N Books

After reading "The Summer Guest" by Justin Cronin I couldn't wait to read something else by this wonderful author. That's when I bought "Mary and O'Neill". His first novel, "Mary and O'Neill" is just as enjoyable as "The Summer Guest", if in a somewhat different way. Don't let the fact that this is a novel in short store put you off. Even if you don't usually enjoy this type of book (and I don't) you will be glad you read "Mary and O'Neill". I cannot wait to see what else Mr. Cronin has in store for us. Believe the excellent reader reviews and buy this book!

Justin's Cronin's first novel is broken up into a collection of eight short stories about the love between parents, siblings, children and lovers.

The book doesn't begin with the title characters, but rather with O'Neil's parents, Arthur and Miriam. The entirety of the book is balanced on the early revelation of the sweet complexity of their love in life and death. Their death in the first story sets the tone for the rest of the stories, providing their children with both answers and more questions about love and loss.

Mary and O'Neil's love affair is one brought about by just these questions. Mary lives with the ghost of a child she aborted early on in the book, while O'Neil's parents live in his memory with such vitality that he actually tries to call them after the birth of his first child--only to unexpectedly have a sad and beautiful conversation with a lonely stranger. Cronin creates Mary and O'Neil as the answers to each other's questions. Even the names that Cronin picks for them overflow with a sense of completeness: "Mary" and "O'Neil," sound more like a first name and surname than two separate characters.

The surname as name only makes more sense when one considers O'Neil's presence in the book as father figure. It is O'Neil who develops as a source of strength for several characters in the book, anointing him the ultimate patriarch of this novel. Cronin is poetic and beautifully subtle when he baptizes O'Neil's relationship with the woman who completes him and gives him a first name. The baptism is complete when Mary is ready to walk down the aisle and it begins to rain. O'Neil looks at her and all the guests at their wedding and, Cronin writes, "in his heart he marries each one of them."

Cronin's style is delicate and full of purpose, just like all of the relationships between his characters. It is hard not to relate to this book in some way if you've ever loved someone, harder still to not find Cronin's prose captivating in its wisdom and sincerity.

Mary and O'neil was so poignant with paragraphs I read and re-read numerous times because they struck a chord of something lost yet familiar to me. I cannot wait for more from this author; he has my heart!

Just finished reading Mary and O'Neil, and I know that it will stay with me for a long time. I laughed and cried, sighed and nodded my head as I read. This a very well crafted novel comprised of short stories, reminding me of the chapters of our lives. The relationships between parents and children, siblings, spouses and friends are realistically portrayed. Thanks to the author for a special experience. I look forward to reading his novel, The Summer Guest soon.

I read this book after finishing (right after!) The Summer Guest, also by Cronin. I loved both books. THe story line in each is poignant and moving and the characterizations are fleshed out brilliantly - with depth, eloquence and humor. The beauty of Cronin's writing is in his seemingly effortless ability to turn a phrase that just sings with its purity. He is able to capture, and describe emotions and events like no other author I've encountered in recent years. This is a lovely if odd story that jumps through the decades with poignant prose, the building of relationships, and the pain of loss. In reading Cronin's work you are left with a mystical and magical feeling. I did not want this book to be over as the emotions it evoked were much more powerful than those we typically feel in everyday life (unless you are 13). I found it hard to re-enter my own life - as if I were somehow changed by reading the words of this writer. Highly recommended!

I have added this book to my current libary and think that the book is a fine addition.

Very good poker book for middle limit. Takes it to another level.

The book is quite enjoyable to read and discusses how to play 400 typical hands that arise in everyday poker.
The discussion is very logical and teaches you how to think properly on every betting round. It advises you on how to get the most value out of your good hands and to minimize losses when you are beat. When to value bet on the river, and when to check raise, etc, etc.
I can't say that I picked up a tonne of tips from this book, but it did revise a lot of good principles that I already knew.
To a weaker player than myself you could pick up a lot of good tips.
The rules set in this book can't be applied to low limit games with weak players who play totally illogical, it is written for middle-higher limit games. Thus only 4 stars

Jones and Warren can take you from 1/2 to 4/8, and this book from there to 40. I've read dozens and dozens of others since, but this is still the most solid, readable, understandable and above all practical of the bunch.
There are very few truly useful guides to the mid-limit games; this one stands highest in my estimation. The dissections of various hands and the decisions involved are far more complex and intelligent than most. You need to have played a lot of hold'em to really grasp some of the subtleties presented here, but when you have and do you will be ready to really mix it up with some of the world's better players.
I also enjoy Ciaffone's writing, very direct and transparent and to the point.
This is a book any good player would do well to re-read once a year. It makes you think about your moves and reevalauate your style, which is a must if you are to keep progressing.
Thanks to Bob for writing one of the best books available for the limit player who is ready to tackle the tough competition. Then again, sometimes the bigger games have some mighty weak players, and if your bankroll can stand the variance you might find the advice in this book to be worth a few thousand times its purchase price.
When it comes to value bets on poker books, this one is a winner.

If you're somebody who's used to the graphic presentations of cards and hands in many of the Two Plus Two books then you might be initially disappointed upon opening Middle Limit Holdem because this edition will never be confused with a Power Point presentation. However, if you're looking to learn limit or substantially improve your game, then this is definitely the manual for you. The authors created over 300 pages of densely packed information which was broken down into 40 logical subtopics. What they offer here is an old school approach to the game which is both low in reflexive aggression and low in variance, and, for me, anything which decreases variance is totally welcome. I'm not one of those reviewers who thinks that certain styles are obsolete as I find that differing viewpoints enrich my game. Personally, I'd place Middle Limit Holdem in between Ed Miller and Lee Jones in terms of the type of play it advocates. If you don't know limit, then I recommend learning it as increasing proficiency across the strains of poker can only thicken the bankroll in the long run.

Can you imagine my surprise when I encountered this book on Amazon.com!

I am 18 years old and I read "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters" in elementary school and I was enamored with the story then! And I still am. This "African Cinderella" is sure to resonate with young girls and make them curious about Africa.

It is the story of an African King who has two beautiful daughters, only one of them, Manyara, is mean, nasty, and "haughty" (this book is where I learned that word!) while Nyasha is sweet, compassionate and kind. When their father learns that a ruler of another kingdom is to take a wife, he decides that both of his beautiful daughters should go. However, Manyara arrogantly leaves alone to get there before her sister, ever so certain that she will be chosen.

On the way both her and her sister encounter a series of tasks and through these, their true characters are tested.

Other than a great story, the illustration is absolutely beautiful! They are artwork unto themselves. Love this book! I can't wait to purchase this for the little girls in my life! Or, i just may buy it to reminisce!

Wonderful book about Manyara and Nyasha, daughters of an African King. This books shows that beauty comes from within. Manyara is a selfish sister and wants nothing more than to be queen and she will stop at nothing to be it. Nyasha is kind and loving and only wants to be happy. She sees the beauty in nature and people. A king from the neighboring town is searching for a wife and immediately Manyara wants to be queen. Manyara gets up early and sneaks to the village of the King but she is met by a little boy who wants food, and a elderly woman whom she is told to be kind too. She doesnt give the boy food and is verbally mean to the old woman. Nyasha goes through the forest and finds the same people but this time she gives food to the little boy. She is met by a woman who points the way to the city and she is kind to her and gives her sunflower seeds. As they approach the city, Manyara runs out and crying saying that she saw a snake with 5 heads and was telling her how rotten of a person she is. Nyasha is brave and walks in only to a find a simple snake for whom she was friends with. He tells her that he is the king and the elderly woman and little boy in the forest. He then asks her to be his queen because she is the most beautiful and kindhearted of them all.

The illustrations are breathtaking. The story emphasizes the true ugliness of getting to the top no matter what, while at the same time showing the beauty of compassion, empathy, and taking the time to make true connections with others and embracing their essence. These are values that we must instill within our children. I read this story to my own beautiful daughters over and over and it opens the door for deep discussions about the nature of their special bond as sisters and the need to not face one another as competitors, but as lifetime companions and support for one another.

This book is about these two sisters Manyara and Nyasha father of Mufaro. Manyara is the rude sister. Nyasha is the warm loving sister. One of them would be getting married to a king and the other will be their servant. Manyara well she wanted to get a jump start on things so when she was going to find the king she seen a boy (that was in need for food) that she refused to give food to, then she came apon a old lady she didn't listen to, she also met up with some trees that laughed at her and she laughed back at, and last she came upon a guy with his head in his arm.
So if you really think people that are rude won't get far and their rudeness will just catch up with them later as they go threw life. This book has inspired me to be a better person in many ways. This book is an amazing book it not only expresses the persons outside feelings but it expresses the persons inside feelings.

This story is based on an African tale that is similar in nature to Cinderella. In this story a man named Mufaro had two beautiful daughters, one named Manyara, and one named Nyasha. Manyara is rude to Nyasha, who just calmly bears it. When a call comes saying the Great King wants a wife, Mufaro plans to take his daughters to the palace the next day. Manyara decides to leave in the night to make she is chosen to be Queen. During the journey she is rude to a number of people, who turn out to be the King himself, shape-shifted into those forms as well as the form of a garden snake well-known to Nyasha. When Nyasha passes the next day, she is kind where her sister was rude. Needless to say the King picks Nyasha, and they live happily.

The story is told well, and the language used is wonderful, though not quite as wonderful as the illustrations. They almost look more life-like than photographs. The way lighting is used is amazing, and they are just stunning pictures. Everything about this book is wonderful, with nothing to detract from it.

Loggie-log-log-log

The juvenile justice system in Los Angeles, as well as the system in place to protect juvenile victims of abuse and neglect, are both a public disgrace. Author Edward Humes offers no suggestions, but he opens up what was a closed world to the view of outsiders for the very first time; the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles has always hidden itself well from public view and criticism.

There is nothing joyful to be found within the pages of this book. It is deeply disturbing, especially for those of us who know the juvenile justice system and how it works. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in these issues.

This is an exceptionally insightful book looking into the juvenile criminal justice system in L.A. It does a good job of illustrating the perspectives of all individuals involved, from "criminals" to "officials" and also shows gradients of right and wrong, and just how complicated and even faulty the system may be. It is very well written, and I highly recommend it.

A great introduction into the juvenile criminal justice system. I actually went to work for a public defenders' office because of this book.

A more recent book I'd highly reccommend is "Last Chance In Texas." Ironically, Texas has perhaps the most progressive juvenile justice system in the country. This book tells how Texas' worst juvenile offenders had their lives changed for the better.

This book is so SOOO depressing. And we deserve to feel that way about our Juvenile Justice system. Everyone remotely attached to criminal law or children should read this.

Written over the course of one year in LA's juvenile court system, this book is very enlightening to the plight of our kids in detention and on the streets. It has recently been reported that less than 10% of Florida's almost $709 million juvenile justice budget is spent on prevention. I hope to do my personal part to change this in my community, by supporting intervention programs for at-risk youth.

This book was amazing.It is the story of four women in their fight against breast cancer.I couldn't put it down.I didn't want it to end.This book is not just about breast cancer.It inspires you to enjoy and appreciate life.I know a few women who have battled breast cancer and it made me feel closer to them.

I read about this book in People magazine and just had to get it. The book was even better than I could even imagine. Would recommend buying the book for all your girlfriends. A real tear jerker!

I have been a long-time supporter of breast cancer research and really enjoyed the tales of these women who were all diagnosed much younger than anyone thought possible. This book made me laugh and cry. While I was sad when it was over, I walked away inspired and uplifted. Would make a perfect gift for any woman in your life!

I had the pleasure of meeting Kim at a Komen event where she was the keynote speaker. I of course bought the book after her talk.
Nodies at Noon is a very honest account of breast cancer in young women. The four women each write their experiences on several poignant topics. While some issues are universal to all women going through the breast cancer experience, this book highlights certain issues unique to young women. Child birth and motherhood are two examples.
The book is bittersweet with one of the authors losing their battle with the disease, and one giving birth to a second child. Like Kim herself, the book is warm and thoughtful.
I would recommend it to anyone going through breast cancer or supporters of breast cancer patients.

I bought this for my mom, a breast cancer survivor. I had read a bit of it before I gave it to her and really like the style, very clever and real. My mom did say she is enjoying the book but would have rather had it while she was going through her treatments. She says that it is hard to go back to that place in time be it in films, tv, or books. She is very involved in helping other women going through treatments and says that she plans to use this book to help her new friends. Best of luck to those of you out there facing this horrible cancer or have loved ones in this situation, but you are never alone and there are always angels when you least expect it.

Fantastic bit of fun that is bright, colourful, clever, simple and appeals to all age groups! A true classic in the making!

My kids fight to be the one holding this book. They love the search as the pages turn to the next challenge.

This is such a beautiful book. I recommend everyone to add a copy of this book to their library. I picked up this book in the classroom I work in to engage a 3 year old child with autism. She didn't take her eyes off this book and wanted to play with it again and again. I am now getting one for my three year old son. Every child and adult will love this book. It is truly amazing. Never have I seen such wonderful pop up art done.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R34SQ3IXMD8XCL

For 3 years now, I've been a David A. Carter fan. Why 3 years? You put two and two together. He's the author of these three *very* cool pop-up books that are unlike any pop-up books I've ever seen. They are like individual works of art only they're purchasable at any generic bookstore. It's "Pop" art. Get the double entendre? Well, if not, take a look at the pics above.

My first introduction to his work was with the book: "One Red Dot." Since then he's created "600 Black Spots" and "Blue 2." I purchased these in "new" condition for half of their purchase price on Amazon. However, if you're the type of parent who lets their child run amok with their baby books (not a bad thing) this may have to take a backseat for a year or two. I had to be very careful with my daughter when reading this book. Like any one-year-old her first instinct was to grab then ensuingly tear off the colorful fluttering paper. But I did manage to keep the book "relatively" unscathed and usable for my second daughter.

He's written a couple more "traditional" pop up books about bugs but these were the ones that hooked me. Oh and one more thing, one of the pages makes a great sawing noise when the blades scrape against the paper as you open the page. Clever.
'Kathleen Dougherty
http://the-tum-tum-tree.blogspot.com/

Peter and Tinker Bell are perfectly happy on Mollusk Island. Peter and his little troop of orphaned boys live day to day in this paradise of fresh food and friendly natives. Fighting Prawn, leader of the Mollusk tribe, is indebted to Peter for saving his life, and though he doesn't care for "Englishmen," he and Peter have formed a strong bond. As content as they all are, that world will soon disappear as a carefully planned attack will turn their lives upside down. The fiercest of tribes, known as the "Scorpions," has begun an invasion of this peaceful little community. Determined to take over the island, absolutely no one will be safe from these ruthless warriors.

"In battle, the warriors sometimes hurled venomous snakes and spiders at the enemy; they also coated the tips of their arrows with a special mixture of toxins that caused horrific, paralyzing pain. It was this practice that gave the tribe its name, the most feared name in this part of the ocean: Scorpions. It was a name that meant misery and death."

Far away in London, Peter's old friend Molly Aster is planning a kind of invasion herself after discovering that her father, Lord Leonard Aster, will be going to Paris to investigate problems related to the "Starstuff fall." She is determined to go, though is definitely not invited on this journey. Molly and her friend George do serious research and discover some strange things about her father and a man known as Mr. Pan (is this Peter's father?). Finally, they manage to sneak aboard her father's ship, where they encounter and become prisoners of the evil Lord Ombra and Zarboff, King of Rundoon. The only thing worse than being in prison would be to fall victim to Zarboff's giant pet snake, Kundalini.

"He reached down and touched the dark shape next to his throne. The shape moved, and slowly a triangular head rose, the torchlight reflecting from two yellow eyes. Peter had seen snakes before; there were many on Mollusk Island. But he had never seen one half as massive as this."

For the boy who will never grow old, Peter's friendship with Molly is both sweet and poignant. They have shared so much together and will share more; still, they have the knowledge that they cannot grow up together.

"And then Molly kissed him on the lips. It was the first time either of them had ever kissed anybody on the lips, and it was a kiss they would both carry in their minds for the rest of their lives."

In this action-packed finale to the Starcatchers trilogy, authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson enrich the world of J.M. Barrie's original tale. Non-stop action and colorful characters keep the reader engrossed. A strong theme of family values and good friends runs throughout the series, and the delightful illustrations by Greg Call are perfectly suited in capturing this magical world. Like the previous two books, PETER AND THE SECRET OF RUNDOON stands well by itself --- but do read the others, as this is a totally outstanding set of Peter Pan adventures.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

If you've read this book I seriously hope you've read the two preceeding books of this trilogy or else you'll be just a tad bit lost. That being said, this is the best book in the three part series by far. The writing is at its best, it's pollished and the typos that so plagued bothe previous books are thankfully gone so it's safe to give to kids without telling them all the grammatical messups from before. The story arch works rather well and nothing feels too forced. Instead you're offered a perspective of Peter Pan's origins that don't seem too forced and that offer a great reading experience for kids and adults. All three books should take you about a week and a half to read at the most because they are truly a light read and chapters are rarely more than ten pages long. so if you're in the mood for a light read and have always wondered where Peter Pan came from, how Tinker Bell was created, why Peter's shadow is detached from him or why that huge crock has a huge ticking clock that won't quit, you should definitely read this series.

This book is non-stop action. There is no down time. You must catch your breath after each chapter. We enjoyed the whole series immensely. Perhaps blasphemous, but this series is better than Harry Potter. No loose ends. Very tight, raucous story. The best EVER!!

If you like the notion of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, etc. this series is really excellent. I don't use the word WONDERFUL much, but they're a great read. They really do carry on the story of Peter and his friends in a believable and fun way. Really AWESOME and you won't be disappointed. The entire series is highly recommended - all three books so far.

It's sad that this awesome trilogy must come to an end, but I'm happy to say that I enjoyed every minute of it, from the moment those boys and that girl met up with each other and a horrible secret to the end of this installment when Never Land finally becomes familiar.

This story completes the bunch when Peter and the crew are kidnapped to a horrible kingdom where kids are slaved and the darkness of the universe has a horrible plan for the earth.

This is just as exciting as the previous two books, though I think the fantasy went a little annoyingly Star Trek at a point. Still, it was fun and witty and answered a lot of questions. Finally.

I have been learning ColdFusion for about 5 months now and have 4 books on it. So far I have this one and 3 others. And out of all the books I have on ColdFusion, I use this one and one other one the most. Even though it is written in ColdFusion MX, it still has a lot of good ColdFusion examples and descriptions on how to make some of the most popular applications. Great book if your looking for a book that is a little cheaper and still has a lot of great info. If your looking for the new breakthrough features of CF8, than mabye you should try somewhere else. But overall, a great book for the price!!

This book is the best Cold Fusion book to date. I use this book daily. The book contains clear examples without a lot of fluff. Can't wait until the next release.

Everithing you need to good programming in ColdFusion. Not to useful if you're interested in Server Configuration.

The only quibble I have with this book is that it is not long enough! Some parts just paraphrase ColdFusion documentation, which is not bad in itself but left me wanting to know more from the author about how he applied the feature to a project.

It would be phenomenal if the author could expand this book or, better yet, put together a new book of more extended examples called "ColdFusion Examples in a Nutshell," similar to "Java Examples in a Nutshell" by David Flanagan.

Having said that, I can now state that this book is a shining example of what a programming book is supposed to be:
(1) Well-Organized. Chapters are grouped logically.
(2) Well-Documented. Almost every topic has at least one example; a few have a complete set of templates to guide the beginning CF (ColdFusion) programmer.
(3) Well-Balanced. In addition to instructive code, the author also provides many in-depth explanations of ColdFusion and database principles.

About six months ago the company I work for recently moved to Coldfusion 5 server (holding off on CFMX until all the bugs are worked out) and since that time, application programming duties have been dumped on me. As a web designer and not a programmer, this was a more than a little worrisome. After trying to wade through Forta's Construction Kit, Hewitt's Core Coldfusion 5, as well as "Mastering Coldfusion 5" it was as if the light was turned on by Rob Brooks-Bilson's Programming Coldfusion.

By the by, those books mentioned are all great books. I own all of them. But when it came down to what I really needed to know and understand Bilson came through like no other. Great job Rob! Keep up the good work.

Like many of the reviewers before me, I've grown tired of the NFL and NCAA Division I football, and now prefer small college and high school football. This is a great way to be introduced to the game at that level, although you never really get to know John Gagliardi as well as you'd like (a fact that frustrates Murphy). Murphy will at times give away how a particular game ends early in the chapter dealing with it, but it's never a great distraction because the story is so well told.

The only shortcomings to me are the lack of photos or stats, plus I detect an occasional bit of smugness on the part of both Murphy and his wife in their dealings with the locals (News flash: Minnesota is NOT the Bay Area), but he IS a very funny and perceptive writer and this is a worthwhile read.

I really enjoyed this book that is about a football season, but also about so much more, including marriage, raising children, coaching and the personalities at this small school in Minnesota. While we often think of Lombardi and Bear Bryant school of hard-driving coaching, it turns out the softer style of coach Gags can also be successful. This book reminded a lot of First and Last Seasons: A Father, A Son, and Sunday Afternoon Football, another book about football but also a lot more.

I read this book after reading Mr. Murphy's "How Tough Could It B?" and loving it. Although I'm not much for football I thought I'd give this book a try because I enjoyed his writing. It was terrific - a great commentary on St. John's and its coach as well as another look at Mr. Murphy's refreshingly real family (well, perhaps they are not real but they sure are like my husband and children). I'm waiting for another book please!

Lack of pictures and statistics of Gagliardi's 50 years in coaching cause this book to come up just short of 5 stars. Also, I expected the author to provide a few more "game details". I actually found the epilogue, where St. Johns makes it to the Divison III championship game the following season, more exciting than the body of the book.

If you're as tired as I am of the NFL schlock, of having to take the time to remind the high school kids you coach every season that taunting and trash talking are not a part of the game, then you will absolutely love this book. Mr. Murphy is funny-- so funny, in fact, that several times I laughed so hard I couldn't even read the passage in question out loud to my wife and had to hand her the book. Mr. Murphy is also jaded, tired of spending his life on the road dealing with the overlarge head of professional and big college Div-1A athletes.

You won't find jerks like Randy Moss or Brian Bosworth in the pages of this book, unless they are mentions solely as a stark contrast to the genuinely respectful and worthy athletes of St. Johns. Reading this book reminded me of the potential of all athletics to reap great good from the hearts and minds of youth, and also reminded me that, as a coach, it's my responsibility to sow those seeds.

The book can be enjoyed on several levels-- as humor, as a description of a sporting season, and above all, as a triumph of what football is supposed to be-- fun for everyone involved, ESPECIALLY the players.

I hope you enjoy it.

I have enjoyed this book so much. I have gotten so many little gems from it and so much wisdom. Things that I knew I should have been doing with my grandson but such great eyeopeners. This is a great book for 3yrs and older. I will be odering more copies as gifts. Teresa

This book is a simple, inspiring parenting book. I give it to anyone I know who has children. And if you read it more than once, you will get more out of it every time. It's about raising kids, it's about living a full life.

I was given this book as a gift when my son was a baby. I was instantly drawn to the message. Mr. Vannoy's advice is from the heart and carries a loving and respectful message. I have read and re-read the book at least a half dozen times and once in a while, I'll pick it up and open to any chapter, just to give myself a parenting boost. It really lifts the spirits and reinforces that we can have deep and meaningful relationships with our children based on love and respect for each other. Over the years, there have been many times where I given thanks that this book came into my life at just the right time. I'm proud to say, it's played an important role in the Mom that I am, which my kids will tell you, is the best!

I've ordered plenty of copies of this book to give out to new parents, including it with their baby shower gifts. And I gave a copy to my cousin, when she married a man, who came with 2 teenage sons.

A big thank you to Stephen Vannoy for writing this important book. A must read for every adult that influences the lives of children.

I first read this book five years ago and just came back to it as I was confronted with some parenting challenges. What is most clear to me about author Steven Vannoy is that he's not a therapist or "expert." He's just a very observant parent and great teacher. Other reviewers said it perfectly: it's simply the best book on parenting ever.

Steven Vannoy and Catherine Schneider have encapsulated everything that we need to know to parent effectively from the get-go! I am recommending them to all my friends who are becomming new parents. Thanks!