Journals Books

I was expecting a completely fluffy book about a bunch of jerks. What I found was excellent writing that was humorous, contemptous of the Bush white house (extra special bonus!), and dedicated to painting a picture of a group of people that love food, drink, a good laugh, and a beautiful view. Makes you want to be in the house, no matter your age...

This is a story in need of a sequel. Will John become the next big fish in the little pond of Kismet? What will happen when Bush leaves the White House, the drugs start fading, and now matter how old he gets the girls stay the same age? Could the main character of this book run far or fast enough to leave the summer of 2005?

This book was a good, light read. The author's voice translated onto the page in a casual way that coaxed me into immediately trusting him as a narrator, despite his rakish reputation. Trust is needed in a story with so many aspects. Blesso ties in the story lines nicely. You can tell the rhythm Blesso writes in is the rhythm he speaks in as some of the paragraphs were obviously stories honed through countless tellings long before they reached the page. On one hand I appreciated the tact he showed his friends and lovers but I would have enjoyed more emotional depth on all sides; as is, I found it hard to keep the characters straight based on their physical descriptions. Sharehouse Confidential could have been meatier, but it must have been hard to flesh out characters you only get to know over a few weekends. It was nice to hear about an American struggling with our role in the war--boiled down, this is more than just a "summer read". I would have enjoyed another 100 pages.

I'd recommend this book to my friends and I would definitely buy the sequel to find out what becomes of the hardest working man in sharehouse business.

While I could easily describe Sharehouse Confidential as a great beach read, I wouldn't be doing the book, or John Blesso, justice if I stopped there. True, it has the qualities of a great beach read--it's sexy, funny, and breezy. But John's candor and honesty also give this memoir a refreshingly raw feel that we rarely get with all of the glossiness that has become our culture--kind of like Kismet itself.

Buy this book and plan to read for a long stretch. You won't be able to put it down until the end--and then you'll be disappointed that it's over.

A great memoir is more than the story being told - it's so much about the voice of the author, and right from the introduction, one can't help but love the sound of John Blesso's voice - smart and funny and thoughtful and sexy. The fact that he tells a great story makes this book impossible to put down unfinished.

And it is a fun read - clever and flirty and indulgent. All-weekend parties, covert hook-ups, table dancing, where the participants are real and interesting and funny and sometimes brilliant, and sometimes flawed. It's also strikingly poignant at moments - the idyllic life as an escape from scary times in a scary world. Food and drink and sex and community as counter-programming to the fear and hate. There's stuff that makes you think, and stuff that makes you laugh. He really strikes a wonderful balance, and it just makes for a highly enjoyable read.

I read this book at breakneck speed, at times literally laughing out loud (amusing to my fellow commuters, I'm sure). The included recipes at the end are an added bonus, though I barely skimmed them before turning right back to page one to read it all over again.

Like the salacious and decadent meals that title each chapter, Sharehouse Confidential is absolutely delicious.

First things first...the book is a delight. I was enthralled and captivated inside of three sentences, and based on the title and subject matter, it seemed destined to be a book that I would recommend to others with the verbal headline "it's a guilty pleasure." To my surprise, while the elements that often serve as the building blocks to a guilty pleasure (they are right there in the title) are certainly in effect, this is a beautifully written memoir of a man on a journey. For those looking for an infectious romp, the hedonism is rampant and plentiful; though at it's core, the author paints an intimate and vivid picture of the path that led him to buy and maintain this summer haven. His courage, his fears, his setbacks, and his ever present willingness to wear life like a loose garment really had me rooting for him. As each page would turn (and they turn fast!), I found myself enraptured as John attempts (not always successfully) to ride the line between headmaster and housemember. Not to mention, the details of what it takes to run a house like this one gave me a newfound respect for anyone who takes on such a project. The house, the participants, and the events are described in such masterly detail; I will say this: I have been sober for ten years....I have a wife and two kids...and I still want to join John Blesso's sharehouse. Do yourself a favor....buy this book!

This is not a book you read; it's a book you do. It's a great workbook for songwriters, with sections for every week of the year. It includes places to jot down ideas, word games to inspire lyrics, chord progressions and melody lines to play with, and space to write a whole song, plus lists of "power words," quotes from famous songwriters and information about songwriting resources. I just wrote my first week's song, and I'm having a hard time keeping myself from reading ahead to next week. In fact, if I didn't have other things to do, I could just cuddle up with this book for the winter and write one song after another. Or I could use it whenever I feel stuck. This book would work well for poets, too. It's so much fun.

"The Songwriter's Journal: 52 Weeks Of Songwriting Ideas And Inspiration" by professional songwriter Stan Swanson was written to both provide aspiring songwriters with ideas and inspirations for new songs, and a forum in which to jot down their daily notes, thoughts, ideas, and musical notations over the course of a year's time. The formula is straightforward: 'An Idea to Write a Song About'; 'Note Sequence for a Song'; 'Power Words'; 'Cliches, Expressions, Slang and Idioms'; 'Rolling Stone Magazine's Greatest Songs of All Time'; and 'Songwriter's Toolkit'; followed by a page of blank lines and a musical score section just waiting to be filled in. Of special note are the sections arranged by the week and devoted to providing an opportunity to address and record 'Songwriting Exercises'; 'Song Titles'; 'Chord Procession for a Song'; 'Word Association Exercises'; and 'Songwriters Hall of Fame' which showcases a particular musician composer. "The Songwriter's Journal" is an invaluable tool and very strongly recommended for the novice songwriter, and has a great deal of utility and value for even the more experienced composer.

This is a really great idea, and one my 12 year old son and I (age 50) are both having fun with. My son is using piano (yep, he plays most every day and is in to improvising and taking the next step in his musical journey), me guitar. There's a journal format that encourages developing an individual's song ideas on a regular basis. The hardest part in writing this book is coming up with 52 basically unique sets of entries for - useful songwriting excercises, and sample chord progressions ( this alone is worth the price of the book). There are 13 separate thought invoking ideas (52 x 13) in each week's entry incl. cliches, expressions, power words, word association, and famous songwriters thoughts. There is another segment in there called songwriter toolkit with recording, technical advice and other books about ryhming, lyrics, etc.

It's one thing to read a lecture on songwriting, but to figure out how to write songs, most of us need both ideas and motivation. I like this book for both.

If you're like me (and most songwriters I know) then you have song titles written on napkins, song ideas scribbled on the backs of envelopes and ideas for hooks jotted down on the back of Aunt Martha's birthday card. "The Songwriter's Journal" just may be the answer. Not only does it provide songwriting exercises, sample chord progressions and hundreds of ideas for new songs, it also provides a weekly journal area as well as sections for jotting down song titles, song ideas and much more. A great companion to have on your desk, in your guitar case or in your backpack.

The subtitle, "songwriting ideas and inspiration," accurately describes this book. As one reviewer commented, it is rambling and not "organized." Each of the 52 2-3 page sections is an independant, random unit of ideas and things to spark ideas and images to make a song from. (A shotgun approach to writing one song a week.) I like the idea. Within each "week's" pages, it is completely random. The chord progression, tips, themes, etc. are unrelated to each other. I think the purpose is that if even one bit strikes you, it is worthwhile; which I agree with. I like the idea very much. I found the scenarios to be in the blues style of songwriting; some people may like that, some may not. Scattered among the nuggets of ideas and inspirations were helpful recommendations for best low cost acoustic guitar, best introductory music recording software, best drum machine, and a list of other recommended books (I already own one of those recommended books and found it excellent, which gives me confidence in the author's other recommendations.) This book does not address what to do with your songwriting ideas and inspirations. It does not cover anything like song structure or how to turn ideas into actual lyrics. To be fair, that is not the stated purpose of the book. I think this would be an excellent book for breaking out of writer's block. Then get a songwriting book (which the author kindly provides recommendations for) to turn the ideas into developed lyrics.

I bought this on the recommendation of the first reviewer and I'm so glad I did. My 8 year-old loved it. When I told him it was about a boy named Alex who has an annoying little brother and likes to invent things, he agreed to pick it up. But the story kept him hooked and I soon noticed him scribbling in a little notebook his own inventions and asking for cardboard boxes. And he asked for the second book. That's quite an achievement.

So, Mr. Asch, please keep them coming!

Alex got 10 boxes of cardbord. He started to build a star jumper. then he went into the atic and got himself a space suit. then he got into his sta-r jumper and blasted off!

I like this book because it was about space. I would recommend this book to a 7 year old who is an advanced reader. Anyone who is interested in science and space will like this book. review written by a 7 year old boy

After reading this book, you'll want to go buy a roll of duct tape and get a few boxes. Young genius Alex can tackle any challenge with a little cardboard and that famous tape. A lively story of two brothers: One genius, the other obnoxious. Or is he? Big brother Alex, a math whiz kid, will soon remove himself from the dread of little brother Jonathan, as his Star Jumper spaceship leaps him to another corner of the galaxy. But Jonathan has ideas of his own, and reveals HIS inventive side.

I am a teacher who thought my boys book club for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders would like "Star Jumper". They loved the book from page 1, even the boys who are usually reluctant readers!!! Their parents commented on how eagerly their children read this book. By the way, we were inspired to build our own cardboard spaceship. A real winner!!

Today I read Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius, by Frank Asch. This is a quick and accessible read, which I would put at about a third grade reading level. Alternatively, it could suit older reluctant readers, especially boys.

The book is about a boy named Alex who has a keen interest in scientific invention, a healthy ego, and a pesky six-year-old brother named Jonathan. In order to get away from Jonathan, the bane of his existence, Alex decides to build a spaceship out of cardboard boxes, and travel across the universe. Using odds and ends from around his house, he invents all of the necessary trappings for space travel: the ship, the space suit, the oxygen generator, the atom slider, and the micro blaster (you'll have to read the book for the details). But before Alex can leave town (yes, the spaceship really does fly), Jonathan reveals his own capacity for invention, and throws a wrench into the works.

I think that this book will have considerable appeal for young boys, thanks to the details of the spaceship and the other inventions. I think that for boys who have annoying younger brothers, the book may be irresistible. The sibling rivalry is realistically depicted, as are the caring psychologist parents. I personally found Alex's ego a bit off-putting (he keeps going on about what a genius he is), but I think that the book's target audience will be able to relate to this.

What I love about this book are the illustrations. This is a chapter book, but scattered throughout the text are small black and white illustrations, drawings from Alex's journal. My favorite is a map of the universe, labeled "me" at one end, and "Jonathan" at the other end. Anyone who has ever had a younger sibling will immediately relate to this drawing. There's also a drawing of Jonathan as a baby, saying his first words: "I'll tell Mom". Oh, the joy of younger brothers!

As you might expect in a children's book that addresses sibling rivalry, the book does conclude with some resolution of the conflict between Alex and Jonathan. But it's far from heavy handed, and seemed to me realistic rather than overdone.

So, if you have a child who is fascinated by space travel, or who likes to invent things from ordinary household objects, or who is driven to distraction by a younger sibling, you should give Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius a try. You won't regret it.

Weighing in at a mere 131 pages, Douglas Bauer's book is the Cassius Clay of my craft shelf. And though I am tempted to take this boxing metaphor farther, tempted to say things like, "it floats like a butterfly stings like a bee", and draw parallels between its eight chapters and the eight fast rounds Ali went with Sonny Liston in 65', I'll check myself and simply note the elements of the book that I found most helpful.



The language is so wonderfully straight forward and the examples so clear that I used the chapter on dialogue with a group of high level 8th graders who are working with me on an independent study. We were able to have a wonderful conversation about "TV Dialogue" and how we can best to avoid it in our writing. They were quick to point out how rampant this sort of mundane dialogue is in adolescent and young adult fiction.



Along with clear language, the chapters in Bauer's book are concise. Despite their brevity they draw on a wide range of other craft books and essays. In the dialogue chapter, Brauer mentions Dillard's "Notes for Young Writers." A few of my young writers became curious about Dillard and her work. They expressed an interest in this book, and if I wasn't so personally biased against Dillard's other essays I might have taken it on myself.



This anecdote points to the fact that Brauer does not shy away from the words of others on the subject of craft. To the contrary, this book excels at pairing down those words to essential ideas. He draws from Booth's "The Rhetoric of Fiction" and E.M. Foster's "Aspects of the Novel." He quotes from Gardner's "The Art of Fiction" and Joy William's "Why I Write." I am sure that there are others that he mentions, but those are the ones that I personally underlined in the text.



The two most useful chapters for me, the chapters that answered questions I have long harbored concerning fiction, were chapters 5 and 6. These two chapters examine the issues of what Bauer calls "High Points" and "Sentiment versus Sentimentality."



I especially liked his treatment in the chapter, "High Points," of television violence, "the sort of violence with no accompanying long-lasting emotional consequences." It in some ways resembles television dialogue in that it draws the reader's attention to something that has no real importance to the characters or the story. It is interesting to me, as somebody who has not lived in a house with a television for over a decade, to see how television affects the way people write. I also cannot help but to think that it also changes the general public's expectations of stories.



The chapter on sentiment versus sentimentality, cleared up very nicely the differences between the two. I had always thought of sentimentality as something I could recognize, but nothing I could clearly define. I believe Bauer makes a comparison to pornography--we know it when we see it. But he does not stop there; he gives clear examples of how sentimentality can be avoided and points the reader in the direction of people who define this boundary.



"The Stuff of Fiction" is not the end all and be all of craft books. But it is for me at this point one of the most valuable books on craft I have read. It is a book I can draw from as I teach my students about some of the elements of fiction. It is a book that answered some fundamental questions I have had for some years now. Lastly, it is a book that points the reader in the right directions, bringing into view not only some of the great writers and storytellers of the West, but also the great works by others on craft.

This book picks some of the finer points of story/novel writing and analyzes them with great elegance and insight. It does so in light of specific in-depth examples. For instance, on the issue of pinpointing exactly where to end a story, it discusses alternative stopping points and the emotional impact they are likely to have on the reader. What you learn is inspiring but also eminently practical, both in the narrow and broad senses. It is not as comprehensive as "The Art of Fiction" by John Gardner or "Getting the Words Right" by Theodore Rees Cheney. It is, however, just as inspiring and satisfying.

What a beautiful book! I can't remember when I've read such an eloquent work about the craft of writing, making me wonder why any of us pay any attention to advice about writing which arrives in less artful form ("the long half-life of sorrow" is one of the many well-turned phrases which clings to memory). This essay collection (nonfiction writers have as much to gain as fiction writers from reading the book) is elegant, compelling, succinct, and breathtakingly clear without being condescending. The author (who also writes gorgeous fiction) covers all of the most important aspects of craft--openings, dialogue, character, high events (dramatic moments), sentiment vs. sentimentality, and closings, and includes advice from the best of the other writing "gurus" and wonderful passages of first-rate literature to illustrate points made. The Stuff of Fiction is truly a book for writers at all levels. I felt an immediate need to underline when I began reading; the book made me seriously re-think a novel on which I'm currently working. What more could a writer ask.

If you want to understand more about how a good piece of realistic fiction is put together, read this book. It provides both rules and the wisdom to make it clear that if a writer is on the right track, he or she can go ahead and break those rules.

*The Stuff of Fiction* explains to ordinary readers what has gone wrong when a book suddenly turns unsatisfying (for example, when it doesn't know when to end), the book gives new writers a set of guidelines to keep in the back of their heads while they are slaving away, a kind of frame to check the day's work against, and the book offers experienced writers a welcome articulation of the things they have been trying to do since they began this strange line of work.

The book explains how to start a story (maybe at the beginning, maybe not), how to write dialogue that doesn't thud or crawl on the page, how to create characters with mixed blessings and curses (like a human being in other words), how to give drama its necessary subtlety, how to create sentiment not sentimentality (a discourse on how to write with taste, which is kind of like explaining how to play jazz, but amazingly it really works), and how to end a story. Bauer uses examples effectively--taking apart work from Denis Johnson, Toni Morrison, Alice Munro, and yes Wm. Shakespeare--and writes directly but also elegantly.

Douglas Bauer is the author of three novels, each of which I loved (he never does the same thing twice, but since the prose always contains the same steely twists, you know it is the same guy), and teaches at the Bennington MFA Program.

Writing programs, take note--instructors can cut to the chase by judicious use of this handy and straightforward volume. I won't say it's the Strunk and White of contemporary realistic fiction writing--only time can tell that--but it's as close as I can imagine. Full disclosure requires me to say that I know Douglas Bauer personally, but honestly, I would say all of this if I didn't know him. It is a terrific and useful volume.

For the beginner or the serious amateur or anyone serious about writing fiction, this is the book to read.

My 10 year old daughter really enjoyed this book. The story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend it.

From the first page to last Mr. Ortiz' expert handling of his protagonist and her world makes this a truly enjoyable read. Whether it's tending the families herb garden or experiencing the sights and sounds (and smells) of London, Susanna's adventures capture the imagination and encourage the reader to accompany her in her exploits. She is witty and charming and worth the time to become better acquainted with.

Remember your high school History? Me neither. "Swan Town" will give you a second chance. It is written in the voice of Shakespeare's 13-year-old daughter Susanna, a girl who has to grow up real fast. And she is the one who will supply you with all the really interesting information about Shakespeare's era. Did Sister William ever tell us about "ducking"? Of course disease was rampant - there were horse droppings all over the streets! Shakespeare had a son named "Hamnet"? Huh! The pudding game...what's that? Need a snappy retort for that rude neighbor? See page 41. Besides providing all these absorbing facts, Susanna places Shakespeare in historical context for you. So maybe the next time you hear Shakespeare quoted you will have a better understanding of what he was saying...or leaving unsaid.

I enjoyed this book enormously. It made me think about the connections between religion, geography, history and the times that are the backdrop in the book. The diary style made the book move quickly, and learning about Shakepeare, his place in history, and the life of a young girl in his day was joyous exploration. A great middle school read for students studying European history or Shakespeare's plays. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

I bought this book for my 11-year-old niece, but I decided to read it first. Mr. Ortiz has given us a superb story for adolescents and for anyone else with a capacity for joy and a weakness for mischief.

The story is in fact structured as a journal, a device that Mr. Ortiz employs to excellent effect. Diary-keeping is still a favorite pastime of girls Susanna's age. What particularly pleased me was the juxtaposition between wisdom and mischief, between soaring delight and the muck left in the tracks of horses and fanatics. Everything is included in the weave.

Swan Town has important, positive values to convey: the goodness of a family, as it germinates in courtship and as it blooms in self-sacrifice; the splendor of the earth and material things; the wonder of language and its artful uses; and ultimately, the profundity of self-giving versus the pettiness of ideology, fear and self-seeking. But because it holds these values, Swan Town is not a tract. It is a good, earthy, beautiful story.

I had thought to finish the book over a long afternoon and evening, but this is a book I had to put down; the writing was often so poetic and lovely that I had to savor it by reading slowly over a few days.

Is this really a book for adolescents? It is, because it requires stretching. It coaxes growth. It expands horizons gently, playfully, and sometimes a little mournfully (but just a little). It is for all maturing children.

Kimberly Kirbergers book is good. Its a good way to answer questions about relationships.

My mom bought me both books at some book signing thing and when she gave them to me I was like...thanks. I started reading the book Teen Love first and I couldn't put it down. The real shocker though was the journal. This was as good as the book. It had so many great things in it. Poetry and quotes and something called Colin's pages which are pages with a guys opinion. I don't know hinm from TV but my friends do..anyways it was good ,too. The two books were great and I was just surpised that something my mom bought me was so good.

Kimberly Kirberger is the most brillant author of todays youth. When i purchased this journal i couldnt stop writing down my thoughts. Colin from the real world 8 really makes the journal complete on his thoughts. I am a fan of Mrs Kirberger and i want to thank her for saving me in every way possible. Through heart and soul, i think every one will agree with me on this journal by saying it was a item in which we all will cherish.

This book is so much more than a journal. I have the Chicken Soup Teen Journal also and this is just as good , if not better. Instead of just a bunch of blank questions, there are stories and poems too. The book opens up with a letter to Dear Boy and one to Dear Girl. These are so great. After I read those I knew I would love the journal.Then there are poems and quotes along with really good questions. I am about half way through with filling mine out and I'm sad becasue I don't want to finsih it. I also love Colin's pages. He is a guy from the Real World and he wrote some stuff in the journal. I really enjoyed reading a guys opinion. I still need to get my best friend to fill in the best friend pages but I am waiting because I am giving her a copy for Christmas. I am going to fill in the best friend pages before I give it to her. I think this makes a perfect Christams present. The Teen Love book is good ,too.

As I went through the book and filled it out, it made me realize a lot of triumph and tourmoil I have gone through in my teenage years. Even though I am only seventeen, I have been through a lot.

When I look back at everything I have written, I realize so many things I have learned from my relationships, from first crushes to first loves. I also learned the difference between the two. Falling in love is a wonderful experience for some, but for me, it was more than that. It was a learning experience. What I thought was love then, I do not consider love now. I first thought it was when you like someone a lot and have a lot of feelings for the person. You want to spend most of your time with them. After looking back on everything I wrote, I realized, I had not had my first love yet. Love is when you will do anything and everything for that person. When you are in love, it is overwhelming. It makes you feel like a brand new person.

I finally came to relaize what love really is when I met my current boyfriend. We have not been together long, but we have been together long enough to realize that my feelings for him go far beyond liking him a lot. He has got all of the qualities that I have ever looked for in a guy. He treats me right, with love and respect. If you truly love someone, you respect them. Not just as a person, but as a whole.

I am glad I purchased this book and completed it. I have learned a lot, and if I would have never bought this book, I probably would have never made a journal of my own to look back on as I get older. This is a great book, and I recommend it to all teenagers. It taught me a lesson or two about relationships. I think it could teach everyone.

As I said, the Thief Queen's Daughter took me a little bit of time to get into, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The characterization is lovely for the most part, especially that of Ven himself, who can sound like a 12 year old or a 50 year old, whatever your age and however way you prefer.

(He's a self-proclaimed 12 year old, but his species, the Nain--who I assume are similar to dwarves--live five times as long as humans and therefore consider 20 years old to be 5 years old, for example.)

Ven loves his mother and speaks very highly of her, even while acknowledging her legendary strictness. He has a dry sense of humor. He also has an empathetic heart, as indicated by his reaction to the title character's relationship with her mother.
The other characters traveling with Ven are indeed their ages: Ven's own age. (Now I leave you to figure it out until you go and buy the book to relieve you of the torture of not knowing. Okay, maybe not.

Above all, the story is fun to read. It has good descriptiveness, making it easy for you to visually picture where Ven and the others are and what they are doing. Not a minute goes by without something happening.

The prose is easy to read. That combined with the colorful story leads me to particularly recommend this book to those of Ven's age. Oh, not that I think people of other ages aren't allowed to enjoy it. I'm five, myself.
...In Nain years, that is.

My son, age 14, didn't put this book down for 2 days. Great book!

Ven Polypheme is fifty years old, but he is a Noin which translates to twelve in human age. He lives on the Island of Serendair in the lodge of Hare Warren located behind the Crossroads Inn where he eats and does odd jobs. He is also the Royal Reporter to the High king Vanemere so when he is called to come to the palace for his first assignment he is excited.

The King meets Ven in the garden before taking him to a hidden room where he shows him a special artifact that comes from the Gated City in Kingston, a former penal colony in which the citizens can never leave. He orders Ven to go there accompanied by four friends to learn who sent the artifact and why and what does it mean. When they enter the Gated City, they are immediately dazzled by its glitter, games, and market. However when one of them is stolen, the others must reach the inner city governed by the Thieves Guild. There they are taken prisoner so they must find a way to escape while seeking the person who sent the artifact but the gates are close so they will have to find an alternate means pf leaving.

Elizabeth Haydon is a great storyteller whose current work will appeal to the Harry Potter crowd. Her hero Ven is likable and willing to learn which makes him intelligent as he lives in a place where life is cheap. There is lots of action The Thief Queen's Daughter and Ven's curiosity makes him want to learn about the Inner City culture. Not all the people who reside inside the Gated City are evil as some risk their lives to try to help the children as best they can, knowing they will never leave. The villain has a surprising relationship to one of the children leaving the audience with hope that maybe the heroes will survive their ordeal although that is doubtful.

Harriet Klausner

I loved the Floating Island. It was one of the best books of any genre that I have read in a long time, and reminded me of my favorite childhood tomes, with the right amount of magic and adventure, and probably the most likable hero I've encountered. Second books are usually very disappointing, especially when the first is as amazing as that one was, so I was shocked and delighted to discover that The Thief Queen's daughter, which I've awaited anziously since I read the last page of the Floating Island, is even more engagingly magical.

This is a series I recommend, as a teacher, parent, and proud perennial kid, to everyone and anyone. There is nothing offensive about it, but the lessons woven artfully into the plot are good ones for anybody to adopt. The characters, especially Felonia the Thief Queen, will stay in your memory long after the last page of this book is done. I am now anxiously awaiting The Dragon's Lair, the next of Ven's adventures. The little trailer for it at the end hooked me immediately.

Almost seven years ago, Haydon introduced Rhapsody, whom became a Namer and befriended two half-breeds on the island of Serendair. People all over the world fell in love with the Symphony of Ages, and the series quickly became a World Wide Bestseller! Haydon created memorable characters, like Rhapsody, Grunthor, and Achmed the snake whom traveled to the tree of Sagia and escaped the destruction of the Lost Island of Serendair.
In 2006, Haydon introduced a new hero, a new character which we had heard of from Requiem for the Sun, and The Assassin King of the SOA series. Ven Polypheme, the Nain explorer who went on to write: The Book of All Human Knowledge, and All the World's Magic. Which takes place in the Second Age: The Broken World. (Arrival of Man whom dominate as the surpreme beings after the Racian Wars against the F'Dor [demonic fire spirits]).
While The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme are more for the 'Young at Heart,'we can still enjoy Haydon's wonderful skill of creating memorable characters and her wondeful imagination. We don't see a very detailed plot, (of course, this series is for young readers) but we do get to enjoy exploring Serendair more. Since Haydon only showed us Easton and Sagia in Rhapsody. Which is one reason why I bought the book series in the first place, I wanted to learn more about Serendair.
But, in the bargain I grew to love Ven Polypheme and his close friends. The Floating Island was a real treat! And the magic in it seemed so more original and familar than the epic Mythical atmosphere in the SOA series. The novel was a nice, easy read and didn't cause me to have a headache afterwards. Nevetheless, if you are over 13 and haven't checked out the SOA series, you should do so. But, anyway back to the real reason why I'm here.
The Thief Queen's Daughter brings Ven back to life. The only problem is that, first, The King of Serendair wishes Ven to travel into The Gated City (a place where long ago thieves lived without following the laws and there decendants are not allowed to leave the city) and is a very dangerous place. And two, The King of Serendair fires Ven infront of the entire court (for a reason which you will learn later on) and the Albatross that was always following Ven turns out to be watching him by somebody afar...
Ven than journeys into The Thieves Market with his friends, Char, Saeli, Nick, and Clem to find out about a treasure in the Inner Market when he ask Madame Sharra a question, and the Seren reads from The Stolen Deck (dragons scales that appear gray, but turned in the light, reveal there true hue) for Ven, three scales, and Ven finds out three things. One inludes that something will be stolen from him by The Thief Queen herself.
So begins the second tale of The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme. I wish not to spoil anymore than I had. So your going to have to read the book for yourself. This series is a delight, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment (The Dragon's Lair) and Haydon's next novel in the Symphony of Ages.

As I said, the Thief Queen's Daughter took me a little bit of time to get into, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The characterization is lovely for the most part, especially that of Ven himself, who can sound like a 12 year old or a 50 year old, whatever your age and however way you prefer.

(He's a self-proclaimed 12 year old, but his species, the Nain--who I assume are similar to dwarves--live five times as long as humans and therefore consider 20 years old to be 5 years old, for example.)

Ven loves his mother and speaks very highly of her, even while acknowledging her legendary strictness. He has a dry sense of humor. He also has an empathetic heart, as indicated by his reaction to the title character's relationship with her mother.
The other characters traveling with Ven are indeed their ages: Ven's own age. (Now I leave you to figure it out until you go and buy the book to relieve you of the torture of not knowing. Okay, maybe not.

Above all, the story is fun to read. It has good descriptiveness, making it easy for you to visually picture where Ven and the others are and what they are doing. Not a minute goes by without something happening.

The prose is easy to read. That combined with the colorful story leads me to particularly recommend this book to those of Ven's age. Oh, not that I think people of other ages aren't allowed to enjoy it. I'm five, myself.
...In Nain years, that is.

My son, age 14, didn't put this book down for 2 days. Great book!

Ven Polypheme is fifty years old, but he is a Noin which translates to twelve in human age. He lives on the Island of Serendair in the lodge of Hare Warren located behind the Crossroads Inn where he eats and does odd jobs. He is also the Royal Reporter to the High king Vanemere so when he is called to come to the palace for his first assignment he is excited.

The King meets Ven in the garden before taking him to a hidden room where he shows him a special artifact that comes from the Gated City in Kingston, a former penal colony in which the citizens can never leave. He orders Ven to go there accompanied by four friends to learn who sent the artifact and why and what does it mean. When they enter the Gated City, they are immediately dazzled by its glitter, games, and market. However when one of them is stolen, the others must reach the inner city governed by the Thieves Guild. There they are taken prisoner so they must find a way to escape while seeking the person who sent the artifact but the gates are close so they will have to find an alternate means pf leaving.

Elizabeth Haydon is a great storyteller whose current work will appeal to the Harry Potter crowd. Her hero Ven is likable and willing to learn which makes him intelligent as he lives in a place where life is cheap. There is lots of action The Thief Queen's Daughter and Ven's curiosity makes him want to learn about the Inner City culture. Not all the people who reside inside the Gated City are evil as some risk their lives to try to help the children as best they can, knowing they will never leave. The villain has a surprising relationship to one of the children leaving the audience with hope that maybe the heroes will survive their ordeal although that is doubtful.

Harriet Klausner

I loved the Floating Island. It was one of the best books of any genre that I have read in a long time, and reminded me of my favorite childhood tomes, with the right amount of magic and adventure, and probably the most likable hero I've encountered. Second books are usually very disappointing, especially when the first is as amazing as that one was, so I was shocked and delighted to discover that The Thief Queen's daughter, which I've awaited anziously since I read the last page of the Floating Island, is even more engagingly magical.

This is a series I recommend, as a teacher, parent, and proud perennial kid, to everyone and anyone. There is nothing offensive about it, but the lessons woven artfully into the plot are good ones for anybody to adopt. The characters, especially Felonia the Thief Queen, will stay in your memory long after the last page of this book is done. I am now anxiously awaiting The Dragon's Lair, the next of Ven's adventures. The little trailer for it at the end hooked me immediately.

Almost seven years ago, Haydon introduced Rhapsody, whom became a Namer and befriended two half-breeds on the island of Serendair. People all over the world fell in love with the Symphony of Ages, and the series quickly became a World Wide Bestseller! Haydon created memorable characters, like Rhapsody, Grunthor, and Achmed the snake whom traveled to the tree of Sagia and escaped the destruction of the Lost Island of Serendair.
In 2006, Haydon introduced a new hero, a new character which we had heard of from Requiem for the Sun, and The Assassin King of the SOA series. Ven Polypheme, the Nain explorer who went on to write: The Book of All Human Knowledge, and All the World's Magic. Which takes place in the Second Age: The Broken World. (Arrival of Man whom dominate as the surpreme beings after the Racian Wars against the F'Dor [demonic fire spirits]).
While The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme are more for the 'Young at Heart,'we can still enjoy Haydon's wonderful skill of creating memorable characters and her wondeful imagination. We don't see a very detailed plot, (of course, this series is for young readers) but we do get to enjoy exploring Serendair more. Since Haydon only showed us Easton and Sagia in Rhapsody. Which is one reason why I bought the book series in the first place, I wanted to learn more about Serendair.
But, in the bargain I grew to love Ven Polypheme and his close friends. The Floating Island was a real treat! And the magic in it seemed so more original and familar than the epic Mythical atmosphere in the SOA series. The novel was a nice, easy read and didn't cause me to have a headache afterwards. Nevetheless, if you are over 13 and haven't checked out the SOA series, you should do so. But, anyway back to the real reason why I'm here.
The Thief Queen's Daughter brings Ven back to life. The only problem is that, first, The King of Serendair wishes Ven to travel into The Gated City (a place where long ago thieves lived without following the laws and there decendants are not allowed to leave the city) and is a very dangerous place. And two, The King of Serendair fires Ven infront of the entire court (for a reason which you will learn later on) and the Albatross that was always following Ven turns out to be watching him by somebody afar...
Ven than journeys into The Thieves Market with his friends, Char, Saeli, Nick, and Clem to find out about a treasure in the Inner Market when he ask Madame Sharra a question, and the Seren reads from The Stolen Deck (dragons scales that appear gray, but turned in the light, reveal there true hue) for Ven, three scales, and Ven finds out three things. One inludes that something will be stolen from him by The Thief Queen herself.
So begins the second tale of The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme. I wish not to spoil anymore than I had. So your going to have to read the book for yourself. This series is a delight, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment (The Dragon's Lair) and Haydon's next novel in the Symphony of Ages.

Of course, in a book with this many contributors, the writing is a bit uneven. but the overall effect is wonderful. Actually, it is somewhat surprising that there is relatively little non-fiction about men physicians. About women, there is practically nothing. This volume tries to cover everything, from the first "lady" doctors to graduate from medical school to the multiple paths medical study takes now that about 50% of medical school classes are women. The pulls between family and practice are well described. Some women choose not to have children of their own. I was especially struck by the story of an orthopedic surgeon who sacrificed 20 years of her life to be one of the boys and then hit the glass ceiling with a crash. Fortunately, she found a good position at another academic center. How many do not? I loved the editor's poem, which both in form and in words illustrated the family/physician duality. There are too many to cite in a review. I recently talked to my daughter about how much I disliked the use of "female" doctor instead of woman doctor. She said, "Why don't you just call them "doctor?" I'm afraid we're not there yet. Women tend to crowd into psychiatry, pediatrics, and now internal medicine and even ob/gyn. This volume illustrates in many ways what we can hope is to be a total success story.

This Side Of Doctoring: Reflections From Women In Medicine showcases a superbly presented and collection of stories, poems, and essays capturing what it means to be a female physician. Ranging from pioneering lady doctors to today's increasing numbers of women medical students, This Side Of Doctoring explores and reveals the struggles and triumphs of women in the past 150 years of western medicine. Included are intimate sketches of the contributors personal lives and experiences that seldom (if ever) appear in traditional, male oriented medical writings and histories. This Side Of Doctoring is strongly recommended for personal, professional, and academic reading lists and reference collections, especially in the areas and disciplines of Medical History and Women's Studies.

This book is not only informative and enlightening but enjoyable and inspiring. There is something in this book for everyone, whether you are a medical student, premed, physician or retired physician. Historians, feminists and the medical community will also find this book invaluable. 'This Side of Doctoring' is like a time-capsule of women in medicine, from the days of pioneer Elizabeth Blackwell to female medical students today (who are also still pioneering change in medicine). Lo Chin has compiled the who, what, why, when and how of women doctors. The stories, essays, and especially poems, capture the spirit of women physicians past and present. With more than 100 women's stories, it accurately portrays the sacrifices and rewards of this challenging career. I especially enjoyed the chapters on mothering, the early pioneers and barriers to women in medicine. Because it is an anthology, you can digest at your own convenience, read one piece or a chapter, good for busy women like me! It is a book to which I will constantly refer.

As a recent med school graduate, I found this book to be enlightening on many fronts. I have wrestled with similar issues and have had to make my own hard choices about my career and life, while living with the guilt and self-doubt of my decisions. This book touched a nerve with me because it presents the many issues women in the field of medicine have to deal with daily, and for the rest of their lives from the perspective of women who have tread this path and understand the complex conflicts and possibilities of being a woman and being in medicine. I especially enjoyed the section on the early pioneers of woman in medicine, as well as sections written by doctors who faced much harder decisions in their time, and helped make the options available to today's modern med school graduate possible. My favorite part though, is the way the editor culled not just stories and histories from her contributors, but POEMS which evoke the emotional struggle of women in medicine, that many have had to repress and not face in their daily hectic time short juggling routine. I found myself forced to stop running on the treadmill of life and really reflect. Thank you for helping me to really reflect on my own life in medicine and for helping me honor and respect those who have made the joys of medicine and womanhood possible for everyone.

Having recently graduated residency with two young children, I couldn't stop reading this book. I want to plaster these essays on the cover of the Wall Street Journal: this is why medical training has to change! I am buying this book for all of my friends.

I doubt that one could find any reliable estimates of the number of Jews who managed to survive the Final Solution by fleeing their homes, moving from country to country, crossing borders illegally, hiding, assuming false identities, relying on the help of strangers, and going without. It must have been at least in the hundreds of thousands; more likely in the millions. Intelligence, physical stamina, and psychological fortitude all increased one's chances of surviving on the run, but luck, good or bad, weighed in again and again and again.
The author was eight years old in 1939, when she and her mother left their home in Breslau, Germany. For the next four years, the two traveled from place to place in Belgium and France. They did not entirely elude the Nazis; at one point, they were held in an internment camp called "Zwartberg" in the Province of Limburg, Belgium. The years of flight were years of fear, anxiety, hunger, and cold. Gerda's memoir of this difficult time is a treasure. It is rich in detail and well-written, but it also something more. Although any semblance of a normal childhood was taken from her, she nevertheless experienced the struggle for survival through the eyes of a child. Here it must be noted that the young Gerda Bierzonski was unusually astute and observant, able to grasp much of what was going on around her and inclined to wonder. She has managed to capture her child's-eye view in the book. She has also succeeded in weaving into the narrative a sufficient amount of general historical information, enabling the reader to place her journey in the proper context.

A childhood spent on the run from Nazis, in Poland, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Italy: what a memoir. It reminds us that even Holocaust survivors who escaped the concentration camps could hardly find a day of rest from the major and the petty harassment visited on them by Nazis. Gerda Bikales seems to have remembered every home or shed that offered her and her mother shelter, and she is generous in thanking those who helped. Remarkable that she is not bitter, but grateful for survival, that she was able to stay with her mother until almost the end, and was reunited with her eventually, and most of all that she was able to enter the United States and make a happy adult life. An amazing book. I recommend it heartily to Amazon's readers.

This is a remarkable true-life account of refugee flight from the Third Reich as seen through the eyes of a precocious young girl. Full of unforgettable characters, it is the amazing story of a mother and daughter's courageous escape across the darkening landscape of World War II Europe. At times more incredible than fiction, this well-written book brings history to life in a way that the reader will never forget. I cannot recommend it too highly.

Gerda Bikales' story of her Jewish childhood in hiding in Hitler's Europe is told with a novelist's feel for scene and character - and terror. It is also authentic. There are no tortures or eyewitness murders to harrow those with little stomach for atrocities. Rather this is a profoundly moving story of the WWII through the half-comprehending eyes of child, a girl aged eight to 12, on the run for her life. Occasionally she grabs snatches of education in different countries and different languages but mostly she lives in hiding, afraid and observing with extraordinary sensitivity. Unlike many stories of this kind this one has a happy ending. If you are used to thinking about political events as semi-abstract movements and isms this book will provide a different perspective.

As one of her acquaintances who has been urging Mrs. Bikales to finish her memoir of a childhood journey through wartime Europe, I am delighted with the result. Her book reads like a thriller as she and her mother move from one place to another to avoid the impositions of Nazi tyranny. There are warm allusions to the importance of family and survival as well as the kindness of strangers, all in the context of innocent childhood thrust into the cauldron of hatred and violence. In these times, when so many would have us suspend memory of the Holocaust by revising history, it is ever more important to have the witnesses share their stories. Gerda Bikales has shared hers, adding to the treasury of important memory. Her writing is exceptional, with the photographs bringing one family's unique existence into focus. Yet, one realizes that this family's history is symbolic of so many more in their various experiences during a tragic and unforgettable time.