People Books

If you like America's Next Top Model, you'll love Cheryl Diamond's autobiography. Although classified as a teen book, possibly because the author was only sixteen during the episodes detailed in the book, I would consider this suitable for readers of any age who want a behind-the-scenes look at the world of New York modelling. Cheryl at sixteen is exceptionally level-headed and focused on her career. Cheryl's experience shows that you needn't use drugs, develop an eating disorder, or sleep your way to the top to become a successful model. It also shows aspiring models that they will probably start out poor, possibly even homeless and penniless, before getting their big break. As a young model, Cheryl is on top of the world one day and at the bottom of the heap the next, all at the whim of a particular agent or designer. In a word: fascinating!

I'm still amazed by this book. You never think of the whole model industry as being something that us ordinary folks can relate to, but then along comes this book, which tells about the ups and downs of the business in a voice that is convincing, fresh, and relatable. And all models are supposed to be little mindless bubble people, right? Well, think again, because Cheryl Diamond proves that not only is she stunningly beautiful, she is intelligent and talented too. Kind of makes me feel insufficient. Ha. But I think she deserves all the attention and credit she can get because she went through more struggles in the first 20 years of her life than what the rest of us experience in our entire lifetime. And that's really not an exaggeration. But the reality of the story isn't even the greatest thing about the book. The great thing is the writing. How a person who has never tried to write much can sit down and write a book like this one is beyond comprehension. Because not only is the writing smooth and captivating, it's blunt and doesn't leave out any of the hairy details that other books about modeling might. In Model, you really get to see the gruesome underside of an industry that is known for glamor and drama and that in itself is refreshing and interesting. I don't think I'll ever in a million years get wrapped up in anything related to modeling, so this book was probably the closest I'll ever get, and really, I'm fine with that because it was an amazing book. I highly suggest that if you haven't read it yet, you go out and do so ASAP. It'll be worth your every penny.

A well-written and worthy read that aims to delight all ages! With cute anecdotes and great insider tips on how to deal with fussy make-up artists, I found myself rooting for Cheryl to make it to the top. Model is a story about growing older and wiser; about being true to yourself and most importantly, about never giving up and never backing down from what you believe in.

I know some of the people and agencies (even the ones where she has changed the name to protect the guilty) in this book - and she nailed it. Cheryl's description of her agency is very accurate, and even though models with other agencies will have somewhat different experiences (not all fashion agencies are also partly scams), her discussion of what a model is likely to encounter as she enters the world of New York fashion modeling will be recognized by anyone who has tried it.

Throughout the book she maintains a humorous detachment from all this, and the book is entertaining to read, as well as educational.

When she was just fourteen years old, Cheryl Diamond ventured to New York City to become a model. She experienced rejection after rejection until she finally found an agency that would offer her a contract. But then came September 11, and her agency went out of business before she could even land a job.

At sixteen, Cheryl returned to New York, hoping for a second chance. She got it. Now she is faced with the task of building her portfolio and making a name for herself--no small job when the head booker is always giving her a rough time and the manager of her agency is seeking revenge on her for standing up to him and refusing to let him yank her around. But Cheryl is tough and sensible, and if anyone can make it in this ugly modeling business, she can.

And she's making it...until one man lies to her, destroying her image and bringing her career to a screeching halt. Desolate, she's sent home. But she's determined to do what's unheard of in the modeling biz...make her comeback.

Model: A Memoir will leave you shell shocked. Cheryl Diamond is an extraordinary young woman who is role model material for girls everywhere. Without succumbing to the many temptations models are exposed to on a daily basis (eating disorders, drinking, drugs, excessive partying) and without losing a grasp on her values (like refusing to change clothes in front of a roomful of people just to land a job), she has built her career without allowing herself to be bullied. Her novel is a whirlwind of shoots, castings, runway shows, and showdowns with her boss that besides being completely enthralling, are all true. Her writing style has the fast pace that is present in biographies and memoirs, but is as detailed and gripping as any work of fiction. Teens especially will delight in this resilient, strong, and intelligent heroine who is beautiful inside and out, and will eagerly anticipate more from this talented model and writer.

THIS BOOK IS PART MEMORIES AND PART SOCIOLOGY AS IT EXAMINES THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING A FANATIC OF ANY MAJOR COLLEGE TEAM (IN THIS CASE THE BASKETBALL TARHEELS). THE MEMORIES OF THE AUTHOR ARE AUGMENTED BY THE DIARIES KEPT BY 15 DIEHARD UNC FANS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND BEYOND. ITS A GREAT BOOK ABOUT BASKETBALL AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE A FAN IN THE AGE OF TELEVISION AND THE INTERNET. A MUST READ FOR ANY SPORTS ENTHUSIAST.

THIS A COMPILATION BETWEEN MEMORIES OF CAROLINA FANS AND A STUDY OF MAJOR COLLEGE FANATICS. THAD DOES A WONDERFUL JOB TALKING ABOUT HIS HISTORY GROWING UP AS A TAR HEEL FAN. THE DIARISTS ALSO PRESENT AN INTERESTING PICTURE OF THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A COLLEGE BASKETBALL FAN. THE LAST SEGMENT OF THE BOOK PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO THE BASKETBALL FAN IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET AND CHAT ROOMS. ALL IN ALL A GREAT BOOK AND A WORTHY ADDITION TO YOUR BASKETBALL LIBRARY.

I'm a student at UNC and when I first got here I didn't know much about our basketball team. I thought this book was really cool because it has so many fun facts in it and I learned so much about the proud tradition of UNC Basketball!

Mr. Williamson's unique position, growing up in Chapel Hill with close connections to the Carolina program, provide him with a perfect vantagepoint from which to view and analyze the phenomenon that is Carolina Basketball. Part history, part social analysis, part simple fandom, More Than A Game is an extremely interesting and impassioned book which provides the reader with questions to answer for him or herself about extremism vs. a fun hobby. Particularly interesting is the fan survey which gives us a look at the nuances of everyday life from alumni, fans and those who take it to another level altogether (like myself). Reading the book took me for a stroll down memory lane, comparing Mr. Williamson's view of Carolina basketball history to my own. Sports fans, hoops fans and recruiting junkies will love it.

First off, I'll admit that I'm biased - I'm a member of the email list-serve that figures so prominently in this book. But the appeal of Thad's work reaches far beyond this core constituency. It presents a scholarly analysis of the good and the bad of fandom, and an insight into how one arrives at the stage where a basketball team can mean so much. Divided into four parts, there's something here for everyone: social commentary, philosophy, statistics, and yes, basketball. Carolina basketball, no less! The combination of the fan diaries and the survey give powerful insight into the UNC fan community - at least, that portion of the community on the internet. To my knowledge, such an honest assessment has never been performed on any team's fans before now, but it's worth the wait. If you've ever felt the Fever, and wondered, even for a moment, whether it was a good thing, pick up this book and let it help you decide for yourself.

I enjoyed this book. I do think this is a book for all children , it has great stiries for the whole family. I love to read this book to my daughter.

I can only hope that this brilliant book helpd educate muslims and non-muslims about the true beauty of Islam.

My favorite short stroy is the Black Ghost. The children run from fear of her and her young son is dreadfully embarrassed until the black ghost rescues one of the boys. Reaching out from under her black abaya, the mysterious woman is soft and gentle. The young boys confront their friend, "You never told us you had such a nice mother."

Children's Nonfiction

This book is so informative and well-written it should be in every muslim house. However, this book is not only very good for muslim children, it is also an excellent book for non-muslim children to read and learn more about islam. It can be used as an excellent tool in a classroom to dispel any misconceptions non-muslim children may carry against their muslim classmates. They will be able to learn more about prayer, fasting, eid and other things that their muslim classmates and friends follow in their lives.

This is a wonderful book. It's informative, non-judgemental, and non-proselytizing. I was especially impressed that the authors managed to tell a series of situational stories from a child's point of view. My favorite was the one about the little boy who becomes separated from his parents at Mecca and finds shelter with a kindly old man. This book covers such topics as Muslim minority children having to choose between adherences to their religion, e.g. forgoing observance of prayer times and dietary restrictions for the sake of convenience and fitting in with the crowd. I could feel the self-consciousness myself when a little boy overhears his friends mistaken his mother for a ghost after being frightened by her veil, and the guilt when a young girl succumbs to temptation and devours the delicious candies that contain pork byproducts.

"My Friend Isabelle" is a book that ALL parents should have on their bookshelf. It celebrates the relationship between two children who are different from one another. It is an important book because today's classrooms are becoming more and more diverse. This book is a great tool to introduce these differences. I have been waiting for a book like "My Friend Isabelle". Thank you Ms. Woloson for being so insightful.

My Friend Isabelle is the story of two young friends that have lots of differences, but manage to find some common ground in which to build a friendship. Though Isabelle is a child with Down Syndrome, it is never mentioned in the text of the book. The wonderful illustrations only give a hint to why Isabelle and Charlie are different. This book is a great addition to any preschool classroom library because it celebrates the differences in all people. The amount of text is perfect for a young audience to listen to and is written at the appropriate age level. This book is a great tool for teaching young children about the differences in people and helping them to understand that they can be friends with people who are different from them.

Charlie and Isabelle are the same age but they have some differences. For example, Charlie is tall and Isabelle is short, and whereas Charlie runs fast, Isabelle likes to take her time. The last difference that Charlie explains is when he tells us: "I know a lot of words. Isabelle's words are sometimes hard for me to understand." In the text of "My Friend Isabelle," author Eliza Woloson never comes out and says that Isabelle has Down syndrome and I was thinking that any indication of her condition in Bryan Gough's illustrations might well be too subtle for young children to pick up. But then it occurred to me that if a parent was reading this book to young children, or let them read it on their own, and then there was probably already a child with Down syndrome in the family or in the neighborhood.

This works either way in terms of teaching the lesson that is at the heart of "My Friend Isabelle." Either the child will recognize that Isabelle has Down syndrome and figure out what is really going on in the story, or the child's curiosity will compel them to ask their parent to explain why Charlie has trouble understanding Isabelle. Once Charlie gets to the key difference between himself and his friend, Charlie recalls the words of his Mommy, that "differences are what makes the world so great." Having advanced the idea that differences are a good thing, the rest of the book focuses on the many things that Charlie and Isabelle have in common when they play together each Friday. They both like to twirl, to drink apple juice, and to go down the big slide at the park. At the end, the words of Charlie's mother provide the stories benediction.

The explicit goal of "My Friend Isabelle" is to have young children do their small part to make the world a more tolerant place. The idea that friendships are special and that our differences can make the world more interesting certainly extends beyond children with Down syndrome. Beyond the idea that Isabella can do many of the things that Charlie can do, although sometimes it take her a little longer to them, the book does not get into the specifics of Down syndrome. But the inside back cover provides web sites for finding out more information on Down syndrome from either the National Down Syndrome Society or the National Down Syndrome Congress. Parents will easily be able to find other resources on the Internet as well.

This book was realy sweet in that it talked about a simple friendship between two kids. We were looking for books that included children with Down Syndrome, but did not ever actually say they had it, and this book did that. It also talked about people being different, so I think it is really good for everyone, not just in regards to children with Down Syndrome.

This book is great. I was looking for a book for preschool children that included a child with Special Needs. Isabelle isn't pitied, excused, or glorified -- she simply IS! Fabulous story, good pictures, and highly recommended by me!

This journal has prompts that help children know what to look for in the outdoors.

This is a fantastic journal for children. It offers great ideas for journaling and has nice pictures and is arranged in a delightful way. I am pleased with this purchase for our homeschooling family. It is a perfect addition for the Charolette Mason nature walks.

What a great intro to nature journaling! I bought this book for my daughter and she absolutely loves it. I intended to have my older son use a plain sketch diary for his nature journal, but after looking through this one with dd-I'll just have to get one of these for him, too. There are so many great ideas to sharpen our "city eyes". The Scavenger Hunt pages were a big hit and will help my children become more observant, I'm sure. The perfect amount of handholding for a first journal!

We purchased this book for considerably more while visiting the Great Okefenokee Swamp. My 7 yr. old daughter has filled the pages in the months since. It is very informative and a good introduction to nature journaling.

We found the book about a month before embarking on a two-week journey from south-eastern Georgia to the Kitsap Peninsula of Washington. Along the way we visited many of the ecosystems noted in the book and my daughter was able to experience them in a much more robust way thanks in part to this book.

I highly recommend this book.

We've only had this journal for a couple of weeks but it is already an essential part of our day. My 7-year old daughter truly cherishes this journal and loves to share it with others. She even sleeps with it tucked under her arm. When a question comes up about ocean life, spiders, moths or wildflowers, she shouts, "I know! I'll look in my journal." If the answer is not found there, you can be sure she will add it once she finds it in a field guide, encyclopedia or from one of her nature buddies at the Dept. of Natural Resources. I was afraid that this journal would be stiffling but it is perfect for my youngest daughter. Her older siblings use blank journals for their entries, as do I, but this is just perfect for the younger set and it is lovely to flip through.

This is a thin book (not the gift edition) but it's very deep. It expresses what modern poetry needs & that is a sense of place & a new historical perspective. I picked this up because of the first poem in the book, Theories of Time & Space & I am not disappointed in the least. This book seems to carve "place" & put you there where the author is experiencing "living."

This is a fascinating life story, told through intricate, strong poems. If you like poetry, or storytelling, this is a fine collection.

Native Guard
by Natasha Trethewey

Natasha Trethewey's Native Guard is a superb example of storytelling through poetry. Her seamless imagery flows like lyrical essays inviting you into her world of "southern living" as seen by a woman whose mother was black and father white; a product of the infamous unwritten law of the two races mixing in the 1950's.
Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, there is no denying that Trethewey has a distinctive style and demands the attention of word artists. The title poem, Native Guard, is not only a poignant excerpt of Civil War history buried in the hidden archives of the south, Trethewey professes the contributions soldiers of African decent who served this country in the name of freedom for all men.
Native Guard opens with a story/poem of the disappointment of her mother at 16, who left "the dirt roads of Mississippi" on a train to California to meet her father only to find him nowhere in sight. Trethewey sweetly illustrates the torment of physical abuse by her stepfather, mourns the passing of her mother, the cross burning in her front yard, and the beauty of the South with all its degeneracy. Her stories flow in sonnets, a pantoum, and a verse form I have yet to identify illustrated in "Myth" (page 14) which left me awestruck. Her poetry exudes a gentle anger that is soothed with a balm of historical lessons.
Native Guard is familial history and southern history. Trethewey provides notes for the epigraphs she used as well as the sources used to create the title poem "Native Guard."
I highly recommend purchasing this book, if for no other reason, for the fact that the sister won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry! I only wish I counld have purchased the first edition!

As I read these poems, each offers a an insight which calls me to visualize the scenes that are portrayed. I've reread several passages to confirm their impact.

This book is great example of powerful modern poetry. I'll recommend it to many. it offers a profound mix of history and personal experience. Trethewey reveals her life and thoughts fearlessly.

Weighted with temperament and the presence of graveyards, Trethewey paints vivid images of a past aware of its own history and the death of loved ones:

"It rained the whole time we were laying her down:
Rained from church to grave when we put her down.
The suck of mud at our feet was a hollow sound.

I wander now among names of the dead.
My mother's name, stone pillow for my head."
(Graveyard Blues)

Finding portents in simple childhood acts, the more mature poet replays such impulses in a new light:

"how they'd dry like graveside flowers, rustling
when the wind blew- a whisper, treacherous,
from the sill. Be taken with yourself,

they said to me: Die early, to my mother."
(Genus Narcissus)

Bi-racial, the poet blends the spirit of her parents with the inevitability of their destinies and the legacy to their child:

"Already the words are changing. She is changing
from colored to negro, black still years ahead.
This is 1966- she is married to a white man-
And there are more names for what grows inside her."
(My Mother Dreams Another Country)

Recounting the discoveries of childhood with a history in the south- war and miscegenation- I am struck by the poet's embrace of time and place, the troubled years of war and the ubiquitous presence of race in daily life; yet she instinctively draws beauty where there is none, an intimate awareness of her parentage and position in a black and white world she treads so intuitively. There is much to be learned simply by listening to Trethewey's words, caught in the magic of her introspective nature. Luan Gaines/ 2007.

Making money is one thing, acquiring the tasteful mannerisms of the rich is another. This book helps newly minted money acquire the ways of old money.

I can't even begin to tell how many times I've met the noveau riche, and they've annoyed the heck out of me during the summer parties I've hosted in Newport, RI. I've instructed my butler to discreetly slip a copy of this book in the offender's butler's pocket so they may acquire better manners and taste.

These days, when I'm called on to deliver commencement addresses at sundry universities, I always make it a point to mention the book so that the kids know how to behave as soon as they sell their first dot-com. I'm also sponsoring translations of the book into both Chinese and Hindi so the newly rich from those countries can fit into our social scene here.

One final thought... show some taste by acquiring the hardcover. Leave the paperbacks to the staff "downstairs".

If, like me, you find the immoderately rich kinda fascinating in their loathsomeness--think Goldie Hawn in the guilty-pleasure movie, Overboard--this book will totally feed that fascination. It's also quite impressive as a tour de force of McSweeney's-esque chartiness.

It reminds me of the time I visited a college friend in Ohio and quickly realized she'd failed to warn me she was filthy rich. Her grandmother's "cottage" turned out to be a sprawling turn-of-the-century home with a vast formal English Rose Garden and a daunting assortment of cutlery (each piece intended for some insanely specific purpose...I remember they had a fork specifically for duck.) The whole trip was a nightmare and I ruined an entire set of "heirloom sheets" with ink from a cheap, crappy Bic pen while documenting the family's alien qualities in my journal.

Had I been equipped with this comprehensive book, things might have gone a lot better.

Great book! Tennant nails the rich & fabulous life to a T (or so I've heard...) Go buy this book ASAP!

Most enjoyable read in a long time! Well written and clever while giving information that, while not necessary, should not be missed!

First, let me start by saying, based solely upon Tennant's book jacket author photo, he is probably one of the best looking straight dude authors I have seen in ages. This alone, would normally make me a little skeptical but the book is just so damn thorough that it makes it impossible to hate the guy.

Not only does he have an encyclopedic understanding of the lifestyles of the rich and fabulous but he actually conveys knowledge about stuff most people (including myself, and I happen to have impeccable taste) don't already know, and in a way that is informative, witty, impassioned and borderline satirical.

Also, following up the Preppy Handbook is no small feat but Tennant really gets an ace in the hole on this one. Doesn't disappoint!

I love Jamie Sams style of writing, and she opened many doors that were closed lifetimes ago.
Other Council Fires Were Here Before Ours: A Classic Native American Creation Story as Retold by a Seneca Elder, Twylah Nitsch, and Her Granddaughter, Jamie Sams

Provides thoughtful insight into a much retold Native American story of previous yugas. Ought to be required reading for the future leaders of our world.

I came to this book due to my interest in Jamie Sams and Twylah Nitsch. For people who have questions about the First through the Fifth Worlds from reading other books by Jamie Sams, this book fills in the blanks. For those who have no knowledge of Sams and Nitsch, this book is so playful and delightfully written that it could be underestimated by the reader.

This book is fascinating from cover to cover. Jamie Sams and her grandmother, Twylah, are master story-tellers. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Native American beliefs! It is the Seneca version of creation and history, our relationship with Mother Earth, and events still to come! Thanks Jamie and Twylah!

As always when reading books by Jamie Samms or hearing the teachings of Twylah Nitsch, we find the gifts that we need too. The Medicine is always pure and healing.

This is an excellent resource. I really enjoy the depth of the subject matter covered by the author.

If you are interested in American history, this is it! Highly detailed, consist of short pieces, which can be read as stand alone articles. You need not read in sequence. Morison ensures that each section is understood by a lay reader. Sheds light on historical events at sociological angle. You will understand what and why people did throughout decades. What they were thinking, and why.

There are some minor factual errors here and there, and some setions may have been written different. Anyway, extremely good reference book.

Each student should have this book!

You can do no better than to learn U.S. history from Morison. This work, part of a what was a single volume spanning origins to 1963, displays extraordinary depth and breadth of scholarship, written with a superb command of the language that makes our history fascinating.

The first volume of this three volume set is exceptional. The breadth of this work is substantial. In fact there is so much ground covered in this work that many truly momentous events are covered in what seems a very short number of pages. Most of us think that the history of the US goes something like "The pilgrims wrote the Mayflower Compact, jumped off the boat, ate thanksgiving turkey, hung some witches, dumped some tea and declared independence." Morison does a fabulous job of filling in the spaces. Morison's style is very engaging as well. It is interesting to note that this volume was published in the 60's so there are frequent mention's of communists themes and when the author mentions native Americans he means people that were born in this country even if they had ancestors from England or other European countries. Highly recommended.

The first volume of this three volume set is exceptional. The breadth of this work is substantial. In fact there is so much ground covered in this work that many truly momentous events are covered in what seems a very short number of pages. Most of us think that the history of the US goes something like "The pilgrims wrote the Mayflower Compact, jumped off the boat, ate thanksgiving turkey, hung some witches, dumped some tea and declared independence." Morison does a fabulous job of filling in the spaces. Morison's style is very engaging as well. It is interesting to note that this volume was published in the 60's so there are frequent mention's of communists themes and when the author mentions native Americans he means people that were born in this country even if they had ancestors from England or other European countries. Highly recommended.

This wonderful book resonates with emotional truth about family life, friendship, and the challenges a Taiwanese-American girl faces trying to find her place amid competing cultural expectations. The characters in this book are vivid and compelling, as is the depiction of life in Peiling's family. It is hard to imagine a more moving and entertaining story for middle readers than the one told in this poignant, and very funny, book.

When I started reading this novel, yes before sending it as a gift, I was startled to notice that Peiling's nemesis shared my first name! Just a silly, literary coincidence (it is fiction, after all!) no big deal, but odd, nonetheless; maybe because I live in the same town with the author?

In any case, I need not have worried. Of course, I can't spoil things, and it really is Peiling's story, not her friend's, or rather, the story is about how friends, and families, can change and grow, together, and no one is merely a nemesis, by the end. Heart-warming, at any time of year, but maybe especially now, at the December time of year.

As others have noted, while this is officially a novel for "young adults", it is a novel that even a no-longer-young adult can enjoy, quite a lot.

See for yourself, and/or, ask your local library or school to acquire it!

I was looking for a gift for a friend's daughter and liked the title of this book. I ended up reading the whole thing myself in one sitting. Poignant and funny story. Even though it's written for kids, it's not heavy-handed in its treatment of racial identity. I think it'll make a great present!

My 10 year old daughter and I found this story engaging and entertaining. From the beginning we found ourselves relating to Peiling and feeling her anxiety, despite the fact that we have no personal immigrant experience. Chen describes the school setting vividly and I felt like I was there. Peiling's classmates and friends were also extremely believable. My favorite was her quirky friend Grace.

As the population of the US becomes more diverse, with various ethnic communities having their own celebrations, this book is quite timely. The Hindus have Diwali, the Sikhs have Vaisakhi, and the Chinese have Chinese New Year. This book explores how young Peiling, whose family immigrated to the US from China, struggles to adapt to the hectic and happy preparations for Christmas as celebrated by her peers at school, but not her. She is pleasantly surprised when her parents decide to celebrate Christmas after seven years in the US, but is then disappointed when they take a Chinese approach to it.

The rest of the story centers around how Peiling comes to appreciate the differences between her and her classmates, and takes pride in her unique cultural traditions whilst coming together with her friends and celebrating Christmas. Its a unique but timely tale that is sure to appeal to readers, both young and old.