Reviews Books

What writer does not want inside information on getting their written work reviewed? Of course, we all do. This is the exact information addressed by well established and excellent writers and reviewers Shirley P. Johnson and Laurel A. Johnson in their Short "Ask A Reviewer".

The Short is more than informative. It is casual and yet full to look at every angle from the reviewer's side. It has its turn with fun in the reviewers' casual demeanors. Meaningful data is shared that every writer wanting a review will want to consider in approaching a reviewer. Information on sending materials is especially meaningful.

The Short is not bogged down with details, but is concise, yet thorough. It details reviewers' styles and angles of consideration. In addition, their reasons for reviewing are revealed. This part of the work makes it especially worthy as their reasons becomes personal.

For all writers desiring to grow in public stature through the review process, "Ask A Reviewer" is thoroughly recommended. Johnson and Johnson (unrelated) are highly regarded through their established works and reviews. This Short is one more to add to that list.


Stephanie S. Sawyer
author

"Ask A Reviewer" is a well structured, honest, peek into the life of two dedicated reviewers,Shirley Priscilla Johnson and Laurel A. Johnson. Thank you for answering many of the questions I had about the review process. Your messages are uplifting,encouraging, and provide this reader with a more clear roadmap for getting reviews for my work. Your dedication does not go unnoticed. I suggest this short a must read.

Regards,
Robert a Meacham
Author, " The Release", "Mind's Diary", Amazon Shorts Contributor.

If you are an author or publisher who is interested in getting more and better reviews for your book/s, "Ask a Reviewer" has the kind of practical, down-to-earth advice you can put to use immediately - and with good results. It is written in an easy-to-read, question and answer format and is chock-full of honest, insights, information, and inspiration. Within a day of reading this Amazon Short I successfully found three different book reviewers, in both the United States and Canada, who accepted my latest book for review.

The authors, Shirley Priscilla Johnson and Laurel A. Johnson (no relation), are both veteran book reviewers as well as award winning authors - each with an impressive track record. My hat is off to them for providing a much needed tool for all of us who aspire to promote the books we have labored so diligently to create.

When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing you learn is that confusion and disagreement abound in the medical community, regarding both risk and treatment. Deciding on the right course of treatment, therefore, can be a frustrating experience.

Patricia Kelly arms you with information, dispelling the myths and rumors most of us have heard about cancer. She makes sense of mind-numbing data and statistics, presenting them in a way that is understandable and clear. Twice in ten years, Patricia has helped me sort through study findings, assess my own risk, and base my treatment decisions on fact, rather than feeling. If you're wondering about breast cancer risk, her book will do the same for you.

Every woman should read this book, especially if she has been diagonosed with a controversial "precancerous" condition such as atypical hyperplasia, DCIS or LCIS. Dr. Kelly presents a very readable, up-to-date review of the most important medical research on these problems. A patient who has a critical understanding of the material in this book may very well be more informed than her doctors. She could gain the confidence to say "no" to an unnecessary mastectomy, or to other harsh and disfiguring treatments that are recommended for a problem that may never pose a threat to her life.

Dr. Kelly has written a wonderful book which every woman concerned about breast cancer risk, and every health professional who cares for them, should read. In Dr. Kelly we not only have an acknowledged expert in her field, but one who is both thorough and also able to express herself very clearly. In a calm, reasoned way she cites the major literature in this field and dissects it for the intelligent lay person.Away from the sound bites and buzz phrases that spout from the popular media and the self-proclaimed gurus on this topic, she presents an up-to-date analysis of what is really known about breast cancer risk. I recommend this book highly. M. Ellen Mahoney, M.D.

What a wonderful read! Complex and intriguiging, covering a wide range of complex moral, physical, and emotional predicaments of the Latino community of Southern California, making them accessible to the reader in the most inclusive and spell-binding way. No simplistic situations here; Mr. Olivas is advancing American writing from the Latino perspective to the level of the great South American authors.

This books contains a series of shorts stories that are freshly written and enticing to read - at times funny and always fascinating. Although fiction, the author's references to actual locations in Los Angeles (including Pico-Union) sometimes transported me back to the "old neighborhood". Enjoyed this books many short stories involving themes of racism, Latin culture and sexuality. Highly recommend.

Assumption And Other Stories is an anthology of short stories by the demonstrably talented Chicano author Daniel A. Olivas (Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice). His diverse stories intermesh themes of human sexuality, tragedy, challenge, loss, gender, and ethnicity , ranging from a young lawyer who tells her parents about her lesbianism, to the dark sexual rumors of surrounding the suicide of a popular young priest at a Catholic school, to the terror that strikes families when a white supremacist starts shooting at a Jewish children's day camp. Highly recommended reading, these original and memorable stories clearly document Daniel A. Olivas as one of the best and most original Hispanic American authors working today.

I found this book a welcome gift. It was very helpful when picking out films I could enjoy with the grand-children. Thank-you, Willie, for the often humorous reviews.

I sometimes see Willie on our local FOX-TV station, and he's very easy to relate to.

I just received this as a gift, and it's a great, humorous resource for movies you might not think about first when visiting the video store or scanning those on-demand listing on cable. A lot of the review had me laughing out loud. I always enjoy reading his current reviews online. A great resource for your film library.

Movie critic Willie Waffle has produced a delightful guide for people who want to get past the "new releases" shelf at the video store and find something that may have missed the multiplex. Waffle's astonishing range and engaging descriptions make this book an indispensible reference and as much fun as the movies he writes about.

Sorry, I haven't read the book, but I was wondering if there is any movie stills of Cillian Murphy (without the mask) in this book, or if I would be better off with "The Art of Batman Begins"? E-mail: kayjeckel@yahoo.com

First, ignore the review by the guy from Chile. He can't articulate the language, what makes me think he knows what he's talking about regarding Batman Begins? With any big budget blockbuster comes the inevitable parade of merchandise. Few films other than Star Wars can match the marketing juggernaut of the Batman films. Batman Begins is the long awaited beginning to a new series of Batman films, revived back to life after Joel Schumacher and George Clooney nearly killed the franchise. The official movie guide is a great scrapbook and companion to the film. It features dozens of photographs from the film, absolutely brilliant photography. There are snippets of the script as well as several short pieces detailing Batman's origins, as well as interviews. Not just a throwaway marketing item or a piece of fluff, this is definitely a collectible you'll want to have. It's informative and entertaining.

If some people spent half as much time proofreading their reviews as the did spewing bile maybe they wouldn't look like they were written by a disgruntled 8 year old. This is a very informitive look at a great movie. Very highly recommended.

I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. IF YOU LIKE DOGS AND STORIES WITH WONDERFUL TALES THIS WOULD BE A GOOD BOOK FOR YOU. EVERY CHAPTER HAD ME WANTING TO READ MORE.

I recommend this book to people that like exciting books such as this one. I like this book because of the reason that it is funny,sad and exciting. My favorite character is winn dixie the dog. He acts like a real person. The author describes him that he smiles by showing his teeth. This is my favorite book.

I am a 7th grader at Vista Middle School aknd I read the book Because of Winn-Dixie for a school project and i just loved it. I loved this book because I love stories that have animals as the main characters and that are part of the plot. Also I rate this book five stars because I can relate to most of the characters and I just all around loved this book and I'm very glad that my school library carried such a wonderful book.
Ocean Grinde
Ferndale,WA Vista middle school

I truly like the behind-the-scenes and I wonder if this authorhas had special liaisons with the star. I was shocked to see how handsome and sexy the author is too in the back of the book and that he's in every book with Ken Ryker or Ty Fox or Ryan Idol. He truly knows them all. He is lucky to visit them and has appeared in some videos himself, but I think only two of them has his with his predigious prod showing. I like reading anything this guy writes ...seems like he really enjoys the world of porn.

This book is awesome! It has cool pictures and awesome behind the scenes gossip about who was doing who, when where and how! Totally awesome by itself, but it also helps to give information about the various films

This is one book you should have before you go out there and rent any gay adult video. It will save you a lot of wasted time watching dull, boring videos. It's a good book to have for reference before you buy or rent any gay adult video. Mickey Skee knows his videos, and probably should after going to 50 adult video shoots every year. What a job! I always await his new listings every year because it makes it so easy to find the best videos, especially when there is so many out there to choose from.

Each video is summarized, and Mickey tells us why he thinks it's one of the best, and gives us some behind the scenes information you won't find anywhere else. If you enjoy Gay Adult Videos this book is a must. I look forward each year to his new edition, and I'm never disappointed.

Compiled, written and edited by Barry Alfonso, The Billboard Guide To Contemporary Christian Music presents information on hits, trends, controversies, stars, and more in the world of contemporary Christian music. An A-Z encyclopedia format, The Billboard Guide To Contemporary Christian Music provides basic biographical information on the most well-known artists, a solid history of Contemporary Christian Music since its origin, and a great deal more. The Billboard Guide To Contemporary Christian Music is highly recommended as a resourceful introduction and guide to an increasingly popular music genre.

The three pieces at the beginning of this book (counting the introduction, and the two long essays) are very educational to anyone who has listened to CC music yet never fully understood the historical precedent for its various anomalies. I thought it was key that Mr. Alfonso mentioned the Council of Trent point regarding forbidden images and the spiritual arbiters who raised the alarm to "protect us" from unsuitable art. This attitude still seems to be circumscribing the current, carefully polished CCM image. I also enjoyed the little story about Abe Lincoln's parents at the tent revival-they might have been describing a Benny Hinn revival from last week. I guess there really is nothing new under the sun. The characters the author spotlights in his introduction are all fascinating, or at least he makes them seem so. It's interesting that he chose to trace the baton back to these odd-balls instead of dwelling on the rather banal stories of most of the current stars. His appreciation for the music is obvious, and the generous encyclopedia entries are done with careful sensitivity to the artist's intent. There are no harsh generalizations or condescending cheap shots about the music. Each artist's merit is weighed on singular terms, and each is given credit for his/her/their positive contributions to the genre. I also enjoyed Alfonso's interview with Bruce Cockburn, especially Bruce's funny line about not wanting to be labeled a Christian-artist (hyphenated), "I'm also a Christian who goes to the bathroom". Thanks for the enlightenment. This is a highly readable book, not just a quick reference tome. I hope it sells as well as it deserves to sell. I'll make sure my Christian friends know about it...

This book will almost certainly be compared to mine so I want to be among the first to come out with a strong endorsement of it. Alfonso covers a wide variety of artists in short compass, including all of Christian music's current stars and the most important acts from its thirty year history. A wide variety of styles are represented and Alfonso traverses the varied landscape like a seasoned pro, introducing us to critics' favorites, industry darlings, edgy cult artists, and mainstream Dove Award winners.

The heart of the book is it's A - Z listing of over 100 artists. These entries are well-researched and accurate, written in a lively style that never fails to capture the unique appeal of each performer. Christian music fans can review career summaries of their favorite artists and then browse around in the book to discover new performers they might have missed. Or, the book could easily be read from cover-to-cover to gain a good overview of all that the Christian music scene has to offer. It is organized in a reader-friendly format with photos and discographies that make it fun and accessible.

Note that the book also contains an introductory history of contemporary Christian music, interviews with several artists, and a helpful index. What more could you want? This is a wonderful book! I can't imagine any fan of Christian music not wanting a copy.

(The writer of this review is author of the book Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, published by Hendrickson in 2002).

This is a wonderful, amazing book. But STOP as this obsolete version has been superceded by "Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Albums" which updates the book through Dec 31, 2005.

I first got this book in 1976 and have gotten it every time it's updated, and I have only two complaints about it; 1) it only gets updated every 3 to 5 years and 2) it's so damned expensive! But once you open it (and it feels like an LA Phone book), you forget the price and just OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH at how fact-filled and interesting it it! It practically tells you the last time your favorite artist picked his nose! It has EVERYTHING! I only with they would update it something like every two years. Get it, along with the Albums and Singles books, and you really don't need anything else. This book is THE B E S T !

I've been on Record Research's list for many years, and this was my very first Pop Albums book I purchased. It's got several amazing features. The best feature is that you can see which albums made the Pop Catalog albums chart. Although all of the artists do not have their complete discographies listed (only the albums that were charted on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart are in this book), and not much facts and trivia under albums, I still think this book deserves to be on music lovers shelves. I hope in the next edition they will show what current albums that can be found on vinyl.

Derek Robinson's "Piece of Cake" is my favorite novel telling the same story that Frank Barnard revisits with "Blue Man Falling." Stories of the Fall of France are not numerous. At first I was a little concerned as there were many similarities between "Blue Man" and "Piece of Cake." The American pilot in "Blue Man" seems very similar to the one in "Piece of Cake." As the novel progressed it became clear that this was a different story and it was very enjoyable. Anyone who has read "Piece of Cake" should enjoy "Blue Man." If I have a complaint it is that I would have liked to get to know the other pilots of the squadron much better. "Blue Man" has a secondary plot which means there is not as much time devoted to flying and the lives of the pilots as one might like. Still all in all a very enjoyable book.

Quite unlike any other work I've read based on the happenings during early WW2. The detail was particuarly impressive and the reader will absorb an enormous amount of historical fact in an easily assimilated way without appearing to do so. The persona and life of the main character, the well brought up and slightly naive,unworldly young fighter pilot from a priveleged background, is particularly well drawn and totally beleivable. There are one or two sub plots and beautifully set up characters that add enormous interest. The contrast between the hastily snatched social breaks and the chronicles of the death and destruction whilst flying against the enemy reflects no doubt exactly how it was and again is particularly well drawn and sensitively written. The lifetime of the average frontline fighter pilot at the time being measured in months at best. A lot of meticulous research has been done for sure by Frank Barnard to produce a great read that is hard to put down once started. I look forward to his next one, as he must go will surely go from strength to strength.

"Blue Man Falling" by Frank Barnard , is a fascinating glimpse into the fragile, often bizarre days of the "Phony War", that "wishful thinking" period of WW II when few believed the Nazis would actually invade France. Accordingly, one day we find an RAF Hurricane pilot engaging in a dogfight with his German counterpart and the next we see him enjoying a drink in a Parisian cafe. This jarring juxtaposition of moods illustrates all too well the surrealistic nature of that period. Mr. Barnard has a great ability to capture a "sense of place" whether he's describing a French farmhouse, a British barrack, or the Hotel Crillon. He also portrays convincingly the comaraderie and the rivalry among the "blue men", as well as their romances. I found this to be a very readable and well written book about a period not widely understood.

Blue Man Falling deserves to be a great success. Frank Barnard has managed to combine a gripping adventure story of Hurricane fighter pilots with a moving and totally convincing account of the tragedy and drama of the phony war. The book gradually builds pace through the skillful use of flashbacks and scenes which contrast the relative calm of pre-occupation Paris with the turmoil of the German advance. The author clearly shares in the adrenalin rush of an aerial dogfight, but equally clearly recognizes the pain and horror experienced by combatants and civilians on either side of any conflict.

After reading Blue Man Falling, you will not only have enjoyed a hugely entertaining story; you will have learnt more about the early days of World War II (and probably the Spanish Civil War, too), and very likely wondered how you yourself would have acted in the heat of battle.