Contemporary Books

Awesome book is a must read if more people in DC thought this way we would still be a republic instead of on our way of being a socialist government like the old USSR

This is a collection of Prof. Walter Williams's newspaper columns. It's in his usual plainspoken, tough minded style. A must for the Prof. Williams fan.

This book is a compilation of columns by America's strongest voice of liberty, Dr. Walter E. Williams. In this book Dr. Williams offers his common sense, freedom-loving take on the vital issues of the day. He fearlessly confronts the many liberal fallacies responsible for eroding our precious liberties. A must read for anyone wanting to expand their base of knowledge and unafraid to confront stark truths. A great antidote to the toxic political propaganda many of our universities dispense. And, a great book for Blacks brave enough to challenge the ethnic grievance industry (Jackson-Sharpton).

Everything Walter Williams writes is worth reading. His amazing capacity to convey economic truths combines with his wisdom, humor, eloquence, and keen powers of observation to make him one of America's top pundits. Williams is that rare bird: a truly courageous pundit who is also a genuine scholar.

Over the past 15 years I have read numerous works by many libertarian writers. Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Ayn Rand, Charles Murray, P.J. O'Rourke, Dave Barry, Henry Hazlitt, F.A. Hayek, Ludwig Von Mises, Milton Friedman, Murray Rothbard, Julian Simon, and many others. Walter Williams is my definite favorite libertarian writer. He tells the plain, simple truth in a way that is very easy to understand. He presents the facts in such a way that only a fool could read him and then walk away without becoming a libertarian. This book is pretty much on par with his others. Which is to say, it is excellent. Mr Williams is a true supporter of individual liberty, freedom, private property rights, and strict limits on the size of government. Good for him!

My mother read the book and she said that this is a good, solid suspense novel. She was almost the edge of her seat just to read what happens next. This is a page-turner. Well done! She gave the book to my sister.

Down To The Bone was a great story, I couldn't put the book down. It was a very intreasting story and I loved it.

I could not put this book down! Every page was full of excitement and entertainment. I enjoy reading novels about the Amish, but this is my favorite. I packed this book for our out of town visit to my parents. I did not have time to finsh the book during the weekend visit. We were traveling home and my 10 year old son read the last few chapters out loud to me while I drove. I could not wait to get home to read it! He became interested in the story as he read it to me, and we discussed the entire book when he finshed. Thanks for a great book!

This book was incredible, once I started reading it I could not put it down. I am casual reader and it usually takes me a week or more to finish a book, with this one I started it yesterday afternoon, read until I couldnt keep my eyes open for another second, went to bed, got up and immediatly picked up the book and could not put it down til it was finished. Karen Harper has a way of drawing you into this book in a way that you cant wait til you get to the end to see what happens but then are disappointed that it is over once you do get there. Wonderful!!

At least one time in the book, the author makes the reader suspect every character! I do not recommend books to friends very often, but this one is making the rounds at work! And everyone is saying the same thing....everyone could be the suspect!

Bobby Salton knows she can't take her sadistic husband's abuse for another day. So at the beginning of the story, she takes her little daughter Penny when the monster isn't home and runs. Driving away in her half-working car, she finds refuge in a rambling house on the Connecticuit shore.

Hired as a live-in companion to Alma Ogilvie, Bobby helps the retired headmistress regain her independence.But Bobby's battered appearance also has a startling effect, especially on Eva Rule, Alma's niece, a successful author.

Three very different women grapple with dreams of haunted pasts, and yet form a tenuous bond. Just as they begin to look to to the future, the past catches up with them. Bobby's husband, for one thing, is still on the run looking everywhere for Bobby.

A very absorbing book and hard to put it down.

3 women...3 pasts...3 futures...what will happen to Bobby when Joe finds her? Or will Joe find her? Bobby and her daughter are being abused by Joe, Bobby's husband, they ran away to get away from the abuse. Bobby found a job as a "care-taker" and she nurses an old lady named Alma...who loves children. Alma's niece, Eva, is a writer and quite good...until she stopped writing about things she love...so in the end...will Bobby and Penny be able to stay away from Joe? Find out for yourself and read the book!

There's nothing superficial about the female characters in this book. Starting with the little girl, Penny, and moving to the eldest woman in the story, each unique character is described with increasing depth and detail. The same cannot be said for the depth of the male characters, but at least the good guys outnumber the bad. Be prepared for some VERY realistic perspectives on domestic abuse from every possible angle: the victims, the abuser, the children, and the friends.

I read this book in two days. It was well-written with execellent character development. I highly recommend it, but don't start it unless you have plenty of time to read, you won't want to put it down!

I really enjoyed reading this book from the first page to the last. Not only did it capture my attention immediately,but I connected with the characters as though they were my friends. I couldn't put it down!
I'm really tired of reading trivia. I don't feel justified in taking the time to read a book if I don't learn something. Charlotte Vale Allen set the stage in "Dreaming in Color" so we could identify the atrocities of abuse from the perspective of each character (including the child, Penny).
Kudos to the author. Not only did I learn something, but I will be more understanding of abused women in the future.

A really fun book. I loved the relationship between T. Lawrence and Madison. Well written and enjoyable. The who stalker stuff was kinda dumb, but a fun, quick read.

This has to be Jennifer Sully's best book to date. It is funny, sexy and the heroine has a thing for her boss who is balding and an accountant. But it doesn't stop there. Madison has a stalker who cleans her apartment and along with the fact that she needs to fall in love before she turns 28 because she thinks she will die because her father did at that age. She has two weeks to find the right man. And when T. Larry, her boss finds out what she has planned, her makes it his goal to watch her like a guard dog as she dates who she thinks may be her perfect man.
T. (We don't find out what the "T" stands for till the very end) calls himself Laurence, but Madison nicknames him Larry. Larry wears glasses and is a no nonsense type of guy. Madison is the complete opposite. She is a bit naïve in her thinking and a tad like "Little Mary Sunshine".
So you can just imagine what happens when Larry starts to fall for his Madison, who happens to also be is secretary.
This is one cute and zany story. Madison is an incredible woman who is genuinely kind and sweet. T. Larry is also a good guy, but just a little too stiff. Hey, he likes numbers! And when these two start to heat up the sheets- WOW very hot!
A much recommended read for anyone who likes sexy comedies with wonderful characters.

Katiebabs

This quirky, off-beam, and very funny romance bears no resemblance whatsoever to the film of the same name.

The heroine is Madison O'Donnell, a feisty, kind-hearted, and mouthwateringly beautiful girl with a strong sense of fun who lives life to the full and is always willing to take the most insane risks. This is partly because she is convinced that she will die soon after her 28th birthday, which as of the start of the book is two weeks away.

Madison could have been the inspiration for the energiser bunny, and an example of her sense of humour is that she usually answers the office phone in the accountancy partnership where she works as a secretary with "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" instead of Carp, Alta, and Hobbs.

The reason Madison is convinced that she is headed for an early grave in the near future is that her father had an initial stroke in his teens and a fatal one at 28, and having had an initial stroke at age fifteen herself, she is convinced that she is heading down the same path. There is not a shred of medical evidence to support this view.

Madison is determined to experience true love before she dies. Her boss, T Laurence Hobbs, overhears her making a date with a "wrong number" caller and is horrified that she may be risking at best getting hurt and at worst her safety. His fears for Madison's safety are based on rather more than overprotective paternalism; someone is playing very nasty tricks on her, which start with slashing her car tyres and work downhill from there.

However, the novel keeps you guessing almost to the end about who is doing this. Is it Harriet the office harridan, who is threatening to sue Carp, Alta, and Hobbs over alleged sex discrimination? Is it someone connected with a potential client who the senior partner wants to take on and T Laurence Hobbs suspects may be less than squeaky clean? Or is it possible that Richard, the charming and handsome "wrong number" caller who Madison has started to date, may not be what he seems.

T Laurence, whose feelings for Madison are initially paternal, tries to protect her both from herself and from whoever is doing horrible things to her - and finds his feelings are much more complex than he had realised ...

Very funny and quirky - I thoroughly enjoyed this and can strongly recommend it.

Drop Dead Gorgeous
by Jennifer Skully was great find! Madison has been living her life to the fullest - thinking she would die at the age of 28. Her boss T. Larry has been her fantasy and her his but either did anything to push it to the next level until.... some mad man starts slashing her tires, cleaning her apartment and other weird things. Great book - off to read more by this author.

Even with the other great reviews on the book, I was a little skeptical because it seemed too long at 370+ pages. However, the book is so well written, the characters so fun, it was a fast read. The lead characters are quirky, lovable, and sexy. The dialog was great, the minor characters were well drawn and the story lines easy to follow. It had a good balance of sexual heat and humor, and although you'll figure out who is stalking the lead character immediately, you're still interested in trying to figure out the "why". It's hard to find a book that is funny AND sexy AND romantic, but this one succeeds. It is definitely a keeper.

In EMBRACE ME, Lisa Samson pens a powerful story of forgiveness, full of surprises and a cast of interesting characters --- including one making a return appearance from a previous novel.

The story is told from several first-person points of view. Drew Parrish is the slick red-headed prosperity gospel pastor of a megachurch, 12,000 members strong and growing. He knows all the right moves and words to say, but his sincerity barely runs skin deep. When the chance comes to move to television --- and a possible show of his own --- he settles on Daisy Boyer, a pretty young singer in his congregation, to serve as co-host.

But for Daisy's scheming mother (who sees her daughter as her ticket to fame and fortune) and for Drew, Daisy isn't quite good enough. Her face is a little less angular than needed for television, her weight a few pounds too heavy, her nose a bit too long. Daisy endures a strict diet and exercise regime and undergoes plastic surgery after plastic surgery. Eventually, she cracks.

Drew is also feeling a growing dissatisfaction, evinced by his habit of burning himself with cigarettes to try and feel something besides the pain of his life. His father, a Washington D.C. lobbyist, is clear that Drew never quite measures up to his expectations, and his mother, he believes, committed suicide when he was still an adolescent.

The opening of the book finds Drew at the end of his rope, and relying on the guidance of a young Catholic parish priest to help him figure things out. Samson then alternately fast-forwards and rewinds her story six years, time jumps for the reader that work because of her tremendous writing skills. In this way, we meet Valentine, a freak-show oddity with a terribly burned face who tours as Lizard Woman with "Roland's Wayfaring Marvels and Oddities." Her best friend is Lella, the Human Cocoon, who has no arms or legs. Valentine is bitter about the past and her disfigurement, and wraps her hopes for the future up in a dream of a home of her own with Lella.

But when Lella's life takes a new direction, Valentine finds herself thrown into the company of a heavily tattooed and dreadlocked minister, Augustine, whose vocal cords were damaged in a motorcycle accident. Both Augustine and Valentine find solace in the company of the surprisingly likeable televangelist Charmaine Hopewell, who readers may remember from Samson's book SONGBIRD.

Together, Augustine and Valentine wrestle with the difficulty of forgiving those in their pasts who have wronged them. But the biggest test of all lies ahead. Is it possible --- truly possible --- to always forgive? Forgiveness of ourselves and others, Samson shows through her narrative and characters, doesn't mean you can always return to who you once were. " I realize we can destroy ourselves in ways so deep we'll never return to the place we were before we started the destruction," muses one character. Another character learns that words of forgiveness come first; the emotional feeling of being able to forgive follows later.

Making the time jumps back and forth from character to character is a lot to ask, but Samson succeeds in helping the reader do it. The oddities of the characters, while a little exaggerated, are vintage Samson, as are the themes of social justice and grace. The setting of a "new monastic" community, in which the members are not necessarily Catholic, but take vows of different sorts and extend hospitality, serves as backdrop for the later part of the novel and echoes the community settings of past Samson novels.

Some readers may feel the reconciliation between Augustine and a relative from his past is too neatly wrapped up toward the end while others will applaud the power of grace. But what comes through, clear and strong, is that every person is beautiful and loved in the eyes of God, and all may find forgiveness --- and offer it to another --- if it's their true desire. Samson, who also penned QUAKER SUMMER, is one of Christian fiction's finest novelists, and her fans will find plenty to enjoy and ponder here.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Embrace Me by Lisa Samson took me a little bit longer to get into than some of her others, but once I did, it was well worth it. I spent an entire weekend letting Lisa's words wash over me.

Once again, her word choice is impeccable. Look at these: from inside a church--"Thomas, his stained-glass face eating up the late afternoon sun, looks doubtful of my presence and I can't blame him." Or "Which much pretty ruins it for those people who don't exactly cotton to a three-piece suit, or a cassock, or even jeans and a polo shirt." Love it!

Embrace Me is about a "lizard woman" from a freak show trying to accept who's she's become after some nasty burns, a pastor who's realized how he's led his church astray in the name of power, and the communities that love them. It's a beautiful portrayal of gnashing-of-teeth forgiveness. It takes it out of the abstract and puts it in your hand.

Her characters, as usual, are amazing: each their own. Each flawed, redeemable, and marked with the Imago Dei. Their dialogue flows from the personality of the character and is distinct to each.

Embrace Me is sometimes borderline preachy (even if I could say amen! to the sermons), but it presents the frustrations and beauty of the Body of Christ.

Wow! This book is amazing. I could not put it down. Lisa Samson has an amazing gift at creating real believable characters, ones that you can relate to no matter where you are in life. This book is no exception! I have read almost all of her books and this is by far my favorite. This book would be great for all ages! A great book for a reading group, a small group, or youth group to read together. Whoohoo! Ms. Samson!

Lisa Samson's book always makes you think and this one is no different that the rest. Can you say EDGY?! I don't think I've ever read a Christian fiction book that deals with the type of people mentioned in this story. But these are stories that need to be told, because not everyone is living a picture perfect streak free Christian life. It's a heartbreaking story as you read what has happened in Drew and Valentine's lives. I nearly wanted to cry at times when reading because I felt the character's pain and suffering. Even though there are very few sideshow attractions such as the one portrayed in the story surviving today, it makes the reader think about what life is like for these "so-called freaks." How hard their life must be because they aren't born "normal" like the rest of us. I really don't know how Lella was able to be so upbeat and genuinely happy all the time. I don't think I could have accepted her situation quite so well. This isn't your normal happy ending novel. There is a lot of in your face stuff that a lot of Christians don't like touching. It will make you feel uncomfortable at times but it will also help you to understand more about God's infinite love and acceptance. This book is definitely edgy Christian fiction at its best. Lisa Samson has created another winner. HIGHLY recommended.

Embrace Me by Lisa Samson is another jewel in Samson's crown. Valentine stars as the Lizard Woman in a travelling freak show along with her friend, Lella, the Human Cocoon. While it's not a great life, it's one that she has come to terms with until returning to winter in a small North Carolina town. There she encounters Augustine, a tattooed and dread locked monk, who shakes up her ordered existence with his talk of God and faith. Samson's books are not for those readers who want to be comfortable and comforted in their reading. Her books with self-mutilating pastors and chain-smoking characters make me squirm in my seat like a good sermon. She delves into topics and places few Christian books dare to go, and God bless her for it. Her books are not to be read lightly and tossed aside. They weigh on my soul and heart and never leave me untouched. Augustine quotes Mother Theresa: You only love Christ as much as the person you love the least. Did that make you squirm in your seat? That's what Embrace Me will do to you, make you re-evaluate the strength of your faith and love for God. Samson writes like no one else in the business; each sentence is carefully crafted and weighted. Read this book and be transformed within.

This story was a real page-turner, and one of my top three favorite Cooper Kids Books. Trust me, YOU WILL NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN!

Archeologist Dr. Jacob Cooper and his two kids, Jay and Lila, land on a mysterious island in search of a missing missionary, who was rumored to have drowned in the area. They meet a man who declares himself the missing man, but from his strange actions they suspect something is wrong. And what about the mysterious "curse" on the island?

What happens next is for you to find out.

Also check out The Tombs Of Anak and The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey, books three and six in the Cooper Kids Series. Awesome books!

This, in my opinion, is the best of the series by Frank Peretti. I would rate this 10 stars if I could. It is a mixture of Indiana Jones, Hardy Boys, and Accidental Detectives. It is the most exciting of the Cooper books, yet it isn't scary, and it isn't gruesome. I reccomend this book to anyone over 10, because it is pretty intense.

Escape from the Island of Aquarius by Frank Peretti

In hopes of finding a missing missionary the famous Cooper Family were sent to locate and retrieve him. The family consists of the father Dr. Cooper, the daughter Lila, and the son Jay. The search began when a crew on a vessel found a dead body in a raft, looking thoroughly they found a note of the missionary, MacKenzie and a stone tablet with the symbol of Aquarius. Reaching the island they were greeted by a stranger with a mask yelling at them to leave. Following his trail they were led to a village, there they found MacKenzie ending up leading all the villagers. Not convinced by MacKenzie's charade the Cooper family investigated by sneaking by his hut, and learned of his impersonation of the reverend. Overall I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 because the personality of the book curves from bad to good too quickly.

This was the best in the series! It was really, really suspenseful. I like how it ties into the coming end times-about how the antichrist (no capitilization needed here,) will deceive people to become his followers, making them think he is a god or something, although he isn't a god at all. This is a wake-up call. We do not know when the rapture is becoming! In this book, the Coopers are trying to escape from an island that is literally tearing lose from its roots! But with the dangers from the tyrannical leader of the island and earthquakes, will they escape? And who will listen to the truthful message that they have to bring? Will they rescue the people from the tyrannical leader? And is this leader the kind missionary they expected to find? The suggested age level of these books is ages 10-14.

It's Frank Peretti's brilliant novel writing skills...condensed! It's a super-cool family of archeologists--minus a mother--who investigate phenomena in the spirit of Indiana Jones, only with a Christian perspective. A nice alternative to the gore and junk in the Indiana Jones movies.

In this book, Dr. Cooper and his kids visit the island mission of a missionary by the name of Adam McKenzie. However, it seems that things are amiss on the island. Their friend has become a patron of local myths and superstitions, and become involved in native rituals. Dr. Cooper is suspicious, and carefully investigates. What he encounters is not at all what he expected! With his life, his children's life, and island parishioners' lives at stake, the Coopers must all rely on Christ to help them Escape From the Island of Aquarius.

For the parents: This book doesn't contain as much death-and-skeleton type creepiness, but some more bizarre events that before. Still, as I said in my other reviews, I read them as a child, and loved them. I'd recommend them for any kid 10 or older.

I met Colleen Coble last September at the ACFW Conference in Texas, and I've been reading her books ever since.

As always, when I read a book I was impressed how Tess's past experiences influenced her job choice, and her relationship problems. Colleen is a masterful story teller and the story gripped me from beginning to end.

I highly recommend this book as a story with take away value.

I love Colleen Coble, and have read all her books. Fire Dancer is by far my favorite. It seems that many of Coble's books follow the exact same formula. This was the first book that I felt strayed into new ground somewhat. This book was a fascinating read. I would recommend this book if you enjoy Colleen Coble and a (somewhat predictable) romantic mystery.

A decade ago Tess's parents died in a barn fire; now she's one of the best smoke jumpers in the business - but has yet to face her loss. When the serial arsonist known as Fire Dancer strikes her home town, Tess can no longer run from her past and must face not only past truths, but their impact on her safety and future. FIRE DANCER is an intriguing novel of psychological cat-and-mouse games and intrigue and is a top pick for advanced teen readers.

As a child Tess Masterson could not save her parents and her uncle from a terrible fire.

As an adult and working as a smoke jumper putting out fires and chasing arsonists, she must return to the place she left behind to help her sister save the family ranch. Before she can, there's a blantant attempt on her life. With no time to figure that mystery out Tess heads to Arizona and the nightmares that haunt her sleep. Can she really go back to the place where much of her family was lost?

When she arrives sparks soon fly as she's reaquainted with Chase Huston. Meanwhile the local lawman has come to believe a series of fires over the years are the work of a serial arsonist. Tess and her band of smokejumpers begin to help in the investigation and putting out fire that pop up all over town, some getting very close to the family ranch.

Does this arsonist called the Fire Dancer have something against the Masterson family? Can Tess stop this serial arsonist? Can she put out the fire that begun to blaze in her own heart for Chase?

These questions and more will fill your mind and heart reading this novel, as will a long list of possibilities for the identity of the Fire Dancer.

When I first began to seriously pursue a writing career one name kept coming up. Colleen Coble. It seemed she had a million novels and billions of adoring fans. As I got to know some writers Colleen was one I was always pointed to as an example of what was right about this novel writing thing I wanted to do.

Finally I got to know her a bit and she was one of the first to encourage, and eventually convince me, that if I was serious about this writing goal I had to join American Christian Fiction Writers. I finally did and it's the single best thing I've done to date to help me advance to the place where I'll have my own name on the binding of a book.

Some who've never cracked open a novel of Colleen's, especially men, may discount her books as romantic fluff. I admit I did. I knew nothing of the romantic suspense. It was her books that convinced me I needed to pay attention to genre. Yes, there's romance. But there's always these intricate plots. In this story alone. You have Tess dealing with the lost of much of her family, an arsonist, attempts on her life, the lost of her family ranch and her horse. Her sister's illness and troubled marriage. Feelings for Chase, a man she shouldn't give a care for. Chase dealing with his own issues of family and love. Stevie and Paul's marriage. And so much more. And Colleen weaves it all together in a way that the reader keeps it straight in their head and never gets lost.

Some of the most interesting passages in the story were the first person accounts from of the fire dancer. Colleen slowly drips out just enough information about this person that she get a real feel for them without ever revealing who they are until the last possible second.

I could go on and on about this book and about Colleen's writing but I must stop. If you've never read a Colleen Coble novel, this is a good place to start since it's the beginning of a new series. She has another new one just released, Midnight Sea, that's unrelated and yet another coming out later this year called Abomination. I can't wait to get my hands and eyes on both of these and more of Colleen's work.

I hope you'll pick up Fire Dancer and loose yourself in the world of Tess Masterson for a few hours. You won't be disappointed.

Care to dance?

In 1991 a young Tess Masterson watched with horror as her parents were both eaten alive by fire in their barn. Tess was horrified as she stood by and knew there was nothing she could do to save them. The fire pointed Tess's life towards fire fighting as a Smoke Jumper, those that jump from airplanes into the fire to attempt to stop its forward progress in any way they can. Tess relives that day every time she jumps into a fire and wonders many times what she could have done to save her parents from that barn inferno.

During one of the jumps Tess and a good friend, Allie, jumped as a pair into one of the fires. Allie's parachute did not open. Tess did all she could to assist Allie as they both floated towards the fire, reaching her and holding on to slow her fall. In the end, Allie was slowed but not enough to keep her from getting badly hurt when she hit earth. When Tess learned that the parachute Allie used was actually Tess's chute she began to think that she must have been a target by someone sabotaging her chute. Some of the lines were cut showing the murderous intent by someone. But who? Anyone on the fire team could have done this as well as anyone near their base camp. Allie was in the hospital and there she would stay for some time so her broken bones and the rest of her body could heal.

Chase Huston was a foster child the Masterson's had taken in. He was a handsome but bothersome ranch hand that Tess skirted when she could. Tess also owned a gorgeous horse, Wildfire who was a one-person horse, and Tess was that person. She hated leaving him when she had to go back on duty and couldn't wait until that smoke jumpers duty was over to see Wildfire back at the family owned ranch.

Fires continued to start in suspicious ways and places with a note and evidence found at most of the arson related fires. Signed "The Smoke Dancer" this person stopped at nothing to kill or maim animals or humans. The Masterson family seemed to be one of the main subjects The Fire Dancer was out to hurt.

Stevie was Tess's sister who Tess knew was not feeling good by just looking at her. Stevie had Lupus that left her feeling very run down and poorly. This devastated Tess. Tess helped her in any possible way. As time went on, Tess and Chase became closer but bitterness still was in the back of each other's mind, bitterness from earlier years. Eventually feelings between the two did change.

Tess's Smoke Jumper friends were the same or better than her family since she was with them so much and each ones life was so valuable to the others. It was hard to think that one of them could be the one that has been trying to hurt or kill Tess but the possibility of that existed as it did with various ranch hands.

I have always been fascinated by stories about fire, the fighting of them and the tracking down of arsonists. "Fire Dancer" is a great story with so many Christian values explored throughout; values that would help all involved when they take those values into their lives. Colleen Coble has spun an excellent story combining love, adventure, fire, mystery, murder, and that Christian value. An excellent book and a great read. Colleen writes in a way that makes this book easy and interesting to read, and hard to put down.

Here is Sinatra stripped of everything who leaves me knowing he has deserved my love and admiration all these years. With Sinatra, he drove himself through life going after whatever he wanted and risking the consequences. We get to look at his ups and downs and his prides and his falls. We see him suffer at love and sing about it. We see him finally, after all the aborted tries, finally sink himself into a relationship with his last wife that kept him happy until he died.

Life for Sinatra was all or nothing at all and he did life his way and fell into lots of tender traps and led some into his own tender traps, like one famous movie star I will let you discover on your own.

What so special about Nancy's book is that she is amazingly organized and objective in her account of her father's life. And the CD, well the CD is everything. You get to hear Sinatra on Sinatra, unabashed.

Everyone on the planet needs to buy and read this book to learn what life can be when you go for it all every day!

Kudos to Nancy for a biography well, well done.

This book has excellent pictures with the most vital information for a biography project. A great buy and great read for interested fans of Ol' Blue Eyes.

No wonder this book is so thick- it's filled with numerous photos of Frank Sinatra, his family, and friends over the years. I love looking at these pics, and so will any other Sinatra fan. There is detailed info throughout the book as well. This is one worth having in your collection.

This scrapbook is a real treat to any true SINATRA fan.It is full of pictures of everybody who was important in his life from his parents to collaborators like arrangers NELSON RIDDLE; all his wifes from NANCY to BARBARA;the legendary LOUIS B. MAYER etc.Better than most biographies because it is based on facts not rumours.The early pictures from his beginnings are alone worth the price.I was fortunate enough to get this book at the third of it's price and i went through it very fast because once you open it, you simply can't take your hands out of it.If FRANK became the singer of the past century, it's not by accident, he worked hard at it.I was particulary touched by his loyalty to his true friends.FRANK SINATRA is a mirror of his country. He was the son of immigrants who lived the AMERICAN dream to the fullest.Where is the AMERICAN dream today now that it's last legend is gone?Let's not complain too much ,because everything that FRANK SINATRA ever recorded is now available on cd.Nostalgia when you think of it is a very good thing.SATURDAY is not the loneliest night of the week anymore thanks to the chairman of the board.If you are not already a fan, this book should do the trick.

I had to get this book after seeing how low the price came down.The original price was 40 dollars. Nancy Sinatra's book on her Father has everything in here.I couldn't believe Frank weighted 13and a half pounds when he was born on December 12,1915.The Doctor ripped and scarred his ear,check,and neck,plus puncturing his eardrum.Frank wasn't breathing,so his grandmother Rose held the baby under cold running water until he gasped his first breath and cried.This book is like a Diary.It goes from year to year,sometimes month to month.All of Franks movies,records,concerts,TV shows,songs,and the name of the songwriters are in here,plus hundreds of pictures,starting with Frank's baby photo, ending with a touching family photo taken in 1996.There's a wonderfull picture of Marilyn Monroe taken with Dean Martin sitting ringside at the Sands..All of the stars are in here,and family pictures we've never seen before.If you are a Frank Sinatra fan,you have to get this Book.Its huge,and the pictures are fantastic.

rich blend of Science Fiction and fantasy. This excellent and entertaining novel never falls into the trap of taking itself too seriously. Here are all the elements of a classic quest story, riches beyond our dreams of avarice, beautiful maidens to be rescued, vile villains to be dispatched (or more likely run away from) and technical wonders galore! The hero Germain is not all powerful, he has numerous flaws and a terrible childhood holding him back. He has to overcome all this to seek one of the most powerful artefacts known to our civilisation, the Holy Grail. Realistically Germain has no chance of achieving his goal but remember 'the journey IS the destination' and Germain's journey is a worthy one. This overlooked gem is good stuff and makes me want to read other books by the author. Its a lot more entertaining than recent Grail Quest novels!

A Game of Universe is the first work of Nylund's I've ever read. Having picked it up in FLorida on a whim several years ago, I've used my copy so much that it's literally worn out! This is the only book I've given out to several of my friends and co-workers (even my mother!) and every single one of them have loved it. All of us are now trying to hunt down a copy in better condition than mine!

Germain is a complex and hilarious character, with very real-to-life thoughts and actions. His various "personas" and his innner struggles have thrilled everyone I've known who has read this amazing work. The romance between Virgina and Germain was just enough to please the girl in me but not overly so so that I wanted to strangle them both. Virgina was a lovable female lead, easily identifable to and a strong female. Lilian, however, was not my favorite character at all and was rather grating on the nerves. Stebos was an amazing concept and Quilp was annoying, but quite brilliant. The theories introduced were interesting but not overly confusing. All of Germain's personas made the story quirky and adoringly eccentric.

This sotry has a bit of everything in it, satisfying even the pickiest reader. Romance, action, history, adventure, science fiction, betrayal, psychology, even gambling! This futuristic Grail adventure (featuring an ultimate but unseen battle between Heaven and Hell) is satsfying down to the very last sentence!

Nylund's writing is addictive, yet not at all hard to follow. However, the details involved are sparkling! I HIGHLY recommend this work, as it is an easy, interesting read and worth every cent you spend. Eric S. Nylund's A Game of Universe makes everyone want to go on their own personal quest for the Grail and be involved in the battle between Heaven and Hell. It's a shame it's out of print!

This book was the first I read by Eric Nylund, and it had me searching all of the used book stores for more. I was enthralled from page one, and never put it down. I'm frankly not that much into sci-fi any more, but this was a rare find and a fun read.

Usually, most literature which tries to mix technology and magic doesn't work for me at all (e.g. the "Shadowrun" stuff), badly executed and stitched together. Not so this time. One of the all-time best books to read, this novel offers the inside view of a split-personality corporate assassin/sorceror in a future where powerful magic dwells between sophisticated ultratechnology and time-bending psionic powers. It artfully splices together the stuff of ancient legends and high-tech thriller. While certain ideas in this book are not entirely new, I would nevertheless rate it 6 stars, if I could, due to it's beautiful style, in-depth characterization, fast pace and intricately wrought background. I think this book is even better than "Signal to Noise", and just wish the very promising Mr. Nylund would produce more novels in this setting. Very highly recommended.

I thought A Game of Universe was a great book, and I'm certain my wife hated it. Every free moment I had I had my nose in the book. The author does a great job merging fantasy and science fiction. The two genres are blended wonderfully in this work, and it is easy to envision the world(s) in the novel. The action in the book was continuous, which is why it was so hard to put down. The last few pages where you get to find out about the great battle between good and evil and a third player wrap the book up splendedly. I highly recommend this book, but only pick it up if you have time to read it continuously!

This is a great, hilarious read. Forget trashy, slushy romance, this is a comedy romp with some love interest on the side. Horror stories have more sex and romance than this book! The heroine is a great character with some snappy asides and life observations. I'm not a romatic novel reader normally, but I have to confess that I used to work with the author's husband and I always promised to read her work. Well he left the firm I work at, and then I happened across the book (wish I'd got his wife to autograph it - she feels like a rising star) and having just finished my latest stack decided to give it a whirl. What a pleasant surprise. I couldn't put the book down. This is really great beach book material. The plot is hilarious, the characters are a hoot and in all you kind of feel you're at an old time musical hall. Read it. I promise you won't regret it.

Kiely Davlin really should be going to New York casting cattle calls, but when her friend Lida Rose is hired to direct a remake of a 100-year-old melodrama, Lida Rose cons Kiely into helping--both as an actress and as choreographer. Kiely knows that Lida Rose has matchmaking plans, but Lida Rose always has matchmaking plans and there's no way Kiely is moving back to Dallas permanently. Still, Lida Rose needs a favor and a paying job sounds like a great way to spend the summer.

Once in Dallas, Kiely discovers that Lida Rose wasn't kidding about the sexy men on the stage--all of them apparently straight. The sexiest of them all is Rafe Montez--who plays the villain and who just might have been typecast--what, exactly, is he doing all that snooping for? Did I say the sexiest? Well, that doesn't include the ghost of the former villain, shot dead in the theater on opening night half a century before, the last time the play was run. That ghost seems interested in Kiely, which would be nice if he wasn't quite so dead--and he didn't need to warn her so often that something terrible was about to happen.

Author Flo Fitzpatrick combines a strong chick-lit and humor feel with paranormal elements and romance to delive a strong story. Her writing kept me smiling as Kiely stumbled from misadventure to misadventure, the play got in worse and worse trouble, and interfering owners, her friend Lida Rose, and curious newspaper reporters glommed onto the so-called curse the play labors under. Fitzpatrick clearly knows and loves the theater and dance, and these elements add richness and texture to the novel.

GHOST OF A CHANCE was a surprisingly mature novel for a first-time novelist. Fitzpatrick doesn't mind breaking the rules (how many times are authors told to stay away from the theater, to keep the hero and heroine on the page at all times, and to definitely ensure that the heroine doesn't do evil things like drink?), but her rulebreaking adds up to a really superior novel. Well done--I'll look forward to reading her next book.

I met the author online through her writing (notes, not books) and almost at once thought "I can't WAIT to read her book."

It's such a relief to know that her wit, charm and laugh-out-loud lines fill the heart of her story too. The setting of a small town theater's production is perfect (for a production of "Bad Business on the Brazos" a wonderfully campy play). First person is perfect, too. A delicious combination of mystery, ghost story and chick-lit with a heart.

Ghost of a Chance is a fast-paced, witty novel that is sure to entertain. The characters are down-to-earth, and by the end of the novel, they feel like friends (or sometimes annoying co-workers). Flo Fitzpatrick also does a wonderful job of creating the kind of chemestry that really does go on back stage in a theatre production. If you've ever been in a high-school play or community theatre production, you'll love this book!

After reading Hot Stuff by Flo Fitzpatrick and enjoying her bright writing, I just had to snag this one. And I am glad I did (and thank you Amazon Prime for free speed ship!!). Fitzpatrick has an easy, Chit-Lit, breezy humor that is great fun to read and clearly marks her as a writer to watch.

Kiely Devil has been on tour for nine months, so she is really looking forward to a little down time in the Big Apple. Only, her best friend from hell Lida Rose Worthington has plane tickets for waiting for her at the airport and she has to take the next flight to Dallas. Frankly, I'd shoot any friend that did it to me, but it makes a fun premise! Once there, things don't get any brighter. Lida Rose informs Kiely she has to perform in the remake of the classic (must have missed that one...lol) "Bad Business on the Brazos". See it's the One Hundredth anniversary gala event and Lida Rose is in charge. Kiely is worn down by the one-woman force Lida Rose, especially when she tossed in three-meals-a-day of the best Tex-Mex, so she agrees. As fast as you can say Pace Salsa, Kiely is trodding the boards under Lida Rose's direction.

The East Ellum Theatre where the production is being put on is rumored to be haunted by one Don Muller. An actor, he was killed on stage a half a century ago. Kiely scoffs at the notion of Don's ghost still trips the light fantastic before the flood lights, until she comes face-to-face with him! As the play's rehearsals go along, Kiely slowly begins to inquire in to what really happened to poor Don fifty years ago. Suddenly "things" begin to happen to Kiely. Pray could it be someone doesn't want the riddle of Don's death solved?

Kiely also falls for Rafe Montez, playing the role our dear departed Don played fifty years before. While he won't believe in ghosts - men are never good about these things!! -
he does see things are happening to Kiely that calls for his protection, which he is only too eager to provide!

Fitzpatrick is a delight at weaving this amazing tale of paranormal, off-beat Sleuth and sexy romance. She vividly brings to life the frantic backstage madness of a play being produced. It's funny, it's sexy.

Fans of Katie Macalister should check her out.