News and Media Books

Kennedy Assassinated was an awesome book. I think that this book is very incredible in detail because it gives you all details about how Kennedy survived his life and how he got through it all. I think that this book is awesome for anybody that can read. If you are interested in history then this is your kind of book. Please take this and remember that he was a good person but he lived a bad past. The best story element for this book would also be suspense. It tells you of what happens and how it all happens. Thank you for listening and I hope that it helped you.

Kennedy Assassinated was a great book. It taught me alot of what happened to him. I gave this book five stars because I learned who shot Kennedy and where. My favorite part was when they were operating on him in emergency room one. They kept on trying to bring him back but he is gone. I really liked this book.

This book was very exciting I thought. It tells the story of the day that kennady was assassinated. I really likd this book because it was very exciting aand has a great retelling of the event. It also had great allusion back to the future in a reporters shoes. Thats what I thought of the book.

This is one of the better books I have ever read! This book did a great job of suspense, it was unbelievable! JFK is riding in his convertable along side a Dallas police baracade when he and the governer of Texas are shot. The are both taken to the hospital near by and a young reporter is assigned to the case. This is is first case and it had me on the edge of my seat wondering how he would do on the case. I really recomend this book to you if you like drama and suspense, it is truly a really great book.

Kennedy Assassinated is an awsome book. It is brief yet very interesting. This book allows you to experience Kennedy's death through the eyes of a reporter. I actually began to sweat. If you want to read about president Kennedy, this is a good book to start out with.

This book was absolutely hilarous. It captured the life of a 11 year old genius surrounded by his family of idiots. Including the dimwitted Reese. The overbearing screaming Lois. The somewhat dumb dad named Hal who's just a bumbling big kid at heart. The cute(or so they say)little brother Dewey. The eldest brother Francis who attends military school after his reckless behavior in the past. And it all comes down to the kid with the IQ of 165! This book is all about the normal----did I say normal?--family of the Wilkersons.
[...]
So in a complete summary of MITM, This book is definitely in my top ten. 5 stars!

It was really funny. It had cool and funny moments just like the show! You so will not regret reading this book. Every moment is worth it, no dull moments! Check this book out!!

Based on the "Pilot" and "Krelboyne Picnic" episodes, you can re-live both episodes just from reading the book, which is why i loved it! Experience the humilation and humor Malcolm goes through, just from reading the book! I am 14, and i love the series! (well maybe cuz im a big fan of the show but ya know...). The reading level is very easy, so it is a "kick-back-and-relax-while-you-read" kind of book. It is not confsuing so you don't have to think while you read. I'd recommend this book as well as the other books in the series. Definitley check out the "Water Park" book in the series. (#2) You can surely re-live that episode easily!! :)

I love to watch the show which is HILARIUS. So I got this book which is one-hundred times more hilarius. There was not one chapter where I wasn't laughing my head off. It was the funniest book I had ever read. If you buy this book I guarantee you will laugh just as much as me.

"Life is Unfair!" is a novelization by Tom Mason and Dan Danko of the first two episodes of the Fox television series "Malcolm in the Middle." The authors do a very nice job of taking that initial pair of teleplays for "The Pilot" (by series creator Linwood Boomer) and "Krelboyne Picnic" (by Michael Glouberman & Andrew Orenstein) and turning them into a seamless whole. Thus we are introduced to Malcolm, who is horrified to learn that he is not simply weird but a certifiable genius. This means being untimely ripped from his relatively normal classroom and being sent to the class for the "gifted" students, which is just a way of hiding the fact that everybody in the Krelboyne class is a nerd a freak or possibly both. Malcolm gets off to a bad start with his new classmates and the prospect of a talent show in front of all the parents does not make our hero any happier. Besides, we have not even mentioned Malcolm's parents and his brothers, who are all apparently conspiring to make things even worse.

There has also been a definite effort to clean-up things a bit for the juvenille reader in this first "Malcolm in the Middle" book. For example, we no longer have the litany of past offenses for which Francis was banished to the Marlin Academy in Alabama and Lois greets Ms. Miller wearing a bit more than she actually did in the pilot. Such things are to be expected I suppose. However, . . . I do . . . not think . . . that Stevie . . . ever spoke . . . in bursts . . . of only . . . one word . . . I think . . . he always . . . does two . . . words at . . . a time . . . Although I . . . may be . . . wrong about . . . that. Ultimately this book is an interesting trade off. On the one hand, Mason and Danko have provided a more realistic version of the television show, but on the other hand it is the manic zaniness of this collective of crazed individuals that makes the show so compelling (just think of the opening of the episode shown after the Super Bowl where Hal and Dewey try to get a spider out of the house only to succeed in pitching it out the front door and right into Lois's open mouth). However, there is really no way to capture such inspired lunacy on the printed page, which means the authors made the right choice. Then again, maybe the show has become more surreal as time goes bye and maybe this is something we must remember.

My son (2yrs) got this book and loves it so much!
the colors and real life action!!

he loves to watch kids do karate!
i recommend highly!

This is a great non-fiction about Chinese New Year, for ages 4-12! The text is simple enough for younger children and detailed enough to really be informative for older children. Following a young child through his preparations for the celebration immediately brings young readers (and listeners)into the story. Vivid photographs of familiar and novel scenes help children to relate to Ernie Wan while learning about a significant aspect of his culture. Rather than lecturing the reader, this book invites the reader to share in one boy's celebration of the Chinese New Year while teaching about the holiday at the same time. This book has been well-loved by my children (now ages 8, 10, 12) for many years. We are now on our second copy of the book! It comes out every Chinese New Year, and even some other times through out the year. My children often ask to take this book to school to share at Chinese New Year. (Bonus: inside the back cover is an explanation of the Chinese zodiac with years and personality traits.)

Follow Ernie Wan and his family throughout a traditional Chinese (Cantonese) New Year Celebration! Colorful photos and detailed text provide good insight to a fascinating and beautiful culture! Photos of New York's Chinatown and Chinese schools are accompanied by cultural facts. From kung fu school to New Year traditions, this book is more than I expected. The Lion Dance is covered very well, but is certainly not the sole topic of this outstanding book! Ages 4 and up.

For my preschool class, I am pairing this book with an 11' long paper dragon and a stuffed dragon puppet. The children will be making paper lanterns and sampling various Chinese foods. They should really enjoy the unit on Chinese New Year!

Gung-Hey-Fat-Choy! Happy New Year!

If you have small children,their first encounter with the lion can be the stuff bad dreams are made of. Our 16-month-old son was both frightened and intrigued by the lion that came to the Chinese restaurant where our friends' son was enjoying his first birthday. The book follows Ernie Wan through his preparation to his first lion dance one Chinese New Year's day in New York's Chinatown. You see the customs and rituals that lead up to his debut. More important, you see the closeness of his family and the value of rites of passage in gathering people together. My family is not Chinese but my wife and I have immigrant parents. If you are trying to demonstrate why maintaining your cultural heritage is worthwhile, Lion Dancer will support your cause. My son literally drools on the pictures of the Chinese dishes and the kung-fu kicks of the lions amid the firecracker smoke. If I have a single criticism, it's that the pages of this paperback will fall out after repeated reading. And if I'm entitled to menion one mature indulgence, the book includes a section describing the personalities of the various animals in the Chinese lunar year. You might agree that the year you were born is more telling than the month.

I thought the book was very interesting with wonderful pictures
for children to look at. Despite being written for children to enjoy, it gave some insight to anyone, curious about this aspect of Chinese culture.

Live a Praying Life is one of the best small group study books I've done. I highly recommend it for every Christian seeking a spiritually transformed life.

This is a study that I refer to constantly! I have given it to many people and the result is always the same....."this is one of the most awesome studies I have ever done....."! I bought it for my 4 sisters and mother and we started it together at Christmas, which has resulted in several group Bible Studies and a weekend seminar on Prayer!

MORE THAN JUST A HOW TO BOOK. LESSON S IN PREPARATION, DISCPLINE, OBEDIENCE, PATIENCE, FAITHFULNESS, & GAINING A NEW LEVEL TO ONE'S SPIRITUAL LIFE AND GROWTH. MUCH NEEDED MATERIAL WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH CONTROVERSY REGARDING HEARING FROM GOD AND ACTING ON HIS PROMISES. INTERCESSORS SHOULD NOT MISS THIS ONE!

This book isn't just a book. It's a 3-month journey through what prayer is. Jennifer walks you through the deep truths about prayer so that you will know them AND apply them. It also brings out the freshest and truest views on what prayer really is. You will not leave this book unchanged.

P.S. And I live with her oldest son. He's tall.

This is the best book on prayer, that I've read. I will confess, even after reading this book, I still don't understand all the mysteries of prayer, but I understand a lot more. This book tackles hard questions such as 'can we really change God's mind with prayer?', 'why does prayer seem not to work', 'how to pray', 'what is the purpose of prayer', etc. It gives concrete steps on how to develope a praying life and is heartily, biblically, referenced.

Ikeda's biography of Shakyamuni Buddha made him very real. The reader is taken into the life and times of Shakyamuni, providing a rich history that kept me turning the pages for more. I have read this book twice and each time I enjoy it more than the last. Most important, Ikeda uses language and concepts that Buddhists and non Buddhists alike can readily understand.

This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" give the reader an glimpse into the life and times of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. (Also known as Siddhartha Gautama). Unlike many other books of its kind, "The Living Buddha" touches mostly on the personality of the Buddha himself, to help us understand his personal motivations and experiences.

Shakyamuni, the "Enlightened One," was a common mortal who achieved enlightenment as to the fundamental nature of life and the universe itself.

"The Living Buddha" is a lucidly written biography by Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International, the world's largest Buddhist organization and a United Nations NGO.

Through his book, we see that the world and society Shakyamuni lived in is not so different than ours now - that he was faced with the same type of problems we all face. The account of how he conquered these problems is what makes for an inspiring narrative.

Reading this book evokes the spirit of Shakyamuni as an enlightened person living in a troubled society who offers wisdom to humanity on how to overcome life's sufferings. The stories of his relationships with his followers and the guidance he imparts to inspire them to live noble lives transcends any specific time or age. A wonderful book to pick up whenever you want to feel close to the Buddha within you.

As a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism, and member of SGI-USA, I have found this book to be utterly enlightening, absolutely comprehensible, and totally fulfilling in way that makes Daisaku Ikeda's writings all the more valuable to me. His interpretation of the life of the original Buddha, Shakyamuni, has answered many lingering questions I've had on the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy and I encourage anyone with an interest in Buddhism to read this book!!!

This book is excellent ! The first in a series of three on the origin and history of Buddhism, it offers valuable insights from a unique perspective on the first man to reveal the Dharma and turn the Wheel of the Excellent Law. Dr. Ikedas' 'interpretive biography', approach is interesting and honest in it's effort to aknowledge the difficulties of putting such a work together at such a great chronological remove, and I feel he has dealt with these difficulties in a very useful way. I would reccomend this book to anyone seeking to acquire a knowledge of general Buddhist history, and even more so to those seeking to use this knowledge as the Buddha himself intended; to improve their lives, and the world itself.

As we know, there 's a popular film showing in US named' The

Lizzie McGuire Movie'. Unluckly, I'm not in US, so I can't

watch the film.I've watch the preview and I like it very

much.This book is full of imagination, it's a bit similar to the

book' The Princess Dairies'. It's the best book for all the

girls who liked to dream(including me) ------being a famous pop

star, having all the clothes and food you want. I like the

ending best, because it is unexpected. I think that it will be

one of the favourtes of the girls who liked to dream !!!

- Lucia Lee, one of the readers of this wonderful book

This book was really great. I would reccomend it for ages 11 or 12 and up because it has a bad word in it and it has the word sexiest in it. So if you know any 11 or 12 or older person get it for them if they are a Lizzie McGuire.

This is the best book around! It tells the exact same story as the movie. There aren't differences in this book as the movie. I read the first two pages of the book when I first bought it

i'm a big fan of lizzie, i think this book was very cute, it's very funny. i hope the movie turns out the same way.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie by Susan Estelle Jansen is an awesome story about one girl that is to clumsy to do anything and then she goes on a trip to Rome and finds out otherwise.

Lizzie is just about to graduate from junior high and she messes up real bad! Her brother tape records it and sends it to Good Morning America. Then she goes on a class trip to Rome and she tells her best friend Gordo that they need to find adventures. Then Lizzie bumps into pop superstar Paolo and she does find adventures. He tells her that she looks just like Isabella the girl he sings with. He tells her his story and she agrees to help him. She becomes Isabella for a couple of days dodging her new principal while doing so. Gordo covers for her and gets himself in tuns of trouble. Read this wonderful story and find out what happens with Lizzie and her singing career and Gordo and Isabella.

The characters really jump out at you. Lizzie is so clumsy and she seems to always fall down. The characters were really believable and the story seemed to be real to me. This book is really hard to put down you always want to know what is going to happen to Lizzie and her friends. You have to pay attention very closely so you aren't lost or confused. The plot is so interesting and the ending will blow you away. I really believe any girl who reads this would want this to happen to them.

I loved this book. It is every teenagers dream. This is such an exciting book it really lets you feel like you are leaving the `dream'. I would recommend this book to teenage girls looking for a good read because they would enjoy it and keep it as one of there favorites. The book will be enjoyed by all whom read.So read this book and please with all means `enjoy'!!
-Patricia Harnish 13

It's a memoir about Cantwell being in her 20's and 30's in NYCity -- time period is 1950's and '60's. Very good. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Her writing is really good.

The other reviews told what the book was about. I just wanted to add to their comments by saying that I couldn't put the book down and was sad when it ended. Her words flowed so beautifully.

The late Mary Cantwell charmingly recounts, in this 3 books in one volume paperback, her years growing up in a small New England seaport town and her youthful foray into the 'glamourous' magazine world of New York City in the 'fities. Sane, sensible and warm nostalgia--without being saccharine. Beautifully written. A must for the literate and for New York lovers-- especially those who remember the days!

Mary Cantwell's Manhattan Memoir is three books in one but you will never tell the difference. The stories flow together as Cantwell's memoir's cover her life. Cantwell takes you through a stroll in Manhattan. The good times, the struggles. The best memoir I have read. This is that book you will tell all of your friends about. Cantwell is a fantastic story teller.

Mary Cantwell bares her triumphs and joys as well as her shortcomings and insecurities in this collection of three memoirs that span her childhood, early adulthood, and middle- to late-adulthood respectively. Cantwell lead a wonderful, if unremarkable, childhood in an enviably Rockwell-esque seaside town - her depiction of her life through high-school is a real joy to read. Upon graduation from college, Cantwell hits the "Big City" appears to have forgotten some of the lessons learned in her idyllic childhood, however, she still manages to snag a plumb job with Mademoiselle Magazine and occasionally interacts with literary legends with her ambitious young husband. In her later life she is given interesting writing assignments and carves out a life for herself in Lower Manhattan, however, I found it discouraging that she wallows in the collapse of her marriage (which never appeared to be very strong), often to the detriment of her two daughters. I kept wondering how a woman with such a strong background could have allowed herself to sink to the depths Cantwell periodically allowed herself to hit. Regardless, she is not ashamed to remember less-than-glamorous moments in her life (which also include being jeered by fellow classmates as an elementary school student and suffering from paralyzing fits of self-doubt as a young career woman) - these are the events that have made her what she is.

It must have been incredibly therapeutic for Cantwell to write these memoirs. All three books can be seen as a view of the author's life from within her own head. Her message is simple: accept me for what I am. "Manhattan Memoir," in addition to being the story of Mary Cantwell's life, it also about trying to be true to oneself when one isn't always sure what that means. By writing her story, Cantwell examines her life and tries to learn from her experiences - and it can make the reader start to think about his/her own life as well.

While Cantwell's life is not particularly fascinating or different in itself, her writing style and manner of portraying her experiences are magical and riveting. She describes the joyous and painful events of her life in an easy, engaging manner - it is as if she is talking about the past with old friends. She manages to make the mundane fascinating. She also has a real gift for engaging the reader. I wasn't sure if I liked her writing style at first - Cantwell writes almost as one speaks - but within pages of beginning the book I became used to her rambling style and truly enjoyed it.

This book provides an added plus for those from or familiar with Rhode Island and/or New York City. It was fun for me to recognize the addresses of Cantwell's Manhattan apartments and know that the places she frequented, I often go to today.

Original, convincing, with
likeable and fully rounded characters. I can hardly wait to see what this highly talented new writer comes up with next.

I found that reading Mortal Touch was a pleasure ! The characters are very well drawn and all interesting. Vampires in this teling had several "new" attributes which ought to have been written long ago. The plot progress had numerous unexpected turns that also fit the story so there was no illogical events. The ending wrapped up the story very nicely but certainly left it open for a sequel which I look forward too.

Inanna Arthen's highly original vampire novel will appeal to readers of Poe, Lovecraft and Shirley Jackson as well as fans of modern vampire fiction. Arthen avoids the typical clichés of the genre; her vampires have reflections, day jobs, and sex lives.

The title, "Mortal Touch" and the tag line "All I need to do is touch you," both hint at Arthen's unique approach to bloodletting: her vampires don't need fangs, and their pale but otherwise ordinary appearance allows them to fit in all too easily with their human neighbors.

The novel, set in a small Massachusetts town, immerses the reader in a gripping story with eccentric but likable characters and a strong sense of place. These are the Vampires of New England; you won't find them in a New Orleans brothel or on a European stage, calling attention to themselves. Arthen's eerily believable undead hang out quietly at antique stores and cafés, and you won't see them coming for you before it's too late.

Highly recommended!

This book is an excellent beginning to what promises to be a very enjoyable series! Arthen's characters and dialogue are very believable and the plot moves along at a measured but lively pace. Her vampire mythos is refreshing in that it follows folklore a bit more closely than those created by other contemporary authors.

I look forward with great anticipation to the next entry in the Vampires of New England series.

This is an absolutely terrific book! Arthen slowly builds up the suspense. Who is this mysterious new writer who has moved into town and has everyone talking? The owner of a small gift shop is determined to find out, before her best friend gets seriously hurt. Arthen authentically recreates the feel of a small New England town, while introducing vampires who are decidedly different: for one thing, they have no fangs.

Highly recommended for those who like their vampires a little off the beaten track.

This Lizzie McGuire Quiz Book is a must have for any Lizzie McGuire fan! There are loads of quizzes about you, your BFFs, and your crush. Here's a list of all the quizzes plus mini descriptions.

LIZZIE QUIZ #1 (should be pretty easy, if you know the show really well)
QUESTIONS OF CHARACTER (tells you if you're most like Lizzie, Miranda, or Kate)
EMBARRASING MOMENTS (tells you if you get embarrased easily or if it takes a lot to embarrass you
IS HE CRUSHIN' ON YOU? (tells you if that boy you know is crushing on you or not)
ARE YOU A LEADER? (tells you if you have lots of leadership power or you're kinda shy)
CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET? (this quiz will show you if you are too secretive, just right, or a total blabbermouth!)
LIZZIE QUIZ #2 (another quiz about the show, easy for ultimate Lizzie fans)
RED-HOT OR MELLOW YELLOW? (do you get ultimate angry when stuff happen? or do you keep your cool?)
ARE YOU A FLIRT? (what kind of a flirt are you? Major, minor, or anti?)
LIZZIE TIPS: PART ONE (tips that Lizzie's giving you--learned the hard way)
REBEL YELL (are you a rebel? or do you always follow the rules?)
WHAT'S YOUR GUY TYPE? (what kinda guy do you like? jock, romantic, sweet....?)
R.U. TRUE? (what kinda friend are you? a friend to the end or not?)
WHAT'S YOUR CRUSH REALLY LIKE? (is your crush a good one? or is it time to get a new one?)
LIZZIE QUIZ #3 (harder than 1 and 2, but still kinda easy)
QUIZ: QUESTIONS OF CHARACTER (are you a pushover? or are you too harsh? or just right?)
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR BEST BUD? (think you know your BFF really well? test your BFF knowledge here!)
QUIZ: YOU AND YOUR BEST BOY BUD: MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS? (are you and your guy friend just friends or more?)
FAMILY CIRCUS (who are you in your family? the troublemaker? perfectionist?)
ARE YOU A QUEEN BEE? (are you like Kate? or do you care more about other stuff?)
LIZZIE QUIZ #4: THE ULTIMATE MCGUIRE CHALLENGE (Do you have the McGuire fire? Or are you a Dizzy Lizzie? Find out here and take the ultimate McGuire challenge! Think you can answer all the questions correctly?)
LIZZIE TIPS PART TWO (more tips from Lizzie---learned the hard way)

Overall, I think this is the best quiz book, if you're a Lizzie fan or not. But, you must be! Who doesn't love Lizzie McGuire? This is a super cool book. I recommend it to you.

The quiz book is the best.Here is all the different quizzes:
Lizzie quiz #1
Questions of Character
Embarrassing Moments
Is he chrushin on you
are you a leader
can you keep a secret
Lizzie quiz#2
Red-hot or mellow yellow
are you a flirt
Lizzie tips part 1
rebel yell
whats your guy type
RU true
whats your crush really like
lizzie quiz#3
questions of character
how well do you know your best bud
you and your best boy bud more than friends
family circus
are you a queen bee
lizzie quiz #4
lizzie tips part 2
I vote it 5 stars becuase it is a good book.I enjoyed it with my friends.

Do you love quizzes? Well I do! If you do, you'll love this book, whether you're a Lizzie fan or not. There's quizzes on school, friends, Lizzie, guys and more! Here's a list of all the quizzes inside this book.
Lizzie Quiz #1
Questions of Character (r u a Kate, Lizzie, or Miranda?)
Embarrasing Moments
Is He Crushin' On You?
Can You Keep A Secret?
Lizzie Quiz #2
Red-Hot or Mellow-Yellow?
Are You a Flirt?
LIZZIE TIPS:PART ONE
Rebel Yell
What's Your Guy Type?
R.U. True?
What's Your Crush REALLY like?
Lizzie Quiz #3
Quiz: Questions of Character
How Well Do You Know Your Best Bud?
Quiz: You and Your Best Boy Bud--More Than Just Friends?
Family Circus
Are You A Queen Bee?
Lizzie Quiz #4: THe Ultimate Challenge
LIZZIE TIPS:PART TWO
Overall, this is good for Lizzie fans and non Lizzie fans. But how can you not be a lizzie fan? Those listed above are all the things in this quiz book. I hope I have helped you! bye

Here is my updated version of my past reviewer as a 12-year-old reader:

I urge you to pick up a copy of this book! As well as four Lizzie quizzes about the TV show, it also has lots of quizzes about guys, school, clothes and friends.
Like
Who are you most like?
What's your crush really like?
Is he crushin' on you?
and much more! With this cool book you can find out loads more about yourself and it's perfect for sleepovers so you can find out more about your friends too and what they know about Lizzie McGuire. But watch out, the last Lizzie quiz (Ultimate Quiz) is REALLY hard! (I think the Lizzie quizzes are about the first and second season. I'm not sure, we have only had two seasons of LMcG over here and I managed to get the questions right.
UPDATE: The only thing wrong with this is that it doesn't go on for long enough! I mean, the quizzes are great, time after time, but I think there should be a 'sequel' or Lizzie McGuire MOVIE quiz book!

EVEN GREAT FOR NON-LIZZIE FANS (HOW CAN YOU BE ONE OF THEM?). THIS BOOK HAS SOME EXCEELENT QUIZZES, ESPECIALLY PERSONALITY QUIZZES. GREAT FOR ALL GIRLS, ESPECIALLY LIZZIE FANS AGED 8-14.
Rebeccaxxx...

This book is perfect when you're bored, with friends, or just about anytime. Theres quizzes on everything from A-Z including some on Lizzie McGuire which are very challenging. I reccomend this book to girls of all ages, even if you aren't big Lizzie fans.

Harlan Coben's short story "Entrapped" is about a woman whose husband goes missing. When she arrives home from the police station, she finds an imposter husband waiting for her and the charade begins.

All of the stories are filled with common elements that make for a great mystery; secrets, deceit, love, lust, drama and of course the most important ingredient, murder. Readers will find at least one of their favorite writer's works and be able to sample several new writers as well.

R. L. Stine tells a tale of a murdering best friend who's left with his victim's "talking" dog. The dog witnessed the whole murder. That, combined with paranoia and guilt, makes for a well written and very imaginative story.

A few of the writers that readers will look forward to include Lee Childs, Ridley Pearson, R.L Stine, Laura Lippman and P.J Parrish.

To sum the book up in one word that would be it, Fantastic!! This is such a wonderful collections of stories. Each story different from the other but all keeping the same themes. My favorites were Safe Enough, Home Front, Till Death Do Us Part and Entrapped. However all were fantastic. I recommend that you get this book, you will not be disappointed.

Anthologies of short stories by different authors are usually a collection of a few gems, a few all right stories and a few fillers. Death Do Us Part is a collection where all but two are great reads, they are not all masterpieces granted, but there are more than the usual number of those as well. I was interested in this book just to read Coben's story Entrapped as I had not read it before when it was first published in 1997, and its pretty hard to come across Mary Higgins Clark's Mystery Magazine let alone that edition to read it anyway. Coben is not the only great author here, so many others have written great tales and the other authors are all freshly published as well. Like all great short story collections, Death Do Us Part gives the reader a chance to sample authors they've heard of but never read before as well as introduces to them lesser known authors to add to their lists of future reads to track down. There's also a brief and very helpful summary of each author at the end of the collection, so those looking know where to begin.

In reviewing what the stories within are about I'll start first with my favourite ones (undoubtedly your list would start differently). My list starts with the editor and Coben's story Entrapped. A wife reports her husband missing to police only to discover he is at home. Only the person at home does not look or sound like her husband but he is the same guy the police show her that is in the photograph she gave them. Is she going insane? Could he really be her husband after all?

Wifey a story by normally child and young adult author R. L. Stine proves to the world that he can write sensational stories for any market. Wifey is the nickname Jake a neighbour of Frank the owner has given Frank's dog Ruby since they behave like a married couple and are never apart. Jake hates dogs, but is ecstatic that his neighbour entrusted him to inherit the beast as it showed to the world what Frank thought of their friendship. Ruby though makes Lassie look like Forrest Gump and will stop at nothing to avenge her master's murder.

Till Death Do Us Part, Tim Maleeny. The title story of this collection is the great tale about the sixtieth anniversary of a feud between an old couple who do not believe in divorce. They are both extremely intelligent and every year play the "fair play", dinner game of trying to poison the other through each others dishes.

Lee Child's Safe Enough has a guy from the city taking up work on houses in the country where notices a beautiful women. He stalks her and discovers she has a violent husband When the husband disappears he is the only one who can prove the wife was not around the murder scene when it happened but obviously he can't supply this news to the police to prove her innocence as they will want to know why he was stalking her.

The Home Front by Charles Ardai is set in America while World War II rages on in Europe. Too old to go to war Ray Harper is a government agent who catches petrol retailers selling rationed fuel on the black market. One such arrest is Rick Kelly who is killed in Harper's car as Harper was giving Kelly a lecture about how his actions are helping Hitler and why isn't he over there anyway etc instead of watching the road. Sacked by the government and with injuries Harper is down on his luck and one the streets. Luckily he comes across a kind woman who offers him food and board if he helps her run her garage.

The Last Flight by Bredan DuBois has a man booking a joy flight in the type of plane he flew in the war over the ocean to scatter his wife's ashes and obtain closure.

A Few Small Repairs by Jeff Abbott has a hospital ridden father who is dying a slow painful death asking a son he had disowned to help him end his life.

Blarney by Steve Hockensmith is the tale of a few drinks at the pub by a group of writers after a conference where they run into one of the only non boring speakers. This old Irishman offers to teach them what it is to be a writer if they buy him a pint.

The Masseuse by Tim Wohlforth is the story of a man whose dream comes true when his masseuse offers to cook and pleasure him in exchange for food and board and a bit of spending money while she studies for a new career.

Homecoming by the mother and son team pseudonym Charles Todd, has a wife of a guy fighting in Europe during World War I discovering an intruder in her house, however even though she knows he's there can never seem to find him so wonders if stress is making her go insane.

Part Light, Part Memory is an African slave girl's story of her thirst for vengeance when her father was hung for looking at the American master's wife.

Queeny by Ridley Pearson is the tale of a guy whose wife attracts the attention of a man while running in the park which she tells him about. The wife soon disappears.

One True Love by Laura Lippman is the story of a high class prostitute who is recognised and blackmailed by a parent her son runs into while playing sport.

The Cold, Hard Truth by Rick McMahon is the tale of a rural police office recounting the story of how he first met death row prisoner Jesse Brashear and the cold hard truth that good people can do bad things.

Cyberdatedotcom (note Amazon ridiculously keeps replacing the actual title with [...] so that's as close as I can put) by Tom Savage is the chat room transcript from a dating website where two under aged kids take a liking to each other.

Pushed or Was Fell by Jay Brandon has Walt a loner, meeting a girl, quickly marrying and setting out on cruise ship honeymoon then realising he doesn't love with devastating consequences.

One Shot by P.J. Parrish has Stuart returning to visit his old home which is now for sale and reliving the traumatic changing event of his life.

Heat Lightning, William Krueger although readable is one of the lesser quality contributions to this collection. A story of a guy who is having an affair while his wife lies in a coma in the bedroom upstairs.

Chellini's Solution was the only story I don't really think is worth reading, it's about an Italian guy whose enemies gloat as they tell him his wife is cheating on him and of course the actions he takes afterwards.

This is a great collection of short stories and one you'll want to keep forever. Not as good as this but still a good recent collection of similar stories to these I've read is Dangerous Women, edited by Otto Penzler.

This anthology of 19 truly great mystery stories is presented by the Mystery Writers of America (a fine association of not only authors, but readers too!) is edited by Harlan Coben. It is as perfect as an anthology can be.

Each of the nineteen stories is from an established writer. Most have won or been repeatedly nominated for various awards. No warmed-over, previously published material here: all nineteen stories are original. Nor are there excerpts of the writer's novels: this stuff is fresh and new. Coben wisely doesn't present the author bios until after all the stories and much to credit of editor and authors alike, the bios aren't pure puffery and hyperbole.

I can't tell you what my favorite was, because all nineteen stories are terrific. Jeff Abbott, author of "Panic" and "Fear", two fine thrillers, sets up a tense father-son-wife story. R. L. Stine provides something of a "shaggy dog" story that involves love in a strange way. Harlen Coben presents a story of a very crafty wife. Tim Wohlforth contributes a gem about a man's ideal relationship that leads to an unfortunate bit of snooping. All nineteen stories are simply great reads.

Oh - and if you didn't guess already, all nineteen stories are true to the cover blurb: they involve love, lust and murder.

Good stuff. Not to be missed.

Jerry

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (09/06)

"Mystery Writers of America Presents Death Do Us Part: New Stories about Love, Lust and Murder" is a must read for anyone who loves stories about mystery, misery and murder. Harlan Coben, the editor, brought together some of today's best mystery writers to create this book of 19 short stories, including one of his own "Entrapped". As Coben tells us in the introduction, most of these stories are going to end badly for at least one person, maybe more. The commonalities of the stories end there.

"Queeny", written by Ridley Pearson, is a story about a famous mystery writer whose wife is brutally murdered and he is mistakenly forced to stand trial for it. After what has happened, no matter what the outcome, and I won't tell you what it is, no one can win. Then there is the City electrician in "Safe Enough" by Lee Child, who moves to the country to be with a woman who is suspected of killing her husband, but did she really?
A few war stories come into play, the most poignant one being "Home Coming" by Charles Todd, a story about an English woman who becomes frightened of her home because it feels like someone has invaded it while her husband is away fighting in the war. AND, the most chilling story of all is Cyberdate.com by Tom Savage, which is about two teenage kids (are they really who they say they are?) who meet on the internet and the boy finally convinces the girl to meet in person. How many of us live with that worry about our children doing exactly the same thing? Revenge is even thrown into the mix with stories like "The Last Flight" by Brendan DuBois.

My two personal favorite stories were "Till Death Do Us Part" by Tim Maleeny and "Wifey" by R.L. Shine. "Till Death Do Us Part" is a about a chemist and botanist celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary by each preparing a meal for the other. What is on the menu turns out to be the surprise. "Wifey" is a dog who witnesses the brutal murder of her master and is forced to live with the murderer afterwards. Wifey does not take this lying down.

Other contributors to this collection of great stories are Charles Ardai, Bonnie Hearn Hill, Steve Hockensmith, William Kent Krueger, Rick McMahan, P.J. Parrish, Tim Wohlforth, Jeff Abbott, Jim Fusilli, Laura Lippman and Jay Brandon. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. The short stories make it great for reading before bed, taking to the beach, or if you have small children and frequent small slots of time to read.