S Books

Amazing story!! Has elements of surprise, suspense,

sacrifice, love, unrequited love,honor, friendship and

very entertaining.

Wish we had more people like Greg Mortenson in this world. I also hope it is mandatory reading for our current administration and presidential hopefuls.

Three Cups of Tea was one of the most moving books I've ever read. The need is so great, and we hope to help, as education IS an excellent way to let these children know we DO care about them. In this book, Mortenson briefly mentioned that the people he was visiting told a story of saving a United States soldier. That was a reference, I believe, to Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell wrote Lone Survivor, the story of the Navy Seals's mission; Luttrell was rescued by these wonderful people. Both books offer extended examples of the heroics these men went to in order to safely escort/save Mortenson and Luttrell.

Greg opens a window of light and hope in a sometimes bleak and dark part of the world. You will be inspired as you learn about an increasingly important Pakistan and Afghanistan, as seen up close and personal.
I've listened to this twice on CD. I've read it to my daughter in 5th grade. After she picked Greg for her 5th grade "hero" project her class was motivated to raise Pennies for Peace.
And if you come away wondering if there wasn't a good deal of "literary license" thrown in, I can assure you that after meeting Greg I'm convinced he is the real deal.

I can't add anything new to what has already been written by the others who have reviewed this book. Sayings like "The power of one" come to mind. So you can understand why I won't say much.

But I did have a film going through my imagination as I read the book. And I hope that one day we'll have a series across several evenings so most of the story can be shared on the screen.

Very well written with a clear history about the U.S. Federal government. From inception to our modern day dilemma. A great read for those wanting to learn about the original conservatism and what rights the federal government has under the U.S. Constitution.

Clearly written and concise description on the problems of the US federal government's theft of power. Also clear on the economic problems created by our federal government, and the required remedies to prevent economic disaster.

I should have, after reading this book.

I had already voted for Dr. Ron Paul, a pro-life and -liberty candidate...in 1988.

Friends and family castigated me for it, but I remain convinced that this first voting endeavor was my best one.

But over the years I've been inculcated in the belief that I "can't throw my vote away." I want mine back!

The book surprised me by its clarity and vigor of thought. Coming off the heels of the banking mess, which the book predicted was amazing accuracy--the FED printing easy money, providing for easy credit--makes our paper money system unsound.

Sound money, limited (constitutional!) government, rights given by God and not bequeathed to us at the behest of some government bureaucrat who live like parasites off the body politic, non intervention in foreign policy, and letting states decide on abortion are some of the highlights of this political apology that will live on long after the election.

Some of us sentient Americans who haven't been too addled by the government schools or who aren't sucking furiously off a gov't teat, realize that our liberties have been far too eroded away. Ron Paul filled the vacuum, taking a principled stand for freedom, which is after all truly the American way.

Dr. Paul, a Congressman from Houston, Texas, reminds us we are far better off trusting markets and people than government.

I just wish I had voted for him, and not listened so carefully to others. The Revolution was a wake-up call.

When I first heard of him a year ago, Ron Paul intrigued me; reading this book & learning about his viewpoints enlightened me. In the context of today's political issues (particularly the housing issues) Dr. Paul offers a completely fresh perspective. He doesn't debate the trivial points. Instead, he debates the fundamental questions about our current political system. Every day as I listen to the news, Dr. Paul echoes louder & louder in my mind. His arguments & predictions resonate so strongly, but in the mainstream political debate they are "fringe". THE REVOLUTION advances arguments that are not only logical, but represent the principles America was founded on.

Personally, I have found people (Democrats & Republicans alike) to be generally intrigued by Dr. Paul's ideas, wanting to learn more. I share this book with them, & will continue to do so. Perhaps Dr. Paul's point of view will come into the mainstream soon.

If you want to know why and how the wisdom of our founding fathers is our best chance at getting the United States back on the right track, you need only spend a couple of hours reading this intellectually exciting, eye-opening book.

You will see the beautifully simple truth about liberty, which will, as Shakespeare said, "set you free". If you are already familiar with Ron Paul, you are well aware of his ability to cure the political apathy of the young and old with his message of freedom and constitutional government. If you are not familiar with the U.S. representative from Texas, then you are in for a treat... and an awakening.

The ideas expressed in this book, as Senator Goldwater has put it, take "a sledge hammer to the political establishment". They propose real "change" - not the fake Obama variety.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in embarking on a quest for the truth, rather than gobbling up the filtered, processed fodder that the "mainstream media" tries to feed us. It is a good starting point for anyone interested in Dr. Paul's ideas, or just anyone who likes living in "the land of the free", and wants it to stay that way.

The "Ron Paul Revolution" is gaining steam, and shows no signs of stopping. We would love to have you on board.

(As a side note, another great reason to pick up this book is the excellent "Reading List for a Free and Prosperous America" that is included in the back. Oh, and I recommend picking up your very own copy of the U.S. Constitution. It will be the best five dollars you ever spend. Guaranteed.)

Loved this book. Was on the last chapter when I threw October Sky into my Netflix queue; Hoping I'd have it in hand when the book was finished. Timing was perfect. As usual, the book eclipses the movie, but both are great. Passing it onto my 10 year old son who already has aspirations of going into the sciences. Enjoy!

Was purchased due to a requirement by my childs school. He has informed me it is a good book.

I was a little disappointed by the ending and the fact that Homer Hickam gave John Kennedy the idea to go to the Moon but other than that I couldn't help but root for the band of misfits.

... "On June 4, 1960, the Big Creek Missile Agency, fresh from its medal winning performance at the National Science Fair, is sponsoring a day of rocket launches at its Cape Coalwood range. Everyone reading these words is invited..." This quote can be found on page 356-357 of a book called Rocket Boys; this statement showed me that the success of the main characters was a result of personal hard work and teamwork.

"Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is a nonfiction account of a group of friends from Coalwood, West Virginia in the early 1960's who have a fetish for making rockets. Homer and his friends have a dream to shoot a rocket up into the clouds. This story gives the reader a message that dreams really can come true.

Rocket Boys is one of the strongest books I have ever read. The author accomplished his goals to tell people that team work is one of the most important things to know in your life. This book is recommended for people that like space and rockets and who want a hopeful book to read. Reading Rocket Boys really gets you thinking about team work and how far you can get with it.

Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.

This book is his story and how he was successful.

I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.

Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

The book is well researched and is interesting reading. It's amazing to see the same political arguements in 1934 as in 2008. They were using class warfare in 1934 same as now.

I was given this book as a Christmas present. I had read McCullough's 1776 and John Adams and had enjoyed them both (although I was disappointed in the brevity of 1776). Still this book (Truman) stayed on my shelf gathering dust for over six months. I was initially overwhelmed with its length and afraid to tackle it (I had failed with Vidal's Lincoln and didn't want to repeat that result). I finally screwed my courage and cracked it open.

Although the first 50 pages or so weren't extremely engrossing, after that the book quickly captivated me. I didn't know much about Harry Truman, and what I did know led me to believe that he was a fairly average president. What I learned is that he was an amazing overachiever who, when faced with the weight of the world, was at his best. McCullough really brought the man to life, and although Mr. Truman did some things that none of us would be proud of, McCullough didn't provide excuses for Harry - he did explain possible causes for Truman's behavior.

After reading this book, you can't help but feeling that the United States was extremely fortunate to have Truman in the nation's highest office, and you can't help but wish you could have met the man.

I wholeheartedly recommend the book as a must read.

"Truman" is a much praised book and deservedly so. There is hardly a need for another review, in addition to the 280 already posted here, so I will be brief.

Above all, it is superbly readable, as entertaining as a good novel. I experienced a sense of regret having finished it today.

It is a clear and balanced portrait of a leader and a wonderful study of understated, firm and steady leadership.

I would rate it as essential reading for anyone wanting to understand key aspects of the world since WWII and which continue to influence events today.

I consider myself a fan of history (I like it, but don't know enough and mis-remember even more). David McCullough's books bring to life the stories of our country (and events) in a compelling manner that makes you want more. I eagerly look forward to each of his well researched and "human" look at what has helped shape the U.S. to where we are today. Each of these should be required reading for middle school & high school students - the conversations they create will bring benefits for our future generations. This is even more true for the biographies as he develops the person which helps explain the why - and not just the what happened. Bravo Mr. McCullough, very well done indeed.

This is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. And I do my fair share of reading. Don't let the size of the book scare you either. Its worth putting the time into. David McCullough writes in a readable manner. None of that academic reading stuff that gives you headaches. Listen, if you are even considering buying it you probably already have a little interest in this topic. Do yourself a favor. Buy this book. You can thank me later. Oh, and...Harry is my new hero.

These is My Words is filled with wild west high adventure. It is fast paced and reminds me of watching an action movie. Sarah grows from not understanding what is love. How it is demonstrated etc... to a profound understanding of a healthy marriage relationship. Filled with woman's issues: child bearing & rearing, pregnancy, marriage, courage, strength, meekness, life and death. A woman's classic.

This book is great. It has everything ----- humor, sadness, romance, and just pure true grit!! Sarah and Jack are exceptional characters. I couldn't put the book down, but wanted more when it was over.

I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend and at first I wondered if this would be something I liked. But I have been absolutely enthralled with it, hardly wanting to put it down. This is a wonderful story about determination, ingenuity, love and loss. Definitely inspiring and endearingly moving. I am ready for the second book in the series.

This book was amazing. It was so hard to put down, I ended up reading it in a day. Very moving story of this girls life and great love. I recommend it to anyone with a love of romance and history.

This is a wonderful book ~ I recommend it to everyone who is interested in pioneer families and how it really was. The author must have done a huge amount of research and she makes it very real on every page. Great deal of humor or sadness as it must have been in those times. I have gotten the sequel and will start that soon too ~ something to look forward to!!!!

This intriguing novel was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad he did. Georgia Durante's life was full of excitement and challenges. Her strength and determination are to be admired. Her story is unique
and would be enjoyed by both men and women. It's amazing that Georgia
lived to tell this gripping story. The book is a real page turner.
Our book club read, discussed and thoroughly enjoyed this book. We are hoping for a movie version.

Georgia Durante's story of real life adventure and real life survival offers lessons for everyone who reads it. Her escape from her abusive Mobster husband teaches all abused women that they too have the power of survival within themselves. The challenges she overcame being a parent reminds all parents about their role in their children's lives. The steps Georgia Durante took to build a successful stunt driving business in what had previously been a "man's world" teaches everyone that the only limits a life has are the one's we place on ourselves. Buy The Company She Keeps for two big reasons. You get a thrilling story. You also get inspiration and motivation that will fuel your life.

The author keeps you turning pages with an incredible life, as fast as the company she keeps. I enjoyed this read, the author's no nonsense delivery, the woman's perspective, and the story told straight and true. If there are embellishments, you wouldn't know it as it's told. An excellent memoir.

I was determined to finish this book just to count the number of times Georgia Durante mentioned how beautiful she was. It was a million plus. You get the drift. This little lady couldn't get over herself. Her poor daughter Toni took the brunt of her mother's bad, bad choices and paid the price. There was claptrap galore, from her inane, juvenile musings to the stupefying way she portrayed herself as a hapless victim. And the verbatim dialog? How could anyone possibly remember exact conversations from three decades ago? Come on!!

Georgia Durante should just have named her book, "All About Me". At least it would have been an honest if not vacuous biography by just another celebretard who managed to sleep her way to the top of the heap.

Having lived in Rochester all my life, I recognized a lot of the names that Georgia wrote about, even remember her as the Kodak Summer Girl.
Excellent read

This was an amazing, stirring story. It will touch your heart and stay with you forever.

I picked up this book after watching the authors, Denver and Ron Hall doing a t.v. interview about the book. The book sounded intriguing. Words are inadequate to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. First of all, it is an easy read. The characters and details in the book are vivid and the reader is almost instantly engaged with them. Unlike some other books in which you have to "warm up" to the book in the first few chapters before you are able to engage in the story, this book had me at chapter one.

I have told many of my friends and family about what an excellent read it is. It is such a fun book and such a heart warming book but at the same time, the book teaches us some solid lessons about prayer, faith, unconditional love, self sacrifice,friendship, prejudice, and overcoming difficulty in marriage. I inadvertently awakened my husband late one night as I read the pages of this book when I began sniffing and weeping about Deborah a little too loudly. It was very late at night but I had been promising myself for many chapters that I would read one more chapter and turn in for the night. But I couldn't put the book down!

I don't want to give away too much of the book for those who haven't read it yet. So suffice it to say, it was so enjoyable that I was almost sorry that I read it in three days. I didn't want the story to end. I wanted more of this wonderful book! I want to say a big THANK YOU and BLESS YOU to Ron Hall and Denver Moore for sharing their story with us. This story should be made into a film so that more people will learn of this beautiful story.

During the summer of 2007 I attended a Sunday morning service in Grapevine, Texas with my husband, his sister and her husband. During this service I had the wonderful pleasure to hear Dever talk about his experiences and about this book. After getting home I went right to the computer and ordered the book. I finished it very quickly because it had caught my attention. It made me think alot, We shouldn't take our lives for granted and to live each day like its our last. I LOVED the book so much that I passed it on to my mother who then passed to on to her mother!

A friend lent me the book. I felt I had to read it and get the book back to him as soon as possible. When I began reading, it drew me in ever deeper. I wondered how the life a southern, rural, marginalized,uneducated black man living the life a modern day slave would intersect with a wealthy, Texan, art-dealing white man and his family. Well, the intersection astounded me and left me literally weeping at several points it the book. The power coursing through lives of Denver Moore and Ron Hall and his ever-present wife, Debbie Hall, is nothing short of God walking among us. Read this book and pass it on.

An incredible true story! It opened my eyes about modern day slavery in this country and homelessness. It inspired me to look beyond peoples appearances and even how they act and to see other's with Christ's eyes. A very positive and inspiring book. A must read.

As a native Oregonian, the attraction of reading a diary of one who made the Oregon Trail journey was met with eager anticipation. Early on, the diary though very interesting, soon became a series of calamities that left the reader thinking, what else could this poor family possibly endure? As the journey continued, it became apparent that the author had taken great liberty and creative license to spice up this historical adventure. By the end of the diary it was discovered that this work was fiction, which resulted in great disappointment, leaving the reader feeling mislead. As a work of fiction based on possible Oregon Trail experiences, this book proves to be entertaining, however it is not a true diary.

It has been years since I have read this book. I can still, to this day, remember the effect this book had on me. I was eight or nine at the time. I remember reading the diary entries and feeling as if I were right there next to Hattie, walking in the dirt or the snow. I cried at times when something bad had happened to Hattie or the people around her. I felt compassion, and found myself wanting to reach into the book and help the people myself. I learned many things about life in that time period that I had never known. I had learned about pioneers in school, but I never imagined that it would be as hard or as rewarding of an experience for them to go through.

The book made an impact on me from page one. I highly recommend it.

This book is a great one. It is about a girl named Hattie and about her life going on the Oregon Trail. She faces many troubles and all the things that happened to her. It is very emotional. There's good times : ) and bad times : ( . But it all works out well!!!!!( I hope I didn't spoil the ending for you!!!!) : )

I read this when it first came out, when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I loved this story and could not put it down. Plus, when we started talking about the Oregon Trail in class, I was really interested in it and prepared for it. It is my favorite book of the Dear America series, and it is one of the most amazing children's story ever. The only criticism I can make is that sometimes it is hard to sympathize with Hattie; she is not the best Dear America character.

I love 'Oregon Trail' stories and this one was no exception. The story is stunningly written, and a careful line is trod between emphasizing the dangers and discomforts of the trail without making the story seem scary or unpleasant to the reader.

My only real gripe about this book (and not even a big enough gripe to drop a star, so take it for the whining that it is) is that the adult characters can be pretty stupid at times. I know this is a staple of children's literature in order to forment conflict (after all, conflict couldn't form very easily if all these adults were competant), but it's simply infuriating that the two resident thieves in the group are continually treated with 'Christian charity' in an atmosphere where one's possessions often meant the difference between life and death. It may seem very natural, to our modern American eyes, to overlook the theft of a sweater, but when that's the only sweater a child owns and a cold night is falling, you can bet that is a much bigger deal than previously realized.

Nevertheless, this book is still superb. Buy it, read it, enjoy it. Just be prepared to explain to your children that being 'charitable' doesn't mean you have to be a victim.

... as there is nothing else to add except that this book is THE BEST book I've ever read in my entire life. Carl Sagan is a GENIUS. His memory will live on forever through his books. He made me love astronomy so much I bought a telescope! :o)

Carl Sagan's COSMOS is simply one of the best popular science books ever written. What sets this book apart from others on the subject is Sagan's poetic style and enthusiasm for the topic. By the way, the pictures in the hard-cover version are beautiful.

This is undoubtedly the most beautiful work of science ever written for the general public. It spans across multiple disciplines, from evolution, to genetics, to chemistry, to physics, to astronomy, and astrophysics. Whether you're a scientist or just a child interesting in the world around us, Dr. Sagan does not disappoint and conveys science with nothing less than elegance.

I have to laugh that one of the tags for this book is atheist. Was he an atheist? I don't know. But I truly enjoyed this book, and it was a further shovel of dirt on religion in the ground for me. A number of things had led me to that point (taking a philosophy course way back when I was in college), but this book really gave religion in a frank light: nothing more than an explanation of the unknown for societies. The ones that took hold and didn't go away when science explained away are what we have today. But seriously, lets only go as far as agnostic, please.

Religion aside, this is truly a magnificent travel through space. I read it whilst camping that really assisted in its fine journey. A little outdated, but highly recommended nonetheless.

This is an incredible book, even if it is dated. I am a words person, not numbers, so when Sagan got into a lot of equations and chemistry, I had to kind of skim over those parts. I never could have understood them, and if I'd tried to force myself to, I probably would have gotten frustrated and gave up on the book. So I stuck with the parts (happily, that was most of it) I could absorb and easily understand. There were so many fascinating aspects to it that I would have missed had I given up over the math. This book is capable of starting you on a journey. It has made me find a book on Alexandria, which I am just starting. There is a fascinating history there, and I will continue on with books on da Vinci and Einstein. They are men I've heard about, of course, but never has my curiosity about them been so piqued. Being a book lover, the Library of Alexandria is something I want to learn more about. This book will make you want to learn more about a lot of things.