Literature Books

I could not put it down. I read it in a day. Janaya Black paints an excellent picture through her words. It's a must read!

I could not put the book down. The Breaking Point pulled me in and I could stop reading it until the very end.


Adra Young
Author of: The Everyday Living of Children & Teens Monologues

Marion and Chad Hayes were two of the most adorable child characters I've ever read. The brother and sister were abandoned by their parents, due to a car accident. The story is told by Marion, to a reporter named Vanessa Jackson of the Womens Lib magazine. Marion Washington Hayes had been serving a life sentence at the Wayne county women's correctional facility, when she agreed to share her troubling life story with Ms. Jackson. The emotional story will leave you thinking differently about life in general. A must read.

This book is great for people that like to read a novel that gets to the point without being long and drawn out. I was able to read it in four hours. I would highly recommend this book to all women and expecially teens that are looking for an easy way out of their current bad situation. I would say that Mrs. Black did an excellent job on her first project. There was a level of suspense but also a level of predictability. Keep up the fantastic work and I look forward to your next novel.

Ms. Black, you have penned a phenominal novel. It was hard to believe this was your debut! You were so descriptive that I felt like I knew these characters. You keep up the good work and I hope to meet you in my literary travels. I am the author of two novels and also am from Detroit. Again great job!

What's not to love about Carl? This is the best of the Carl books, save the original Good Dog Carl. In this book, Carl has to watch the baby and a new puppy in the park. The illustrations are multi-layer -- adults will pick up on things that kids won't (like the different art schools of the painters in the park). Adding the puppy is a fun twist. I was really glad to see this story in a board book for toddlers.

These are fanatastic books for any child (or adult!) who loves dogs. The illustrations are beautiful, and since the stories are told only in pictures, there is plenty of room for creativity when reading the book with your child(ren).

I justed picked this book up at the library. I think it's great to have the majority of the book with no words, just gorgeous, colorful pictures. The more detail in the pictures, the better, as my almost-two year old loves to "find things" in them. With no words, he and I can make up our own story, it lets him decide whats happening. I plan to buy a few of the series to have around all the time.

Carl is such a great dog, and the pictures are just beautiful.

There is "no" story line with words so you can talk all about what Carl does or you can say as little as you like to.

Great series books!

This is a book for very young children, but the illustrations are so lovely and detailed, and the situations depicted so full of wit and little hidden jokes, that I never get bored with it, even after "reading" it over and over and over again with my toddler. This is my very favorite of the Carl books, because the activities are totally non-materialistic and wholesome (riding a merry-go-round and a train, sharing an ice cream cone, getting sprayed by a hose), and because the park is recognizably inspired by beautiful Balboa Park in my native San Diego, where Alexandra Day lives. It's worth it to get both the board book and regular hardcover editions, just to appreciate the greater detail of the images in the larger format.

And I have to add just one more, mildly tongue-in-cheek comment: as for the "lesbian couple" alluded to in a veiled way by a previous reviewer -- well, I just have to giggle. Yes, there are two young, attractive women having a picnic on the grass as Carl and his charges go by. But it never would have occurred to me to impute homosexuality (or any kind of sexuality) to them. They're fully clothed (albeit in pants), and they're just sitting there -- hardly a lascivious scene no matter what your prejudices. Now if Tinky-Winky were pictured sitting with them, well, that would be a whole different story. I guess this just proves what everyone says is so wonderful about the Carl books -- you can interpret the images however you like.

A wonderful book. I loved it as a child, and going back to read it as an adult I realize that there are a lot of things that I missed. I remember my teacher reading it aloud in class--wonderful!

The movie, although very nice, has only a superficial resemblance to the book. For one thing, it moves the time a generation or so back. For another, in the book both parents are alive, rather than Caracticus Pott's being a widower; consequently, there is no romance.

I could very well wish that a new movie be made, NOT a musical and following the original plot.

Just like when I was a kid at my moms knee listening to her read this to me I wsa again transported to another time. This audio is great. Kids and adults alike will fall inlove with this audio book. Some what diffrent than the movie staring Dick Van Dyke. which is always a welcome suprise.

It is a charming and delightful story that you will love to read to your children. I read this book to my 6 year old. She loved it!! We both wish we could find more books about this wonderful family and car.

I remember the 1968 movie based on this novel fondly, but had never picked up the novel itself until just the other day. I was surprised at how different the book is. Although Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang herself is very similar in both, the plot of the story is much different. I enjoyed this simple little story, with Fleming's humorous asides, very much. Those asides reminded me of the "Series of Unfortunate Events" books I have read and I would be interested in learning if Lemony Snicket drew from Fleming's story style for his own series. This is a fun, quick story that most kids will enjoy. I do, however, fear that the admittedly crude illustrations in my original edition would not be as popular with modern children.

The story of Caractacus Pott, his family, and that wonderful magical car is one of the best children's stories you will ever read. Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, tells a fantastic story about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the magical flying car that can even turn into a boat! It's a delightful story, filled with crooks and gangsters, and you won't be sorry you bought this fantastic little book. Should be added to every child's bookshelf. Just delightful! The book is so much better than the movie, eliminating that silly Vulgaria story. If you want to read the story Ian Fleming intended, you'll have to buy the book. You won't be sorry.

My book is the Christmas Killer. It starts off as a kinda boring book. A girl named Nancy disappeared the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Rose had an enteraction with her that night. She then had a dream of where she thought Nancy's body would be found. She reported this to the police and they did not believe her. There wre many more killings after that. Soon this killer earned the name the Chritmas Killer. He left many clues. When Rose went to get help from Miss Mackey, she blanked out. They almost lost her. When Rose found out that she got a solo in the dance recital she was very excited. She went to her dance class she saw that Mureal was on the phon with her back turned Rose went ahead and got dressed. She thought Mureal was playing jokes on her and she was like thats not funny. She gets scared after seeing that it was not MUreals shadow. So, she runs in the stall where she finds Mureal with her throat cut from ear to ear.She runs out and sees a man. He then talks about how good blood is. Then he bruses her up and then Wallace Romala comes in and saves her. She finds out that it was Mureal's twin brother.

Two of the main characters are Nancy Emerson and Rose. Nancy Emerson is missing the wensday before Thanksgiving. Rose is a girl who met Nancy Emerson and stated she was scared and sad. The story begans with Nancy Emerson disappering Wensday Before thanksgiving. Jerram roses little brother said "No need to think about death anymore." The long saige of The Christmas Killer was over.

In the beginning, it starts off with telling you about Nancy. Nancy is one of the main characters who is kidnapped and murdered. Rose is aother main character. After Nancy was kidnapped, Rose had a dream. In this dream Nancy was leading Rose to her burial site. A few days later they find her body in a similar surrounding to what Rose had envisioned. At first Rose was unsure if it was a coincidence, or if it had any real meaning. Throughout the story there are several girls kidapped and many suspects. One of those suspects is jerome, Rose's twin brother. One night she sees jerome outside her den window and then she begins to wonder. Wallace Romano was the first one everybody suspected to be the Christmas Killer, because he chose to be homeless over living in a mansion with his family, also because he is different than most people expect. While all of this is going on, Nancy still appears in Rose's dreams, giving her clues to the crime scenes and the murderer. Rose takes dance lessons from a woman named Muriel. Muriel is a nice, younger woman who has known Rose since she was ten years old. As you read this book you will find twists and turns that will eventually point out the killer to you.

Omgiod! This is serisously the best book that any suspense-thriller reader can read. The first sentence starts off with "Nancy Emerson dissapeared the wednesday (i think) before thanksgiving" now thats scary. Later throughout the book, you will feeel as though u are reali into it because it is so mind-gripping and you really cant put it down, that is if you like these type of bookz. Puh-leese read this book ! You will majorly regret it and it is by an all tyme favorite (thriller/scary) author : patrica windsor. Read other book reports to knoe that i am reali telling u the truth of this book, and to know what it is realli about.! :) thanks a bundle and keep reading out there! :)

This was an absolutely fabulous book. I read it when I was twelve and still remember its bone chilling effect in my twenty's. I highly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in ghosts or murder mysteries. The characters are well developed and you won't want to put this page turner down.

I am not much for poetry in general (having been forced to determine feet and meter and memorize types of sonnets, etc...), but Service's poetry is simple, amazingly clear, and beautiful. His descriptions of the Northern Lights and the wonders of the North are worth the price of the book just in of themselves.

Exactly what I was looking for for my husband. I think it has everything Robert Service ever wrote and is fabulous.

Exactly what I was looking for for my husband. I think it has everything Robert Service ever wrote and is fabulous.

I hunted far and wide to find this particular volume of poetry by Robert Service. Robert Service is without any doubt my favorite poet. His poems are classics. But many years past when I was just a youth, I stumbled onto a volume of Robert Service where he wrote short prose introductions to his poems. Hoping one day to become a poet myself, I thought these prose introductions provided the greatest insight to how a poet creates. I looked and looked and looked but could never find that volume. Then one day in a second hand book shop some where I found it. It was this volume. I paid a good price for it. I've recorded all these poems with the prose intros on my karaoke and I play them for myself sometimes at bed time. My wife has her "ears" on her burrow (she's hard of hearing) so she is not disturbed. In my opinion Robert is the epitome of fine poetry. He has it all humor, pathos, romance, intellectual content, melody, beauty, intensity, warmth, toughness, manliness - you name it; he's got it. Buy this volume you will not regret it.

As pointed out by a couple of other reviewers, Robert Service's work has been rather putdown over the years by the elitist and, indeed, still is. That is just fine by me. The only problem here is that because of this "looking down upon attitude" many, who like to associate with such people may not read Service's work for that reason. That is a shame because they are missing some great poetry and a whole group of fun. Recently, the "cow boy poets" in our country are making a come back and rightfully so. These "unsophisticated" poems reflect our culture, tell a story and are simply good. Service falls withing this genre. I enjoy poetry in most forms and I certainly would feel much poorer for not having read this author's work. Service tells simple stories with simple words, that are to the point and few frills. There is little pretentiousness here. These are stories from our past and need to be treasured. Recommend this work highly.

Thirty short stories by W. Somerset Maugham including "Rain" which is about a prudish missionary and a prostitute and "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" which is an ironic story about self-denial and greed.

As a writer, Maugham considered himself "on the first row of the secondraters". I think he was being modest. Maugham has written some of the finest short stories ever written. His purpose was to do no more than tell an interesting story, but the reader gets much more. Each story is perfectly told; not one word is wasted, each character is fully realized. Maugham observes and never judges his characters. His short stories can be read many times and with each reading the reader finds something new and interesting. Somerset Maugham's short stories takes the reader to a time that is now past but still very relevant.

Somerset is an amazing writer whose words flowed so freely and expressively it makes you want to cry. This book of shorts is classic Maugham and un-put-downable. You'll love it.

The story" Fall of Edward Barnard" is a confrontation between what is called'the Civilized World' and the indigenous, the savage, the primitive world. Edward, thankful to a relative already fascinated by the beauties of the islands around tahiti, had a one life opportunity to have a very introspective reflexion about the meaning of his life. Sent from Chicago for two years, he will delay his return and the promise he made to his bride Isabelle. Why ? Because facing the natural beauty, almost thunderstruck by such simplicity, he wonders what the use of all this hustle and constant striving in our cities which are all but stones with ceasless turmoil. After a unsuccessful beginning in working, he chose a simple life based on beauty, truth and goodness. His thoughts reach the universal when asking himself ( throughout the author's philosophy ) why do we come into the world for to hurry to an office and work hour after hour

I came to know Maugham through his novels, especially The Razor's Edge, Of Human Bondage, and Cakes and Ale. I purchased this collection not knowing what to expect. The stories are character focused, at times incredibly witty and amusing, at times melancholy and near heart-breaking. As in his novels, Maugham has the ability to make the reader see what is not written. Highlights include The Rain, a commentary on the work of missionaries, and The Pool, one of the saddest shorts ever written. Others, such as The Three Fat Women of Antibbes, will probably make you laugh out loud. A first rate collection.

this humor in this book is incredibly dry, original and astute. New Yorkers should especially appreciate it but many of the scenes will crack up anyone anywhere...and, to boot, it's all in the interest of a great cause

Cooperative Village is a laugh from cover to cover. Madeson hits the nail on the head, capturing the essence of living in a co-op in New York City, with it's cross section of colorful characters. The adventures she takes you through makes you want to turn the pages as fast as you can, because you won't believe it could get nuttier and it just does...
Can't wait for the next book

Fran Madeson's "Cooperative Village" is a wacky, wonderful, and frequently hysterically funny antidote for whatever George Bush has managed to do to you. I rarely laugh out loud when reading a book and I really did when I read this one. Madeson's imagination and voice are simply unlike other authors out there. It's a story, it's a political commentary, it's a cockeyed look into the world of little old Jewish ladies who rock.

Frances Madeson has a vivid imagination. Working from the real and cultural geography and of an actual New York City housing development, she creates a web of hysterially over-the-top characters whose outrageous behavior seems normal to each other. It is dripping with social and political satire. It is a wonderful, unique and truly funny book.

I enjoyed parts of this book, but it was too scattered (which I think was done by design). I guess this is suppose to be a wacky look at a strange days in the lower east side, with a few negative comments about her old job to make you wonder where she worked and more comments about her mother that makes you wonder about what the mother did.

This is an adorable farm book with a twist- the language is predictable so young children can easily sing/read along. If you have puppets (or a little toy farm)kids love to act out the story too.

This is the cutest book. All the kids just love it, from 1-5 years. You can sing the words to the book to the song "Skip to my lou" There is a cute little white mouse hiding on every page. The kids can't get enough of it!

My two-year-old is CRAZY about this catchy, colorful book. Not only is it populated with silly, misbehaving animals playing tricks on Tom Farmer, and written to the rhythm of a song, but there's a little mouse hiding on every page. It would be appropriate for kids 1 years +.

This is one of my favorite books to read to my preschool class. They learn the book quickly and love to chant along with it. The children also love to search for the mouse on each page.

I've been reading to him since the age of 5 months. he always seems more interested in eating the books than being read to. But with this book, he just keeps handing it back to me over and over when we finish it -- i think that's baby talk for "again."

I first received this book as a gift from my daughters daycare teacher. We read it every night for years. When I came across it again on Amazon, I had to purchase it. Great story and morals - but we love it for the bright colors, catchy phrasing, and of course the memories behind the book. Great price and love the hardback book (as our original was paperback).

This is a great book that my daughter's preschool actually turned into a short play done by the parents. It was too cute. We still read it regularly 2 years later.

A very simple book that demonstrates how we must all get along and accept each other because together we make a better world.

This is a well written book about a very cute idea. My daughter (2 1/2) loves it.

I recieved my book in great condition and within a weeks time. Was great, I have continued to order from Amazon.

Dr. Yunas has taken some of the simplist elements of capitalism and coupled them in tandem with some of the higher level elements of human nature to form a framework for improving the quality of life on a massive scale. It is the improvement of one life, in one locale that builds a powerful statement of all things can change notably for the better. His ideas are translatable into action and he demonstrates the capacity to "get it done" in a remarkably simple way despite the complexity of the world as it exists today.

Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, Muhammad Yunus, Public Affairs, 2007

Muhammad Yunus is a hero to those of us who seek to broaden the ownership of business. As a Bangladeshi economics professor, he wanted to do something about the crushing hunger and poverty he saw around him. He gathered 42 borrowers from the village near his campus and lent them a total of $27 from his own pocket. He followed that by guaranteeing bank loans to the poor. In 1983, he started Grameen Bank, which shared with him the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. The results, from his acceptance speech:

"Today, Grameen Bank gives loans to nearly 7.0 million poor people, 97
percent of whom are women, in 73,000 villages in Bangladesh. . . . Since
it opened the bank has given out loans totaling about US $6.0 billion. The repayment rate is 99 percent. Grameen Bank routinely makes a profit. . . .
58 percent of our borrowers have crossed the poverty line."

Grameen Bank has become the model for a worldwide microcredit movement. By 2006, microloans had been extended to 100 million of the world's poorest families.

In this book, Professor Yunus argues for a new structure, the "social business," which is "a business that pays no dividends. It sells products at prices that make it self-sustaining. The owners of the company can get back the amount they've invested in the company over a period of time, but no profit is paid to investors in the form of dividends. Instead, any profit made stays in the business--to finance expansion, to create new products or services, and to do more good for the world."

Governments, charities and "profit-maximizing businesses" are not enough to solve the problems of poverty, disease and environmental degradation, Professor Yunus argues; "we need a new type of business that pursues goals other than making personal profit--a business that is totally dedicated to solving social and environmental problems."

He makes a distinction between social businesses and "socially-responsible" businesses, which are intended to serve a social objective, while making a profit. They have a fatal flaw, according to Professor Yunus, because their executives "will gradually inch toward the profit-maximization goal, no matter how the company's mission is designed."

The social business is intended to make a profit, but not to pay dividends. It would plan to pay back the amount invested over time, which might be from five to 20 years. Shareowners would continue to own the business after they were repaid their investment. The motive of making a profit on the shares would be replaced by pride in achieving a social objective. Many of the investors would be individuals and institutions that make charitable gifts. They would see the benefits from a business that was to return their funds, which they could use to invest in more social businesses. (However, earning enough after-tax profits to cash out investors in five to 20 years is a big hurdle for a new business. It could put the social business at a real competitive disadvantage in pricing its products and services. Most U.S. businesses don't pay any dividends, while many others keep dividends at less than a three percent yield on the shares' market value.)

"Who will invest in a social business?" This question is a section of the book. The answer given is that money will come from people who would otherwise support charities, as well as from charitable foundations and from businesses that fund charitable activities. A tax exemption could provide government support for social businesses. Shares in social businesses would be traded in aftermarkets, with the value determined by "the social benefit produced," rather than profit expectations.

What about capital needs larger than those served by Grameen Bank and the microcredit movement? The book lists some 25 members of the "Grameen Family of Companies," which include social businesses and support organizations. Grameen Fund provides venture capital, taking a 51% equity ownership. Grameen Business Promotion Company guarantees loans from Grameen Bank of up to $10,000 or more. Grameen has recently entered joint ventures with Danone, the world's largest yogurt company, and Intel.
A huge potential project described is "to create world-class port facilities for the growing economies of Bangladesh as well as her neighbors, and to build a network of superhighways to connect those countries with the port facilities." The money would come from "social investors" or donor countries, who would later sell the project to a trust. In turn, the trust would sell "shadow shares" to poor people. These "shadow shares" would not represent ownership of the facilities but would entitle holders to any dividends declared by the trust board. Shares could be purchased on credit, to be paid from dividends. The shares could only be sold back to the trust. (If this project goes forward, perhaps Professor Yunus would consider having the shares be direct ownership, with voting rights, so that the poor families could be part of a community of business owners.)

Grameen Bank's great success flies against some basic economic assumptions, according to Professor Yunus. One is that "all people are motivated purely by the desire to maximize profit." (By "fear and greed," in Wall Street terms.) Another "is the assumption that the solution to poverty lies in creating employment for all." Self-employment is the alternative supported by Grameen Bank. Millions of its borrowers have crossed the poverty line because they now have earnings from both their labor and their invested capital. (The next progression is when individuals have enough income from their capital alone that they don't need to sell their labor. They can be the ones who devote their time, and discretionary investment income, to solving social problems.)

There is a brief section in the book that describes a second kind of social business, one "owned by the poor or disadvantaged" where "the social benefit is derived from the fact that the dividends and equity growth . . . will go to benefit the poor." Grameen Bank itself is "a social business by virtue of its ownership structure," since 94% of its shares are held by its borrowers. In 2006, it earned $20 million and paid dividends to its shareowners.

The error of most programs to alleviate poverty, Professor Yunus writes, is that they assume that providing jobs and job skills is what is needed. "But if you spend enough time living among the poor, you discover that their poverty arises from the fact that they cannot retain the genuine results of their labor. And the reason for this is clear: They have no control over capital. The poor work for the benefit of someone else who controls the capital." (Beyond microcredit could be broadening the ownership of capital so that the formerly poor can become independent of the return on their labor.)

In this excellent, provocative book, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus sets forth his vision for a new kind of enterprise, social business, managed according to businesslike principles but with the uncapitalistic objective of social benefit. This is no untried, pie-in-the-sky proposal. Yunus pioneered this business model when he founded the world-famous microcredit financial institution, Grameen Bank. More recently, working with France's Groupe Danone, he set up a business to produce and market fortified yogurt in Bangladesh. This book tells the story of the author's involvement in social businesses and offers stimulating suggestions for their future evolution. getAbstract recommends it to forward-thinking business leaders and entrepreneurs who want their projects to benefit not just themselves but their societies at large.

The book, somewhat autobiographical, first chronicles the formation of the revolutionary system of microcredit in Bangladesh, and then discusses Yunas's ideas for new "social businesses". Inspiring reading.

I know that my review will be unpopular, especially in light of someone else who said this book deserves 100 stars. When I first read that Mr. Yunus said that our children will one day go to museums and will talk about how people used to be in poverty, I was inspired. An optimistic view like this is exactly what this world needs more of I thought. Then I started to read exactly what this Nobel Peace Prize winner is doing to make poverty disappear, and I was let down. For all who do not know, Mr. Yunus is a pioneer in giving small loans to people, especially women, and charging them interest when they repay the loans. That is it, in a nutshell. While I believe it is a noble thing to give poor people money that would not be able to go to a bank to get a loan, I can't fully accept that interest is being charged because it conflicts with a verse in the Quran (2:275) which says that interest (riba) is a sin. Riba is a loan with the condition that the borrower will return to the lender more than the quantity borrowed.

Now what the heck does Islam have to do with saving people from poverty you might ask? God does not want these people to suffer. I agree with that. But he also does not want us to solve our problems through means which are considered sinful. Mr. Yunus has not fully addressed this issue and he has merely argued that the lack of excessive interest in micro-lending is consistent with the Islamic prohibition of usury. Islam has nothing against Capitalism and it encourages free trade, but Allah has made guidelines for trade and that includes not making a profit off of money itself.

There is debate in Islam on whether excessive interest or interest in general is forbidden with the latter being the majority opinion. But Yunus says that his microcredit is moderate and not excessive at all.
It has been reported that borrowers have become swamped with debt and it has brought some communities down. The interest charged by Grameen Bank is higher compared to that of traditional banks so if a person has trouble repaying the loan in a given time, he or she will suffer financially. He mentions on his website that the Indian Prime Minister called him a messiah, yet a former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, his own country, called him corrupt. I would refer you to read "Is micro-credit a macro trap?"

He says something on p55 that I think really brings the issue of poverty to its roots. He says when men make money, they spend it on themselves and when women make money, they spend it on the whole family. In Islam, a man must take care of his family. It is his responsibly, not the woman. When I say man, I mean, Father, husband, brother, etc. If he does not fulfill his duties, then I guess we need microcredit to save the day. My point is that Islam is the answer to poverty. It is the way and it is the light. Its not just about getting money to the poor, it's about a whole system of life that is consistent with justice. There should not be one woman in Bangladesh or anywhere in the world who must work for money. They should only have the option to work. We have men, who are Muslim,that are not taking their duties seriously and everyone suffers because of that. We have enough food in the world to feed everybody and still have some left over, but we still have people suffering from hunger. It is not a lack of resources; it is a lack of justice in the distribution process. Americans throw out 200,000 tons of food that can be eaten every day. There is so much that I can say on the economic conditions that we are facing but I wont. My advice would be to verify every piece of information that you get before you accept it.