Journals Books

Kristine O'Connell George's poetry is beautiful as these poems lead her observations of a mother hummingbird making a nest, laying her eggs, then the eggs hatching and the young moving out. The illustrations are lovely realistic sketches that capture each stage of the hummingbirds' development. This makes a nice Mother's Day gift. I also bought a copy for a special aunt who loves nature.

If you or I were to find a tiny hummingbird nest in our backyard, we would handle such a discovery in any variety of ways. Some people would probably set up a camera and create a 24-hr live feed to their website. Others would ignore the nest or, worse still, actively remove it due to some odd hummingbird-based-delusion that the creatures were pests. When author Kristine O'Connell George found her nest, she came up with a particularly original way of marking the event. She kept a steady journal and, when all was said and done, she turned that journal into poetry. And she turned that poetry into a book. And that book was illustrated by the all-too-accomplished Barry Moser. And as a result, children's librarians everywhere have the honor of carrying "Hummingbird Nest" on their shelves, ready to be taken out by any inquisitive child with a yen for tiny birdies. Neither you nor I might go this route, but then neither you nor I would have such a fine title to our name. Such is life.

There are 26 poems in this book, all told. At the beginning a single small bird launches itself at a family eating on their patio. It appears that the creature has claimed this area as its own and immediately sets about building a nest in a potted tree. After a short amount of time two eggs appear in the nest. The family carefully checks up on them when the mama bird is away. The chicks hatch and are fed by their mother. Then they grow over the course of 18-26 days. At the end of that time, one of the babies flies away without the family ever saying goodbye. The second bird has some false starts before it finally figures out how to fly, and (after a snack from mama) fly it does. From that time on, hummingbirds sip nectar from the family's feeder and the author says to herself in the Author's Note, "Were any of the fledglings that turned up at our feeder later that spring our hummingbirds? I like to think they were".

The book has the feel of realism to it, helped along by Moser's accurate artistic renderings. The poetry, for its part, is a kind of friendly free verse. All scientifically accurate. All tiny odes to greater hummingbird-dom. I was particularly fond of a poem entitled, "Spiders, Beware!" that cautions all arachnids that the hummingbirds are around and ready to steal their webbing. These poems are rather innocent and don't go in for witty metaphors or particularly original imagery. They're just gentle little pieces that contain words like, "this rainy evening / your quiet wings / smoothly pressed / as you patiently sit / gentle captain / of your cobweb ship". There's even a small hummingbird-ish haiku at the end (though for a superior hum-haiku, check out the one in Jack Prelutsky's, "If Not For the Cat"). At the end of the book is the Author's Note that tells the true story, some quick facts about hummingbirds, and a very nice bibliography of hummingbird resources for old and young readers.

It's really Barry Moser's art that lifts this little book from obscurity, though. If you haven't perused Moser's stunning, "In the Beginning" (with words by Virginia Hamilton) then I'm afraid you've a large gap in the creation-myth department of your brain. Moser's watercolors here are wonderful. In the picture where the hummingbird dive-bombs the family, we see an older woman dropping her breakfast spoon, a coffee cup already turned on its side, and a hand covering her face in what is unmistakably the beginning of a laugh. Moser's dog is mournful and his cat full of the languid grace of the species. There are changes in perspective, in distance, and in view. In this way, Moser creates what otherwise could have been a deathly dull series of illustrations.

Come to think of it, this whole enterprise could easily (in the hands of the less adept) have ended up as some kind of boring practice in nature poetry. Instead it captures a fascinating subject, those winged little paradoxes of the avian world, and displays for us all the wonder that she, the author, experienced once. There won't be a child in the world who doesn't yearn for a hummingbird nest of their own after paging through this light little book. Seriously consider pairing it with the equally lovely and aforementioned, "If Not For the Cat", for a detailed examination of the natural world through verse. A small but strong work.

As a reading specialist I regularly review new children's books. As soon as I saw this one, I thought of my mom. She's a sharp-minded 87-year-old who loves poetry, art and hummingbirds. She gives the artistry, both words and watercolors, of this book an easy five stars.

This book is a tender treasure of hummingbird experiences through the wide-open eyes of a family entranced and the pen of a noted writer clearly in love with her subject.

Written as delightful poems, the story contains many teachable moments following "Anna" through the birth process, portraying the teetering and testing of the young ones' wings, proceeding on to the inevitable empty nest. It was hard to hold back tears as the wonder-filled story touches on the universal, relating to many cycles in our own lives.

The delicate watercolor drawings are beautiful in their own right, yet support and enhance the story in seemingly perfect harmony.

I heartily recommend this book to hummingbird lovers and children of all ages, who, caught up in the flow of the story, will absorb many hummingbird facts before they even know it.

Beth Kingsley Hawkins
Co-Editor, The Hummingbird Connection
www.hummingbird.org

One warm, February morning a tiny hummingbird began building a nest in a ficus tree on the patio of George's home in Claremont , California . For the next two months George kept a "hummingbird journal" of the daily happenings. "I still marvel," she writes, "over the surprising range of emotions one small bird and her family evoked: awe, worry about possible dangers, and laughter when the baby birds teetered on the edge of the nest for their daily flight practice."

George has expertly taken those emotions and woven them into this delightful collection of poems. In "Visitor" we are introduced to the small mother. She is nothing more than a "spark, a glint, / a glimpse of pixie tidbit." In the next poem, however, we see her bravado and determination in action. She becomes a "feathered missile streaking by," ordering the humans off her patio, out of her territory.

Soon two eggs are visible in the "cobweb ship" of a nest. Once hatched, the nestlings, "raisin black / an wrinkled," settle in. In "Flight Practice," George does a superb job at allowing the reader to visualize the drama taking place: "Four curled up feet grip / the top of the nest. / Two tiny motors / rev up for the wing test."

Moser is in top form here. His realistic, incredibly detailed watercolor paintings are small jewels in themselves.

The poems and illustrations combine wonderfully to allow readers the opportunity to vicariously witness nature up-close.

Highly Recommended.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff

From the first chapter to the last one (for now I hope), this a teriffic collection of short stories which form one narrative, but stand alone very well. Written with great economy, and humorous sections which pop out of nowhere, you just want to keep reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

What an enjoyable book. You will laugh much and you will cry. It is a fictional story about a "Personal Preacher" named Lloyd Boyd. You will have to read it to understand what "Personal Preacher" means. If you are looking for good book that tells a story and brings a message of comfort and love then I strongly suggest you buy this book and let it bring you some good news for a change.

I loved this book. The title promised me a fun read full of humor and wit. The book contained so much more. Each chapter had delightful comic insight into the Loyd Boyd's, and very often, my life. Then, just as I thought I knew what would happen next, the author surprises me with an appropriate and poignant moment that touches my heart and soul. I read every night as I go to bed but this book I couldn't put down and continued immediately the next day when I woke up. So much fun and so inspiring. I recommend "I Flunked Sunday School" to anyone who loves to read and especially those who grew up in or currently attend a church. Pastors would probably get more out of it than I did. No reader will come away disappointed.

"Best comedy I've read in a long time. From the title of the book to the concept of Lloyd Boyd, I was hooked. Ken Bailey's humor opens the door for heart-warming stories. I laughed and I cried. What more could you ask of a book?" --Wayne Holmes, compiler of Whispering in God's Ear and The Embrace of a Father

For whatever reason, I did not expect to enjoy this book very much. I actually have the audio CD version. It was given to me as a gift a few years ago, and I had no interest in listening to it. However, I had a sixteen-hour trip in the car, so I decided to try this thing. Much to my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One of the best parts of the audio CD is the reader, who was absolutely fantastic in characterizing many different people in this story. "I Flunked Sunday School" basically consists of various little snippets of stories that continually overlap throughout the entire book. Bailey does a good job of allowing each storyline to stand on its own, while integrating them together smoothly.

My favorite quality of this book was the fact that it successfully managed to capture the twin goals of humor and inspiration. While there were many laugh-out-loud moments throughout, there were also a number of really beautiful moments. I'll be perfectly honest and admit that I shed a few tears driving on I-94 through Wisconsin as I enjoyed this story.

There are moments when the jokes go flat or the dialogue seems forced. But for the most part, I had a great time with Lloyd Boyd, personal preacher. I highly recommend this great work of fiction for churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike.

James Calvin Schaap, in the book "In His Feathers" has masterfully captured the love for life, a faith in God, an appreciation for nature, and the fresh sense of humor of Sharon Bomgaars. Schaap has selected and compiled this compilation of Sharon Bomgaars' journals and correspondence. The book covers the period October 18, 1999 through September 28, 2002.

October 18, 1999 Sharon Bomgaars received the news that her body had been invaded by ovarian cancer. Sharon was given a 50/50 chance living another five years. Devastated but not defeated Sharon offered thanks for her 24 years of marriage and that she had been allowed to see her four children grow into adulthood.

Sharon's journals reveal her to be an amazing lady, a unique individual, and a devout worshiper of the God of the universe, the God of creation. Her life bears evidence of knowing the author of a redemptive plan that provides forgiveness for man's sinfulness. Throughout her letters and journals she maintains an absolute acceptance of God's sovereignty.

"In His Feathers" tells of Sharon's journey through the nearly four years of treatments, the discomfort, and the pain of ovarian cancer. Her writing chronicles her emotional and spiritual highs and lows. She gives tribute to her family and friends for their faithfulness in upholding her in prayer, and for their emotional, and physical support which helped her maintain a steadfast faith in a wise and loving God.

This is must reading for every woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer and for their family. It is a story of an amazing lady with a vibrant faith.

This was one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. What faith, what courage, what grace was so amazingly evident in Bomgaars journey of her dealing with cancer. It was a book that was easy to read and not easy to put down. Wonderful!!! Dotty Dirksen

-- Written by Virginia Owens; Huntsville, Texas --

In His Feathers is a marvel of a book. Finally, a truthful book about
cancer and facing death as a Christian. What would any sufferer give to
have Sharon's spirit or her husband, Dennis. This is not a sentimental
or blind grasping for straws of faith on the edge of an abyss. Sharon is
smart, inquisitive, demanding, and endlessly inventive when it comes to
devising ways to spend her last months and days delighting in life. She
questions her doctors, makes her decisions firmly, and gets ready to go to
the final frontier - as we all should, whether well or terminally ill. She
grieves over the grandchildren she will never see (she's only 44 when her
ovarian cancer is diagnosed) and keeps up a steady stream of conversation
with God as they work out her future together. The end, when it comes, is
no less painful or grim, but neither Sharon or the faithful Dennis shrink
from the hard path they are called to. One can only hope to do as well at
the hour -- or last years -- of our death. My husband and I read this
together and I feel certain it has strengthened our devotion to one another
as we, two decades older than Sharon and Dennis, work on going with grace.

-- Virginia Owens

Sharon's journals and letters take the reader with her into places that move from the ordinary to special and beautiful. Her honesty about the changes to her body and how her cancer affected relationships and attitudes goes far beyond any medical journal. Sharon has managed to teach us all to live well and die with dignity and courage. James Schaap has taken a sensitive subject and allowed us to glimpse the true feelings of a Christian who neither embraced nor feared death, but accepted it as part of the process of life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Sharon did a fantastic job telling all about her struggles and trails she went through in her battle with ovarian cancer. It was a joy to read and wonderful to read about her fantastic attitude. She was ready for Heaven and made the reader feel at peace about her going there. Her battle was long and hard fought and you felt like you were in it with her. I loved all the details of her travels and her love of nature!

I enjoyed this book immensely, but probably for the wrong reasons. The book is a bit chewy in places, but stick with it, as it's surprisingly enjoyable on it's own merits. On a more selfish, sadistic note, I had been mecilessly bludgeoned on a regulary basis by a work colleague, a second generation descendant of the Emerald Isle, with tales of Celtic martyrdom and Anglo tyranny, and none of which I felt I had the right to dispute. Then I read the book. After ten minutes of lively debate, challenging all he knew as 'fact', he has not spoken to me since. No-one had ever shut him up before. Heaven. But back to the point, I found this to be a rather good read.

Baby Cromwell, Nottingham, England

R. F. "Roy" Foster author of 'W. B. Yeats: The Apprentice Mage,' 'Charles Stewart Parnell: The Man and His Family' and 'Modern Ireland,' has written this experience and interpetation into Irish history and literature. He does a fine job of it. His bravery in massacring every sacred Irish cow as one would have fun reading it. It leaves you with a warm, passionate, giggly feeling. It's entertainingly brilliant look at the past and present Ireland. I particularly love the chapters and passages on Theme-parks & Histories (with some warning from Foster on expliotation); the chapters on Yeats; When the Newspapers Have Forgotten Me: Yeats, Obituarists and Irishness; Selling Irish Childhoods: Frank McCourt & Gerry Adams; and, Remembering 1798. They're totally smothered in clichés and lots of traditional tidbits of fond or fatal memories, known to some as the Irish experience.

Foster cleverly works moments of Ireland's past into narratives of Irish culture on myth, folklore, ghost stories and romance. The result is from a varied interpetation of opinionated and right down funny interlinking essays. In Theme-parks and Histories-Foster writes of the Irish are to remember or commemorate anything. It is worth remembering the upward curve of Irish cultural achievement-referring to W. B. Yeats, Hugh Leonard, Ezra Pound, Cashel Heritage Society and the 2,000-acre Famine Theme Park in Knockfierna Hill west of Limerick. Irish history, the most distinctive achievement for it. His suggestion to form a monument to Amnesia and forget where they put it. As a historian he would be shocked, but as an Irishman he would be attracted to the idea. Foster shows no mercy on his view of manipulating Irish history on political places and Irish poverty and oppression as a commerically packaged heritage park. His exploration of Yeats' authority of the Irish story's fitting moments as the voice of his Ireland countrymen.

Foster leaves teeth-marked criticism of Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes) and Gerry Adams and their devil may care attittude of taking hostages for fortune. Transcending into the bestsellerdom of Irish childhoods. Simply a technique of marketing where Irish version brag and whimper about the woes of their early years' experience. I find this to be an entertaining reading. In some places a bit wordy, but good telling of Irish culture. You may hate or love it. But, if your interest is in Irish history and literature it's quite essential.

Irish people of all persuasions and in all walks of life have developed a talent for building up a national history to their liking and drawing conclusions from it. Roy Foster's essays are about some of the ways in which Ireland's history has been interpreted, embroidered, exploited and packaged. I think everyone will agree there are cogent reasons for preserving the distinction between history and "national fiction". Ultimately, poor history makes poor propaganda, and propaganda in any case is a shabby use to put something as precious as a nation's history. This book is essential reading for people with an interest in Ireland. (I also recommend strongly the same author's earlier "Modern Ireland 1600-1972".)

This book ought to be on the shelf of anyone with an interest in Irish history. Foster has done an excellent job at making his points about the various 'uses' that history in Ireland has been employed for. From downright propaganda to 'memoirs' masquerading as vague truths he unleashes the power of clear thinking and valid sources. For so long Irish history has been treated as 'story' and this book attempts and succeeds in telling the difference. It is so refreshing to see something sensible in print! It is a great source book or reference and could also be read by delving into the different subjects in the index. I would recommend this for all who are involved in getting to know the real history of Ireland and the Irish and how some Irish 'history' came to be written in the first place.

Porter's tongue-in-cheek treatment of the marketing of Ireland is refreshing after an avalanche of Irish hype came from unscrupulous little publishers.The Disneynification of Ireland ,apparently propelled by American ad agencies for the Irish Tourist Board,is treated by Porter correctly as hype to snare innocent Irish-Americans.Porter gets almost every hilarious Irish twist of recent decades in this collection of exposes, including the hilarious, almost unbelievable marketing of the potato famine in Disney-like theme parks.Unfortunately, he closed his collection of revionist chapters without pointing to the biggest Irish hype of all -the invention and collapse of " The Celtic Tiger", based on runaway inflation and a Dublin stock market bubble that aped the rise and fall of America's Nasdaq.Foster's book is a must if you wish a clearer view of the Irish .

I've enjoyed many of Madeleine L'engle's books, this among the best. I was a bit surprised that I liked this one, since L'Engle turns the old rule about autobiographies -- bag limit of one -- on its head, writing yet again about her "non-eventful" life: kindness, love of animals, imagination and scientific curiosity, honest, hard-thought Christian humanism.

Other reviewers have mentioned other things they liked about the book; let me say something about the poems. The first almost scared me off: poems are sometimes a good writer's self-indulgence. (I skip most the poems in Tolkien.) But here they are jewels in the crown. Her poem of the wind and the star (p. 165-6) is magnificent. Unsentimental but hopeful, too, the gritty realism (reminiscent of the biblical Christmas narratives) of the communion poem that begins:

"Come, let us gather round the table.
Light the candles. Steward, pour the wine.
It's dark outside. The streets are noisy
with the scurrying of rats, with shoddy
tarts, shills, thugs, harsh shouting."

This is a diary of a different sort. I read it in the evening, a few pages at a time, a few moments conversation with a kind Christian lady of intellectual integrity to end the day.

To gain a sense of the various stages of L'Engle's life, read the Crosswicks Journals in order of publication. In The Irrational Season, Book 3, L'Engle does not give any easy spiritual answers, yet somehow a sense of comfort prevails throughout the pages. Never preachy, this is a book to savor again and again. We share L'Engle's struggle as she grapples with age-old questions. One is awed by the grace with which this woman deals with conflict, both internal and external, even as she is sharing her deepest doubts. As we read, we become a part of L'Engle's spiritual quest and we make it our own.

This is classic L'Engle, full of thoughtful observations and solid spiritual food. It's a good book for meditation and healing. And always L'Engle poses questions that give one pause.

I started this book on Christmas Eve...and who knew that this is almost precisely where L'Engle starts the book off at! It was a joyous, challenging, beautiful and often unnerving book that made me flip page-after-page in wonder and awe at the author's very wise words.

Sure, L'Engle sounds a bit like a Christian universalist in some of these pages, but they come from the heart and like all of our hearts, not every thought is theologically right on. So I can easily forgive her for this.For those people getting married, or thinking of getting married, or about to get married within the next 6 months, I'd recommend reading the first 60 pages of this book at least as it will fill you with wisdom, guidance and many wonderful descriptions of what true, ever-lasting love looks like.

Out of "A Circle of Quiet," "The Summer of the Great-Grandmother" and "The Irrational Season," this book comes in a close second out of the three. It's tender, warm, and just what I needed after the holiday season.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconcile their belief in God with their intellect. Lyrical and moving (I cried several times), The Irrational Season can be read on its own, or as part of the four-book series.

Growing up in my small hometown of Sobeiski, I have shared many great memories with those that I love. I became attached to many people that have comforted me over the years. I felt as if I was welcomed anywhere. Oh The Places You'll Go brought back many emotional memories from my childhood. Oh The Places You'll Go, is filled with beautiful illustrations full of feelings and expressions. The main theme of the book was to persuade children towards the right direction in life everywhere they go. Oh the Places you'll go is a miraculously hilarious book. It is very different from other Dr. Seuss books because it has a wider variety of word choice, and contrast between ideas.

Growing up in my small hometown of Sobeiski, I have shared many great memories with those that I love. I became attached to many people that have comforted me over the years. I felt as if I was welcomed anywhere. Oh The Places You'll Go brought back many emotional memories from my childhood. Oh The Places You'll Go, is filled with beautiful illustrations full of feelings and expressions. The main theme of the book was to persuade children towards the right direction in life everywhere they go. Oh the Places you'll go is a miraculously hilarious book. It is very different from other Dr. Seuss books because it has a wider variety of word choice, and contrast between ideas.

Very cute. It makes a very nice combo with the book for graduations.

Do you have shoes on your feet and brains in your head? Then maybe you can go places like the little boy in the book Oh the Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss. This book takes a little boy through good and bad places till he finds what he's looking for. This book has fabulous pictures that pop out in the story when you read it! They describe the characters moods also! When the character is happy then the pictures are colorful and bright colors. However, when the character is sad or mad the pictures are gloomy and dull colors. When I first read this book I thought about how it related to my life. Well my parents always told me that I could go great places if I have a good education! If you read this book I bet it could bring back some memories from the paste to! This book also relates to real life and has a great message in it! But don't sit her and give the whole thing away, READ IT!

I've been journaling for years and this is one of the finest ones I have used. I may never buy from an alternate press again! The pages are lined on both sides, which I enjoy. The binding is not spiral, something I normally prefer, however the spine is strong and I have had no problem with loose leaves. The cover is made from a durable board, it does not look any worse for the wear I have put it through in the 6 months I've used it. I've also found that the paper used is very strong. If I use a felt tip pen or something else with a lot of ink the paper does not allow it to bleed through! I'm very pleased with this journal. It also has a nice name plate on the inside front page. I highly reccodmend it, along with other journals from peaceable kingdom press.

Jazz Life is a great book in every senses: Fantastic photographs,very good informative text and wonderful audio CD, besides its weight and its size. Very, very good. Great find.

Gorgeous book. One that I will want to have out and look through over and over. Amazing, you see something different every time you look through it.

This book has great pictures of famous entertainers. It is very heavy, though. I got the best price through Amazon. It came more quickly than I imagined, We are very pleased with the book and the service and wouuld do it again.

If you were a jazz fan in the Fifties this book will be the ultimate visual memory jogger. It is a huge book, too, weighing in at over fifteen pounds (a bit more with its handy carrying box) and with spreads opening to an impressive twenty-three inches wide by sixteen deep. The 696 beautifully printed pages feature an expanded collection of photos originally taken for the 1961 German book 'Jazz Life' produced by Joachim Berendt and William Claxton.

In four months during 1960 these two motored across the America and it would seem photographed every important jazz musician that mattered and what stunning photos they are. Page after page of folks you have been listening to for years and not just recording studio shots but plenty of informal and location photos. Musicians everywhere get a look in, New Orleans, Kansas, St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, from ragtime to bop to East and West coast styles. Each area has an essay and all the photos are captioned. Looking through the book for the first time with its huge page size and Claxton's sympathetic jazz camera is a rather awesome experience.

There is a forty-two minute CD with the book (the original German edition had two seven inch LPs) of music recorded by Berendt but I thought it was rather bland in its choice of tracks. Predominately New Orleans traditional and spirituals with a very small sampling of other styles some of which annoyingly fade out before the end. I bet at the time though the music added to the book's success in a still rather war-torn Germany.

'Jazz Life' celebrates a great American music style with photos you can almost hear. I doubt there will be anything as good as this published again.

*A Shorty Rogers tune dedicated to Bill Claxton

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

I just received this enormous book; yes enormous in every way. Both in vision, content, printing and weight. I have plenty of jazz photo books and some earlier collections by Claxton, but this certainly reaches beyond the rest. It reminds me of the work by the great Cartier-Bresson. It is far beyond publicity shots and the compositions are real and echoes what language can never say. I am reminded of the great writer Albert Murray. He delves deep into the entire ouvre of this American art form. The large two page bleed photos are breathtaking. The book is largely b&w which suits me just fine. One seldom comes across such empathy and passion for a subject and at the same time shoots like a painter. This is a bargain at twice the price.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. It wonderfully portrays two sides of town torn about by a seeming abundant source: water. ok im tired of typing..its good just get it you wont be dissappointed and if u dont like it ill buy it back from you for 4 bucks

Jean De Florette along with Manon Des Sources are two of the most lyrical, heartbreaking books that I own. I urge anyone who is comfortable reading French to read these books.

Each book stands on its own but the story which begins in Jean De Florette moves to its conclusion in Manon Des Sources

These two books along with the 4 volumes of Marcel Pagnol's autobiography: La Gloire De Mon Pere, Le Chateau De Ma Mere, Le Temp Des Secrets and Le Temps D'Amour will transport you to a time and place that no longer exist but are not so far from our own.

Those who try and love these books and are familiar with the films may want to try these other Marcel Pagnol film classics: The Fanny Trilogy which is comprised of: Marius, Fanny and Cesar - I strongly recommend the original with Raimu,Pierre Fresnay, Orane Demazis rather than any later version and La Femme De Boulanger. All of these are availble as plays in book form as well.

If you are looking for a first french read then this is it! Not only is the story (and the sequel "Manon des Sources") great, the language is very easy to understand for a person who feels confident speaking and understanding French and wants to take it up a notch.

These stories are an interesting study of the human condition with a prominance of irony that makes the effect of the book's theme quite impactful. The jist of the plot is that a hunchback named Jean comes with his wife and daughter to inherit a house and farm. His neighbours are to be Ugolin and Cesar, who tend to value money over other people's welfare. Knowing that an heir will soon be arriving to live on the land, Ugolin and Cesar plug up a spring of water that exists on the neighbouring property in order to ensure discouragement and limited success for the new owner (Jean). The greedy men hope that they will then be able to by the land from the hunchback for a cheap price, and then use it for their profit. Manon de Source (or Manon of the Spring) is a continuation of Jean de Floretter, and focusses on the hunchback's daughter, Manon, and provides a more satisfying end than the first story for its reader.

This haunting and lyrical novel tells how greed destroyed the lives of two men and those around them. The setting is exquisite, the characters fully developed and the plot seamless. The rich and evocative language is a joy in itself. A novel like this is an experience you will remember and treasure for a lifetime. It truly becomes a part of you.

I love the book. It is very informative. I read a small section every day and can gleen some helpful hint.

This is a great guide particularly for inspectors. Even a layman can understand how to control moisture in buildings.

Excellent book if you don't subscribe to JLC mag. The articles are just a collection from the magazine.

This is an informative way to learn of the currents trends in moisture control. If you have anything to do with building exteriors, this is a must read.

Water can be a building's worst enemy, which is why we try so hard to keep it out of our homes and living spaces. The editors of the Journal of Light Construction have brought together leading experts to write this book on controlling practically all forms of moisture damage in residential buildings.

It explains the mysteries of vapor barriers. Provides innovative solutions for keeping basements and crawl spaces dry. It shows fool-proof methods for flashing windows and doors so that they won't let in storm water. Also gives storm-proof stucco details as well as tips for keeping paints and stain on exterior wood. Provides leak-free flashing techniques for both steep and low-slope roofs and provides plans for a low-cost whole-house ventilation that works incredibly well.

Everybody who has serious illness or cares for somebody with a life-threatening illness should have this book. Makes a nice gift.

Going to be a best seller or should be.

NANCY WHITE KELLY IS A MASTER OF LIFE. SHE TOUCHES THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF HER READERS. SHE SHARES A STORY FULL OF HUMOR, EMOTION AND INSPIRATION AND IS ONE OF LIFES GREAT FIGHTERS. I AM LUCKY THAT SHE CAME BACK INTO MY LIFE AFTER AN ABSENCE OF SO MANY YEARS.

SIMPLY, ANYONE HAVING....OR KNOWS OF ANYONE HAVING BREAST CANCER SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. IT GIVES INSIGHT OF THE PERSONAL UPS AND DOWNS OF THIS DREADFUL ILLNESS, AND SHOWS HOW YOU MAY AS A PERSON KEEP AND USE A SINCE OF HUMOR TO HELP OVER COME OR AT LEAST KEEP AT BAY THIS ILLNESS. YOU WILL LAUGH, AND CRY BUT, AT LEAST WALK AWAY KNOWING HOW THE LORD CAN WORK IN WAYS BEYOND OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, AND BE USED TO HELP OTHERS. IN MY OPINION....I HIGHLY REGUARD THIS BOOK "TOPS"....AND RECOMMEND IT !!!!

The Journal of a Living Lady is one of late summer's nicest gifts. Nancy White Kelly, a middle-aged school principal/writer, reaches deep within her southern soul to wittily describe what it is like to dance daily with terminal illness.

The book is a compilation of her most popular weekly newspaper columns which began originally as the Journal of a Dying Lady. When the author kept surpassing her doctor's time schedule for expected death, loyal readers suggested a title change. The Journal of a Living Lady allowed her more latitude to write about other interesting adventures as she traveled the toll-road to cancer survival.

The popularity of Nancy Kelly's local newspaper column soon turned global due to the accessibility of her columns on the web and the recognition given by web reviewers. Mrs. Kelly appeared as a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Making Memories Organization recognized the author's wish to have an extended family reunion after she wrote, "I believe we have our funeral traditions backwards. When somebody dies, family and friends spend hours catching up, laughing and sharing memories. The only thing wrong with that scenario is that the person in the pine box doesn't get to participate."

Journal of a Living Lady is a page-turner. The last sentence of the first chapter ends, "I intend to live forever. So far, so good." Writing with a sometimes cynical, oftentimes mischievious squint, Mrs. Kelly leads the reader through several funny, yet inspiration experiences.

This book made me laugh and cry for three hours. Nancy White Kelly may have terminal cancer, but it certainly doesn't have her. In one column she wrote, "Until the horse is dead, I won't dismount. I only plan to spend the last day of my life dying." She also offers good advice: "Laugh a lot. Hug like a bear. Then smile. It is the second best thing you can do with your lips."