Clubs Books

An absurd little jaunt into Bizarro-land during the yuletide, Christmas, or Jesus' birthday - whichever you may call it; Carlton Mellick III presents a comical, yet disturbing take on the traditional holiday tale. "Sausagey Santa" is the novel-version of what the best holiday-themed action-movie would be like. Similar to Mellick's other works, there is method to the madness. The traditional Christmas fairy tale proposes a kind of forced moral value down the throats of families everywhere - the tightly-woven, greeting-card-style family unit; complete with adoration and worship, replete with bullshit and fake sentiment.

Matthew Fry's family is enjoying another festive Christmas holiday; however, Matthew is not. He fears his dominatrix wife Decapitron, and surrenders to his children - he is the weakest family member. In the traditional holiday-special spirit, the Fry family must band together and help Santa and his elves defeat his arch enemy, Frosty, a true detester of Christmas. Santa is scary, crass, and undeniably made of sausages - despite what your parents may have told you as children.

Certainly an unconventional and eccentric holiday legend, "Sausagey Santa" is not for children. Although this story contains its fair share of "miracles," Mr. Mellick's intentions are not to deceive the reader, nor are they to merely entertain him/her. The trials and tribulations featured in a traditional Christmas fairy tale are meant to test the family unit: to survive; to rely on each other; to trust that they are acting on the side of good, and that good is infallable and unbeatable. However, throughout this story, Matthew (our protagonist) never has this epiphany. His character makes very little progress, and is interminably unhappy and afraid. Mellick shatters the predictable presuppositions of holiday stories and their idealistic feel-good happy-endings, undoubtedly reserved by the average reader.

Having read a number of other works by Carlton Mellick III, I've become aware of his inclination towards alpha-female, dominatrix-type characters. The character of Decapitron becomes a sort of anomaly in this story. She is the head of the family, and the children's storyteller. She sexually dominates Matthew, and also becomes an intimidating force in the fight against Frosty. Christmas legends have their heroes, and they are usually male: Scrooge, Rudolph, the Grinch, and Santa Claus. Mellick turns the tables by making the most powerfully menacing character, female. English critic and editor, Cyril Connolly wrote "In the sex war, thoughtlessness is the weapon of the male, vindictiveness of the female." (The Unquiet Grave, 1944) No one but Mellick has perfected this female character-type.

If you're looking for some adult-themed, action-packed holiday fun or maybe just some role models, do yourself a favour and check this book out.

The key factor to Carlton Mellick's success as a writer is his humor.
It's possible to get lost in the sea of absurdity that Mellick's paints. However, his humor tends to hold everything together nicely.
This is a North Pole loaded with sexual deviant elves, a nazi-Frosty, a Santa made of meat and chainsaw angel wings.
Definitely not your parents Holiday yarn. Mellick has once again proven he is one of the top cynical voices of our generation.

First of all, the cover, by Ed Mironiuk, is great. The colors are much more vibrant on the actual book. What you can't see on Amazon, is that on the back, there is a little snowman with hammers for arms and forks sticking out of its head. It's pretty funny.

Now, as for the story--this is a twisted take on the classic sort of Christmas tales that pop up a month or so before Christmas. It plays with the concept, though, because this is no sappy, sweet tale--this is a surly, irreverent version of Christmas where you leave beer for Santa instead of cookies.Can Christmas be saved? Do you care?

The style is concise, fast, and humorous. I laughed out loud at some points of the book. Mellick explores a lot of really interesting ideas, which is one of the things I liked the most.

So, may you have a Christmas. Read this book, and leave a beer for Santa.

--lotus rose
My book, which also includes a Christmas story called, "The Worst Christmas Ever":
The Corruption of Innocence

This book is totally hilarious. The story is basically about when an evil Frosty the Snowman who threatens to destroy Christmas, a character named "Sly Guy" Matthew Fry teams up with Santa and the elves along with Sly Guys totally wicked wife, Decapitron, to save the day. Santa is a crazy jolly pirate made out of sausage. Decapitron is has a candy cane samurai sword and is a pro street fighter. The elves are obsessed with dressing up like Dungeons & Dragons characters. And Frosty....well you'll just have to read the book to learn about Frosty.

This book is like South Park, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and The Night Before Christmas all wrapped together with a giant chainsaw bow and a fancy hairdo. It's a ball of laughs and totally fun!

I just got this book and I am going to race out and buy more copies to give as Christmas gifts. This book is a winner!

There has never been a Christmas Book as entertaining and f'd up at Sausagey Santa. Elf s3x! Christmas fetish! Snowmen with axes for limbs! This book is hilarious, poignant, and ultra smashing x-massey goodness.

I am so happy that there's a bizarro christmas book like this. And I love the cover!

Some of the information in this book may now be out of fashion and sometimes wrong, it is a great pleasure to read "Scouting for Boys". The ideals defended by B.P.: courage, generosity and compassion are as much a necessity today as they were a hundred years ago, when that book was first published.

The idea of an active, "hands on" education still find its echo in today's most recent education innovations.

Of course, the key message lies in the the initials of the author: Be Prepared!

Excellent book detailing the original , if somewhat dated thoughts , of the founder of the Scout Movement- Sir Robert Baden Powell. A must have read for all interetesed in the movement and it's principles

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, retired General Robert Baden-Powell, the hero of the siege of Mafeking, coalesced his ideas for an organization to train young British boys in scouting for the British Empire. Not a very organized thinker, Baden-Powell borrowed heavily from all sorts of unrelated resources - newspaper articles, military dispatches, fiction, and much more - and produced this, his first book on scouting. Originally published as six separate books, this book brings all of them together, complete with original illustrations.

Now, as might be expected from its roots, this book reflects a lot of the biases and ways of thinking from Edwardian England. But, leaving that aside, this is a fun and interesting book that shows clearly the forms that have stayed with the Boy Scouts movement to this very day. The introduction was written by Elleke Boehmer, a professor of Colonial and Postcolonial literature, and is a fairly predictable deconstruction/analysis of B-P and his movement.

Now, as a newcomer to Scouting (my son is a Tenderfoot) did I find anything useful in this book? I sure did. Robert Baden-Powell was very knowledgeable about the subject, and this book sure shows it. (I never thought of tying my shoes like that!) Of course some of the information is out of date, especially the first-aid information, so it isn't really usable by the boys "as is." But, this is a nice resource, one that shows you where Scouting started.

Oh, and I must say that I actually enjoyed the somewhat jumbled organization of this book. It isn't as scholarly and antiseptic as modern Boy Scout books, and the stories and tales laced throughout make the reading much more fun. Plus, I did find the focus on some subjects, such as logic and deductive reasoning, to be quite interesting. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you!

I was an Eagle Scout as a boy, and now I'm the founding Scoutmaster of my sons' troop. As such, I was anxious to get a copy of this hard cover version. Baden-Powell's work is a classic and well worth the read. The problem with this edition is the Introduction by Elleke Boehmer. Without it, the book is a 5-star. Ms. Boehmer appears a non-believer. Reading her is like taking a pessimistic art critic along side while viewing an art gallery. Far more benefit (for all concerned) would occur without her input. For each positive she states about BP, she mentions a negative. She also spends just over two pages discussing homosexual tendencies (pp xxxii-xxxiii) within BP's works, something which is out of place in this work. I started to list several quotes, but I think one sums it up best of all from the back cover: "She has never been a scout, but she did once shake hands with Lady Baden-Powell at a jubilee celebration in South Africa." I guess that must make her an expert.

This original text of BP's "Scouting for Boys" is an excellent read. You can skip the introduction, however. The intro is a steaming pile of horse excrement written by someone seething with contempt for BP and the Boy Scout movement. Why it was included with the book is beyond me unless it's to provide bum fodder whilst camping. Remember, a scout is thrifty!

Good for all ages.
Step back in time and stand with the crowds to watch the Biscuit fly down the track. Beckwith takes you there again as he did when he wrote this book more than 60 years ago. The writing style, the photos, and the fabulous drawings all help immerse the reader in the late 1930's time period. I particularly enjoyed seeing the real Seabiscuit and hearing what the owner, trainer, and jockey had to say at the time.
If you enjoyed the movie and/or Laura Hillenbrand's book, you will treasure this wonderful piece of tangible history. I recommend this edition highly. Don't miss your opportunity to own this gem!

Seabiscuit was my favorite book in elementary school and still rates high amongst a handful of favorites. Many times over decades, circumstances gained perspective by recalling the depth of spirit and perseverance conveyed so concisely by Mr. Beckwith. Seabiscuit's story is truly for all ages. I believe stories like this are a reason why people are prone to assign human emotions to animals or treat them like a best friend.

As a child I often dreamt about having a horse, hoping I might even be fortunate enough to have one like Seabiscuit. I ended up with four, all of whom indelibly changed my life. I took care of them as if my life depended upon them; even sleeping with them in their stalls when I could get away with it. Bingo, Scamper, Scully and Crackerjack have permanent places in my heart. With them is a picture of Seabiscuit from Mr. Beckwith's book. They always gave their very best and showed me mine. Anyone who reads Seabiscuit's story will come to understand that the innate ability to recover and succeed resides in every person and all life. Opportunity to find and use that power of heart and energy is always available.

I am infinitely grateful to Mr. Beckwith for recognizing and writing Seabiscuit's story and especially to my father for making a vital, life changing dream come true.

I knew B.K. Beckwith personally, and worked with him the last ten years of his life at Santa Anita. He was our television commercial spokesperson for the Santa Anita Handicap for several years, recounting remembrances of Seabiscuit. He was a consummate horseman turned journalist and writer, and had been at Santa Anita from the opening on Christmas 1934. He also wrote "The Story of Santa Anita," which was never published commercially, but used the same heroic and emotional Grantland Rice style that you enjoy in his Seabiscuit book. His memory was a treasure, and since he wrote this book contemporaneously with events, you can feel the horse come alive, as well as the people and the places. This is SO GREAT to have the publisher find this work of art, enjoyable for anyone who loves horses, or racing, of any age. The drawings by Howard Brodie -- who went on to great fame otherwise -- are superbly reproduced, and so are the historic photos. You can see the 'Biscuit's personality come through, especially when he's looking out of his personal railroad car at all the fans and cameras, and in several others!

Inspiring story placed in compelling historical setting. Beautifully done by someone who knew the main characters well.
Nothing to find fault with here. Terrific read.

Owner of Ponder Publishing Company, LLC, my first response after reading was `I wish I had found Beckwith's story before this publisher did!' I was there! I heard Seabiscuit breathing. I saw him sweat, felt his determination, smelled the liniment. You could taste the air of early last century, to anguish and rejoice with one horse's determination to Keep on Keeping on, despite all adversity. Here, love touches a reader, as it touched the crowds who flocked to admire the Biscuit, in the flesh, his ample flesh. My Christmas shopping is done this year!
www.ponderpublishingcompany.com

I received this book from a dear cousin of mine during a time in my life when I was going through a rough patch. It was hard to read at first because of my fragile emotional state--that being said however, it also helped me to read some of the stories because they opened up a side of me that had stayed hidden for a long time. It took about 2 months, but I finally felt ready to read the whole book and it was truly wonderful. It was an emotional roller coaster--but an inspirational one that I needed.

I think this book was great cause it told stories that inspired me and some made me feel happy and some mad me cry. I just think the auther writes wonderful stories that touches other people's hearts. Great Job!

There are several books that enlighten you, and this is surely one of them. Then there are books that change you, books that you take with you for the rest of your life, and these you must share with fellow seekers. These are the books that have unconditionally inspired me to be a better person and that I recommend to anyone searching for inspiration. The first is "The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho" this book is all about a shepherd trying to find his treasure. In the end he realizes his treasure was the journey, the people he met, the souls that touched him(How beautiful!) The second is "Siddhartha by Herman Hesse" A brilliant tale of a man who gives up everything for a journey of enlightenment. On his journey he meets the Buddha, he meets ascetics, and he meets his...(I wont spoil it for you). The last one is for kids, but it is still beautiful. "The Butterfly by Jay Singh" is a tale about a caterpillar in search of her smile! One day this caterpillar realizes she can no longer smile anymore because she is living an inauthentic life. She musters the courage to leave the Silk Palace to find her smile and discovers a whole new world that was hidden from her. Buy them, read them, be inspired!

This collection of stories was an amazing celebration of womanhood, including stories of love, life, and tragedy. This compilation covers all the bases of a woman's life from poverty and love in the heart-wrenching story "Christmas in the Silver Egg" to the humorous "I'll Never Understand my Wife," which deals with marriage. A Second Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul is satisfying, refreshing, and warmhearted.

These stories are heartwarming and encouraging, and even better because they are true. They are all wonderful stories. Some of my favorites are "Safe-Keeping", "The Baby Blanket", "The Wallet", and "Truly Free".

I knew nothing of the breed but this book covers allot and has some wonderful photos and info.

This is one of the best books on Shiba Inus out there. It tells you everything you need to know about this amazing breed of dog. It's got everyting from health care, training and showing. It even tells you the shibas best fit for the AKC and Nippo. It's one of the best shiba inu books and no shiba owner should be without it.

I got this book because we were adopting a Shiba Inu pup. We already have one Shiba & they are an interesting breed. I feel that the more knowledge about the breed that you can gain, the better the relationship will be for everyone. This book has a lot of in depth information that should help any potential Shiba Inu owner. It has lots of pictures to go with the topics.

I'm a first time dog owner (and ended up getting a Shiba...ha ha!)
I thought this book was simple & an easy read. I've had my Shiba for 4 months now & still refer to the book for information!

If you're a Shiba Inu enthusiast, this book will be a welcome addition to your library. It's written by someone who owns and loves Shiba Inus, so unlike other breed-specific books that deal mostly in generalities, this book is specific and reasonably honest. The book is substantial and contains a lot of good, respectable information without being too heavy-handed or condescending. It also contains a lot of beautiful color photography.

Lovely calendar. I've got it on a white wall yielding gorgeous contrasts to the large,colorful monthly pics.

as in the past years, Sierra Club Calendar brings excellent pictures to watch. I have been purchasing this calendars for years and never failed.

It is a "must have" for my brother for Christmas every year.

As always, the pictures are amazing and make you wish you took more vacations.

I have long -30 plus years - counted on my Sierra Club Wilderness wall calendar. As a professional photographer, I have always admired the images used, even though occasionally with envy. The area for each day's entries is quite adequate. The over-all size is optimal. And your delivery was admirable, both from the viewpoint of timing and care.

I haven't read this book, but want to know if this book would be a good book for a 16-year old to read. By that, I mean, is it "dirty" or anything...or is there just some innocent kissing...is it tame? I'd appreciate it if you'd give me your opinion, it's really hard to find a good historical, fiction, romance for a 16 year old! Thanks, Meg

The feuding clans come together as the MacLeods attack the Campbells during which the head of each clan, Alex Campbell and Robert McLeod are both killed by the same man ... Norman MacLeod, cousin of Robert. At Robert's death, Norman claims himself guardian of young Catherine and head of the Clan McLeod, a position he has no plans of relinquishing to anyone.

Ian Campbell, in an effort to save his life, is sent away by his mother to Ireland when the Campbells are attacked by the McLeods. Catherine MacLeod, at the death of her father, is sent away by Norman to live with a foster family until she is old enough to marry his son Hugh. Eventually, Catherine, is called back home to marry Hugh and fulfill Norman's devious plans. Ian is called back from Ireland after his brother dies and he becomes head of the Clan Campbell.

During his time in Ireland, Ian has festered a growing grudge to avenge his father's death. He learns of Norman's plans for Catherine and kidnaps her, thinking it will bring Norman to him. Nothing in Ian's plans include falling in love with the beautiful and spirited Catherine, head of the Clan MacLeod.

Their lives are intertwined in suspense, love and jealousy. Numerous separations, from capture by pirates to being abducted, continually send Ian in search of his beloved Catherine. Unfortunately, Ian's love for Catherine is often hindered by his extreme jealousy and stubbornness which continues to prevent them from finding true happiness.

This suspenseful trail leads them from their beloved Scotland to the new colonies where once again, Ian finds his lovely Catherine in the care of another man.

If you love romance and getting away from the norm ... you'll love Storm of Desire.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Storm of Desire. I found myself experiencing anger, anxiety, plus a host of other emotions throughout the entire book.

Though it was a bit distracting at first, I found I love the way Sjana uses the dialect of the Scottish language. She puts so much feeling into her writing, you actually develop a picture in your mind as you read the pages. I felt as if I was there, riding along side of Catherine as we made our way to the boat, wanting to console her and tell her not to worry. I wanted to grab Ian and try to make him understand that his thoughts of Catherine were wrong. As you get deeper into the book, this feeling doesn't diminish.

You won't want to be disturbed once you start reading, so find yourself a quiet place after the kids are in bed. I was so disappointed when I finished the book ... I did not want it to end. I will anxiously be awaiting Sjana's next novel and am hoping she will consider the possibility of another story about Cat and Ian.

I read this kind of book when I was 16 (although I'm 40 something now *smile*) Storm of Desire does have some brief lovemaking scenes after Catherine and Ian are married, but the story is not about sex. I felt the story was more about one woman's magnificent adventure during a time when women didn't have many.

The heroine, Catherine, is an incredibly strong woman who perseveres despite the very tough situations she found herself in and I felt the book was more about that.

In its entirety, Storm of Desire is exciting and breathtaking and I personally loved the book!

STORM OF DESIRE kept me on the edge of my seat...literally! I could not put it down! Chocked full of steamy passion and lots of adventure, I really felt the characters come alive. I enjoyed this book so much I bought extra copies to give to friends as gifts. SJANA is a talented new writer and I so look forward to reading more of her work!

I think besides absolutely loving the main characters and watching the attraction/friction between them unfold, my favorite thing about STORM OF DESIRE by SJANA is the incredible historical accuracy. It is very apparent that SJANA spent much time researching even the smallest of details which she intertwined masterfully to make this novel a historical delight! Those that love adventure and exquisite tension between strong characters will definitely love STORM OF DESIRE!

I found the book to be very helpful - and it based on real experiences in the classroom as a substitute teacher.

I purchased this book for my sister. She was starting a job as a sub. She went in with the book in hand on her first day. She had a free period first and read some of the book. When she got to the first class that she had to teach, she implemented some of what she read immediately. She said it was "perfect timing". The book is great.

This is by far the best book to get you started or keep you inspired as a SUB. It has both serious and light-hearted advice that is practical and easy to implement. Lots of life lessons learned by the author are related in a simple way so that you feel as if you are chatting with an experienced teacher who is giving you all the best secrets they have. Loved it!

Ms Pressman has covered the field of substitute teaching in a
masterful way. It is a book that would serve professional teachers as
well. Pages on "Web Resources" indicate the the up-to-date value
of this book. It should be in the resource library of every
school.

It is amazing that it has taken this long for someone to put together a "bible" for the substitute teacher. Without a doubt, Prof. Pressman has made a major contribution to the teaching profession. As someone that has been a teacher, counselor, adminstrator and education consultant, it is clear that this book needs to be required reading for anyone that plans to step into a classroom as a substitute. "BRAVO"

This was the first of John Warmus' books I read and it forced me to quickly work my way through his next two. Now I am eagerly awaiting number 4! The issue of teenage suicide has never been presented in quite such a compelling and suspenseful manner in my opinion. As a voracious reader I am picky about the books I read and this author's are among the best.

The characters kept me enthralled as I read with anticipation to see how they would react as the events would unfold. The story progressed as I thought it would, which brought about a familiarity that was, in a way, comforting. I felt myself comforted, for lack of a better word, to discover my theory was reenforced through the main character's own observations and admissions. There were still many unaswered questions at the end of the book, which would seem to be a deliberate (and well thought out) act on the part of the author. Most importantly, the one question of "Why?" was never truly answered. Or better yet, the concept of it happening will never truly be understood. For how could intelligent, caring individuals do and plan such an act "just because it was something we wanted to do?" To sum it up...it was a book I could not put down. I was truly concerned and enthralled with the main characters...Marge...Frank....Robert. I felt my own emotions being torn, as I am sure Robert's were.

WHILE READING "THE SUICIDE CLUB", I PUT ASIDE EVERYTHING EXCEPT TURNING THE NEXT PAGE. EACH ONE GREW MORE SUSPENSFUL AND MORE INTRIGUING.I WAS SO ADDICTED THAT I CONSIDERED CALLING IN SICK TO WORK. HOWEVER, I COMPROMISED, WENT TO WORK AND READ IT ON MY BREAKS AND LUNCH. THAT EVENING, I STAYED UP TO 3 A.M. IN ORDER TO FINISH THE BOOK. ALL I CAN SAY IS "WHEN'S THE NEXT BOOK COMING OUT?"

This is a well-crafted tale of suspense set in Any Small Town, USA. The characters are 3-D and the storyline moves. It's a quick read but delivers plenty of substance on a topic often neglected in fiction: suicide among teens. Warmus manages to weave the events and characters into a story that is true-to-life without becoming morose. It's a book definitely worth reading--and recommending to friends.

This is a well-crafted tale of suspense set in Any Small Town, USA. The characters are 3-D and the storyline moves. It's a quick read but delivers plenty of substance on a topic often neglected in fiction: suicide among teens. Warmus manages to weave the events and characters into a story that is true-to-life without becoming morose. It's a book definitely worth reading--and recommending to friends.

This is the time of book you like to read more than once! It was terrific. You really felt like you were at ridiing camp with them. I suggest this to horselovers everywhere!

I think Summer Horse was a great book,because everyone was working together to help Carole find out why Ditto didn't respond to her commands.In the end was good because Carole finally realizes why Ditto did't respond to her commands.

I like ow they always did were together. And how there is a second book to follow it. I like the last part where Lisa moves into Stevie's and Carole's Bunk and when Starlight arrives!

I first read this book, when I was about 10, 11 or 12. I was hooked on the Saddle Club at 9 and even now, at 15, still find myself returning to them occasionally. I have read 'Summer Horse' and 'Summer Rider' countless times, and still go back for more! I found Stevie's determination to save the camp, Carole's lesson in adapting to suit her horse and Lisa's dedication to her school work an inspiration (although this was not necessarily how it was intended). This is an exciting book and a most memorable one! I borrowed my user name from it! I used to read the books non-stop, and although I never read the entire series, I wanted more than anything to be a part of the Saddle Club - I still do really. Hehe. Anyway - READ THIS BOOK!!!!

I like how each Saddle Club member had a problem. Lisa had a different cabin at camp than her two best friends, Stevie's boyfriend wasn't paying attention to her, and Carole was assigned a horse who has a mind of his own. I can't wait too read "Summer Ride", the next book in line.