Literature Books

My wife and I like to listen to a tape while we read the book. We are rereading this book that way. It is a classic and a good introduction to Alaska, where we have lived and worked and touristed.

Want to read about the realities of the 49th state????
Want to really learn something about this region???
Want to get good visuals????????
If NOT don't read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is a wonderful relic, the last plausible vision of a living American frontier. In the mid seventies, McPhee went to Alaska to do a few pieces for the New Yorker. He met a lot of trappers, prospectors, and "river people" who'd built moss-chinked cabins and whose individualism, gruff hospitality, and happiness he admired. McPhee made a plea for democratic access to Alaskan land. He argued that land far from roads should remain fair game for homesteaders in perpetuity.

It is odd to read an ode to Alaska's wild immensity at a time when islands are being evacuated in the Aleutians, polar bears are drowning, and the permafrost is melting. The question these days is not whether Americans can still choose to live in more or less untainted outback. The question is whether that outback will soon be transformed beyond recognition, not by oil drilling, but by climate change.

What Coming into the Country offers the twenty-first century is escapism and nostalgia. McPhee's account of the political squabbles over the location of Alaska's capital has lost its relevance, but the rest of the book still comes to life. We meet a mix of clannish Christians, proud native people, and prickly bootleggers in the small, dry town of Eagle. McPhee's tale of a man's survival in sub-zero weather after a plane crash constitutes a minor classic of its own.

The book reminds us how powerful the frontier fantasy remains in American psyches. Can it be harnessed as a metaphor? Can the dream of self-reliance on a private patch of woods help motivate us, indirectly, to cut carbon emissions? It has motivated us to go camping and conserve some wild lands even while ruining others. Still, I suspect that as the environmental movement shifts in response to global warming, we may have to jettison the frontier fantasy. It depends too much on a view of nature as more powerful than man. Whether or not we agree with Bill McKibben that we have arrived at the end of nature, we know that everything is responding to elevated temperatures. There is no untouched patch of land left in Alaska. The romance of a homestead sours when the flora and fauna are marching north past the log cabin, driven by coal and oil fires from all over the planet.

I traveled to Alaska in 2006 but lived there in the early 70's. Why I delayed so long in reading "Coming into the Country" I don't know, but John McPhee has taken me back to that earlier day. Both his character and place descriptions are wonderful and make me long for the cabins, the ice break-up, the dogs, the bush planes, and the 55 gallon drums. The Anchorage of today is much changed, but the bush is still there -- Thank God.

We bought this book in Nome, Alaska on a visit there in 2001 (my brother owns a flying service there). I took my time reading it the first time. Coming into the Country is not a book to be read quickly, but, rather, one to be savored, taking time for the details to seep into the crevices of one's memory until they become part of one's knowledge base. Every page holds a vast amount of information that if read too quickly blurs to nothingness and is lost.

McPhee's descriptions of the land, its rivers and mountains, its challenges, its beauty, and its people are thorough and draw the reader into the pages of his book. It takes a certain kind of person to survive in the Alaskan bush. I, for one, am drawn to its splendor, its starkness, its fearsomeness, but am sure I don't have the right stuff to live there long term. The river people and others, who thrive in communities like Eagle and Central (even Fairbanks and Juneau), have remarkable stamina and a strong determination to live the lives they choose in their respective settings, all of which are breathtaking in their beauty. McPhee also writes of the tension between the races (Indian and white)and the human dynamic among community members (the good and the no-so-good)that always accompanies the sharing of space and resources.

Over the past five years, I've picked up CITC now and then to re-read parts of it. Most recently, I re-read the whole of Part III Coming into the Country. This is my favorite section because it focuses on the bush and its people, most particularly on Eagle, Alaska located on the Yukon River and just across the International Boundary from Canada's Yukon Territory. (Incidentally, the term "coming into the country" refers to the arrival of a person into the Alaskan bush with the intent of staying. I may move from Michigan to Ohio or New York or California, but, if I go to Alaska, they call it coming into the country. "Brad Snow and Lily Allen came into the country in 1973." "Joe Vogler came into the country in 1944." "John Borg came into the country in 1966" (and he's still there. Check out the Eagle site. Borg has worn many hats in Eagle and still sits on the board of the Eagle Historical Society and Museum. Borg's wife, Betty, is the board's treasurer).

The original copyright on this book is 1976, thirty years ago. The growth in technology since that time has allowed almost every municipality to have their own website. Eagle is no exception. [...]

Carolyn Rowe Hill

I love all the books by Robert Sabuda. My grandchildren are fascinated by his pop-ups. They are beyond anything I've seen in any other pop up books. My grandsons ages 13 to 7 love to look at the beasts as well as the dinosaurs in his last book. They also love all his other books on various subjects. The "Wizard of Oz" was a real favorite. Don't hesitate to start a library of his books. The kids look at them over and over again.

My little boy (6 years old) is such a huge fan of these beautiful books. Even I love looking at all the details and wondering how anyone could design such intricate pop-ups. If you have a child at home who loves beasts and monsters get this book. There is also lots of facts and trivia to keep your child interested as they get older.

This book and the other two Encyclopedia Prehistorica volumes are interactive and fascinating. While technically pop-up books I would consider them to be more art than craft. They are definitely geared toward older children and need to be handled carefully. Highly recommended to anyone 8 and up with an interest in unique books.

Another winning book from the Sabuda/Reinhart collaboration. Imaginative and well made. A creative work of art! Perect for any child who loves beasts and monsters.

My 6 yr old son received this as a Christmas gift. We all fell in love with it - even my 2 yr old! Being an Encyclopedia it is filled with information and the pop out pictures are fantastic, plus they grab the children's interest easily. I was amazed at the detail and quality of the pop outs. There are tiny books within the pages that also have tiny detailed pop outs. These books are going to be kept for a long time!

He's been raging for years. Star trek and outer limits episodes, the short story he claims (with much vigor.) was the basis for the terminator.
He is a man from a bygone age who writes with a passion that is not found today. Some of the best short stories to be found (I have no mouth and I must scream)flow from his pen. A man worthy of a retrospective.
think of that!Gideon's Fall: When You Dont Have a Prayer, Only a Miracle Will Do

My first introduction to Harlan Ellison was in a college course called "Alternative Political Futures" where the professor used science fiction to illustrate the concepts that underlie political science. As part of that course, we read many of the great works of science ficition, including Dune, The Left Hand of Darkness, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Ender's Game, and Childhood's End.

By far, however, the most fascinating writer in the course was Harlan Ellison, and we read two of his stories, A Boy and His Dog and Repent Harlenquin Said the Ticktockman. In just a few pages of each of his stories, Ellison creates a believeable world through the use of nimble wordplay and intriguing characters.

Essential Ellison demonstrates Ellison's development over the course of his career and provides a wealth of entertaining stories. Even more than the fiction, however, I enjoyed the autobiographical essays that are interspersed throughout the book. Ellison opens the window to his own personality, and he is character as vivid as any of his fictional creations.

The only reason that I gave four stars instead of the unabashed five star rating is because there are several stories in this 1000+ page tome that did not catch my fancy. That's to be expected, but I struggled through about 200 pages of the overall book. Don't let that deter you - find the stories that resonate with you.

When Harlan Ellison published Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions way back in the mists of the previous century, the speculative fiction community was turned on its ear, not just once but several times. Awards and accolades were heaped upon the participants -- none more so than Harlan himself, who brought the whole thing together. When the promised final volume, The Last Dangerous Visions, failed to materialize for thirty years, accolades turned to puzzlement, accusation, invective, and anger -- almost all of it directed at Harlan, who may or may not be the proper target. I won't enter into that debate (much of it is pointless and silly, not to mention frequently absurd and childish). The only reason I bring up the whole DV mess at all is because, in rereading Essential Ellison, I find that while other writers may have produced stories worthy of inclusion in those volumes, it is Harlan himself who, for all these years, had had the truly dangerous visions. Consider the following stories, all included in this eye-opening retrospective:

* "Lonelyache" -- a dark, mysterious tale of a man at the end of his emotional rope, which wallops you like a chunk of slate;

* Punky and the Yale Men" -- wherein a man tries to relive the violent days of his youth; one of Harlan's most underrated stories;

* "A Prayer For No One's Enemy" -- one of Harlan's most controversial tales, which puts not just anti-Semitism but all racism in its proper perspective;

* "Neither Your Jenny Nor Mine" -- a harrowing story of the days of illegal abortions, absolutely riveting;

* "The Resurgence of Miss Ankle-Strap Wedgie" -- Harlan's best-ever parable about the cannibalistic world of Hollywood;

* "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" -- Harlan's delightful, delicious ode to nonconformity;

* "Jeffty Is Five" -- wistful, haunting, and scary all at once, this story (like Bradbury's "The Playground") shows that eternal youth is not all it's cracked up to be;

* "Mom" --Harlan could've talked Oedipus into leaving home;

* "Alive and Well On a Friendless Voyage" -- existential despair as only Harlan can render it;

* "A Boy and His Dog" -- I usually hate the post-apocalypse genre, but Harlan gets it right on this one;

* "The Deathbird" -- my all-time favorite Ellison story, bar none, a beautifully-constructed parable about God, the Devil, and Man's true place in the universe...

...and this list just barely scratches the surface! I haven't touched upon half of the great work in this retrospective -- such as Harlan's heartfelt, sometimes touching, oftimes scathing nonfiction and essays, or the samples of his wicked sense of humor, his brilliant screenwriting, and his absolute fearlessness and honesty in the face of every sort of mendacity and double-dealing one could imagine.

That said, there are some things missing from this book as well; my short list would include such gems as the brilliant "The Beast Who Shouted Love At the Heart of the World," the chilling "Croatoan," the hysterical "From A to Z, In the Chocolate Alphabet" and "How's the Night Life On Cissalda?" (my nominee for Harlan's funniest-ever story), the thought-provoking "Hitler Painted Roses" and "Lonely Women Are the Vessels of Time", and one of my favorites, the haunting "Demon With a Glass Hand". I understand an updated version of Essential Ellison s coming out soon (soon being relative when talking about Harlan and anthologies, natch), and that it will include some new things, like the stunning "Mefisto In Onyx". I can only hope some of the above stories are included as well -- and while they're at it, here's hoping Harlan and Terry Dowling decide to drop "The Man Who Was Heavily Into Revenge," which is my least-favorite of Harlan's works. It's full of the purple overwriting (some of it bordering on self-parody) which has marred so much of Ray Bradbury's latter-day stories. (Sorry, fellow Harlan fans, but I call 'em like I see 'em!) Harlan has said of Stephen King that King needs a good editor; reading "Revenge" makes me wonder if Unca Harlan shouldn't attend the mote in his own eye first.

That, however, is another subject for another time. (And it's a good thing Harlan eschews computers and the Internet, or I'd be getting one hell of an e-mail from him right about now!) The Essential Ellison is what I'm talking about here, and not only is it a great introduction to Harlan's immense body of classic work, it is also one of the finest collections of writing that any American author, living or dead, has ever produced. Only Mark Twain has written as well, as volubly, and on as many topics as Harlan, and only Twain was better...and I have a feeling that only Harlan will be missed as much, and celebrated as much, over the course of the next century as Twain was over the last. Enjoy him while you can, folks -- because writers like Harlan Ellison come along about once every hundred years, and their dangerous visions are not to be taken lightly.

I've had this book for going on ten years, and rarely is there a month that goes by without me picking it up. Ellison's full range is well represented, from the earliest days up through the classics like 'the Deathbird'. Some of the best Ellison non-fiction and opinion pieces are well represented also. If you've never read Ellison, be prepared to shift your outlook on pretty much everything.
This book and the "Angry Candy" collection would tide me over on a desert island pretty well.

Buy this book. Buy it now.Harlan Ellisn is the difference between writing and storytelling.....like some medieval wanderer with a heart full of magic, Harlan will leave your imagination reeling. These stories are the result of a person with a keen eye for the human soul and a style that far exceeds "expectations"....They may or may not change your life, but they are guaranteed to make your day. Buy it now, while there is still time. Your local bookstore will seem like a third-world newspaper rack when you realize that they probably don't have it, and you will be sorry.

Guyon has given the church a spiritual gem. And this gem has been mostly hidden... hidden by years of religious junk that is void of life-changing power! She writes of what many call "the deeper Christian life" when it is truthfully... the normal Christian life. Unfortunately, it is this Christian life that most believers never mature and grow up into.

Guyon calls believers to learn a new way of prayer and a new way to read Scripture. This new way will ultimately lead us to experience the depths of Jesus Christ.

Guyon recognizes that man is tripartite or trichotomous in nature. Meaning... man is composed of spirit, soul(psyche), and body. It is in the spirit of man that we meet Christ. It is through the denial of our soul-life (i.e. will, emotions, intellect) that we learn to meet with God in the spirit. The spirit then governs the soul and body as Christ intended in divine order.

It is through abandonment and pressing through the "spiritual dryness" that we shall take hold of a deeper experience with Christ. Discerning the activity of your spirit vs. your soul... will allow you to come to Christ in the way he has placed before us. It is by turning inward to Christ that we discover his life in us.

"When your soul is once turned toward God---the God who dwells within your spirit---you will find it easy to keep turning within. The longer you continue to turn within, the closer you will come to God and the more firmly you will cling to him." p.54

Many believers are led astray by external activities of the soul for years before they ever take seriously the spiritual things spoken of in this book. This is a common occurrence... but it is not normal and it never should be accepted as an inevitable delay of Christian maturity.

Guyon writes, "If a new convert were introduced to real prayer and to a true inward experience of Christ as soon as he became converted, you would see countless numbers of converts go on to become true disciples."

She goes on to say, "the present way of deaing only with external matters in the life of the new convert brings little fruit. Burdening the new Christian with countless rules and all sorts of standards does not help him grow in Christ. Here is what should be done: The new Christian should be led to God. How? By learning to turn within to Jesus Christ and by giving the Lord his whole heart." p.117

This book is about how this happens. I have not read a more practical book about Christian living. I highly recommend this book to those who have exhausted themselves by attempting to live like Christ in the soul-life.

For more of a thorough teaching on the tripartite nature of man... please read, "The Release of the Spirit" and "The Spiritual Man, vol.1" by Watchman Nee.

I recommend the following books:
The Release of the Spirit
The Spiritual Man (3 volume set)
The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Volume One
The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine

"Experiencing the Depths..." is one of the best books on prayer ever written. But, you need to follow her instructions to actually do chapters 1,2, & 3 before you read on. The temptation to continue reading and not doing is enormous but the result will just be confusion. Also reading her Autobiography will increase your understanding and connection with this book.

Pastor pablo alegre

This book changed my life by helping me understand just how close Christ is to us who believe and seek Him. I don't ever have to be alone again and can practice the Greatest Commandment in all my life, and have complete joy in Christ. Daily Bible reading is also a must for me to help keep me turned away from the "world" and at the same time turned inward towards Christ Jesus who abides in me and in all. Praise God and Christ for new life!!!

This book seemed very interesting, however I found that even when its contents were explained simply, it's almost too vague or confusing for me to comprehend what the author is suggesting. In its shortest form, this book teaches Christians that meditation is the key to remaining focused on God and staying in His holy presence. However, it uses vauge suggestions like, "Now bring your self into the Lord's presence and just hold yourself there in silence." Now, I take it as if I could already bring myself into the Lord's presence, then I probably wouldn't need this book! However, late on the book does offer a little more explanation. But the true value of this book is when it goes in to describing the difficulties one can expect to face when trying to draw closer to the Father. This section of the book (luckily a large portion of the entire text) is by far the most useful and practical and on it's merits alone I would recommend this book to all but the newest followers of Christ. (Newer followers might not understand the issues discussed without a little "practical experience" under their belt.)

This little book will help you get closer to God as you pray. It should be on every Christian's book shelf. It is a little hard to get in to, but don't give up - persevere - and you will be rewarded with a better prayer life.

Both my kids loved this book from a very young age. The touchy feely aspect really draws the attention of little ones. And all in all the books are quite durable. Mine have been well loved by our two, and are now heading to our baby cousins. The farm and baby animals were my childrens favorites.

This was my daughter's first board book and the first book she took an interest in. She loved the photographs of the animals, as opposed to drawn illustrations. The book includes a variety of textures and recognizable farm animals.

My 2 year old enjoys this set a lot. She loves touching the furry parts of the cards and they are super sturdy (cardboard). There are about 5 cards that are way to hard for her limited vocabulary so we make up the names, other than that they are great!

The book is sturdy,cute and of good quality, but my toddler was not impressed. I thought she would like the book better then she did.

Whenever we go out to eat, we are sure to take this book along. It keeps my little boy (11 months) entertained while we wait for our food, and works like a charm. There is nothing better when he is screaming his head off than to pull out this book and presto, instant smile. He touches and feels and tries so hard to say baa at the sheep at bark at the dog. It is well worth the money. And so far it has held up remarkably well (even though there is rice in the dogs fur and cheese on the lambs wool).

From reading the other reviews here, I can see I'm not the only person who looks at this trilogy as a "cult favorite." It seems that the Borribles definitely have a devout following!

Good news, friends! A publisher in the UK has recently re-printed all three books, in a single volume. These stories are available again at last! Click on "United Kingdom" at the bottom of your screen, and have "The Borribles Trilogy" shipped to you from Amazon.com in Great Britain.

Wow. What a great, original book. I read if for the first time in the late 70s...when I was 12 years old. It was a stunning work then, and remains such. I didn't care for the sequels that I discovered and read several years later, though. I think the story works best as a stand-alone book.

Regardless, this is an awesome book. Do yourself a favor and read it!

Don't get caught!

This book brings back a lot of memories. I read it in my teen years, and it reminds me of one of my English teachers who took the trouble to track down and buy me one of the sequels. That was an act of kindness I never forgot, and why I think teachers are such marvellous people to this day (I had excellent ones.)

The basic premise is of children who run away from home to an underworld/sub-world (yes, it's a kind of urban fantasy). The new arrivals have no name until they can prove they deserve one, and they can earn several. I don't remember the plot, but I know that the tribal/merit-based culture and the way they interacted was really interesting to me, and I'm getting ready to track down a copy for my niece who will soon be of an age to enjoy this one.

Like many here I read this book as a young man. Borribles are children that have chosen to run away from home and live on the street. As they live on the street their ears become pointed, which is why they wear hats to hide the fact from those that hunt borribles. Once you become a Borrible you will remain a kid forever...unless... Many of the cops that work the beat that Borribles can be found are on the look out for them. If a Borrible is captured, then the cops will clip his ears and he will turn back into a normal kid. People that were once Borribles become insanely jealous of those that still are Borribles and also hunt them. Couple this with extra large, intellegent sewer rats that are the sworn enemy of Borribles, and you can see that a Borribles existance is a bit dicey. As a Borrible you can't get a job, so they live by their wits, stealing their supper and defending themselves with thier trusty slingshots. They live in small tribes / street gangs throughout London scratching a rough existance from the sewers and back alleys. Forming alliances and rivalries with each other as well.
The first book of Borribles, a Borrible finds a scout Rumble (really big sewer rat) and his tribe elects to seek out the rumbles and disrupt any plans of attack they may have. Think about a tiny Delta Force unit with sling shots and a candy fixation. Gritty and Tough as the Outsiders with a little Peter Pan thrown in, a great read. I highly recommend this book.

If it weren't for their pointed ears (which you should know are always well-disguised under a woollen hat whenever they're out in public), it would be very difficult to distinguish a Borrible from a normal human child. They're generally "very skinny", "pretty tough looking", and "always scruffy". Sums up this generation perfectly, don't you think? ;-)

Anyhow, the story itself begins when an enemy Rumble is spotted on Borrible territory by two lookouts, Knocker and Lightfoot. The Borrible instantly smell trouble and in no time at all have assembled a crack team of adventurers to assassinate the Rumble High Command. Naturally of course, not all goes according to plan...

From page one, Michael de Larrabeiti's 'The Borribles' is brimming with action and adventure of epic proportions. It isn't perfect, but whether you're young or simply young at heart, there's something here to be enjoyed.

Highly recommended!

Find the Constellations is an absolutely joy to read and study. Rey totally gives modern folk, young and old, a challenge in his opening comments: "Simple shepherds 5000 years ago were familiar with the heavens; they knew the stars and constellations--and they could not read or write---so why don't you?" (Page 3) I agree, and I wonder if we have lost something--as a species, for all our technology, in not observing and questioning the night sky.

This book would be an appropriate product for family time and weekend time--sharing and learning together. The illustrations are easy to grasp, and the fonts are big, easily read even for eye glass wearers. Two chatty little characters appear on select pages to add humor, additional information, and / or emphasis to given material.

My favorite sections in the book:

Star Magnitudes & Examples
Orion & His Stars
Light-Years, Explanation & Examples
Constellation Quizzes
Seasonal Sky Views
Polaris, the North Star
Andromeda
Planet Finder for 2006-2016

NOTE: This book makes a great companion to H.A. Rey's "The Stars: A New Way to See Them."

**People who want more "hardcore" science and meatier cosmology will not be satisfied with this simple book. Not surprising: The target audience of Find the Constellations is for children, young people, and new casual star gazers. :)

We bought this book for our three girls, along with a telescope. The book is well written. Great for the whole family. Can't say enough good things about it!

My husband has a love for the constellations so I decided to purchase this book for him for Father's day; he just loves it and so do the girls. We went camping over the summer and this was a great book to use when we were star gazing; the illustrations are just wonderful. This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn about the constellations.

I bought this book a few weeks ago to use for school. I wanted the kids to learn what some of the constellations looked like and how they looked in different parts of the world. I got so much more! I learned about how the stars "moved" relative to the earth and seasons, I learned how to pick our constellations relative to others I already new, and I learned how these stars got their names. I would definitely recommend this for anyone from 5 - 55. Very simple, but very informative!

An excellent book for children and adults. Interactive. Fun. This books makes star-gazing understandable and easier.

Big beautiful book. There's no index, nor no page numbers.
Type face is easy to read. Style of writing is easy to comprehend.
It's highly illustrated and the ideas cleverly presented.

I was expecting the usual fae-inspired absolute in-depth fluff, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that this book instead is an interesting anthology of life of the gnomes from hat to toe. Daily life from day to day through all seasons.

There's no definite storyline, but there are many stories scattered throughout. At the end of the book, strangely, it kept eluding to the fact that there may or may not have been gnome involvement. I never figured out why the authors wanted to add that bit of sentiment unless it was to protect their reputations. It doesn't matter to me if gnomes were involved or not.

I enjoyed reading the book. They covered most any aspect that one can think of in pondering the dynamics of existence of such a tiny being. I was especially impressed that there was very little fluff or magic in the telling about the gnomes.

This book would be an interesting addition to a nature folks fancier collection because of it's presentation of ideas for possible ways of survival of nature folks in the woodlands.
:)

Excellent resource items for collectors who have just started or are ole hats at it.

I Wasn't Quite Sure..What to do when I was in the company of gnomes but this book has helped me fit in. A tremendous help!

If there is a better book suited to bridge the gap between children and adults, then I have yet to see it. In this book, all aspects of the lives of gnomes are presented, from their physical attributes to the way they interact with nature. In between you will also learn about their economy, diet, their dwellings, social and family structures, how they court, and the games their children play and even the fact that the females are bosomy but do not need to wear a brassiere.
I "learned" a great deal from this book, for example I was unaware that there are six different types of gnomes. They are:

*) Woodland gnome
*) Dun gnome
*) Garden gnome
*) Farm gnome
*) House gnome
*) Siberian gnome

Illustrations accompany most of the descriptions; they are very well done, adding a great deal of charm to the book.
If you are looking for a way to amuse your children for hours, then read this book to them. It is a fascinating fantasy, presented in such a serious manner, it will make them believe that gnomes do in fact exist.

This delightful book has been a wonderful resource to my family over the years. It has charmed all six of my children when moping in bed because of sickness, and is now loaned out to grand-children. It doesn't sit on the shelves with the other books; and visitors invariably pick it up and flip through it - then need to have it torn from their grasp to come and sit up to table.

I think the most extraordinary thing about it is that it has no age range - it really is for anyone and everyone......

I friend of mine lend me this book with a glowing recommendation and she wasn't wrong. Halfway through it I'd already decided to buy it (which I did), not only to support the author but because this is the kind of book you want to own and be able to reread again and again.

I know the book's selling point is primary the comedic angle and though I certainly did laugh out loud a lot, I was also taken by the romantic side of the story. Mari SanGiovanni has been able to combine both aspects (fun and romance) in a wonderful way to createa highly entertaining book that I strongly recommend. Don't miss it.

This book is great! When it finally arrived (it really didn't take that long to get here...it just seemed like it because I was so anxious to get it!) I stopped reading the other two books that I had already started and never went back! I couldn't put the book down. I probably could've finished it in one sitting, but, kept forcing myself to slow down, so it wouldn't end so soon. I even went back and read several pages over again, just to prolong the ending.
I know the book is fiction, but, there were many parts where I felt like the author had been "reading my mail!" There were several things that Marie would be thinking to herself and I was actually thinking "no one thinks like that but me!"
I don't know Mari SanGiovanni--we've never met--but, I feel like I've known her forever and I love her sense of humor! She's a great writer and storyteller that can make even the simplest things seem interesting and humorous. She has a great gift and I am really happy that she is sharing it with the rest of us.
Try as I might, I just can't go back to reading those two books that I had already started. Instead, I keep picking this one up and starting all over again. It's a great book! I'm anxiously awaiting the next one!

Mim

It's always a nice surprise when a book turns out to be more than was expected. Most reviews of Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer are devoted to talking about the humor and the unique characters. To discover that it also contains some pointed commentary about the difficulty of being a lesbian in America was a bonus.

SanGiovanni makes insightful comments about being a lesbian in a straight society. At appropriate points in the story she remarks about things that most lesbians relate to. When you walk into a room just how do you identify who is "family" and who isn't? Is a smile just a friendly gesture or an invitation to something else? How do you convince your relatives that you really aren't going to change your mind even if they do fix you up with the "right" man? By watching the Santora family, the reader also gets a clear picture of how important family can be in shaping a person and Uncle Tony shows how deep and abiding love can be. None of this is delivered in a heavy, lecturing style. The lessons are delivered with humor and twine within the story quite easily. That means the reader is often learning something before she realizes it.

Welcome To Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer would probably be as funny if it was about any ethnic family. Because Italian Americans are generally known for their bigger than life emotions, that just adds to the fun. You can almost hear the women saying in chorus, "Laugh. Learn. Enjoy." You'll do all three.

This is a fun and funny read about an aspiring screenwriter who ends up meeting her favorite actress during a family trip to Jamaica. The quick banter among the Italian-American family members is wonderfully juxtaposed with the sweet burgeoning relationship between Marie and Lorn. If you're looking for a quick and entertaining book, pick up SanGiovanni's novel.

Greetings from Jamaica was a pleasant relief from the many over priced melodramatic romance novels in the market. What actually appealed to me was the cast of eccentric family members whose appearances in the book never appeared forced or unnecessary.The love story was also quite tastefully written with well paced humourous parts. There were a few coincidences in the book such as the meeting of the two future lovers that was a bit far fetched but this was forgiven - many other things to like about the story. Well Done - now the pressure is on for the next book!!

i am enjoying this book . it has given great spiritual in sight to my broken heart. it also has help me to see my self as i really am. i recommend this book with great plus plus status.

I found this book to be both practical and inspiring. The journal in the back of the book gave me additional references to look up and a space to record my thoughts. This is a book that can be read by an individual or enjoyed in a group. It offers the reader something to reflect on and grow from each time you pick it up.

I was in a very dark, depressed in my life when I picked up this book. Immediately, the dark began lifting and hope settled in. Since then, I have bought and given this book to over 30 people who were struggling with life's hurts, disappointments and tragedies. They too, were able to gain a greater hope from God who desires to be our strength and comfort through every aspect of life. I am right now purchasing another for a dear friend struggling through illness. When life seems crumbling and there is no hope, God wants you to know He is there giving you "just enough light for the step you are on." Hope is a person, Jesus Christ, who imparts peace no matter your struggle.

Stormie Omartain has long been one of my favorite authors. She shares her personal experiences with her readers. She reminds us that when God called Abram, He did not hand him a detailed map. He called Abram (Abraham) to follow. God still calls us to follow. We are to follow Him through faith. We are to live for Him day by day. He gives us strength and grace for each day and faith to face tomorrow. "Regardless of what your situation is at this moment, God has an abundance of blessings for you."
We want to see what tomorrow will bring, but that is not God's way. Stormie Omartain's style is simple and easy-to-understand. She shares her story and faith in a manner that keeps the reader reading. Each chapter contains supporting scripture and prayer. There is a Prayer and Study Guide included. Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On would make a very good group study. Ms. Omartian and I share beliefs.. As my faith has matured, I have learned to depend on God. He has never let me down. Storms of life strike all of us; if we would only turn to Him in prayer before, during, and after the storm, we would have the assurance that He is with us. Ms. Omartian is a prolific author. She sheds light on how to experience the joy of living a life walking with God. I strongly recommend Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On to all.
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com

This book was a lifesaver for me. It put light into my dark, dim world. When I found this book, I was in a severe depression, going through a most difficult time in my life. I credit it with saving me. And I give glory to God for putting it in my hands.

No matter where you are in your life, this book will benefit you. You don't have to be as low as I was for this book to bless you. It is a must read for everyone!!

It is worth every dime that it cost and then some. Once you read it, you will want to put it next to your bible and keep it forever.

It means so much to me that I purchase it for everyone that I cross paths with, who seems to be in need of faith, love, comfort, and/or support. I use it as a way to minister to those in need.

You will LOVE it!