Authors Books

Authors are increasingly coming to appreciate the fact that by the time their book is written, only half of the job is done. Promoting the book may take as much or more time than writing it. Unless authors are internationally famous or very lucky the proceeds from book sales may not allow for expensive promotion. The solution is to do it frugally. Carolyn Howard-Johnson's [[ASIN: 193299310X The Frugal Book Promoter]] helps authors to do just that. While the ways to promote a book are increasingly becoming known through books and online resources, everything cannot be in one book. I found many tips in The Frugal Book Promoter that I had not seen elsewhere. I recommend it to all authors.

As evident from its aggregate reviews, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER is a concise, well-organized, user-friendly, and practical guide. As a writer,The Passion of Maryam I also find it inspirational. Most of us writers, Carolyn Howard-Johnson accurately points out, want to hide from promoting our work. Her book encourages bite-size steps, aimed at accenting the marketplace communication skills each author has nascent within her/him--and which indeed are connected to the essentials of the writing skills. Hers is a guide one can visit and revisit at every stage of the publishing process and find something that further affirms a sense of "Wow, I'm out there." She helps turn the feared, the distained, yes, to some of us, the odious, into a process and set of goals that can not only be affirming of oneself as a real (read professional) writer, but which can actually be fun. Buy this book, go through it, keep picking it up and reconsulting it, and let it help you get out there--and keep you out there. Also visit her website.
That she makes THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER work so well undoubtedly derives from her background in PR, but also, as a seasoned writer herself, she teaches and keeps company with writers. I look forward to her now-available THE FRUGAL EDITOR.

The Frugal Book Promoter is a must own bible for all independent writers, self-publishers and anyone who feels left out of the publishing world. Carolyn Howard-Johnson encourages the writer to empower themselves as long as they have the information necessary to take them to heights they never believed they could ever achieve. The information is substantial. The experience of doing this and actually collecting it so that others can benefit is such a positive vehicle for any writer whether they are first time writers or want to supplement their publisher's efforts. I found amazing resources in this book. If you don't have it with you when you are ready to promote your work, don't even think about it. Get it. It's money well spent...

I don't get the 5-star reviews on this book. This is an honest review from someone who was really excited when she bought the book, couldn't wait to dive right in, and within the first twenty or so pages was starting to wonder if I was duped. Yes, there are a lot of ideas in this book. And I guess if you are completely new to this, then this would be a good book. But also note, the ideas aren't that great, they're old ideas, and there are several other books on this topic that are much more worth the money and time.

A couple turnoffs were all those quotes--tons of quotes (I finally figured out the quotes were from the authors). Then all the 1995 links included, and by that I mean when she offers you a link to a resource, it goes to something like EarthLink or Tripod or some other general service used more for personal pages. The links and the pages you're taken to are like the ones you'd see back in the day when people were getting started with the Internet. I couldn't take much of it too seriously because if you're not sending me to a professional site with a professional domain, then how can I trust the information on that site.

I did go through the entire book, and to be honest, I did not come away with one single new idea. Not one! If you're really looking for a good book on PR, and want to read one with that's fresh and new, then check out The New Rules for Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott . Now there's a book you can trust. I really wanted to love this book, but I came away highly disappointed. I felt like I was reading a book dated back to 1995. Old ideas, old info, old links, etc. And the appearance of the book and the way it was organized was awful. Kudos to the author for trying. But I need something more in tune with today. Makes me wonder where the 5-star reviews came from. Scott's book is worth 5 stars, this book, seriously, is not.

As a published author myself who has been left to do the vast majority of the legwork to promote my book, I speak with some authority as to the validity of the ideas outlined in the Frugal Book Promoter. The text is chock full of outstanding suggestions and recommendations for elements all along the book publishing/promotion timeline for both traditional and non-traditional publishing paths. I don't think there's a single page that doesn't offer something extremely useful, and oftentimes multiple nuggets of wisdom to get your book in the public eye. I've got several in mind to help expand my own efforts.

Here's my gripe, though. The formatting of the book is awful. It would have been so much more readable had the author or someone else taken the time to clean up the presentation. I can't help but conclude that the book was just a cut and paste job from a website or ebook. There are long, underlined URLs all over the place. The book employs a great deal of bullet lists, but the lists are crammed together. There are also all kinds of alternate formats used in a less than elegant fashion making for a very clunky looking work.

I give the content a 5, but the formatting a 1. That would average a 3 for a score, but since the material is so useful I'll weight that higher and give it a 4.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV
ISBN: 15754550658
Magical ---- Literally!

I became intrigued by the phenomena of Ruin Mist awhile back, and this review is a long time readers perspective. In many respects, I'm probably the last person who would enjoy this book. I'm a cynic by nature, and my reading habits lean more toward more mature series and more literary works. Or at least I should say it used to before I discovered this wonderful series and learned how fun fun reads like this one could be.

As someone who grew up reading C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, I had a soft spot for a good fantasy tale when I was younger, and tended to read fantasy from time to time. This series however, has made a new fantasy lover out of me. Why?

Robert Stanek has created a delightful world of magic and mystery, with a compelling cast of characters you'll come to love (or hate) almost instantly. He captures the imagination with spare prose that draws his readers in. The concept of a elves and such isn't exactly new, but the ideas of parallel worlds of magic, alternating histories, elves and men as enemies, magic as evil, and more were breathes of fresh air.

There are times early in the series when it is obvious that this is the author's first major work of fiction. His other previous work (as an international bestselling nonfiction author) however, helps him writes tight prose, a balanced amount of detail with a story well-paced and well-plotted.

Overall, this is a very impressive series. Each character in the story as unique and real as their intertwining storylines. Plus, I like to think that some of the wonder and enjoyment I felt reading the pages of the early books came from the sense that the author was also experiencing this world and its characters for the first time while writing them.

The world of Ruin Mist has multiple levels of reality called UnderEarth, MiddleEarth, and OverEarth. UnderEarth is a place without sun, moon or stars. It has bloodred skies and is a dark place where many strange creatures dwell. MiddleEarth is the place of the kingdoms and reaches. It is where men and elves live. OverEarth is place of the skies. It exists above the clouds of the kingdoms and reaches.

The three main storylines provide glimpses into different parts of the world. Vilmos Tabborrath is an unassuming village boy who doesn't want to follow his father's path. He has a dark gift of magic and as magic is considered evil this puts him and his family in grave danger. He tries to hide his gift but one day it slips out when he is surprised by a bear and this is the beginning of the end of his life as a simple village boy.

Vilmos is intriguing becuase he is different from his peer group and mistreated by those around him. He recounts a story of getting beat up by an older boy and the harsh treatment by his father. Children often feel isolated and mistreated, as do adults, therefore most people can relate to this situation.

Adrina Alder is the youngest child of a king. She remains heartbroken over the death of her mother some years ago and longs for change. Her wish for change comes with dark visitors in the night but is not in any way what she hoped it would be.

Adrina is intriguing because she is someon just about anyone can identify with. She feels sad and alone in the world. She's bitter about not being able to do what she wants and longs for adventure. Children often feel sad and lonely, as do adults, therefore most people can relate to this situation too.

Brother Seth of the Red is an elven warrior and sworn queen's protector. He is old in human terms yet at the same time childlike in his ways as he is young for an elf. He doesn't understand what is happening or why he was chosen by Queen Elf to undertake a dangerous journey. His journey takes him to the land of men at a time when men and elves are the bitterest of enemies.

Seth is intruiging because he is so powerful yet so flawed. He is a trained fighting machine. It is all he's known and it is why he knows so little of anything else. He also has the urges of adolescence and finds his first love though he doesn't understand his feelings as he's been isolated from ordinary elves and the lives they live.

Other aspects of the writing itself are:
* The books are unique and readable.
* He takes time to set up the characters, plot, and scenes. He takes care in introducing Vilmos, Seth, and Adrina because of their hardships we know why they act the way they do when they leave their homes.
* He does not talk down to his audience of young adults.
* The same story elements that appeal to a child, appeal to an adult.
* His characters grow, change, and make decisions based on their own motives.
* Life is not simple. People get sick, people die.
* Good and evil exist, as they do in reality, and they have many guises.
* It is easy to read. The text flows naturally, even with strange words and unusual names.
* His creativity and descriptions bring life to the story. He creates mystery and keeps you wanting to know more.

For me, the real test of a book's strength is whether or not I want to read it again. Most books get read once and traded in. I've already read this series three times and have upgraded to the special editions as they've been published. And the best part is that the series gets progressively better with each new volume. As good as book 1 is, book 2 is even better, so if book 3, and book 4 is a real treat.

Younger readers certainly don't need me to point out something they already know, but hopefully this review will help persuade some like me who still cling to the notion that a children's book can't possibly be enjoyable to us adults. Stanek created a marvelous story that has captured readers from all age groups. His writing has been compared to JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling and CS Lewis. He deserves all the success he's achieved. I can't wait to see what he writes next.



Max H.

I loved this book!! I could really imagine what was going on! It was full of adventure and magic!

This would rank up there as one of the best books I have read. I would say that Stanek ranks up there with some of the best authors including: Jk Rowling, Jrr Tolkien, RA Salvatore, and Brian Jacques just to name a few of my favorites.

If you like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, you will LOVE this book! A 5 star winner!

Kingdoms and the Elves #4 is a completely amazing book. I read it with my children, and they loved the book as much as I did if not more. I cannot say enough good things about this book. From start to finish it captivates you and keeps you reading. By the end, I was amazed at how much i enjoyed it.

Definately a must read. I would recommend it for all ages.

Robert Stanek is, unquestionably, the best author ever! He makes you think, and gets you fully involved in the story! For hard core Stanek fans like myself, we are there. We are walking beside Vilmos, fighting along side Seth and dreaming with Adrina. I recommend this book to anyone. Its easy to read and even easier to find yourself not wanting to put it down. It is an excellently written novel and hopefully you will enjoy the adventure with Seth, Vilmos and Adrina.

I could not put the book down! I cannot say enough good things about this book. I would reccommend it for all ages. It captivates the mind of young and experienced readers using many twists and turns throughout the plot it will be hard to put down after you start this thrilling series. As this is the final book in the Keeper Martin's Tale, the ending is stunning.

I started reading The Kingdoms books since me brothers were reading them too. Adrina and Vilmos are my favorites. In my mind I see Adrina and Vilmos growing up like I imagined and they are very good friends to have on rainy days. I like these books but than all the Harry Potter books put together times 100. I like this one best as it is the one where Vilmos meets Edward the troant and its got the Dragon King!!! I love everything about the king's mate game and how edward is half troll and half giatn.

My 14 yr. old son is a huge fan of the Kingdoms books and I must admit I am too. Robert Stanek is indeed America's Tolkien, a gifted story-teller with a knack for creating believable worlds and fully-realized characters. Many of the characters become like old friends and even the minor characters truly are interesting and real. The story itself is detailed and rich but Stanek doesn't allow the action to slow, keeping everything moving at a solid pace.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #3 continues where the first two left off. The kingdomers begin to pick up the pieces of their lives after the battles at Quashan and Alderan broke the uneasy peace between the kingdoms. A new force continues to emerge from the shadows even as the evil king and the shapeshifting queen are being dealt with.

Very highly recommended and you'll want to have all four books on hand.

I'm one of those who read for fun, and read a lot, so I really get into a book. And I loved this book because it is a thrilling read. The author managed to create a beautiful picture of a world that every child has or will dream of. Definitely, a book is for all ages and one that lets you enter a world full of magic.

I hope you enjoy it as I did. It is amazing!

Full praise to the author for yet another amazing installment in the story of the Kingdoms. It is a rare and wonderful author that can deliver time after time yet Robert Stanek managed to do just that. Anyone who has the time to read this book should because it is well worth it in every single way possible to imagine!!! Trust me and my fellow Kingdoms and the Elves fans!

There is only one word to describe this book. It's FANTASTIC it's the book that got me to become addicted to reading. The Keeper Martin's Tales books are the best.

This is my favorite book of all time. I can't recommend it highly enough. If the "dog party in the trees" doesn't capture your imagination, I don't know what will. For the last forty years or so, I have been looking -- and I mean this literally, not figuratively -- for said party. That's a bit cracked, I know, but I just can't help myself.

I loved this book and read it all the time when I was little. I plan on buying it when I have kids. The pictures are colorful and fun. The words are easy to learn and each page seems to come alive with it's own story.

Can recite the whole book. I always buy this for baby showers!. It is a fun and happy book and I always loved reading it to children.

My grandson loves this book. He's only 18 months but loves to cuddle up w/this book.

i enjoyed this book as a child, so
i got it for my grandson[17 months old]. I hope he will be happy with it as well.

I should start off by mentioning that I'm a fantasy and science fiction sort of person. With few exceptions (such as To Kill a Mockingbird), not much else gets my attention, and Butterfly was not a novel I would have picked for myself. However, my wife being dyslexic, asked me to read it to her. That was about 6 years ago, and about halfway through, we got disorganized and I never finished. But it was on my mind ever since: how did that novel end? I ran across it on Amazon, and ordered a copy for, as I thought, my wife. However, it turned out that she already finished it on her own. Alas! But not a problem, I really wanted to get to that ending on my own. It's one of those books hard to put down.

Butterfly is a revenge story, yes, but it's placed in a radical feminist context. Danny is the principle antagonist, but he is only epresentative of an overallpatriarchal system that is hostile and subjegating toward women. The theme arises over and over, involving, to varying degrees, nearly every female character in the book. Also woven throughout the pages are the radical feminist themes of sexual segregation and sexual liberation, presented in what I consider the proper manner of denouncing the patriarchal system without denouncing individual men. The fates of the individual women reflect just as individually on how a male-dominated society has impacted them. Also interesting is the concept of power, how Danny sees it as coming from control and the Beverly, the protagonist, exceeds him by acquiring it through cooperation.

The characters seem real in both motive and reaction. There are two elements of a plot that I adore: interweaving several subplots so that they come together seamlessly at the end, and sudden twists and turns. This novel has both. It is compelling and absorbing.

** POSSIBLE SPOILER **

The ending is resolved completely and deeply satisfying.

My wife, though she did finish it years ago, plans to read it again. I don't blame her. I surely will someday myself. This is one of those books that stand out.

There is so much more packed into this book than the cover or the back synopsis infer. I found this to be a book about human relationships, humanity, society and inspiration. I have no idea why it seems to be classified as a romance. I loved this book and found so much inside all the pages that would be very worthwhile insight into human psyche and would be a great read for men as well as women. It is so much more than a fluff book, beach read or guilty pleasure.
I can't remember where I heard about this book, but it was just recently and can't imagine why I just heard about it since it was originally published some time ago. I absolutely loved it this book and can't wait to read Stars and Private Entrance. I wasn't able to find any of these three at any used book stores but of course found them here on Amazon. This one was worth every penny, is a keeper and will stand the test of time. I honestly don't know what "tag" this would fall into. Maybe I hadn't noticed it before since it doesn't easily go into a category, IMHO.

This book is something that I have read over and over again. I first read it well over 10 years ago. I came across it again at a garage sale not too long ago and re-read it. It was just as good, I have since passed it along to all of my girlfriends who all loved it as well. Do not hesitate to get this. Just make sure you pass it along!

I read this book and gave it to many people to read, it was wonderful. Everyone that has ever read it loves it. A definite must read! I am just glad that Amazon is carrying it now!

I read this book in hardback when it first came out. It was so good I couldn't put it down. Whenever someone asks me about a good book to read, I would refer them to this one, but I couldn't remember the author. I was sitting on the train one day & lo & behold, I saw a woman reading it. I told her I had been looking for the book for years & she said she had it for years, but never got around to readng it. I told her it was the BEST book I had ever read!!! I am so glad I ran into her. Now I can give this book as a referral with the author's name. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the book so much I'm going to read it again!

This book is a great introduction to book publishing. The author really knows the back-end process of book publishing well and provides much insight for beginner and intermediate writers. Another good book to purchase would be: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published, 4th Edition. While Terry's book is great, the Complete Idiots guide touches on a few areas in addition. All in all Terry's book is a very good book and worth the money.

Terry Whalin's BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL gives aspiring writers a publishing insider's expertise while maintaining a true empathy for outsiders longing to crack the door to the publishing world. The author's longtime industry experience adds a huge portion of credence to his practical, information-packed tips.

The happy ending (and beginning) for my own story came when publishers accepted both nonfiction proposals I wrote using Terry's wise counsel. Thanks, Terry, for all you do to bring those on the outside successfully in!

A friend recently gave me a copy of Book Proposals That Sell. I've read and own several others on the same topic but this book is much better than the others because of the style. It's so friendly and comfortable and, unlike some, doesn't feel like the author is a mighty and impressive expert deigning to help the humble reader, but simply a normal person offering a friendly hand to another.

The insider information about the publishing process is especially helpful.

Just finished reading BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL. This book is a MUST READ for anyone who feels called to write a book. You could have a great book already written, but if you don't know how to sell it to a publisher you've just wasted a lot of time and effort.

NOTE TO FIRST TIME WRITERS - this book is everything you didn't know you didn't know.

All considering this book should be aware that it is only for non fiction books. Something not made clear in the advertising, but is revealed by the author in the first page.

By Carlo Gabbi Author of An Amazing Story

The book, Self Publishing Simplified is the most powerful tool for any aspiring authors desiring an innovative breakthrough in their writing career.

The book covers in a simple way all the elements of self publishing in an affordable way, offered by Outskirts Press.

To publish my novel, "An Amazing Story" i used the services of Outskirts Press, and I have nothing but praises for the wonderful service I received from them. I reccomend this book to any new writer, interested in self publishing. A copy of a "Self-Publishing Simplified" published by Outskirts Press is a garantee of succes and from Outskirts you will receive the best service before, during and after publication of your book.

Carlo Gabbi Author of "An Amazing Story"

Great book. I was able to publish my book with the information contained within the pages of this book. Stop dreaming and become a published author now. i did after reading Sel Publishing. Check out my workThe Angry Black Man's Guide to Success: And the Women that Help Them

If you contact OP and express interest in publishing your book, they will send you a copy of this book. SPS (Self-Publishing Simplified) lays out several detailed plans for publishing your book. OP gives you the freedom to customize your publishing pacage so that you get everything you want in your book and nothing else. If you have any doubts about self-publishing, this book will clear those doubts for sure. I think I speak for every OP author when I say that this book, and Outskirts Press, has changed my life.


Jeremy Barandela
Author of United We Stand
(Dawn of Darkness - coming soon!)

Self-Publishing Simplified was a huge help to me when I was trying to get my book, Tonto Yoder, Western Scout published. I would recommend this book to any beginning author.
F. L. Fear
Published Author

I tried standard publishing, with the querry letters and chapter samples. I got rejection letter after rejection letter, mostly because I did not have the credentials the publishing industry was looking for. It seems that you have to have already been published to get published. Outskirst press made the process so easy that even someone like me, with no experience, could get my book published and marketed within weeks. This left me free to get my book, "Joy for the Troubled Heart," into the hands of those that really needede my help. Terri Cruze, author

For my daughter's first birthday, I wrote and illustrated a story for her about the day she was born. I'm no artist, mind you, but she loves it. (If you want to, I believe you can use the computer to make very simple sticker-like illustrations instead of drawing.) It was especially meaningful to her when her baby sister was born this last year. I am buying a new one for the little sister as well. I think it's a terrific idea for making a personalized keepsake FOR your child or grandchild.

The only drawback, you do have to be a little creative regarding the words per page limit.

This is such a great item and worth every penny. We'd love to do these every year and get duplicate copies for our families. This is a great way to capture the different stages of creativity in your children - and rewarding to them when they see their story "published" in a real book. Highly recommended for all ages!

I bought this book for my grandughter that is 10 years old and loves to write stores. It was a wise pick for me , as it is right at her age level. Easy to understand , Easy to follow directions . For any child that loves to write stores, or to encourage a child to write it is a great book.

Got this for my 6-yr old daughter's birthday. It was easy for us to do together. The great fun was getting the completed, hard-bound book back in the mail! She was so proud to be an author! She even took it to school to show her class. It's a great gift & a great keepsake.

We bought the first of these for our son when he was 3 1/2 and helped him create his first book. He loved it and would read it to us daily. He's five now and has 'created' 5 additional books (this time without our help). He loves this and has decided that he's going to become a writer when he grows up (after he becomes a pilot). As a result of creating the ILLUSTORY books, he's started keeping a journal (which we thought was a big endeavor for a 5 year old- but he's managing to write in it every day about the perils of kindergarten, of course!) Kudos to the makers of this product for keeping children educationally entertained!!

In our modern age of vaccinations, it seems inconceivable that in 1949, 42,033 cases of polio were diagnosed. It was a disease without a vaccine or antidote that meant excruciating pain, followed by extensive physical therapy assuming that the patient didn't die from complications. There are three main variants: spinal polio, which causes rapid paralysis of the arms and legs (generally asymmetrical), bulbar polio, which causes difficulty breathing and swallowing (and frequently requiring the use of iron lungs as breathing muscles and mechanisms are greatly weakened), and respiratory polio, a combination of the above two. Peg Kehret was twelve years old when she contracted respiratory polio; she was the only victim in her small Minnesota town that year.

Peg recounts her terrifying illness in a very matter-of-fact yet gripping narrative. Paralysis set in rapidly, and she had a fever of 102 for nearly a week as her muscles weakened, requiring her to use an oxygen tent. But Peg was lucky; once her fever breaks (aided by a contraband chocolate milkshake), her recovery is much more rapid than her fellow hospital and rehab roommates. Even though Peg is nearly a teenager, there are small poignant touches of the remnants of childhood; her brother Art sent her a teddy bear that had to be burned once she left the polio ward, and her mother recommended that she donate her old books and toys to the children's polio ward. Peg resists, recalling happy memories with her old books and toys, and is dismayed to find that her parents have redecorated her old room as a surprise.

Peg is an engaging narrator who brings a distant era to life through radio dramas such as The Lone Ranger and the simplicity of a time where books and friendships filled our hours instead of electronics. Her rehabilitation is tempered with humor and spirit; no self-pity here, only the desire to become the best she can be. The Sister Kenny method of polio treatment is described in detail, along with physical and occupational therapy exercises. Peg has a crush on Dr. Bevis, a handsome doctor who makes her feel special by painting her toenails when she's still in intensive care, and promises him that she'll return to walk for him. She makes friends with several other girls recovering from polio, including the bitter Alice, who's lived at the rehabilitation center for ten years after her parents couldn't care for her. The girls are brought together by their shared experiences as polio survivors, and Peg is apprehensive about rejoining her school and the outside world.

The novel is brought full-circle by the sad mention that Peg, along with her former roommates, suffers from post-polio syndrome; around 25% of childhood polio sufferers develop additional symptoms decades after the initial infection, including muscle weakness, fatigue, or paralysis. After working so hard to overcome polio, she's certainly not giving in now. There are also vintage photographs of the author and her roommates scattered throughout. A marvelous introduction to polio's debilitating effects and the power of positive thinking on recovery.

Small steps was an enjoyable book and i would definatley recommend it to all of my friends. During this story, a polio patient named Peg, changes, not facial or look wise but mentally. At first she would worry about winning first in something however when she gets diagnosed with polio those worries change. Now she worries about whether she'll make it or not, and she realizes how lucky she really was without the polio. One of my favorite things abobut peg is that she can always take a sad thing and make it better, such as whenshe needs a wheelchair, instead of outing she learns how to wheelie on it! there is one thing i would warn you about; there isnt a lto of dialoge. If you love dialoge and cant get enough of it, then you are just like me! I dont really like books without dialoge. however, when i read this book I realized it has enough dialoge to keep me coming back for more. Although i really like the way it was written too. When in saw that this was a biography, i hesitated to pick it up. But when i started to read, i realized that this wasnt one of the ordinary boring biographies, but a biography written in fictioin form! Also, if your looking for a book written by the author then that is anothter reasen for you to, go out and get this book. Small steps is written in frist person. The plpot of this book is very easy to follow now read carefully; a 12 year old girl named peg is diagnosed with polio, and is taken to many different hospitals. While she is being transfered, she is fighting with all of her gut to kick this polio out of her system. That is as far as i am going with that.
Wait there is more, if you are also not a fan of long expositions; this book is probably the best one or you. Tyeh exposition is npt long at all. It simply describes where Peg lives how old she is and what she like sto do, and then the action starts.

p.s. if you are going to read this book i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did!

My daughter, age 9, was assigned to read this book as part of a Reading Olympics program in her school. I found it at the library and read the first chapter to her while we were still in the library. She did not want me to stop reading. We read it together every night after she had finished her homework. She was so fascinated with Peg Kehret's story that she would work hard to finish her homework in order to leave time for reading before bed. I highly recommend this book for older elementary and middle school age children. The author offers a very engaging glimpse of her experience as a child their age going through an enormously difficult and challenging ordeal. Her courage and humor in the face of her disease will give children insight into coping skills they can use someday.

This book is a must if you are looking for a book for your Mother/Daugther book club. We read it when our daughters were 10 yrs. old, but you could certainly be older. All the moms loved it.

I loved this book! It is about a girl named Peg who is stricken with Polio. My fav. part was when her temperature dropped by drinking the chocolate milkshake. I would recommend this book for anyone!

Jorge Luis Borges was one of those rare writers who can take even a bizarre, utterly unbelievable idea, and spin it into an exquisite little gem of prose.

And this classic writer was at the peak of his powers when he collected together "Ficciones," whose plain name belies the subtle power and exquisite beauty of Jorges' short stories. Even among Borges' many short stories, few of them can rival this little labyrinth of strange ancient cities, fictional histories, and the eerie depths of the human mind.

"I owe the discovery of Uqbar to the conjunction of a mirror and an encyclopedia." An odd old saying from the Middle-East leads the narrator to seek out the long-lost heretical histories of a fictional world known as Tlon. Its beliefs, language, and metaphysical eccentricities increasingly fascinate the narrator, until it's almost a surprise to realize that Borges invented all of this.

The stories that follow are no less engrossing -- the recounting of a strange, haunting novel, a man who attempts to LIVE as Don Quixote, a man who tries to dream a new being into existence, a lottery that determines the way the people of Babylon are to live, an examination of a brilliant and underrated author, an exploration of the eternal Library of the universe, and a labyrinthine spy story.

The second round of short stories is a bit less enthralling, merely because it focuses more on "typical" Borges short stories. But they are still pretty enthralling pieces of work -- the remembrance of the brilliantly eccentric Ireneo Funes, the story of a scar, a series of murders linked to "the secret Name," a condemned man's begs God for a year to perfect his art, a forgotten heretic, a conversation leading to revenge, the Cult of the Phoenix, and a man entranced by the "Arabian Nights."

Mirrors and labyrinths fill Borges' work -- real and imagined, in word, metaphor and reality. You see them in an endless library, a guitar melody, a contradiction in religious faith, a complex plot, and in the mind of a man who loses himself to an obsession. The mirrors show you the sides of people that they would never see themselves, and the labyrinth twists the mind into new places where it would never normally go.

"Ficciones" explores places where normal fiction would never go -- such as a Babylonian lottery for different places in society, corrupted by greed -- even as it imbues its eulogies, metaphysical ponderings and explanations with the tinge of reality. The cults, deaths, and art that Borges describes seem so plausible, and are given such depth and detail, that it comes as a mild shock when you realize, "Hey, he made all of this up."

Part of that is due to his unique style, full of elegant wordcraft and gently luminous imagery ("a round yellow moon defined two leaf-clogged fountains in the dreary garden"). Even a stabbing is made brutally beautiful, and often dialogue is unnecessary -- the most beautiful and striking stories in here are the ones where Borges (aka the narrator) eagerly explores some invented facet of the world.

And woven through these stories are many of the things that fascinated Borges through his career -- a tragic hero, ancient heresies, an elusive God, and people whose lives he could somehow explore through his own imagination.

If you could criticize anything at all, it's that few of the characters -- aside from the Borges "narrator" -- are much more than walking symbols of a murky little message. But hey, you could simply see this entire book as an exploration of Borges' own imagination by himself. He happily recounts countries that are nonexistant, books that were never written, geniuses who never were.

"Ficciones" is about the dullest name you can possibly give to a work of genius -- an intricate little web that is all mirrors and mazes. Absolutely stunning.

Borges is one of the great literary giants of the 20th century, a statement that in itself appears as a graveyard of a word; that his influence is comparable to that of Joyce, Proust and Beckett. I would another name to that list, that of Georges Perec, a French novelist most famous for his works "Void" and "Life, A User's Manual".

I am no authority in much of anything, so I'd advice you find and read as much Borges as you can, but I've found that this collection is a fitting place whence to start and end endeavours of life. Literature works as a way of shaping not only our imagination but expounding our sense of self; this is a phenomenon that does not exclude anyone: most of the time it is merely unconscious as we hone endless miles through the seas of matter, of influence. Reading the great masters not only takes us to the root of what has been shaping and influencing the most intelligent and worthy art created, this reading gives us tools of becoming a self-conscious human being.

But read these stories for fun if you're not a self-confessed pretentious bohemian like me. I do, too, yet for me the other half of the fun is to dwell in the experience and shape an abstractly spatial being of it, place it into my mind as a station between different poles of my being. I theorize because I don't know any better. I keep returning to this book time and again, and to his poems, in themselves undertakings of a genius mind to create a new world, a function which any work of art should consciously yet as lucidly as possible promote. Each of the stories is a labyrinth for the mind, a whole microcosm of wordplays, mirrors, riddles, puzzles, mazes, doubles, self-reflection, catalogues and everything from between. A whole literary life being constructed in these short stories, much in the same way as a word-to-word memorization of a Cervantes. As with that book, everything that we experience in fiction, that feels the same has changed forever.

With best regards,
AK

Borges, a half deaf Mephisto indian from Peru, wrote in the later half of the 20th century when half of his inheritance had been squandered in Bordellos charging full price. His forte into "asylum" literature came about as a result of being incarcerated by accident in a Bolivian prison camp which inspired the film, "Papillon". His days were spent by writing and re-reading a book he carried inside his pocket for 22 years which was titled, "Moth Collecting for Youngsters". Most of these stories deal with tidal waves and rocks but some, deal with the memories of his youth like "Hopping on Empty Books".

Transport the Wachowski brothers to the 1930's and ask them to express their philosophy by way of short stories. You might get something in the same ballpark as Ficciones. The diversity and genius of Borges' work is so unique that if you were to know all the languages in the world and had no word limit, it would still be hard to do a review that does justice. Ironically, this is exactly the kind of challenge that Borges would stand up to. I will attempt to review this work by enlisting adjectives that come to mind.

Surreal, mystic, recursive, sophistic, heretical, philosophical, religious, profound, imaginative, ingenious, circular, open-ended, unorthodox, personal, hallucinational, original, universal, self-referential, concise, contextual, complex, ironic.

Here are a few examples of the complexity of Borges' mind at work.

Borges attributes certain imaginary books and volumes of books to some of the authors that he is most influenced by. In reality, these books are projections of Borges' fertile mind and no more. In the process of critiquing imaginary works of art (let's call this meta-art), he creates an instance of the meta-art in the mind of the reader. It's like me talking to you about the eating habits of a third person you haven't met, and actually does not exist! Borges never fails to leave you with a lasting impression of a meta-art that resonates with your senses. On second thoughts, this is obvious because the meta-art is as much a figment of your imagination as it is Borges'. Every meta-art is a reflection of your own creative mind, while Borges is simply holding a mirror. And talking about mirrors, here's a quote from Borges as attributed by him to the meta-art in his first short story "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius": "The earth we inhabit is an error, an incompetent parody. Mirrors and paternity are abominable because they multiply and affirm it." And with this we come full circle just like you would in most of Borges' stories.

Borges is fascinated with the idea of god and provides several unorthodox notions of god that might be as appealing to scientists as they would to priests. This is done more so by illustration than by elucidation. In fact, subtle self-references and recursions are an integral part of the entire work. The stories embody the concept that Borges sets out to illustrate, and always come full circle at the end such that appreciating the story is equivalent to appreciating the concept. Whether it is the wizard of "The Circular Ruins", the librarian of "The Library of Babel", the spy of "The Garden of Forking Paths", the teenage boy of "Funes the Memorious", or the playwright of "The Secret Miracle"; the self-referential nature of the work is haunting. Each story leaves you wondering how Borges could convey so much with so little words [This also speaks volumes about the quality of English translation]. Then again, the very topic of brevity and excessiveness is discussed in one of the reviews of a fictional book. It is like Borges does not let anything go. Yet again, the very topic of an all-encompassing book is discussed in the context of a fictional book that aspires to BE god.

There was not a single story of the seventeen that was not profound. There is no chance that you would not re-read this book after reading it once.

Borges never fails to please, to challenge, to entertain, and more importantly make one's brain shift into high gear!
If you are looking for an easy read, don't expect to find it in Ficciones.

However, if you are looking for a little cerebral cortex arousal; grab this book and find a cozy spot...you won't be disappointed!

Reading with his head instead of his heart, Borges looks to fill his mind with all the minutia and information he can possibly hold and release it back in his works with finely crafted and fascinatingly playful philosophical stories.

The sparse, objective writing of Ficciones is a far cry from his earlier lyrical style, of which he says: "In those days, I sought dusk, the outskirts, and unhappiness; now, mornings, the center, and serenity."

Thankfully in the newer center, we are treated to 17 extraordinary stories that are teasingly succinct, yet brimming with imaginative and aesthetic prose!

The scarcity of words requires that the reader pay attention to them all or miss much of the wisdom and subtleness that define the delicate and ingenious style that is this fine master of fiction...Jorge Luis Borges!