Q Books

Written shortly after the magnificent Kankakee River in Indiana was ditched and all the adjacent wetlands drained, Tales of a Vanishing River is filled with wonder and charm of life along a native river our generation can only imagine now, with the help of authors such as Reed. A very satisfying collection of poignant stories of people and places along the original river, "Tales.." is one of my favorite all time reads. For years I took it out of the local library in LaPorte, then I bought my own first edition, signed by the author, from a local bookseller. I return to this work annually and savor it with great relish.

Everyone in business knows that teamwork leads to success. Then why does it seem like so many teams never meet their goals? Kristin Arnold's book absolutely captures what it takes to make a team "tick." Easy to read and full of practical tips, this book explains how to make successful teams work and thrive. The author has packed years of personal experience into a dynamic, useful, and essential guide for anyone who needs to get a group of people focused on an important goal!

This book provides three levels of 3 or 4 timed, 15-20 question tests of the type on the PSAT and SAT. Then it gives explanations for the logic used to develop each solution/answer. The detailed answers provide great practice for anyone learning to take standardized tests, especially high schoolers

Grandmother Bea wrote this book to capture the memories of her life and perhaps did not realize just how valuable her short memoir would be to her distant grandchildren...the children of her incorrigibles.

Anika Moa sounds like a mix between Natalie Merchant, Sarah Mclaughlin, and Jars of Clay. Some of her songs definatley have a religious undertone, but not too churchy ... her sound & lyrics would be right at home within a contemporary progressive spiritual community. I do not believe the CD was not intended to be a religious album, rather, it sounds like she just sings about the things that inspire her.

I would categorize it within the alternative genre, but with some interesting sounds & instruments that you wouldn't normally hear: pan flute, cello, mandolin, 12-string acoustic guitar, unique percussion, and other South Pacific influences. Upbeat & inspirational. Her music is still very difficult to find in the U.S., particularly because she's not touring here. Plus she's very young, and this is her debut album. Her CD sales are beginning to skyrocket in New Zealand and Europe - hopefully we can hear more from her very soon.

Tracks on this CD include: (1) Good in My Head, (2) Flowers for You, (3) Falling in Love Again, (4) I Talked to You, (5) My Son, (6) Holding Me High, (7) Mother, (8) Youthful, (9) God in His Culture, (10) Everything's the Same.

It was impossible for me to get through this book and not realize that I did not have a sound belief system upon which to fashion my life and that I needed one. How do I decide what is right and wrong? What is Truth?

I read this book aver 40 years ago and it forced me to seek the answer to my what I believed in order to guide my life. I went to the library and studied various religeons. I decided that truth lies in the message of Jesus Christ and I thank God for Edward R. Murrow for leading me to this conclusion. It has brought joy and satisfaction for many years.

I was introduced to Walter Rinder's Beautiful Poetry and photography in 1974. This is truly a work of art. His words touched me and made me want to see every place he ever photographed. I was ready to move to Oregon! Of all of his books, this one will forever, be my favorite! I still have yet to meet this man they call Walter Rinder...I wrote to him once when I was in high school. He wrote me back. Made my whole year! Thanks, Walter

We live in a bustling, whirling, noisy, roller-coaster of a World. Mrs. Baker reminds us that this is what life is and we can gain a great deal of healing by accepting the ever-changing terrain of life and enjoy it. Her book is filled with gentle reminders of how we can regain composure, focus and inner peace. Each "thoughtful moment" is like planting a seed. As I go through the days, weeks and months, this seed continues growing and begins to yield bountiful fruit as I maintain that inner reflection on my interactions in life ... this is a must read for all people who work with people and especially for those who work in stressful settings.

A Thousand Paths to Tranquillity is an amazing collection of quotes and sayings intended to help one achieve a state of mental peace and calm.It is organized into sections each devoted to a different aspect of tranquillity,such as calmness or perspective.It also includes a section of inspiring quotes from various historical figures,each carefully chosen for the depth and impact of their meaning.The pages themselves are quite beautiful,with a glossy finish and a images of flaura and artistic designs.With sayings like "Look at a situaton from a different perspective,and new possibilities open up",this book is perfect for getting a new look at life.

As a cookbook collector I have certainly seen hundreds of cookbooks, some wonderful and some less so. Sometimes the author has a wonderfully approachable style and very easy-to-approach recipes, but the recipe selections just don't fit my palate. And sometimes the very opposite is true. Lately I have found how much I enjoy cookbooks that are filled with full-color photos -- it is almost better than eating to page through the book and just "devour" the photos!

Now we come to Three-star Cuisine. Not very impressive at first glance. No lists of ingredients in the recipes, no step-by-step instructions, no colorful photos (or even line drawings). And yet, this is one of my absolute favorite cookbooks ever. It is chock full of the most do-able "three-star" recipes I've ever encountered in one cookbook. No fuss, no muss, no complicated list of spices with odd names, or ingredients one can only buy in a well-stocked deli.

The recipe for Duck l'orange is one simple paragraph. And the last line is a suggestion to serve it with a mixed salad, shoestring potatoes, peas or stringed beans. Yet this recipe is all you need to produce a delicious Duck l'orange, I assure you. I have never once failed. Likewise, the recipe for flourless Sacher Torte. One even shorter paragraph. And again, this recipe has never failed me. This is an indispensable cookbook for cold buffets or dinner parties. It can also make an everyday meal into a special occasion -- without fuss. The hors d'oeuvres and desserts sections are worth the price of admission alone.

The recipes are all followed with wine suggestions, which is a nice touch. There are recipes for sauces, hors d'oeuvres and cold buffet, soups, fowl, meat, fish, egg dishes, chafing dishes, desserts, and a well-organized index. (Have you ever noticed how important a good index is to a cookbook?)

Bomer von Marx was "to the manor born" -- and has "lived on both sides of the kitchen door," as both a squire being served exquisitely-prepared dishes, and as a fine chef in his own right. He was also a restauranteur and a cooking school director. He knows good food! When this book was published in the 1960's a "three-star" restaurant would have been a pretty fancy establishment. But no matter how many stars one would assign to von Marx' cuisine, this is a real gem of a cookbook. If you love continental cuisine and want to prove to yourself that you can turn out one after another delectable masterpiece without fail, then find yourself a copy of this out-of-print cookbook. And one word of advice -- be careful not to loan your copy to anyone -- you won't get it back!

Trust me, I know. :)