Reds Books

I found this book to be interesting because there are many quotes from people who fought in Stalingrad. The brutality of the street fighting section was of particular interest to me. Of other high notes on the book are the chapters of Pavlov's house and a uniqu view of Chuikov. It looks into the mindsets of the troops and is eye opening. It covers a lot but loses some details along the way. From a research point of view, it hurts the rating.

This doesn't read like a normal history book in that column A attacked column B. It is refreshing to read the personal accounts. One cannot help but imagine being there. Paulus is made out to be a [...] which may or may not be deserved. I would not want to be in his shoes to say the least. This book should be read if your into the day to day combat of both German and Soviet forces. It gives a lot of understanding and visualization.

I first visited Stalingrad in 1982, and at the time the veterans of that battle only talked about the war in ways as approved by the party. This is an interesting and important book on one of history's greatest battles because the author has been able to get new and revealing stories from the living survivors without fear of government repercussions. There is a lot of material in here that adds greatly to our body of knowledge about the battle. It also is an interesting study in the role of morale (or lack thereof) on the battlefield.

Unlike too manby books about Stalingrad which only repeat the same old tired tales that have been written many times before (and from the German point of view)this is a new, original, and worthwhile point of view.

Highly recommended.

Former university lecturer and battlefield tour guide Michael K. Jones presents Stalingrad: How the Red Army Survived the German Onslaught, a compelling military history and analysis that lives up to its title. Based heavily upon Jones' extensive interviews with Russian veterans, Stalingrad especially emphasizes the role of psychology - including leadership, morale, and motivation - in turning the tide of war. Of especial interest is the testimony of former deputy commander of the Warsaw Pact, Colonel-General Anatoly Mereshko, who was staff officer to the 62nd Army's commander Chuikov and one of the principal surviving witnesses to historical events. Stalingrad reveals how desperate the defenders truly were, especially when the Germans broke into the city in 1942, painting the city's defense as more than solid tactics, but also a triumph of resolute human spirit. A "further reading" list and an index round out this one-of-a-kind testimony grounded in the words of the people who witnessed history itself.

This is the book that doesn't describe the usual myths about the battle for Stalingrad, instead the author brings newer and more interesting evidence on this struggle. His book includes numerous interviews with other Soviet veterans, with ranks ranging from a private to a high ranking officier. The details on the street battles are really cool with detailed descriptions of key fights, such as the defence of Pavlov's House or the fighting in ruined Red October Factory Complex. The book also includes many maps and very rare photographs, some of them obtained from personal archives of General Chuykov. Overall this is a unique book and I am very satisfied that I read it.

I have eight books on the battle of Stalingrad. Even though this is not the usual combat history concerning the battle, it is one of the most interesting, captivating and thought provoking accounts on the great battle that I have read. Yes, it does focus on the Russian perspective instead of the German (refreshing for a change, thank goodness)! It will be a welcome addition to anyone's collection of the battle of Stalingrad.

This is a great version of the story of The Steadfast Tin Soldier -- always one of my favorite stories as a kid. My son, age 7, loves this book and we read it over and over. The illustrations are excellent and I recommend it. My son found it in his school library but when we went to buy our own copy, it was out of print. So we had to buy it used but it was well worth the effort to have our own copy.

This book tells the classic tale of the one-legged tin soldier who falls in love with a paper ballerina. The soldier suffers a series of misadventures, including being placed at the helm of a doomed paper boat, being chased by a rat, and swallowed by a fish. It's a wonderful tale that will hold older children spellbound. The illustrations are delightful. All told, the book has about 2000 words.

I taught 1st grade for 4 years and all of the teachers in my grade passed this book around at Christmas to read to our class. I cried everytime I read it. It has a wonderful message and my kids in my classroom always loved it! I have now (finally) purchased my own copy of this book to read to my little girl. It is a classic and I know she will love it as much as I do. Every home should have this book to read at Christmastime.

This is a really good book. It has all the characteristic's that made the original a cherished and remembered fairy tale. It is a great gift for any young child, and can be enjoyed by adults too. It maintains the feel of the original tale, but is more like a poem. The art work on each page is beautiful, and the pictures are totally devine. I would recomend buying this for a different and fully enjoyable version of the original.

A little boy had a set of tin soldiers that were made from a melted spoon. One soldier was missing a leg because there was not enough metal left over from the melted spoon.

Tossed aside by the boy, the one-legged soldier sees a paper cut out figure of a ballerina. She is poised on one leg and he feels an instant bond. He has found another one-legged toy and believes this to be love.

The steadfast tin soldier has a series of mishaps. He falls off the window sill into a stream. From there, he is transported to a rat infested sewer. He is swallowed by a fish and through an unlikely stroke of luck, winds up back in the boy's playroom with the other toys and the ballerina.

The ending is what gets to me every single time. A gust of wind lifts the paper ballerina up and she flutters into the fire place, winding up a charred heap of ashes. Devastated, the tin soldier joins her. The remaining metal that was once the tin soldier is a charred piece of heart shaped metal.

I still think this is a very sad story. The photographs really emphasize the feeling this story evokes.

In large measure, this book is the history of Louis Riel, a Metis leader, and his efforts to gain recognition and independence for the Metis people. Since the ethnic group usually called Metis was closely tied to Riel, the book is also a partial history of that group.

Metis is a French word that can be translated as "mixed blood." In a narrow sense, one might think of the Metis as the offspring from intermarriage between the French and Indians (mostly Cree) of eastern Canada during the early days of the fur trade. In a practical sense, the group must be broadened to include at least Chippewa, English, and Scot parentage. In the context of the twentieth century, an even broader definition is used. However, some combination of white and Indian linage is usually a prerequisite.

This book is a classic by a legendary author of Montana history. Joseph Kinsey Howard (1906-1951) is also known for another classic, "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome," a book considered for decades as the definitive history of Montana. Howard spent much of his short life in an area of Montana that has a significant Metis population. He understood the Metis, respected them, and spent years preparing to write "Strange Empire."

The original publication was in 1952. More recent issues include an introduction by Nicholas C. P. Vrooman, Director of the Institute for Metis Studies at the College of Great Falls, Montana. This introduction is a magnificent addition.

The Metis were primarily a product of the fur trade. Their language was a hybrid of French and Indian; definitely not English. Most of the Metis communities remained in close contact with the local Indian tribes. Many of these mixed blood people were drawn to the Red River which flows north from the present states of Minnesota and North Dakota into Canada and on to Hudson Bay.

Louis Riel had trained for priesthood, but hadn't become a priest. Despite occasional self-doubt, Riel had many characteristics of leadership. He was literate and a good speaker and, more importantly, was fluent in English. The Metis attempted to establish their own nation in the Red River Valley. Howard beautifully summarizes the Metis situation: "This conflict between the Metis and the Canadian government was not only a battle over native and Euro-American claims, but also an age-old fight between Catholicism and Protestantism, English and French, English and Irish, and English and American causes." Louis Riel and the Red River Metis faced the Canadian forces with little loss of life on either side. Some people feel that the decision of whether the United States or Canada would rule what is now central and western Canada hung in the balance. The Metis won many of their goals but came under Canadian rule. One result is that the Red River part of Canada became the province of Manitoba in 1870. However, for his part in the "rebellion," Canada exiled Riel for five years and he went to the United States.

The Metis were buffalo hunters but were significantly different from Indians. They dressed differently. Many combined their hunting with agriculture. They had their own language. They had their own culture, a melding of the cultures from which they came. They were much more efficient at commercial buffalo hunting than were the Indians. Their background in the fur trade meant that they had the weapons, hunting experience, and trading expertise needed. Synonymous with the Metis is the Red River cart. Pulled by draft animals, it had high wheels and could carry several hundred pounds. With these carts, the Metis could transport the hides, pemmican, and dried meat of many buffalo to market locations. Twice yearly, the Metis gathered in a large force to go to the buffalo herds.

As the buffalo herds dwindled, the Metis went further west for their hunts. As a result, Metis communities developed in the Turtle Mountain area of North Dakota, the Milk River country of Montana, and Saskatchewan in Canada. Later, communities developed near Lewistown and Great Falls, Montana, (note that most of these locations were undeveloped, and probably unnamed, when the Metis first arrived). Louis Riel moved westward also and became a teacher at a mission in the area of Great Falls.

In Saskatchewan, the Metis were experiencing problems dealing with the Canadian government; problems very similar to what they had experienced in the Red River country. In 1884, the Canadian Metis appealed to Riel to serve as their leader and negotiator. Riel answered the call. Ultimately, an armed conflict evolved with the Canadian military and Mounties facing the Metis and their Indian allies. This time the Metis were crushed. Louis Riel was tried and hung.

There is disagreement concerning Riel's role in Saskatchewan. Some people feel he became insane, some dispute that opinion. He felt that God guided him and when a disagreement arose with the Catholic priests, he attempted to separate the Metis from the Catholic Church. The Metis uprising in Saskatchewan was probably doomed from the beginning, but Riel made things worse by his indecision between peaceful negotiations and the use of force.

In 1982, an amendment to the Canadian constitution gave the Metis aboriginal rights. In the United States, the Metis do not have a legal relationship with the government and do not have a reservation or enjoy other rights granted to Native Americans. In each recent session of the U.S. Congress, there have been bills concerning what is often termed Montana's Landless Indians. Many of this group are Metis.

This book reads almost like a novel. It is well researched. Every book published since "Strange Empire" and containing a mention of the Metis, references Howard's book. A comprehensive and modern history of the Metis is needed but at the moment, this reviewer is unaware of anything near as useful as "Strange Empire."

The amazing story of the Metis people whose French ancestors first colonized and controlled most of North America. Louis Riel should have been a National Hero for all Canadians since without him most of the land west of Ontario would have fallen in US hands.

This book is riveting and should be required reading for history majors.

The genesis story of the Metis in North America, this book describes the evolution of the 'New Nation' and its place in continental history. Arising from the Fur Trade a new race of people, the Mixed-bloods, being descendents of Celtic Orkney and Highland Scot and Celtic Normandy and Brittany French fathers and predominantly Algonkian Cree and Chippewa mothers, create a new native North American identity. The Metis struggle to maintain their place as true descendents of aboriginal lineage while expressing the finer elements of their European paternal heritage. A finely crafted narrative of the attempt to affirm the cultural, economic, and political equity of the Metis, and all aboriginal peoples during the reconfiguration of the continent, Strange Empire is a powerful, dramitic, and epic telling of the most significant 'missing link' in our understanding of how the North American continent came to be.

First I would like to thank Amazon for making this fine book so easy to obtain. There are countless thousands of descendants of these, strong, courageous people that now live throughout the world. my son among them, being on a temporary assigment in Turkey. Many thousands more know little of the history of our people. This book should have a particular appeal to these folk. Perhaps by the reading of Mr. Howards book some will be induced to further study and research. It is a benifit to all that seek the true history of our country. These folk were a monolithic type, what happened to one could be an indicator of what happened to the society in the whole. My families have ties to several of those mentioned in this book. As an example, my grandfather was the first cousin to the wife of Louis Riel. My great grandmother was the god child of, Marie Anne Gaboury, the first white woman in the northwest. My fathers mother was baptized by, Father Lestanc. These people are mentioned in this well written book. Thank you, Melvin Beaudry Lynnwood, Washington.

A century ago, North America almost had a fourth nation, Assiniboia. That would-be nation's leader, a poet, religious zealot and one-time schoolteacher named Louis Riel, once was considered a traitor ro Canada but now is being revered and "rehabilitated" as one of the founders of the Dominion of Canada. Riel was "drafted" as leader of the Metis, "mixed blood" children of the fur trade, when Canada was reneging on its promises to these people who carried on the cultures of both European and indigenous ancentry. (Today, Celtic and French folklorists visit Metis in Western Canada and Montana to record unblemished versions of tradition folk music long dead in their original mother countries.) Howard, a legend in Montana journalism and history himself, penned his masterpiece in "Strange Empire." He gets down to the basics of the struggle for Western North America and some of the more haunting passages deal with the pyschlogical effects of such white man's diseases as smallpox and alchohol and their role in subjugating the natives a century or so ago. Riel was hanged for his insurgence, but had he been more decisive in battle, the maps -- and language patterns -- of much of North America would be much different.

Very interesting book . . . and the cover art is extremely cool!
Mooo! Who did the Red Cow?

- Mike Melone ;-)

The first want ads appeared in 17th century Europe in the precursor of newspapers, pamphlet-sized publications which included news of the day called newsbooks. In June, 1660, King Charles II advertised for his lost "Smooth Black Dog" in one of them. The first official English newspaper was the semi-weekly 'Oxford Gazette" on November 16, 1665, later changed to the 'London Gazette.' Af first, ads were banned on the "grounds that such notices were not properly the business of a paper of intelligence."

In America, the first attempt was in serial format in Boston on September 25, 1690. It was four pages long, the last page left blank so readers could jot down their own "personal ads" before passing it on to others. The first successful newspaper in the colonies was the 'Boston News-Letter' which started April 17, 1704, and "America's first newspaper classified ad appeared in that debut issue," by the publisher himself, offering this service for the fee of twelve pence to five shillings.

By 1765, eleven out of the thirteen colonies had newspapers. In 1776, A STRANGE RED COW ad appeared in the 'Pennsylvania Gazette.' "By the mid-eighteenth century, advertising inserts had become a popular feature of the layout, often appearing on the back page of the newspaper under one simple heading, 'Advertisements.' We know them now as 'classifieds,' ads organized by category, but the newspaper industry didn't start that term until some time after the Civil War. By then with so many notices printed daily in the newspaper, the section clearly required diligent classification."

After Abraham Lincoln was shot in the Ford Theatre on April 14, 1865, the government offered $100,000 in a "Rewards" ad for the capture and collective arrests of John Wilkes Booth and two of his accomplices. "Famous cases like Lincoln's left behind tracks in the classifieds but more often the plight of the common advertiser showed up there." In the "Personals" ads "following the Civil War, newly freed slaves long since separated from their loved ones took advantage of the same advertising tool once used against them, and sought each other in the pages of newspapers. Sold to different owners in various states over the years, some hadn't seen or heard from each other in decades. The renaming practice emerged once again, as many free African Americans celebrated and confirmed their freedom by choosing last names for the first time." A decade after the close of the Civil War, a 'Personal' ad was in the 'Daily Memphis Avalanche' which offered a penny reward for the return of an apprentice.

By the time Andrew Jackson became President of the United States, "there were 95 slaves at the Hermitage. A few years later that number totaled 150. In late September, 1804, and then again in October and November, Jackson searched for one of his slaves in the pages of the 'Tennessee Gazette.'" There is a full page ad on June 25, 1804, where he offered a reward for a runaway for fifty dollars. In 1824, a ten dollar reward for the return of Andrew Johnson, who had been apprenticed to a North Carolina tailor, is shown. "Unable to find work locally, Andrew moved to Greeneville, Tennessee, opened his own tailor shop, got involved in politics, and began his slow ascent to the White House." He became President after the assassination of Lincoln.

"In September of 1897, the first electric subway cars were introduced to Boston. New York unveiled its underground track in 1904; Philadelphia, in 1907. With crowds of commuters taking advantage of these lines, the lost and found pile accrued daily. In those early years of underground transit, the piles were manageable enough to itemize, and then make public to commuters by way of the classifieds."

There is an ad for "Swap this for that" in 1932. The word 'swap' comes from 'swappen,' the Middle English verb meaning "to strike," as in striking hands in closing a business deal. The purchase of Manhattan in 1626 was supposedly a swap: Dutch colonists didn't buy the island from the Native Americans for $24.00, as legend has it, but traded the land for 60 guilders' worth of goods. "In case of a swap, that deal is a voluntary exchange of goods or services without the use of money. In colonial Amrica, lumber, tobacco, corn, livestock, nails, bullets, animal pelts, and wampum were among the currencies that passed hands in a trade."

Bartering was a well-established tradition in America "by the time the first classified ad appeared in the spring of 1704." Some services listed in the 'Wanted' ads included storekeepers traded new merchandise for farm-fresh food; parcels of land could be purchased with pork, butter, cheese, anything deemed valuable enough by the seller and buyer alike. Taxes could be paid in grain; ministers and schoolteachers collected theier pay in produce.

The history Sara Bader, a freelance researcher, includes with the strange and not so strange news ads make for an interesting adventure back to our past. My, how times have changed! But, have they really? I don't look at the ads, but many do.

"Will swap my .410 shotgun with box of buck shells for picnic table or lawn chair. Call Hicksville 5-4631.

September 2, 1948
Levittown Tribune"

And that's one of the tamer entries in this funny history-isn't-boring book! Covering hundreds of years worth of odd, hilarious, disturbing and inexplicable classified ads (and leaving plenty of room for a sequel) this is the sort of book that works as a light read, as a study in human sociology, or as a trek through the side of history the textbooks never get right. The changes in the American language alone make this worth owning. My favorites among these ads are the ones that are so bizarre you wonder what on earth the scenario was that led up to it.

For instance:

"Twenty dollar reward--Escaped from my room...one GREY SQUIRREL--The above reward shall be paid for his delivery..."

Were squirrels so uncommon in 1860's Virginia that one was truly worth twenty dollars? And during a war, too! I wish we could contact these original advertisers and ask what on earth their ads were about.

This is one of those engrossing books that you pick up and before you know it you're a hundred pages in. It's a lot of fun.

This is a well researched, tightly written book that I tore through like a pint of Ben and Jerrys. It is alternately fun, poignant and disturbing. If you like history, you'll dig this book. In places you'll chuckle and in others you will shake your head in disbelief. In the end, if you have ever lost, bought, sold or pined for anything or anyone in your life, you will see yourself in these pages. It will give you a first person glance at the quirky, nutty, and bizarre history that is our own. Finally, hat's off to the author for seemlessly blending Craigslist and the Colonial era, a feat likely never before accomplished.

Fascinating! "Strange Red Cow" is literally the voice of all sorts of different people talking to us from over the past three hundred years. Their voices tell us of things they lost and their value to the owner. They tell us their desires. They tell us of their anger. We get a very personal look at how goofy, thoughtful, practical and romantic we have been. We also get a very hard look at arrogance and inhumanity in the runaway slave ads. The author backs up these ads with good research and her own thoughtful commentary. A good book that is easily picked up and put down and will be enjoyed for a long time.

This book is just what I was looking for. It was well written and kept my interest. My daughter is Catholic and married a non-practicing Mormon although his family are practicing Mormons. I believe in the Catholic church and wanted a good book to explain the different beliefs between the two in a factual, nonjudgmental way. This book did just that. I would recommend it for anyone interested in learning the beliefs of the two religions with an easy to read storyline.

An excellent comparison of beliefs....I thought it was written in a fair and clear manner. I learned more about both religions.

While volunteering in Alaska for a year, I fell in love with a Mormon woman. As a Catholic, I thought that we could come to a common ground in our faiths and maybe even marry someday. A friend found out I was dating a Mormon and gave me Fr. Taylor's book. After reading it and other books on Mormonism (Mormonism Unmasked, The Mormon Conspiracy, The Facts on the Mormon Church), I found that Fr. Taylor had more charity in his analysis than all of the writers of the aforementioned books combined. I have found great flaws in Mormon Theology, History, Anthropology and Archaeology. Yet because of my relationship with a Mormon woman, I had to be careful on how to compare Christianity to Mormonism. Fr. Taylor gives an unbiased, straight forward account of the two religions. He is careful not to hurt or offend his Mormon family and friends, but he points out critical differences with Catholicism and problems with Mormon Theology. He even goes so far to point out his own weakness in his faith when comparing Joseph Smith's death to the death of a real saint. I recommend this book to any reader, Catholic or not, that has a Mormon friend, Mormon family member or Mormon girl/boy friend. I wish I had had Fr. Taylor's knowledge and charity when I dealt with my relationship, we might still be together to this day if I had.

Fr. Taylor presents a fair and even-handed comparison of Catholicism and Mormonism from a Catholic perspective. Missing is the bitter polemics which characterizes too much of the comparative religion genre aimed at lay readers. The book's main strenghts are eight chapters which briefly present Mormon beliefs and then compare and contrast those beliefs with Catholic beliefs on the same subject. Fr. Taylor is careful not to disparage Mormon beliefs when he describes them. This, along with his refusal to slander Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, set his book apart in its field. Written by a faithful Catholic this book aims to educate lay Catholic readers on the basic beliefs of Mormonism. This book is not an exhaustive treatise or inacessable scholarly tome. Nonetheless Fr. Taylor does an outstanding job presenting the basics of Mormon beliefs in an organized manner for the average reader. In the end Fr. Taylor explains why he has problems with the Book of Mormon. The Mormon reader will no doubt be frustrated with this if he or she does not take this book for what it is: a fair and charitable comparison from the Catholic perspective. Hot-blooded partisans from both the Catholic and Mormon faiths will dislike this book. One camp because Fr. Taylor writes honestly about the differences, the other camp because he shows respect for those who have beliefs different from his. This is a book written by a man of good will for people of good will. I recommend "A Tale of Two Cities" rather than spending time and money on "When Mormons Call" by Isaiah Bennett. Mr. Bennett is strident and uncharitable in his writing style. Without question Fr. Taylor has written the best introductory comparison of the two faiths available today for the lay reader.

I am a Catholic convert (from the Episcopal church) who was born and raised in Idaho and I therefore have many longtime and newer LDS friends. Perhaps they would disagree with my assessment, but I think this book and the Ostlings' "Mormon America" are fair and charitably written. This book is particularly good for Catholics trying to understand the LDS faith. It's a short book but packed with information -- not a quick read. At least it wasn't for me!

The Toll Bridge is a story about development. The main character, whom is named nicknamed "Jan" within the book decides to seperate himself from his previous life, to clean the slate and start over, to find out who he is and what he really wants for himself. This becomes possible when he gets a job collecting tolls at a bridge (hence the title), which also offers him accommodation in a house where he lives alone. However this isolation is shattered with the arrival of Adam, a character who represents the complete opposite of Jan. The Toll Bridge is about the relationship that develops between Adam and Jan, and Gill who is the daughter of the owner of the Toll Bridge. However the bridge is not only physical, it also represents the mindset of Jan as Gill puts it "You don't know whether you're coming or going." Like a bridge that has two paths to take. Into the future, or back into the past. As the book develops, the characters interact with each other and bring up many issues that are relevant to development of the individual. However, an incident at a party soon smashes the world of the Toll Bridge into pieces, and Jan and Gill soon discover that Adam is not the same person they grew to know - Adam is on the other side of the bridge. This is my favourite book because it contains so many sub-plots that create a complete picture of the development of the individual personality, and evokes thoughts within the reader about their own "character".

The Toll Bridge is a story about development. The main character, whom is named nicknamed "Jan" within the book decides to seperate himself from his previous life, to clean the slate and start over, to find out who he is and what he really wants for himself. This becomes possible when he gets a job collecting tolls at a bridge (hence the title), which also offers him accommodation in a house where he lives alone. However this isolation is shattered with the arrival of Adam, a character who represents the complete opposite of Jan. The Toll Bridge is about the relationship that develops between Adam and Jan, and Gill who is the daughter of the owner of the Toll Bridge. However the bridge is not only physical, it also represents the mindset of Jan as Gill puts it "You don't know whether you're coming or going." Like a bridge that has two paths to take. Into the future, or back into the past. As the book develops, the characters interact with each other and bring up many issues that are relevant to development of the individual. However, an incident at a party soon smashes the world of the Toll Bridge into pieces, and Jan and Gill soon discover that Adam is not the same person they grew to know - Adam is on the other side of the bridge. This is my favourite book because it contains so many sub-plots that create a complete picture of the development of the individual personality, and evokes thoughts within the reader about their own "character".

This book, this wounderful wounderful wounderful book. Is the best one i have ever read. Aidan Chambers is one of the best authers i've ever incountered. He's masterful at teaseing the mind and leafing through are idel imagination, he makes charticors seem so real and alive its as though u are with them in that very room, breathing three air, touchign there skin, feeling their sun. This is a beautful book about a Teen age boy trying to excape his life of lies, then finding one liveing in a world of make believe, and the wounderful bonds that people can form together. I cryed. and i never ever ever cry.

The years in wich you leave school and start working, or maybe better the years that you leave your parents, start building your own life are probably the most intresting years of ones life. Some people wonder what they want to do and take some time to find out. Jany is such a boy. He decides to leave his parents, at least for a while, and he takes a job at a tollbridge. It is easy working and he can be alone and think about his future. His self-chosen lonlyness is rudely broken at the arival of Adam. Adam seems to have some troubles, so he moves in the toll house together with Jany. Then there is Tess. Between these boys and girl starts a strange kind of friendship, all are very different people. The story is written from the perspective of Jany (mainly, some parts are written by someone else), we learn what he thinks. we are a whitness of the changing of his personality, a change due to his confrontation with Adam, and the 'catalyst' Tess, catalyst in his developing towards a grown up. The book is great because the characters are real, it are real people. Reading it they are for a while part of your life. Jany is very open and fair in what he tells what happens, what he feels and what is spinning in his mind. You can feel page by page what is going on inside him. The only thing I didn't like when I read the book was that one of the characters stoped existing at the best part of the book, without any warning that they would not live happyly ever after. But that is an important literal trick; Jany wants to find out who he is, Adam wants to forget who he is. This book is a book for all ages, although it's probably written for the age 16 - 20. It is a must-read if you like other books of Aidan Chambers (like 'Now I Know', or 'dance on my grave') or if you like to read books with a more difficult structure

The first time I read this book I had just turned thirteen. It was very different from anything else I had read. I identified very well with 17-year-old Jan, and was fascinated by the deep thoughts the book evoked in me. Now, five years later (I read the Swedish translation, which was published in '92) I still identify with the main character. I have read the book five or six times, and each time is a new and different experience; as I mature, so does the book, and aspects I never saw before are brought into the light.

"The Toll Bridge" provides a very rich reading experience, dealing with everything from depression and finding oneself, to Kafka and human relationships. It's a page-turner, with unexpected events colourfully bursting out with each new word. The next sentence cannot be predicted, and the end surprises me every time I get to it.

After my first encounter with this book I have expanded my reading, enjoyed many Nobel laureates, and other acknowledged literary works. I place this novel on the same piedestal as Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and Morrison's "Beloved." What separates "The Toll Bridge" from these others might be the fact that it is more welcomed by the "non-reading public."
I recently recommended the book to my boyfriend (more or less forced it onto him), he hadn't touched a book since high school, and even then not very willingly. Two nights later I woke up from his sobs, when I asked what the problem was he simply answered: "I can't help it, I just finished the book, and it's just so beautiful."
If that's how much it affected a macho 25-year-old, just think of what it will do to you.

I recommend this book to every person in every age-group. It's an experience you shouldn't miss. Read and enjoy.

Linn

I didn't want to put the book down. Everything about the book kept me wanting more. It was real easy to read. I loved the TV show Jag and this reminded me of it. I feel it would make a great movie. I can't wait for the sequel.

M. C. Henson's writing style is a mixture of Janet Oke and Tom Clancy. Her first novel is well written. I feel I know each character personally. Each chapter in action packed and enhanced by great visual imagery. I was kept on the edge of my seat with the danger and adventure facing the lead characters. My heart was warmed when their love was finally realized and their lives enriched with a seemingly impossible surprise at the end. This story is filled with all that makes life worth living. I want more. I hope to read the sequel, Unbecoming, soon.

Unwritten has just enough of everything: intrigue, suspense, romance, humor, etc.--but without profanity, violence, or overly descriptive intimacy. One of those books that is difficult to put down. Totally enjoyed the story and particularly liked the fact that the couple was a couple before the last page of the book!! Thanks, Monica.

I picked up this book at our local library. It is a very good combination of suspense, romance, and good character development. Just enough mystery that I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but not much violence (which is great). I didn't know there was an upcoming sequel until after I finished it, but I look forward to reading it.

I read the first 50 pages of the book online at the author's website before purchasing an autographed copy there. I read it in about three evenings. The book reads very well and is easy to follow. It doesn't leave you dangling at the end- one of my concerns when I heard there will be a sequel. It's military/action oriented, but has definite human/emotional undertones. I believe there would have been more overt violence in it if it were a male author. As-is, it's a good story without gratuitous violence or profanity.

Vagabonding is a children's picturebook about a young girl's fantasies of traveling the world. The simple verse follow her imaginary adventures from the Taj Mahal to the Eiffel Tower and a Buddhist monastery. Yet no matter how far her mind reaches, she realizes that the comforts of home and family deserve to be appreciated too. "A traveler, / a vagabond! / To wander / and to roam, // for maybe oh... / an hour or so... // and then I'll go back home!" A joyful singsong picturebook ideal for reading aloud to young people.

I picked up this book about a month ago for my 1st grade class as a fun supplement to our geography lessons. There aren't many children's books about travel so I was pleasantly surprised to find one! And I absolutely love it! The simplicity of the illustrations and the fun George has with the main character: a little girl who fantasizes about traveling around the world with just a hobo sack. It is a quick & simple read, but what has my class buzzing is the whimisical illustrations. They love to pick it up and get lost in the drawings, especially the full color page spreads in the middle of the book.

I highly reccommend this book for young children who are just starting out to read and to anyone who wants to expose kids to the art of world travel. As an avid traveler, I think it's great to have a book like this to get kids to open up their eyes to a world outside of the United States or wherever they happen to live. Like I said, there aren't many children's books about travel and hopefully George will continue to fill this void. "Vagabonding" is a wonderfully refreshing way to bust into the children's book scene and I really look forward to new projects by her.

i think this book is a great gift for kids that they would enjoy reading! its really interesting and you dont want to put it down until you finish reading it to the end.

This first effort by the author/illustrator stands out for its simplicity and free spirit. The illustrations are sprightly and appealing as a girl trades places with a gypsy or "vagabond" and dons a red kerchief and gold hoop earrings. We get a quickie around-the-world tour--from Sydney to Tibet to the Taj Mahal and Paris and then, of course, back home in time for supper.

The back flap says George studied travel sketching, and the book has the quirky feel of doodles filled out with dabs of watercolor. Bonus points for portraying a full rainbow of ethnicities too.

Here's a book that celebrates one child's imagination, adventurousness, love of world cultures, and appreciation of home and family. George's casual, facile style lends the book a comfortable, cozy feeling--simple, appealing, and accessible for young readers. Her prose matches her illustrations in its simplicity, creating almost a kind of haiku effect. Completely charming.

This beautiful collection of poems follows Red Hawk's stunning "The Sioux Dog Dance." Following a year at Princeton University as its Hodder Fellow, Red Hawk has lost none of his ability to powerfully convey images of beauty and evil as revealed in everyday life. Much of this work is autobiographical and reveals the writer/educator as a self-described "loser" searching for salvation in an ugly world. He has the rare ability to seek and find the truth in the smallest and seemingly most meaningless of actions. With spare and simple prose, Red Hawk turns a perceptive and unwavering eye on the world, as well as himself. THIS IS A MUST-BUY, EVEN IF YOU HATE POETRY!!!

Buy this book...it will change your life

I have known Red Hawk all of my life & he is one of the most intense questioners of the meaning of life & death on this planet. Some of his narratives relate to his own life directly & some indirectly. He wondrous storyteller.

Red Hawk speaks with such a stunning & plain elegance that his voice can be a help to others. He tells the truth no matter how bad it makes him look. His is a book about honor,love,wisdom, death and how to use all of those as spiritual practice. It changed me; it is a book which matters.

Finally a book of poems that speaks of my own experience and understanding of the world!! This book and Red Hawk's two previous books are some of the best poetry I've ever read...and I read poetry like a fiend. As a high school English teacher, I am always on the hunt for poems whose literal meanings are clear enough for students to be interested right off but which also offer a wealth of deeper meaning once the surface is scratched--Red Hawk's poems are perfect for this. My students love him and so many have begun reading poetry on their own after this introduction!! (This, of course, is the English teacher's secret fantasy--a world of poetry readers!!) I, myself, am always moved by the depth of the poems themselves and I always notice something previously missed. If you read only one poem in your life, read "For Rain Drop Who Grows Up" -- it is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful tributes to a child I have ever read.

This is the best dictionary. It is easy to use because of the unique system of word groupings. I have four crossword dictionaries and this one is the best. I need to replace it as I have it held together with tape and string.

I MUST FIND A NEW BOOK SOON AS MINE IS BEYOND FIXING AND I CAN'T MANAGE WITHOUT IT!

You can't beat this dictionary - it's the best

For hard to find words, this is the best I've found, sorry it isn't available. Have a happy day & expect something wonderful to happen. Ed

My mother is 84 years old and she has used this dictionary exclusively since it's been in print. Her current copy is in shredds. We've got to find her one. Her life is not that full and crosswording is very important and this dictionary is a big part of her puzzling joy.