Virginia Books

I just finished reading Ten Circles Upon the Pond, and found it to be most excellent. Being familiar with all the places that Virginia Tranel described in the book made it a fun read for me. I know Dubuque, Billings, and Miles City all very well. It was well written. Rather nostalgic but not maudlin. Sentimental, but not mired, and most enjoyable. Virginia Tranel pulled it off very well. I sort of feel that most memoirs are either self deprecating or self-aggrandizing, so it was very refreshing to see a self-criticism that was fair and yet fun to read. All her characters (kids) came alive as I read the book, and I felt as if I actually knew the whole family. I really would love to drive over and spend an afternoon with Virginia, as I feel we have a lot in common, even though I am more the age of her oldest kids. The book was not perfect, however, I felt that Ned was sort of underplayed, and some of the drama of raising kids was downplayed, but that may not be so bad if she decides to ever write a sequel. I guess I give it about a 96%, which is good, as I have only ever given one book I read a 100%. This was the 59th book I have read this year so far and the second best.... not bad for a first book by an author.

I just finished reading Ten Circles Upon the Pond, and found it to be most excellent. Being familiar with all the places that Virginia Tranel described in the book made it a fun read for me. I know Dubuque, Billings, and Miles City all very well. It was well written. Rather nostalgic but not maudlin. Sentimental, but not mired, and most enjoyable. Virginia Tranel pulled it off very well. I sort of feel that most memoirs are either self deprecating or self-aggrandizing, so it was very refreshing to see a self-criticism that was fair and yet fun to read. All her characters (kids) came alive as I read the book, and I felt as if I actually knew the whole family. I really would love to drive over and spend an afternoon with Virginia, as I feel we have a lot in common, even though I am more the age of her oldest kids. The book was not perfect, however, I felt that Ned was sort of underplayed, and some of the drama of raising kids was downplayed, but that may not be so bad if she decides to ever write a sequel. I guess I give it about a 96%, which is good, as I have only ever given one book I read a 100%. This was the 59th book I have read this year so far and the second best.... not bad for a first book by an author.

I just finished reading Ten Circles Upon the Pond, and found it to be most excellent. Being familiar with all the places that Virginia Tranel described in the book made it a fun read for me. I know Dubuque, Billings, and Miles City all very well. It was well written. Rather nostalgic but not maudlin. Sentimental, but not mired, and most enjoyable. Virginia Tranel pulled it off very well. I sort of feel that most memoirs are either self deprecating or self-aggrandizing, so it was very refreshing to see a self-criticism that was fair and yet fun to read. All her characters (kids) came alive as I read the book, and I felt as if I actually knew the whole family. I really would love to drive over and spend an afternoon with Virginia, as I feel we have a lot in common, even though I am more the age of her oldest kids. The book was not perfect, however, I felt that Ned was sort of underplayed, and some of the drama of raising kids was downplayed, but that may not be so bad if she decides to ever write a sequel. I guess I give it about a 96%, which is good, as I have only ever given one book I read a 100%. This was the 59th book I have read this year so far and the second best.... not bad for a first book by an author.

I began to read Virginia Tranel's book because of my college friendship with one of her sons. I simply thought it would be interesting to read about his mother's view of him and his childhood. But after reading his chapter, I was immediately hooked and quickly read through the rest of the book. Her command of the English language and seamless use of literary and historical references is magnificent. In one way, this book is a simple story of the life of a large family. And yet, it is a touching and sincerely personal memoir, which speaks to all mothers, daughters, father, sons and siblings. I couldn't read the book without thinking of it's relation to my life. And I was enchanted by the way Tranel weaves the tapestry of her tale with thought-provoking philosophical arguments and rich statements about the nature of human relationships. It reads as both a fascinating narrative and as a dense exploration of humanity, faith and struggle.

A masterful telling of the joy and trials of family life and child rearing while touching upon some of the deepest questions we have all asked of ourselves. Extremely well crafted language and intelligent insights make this book and intriguing journey through the lives of this large family. Tranel uniquely weaves multiple facets into the telling of each child's life-generational, historical, sociological, birth order, location and happenstance. The connection between each child's early disposition and interests to their adult life is an interesting and intriguing study, causing the reader to examine their own history.

Another enjoyable part of the book is the beautiful word portraits of life in the high country of Montana and Wyoming, along with side journeys to Iowa, New York, Alaska, Europe and many points in between. In reading this book, I became genuinely excited about some of the insights I gained into the rearing of my own children and my own up-brininging. More importantly, Tranel keeps hitting on how she rationalized, justified or just accepted through faith her position in life and the lives of her husband and children.

The importance of all the little events that compose our lives becomes more evident-from family dinners and holiday traditions right down to a certain piece of clothing or seemingly small event in one's childhood. Riding alongside these events is always the question of faith and life's lingering questions (What if? What could I have become?)-the understanding of which helped keep Virginia Tranel focused on a rich and satisfying career, that of raising ten children. This is a beautifully written book with rich detail allowing the reader to side with each child as they grow and to experience and even envy the Walton-like life of toboggan rides, seventeen foot snowmen, raising horses and cows, fresh baked bread, chaotic vacations and all the nooks and crannies of each family home. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

an abosulte must have ! Traditional, yet with a trace of fantas

This is one of the backbones of my cookbook collection. We do food in the south, as they say. This is the always dependable cookbook. The cookbook for never fail to please goodies for family and friends for any occasion. I adore it. Virginia Hospitality says it in the name and can be depended upon to provide just that.

In 25 years this is the best cookbook for entertaining Southern style I have eveer used. It is my constant resource. Have given it for gifts and am about to order my own third copy. COmpletely wore out one and want another one for our summer home

I have sent this cookbook to friends and relatives around the country over the years and the feedback has always, and I mean always, been positive. In fact, it has been ecstatic. These recipes are easy to prepare and I have yet to make one that my guests and I did not enjoy thoroughly. I have heard it referred to as one of the most reliable cookbooks around and I would echo that sentiment unequivocally. A must have for any kitchen.

I collect cookbooks, and this is one I use frequently. The dishes are delicious, elegant, and easy to prepare. Some of my most frequently requested recipes are from this book. Also makes a great gift!

I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but I loved this one. It's about a little bear who plays too roughly with a kitten, and his dad keeps telling him to be gentle with her. Let me just state this right now: I love misanthropic writers, such as Jim Goad and Florence King. Most of the books I read are pessimistic, angry, and explore the dark side of human nature. However, I have no shame in saying that a book about a bear and a kitten nearly brought me to tears. If that makes me a wuss, so be it

If you have a cat and a toddler you have experienced this book! It is so cute! My daughter is almost 2 and we have 2 cats that she loves but who tolerate her.

This book really caught our toddler's attention. Simple drawings, strong point. There has been a bit of sibling rivalry at our house, our older daughter is a bit jealous of our younger one at times and will be "not so gentle" or sometimes if she's overly excited, she might squeeze her little sister. After reading this book many times, we switched the names and put our daughter's names in - something clicked... she's been a lot... gentler! As always, check out your local library.

Poor kitty! "She's only little, Ba," a big gentle bear named George says repeatedly. A big bear hug from Bartholomew, and the kitten gets squashed. A playful squirt with the water hose, and kitten gets soaked. A rowdy drum serenade, and the kitten has had enough. Author illustrator Virginia Miller wrote this after her first book about the little bear with the big name, On Your Potty, grew in popularity. She enhances her spare text (only 203 words) with illustrations outlined in wide pencil and colored with soft, earth-toned markers. Ba is now out of diapers, but does not seem to be out of his "Terrible Two" stage. Be Gentle is my daughter's favorite Bartholomew bear story. Your toddler will not be able to get enough of this tale of well-meant but misplaced affection. I recommend the book Bartholomew Bear, a collection of five toddler tales of the same lovable bear at a great price.

"Be Gentle!" is the perfect book for toddlers learning the intricacies of proper social behavior. This book is my two year old's favorite because he knows many of the words. He has heard the phrase "be gentle" many times since the birth of his little sister, and this book helps him to truly understand what that means. He also gets excited because the book uses familiar objects such as a swing, a red wagon, and a drum in the storyline so he can sympathize with the characters. A great book for new, young siblings.

Two years ago, a staff writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote about biking the Skyline Drive in Virginia and my interest was peaked. My son turned 16 so I wanted to plan an unique summer trip for the two of us. We decided to bike the Blue Ridge from Afton Mountain (MP 0) to Blowing Rock NC (MP 302). We bought the Skinner book and searched the Internet for ideas.

The Skinner book proved to be exceptional; every page was "dog-eared" by the trips' end. I discovered the book contained more information than the first couple readings revealed. A few things, the Skinners give detailed advice on the location of stores, and unfortunately, due to recent hurricane damage a couple shut down, so did a restaurant we relied on for a stop, but found a new one further down the road. I plan to offer the "findings" to the Skinners for the next edition. Second, reserve your lodging in advance. A motorcycle convention in the Meadows of Dan took up all the lodging for a 15 mile radius, ten days prior to our trip. Third, the Blue Ridge ride is extremely demanding. The Skinner's sound like seasoned riders, but it was a struggle for me. (I had to walk a portion of the steep grades.)

Much can be said about the wonderful resource the Blue Ridge is. My best advice is to take a couple day trips to learn your limits and and develop realistic expectations. Then bring a good camera and enjoy!

It's so easy to pass facilities, accomodations and attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway! This book lists them all, campings, B&Bs, country stores, and more, along with the best way to get there. A real must for anyone planning to have a great trip on the Blue Ridge and Skyline Drive. And the elevation maps are a great help too.

I just returned from a weekend riding the 105 mile Skyline Drive in VA. The Skinners' book was an invaluable resource to me in preparing for & executing my trip. The advice is practical, the information invaluable as you plot out your journey. I am already planning my next weekend trip (Afton Mt to Roanoke) using this as my Bible! If you have any interest in cycling all or part of the BRP/SLD, this book will first whet your appetite, then serve as your guidebook/Bible.

There are many cycling guides, but this is one of the most practical and well-organized. As other reviewers state, the real value of the book is its collection of information on camping, nearby hotels, access points, points of interest, etc. The authors also have a wonderful "you can do it" attitude in their narrative style. Their encouragement inspired me to ride the Skyline Drive last fall, to my great enjoyment. I would quibble, by the way, with their elevation profiles. I certainly discovered hills that they don't tell you about! Supplement your planning with one of the fine topographic map products for a better sense of what awaits you.

I have been a long distance cyclist for about 40 years on and off -
since long before I could drive. Though I've lived in Virginia for
20 of those years, for some reason I never thought about the Skline
Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway! Amazing - since I've ridden up and
down parts of the East and West coasts, to the midwest, and through
parts of Europe and Australia.

My brother suggested I ride the lengths of the two parkways, and I bought
Riding the Blue Ridge, plus several other books, to help my planning.
I just returned from riding 550 miles on those two roads.

Though my riding style is different from
the Skinners', I travel on a racing bike carrying minimal equipment
plus credit cards, I found their book by far the most helpful, and
its pages, which I tore out and then discarded after passing through
various sections, became the Bible of my trip.

The descriptions of the ride and places along the route were accurate
and brief enough to fit into a portable and readable book. A good
example of how the brief descriptions were so apt is the small hotel
and store at Benge Gap: the book mentions it's easy to "zip by" -
and given that the rain and wind were fierce as I approached, I
really did not want to miss that stop. Those few words of caution
did the trick - I found it no problem but otherwise would definitely
have zipped by! Like all the places they mention, the description of
what was there was 100% reliable and accurate.

Besides my background in long distance riding, I have also raced and
I am still a strong hill climber. I found the greatest inaccuracy of
the book that it does not adequately describe the difficulty of this
ride. I appreciate that the book is written by people who are
accomplished riders, and that a mission of the book is to introduce
this ride to a wider group of people. But, for instance, the book
might leave the impression that riding from, say, Front Royal to Big
Meadows is a reasonable stage on the bike for the average tourist who
takes her time. While that may be true for some, I would suggest
it mention explicitly that this ride includes over 5000 feet of total
climbing, most of it at grades greater than 5%, and should be considered
difficult.

As another example, the ride going South from Volunteer Gap to Peaks
of Otter is among the most challenging anywhere in the East including a single climb of over 3300 feet at a steady 6% grade. There is no mention in the book that this segment is difficult even for highly capable cyclists.

I feel the book could be improved by, for example, adding a separate
section describing the level of challenge involved in the rides, as
is done in many hiking and cross-country ski guides. Not to scare
the reader or create some elitist idea about riding, but so that
people are prepared both in their training and in their daily
planning. Any rider is advised to plan fewer daily miles along these roads than
they are accustomed to.

I used the book to engineer each day's ride, and to make reservations
for each evening. It was immensely helpful and I'm truly grateful
to the authors and for the book - it made my trip possible and
enjoyable.

Room 8 was the most famous cat in Los Angeles. He lived at Elysian Heights School from 1952 until his death in 1968 at age 22. He became famous for disappearing during the summer and returning on the first day of school each fall. His return was dutifully reported by the news media of the day (four newspapers, six television stations and several radio stations).

In addition to the book, Room 8 appeared in a three-page photo spread in LOOK Magazine, made several appearances on Art Linkletter's television show and was featured in a segment of the NBC-Wolper documentary, "Big Cats-Little Cats" that first aired in May, 1968.

Room 8 received more than 10,000 fan letters. Most were addressed to him at the school. A few were addressed simply to "The Cat, Los Angeles, California." Fifth and sixth grade students served as his secretaries and composed hand written replies to his fan mail, signed with the student's name and a stamp of Room 8's paw print.

Room 8 is still remembered by residents in the Los Angeles neighborhood where he lived.

Explore Historic California featured a detailed story of Room 8's life at www.explorehistoricalif.com/room8.html.

Guitarist Leo Kottke also wrote a song called Room 8 that is on his Capitol album "Mudlark" released in 1971. He includes the story of what happened when the cat passed away in the liner notes. (Are the poems still in the cement?)

I am the current teacher in Room 8 and have read this story to my students for the past 11 years. The children love listening to the story and they check out the book from our library to read at home.
It's a wonderful book, it gives our room and school a history. Since the mural is still there and the cement prints. The photographs are still displayed in the main building.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the feeders of Room 8. My mother was best friends with Miss Mason. I had never heard about the Leo Kottke song before. There is a group of people looking to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Room 8's passing this year, and possibly to find a way to have the book republished as it's long out of print. I'm lucky to have at least one first edition copy of the book. Yes, I believe the footprints and murals are still at the school. I'm hoping my grandkids love the story of Room 8 as much as those of us who loved the original cat. He was amazing and he remains a character that looms large in my childhood memories.

I didn't attend Elysian Heights until a few years after Room 8 had passed, but he was still a very important part of our school. Every year or so the school would have more books printed and sell them as one of the fundraisers.
My parents bought me one of the books and it was one of my favorites. As I became a teenager my interest in childish things waned and I don't know what happened to my copy. A few years back I was desperately searching for an old copy to buy so I could read the story to my daughter. A friend found one and gave it to me for Christmas. My daughter loves this story more than I think I did when I was her age. This book is just about Room 8, and Room 8 started it all, but I have to tell you about how great the school was after Room 8. It is amazing how one cat can change everything.
At the time I attended Elysian Heights (the 70s), Ms. Mason was still our principal and there were two cats that roamed the school. To the students it was normal to have cats (and even the occassional dog brought from home) roam the school and as long as the animal itself didn't disturb class it was always welcome in the classrooms. I remember the case of a substitute teacher trying to corral a dog so the office could call the pound, but he was finally informed of school policy and the dog was set free. The school still received lots of fanmail for Room 8, even in the 70s, and students often had writing assignments responding to other children who wrote asking about Room 8. If you went to Elysian Heights for any period of time, you learned how to write a letter.
Another great thing about our school was the animal pen. We had a pony, goats, sheep and chickens in an animal pen next to the playground. It was the responsibility of the sixth graders to take care of those animals. I was so happy when I finally became a sixth grader and we had the job of caring for the animals. This was such a great thing to have only three miles from the center of downtown Los Angeles.
Everytime I read this book, it reminds me that Ms. Mason, Elysian Heights and all the animals of the school played a special part my life and, I hope, in the lives of all the students who attended Elysian Heights Elementary.

It is a pity that most people only know Hans Christian Andersen for a few of his "easiest" fairy tales. What springs to mind for almost everyone is stories like "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Ugly Duckling" and perhaps "The Snowqueen". But Hans Christian Andersen has written a vast array of profoundly touching tales. In Odense, Denmark the Danish actor Troels Møller said (two years ago in a lecture on "H.C.A. & God"),

"We are all going to die. H.C.Andersen knew this, he worked with it and he used it to show us all the beauty of life - the beauty of all life."

His stories are not only for children they are for everyone. The likes of H.C.Andersen can be found nowhere. If you want to discover the full grandeur of his genius you MUST read more than just his popular works. I would even urge you to go to Odense to learn Danish - Much is lost in translation. But although the English translation doesn't reach the heights of the original Danish text I still give it one of my 5 star sets. And don't think that it's a case of petty nationalism - you will find no other Danish writer that I'll grant 5 great ones. It is entertainment, philosphy and religion.

Now some of these tales are out there, but all offer some amusement. Some may not make any sense (i.e. the endings seem incomplete or "off") and they may not be on par with the Grimms tales, but it's nice to have all of these in one place and to be able to read tales that I have never heard of or come across over the years. If you are making a collection of myths and fairy tales, this collection is a must.

Every child should read Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales a first introduction to fantasy and modern tales of today. The book is great for adults also. Many stories I recall from my own childhood as I devoured the fairy tales that are enduring and lasting as classics forever.
Evelyn Horan - author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - Three

The Ugly Duckling. The Little Mermaid. The Tinderbox. The Emperor's New Clothes. The Princess and the Pea. It's all here!

C. S. Lewis, in his preface to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," observed that as children we grow out of hearing fairy tales, but as an adult we can come back to them with fresh eyes and be enchanted in a different way. HCA stories have that amphibian quality of living above and below the supposed age limits.

I find it surprising that HCA writing in a minor language would be so popular, but he is a genius at writing fairy tales. The Grimm Boys just collected and edited the German fairy tales, but HCA was generating new and original fairy tales. I hope we don't sluff off this unique talent he had solely on the ground that he was writing to children. After all, how many naked Emperors have we seen? The comic Dilbert gets it's life blood from the fact that so many emperors can be smooth-talked by so many charlatans, and be sustained in their delusion by smarmy sycophants, and only brought to light by a child.

If children can understand this, why can't we adults?

On the printing-side of the book, I would like to see this in a hardbound, with durable paper, and not the thin and fragile newsprint. I am almost afraid to read this book since the opaper is so delicate!

I received this book as a gift for my 20th birthday. I am very pleased with it. I recomend it, and especially for its beautifully crafted and translated material. Enjoy! There are so many so many tales... I love it!

I am so enthusiastic about collections of complete works. The probability of hating all the works of one certain writer is so small that it is negligible. So when I bought this book I knew deep in my mind that I would at least like about a hundred pages of the book. I did not. I enjoyed all the book except for possibly 40-50 pages which is more than impressive.

When I say I like all of the book, I mean to say all of the prose section. I hate poetry, sorry for that but I cannot help it. This review here is concerned with the prose section.

The book begins with the only novel Poe wrote, namely "Narrative of A Gordon Pym." (For a complete review of the novel, please click on the blue "a_mathematician" to view it in the proper place). The novel takes one fifth of the prose section, and is followed by a subsection called "Tales of Deduction."

The first short story of that section is "The Gold Bug," an interesting story. As a matter of fact, Doyle based "The adventure of the Dancing Men," a Sherlock Holmes's short story, on it. Then it goes into introducing Dupin the French, the first unofficial detective ever. (For a complete review of the novel please click on the blue "a_mathematician" to view it in the proper place).

Then comes "Tales of Horror," and, oh my, this part is the most wonderful of the whole collection. Even though Poe was the first to write in this genre, there still no one superior to him. I am not sure about HP Lovecraft, but I am sure King is not up to him. Poe can bring the chill to your heart. I heard he used to eat much on dinner just to bring nightmares to his night sleep, and when he wakes up in the morning he would record every single detail of his dreams to use it in his short stories.

The stories I prefer are: "The Black Cat," which ruined the life of a very wretched man; "The Pit and the Pendulum," which speaks about the pains of one prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition; "The Masque of the Red Death," whose story I would not have actually liked if not for the marvelous description, Poe provides, for every single bit of occurrence. "The Fall of the House of Usher," which speaks about the life of a very singular person and his sister (This one is considered by many to be the best short story Poe has every written); and "The Oblong Box," which is exactly what Doyle would have written had he got the idea first.

Then comes "Tales of Imagination." This section was the one I did not like that much. He started with a few very descriptive emotional stories (I would only consider them nonsensical, no offense).

The stories I liked here were: "Manuscript Found in A Bottle," which is a pretty funny story about someone being in a foreign ship without people feeling his presence; and "The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfall," which explores the reasons behind Pfall's wanting to forsake the earth for the moon on his balloon. The latter is more of a novella than a short story.

The next section is "Satirical Tales and Hoaxes." This was the second best section I enjoyed. The best stories were: "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether," which is an insane story, no one could have ever produced such a comedy before; "Some Words with A Mummy," and for those of you who are familiar with the Egyptian novelist Naguib (or Najib) Mahfouz, I may tell you that he had used a similar idea in his first collection of short stories; "The Man that was Used Up," which I can describe with no other word than ABSOLUTELY FUNNY with a very twisted end; "Loss of Breath," is another example for the genius of Poe; "Never Bet the Devil Your Head," HaHa; "The Spectacles," I read this one so long ago and it still possessed its charm with its funny twisted conclusion; "The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq," which was a satirical and wonderful one; and finally "X-ing A Paragraph," which was the best one in the section.

Then come some articles, the best of which were 'Didling' and 'Maelzel's Chess Player.' They were nice to read despite their being out of date.

In the end I would like to apologize for this long review, but you cannot describe - or better yet, review - about a thousand pages in a two liner. I like the book and there is no reason you should not. Poe has affected so many writers, some of whom are: RL Stevenson, AC Doyle, Roald Dahl, HP Lovecraft, Steven King, and so many others, so if you read for any of those you would definitely enjoy this book.

The hardcover book "The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe" is by far one of the greatest, unabridged collections of stories and poems ever to grace the shelf. Though Poe is said to have been cryptically insane in his lifetime, the misunderstood literature recorded in his writings have only recently been acclaimed as opposed to being further reprimanded by his era of supporters, or the lack there of. Such classic stories as; The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of The House of Usher, and such poems as; For Annie, Hymn, The Haunted Place, and of course...The Raven are only some of the milestones contained in this masterpiece. Every fan of the work of Edgar Allan Poe should own this book or at the least a copy. The cover is decorated beautifully in gold upon a rough black surface with an attached, fair-haired, ribbon bookmark and should be the pride of any collection.

...that's what this book makes me. I honestly do not know what there is left to say about one of the greatest horror writers of all times. this book is essential - so if you like reading horror, gothic, etc. stories and you have never read a story by EAP, shame on you.

If you never even heard of EAP, shame on you even more!

But if you don't own this book, "you shalt not be suffered to live"!!!!(sorry for dramatizing, but buy this (*) book!!!!!!!! And read it of course, not only buy it and put it on your shelf because it looks nice and when you show it to people, they all say, wow, you got a great collection - they say this, at least one of them says this, because he knows what proud 'n' lucky son you are to own such a beautiful book -> not beautiful because it is thick hardcover edition bound in leather with golden renderings on the pages on golden imprints on the front and back cover.

Legite: (Amazon does not provide pictures for The Complete Works of EAP, and because there are several books in hardcover bearing this title, I do not know which of these books matches the description of the book's design featured in the end, so do not blame me if you buy THIS book because you liked how it does look - if you care for design, take a look around. There has to be some way to retrieve information about the book's design.)

I first read Poe when I was a little child, in an abridged mini series written for children. To this day, I have my favorites I have since read in full. Horror is the only way to describe what went through this man's writing, while being subdued to his own tragedies. He brang the most awesome literature we will ever read. Read Annabelle Lee, and if you don't cry you must have a heart of stone......

Edgar Allan Poe of Baltimore wrote the memorable poem, "The Raven", and that poem inspired the name of Baltimore's current NFL team. But naming football teams is not all he was good at. Poe wrote science fiction, horror, mystery, and detective stories. He is credited by some with the invention of the modern detective story. It is certain that Dupin, the hero of "Murders in the Rue Morgue", served as a model for Sherlock Holmes, who in turn inspired Hercule Poirot. One of Poe's short stories, "The Murder of Marie Roget", might even be classified as true crime. Although placed in Paris, it was based upon the true-life unsolved murder in New York of Mary Rogers. Poe never went to the scene of the crime, and everything he knew about the murder he got from the newspaper. Nevertheless he wrote a story in which he solved the murder and identified the murderer. His speculation was later confirmed in all major details by two confessions.

I read Poe's works as a pre-teen child, and some of the stories frightened me so badly that I can remember the details to this day. "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Premature Burial", "The Black Cat", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Tell Tale Heart". All these stories and more will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Poe's longest work, "The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym", proved somewhat tedious, and his poetry isn't the best, but the short stories are great.

John Billheimer is off to a great start here with a first novel that includes another first, a transportation thriller. It features a good plot that keeps moving at all times, some fresh material for those of us who can't stand another serial killer, and sense of humor. Not everybody could get a good weekend read out of the misadventures of a federally subsidized bus company in West Virginia, but Billheimer certainly can and does.

Especially after having met John Billheimer, I am in awe over his initial offering into the world of mystery fiction. CONTRARY BLUES wonderfully captures the essence of small-town West Virginia life and what goes on in ingenious yet simple minds over the incursions of modern-day life. This is a great first effort and if you are like me, you'll be captured into reading the next four of his Owen Allison series. An easy read, a page-turner of exceptional quality and a real sense of West Virginia everyday life brought to you by someone who 25 years ago called West Virginia home.

A SEASON TO INVESTIGATE FIRST-TIME NOVELISTS - Boston Globe. A fine beginning, funny, irreverent, written with an ear well-tuned to authentic West Virginia dialogue and an eye for small, accumulating scenes...Billheimer unfolds his wry tale steadily, with just the right mix of humor and menace, and his Department of Transportation investigator-auditor, Owen Allison, is convincing and likable.

The Contrary Blues is such a page-turner that you might not realize until you reach the end how cleverly it is constructed. Humor, colorful West Virginia colloquialisms, and poignant characterization make this book a lot more interesting than the average mystery.

John Billheimer's first Mystery novel, Contrary Blues, leaves you feeling satisfied and wanting more. Fans of Rick Boyer, Bill Crider, and Bill Tapply will recognize the sure fire formula that made their writing a success. A fast moving plot taken to sudden and unexpected turns, characters who jump out of the pages into your living room, and an unassuming hero that Mr. Middle America can relate to. Billheimer tells his story in a quick but enjoyable pace, giving the reader a glimpse into everyday life in a region of the country most of us have never stepped foot in, and with the subtle humor and true to life street dialog that show his respect for his characters and his reader alike. This one is sure to be enjoyed.

This book gave me a mixture of the shivers and hope. Love is, after all, a fickle thing at best. But this eloquently told story of "twin souls" finding each other under the challenging eye of reality, kept me glued. Vigil is a talented weaver of the heart and disturbingly, of the dark. HIGHLY RECOMMENED.

I enjoyed the book immensely, couldn't put it down. It really held my attention and I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter!!!

I just recently read this book. It is very well written. The story flowed all the way to the end.
I was very impressed the way the book kept me interested all the way though. I just couldn't put it down. I learned a lot about obsession and how it can consume you and send your life into a downward spiral. Plus how it can effect other peoples lives. Great reading I highly recommend it.

Sarah- caught my attention when she reviewed my own memoir Forbidden Love With a Married Man; E-Mail Diaries, which prompted me to support my fellow author friends. The Divine Plan led me on a journey through the unspoiled reaches of my subconscious and imagination to provide much insight into our twin soul. This is a novel I highly recommend for anyone who is interested in understanding destiny.

Authr of;
Forbidden Love with a Married Man: E-mail Diaries

The Divine Plan: A Novel of Obsession is a dark, suspenseful about the ramifications of possessing too much knowledge about one's "twin soul." A man who has searched his whole life for his twin soul finds his other half in an unfulfilling yet comfortable marriage. As her tenuous marriage erodes, he struggles to push her onto a path that reunites their destiny and let go of everything she strives to keep. Yet too much pressure can have brutal consequences upon one caught in the middle, and The Divine Plan reveals that free will and the joy of life are among the first ready casualties when plagued with too much foreknowledge about one's supposed destiny. Highly recommended.

First, this book is beautiful to look at... great photos, full of colours, very Caribbean.
Then the recipes are very appealing and mouth watering and they don't come accross as too difficult to execute.
And most off all, so far all the recipes I have tried turned out to taste great and also look good.
I live in the Caribbean and the recipes in that book really seem to represent the islands.
The best cookery book I have bought in a long time.

As an Executive Chef who specializes in Caribbean Style product development I found it very refreshing to see such a wonderful example of a Caribbean Cookbook. I found the recipes to be clear, easy to follow and in some respects very creative. The photography is truly stunning and for once doesn't focus on sandy beaches and palm trees. The only thing I would like to have seen were some more modern recipes, maybe next time Virginia.

I went through my cookbooks, to see if I could weed some out, because I have too many to mention. It's hard getting rid of a cookbook, especially one with a few recipes in it that you've come to love. But I've scanned the recipes I need to keep forever into my MacBook. However, there were an even dozen I couldn't part with. These are books I turn to time and time again, even though I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet chef.

Ms. Burke's EAT CARIBBEAN is, in my opinion, absolutely indispensable. Her Jerk Chicken is delicious, and coming from me, someone who's had her own recipe for Jerk Chicken published, that is really saying something. You won't go wrong with this book. Ms. Burke is the marketing director for Walkerswood Caribbean Foods and they're the people who make the jerk seasoning that I, and so many others use, so it's not surprising that she really knows her stuff and if you get ahold of this book, you'll be cooking like you do to.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

I actually stubbled across this book at the Sangster Airport in Montego Bay Jamaica. After reading about Virginia Burke at the back of the book I realized that she also grew up in the same district as I did in Walkerswood JA. Now that I have a personal connection to this book I was more than eager to begin to try some of the recipes.

The recipes are easy to follow and came out great. This is saying a lot for me since I just started cooking on a regular basis a year ago. What will instantly catch your eye about this book are the vibrant colors and the accruacy of the photos used.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is either a novice or pro in the kitchen, or for anyone interested in trying their hand at cooking Carribean cuisine.

The colorful cover caught my eye, but it's the creative and easy-to-prepare recipes inside that keep me coming back to this book regularly. This cookbook goes way beyond jerk, or adding a little pineapple or coconut to a dish. Author Virginia Burke is true to the cultural origins of dishes and the recipes are presented in an easy-to-understand and unpretentious manner. To my surprise, finding the ingredients in the U.S. has been quite managable. I have seen this author on TV once, and think she deserves a cooking show of her own. How fun it would be to take a weekly culinary trip through the islands with Virginia Burke.