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This book is undoubtedly one of R.L. Stine's finest anthologies. It is awesome and consistently scary. So many of the stories are really terrifying. Here are some my favorites:

"Pumpkinhead" 9/10: Great story. I won't give too much away, but it's about a kid, his friend, and his brother who get more than they bargained for when they go pranking in a pumpkin patch.

"Nightmare Inn" 10/10: What can I say? This has it all. Werewolves, creepy inns, and weird receptionists. Great ending, by the way.

"I'm Not Martin" 10/10: This was my all-time-favorite of the book. My score really doesn't do it justice, seeing how absolutely nerve-wracking and disturbing this story is. I won't ruin it, only that you, no matter how much you are desensitized to horror, even you will get at least a moderate fear of hospitals. This will scare you even more than that buckets-of-gore movie "Hostel". This should be make into a big blockbuster summer movie.

"Afraid of Clowns" 9/10: Let's just say you won't want to be a clown's "assistant". EVER.

"The Dead Body" 9/10: Definitely had an awesome twist ending. That alone is worth reading this story for.

Also, the other stories in this book, with a score but no comment:

"Alien Candy" 8/10
"The Most Evil Sorcerer" 7/10
"The Black Mask" 8.5/10
"Make Me A Witch" 7.5/10
"The Ghostly Stare" 8/10

That, in a nutshell, is what I think of the book. At first, I thought it was just a wimpy kid's horror book; but after reading it, I loved it. Definitely one of the, if not the best R.L. Stine anthologies ever. I thought I have just one more thing to say: BUY IT. NOW.

This is a really excellent short story book. Each story is very original, and the art is really crazy for the books. The story synopsis are below, and the rating, just to give you an idea of what they're about.

1. Pumpkinhead: 5/5 - A crazy tale of three kids who go to a pumpkin patch at night, and the terror that lurks within. A pretty awesome tale.

2. Alien Candy: 4/5 - A strange and bizarre tale of an alien lover's club and the truth behind the kids.

3. The Most Evil Sorceror: ?/? - This probably doesn't help, but I didn't read this one. Oops!

4. Nightmare Inn: 5/5 - A pretty humurously scary tale of an abandoned inn where a young girl and her mom are renovating, and the truth about what lies within, and the truth about the nice woman who owns it, Priscilla.

5. I'm Not Martin: 6/5 - Super original tale that is so deeply distrubing because it COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

6. The Black Mask: 5/5 - Almost like a mini book about a group of friends who feel that they can see the fatal past of a group of kids through a black mask found in the basement of the main character's new home.

7. Afraid Of Clowns: 4/5 - Me, being a total freak-out when it comes to clowns, didn't want to read this story, but when I finally did, it was pretty crazy!

8. The Dead Body: 5/5 - This one had a very Twilight Zone-esque feel to it. It was pretty awesomely put together.

9. Make Me A Witch: 4/5 - A pretty freaky tale about a girl who wants to become a witch. Pretty freaky!!

10. The Ghostly Stare: 4/5 - A pretty awesome story about what happens in a graveyard at night, told from the POV of a girl and her brother. The ending is pretty strange and a little unexpected, but still a great story.

Sorry about number 3. I'm gonna read it right after this review. Otherwise, I hope you get the picture and buy the book because it's really awesomely cool and fun and terrifying to read at night!

This was a really fun book to read. Each story is different. Each story is scarey. If you loved Goosebumps... this is better. Highly recommended.

R.L. Stine is one of the best authers that i have had the pleasure of reading. Even though this book is for kids, i am still reading it at the age of 16. i still get goosebumps from reading his stories.

Genre: Scary
Three Sentence summary: There were a lot of character but the main ones were Pumkin head, The black mask, and The ghostly lady. The problem was that they were scaring people and being thiefs. The last time they were seen was in a dark cemetary.
What I liked most about the book: I liked the stories in it because they felt real.
What I didn't like and why: I did not like the ending of some stories because they were not that good.
My favorite character and why: My favorite character were the allien bugs because they were bad and thiefs.
The scene,line,or passage that meant something to me and why (page#): "He was a very good friend". Because it tells you there are good friends and bad friends and you have to appreciate the good ones. Page.121
What I would say about this book to someone else: I would say that this book is worth reading because it keeps you in suspense, and it will scare you.
One question i have after reading this book: How does R.L Stines come up with this book.
My strongest reason for recommending this book: It's a good, mysterious book that will scare your pants off.

The book is a classic, probably the most popular study Bible on the market. Regarding bindings, there are paperback, hardcover, bonded leather, and genuine leather. Bonded leather is similar to particle board, it has a shorter life by far, and starts falling apart with regular use. Genuine leather this is not, it is bonded leather. Genuine leather will look like new for decades.

This Bible is a great study Bible. This is one of the best study Bibles that I have found that has a vast amount of insight into the scripture for daily living.

I have enjoyed using this Bible for years, so I bought this one for my Mom. The notes are so well thought out and accurate. They are truly a source of information to go along with the scriptures. I would recommend this Bible to everyone!

The Life Application Study Bible, available in many translations including NIV, NLT, and KJV, is one of the most popular devotional Bibles out there, and one that more spiritual-minded Christians will appreciate. Avoiding too much historical analysis, it can focus solely on spiritual topics and, of course, Biblical applications for your life. It is thoroughly evangelical, and often fundamentalist (take that as you wish). When used with an historical/critical study Bible like the New Interpreter's Study Bible (see my review; available only in NRSV), one has an excellent, basic Bible study and devotion set.

I can also honestly add that after all the years I've had one of these--my mother gave me one at Christmas years ago--I still turn to it for inspiration. It is the one Bible I have that keeps me going in the right direction.

The study notes give a good insight into cultures of the day. The maps are frequent, useful and easy to understand. The "Harmony of the Gospels" is a wonderful addition that should be in all Bibles.
I would urge anyone who studies a lot to go for the geniuine leather instead of the bonded. It has a better feel and will hold up better. My only complaint is that the text is a bit small. Otherwise great buy. And Amazon had the best price I could find.

Hanh quickly grabs the reader's attention and mindfully drifts off in euphamism and metaphor as he meanders over, under and through this difficult topic (difficult for most people).

Calming in his approach to death, life, beginning (no beginning) and end (no end), the author seems to have an excellent hold on his spiritual beliefs and his desire to share. For those of any and all faiths, death is a frightening subject, but Hanh paints a wonderful picture of immortality through all that a person touches in his/her life.

The only, and I stress only, misgiving I found with this short read are the over-used metaphorical analysis between human life and that of an oceanic wave. I wish the author could draw similarities shared by all breathing life organisms, rather than something as translucent as water (although I think I understand WHY he often describes life in terms of water).

I would certainly recommend this book.

I read this book after the passing of my Grandparents and it helped me deal with their passing. I recommend this book to anyone who is searching for answers about life and death. Great book!

This has been one of the most powerful books I've ever read. It helped me through the death of my father. My mother is now nearing the end of her life in this body and I'm re-reading it. I suspect that I will revisit it many times . . .

This is an incredible book. If one is not familiar with Buddhism, one must
read past some aspects of it that most of us might not fully believe, mainly, reincarnation, which Thich Nhat Hahn and other Buddhists do believe. That said, the prayers to recite for the dying, and the philosophy that nothing ever dies is invaluable. It's hard to let go of loved ones, so to think of it as simply returning to our physical elements, dissolving into the earth, evaporating to become the clouds, can give one some comfort. If you haven't read other works by Thich Nhat Hahn, I don't know if this book will be as powerful for you, but I think that anyone can gain great insight from it, and hopefully, some inner peace. I have given many copies as gifts.

I first thought the book was simple and repetitive. But when I experienced a loss and re-read the book, I finally realized how profound this book really is.
I had been dealing with the subject of death for quite a few years. (I started with the book HAGAKURE, by Tsunetomo Yamamoto. You may or may not like to check that out. It's a more stoic approach to similar subjects). Anyway, I wanted to conquer the idea of my own inevitable mortality, so that when the time comes, I will handle it with grace. So, my approach was to prepare beforehand.
As I said, I was working on my OWN mortality. It never occured to me that I might also apply it to someone else. Someone I love recently died. That was the 1st real loss that I've encountered, so I was devastated. All those years of preparing myself didn't really mean much (though at the time, I thought I was ready and that I knew it all). I had already owned a copy of this book and read it several years ago. Feeling in the pits, I decided to pull the book out and read it again, as this time it is much more applicable (since I'm experiencing loss).
The book seemed so simple beforehand. It was a quick read. Thich Nhat Hanh also seemed repetitive; I felt bored several times. This, as it turns out, was my fault, not his. He is such a good teacher that he makes everything seem so simple. However, after someone I loved very much died, I re-read this book, and I realized how profound it really is. The reason why Thich is so repetitive, is because you need to drill it into you head so that you really understand it. It's like learning how to count to ten. No one is born knowing how to count to ten. But you drill it until the day when you know it all by heart. Trust me, this book is more profound than it seems; do not just read through it and think that it's all obvious and that you already know it. Reading and learning is not good enough; you have to experience it!
It's like this: death is not real. You cannot create something out of nothing, and you cannot become nothing from something. It's not the reality of things. (Physics will agree with that, for you scientists out there). The problem is that we're deluded. This delusion creates in us a false sense of reality, and that leads to our suffering. We fear death because we think we become nothing. We fear death, because we do not understand it. The problem is that we've learned the wrong way; we need to unlearn our delusions and see death as it really is: simply a change in form. Basically, it's moving on. We want to stay in one place, but the fact of the universe is that it is always changing. We are deluded into remaining stagnant in a universe that, let's face it, is not going to stop and wait for us.
This book helped me immensely in my loss. But it's neverending; you can't just reach a certain point and then stop; you'll lose it. You have to keep going. It's one of those books I will always keep with me. Get this book beforehand, and slowly introduce it into your life and try to apply it. Don't wait until you experience a loss. You will be too devastated. It's never too late to prepare youself for what's inevitable. It will greatly diminish your sense of despair. That much I can gaurantee.

I am a professional life coach and my primary focus is on life purpose and career. "Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction" is one the best tools out there for those seeking to find heart and meaning in their lives and work. I have been so impressed with the book that I have recommended it to clients ever since it first came out in hardback. This new paperback edition has even more valuable additions and I continue to recommend it highly.

I have been so impressed with the body of the author's work that I underwent specialized training with her to become an authorized Life Blueprint® Facilitator, coaching individuals and groups through the step-by-step NOW WHAT?(tm) program of intuitively guided questioning, exploration, and action designed to create the foundation for a more fulfilling life.

With or without a coach, this book will help guide you to finding your own "Life Blueprint" and a life of greater meaning, purpose and joy. This is a tremendous gift not only to you, but to the world!

This book is definitely one of the best in this subject category - self-help to get your life and career in focus. I've read many books similar to this; books that try to help you define your interests and career path, but none have been as well written and easy to understand as Now What? The book is geared towards those of us who might struggle with finding "IT" - that career or life direction that we want to take. Through a series of helpful exercises, Fortgang helps you get to the heart of your desires and uncover some of your interests. I was really surprised by what I discovered about myself through this book and would definitely encourage others who are "lost" to read it. The exercises are particularly useful, and the book was very readable and encouraging. Did I find "IT" through the reading of this book? Well, no. But, I did help gain clarity about separating interests and hobbies and that, for me, was a big issue. The only thing that seems unreasonable is the 90 day period of time; you'll want to read the book much faster and will likely find yourself finished long before 90 days has passed. That was the only problem with the book, placing a time frame on it. Otherwise, it was really helpful.

Many of the examples the author used were of people who already had more than most people do (money, education, connections, high paying salaries that they are just tired of).

Check out Claire on page 11. She lives in London, wants a second home, is planning a weekend trip to the South of France, has a great job and benefits. Has a nice husband and home. What is her problem? Maybe she needs a shrink to figure out what her unhappiness really stems from but that's another book.

The author should have used cases concerning more ordinary folk. She seemed to be appealing to upper class, globe trotting, burnt out executives who are whining because they feel they are missing out on something. Maybe that cute little pony they didn't get as a child.

Claire...try yoga, buy a pony....get a grip.

Living by an inner compass is easier said than done. Laura Berman Fortgang provides sound advice, homework, and a mixture of intellect and intuition in outlining how 90 days of focused intent towards a life direction can unfold. What impressed me most about this book was that Fortgang shared her own story of risk when changing her career from actress to life coach. If you want to read about someone who has done the groundwork she prescribes, this book is a great choice. The content is broken down in week-by-week and offers feedback so the reader can self-manage a transitional program on their own. Fortgang also provides a variety of resources the financial nuts and bolts of a career switch. The tone is very down-to-earth, humorous, and engaging. A fluid and insightful read for people who feel like a caterpillar in their careers and are ready to commit to a 90-day cocoon period. Caution: if you want to emerge a career butterfly with this program, you must have a self-discipline to do with full force and enthusiasm what Fortgang suggest. Her book is not a passive self-actualization process ... but a "get off your ass and go for it with measurable results" career planning workout.

Laura Berman Fortgang really gets it...and knows how to give it back. Having read all of her books, I love that Now What? guides us through the process of discovering how our own truths yield meaningful, productive results -- for ourselves and our clients. She reminds us, "It's not what you do, but who you are when you are doing it." To learn from Laura's years of experience as a Master Coach, industry pioneer, author, and mentor is the best gift I have ever given myself. Everyone will discover something valuable for themselves at the end of their 90 days. Thanks, Laura.

We purchased twenty copies which we used as a text book for a 13 week class at church, mixed men and women. The thrust of the class was to help the students know what is involved in finding, mentoring, teaching, and releasing a disciple in a one-on-one long term committed relationship. The book made a good back drop for the course in so far as it gave us a track to run on, since none of us had taught this subject before. As the teacher, I found several of the chapters to be spot on target and I used them pretty much exclusively for about half the course. Other chapters however were either weaker in content or just didn't cut to the specific deliverable I wanted to get across, so I supplemented with independent material. Several of my students had gone to the church website (Xenos) to check it out and were a little worried about the "casual" approach to ministering. Our church takes a more conservative approach and some behaviors that are considered culturally permissible, like smoking, course language, etc. we tend to frown on and believe the Holy Spirit through the process of Sanctification will cleanse the mature believer of. We therefore don't condone or model those behaviors in an attempt to woo the non or immature believer into sticking with us. Fortunately almost none of this came out in the book. Moreover, the book (and Xenos fellowship) rely heavily on "cell churches" which we also do not subscribe to. This method did come out in the book and so I had to customize the content for my class when it did. This was not a problem though. All in all, I'm glad I chose the book because it lived up to its "organic" name. That is, it got right to the heart of mentoring one on one, as opposed to many books I've seen that are more "clinical" or targeted to my own discipleship and walk with the Lord. This book definitely got us into the messy "human-ness" of one man pouring his life into another man, or woman to woman.

I really liked the book. It had the right theological framework necessary to grow God's people and care for the flock as well as providing very practical advise for helping those that want to engage in discipleship at different levels.

I found the section on professional counseling rather difficult. I lean toward Biblical counseling which empowers God's people to counsel at different levels. I cringe at the advise most people get when they see psychiatrists. The problem is real, however. You were brave enough to speak about it. I would think something not so sophisticated speaking about this might be more appropriate for the readers of this book.

Your section on quality conversation and friendship making will surely be helpful to some.

It is a good basic book that helps people trying to make discipleship work in their cell groups.
I already started talking about your book and will pass it on to some of our pastors

For a number of years now I've been working on a practical how-to book on discipleship. Dennis McCallum has beaten me to the punch with Organic Disciple Making. He's written the most practical book on how to disciple people I've ever read.

Time and time again I find myself saying, "Yup, he nailed that one; that's how it works." For example, early on the book covers the subject of modeling and its key role in making disciples. Later it delves into the practical questions of how you counsel and disciple through various issues or how you deal with blocks in their development.

For example McCallum distinguishes the difference between weakness and resistance and the appropriate response of a disciple maker. A disciple struggling with weakness generally needs encouragement, whereas a disciple who is resistant often needs confrontation and possibly discipline.

I loved that the book had a whole section on coaching and I loved that its counsel is both biblically grounded and rooted in the everyday experience of someone who leads 250 home churches. I've read so many books on discipleship and few drill down to address the questions ordinary people have as they struggle to help their disciples grow.

All of us who have committed ourselves to following Jesus and representing his name need to learn how to make disciples. It was the last thing he asked us to do before leaving the earth. If you as a Jesus-follower feel like you need help in learning how to do this in a way that feels natural, do yourself a favor and get Organic Disciple Making.

If you want to make a lasting impact for Jesus Christ, this book is a must. McCallum and Lowery give Biblical, insightful, and practical ideas on how to promote and achieve Chritian formation in others. Not many have the gifting to lead thousands. Very few are effective at preaching to hundreds. Yet helping disciple one or two other Christians is something every Christian can do.

In the long tradition of The Lost Art of Disciple Making, Multiplying Disciples, and Disciples Are Made, Not Born, Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community is designed to do more than tell about the need for making disciples of Jesus. This is a book that painstakingly provides a path from start to finish.

This book has the potential to be used by small group coaches to disciple and develop small group leaders. With today's small group ministries launching groups with leaders just a step ahead of their members, this could be a very helpful resource providing a pathway for mentoring.

In its pages you will find more than stories of how it's working at Xenos. You'll also find the practical steps needed to begin a disciplemaking ministry in your own church. More importantly, you may find the inspiration to look for one life to pour into. After all, that is the point.

I was fascinated by this story of a personal search for enlightenment! The author's writing style is eloquent, and admiration and great thanks go to her for sharing her life experiences. Her book will help others in their search for meaning in life and spirituality. It took a lot of courage for her to document her life on paper for others to read, but I believe she has offered help and inspiration. She truly would have gone mad was it not for her strength, intelligence, and her love of life. Her writing style in sharing her acquired knowledge on the one hand, and then writing about life experiences that corresponded to that knowledge on the other, gripped me. Thanks to the author for her courage in sharing her experience with us and for her inspiration.

Donna Lee Gorrell shares with all how she shattered the illusion of the life we all tend to live, and that the "madness" that ensues actually leads to the only type of life worth living. An excellent story of a wonderful journey as well as an example of how to get yourself onto your own path.

I felt uplifted reading about Donna's enlightment, and hope this is the first book of a long series.

I myself had a Kundalini Awakening that I did not consciously invoke in 1993 and I can vouch that it tends to be very disruptive, sometimes glorious and sometimes very painful, but once started is best continued and hard to stop anyway. I highly recommend this book to anyone on the path of spiritual enlightenment and I very much respect the almost scientific way she reveals the many layers of reality and awarenesses one journeys through in this type of experience. The thing to be mindful of is that your journey will use the symbols that you and your cultural background relate to most. This awareness will help keep those on this path out of judgment about others beliefs and the correctness of their symbols as truth.

What happens when God decides to have his way with you? Does he hold you on his lap, feed you candy, and promise you the gift of wonderful mysteries? Or is he God the Hurricane who rips your heart open and tears your house down in order to illuminate your soul?

Donna Lee Gorrell writes a mind-blowing account of her tempestuous journey of initiation, and yes, wonderful mysteries are revealed to her, but it's no tea party.

You will be riveted by her amazing story of awakening to the Divine.

Alice Anne Parker, author of Understand Your Dreams and The Last of the Dream People

Amazon asked me to review this book, which is funny, considering I still haven't received the copy I ordered more than a month ago! If you really want this book, you might try getting it elsewhere.

I found this book to be a wonderful book that takes you into the world of a passenger on the Titanic and his journey through the disaster. It was a wonderful book with great illustrations that really helped my students look into the events of the Titanic.

I liked the story because when Polar was lost he was reunited with his owner at the end of the story. The person that read me the story said that this story was true because the granddaughter of Polar's owner found this story in her attic and wrote a book about it.

the name of this book is polar the titanic bear.It was a very,very good book. IT IS A TRUE STORY.I is about a stuffed bear that is "alive" and has a very good connection with his master.His master's family was a very rich family,so they traveled alot.The two were on the titanic,& this book has real pictures of the titanic & his family.(masters family)

This book has much to offer, for young readers and for adults. It is a wonderful glimpse into history, told from the perspective of a Steiff polar bear, who is very much a part of the life of young Douglas Spedden. His family's travels and his young life unfold in a beautiful text that is illustrated with sensitive illustrations and historical photographs. The Speddens traveled on the ill-fated Titanic. The incredible drama of that event unfolds in the most personal narrative. The magnficent beauty of the ship is conveyed as the family enjoys its commodious luxury. The drama of its sinking is compelling as well as touching in the describtion of the heartbreaking separation of Polar from young Douglas. This is how a young child would remember such an event. Fortunately, Polar is found and reunited with his friend.

The story behind the story is as wondeful as the book itself. Leighton H. Coleman III found this wonderful manuscript in his grandfather's barn. It was written by his cousin, Daisy Spedden. How brilliant of a mother to convert a traumatizing event into a story for her little boy! Her tender insight, the wonder of discovery and the perfect blending of history and narrative--ocean liners, wonderful bears--all of these components make this a perfect children's book that is both educational and entertaining (for parents, too!). I have given scores of copies to my friends with children and to my many adult friends who are fascinated by ocean liners and the Titanic. The book is well-crafted with much to offer.

The book was a gift and it came in time for Christmas.

Struggling to find her love Rye, Poppy (a mouse) has to stop the beavers from making dams. She also has to stop them from turning the beautiful little pond to a big and dirty lake. Rye (a mouse) is trapped inside a dam and cannot get free. So Poppy is not only trying to stop the beavers and set free Rye, Poppy has a wild adventurer with her friend the porcupine, Ereth to tell Ragweed's parents (Rye's brother) is dead. Can Poppy stop the beavers as well as set free Rye and deliver the news? To find out, the call number is AVI and the author and illustrator is Avi and Brian Floca. You need to read this book along with the other great adventures with its series. "Ragweed," "Poppy,' "Poppy and Rye," Ereth's Birthday" and "Poppy's Return." This author has written many great books especially this one. So please, read this book. "Poppy and Rye" is a book for anyone. It has adventure, describing and wow words and many more! Here are some describing and colorful weird words said by Ereth. "Oh, fox flip," the porcupine growled. "Sticky roach toes," Ereth muttered. "Crabgrass up their snoots," Ereth snapped. Avi has a great word choice that makes you picture everything but with words. He really uses his imagination when it comes to writing words. This book I think everyone should read. So please try it!

An absolutly stunning childrens book, Avi makes it an exciting and addicting read. Very powerful read aloud to young children. It is the best book in the series, in my opinion. I highly recomend it.

Poppy has done it again ! Not onley does she save Ragweed's brother ,Rye , from a nasty batch of beavers ,
but she also saves Ragweed's family as well. I'd say this book is for someone who likes animals that's
proabaly why I like it so much.

Wow, What an Amazing Book
Hi, the book I'm reviewing is Poppy and Rye. The authors name is Avi. The location were the book mostly takes place is the brook. Another location is the beaver's lodges which you will find out were that is later in the book.

Things from the story
One of the very important things is when Poppy the mouse was about to make a trip to Ragweed's old house so she could tell Ragweed's parents why Ragweed would never return. Poppy called her best friend Ereth the porcupine old because she was apologizing because Poppy had been begging Ereth to come with her. Then Poppy said she was sorry for not respecting the elderly. Then Ereth got the impression that Poppy was calling him old. Another thing was when Poppy and Rye met. They met when Ereth was sleeping and Poppy was supposed to be sleeping. Poppy was dancing with a daisy and Rye asked if he could join. There's a beaver who's named Cas and he's got plans to make the brook into a lake. They have also captured Rye! What will happen to him????

Things I Liked
Some of the things I liked about this book are that the author gave so many details for example: the author described the grass in Dimwood as moist, the trees leaves delicious and the stars dancing in beauty and grace. When I read this book I couldn't stop reading until I figured out what happened to the character that was in distress. The book is a very good book. I also liked how the mice were braver than humans at times
For example: a 3 inch tall mouse has the courage to go in a beaver lodge when the beaver's are 2ft. and have giant tails. I thought it was pretty much fiction but, it was still fun to read.

My Ratings
I give this book, without a doubt, a 5 star rating because it's just a great book. I think this book is meant for kid's ages 9-13 years old.

Robin Cody, Ricochet River (Knopf, 1992)

So there was a big flap a couple of years ago about the new edition of Ricochet River, which got edited (in Cody's words, "I toned down one passage and cut another...") before being reprinted. So I figured I'd get my hands on it and see what all the fuss was about. First and foremost: I entirely disagree with the assertion (in the same interview from which I took the last quote-- Rachel Simon's January 26, 2005 piece in the Oregon City News) that "...sexuality is peripheral to the actual story, Cody said...". It's a coming-of-age story. Sexuality is central to it. Looking beyond the coming-of-age motif, however, sex stands at the heart of this tale of three friends on the cusp of college-- Wade, the high school sports star; Lorna, his girlfriend; and Jesse, the new kid, who's better at sports than Wade, but has a lot to learn, and a lot to teach, about life. As the book opens, Wade and Lorna are at the start of a rough patch that lasts off and on throughout the novel, and Jesse, seeing a woman in possible distress, moves on in, which colors the relationship between the three of them. How can sex be peripheral?

That's not to say that sex is the only thing explored in this novel. There's a great deal about salmon, as well (though the salmon and the sex do tie into one another intermittently), and family ties, existential teen angst, friendship, individuality, the raw deal given the Native Americans, and a whole lot of other stuff. But Wade, Lorna, and Jesse are the focus of the story, and taking away from that, however little, undercuts it. This is a good, solid novel, and it deserves to be read in its original form. ***

RICOCHET RIVER
By Forrest Joe Hess

I'm writing a paper on the story Ricochet River. And I'm trying to determine to see who is the main character of the story and in my opinion I think Jesse is the main character,
Because he's always in the story and he's always doing sports better than every one. Like baseball, "He switched his glove to his other hand. Than he wound up with a mirror image of that hose we'd all seen and whipped another bullet. Right-handed! I was stunned. The pitch was a perfect strike." Or like football, "Jesse was open all night. The first three times we got the ball, he scored twice on an end around."

Jesse loves to tell stories about a guy named coyote. Coyote and Jesse have a lot in common. There both rebellion and athletic. These are the stories Jesse loves to tell, he will even tell them in class. "Huckleberry told Coyote to tie a thong to the spear, so he could haul Wishroosh in. Ho, said Coyote. That's what I was going to do. That was my idea all the time."

Jesse is always getting into trouble, its ether stealing from a store of getting into fights or even shooting pet animals. "The point, and it just made me sick, was we had just stalked and killed a farm-fat defenseless cripple."

Having myself grown up in a small Oregon town in the 1960's, I can assure you that Robin Cody has accurately captured this experience for others to share. He has woven a rich tapestry, taking you into a one-industry community, where local high school sports heroes reign supreme and small town mentality clashes with any thing, person or idea that--simply by being different--challenges the cherished status quo. Where bright young people who dream of a life beyond the city limits despair of ever escaping.

Robin Cody's profound understanding and respectful rendering of all cultures represented--small town; timber industry working class; teenagers and Native Americans--makes him my Tony Hillerman of the Northwest.
Katherine Lawrence

I am an avid reader, but tend to gravitate towards more "feminine" books in general. However, Ricochet River was a hit with me from the start. I really enjoyed the masculine, teenage point-of-view, despite my being an adult female. It was believable, funny, and good for any age. This new version has been slightly toned down to make it more appropriate for younger readers, while retaining its draw for older ones.

Robin Cody's award-winning RICOCHET RIVER is available in a new and improved 2005 edition. The author chose to revise his manuscript for high-school audiences, with the help of the editing students at Portland State University's student-run Ooligan Press. Re-reading his work after fourteen years, he found he could make distinct improvements. His legendary coming-of-age story, originally published as an adult novel by Knopf, is now stronger and more vivid than ever. Every parent of a high-school student should find it wonderfully appropriate reading. Anyone of any age who lives in the Pacific Northwest will benefit from reading this book. Place is a major character, and the story is tremendously enriching. I wish I'd read it when I moved to Oregon thirty-five years ago, and I've hastened to order copies for my born-in-Oregon children.

THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY is an excellent legal resource which can be read by legal scholars, however, lay people need to consult a legal dictionary from time to time. But the book clearly establishes how the right to privacy applies to every citizen when used against several aspects of everyday life the citizen comes in contact with. Caroline Kennedy, along with Ellen Alderman, has proven her excellent legal scholarship which, in my opinion, qualifies her as attorney general and/or associate justice of the U. S. Supreme Court.

This book starts off Rated R. I wish I could give a copy to my teens, but it gets a little too descriptive (necessary for impact though) of police violations on women. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. (Maybe when they're older...) It is a collection of some landmark cases, conflicts, and horror stories of the reality of our government's instrusiveness into people's personal lives. It is an eye-opener to those who blindly follow government orders. I'm comfortable reading legal documents, but I thought one of the book's better points was that it put legal terms into layman's terms. I found the book so lively and intriguing I finished it in a day! I definitely recommend this for anyone concerned about government instrusiveness and loss or interpretation of constitutional rights.

a bit boring but just shows what big brother can do to innocent people . good to see caroline standing up for ordinary people .

I enjoyed this book, even though it is heavy on legal court cases. Don't let that fool you, though, it's not a legal reference. This book covers significant cases in privacy using a very interesting approach. There a interviews and behind-the-scenes stories that explain what happened, how the plaintiff felt, and what the outcome was.

If you liked this book you will love "The Digital Umbrella." It is a great compliment to this book.

This book is written by a couple of lawyers who specialize in privacy issues. It is essentially a collection of thoughly researched court cases with added commentary from the authors. As such, it reads like...well... a collection of court cases.

A copy was originally lent to me by a very well-read and intelligent friend of mine who considered it overly dry. I, on the other hand, loved it. It's very details-oriented from cover-to-cover and packs in a wealth of information that is invaluable to anyone interested in the legal aspects of privacy.