Short Stories Books

Short stories, by their very nature, do not often lend themselves to detailed character development or complex plot. This book of short stories by David Benioff is no exception. Most of the stories provide brief glimpses into fractured pieces of lives: "Zoanthropy" is the story of a young man whose father, a fabled big game hunter, has come to Manhattan to dispatch one of the lions that periodically roams the city; "De Composition" has as its main character a man who has built a bomb shelter in his backyard and is now in residence, pending the destruction of civilization; "When the Nines Roll Over" concerns a rock band, its drummer, and a female singer.

One story in the collection, however, "The Devil Comes to Orekhovo", is a stand-out. Set in Chechnya, it centers around three Russian soldiers, sent to secure a mansion thought to be an outpost for Chechen rebels. At thirty-six pages, it is the longest, and most developed, story in the collection.

The short story is underappreciated in our culture so I am always glad to see a new collection published. They are efficient, enjoyable and quickly concluded - intellectual "self -pleasuring," of sorts. Benioff seems to understand this and his stories provide maximum punch with minimal effort by the reader. And like all great short story collections a central theme threads itself across all the stories, creating an illusion of continuity without the 350-page commitment. Whether it's a rock star in search of fame, a man in search of love, or an actress in search of an identity all of Benioff's characters live exactly in the frayed edges of life; the blurred line between reality and fantasy. His stories have the quirky quality of Augusten Burroughs without the homosexuality and the surreal quality of Andre Dubus without all that boring Catholic guilt.


My favorite is "Zoanthropy." The story of a father and son, a sick lion roaming the streets of New York City and the "Greatest Lover on the East Coast, not counting Florida." The plot in the hands of a lesser writer would seem implausible. But Benioff's straightforward, unapologetic writing style carefully glides the reader along until you are left wondering in the end if the lion really does exists or, as the title suggests, was simply a metaphor for the boy's dysfunctional relationship with his father and his own lack of sexual prowess. Good writing allows for interpretation. So, either way, the story works brilliantly.

So for you who are commitment phobic, who look at a novel and see a long-term relationship, the short story is your salvation. The literary equivalent of the perfect one-night stand. I recommend buying this book and keeping it on your bedside table - you won't be disappointed.

I generally do not enjoy short stories and abhor authors who write a collection of short stories after sucess with a novel. However, David Benioff's When The Nines Roll Over is an excellent collection of short stories. I couldn't put the book down and it is the only book of short stories that I own! Benioff is a master story teller who tantalizes the reader and intrigues you so that you have to finish the story in one sitting. Each story provokes some thought as well as discussion. Many authors short stories are a collection of the same themes and at times seem as though they are the run-on thoughts of the author. This is not true in When the Nines Roll Over, as all the stories vary in theme, setting and have a great diversity of characters to keep one entertained for hours. My personal favorite is The Devil Comes to Orekhovo and I still mull over it now and then! Each story is diversely entertaining and I give this work two thumbs up!!

A writer friend of mine has a completed novel and a collection of short stories to his credit. He believes the novel is "not bad" but his heart and soul can be found in his short story collection. While he believes his novel will not have too many problems being published, he has less hope for his short story collection. The popular theory in the world of publishing is that short story collections do not capture the reader's attention and the market is very limited. Short story collections do not get the attention or press they often deserve and David Benioff's WHEN THE NINES ROLL OVER & OTHER STORIES is a case in point. This is a great collection of well written and captivating stories but it has hardly received the attention it deserves.

Benioff, who is known for his novel THE 25TH HOUR, his adaptations of books for film (he is currently working on a screen version of THE KITE RUNNER), gives us eight short stories that can engage a reader. The stories are varied and include tales about a recording exec who falls in love with a punk rocker, a man who searches for a girl he met briefly who mesmerized him in high school, a man who is battling AIDS and the moral implications of being a part of a research study as well as other beautifully told tales. Benioff's gifts as a writer are evident throughout, but his ability to create distinct voices in his main characters and tell eight very distinct stories is amazing.

Since Benioff is a young writer, we are certain to be hearing more from him in the years to come, or at least I hope we hear more form him in the future. He has a gift for writing and a voice that is certain to entertain and challenge readers.

I first read Benioff a few years ago in "All-Story" magazine, where three of the stories in this book first appeared (they are actually available online at All Story's site for those interested in sampling his writing). I then read and loved his novel "The 25th Hour", and so am glad to get my hands on this collection of eight stories. There aren't that many young American writers whose work excites me, but Benioff is certainly one of them (Mark Jude Poirier and John McNally are two others). His prose is clear and crisp, without the affectation or self-consciousness one finds in so much coming out these days. The stories collected here show a nice range of subject matter and tone, ranging from pure realism to slight surrealism, but almost all contain threads of loss, disappointment, and forlorn hope. Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay to the stories, is that even though I didn't connect with some of them, I still loved reading them.

The opening (and title) story, is one of these, following a record label A&R man (essentially a high-end scout) who pursues a talented punk girl and spirits her away to Los Angeles and out of the life of her drummer boyfriend. It felt a little old-fashioned in a lot of ways. Do record label execs still act like that? Are they really that interested in transforming punk chicks into superstars? But it did nicely capture that moment in relationships when one person has moved on to bigger and presumably better things, and their lover just doesn't fit in the picture any more. Another story, "The Garden of No", is very similar thematically, only here it's a waitress turned television actress, and the man is a short-order cook.

Misfiring romance figures prominently in three other stories as well. "Barefoot Girl in Clover" tells of a 30ish man who tries to track down a girl he hung out with for a day as a teenager. "Neversink" is about a New York couple and the aftermath of their breakup. In "Merde For Luck", a gay man recounts his last relationship from beginning to grim end. What's interesting is that in all three of these stories, the narrator is either missing a crucial piece of information or operating under some major misconception. This allows Benioff to set each up for a major fall late in the story, when all is revealed. The lesson seems to be that if women don't betray you, life will find a way to.

The three other stories are a little harder to categorize. "The Devil Comes to Orekhovo" is a great story with a very traditional feel to it. It follows three Russian soldiers on patrol in Chechnya as they scout out a house that may or may not contain Chechen separatists. Benioff brilliantly captures the unease and awkwardness of the youngest, rawest soldier, as the older men mock him and eventually put him to a nasty test. It deserves a place with Tolstoy and Lermontov's stories of the Russian experience in the Caucuses. "Zoanthropy" is a strange story about a young man whose father is called in to shoot lions when they appear in New York. It left me kind of blah, but again, I enjoyed reading it. Finally, "De Composition", is a Twilight Zone-inspired take on a man locked into a bunker with his computer following some kind of global cataclysm. Felt a little derivative, but nicely done with a clever ending.

On the whole, this is a very strong collection of stories. Hopefully Benioff can find time away from the lucrative world of screenwriting to write another novel.

I read Susan Perabo's collection after being her student over Christmas. Wow.
These stories amaze me. Well written, she does so well what she has taught her own students. The gears in my head turned, and I finally understood all those things she wrote on my stories or tried to explain in class.
I love her characters. The data processing woman with the Diana dress. The pot smoking music teacher father. The woman whose baby just died. The actor whose marriage is ending so he invites a klepto father to stay with him. On and on they go, so confused, so much in pain, but she makes their lives and situations funny. It's a bittersweet pain, but Perabo has one of the most original ways of communicating pain I've seen since the writers she told us to read.
I still can't get out of my mind the one called "Explaining Death to the dog". The pain the woman feels when showing the dog the book of Time photos or showing her the dead animal, wow. I read it three times in a row the first night I read it. I am still in awe of it.
As she told my class so many times, "Show, don't tell."
Perabo shows. I can't believe I was lucky enough to have classes with her. I just wish I read these sooner.

Barring a very few exceptions, the stories presented here are top-notch. I finished this book in half a day, and wanted more when I ran out of stories. I would love to see more stories about the characters here!

I found this collection by accident and didn't know what to expect. Short stories can be so good, or so bad. These stories are very good, and consistently good. These are stories of people searching for something missing in their lives, well told stories with humor and heart. Enjoy this collection.

Should be 'nuf said -- but I want to add that the author's voice is completely true! (i think this a book for older people -- ie, over 40 -- who understand about disappointment, and transformation). What a read!

This book came with high recommendations and expectations but for me the book failed to live up to them. The characters are inventive and memorable but their treatment falls short and the stories repeatedly end on a dissatisfying note. I agree with the Amazon review that her characters' promise and development seems to stall out of some kind of self conscious regard for academic critique and conflict, etc. (I'm not an academic, but you can feel their eyes on the text.) I wish she'd just let it rip. I also think the writing suffers from a lack of a clear voice; the voice often seem contrived and forced and in some instances just competely derails the story. The good part is the characters themselves, who are memorable despite their author's too-often shallow treatment.

Simolke, Duane. "The Acorn Stories", iUniverse, 2003.

Living in a Small Town

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

Acorn, Texas--population 21. 001 is the setting for Duane Simolke's wonderful "The Acorn Stories". The town of Acorn is full of stories and if you have lived in a small town you know exactly what I mean. Each of Simolke's stories lets us look into the lives of some of the most interesting characters I have ever read about. As you read each story, you seem to make new friends and when I closed the book I felt as if I actually knew many in the town. Just as the stories are all separate, they eventually tie together. There is just the right amount of detail to let the reader feel he knows the people of Acorn.
Even more interesting is that Simolke wrote this book in a very difficult style of writing--the stream of consciousness. This allows the reader to feel as if he is one of the characters and as the stories come together, we get a picture of Acorn, Texas in quite a unique way. The 16 stories in the book, although separate, are all related and this is not an easy way to write. As the characters merge, the imaginary (at least I think it is imaginary0 town seems to be very real.
The residents of Acorn are very real people--or so they seemed to me as I met them. And as the stores come together the town of Acorn is laid bare reminding me of what is left of a turkey after Thanksgiving dinner. As we meet the townsfolk, we dig below the outside appearance and go deep into the characters. The characters are quite a menagerie of folk all of whom have challenges and problem (just like we all do). It is the personalities and actions of the members of Acorn that make the stories live. In fact, I am not really sure that this is a collection of short stories because of the interactions between the stories and when they all come together it is like reading a novel.
Acorn is located in west Texas and there, under the Texas sun and the majestic oak trees (so unlike Texas) is a mixture of Hispanics and Anglos as well as a few Afro-Americans. Some were born in Acorn and some are hiding in Acorn. Newlyweds Becky and Kyle are very much in love and they are starting a life together. We meet the [...] art dealer and gallery owner who is being blackmailed by the [....] mayor of the town. There is also a famous writer hiding in Acorn because he stages his own fake suicide. There is the high school teacher who favors sports over academics and the young kid who is keeping a secret, a young man looking for a sugar momma to pay his rent, a widow ad her cat, Regina, an overbearing sister, a widow, Mae, who remembers how life was once and so on.
I must say that I loved this book and have reread several of the stories. It is a rare treat and one that will have you laughing, crying, commiserating and identifying. I have not had this much fun in a long time.

Duane Simolke's, "The Acorn Stories," is set in the fictional West Texas town of Acorn, so named because it's the only town in the entire region that has trees, thanks to the foresight of its founders. The stories are a compilation of vignettes that give the reader a glimpse into the everyday happenings of a group of residents whose lives, we learn as the chapters unfold, interconnect in fascinating and unexpected ways. With each new story, or chapter, the reader is introduced to a new character. The stories and lives of the citizens of Acorn interweave, turning "The Acorn Stories" into what is essentially a novel...quite a feat for the author to accomplish in a relatively short book.

Simolke allows the reader peeks into the thoughts of diverse characters, from a policeman's recollection of his abusive childhood, to the befuddled thoughts of a senile old man. We see events from the points of view of a deaf man who manages to do a good job as the high school's English teacher, an esteemed best selling author desperately trying to escape life's travails, and a young couple who find love and, like it or not, become parents at a most unexpected time and place...the opening of an Art Gallery that happens to be owned by the teacher's boyfriend. A small example of how the stories go around.

"The Acorn Stories" allows the reader an understanding of the human condition. We learn what makes each individual's personality tick. Simolke's characters are male and female, young and old, black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, handicapped and gifted, happy and sad, satisfied and searching, hypocritical and fair-minded. The ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each character's breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.

I dislike giving ratings to books...they are too subjective...but The Acorn Stories deserves 5 stars as a very intelligently written book. Don't miss it.

Duane Simolke's offering of his sixteen short stories, many with overlapping characters and plot-lines, all set within or around the fictitious west-Texas small town of Acorn, provides its readers an insightful and literate look at what goes on in the hinderlands beyond the boundaries of this country's big cities.

Not as salaciously rendered as was Peyton Place (which, if you remember, was a small town taken on by Grace Metalious), Simolke's Acorn, Texas, still turns out to be rife with some of the same angst-ridden problems, thereby, once again, exploding the myth that rural "out there" is actually more idyllic (even Edenesque), as compared to big-city "in here".

From the who-will-have-control-of-this-relationship "dueling" of Regina Thibodeaux and Dirk Palmer in Simolke's lead-off story "Acorn", to the not-always-that-pleasant reminisces of town maven Aragon Carsons in the book's concluding "Acorn Pie", Simolke puts rural America under a microscope to unveil all of its acne, sores, scars, and festering wounds.

THE ACORN STORIES isn't for any reader out to preserve his or her unrealistic nostaligic notion that rural-America is the place "to be" "to get away from it all". On the other hand, for those of us not put off by realism and always interested in a literate writer who can provide us a peek beneath the veneer, Simolke provides some very enjoyable reading moments.

"The Acorn Stories" is BRILLIANT! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Heck, it's right in front of me now. I just finished it. I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT! EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT! I cried reading "Mae", and smiled viciously at "Mirrors: A Blackmail letter". Duane, where is "Acorn Revisited."? :) KUDOS!

The Acorn Stories
Duane Simolke

Review by Mountman

Picture a small town in West Texas. Acorn. The reason it's called Acorn is that it is the only town in West Texas that has a lot of trees. Yes, Acorn is a fictional town but after reading The Acorn Stories, I wanted to visit the place, just to check it out.

" "Welcome to Acorn, population 21,001, the Texas town with a little name and a big heart" - Sign marking city limits of Acorn" (taken from the book.)

Like the branches of the Main Street Oak tree, the town has just as many histories and legends. Each story gives you a glimpse into lives of the people of Acorn. Also how their lives are intertwined.

There are stories about the founding family, newcomers, the rich, the poor and in between. When I first started reading it I felt like I was left hanging. Just then, in Simolke unique clever style, things began to connect. Growing up in a small town I could relate to some of the characters. Duane gives you just enough details that you get a feel for where each of the characters are coming from. There are people that you like, some that you can't wait to see if they get theirs. Big cheers for when they do!

Ones that really grabbed me are Survival and Dead Enough. Survival is about a gay, deaf teacher. Dead Enough is about a writer of murder mysteries. I'm not going to give you any details because you will have to find out for yourself.

Whether you are an avid short story reader, or a novel reader this is a must read! So check it out.

I enjoyed the first story more but it was a good book in all and he is surely a great writer. Alot of talent for sure.

Wow, this book was very good, it had 2 stories in this book, both stories are going to teach u a thing or two. My favorite was The Glory of My Demise, I like how he told the story and it made me look at things a little different, but it told a true story with some knowledge behind it. I applaud u on this work and thanks for bringing something different to the table.

Kwame Teague is an excellent writer. He paints a picture so vividly in your mind and you feel as if you are walking the walk with the main character. In a way he tells his own story. It is truly intriguing to read his work. Those of us who read HIS other work Dutch know this. Yes I said HIS other work. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT DUTCH IS THE WORK OF KWAME TEAGUE. Yes it was written down literally by you know who but that is that man's work so GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!!! The credits are carefully worded so that it is easy to mistake who's work it is. Kwame some of us know your story and may justice prevail in both situations.

Have you ever finished a book and thought, "Now that's what I'm talking about!"? Well that's exactly how I'm feeling having completed Kwame's debut novel. And it was a treat because it's two books in one.

"The Adventures of Ghetto Sam." Sam Black, a dime azz Jersey n*gga, has a chance encounter with a beautiful, mysterious woman. Her beauty and intrigue lure Sam into a world of trouble.

"The Glory of My Demise." It's the tale of two men, one from the hood and the other has heard and read about it. They take a journey that soon will not be forgotten.

These were two well-crafted and ambitious stories. Kwame Teague packs a lot into these short episodes - fascinating yet flawed characters, solid plots, great pacing and witty dialogue. It works in every way possible. Ghetto Sam was not like reading a story at all. It felt like I was sitting across from Sam as he recounted his wild adventure. He's the kind of guy that you might want to get to know sometime. Teague's story of Sam Black, both his character and his work, was engaging. Glory of My Demise was edgy and compelling. Kwame Teague, ghetto philosopher and storyteller extraordinaire, is one of the most exciting writers of his generation.

I can't believe I slept on this book for so long and hope you don't do the same. This is not just another urban/street lit tale. His other novels DUTCH and DUTCH II are bangers, but Ghetto Sam/Glory of My Demise is on another level. I look forward to DUTCH III and all his future endeavors.

Kwame, I hear your song and I see your beautiful feathers. And this too shall pass.

Check out his other titles...
Dutch: The First of a Trilogy
Dutch II: Angel's Revenge (Dutch Trilogy)

THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE is a prevailing work. However, please be advised, if you selected this book looking for the stereotypical hood, with a hero drug dealer and his spoiled, obnoxious girlfriend who is a shop-a-holic, then return this book to the shelf as you're not equipped for this knowledge!

Kwame Teague is probably better known to most as the author of the Bestselling DUTCH Series. That fact alone shows that Kwame has separated himself from the masses. In THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE readers will be surprised to find not one, but two books.

People, there are too many African American males incarcerated, pumping poison, killing one another and this vicious cycle may not directly relate to you, but it does affect us all. THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE rips the bandages right off of those issues.

Kwame, I pray that your voice is heard not only on behalf of those caught up in the struggle, but for you and your family as well.

Reviewed by: Crystal

I found the Poetry leaping off the pages
at me as the Poet so vividly describes them. They were
so real and descriptive, true to life. I found them honest,
dark and religouse.

I was so taken by the reality and true to life poems
that I have read in American poems an short stories.
Author has a way of cutting through the core, and
delivering them right to your heart, The poems I
read have inspired me to now start to write.
Besides my husband says im good.

American Poems hit right into my soul very moving and touching, the poet brings it to life. I found it true poetic
beauty

THE POETRY WAS LIKE SHADOWS OF OURSELVES.
ALWAYS THERE NEVER LEAVING,POETIC, VERSATILE
TRUE TO LIFE. LIKE A SHADOW THAT LURKS FOR
THE LIGHT. MOVING TOUCHING AND ALWAYS THERE.

I found the Poetry very Patriotic, There is no doudbt the Poet is tuned into the soul, Poetry that inspires the inner being of one self.

I have a serious fondness for the written word, and where Neil Gaiman is concerned, it is not a fondness, it is a love. His works from Sandman to Eternals is awesome, but this particular book has held a fascination in it's difficulty to obtain in first print and the stories and poems it contains. Babycakes is one that come to mind as being truly disturbing, but that makes you think. He makes me wonder where we're headed. I would buy this book in any printing you can find, and by all means, if you run across a first print for a fair price, find me, I'm interested. :)

What can i say, this is one of my favorite books. i usually don't like books of short stories and such, but this one is dead on.

Unbeknownst to much of the population who read for pleasure with any regularity, Neil Gaiman is one of our greatest living writers. "Sandman" is an epic saga that blends mythology, history, religion and pop culture into a masterwork medley. "Angels and Visitations" is an equally masterful collection of stories that show what Mr. Gaiman can do when he lets his extraordinary imagination loose.

"Murder Mysteries", a nimble tale about an inchoate Heaven and the constructive angels who populate it, is by far the best of the lot. Here Gaiman does what a great mystery writer should--let the details about the characters and their surroundings emerge and become increasingly richer as the story draws to a close. The hilarious "The Case of Four And Twenty Blackbirds" is a different kind of mystery; one which turns the tale of Humpty Dumpty on its ear. "Troll-Bridge" is another modernization of a children's tale--in this case, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"--which is written for a very different effect. It is a bittersweet story about the loss of innocence and how, as adults, we embrace the monsters that once frightened us. "Mouse" is, as another reviewer notes, an allegory that makes gentle, yet effective use of irony. "Chivalry" is an entertainingly comic tale about finding the Holy Grail. Finally, there's "Luther's Villanelle", a poem which conjures up gothic images that keep the reader's imagination going long after he or she has finished reading it.

These works have remained fresh in my mind, although I finished reading this book more than three years ago. The mere fact that so many have remained in my memory speaks much more about Gaiman's ability to write than my ability to remember. A good writer can keep you interested in what you're reading. A great one is one whose storytelling stays with you for a long time.

Judge this book by its cover. The cover art by Dave McKean is both whimsical and mysterious, presaging Neil Gaiman's charming works on the printed pages within. Just in case you don't know anything about Neil, here's a bit of info. Neil is best known for his award-winning comic series Sandman. Yes, he writes comic books, and he is damned good at it.

However, Neil is also damned good at the more traditional types of writing. He co-wrote the amazingly funny Good Omens with Terry Pratchett, and he also wrote the equally funny biography Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy . His writing has appeared in anthologies. "Troll-Bridge" appeared in the adult fairy-tale compilation Snow White, Blood Red. "Murder Mysteries" (set in the Sandman universe, I do believe) was in the magazine and horror compilation Midnight Graffiti.

Angels and Visitations shows what else he can do. A miscellany of fiction, humour, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork, Angels and Visitations journeys from science fiction and fantasy shorts to detective stories and meticulously-researched literary works. There is a story about a worldwide shortage of animals--it reads like a cross between C. S. Lewis's "On Vivisection" and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." There is a postcard story about the fiendish enforced slavery of a certain well-loved mythical figure. There's a prologue to someone else's book, and an odd and timely story on venereal disease. There's a poem about a computerized hell that reads like a cross between William Gibson's Neuromancer and Kit Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. There's a disquieting allegory called "Mouse." There's a whole lot more, and it's all poignant, bitter-sweet, or rollickingly funny. It's all good. But are you going to get something out of Angels and Visitations? To quote "Prologue," "For that you gotta read the book."

Some years ago I bought an anthology called Midnight Graffiti, now out of print (deservedly, unlike the book we are discussing). Although the authors were well-known, the general level of the stories was a) just average; b) bad; c) very bad; d) unspeakable, and so forth. The only story that stood out was "Murder Mysteries," by Neil Gaiman. This melancholy and powerful story stuck to my mind, and I could never forget it. So, I bought this book because it had this story in it (and so to get rid of Midnight Graffiti without qualms). This book is a treasure trove. Gaiman is a rarity, as fantasy authors go. He is satisfying in general, but he is simply superb when writing about absolutely ordinary people and their relationship with magic (mostly, their refusal to let magic into their lives), as in Chivalry, Vampire Sestina, Troll Bridge, the abovementioned Murder Mysteries and one about a veneral disease whose title has escaped me. (Just the title, I remember the story perfectly well.)

For those who did not get this great book, you can still enjoy Mr. Gaiman's unique talent in Smoke and Mirrors; it does not have the illustrations and essays, but it brings a lot of new stories. And unlike this one, it is in print.

My son had to pick two books off of a large list to read over the summer for school. After reading the other reviews of this book, we picked it. It was a wonderful choice. The book was very interesting, fast paced, well written and easy to read. I read it in 3 hours, and my son was able to read in in a few nights without any complaints of boredom.

If any literary giant needs to have his work adapted to film, it is Myers. As one of the premier writers of fiction for juveniles, the author has added another significant piece to his long line of classics. This one tells the story of a little-known African princess who comes under the wing of England's legendary Queen Victoria.

Not only does the book reveal the horrors of the African slave trade, the atrocities that some tyrants inflict on their enemies, and the class system that pervades much of a "civilized" society, it is a marvelous tale of a girl who overcomes such obstacles and becomes the darling of English society.

Although Sarah's life is brief, it is a memorable one as the character grows from frightened child to a loving mother.
I am recommending that all my students read this book as well as others by Myers. Now, if only someone in "Tinsel Town" would discover this fine author.

I'd much rather see his stories on the big screen than any about a teenaged wizard.

"At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England" tells the life story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who was born an African Egbado princess, captured by rival Dohamans and taken to Dahomey to be murdered in a ritual sacrifice, rescued and adopted by a British naval captain, taken to England and presented to Queen Victoria, and raised under the Queen's protection in England and Sierra Leone. This handsome book is a very fine biography for young readers; it includes many excerpts from Sarah's letters and the Queen's diaries, as well as historic illustrations. Relevant information about 19th century West Africa and Britain (e.g., the Dahomey empire, the slave trade and British actions to end it, Christian missions in Africa, Sierra Leone, the British class system, women's place in society, etc.) is well presented. Although Sarah's story is interesting because of its uniqueness, much about the lives of ordinary 19th century West Africans and Europeans can be learned here. Despite the fact that there is little material concerning Sarah's life, the author has done a fine job and readers interested in Africa should be glad he did. The book contains a useful bibliography which includes "Dahomey and the Dahomans" (1851) by Frederick E. Forbes (the captain who rescued and adopted Sarah).

19th century Dahomey is also the setting of "The Viceroy of Ouidah" by Bruce Chatwin.

I think this is a very well written book. I think that Walter Dean Myers is an amazing writer and that it is great he found this fantastic girl that many have never heard of.

The book, At Her Majesty's Request was the most wonderful book I've read because it tells the story of how Sarah Bonetta overcomed so many problems. First w/ the horror of watching her parents being killed, and then almost being sacrificed by the slave holders because of who she was and where she lived.Then when she was saved by a white man whom she couldn't even understand becase she spoke a different language.And then soon after that she learned how to speak english and then she became friends w/ the Queen of England, Queen Victoria.So the book to me was very heart-warming and I hope you love the book too! Go Wells Wolverines!

I loved this book. It was a very good read hard to put down. I can't wait to see what happens next with the Dixon Family!

I enjoyed reading the first book but the characters seemd one dimensional - this sequel fleshes them out a bit more. Kendra paints tasteful love scenes with her married couples and celebrate marital lovemaking as well as any Songs of Solomon quote - this is often overlooked by some Christian writers as if Christian people don't make love.
The hiccups that any married couple especially one that is having a baby is realistically portrayed which is better than the perfect courtship that Jessica and Greg experienced in book one (seemed too fairy taleish). This book reminds us how easy it is to lose one's faith and how easy it is practise Christianity when all is well and on the up and up but when one is faced with trials that is when the rubber meets the road.
The mothers contiunue to provid the comedy in the book especially the part when they confront Evelyn. Poor Evelyn does not the see contradiction asking God for a husband that is already married - mmmmm

I loved the original book-and was anxious to read this follow up book... well, I was not disappointed...I love the characters Greg and his wife Grace......I love their best friends.....
I was so sad when the story ended-I just love Kendra's writing and I think God has really blessed her and us the reader's.

I just finished reading the last two releases by Ms. Norman-Bellamy and I must say that she never ceases to amaze me with the unique way that she uses her craft. My workaholic lifestyle doesn't afford me the time to read as much as I would like to or even as much as I used to, but when my wife walked into the house recently and placed CROSSING JHORDAN'S RIVER and BECAUSE OF GRACE, in the center of my desk, I knew it was time for a break. My wife and I had read both of her previous novels and enjoyed them and these two were just incredible reads that we found hard to put down. Both of us agreed that we can see an improvement and growth in this writer's already great style and ability to tell a story. She'll always have two loyal fans in us.

My favorite kinds of books usually involve a detective and a crime. However, when it comes to Kendra Norman-Bellamy titles, I keep coming back for more. I have read all of her books that have been released to-date and Kendra Norman-Bellamy is yet honing her craft, getting better and better with each new book. The characters really jump off of the pages and come to life. This author really has her thumb on the pulse of the Black man. The characterization is superb. If I didn't know any better, I would think that Kendra Norman-Bellamy was a man prentending to be a woman writing books about men.

Just finished reading Cemetery Sonata and am very impressed. Excellent stories even though most are from unpublished writers. I am eager to hear more from these new talents and hope some of them will try their hand at a book of their own. Also, hope there will be a sequel which the book cover hints at.In this little volume of frights you will find out what really happens AFTER death, discover just how far one will go to reap his inheritance, and who is playing Moonlight Sonata in the cemetery at night!Even if you are not a fan of horror or, in this case, truly ghostly stories, you cannot help but to be enchanted (and unnerved,)at the interworkings of deviously devised tales.If you like this one, you might want to take a look at Night Voices, a book of short stories written by June Hubbard. Just as the title suggests, there are voices that can only be heard at night and secrets to be told. After reading this book, I can't decide if it is fiction or Ms. Hubbard actually communes with these hardluck souls from the depths of the dark. Very real characters and dilemmas set in the rural South, it is very unlike what you have read before.If you haven't read these two books yet - keep an eye on them. They are going to set a new precedent in terror.

Being a horor efficiando for many years, I think this book would be perfect for reading by candlelight on a dark, stormy night. However, for the novice horror fan - maybe not.

The 42 individual stories are vastly different yet along a similar theme of true fright of the old masters of terror. I could think of nothing that would have been more perfect than having Vincent Price read them to me.

To vegin with, there is a corrupt version of Moonlight Sonata coming from old crypt, while in another part of the cemtery, a madman who was mistakenly buried alive, crouches in the darkness of night behind the rusted iron fence of the cemetery. Want still more? Step into an old house and discover the true secret of what happens to the soul after death. If your teeth aren't chattering by now, go check out that man climbing over the top of the cemtery wall after his shovel - could it be that he has plans to bother the eternal sleep of someone andm if so, why? The answer will leave you quite unnerved.

These are but a portion of the frights that away you behind those huge iron gates, locked at night to protect the dead. Or is it to protect those of us still free to hurry as fast as we can down that lonely road - far away from the looming iron fence and crypts, the white headstones shining in the moonlight. Far away from the strains of Moonlight Sonata and insanity.

If you like cemeteries and wonder if the dead rest in peace, you devour Cemetery Sonata in one sitting. After all, after reading this book, who can sleep?

One heck of a good book for us horror freaks!

It's nice to see a independent publisher coming out with some good, classic stories of horror. Most of the stories are well written, and there is even some well known writers like Tina Jens, and Edo van Belkom that have contribute their stories. But it's some of the newer writers that have really added some gems of great tales that you just have to get the book and see for yourself.

Found it somewhat refreshing, a good scare without the graphic. A bit expensive at first glance but definitely worth every penny in entertainment.Yes, would recommend highly as a good read. Haven't heard of the editor but she seems to be on a good track.Zack

I am not a writer, but I am a consummate reader of the ghostly genre. When I picked up Cemetery Sonata on a whim for the weekend, little did I realize that I would not stop until the last terror unfolded.This book is so unlike any other on the market today: no erotica, no skulking vampires - actually, no blood at all unless you consider the rise in your blood pressure as you read of the twisted tales in this anthology of 42 original tales of the night. I am so greatful to Ms. Hubbard for having the foresight not only to seek out virgin talent, but to make Cemetery Sonata a good fright instead of a blood bath or orgy. I doubt seriously that, once you read this book, you will think of a graveyard as anything but tranquil. FWI: thought Ms Hubbard does a fine job with this collection, she is also an accomplished writer: Check out Night Voices. A series of short stories from the author's recollections of growing up in southen Appalacia in the 1940's. A true talentof the eery.

I would really like to know when The Cold one II:Seedling is coming out ? I've read and adore everything this man has written but when is something new going to come from him? I think we all need to hit him up and demand a new book ! Nah , just kidding but I would like to read what happens in that book it's driving me crazy it's been years,come on A distressed fan .

This book is a great book and I encourage anyone to read it. I think it's one of Christopher Pike's best! He did a wonderful job on the first one because it was soo real. Pleeaaasseee read it!

Fan From Hell was an amazing short story that was a semi-sequel to Master of Murder. Marvin, a yung H/S student/writer is talked into terrible lies from a woman who claims to be his #1 fan. She soon seduces him. She later black mails him by saying he, Marvin raped her & beat her. Even though it was her who hit herself & she did allow Marvin to "make love" with her. She negousates by telling Marvin to basicially write a story for her that she'd started, but couldn't complete. She tries to trick Marvin with his on plots, but she makes a mistake, never interfer with a writer & his work.{hehehe} She'll try to get rid of Marvin, but who'll survive? Pike leads the reader in many twists & turns & even though Pike insists Marvin isn't suppose to be based on him, i still think a portion of Marvin has Pike's brilliance & personality. I hope he'll have another story involving Marvin & his writings. He's my favortie YA writer of all time!so far at least...?

THer is this one story about 4 teenagers from 20,000 in the future when they decide to visit present day humans of the 20th century. They are named 11, 33, 66, 99 and come into bodies of 4 teenagers. It talkes in teen language, like "getting laid" and "she got screwed" and "did you wear a condom" ...I can't describe in words, they are too funny to do so. It has a huge amount of humor in this story and its hard not to laugh. Along with this story is a whole lot of other interesting things too good to put down. I ain't kiddin' ya one whole bit.

This is a great book. There are several short stories so you won't get fed up with one story plot, and "The Fan from Hell" is amazing! It isn't terrifying, exactly, but it really made me think. This is C.Pike's best book!