Resources Books

This book, from my opinion, is really sad and heartbreaking, i mean, someone torturing and starving dogs to death, not to mention dogs dying, is bound to break anyone's heart. However, the book has its happy parts, which i enjoy.

This book changed my life!
It really made be want to go out and save every little puppy. But I realized it's impossable to change every puppy's life, so I should just try to be the best possable pet owner I can be.

Thank you so much for writing that novel. It was heart breaking and heart healing at the same time.

Eleven-year-old Margaret "Maggie" MacKenzie has grown up around animals. Since the death of her parents when she was a toddler, Maggie has lived with her veterinarian grandmother, Dr. Mac, and helped out around her clinic. It has always just been her and Gran - along with a younger veterinarian named Dr. Gabe - working side by side. But, suddenly, Gran has given three new kids from school - Brenna, David, and Sunita - along with her starstruck cousin, Zoe, the chance to volunteer alongside them. Maggie, however, has been placed on an extremely short leash, and been banished from the clinic until she pulls her grades up. Maggie couldn't be more disappointed. She knows everything about animals, while these new volunteers couldn't tell a lab from a golden retriever. It doesn't hurt that she's amazing with animals - especially dogs - and knows all the tricks to keep them calm, and make them happy. Unfortunately, with her homework so out-of-control, Maggie is forced to obey Gran's rules, and steer clear of the clinic. That becomes quite difficult, however, when various puppies begin making their way into the office, brought in by concerned owners. Each puppy is much too small to be away from their mother, and all are extremely sick. Maggie can't stand to see the puppies so close to death, and knows that there must be something she can do to save each pup. But the fact that she's just a fifth grader makes her feel as if there's nothing she can possibly do. As more and more pups pour in, however, Gran begins to suspect that something fishy is going on. And, with a little investigating, she discovers that each puppy was purchased from a scraggly old man at the Penn Street Farmer's Market. It's obvious that each of the dying puppies are malnourished, and mistreated, and Gran is convinced that the man is running a puppy mill. Maggie can't stand to see anymore pups end up hurt. So, pushing all thoughts of homework and extra-credit reports out of her mind, Maggie begins to devote her time to locating the puppy mill owner. While she's displeased to be forced to work with other volunteers, Maggie knows that one person can't solve a mystery as big as this one alone, and enlists the help of her new co-workers to help her track down Mr. Evil. But as she hits more and more dead-ends, Maggie begins to panic, and becomes convinced that, if she doesn't locate the puppy mill soon, more puppies will die!

Aside from Ben M. Baglio's ANIMAL ARK series, it seems that there are so few book series for middle readers that revolve around kids helping animals. Laurie Halse Anderson, however, changes that, with the release of her VET VOLUNTEERS series. While the lead character of FIGHT FOR LIFE, Maggie, seems slightly spoiled, and self-involved, the reader can certainly see where she may feel displaced by the introduction of new volunteers to the clinic. Her evolution from beginning to end is a large one, and certainly shows how much she grows throughout the course of the book. Maggie's compassion for animals, paired with her resistance to do homework, will certainly appeal to readers - especially those who find themselves on a crash course with bad grades. While Maggie's interactions with the other volunteers, as well as Dr. Gabe and her Gran, are quite enjoyable, and really give the reader the chance to choose a favorite character. I really must commend Anderson for her interest in penning a series for young/middle readers, that teaches the importance, and value of an animals life. With all of the animal abuse cases in the news nowadays, Anderson creates an outlet for animal lovers, that shows that they are not alone in their determination to save their four-legged friends. Her characters are interesting, and the dialogue is perfectly age-appropriate. Even more wonderful is the fact that Anderson includes a wide array of information regarding animal rights, puppy mills, and various animal rights laws that give readers the chance to learn more about the subject discussed. While the subject of puppy mills is fairly heavy, and the content of FIGHT FOR LIFE is oft-times gut-wrenching, it is a subject that needs more attention brought to it, and Anderson does just that within the pages of FIGHT FOR LIFE. A tear-jerking story perfect for animal lovers!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I love this book because I love animals and especialy dogs. If you like or even love animals you should read this book. Right now my teacher is reading it to my class because of my reccomondation. If you get sad about animals dying you might not want to read this book.

This book was so good, I read it twice in 1 month! After I bought it, I didn't want to waste time so I started to read this book, in 3 or 4 days I was totally surprised that I was over already! This book is great for people of all ages and parents, this book may help your child relize the seriousness of a pet. Thats why I rated this a 5 star book. (also because they didn't have any higher ratings.)

I wanted to thank all of the folks who have taken the tie to review "First Art", a book of art projects and experiences for toddlers and two's. I've read every single review! How happy I am that this book is bringing great experiences to kids, and to their moms too. Thank you so very much to each of you for your wonderful reviews that remind me I am doing the right thing with my life!!!! ~ MaryAnn

I purchased this book so I could have more fun with my daughter, about a year and a half at the time of this review, and teach her a thing or two about creativity along the way. When I first got the book and read it, I LOVED it. There were tons of homemade recipes for saving money, ideas seemed relatively simple, yet fun, directions thorough... However, when I started implementing the ideas with my toddler, I slowly changed my mind.
I see a number of problems with this book:
Homemade recipes sound wonderful. You save money, you use ingredients you already have in your pantry, and you feel like such a handy supermom, what's not to love, right? Well, wrong...
First, the recipes often call for things I definitely don't have in my pantry, I was not even sure what some things were. For instance, cream of tartar. I wrote down a list of things I needed for a project and asked 3 employees at the store for it and all of them pointed me to tartar sauce. So, I had to go home empty-handed and do research online to find out what it was and why I needed it and where I could buy it, what I can substitute it for, etc. Most of the sources online seemed to indicate that it is something that used to be big in baking, but hardly ever needed now that we have baking powder. It'd be nice if the author provided some substitutions. I ended up using baking powder and it seemed to work alright. I later accidentally found cream of tartar in the spices section of my grocery store - and I looked in baking to no avail.
Another things is that a lot of recipes (80%, I'd say) call for tempera paint... If I'm going to buy paint, why buy tempera paint and mix it with stuff to make finger paints, might just as well buy finger paints - will probably end up cheaper. Same goes for, for example, a home-made blackboard. You need to buy the tape that has that chalkboard surface or chalkboard spray paint. Well, both are rather pricey, so it is almost as cheap to buy a ready-made chalkboard easel (not to mention much less trouble). Also, some recipes call for things like "an old grater you no longer use" (because you're going to be grating a bar of soap, for example) or "a big appliance box". I don't know if it's just me, but I think my Mom still uses the same grater she had when I was a year and a half and I don't buy big-screen TVs on a monthly basis... So, I don't really have all these lying around the house, nor is it always easy/cheap to find/buy one just when you want to try a project - often it really is easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy whatever it is you were going to make (case in point - beads).
Also, many recipes call for huge amounts of flour, salt, cornstarch, and food coloring. While those aren't that expensive in and of themselves (and food coloring CAN be), they add up! 4 cups of flour here, 4 cups of flour there, with a lot of these recipes not having the same shelf life as the store-bought equivalents. So, once again, the savings are questionable, even if we don't factor in the time we have to spend preparing stuff versus buying it ready-made.
The quality of projects.
My daughter is a pretty determined and focused toddler when she wants to be, but a lot of those projects are too contemplative to really keep her attention for more than 10 seconds. For instance, exploring the sounds and textures of a piece of foil or the much-favored by many feeley goop. My daughter was done exploring the sounds and textures of foil in 5 seconds and she did not want to explore the feeley goop at all after the initial try, so how was I supposed to make her realize that it has some unique qualities? The same goes for quite a number of projects that are meant to just "explore", but I realize that it is highly individual and there might be children out there who love those projects, just be aware that it is not automatic. Perhaps some of these activities would work well in a group, where children can feed off of each other's ideas and where interaction is already exciting enough, but for one child they can be a tad on a boring side and are over too quickly to be called an "activity".
Another thing in the projects I often have issues with is their messiness. The author does do a good job of outlining how to prep the working space, but with some projects, the colors will get splashed all over the place - it's toddlers we're talking about! I can cover a relatively large portion of the floor and the whole table, but I can't cover the walls and the ceiling... Not to mention that toddlers are known to run away in the middle of a project. So, unless you have a whole room you don't mind getting dirty and where you can contain your child (porch, sunroom, child-proof play room?), some of those projects will be just too much of a risky business to attempt in a nicer room. We live in a fully-carpeted apartment, and there is no way I'll be able to clean it up nicely if my child decides to have too much fun with one of the messier projects.
Finally, I find some "cooking" directions a little too sketchy. I have never made this thing before, I don't know what it should look and feel like, I actually ruined a couple of projects because I did something too soon or too late, even though I thought I was following the instructions religiously - there went 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt :-). Just so you don't think I'm a complete idiot, I do bake regularly and cook quite a bit too, and while sometimes my pizza dough made from scratch does turn out a little drier than I like, it is always edible, never a complete failure.
Overall, I'd say it's a good book with good ideas. If I were a kindergarten teacher, or had 2 or more kids of different ages, I'd probably rate this book better. But as a parent of only 1 child, I'd probably ever use only 1/3 of all the ideas of the book, with 2/3 being eliminated for one or several of the reasons mentioned above, which I find rather disappointing, since I am not paying only for the ideas I'm using...
Our favorite project so far? The bread. It did not taste spectacular (although was edible), but my daughter loved messing with the flour, watching it turn to dough, playing with the dough, etc.

I'm not very imaginative when it comes to "projects" for my kids (who are currently 3 and 1) so I love this book. I am thankful that there are people in the world with great ideas who share them in books. :P

First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and TwosI teach children 18 to 24 months great book with great ideas

My then 18 month old and I took "My First Art Class" at our local community center this past summer--it's a class created by the author's of the book. She had a great time with many of the activities and now that I'm back at work for the school year, I wanted to be able to continue her art experiences. This book is very easy to read, breaks down all the activities so you know how long it will take, if it's messy, etc. We made homemade playdough and have great plans for the other projects. Lots of neat ideas!

My three-year old grandson loved the book. The story is good and the art is exceptional.

As an artist I tip my hat to William Joyce! I read in an earlier review someone saying it is done in simple watercolor but thats not watercolor unless its watercolor pencils. Such meticulous detailed work even as George ventures down the railing of the stairs he passes a depiction of "Sunday afternoon on the Island of Le Grande Jatte"! This book is a prize the story line is so cute the text is perfect for age 2-6 and the adventure and art are unforgettable. No wonder PBS made it into a show!

I loved this book. It was so cute. I thoughtit was good for every one. It was about a kid who wonders about how it would be if he was shrunken and when he was sleeping he actully shrunk. But he had to do some chores and they were the simplest things like watering the plants or feeding the goldfish turn into the biggest adventure.

I gave this book a five because a little kid name George has a dream of him being small like a "teddy bear". When he had the dream he was in his bed sleeping, his mom left a note of chores and he was doing the chores. The "scary" part in the book was when the cat sees George and thinks his is a toy and the cat tries to put his claw on him ,but George runs and hides from the cat. This book is great and I think William took a long time doing the cover and pictures and I say the book cover and pictures are really beautiful. I love this book because he had a dream that was weird that he was small and that he had to do big chores. I would recommend this book because it is a cute book for a 1st and 2nd graders I think they will love it because all of the cute pictures and the funny pictures they would love to read this book a lot of times and I would like to some day read it again because it would be so nice to read it over and over.

I love this book and give it over and over to all the children that I care most about

This is masterfully written, solid, proven, best of the best, based on Scripture and years of God confirming His Word with signs following,just as He promised in His Word. The proverbial Philadelphia lawyer could not have laid out a more airtight case. Don't miss it. I sent a copy to a friend just diagnosed with cancer. He could not thank me enough.

I highly recommend this book for anyone , especially for those who need Physical or Spiritual Healing.

I am enjoying the book as a bibile study with my church. The book is easy to follow and understand.

A great book! If you only half believe that Jesus wants to heal you, read this book. If your faith in divine healing is wavering, read this book. One of the best ever written on this subject.
If you want to balance it with someone else's teaching, grab The Real Faith for Healing by Charles S Price and read that as well.

This was a life changing book for me, as were FF Bosworth "Christ the Healer" and Norvel Hayes "How to Live and Not Die". I actually read the latter two first. While reading the scriptural teachings in those two books, I received healing and cancelled a scheduled surgical consult. While reading the scripture in "Healing the Sick," I received healing again from a different condition. Praise His Holy Name!

The latter two books are available on audio tape or CD.

A foundation from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, with the combination of teachings in these books, along with Kenneth E. Hagin Sr, Kenneth Copeland, and Keith Moore (all his are free on his website) have been invaluable healing resources for me. I pray you are blessed as well. Peace to you.

Conflict in the changing healthcare environment is prevalent. Everyone is stressed and sometimes out of control! This book allowed me as a manager to better understand the core of why workplace conflict exists. I also learned tools to be able to lead my staff past the conflict. It was a real eyeopener! Every maanger should read it!

This material was an epiphany for me..
Anna's training at the county was illuminating in that it suddenly started answering questions I had about myself an life in general; after the first part of the class, I bought her book and ordered another from her recommanded bibliography and went to the next part of the class eager to keep the momentum.
What I mostly like about her book and her training is the universal appeal of it's material.
It puts all the knowledge you acquired and the questions you still have in a logic and informative frame that you can acually work with and benefit from.
I almost made me slap an imaginary forhead and say: duh!
It is useful at work, in your personal life, in your relationships and it may even make retirement an adventure yet to come.
Raluca

PS
Any manager would have to attend this class under "mandatory training" and I will certainily recommend it to anyone who has it available to them.

Excellent book that will help you control your temper and maintain relationships in the midst of daily conflicts and frustration. I am a church administrator, and came across this book in the library while doing research for a church staff, "Leadership conference" that I was teaching. The book presented "conflict resolution" in such a simple and understandable way, that I used the material in my presentation and even offered to order the book for those who would be interested in reading it. 66% of the people attending ordered the book, and one person ended up giving it to his boss to read! Another said he put a note on his toolbox at work that said: BO, BS & BIBS! (You'll have to read the book to find out what those mean.) The author's way of presenting her concepts stick in your mind easily, and do make you think about them when you are facing the many times that conflict happens in your life. I would recommend this book to anyone!

My company is rapidly growing and naturally has lots of conflict. this book has helped me better handle the situations. More importantly, I have been teaching techniques from it at all levels with great sucess both for the company and people's personal lives.

There are too many salient points to mention, the cycle of Contempt, the health effects of "flooding", Baby-in-the-backseat, and so many thoughts and techniques that lead to a path of lower conflict both at work and at home.

Let's start out with the openers...when someone makes you angry, you literally cannot hear what is said to you for about 30 minutes AND your body will not return to a low stress state for 3 hours...that's just the health effects.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is dealing with lots of confrontation or is supervising indiviuals in crisis.

I just lived through a major work place blow-up with a co-worker whom I've always struggled to get along with. During the blow-up I was repeatedly verbally attacked and accused. I also lost my temper. Being totally devastated, I sought out answers and advice from my pile of waiting to be read professional development books. Maravelas' book was near the top of my pile, so I picked it up. I had purchased it last summer - never opened it up. From the start she was right on with the level of hostility I have witnessed, her description of how we react, and everything else she writes about. I took out my highlighter which I never have done except for course work. My book is now full of yellow highlights.

I felt so strongly about what I had learned, that I mentioned it to our HR rep (who was brought in due to the severity of the blow-up). I also got the courage up to ask my manager to read it. I have never done anything like that before. I felt though, that the more people in the organization who have read the book, the stronger and more effective we can make our organization. This book has definitely help heal some of the wounds caused by the caustic relationship I've had with this co-working. Do I believe that everything will be fine from now on? No, my co-worker has not read the book and would take offense were I to suggest it. That said, I now have a much better understanding of why each of us responded as we did, and I now have some tools I can attempt to use during future interactions.

It's an easy read which I need to reread now that I'm am in a far better frame of mind. Anyone who works in an organization, especially those who are managers or need to work with others should read this book and apply what they read. Don't wait for that major, embarrassing, career hindering blow-up to take place before you do.

This is a must read for anyone who wishes to learn more about Kingdom Building in a Covenantal sense...

Jesus says they will know us by how we love one another.... This book tells us exactly how to do just that.

I received my books in great shape and in a very timely fashion. Would order from this place again...Thanks so much!!

Just started book ,but am truly amazed at simplicity yet depth of information to live and serve as a Christian in this life. Am anxious to finish and apply.

I was only about ten pages into this book before I realized that it was very, very good. And it kept getting better. It is not only theologically sound in the sense of not containing noticeable errors, but also deals with its subject matter in a theologically astute way. And in addition to being theologically sound, it is pastoral and practical. I have no doubt that I will return to it again and again in pastoral ministry.

The main idea of the book is that all believers should be doing what Tripp calls "personal ministry," helping people to see themselves and their situations in a biblical light, and work to be conformed more to the image of Christ. Most of his stories and application have to do with pastoral ministry or professional Christian counseling, but the principles could apply just as well to a small group leader, or any Christian who wishes to be used by God to minister to others. In examining our lives, we (and the people we counsel) need to understand the fundamental teachings of the Bible on God and humanity. We have to understand that we are fallen, that sin has pervaded every aspect of our lives. As a result we sin, we suffer from the effects of others' sin, and we respond sinfully to that suffering. Sin is not an occasional mix-up in an otherwise well-functioning system; it is a constant reality that is at play in every situation we deal with. We must also understand, though, that as believers we have been fundamentally changed by the gospel. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we really are able to fight against the power of sin ad walk in increasing obedience to God's commands. In short, all of us are "people in need of change," God gives us the means by which to change, and we are called to help each other change.

This book is a great introduction to personal ministry, especially for a pastor. The examples were a little dramatic, and it could be discouraging for someone who isn't dealing with marriages that are falling apart or people who were abused as children. But Tripp's principles are a great paradigm for any Christian who desires to minister to others and build deeper relationships within the body of Christ.

I was given this book by a mentor of mine and told that it would be extremely helpful. The problem is that I saw it was deemed a "counseling" book on the back, so I moved on for a while before I picked it up and read it. I continued to see the book on the "Best Seller's" list at many sites that I admire, so I finally picked the book up and started to read. I have to be honest, if I were to try and write all that I learned this review would turn into a novel itself.

Paul David Tripp really unpacks a three part effort.

One: To show me who I am
Two: Who others are
Three: How to practically minister to them, and accept their ministering to me

This book gets to the root of the issues and he even starts with the theological impact of understanding who God is and then who we are, namely: we aren't perfect, we need change, and we need help in that changing process from Christ and others.

This book not only unfolds what we are to do in daily ministering opportunities, but he unpacks the practical ways to do them. One of my favorite quotes in the book is that:

"We often say we need to preach the Word, but we also need to counsel the Word."

That is what this book is all about. It is how to counsel the Word of God to those in everyday life that need change just like you and I. What will hinder this book is that some will think it is only for the pastor or counselor, but it's intention is for all believers and it is written that way and is desperately needed for today's church.

I have already used the book and will continue to go back to it to try and unpack my shortcomings and also to help others do the same when they are in need of ministering. I know this is not the "hot topic" of discussion around the water cooler, but this book is much more needed in today's world that wants to only deal with actions instead of the root of those actions, namely, our darkened heart in need of the power of Christ. You will learn how to effectively and biblically (synonymous terms) counsel another as they ask a simple question or are having everyday life problems, instead of giving a "pat" answer or reciting Scripture and telling them to pray about it. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

This is great trivia for those who already have a basic knowledge of the middle ages. It's filled with gross and gristly bits that will entertain and inform. Don't let the juvenile presentation of the book deter you. A really fun read for teens and adults alike. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

Who says history has to be boring and serious? Measly Middle Ages tells the history of the middle ages while completely entertaining the reader. The book itself is filled with lots of interesting information, surprising facts, and insider jokes. It's great fun!

Measly Middle Ages is part of a series of Horrible Histories which teaches history in a interesting, fun, and humorous way. All of these books have great titles like Rotten Romans, Awesome Egyptians, Groovy Greeks, and Vicious Vikings. A copy of these books should be in every local school library.

This great, enchanting, and captivating series attracted me since i was a child. Not only is this an educating experience, this also provides information in a very enjoyable way. Attractive to the most intelligent minds, and interesting to every child, this makes a great gift and also a great reader.
It will make you smile and even laugh out loud as you read book after book. My only question is, why would they ever stop priting? I ask Scholastic to continue print so all who desire a book can recieve one. Thank you.

The book really had no main characters. This book was an informational book covering the Middle ages. The book covered such great people in history as Queen Isabeau, King Richard II, and King Richard III.

The plot of the story is about the middle ages. Also about
how the people changed history and life as it was during the Middle Ages. The history that I learned was a lot different of how it is today. The story also focused on famous kings and Queens and important people who changes history forever and their improtant contributions to the Middle Ages.

The setting of the story is during the Middle Ages which is from 410A.D.-1453A.D.

The Measly Middle Ages is about the people in life that made a diffrence for the people of today. It also tells you about important events and the historic importance of individuals of during the middle ages.

One of the resons I liked this book is because I am realy into history. Another reason that I liked reading this book is because of the awsome illistrations throughout the book. I also enjoyed how the book kept my attention throghtout the story and this is why this was one of best books i have read in a long time.

I came across Terry Deary completely by accident ~ in a gift shop in Scotland, shoved amongst other more "scholarly" hardcovers. As my graduate area of study is the Middle Ages, I was intrigued and bought the book on a whim ~ and haven't stopped buying Terry Deary's books since! Are the books chock-full of historical facts guaranteed to allow someone to walk away thinking they know everything about the Middle Ages, Greece, Rome, France, or any of Deary's other topics? No, of course not. Are the books a wonderfully entertaining (and illustrated!) way of addressing what can admittedly be a bit of a dry topic? Of course! I say any books that can make someone, young or old, become interested in history should be embraced fully. And, hey, I learn something new from every book I read, which is an added bonus! Further, I think these books definitely appeal to adults who have an interest or education in history ~ much as what "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" teaches us about Shakepeare is true about Deary's treatment of history: the better you know the original, the more funny and entertaining the condensed versions are.

After the Bible, this is the best book written for the church today. Bar None. If this book (the ideas in it) would be taken seriously, it will change the church in America - maybe save it from being like the church in Europe. I've recommended it to every single pastor I know.
Rev. Karen Walters

This is one of those books that you could read at any pace, but to really nudge out the details of the pages you really have to do alot of reflection. What i really like about the book was it opened up avenues for fresh questions and perspective. I found that by preasenting their concepts of ministry tried with real stories makes the book authentic. I love this. It gave a realistic vibe to it.

I was interested in this book because my church is launching a daughter church. The insights that Burke has are so dead on. My husband's Bible study decided to go through the book a chapter at a time, using the discussion questions at the end of each one. The questions are good - really make you think about how the church should look in this culture. I work in a non-profit organization. The entire staff bought the book and we've been using it during staff meetings. This book is accessible, but not "dumbed down" at all.

Great book. I got the book from the library and have been using it for a college class. The book is very good and has actually casued me to rethink some of my ideas about non-christians. There are excellent stories in the book. It reminds me of how Jesus taught; in parables. I have never written a review here, but this book impressed me quite a bit.

Starting a church based on the principle that people should feel safe to express themselves exactly as they are without any semblance of pretense, Burke wrote No Perfect People Allowed to chronicle how he dealt with the messiness that inevitably follows. The book is at its best when Burke simply relates stories of his interactions with authentic people and talks about how he approached each situation and why, but it stumbles when he starts talking about broader principles and the bigger picture. At the end of the book, Burke laments that the church has historically emphasized pastors as instruments of instruction while neglecting to enlist people with leadership gifts into the role, and one certainly gets the impression that Burke himself is more gifted as a leader than a teacher. His examples of practice are greatly superior to his contextualization of them. For example, while he has a reasonable grasp on interacting with people of the postmodern generation, Burke's short theoretical explanation of postmodernism is atrociously awful and carries the potential to mislead ministry leaders who may not have the academic background to discern how far offbase he is.

As I read this book I could almost feel the track clicking below the engine, hear the chuffing of the engine as it labored to pull the cars, listen to the lonesome sound of the whistle as the engineer arrived at the crossing and feel the power as the fireman put the coal to the firebox and the engineer pulled the Johnson bar. All in all a great read and a book that anyone interested in the steam era would read with relish.

One of the most compelling railroad books I've read - the narrative is compelling because of Orr's consistent, insightful commitment to doing his job well and discovering the most efficient way to get his train over the road. Of course hardcore railfans will enjoy this book, but I think students of industrial history and those interested in the way people go about their jobs (a la Studs Terkel/working) will get something out of this book as well.

The detailed descriptions in "Set Up Running" will have you smelling coal smoke. Even though I have been a rail fan for all of my 65 years, was an NYC-PC employee, and I'm a native of Pennsylvania, I learned something new on nearly every page and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Although "Set Up Running" deals almost exclusively with operations on a PRR branch line, ferroequinologists (students of the iron horse) everywhere will love this book. It has the unique quality of making you wish it would go on forever.

When I read a book or article about railroads it is easy to tell when the writer is over his head. Not here. This book is authentic.

The time covers a great period of growth of steam locomotive development. PRR classes from the old class R through the M1a are run and evaluated. Which one is the engineer's favorite? You might be surprised.

The book is a labor of love. It is human as well as technological. Here you find the enthusiasm of the young man, the confidence of the mature man, and the feelings of being squeezed out of the retiring man. As I finished the book I sat and thought about the family for a long time.

Set Up Running is simply the VERY BEST railroad related book which I have EVER read! If you don't have it GET IT! PERIOD! (PS: I have NO financial interest in this book or any organization/company which sells it). I'm doing YOU a favor by rating this book and advising YOU to get it!)

ceh

I bought the book on impulse, based on a very strong recommendation, and found it contains the best help I have ever discovered for a writer and/or speaker using the Internet. I highly recommend it. She has an unbelievable amount of detailed research at her fingertips.

The world of the Internet is constantly changing. Without a bunch of ever-changing computer jargon, Carmen Leal has provided a set of tools and techniques for writers and speakers to learn how to research and market online. While there are many websites listed throughout this book, Carmen provides the updated links with something called Living Links.

No one can know everything about this topic of research and marketing but Carmen gives each writer and speaker a running start at the topic with this well-crafted book. It's a resource to get, read, then schedule time to periodically re-read and keep learning about this important area.

Carmen Leal is not just a very smart lady; she's very nice, too. Both traits come across loud and clear in this book. Reading her easy, straightforward, advice-rich prose is like having a conversation with the wise, affectionate aunt you never had. And, without a doubt, her collection of helpful sites for writers and speakers is unparalleled. She had pretty much every link in my own Internet bookmark folder, plus about 25-30% more than I had -- and mine were considerable, being the result of more than six years as a writer. Without a doubt, this book will stay next to my computer and become dogeared from all the love and attention it gets from me.

That said, I do have a slight issue with the marketing of this book as pure Internet reference, because that's not exactly what it is. Ms. Leal's target audience is actually NOT the seasoned writer or speaker who just needs to rev up his or her personal research engine. She's writing for, and to, beginning writers and aspiring professional speakers. Much of her book (some entire chapters and several partial chapters) is devoted to introducing neophytes to the craft and the business of writing or speaking. Thus, considering my six years of experience as a writer, I found myself skimming great swaths of text, with my eyes pausing only when I glimpsed the italic print with which all those juicy internet links are helpfully set apart.

Bottom line: This book is most definitely worth the $10 Amazon will charge you for it, and more. However, its scope is, in my opinion, a bit broad. It would be more useful to professional writers and speakers if it came in a separate, streamlined edition -- one without all the newbie advice we've already heard and benefited from long ago.

Carmen Leal has done a massive amount of research to write this book. She's done the work, and we reap the benefits. Two things endear me to Carmen:

1. She can remember when she didn't know about the internet, and can remember how she learned.

2. She writes in a easy-to-follow style that leads me on the path to understanding.

If only every book on computer topics were written this well!

WriterSpeaker.com--no, that's not a website-- well, actually there is a website by that name. But in this case, it is the title of a uniquely informative book.

If someone other than the book's author had asked me to read this book, I doubt I would have bothered to do so. And, oh what I would have missed had I not read it! "Technical reading" is not usually my choice. In fact, the last time I read a technical book it was assigned reading in college. I swore then that I would never use my precious reading time for technical reading again. Carmen Leal managed to change my mind on the matter, and I am very glad that she did.

My chance meeting with the energetic and engaging author of several books must have been one of those fortuitous moments we all hope for. I found myself face to face with a published author who was real, down to earth, and interested in my personal desire to write. Her energy is contagious. Her passion for writing--and helping others to do so--is overwhelming. She makes the whole writing process from beginning to end seem so easy. With an attitude that says, "If I can do it, so can you," she encourages writers and would-be writers to strive to reach their goals.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of interacting with Carmen Leal on numerous occasions. She always takes the time to inquire about my writing life. She never misses an opportunity to inform or encourage. No wonder WriterSpeaker.com is so reader-friendly. Its author is reader, speaker, and writer friendly as well!

In addition to this, her first technical book, Leal is the author of Faces of Huntington's and the co-author of Pinches of Salt, Prisms of Light. She teaches writing classes for the Collier County Public School System's Adult Education Program, lectures on various writing topics for the Friends of the Library at the Collier County Public Library, and travels extensively to speak at various writing conferences.

Whether the Internet is a constant companion or a new acquaintance, this book offers an amazing wealth of information. Its pages are filled with information specifically designed to meet the needs of writers and speakers. This is a reference book unlike any I have ever read before. In just 269 pages, Leal has addressed internet features, research, tips for finding writing resources including copyright laws, self-publishing hints, business savvy, online writing opportunities and classes, website development, and much much more.

In a highly unusual move, Leal has taken her readers into the "web" via a web address which links to the untold numbers of resources found in her book. She is quick to point out, "All links are checked periodically, and dead websites are eliminated. New websites come with brief descriptions."

Written from her heart, Leal guides the beginning writer through the keys to becoming a successful writer: "Read and listen. Join. Work at your craft. Attend a writer's/speaker's conference or convention. Know the publishing industry." Internet sources to work at each of these keys are addressed in WriterSpeaker.com.

Leal writes that the internet can take us "beyond research and on to success" in our craft by (1)"allowing us to target our work to specific editors," (2) "providing a place to showcase one's work," and (3) "streamlining the communication process between writers and editors."

WriterSpeaker.com has been placed on my desk next to the computer. It is already looking a bit old and worn, but it will likely be my new best friend as I work at perfecting my own writing life with the help of Internet features and great friends like author Carmen Leal.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women