Literature Books

This is awesome and deep.

My friends tend to keep or "lose" the copy
they have borrowed from me.

It's a must for healthy, Christian growth.

I have heard of Watchman Nee and was eager to read some of his books. however, I just couldn't get into his style of writing, probably due to the era he is from, it wasn't easy for me to connect with.

Received the brand new copy of "Sit-Walk-Stand" soon after placing the order-Almost too easy, but will keep looking and buying...Semper Par...

I really enjoy this book. It's coverage of Ephesians was indepth and very revealing. I will re-read this book many more times.

This study on Ephesians was apparently based on a series of lectures Nee gave in Europe during a trip there. Unlike the later, plain cover books written in his name during recent years, this book is authentic Nee. His teaching is clear, balanced, practical, and DEEP. But unlike the spurious Nee books of recent years, the teaching is also balanced and biblical. Gone are the super-spiritual speculations. This is pure grace lived out in radical obedience. The last chapter tells a story so cool it makes the whole book worthwhile. Great book to read with young Christians.
- Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community

This book is in my top 5 favorite books ever - and I own a library. The illustrations are beautiful, and the message timeless - just go get your own copy and enjoy!

I received this book over twelve years ago by a relative when I was five years old, and it still remains a treasure on my bookshelf. There are some books that embody a sense of magic well beyond their words and after long putting this one down, the images, love of tales, and the pure passion of the myths stays with you. James C. Christensen's work very obviously could stand alone. The brilliant rich colors and original imagination very nearly breathe life into an eloquent, albeit essentially simple story. You end up `seeing' the adventure as it pans out, on the decks of the Basset as it goes sailing, looking for magic.

The story has always remained dear to me, having characters that not only do you empathize with and care for immensely but end up seeing little bits of yourself entwined in. I love the subtext with the science in a world where physics and rigid rationalities are not shunned out, but rather melded together in an appreciation of what an untamed imagination has to offer a world that works within rules and boundaries; an ideology that I have long since held with reverence and respect. That without the ingenuity and sparks of original thought, the very fuel and passion of science and humanity's natural need and compulsion to understand, would be left lackluster, without the same benefit, and without the very essence that makes us who we are.

It is a quiet little book that has interwoven themes in a light manner and stays in a genre all its own. Someone obviously cared deeply about the origins of the myths, tales, and creatures, and through the perspective of Professor Aisling you shall find footnotes telling of their backgrounds and stories. As a kid this is why I fell in love with reading, the type of thing that leaves a dreamlike quality in the waking hours and sends shivers down the spine.

As that child, I saw the excitement and adventure that often keeps a young one entertained, though also growing up through the last twelve years I have drawn depth out of it. Originating from someone young who cared little for the sensible, polite etiquette of today's society (Cassandra), to now someone who roots and thrives and builds their life off of the science of the world (Miranda), I can see myself in both daughters. I have been both daughters. The book has a story of loss in its pages, and contributes to how our dreaming and imaginative nature is often lost in light of trauma and death, and also how it can wither or steel over as we grow older; as we come to understand the world expects a certain sense of propriety out of us. The two girls here are the split halves of a sphere; the pure willingness to believe with the mind of a child, and the sensibility and maturity of a questioning nature. Neither science nor the imagination is on some level complete without the other, and here they are personified in two strong females rooted in the deep bond of family.

This will be a book to give a child that will most likely appeal to their tastes, though will always remain something accessible to those older, and something that one will never tire of picking up. It's the sort of thing that will always hold something new with each stage of life and therein lays my ardent affection for the mythology, calm wisdom, and art within its pages. A golden and heartfelt story awaits you on a neglected dock. Credendo vides, my friend.

I think that my favorite part of this book were the illustrations. Then again, I hesitate to call the pictures in this book illustration; they step into the realm of artwork. Christensen's artwork is beautiful! The colors are vivid and alive, and sometimes I couldn't turn the page because I wanted to soak in every detail. They were so real, that I had a hard time looking at Medusa's eyes because it almost seemed that they would turn me into stone if I looked.

I loved the way the story and art went hand in hand to tell the voyage of the professor and his two daughters. If you love daydreaming about fantastical journeys, this is the story for you! Everything from Greek Mythology to Mideival Legend is found by sailing with the crew of the Basset.

What great story would be complete without having an equally great message! The message of this book is as beautiful as the story and its artwork. For fear of spoiling anything, here it is in the latin: "cresendo vides!"

If you love fairy tales then this book is for you! with an excellent story and beautiful pictures, I open my book at least once a week! I highly recommened this book to all ages! A true classic!

A story about a family coping with heartache and struggling to pick back up the pieces of their torn lives. Full of whimsical illustrations and imagination. For kids and the kid at heart, the only thing you will regret is not going on this fantastic voyage of distant shores and mythical creatures.

A wonderful yarn, author combines a little suspense, authentic points of view about what life is like for a weasel, it had a very touching ending.
Bagley Brown Jr. is a literary hero in my book! The illustrations were very well done, they conveyed what the characters were feeling in the story. I felt Author and Artist got the same sense of the Wainscott Weasel's world. I recommend this work and would like to express my weaselful gratitude to the Author and Artist for making the story come to fruition.

A parent turned me onto this book several years ago. I read the book aloud to my second graders and it soon became a hit! The children begged to create a play based on the story. They then created an adapted play and performed it for the school and the parents. Since then, I've used the book each year in my classroom. I've read it to my own children and used it in classes at church. The message is strong the story is endearing. I highly recommend this book.

This is a must have for any home with Elementary age children.
We all really loved this story, full of adventure and amusing characters.

The Wainscott Weasel
Author:Tor Seidler
In this book a weasel named Zeke Whitebelly falls in love with a girl, Wendy Blackish. Bagley Brown Jr. falls in love with not Wendy but a fish named Bridget! Paddy the frog comes asking for help. Bagley cant resist when Bridgets involved. Then he finds out she has kids. Will he still help them? Find out in this amazing book about weasels helping alll creatures and how love can go far.
Review by: Frances

This was a wonderful story which takes place at a location Mr. Seidler used to visit and that means a lot to him. The weasel society enjoys life and dancing, and even has its own celebrity, Bagley Brown. Bagley has a secret crush that would raise eyebrows if it were discovered, and he questions a pretty weasel's crush on him because he's never done anything great enough to earn the honor of sharing his father's name. Circumstances happen to change his destiny, and the destiny of his tough-guy rival, Zeke Whitebelly. I liked the theme of loving someone who's different, because even in this day and age the love of someone for a person of a different color or faith still raises some eyebrows. The way the book ended was a complete surprise to me, and the description of the beautiful lake with the ocean nearby made me wish I could pay a visit.

Bravo! This book should be in every teacher's professional library! The world we live in today exposes children to the many ugly sides of humanity. Too often the people they look up to and aspire to become are not worthy of their devotion. Dennis Deneberg and Lorraine Roscoe have presented kids with an opportunity to meet real heroes. I use this book each year to define what it means to be a hero and to help 5th graders look beyond "famous" to see quality of character. This book inspires children to the best! Thank you Dennis and Lorraine! I am ready for the next edition!

Great Book --- I love the way it is written. It gives the reader not only information about a wonderful variety of American Heroes but asks questions about how the reader might be challenged to a higher standard. I'm looking forward to introducing my grandson to this book. I'm sure he will find many heroes in the book that he will want to find out more about.

As a 5th grade teacher in a mostly rural area, this book has allowed my students to get to know so many different American heroes. I was so impressed with the book myself, that I read the whole book cover to cover in one night! I have had parents of my students ask if their child could bring the book home so they (the parents) could read it and enjoy it as well. Our school wrote a grant in order to purchase about 50 copies of the book and it was probably some of the best money our district has ever spent! I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages - it's a gem!

My New Year's resolution..one of them, is to read more with and in front of my children. I brought this book home and read to them one or two of the figures. They LOVED it. We read from it almost every night now. They fight over who gets to pick the figure we read about and actually ask me to go and get it. It's really nice that they are learning about older historical figures but also recognize some of the faces they are reading about. I try to make my kids understand that great people are not born that way they are normal people who aspire to greatness. This is a great way to teach them that and then some!!

I read all these great reviews, so of course I got the book. It's good. I like that each hero has two pages, and the book is thought-provoking.

But it's slanted...

These _are_ good heroes to admire, but for the life of me, I can't think why a book like this would include Sandra Day O'Connor and exclude Clarence Thomas.

I prefer the Childhood of Famous Americans series -- the books are more in-depth and enjoyable, and more politically neutral.

I bought this book when my daughter was about 13 months old. She enjoys flipping through it each day. The way that it is constructed is very durable with thick enough pages for a young toddler. Now that she's 16 months, I have started really teaching her what some of the images are and she can point to the right one when I ask here where something is. It features pictures that are interesting to her and the size of the book and pages is just wonderful.

This book is a great learning tool for a young child. My son could identify several images by 8 mounths old. The images and colors kept my son's attention, which is great when everything around him is something new to explore.

We bought this book and take it everywhere we go! Our child has always loved books and reading. This book is very durable and the large pictures and print are perfect for our child. It is by far his favorite. He took it to daycare with him one day and it was the hit toy of the day! We also love First 100 Animals. I highly recommend this book. our child was 15MO when we introduced it to him and 3 months later he still loves it.

My 16 month old son loves this book. He started out pointing to the pics and I told him what they were. Now, I ask him to point to the items and he does it. I recommend this book for babies.

We've had this since he was still in utero and from the time he could crawl over to the bookshelf and pull out a book, it's been his favorite. He loves looking at all the pictures and having us say the word that goes with the picture. One of the advantages of a book this simple is that you can do a lot with it (what color is the jacket? Is the boy wearing a shirt? Where does a bear live? etc. etc.) We have several more books from the Priddy Books series and my son loves them all. They have helped him learn a ton of words and at almost 2, he has the language ability and vocabulary of a 3-year-old. Can't recommend this highly enough, or other books in the series (100 animals, My Big Word Book, etc.).

I was looking for a book so that my granddaughter could get a sense of how truly blessed she is to grow up in this century. I am not an avid reader and this was the first book I have read in a long time. The book was only 214 pages but painted a vivid picture of the life and times during the 30's. I read the book in 2 days and loved every word. Being one of the first blacks in a field that has been predomanently white for decades, I too was wrongly accused of doing things and suffered unjust conquenceses. Bravo to the author, please put this on your must read list.

This is a nice book to buy your child if you want to enlighten them on the way of life that existed long before their time where they can appreciate the resources and choices that are available to them in in this generation.

As a grammar-fiend, I must say that this book is really lacking. I realise it was written in the vernacular for a purpose, but really, after only 4 pages I found continuing to read the monstrous grammar painful. This book is practically a guide to how to speak as if one never had any schooling.

If I could've given this book 10 stars, I would've. I'ma 19 year old inner city black male--that said, I was on the verge of tears while reading parts of this novel, and crying isn't something regarded as "ok" to do where I come from (or for guys period). Emotionally maturation is a must when reading this. TRUST! This is my first review of any book. I've never felt so compelled to write one, to ask people "Hey you ever read a book called Billy?" The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it. And as far as the "grammar fiend" review up above--the dialect in the book is reflecting Southern talk from the 1930's and it only adds to the book, it captures the time period beautifully. Please (future readers) dont let that become an obstacle!! (And after the first 5-10 pages you get used to it)

1937. Mississippi. Two teenage girls. Two young boys, ages ten and twelve. A fight ensues and one of the girls ends up dead. The community is outraged and more interested in revenge than justice. Why? The girls are white and the boys are black. Should that matter? Regardless, it does. French unapologetically drops the reader right into the times with all its prejudices glaring. It's impossible to avoid an emotional reaction to Billy. The grief of the families' losses, Billy's confusion about what's happening to him as well as what happened during the fight, and the blatant racism all serve to make the reader question whether things have really changed since 1937 or whether all that racism really just boiling under the surface searching for any excuse to break free.

This is one of my favorite childhood books, so I was thrilled to share it with my daughter. We have both CDB and CDC now, and she loves them (and thinks it's pretty cool that Steig also wrote Shrek!) Besides the fun of sounding out the phrases and the laughs it provides, I think the books are mentally challenging and verbally stimulating for children of all ages. Educational maybe, but so much fun. Who doesn't love the illustrations?

Having enjoyed Steig's first such book as an adult, we sent a copy to a budding linguist at college. Upon ordering I was delighted to find this second enjoyable book available. Steig has such delightful images and twists of humor that I could not pass it up. Great fun in drawings and puzzling out the meanings.

I have always chuckled at this book, ever since I helped in my children's school library 20 years ago. William Steig has such a clever way of putting letters together and illustrating what he is trying to say. It is interesting to children of all ages.

I ordered this since my sister received it and thought it was a great book. Unfortunately, this copy does not come with the answers. Look for the hard cover version, that has the answers in the back.

CDB! (Stories to Go!)

I was very excited to find this book for my grandbaby. We had great fun with it when her aunts were small. Who would have thought back then that William Stieg invented 'text speak'. I even stumped my youngest daughter with NQ!

well im not really clueless in the kitchen but this book helped me find new recipies and cook stuff i never cooked b4.well i like this book (even though my brownies sucked)

after my sister got this I got to read it and it is the ultimate beginners cookbook for anyone on a budget or anyone wanting to learn how to cook who has no experience in the kitchen, wonderful for dorm/minimalist cooking or cooking for a small group.

While I'm sure there are a few teens out there who are interested in cooking a turkey or baking bread, the book is doing itself a disservice by suggesting it is for teens. It's a very good book for the more adventurous of young cooks, but more probably for the 30-something set who loves spending time and money in the kitchen. This book is a wealth of information for the more adventurous cook of any age. The style is warm and a bit humorous, never a bad thing when tackling your first pot roast. So, while I do recommend this book, I have to add that I would not buy it for any inexperienced cooks, especially teens. 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother

Everyone knows someone that can't cook or doesn't cook. This book is different from other cookbooks in that it explains much more than just recipes. Its rough to make time to cook a decent meal and many people have grown up on microwaves with the occasional homemade food. This book starts from scratch, explaining things your parents forgot to mention. Like how to defrost the freezer? You won't find that in an everyday cookbook. Its written for a teenager but I found it to be for all ages. It was a fun book to give to my nameless chef. I did look through it before wrapping it and found several recipes I would enjoy making myself. I might be borrowing it more than the chef will use it. I also purchased the baking book by the same author. Once again it gives a concise explanation on how to bake from scratch and keeping it simple. I only hope my nameless chef will use it well and maybe will invite me over for dinner. Its perfect for a new home/apartment gift, or that someone for christmas that always burns their food. And its enjoyable to read through.

This book is great for teenagers, and also for people like me: the ones that just never learned. It is simple and easy to use. My guests are so happy that I can now whip them up something for breakfast or dinner. Also, this is a really great gift for those people going off to college. It even includes a complete list of what to get for a starter kitchen.

This a great collection of poems from the past! If you enjoy whimsy, this is for you!

with eliot, a maximum of content is achieved through a FORM worked with a
care and conciousness not seen perhaps since the greeks. he understood,
as he once wrote, that the novel form ended with flaubert. in the centuries after picasso and stravinsky there is no place for anything in
literature which makes people remain sitting, whithout standing and perhaps dancing. the same thing could be said about pound, very different though very twin.

The Eliot of despair, the Eliot of 'Prufrock' and 'Wasteland' is contended with and overcome by the Eliot of the 'Quartets'. The message of modern mankind's meaninglessness, the broken fragments ( of Tradition) shored against his ruin is replaced by the vision of sacred turning, a Christian vision of redemption. Eliot is a writer whose work and life break down into these two distinct periods each of which has its champions in defining what is best in him.
As one raised on 'April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land' and 'Let us go then you and I when the evening is spread out against the sky, like a patient etherized upon a table' the most memorable lines are certainly of the first phase where it ends not with a bang but with a whimper.
Yet my admiration for the hypnotic power of Eliot's memorable lines is strongly qualified by my knowledge of his 'Burbank with a Baedaker, and Bluestein with a Cigar' with his all too fashionable literary anti- Semitism. Of course Eliot was not preaching death camps and extermination but he did connect his work to the tradition of Christian Anti- Semitism.
Thus I have always had difficulty being comfortable with my 'enjoying of Eliot's poetry. And I have never been able to sympathetically read 'The Quartets.' They have always seemed to me to be too impersonal characterless and abstract.
Eliot who for most of the century strode the English Departments as if he were a colossus did noble work in reviving interest in 'The Metaphysicals' but somehow failed in my mind to write a poetry humanly rich in the deepest sense.

When you think of the best poets ever, T.S. Eliot is one of those that comes to mind. His work is well crafted, intelligent, beautifully written, and has a flow to it that few poets can match. And this is a fine collection for the Eliot lover or for the reader unfamiliar with Eliot. It's divided into several sections. The first section is his Prufrock section, poems from 1917, which contains probably his finest poems: "Prufrock", "Preludes" "Rhapsody on a Windy Night", "Hysteria", among others. Then there is the Poems 1920 section which also contains many fine poems ("Sweeney Erect" and "The Hippopotamus" being my favorites). Then follows his masterpiece The Wasteland. Then The Hollow Men which is followed by the wonderful Ash Wednesday. Then the Ariel Poems (which contains "Journey of the Magi"). Then there are two unfinished poems, "Sweeney Agonistes" and "Coriolan" which I thought were weak. Maybe they would have been great had he ever finished them. Then there is a section called minor poems followed by the mediocre "Choruses from 'The Rock.' And then there is what I consider to be his true masterpiece, "Four Quartets." And the book finishes with some occasional verses, one of which is a sweet and touching poem to his wife. This is a great collection of poems.

Yep, this is a great collection of Eliot's works. I initially found out about Eliot throught the Movie 'Apocalypse Now' in which Brando is heard reciting the poem 'The Hollow Men'. The poem sounded so good I hunted it down and came across this little book.

My favourite poems would have to be 'The Hollow Men', 'Love song of Prufrock', 'Ash Wednesday' and 'Rannoch, by Glencoe (perfectly captured, drive through Rannoch and you'll see ;-)

Yep, definetly worth a read.

Eric's writing is simply amazing. He digs down and finds different ways of expressing his emotions.

If you're into music, and enjoy honest, easy-to-read writing, this is the book for you. I read it on recommendation from one of my HS students, and read it in about 45 minutes - it was a great way to pass the time in the airport!

After months of harassment from Eric via MySpace, I finally quit drinking long enough to set aside some money for his book. (Just kidding.) Anyway... I am really glad I did. Coma Therapy is the first poetry/prose book I have enjoyed in a very long time. I truly appreciate the honesty of the work, even if it were to turn out it isn't all truth.(Thank you, James Frey, for making me doubt every autobiographical account that is published.) I don't care at this point, because this is a collection of poems and stories that can affect the reader. I was reminded of the late Jim Morrison's poetry, only Coma Therapy is more intelligible and you can even read it if you aren't in a Hunter S. Thompson-like haze. (The lack of lizard-king repetition is also a plus.) With each page, I was drawn further into the text. It all seemed so personal that I felt like I was reading a journal without the author's knowledge and wanted to absorb as much as possible before he walked in the room and caught me read handed. It takes a very gifted writer to let their guard down and write with such candor. Victorino does not censor the text for fear of an outsider's judgmental prejudice. I only wish I possessed the courage to write without inhibitions, as Eric Victorino has been able to do in this book. In conclusion, thank you Eric, for constantly reminding us on Myspace about your book. I just started reading it for the third time. My favorite pieces include: "first kiss girl", "sweet, cherry red", "it's a people business", and "one of the most terrible things I have ever done (and a great friend.)" What am I saying? They're all friggin' good. Just buy the damn book and support a talented writer and musician.

I read this book for two reasons: The first of which is that I am a fan of the musical group "Strata" in which the author, Eric Victorino, is the lead singer. The second being, Eric personally asked me to read it..and being an artist myself constantly yearning for a greater audience, I decided I would help him pay the rent by buying a copy. It wasn't that spontaneous however, I started reading my friend's copy...and after the first two poems I decided that a great piece of literature such as this deserves a place amongst my shelf of classics.

It is written in a very artistic and impressive way that reminds me of Jack Kerouacs revolutionary spontaneous prose. It is metrical in yet lyrical...prose in yet romantically composed as poetry. I can safely say that I was intrigued 100% whilst reading the entire book and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, reader or not. You don't need to be a performing artist to feel emotion when reading this, but it helps.

Coma Therepy is written very well. I couldn't put it down when I was reading it. I felt as if I was living in the stories.