New Books

Just great all around!!! This was one of my favorite childhood books. I will now give this one to my goddaughter to enjoy.

I am currently running a girls book club for 4th grade girls and I decided to use this book because of the positive attitude of the children in the book. I am trying to teach the girls in the book club how to analyze a book, discuss a book and to learn from a book. This book had everything I was looking for. The analysis leads to talking about attitude, taking responsibility and using your creativity!

This book is so good. It is where 12 year-old Mary, and her 10-year old sister, Jean are on a ship, and one day the ship starts to sink, and as quick as they can, the take all the babies that they had babysat while on the ship, and get into a lifeboat, but then, right before the boat sinks, their lifeboat gets accidentally thrown into the water, it is just them and 4 babies, all alone in a lifeboat with only a few odds and ends, like a tarp, jerky, canned milk, a jug of water, and some sfety pins. After 5 days of sailing in their little lifeboat, theese corageous little girls land on an island. They make shelter and look all over for food. There are ALOT more twists in the book............ but I don't want to spoil the surprises for you. you wil just have to buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did a book report on this book as a kid and really enjoyed the story. This will delight young babysitters and little girls with younger siblings! I have a sis five years younger and could relate to the hardships of these two girls who get stranded on an island with four babies. This book has a good balance of good and bad events and a great ending. The characters seem very realistic but parts of the plot are a little far-fetched and seem fictional. Either way, it's a very fun story with nothing too gross or scary. It also has a fair amount of cute, clean humor. I would say this is a good story for younger readers and those who like a lighthearted story.

Great fun!

As a young girl, I read this book over and over. Loved it! Magical. Shipwrecked on an Island with babies in their care - the girls in this story have an adventure. I was so jealous! I loved babies, still do! This book was dreamy fun.

The author, Carol R. Brink, also wrote "The Pink Motel," my other fav in the 5th grade. Have them both, and will treasure them forever. All my daughters read this, and liked it, as every little girl would.

Delightful! Buy it! thanks, Gramma Sally

"Beautiful Joe" is a wonderful story. It was given to me in the late 50's when I was about 10 years old, and I think I read it three times. It's always amazed me that so few others know of it. But it is a beautiful and enriching story especially suitable for a 9-12 year old child who loves dogs. It is very sad (and distrubing) in the beginning, however, so I would never recommend it for a young child.

I read this book countless times when I was a child in the 1950s; I was delighted to find it still in print and even more delighted to find that it is as moving and meaningful as ever. Today's children may find the language somewhat formal and will need to broaden their vocabularies, but they and their parents will find the small effort well worth it.

I love this book. Everyone should read it young or old. Beautiful Joe and the rest of the animals will touch your heart. I have never read this book without crying at the end.

I am not reviewing the edition but rather the book...and it is...of utmost excellence. Although written for its time period, it is something one can read now and enjoy...Beautiful Joe captures your heart, makes you share his opinions, memories and feelings...then leaves you wanting more.

Just thought I should say something. =)

I first read this story as a Whitman abridged edition when I was about eight years old. It was hard for me to believe that some people were so cruel to animals, but I loved the book's old-fashioned narration and of the adventures of and lessons learned by Miss Laura and her family in raising Joe. The moment I learned what the word "abridged" meant, I went looking for the complete story; it took me a long time to find this Applewood Books edition that included three of the farm chapters that were missing from the supposedly complete version I later purchased, and oddly, the Applewood edition is missing the chapter about the crow that is in some other editions. (I believe this is because the Applewood volume is a reprint of the original story and the chapter about the crow was added in a revised edition.) The story is full of memorable characters, both animal--Joe, Jim the spaniel, Billy the fox-terrier, Bella the parrot--and human--Miss Laura, Ned, Willie, Jack, and Cousin Harry. If you are tender of heart, you may find many scenes heart-rending, but it reminds us too that we have much to still work on in the area of animal cruelty.

I found it hard to read much of what Cliff Acree wrote, because he tells us how badly he was treated while he was in captivity. He was tortured; badly beaten, denied food and in so many ways humiliated and ill-treated. Still, he never lost his faith and dignity.

Since Cliff Acree was a higher ranking officer, it was obvious that he was better informed than his fellow prisoners of war. When he refused to share any of this information with his captors, it made Saddam Hussein's men treat him harsher than many others.

Col.Cliff Acree decided he had to lie to Saddam Hussein's men, and that may be a reason he is still alive. If he had kept on refusing to speak, the ill-treatment may even have been worse. Another reason he is alive is: When Saddam Hussein used the captured pilots, as well as members of the SAS and a CBS TV crew as human shields, only two instead of five bombers attacked the building they were kept in. The bombers didn't bomb the part where the cells were sited.

One of the comments in the book also made me think of Captain Scott Speicher, since he is the American air man that Saddam Hussein most likely kept.

Addressing the memoir "The Gulf Between Us" by Cynthia and Cliff Acree is a bit difficult. It came out around 1998, and thus a completely different era than our current misadventure(aka quagmire) in Iraq. Since I am a moderate Democrat, I kind of have a bitter taste in my mouth when I think of the Bushes. However "Gulf" is really the story of the Acrees, and thus I do recommend this because these two are great people. Col. Acree is a hero because he withstood torture and would not reveal critical intelligence to the Iraqis during the first Gulf War. His wife is also a hero because despite her own pain, she fought to get better recognition of POWs and their families. The stuff that Col. Acree had to go through is heartwretching, and it is a miracle in itself that he lived to tell us. For that, I salute him. The book also makes a good move in mostly avoiding political matters(both parties seem to be portrayed well), but Acree should not have kept mentioning how he wouldn't even give in to the demand that "he call [President George H.W] Bush a donkey". Well Bush 43 is certainly worse than that for treating de facto POWs in Gitmo the way he has, but again Acree couldn't have forseen that, so he gets a pass. Recommended reading. Should be read by any who believe torture is a good way to get intelligence(Acree never gave up anything that was good) and by those who believe in the Geneva Conventions, and of course by those who want to admire true American heroes: our soldiers.

I have read many POW stories since WWII and this is one of the best. The perspective is a little different as the wife talks a chapter about what is going on at home and then Col. Acree talks about his ordeal while a prisoner of war in Iraq during Desert Storm. The internal fortitude and resolve of Co. Acree is astounding and what he went through is heart rending. At the same time his wife did much in creating a force of help and an attitude of compassion among the entire citizenry of the U.S.A. You will rally 'round the flag after reading this and appreciate the downfall of Hussein!

I truly believe that there are never any random accidents of fate at work in our lives--everything happens to us for a reason, even if we do not understand why! Reading the inspiring memoir "The Gulf Between Us: A Story of love and Survival in Desert Storm" you cannot help but believe that prayers are truly answered; and that there must be a divine purpose to our lives even if it is not understood at the time of the events. One thing is evident; this book is about the power of faith and love.

The Husband and wife writing team of Cynthia and Col. Cliff Acree have written a duel storyline that is more than just about war--it is a love story. They chronicle the compelling emotions and the events surrounding the Colonel's capture and his time spent as a POW during Desert Strom. It is a triumphant tale of courage from both Cliff and Cynthia as they endure, survive, suffer and embrace once again. They both have this underlining strength and faith that comes through very loud and clear.

No matter what you have read about the experiences of the POWS in Desert Storm there was much more to that story that was left untold --or incorrectly reported. Some of them were subjected to brutal beatings and life threatening treatment. Colonel Acree was subjected to a harsher treatment than others for various reasons, including his strong loyalty and patriotism and the fact that he was a Marine pilot and company commander. He would not give an inch or compromise on his core values and for those reasons he had to endure the brute force of his Iraqi capturers. Truly an American hero!

Equally courageous and inspiring is the corresponding story of Cynthia's experiences, as she has to face all the uncertainties of the situation. Working from a base of great faith and personal strength she takes positive actions and organizes a movement to get world attention focused on the fate of all the POWS and MIAS. Her personal and emotional journey did not come without its own form of pain.

We learn a lot about who the authors were and how they met and became high school friends. The background story gives us a look inside their relationship and what kind of people they were prior to the life changing experiences of the war. I think this adds greatly to the power of their story. These two individual souls seemed destined to become spiritually connected in the very fabric of their lives. This book is more than a war story it is about their own personal spiritual journey. It is a story that will inspire many others and perhaps change a few lives along the way. And maybe, that was one of the divine purposes that the universe had in mind for all that they went through. I know that I was touched by their story on many levels. I am a better person for having read their book.

It is a well-written, easy to follow story. The authors share a huge part of themselves with the reader and that honesty comes through and makes you feel good about them as people. The MWSA gives this book its highest book rating of FIVE STARS. I also add my personal endorsement and recommendations that you buy and read this book.

When I first bought this book, I thought it would be something I MIGHT pick up and read...if I didn't have something better to do. Being a new Marine spouse in a post-9/11 world, the story was, at least, an intriguing one, and any new information I could get was a bonus. I had NO idea what was in store.

This is a story of patriotism, of survival, of fear, of strength, of new and old friendships, of new and old adversaries. A story of triumph and most of all an enduring love; Cindy and Cliff's story is one that will touch anyone.

It is written in perfect format as Cindy chronicles her daily life in unison with what happened to Cliff thousands of miles away in captivity. It demonstrates how even in the most grim of circumstances, the spirit perseveres and is, indeed, made stronger. From a military point of view, their amazing story can also serve as a reference for families on how to handle difficult situations, when their loved ones' lives could be at risk. It certainly has for me.

I am a better person for having read this book. I am better Marine spouse after reading this book. It truly is one of the best investments I have ever made. It demonstrates, beyond a doubt, the Honor, Pride and Commitment that signifies the Marine Corps, and all our servicemen and women. I appreciate the Acrees sharing their story with the world.

read this when I was preteen, it's great and it bears re-reading as an adult. Scary, psychological drama. Lots of stuff for adults to chew on as well as kids, because of the dual (even triple) heroine structure: a child, a young woman, and a mature woman. Each character is fascinating, and so is the situation, the setting, the writing... what a great book. Now I want to read everything by Patricia Clapp.

I read this book as a child back in the 70's, and it's still one of my all-time favorites. The writing is mature enough to appeal to adults, but still on a level that an older child can easily follow.

Creepy without the gore, the slow build up of tension until the climactic ending is deftly handled and leaves you wishing you could read faster to reach the resolution.

My old copy of this book has been taped together numerous times, so I'm pleased that it has now been reissued. I plan to pass it along to my own daughter in a few years' time.

I first remember reading this book when I was eleven or twelve. I was so excited to see that it was reissued. I devoured this slim little book in an hour and it was an hour well spent, reliving the chills and thrills of this book. Patricia Clapp has a great ability to create a fabulous atmosphere that makes it easy for the visualize the story. What a wonderful book!

This book was a good as I remember! Plus, Witches Children was gripping. Also, there is a nice trubute written by Ms. Clapp's children about her. AND insight from Ms. Clapp herself of her inspirations for both of these stories and others.

I have loved this book ever since I first read it as a child. I am so happy to see it available again after so many years! I wanted it several years ago, and had to buy a used copy on eBay to get it. But now I want to buy this re-issue so I can also read Witches' Children! Since Jane-Emily is so good, anything else she wrote must also be great! I've been waiting since my childhood to see a studio make a movie-version of this story, and I can't believe that no one's ever thought of it! I'd love to see it done!

I'm not kidding... I did. The juggling balls are a perfect fit to anyone's hand. I bought the kit because I needed to learn how to juggle for a class, and I got an A! Pretty good for a first timer! Besides, it's a great exercise for your arms.. try it for a couple of hours and you'll see the effects!

I bought this book after seeing a few friends juggling and finding the book on sale at my local Borders store. I didn't think it would take me long to get the hang of throwing and catching three beanbags and now, almost 6 months after buying the book, I am quite proficient with a 3 ball cascade, making a few catches with a 4 ball fountain, and I've been bought juggling clubs!

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to get into juggling, for fun or sport, it's simple to use and fun to follow along with. The only thing I do not like is that the book's format makes you wish it was spiral bound or bound in a way it can easily be laid flat.

This person is a great dealer with fast prompt service. Would buy from again.

I loved the hole pack. I was trying to find a cheap set of juggling balls to to start learning, when I saw this pack i didn't notice that the beanbags weren't balls but cubes and I was a bit worried at first. Anyway they are great, well balanced, with the right weight, and the unusual format is perfect to beginners, since you will drop them a lot they won't roll away from you like the rounds' ones.

Within an hour of getting this book, I was able to juggle ( though not skillfully at all)three balls. Granted, I've had a little bit of prior juggling experience from years and years ago, so I wasn't totally unfamiliar with the motions. The instructions were very clear and so were the illustrations after I used a hi-liter to keep track of the otherwise black and white balls.

While this book has many innovative ideas in it, it makes perfect sense. It is easy to read, although so full of great thoughts and inspirational concepts that I had to slow the pace just to digest it. It speaks to the heart and the process of reading is healing in itself. I highly recommend it to anyone searching for their hearts desire, or just plain looking for answers.

A purported running dialog with the Christ figure with commentary/amplification by the author interspersed throughout the dialog. This is an extremely worthwhile read, being a "clarification" or "re-statement" of what the Christ's original doctrine was -with elucidation of that doctrine. That original doctrine dovetails nicely with expositions found in The Conversation With God series, Course in Miracles, and even the Seth material (which supporters would say should happen if all these sources are indeed different perpsectives on "truth"). There are enough additional and further clarifications in this work to make it absolutely a "must" for readers interested in this genre. The author's work "the Keys of Jeshua" is also a must read, being a "how to" put the principles into action in life to achieve a different life experience. This work belongs in one's special tomes on "truth and living".

As one who has been committed to the Path for a LONG time, I feel confident in saying that the new version of Love Without End is the
most complete Spiritual Teaching you will ever find.

Each sentence is a Gem ... that you could mediate on for quite awhile.

I have read this book (and marked it up really good!) at least six times.

A Miracle of LOVE indeed...

Gratefully,

Dr. David Kamnitzer

I find this book to be packed with information on the nature of reality. Unlike my experience with many books on spirituality, I find myself returning to this book again and again. The truths that Jesus reveals in modern American English hit home whether he is explaining the nature of the heart, the physics of the universe or the ten commandments. Here is revealed both the deep love of Jesus for all people and an unflinching guide to all of life. All of this is presented free from dogma, free from religiosity, and free from condemnation.

The warmth, love, compassion, wisdom and joy that radiate from this book is, at times, overwhelming! For me, this is a book that one must keep so that it can be referred to time and again, as I simply am not spiritually advanced enough to get most of the information on a first, second and maybe even third pass. I hope to hear Glenda speak some day and I'd love to see her painting up close and personal. Buy the book and cherish it!

This book has lots of good ideas for dealing with stress. I have been able to find some that work well for me so I recommend this text.

This book has the basic techniques on reducing stress, anxiety, fears, OCD to some extent, negative thinking, among other stress inducers. There is also a chapter on assertiveness training. The instructions are easy to follow. A really great book.

This book is wonderful for teaching people how to relax and cope with stress. It has practical exercises for learning the different techniques.
Workbook covers such topics as: body awareness, breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation, visualization, autogenics, self-hypnosis, refuting irrational ideas, thought stopping, worry control, goal and time
managment, assertiveness training, job stress management, nutrition, exercise and how to stay on track with a stress management program. I've had therapists tell me they use this book all the time in their practice. I'm currently using it as a guide for people in my Wellness Recovery Program. The exercises are easy to teach and practical to use.

Well written. A great how-to for beginners. Finally a self-help book that tells the reader "how" to do something rather than a diatribe of how wonderful the author is and why the information is important. Workbook is easy to follow. I'm very happy with it.

I didn't read this book myself, but purchased it for a friend who, due to a chronic medical condition caused solely by stress, needs to change not only his lifestyle but his thought process and self identity. He tells me this book opened his eyes to how stressful his life truly is, and found many of the suggestions and techniques helpful in the beginning process of identifying stressful behavior, and taking the first baby steps in changing that behavior. For him, however, the major changes may have to come through therapy, but for those for whom a relatively simple lifestyle change will bring improvement, this book appears to be the ticket.

Right from the gitgo Ben Hamper's Rivethead grabs you with gritty gusto of passages such as the above; Hamper is an extraordinary writer about life for the ordinary guy... at least the ordinary guy who winds up as an automotive assembly-line worker for General Motors in Flint, Michigan--once considered the Automobile Capital of the World. The author is a natural shop rat, growing up in Flint, with an alcoholic mostly absentee father and a long-suffering, working-three-jobs mother trying to raise the family as practicing Catholics.

...

For my complete review of this book and for other book and movie
reviews, please visit my site [...]

Brian Wright
Copyright 2008

The endless monotony and idiot bosses drive anybody with an IQ above their shoe size to do something to kill the thought that, if they're lucky, they only have 30 more years of mind numbing drudgery to go before they can retire. I'm not saying alcohol abuse is the proper outlet, but it does seem to be the most common and most convenient. Good book, excellent portrayal of what exactly "blue collar America" does for a living.

Ben Hamper shares his life as a worker on the GM assembly line in Flint, MI. Bold, frank, honest and often hilarious. This book was recommended to me years ago and for some reason I never read it until now. Hamper chronicles a part of American history (manufacturing jobs) that seem to be going stateside or as Ross Perot once described in a quip about NAFTA, what's that whoosing noise? manufacturing jobs headed to Mexico. This is prose for the ages. Loved the book.

I didn't really like reading this book because I too work in a (once) major three Auto plant. I didn't feel that it properly portrayed some of the workers. It made it sound like all workers are like the author where they just really don't give a damn about anything except having a joking time on the job. It also made the workers sound like they were underachieving, undereducated, bottom of the barrel workers and I didn't care to have that stigma for all of us. I hold two bachelor degrees, like my job and take it serious!

I grew up with people like Ben Hamper in a place which was much like Flint. For the first couple years of my adult life, I did the kind of work he did. What he describes is the tail end of a lifestyle; the lifestyle of the shop rat. It's dirty, monotonous and smelly. Many of the people you work with are either below average in intelligence or in sanity. Drugs, booze and having no concept of "forethought" are fundamental parts of the culture. It's nihilism with a rivet gun. If you come from a place like that, chances are, your only way out is via a jail cell or a career in the military. Or, you could win a workmans comp suit. Which is presumably how Ben got out.

I miss rust-belt working class america. It's a hard life, and it doesn't have much in the way of rewards, but the people who make it up are genuine in ways that others are not: they have a lot of heart and spirit. Ben's book brought it all back in a great galloping rush of memories. If you've ever wondered what the factory working classes are, or at least were like (back when we had factories); read the book.

I love this book. I had been keeping my room messy to hide my stuff. Only problem was that my brothers always found my stuff and i couldent. Now that i am using the book, my room is clesn. My brothers and even my girlfriend cant find it.

I bought the book about a year ago, when my cousin would sneak into my room and take money. I made a video vault and a hollow book to hide it in. My brother made a decoy with a whole bunch of fake paper bills and a mouse trap under it all. My cousin got that bright lightbulb of an idea and tip-toed into my room. He saw the 'money' ane must have taken two fistfuls when SNAP!!! It wasn't pretty, my cousin broke his finger, but I thought the book was awesome.

I got this book in 4th grade; I now have no less than 11 vaults/stashes in my room. No one knows all of them! I even stumped my sticky - fingered friend (and considering how many people he's hoodwinked, that's saying a lot).

It is a perfect book, with everything you need to know about keeping your private things exactly that. Private!

I have a sister who can't keep her hands off my things. I have really tried hard to be nice but my parents think I'm picking on her if I complain because she is smaller. So when I saw this in the book store I figured it had to be for me. I am so glad I found this book. It is filled with great ideas about hiding what you own and about making great projects too. You will be able to turn any little place into a secret hide out. I wish there was a part about how to hide myself in a game or when my dad is calling me but I guess the writer doesn't know my house anyway! The book even has a great idea by making itself invisible if you use the pretend names of CDS and tape them on the side of the book. That way no one will know if you have a book or a CD on the shelf. This book is really, really, really good.

Having traveled the Mediterranean, lived in Worcester County where the first human was cloned (and then promptly destroyed), contributed to the research of The Shroud, and strolled through Central Park, I was amazed that so gifted an author could integrate reflections of all of these life experiences into a few action trilled pages that go way beyond my own life experiences. I am excitedly awaiting the rest of the novel.

There's some good writing here but it is spoiled by a lack of depth in the characters and the plot. Maybe this should have been designated a "Thriller" as it is more genre than General Fiction or General Literature. Basic stuff: the author shouldn't assume that a cloned Jesus would be a problem, just because he's a Jesus doesn't make him a Christ. Or tell us why, even quickly, round things out. Very early on the story becomes only about greed and malevolence, without exploring the complex side of religious passion that can lead to doctrinaire institutions, and greed and malevolence. The doctor praying over the patient is too subtle to balance things, so we get another whack at religion without giving us understanding about why people practice religion. e.g. Da Vinci Code had the strange fellow who whipped himself to remind us of the foundational spiritual fervor. There's some good vignettes and interactions though.

The last time I felt this way, craving the rest of the story, was when Stephen King released The Green Mile in 6 sections, each one several months apart. Or when waiting for the next Harry Potter book to come out. Lankford's sequel to the page-turner The Jesus Thief appears to be just as captivating, entertaining, and expertly crafted as the original. Please don't tease us too much longer! I might have to go back and reread The Jesus Thief to get my fix of these lifelike characters and their amazing story, while waiting for the rest of the sequel!

It's not often that we are educated as we are entertained, but after reading this excerpt, I'm assured that's just what this author does, and with great style. I was swept into the story by skillful scene-setting of New York as the author begins to reveal characters one at a time and the plot begins to open up. A clone of Jesus? Not implausible in today's world. The idea is at once scary and exciting, and I can imagine that the same controversy surrounding The Da Vinci Code will exist for this author's work, created by religious entities who feel the subject matter is sacro sanct, while those of us who are willing to let our minds be stretched might very well believe there could be a true story behind this work of fiction. The excerpt whetted my appetite to read the complete novel.

I was excited to hear there was a sequel to The Jesus Thief. After reading the exerpt, I know I will not be disappointed. I have one suggestion for both of the books, MAKE A MOVIE.