Brooks Books


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Brooks Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Brooks
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan
Published in Paperback by PublicAffairs (2006-06-12)
Authors: Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, Alephonsian Deng, and Judy Bernstein
List price: $13.95
New price: $7.64
Used price: $5.50
Collectible price: $13.99

Average review score:

impressive
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-14
When I picked it up I didnt know it was written written by the boys themselves. This made it very original. It makes me realize that every piece of food I put into my mouth has a value X times greater to a starving child.

Wonderful book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-24
This is a great book and difficult to put down. These boys are absolutely amazing and it's hard to think about what they and others were going through just to survive while most of us on this earth were carrying about our daily lives. Young boys, some toddlers, separated from their parents, traveling miles in the hopes of making it to a better, safe place. The ways that these young children adapt to their situations (thirst, hunger, illness, death, captivity)and the way that they help each other is inspirational, but so sad at the same time. Everyone should read this book. I would love to know what they are doing now.....

Awesome Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-12
This was an incredible story written by three incredible boys. The entire
time I ws reading it I had to keep reminding myself of how old they were.
To think of what they went through at such a young age is remarkable.
I highly recommend this book.

Sudan; oil matters, life doesn't
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-12
an informative first hand account about what the Muslam government has done to the black farmers all in the name of Allah but in reality in the name of GREED

Everyone should read this book...5+++ stars
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-05
The authors of this book have amazing courage to tell the true story of what they endured while civil war raged on in their home country of Sudan. They tell it with eloquence yet raw honesty, which demonstrates how they were able to grow and learn under such extreme circumstances. The tone of the writing made me feel almost as if the authors were talking to me. The writing style is heartfelt yet straightfoward. It cuts right to it.

Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin share their personal stories, putting faces, names, and feelings to what often is only covered in the news as a brief report. The authors' stories are their own, yet they also echo the stories of the thousands of Lost Boys of Sudan as well as the women, children, and men affected by civil war in any country.

This book is educational, touching, sad, and inspirational. It may move you to action, and it will definitely stay with you.

Brooks
The Piano Book: Buying and Owning a New or Used Piano
Published in Hardcover by Brook House Pub (1990-09)
Author: Larry Fine
List price: $26.95
New price: $14.95
Used price: $3.50

Average review score:

piano book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-08
Essential resource if you're buying a piano or just want to know more about this wonderful instrument

Best Piano Research Ever!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-15
I bought this prior to buying my piano and it was a lifesaver. I'd read about it and had to try it myself. I highlighted many passages and re-read many sections while making my selection. I have not only told many others to buy it, but have also "loaned" out my copy many times. A great investment, whether looking to purchase a used or new piano. Good tips for maintaining piano as well.

highly informative
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-06
When beginning to look for a piano, we read Larry Fine's The Piano Book at the recommendation of our local piano technician. It is superbly written and highly informative. It covers everything from the mechanics of pianos in general to the relative features and qualities of various makes of pianos. In the end, it was well worth the effort and helped us make a well informed decision on the type and make of piano we purchased.

Great, great, great!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-25
Just a few words: This guy loves pianos as much as I do. Buy this book. You won't regret it. I use it with my customers and my piano store, I use it for my own piano. It covers so many details that it will be a big mistake not to buy it. I has very well documented info, so you are very well prepared to buy, sell, rent, move, determine value of a piano. And the author keeps you updated each year.

Congratulations to the author...

Excellent, As Touted
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-10
The previous positive reviews are true; this is an indepensable book for anyone in the market for a piano.

Brooks
The Night Before Christmas
Published in Hardcover by Derrydale Books (1995-08)
Author: Clement Clarke Moore
List price: $3.99

Average review score:

Jan Brett Night Before Christmas
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-06
I LOVE Jan Brett's books! I buy them anytime I see them whether on sale, old ones on Amazon as remainders, or new.. They make great gifts. I have a backup of many to give to children, particularly my granddaughters. The illustrations in this one are so beautiful it is really a keepsake to save as well as enjoy. Give it as a gift and you will make some child very happy and a parent happy,too.

Beautiful, large book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-29
Beautiful illustrations reprinted from over 40 sources. All illustrations are credited on last page. Book measures 9"X11.5" Only down side was that the price changes by the day. One day it's almost $11 another it's $8.97. But that's just the way Amazon works; something to be aware of. (It's worked in my favor often while shopping at midnight--price suddenly went down!)

Classic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-13
it's a classic, so of course you can't go wrong, but as far as the best one being out there... well, I'm sure there are much better illustrated ones out there than this one

It's Become a Tradition
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-29
I bought this for my grandchildren last Christmas. The wording is traditional, and the illustrations are wonderful! This has become a part of the Christmas Eve tradition at my daughter's house.

This Book is Beautiful...!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-11
These illustrations are the best ever for The Night Before Christmas...Stunning even! A worthy heirloom Christmas Book. The illustrations cover both sides of the page for a large panoramic view seldom seen in other books...

Brooks
Bad Kitty
Published in Hardcover by Roaring Brook Press (2005-10-01)
Author: Nick Bruel
List price: $15.95
New price: $8.75
Used price: $7.86

Average review score:

Bad Kitty
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-13
I have previously reviewd this book. I gave it along with handmade scarves and mittens to little ones for Christmas.

Great Alphabet Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-11
My daughter is in Kindergarten and this book is a fun way to associate letters and words starting with each letter of the alphabet. It also has a great storyline and my daughter likes me to read the story and for her to "read" the letter pages.

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-30
Both my son (2) and I love this book. It's kind of like Bugs Bunny cartoons that kids enjoy but parents find amusing too. I highly recommend and am getting 3 for gifts this Christmas

Bedtime Favorite
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-12
A truly delightful book! My 5-year-old has it memorized and is now synching up the words in his mind to the words on the page. He "reads" it to me every night. The book is so engaging that neither of us have grown tired of it over the months. Very highly recommended!

Best Children's Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-22
I absolutely love this book! Not only has my 4 year old and I laugh out loud together as we read this book almost nightly, I read it to MY friends. The capturing of bad kitty is perfect and the education of the alphabet is a winner for me as a parent. I was so excited yesterday to find Poor Puppy, the next book, that we purchased the book and read it as soon as we were in the car. Keep these books coming Nick, we love them!!!

Brooks
Programming ColdFusion
Published in Paperback by O'Reilly (2001-08-06)
Author: Rob Brooks-Bilson
List price: $49.95
New price: $17.04
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

One of my favorite ColdFusion Books
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-27
I have been learning ColdFusion for about 5 months now and have 4 books on it. So far I have this one and 3 others. And out of all the books I have on ColdFusion, I use this one and one other one the most. Even though it is written in ColdFusion MX, it still has a lot of good ColdFusion examples and descriptions on how to make some of the most popular applications. Great book if your looking for a book that is a little cheaper and still has a lot of great info. If your looking for the new breakthrough features of CF8, than mabye you should try somewhere else. But overall, a great book for the price!!

THE best Cold Fusion Book.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-02
This book is the best Cold Fusion book to date. I use this book daily. The book contains clear examples without a lot of fluff. Can't wait until the next release.

Good and practical
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-25
Everithing you need to good programming in ColdFusion. Not to useful if you're interested in Server Configuration.

This Book Is It
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-18
The only quibble I have with this book is that it is not long enough! Some parts just paraphrase ColdFusion documentation, which is not bad in itself but left me wanting to know more from the author about how he applied the feature to a project.

It would be phenomenal if the author could expand this book or, better yet, put together a new book of more extended examples called "ColdFusion Examples in a Nutshell," similar to "Java Examples in a Nutshell" by David Flanagan.

Having said that, I can now state that this book is a shining example of what a programming book is supposed to be:
(1) Well-Organized. Chapters are grouped logically.
(2) Well-Documented. Almost every topic has at least one example; a few have a complete set of templates to guide the beginning CF (ColdFusion) programmer.
(3) Well-Balanced. In addition to instructive code, the author also provides many in-depth explanations of ColdFusion and database principles.

Superb book! My new daily reference!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-28
About six months ago the company I work for recently moved to Coldfusion 5 server (holding off on CFMX until all the bugs are worked out) and since that time, application programming duties have been dumped on me. As a web designer and not a programmer, this was a more than a little worrisome. After trying to wade through Forta's Construction Kit, Hewitt's Core Coldfusion 5, as well as "Mastering Coldfusion 5" it was as if the light was turned on by Rob Brooks-Bilson's Programming Coldfusion.

By the by, those books mentioned are all great books. I own all of them. But when it came down to what I really needed to know and understand Bilson came through like no other. Great job Rob! Keep up the good work.

Brooks
Freddy the Detective
Published in Paperback by Puffin (2001-06-25)
Author: Walter R. Brooks
List price: $7.99
New price: $5.99
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Freddy the Detective is a great book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-30
Freddy the Detective is about a pig called Freddy who reads Sherlock Holmes and wants to become a detective. The first case starts when the boy who lives in the farmhouse loses his train of cars. Freddy is on the case right away. He goes up to the boy's room and finds clues to who has stolen the cars. He finds out it is the rats, who have come back to the barn. Soon more cases have come up for him to solve, including when Egbert, a bunny, goes missing from his mother, and when Prinny, a little dog, has her dinner go missing.
I enjoyed this book because I like funny stories, and this was very funny. I also enjoyed it because I don't usually read mysteries, and this made me more interested in detective stories. Freddy is very funny in the way he solves cases. I recommend reading this book, even if you don't usually read mysteries. It is a great detective book for anyone who enjoys reading.

Good.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-08
Wonerful, Triumph, for all ages.
It tips my planet, shakes my world.

Caleb A. Craig

"I've got good brains, but they aren't the kind that think easily."
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-11
The second in the utterly charming "Freddy the Pig" series, "Freddy the Detective" chronicles the adventures of Freddy and his barnyard friends as they delve deep into the world of clues, suspects and the criminal world. In the great tradition of Sherlock Holmes, there is a disguise involved.

Cases are solved (like just what becomes of Prinny the dog's dinner), a jail is constructed to house all the freshly-caught criminals (who have more fun inside than out) , and in the ultimate test for a pig, some infamous bank-robbers are caught red-handed and carted away by the thankful police. It all culminates in the trail of Jinx the Cat, during which a hen faints dead away at the mention of roast chicken and the courthouse erupts in cheers at the end of the summation because they admire they way the attorney argued a hopelessly weak case.

The Freddy books are great fun for kids (boy or girl), and they won't put you to sleep reading them aloud, either. I would place them just below the Betsy/Tacy books and the work of Leon Garfield, and high above anything coming out nowadays. They do nicely as a comfort during stressful times, the gentle and goofy stories easing kids to sleep. Highly recommended for ages to 5 to 100.

GRADE: B

A Very Smart Pig
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-15
Freddy the Detective is one of a series of pig books written by Walter R Brooks. Freddy the cool detective is a master of disguise who helps Mr. Bean and the Bean Farm solve crime.

Freddy the Detective is one of my favorite books because I love pigs and the main character is a very smart pig. The book is exciting and fun to read. I recommend it for people who like pigs! You will love the book if you read it.

Lukas

Some pig
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-18
I run a bookgroup for homeschoolers and have the very great pleasure of introducing this bunch of alternative education kiddies to some of the great classics in children's literature. It can be a very rewarding experience. Once in a while, however, the kids teach me about books that I've never heard of. One of the children I organize has been obsessed with the "Freddy" books for years. Occasionally he would ask me if I had read them or he'd promote them to the group. In my initial ignorance, I assumed that he was referring to the Freddy the Hamster books by Dietlof Reiche. Those books are very good but the kid was actually referring to the classic Freddy the Pig series dating back to the 1930s. Recently these books have been earning themselves an entirely new audience and children everywhere are engulfed in a kind of newfangled Freddy fever. I picked up "Freddy the Detective" (not realizing that "Freddy In Florida" is actually the first book in the series) to give the books a look-see. I did this with a kind of snide attitude that went something along the lines of, "well I'm sure these books have aged poorly over the years and that the only reason kids are reading them because their parents made them". Oh how wrong a children's librarian can be. The Freddy books are marvelous. Author Walter R. Brooks is marvelous. In fact, "Freddy the Detective" is so wry, well-written, and delightful that I am truly shocked that more people are not aware of this series. Consider me a convert of the pig. One who will be singing his praises to the masses every chance I get.

Freddy is just your average highly intelligent pig. He lives on the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Bean and has a lovely little life. He has a fine library in his pen and it is from his books that he gets the idea to become a detective. After reading a couple Sherlock Holmes stories, Freddy is sure that he can pull off becoming the farm's number one crime-ridder. This decision is made not a moment too soon, for a nasty clan of rats has stolen a valuable toy train from the Bean home and is performing dastardly crimes with it. As we follow Freddy, he solves crime after crime and participates in adventure after adventure. When Jinx the cat is ultimately framed for a crime he did not commit, it's up to Freddy to sway a jury of his peers as to the feline's innocence and the true criminals in the case.

One of the first things that caught my attention in this book was the lack of human/animal interaction. For kids that grew up reading that other classic farm text, "Charlotte's Web", the fact that there are two kids on the Bean farm that never ever appear in the book is downright bizarre. In any other story we'd be getting everything from the children's point of view. Brooks, however, knows who the true star of his book is and he's not going to muddle the action with a couple of pesky young 'uns hogging (ho ho!) the spotlight. Another interesting choice comes with the fact that the humans and the animals on the farm cannot talk to one another. This makes quite a bit of sense, when you consider it. Animals have no vocal cords. Animals also don't usually use their hoofs like hands, but that's neither here nor there. The point is that humans and animals have their own fixed roles in Brooks' world, and for kids this is very easy to understand.

But it's the writing of Walter Brooks that has made this series as memorable as it is today. He continually peppers his books with songs and rhymes that not only pan out correctly but are rather clever in their own right. Consider the following:

"Habitually we offend
Against our country's laws.
It works out better in the end
Than being good, because -

No home has a superior
Or cheerier interior
Than this old jail
The which we hail
With constant loud applause".

Nicely done, eh? Better still are the 1930s turns of phrase and common references long since lost to the annals of time. In one section the children reading this book are urged to sing "Aunt Laurie" as fast as they possibly can. If a single child in this country knows both words and tune, I'll be amazed. In another instance a chapter title is simply, "Jinx is indicted", which I thought was great. And opposite the title page is a picture of Freddy falling down a flight of stairs backwards (as occurs later in the book) with the caption, "- but at that moment Freddy came to grief". Obviously the publisher of this book found that turn of phrase just as charming as I did. Well done there, Puffin Books. Paired with these words are German illustrator Kurt Wiese's original pen and inks. Known almost entirely for illustrating books with Asian themes (he won a Newbery for his illustrations in "Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze", for example), Wiese eschews his normal style in favor of this most American of tales. His animals are both deeply familiar and oh-so-slightly human. There is not a picture in this book that jars with the action or distracts from the words. The pairing of Wiese with Brooks can only be described as heavenly.

I was a little afraid when I picked up this book (and took a gander at its copyright date) that we'd have to deal with a fair amount of sexism and racism in this book. To my somewhat naïve shock, no such prejudice pops up. In fact, Brooks could even be credited with breaking down a few barriers here and there. Female characters do just as much good as male ones in Freddy's world. Freddy comes to realize early in the game that while there is no end to his cleverness, he's rather lacking in the common sense department. By partnering with the down-to-earth cow Mrs. Wiggins, however, the two are able to combine their equal strengths and solve any number of crimes.

I haven't even mentioned the clever things Brooks has to say about our legal system or the state of law enforcement itself. You'll just have to discover them on your own as you read through what can certainly be called a true children's classic for the ages. A marvelous and deserves-to-be-remembered tale.

Brooks
The Producers: The Book, Lyrics, and Story Behind the Biggest Hit in Broadway History!
Published in Hardcover by Miramax (2001-11-28)
Author: Mel Brooks
List price: $40.00
New price: $3.48
Used price: $2.99
Collectible price: $40.00

Average review score:

Just To Be Clear
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-01

This is a soundtrack of the original 1968 movie "The Producers." It is not a soundtrack of the movie that was made from the musical that was adapted from the original movie "The Producers" (whew). That may be good or bad, depending on your point of view.

The original movie wasn't really a musical, altho it was about a musical and had some music. Therefore, this CD is mostly dialog. The 3 main pieces of music of interest are "Springtime For Hitler," "Love Power," and "Prisoners Of Love." These are all great works of musical comedy, but, considering the price, that's not much for the money.

I decided to buy this because: 1> for some strange reason, digitally transferring the audio of these songs from my DVD didn't work quite right; 2> I absolutely loved the (original) movie and these songs, and 3> I thought it might have a snippet or two extra that I might want (such as when Dick Shawn sings "1+1 is 2, 2+2 is 4, I feel so bad 'cause I'm losing the war") - it doesn't.

Well, I got the songs I needed - at a pretty exorbitant price - maybe it'll be worth more someday as a collector's item. I do like that they included Zero's "That's our Hitler!" at the end of Love Power.

Also, just for the record, if you only know "The Producers" from the stage or the 2nd movie, you really should watch the original The Producers (Deluxe Edition). In my humble opinion, it is much, much, better (in fact, one of the finest movies ever made), albeit less musical. Unfortunately, many people are only interested in something new or "hot," so that's how you can make money today - by perversely reworking something sublime into an inferior product.

Love POWER!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-13
On my C.D. list for Christmas is this HILLAROUS C.D. I've always been a weird producer fan thinking that the movie is actually better than the stage show- despite the lack of 1968 songs. This C.D. is annoyingly funny.

"Love Power"has always been my favorite song in the movie- I laugh each time I see it in the movie. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed this Christmas for this wonderful C.D. I'm still a little disappointed that Mel Brooks cut the character and the song from the show.

Although there are only two songs with complete lyrics. This is still a soundtrack that any "Producer" fanatic will enjoy and I personally like the "Springtime For Hitler" song in the movie more than the actual one put into the show. You also catch a glimpse of Mel Brooks voice as the Nazi "Come and be a smartie and join the Nazi party."

By all means hit that buy now button and laugh yourself silly with these two songs!

Lucky enough to remember when this was FUNNY, not...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-25
... KITCHY fodder for the limp-wristed masses.

(PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE CD OF THE ORIGINAL FILM, SO IF YOU HAVE TO RATE ME, BASE IT ON THAT!)

I loved this movie. I watched it at a time when the Vietnam War was waning in in 1975 here in Chicago, as it was playing on WGN TV on the late late late show. Apparently, even the censors were asleep at the time, but God bless em, this was the perfect time to see him. Mel's brand of humor reminds me of a time when they used to use brown paper bags to wrap up the porn in.

It always has been a guilty pleasure to watch this film, laugh at the humor, and sing along with the actors. This CD captures the essence of the film, the heart of his message - it was as if the lyrics, the tone, and the actor's very intonations were possessed by the vision Mel tossed out after looking into himself and at the world when he penned these tunes, and think about it - in the late 60's! Who was confronting racism, gay sexism, and the Jewish question? Secondly, who could do it with such brave humor and didn't fear the reprocussions?

This CD contains over a dozen tracks of spoken lines from the film, and to listen to Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder's interaction witrh the wonderful diologue is to listen to the genius of Mel Brooks' zenith of comedy. In this CD is also included the true ability Mel had in making his special brand of comedy work - it was simply to make it as campy as hell by including MUSICAL NUMBERS ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST! Yes, I was laughing about Hitler, and Goebbels ( "I loves my little joe") and yes, I was shocked at first, but who wasn't?

This CD of the movie is giving us some of the greatest parody tunes of ALL TIME - "Springtime For Hitler," "Prisoners Of Love," "Love Power," and the spoken word of Zero Mostel - ULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLA! ('I met her at the public library.') I can listen to this CD in the car, at home, ANYWHERE.

(I can also watch this film on DVD - a bit dated, yes, but it represents a time when this was still edgy - but I will stand by this and gladly watch this over and over til it cracks.)

(On a personal note: I am saddened at what Mel Brooks did by making this film about a failed play into a musical about a failed play!!!

I consider it to be one of his all-time masterpieces and part of his holy trilogy of his genius -

"The Producers" is followed by "Young Frankenstein" and of course the gem on his cap, "Blazing Saddles." He will NEVER be able to top himself, because once you've been to the mountaintop, how can you go any higher?)

PLEASE! Buy this CD and LISTEN to it and remember a time when anyone could go out and try to be daring, try and amaze, listen to every second of this CD - I own a copy, and heartily endorse it!

A play based on a film based on a play? Only in New York.

Sad.

The Producers : The Book, the Lyrics, the story behind the biggest Hit in Broadway History
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-19
IF you LOVE Mel Brooks. IF you LOVE the stage show " The Producers" . IF you LOVE the music, BUY BUY BUY THIS BOOK. This is a MUST have for ALL "The Producers " fans. This book is the Guide to what is the most stimulating show I have EVER seen.
Based on the process of turning the original " The Producers " ( Gene Wilder ) movie into a Stage show, along with cast selection and music ( The entire score and lyrics By MEL BROOKS . HIMSELF ).
JUST BUY BUY BUY THIS BOOK.

It even tells you how to spell Ullas' 1st name correctly, wow wow wow wow. Got to go , Its almost 11.

Delightful!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-30
"The Producers: The Book, Lyrics, and Story Behind the Biggest Hit in Broadway History!" is such a colorfully fun book. It goes through the excruciating brainstorming process, right through opening night and the actual script. The pictures are so vibrant and you can just hear the actors saying the lines on the page. The handwritten notes on the side of the pages are interesting and catching. This book is perfect for fans of the show and Broadway. I recommend.

Brooks
Essays of E. B. White (Perennial Classics)
Published in Paperback by Harper Perennial Modern Classics (1999-06-01)
Author: E. B. White
List price: $14.95
New price: $4.00
Used price: $3.13

Average review score:

The elements of E.B.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-19
Reading these essays which span more than two decades (early 50s to mid-70s), I am struck both by their craft and their antiquity. E.B. White wrote the book on writing, literally, with William Strunk; THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE remains the most useful and concise rule book for modern English exposition yet written, and White's CHARLOTTE'S WEB remains a childhood favorite for many. White was a master of the essay form, sparking a reader's interest in the subject at hand and cajoling further attention to the tangents and digressions which are an essayists stock in trade. He easily wends narratives which include broody geese, nuclear power stations, old dogs, oil tankers and mortality. His voice is plainspoken -- the viewpoint that of a person with deerhunters for neighbors, who enjoys the occasional venison steak, who roots for the deer in hunting season, and yet admits to shooting the foxes who kill his chickens. At the same time, his writing feels dated, rooted in an era when feelings were less admissible than ideas. His writing seems honest, but guarded, particularly after my recent immersion in Ann Lamott, a decidedly unguarded and modernist chronicler. Thus, I emerge from White's work impressed with his grace, language and fluidity, but disappointed in the gut. There are tales untold between these lines and I am left hungry. Old-school excellence, but aging fast.

The world of E.B. White
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-08
What do you expect of tomorrow? "THE WORLD OF TOMORROW", perhaps the best known essay among his essay collactiond,"Essa of E.B. White". It contains thirty other essays organozed into seven sections.

The scene of "THE WORLD OF TOMORROW" is in New York in May 1939. White mentions "Tomorrow" remembering the World's Fair held there. The Fair's theme was also "THE WORLD OF TOMORROW", and there were the white ball and spire named the Tylon and Perisphere which were two landmark monumental buildings in the fair. Actually White had to visit there with a box of Kleenex...

At first, the road to the World's Fair is refered as the road to "Tomorrow". Through the street, he arrived at "the very threshold of Tomorrow". At the Fair, he made a few notes about what you may expext of tomorrow--In tomorrow, most sounds aren't these themselves, and we can't tallk back.

The New York World's Fair was filled with man's dream, and it's held 66 years ago! The more I read this book, the more I can be into White's world. His way to use metaphor is brilliant, and it makes me feel more comfortable. So, I really recommend you not only this essay but also his another collection.

The Easy Comfort of Quiet Perfection
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-03
I live on a small rural island in the Pacific Northwest, home to fewer than a thousand people in the winter, so I have a deep understanding of what E. B. White means when he writes: "Feeling ran so high that some people stopped speaking to each other--which is a form of discourse."

Lately, I felt the need for something calming in my life and, for the first time in years, I picked up a collection of E. B. White's essays. Reading him is like lighting a fire on a cold and windy evening. This man can write a sentence and create a sense of life as well as anyone I've ever read.

And no one ever wrote more heartfelt prose about barnyard geese.

Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-16
This is such a marvelous book.

The sentences are simply perfect and the sense of wonder he creates makes this a text you will want to go back to over and over. A great gift for any literate person in your life.

Really great.

Word genius
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-29
Twenty two of the essays appeared in THE NEW YORKER. White had candor. His piece on the death of his pig is masterful. He examined his own feelings and community reaction. The role of his dachshund, Fred, is described amusingly. It is no wonder White wrote so winningly for children.

In 1954 when he had no television he was looked upon as an eccentric. During Hurricane Edna radio worked people up to an incredible state of alarm. It seemed that no wick was available for the Whites' kerosene lamp. White has some gentle fun with mistakes of the exhausted radio announcers. Battered down was said instead of battened down, and unindated for inundated. There are two stages in the country of a storm. There is the period when phones and lights are still going, and then there is the stage when these cease to work. The storm itself did not seem long in comparison to the radio vigil.

He came to feel that living in New England in the winter was a full time job in itself. Another use of his time was having an enemy, the fox. Darkness was more insistent than the cold. Farming, even the kind pursued by the author, is infinitely complex. When the snow arrived early in 1971 White was cut short. The usual things were not done. It got so there was no place to put the snow after it was plowed.

In the city section of the essays it is noted that New York City bestows the gift of loneliness and privacy. In 1939 there were eight million people in the five boroughs. In Florida it appears that the sun and the lizard maintain the same schedule. The tiny spots of the fiddler crab's body enlarge during the daytime hours. To have a pointsettia plant at Christmastime in
Florida seems faintly ridiculous. Pointsettias bloom naturally in the yards. A small chameleon arrives with the Whites' tropical substitute for a Christmas tree much to Mrs. White's delight.

In 1923 the author kept a diary of his trip to Alaska. A ship, docking at Seattle, was to go on a journey for forty days. He had only forty dollars, enough to traverse the inner passage to Skagway, and so he went. The Buford, for some of the passengers, became a high class floating jail because although food and scenery were good, there was no escape. Youthful, White absorbed the vast scene of Alaska. This was a trip promoted by the Chamber of Commerce, but White's roommate was another odd man to the enterprise, a Laplander. He was a reindeer butcher, going to a job in Nome. When the boat reached Skagway White's ticket ran out. The captain came up with the idea of putting him on as a night saloonsman. His metamorphosis took the passengers by surprise.

WALDEN is not a well-liked book among White's acquaintances. Thoreau was torn by two desires, to enjoy the world and to set the world straight. He tended to write in sentences, and WALDEN is a collection of certified sentences. I have tried to give the prospective reader some notion of the enjoyment to be obtained from reading White's essays.

Brooks
Unicorn Races
Published in Hardcover by Purple Sky Publishing, LLC (2007-03-15)
Author: Stephen J. Brooks
List price: $16.95
New price: $10.95
Used price: $10.95

Average review score:

Unicorn Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-09
THis is a beautifullly designed book, with a very cute story. My Granddaughter loves books and unicorns, so it is just right for her. Actually I love it for myself!

SFC 4 star review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-19
This is Stephen J. Brooks's fifth published title and it's one your children will cherish and love. The illustrations are brilliantly done with what look like water color backgrounds that offset the vivid illustrations of the characters by Linda Crockett, who has received several awards and honors for her illustrations in children's books.

Unicorn Races takes children into the magical world of Abigail's imagination as she travels to a marvelous feast for a princess. Abigail watches the elves and fairies make preparations for the Unicorn Races as unicorns in every color of the rainbow come to compete before the royal princess Abigail. When the race begins, unicorns fly through the night sky, circle around the moon, dance on the stars, travel to the ocean, glide inches above the waves, and zip around a lighthouse before returning to the magical clearing where Princess Abigail waits to announce the winner. After the feast, Abigail rides home on one of the magical unicorns and falls fast asleep until the next Unicorn Races.

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-13
UNICORN RACES is the sweet story of young Abigail, princess to the elves, fairies, and unicorns.

After arriving amidst the dark woods, Princess Abigail presides over the Unicorn Races, in which six beautifully colored unicorns will participate. To the second bright star, around the moon, among the waves, to the lighthouse -- the unicorns race happily, and Blue is declared the winner.

All enjoy a feast of cookies, cakes, and sundaes, but it is soon time for Abigail to return home upon her unicorn steed, Lord William.

The story is one that will appeal to young girls, with it's magical creatures and a girl who yearns to be a princess. It's the wonderful illustrations by Linda Crockett, however, that make this a true winner, to be enjoyed by children and parents alike.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

A little girl's best friend
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-07
This book is a wonderful story of a little girl whose imagination whisks her away to a fantasy land full of adventure and promise. The illistrations are terrific and full of detail. My grandaughters keep asking me to read it againg and again to them at night. The middle grandaughter,(5) "reads" it to her favorite stuffed animals. This book makes a wonderful present or just an anytime gift for your favorite princes.

A Magical Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-15


Each page of this exceptional book is magic. Along with colorful unicorns, your child will love the elves, fairies, and the pixies. The story is enchanting; the illustrations are sprinkled with stardust.

Brooks
Frank Lloyd Wright The Houses
Published in Hardcover by Rizzoli (2005-11-01)
Author: Alan Hess
List price: $75.00
New price: $47.23
Used price: $43.00
Collectible price: $75.00

Average review score:

Very pretty book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-24
This is a lovely coffee table book with mostly spectacular color photos of most of Wrights houses, including many interior shots. There is not much historical information but this is covered in other books.

Clear, concise overview of Wright's architectural designs
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12
This book was a wonderful eye opener. It will appeal to the reader for crisp pictures in beautiful settings and landscapes as well as the various style phases Wright went through architecturally. For Wright aficionados, there is a detailed, but not too intense history of his style, works and personal history as he changes design elememts during his career. Grand interior shots only enhance the overall attraction. The book will add diversity to anyone's collection.

Wrights' houses at their best
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-26
There are many different aspects to highlight when studying the work of one of Americas' greatest architects. The part of his work that is probably the most accesible, are his private houses. It was great to see all these houses together in one beautiful volume. The photographs are stunning, and it is great to see so much attention paid to the interior of these houses, as Wright was responsible for most interior design too.
As a professional or just a fan, when you love Wrights' work and want to visually enjoy it to the fullest, this book is a must have. The only thing better is to buy one of his houses...

WOW - Photography and Essays
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
One beautiful and well done book. Look, read and indulge yourself in Wright. Wonderful photography and ineresting writing by many authors that all to the lore of Wright.

A great gift for someone who has on interest in FLLW.

Almost As Good As Being There
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-31

This is a necessary book for all who study architecture. Why? Because the photography conveys something close to the reality of Mr. Wright's works, especially so when it comes to the interiors.

When I was studying architecture in college in the 1970s, the BEST photography books about Wright's oeuvre were "In the Nature of Materials" and the very expensive Wendingen Edition. Both are presented in black and white and while that kind of pared-down quality may have suited the age in which the International Style was still in its ascendancy, it did nothing whatsoever to convey the true sense of a Wright space--specifically interior space. The intimately human scale of these spaces was missed.

And color is so much a part of Wright's aesthetic, and without it, one is in dreary Kansas instead of Oz.

Living in the northeast, it was not possible to see many Wright buildings first hand, until that trip to Chicago... and then what a revelation! These spaces were not cold grays but marvels of ochres and greens and wood tones and conveyed so much more serenity than those older photos could suggest.

Happily, future years placed me in conjunction with many of the Midwestern buildings, and a day trip could take me to Wisconsin or Michigan or other less-frequently visited residential and commercial works by F L W. Friendships with original Wright clients or owners of Wright houses opened other doors--I have experienced about one third of the places in this book, so--trust me--the photos do them justice and are almost as good as being there.

I would guess that anyone who has been in these places will tell you that this book gives a very fine representation of these spaces. And thankfully, more and more of these spaces are open on a regular or annual basis for the student or admirer of Wright to visit. Some residences are even now B&Bs. Wow!

The fine articles that accompany the photographs are also most helpful and enjoyable.

If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.


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