California Books

This book is a beautiful look into the lives of 38 families that are dealing in Autism. It is inspiring and just stunning to look at. It would make a great coffee table book with it's size and photography.

...and not only in the news, putting out a fire or fighting a war. these are real people. families with TRUE strenth and love. the lesson learned from this book, goes beyond autism and applies to any human condition that requires good old fashioned HELP and HOPE. there is a brighter future for anyone reading this. if 'a hero is nothing but a sandwich', you can definetely eat this one up.

Autism Heroes provides an intimate glimpse into the world of a ever-growing sector of the human population that cuts across social, economic, and cultural boundaries in a mysterious manner. The personal anecdotes presented by caregivers living and loving in the complex world of an autistic family member are sometimes heart rending, sometimes hilarious, and always enthralling, compelling, and sobering. It is incongruous that our technologically-advanced, information-savvy society has such little understanding of people with autism. In our present atmosphere of privacy, it is yet another act of heroism for these families to share this most personal and sensitive part of their lives. Dr. Firestone's work will touch hearts and open eyes to the beautiful spirit found in people with autism and the ones who love them. Her positive but honest and balanced outlook will help parents with newly diagnosed children get a foot-hold on the future possibilities and the breadth of the autistic spectrum. For veteran families, seeing their daily efforts recognized and honored will lighten their work. For professionals, it will provide insight into the kaleidoscope of consequences the diagnosis can have depending on the family context. To understand and address the unique needs of families struggling with autism is a great challenge, and this book is a respectful, heartwarming, and sensitive step toward that goal.

Austim Heroes documents personal stories of autism and the common struggles of families from widely diverse backgrounds. Stories of hope and unconditional love are presented with informal black and white family portraits to create a beautiful tribute to the strength of families touched by autism. This is an important, honest and insightful book sure to raise awareness and understanding.

Being a good person far exceeds being a hero. I have said for many years that I would rather be deprived of the Beatles and be bombarded with painful loud noises than be a hero. To me, "hero" suggests looking for grandeur and acting on behalf of others with the thought of return. Often heroes lose their lives. To me, "hero" is far from an appealing concept. September 11, 2001 soured me on "heroism" all the more because I didn't like the way stepping up to the plate for others was viewed as the exception and not the rule and the way many appeared to expect kudos for doing so. Real benevolence seeks no return.

The families portrayed in this wonderful book are better than heroes - they are good people who have allowed their lives and those of their children with autism to be shared. Readers are treated to beautiful photographs and anecdotes and interviews from the families featured in this book.

Autism is an equal opportunity neurobiological condition that makes no distinction in who is affected. In our ever-dwindling quest for privacy in today's highly connected world, it is all the more courageous and generous for people to share their life stories of coping with autism in any form.

Dr. Firestone's book is a book for everybody regardless of placement or lack thereof on the autism/Asperger's spectrum. Experiences are validated; autism is accepted and unconditional love underscores the personal accounts each of these families have provided. John Lennon's 1971 magnum opus "Imagine" and his classic classic "Gimme Some Truth," also from Imagine would be the ideal soundtrack to this book.

This is the ideal companion book to SOULS: BENEATH & BEYOND AUTISM (paperback version) and Different Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes.

I love discovering new authors. He really writes mystery/suspense well, but his humor was what made me love the book. He is a 'hoot'. I do enjoy suspense, but if you can add humor - WOW! In my book, he's got it all. Oops, one more thing, he knows adoption, and that's the basis of this book, although this is fiction. What people and criminals will do for a baby! I'm waiting for his new book, Baby Crimes, which comes out in 2007.

Baby Game deserves a much higher placement among Amazon rankings! New author Hicks introduces a new kind of hero with Toby Dillon, a lawyer who's an adoption specialist. Toby brings an unusual background to his job: two years in the Peace Corps followed by law school courtesy of Uncle Charlie.

Toby's one of those tough athletic bachelor heroes with brains -- like Brady Coyne with a lot of rough edges. For a first outing, he helps his childhood friends adopt a much-loved child under bizarre but just plausible conditions.

Hicks cleverly introduces the hero and his past, although at times I had trouble keeping the dates straight. Law school - before or after Peace Corps? Must have been after. A few incidents were a little slapstick. Hicks has to remember that mystery readers tend to identify with upscale values. Robert Parker has this awareness dodwn to an art form in the Spenser series.

And I suspect we'll get gliimpses of the hero's Peace Corps life as the series goes on.

I don't usually like mysteries featuring characters who are supposed to be famous. And I find it hard to believe famous actors realy are so nice and humble and down to earth.

But I didn't feel at all tempted to stop reading or even look ahead, as I do with some authors who are far more established. I really wondered how all the pieces would come together. Hicks knows how to tell a story and I enjoyed getting an insider's view of adoption law along the way, even though I'll never adopt any creature that doesn't come equpped with fur, whiskers and paws.

Let's hope Hicks develops a following and gives us more adventures of his misguided hero.

Toby Dillon only partially grew up. Yes, he's a lawyer. But he only does that part time. The other part of the time, he is the assistant tennis pro at the country club where he lives.

Toby has stumbled into the adoption business, helping couples navigate all the legal proceedings necessary to make their new child officially their own. It's a specialty he loves because it allows him to help people.

His latest clients are really special to him. They are Hollywood power couple Brogan Barlow and Rita MacGilroy. But to Toby, they are his best friends. The three grew up together in a tiny town in northern San Diego county. So, naturally, Toby is anxious to help them.

Things go well, and the news of the adoption leads off a whirlwind press tour that Toby becomes part of.

Then comes a phone call with a shocking revelation for Brogan and Rita. Naturally, they want to question the birth mother, but she has disappeared. What's really been going on?

Let's be clear, I loved this book. Between the humor and the twists, I couldn't put the book down.

The story starts a little slowly, with frequent pauses to give us some history on Toby. We do need to get to know him, but frequent flashbacks are a bit of a pet peeve. Still, that was the only flaw. Once the story gets going, I could not put the book down, staying up late a couple nights in a row to read just a little further. The plot twists and turns all over the place, yet I found every one of them logical and believable. And the characters were real. Toby, Brogan, and Rita felt like true friends by the end of the book. And as the book progresses, we are drawn into a darker and darker web.

Author Randall Hicks has created a new series that shows lots of promise. I can't wait to visit Toby and company again.

Hicks has written a particularly engaging character in Toby. I also appreciated his making the celebrity couple real, grounded people. There was interesting legal information which didn't bog down the story, and some good twists along the way. But it was Toby's relationship with his grandfather was particularly touching. The book is a bit mystery light, but is an entertaining first book and a series I shall definitely follow.

The Baby Game is one of those rare books where the improbable works seamlessly. The serious parts make the hairs on the back of your neck tingle and the funny parts are laugh out loud hilarious. An ex Peace Corps, assistant tennis pro, home schooled California attorney, who drives a Ford falcon convertible with a wooden cigar store Indian permanently wedged in the passenger seat sounds like the loser of a Dumb and Dumber contest, but Toby Dillon turns out to be believable, lovable, and competent, in roughly that order. The plot is deliciously twisty and at the halfway point, I still had no idea who the bad guys were. Although there is real jeopardy, there is still some question at that point as to whether a crime had even been committed. Well, actually Toby was well along the way to the five felonies he commits in the course of the book, but otherwise...All is well that ends well and the ending of The Baby Game - "And then I kissed her." The best way to describe it, The Baby Game is similar to Lawrence Sanders' McNally series, only a whole lot better.

i just had to go out and buy this book after reading the reviews on it, my son is ten months old and just gone down for a nap, and i am reading through the book and getting so excited about all the places we can now go and see. We have only been in california 1 year and i am a new mom in a new place not knowing where to go and what to see for my toddler and this book is going to be just perfect and we want to go exploring now. i have a couple of other books but the activities are for children a little older but we need to explore now. Thank you to the parents who bothered to review this wonderful book, and I hope this review helps other. like someone mentioned most of the places are either free or very inexpensive. - its going to be perfect.

Baby's Day Out in Southern California provides a wide range of age-appropriate excursions. Crammed to the bursting point with places to go, things to see and do, special events, ideas for activities and related reading, this excellent book is one of the most innovative, detailed and practical guides around.

Although the contents are arranged by type of place (i.e., museums, aquariums, farms and ponies, flying), it also offers site maps, making it easy to plan a day around a particular location or a specific interest. Listings include physical and Web addresses, phone numbers, directions, what to see and do, hours, parking, admission and membership information, related locations, nearby places and blank space for your own comments. Additional sections contain events by the month, packing lists and road games.

Its most valuable feature is its ability to look at potential places from a child's perspective. Among the 224 sites listed in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Santa Barbara/Ventura counties are fire stations, school bus yards, museums, libraries, gardens and nature centers, truck stops, farms, theaters and convention centers.

This is one of the best travel reference guides you could acquire if you have young children.

Finally there is a Southern California tour guide especially geared towards parents of babies and toddlers. Your children learn best through first hand experiences and Baby's Day Out is chock full of great places for the young (and not so young) to experience the things they love like animals, trains, parks, aquariums, tide pools, hands-on museums and more. My 10 year old and 61/2 year old twins still love to visit many of the places listed in JoBea Way's comprehensive guide. They also have a list of many new places for us to visit as well.

The book is broken down into eleven chapters covering major areas of interest for young children: Museums, Our City, Gardens and Nature, The Zoo, Aquariums, Trains and more. There are over 224 separate sites reviewed. Locations covered include the expected Los Angeles and San Diego Zoos as well as many less well known places like the Goodyear Blimp Airfield, Tierra Rejada Farm and Pasadena Unified School Bus Lot.

The book includes many helpful tips for making outings more enjoyable and each review contains a concise description, directions with Thomas Guide page references, and cross references to both similar sites and nearby attractions. Easy to spot icons let parents know if the locations can accommodate single and or double wide strollers (most do), and whether gift shops, snack shops or picnic areas are available so parents can plan accordingly. I love the lists of children's books on topic related to each entry and the special pages with simple graphics of animals or things that go, etc. These pages are designed for young children's use before, during or after their visits. For example, the first picture pages are of cars and trucks children might see on the way to their visit.

The final chapter includes a month-by-month "Things to Look For" section featuring holiday, special events and seasonal changes to watch for geared to Southern California. There are comprehensive listings of Fourth of July displays, Holiday lights, Farmer's Markets and more. These lists alone are a great resource whether you have young children or not.

The number and variety of places listed is truly impressive. Our family has been enjoying working our way through the book and finding many new favorites. I plan to give this book as a shower gift to all my pregnant friends and think the book is a great resource for parents of school age children and teachers also.

This book is filled with fun things to do at any age and for anyone who has some time to spend in the L.A. area. We visit there often and sometimes we are looking for more to do than just the big theme parks. There are so many things that I wouldn't have known about, much less how and where to find them. A treasure for anyone, local or tourist.

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and never knew about 90% of the places suggested in this book! In addition to the usual spots (Disneyland, parks, etc), the book suggests creative places like the schoolbus depot and construction sites (from a safe distance, of course!). "Baby's Day Out" really made me look at the world through my babies' eyes, where everything is a new and fascinating experience. For example, when I drive on the highway now, I point out the trucks passing by to my kids and they love watching the different sizes and colors. Before this book, I never would have thought about trucks on the highway as a field trip experience. This book is also very practical, providing all the necessary information, including Thomas Guide map pages, hours, prices, parking, everything! As an added bonus for me, Holt even tells me when they're enough room for my double stroller (with twin 18-month old boys, that is a big plus for me). I live in New Jersey now and bought this book while on vacation in Los Angeles. I wish they would write a book like this for us folks in the east coast.

The popular attention in the Protestant world towards traditional Reformed theology and thought that has come about in the last 30 years or so, has had multiple attempts of explaining just what the encompassing nature of Reformed theology looks like. Some have been attempts to be extremely contemporary, some have been dry theological tomes, accessible to only those who are already presupposed to that corner of the Protestant world. What the compilation of chapters, by different authors, in Back to Basics, have done is to present a readable explanation of traditional Reformed theology, beginning with the doctrine of a sovereign God that rules personally in his creation.

A risk with any work that has multiple authors, and this one has four sections, with a different author in each, is that the writing will be uneven and that thoughts developed in one part of the book will be dropped totally later on. As such, even in good books, with well written ideas, stand alone chapters are better remembered than others.

In this book, the chapters on sanctification, or how the Christian grows in his faith and what that means for his vocation and all areas of life; and the section on the covenant nature dealings between God and his people are nicely done. The sections dealing with the doctrine of God and the role of the church do read dryly at times.

The general reader, who is interested in a high view of a personal yet universal God of the Bible and who is looking for a clear, succint teaching on justification and how that applies to the whole life of the individual will find this work useful. Unfortunately, there has much contention historically, and even in recent years among different parties in the Protestant world, between the covenant and dispensational or even more recently towards things like open theism. Some of these arguments have been needlessly distracting from the heart of the gospel. What the authors of Back to Basics have done, is to write a genearlly lucid explanation for how Reformed theology flows into every other area of the Christian life, and to do that in a way that is not argumentative or contentious. And for that, the reader should be grateful, and should find the book a fine complement to their personal study.

This book is responsible for introducing me to the Reformed faith. For years I had been told of the "evils" of Calvin and his twisting of God's character... afterall, he's a lawyer... and who can trust those guys? But what I found shocked me! The reformed faith actually made sense (go figure...)and had no semblence to the caricature the critics like to draw of it.

I was going through a rough time in my faith and I decided to re-examine things I had been taught in church when I stumbled on this little gem of a book. This book was the stepping stone to my discovering the Reformed faith and gave me a firm foundation that had never been built in my life. I continue to return to my copy from time to time for its concise examples, thoroughness and extremely readable style... my paperback edition is extremely dog-eared.

If you are interested in testing the waters of historical, evangelical Pretestantism, I heartily recommend this book as a launching point.

The book is divided into four sections: Conversion, The Covenant, The Church and The Christian Life. Each chapter in every section has study questions that reinforce and help the reader gain a deeper understanding of each section. The foreword is written by RC Sproul.

Doug Wilson, Doug Jones, Roger Wagner and David Hagopian have put together a well-rounded presentation of the Reformed Faith. As Roger Wagner, one of the authors, states, "the Reformed faith starts and stops with the sovereign and gracious God who has revealed Himself in Scripture." That's the focus and starting point for every discussion in the book.

Many authors simply complain about the condition of the Church. Not these authors. They exercise terrific insights, give helpful direction and pastoral-theological wisdom that really does encourage the student of Scripture. Each message is an example of compassion.

A short summary of the book from the book: "[God} is, and forever will be, preeminent in all things (Col. 1:18)." In all areas of life, God is primary and it is Him that we glorify in all things. Conversion, covenant, church and life, all things are for Him and through Him. The authors' theses are complete and clear. Their goal was accomplished: Why is Reformed theology such a good thing (or is it)?

This title is recommended by: RC Sproul, Jay Adams, E. Calvin Beisner, James Montgomery Boice, D. James Kennedy, John Frame, Jerry Bridges, GI Williamson and Steve Brown.

I've read several of the books that are often suggested as introductions to Reformed thought. This is the first one that doesn't focus on Calvinistic soteriology to the exclusion of other equally (or perhaps more) important aspects of the Reformed view of what Scripture teaches. My only real quibble is that the title ought to be Back to Intermediates, because there are more foundational doctrines than these - but all Protestants agree about those.

The book is divided into four sections, each written by a different author:

Doug Wilson contributes the chapters on salvation. He very able covers justification and predestination. Doug Jones contributes the section on covenantal theology. Covenant theology is the true heart of the Reformed viewpoint. These few chapters ably lay out the scriptural basis for it and explore the implications of it. A third section concerns the church, including its nature, the sacraments, and church discipline. This is the weakest section of the book, but still adequate for the overall purpose. Particularly, one wishes that more time would have been spent on the nature of worship and on the place of the sacraments in the corporate life of the church. Finally, Hagopian himself handles the section on the Christian life, which is mostly a theology of sanctification. This is perhaps the most immediately practical of the sections.

Each chapter ends with a dozen or so review questions. We are considering using this book in a Sunday school class, so that is a very definite plus. Any criticism that could be leveled against the book would be on the basis that it could have treated a subject more thoroughly, but doing so would have necessitated expanding the book beyond its purpose.

Most protestant denominations praise the efforts of Luther and the other founding fathers but since have adapted a very different theology. Hagopian, Wilson, Jones, and Wagner do a good job of bringing us back to the "richness of the Reformed faith." First and foremost, it's biblical. In addition, it's logical and the most glorious! Read this and let's bring the glory back to God, not man.

I was familiar with Dan Heisman's articles on a popular website, but this is the first book of his that I've come across. Like his articles, it is intended for chess players from beginner to average club level. Also like his articles, it is characterized by clear and logical writing, with well chosen content reflecting his vast experience as a chess teacher. One of the things that separate this book from other tactical books is that it covers what Heisman calls the Counting tactic. This refers to positions where a piece is attacked and defended a number of times, and the player must count whether a sequence of captures leads to a net material gain. It also covers the possibility that the defense is inadequate due to defending pieces being more valuable than the capturing pieces. For a lot of the kids I coach, this is one of the main tactical issues they face in every game.

My rating is just above 1000 and this book has perfectly organized presentation on the common tactical techniques that I need to improve my mid-game. It may be too basic for 1500-rated players, but for me it is the best chess book I have ever read.

I am relatively new to chess study, and found most puzzle books just a little too hard to really deal with. I bought the Reinfeld books and just felt lost.

Then I saw a review of this book and decided to give it a go. MAN, has it helped me. Heisman gives a wonderful primer on each type of tactic complete with a section of puzzles just on that tactic. Then he goes into a section of checkmates, and a wonderful (and difficult) section on defensive tactics.

Finally he wraps it up with a long section of puzzles that cover all the various subjects in the book. This is a wonderful book for those who are new to chess tactics and feel a little overwhelmed by the various puzzle books. I know the book is working because while going through this book I would get one of my Reinfeld books and open to a random puzzle and more times than not be able to solve it! Before, I was just staring cluelessly at the Reinfeld puzzles.

This a great book written by someone who takes education very seriously! Highly recommended for those who need work on basic tactical understanding.

I'm around a 1200-1400 player trying to improve. Most chess books are unfortunately excruciating to read. With the exception of Logical Chess : Move by Move, most books are a chore to sit through. I've had a few other books on tactics, but just working through problem after problem with no explanation gets old fast. "Why is the move that I thought about a bad one?" "Doesn't this move win as well?" "What are the basic patterns of a certain mate or tactic?" These are all questions that most of the books don't answer, but Heisman's book does! There's text and even essays on certain themes and tactics, to make sure that you understand what they are and how to use them. This book includes Double threats vs double attacks, opening traps, checkmates, defensive tactics, how to avoid tactical self destruction, as well as the usual removal of the guard, forks, skewers, pins, discovered checks, and trapped pieces. It's all there with more than adequate explanations ,as well as helpful tips and mini articles scattered throughout. This is definitely easy to read and that makes a huge difference. It doesn't matter if a book has 10 million problems if it bores you to tears going through it because you'll never pick it up. I'll be lloking for some more Heisman books later on. Great work !

As a USCF 1790-rated player, i bought this book for a quick tactics refresher. I read the book, solving all the puzzles in a few days (while noting major errors on examples 2-70 [1...Kh3] and 2-120 [1.Ne4#]) The #1 greatest tactics primer is still the immensely enjoyable book, Winning Chess: How To See Three Moves Ahead. This book by Heisman not as enjoyable, but a bit easier and therefore perhaps an even better starting point than "Winning Chess". Also worthy is Chess Tactics (Batsford Chess Book).

Especially valuable for the improving player are Heisman's early sections on "counting" and piece safety, because proper evaluation of a tactic is impossible without accurately tallying the "body count" of a series of exchanges. (while being mindful of any "zwischenzug", of course!) The only other book that competently covers "counting" ideas is the VASTLY underrated Lasker's Manual of Chess, though Lasker labels the idea something else that escapes me at the moment.

Make no mistake, B2B:T is about how to win material. There were times when i would think twice about snagging a certain pawn because i imagined it would grant the opponent some sort of extra piece activity (counterplay), but on checking the answer i saw that Heisman's comment was only, "wins a pawn." That is probably well enough, as the book's intended audience is usually afraid of phantom threats when they ought to simply win the material, and usually in a game i'd probably end up taking the pawn anyway. There is a short section on checkmates, but it is insufficient in itself. You will NEED The Art of the Checkmate and (secondarily) How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess) to complete your basic study of checkmates.

This book is full of practical pointers and wisdom, many of which go a long way toward instilling objectivity in a player rather than emotions like hope, fear, greed, overconfidence which invariably spell poor results at *any* level.

This is a solid & worthy 4-star book for its stated audience (under 1500). Higher-rated players can read it with very little time investment (while unfortunately paying the same purchase price), so the book can benefit a wide range of players.

This book is hilarious! I have been out of the dating scene for years but each and every page brings back a memory that leaves me laughing out loud. My husband and I bring it out every time we have friends over and pass it around. Everyone has his/her own Barcode story.

This book had me laughing out loud. I plan to give a copy to friends because everybody needs to reminiscence and laugh about the dating and single days. So cleverly written.

If you ask me, Bar Code has come 20 years too late. If I'd only known back in my single days to watch out for my Tammy tendencies, I surely would have done better at Red Rover. Instead, I spent too much time running Memory Laps, Pair-a-Scoping, and naively falling for those guys with Altered Egos, who were only interested in the Pammys anyway. Fortunately, I was completely on-target about my husband's Premarital Specs, so now I'm sleeping in Fuddy Duds, no longer worried about Down Thighzing. Still, this hilarious little guide has helped me bring closure to all those haunting memories of my dating past, and I bet it will do the same for all those 40-and 50-somethings who still CAN'T BELIEVE we wore that, said that, or did that way back when. This year I'll be putting Bar Code in the Christmas stockings of all my still- or newly-single friends. It's my duty to save them from all those Federlines out there ... and from themselves.

PENS ENVY [penz en-vee]. n. The green-eyed fury that you haven't either the wit or the perception of the authors of this hilarious definitions book.

I've been out of the scene for a while and trust me, this book is still great fun! Everyone can relate to these hilarious terms if they've ever dated in college and beyond. And amazingly, it's already catching on! I heard the term "updating" used in the Barcode context just a few weeks ago and the ultra-trendy user admitted to sneaking lingo from the book. I'm giving a copy to all my friends for Christmas to help them remember half the things they wish they could forget!

Everyone who loves the great game of baseball, or Life itself, should get their hands on this delightful book. The card illustrations are worth the price alone! Good job Workman Press.

This novel Kit is a good fair play of an old sports institution that uses a theme song based upon "The Old Timers Waltz" music piece for singing "Take Me Out to the old Ball game!"...etc... The cards have a beautiful air-brushed picture on each card all the way through the deck with their own card titles. But, if there any "dislikers" of this Tarot; that's ok..."cause we can shake it off!" A Beginner or an Initiate who knows the game can learn the Tarot quicker (My ex-wife did and enjoyed it immensely learning the Tarot). However, one has to know the standard card titles. The "Fair Play" meanings are a departure from the Rider-Waite-Smith Industry standard. Sports Fans out there should have Tarots done for other major sports such as NFL/AFL;NBA;NHL; and so on- Let's get creative at The Old Ball Game,shall we!??...Blessings...

The Baseball Tarot made the tarot understandable and enjoyable for my boyfriend. It is written in terms that are meaningful to him. We really enjoy our Tarot readings with these cards.

The interpretations and graphics on these cards make them a real delight to use. I am actually playing tarot. I have used many different decks but this is by far the clearest for me. This is a great way to introduce sports minded men to this wonderful practice.

I just purchased this set as a his/her wedding shower gift and everybody just loved them. They were passed around from person to person, the ladies and the gents each finding something of value from them. The art work is beautiful, the book very complete, and the card discriptions are really very insightful. They explain things in an easy to understand, applicable to today way. They were a hit. I have about 4 more people I'm going to buy decks for including myself. I doubt anyone would be dissapointed in this set. Certainly unique for a collector of either Tarot cards, or baseball paraphernalia. Thanks :-)

A compelling look at the intricasies of an exceptional bond between a strict mother and her strong willed daughter. A true sense of the turmoil of one's expectations clashing with the realities of life. Alongwith a fine sense of the personal and spiritual growth that comes with weathering the complicated and emotional challenges of loving someone who is seriously ill. A story that takes the reader on a inspirational journey of love, learning, and living.

The book is great. I couldn't put it down. The characters depict a real life mother daughter relationship and the challenges they go through as they each mature. The book brought back memories of my relationship with my mother. I was compelled to call my mother and tell her I love her and I am sorry for any heartbreak I may have caused her while growing up. I strongly recommend this book, but be prepared to visit old memories.

Trisha Gadson emerges onto the literary scene with her heartfelt freshman novel THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS. Based mainly in the Washington, D.C., area, this is a novel about a daughter's testament to her mother's strong will and courageous strength as she endures the most trying time of her life. The dire situation forces a role reversal where daughter becomes the mother.

Lorraine Jackson is a rolling stone by all accounts. She was widowed at an early age and faced raising a young daughter by herself. Lorraine tried hard to give her daughter Sherina nothing but the very best. Sherina was a quasi-clone of her mother with her exuberant personality and a take-no-prisoners approach to everything. With similar type personalities the mother and daughter duo often butt heads, yet their strong bond is undeniable. Lorraine meddles a bit too much in Sherina's marriage to Niles and dotes on her young granddaughter. When Lorraine is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, Sherina's life is thrust into a tailspin. Thank God Niles is a strong supporting husband in his own quiet way. Oftentimes, Sherina must travel from their home in Pennsylvania to be by her mother's side. As time passes, Lorraine's life precariously balances on the point of no return. Will Sherina be able to realize that the battle is not hers and turn her mother's fate over to the Lord?

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS is a book that tugs on the heartstrings of its readers as it portrays familial love and obligation. I found myself rallying for Sherina's continued strength in the Lord as she dealt with the reality that was facing her. This book was a touching read. It delved into a very serious situation and provided a look into the lives of he characters, who were believable and seemed familiar. This book was a reminder of how fragile life can be and that we do not know what God has in store for us. If you're looking for a straight from the heart novel, then I'd recommend you pick up a copy of THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS. (RAW Rating: 3.5)

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Anyone who reads this book will be able to relate to some aspect of it. I only read interesting stories. I could not put this one down. I learned a lot about the African-American culture and about how an epidemic can touch middle class families. The mother -daughter relationship depicted in this story was indescribable (funny, crazy and heart breaking). This was a great book!

The disclosure of an HIV diagnosis sets the tone for this story. "The Battle Is Not Yours" is the message that unfolds as the story progresses. You will experience a full range of emotions as you journey through the lives of a mother and daughter as they overcome obstacles, explore and awaken in their personal lives and in their relationship with each other.

The supporting characters are as colorful as the main characters in the story. They all come to life on the pages of this book and you can't wait to see what they will do next.

I loved this book! Could picture myself and a few friends doing the same thing! Showed how friendships can be repaired and hearts healed. Anyone in their late 30's to mid 40's could probably relate to one of the characters and enjoy this read. Whether you're married, single, in a strained relationship, etc...this will encourage you.

What an awesome book. It is such a great story of friendship, and what friendship is really about for women. Celebrating all that we are, our differences, our sameness. I laughed, I cried, - A great story. This author does a great job. I'm going to find more of her books. Oh and by the way, a great guideline for turning corners!

Reviewed by Cherri Vanover and Kim Peterson for Reader Views (12/06)

A beach house in San Diego provides the setting for the reunion of childhood best friends Jo, Andie, Molly and Char. A feeling of homesickness while looking at an old photograph prompts Jo to invite the group to California to rekindle their friendship. The women celebrate their fortieth birthdays together.

The friends have all but drifted apart in the twelve years that have slipped by since they were last together at Molly's wedding. Although they feel delighted to reconnect, getting away doesn't bring the escape from everyday life that they expected. Their past link is influenced by their present situations. The once spunky Andie has faded into a fearful, mousy person under the influence of disparaging husband Paul. Molly and Scott are redefining their marriage now that the former stay-at-home mom and pastor's wife works outside the home as a substitute teacher. A single doctor, Jo struggles to keep from drowning her guilt about past career and relationship choices with alcohol. Neglected dentist's wife and mother Char seems to be overly friendly with her next door neighbor, Todd.

While the beach house setting encourages readers to visit, it is John's characters who invite them to stay. Jo, Andie, Molly and Char seem like real women with real problems readers can relate to and learn from in their own daily lives. Upon finding herself in a predicament that she doesn't like yet believes to be God's will, Molly prays, "Change my heart. Please change my heart." As Andie attempts to check off items on her "Adventure List," she hears in her spirit, "All you have to do is let go." John uses her characters' conflicts to share her faith with her audience in a situational rather than preachy way. What Christian fiction often aims at but struggles to do, John seems to accomplish with ease. This conversational style not only keeps the reader turning pages but also empowers readers to consider and listen for spiritual solutions to their own problems.

John creates a delightfully inviting setting, endearing main characters, intriguing secondary characters and a faith-based story with a message that lingers long after the last page. Fans of women's contemporary Christian fiction will find "The Beach House" a satisfying read.

I have been a long time reader of Sally John's books, and never once have I been disappointed. In The Beach House, Sally John weaves a lovely story of four childhood friends who have just turned 40, but have lost contact over the last twelve years. To celebrate their respective birthdays, they agree to share a beach house for one week and re-connect. Each woman is experiencing a time of trial, and Sally's expertise and style of writing sweeps the reader along in a medley of emotion, spiritual encouragement, and laughter. What more could a reader want?

I absolutely loved this book! I could relate to each of the four women at different times in their lives. It reminded me to take all things to HIM in prayer at ALL times.

I agree with the other reviews that this book is informative and engagingly written, with excellent and thoroughly researched paved and back road routes. However, I noted two cases in the Yosemite descriptions where the author confused left and right. In ride 74 at the bottom of page 264 he writes that you "turn left (south) and then xleftx RIGHT! immediately again onto narrow Crescent Meadow Road. That one is obvious when you're there, but the other is crucial: In ride 70, in the middle of p. 258 "...before arriving at a meadow. It seems like you should go left, but stay to the right of the meadow." Nope--you must indeed go to the LEFT of that meadow to follow the described route (and the overall loop is to the right), while the right fork soon turns into barely recognizable cowpaths that eventually dead end in the woods. I mention this mainly because he makes such a big deal of it, and want to warn cyclists using the book to take the directions with a hint of caution.

This book "Bicycling America's National Parks" is part of the Backcountry series. Even thought I like bikes I prefer to go on foot. The same trails lend their selves to foot also.

Many a time I have been able to locate ranger stations where you can check in and be loosed on the back country trails. Luckily many people are not aware of these areas. Some trails you can go all day without running into a soul.

David Story should be ashamed of him self fore giving away the secret. But I am glad I found this book.

The book is divided into 15 locations and in each location there is a description of where you can stay and where you can rent bikes along with other relevant information.

There are also trail maps and photographs from the area. Most important is inclusion of addresses for more up to date and more detailed information.

This book must be the first of its kind--a guidebook about bicycling in the national parks. The author shows that the common misperception that bicycling is not allowed off-road in national parks is just that-- a misperception. This book features some outstanding road rides as well as mountain bike rides. I think the descriptions of the parks themselves and the rides therein are well-written and clear. The author gives the kind of information you'd want to know before setting off on a ride, and does it in a colorful, sometimes very deadpan funny way. There's also some cool trivia about the parks and good, useful information about where to buy supplies, repair your bike, do laundry, take showers, camp, and other stuff like that. I think this is a book that shows you how to take part in the most fun sport in the world (bicycling) and do it in some of the most spectacular places in the world (the national parks of California). A must for any travelers to the national parks who want to get out of their cars and explore. (By the way: it's not just for hardcore bicyclists--there are numerous family and beginner-level rides as well.)

This book must be the first of its kind--a guidebook about bicycling in the national parks. The author shows that the common misperception that bicycling is not allowed off-road in national parks is just that-- a misperception. This book features some outstanding road rides as well as mountain bike rides. I think the descriptions of the parks themselves and the rides therein are well-written and clear. The author gives the kind of information you'd want to know before setting off on a ride, and does it in a colorful, sometimes very deadpan funny way. There's also some cool trivia about the parks and good, useful information about where to buy supplies, repair your bike, do laundry, take showers, camp, and other stuff like that. I think this is a book that shows you how to take part in the most fun sport in the world (bicycling) and do it in some of the most spectacular places in the world (the national parks of California). A must for any travelers to the national parks who want to get out of their cars and explore. (By the way: it's not just for hardcore bicyclists--there are numerous family and beginner-level rides as well.)

I just returned from a mountain biking vacation to Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area and this guidebook proved indespensible. It contains almost all information necessary to plan your trip and somehow manages to be both concise, thorough and readable.

Story introduces each chapter with a brief description of the geography and history of the park. Then Story lists several rides within the park, each accompanied by detailed descriptions (including technical and aerobic difficulty, best time of year to ride, overall length of trail, etc.) and maps. Though some road bike routes are included, most trails are for mountain bikes. Each trail I rode was accurately described. Each chapter also contains boxes describing the fauna (animals) and flora (plants) you'll likely encounter within each park.

This book isn't just a cycling guide, it contains virtually all the information you'll need to plan your trip. Story concludes each chapter with information about local lodging, camping, bike shops, grocery stores, and restaurants (his recommendations are first rate). He also provides helpful contacts (park visitors centers, etc.) which should be able to provide any other information you might need. Story has also eliminated the extraneous elements so many other cycling guidebooks seem to contain (elevation maps might be visually enticing, but let's face it, they aren't necessary).

What is really remarkable about this book is Story's terse, engaging writing. The abundance of information this book contains is presented in readable, often witty language. He doesn't just describe, he gives the reader a feel for each park and the surrounding communities (when applicable). Unlike most guidebooks I've read (which usually contain flat, predictable humor), Story's humor actually works; it isn't "laugh-out-loud" funny, but wry, witty humor that always relates to and never detracts from the subject matter.

The only improvement I would suggest for future editions is to provide a general map of each National Park. The trail maps only feature a small segment of the park where the trail is located. It is sometimes impossible to decipher where each trail is located within the entire park itself. This is particularly difficult for visitors not familiar with the area (like me). It was sometimes impossible to tell from the maps where the most convenient place to stay (closest lodging to the trails) is. The next edition should provide a map showing where each trail is located relative to the entire park. Before visiting a park, you should obtain a complete map from the National Park Service (Story does tell where to obtain these).

Story has set high standards with this guidebook, the first in the "Bicycling America's National Parks" series. It's the kind of book you'll enjoy reading even if you don't plan to hit the trails anytime soon. Story's writing is so engaging that finishing the 300-pages is effortless (300 pages may sound long, but it really isn't). This book is a must read for any cyclists interested in visiting the National Parks of California. I can't wait to read the subsequent guidebooks for other states.