Companies Books

I loved the movie/book The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and the movie Titanic. There is just something about class differences and forbidden romance that holds unmistakable appeal for me. This book deals with this controversy and so much more.

Lorna Barnett was the 18 year-old daughter of a wealthy commodore. Jens Harken was the kitchen help. These two people's lives intersect when Lorna's father looses a boating race and will do anything to win the next one. Jens is from Norway and comes from a long line of boat builders. He convinces Lorna's father to let him build a boat that he says will be the fastest in the water. This leads to a friendship between Lorna and Jens that turns out to be so much more.

Lorna was very likable. She wasn't self-centered or uppity. She was honest, forthright, and assertive. Jens was also likable, hardworking, and was a man of integrity.

This book had some very tragic moments...I was moved to tears several times. At one point I thought these star-crossed lovers would never get their HEA.

My only complaint with this book is that it was a bit "slow to go". I'm not much of a "boating" person....so all the descriptions of the boat and building process got tedious for me. I did appreciate the slow couple development. These two are friends first and Spencer takes her time bringing them to the next level of lovers.

All in all, a memorable read.

When I started out reading this book, I was very skeptical, and I did not want to read something, that was set in the 1800's. I was pleasantly surprised though, because of what I learned about those times. I loved the characters and thought that they just fit together, especially Lorna and Jens. The book was romantic, but definitely had tragic and horrible moments, as well. This was a great novel, with an expected ending, but I really did enjoy this book a lot.

and this book proves she is at the top! I enjoyed this book even though it was a tear jerker.

Levyrle Spencer can just make you feel what her characters are feeling so effortlessly that you laugh and cry with them and almost forget that they are not real.
Lorna and Jens are one of her most real characters and their situation is also so real. The way they are helpless against their attraction to each other even after knowing it would be disastrous was so beautifully written that you could feel the sexual tension yourself whenever they were together.
Lorna was a rich girl but not spoilt at all. And Jens was poor but too ambitious and proud to become one of the servents in house for Lorna. Their attraction, like it always happens in Levyrle Spencer's romances, grew with each of their meetings to an extent that it was almost unbearable for me(and i suppose all the readers). It became something too strong and inevitable to ignore anymore. I especially liked the scene when Lorna asked Jens if he was ever going to kiss her, "I have considered ordering you to, but it didn't work before." How sweet!
People like Lorna's parents could make something so beautiful and rare into something cheap and dirty. Her mother was so convincing that she made Lorna question her own feelings. Her mother used her shame and guilt as a weapon against her love for Jens and made her give up hope. Jens was angry with her for giving up and i don't blame him.
The ending was Great! It warmed my heart to see Lorna stand up for her love and her child without any shame or guilt.
This is one of those books that you have got to read again and i definately will.

I LOVED this book!!! It is the love story of Lorna, a rich girl (though not spoiled at all), living in the high society of Minnesota in the late 1800s, and Jens, the kitchen handyman, hired by her father to build him the fastest boat possible. The characters come to life in this book - LaVyrle Spencer at her best, so very well written that you can feel their pain, etc. Heartwrenching and very romantic. Reminds me of "Titanic" with the whole upper class/lower class theme. I can't say enough about this book. I just couldn't put it down, it is really that good!!! It is definitely one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone!!!

My 3 year old loves this book- because of the short rhyming phrases, he was able to memorize the book after only a few readings, and now "reads" it to me. He has alot of fun with it and I think it will help him as he starts recognizing words. I have turned into a big Boynton fan!

Gosh we love Sandra Boynton around here. Boy does she write great books.

This is a quick book of rhymes which *mostly* show opposites (dinosaur weak, dinosaur strong, dinosaurs singing a dinosaur song!) Very fast to read, and cute, engaging pictures for little ones.

Ultimately we love Sandra Boynton. She has a great writing style for little kids.

All of Sandra Boynton's books are a hit at our house, but Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs! is the favorite. The catchy rhymes and funny pictures are a great way to introduce the concept of opposites, counting and colors to small children.

This is one of our favorite books! My son loves seeing the dinosaurs and I really like reading it. It is the best opposites book I've seen, most are boring, but this one is really fun. He loves saying "bye bye" at the end to the dinosaurs too, it's just too cute!

This rhyming children's book is terrific toddler reading. The drawings are beautiful and our kids have both loved it. Our two year old loves the animal illustrations and verses. A great pick!

We recently ordered 5 copies of Quick as a Cricket for our grandson and as gifts for other children. Our kids grew up with this book and it is timeless. All the copies we ordered were paperback but one arrived supersized. The pages are 15 x17 which is wonderful. The pages of the smaller books are 6x6. Both sizes have their uses but we really enjoy the wonderful illustrations in the larger format.

My children love this book (they are 5, 3 and 1). The illustrations are amazing and the words are few, but very creative. It's very fun to immitate the pages as well.

Cute book! There are puppets that can be purchased to go along with the story, they are great for kids to keep them engaged and involoved.

I used to use this book while teaching children at a learning center, and now I use this book to read to my daughter before bedtime. The pictures are great! The read is short which is great for kids with short attention spans. Absolutely a must have!

"Ramona And Her Mother" is a later entry in the Ramona & Beezus series, and yet it is also one of the finest books of its kind, another in a long line of great books by the masterful Beverly Cleary.

First pubished in 1979, the book finds the gauzy comfort of the Eisenhower era (when the first Henry Huggins and Beezus books were written) replaced by the strain and worry of the recessionary 'Seventies. Ramona's dad, who recently lost his job, has found new work at a local supermarket, but he doesn't like the position, and having both parents out working full-time places new strains on the family. Ramona, who is now seven years old, is no longer an overt brat, but there's a lot going on in her little head, as she struggles with the demands that come with growing up. She is envious of her teenage older sister, who she sees as a goodie-goodie and as her parent's favorite. Her relationship with her mom seems to be up in the air as well, and her parents, both tired from long days at work, have started to argue, which worries the kids. Of course, Cleary finds the silver lining, and while young readers may both recognize their own families (and become anxious for exactly the same reasons as Ramona does) Cleary magically produces happy endings that still do not deny the hardships and imperfections of life. If you've enjoyed Ramona's earlier adventures, you will not be disappointed with this funny, quick volume. (ReadThatAgain children's book reviews)

The book Ramona and her mother is about a 7 year old little girl who is jealous of her big sister Beatrice and she wants to spend time with her mommy as mommy's little girl but Beezus has already taken on that role. In the end, Ramona Quimby gets her wish...To spend time with her mother. You'll need to read this book and find out how it all actually ends. Though this book does have some boring parts, I would recommend this book to any elementary or beginning middle school girl who loves Beverly Cleary books or any girl who might be experiencing what Ramona is going through. I myself can relate because I go through this almost on a daily basis. Sometimes I'm jealous of my baby cousin who gets most of all the attention but in the end (just like Ramona), I get my mommy all to myself.

G.B.M. Sanders - 6th grade - Hammond Middle
Alexandria, VA

Ramona is seven-and-a-half-years-old right now. She is going through a difficult time trying to figure out if she wants to be mommy's little girl or grow up. Ramona's mother invited Ramona's best friends family over for brunch. When Howie's little sister Willa Jean arrives Ramona can't stand to be jealous. Willa Jean is a little girl with curled hair and has pretty little dresses. When Ramona sees her bear, Roger she will do anything to get her hands on it . Ramona's mom puts her in charge of watching Willa Jean. While Beezus and the adults eat brunch the adults refer to her as mother's girl. Ramona is trying to figure out why she doesn't get in trouble for anything and gets away with everything. Ramona never gets away with anything and is always in trouble. When she squirts the whole tube of toothpaste in the sink, she gets yelled at and when she has a tantrum, she is told to stop right away. In Ramona's world nothing is fair. She can't stand that her mother has to work and she is forced to be watched by Willa Jean's grandmother evryday after school. Ramona would rather stay at home sewing, cooking, reading, and watching T.V. with her mom, but things never seem to work out. All she wants to do is be mommy's little girl forever. Now time passes by and she realizes she will just have to grow up.

Ramona is seven-and-a-half-years-old right now. She is going through a difficult time trying to figure out if she wants to be mommy's little girl or grow up. Ramona's mother invited Ramona's best friends family over for brunch. When Howie's little sister Willa Jean arrives Ramona can't stand to be jealous. Willa Jean is a little girl with curled hair and has pretty little dresses. When Ramona sees her bear, Roger shes will do anything to get her hands on it . Ramona's mom puts her in charge of watching Willa Jean. While Beezus and the adults eat brunch and she keeps getting called mother's girl. Ramona is trying to figure out why she doesn't get in trouble for anything and gets away with everything. Ramona never gets away with anything and is always in trouble. When she squirts the whole tube of toothpaste in the sink, she gets yelled at and when she has a tantrum, she is told to stop right away. In Ramona's world nothing is fair. She can't stand that her mother has to work and she is forced to be watched by Willa Jean's grandmother evryday after school. Ramona would rather stay at home sewing, cooking, reading, and watching T.V. with her mom, but things never seem to work out. All she wants to do is be mommy's little girl forever. Now time passes by and she relizes she will just have to grow up.

Being seven-and-a-half-years-old (right now!) may seem like a simple task, but for second-grader, Ramona Quimby, it's proving to be a mix of difficulty and confusion. After all, she's between two strange ages - seven and eight - and can't figure out what she wants to do. Part of her is determined to stay her mother's little bunny, twitching her nose and being babied; while the other part wants to act like a grown-up, and do whatever she pleases. When Ramona's parents throw a New Year's brunch to celebrate her father finding a new job, she's thrilled to get the chance to eat a mix of breakfast and lunch. But when her best friend Howie's younger sister, Willa Jean arrives, Ramona can't help but feel jealous of the "little angel." For one, Willa Jean has ruffles sewed onto her underpants; and two, she's holding a stuffed bear - aptly named Woger - that Ramona would do anything to get her hands on. But, alas, even at her young age, Willa Jean is determined not to part with Woger. To make matters worse, Ramona's mother leaves her in charge of Willa Jean while Beezus and the rest of the adults get to fraternize with one another over hot muffins, coffee, sausage, and so much more. Ramona can't understand why her parents are treating her like a baby, while Beezus is constantly called her "mother's girl." Beezus doesn't even get in trouble for anything, because everyone says that she's at a "difficult" age. Ramona feels that she's at a difficult age, as well. But she never gets away with anything. When she squirts a whole tube of toothpaste into the bathroom sink, she gets yelled at; when she has a tantrum, she's told to "stop this instant," when she wants to stay up later than her bedtime, she's not allowed. In Ramona's eyes, nothing is fair. She can't stand that her mother has to work, and that she's forced to be watched by Willa Jean's grandmother everyday after school, and the fact that Beezus gets to go to her friends houses only makes matters worse. Ramona would do anything to just spend everyday with her mother - sewing, cooking, reading, watching TV. But things never seem to work out the way Ramona wants them to. All she wants is to stay her mother's little girl forever, but the more time that passes the more Ramona begins to realize that, perhaps, her wish will never be granted, and she'll be forced to grow up.

I first discovered Ramona Quimby when I was about six-years-old, and instantly fell in love with her pesty antics, and penchant for throwing tantrums at the worst possible moments. Now, with the re-publication of the RAMONA series, however, I am beginning to realize that I missed out on quite a few of Ramona's tales, and have decided to re-immerse myself in the life of the Quimby family. Now, even though so many years have passed, I find that Beverly Cleary's tales about Ramona are still enjoyable, and quite irresistible. Ramona, as always, is the perfect example of a precocious child embarking on the trials and tribulations that accompany growing up. Her ability to act slightly mature at times, then revert back to full-blown childish behavior is spot-on with how growing children truly act; while her jealousy, and ability to find herself in countless bizarre situations only prove to make her even more hilarious. Cleary manages to balance humor with family problems by placing a slight emphasis on difficulties with money, a parent losing a job, and being bombarded with bills. While subjects such as money problems, and not wanting to grow-up are often sore spots, Cleary presents them in a neutral way that offers parents the opportunity to discuss such issues with their children in an effort to put their minds at ease. However, even by introducing these problems, Cleary never overshadows the humorous side of Ramona, and never talks down to the reader. In fact, Ramona remains as lovable as ever as she traverses the muddy waters of second grade, and works to accept the new teacher whom she's still unsure of; while, at the same time, working overtime to twitch her nose to remind her mother that she is, and always will be, her little bunny. The most obnoxious - yet entertaining - little sister in fiction!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

This is probably the most important book on the market for people who have family or friends involved in destructive cults, or have been involved themselves.

A must read.

In Releasing the Bonds Steve Hassan brings help, healing and understanding to former cult members and their families and to sufferers of abuse and trauma in relationships. Mr.Hassan's in depth exposition of the interplay between individual personality and the psycho-technology of extremist organizations is fascinating and elucidating. His develoment of the strategic interactive approach to cult related problems and relationship trauma is a considerable contribution to contemporary psychotherapy.

This book is a must for students of psychology, anyone interested in the psychology of terrorism, practicing therapists as well as students of history and politics.

Hassan's insightful, inclusive and compassionate approach to the most intricate of human problems and suffering is a window into a world of hope.

I was first "introduced" to Steven Hassan when Dr. Phil had a program dealing with two girls who left a polygamous Mormon off-shoot cult, and Hassan was a guest consultant.

I found this book useful. Part of the reason is one of our family members are in a cult.

I've been familiar with cults for years, primarily from a doctrinal stance. Hassan is not a Christian (he's Jewish), but he approaches the subject differently. His focus is on mind control, and he points out that there are non-religious groups that are basically cults because of their mind control. Most people I know consider Mormonism a cult, but Hassan only mentions them in his bibliography. Jehovah's Witnesses, however do appear, because they use mind control.

This book is primarily aimed for rescuing someone out of cults, and is effective.

A master of love and compassion. A healer in every sense of the word. A gifted author who's outpouring of information gleaned through years of education, research, personal experience, and couseling ~ renews and restores lives shattered through 'cult-member' experiences. It seems he prides & reveres the personal freedom of each person as much as his own ~ and bends over backward to to educate and provide avenues for healing. Read this, read Combatting Cult Mind Control. To my way of thinking a hero in every sense of the word. There is help out there to get people out of cults and to help people in the healing of putting life "back together" again in hope and ultimately joy. Highly recommend!

Steve Hassan knows whereof he speaks, and this book will help anyone looking to rescue a loved one or friend from the grips of the mind control tactics that characterize sects of all kinds. The most important aspect of Hassan's program is respect: respect for what may have sent a person into the clutches of a sect to begin with, and respect for the individual lost in the double-talk miasma of sect manipulation. This is a book of hope and love; every single member of a family can learn and grow from it, and its message tells us never to give up.
Read it through to the end and make sure you understand all aspects of the intervention described in its pages. Hassan will arm you with the tools needed to act wisely, humanely, fairly. Your friend or loved one deserves it. So do you.

I love thumbing through this book. I buy most of my seeds from Seed Savers Exchange so it is especially fun because several of the varieties I was already growing, are featured in this book. Plus I have been inspired to try a few more. Well laid out. Beautiful book.

Wonderful book written by Dr Carolyn Male. If you don't own or have not read this book, then you really are found lacking in life!

Enjoyed the book enough to buy another to give to my tomato-growing son. Also hooked me to the point of buying three other tomato books from Amazon. The author posts regularly on various tomato websites. Great photographs. For the price that Amazon sells this book - you cannot go wrong.

I have a small greenhouse and sell organic heirloom tomato plants. This book is my tomato bible! I am growing many of the plants she lists. Some I already knew about, some will be new this year, based on the information in this book. In addition, this book contains the simplest and clearest instructions I have found for saving seeds.

Her pictures - well, they are REAL! What a concept! Instead of pictures of these pristine tomatoes that were probably airbrushed, the pictures of her cherry tomatoes show a little crack here and there, and she unabashedly shows scarring and other blemishes. She shows top views, bottom views, and each picture shows a cut tomato so one can see the flesh. For a tomato grower like me, this is great information.

Her descriptions are frank, and since I was already growing some of these tomatoes myself, I know they are honest. You ever notice how the descriptions of the tomatoes in the catalogs imply that EVERY tomato is the BEST tomato? Dr. Male tells it like it is! In fact, she describes some of them having some faults, but has listed them for other reasons. (We agree - Amish Paste? Ho-hum. But historically significant and in spite of its faults, a very popular tomato.)

If you are a tomato aficionado, then you must add this book to your library! I will have a copy at my booth at the farmers market - and I bet it will be dog-eared by the end of the tomato season! I may have to buy another!

I received this book as a gift, after my small 4-plant tomato plot fared disastrously last summer. 1 of the 4 plants produced decent tomatoes, while the rest died unceremoniously. This year, following the recommendations in this book, my 4 plants are all doing great, and I already have little tomatoes-to-be on 3 of the 4. For that reason alone I would recommend this book. I wish some of the planting and tending suggestions were a little clearer; you have to piece some of them together for yourself. Nevertheless, just two of the express recommendations on their own have made a world of difference for me.

The photographs and descriptions of the different heirloom varieties are fantastic, and will inspire you to pick out some different and unusual tomatoes for your garden. You don't have to be a tomato fanatic to enjoy and learn from this book.

Carl is a wonderful writer and brilliant scientist, this book covers a wide range of issues while keeping it lively and hopeful.

I bought this book for my daughter who will go to graduate school to study marine science next year. I have not read the book but based on other reviews I think this must be an excellent book especially my daughter is very much concerned about preserving nature. Anyway, I was a litle bit disappointed when I received the book. I ordered soft copy and the print was so small that I don't know whether it will turn off my daughter's interest since she is very nearshighted. I don't mind if the book is thicker or bigger.

Part exploration, part eloquent plea for action, this is the report of a scientist's journey toward understanding the plight of our seas. Safina travelled with tuna fishermen and coral research teams, salmon boats and conservationists fighting for the Columbia Gorge. Their stories are here, in their words, set against a backdrop painted by a Yale professor with the soul of a poet. The litany is one of collapsing fisheries and dying reefs, huge nets that are scraping the sea floor into a featureless, lifeless plain, unbridled greed, and people whose heritage as sailors and fishermen is disappearing in a generation. Here also is the graceful breach of a humpback whale, the slow lazy lolling of an ocean sunfish, and the bullet quick movement of bluefin tuna under Atlantic sunrises and Pacific sunsets. An altogether beautiful book about the slow death of the sea. Safina believes we can protect the bounty and diversity he so eloquently describes. The question he poses is, "Will we choose to?" and suggests that one way to help answer that is to ask another. "What if we don't?"

This is one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read. Safina's journey encompasses the entire world and all points of view. His words have inspired me to pursue my dreams and opened up new worlds of knowledge. Now, every time I hear of politicians doing something stupid to the oceans or rivers, I just shake my head and say "'Song' should be required reading for them before they can draft a piece of legislation dealing with the oceans."

I'm only about halfway through this book, but it's so moving that I decided I needed to rave now. Carl Safina uses an amazing grasp of language to paint mental pictures of what he writes about. I work in the scientific community and have spent a lot of time on that water, and his writings are not only objective and scientifically sound, he constructs them in such a way that they are beautiful. You will have a thirst for each topic and region of which he writes. I borrowed this book from the library and had vowed to buy it before I'd finished the first chapter. It has only improved as I've proceeded.

When it comes to the saxophone, this book covers it all. Embouchure, posture, the parts of the horn, the history of the horn, reeds, fingering, you name it and it's in this book. It's surprisingly in depth on every front, even having a section on the altissimo register. This really is among the must haves of any saxophone player's library.

Having said that, this is in no way the ONLY book you should have. While it contains warm up exercises, actually buying a decent scale/chord study book should be a high priority. Also, if you're serious about learning the 3rd and 4th octaves, you need to buy a good high register book.

Ultimately, for me at least, this book comes down to more of an encyclopedia as opposed to a bible. It can take you really far, but you're eventually going to need to buckle down with specialty resources.

This book is considered by many to be the "Saxophonist's Bible." A great book with many illustrations and practical advice for playing the saxophone.

Great book!
I just started learning to play the sax, and this book has given me
an invaluable insight into the instrument and how to play it.
I recommend it to anyone starting to play the saxophone, but the information is valuable even for established and professional players.

I have recently started learning the basics of saxophone playing. My knowledge of playing the Saxophone, and indeed any musical instrument, and also music theory is limited. However I found that the information in "The Art of Saxophone Playing" was very informative and the way it is set out has certainly been of great help.
I think that the more advanced player will profit more from the information given in the later chapters. I'm hoping that as I improve I will better understand these chapters.

This book is a staple among saxophonists of all veins (jazz, classical, and anything else). It is a must-have, and for good reason. It gives insight in to every aspect of being a saxophonist, including some brief but helpful information on doubling. Some chapters are very in depth, though others are less so. A great find and worth every penny.

Wodehouse is perhaps the best antidote I know for depression. His novels are literally unreal, for Bertie inhabits a world of leisure, servants, and privilege, an Edenic world where even the threat of pain, suffering, and mortality have no place, and Jeeves is always there as a deus ex machina. But ultimately we return to Wodehouse (again and again!) because of the language--quite simply, the man cannot write a bad sentence.

I am a big P.G. Wodehouse fan. This series of books is especially fun as each book is easily read and enjoyed. The print size is perfect. Great nighttime reading to relieve the stresses of the modern world.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about the inimitable P.G. Wodehouse???

Carry On, Jeeves is a great starter book for those who are intimidated with the amount of J&W books available (or rather, don't know where to begin). The first story in this book is about the first day Bertie Wooster met his personal gentleman (or valet, if you prefer), Jeeves. The stories easily stand on their own; with the exception of characters being mentioned or being part of the plot, the book is not a novel you have to read front to back. Consider it a literary sitcom, where new scenarios and conflicts arise with each story you read.

My favourite bit about reading Carry On, Jeeves was the last story of the book, where it takes a refreshing twist and is narrated by Mr. Jeeves rather than Bertie Wooster. It was great reading from Jeeves's perspective.

Lots of chuckles throughout and a few hardy laughs. Overall a perfect read.

Carry On, Jeeves is another classic from P.G. Wodehouse. It follows in the same kind of humorous hiliarious vein of his other books that involve Berty Wooster and his Man Servant Jeeves. This is a book that should not be missed. In fact,
all of P.G. Wodehouse's books involving Jeeves and Berty Wooster
should be thoroughly enjoyed by every one.

This volume of ten stories originally hails from 1925. I read them in the 1999- 2000 Penguin paperback edition. While many readers like the covers by Ionicus on earlier Penguin paperbacks, these recent editions with covers by David Hitch are my favorites. They are very well done, reasonably priced and just the right size, which is to say, perfect for the novice or seasoned Wodehouse reader. The stories are also among the absolute tops in the Wooster/ Jeeves canon, and give the back stories that Bertie meditatively refers to in so many of the later books.

As Richard Usborne notes in his invaluable guide, Plum Sauce, five of these stories appeared earlier in My Man Jeeves (1919). Two of the stories there told by Reggie Pepper are here transformed into Bertie's ruminations. Carry On Jeeves was the next collection following the ten stories in The Inimitable Jeeves (1923), and Wodehouse was on a roll. Here's Bertie's first engagement to Florence Craye, and his first encounter with her younger brother, Edwin, the Boy Scout, who rapidly renders unsafe house and home. Enter Biffy and Bingo Little, later fixtures in the Wooster ouvre. Here also Bertie pens his oft- mentioned "piece" for his "good aunt" Dahlia Travers, and her struggling paper, Milady's Boudoir. The last story in this collection is somewhat questionably narrated by Jeeves, but Wodehouse fortunately reverted to telling tales in first person Bertie in the later shorts. Some of these tales also found their way into the Jeeves and Wooster TV shows with even more riotous results. All in all, a capital collection.

Shows how to make simple shapes into lots and lots of differnt things, from scenery to people and animals, simple and cute, fun for dad too :)

I love Ed Emberley and the techniques that he uses to teach drawing.

This book is my favorite because it's packed with all kinds of things to draw. Gumball machines, people in action, animals, trucks, planes, you name it.

You really can draw your own little world.

This would be a great gift with some paper and markers for the young budding artist.

I bought this for a friends son who is 7. This is the only Ed Emberely book that he didn't have. He loves them!

A world is right! So many things to draw in this book. Simple and colorful to enlighten young and old imaginations.

Great book for kids who like to draw but have trouble doing it freehand. Nice step-by-step instructions.