Party The Books

If you're not inherently super outgoing but want to invite friends, neighbors, etc. to your home to socialize, this book will give you many, many ideas to choose from on how to create a warm, friendly atmosphere. Most of the icebreaker ideas and party games are practical and fun. This book is also great for school teachers looking for ways to break the ice in their classrooms on those first couple of awkward days. I confidently recommend this book to those of you who want to throw a party or have a get together, but are hesitating out of fear of what to do with your guests. It's truly a fun book and will bring people together.

The main reason I purchased the book was because I was out of ideas for good party games and activites. This book certainly solved that problem. It has a ton of things for great parties, not lame games either that people throw in just to fill space. This thing is 100% usable. And what else is nice its adaptable, and they show you how. Really great book worth every cent and more. I do have one problem with though. I only have one party to do right now and too many ideas !

This book has lots of good ideas and gives ways to adapt them or change them to suit almost anyones needs. In the back, the games are broken down by category (for ex, icebreakers, pre-party games, quiet games, hunts, etc...) and then another section has them organized by name. It has a nice section on party planning, things to think about when throwing a party and motivating guests that will be helpful to any newcomer to party throwing. There are no risque games but lots of them are easily adaptable and can be made less "family oriented" if that is your crowd. The majority of these games are for ADULTS not kids.

This book revolutionized my parties. It is chockfull of practical suggestions for organizing a party, energizing your guests and making your party the talk of the town. I love how the author not only suggests great games, but has the games categorized by what kind they are and when they should be played. Lots of helpful advice on how to warm up your group. I was absolutely amazed at how ENTHUSED my guests became the first time I followed her advice and used the games to make them mingle, break the ice, split a part couples, and get them laughing. It is a hoot. Double thumbs up.

It's so hard to get people together, once they are together you want to keep them occupied and happy. This book was my savior. I had fun gathering all of the supplies and making the games as well as playing them.

The world remembers swashbuckling Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton as a selfless leader who would do anything for his men. But this tale of the hardships suffered by his support crew paints a different picture of Shackleton - a charismatic and courageous figure, yes, but also a man whose disorganization and carelessness wasted the lives, health, loyalty and courage of half his party. Three members of Shackleton's Ross Sea party died while leaving supplies of food that Shackleton never used. Historian Kelly Tyler-Lewis uses the survivors' journals and interviews with their families to chronicle the Ross Party's relationships and sacrifices in compelling detail, illuminating the missteps and mismanagement that caused the expedition to go awry. We recommend this study to managers who want examples of how to respond - and how not to respond - in a crisis.

Both sucessful and failed feats of courage are lauded by literature. Many have heard (and read) of the failed expedition of Ernest Shackleton to cross Antarctica. Shackletom failed to even reach the continent, as his ship, the Endurance failed to reach land.

Less well known is the story of the Ross Sea Party -- the group charged with laying in supplies that Shackleton would need as he crossed the pole and returned northward. This book tells the saga of the poorly funded "other half" of the planned expedition.

Focusing more on the shore party, rather than on the shipboard party on the Aurora, the book details the mistakes that were made in the first summer attempt to stock the depots, where Macintosh drove the sled dogs to death and made very little progress, to the stranding of the shore party at the end of the first summer when they were not picked up by the ship.

Presuming the ship lost, and wondering if a rescue would even be attempted during WWI, the 10 men were determined to do the job they were sent to do and proceeded through all odds to strive to lay the depots that Shackleton would never need.

Kelly Tyler-Lewis examines the physical and mental struggles of the shore party including their deep divisions over leadership styles. Culled from the diaries of the expedition, she has weaved a gripping tale of man's struggle against incredible odds.

This book is quite a gripping story both in based in tragedy and triumph.
I saw the PBS special on the Shackleton Journey, but many times, like this, the book is much better.
The book was highly researched and vividly written describing the many astonishing moments of the expedition.
It was a ten-man journey the relies heavily on personal journals about some happy moments and some very terrible times. It goes into detail about the decreasing health of the journeymen and stuggles with scurvey, frostbite, snow blindness and the horrible mental and emotional anguish that many sucumb to on this dangerous 1330-mile mission to Antarctica.

The attractive front-cover design is the first indication of the quality of this work, which is well researched and written and a thoroughly engrossing read. Highly recommended.

I have read nearly every book in print dealing with the exploration and saga of Shackleton and his men. Kelly Tyler-Lewis' book The Lost Men rates as one of the best. The "harrowing story" of these hearty men stranded in the desolate Ross Sea is incredible, for lack of words.

Duty-bound, these men laid the stores for a transantarctic voyage that would never materialize. These were men who risked their own lives to ensure the safety of others whose whereabouts were unknown.

The Lost Men is an epic struggle of man versus the ravages of nature and reveals the triumphs and the tragedies involved. It is a book of determination, leadership and accountability.

Of special interest are the generous notes included dealing with such issues as diet (e.g., Their diet lacked nearly all essential vitamins necessary for such a feat), body temperature (e.g., One man recorded a body temperature of 94.2), and navigation of pack ice (e.g. in 2002 it took two Coast Guard ships over two weeks to break through ice roughly thirty miles to Hut point.)

The Lost Men is an exciting and riveting book. As a two-time traveler to McMurdo Sound, I highly recommend this work.

This was a Christmas present for my 20 month old little girl from her grandparents. She enjoys playing with it and I know that as she gets older it will get alot of use. It is sturdy, pretty, and appropriate for little girls of different ages.

This book is absolutely adorable. I purchased it for my 18 month old neice and plan to buy another for my baby girl too. It is a really nice story with adorable illustrations. Durable and perfect for little hands. What little girl doesn't like a tea party?

The perfect book for your little girl! And I ESPECIALLY LOVE the prayer at the end! As for the other reviewer, the author can add a prayer at the end if that's what she wishes. It's her book to be published. There should be no reason to eliminate God from those who might be offended! If they are offended, don't buy the book!

I also love the etiquette added in! It's so southern and sweet! This book is perfect for those who want their little ladies to grow up graceful!

The colors in the book are bright and vibrant, and my 3 year old loves it. It is small enough that we can take it anywhere, and it doesn't take up too much space in her backpack.

I purchased this for our three-year-old granddaughter and gave her a tea set also. The book is very simply written; young kids can easily understand it. I would say it's 5-star for 2-3-4 year olds. Might be too simple for older kids.

I read this book ages ago and thought it was awesome. But, recently I bought it to read to my 9 year-old as she is beginning her living history career as "Patty Reed". What a wonderful book. It really shows what life and hardship are all about, but done in such am engaging yet non-violent way. I cannot recommend this book enough! It ought to be required reading in school.

I read this book in 1964 as a 4th grader in Northern California learning state history. I have never forgotten Patty or her doll (which used to be on display at Sutter's Fort). When my children were small it was not in print and I am so happy to see it is again. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about American history from a totally different perspective. That of a little wooden doll, chosen amongst many beautiful sisters, to make a rough trip in the pocket of her owner. You will never forget Patty Reed, or her doll, I know I haven't. I am buying the book to keep to read and to my grandchildren.

This is an excellent book that is based on fact and actually sticks very close to the true facts. It is hard to put down once you start it. Our 6 year old granddaughter loved the book, as I did also. I highly recommend it for both children and adults, even though it is written for elementary age children.

Patty Reed's Doll is an excellent account of the Donner Party and all the other families that were part of the Donner Tragedy.The book describes the families in such detail you feel like you're traveling with them. The Reeds are one of the families that are traveling with the Donner Party. The story is an excellent way to teach elementary school children as well as adults what trailblazing was really like and the severe hardships that went with it. As an elementary school teacher I highly recommend this book. It is an asset to studying California history.

This is a beautifully written book that captures the plight of pioneers traveling west. My fourth grade students really gain a sense of what life was like once upon a time. Great book!!...

What a wonderful, helpful book. I don't know these ladies personally, but I am proud to call them my sisters. Everyone knows Phi Mus throw the best parties!

Wow. And, thought "growing up" and writing a book on how to create pockets of joy every single day was extending my college giddiness as far as one possibly could!
As the President of Ohio University's Alpha Xi Delta Chapter ('84), I wholeheartedly applaud everything about this book. My book helps women to realize that every day can be a celebration, and Deandra Brooks' book tells them how to do it with style. Perfect.

As a young professional who enjoys entertaining & misses all of her friends being together all the time, this is a great book! It is full of creative ways to have a great time without digging deep into your pockets. The book is light hearted and can easily be used by anyone, but cherished by the true sorority girls!

Not only did this book take the stress out of planning any party, but it made me laugh! You can read this for fun, or for planning your latest shindig. I found that the recipes highlighted for the various parties can be mixed and matched for any occasion. Who knew I could throw a party for the Kentucky Derby? The party plans outlined in the book are easy to follow, use easy to find ingredients, and are not expensive to create. Also, the additional commentary, lists and suggestions are helpful in preparation for the party as well as making you laugh! I highly recommend this book for anyone, sorority and non-sorority girls (& guys!) alike!

I was in a sorority as a collegiate and we threw and attended some great parties in my day. As a result, I knew how to throw a great party and keep with a theme, but had some trouble coming up with ice breakers that weren't cheesy but still managed to help my guests mingle and get to know each other. Thanks to Morgan and Brooksie, I have some great ones now! I especially loved their ideas for the New Year's Martini bash (Happy New Martini!).

Opening with 'Tips and Guidelines for Catering Your Own Party', "Southern Scrumptious" by Betty Sims draws upon her more than 30 years of expertise and expertise in cooking, catering, baking, and restaurant ownership to compose what is an ideal combination of instruction manual and cookbook for planning parties and menus for any occasion. Aspiring hostesses are provided with a year's worth of complete menus; invaluable tips for hosts and hostesses; recipes for time-stressed party givers; as well as culinary ideas for spring luncheons, summer picnics, and holiday dining. From Sour Cream Cornbread; Wilted Spinach and Bacon Salad; Baked Ham with Sugar Glaze; and Red Onion Marmalade; to Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Soup; Chicken Supreme Casserole; Garlic Pickles; and Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Bars, "Southern Scrumptious" provides recipes that are elegant, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, gourmet quality, thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly'. Certain to become a favorite menu planning reference, "Southern Scrumptious" is a very highly recommended addition to both personal and community library cookbook collections.

If I could offer only one southern cook book as an example of the best of the old southern and new southern cooking I would give this one to my friends...either "Yankees" or other visitors. I have used selections with just family and formal dining in Europe, with novice cooks and experienced professional chefs and I always get rave reviews. Buy this one.

This is a great cookbook that every cook should have. The recipes are great and so are the menus.

By all means buy this cookbook! My sisters and I hosted a bridal shower for 30 guests and totally copied the Buffet Dinner with Friends menu. It turned out beautifully. I have tried several other recipes and all have been outstanding. Ms. Sims gives thorough directions for all the recipes and helps with pre-party planning. You will turn to this cookbook first when you want something special.

If you are looking for a recipe book with fail proof recipes for any ocassion, this is the book. Betty Simms makes having a party easy with her delicious recipes and simple ideas. One of the most hectic things about any party is finding the right menu and then pulling everything together- this book will do the trick. There is not one recipe or idea that is not wonderful (we've tried them all)-- use this book for your next party and everyone will be talking about what a wonderful cook and hostess you are! Betty has other books out and they are all just as excellent!

I found Suz's book to be especially handy when planning a party for all ages. The writing is clear and easy to understand. Even my kids can read this and get party ideas. Thanks for a great party reference guide.

The book has some great ideas for favors and how to set the mood. However, some ideas seemed out of date or just plain odd. One was to throw a teenagers birthday party in a mall having a treasure hunt. I just found this weird. What mall is going to let you do that and I am not going to send teenagers to the mall unsupervised while searching for clues to a treasure hunt.

Suzanne's artistic book eliminates the uneasiness of coming up with imaginative ideas and themes for celebrations of every occasion. The book includes everything I need to have a party. I can not wait to host my next event!!

You can tell that the author of this book is a real "party animal"! Her enthusiasm is contagious. I do not have children of my own, but I have two nephews who will certainly benefit from Suzanne Singleton's expertise when their birthdays come around. I think the book is well thought out and will guide me all through the party planning process from invitations to thank you notes and everywhere in between (love the recipes and illustrations!). Thanks, Suzanne for sharing.

There were many new party ideas that I had not yet heard about, and honestly some I had forgotten about. This book is extremely detail oriented and very well thought out. HONESTLY, what parent of teenagers has not been at a loss as to how and what to do for a teenage birthday party? For this section alone CLEVER PARTY PLANNING is worth the purchase! This is Suzanne's second book and to date her best, we look forward to her future titles!

I just love this cookbook! I have given it to several people including those just really learning to cook-it's beautifully illustrated and just has so many good "tips". The desserts especially are just delicious and many can be prepared ahead of time.

Cooking Class: A Chef's Step-By-Step Guide To Stress-Free Dinner Parties That Are Simply Elegant! by Carol Dearth (a chef formally trained in a Master Chef program at Le Cordon Bleu in London), is a superbly illustrated guide to creating masterpieces with professional techniques, not only for bringing out flavor, but also for garnishing and presentation. The full-color photographs, the extensive instructions, and the unique extra touches highlighting culinary creations, make for an excellent and confident introduction to expanding any kitchen chef's cooking skills into the realm of high society quality cuisine. From Lemon Linguini with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Grilled Chicken; Eggplant Fans with Onion Marmalade; and Basil and Ricotta Tart; to Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Crostini; Black Bean Salsa; and Truly Decadent Chocolate Sauce, Cooking Class truly lives up to the promise of "do-it-yourself" culinary elegance and memorable dining!

I bought this book after seeing the author on a local cooking show. I am so impressed with the layout, pictures and plans...it's just what I've been waiting for as a cook. She lays out in detail a menu and what you are doing with the food 3 days ahead of the party, 2 days, etc up until the day of the dinner party. It really takes the stress out of having people over for a fine meal.

My family has been fortunate enough to be guests at the Dearth table on more than one occasion. Carol is a terrific cook and teacher. Her book is the result of many years of studying, experimenting and teaching. She has designed her book to be used year round, and has made planning a dinner party easy from start to finish. All you have to do is invite your guests, pick a menu, follow her Master Work Plan and relax. You almost feel like she has done the bulk of the work for you!! P.S. The food presentation in the photos is beautiful and makes you hungry just to look at it.

I have made several of Carol's recipes and they were easy to make and oh so delicious--especially the Molten Chocolate Cakes! Yum!!

Carol's sidebars are very imformative. Her explanations make so much sense and are therefore easy to remember.

This book makes entertaining easy and less stressful because Carol takes you by the hand and guides you all the way through. I would recommend Cooking Class to anyone who enjoys cooking.

Anyone who thinks life was better in times past should read this book. It is about the Donner party, a group of midwesterners who hoped on the frontier trail to California, only to face misery, hardship and death in numerous forms. In one case, a young boy breaks his leg, and dies in agony following a makeshift operation. In another a sick man is left to die on the trail, unable to keep up. And the party had to deal with hostile Indians and unsavory characters as well. It was a time when travel to the West coast from New York could be done faster by sea than overland.

I am a bit new to the Donner story so I can't compare Limburg's telling to other books on the adventure. But it certainly kept me reading. One could almost feel the optimism present in April when the group set out, and then the agravation and, ultimately, fear and despair. The reader will ask himself what he would have done in the situation, glad all the while for the comforts of modern life.

I, like everyone else, thinks of one thing when thinking about the Donner Party--canabalism. There were many wagon trains headed west in the years just before the Civil War that never made it, or suffered terrible hardship, but it is the Donner group that we all remember. Author Peter Limburg has done a marvelous job separating the sensationalism from the facts, and writes a poignant tale of people, just like us, looking for a better life in a new place. I always appreciate a book that solidly puts me in a different time and place--this book didn't disappoint.

I think people are a bit confused here. The story of the Donner Party is gripping, intense, chilling, gruesome etc etc. It is an incredible story that has survived for a reason. We can applaud Limburg for not ruining that for us - the book is a page turner that I finished in a sitting, however, Limburg's writing was not the reason. Frankly, "Deceived" is a poorly written account that merely spews the research of others into an easy to read format. The book contains far more flat, unnamed characters than can be digested and lets many plot lines drop away without a thought.

You'll note that most books about the Donner party are given rave reviews (probably for the reason I just suggested). I recommend that you look for another book on the subject as there must be better.

From Marisa D'Vari, author of "Script Magic" Sure, travel is difficult ... but count your lucky stars you're not traveling over a hundred years ago, when the travelers were not at the mercy of surly airline attendants but nature's elements. I became fascinated with the Donner party in a fourth grade history class in California, and am not surprised that Limburg's story continues to grip me. An excellent read!

I was fascinated by the detailed unfolding story of the famous Donner Party and how they got to the state that has made their name legend in the field of horror and disaster. With more than 45 photos and illustrations this book was I'm sure the most thourough treatment of this story.

If you only read one book about the Donner Party, make it this one! The Donner Chronicles tells the story of doomed pioneers and their struggle to survive. It keeps the reader at the edge of his seat and provides great detail of the period and the people. Highly recommended for history buffs who want to read history as though it's a novel instead of a dry textbook. Great photos, maps and graphics add to the text.

Frank Mullen has added an important book to the history of Donner Party. The tragedy has been the focus of writing since the spring of 1847, but Mullen has found a fresh way to make the story understandable and, perhaps more importantly, human.

The book is a daily chronolgy of the year that it took the party to travel from Illinois to California, and each two-page spread of this large book is carefully laid out and presents a mix of graphics and text. It is rewarding if read straight through, yet very accessible if your reading style is more "grazing" than linear.

Mullen clearly has done his homework. The sheer volume of detail and complexity in the story can be overwhelming, and Mullen includes the details that are needed to clarify and develop the people in the story. He includes wonderful quotes from diaries and supporting material, and drawings of interesting side issues such as an analysis of the probable shape of the "Pioneer Palace Car." Additionally, Marilyn Newton's photographs of the trail as seen today make it real for a modern reader.

When I have given this book as a gift to anyone with an interest in American History, it has been very well received. A truly great book.

What a great account of a tragic historical event. I felt like i was right there with them. The day -by-day account made for easy reading and let you understand the exact timeline of what the Donner party went through. Frank Mullen and the Reno-Gazette did a great job and should be very proud to keep this history alive.

Yesterday I flew to California from Charlotte,NC. I spent my time in a jetliner, sipping a cool beverage, watching a movie on my laptop and towards the end of my journey, occasionally pertaking the beauty of snow-capped jagged mountain tops of the Sierra Nevada.

But, it was so different a mere 150 years ago. One had to travel in animal driven wagons carrying enough food and other necessities for the long and perilous journey, which could be brutally and tragically cut short by wild animals, unfriendly Indians or any natural calamity. No maps, no rest areas or highways or motels. Luck was the chief ingredient of success those days. This book tells the story of one such journey, where the travellers ran out of luck when they chose to use a shortcut and got snowbound in the Sierra Nevadas. What followed was a struggle for survival with human emotions running raw.

This book narrates this story on a day by day basis and is adorned with a lavish collection of color as well as black and white photographs of the trail and artifacts from those days. It takes one back all those years when one almost feels like a member of the doomed party. I recommend it highly for anyone with or without any interest in the events described!

On a personal note, I found one photograph especially poignant where the proven and the shortcut trails clearly branched. I could feel the indecision in the minds of the emigrants which sealed their fate.

The full-color, glossy photographs of major landmarks and points of interest along the Emigrant Trail from Springfield, MO to Johnson's Ranch in Bear Valley are stunning. The color photos, all taken by Marilyn Newton, are grouped together in the beginning of the book, comprising 20 slick pages of almost 50 photos. It's hard to believe that wagon ruts from over 150 years ago still exist in places; happily, our continuous farming, building and paving haven't obliterated all traces of the route that so many people rode--and walked--in order to reach California.

Portraits, maps, drawings and sketches from the period are interspersed with sepia-toned contemporary photographs, some taken by Newton and some by other photographers, and appear on every page of the book. "The Donner Party Chronicles" is visually rich and stimulating. The area around Donner Lake and the route the relief parties followed are depicted in all seasons of the year. Even in black-and-white, the photos of Donner Lake and the surrounding mountains demonstrate the ruggedness of the terrain and deeply impress upon the reader the hopelessness the members of the Donner Party must have felt upon being snowed-in at the lake.

The book reads like a journal that would have been kept by one of the emigrants traveling with the Donner Party. The text is reprinted from installments journalist Frank Mullen, Jr. published in the weekly newspaper "The Reno Gazette-Journal" over the course of an entire year. The daily routine followed, problems encountered, and decisions made by the Donner Party are chronicled in a concise manner. The entries are short, most three or four paragraphs in length.

One very interesting feature of "The Donner Party Chronicles" is the map of the Emigrant Trail that appears on every left-hand page of the book, with the progress of the doomed emigrants clearly marked with a red dot. As you read along through the book, you see on every other page exactly where the emigrants were as the day's events took place. I found this map extremely helpful and fascinating. Watching the movement of the Donner Party as they traveled on foot at the pace of slow, plodding oxen made me better able to understand how great an undertaking their overland journey was. I shared this book with my husband, my Dad and my father-in-law, and they enjoyed it almost as much as I did!

This book is well worth the price, for the interesting text as well as the terrific photos; you can easily find what you're looking for in the pages, as each page is dated and the day's entry fairly short.