amish farmers, but they were not the majority of the residents. In most ways, it was and indeed, still is, a typical Midwestern small town. We just happened to have buggies on the street occasionally. We do have 2 Amish restaurants, but the Amish themselves moved away long ago because of the proximity to the growth of Columbus.
Anyway, aside from that small point, the memoir is wonderful and I would recommend it not only to those people raised in Central Ohio in the 60's & 70's, but anyone who wants to understand Midwestern people, especially families.

I received a copy of this novel from the author while standing in Rockefeller Center with the rest of the world who wished to show their signs on the Today Show. I was travelling on business and found the book to be perfect for my purposes. Lots of action broken up into three minute or so reads. It was easy to pick up and put down, and it always kept my attention. I would describe the book as a cross between Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy (without an overwhelming amount of technical jargon). It is a great escape.

I purchased this book from the author at a bookfair here in
Indianapolis and am amazed at the topic of the book and
the current WTC attacks.

Many parts of the book included sections that would match
what is happening in the headlines today and found that very
interesting.

Particularly liked the ending regarding the ocean (won't say
much more since it'll give some of the book away). Didn't know
that could happened and found it very interesting reading.

If you want a thriller that keeps you reading and makes you bite your nails, this is it! Craig Thompson's book has all the classic elements including engaging good guys, very nasty bad guys and some serious threats along the way. His writing style is very readable and the plot is all too plausible given today's world.

Well worth the time to read... and reread! Tom Clancy, move over... this guy knows his stuff!

Craig Thompson's Omar is a suspenseful and thrilling novel of escalating global terrorism. When a priceless book is found 2077 fathoms under the North Atlantic Ice Barrier, the CIA/FBI, a private billionaire oilman, and a fanatic terrorist group compete to recover and claim it. The competition has potentially cataclysmic effects for the known world. Omar is a shocking, action-packed, highly recommended page-turner filled with suspense and plot twists to the end. Omar is also available in paperback (0967520722, [price])

The book is fantastic. A thriller. Hard to put down. Would certainly make a great movie. This book should be on the shelves of all bookstores and should be featured on talk shows. The author certainly researched his material. I would highly recommend it.

Wow, never in my life have I encountered such an amazingly written piece of art. Told from three different points of view, there is no way the reader can take sides between the emotional struggle of the main characters. The mother of a kidnapped child, the love of a child, and the love of the kidnapping father of the son. It is an emotional struggle to get through this book, and at the same time, you can not put it down while reading it! Have a box of Kleenex by your side for this one!

You have to read this book. It is a wonderful, compelling and emotion-stirring read! I raced through it and couldn't wait to see how all the strands of this engaging story came together. From the outset you wonder how all of this came about and how it could end like this!

You have a whole range of emotions to work through here - it is by turns melancholy, thrilling and sad... Just read it and see. The story flows smoothly and it is easy to read. Also it has a number of well developed characters and as you read, you begin to understand what motivates and touches them!

Go buy it right now!

This was one of the best books I have read. Kevin's book "The first to die" was also an excellent read. I had a difficult time putting the books down and could not wait to read on to see what the next page would bring.

The book Only Son is a modern work of art expressing human needs and wants along with the confussion of real life. Charectors in this book are so realistic you feel as if they are people you know who have emotion no different than that of a friend. There is no good or bad just a gray area and Kevin O'Brian has captured the gray area that we all seem to fall into with a remarcable story.

It is extremely rare that I start and finish a book on the same day. I typically like to enjoy a book over a week or so. But I could not put this book down!

I always respect an author that is capable of making you feel something you ordinarily would not. But not only does the author make you feel compassion for a criminal, but resenting those who try to bring him to "justice."

I'm still thinking about this book, its characters, and all the possible reasons this book has me spellbound. But you're better off reading it yourself anyway. I have a feeling it will mean many different things to many different people.