U Books

Just because this is children's literature dosen't mean it is just for children. If you have an appreciation of literature or even if your not a big reader, this story will warm you heart with its wonderful characters, lovely story and beautiful writing. So simply written, it can be read to children, so beautiful the writing people older than 8 will defenitely will enjoy!! Randall Jarell is in my opinion, one of the kings of children's literature!

Randall Jarrell has given us a beautiful little story here of a bat and Maurice Sendak has given us some wonderful illustrations in the form of black and white drawings. There is not much to not like about this work. The children love it, and the adult reading it to the children will find it just as interesting and hypnotic as the child, if not more so, but on a different level. The text is wonderfully simple and a pure joy to read. I recommened this one highly.

We had a "bat book drive" in my daughter's class because they needed more research material about bats for a project they are doing than we could find in the local library. Instead of only purchasing scientific-sounding non-fiction, I was also looking for story and poetry books in which the charateristics and habits of bats were woven throughout the stories and poems. I read this book to my eight-year-old daughter the night before we took it to class. She demanded that I give her the book so that she could read it again herself. And, with stars in her eyes, stated that the poem at the end about a bats life was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, and that she would be memorizing it. It was amazing how much she had learned and remembered about bats after the first time through the book. Lovely illustrations as well.

A beautiful story, beautifully written, about a little bat who composes poetry. One of the best children's books I've ever read; I order several copies at a time and give them for birthday presents.

This book is a gem. It's tender, clever, and deftly written. It's wonderful for reading aloud. I had trouble finding it for years, and I'm so pleased to see that it's available again.

If 10 stars were available, that's what I would rate this book. The history of how we got into our current mess and what Progressives can do NOW to turn it around is communicated clearly, rationally, and passionately while remaining a highly interesting read. Having read dozens and dozens of related books over the past 3 or 4 years, this one may well be the most effective call to action of all. I was so motivated and inspired by it that I bought 12 more copies to send to friends and relatives. Don't even consider skipping this one...it's a Must Read treasure!

Ever wonder how Republicans manage to capture middle and working class votes while serving the interests of the wealthy? How they've managed to win the presidency and both houses of Congress despite disastrous economic, environmental and international policies? What it is about their communication style that makes it so convincing and effective?

Wonder no more. Paul Waldman has studied the masters and returned with a brilliant and entertaining analysis of their technique, along with a strategic plan for beating them at their own game.

This book is genius--great fun to read and filled with aha! moments. If you'd like a manual in the martial arts of political communication so that you can help progressives become winners, then this is a must-read.

I bought this book together with "The Good Fight" by Peter Beinart. While both books have their utility, neither is as good as Joe Klein in "Politics Lost." Waldman gets five stars to Beinart's four mostly because he is much more readable, has many useful tables including an analysis of the states where extremist Republicans as well as extremist Democrats are weak, and his book is generally focused on the left of center middle and the caring citizen as opposed to policy wonks that Beinart addresses in his book.

Page 111 is a very fine diagram of the issue columns that the Democratic Party simply does not address responsibly nor--a theme throughout the book--courageously. Over-all the book does a very fine job of defining the distinctions between conservatives and progressives, as well as the distinctions between what conservatives stand for and what they say, and what progressives stand for and do not say.

The author spends most of his time comparing conservatives to progressives (code for left of center liberals) which is something of a pity because he appears to have a very well developed sense of the issues and what the center and left-center can and should stand for.

There are two bottom lines in this book, and both of them make eminent sense to me:

1) Don't bring a knife to a gun-fight. The author points out in detail how inept and weak and unfocused the Democrats are at every stage of the political game beginning with high school and collage political clubs.

2) Stand for the public, for the individual taxpayer, for the blue-collar worker, the working poor, the lower middle class. The author stresses that this is a fight between those who respresent special interests and believe the government role is to liberate the marketplace (code for allow the looting of the Commonwealth) and those who should be representing the masses of individual workers and taxpayers.

The author takes a long view and believes that it will take a great deal of time to recover from the total abdication to the extremist Republicans. While this nice in principle, the book does not focus as well on what it will take to win over-whelmingly; for that we recommend Joe Klein's "Politics Lost." On the issues, Matthew Miller's "The Two-Percent Solution."

On a personal note, I would add that the author's focus on "Being Right is Not Enough" is perfectly consistent with my own view that "Vote Democratic Is Not Enough." Rove and Cheney have demonstrated, twice, that they can steal Presidential elections that are close--through Florida in 2000, through Ohio is 2004. Even if every liberal-progressive adopted the ideas in this book, they would not be enough. We need a multi-party focus on electoral reform and crushing the extremist Republican thieves (I am a moderate Republican), crushing the special interests, and restoring the Republic to the public---a Republic of, by, and for the People, not Corporations.

With wit and intelligence, Paul Waldman makes a compelling case for a progressive vision. While he examines and learns from conservative successes, what he is most interested in is what will energize a progressive movement. He admirably stresses the importance of a progressive agenda, as well as a narrative for progressives. He looks at the importance of both the short and the long term, and why progressives must have both. He is also very skilled at performing a kind of ideological ju-jitsu, in which he turns apparent Republican strengths into weakenesses that can be effectively utilized by progressives who that are both wiley and principled. On a couple of instances of this I am not wholly convinced, but I would nevertheless highly recommend this book to all progressives.

In 2004 a President who lied to justify an unpopular war and had the worst jobs record since the Depression still managed to win. The Republicans control all three branches of government and a majority of governorships and state legislatures. The national debate has shifted from real problems to distractions like gay marriage, partial-birth abortion, and flag-burning. Waldman believes this all adds up to a need for progressives to change.

Waldman believes progressives should create a single movement (not remain a collection of interest groups) devoted to fighting conservatism and advancing a progressive view. Ask an ordinary person what conservatives stand for and he'll likely respond with four powerful, easily understood ideas - low taxes, small government, strong defense, and traditional values. Ask him what liberals stand for and chances are he'll give you the obverse. Conservatives focus on emotions and the character of the speaker; liberals on logic and facts. (A good point - look at most advertising in the U.S.!)

A majority of Americans favor legal abortion, gun control universal healthcare, strong environmental protections, generous Social Security and Medicare benefits. Yet, they are stymied. Part of conservatives' secret is their institutions (eg. American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, Hoover Institute) are multi-issue and make political use of their products easy (eg. recording studios are available for interviews). Liberals, on the other hand, have single-issue organizations, poorly marketed publications, and poorly paid core staff.

Waldman points out that the South (heavy evangelical concentration) is a major problem for progressives; the problem is acerbated by Republicans use of racism (Reagan - welfare queens, Bush I - Willie Horton, Bush II - going to Bob Jones University with its ban on inter-racial dating, and avoiding a position on the Confederate Flag). Suggests progressives point out Dobson et al don't follow their own teaching regarding the poor, the GOP is guardian of widely unpopular status quo on healthcare (would help business as well), refocusing the abortion debate to "How can we reduce it?" and pointing out it went down under Clinton and up under Bush, support doing away with the Electoral College in the interest of fairness, and attack the notion of "liberal elite" via the GOP's tax cuts for the rich and its healthcare positions. Also suggests not letting Republican attacks go unanswered - eg. Kerry vs. Swift boat ads.

Defining Progressives: "We're all in this together," vs. Conservatives' "We're all on our own and out for ourselves."

Good material.

I bought this book for the illustrations, but I found the story was just as beautiful. My grandson who has just started playing the trumpet loved it, too. In fact, he even made the effort to give me a call after he had read it to share his enthusiasm. I will definately purchase more of this remarkable woman's work,

As an international music teacher we need to give all theencouragement we can give to keep the music programs alive in ourschools. Not just in the states but in the world. This short story relates to the young hopeful musican who hopes to be a contributor to the music world - Keep the dream.

Ben's Trumpet (authored and illustrated by Rachel Isadora) was named a Caldecott Honor book for best illustrations in 1980. Honor! These black and white pics are striking! I'll have to read the book that actually won that year. I can't imagine anything better than "Ben". But that's beside the point.


Summary

Ben has an imaginary trumpet and frequents the outside of the Zig Zag Jazz Club. He plays his "trumpet" for his mother, father, grandmother, and baby sister. But when neighborhood children see him playing, they laugh and call him crazy. Ben decides to quit playing his imaginary trumpet, until he meets with the trumpeter from the club.

Ben's Trumpet is a masterful with a simple text and "art-deco" that is remeniscent of The Jazz Era. Isadora is successful in conveying a cool, jazzy feel. A must-read with a satisfying conclusion. Play on!

R

In the age of computer games and 3-D animation, the simple imagination of a child to envision himself learning to be a jazz musician is refreshing. Unlike previous reviews, I feel the dramatic black and white drawings set off some of the cultural issues the illustrations portray. Obviously, young Ben does not live an idealized childhood at home. Yet, he finds that his passion for music can only be fulfilled outside of jazz clubs (which usually perform late in the evening and he is too young to enter). The point of the book is how he acts out THIS reality. He is looking "outside of the box" (hence the illustrations of his home life) and finds the attention from the father-figure (the trumpeter) who Ben wants to imitate. The book vividly illustrates the importance of role models in a child's life.

There are large and small crimes in the world. Small crimes includes little white lies and petty theft. Large crimes represent something much larger in the grand scheme of things. For example, it is a very large crime that it took the New York Public Library's 2003 100 Children's Books Everyone Should Know for me to discover "Ben's Trumpet". Have you seen this book? This is a gorgeous piece of work, particularly striking in its publication date (1979) but not dated. Not even a little. Following Ben, a young man living in a Harlem-esque neighborhood, the story depicts the boy's obsession with playing the trumpet. The plot is touching and has a happy ending that doesn't feel forced or tacked on. It flows just as smoothly as the book itself. Nice storylines aren't what push this book into greatness, however. Look at the illustrations a minute. Notice Isadora's use of line. Her clever placement of black and white. Look at the different drawing styles that emanate from the jazz musicians and their music. Now compare this to Ben's home, a simplistic realistic series of pictures. My favorite section comes after the trumpeter at the Zig Zag Jazz Club compliments Ben on his trumpet playing. The next two pages show the trumpeter walking away, his body curved, swaying to some internal music. On the opposite page there is a kaleidoscope of forms and images, possibly representing Ben's elation at the compliment. Possibly just serving as gorgeous filler. Please read this to your children. Teach this to your children. And give this book to everyone you know. Do I gush? I know I do. But trust me, this book is worth it.

I am buried up to my nose in work but I had to come in and give my review on this one. These are great great stories, written by a man who believed in things he told you about and knows how to tell them good. I have not even completed the book, but oh man, it is so good... "By the waters of San Tadeo", "Beyond the great snow mountains", "Meeting at Fallmouth", "The money punch" and "The gravel Pit"...they will leave you to wonder at the versatile man who wrote them and the fact that he is known as a "great western writer" ? Western, my foot! He is a GREAT WRITER - Period ! And oh, for the fans of Jeffery Archer (I am one too) The Gravel Pit,The Money Punch and Meeting at Fallmouth will delight you for sure, although Louis always has his flavour in what ever he writes ( and I am glad of that) And for hard core louis fans - it has a Ward McQueen story too.

I started with Louis L'Amour when I was 13. I'm 50 now and he still gives me immense satisfaction. His books, all of them, grace my small home library and they are somewhat dog-eared from the many times I've re-read them. "Beyond" is a small compilation of short stories that are pure enterntainment and L'Amour at his best. He takes you to places you will probably never visit, introduces you to people and circumstances of intensity and all in the comfort of your favorite reading chair. I look forward to the promised release of several new works.

This review refers to "Beyond The Great Snow Mountains"(Short Story Collection) by Louis L'Amour.

L'Amour fans, this short story collection is fabulous. Ten captivating classic stories that will have you turning the pages, as fast as you can. Each story is a fresh new experience. Adventure, Mystery, Intrigue, Suspense, Action and even a little romance. The action takes place on land, in the air, and on the water. And yes, some Western adventure as well. The main characters and heroes are always charismatic. Some are even based on real life adventurers he knew.

L'Amour's own turn at being a miner and a boxer(as told in the Afterword by Beau L'Amour), is put to good use in some stories revolving around those subjects. The mining story "Under The Hanging Wall", is a suspense packed murder mystery, with all the usual suspects, and the action taking place in an abandoned and dangerous part of a mine. "The Money Punch" is the story of a young fighter with lessons to learn.

In "By the Waters of San Tadeo" and "Beyond the Great Snow Mountains", women are the main character and heroines of the stories. One has a woman trying to escape danger and the other a woman torn between the Tribe she has become a part of and a chance to go back to her home.

The stories range from 10 pages to 40 pages. And in that short time, L'Amour manages to tell great tales. Other works included are "Meeting at Falmouth", :Roundup In Texas", "Sideshow Champion", "Crash Landing", "Coast Patrol", and "The Gravel Pit". A Dedication, and Afterward by Beau L'Amour and a short informative, "About Louis L'Amour" is also included in the book.

I was delighted with every story in this collection. Louis L'Amour fans will love this one.

Enjoy....Laurie

It has been some time since I read BEYOUND THE GREAT SNOW MOUNTAINS, but I checked to see what I wrote on the first page of the book, something I always do when I finish one. This is what I found " some excellant stories" to be excellant in my opinion a story (or book) must have a good plot, good characters and get to the end without losing the reader. These stories I will read again and again.

This as a gift to a guy that reads EXCLUSIVELY WESTERNS because the giver thought that's what it was by the name of the writer. But danged if I didn't find these stories more of a treat than some westerns I'd read lately. Some of these writers do spread out to a dukes mixture don't they? Somebody said they thought Steven King or one of these other goresmiths was writing a western..? No doubt set at Tombstone or somewhere a lot of corpses can rezarrect...

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

As a New Yorker, I remember Judge Bruce Wright well. He was dubbed: "Cut 'em loose Bruce", because he often released arrested citizens without their having to post bail money. Mr. Wright upheld the law that bail is not to be used as a punishment, but only as a guarantee that the accused party return to court to face the charges against he/she. This infuriated the "powers-that-be". The fact that Judge Wright is a Black man, and many of those who came before him were also Black people, swayed the media to portray his actions as racially motivated, as opposed to his acknowledgement of the law. His book superbly reflects the blatant inequitableness of the criminal justice system and how it is purposely designed to work against Blacks and other people of color. His personal experiences, as a sitting judge, lend great credence to his analogy and conclusions concerning the legal system. Wright fearlessly gives names and elaborates on instances wherein he witnessed and experienced bias in the system. This book is not written in "textbook" fashion, provides some humorous irony and is very informative. Add it to your library.

I'm still reading this book. First time reading a book like this.This is one of the greatest. I recommend this book to be added to your library. It's gives truthful information of the legal system concerning the racism of blacks in the court system.

This book is an eye opener. It give you the truth behind the justice system from the perpective of a Sumpreme Court Judge who exposed the racism in the court system in New York. I never heard of Bruce Wright and happen I purchased this book. I have a lot of respect for the author.

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

Carol von Pressentin Wright's BLUE GUIDE NEW YORK is a brilliant guide to the city and stands alone for historical perspective, cultural depth, and effective prose. Though I've lived in New York City for 12 years, this book serves as a constant companion, and I grab it nearly any time I walk out the door--every outing can now yield new layers of understanding of this, my adopted town. In the midst of a busy day, I might pass through, say, Union Square and take a moment to read the appropriate entry. Not only do I absorb details of architecture and city planning that previously eluded me, but also the whole checkered and colorful history of the place jumps to life.

Thus, I heartily recommend the book to all longer-term visitors and to those New York residents who yearn for a greater appreciation of home. Indeed, the richness of detail and comprehensive geographical coverage may actually render BLUE GUIDE less than ideal for the short-term visitor. (For those in need of a restaurant or hotel guide, there are more than enough lesser guides to fill the bill.)

One caveat. As an avid user of the 1991 2nd edition, I looked forward to the long overdue 2002 edition. With all due respect to the two new co-authors and their well-intentioned efforts, I believe that the newer, more user-friendly visual format actually decreases the book's effectiveness, as does the additional text, which lacks the consistently high critical standards of Wright's solo work. I recommend seeking out the 1991 edition (Amazon seems to offer several copies at reasonable prices). Whatever inconvenience is caused by the several outdated entries is outweighed by the ample rewards of the text.

Although Amazon lists only one author, the current edition of this book was actually revised and heavily rewritten by Stuart Miller and Sharon Seitz as a glance inside the book itself will reveal.

Co-authors of "The Other Islands of New York City" and individually authors of "Big Apple Safari for Families" (Seitz) and "Where Have All Our Giants Gone" (Miller), we streamlined many of the routes and shifted the emphasis of the book to add more on the boroughs outside of Manhattan and to add places that reflect previous oversights in terms of nature and of popular culture (places like CBGBs, for example).

All right, the most recent edition of the Blue Guide added CBGB's, an East Village rock, punk club that has now gone out of business. A few other establishments in the various editions of this fantastic guide are undoubtedly also no longer with us.

Having said that, even the oldest first and second editions (the latter, from 1991) are still incredibly useful, even timeless. For even they have listings of the most important sights in each of the city's five boroughs, a bevy of maps, lists of hotels and restaurants, sightseeing services, theaters, amusements, gardens, museums and so on.

But unlike the average, perfunctory city guide, this one (at least the 1991 edition) has more than 760 pages, including all the maps. And those pages also encompass a broad spectrum of architectural descriptions and historical events.

Not only buildings and the like are described here. So are whole parks, streets and districts, along with detailed pointers on all the exterior and interior trivia one could ever want to know while on a walking tour.

I can't attest to the value of any of the other 40-plus Blue Guide titles. But if you forget every other guide book while in New York, it will be okay, so long as you bring along at least some version of this one.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Because I note that the existing reviews on this site refer to the previous edition, this New Yorker recommends the Blue Guide as the only NY guidebook you will need. I refer to mine again and again.
One caveat: the subway lines are now happily back to normal, again running to South Ferry, and the map included in this book, which went to press shortly after the World Trade Center disaster, is out of date. Updated maps are posted in every subway station and train, are available free at every subway change booth, and can be reviewed on the Web.

Carol von Pressentin Wright's "Blue Guide to New York" is probably the most comprehensive guidebook to the Big Apple available. Absolutely indispensable, it includes 41 detailed maps for all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, along with several black and white photographs. As a New Yorker, I cannot think of anything that has not been included here. I frequently use the book myself, especially when I have out-of-town visitors. It is also excellent, for New Yorkers and visitors alike, to use on walking tours. I have the 2002 edition.

In an extremely accessible format, "The Blue Guide" presents information on all NYC districts and important sights, including: practical information, lodgings, restaurants and eateries for every budget, transportation, museums and galleries, sports, performing arts, shopping, monuments, historic detail and districts, detailed walking tours and background information. As noted, there is a veritable plethora of clear and easy-to-follow maps, along with a large pull-out MTA map of the subway system, and bus, railroad and ferry connections.

From the posh shops on Madison and Fifth Avenues to the funky Lower East Side, from the streets of Greenwich Village and Soho to the brownstones of Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope, this is the one and only guide you will need to navigate through this fabulous city, and to find fascinating out-of-the-way places most tourests never discover. There are myriad cultures here: Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Little Italy, Chinatown, a thriving Greek community in Astoria, Queens, Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn where Arabic is heard on the street and wares from all over the Middle East are sold. Almost every country in the world is represented here and you can visit them all easily with the Blue Guide in hand. I hope you enjoy the city I love!
JANA

This book is a shortened version of the TV episode, "Blue's Big Birthday." It's interactive, as well as has the clue game of, "What does Blue want for her birthday?" Like the show, it features Steve, Blue, and the gang, and introduces Blue's turtle, Turquoise--although Blue doesn't name her in the book.

This is pure "Blues Clues," pure and simple. Blue is having a birthday and we are asked to give a hand. The format is like that of the excellent TV show. The art work is quite well done, the text simple and easy for the little ones to follow. This is a fun book to read with your preschooler. This entire series is quite good and I do recommend them quite highly.

It's party-time for Blue --- it's her birthday! The "Blue's Clues" house is fully decorated, with plenty of balloons, confetti and more. We arrive just a little early, so we help to get everything ready for the party. And there's a game of Blue's Clues as well --- Blue needs a present.

This is a good story --- it's a lot like the TV show and the text is readable, but sufficiently complex that it should keep kids that are used to the level of the TV show engaged. Kids will also enjoy seeing Steve, Blue and all the fun party stuff.

I got this for my little boy's 3rd birthday. He loves Blue, and loved this book. We read it every night, and every night he loves to find Blue's clues and show me all the things he remembered about the story.
Great buy!!!

This a great book. If you kids love Blue's Clue. They will love this book.

What an amazingly well written book! I have never read a more true account of what it means to be the parent of a child with special needs. The Kehl family has been marked for generations by muscular dystrophy. Anyone who wants to understand how it really feels to deal with such a legacy should read this. The power of denial was so powerfully shown by how long the author was able to keep up the idea that her son was "just having trouble with the bus stairs", and when she finally did get a diagnosis, I found it the most amazing analogy to say that being able to handle a child with special needs is like deciding you are going camping, knowing nothing about it and having none of the equipment, and then finding your closet is filled with a tent, campfire dishes, flashlights, etc---you already have what you need to handle it, and you never knew. The effects of a child's sickness on a strong marriage are also so truthfully shown here---how you can blame and yell and say horrible things and still love each other and the child so much. It is hard to believe this author has not written many best selling books already, as this book is just astonishing. It came to me at a time when I really needed it, when I am dealing with the possibility of a serious diagnosis for my child, and I am so thankful it did.

This book is not your ordinary story, it is the blood, sweat and tears of a brave family suffering from generation to generation with Muscular Dystrophy. Christine O'Hagan should be proud of how elloquently she is able to share her losses from her brother Richie to the ultimate loss of her own precious son Jamie.
She shares so much in this book, you can't help but wonder how she was able to sit all those long hours and re-live so much sorrow. But don't be fooled. Christine knows just how to tell her story with her very fine sense of humor which has always been
her strong tool through her struggles.A book to read not only for the journey of her life, but also for what it gives the reader.... The true meaning of what live is about. God Bless you Chrissie.

Christine Kehl O'Hagan, born in Queens in 1950 carried a tragic secret. Duchenne's Muscular Dystophy (DMD), which is an X-linked trait runs rampant throughout her family. DMD claimed several male relatives throughout the generations in her family. Females are born carriers of this tragic condition and every male born in a family where this trait is present is at risk for developing it at some point in life.

As much as I enjoyed this book, there were two things that irked me: the constant references to sneakers and being Irish. Even the tablecloth was made of Irish lace! The O'Hagans' beagle was named Finney! Sharing the traditions of Irish heritage was all well and good, but the constant references to being Irish did seem a bit excessive at points. As for the sneakers, the symbol of mobility and childhood play and sports, the message could not have been made more plain.

Christine's younger brother Richie Jr., born in 1957 showed signs of MDM early. Poor coordination and balance and difficulty managing stairs were the tip-offs to his having MDM. By 1966 Richie was no longer able to walk and remained confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. He died in July of 1979 at the age of 22.

Some very touching anecdotes are shared; in 1961, Christine, then 11 would take her 4-year-old brother to the neighborhood church and pray for him. That was really heartwarming. I also liked it when the neighborhood boys took Richie under their wing and would hang off the back of his wheelchair, including him in their games. I loved it when Richie would sing the Beatles' songs from 1967's "Sgt. Pepper" in 1967-68. The Kehl children's Aunt Nelly's bizarrely quaint expressions involving hygiene and bathroom usage are sure to bring a smile; the unfamiliar term "kitty murphies" was made quite clear in the context and feline reference.

Christine and younger sister Pam (born 1953) both had sons with DMD. Christine's younger son, Jamie was diagnosed at age 7 on October 16, 1980. He was tested in the hospital for DMD in December of 1980. Her older son, born in August of 1971 did not inherit the condition. Sadly, Jamie died on May 20, 1998 at the age of 24, one year after his maternal grandmother died.

Pam's two sons, born in 1976 and 1977 also had DMD which ultimately confined them to wheelchairs as well. I especially liked the descriptions of Queens in the 1950s and 1960s and the parts about family interaction and the way Jamie's brother went to bat for him and that they owned a beagle, although I disagree with the author's finding that the hound was homely. Beagles are beautiful little hounds. Luckily, during the roughest points and bleakest moments the family stayed together. Christine's friends, Ruth and Tony sounded like genuine angels.

The book ends on an upbeat note with the 1999 birth of Christine's granddaughter, Alanna Nicole.

A book you can't put down - that's the way I would describe Mrs. O'Hagan's The Book of Kehls. You get the feeling that you grew up with her in the way she draws the reader into the most intimate part of her life in dealing with her parents, her siblings and her disabled son, Jamie. This book is about an Irish family and how they deal with a disease that affected everyone in their family. It is about a mother who is above all human, unashamedly sharing her emotions that run the gamut from being frustrated to being hilarious. Above all, this book shows Mrs. O'Hagan's strength and unending love in letting her son know that it is okay to stop fighting and to find peace. A must read.

The Book Of Kehls is a memoir that is honestly and bravely written. The author probes her deepest feelings about coming from a family smitten with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and shares her candid insights with depth as well as with humor.

The book also provides education about the disease to those that are unfamiliar with the ravaging toll it takes on its victims and their families. It helps the reader to understand the horror that living with this disease can bring, and provides insight into how families cope both effectively and ineffectively with chronic illness.

Ms. O'Hagan also gives us a glimpse of the past as she shares her childhood growing up in the 50's and 60's and in many instances with great nostalgia. This was quite enjoyable to read.

The layout of the book is very well created and the themes excellently threaded throughout. The beginning is extremely powerful as is the ending, leaving the reader to ponder life, its personal meaning and the necessity of gratitude for what many of us take for granted.

For me, the book was a quick read because it was so interesting that I couldn't stop......The cover was a beautiful, the title wonderful and the picture of the children so poignantly presented. I highly recommend The Book of Kehls for its message of love and spirit.

I've read this book several times, and it never fails to move me. I don't think I've read a more powerful book. Oprah needs to get on this one.

Brother to a Dragonfly is the story of 2 brothers who, in their own way, idolize each other. Will looks up to his older brother Joe. Joe is the protector. He always wants to make things right. And Joe knows that Will is destined to have a mark on the world. But Will D. Campbell has written more than a memoir in writing about growing up with his brother Joe in rural Mississippi. He has captured a piece of America's past. This book reads like a novel - poverty, war, race relations, the civil rights movement, drug addiction, domestic violence - it's all there. Occasionally Campbell makes an awkward jump in the story, but this some how enhances the voice and reminds the reader that this is life. Life doesn't always flow like we would like it to. While telling the story of his brother, Campbell paints a portrait of southerners (himself) during the civil rights movement that don't always get the recognition they deserve. I was surprised by the insights he had 40 years ago about both sides of the civil rights movement. I was even more surprised to find that I had bought into many of the southern stereotypes, and I'm southern!
If you are interested in southern literature, coming of age stories, family relationships, American history from 1930's to 1960's, or the Civil Rights Movement, you need to add Brother to a Dragonfly to your list of reads. Will D. Campbell gives a first rate account of his experience. While it is only one man's view, it is a rich one!

If you were raised in the south as I was, have an interest in the civil rights movement, or want to enjoy one of the most irreverent Christian curmudgeons ever to irritate the church, then read Will Campbell (b. 1924). Campbell was born and raised in the rural and very poor deep south of Amite, Mississippi, "ordained" by family members at a local Baptist church when he was seventeen, and, in a delightfully improbable life, played a central role as an activist and agitator on behalf of African Americans. But to leave it at that would badly misrepresent him.

After World War II Campbell studied at Tulane, Wake Forest, and Yale. He served as Director of Religious life at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), but left after two years because his controversial views attracted death threats. He then did a stint for the National Council of Churches where he worked with most of the civil rights luminaries. In 1957, Campbell was one of four people who escorted the nine black students who integrated Little Rock's Central High School; and he was the only white person to attend the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. So, how did he come to sip whiskey with the KKK and get hate mail from the left?

Campbell came to distrust all movements and institutions, especially the church (he once referred to television preachers as liars, frauds, and "electronic soul molesters"). He dismissed all politics as impotent. It was less than Christian, he realized, to agitate for the oppressed but to hate the oppressor. No, one could not preach what Luther called a "fictitious grace." God loves the redneck Klansmen as well as the disinherited blacks. For the most part, Brother to a Dragonfly tells the story of Campbell's deep love for his brother Joe, and how the latter's tragic demise to alcohol, drugs, and domestic violence led to his premature death. But it was through Joe and an overtly pagan family friend that Campbell had a conversion later in life. Without realizing it, he recalls, his twenty years of ministry had become one of "liberal sophistication. An attempted negation of Jesus, of human engineering, of riding the coattails of Caesar, of playing on his ballpark, by his rules and with his ball, of looking to government to make and verify and authenticate our morality, of worshipping at the shrine of enlightenment and academia, of making an idol of the Supreme Court, a theology of law and order and of not only denying the Faith I professed to hold but my history and my people--the Thomas Colemans [who murdered two civil rights workers]. Loved. And if loved, forgiven. And if forgiven, reconciled." There was all the difference in the world, he realized, between being a "doctrinaire social activist," however laudable, and a follower of Jesus. The key? "I came to understand the nature of tragedy. And one who understands the nature of tragedy can never take sides."

Christian renegade, preacher, author of twenty books and plays, farmer, country musician, friend of Thomas Merton, and agent provocateur, Will Campbell loves a good chew of tobacco and will strike many as enigmatic. Not everyone will appreciate his rapier wit. But PBS profiled him in their documentary "God's Will," in 2000 President Clinton honored him with a National Endowment for the Humanities medal, and Brother to a Dragonfly won numerous literary awards.

This book sets the standard for brotherly love: through the joyous days of youth, through sickness, through the reversal of who worships who, each standing up for the other no matter what.

This book also wrestles with faith, guilt before the law versus guilt before God, examines stereotypes and throws them away.

"Suddenly I knew a lot of things I had not known before. I knew that I had been caught in my own trap. (In a discussion with a Klansman) Suddenly I knew that we are a nation of Klansmen. I knew that as a nation we stood for peace, harmony and freedom in that war (Vietnam), that we defined the words, and that the means we were employing to accomplish those ends were identical with the ones he had listed."

Follow Will Campbell in his journey with his brother and your horizons will be broadened.

Brother to a dragonfly, Will D Campbell's brilliant,evocative, nostalgic luminous memoir teels the story of his family in the pre-tva rural south. Though much much more then a simple coming of age story,it is the story of 2 brothers,their lives amid the greatest change in this ountry since the civil war. Will D Campbell and his brother Joe stories are told so movingly,and with such deep power that ,by the end it will move you to tears. It is the sory of a man,family,RELIGION,the south,race,addiction,love and death. It will shatter any preconcieved notions and stereotypes,for Will D Campell is a true iconoclast. I run out of superlatives to describe this book. Read it.