Dramas Books

This is one of those books I found as a child AFTER seeing the Disney movie and reading that it was based on a book. As usual, the book is so much better! If you've never read this book, but you're fond of the movie, or of dogs, you will love it. The story is truly heart-warming, and I love that certain scenes are oh-so familiar if you've seen the movie, but so much of the story is completely new! Did you know Perdita is NOT the name of the "leading lady"? That's all I'll say about the actual story, but please, read it for yourself, even if you don't have kids. It's a wonderful read-aloud book, too--the first time my husband ever heard about this book was when I made him lie down and let me read it to him. We didn't have a child then, so now we get to share it with our son, too. Truly, a wonderful book. However, just so you know--the second book is not nearly so good! I own both of them, but I probably won't read the second one more than one more time, when I read it to my son. It's just not at all the same thing--aliens in London? Anyway, read 101 Dalmations and I know you'll enjoy it!

I loved this book I read it when I was very young, I fell in love with it then, I lost the book and for years thought of getting it again. I feared that I would not like it as much, it was as I remembered, and not the Disney version. I still love the book it did not let let me down. It made me laugh, cry and now understand my dog a little more (ha ha)

I owned this book by Dodie Smith when I was a boy. I loved it and from this story I developed an even stronger love for dogs and animals in general. Written in a most loving way, the story takes us beyond the later Disney film's watered down presentation of the story and dives deep into the realm of dogs. We discover the magic of "dogdom" and how dogs of every kind communicate with each other and with their humans (as Dodie states, and I am certainly paraphrasing, dogs own their humans, but let them think they own the dogs because it is so sweet!)

I have only one complaint about this publication of the book. the illustrations are just short of atrocious. I had an earlier edition of the book that had wonderful drawings that clearly were created with a real understanding of the story and what Dodie was trying to say. The illustrations in this edition look like they were pulled from someone's generic dog clip art. They are technically fine in their own right (I could NEVER draw like that), but they just don't capture the magic of the book.

If you can look past the illustrations, this is a wonderful story and a well written book.

101 Dalmations has appeal to dog lovers of all ages, breeds and sizes.

Dodie Smith - Thanks for leaving this gem for all to share.

This is a charming and delightful book that is deserving of its status as a classic of children's literature.

It takes a dog's eye view of the world, and features as its heroes Pongo and Missis, a pair of Dalmatians whose litter of puppies disappears one day.

As they set off to reunite their family, they find themselves in a struggle against the illegal coat-making operation of one Cruella Deville, an iconic villainess whose name and passion for high temperatures hint that she may be the devil incarnate.

The book becomes a fantastic quest book that takes place in the heart of England. The adult dalmatians find friends and foes along their path, and end up liberating nearly a hundred little puppies.

Smith has fun with the details and logistics of feeding, disguising, and transporting the refugee puppies, and young readers will enjoy learning the particulars of the secret lives of dogs.

The original animated movie adaptation is a good and fairly faithful movie in its own right, but the book is better by far.

Some parents might shy away from the book because of the gruesome idea that Cruella literally skins her young charges, but I think that the darker elements are an integral part of the winning tone, which refrains from talking down to children.

Highly recommended!

I won my tattered, dog eared, Disyned-fied copy of "100 Dalmatians" in a school auction when I was 7 years old. I learned to read late because I'm dyslexic (hence any bad spelling you may notice) so this was the first real chapter book that I ever owned and the very first I read.

It was great. This is a fabulous novel for all ages but especially for kids. I'm not going to re-hash the plot because I think the whole world knows it by now. The themes of good parenting, loyalty, and of course, good, intelligent, kind dogs are things that every child should learn. It is true that this book contains some talk of puppy killing, which didn't disturb me, and I'm guessing that today's 7 year olds wouldn't be scared by it either.

Another reason to read, or let your child read this book is that it will encourage a love of dogs, and having grown up with dogs every minute of my life, I can tell you having one (or more) helps immensely in all kinds of situations, social and otherwise. It provides an example of love and loyalty, as well as the responsibility involved in feeding and caring for a dog. However on that note Dalmatians, contrary to the lovable Pongo, Missus and Perdita in this book, do not make good dogs for children. They don't have the temperament for it. If you read this book and decide to get a dog for your child (an excellent idea) I recommend a good old fashioned mutt (they're smarter because they're not inbred) or a border collie, which can actually be trained to be nannies for children because of their sheep herding instincts.

Anyway, five stars. Great for the whole family, and an excellent way to encourage reading in a child of any age. At 18 years old I still love reading this book. And the sequel, "The Twilight Barking" isn't half bad either.

Ms. Palmer paints a visual masterpiece of love, loss and revitalization. From the onset I was drawn to the solid imagery and heartfelt rendition of "True" love. Would love to see this work expanded. The Letters sparked my interest in getting to know Edward and Marie better. Great story.

Marie lost her beloved husband Edward and is terribly sad because she misses him so much. While searching through Edward's things, she comes upon a chest under his desk. Opening the trunk, she finds letters Edward had written to her over the years but had never given to her. As Marie reads the letters, her life with Edward rushes back to her; the joy and love of this man. The letters are accompanied by paranormal happenings, including the sensation of the presence of Edward. As she sits with the letters scattered about her feet, she knows he is with her always.

THE LETTERS is a well-written short story by Pittershawn Palmer. Her descriptions are so good, it is as if you are there with Marie, suffering her sorrow as well as rejoicing in her happiness. It is an uplifting story about love and loss, sorrow and joy, and above all else, hope. It is a story anyone who has ever lost a loved one can relate to and appreciate.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Reading "The Letters" is somewhat like standing in the middle of a tug of war between bitter weeping sorrow and sweet triumphant Love. The very balanced sense of Love as a haunting from the past and as a healing comfort for the present is exquisitely sublime. What makes this story a small masterpiece, I believe, is the pulse of regret and joy that throbs and glows through every meaningful detail. Pittershawn Palmer is a truly notable talent who has provided readers with a memorably brilliant work of short fiction.

Aberjhani
author of The Harlem Renaissance Way Down South
and ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

Can our past somehow awaken the present, so that we can traverse a future that we can not now imagine, because of the death of a loved one? How can I or anyone comprehend the abyss that the soul must seek out in trying to find meaning, when love ones transcends the now into the realm of the everlasting eternity of the grave. Marie like others who have had to experience the pain and cacophony of voices, asking why and what has her union meant, with the man she so admired, for his devotion to what he consider as the Goddess(Good) of his entire being.
Heavenly, Godlike, supremely good and Devine, adjectives that now can only accurately describe a dream of the man she knew as Edward. In Pittershawn's box of letters Marie comes to understand how Edward's devotion and love can never die in her heart because of these letters. Marie has found out even in death Edward has found a way to envelop her into a spiritual embrace that strengthen her for the tomorrows. One has to ask, why and how did this wonderful writer Pittershawn Palmer come up with this ideal of these letters? Could they possible suggest past memories in a previous life with someone who meant so much to Pittershawn? Could she be tapping into the genetic collective to resolve the love story asking to be told? Mental transmutation or psychic science which even today is perplexing the psychologist speaks to the inquiring mind that endeavors to read these letters. Pittershawn left me wanting more of these letters, letters that Sade describes in her song as "No Ordinary Love." Reading these letters by Ms. Palmer, I wanted to become a psychoanalyst prying more words from her pen. I could then know more of the love, hurt and redemption of Marie's heart because Edward's soul has found a way to extend a love that has never died. In the end curiosity killed this black cat because of Pittershawn's box of letters. Letters this brother can not wait to open.

[...]

Pittershawn Palmer's elegant short story gives the reader a rare and wonderful journey with a true literary writer. Why have I not read her work before, I asked myself as I read her deeply moving tribute, her extraordinary expression of loss. Ms. Palmer uses the English language as if she owns it, and perhaps she does, for her words are at once paintings, shadows, sunlight and stinging arrows. Some of her phrases jumped out at me, and I still remember them. Writing at its best. Gwynne Forster

I picked up this book to skim it to check its eligibility for secondary school (second language) reading material, and ended up reading through the whole of this engaging story.

I'd definitely recommend it for teaching; Big ideas that lend themselves to good discussions, presented in very accessible language. The story is bound to appeal to a teenage audience--there is suspense, romance (a la romeo and juliet), social issues that are easy to relate to.

Though it tends to hit you over the head with the political statements, the book has some worthy things to say, and it does so through the story of star-crossed teens living in a reverse-racism/bravenewworldish fashion.
The ending surprised me (I hadnt expected the tear-kerking realism)... though I wish there hadnt been an added bit to this edition, which apparently was published afterwards elsewhere. The orginal, more poignant ending was best.

As a teen, I absolutely loved this book! I finished it and for weeks on end i couldn't stop thinking about it. I know that this book ( no joke) made me think in different ways about the world and about love...it utterly took my breath away! There is definitly something about the way the author writes that keeps you wanting more and also keeps you questioning...Though it is a great book for teens , with a lovely message, I don't recommend to adults for it might seem a bit like the Romeo and Juliet more destined for teens (yet when i read it, i made absolutely no connection between romeo and juliet). I adored the book and so far, everyone who reads it can't put it down and it becomes they're favorite book too, hands down, no question about it!

This book was intended for children and it's well written for that age group. I didn't really appreciate the soap opera-style plot, which includes a lot of unnecessary drama. It really put things in perspective for me personally though, because it changes the societal postitions of blacks and whites in a very interesting manner. A better book about oppression would be "Tesitmony of an Irish Slave Girl" because it discussed the position change without, again, the unnecessary drama.

This book is the most powerful book i have read in ages! it has a heartbreaking plot and left me crying! Its about the relationship between two people of different race and how they keep their freindship during the times of racism, discrimination. The events in this book are interesting especially the ending. Unforgetable! cant wait to read the next book in the trilogy.I recomend this book to people ages over 12.

break your heart, startling, gripping. it left me crying. a powerful story that makes you question the death penalty, and really make your heart ache. don't read to children under 11. Unforgettable. Malorie Blackman did it again. I read the sequel, too - just as heartbreaking and stunning as the first one. This book is a wake-up call.

Fascinating experiment with words, literary structures, feelings and emotions, Rayuela, in the words of its author, gives a chance to the reader to take an active role in the reading process by freeing up his or her own creativity to choose how to go about this game, what pages to jump to, what chapters to skip, in a stream of consciousness in which many will see themselves reflected.

Una novela que marca a todo el que la lee... el lenguaje en su máxima y más hermosa expresión.

La historia con Bèrthe Trépat, la carta de La Maga a Rocamadour, Talita pasando por el tablón y, claro, el capítulo 7 (toco tu boca...). Este libro me deja sin aliento. Nunca, pero NUNCA he leído nada de semejante belleza.

It has taken me years to sit down and finally make a serious commitment to read Julio Cortazar's "Hopscotch/La Rayuela." I cannot think of a better companion to devote a few weeks to, maybe even longer - hey, whatever it takes! It depends on your reading speed and the time you take to truly savor the poetry of the author's language. So, be willing to make a small personal investment in this very special novel, and the reward you reap will be a worthy one. Julio Cortazar will take you to places you have never been before in literature, and may never experience again. I read "Hopscotch" over this past summer, after a thirty year delay. I can be very stubborn about putting off what is good for me!! The author's imagination is boundless, his prose rich and luminous, his wit and sophistication rare, the dialogue brilliant, the plot...I won't attempt to describe that with a few adjectives. Wander through the extraordinary labyrinthine plot on you own - the way is yours to discover. I promise, you won't get lost!

I was introduced to "La Rayuela" about thirty years ago, when a close friend, with similar reading tastes, gave me the book. Enthused after just reading the novel, he told me that I reminded him of one of the characters, La Maga. (What a compliment...I think!). I was living in Latin America at the time. With personal interests at stake and much curiosity, I bought a copy in Spanish, which I read with some fluency back then. After experimenting with which way to approach the novel, and trying both ways, I gave up...and just read the parts about La Maga. I had little patience at that point in my life, and needed to acquire some, and to read slower, with more of a sense of play and participation. Cortazar wants his readers to participate - to make reading his book an interactive experience, not a passive one. I was and still feel touched when I remember my friend's comments regarding La Maga. She is a magnificent character and Cortazer's prose, his language, (Spanish), is exquisite. So, about a year later, I thought I'd give it another try, in English, perhaps with better results. None! I just wasn't ready, I guess. That happens to me with fiction occasionally. I have to be open to the experience. Yet, after all these years, I still thought of Horacio Oliveira and La Maga from time to time. And why not? They are truly unforgettable. As I wrote above, I did make time, at last. For an adventure of a lifetime, I recommend you do the same.

When Julio Cortazar published "La Rayuela" in 1966, he turned the conventional novel upside-down and the literary world on its ear with this experiment in writing fiction. He soon became an important influence on writers everywhere. "Hopscotch" is considered to be one of the best novels written in Spanish. The work is interactive, where readers are invited to rearrange its text and read sections in different sequences. Read in a linear fashion, "Hopscotch" contains 700 pages, 155 chapters in three sections: "From the Other Side," and "From This Side" - the first two sections are sustained by relatively chronological narratives and so contrast greatly with the third section, "From Diverse Sides," (subtitled "Expendable Chapters"), which includes philosophical extrapolation, character study, allusions and quotations, and an entirely different version of the "ending."

The book has no table of contents, but rather a "Table of Instructions." There, we learn that two approved readings are possible: from Chapter 1 through 56 "in a normal fashion", or from Chapter 73 to Chapter 1 to... well, wherever the chapters lead you. The instructions are all in your book and are extremely clear. At the end of each chapter there is a numeric indicator to lead the reader to the next chapter. One never knows where one will be lead. Due to its meandering nature, "Hopscotch" has been called a "Proto-hypertext" novel. Cortázar probably had this work in mind when he stated, "If I had the technical means to print my own books, I think I would keep on producing collage-books."

Horacio Oliveira, our protagonist and sometimes narrator, is an Argentinean expatriate, an intellectual and professed writer in 1950's bohemian Paris. He and his close friends, members of "the Club," do lots of partying, drinking, and intellectualizing, discussing art, literature, music and solving the world's problems. Oliveira lives with and loves La Maga, an exotic young woman, somewhat whimsical, at times almost ephemeral, who leaves behind her, like the scent of a light perfume, a feeling of poignancy and inevitable loss. La Maga refuses to plan her encounters with Oliveira in advance, preferring instead to run into each other by chance. Then she and Oliveira celebrate the series of circumstances that reunite them. Eventually, he loses La Maga, who loses her child. With her absence, Oliveira realizes how empty and meaningless his life is and he returns to his native Buenos Aires. There he finds work first as a salesman, then a keeper of a circus cat, and an attendant in an insane asylum.

As Oliveira wends his way through France, Uruguay and Argentina looking for his lost love, "Hopscotch's" narrative takes on an emotionally intense stream of consciousness style, rich in metaphor. Back In Argentina, Oliveira shares his life with his bizarre double, Traveler, and Traveler's wife, Talita, whom Oliveira attempts to remake into a facsimile of La Maga.

The game of hopscotch is only developed as a conceit late in the narrative. It is first used to describe Oliveira's confused love for La Maga as "that crazy hopscotch." The theme develops as a metaphor for reaching Heaven from Earth. "When practically no one has learned how to make the pebble climb into Heaven, childhood is over all of a sudden and you're into novels, into the anguish of the senseless divine trajectory, into the speculation about another Heaven that you have to learn to reach too." The variations on the children's game are described as "spiral hopscotch, rectangular hopscotch, fantasy hopscotch, not played very often." The allusions continue and include some beautiful passages.

"Hopscotch" is much more than a novel. Ultimately, it is best left for each reader to define what it is for himself/herself. Pablo Neruda in a famous quote said, "People who do not read Cortazar are doomed. Not to read him is a serious invisible disease." I don't know whether I would go so far. Remember, I put off the experience for many years. But this is one novel that should be read during one's lifetime. It is brilliant and it is fun!
JANA

I really enjoyed this original book.

This book is full information from a pilot who was in the skies on 911. It is a real eye-opener. It is worth reading. HOWEVER........THE AUDIO VERSION IS VERY ANNOYING. The reader should have been a man not a woman. My Daughter and I were hooked on the story but could hardly stand the intonation, inflection, and sound of the voice of the reader. We had to stop listening after the last plane crashed. I would recommend an abridged audio version.
I read the book and it was great!!!

I wanted to know more of what happened, the goings on behind the scenes right after and beyond the day of 9\11. This book was very enlightening. It answered how the planes were grounded. Why the airspace over Washington was able to be invaded. Either the terrorists were extraordinarily prepared or "lucky" upon picking that day because of the events that the military had scheduled on that day, thus causing them to be away from the areas where they were needed. It was a great book. A little hard to absorb all the agencies involved-military and civilian but I got over that.

This is a very compelling book. Well written, and a very fast read. The subject was of great interest to me and Ms. Spencer helped me understand the huge dilemma that our country and it's dedicated soldiers and employees faced on Sept. 11, 2001.

This book was awesome. I couldn't put it down. We should never forget what happened on 9/11/01.

Excellent account of what happened that fateful day. Lynn Spencer takes you into the cockpits of the airplanes, into the minds of the air traffic controllers, the fighter pilots, and the government officials and personnel making desparate, spur of the moment decisions. Absolutely riveting; you won't be able to put in down!

i gave this book as a gift once. to like a book enough to give it as a gift.. now that's something. if you appreciate being told the way it really is, you'll love bukowski.

The recording quality may not be absolutely perfect but the item captures Bukowski as he was, and adds significantly to the image one gets about his personality and his views from reading his, frequently repetitive books.

Some one gave this book to me to read highschool and the second I started reading it I was addicted. Now I'm in my late 20's and had to have it again.

Charles Bukowski takes you a trip that you soon won't forget. You will travel through a timeline that will have you anticipating what's next. The raw expression of life as depicted in his book made me want to become a writer.

Not only does he write a mean story he also has section filled with his poems, also amazing. You will not be dissapointed.

Bukowski is merciless. He can be quite cruel. He is a neutron bomb who destroys fantasy and make believe and leaves behind empty unadorned buildings. Like really rough scotch or bourbon, he can only be read in doses. In fact, his writing is an acquired taste. If don't want to see into the core reality of life, do not buy, let alone read his books. But if you are into honesty and courage and already know that no good deed ever goes unpunished, please enjoy. Bukowski's works are an affirmation of reality. Hobbes would love him. Ohm.

This double CD is a total joy! Quintessential Bukowski - there's nothing like hearing poems read by the author, I think, especially with him.
There's two CD's, poems interspersed with conversations with the people doing the recording. The only drawback could be that all of the recordings were done in a room with only a few people there, so there's an odd lack of feeling, the buzz you normally get in a live recording. Bukowski was also almost reluctant at times to read, but at the same time, the stillness in the background frames his voice and the work perfectly somehow. He warms up as it goes on, and as they have a few more drinks, and even reads a short story, which is brilliant.
There's some great photos of him in the booklet; no printed poems, but the sound quality is excellent, so you can hear every word.
If you're a fan, get it! If you want an introduction to Bukowski, get it!

Unfortunately, in itself, Jane Alexander's victimization by Tom O'Donnell is not unusual; unique, however, is Jane's consistent fight to put O'Donnell in jail and to assist other victims of homicide.
Jane, the quintessential bourgouis, stay-at-home mom, knew Tom for decades through her deceased banker husband. With the exception of his allusions to having been a diamond smuggler, Tom seemed exceptional only in his high intellect and social graces. You can almost hear Jane describing Tom, "He seemed so nice." He certainly treated Jane with love and attention, certainly not interested in her because of her money. After all, Tom was financially solvent, backed by a Swiss trust. While cliche, it bears repeating: Tom gave few signs that he was anything but what he appeared, an aging, friendly, handsome bachelor. Responding to his charm, Jane lived with him for years. And, sadly to say, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Disrupting their otherwise mundane, but enjoyable life, Jane's aunt was murdered. A mystery-reading, petite, affable and dangerously wealthy woman of 88 years, she died a violent death. Figuring that the motive was financial, the police pressured Jane and Tom in their search for the killers. Meanwhile, Tom was conducting covert financial thievery with Jane's money. Afraid that the police scrutiny into the murder would illuminate his dirty dealing, Tom fled. Its precisely at this point that the book gets interesting. Please read it yourself to see the end. (One hint: Tom's arrogance and claims to belonging to the underworld of South African diamond dealers is somewhere between nauseating and unbelievable).
Through her ordeal, Jane gained initiation into the one club that no of us wants to be in: victims of major, violent crime. Stubborn and defiant, Jane fights back. For those outside of the this painful club, Jane's experience illuminates problems in gender relations, police research and the judicial process.
For survivors, Jane's battle to regain control over her life is equally, albeit differently, illuminating. Jane's crime was that of trusting another person so deeply that she stopped taking care of herself independently. Tom managed her finances, her heart and, to some degree, her life. She committed the one sin that most of us already traumatized by such violence know to avoid: Never make another person responsible for your livelihood
The crux of this book, however, is that while the story may seem straigtforward, even commonplace, Jane's experience was anything but simple. I desperately want to believe that she caused her own fate. Who wants to live in a world of Toms - outwardly normal and inwardly pathological? Yet, I could not let this book go with just one more "blame the victim" analysis.
The problem is that Jane could be any of us - male or female. She trusted someone who had proven trustworthy, not for a few months, but for decades. Emotionally healthy people trust others. As testament to her sound judgement, Jane trusted Tom. In acting in a psychologically healthy manner, ironically, Jane helped Tom to destroy her life. If only she had been a bit more paranoid, Jane could have spent her money with therapists instead of on Tom.
Ultimately, what makes Jane so special is that rather than feeling sorry for herself, she fights Tom and, ultimately, enjoys satisfaction. I guess, after all, Jane is more survivor than victim. And, Tom, he's just a run-of-the-mill loser.

Brilliantly deliverd by author James Dalessandro and contributor David Mehnert. A book written with passion, mystery, truth and justice was done. "Citizen Jane" is a book that you just keep reading - can't put it down, so I went online looking for other books by James Dalessandro. Bought,"Bohemian Heart". It will be delivered in a few days. Can't wait to read it!

"1906, the San Francisco Earthquake" saga will be in the stores soon. Watch for a movie by this great author.

Mary L. Bates

I saw Jane Alexander, the woman this book is about, on television and had to get this book right away because I was so impressed with her as a person. Jane went from being a very dependent woman, who had mostly been a stay-at-home mom to become a heroic and widely-known crusader for crime victims' rights at an age when most women would be settling into retirement. She had intended to settle into active (and financially comfortable) old age with her boyfriend, who had been a friend of the family and member of her social set for decades. The murder of her wealthy aunt changed all her plans. The boyfriend, a charmer whose tales of international intrigue had once entertained their friends, disappeared after embezzling money from those same friends and draining Jane's assets dry. She lost her beautiful home and even her beloved dog. Some of her old friends stood by her, while others blamed her for harboring a criminal in their community. Jane soon learned that the police and prosecutors were not her friends either. The story of how she battled the system as well as her ex-boyfriend is just amazing. In the course of being her own investigator, she found many, many other women who were drained financially and discarded by this man. She got several of them to testify at his trial. The book is very well written, not necessarily a given in the true-crime genre.

Most true crime stories have no hero or heroine. This one outdoes all its competitors: Jane Alexander is the most extraordinary crusader. A conservative grandmother living in Marin County, California, she is called to battle when her aunt is murdered and she must fight not only to capture and convict the killer, but to get a lethargic justice system to do its job. An absolutely riveting, unforgettable tale, I discovered the book when 48 Hours did a complete installment just on Jane Alexander. I'm not a true crime fan, but this one I could not put down. Bravo to the subject and writers...Steve, Los Angeles, CA.

This thoroughly-researched and carefully-planned expose of a heinous crime and one victim's journey from woman-in-denial to crusader is a fascinating and speedy read. Engaging the reader from the outset, Mehnert and Dalessandro magage to weave together all the facts, giving us multiple perspectives, even as we empathize with the protagonist, Jane Alexander. Especially revealing and moving is the revelation of the personal journies of Jane and others like her through a criminal justice system that is not always diligent in its pursuit of offenders.

Ever wonder what it's like to be a Broadway performer? Well here's your chance...told through the mouths of over a hundred performers, you'll get the chance to laugh, cry and survive with these performers.

Many don't understand the heart-ache and sacrifices made by a performer. Many even think that Broadway is easy...but with each story you'll learn that is far from the truth.

If you want to be a Broadway performer or just explore the life of one this book is for you....

This book was recommended to me by a very good friend. Not only is it a humorous read, but an eye-opening one. This book brilliantly deals with the reality of professional theater right from the mouths of professional actors. If you are in the business, this book exposes you to so many things that aren't taught in school. It's a must read. If you are a theatergoer, this book offers a rare look into the lives of performers. This book is such a great reality check that manages to also be inspiring.

i love this book so much. i read it over and over again, because it always inspires me and just gets me so excited thinking about what my future could possibly hold! This book has so many great stories, and some are so hilarious I am constantly laughing out loud while reading this book! Honestly!!
I read the book because it makes me feel comforted when I get an audition rejection...and it gives me a lot of hope. i love it so much, and it is a big book with a great number of stories...so definitely get this one! i wish they would publish a second book!!

This book is very good and meets all my expectations.

Whether you are a theatre novice or Broadway veteran, this ambitous work is insightful, educational and fun.
On some nights, the theatre life is full of passion and wonder. However, many nights are spent in the hope of simply finding a job or landing a decent audition. Warts and all, this book is a must for anyone who loves a play or story. Enjoy and learn.

"The Other Side of the Bridge" was warmly received, not just by me, but by the 13 other women who appeared at the book club meeting at which it was discussed. I can't remember any other book--and there have been many--that was discussed by our book group which received such unanimous approval. It is a heartwarming, interesting, study of human lives interacting in ways both good and difficult, with all warts showing. It stimulates much thinking about what happens to people because of events beyond their control.

Mary Lawson is a wonderfully evocative writer. You ache for her characters. You enter into the desolation and into the pull of the hard life in a very small northern Ontario community. I only want to add one thing to what else has been written in these reviews.

Sibling rivalry? yes. A wonderful re-telling of the story of two brothers, one charming, smart, handsome, irresponsible and careless of other people's feelings; the other slow, stolid, uncommunicative and responsible. However doesn't Lawson also show us that the parents are at least in part to blame? Would Arthur been more secure, more able to communicate with other people if his mother had been loving and encouraging of him? Would Jake have been less irresponsible if he had been able to win his father's approval for who he was rather than what his father thought he should be - a farm boy? Lawson seems to suggest that, despite Jake's careless ways, he really did long for his father to accept him for who he was. He wasn't Arthur. Arthur wasn't Jake. Neither parent can really embrace the differences in their sons.

This book is so beautifully written and I just finished it so the words are still fresh in my mind. I think this author has a wonderful talent to create images and can write bringing it all together. This book defiinitely makes my top- rated books for this year. It is not a long book but it took me a while to read (a couple of weeks) because I found myself rereading beautiful passages and really absorbing some of the most well-said dialog. Five Stars!!

This will be one of my favorite reads for 2007. Mary Lawson is quite a talented writer, and again has kept my attention until the very last page. Lawson accomplished excellence in developing the personalities in this story. This book was a page turner, hard to put down, and I definitely was not disappointed after reading Crow Lake.

We are far away in Northern Canada, in the small town of Struan. The life is rough, tough and simple. Or so it seems. We are in the years before, during and after World War 2, and we follow the lives of brothers Arthur and Jake, and Ian, son of the town's respected doctor. Arthur is the older brother to Jake, and their relationship has been bad almost since before Jake was born. Arthur is the one who works hard and who does his chores without complaining and without asking why he has to them. Arthur thinks a lot, doesn't talk much and hates going to school. Jake is the younger brother who is not all pleasant and nice. He doesn't like to work, not too hard anyway, he is quick and smart and he grows up to be a regular ladies man.

When World War 2 begins, neither of the brothers enlist, for different reasons, but they stay at home, while their friends go overseas to fight. Arthur devotes his time to farming and thinking and feeling guilty, while Jake seems to celebrate life by sleeping with as many girls as he can, drink and have fun.

The brothers never really find each other, and specially Arthur is consumed by guilt and thoughts, until they are both grown up, and the high school kid Ian enters their world. Or enters Arthur's world. Ian is at a point in his life where he needs to find out what he wants to do with the rest of it, and while thinking about this, he goes to work for Arthur on the farm he inherited from his parents. Jake is long gone, and life goes on in a quiet way. Until Jake suddenly surfaces again, and Ian senses that there is something more behind his visit than just feelings for the good ole family.

The story moves between the childhood of Arthur and Jake over, their youth during World War 2 and the 'present day', which in this story is the 1950'es and 60'es. The story moves slowly, and much of the things happening, is happening in the minds of Arthur and Ian. The story moved a little too slow for this reader, but is wonderfully written, with good character-development and wonderful descriptions of nature, wind, weather etc.

Wonderful book if you like vintage stories, especially of large innovative families.

There are a number of books related to this one, as well as movies connected as remakes of the books.

Belles on Their Toes, Cheaper by the Dozen, etc. are refreshing insights of life in the early 1900's.

especially for a sequel!

I found this book a couple years after I came across the first one as a teenager. It's a good continuation of the story and lets you know what happened, and how this amazing family all chipped in to make things work after their terrible tragedy.

This book continues the true story of the Gilbreth children or the sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen.
The story continues after the father died. The mother is now the soul supporter of her family. There is a graet saying in the book that says,"Mother wasn't afraid anymore because the worst had happend."
The mother carried on her husbands works. She held conferences and taught the scince of time saving. She became a very strong woman.
It was a long hard haul but ahe successfully continued her husbands work. The children successfully ran the household.
This story is humorus and very touching. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I can't believe I didn't know this book existed till very recently; I would have bought and read it a whole lot sooner had I known, having read the first book about five or six times. It's in the same funny spirit as the first, though the focus has shifted from the antics of the entire family to the mother's struggle to take care of her eleven children after her husband died. And the funny moments aren't as frequent as in the first book, since the children are older. It also seems like the younger children got the short end of the stick--less time was given to writing about their own humourous childhood anecdotes and stories, since time passes really quickly after Anne gets married. The only other thing in this book I wasn't keen on was how some of it was dated. Some of it, like Mrs. Gilbreth trying to find reasons for the oldest two not to smoke and then instantly retracting each reason, or the youngest boys teaching Jane how to be popular and get dates by not being her true self, is to be expected, given not only the era in which that happened but also when the book was published, but there are a few slang words and references that the modern reader might not understand or find as funny or relevant as someone who was a contemporary of the family might. We all know what a sheik is, but who uses the term "wet smack" anymore, for example? Still, overall it's a sweet fun way to wrap up the story of this funny family.