Newspapers Books

Having read all of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne mysteries I cannot say which one I like the best. But, I love them all and when I get jaded from reading some of the "modern" mysteries full of sex, four letter words and blood and guts I settle down with one of these before bedtime. Let me say I am in love with Australia and would live there if I could--too old to move and my wife would never go. We were fortunate enough to visit several years ago and loved every minute.
Greenwood has developed a very likeable and superlative heroine. The supporting cast is well drawn and interesting in their own. These are truly "cozies" and I find them very enjoyable reads, rationing them carefully lest I run out.
If you like Australian mysteries I would heartily recommend anything you can find by Arthur Upfield, who wrote in the period after WW II. His hero is an Australian police detective "halfcaste" who specialized in solving mysteries in the outback and rural areas of Australia. Great flavor and good story telling!

In my review of the first in Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series, Cocaine Blues, I wrote this:

"The Phryne Fisher series came highly recommended by a man not usually given to Affirmative Action crits, but I can't help feeling that if this had been written by a bloke . . .

"Female readers may well enjoy the anachronistic cheap shots at Twenties' inequalities, and God knows there could be worse heroines for the Noughties. (Or do we call the present decade the Oh-Ohs?)

"Lovers of crime fiction will surely be disappointed, and not only by the fact that the King of Snow was obvious from the start. This is an amateurish effort, best illustrated by having the members of a White Russian noble family speak French when alone with each other in private (rather than Russian) the better to be eavesdroppedupon by our French-speaking heroine.

"It's not bad wordsmithery, as you might expect of a lawyer who moonlights as an author, but I'm guessing most male readers will not find this enough."

I figured I should give Greenwood the benefit of the doubt (legal pun there, or perhaps a cricketing one) since as an Aussie I had my own bit of Positive Discrimination going. And I'm sure those who know Melbourne better than me take great pleasure in the "local" settings, albeit displaced 80 years into the past.

So I turned to this one, which adds Geelong (and indeed Queenscliff) to its Aussie locales. It also adds precocious kid (and an array of loveable urchins) to its stock of clichéd characters, but I'm guessing that's a chick lit thing.

It also adds to the scale of Phryne's derring-do, having her walk out on the wing of a Tiger Moth minus parachute (with a man she has only just met and never flown with before and who is completely unprepared for this stunt, left at the reserve controls) just so she can prove she is one of the boys.

I don't want to give the solution to the mystery away (although I'm not sure these novels are really intended for lovers of that genre, the plots are way too weak), but my jaw dropped even further than the murder weapon at how much could turn on not one of the cops bothering to look over the fence!

It's worth half a star more than Cocaine Blues, but since I still can't work out how to award half stars (and Cocaine Blues was only worth 2.5 anyway, IMHO), this one gets three.

The second book in the series takes place only a few months after "Cocaine blues" ends and with it returns its bright and luminous Phryne Fisher. Many of the secondary (if you can call them that) characters return which adds a nice touch. I liked this book even more than the previous one. Phryne seems to have found her grove in this story along with moving into her new, fashionable domicile. She has to solve two cases at once, the murder of a cantankerous, generally disliked husband and father and the kidnapping of a little girl. Phryne handles both cases with her normal aplomb, intuition and style along with a little wing walking and flying. I especially like Greenwood's use of language and how it reflects the times; this adds another layer of fun and effervescence to these stories that makes me look forward to the next one. I recommend this book highly.

this second in the series is even better than the first. and it features airplanes.

the characterizations are first rate, the plot is nicely paced, the resolution satisfying, the information about bi-planes enough to send anyone out to find and fly one.

phyne's situation develops and characters who will continue in the series are introduced. this book could still be read without reference to the first, as there is enough backstory to bring a reader up to date.

this series is a must for any mystery lover, but any read could enjoy them for the writing, the humor, the history of australia, and, of course, for phyrne.

In the three months that the Honorable Phyrne Fisher has lived in Australia, she has made a name for herself as an investigator who always solves her cases. She solved a case for a woman who travels in high society circles and that woman gives Phyrne's business a glowing recommendation to her friends. Her latest client Mrs. McNaughton is afraid that her son will kill her husband because he refuses to lend his son money to go on an airplane adventure. At the airport Phyrne talks to Bill McNaughton and tells her about her mother's fears and he tells he was never intending to kill his father. Bill's friend Jack Lawton is amazed as he watches Phyrne fly Bill's plane with much skill.

The next day Phyrne learns that Mr. McNaughton has been murdered and Bill has been arrested. When he is released on bail he hires Phyrne to find the real killer. While she works that case Candida Maldon is kidnapped and held for ransom. Jack convinces the family to hire Phyrne, who she devises a plan using Bill's plane to find and retrieve the kidnapped girl. Solving Bill's problem is a piece of cake in comparison.

Kerry Greenwood is one of Australia's most talented mystery writers. Her heroine is a woman who would be at home in the twenty-first century but since she lives in the 1920's she is careful to project a proper image while still doing what she wants. The wily, spunky heroine somehow makes the audience believe she is smart enough to easily solve two cases in a matter of days while the exotic locale will please armchair travelers.

Harriet Klausner

This book is a small selction of lead generation methods. Whether or not they work for you probably depends on your product-market. Most of the methods that were emphasized seemed to discount the prospect's intelligence: classified ads and direct offers with copy reminscent of a carnival hawker. The chapter about strategic partnerships had the most valuable content.

Overall, this book is a little light on lead generation methods - especially how to qualify them for your business. It also has a lot of fluff: a storyline, pages of questions with lots of blank space, and a long pitch for business coaching. I got more out of the author's cash flow book.

Most business owners know how to do the work "IN" the business, so they sit and wait for the phone to ring or the next prospect to walk in the door. This book is absolutely jam-packed with simple, useful strategies that any business owner can use to get more qualified leads. What I found particularly helpful was the break-even analysis that enables anyone to make an informed decision about whether to engage an advertising campaign or not. There are also great tips on how to write ads for all media and how to set up strategic alliances and host beneficiaries. Read this book today, get more prospects tomorrow!

The most important factor of cashflow is the number of leads generated. The book covers easy to develop and implement marketing activities to generate more leads...

Instant Leads explains the process through which entrepreneurs can grow their businesses by obtaining additional customers, an element of professional success that Sugars identifies as crucial.

Instant Leads begins by outlining the steps of Action International's Business Chassis, a schematic developed by Sugars that can be applied to businesses so that entrepreneurs can analyze their business piece-by-piece. Potential customers or "Leads" comprise the first part of the Business Chassis and as such, argues Sugars, are crucially important to the success of any business.

The business methods Sugars outlines in Instant Leads are drawn from the author's many years of professional success. Financially retired at 26, Sugars is a multi-million business mogul who assists, motivates, and trains hundreds of thousands of business professionals worldwide through books, DVDs, seminars, and Action International's team of business coaches.

The success of every business depends on the ability to generate new and qualified leads. Yet most small businesses often spend their time and money on methods that don't produce good results. This book is filled with excellent ideas and the process to implement them. The real life examples make it an easy read with good comprehension. It gave me the confidence to put them into action for my business.

This book is about a boy that moves from Ireland to New York. His mom died so he lives with his sister and dad. The boy's name is Kevin. His dad was sick, so his family needed money. He stole papers from the Daily Chronicle so his could get some money. A man caught him and asked him if wanted a job selling newspapers. Kevin said he would like the job. The job made him happy. This book is very good and you should read it to find out what happens.

Kevin, his dad, and littler sister move to New York from Ireland. Kevin's mom and older sister and brother just dies of congestion. It's really hard in Ireland and life would be better over in New York. Kevin's sister, Maureen, is in a private school. Kevin coule have gone but they didn't have enough money. Kevin's dad works all day and hardley gets anything. Kevin usually skips school since his dad wouldn't be able to know. When he skips school he usually tries to ear a few pennies for a loaf of bread to bring home to Maureen. Everyday he would do this. He also stole a chronicle every day to sell at the saloons. He never got caught untill one day Mr. Langley (the owner of the chronicle) saw him. He couldn't catch up to him though so he got away with it. Then a couple of days later Mr. Langley caught up with him at his house. He asked him a few questions and then asked him to read an article out of the paper. He didnt' think Kevin could read but he could. Mr. Langley thought it would be good to have a messenger boy at the chronicle to deliver messeges to the other. Mr.Langley asked Kevin if he wanted the job and he accepted. This way Kevin could earn some money to help out. First he had to promise Mr.Langley that he wouldnt' skip school and he would be on time. After working at the paper for some time Mr.Langley broke his leg and was home bound. So Kevin had to deliver messeges to him at his house to he could keep the chronicle in top shape without coming to the office. Mr.Langley's son didnt' like this so he planted $6 in Kevin's coat to get him fired which he did. When Kevin told him he didnt' take it he didn't believe him. After a week or so Mr. Langley found out that Kevin wasn't lieing and his son was. When he was fired they had no money coming in to the house and Mr.Timmins was wanting the rent. This was a big mess. I really liked this book and to find out what happens next you're goning to have to read the book.

Looking for one GREAT book that's not terribly too long, but not too short? Well your book MUST be PaperBoy! This story takes place back in the 1980's (or about) and the main character is an Irish immagrant boy. This story will entertain you and has a very interesting plot! I would reccomend this book to anyone between the ages or 8+!! Be sure to add this to your summer reading list!

Looking for one GREAT book that's not terribly too long, but not too short? Well your book MUST be PaperBoy! This story takes place back in the 1980's (or about) and the main character is an Irish immagrant boy. This story will entertain you and has a very interesting plot! I would reccomend this book to anyone between the ages or 8+!! Be sure to add this to your summer reading list!

I started this book this afternoon and could not put it down. I am a teacher of fifth grade and will definitely read it to my class. The author gives a very realistic description of what life was like in New York in 1881 for a struggling twelve year old immigrant boy. The plot is very interesting and fast-moving. The conclusion is one of inspiration and hope.

This book is excellent for children who think they dislike history! The style is extremely engaging with a flippant tone that appeals to kids. At first, determining between fact and fiction seems a bit sticky, but after a couple of articles, the style begins to gain a clarity and coherency that allows a reader to know what is real and what isn't even in the most unfamiliar cases. The possible problem with clarity, though, is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5.

I've read THE ROMAN NEWS as well, and interestingly, while that one is certainly less confused about what's real, THE ROMAN RECORD actually contains more information, both historical and social, even though the books are the same length!

I am Curator of Education at an American anthropology museum. Based on reviews at Amazon I made the mistake of buying this book (over Candlewick Press' "The Roman News") sight unseen to use in a presentation kit (for use in classrooms) featuring Pompeii. The American 6th-graders who will most often be using the kit will probably not understand the British slang that dominates the book. The writing style mimics UK tabloids with a shallow, flippant, sensationalistic approach to the material, which tends to obscure the historical facts beneath all the wink-wink nudge-nudge. Definitely good for a giggle, as they say across the pond, but not ideal for my target audience. The content will make more sense if you already know a fair amount about Roman history and culture. Great satire, if that's what you're looking for, but you need to be a good critical reader to get past the jokes and be sure of the actual, reliable historical content. I'll go back to Candlewick Press for my purposes.

I am a Lutheran Church librarian and bought this book for our library so that late elementary and middle school kids could learn about the historical period in which Christ lived. It is hilarious. Even the most reluctant readers will learn history painlessly while laughing themselves silly. They'll read the chariot race scores, fashion updates about togas, and study the realty ads for Roman villas. The headlines are very very funny! (Julius Ceasar's death is headlined, "Julius Caesar: A Nation Mourns: Knife-Fight Wipeout Ends Brilliant Career." So funny. Another headline reads, "We're Revolting, says Rebel Rabble." Well, I guess SO! In more ways than one. This is a terrific book. The format is tall and narrow and thin like a real newspaper. Full color. Kind of like a historical Roman "Mad" magazine. Excellent book.

An educational and very funny read. The facts are all true, but have been presented in a consistely funny and readable tabloid style. Maps, pictures, and fact boxes (and some very funny ads) support the text. Highly recommended.

Are you an Emperor or a slave? Take the handy questionaire in this book and find the answer, learning lots of Roman history along the way. My kids and I had a blast reading this, and remembered more facts about Rome than we got any from many other books. Great fun!

There are dozens of books written on self-publishing and this is one of the better ones. The author covers the basics in reasonably good detail. The writing style is light and easy-to-read. The book is also full of examples of books that were self-published and what these authors did to ensure their book's success.

The authors advocates the use of "Book Packagers," and in many respects the book assumes that you will be working with a Packager. Passages like "be sure to ask your Book Packager about this. . . " are found throughout the book. A Book Packager is someone that is hired to actually produce the book. They act somewhat like a building contractor. You make basic decisions regarding the book, and the copyright is in your name, but the Packager does all (or most) of the work. Packagers are a good alternative for someone that has neither the time nor inclination to take the "do it yourself" route. A good Packager can also ensure that book is produced in a professional manner. The major disadvantage is that it will add to your costs. Given the razor thin profit margins on books these days, you need to determine if you can really afford this option.

I haven't found one book on self-publishing that covers everything well. If you really want to learn how to produce and sell your own book I'd recommend purchasing a couple of titles. Other books to consider those by Poynter, Cardoza, Ross & Ross, or Brownstone.

Now in an completely updated third edition, Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide To Producing A Marketable Book by independent press publishers Linda and Jim Salisbury (Tabby House) is an informed and informative "how-to" instructional manual for succeeding in the competitive world of book publishing. Individual chapters address different venues of self-publishing, how to be professional in both literary product and the human element in publishing, handling the challenges of book promotion and distribution, keeping track of money matters, and much more. Smart Self-Publishing is an excellent primer for anyone with a serious interest in taking the self-publishing plunge.

If you are self-publishing only to share your work with family and friends, about the only real mistake you can make is to pay too much for design/printing. This can be avoided by old-fashioned comparison-shopping. But if your goal is to make an impression on the commercial market, there are many mistakes you could make which would guarantee failure. To avoid these mistakes, you must learn as much as possible about book design, production, marketing, etc. You must become your own expert.

Talking with someone who has self-published successfully would be invaluable. Seek out such a person if you can. Read anything you can get your hands on about self-publishing. Almost every book will contain something of value. At the minimum, buy at least two books, and make one "Smart Self-Publishing." It reads easily, doesn't get bogged down in tedious detail, and covers all the major pitfalls that can doom your project. There is also a handy resource guide at the end of the book.

Aside from nuts-and-bolts, the book does an excellent job of describing the BUSINESS of self-publishing. Because you must never forget that after your creative juices have been boiled off in giving birth to your little masterpiece, you are then left with a bunch of cardboard boxes filled with a product you must now get people to pay money for. The book does not whitewash the reality of this task. Yet, it also shares the excitement and the possibilities inherent in giving it your best, and it offers many examples of success.

If you are a first-time self-publisher, my advice is to learn as much as you can, and employ the services of a reputable book-packager, like the Salisburys (I did). In fact, I even used their book to make sure they were doing everything right (they were).

Don't even think about until you read this book...

"Smart Self-Publishing" (Tabby House) is the winner of the National Association of Independent Publishers Special Publishing Award, and with good reason. Linda and Jim Salisbury have created a phenomenal reference for any writer who opts to produce and publish their own book, but all writers heading into the realm of publishing would benefit by the reading of this book.

The chapters include topics such as ýWays to Get Published,ý ýWorking with Professionals,ý and ýCreating a Professional Product.ý These three chapters alone make the book worthwhile.

There is a wealth of information on the process and options open to the self-publisher; the hardcore information supplied within these pages, based on first-hand experience, is well researched and clearly written by professionals within the publishing industry.

There is specific instruction offered on how to make your book have an appearance that will fit into the mainstream and not look like a self-published book, a serious downfall of most self-published books and one that prevents wholesalers, distributors, and even individual local bookstores from stocking these titles.

There is solid advice on how to package your books professionally and the differences between doing this yourself or hiring someone to perform the various steps for you, including the pitfalls of self-designing the book and cover, and professional editing (or lack thereof) of the manuscript before it goes to press.

In ýDo Your Marketing Homework,ý some of the best information is the emphasis placed on marketing and book promotion, something so many writers ignore even if they have a publisher for their manuscript. Marketing is the key to the success of any product, yet, so many, and writers in particular, often neglect this important link. Writing is the easy part, getting the book published is the next easy part (even when done by a publisher), selling your book in todayýs market is the hardest part of all, and selling requires marketing.

ýRiding the Distribution Roller Coasterý aptly describes the distribution experience of all publishers. Once a manuscript is written, and even before it is published in book format, the next link in the chain of publishing needs to be worked into the program. Distribution is the second most important link, following a marketing plan; yet, distribution is often what many self-publishers think they can do without. Because distributors demand such a high discount, small presses and publishers do not like to sign with them and this is a major mistake. Today, most bookstores, and even libraries, prefer to place their orders through one or two major distributors. The Salisburyýs make this clear in their book.

ýBusiness Detailsý includes practical advice on the importance of record keeping, taxes, shipping and storage of books. There is also a chapter covering the pros and cons of the newest technologies in publishing, which should prove useful to anyone considering avenues like POD or E-books for their works.

"Smart Self-Publishing" has an impressive appendix of references for everything from ýmust-have referenceý titles to ýmarketing news and tips.ý There is also an appendix on ýUseful stuff for self-publishersý which includes book manufacturers, stores, designers, and specific contact information for the necessities such as copyright and ISBN details, distributors and editorial services, and useful Web sites. Finally, there is a glossary of terms used in the book production/publishing industry, and the almighty index is a part of this book; an index being almost a requirement of any nonfiction book, yet something often ignored by self-publishers.

In summary, "Smart Self-Publishing" is a one-stop source for answers to all the questions beginning, ýHow do I ____?ý One of the best books of its kind on the market, it is well designed, neatly packaged, clear and concise in ideas and presentation, and should be the first book anyone considering entering the world of publishing should read from cover to cover ý and reference continually along the path.

I was referred to the Salibury's book by a client who used this book and and the author's services. "Smart Self-Publishing" is easy to read, honest, informative and has many tips on converting your manuscript to a book. It does not sugar-coat the eventual need for the author to "actively market" the final product. You may or may not get a return on your investment, they note. It supports the idea that "book packagers" are the way to go, and perhaps so...their tasks are best left to the pros. The Appendix is excellent and connects you with all the people/ services you might need for your project. I would welcome more "cost information" on how to achieve one's goal of publishing a book i.e. the rough budget needed to perform each phase of the production. Perhaps that will be in the next edition. It does give you reason to call them and ask about costs. Perhaps it was planned that way... if so, nice marketing strategy! A strength of this book is the forthright honesty and the author's sales and marketing tips. Very helpful! Amazingly in this day and age, the authors are also accessible by phone and by email...They are very pleasant to talk to..It makes you want to use their consultant services. They are "modest" in hyping their services, but the book exudes their confidence and experience. I read their book in two days...and sent them a portion of my manuscript, as well..Excellent information and reading for the first time novelist like myself... Jack Polidoro, Ph.D., Brookline, NH

What could be worse than trying to find words adequate to describe the memoir of one of the finest journalists this country (and perhaps Europe as well) has known? Anyone who laments the ratings competition... among the various news media today will find this book inspiring and refreshing, and perhaps shed a layer or two of their cynicism in the process. Schorr's career routinely landed him in the midst of incredibly historical circumstances, sometimes without his realizing the enduring importance of the situation. This book is a rare historical journey for anyone interested in current events. For this 48 year old reader, it was better than any history course I've ever taken. We would have more hope for a fair, accurate and trusted media if every journalist - and would be journalist - read this book. Thank you Mr. Schorr!

I have to admit to a certain fascination with news personalities. After all, as a confirmed news junkie, I have faithfully watched all the major netweorks and tune into NPR on my way home from work daily. Therefore, I was pleased to discover this literary gem by long-time TV and radio commentator Daniel Schorr, the seemingly omni-present conscience of the electronic media. Like many of his generation, his is a voice of reason and objectivity in a sea of faces otherwise clamouring for fame and notoriety.

Yet, while I genuinely like the book and heartily recommend it, I must also admit to feeling a bit disappointed by what he has to say, for he seems determined throughout the book to confine his comments more to the stories at hand than I would have liked, and although he discusses personalities and the way some of his stories were affected by them, the insider's look is compromised to some extent by the very virtues he brings to the subject in the first place. Perhaps after fifty years in the business he simply cannot bring himself down to the level of a confessional tone in this self-described tour of a life within journalism.

Schorr has been everywhere and seen everything, from the infamous McCarthy Hearing in the early fifties to the erection of the Berlin Wall in the early sixties; from the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination to the tumult in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic convention; from the coverage of Watergate to the break-up of the Soviet Union. Throughout all this he has rubbed shoulders with all of the titans of media news, from Edward R. Murrow to Dan Rather, from Douglas Kiker to Sam Donaldson, and from Ted Turner to Walter Cronkite.

He has also been a witness to much of the history of the 20th century, having rubbed shoulders with everyone from Nikita Krushchev to President Eisenhower, from Charles DeGaulle to Marshall Tito, from Lyndon Johnson to John F. Kennedy, from George Bush to Bill Clinton. This is a wonderful book, and one I am sure you will enjoy as much as I did. It serves to remind us that a man of purpose, principle, and conscience can still act in accord with his ethics and values and succeed in the world of electronic journalism. Enjoy!

Before reading this book I already believed that Daniel Schorr was America's finest broadcast journalist. But my admiration has only increased. This book accomplishes what I had only hoped the memoirs of other famous broadcast journalists (e.g. Ted Koppel, Walter Cronkite, and David Brinkley) would.

Like those other journalists, Schorr has been very close to a remarkable number of the defining events of the last half century. But his writing seems harder-hitting, as much historical as journalistic, and he seems to be two levels deeper in understanding and perspective than they were in their books. I felt in the middle of the events with Schorr, not watching them at 30,000 feet. Perhaps it is the difference between the perspective of the man at the scene, compared to that of the anchorman. Schorr's immense knowledge of Nikita Khrushchev and (separately) of Richard Nixon are absolutely outstanding.

The book demands a lot from the reader. Not everything is told sequentially, and not all the background material is explained. Schorr seems to expect you to remember many of the events and issues yourself; his job is to add depth, perspective, and detail. Younger readers who don't remember the 50's, 60's, or 70's, will be challenged by the book. Those who do remember those decades, will be immensely impressed, educated, and enriched

Daniel Schorr's book about his life makes you crave for more people like him in journalism. It is refreshing to see another person of the news media community write about the decaying values of broadcasting.

I found it interesting that Daniel Schorr actually read his own name on Nixon's enemy list over the air upon seeing it for the first time. Yet, Schorr kept his professional composure by avoiding making himself the story, while being personally shaken, shocked and dismayed over it. This is what a true professional does when reporting to the public. The story is important not himself and Schorr did just that on that day. Today we have few Daniel Schorr's in news television.

At the same time, the press and media over the Clinton Impeachment crisis actually damaged themselves and our Republic far more than any kind of attack on first amendment rights. What was right in reporting on Nixon should never be ignored on Clinton. The public to this day no longer trust mainstream broadcasting due to this spinning cover up.

The mass media had far too many accomplices not reporting the truth in order to support a president who intentionally lied on TV and under oath to the American people. A Clinton's enemy list of actions and false spin without media challenge is far more sinister than a Nixon public exposed enemies lists. We can expose the known listings of people but it is the hidden agenda that is far more dangerous to our freedoms.

Additionally, the author confirms that TV Journalists are not particularly qualified as far as educational credentials to report the news. In the book he confirms that today's TV News Readers are hired based on their looks and delivery. We know this to be true by CNN recently hiring of a "B Movie Actress" who once posed nude to further her acting career. Does CNN really expects us to believe there are not many well qualified women with educational degrees and much more journalistic experience exists?

It gave me the reason why the O'Reilly Factor is so popular because O'Reilly did go back and acquired an Masters Degree at Harvard in order to discuss the issues for the better public edification. As opposed to the lack of real educational credentials of the three big networks News Readers. O'Reilly's rating are through the roof while Brohaw, Jennings and Rather are in steep decline. Schorr adds that today's "News Readers" are part of entertainment not real news.

What I found refreshing in the book is Schorr's candor, character and vision. He is telling us where he has been and what he felt as he reported events. He is conveying news entertainment can never preserve the public trust. In the future will the mass media be smart enough to tell us the truth or stupid enough to just accept the spin? We already know this answer based upon who is in broadcasting today. Schorr was an example of a fine past and hopefully O'Reilly is the future.

This is quite remarkable but then again Daniel Schorr is quite a remarkable man and dying breed of upright newsmen disappearing from the media. This genuine view of the life of a true professional who did the media proud over the years is worth your time to read it.

I was most impressed by "Staying Tuned". This book is Daniel Schorr's auto-biography of his many decades in journalism. Few people have had the opportunity to be the eyewitness to history that Schorr has had. Schorr was present to cover Nikita Khruschev and the De-Stalinization movement in Russia. He was present to cover post-nazi Germany under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. He was able to cover aspects of the "Great Society" under Lyndon Johnson. Also, he was there during Watergate and was sufficiently critical of the Nixon Administration to make the White House "enemies list".

Schorr's ability to communicate directly with the personalities such as Khruschev, former Yugoslavian President Tito, and Chancellor Adenauer of West Germany was most impressive. Clearly these were the days before journalism became swollen with hordes of "news hungry" reporters. I doubt any correspondent today could get as much access to similar political and public figures.

While dealing with earth-shaking events and personalities, the book also touches on Schorr's day-to-day existence. Difficulties such as avoiding taxes in the Soviet Union, obtaining a refrigerator, and functioning in a communist country are interesting, as well as amusing. One also is touched by the descriptions of the people in foreign countries who worked for him.

Schorr viewed Johnson's "Great Society" programs as failing because the administration gave up on them, and reduced funding due to the demands of the Vietnam War. He rejects the conservative ideology that the programs failed because they were inherently flawed in some fashion. Its refreshing to hear another viewpoint besides the one that seems to be parroted constantly.

Its clear that Daniel Schorr is a person who by practicing his occupation as a journalist in a courageous and intelligent fashion, contributed much to American Democracy. The American people cannot make informed and sound decisions without good information from journalists. The First Amendment guarantee of "freedom of the press" would mean little without tough-minded journalists pursuing stories of national importance. God bless Daniel Schorr as he reaches his golden years of life. One only hopes there are other courageous men and women who will take his place.

Zebby, an eighth grader and editor-in-chief of the Truman Bugle at Truman Middle School, is not happy about freedom of the press restrictions. So she relinquishes her duties. Instead, she and Amr, two of the school's least popular students, create a secret website and invite students at Truman to write. The site is titled, "The Truth about Truman School."

What are the truths that need to be revealed at Truman? Zebby and Amr create this secret site to question specific school rules. Once the postings deluge the site, many truths are indeed exposed. Who are the biggest losers and who are the worst teachers are two of many questions that invite controversy.

The "secret" website of Truman Middle School takes on the life of an out-of-control monster, as girls turn on their friends. Lilly, until recently a popular girl,encounters an unexpected dark side to her circle of friends. As these friendships wane, Lilly is the victim of malice and deceit and endures much emotional abuse--an important message to adolescent girls about the gravity of cyberbullying and the power of the word.

I think this book should be required reading for middle school students, for as a junior high teacher, I am all too aware of the havoc these activities can wreak in young adults' lives. The author makes her point in an educational, yet entertaining way.

by Sharon Blumberg
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

that Middle School students spend more time communicating on the internet than they do on the telephone or face to face. They behave in ways under the guise of a screen name that they would never think of doing if their identities were known. The results can be devastating. Both of my children have been a part of incidents fueled by this new technology. I applaud the author for tackling this issue in a way that is entertaining and provocative. Middle schoolers who read The Truth About Truman will come away with a new understanding about the power if the Internet.

When Zebby and her friend Amr started a uderground newspaper online, they wanted it to be a place where people could share stories and talk about issues at their school. But when a person known as "millk&honey" starts putting embarrissing photos, lies, and hurtful gossip about this girl, Lilly, things turn upside-down. www.truthabouttruman.com turns into a gossip site about Lilly.
I love this book I've read it three times and I'm rereading it again. but it's not like like other books.(in a good way) I like how you see the story from all sides- Zebbys, Amrs, Lillys, the popular girls. This is a must-have for middle school girls like me.

When Zebby and her friend Amr started a uderground newspaper online, they wanted it to be a place where people could share stories and talk about issues at their school. But when a person known as "millk&honey" starts putting embarrissing photos, lies, and hurtful gossip about this girl, Lilly, things turn upside-down. www.truthabouttruman.com turns into a gossip site about Lilly.
I love this book I've read it three times and I'm rereading it again. but it's not like like other books.(in a good way) I like how you see the story from all sides- Zebbys, Amrs, Lillys, the popular girls. This is a must-have for middle school girls like me.

Zebby is sick and tired of getting her stories censored when she writes for the school paper at Truman Middle School, so she decides to quit. After talking about it to her best friend Amr, they decide to start an underground newspaper--only theirs will be online!

Their online newspaper, called The Truth About Truman School, is supposed to be a place where students can post stories or feelings about school issues--as long as what they put on there is true. Zebby tells herself and Amr that they are not to censor anyone like she was censored. This belief backfires when someone starts posting mean pictures and comments about one of Zebby's former friends Lilly, turning their newspaper into a place to bully her. Naturally, the students at Truman don't say anything to an adult about it, so the hurtful comments continue. How much pain is Lilly supposed to endure at the hands of this site before she finally breaks?

This book was a pretty quick read told from point of view of many characters, but the reader is left guessing as to who the poster bullying Lilly really is (we're told by the end). It made me sad to think that someone so young would really post such mean things online about someone else so young, but I suppose that is a reality these days. At least everything is wrapped up satisfactorily in the end. Definitely a middle school book for girls, this story will be enjoyed by those who like gossip.

I have read some of Pluto's books and found him to be an engaging writer - this book is a collection of some of his articles from a ten year period from the early Nineties to the early Aughts. If you're familiar with Pluto's books, you'll read some of the obligatory articles in which he bemoans the Indians of the Seventies and Eighties, and the kidnapping of the Browns by dastardly Art Modell and Baltimore - they are kinda old hat and repetitive if you've read some of his books and you'll start to skip thru those sections. The real treasure of the book are the more personal articles and the articles of local high schools - in fact, when you're reading about the 1970's Indians, just skip thru them and start reading the more personal articles - most of the articles were obviously reprinted word for word, as is, and sometimes it makes for choppy reading - maybe some editing of some of the articles, like turning single line paragraphs into more formal paragraphs, would've have made the book even more enjoyable and allowed Pluto to put some more articles in the book. Not being from Ohio shouldn't deter you from this book becoz you'll recognize enuff of the pro names and enjoy the more personal and local stores.

Meet Terry Pluto. Terry is an award-winning columnist for the Akron Beacon-Journal who has been covering sports for nearly 30 years. In addition to his regular sports column, he also writes a column on faith for the paper and has authored several books on pro basketball and on Cleveland sports.

The View From Pluto is a collection of some of Terry's best sports columns from roughly the past ten years. It covers an especially memorable era in Cleveland sports, including the rise of the Indians, the loss of the Browns and their return as an expansion team, the heartache of the underrated Cavs teams of the late 80s and early 90s, and the emergence of a young basketball phenom from Akron by the name of Lebron James.

But some of Terry's best columns take place far away from the limelight of the professional stage. There's the baseball league for physically and mentally challenged children. There's the underdog University of Akron football team taking on behemoth Virginia Tech. There's the small town high school basketball coach fighting cancer. There's the autistic teenager finding happiness and purpose as a team manager. There's Pluto's father who found comfort in sports even as he suffered in the final years of his life.

See, Terry understands that there's more to sports than wins and losses and cold statistics. He sees the humanity in sports and understands why sports mean so much to us. If you haven't read his work, by all means, buy this book and meet Terry Pluto.

THIS BOOK IS A LOT OF SHORT STORIES WRITTEN BY TERRY PLUTO, A WRITER FOR THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. IT COVERS LOCAL SPORTS AND PERSONALITIES FROM THE CLEVELAND AREA. A VERY TOUCHING ONE CONCERNS HIS FATHER AND MOTHER. HE IS ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS IN THE CLEVELAND AREA. I HAVE READ MANY OF HIS BOOKS AND ENJOYED EVERY ONE OF THEM. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE INDIANS, BROWNS CAVS AND LOCAL CLEVELAND SPORTS THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK TERRY.

I grew up a Cleveland sports fan in the 80's and 90's and still call that city my second home. Though us Ohioans have had our fair share of bad memories, we cling to those rare instances of greatnesses. We cherish the seven years of Indians dominance in baseball even if no World Series was ever obtained. We've sold out Cleveland Browns stadium year after year even when a .500 team was out of reach. We remember the glory days at Richfield Coliseum where night after night Mark Price, Brad Daughtery, Hot Rod John Williams, Larry Nance, and Craig Ehlo gave this city something to cheer about. We hope that the Lebron James's, Kellen Winslow's, and C.C. Sabathia's can lead us back to those fateful years.

Pluto's book brought tears to my eyes. It's amazing how versatile this sportswriter is. He not only covers the professional teams of Cleveland but also can intricate local stories to his readers. His stories of the Indians magic summer of 1995 and their disappointing World Series loss in 1997 brought back memories of joy and heartbreak. His views on the Browns sudden departure to Batlimore were exactly what every other Browns fan was thinking. You don't take football out of Cleveland.

Most importantly his stories reinforced our thinking on why we love our Cleveland teams. Yes we have won no championships in God knows how many years. Yes we have been the laughing stock of professional sports for a long time. But we still love our teams and we will always cherish those special memories. No one can take that away from us.

Terry Pluto writes the heartbeat of NE Ohio. This book is a collection of his best sportswriting on multiple topics from Cleveland's passionate, but heartbreaking sports history. He writes in a straightforward langauge that cuts to the bone while he captures the human stories in all facets of the sports scene. He is a one of a kind writer and he is one of the very best writers in the country. Period. If you're reading this review, you need to read his column for the Akron Beacon Journal and you need to read this book.

Stay More, Arkansas seems just about as isolated as a place could get during World War II. Yet even in this tiny hamlet, the children are immersed in the images and language of the war. They have divided themselves into two camps -- Allies, for those in power, and Axis, for the outcasts.

Dawny, the narrator, is aligned with the "Japs." He and his motley crew of associates plot to overthrow the Allies, local bullies who have long oppressed them. What starts as a game begins to grow more serious as the stakes get higher and the maneuvers riskier.

Suddenly a group of GIs arrives. They plan to use Stay More and its environs to carry out war exercises. The soldiers, who grew up all over the country, infiltrate the town, associating with and befriending the locals, and changing many of them, including Dawny. The soldiers' arrival makes the encroachment of the "outside world" more imminent in a town with just one radio.

I really enjoyed the pacing of the narrative and the appealing characters in this book. The ending left me very confused, though, and dampened my enthusiasm for the book.

Donald Harington is a marvelous writer. His creativity, humor and the ability to make the down home characters in the Arkansas Ozarks come alive is a true gift. I have read every one of his books and have loved each one. If you have never read one of his books I suggest you begin with the Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks. It is a fun read and will introduce you to the characters to come in his later books. The Rev. Betty Long, Williamsburg, VA

An inquisitive, sensitive boy, called Dawny, is the narrator of this enchanting novel set in the small town of Stay More in the Ozarks of Arkansas during World War II. A journalist himself, Dawny dreams of becoming the next Ernie Pyle, and it is his unique voice, that of observer and writer, which holds the reader spellbound from beginning to end of this sweetly comic yet also darkly frightening tale. The children of Stay More, dividing themselves into two rival groups, the Allies and the Axis, become in Don Harington's skilled hands, a microcosm of what's going on in the war overseas. While the world loses its innocence to the cruelties of war, Stay More's children also begin to lose their innocence. The golden glow of childhood disappears beneath the dark shadow of approaching adulthood. Powerful in its impact, "When Angels Rest" is a remarkable, ambitious novel. A fanciful and imaginative writer, Harington draws his character with love, ultimately showing us -- his "Gentle Readers"-- how we need to love the world if we truly want to save it. P.S. I am so glad that I once again ignored the typical Kirkus "comments" and took a chance on this wonderful novel!

Dawny, an inquisitive, sensitive boy, is the narrator of this enchanting novel set in the small town of Stay More in the Ozarks of Arkansas during World War II. A journalist himself, Dawny dreams of becoming the next Ernie Pyle, and it is his unique voice, that of observer and writer, which hold the reader spellbound from begining to end of this sweetly comic yet also darkly frightening tale. The children of Stay More, dividing themselves into two rival groups, the Allies and the Axis, become in Donald Harington's skilled hands a microcosm of what's going on in the war overseas. While the world loses its innocence to the cruelties of war, Stay More's children also begin to lose their innocence. The golden glow of childhood disappears beneath the dark shadow of approaching adulthood. Powerful in its impact, When Angels Rest is a remarkable, ambitious novel. A fanciful and imaginative writer, Harington draws his characters with love, ultimately showing us--his "Gentle Readers"--how we need to love the world if we truly want to save it. P.S. I am so glad that I, once again, ignored Kirkus and gave this fine novel a chance.

If you haven't tried Donald Harington's perceptive, word-musical, and searching fiction before, this new novel is an excellent place to start. You'll want to sample some of his other nine books when you're finished. He turns a small corner of Arkansas into a meeting point for universal themes and well-shaped characters.

Harington has used the "witness," as a commentator on the actions of others in his novels, to great effect elsewhere. In his "Some Other Place," a literate ghost narrates the actions of an inquiring pair of lovers -- even turning some of his observations into poetry. In what may be his strongest narrative, "The Choiring of the Trees," a story of a brutal miscarriage of justice is told in part through the sensibilities of a brilliant landscape artist.

This new novel becomes utterly captivating by fully carrying out Harington's "single ambition that motivates my work," which is "to make the reader part of the story." (Quoted in a newspaper story that I wrote about Harington. For the Web address, feel free to e-mail me.)

Here, the witness is neither a lively spirit nor an interpreting artist, but a young boy -- close in age and circumstance to Harington himself, but not quite. He becomes a voyeur, in the strictest sense of "one who sees." It's not strictly out of matters of sexuality, although Harington includes a sensitive coming-of-age plot for his 11-year-old protagonist.

Instead, young Donny is plunged into a whirlwind of changes that come with his small Arkansas town, Stay More (the venue for all of Harington's novels), being finally touched early in 1945 by the long arm of World War II.

All that is left in the single street of Stay More are the children, with the men at war and the women tending homes. They have re-created the war through two rival play-gangs, but never quite connect with what the real "Allies" and "Axis" are perpetrating abroad.

Donny comes closest, by following his admiration for war journalist Ernie Pyle into creating a gel-printed "newspaper" for tiny Stay More. The irony in his being so observant of events is that none really happen ... that is, until the hollow unexpectedly becomes the site for an Army training maneuver, and Donny is not allowed (at first) to write fully about it. Events soon overtake both the town children and the visiting soldiers, with tragedies that go beyond anyone's capacity to observe or to report.

The irony is redoubled by how Harington shows a sad universal fact of growing up: Donny's journey of learning about budding sexuality, mutability, and death is far more worth his reporting than what he tries to eke out in writing his free newspaper, but he doesn't grasp this until he's suffered many personal losses.

What in turn enfolds all of these events is a conscious involvement of the reader, in the words (and even actions) requested on the part of the young narrator. Harington is not subtle about this, and it is part of the novel's charm. One isn't simply reading about a young boy marveling at the girl he loves bathing in a brook ... one is pulled into being present at that moment of tremulous discovery.

In the same way, a literally deafening experience at the novel's climax is translated into the harsh music of words. Harington has done this before, most fully in his "Lightning Bug," but never with the sounds inside one's head, and he shows yet more mastery of the power of language.

Once you dip your toe into Swains Creek, the fickle stream that runs through Stay More, you'll want to come back. Harington's other books have spun its history (back to the 1840s), passions, stark choices about life and death, and slow decline. He's told these stories through chronicle, allegory, meditation, memoir, tall tales, analysis, and now "reporting." All of this examination of one stretch of earth has made it a locus for universal truths. It's also been the spark for compelling writing. Try it for yourself!

I am Greg Daugherty's son, Jeff Daugherty, and I'd just like to say that it is the best book ever written even though I have never read it in my entire life.

And by the way, for those of you who say he used to be an editor, he is still an editor for Consumer Reports.

Greg Daugherty was the managing editor of Success magazine when I wrote a time-management column for the magazine, so I can speak from experience when I say that he's a talented writer and an expert who knows the magazine industry from the inside out.

With more than 20 years experience in the magazine business, he knows what works. In his book, YOU CAN WRITE FOR MAGAZINES, he shares his knowledge in an informative, inspiring, and entertaining way.

Over the years I've followed the principles that Greg details in his book and I can attest to how practical and useful they are. I've had more than 200 articles published in a wide variety of publications. It's quite a "high" to go into a store, look at the magazine rack, and know that you have articles in three national magazines that month.

The ingredients for success are in Greg's book--first how to get great ideas, then write winning articles (leads, middles, and endings), quizzes, compelling interviews, eye-catching sidebars (13 kinds), query letters that work, and finally prepare your manuscript and sell it--all you need to do is to add your own special brand of creativity and some perseverance.
-- Kathleen Hawkins, president of winningspirit.com and author of Spirit Incorporated: How to Follow Your Spiritual Path from 9 to 5

I finished a short book titled You Can Write For Magazines by Greg Daugherty. It is 124 pages of practical advice on how to turn your writing efforts into salable material for magazines. The book covers how to create ideas, how to write effective query letters to editors to sell those ideas, how manuscripts should be formatted, and so much more. When you get done with this book, you'll have an idea of what you need to do in order to start your career as a part-time freelance writer. If you've been writing already for publications or if you've read other books on this subject, you might not find an abundance of new material here. But the information you will find is concise and readable, so it's worth reviewing it again...

Have you ever considered writing for magazines but were not quite sure how to go about it?
Perhaps, you have wondered how magazines work? How do go about selling your articles?
What about ideas, where do you find them?
These and many more topics are elaborated upon in Greg Daugherty's slim tome, You Can Write For Magazines.
Daugherty is a successful freelance writer and magazine editor for more than 20 years and as he states, "I guess I can qualify as something of an insider in the magazine business now."

The 124 pages of text contain a wealth of detailed information that will invariably prove invaluable to anyone contemplating selling their articles to magazines.
The topics are divided as follows: selling, securing ideas, query letters, manuscript mechanics, leads, how-to articles, writing about people, personal experience articles, quiz writing, sidebars, reviews, rejection, business aspects, reference sources and how to speak "magazine."

From the very onset, we are informed that editors are not gods and that New York is not the cradle of civilization.
In other words, do not be intimidated by the editors and do not hold onto the belief that it is only New York where you will sell your articles.
Once you have overcome this kind of a "stage fright" you are ready to proceed onto the next steps.

Daugherty's familiarity with the subject matter and the fact that he is a seasoned writer adds a great deal of substance to his clear and concise text.

As an example, his dealing with the topic of selling articles is primarily based on the advice "study the magazine." Although the author admits, "this may be the most clichéd advice ever offered to people who want to write for magazines. It may also be the best."
This study should entail looking at the cover, table of contents, masthead, departments, articles, advertising, guidelines, and the various types of magazines. In other words, don't leave any stone unturned, you may unexpectedly find a niche.

An added feature is the inclusion in the last chapter of the book of the jargon used by writers and editors.
The list, although not complete, can help you "speak magazine like a native."
As Daugherty states, if some editor orders you to "kill that widow," you won't end up doing anything you'd regret."

One of the deficiencies of the book, however, is there is an absence of a section dealing with other magazine reference sources and web sites.
This would have been helpful.

Nonetheless, this compact guide will prove to be a welcome addition to a writer's library.

This review first appeared on reviewer's own site

When I first received this how-to book, I thought it didn't look like much. At 124 pages, it was quite a bit smaller then my other writing manuals and reference books. Then I started reading it. I found that on every page of "You Can Write For Magazines", Author Greg Daugherty, has filled them with invaluable advice, ideas, and the dos and don'ts of either breaking into the freelance business, or improving your odds of getting the Editors to consider your ideas for publication.

Having been on both sides of the coin, editor and writer,he is able to let the writers know just what those editors look for(providing you didn't catch them in a bad mood), and he completely understands the writers points of views and feelings, from the dawn of the idea, to the acceptance or rejection. I also liked that this how-to book, was in no way a dry read. Daugherty keeps every page interesting and injects his own brand of humor as well. I read it from cover to cover, but I know I will be returning to it for help in the future.

The book covers it all. You'll learn what goes on behind the scenes in the magazine world, the best techniques for selling your ideas, writing a good query letter to get the attention of the editor(here I would've liked an illustrated example of a query letter for those getting started), brief manuscript mechanics,best way to prepare and conduct interviews, and how to deal with rejection. There are chapters that go into specific types of writing. For example,how to write 'how-to' articles, writing about famous people, writing one of those Quizzes so many magazines have,writing from personal experience and many more ideas even including review work(naturally this was a chapter I found most interesting).One bit of advice here, was to make a light pencil mark, next to notable pages in a book you are to review. If I had done that with this book for review, I would have marked up the entire book, and gone over my word allotment here as well.

Other advice covers, money matters, contracts, your rights, magazine terminology,finding time,other reference books that may be of great help, and what to do after that great day arrives and you are PUBLISHED!This book answers all questions for both fiction and nonfiction, the newbie,and gives solid advice and a fresh outlook on things for those that have been at it for a while.

In Chapter 20, 'The Writer's Reference Shelf',Daugherty, lists 7 essential books for every writer. A Dictionary, a Thesaurus, A Style book(he gives recommendations),Book of Quotations, Encyclopedia(found on most computers these days),an Almanac and an Atlas. I would have to disagree and say there are 8(where magazine writer's are concerned). To that list I would add "You Can Write For Magazines" by Greg Daugherty.

For fun and to impress your writing buddies check out:
Wordsmanship: A Dictionary

Thanks Mr. Daugherty for all the help. I'm already putting some of it to good use.
It's a Keeper....Laurie