Maine Books

I do not like this book at all. It is quite boring and is stupid. Free is a stupid name for a young boy. It is stupid how her Mom is "strong" when she really is a dumb person.

I'm 12 years old and I love to read. This book was a great book! I couldn't put it down! I reccomend this book for kids 10 and up. There are some places in the book that would put a child under the age of 10 into confusion. There are a lot of life lessons in this book. But there are also some times where they swear or where something very sad or diffucult to understand will happen. Amazing writing and sentances that will just make you gasp!!! I loved it and i deffiantly reccomend you to read it! Its a real page turner!!

This is one of those books you'll go "ahhhh" to after setting it down. If you model your thinking as you do a read aloud with your kids, this one would be great. It would also be a great lit circle book. My only warning is that an adult says the "s" word twice....so be prepared to have your kids handle that maturely. Loved it!!!

Seriously, this author writes better than the majority of popular adult fiction writers I have read lately. This is a real pager turner, very believable characters and engrossing. Can't wait for another from the author!

I've read about 40 children's books in the last three months as part of a library-related project. This book stands out as the very best children's book I have read recently and one that I'd highly recommend to all children in grades 5-8. Some of it is predictable, but you won't care since you are enjoying this book so much and you care about the characters. The story is well written and a wonderful debut book for this author. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Named after the mighty Babe Ruth, Ruth DiMarco has some big shoes to fill. But she's already well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a major-league baseball player. Eleven-year-old Ruth is the star shortstop in her small Maine hometown, and now a reporter is coming to interview her for Sports Illustrated. Ruth seems to be at the top of her game. Then one day she overhears her father in the crowd: "Real major-league talent. But I can't help thinking what a shame it is that it was all wasted on a girl."
Could her father be right?

This is an excellent novel that mixes deep and sometimes painful emotion with an engaging, realistic story. 11-year old Sofia Ruth DiMarco, named after the Babe by her baseball-loving family, is a young baseball phenomom. Even Sports Illustrated sends out a writer for a major feature about her. But what her the emotionally suppressed father, and Ruthie herself discover is the pain, longing, and isolation hidden behind her dazzling on-field brilliance.

Ruth is the only girl on her team and in her family, her pioneering firefighter mother having been killed several years before. Her future in baseball is doubtful because of her gender, and her family doesn't recognize her claims to grief and her desires to remember her mother. With the help of the sportswriter, her feminist friend Ellie, and, especially, her own courage in confronting her family, she discovers her true, multifaceted identity. The pride and confidence she feels on the field are, at the story's conclusion, extended to her feelings about herself. I recommend this to older kids because of the mature themes: Baseball is really just a subtext for this psychological portrayal of a young woman. Yet, it's both serious and fun at the same time. This winner of the Marguerite De Angeli Prize (for a first novel aimed at middle-grade readers) is a well-written story of some of the pains and joys of growing up. Recommended.

With the start of the WNBA and the consistent popularity of women's tennis and golf, it has become more realistic for women to imagine themselves as professional atheletes. But, what if ground hasn't been broken yet in your sport?

Named for the Babe (a famous baseball player, not that I need to tell you that), Ruth DiMarco is probably the best short stop East Shore, Maine has ever seen. Her batting is impeccable, her field skills unsurpassed. She eats, drinks, and sleeps baseball, but during a game she unfortunately hears her father say something about it being a shame such talent was wasted on a girl.

So, begins the inspiring new novel by Maria Testa, SOME KIND OF PRIDE. Hurt by her father's remarks, Ruth begins to doubt her future in baseball and her love for the game. But, Ruth has more advocates than she realizes including her biggest fan and best friend Ellie, a self-declared feminist, a Sports Illustrated writer named Ross sent to write about her amazing stats, and even her mother who died in a rescue attempt as the only female fire fighter in the area. Ruth gains strength from these forces and learns that her passion for baseball beats all odds and hushes all naysayers.

SOME KIND OF PRIDE is for any kid bucking the system and puts a positive twist on the remark, "you throw like a girl!"

(...)

This book breaks new ground in sports fiction for kids by offering both a compelling coming-of-age story and a real appreciation for one child's love of baseball. And to top it all off, it's about a girl! The author's expertise in her craft and in her sport shines through. This is a sometimes emotional, always enjoyable, and ultimately satisfying read.

Maria Testa's SOME KIND OF PRIDE is one of those rare books that will make you laugh and cry and teach you something while you're at it. Male or female, child or adult, this is the type of novel everyone should read. The characters are real, the story is fun and the message is never overstated. I highly recommend this novel for teen and pre-teen girls and reluctant readers.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I don't know exactly what it was, but I thought of the characters for days! I almost wish someone would make a feature film about it, but there is ALWAYS a chance that the book wouldn't match the film. Sigh. Anyway...I STRONGLY recommend this book!

I liked this book because it's about Maine and it's well put together, like one of the Indian baskets the main character learns to create. It pulls you along and concludes satisfyingly. But maybe a little too satisfyingly: At around 19, Blue has her whole life figured out, which I find hard to buy. Also hard to believe is how noble the Indian characters are. Some flaws would have been nice. My other quibble (I know this is truly picky) is the constant use of "alright" instead of "all right." I look forward to reading other books by Thayer but hope she's edited a little better next time.

This book was fabulous. I couldn't put it down. It's a book about Blue, who is a twin. Her other twin, Berry, died a few days after the birth because she had no brain. Blue seems haunted by the mystery behind Berry as her family never talks about her. This book tells of a girl growing up and finding where she belongs in all this chaos in her life. Blue has an accident when she is a child.....that leaves her missing one eye and other scars and a disability. Her father was responsible for the accident. Her relationship with her mother is strained, because of catching her mother having sex with a friend. The father hides behind his camera.....literally, not able to relate much to any one without using his camera to catch every moment he thinks is worth saving. The only stability that Blue finds is in her Grandfather, a Passamoquoddy indian. He teaches her about life, nature, and passion. He loves her unconditionally. He is her safe harbor, where she can go to ask all the mysteries of life. This book was a narrative of how Blue felt about her life and going through it. You feel like you are right there with Blue during the whole book. Again, this is a beautiful book. You will love it.

Great for the young adult reader who is learning about who they are in relation to the stereotypes that surround them in today's world. Writing style is easy to read, a good rainy day book. Also very nice description of Maine, somewhat idealic, but nice nonetheless.

For the first time in my life, I actually cried over a book. Cynthia Thayer created a character so real and so heartwarming, I couldn't help but feel her pain.

Lucy Stone's neighborhood has changed. Instead of her nice quiet street, now there's a new subdivision nearby with a loud motorcycle riding teenager.

Lucy and her friends, Sue, Pam, and Rachel begin working on the Hat and Mitten fund. They decide a bake sale, like they used to hold, would be a great fundraiser. Lucy volunteers to call everyone to get donations of baked goods. Unfortunately she finds that she hasn't kept up with everyone and they're all busy doing something else and unable to bake anything.

So they decide to include the new neighbors in the subdivision to help with the bake sale. New neighbor Chris Cashman decides to take over. Lucy's fine with letting her take over, but it puts a real strain on her friendship with Sue as she'd always been the leader before. Chris decides they should make low-carb snacks, sell bottled water, and even make some dog treats. They're going to have a taste test to decide which recipes are the best for the sale.

The date of the taste test Mimi Stanton doesn't show up. Lucy is dispatched to check on her and find out if she needs any help. Unfortunately Lucy finds Mimi in her kitchen with a large knife in her chest.

Who could have killed her and why? Lucy sets out to figure out who did it since she doesn't think the person the police arrested is the killer.

I love this series. Lucy is such a fun character. She's very involved with her kids, friends, and community. Her involvement gives her credibility in investigating, plus it sets up the secondary story line. I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it.

I'm a huge Lucy Stone fan, however, the last couple of books in this series, IMO, haven't been as good as some of the others...until now.

Lucy Stone is back, and this book is a great addition to the series. It's well-written...there's a lot of red-herrings, some nicely placed clues, and the killer is introduced early in the book. As a mystery lover, you can't ask for much more.

This time out, Lucy has new neighbors, and one who is quite the little troublemaker. Early on, she is found dead, and Lucy investigates the murder, and eventually discovers who the murderer is.

BAKE SALE MURDER is a great addition to this series. I loved the addition of the new characters, and I hope they will appear in the next Lucy Stone Mystery. I also loved the recipes that are included at the back of the book.

Honestly, I'd have given this book 10 stars if it were an option.

Welcome Back Lucy Stone.

After a long line of less than stellar books, the Bake Sale Murder has taken us back to earlier, superior Lucy Stone mysteries.

Lucy Stone isn't happy. Instead of living on a nice quiet road that she's used to, a little subdivision has sprung up next to her, including one obnoxious motorcyle riding teenager who spends as much time reving up his machine as he does riding it.

Lucy and her friends, Sue, Pam and Rachel start working on the Hat and Mitten fund. A bake sale seemed like a good idea to raise funds, until she starts calling her friends for baked donations and realizes she hasn't kept up with them for awhile as everyone is involved in activities which make it impossible for them to bake anything.

So they decide this would be a good time to get to know the new people in the subdivision and get some baked goods for the sale at the same time. Bonnie Burhart, wife of the new guidance counselor at school. Willie Westwood, wife of the new vet. Frankie LaChance a divorced mother and Chris Cashman mother of Pear and Apple. Unable to attend the first meeting, Mimi Stanton, wife of the subdivision developer and mother of motorcyle riding Preston.

What starts out as the selling of a few baked goods at the school turns into a major sale when Chris Cashman takes over. No longer a couple of brownies and cakes, they're going to produce low-carb snacks, have bottled beverages and even make home made dog treats. Chris even decides that they should all make several of their best treats and then they would all get together and have a taste test to vote for the best and then only produce them in large quantities for the sale.

Lucy is always happy to let an "A" type personality take over, but since it's usually been her friend Sue, things are a little strained as Sue has met her match in Chris.

Things don't seem as upbeat when on the day of the taste test, Mimi doesn't show up. Lucy gets sent over to find out if she needs any help. Mimi needs help, but not the kind Lucy can offer as she's in her kitchen with a large knife in her chest.

Who would have killed the developer's wife? Was it a disgruntled new home owner? Rumors were the houses weren't built that good. A jealous wife? Rumors were she might have been stepping out with someone else's husband. Or a jealous husband? Maybe the mysterious homeless person that was seen lurking around the house and living in the woods?

Lucy isn't sure, but she's determined to investigate as the person arrested by the police just doesn't seem like a killer to her.

Highlights:

Lucy Stone had been one of my favorite characters, but her last several books have been very disappointing. This one gives us back the old Lucy who is more involved with her family and friends rather than her job a the Pennysaver.

Lucy getting the prime job of making the dog treats, resulting in her two daughters Sarah and Zoe not wanting to help as anythng containing liver is disgusting.

Sue's frustrations at meeting an "A" type personality that was stronger than she was and having to take second place. They wouldn't even let her make her "Better Than Sex" brownies.

Sarah - 14 & Zoe - 9. With just two children at home the book reminds me of the first ones in the series when she had three children at home, Toby, Elizabeth & Sarah and she worked part time at various jobs.

Frankie LaChance who may dress like a bimbo but seems to be an almost perfect mother while raising her teenage daughter alone. I would like to see this character continue in future books.

No Elizabeth. Lucy's oldest daughter ruined more books than any other character. For some reason she was turned into a smart mouthed, backtalking, having to have everything her own way brat. And Lucy bowed to all her wishes. I think I wrote about this relationship in my previous reviews. She's away at college and I'm hoping she never moves back hom.

Good mystery. Lucy does some real investigating this time.

Lowlights.

Lucy's wishywashy behavior. Her daughter Sarah is a cheerleader and Lucy finds out she and the other cheerleaders are being sexually harassed by the football players while on the bus to games. (I won't get into the details,) but if my daughter told me this and the principal and coach blew me off, I'd be at a lawyer's office. Lucy does nothing except talk to them and then wonders if maybe it isn't as bad as Sarah tells her.

Bill Stone - I don't believe for one minute his reaction when he hears what has been happening to his daughter. He seems to think it's ok because the team is winning. If you'd read the earlier books you would know this would not be Bill's reaction. I think he'd be up on murder charges.

I almost didn't buy this book as I have been so disappointed in the previous ones, but I'm glad I did. I hope the future books continue to have Lucy solving the mysteries from a background of her homelife and not her job.

As usual I thoroughly enjoyed this look in to Lucy's busy life. The plot is well crafted,quick moving and plausible (ok, as plausible as it can be for one person to be involved in several murders in a small New England town). A good evening by the fireplace for sure.

This installment in the Lucy Stone series was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tinker's Cove is growing and new subdivisions and people are arriving.

The hat and mitten fund needs money. Lucy, Pam, Sue, and Rachel decide to have a bake sale. This was an interesting part of the book. It was typical how things change in communities and "new blood" should be brought in to help as often as possible.

These new people bring new situations to Tinker's Cove including murder. The author does an excellent job with this book. She weaves a story about teen issues and coping with home and career into her usual mystery. You will enjoy this book.

This was truly one of the best books that I have read. I find it very compelling and the smilies that the writer used to explain the spider that he kept seeing and fearing was unbelievable. It just seemed so surreal to me, and I'm not so sure why.

I read this book in grade six and it showed me that the world wasn't really a perfect and wonderfully great all the time. I owe a lot to this novel.

I enjoyed the concept that was displayed in this story, and I swear every second a emotion streamed down Charlie's back I felt it too. The scene that I enjoyed the most was when the two boys went outside and Charlie's dad showed up. I didn't know what was going to happen at that point to be honest, I thought that it was going to be very climaxic, by his father dragging him away, but than the foster family to take him out of his hands.

This book will make you think about all the things that you have, have had, are going to have, and all the things that you will leave behind when you die. Charlie didn't have that in the begining of the story, but as time progressed he was given more and was earning more and most importantly he had a family, foster one maybe, but at least they cared about him and wanted to help him out.

I would recommend to anybody, to READ THIS BOOK.

Ever wonder how a young child could escape out of child abuse? Charlie (main character) knows exactly what it takes. His story takes you through the brutality, hard-ship, and recovery of child abuse. Recently I read The Boy from the Basement, by Susan Shaw for my freshman English class.
The main character in the book is a young boy named Charlie, who has been locked away and kept prisoner in the basement, by his easily angered father, as a "punishment". He has never been to school, heard of holidays or even used a phone. He believes he deserves this because he has been bad. Sadly, this is all Charlie has ever known. But when Charlie gets accidentally locked outside one night, he sees a world he had never seen before. When he gets picked up by police officers he is sent away to a foster family, where he is haunted by hallucinations and his father's anger.
I think that there were some very good parts in this book. One being was when Charlie was playing outside at his foster home and his father shows up. This was a big deal because his father was not supposed to even see Charlie because he had abused him. He also never let him outside before or he would make Charlie stay in the basement for even longer.
The reason why I'm recommending this book to you is that I think that it had a message I think that people should understand. The main idea was about a boy's escape and recovery from extreme child abuse and finding a new home. In my opinion this is a big problem still today. I also think that the author did a good job explaining the journey and how the main character got through it. On the other hand one thing I probably would have changed was about the mother in the story and that she really didn't have anything to do with the story line. I think it would have been better if they would have included her in it.

I teach Reading to struggling readers in high school. My goal is to get them engaged, because, if they're engaged, they read. This book hasn't been on the shelf more than 5 minutes since it was received in the mail. I haven't read it yet, but intend to over the summer. The teacher who recommended it was 100% correct.

I love this story, I wish it was a memoir, but that would mean it would have to be true. and there is enough going on in the world today , we don't need this story to be one that is seenon the news. However, it IS a very good read. I suggest that organizations that deal with children who were abused and neglected need to read this book, it relates to the childrne. It makes the reader keep reading to find out what happens to the little boy. I am older than a teen, but study things for children. I think this is a good teen or adolescent read for children who have been through this situation.
Has a great ending, you will love it

I think this book deserves this award. It is a great book but not the best I have ever read. I think this book was a little depressing but at the same time joyful. This book is suspenseful. If you like suspense you'll love this book. I would recommend this book to ages 11 and up and anyone who loves dramatic endings.

Boyle's career as a journalist is evident in his novels. The Jack McMorrow tales are as gripping as any crime thrillers and Boyle's work on the streets ensures that his books are authentic and gritty. Read one, you'll want to read them all.
-- Mark LaFlamme, author of "The Pink Room."

Good atmosphere, good characters, pretty believable story. The only thing is, when the murderer decides to kill McMorrow, it's not quite believable that McMorrow falls for his trap so readily, carelessly going out to the canal all alone. And wouldn't McMorrow's murder really only draw more scrutiny into the whole affair? From the book's point of view, the story had to end like this, but logically, in life, it would have made more sense for the murderer to have just moved out of town.

Boyle's Deadline is fast-moving and descriptive. He lets the novel build to a point of suspense, almost unbearably, before coming to a conclusion that is both intriguing and thought-provoking.

Slow moving mystery set in the mountain town of Androscoggin, Maine. The photographer for the weekly newspaper is found dead in a remote area of town and nobody seems to think it is suspicious, except the local editor, Jack McMurrow. The story moves very slowly and only picks up speed as it approaches the conclusion, and the conclusion leaves many honest questions about the plausibility of how the mystery is finally solved. Gerry Boyle started his career as a police beat reporter, and it shows. His writing style is that of a reporter and not a novelist. His novel is filled with 'filler' that fails to contribute to the story line and only succeeds in adding to the page count of the novel. If you pass on this novel you won't miss anything.

Good characterizations, particularly the average hardworking (and not so hardworking) citizens. Jack McMurrow just can't leave things be. Waiting for book #6. I'm a little prejudiced because I'm the author's brother. :)

I read the amazon reader reviews before I bought the book. Yet I must admit that I am a bit disappointed with the purchase. The principles in the book about dream making is nothing new at all. The book tries to relate a concept of 'ease' with a life working towards your dream. But it is not very convincing to me. And the 5-step process on finding your dream is a typical method that can be found in many other self-help books.

If someone would have told me Success was this simple, I'd have been rich along time ago! Marcia's lesson is so EASY - Be clear about what you want, then remove obstacles along the way. I wish my parents would have let me in on this secret when I was young - I wholeheartedly suggest parents teach these principles to our children. We CAN have what we want! Good, fast read with lots of real-life stories. Thanks Marcia for spelling it all out!

This is a straightforward, passionate work. The author shows you how to tap back into the "real you" that so easily gets lost in the shuffle of daily living. It helped me to focus on what direction I want to take my life, what specific actions I should take over the next three months to make it happen, and what I should eliminate from my daily routine to make room for what I want. Inspirational yet practical. This book had a profound impact on my thought process and beliefs..

I've read lots of self-help books, especially on self-discovery, time management etc.

7 Habits is probably the best one for dealing with traditional time management. However, it doesn't help much when you are confused about what you want to do, your roles...

Doing Less and Having More focuses on figuring out what you want, overcoming your fears, and putting your dream life into action. It is densely packed with a variety of information that integrates a complete view of life management. Even though I am a natural speed reader, I was forced to stop and take breaks after every chapter just so I could think about its impact on my life.

One of the best books I've ever read and one I should re-read regularly in order to make these principles part of my life.

I am re-reading portions of this book. Marcia Wieder's "Doing Less and Having More" is really inspirational. In my work as a speaker, author and motion picture director, I continually read books, and Marcia's book is *unique* and helps me develop ease for making my big dreams come true and finishing my film, "LIVING, the motion picture." I found Marcia's book so valuable that I read every word. I have seen Marcia give a workshop, and she's dynamic and uplifting -- in person. Her message is so powerful that I'm reading her new book, "Making Your Dreams Come True." Watch for her PBS special television program.

While reading this book, I absolutely could not figure out what in the world was going on. It was confusing because you are reading about all these different characters and strange things going on, BUT I was truly impressed by the writing ability of Linda Hall because its all neatly connected at the end for a satisfying conclusion. Not my favorite of her books, but its worth reading if you like her style, and I absolutely believe it takes talent to write this kind of story.

Easy and light reading. Characters were very interesting and the plot unfolded well.

Lamb's Island, Maine is a small community of close-knit people who watch out for one another. In the abandoned church on the island lives an unusual mix of people who are escaping from society for one reason or another. When one of them turns up murdered, they all fall suspect. Is it Jeremiah, running from his old life as a minister, or Peter, escaping a murder charge? Colin seems to have a dark secret in his past as well, and Philip does not appear honest to anyone, except the wife and daughter that he has abandoned in the old church. As Hall weaves this tale of suspense, you will be enthralled with the twists and turns that it takes. Every time I thought that I had it figured out, something new would crop up, like a nosy ferryman, an upscale dress designer, or a strange rowboat parked on the sand. Hall has once again shown that she is a master of the suspense novel. You will not be able to put it down.

Island of Refuge is a subtly drawn together story of a rag-tag group of down-and-outers coming together in an abandoned church on Lamb's Island, a rocky, wind-blown patch off the coast of Maine. Lamb's Island is very much off the beaten path with only one way on and off the island. You have to really want to be there to get there. The living is plain and hard, close to the land and the ocean.

The aimlessly wandering, searching souls arrive one at a time and find shelter and peace until the death of a young mother shakes the island refuge and reawakens the pain of the loss of another young woman twenty years earlier. With the stoicism inherent in the islanders, life continues as normal, but with suspicion towards the group of church-dwellers who have wounds enough that need to heal.

With delicate intricacy, Hall has interwoven the lives of the characters from the island, the mainland and Canada. Very well done. I had a hard time laying aside this well-plotted mystery, so full of expression.

This was one of the best books I have read in quite some time. I enjoy christian fiction, but get tired of some of the sugary- sweet dialog and how everything is just a little too perfect in the end. Linda's books are really true-to-life and they have a good message too. I have read Margret's Peace and Katheryn's Secret (both excellent books), but Island of Refuge is my favorite. It keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Carolyn Chute can write, no doubt about that. With rich, spicy, earthy prose she brings to life her rural Maine setting and a whole town full of characters in this third novel.

The setting is the same as for her first two books: Egypt, a small town on the edge of the woods in western Maine, a place where impoverished natives and rich folks "from away" live side by side, but seperate existences.

The characters in this 695-page novel include most of the population, with emphasis on LLoyd Barington, of working-class/farming stock, Forest Johnson, Jr., whose backhoe and 'dozing business employs many of the town's poorest, and Gwen Curry, whose horrid mother proves that money and Connecticut gentility are no proof against cruelty.

The plot, well, here the novel runs into trouble. There is no plot, so to speak. While her characters do cross paths with one another, there is no unifying progression of events- except the slow generalized denigration of a rural way of life. That, it turns out, is Chute's point. "Merry Men" is a documentation of hard times getting harder, of the corporate mindset grinding down the individual.

Not that all her Maine folk are saints, although Lloyd Barrington comes close. Forest Johnson, Jr., for instance, takes advantage of his employees' desperation at every opportunity.

As the book opens, Forest has called out the constable on a bitter winter night. A prank -the fifth in as few days. "Forest, Jr.'s frozen breath bunches and bounces around his face so now there's no face. When his face reappears, it's just this dark sovereignty of eyes behind steel-rimmed glasses and a fierce close shave." Faced with the constable's impotence, Forest vows to lie in wait and kill the merry prankster.

The book then jumps back 30 years, although this is not apparent unless you glance at the top margin of the page. We meet Lloyd Barrington, age 8 3/4, fat, earnest, sensitive, a writer of poetry, a lover of shade trees. This lengthy section is breezy, humorous, affectionate and deeply touching.

Lloyd's mother has died. He lives with his taciturn, incomprehensible father, Edmund, and a houseful of uncles, including Unk Walty, who cooks fabulous meals for them all, unless he's absorbed in one of his papier mache projects, like his masterpiece - lifesized reproductions of all the local women Edmund has slept with, seated around a table dressed in beautiful last-century costumes.

At night Lloyd sneaks out of bed and flits around town in his Super Tree Man costume. "A fat boy by day, maybe so. But tonight and many nights to come, he's a thing of glory." Lloyd plants baby maples. "If they make it, in thirty years, the fat lady's yard will be in deep cool splendorous shade."

Next we meet Gwen Curry on the day her father, Dr. Curry, has died. Gwen is a fearful, lonely child, her mind flickering between the awful events following her father's death and jagged memories of her short life with Phoebe, her mother. Every night Phoebe sings under the grate to Gwen's bedroom. A few times her father had remonstrated. "So Phoebe sang louder. Show tunes. Pop tunes. Rock and Roll. Television jingles. And once a shattery tinkling splat! A glass thrown into the sink."

Chute's portrait of manic cruelty and bewildered child is heart rending. Yet when Grandma packs them off to Connecticutt that's the last we see of Gwen for hundreds of pages.

In between there are numerous vignettes - Forest Johnson, Jr., fires an illiterate man and Forest's dissolute son returns from California bringing a grandson who's soon embroiled in family strife. The Soules, Lloyd's wife's people, lose their family farm to the bank. A young Soule falls in love with a middle-aged cousin of Lloyd's, a man on parole, suffering from clinical depression. They marry and as the husband loses his job, she becomes pregnant. Many of these stories end badly; some Chute simply abandons. Each absorbs the reader; none are fully resolved.

Finally Gwen Curry comes back, a rich, very rich, widow of an industrialist, a symbol of all the things gone wrong in Egypt. Her attaction to Lloyd, educated former hippie, man of all work, crusader, prankster, is instant. He is more ambivalent.

How Chute resolves this final conflict adds to the reader's frustration. Such magnificent writing, so often leading nowhere. And towards the end, Chute cannot resist long preachy passages explaining what's wrong with America even though she just spent 500 pages showing us. But Chute is worth reading for the breadth and beauty of her language and characters - even if you turn the last page and throw the book across the room.

Living in a small Maine town, I can attest to the veracity of Chute's vision. The characters are well-realized. Many scenes are breath-takingly well-written. Two problems with the novel: (1) It would be better without Chute's sermons about the grotesque evils of hunting & corporate America. (2) It would be a great novel with a different ending. The final act of the protagonist, Lloyd Barrington, is uncharacteristically & gratuitously cruel. That Chute had to change her protagonist's personality shows that she did not know how to end this wonderful, sprawling novel.

Carolyn Chute has an amazing talent at bringing to life the very heart and soul of her characters. This book exemplified that ability. Being from the same part of Maine of which she writes, I can identify strongly with these characters. Reading this book thrust me back in time to my youth in Maine---I was overwhelmed with nostalgia simply because Mrs. Chute wrote so well and was able to breathe life into her story. The characters of this novel were Maine personified. Anyone who grew up in Maine can understand what I mean---it wasn't like reading a novel, but rather was like actually being there and experiencing it. Thank you, Carolyn, for treating me to a part of my life I had previously thought forgotten and past.

Just as "Ulysses" was derided at it's debut, so has this book been. And just like "Ulysses" is now celebrated as a masterpiece of the millenium, so this book will be. Carolyn Chute, with only four titles in print, is the undisputed heavyweight champeen woman writer of the world. If you love Hemingway's wry just under the surface populism, you will love Chute. In fact, if you only read one book in your life, make it this one!

Chute's cyclonic novel absolutely captivated me and revealed a world within the state in which I live, but one that will always exist outside of mine as an "outer-stater". The characters, their struggles and disappointments were utterly realized. However, I have a problem with Lloyd's final "Robin Hood" act. For nearly 700 pages, Chute gave us an utterly endearing and sensitive character in Lloyd Barrington, one who NEVER hurt anyone and only acted against faceless corporations. For him to act so contrary to that nature was unfounded, no matter the economic status of an individual. Any feedback?

This was a helpful book. I appreciated the real examples of how to incorporate music into my child's life.

This book introduces a wonderful way to spend more time nurturing your child through musical activities. I was a little skeptical about the effects it would have, but found that even simple ryhmes can calm my children down. It is not a "fast food" approach. It is about using music and singing to motivate and comfort your child. We sing and ryhme all day- from diaper changes to car trips.

As an educator I find the ideas in this book to be a great way for every parent to prepare their child for school. It may not make your child more "intelligent", but I believe the author is correct in saying that your child with be a better learner.

No matter how many experiments are made that disproof the Mozart Effect there will always be parents who want a fast easy way of controlling or making their kids more "intelligent". Someday someone is going to market a sugar pill to do that, and make millions.

It's the fast-food approach to life. And you as a parent are going to lose for it.

The old fashion way, giving of your time and caring by sharing and personnaly teaching is no longer in vogue.

This book is outstanding. As a parent and nearly a grand parent, as well as a music therapist, I welcome this clear and creative book. There is no doubt you can use the Mozart Effect in your home the way Campbell defines it. It is more than just a scientific study, it is about knowing how to nuture a child and a family with music . Campbell is neither elitest nor arrogant. He inspires and informs. All types of music are included and the book takes a step by step, age by age, approach to brain and body development. He shows us that The Mozart Effect goes back to research in France over forty years ago and continues in centers throughout the world today to help children with ADD, speech problems and dyslexia.

As a music therapist, I hope every family will use this book. It can improve listening and communication. It can inspire us to look at a much bigger picture in child development. Thanks Don Campbell for doing your homework so well.

This book will make me a smarter parent. I am amazed at how this book blends the practical, the scientific and the artistic into common sense. I am not a fan of Classical music, but this book has helped me understand more about the healthy qualities of music.

Mr. Campbell gives me the evidence I need to show my school district that music classes must be included in every child's schoolday. The book is well referenced and gives many ways to help children improve their minds with music. This book sings the heart, the brain and the body of music!