Media Books

A copy of this book belongs in every library in America and in every home. If it was so widely distributed and read, America would not have come to the crossroads it has reached, and we would all know how to protect ourselves and our country.

I enjoyed reading Thom Hartmann's WE THE PEOPLE: A CALL TO TAKE BACK AMERICA. The comic book style made reading interesting and fun, as Hartmann takes the reader through a brief history of the USA and exposes how our government is being hijacked by big corporations.

Neo-Conservatives might find the book leaning too far to the left, but I think Hartmann takes a centrist stand. He does a good job explaining "corporate personhood," a corporation that claims to be a person therefore entitled to legal protections like a real person, and how corporations have slowly started taking more and more control over our government.

One thing I wish he did would've been to describe certain events like the "Alien and Sedition Acts," which comes up in the book. But Hartmann does provide website addresses to find out more info.

Even though the book was written in 2004 it's still very relevant to what is going on today. The illustrations by Neil Cohn are fun too.

This is a simplified version of Thom's political and historical insight. It's done in cartoon style making it entertaining and a valuable learning aid for children or even adults who can gain knowledge about our nations democracy.

At last, a succinct summary of what has gone wrong in the American experiment that anyone intelligent enough to vote can understand. This book should be required reading in high schools across the nation, while there is still time to reverse the dumbing down of history and civics that is threatening the future of democracy in America. Thom Hartmann's arguments that we must act now are based on sound historical reasoning. They will resonate with the true conservative, while offering hope to the progressive that together we can take back America.

And if you are not yet sold, perhaps the fact that it is written in the form of a comic will interest you. If not, it should interest your teenagers. If you don't get it for yourself, get it for them. Better yet, join me in encouraging the authors to make it available online.

Even my nine year old son could understand the history and politics that are layed out in this book. Thom Hartman once again gives an honest look at the current political situation in our country and points the finger where it belongs -- at greedy corporations and those of us who sit by and let it happen. Truthful, but hopeful, this a great book for every politcal ignoramus you know. I bought it to give as Christmas presents.

This book is dedicated, "for all young people in their search for themselves." These are short stories about teenagers who are trying to find their identity, Teenagers face who they are and find support from their parents and friends. In some stories, they do find support from school, parents and friends. In additional some even find the right person to be with. There are three scenarios: teenagers not being accepted from others, not getting support from others and themselves being confused with their identity.



My favorite story from the book was Parents' Night. This story was about a teenager who had her girlfriend but her parents didn't know, they thought they were just friends. At the beginning of the story she says that her father didn't give her a rose in her birthday. This was because they were at dinner when Karen gave them the news; she told them that she was involved in a club at school. This club was the Gay Straight-Bisexual Alliance, which every one in that club they were going to represent in on Parents' Night. Karen tells her parents that she was going to be there with her girlfriend Roxy. Her father wasn't happy with the news, so he didn't agree and he was really mad. In Karen's birthday her father was really quiet and he didn't give her a yellow rose like he used to every year. My favorite part of the story was when her parents go to Parents' Night and her father gives Karen a rose. He tells her that it was a little late and that he is happy that she got a really nice girlfriend. This part really got me, Karen was crying and my eyes were watery. She knew that her parents were now accepting her the way she was.



All stories have a main idea. The writer sends messages that after reading each story you might think differently. The idea is to understand and support those who are in situations like that. I think that people don't have to experience first in order for them to write stories. All these authors give really good stories, which really touch the readers heart and at the end of the book you put it down and have a different view of those who are confused with their identity.



The book has sixteen stories. The story Am I Blue talks about a gay teenager who has a fairy godfather who helps him out throughout his time of not knowing what he wants. The stories were different but they had the same idea in all of them. In Michael's Little Sister, his sister shows him that it's okay to be that way; she gives him support and understands him. Slipping Away is a story where a gay teenager tells his friend Maria who likes him, that he is gay but like any other girl she got mad at him instead of supporting him. Running from the book is really interesting; it's about a girl that starts seeing her sister's friend differently. Sheila was Heather's friend who brought her because she was having problems at home, and that's how Heather's sister meets Sheila. All these stories are really interesting and they throw good messages in each story written.



I like this book mostly because in each story the writer gives an idea why he wrote that story and why he/she wants us to read it. Also when the reader reads the story, the writer clearly states how the person feels. It is really important for those who read this book to understand what and how it feels when a person who is in a position like that might feel when he/she doesn't have any support or is not accepted from others.

I recieved this book and I found it very helpful to see this wide variety of people in it, talking about love and life and living and dicovering ones own self. It's a must read for so many people. It's just beautiful.

There are some stories in this book that are absolutely phenomenal. "Am I Blue" is one of them, and it is a great first story of the book. This books helps people to understand what it is like to be GLBT from many different viewpoints. "The Honorary Shepherd" is probably the story that impacted me the most, as it deals with interracial relationships as well. Having bought this book on accident, I am glad I did. I've probably read the book 15 times through and I don't know if I'll ever tire of it.

Written over ten years ago, AM I BLUE? is still as important today as it was then. A short-story collection dealing with GLBT (gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender) issues by some of 1995's top authors, this book is a true gem for teens searching for their identity--or just looking for a good read. With stories ranging from contemporary paranormal, to ones set in the 1950's, to one based during the Vietnam War, and even one in another world of Amazon warriors, there's something here for everyone.

Stories include:

AM I BLUE? by Bruce Coville
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL BE STRANGERS by M. E. Kerr
WINNIE AND TOMMY by Francesca Lia Block
SLIPPING AWAY by Jacqueline Woodson
THE HONORARY SHEPHERDS by Gregory Maguire
RUNNING by Ellen Howard
THREE MONDAYS IN JULY by James Cross Giblin
PARENTS' NIGHT by Nancy Garden
MICHAEL'S LITTLE SISTER by C. S. Adler
SUPPER by Leslea Newman
HOLDING by Lois Lowry
BLOOD SISTER by Jane Yolen
HANDS by Jonathan London
50% CHANCE OF LIGHTNING by Cristina Salat
IN THE TUNNELS by William Sleator
DANCING BACKWARDS by Marion Dane Bauer

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection, as each story has something different to offer. From allowing everyone in the world to see who is gay, to wondering what it would have been like to have two gay shepherds at the birth of Christ, to manning a booth about gays and lesbians at a school parents' night, each short story has an engaging story to tell.

The only thing that would make this book better is to have a part two--another AM I BLUE? published in 2006 with some of today's best GLBT authors like Julie Anne Peters, Brent Hartinger, David Levithan, and more.

_Am I Blue?_ is a brilliant YA anthology that should be required reading in every classroom! Dealing with homosexuality in teenagers and their parents and friends, these stories will move any reader--gay, straight, questioning, or bisexual. This anthology helps gay kids understand that they are not alone, while shining a light on what it feels like to be homosexual for straight readers. The stories have similar themes, but range in genre, giving every reader something to thoroughly enjoy. I can't recommend it strongly enough!

My only complaint is that there were no stories that really focused on a bisexual character.

If you are a parent looking for a great series of books to engage your kids and inspire them to read, then look no further than the anybodies series.

THe Anybodies not only makes you want to read the the other books in the series, but it is filled with references to other children's classics, which are obviously meant to inspire your children to continue reading.

The Anybodies is my second favorite book. I love the story. I also like how it relates to the outside world. This story is about a girl named Fern who gets switched at birth, and now she has to live with the VERY BORING Mr. and Mrs. Drudger. Then some people that she has never seen before (or has she?) come to her house and she finds out from them that she is an Anybody. What is an Anybody? Well, you've got to read the book to find out!!!

The theme of this book (and its excellent sequels the Nobodies and the Somebodies) is that nothing is what it seems and that everything can change. This is such a powerful message for kids, who tend to look at the world so literally and so in the present. Very unusual. Very well-written. Great read.

This was a great book. I recommend it. I liked this book because it was full of adventure. I think it was one of my favorites and I would think other people would like this book. I am 10 years old I think people of all ages would like this book.

It's true! Everyday after lunch, I read to my 3rd graders. We have a short window of time before going to recess. One of my students bought the book "The Anybodies" for me from our school book fair (I had hinted for it).

Even in the first day of reading, they were hooked. Did I mention I only have a short time to read? Fifteen minutes to be exact. The class was hooked. By the end of the first week, the classroom clock would be pointing to 12:30...recess time, but none of my students budged. None reminded me of the time. I had to stop reading, but they wanted to hear more.

Ok, N.E. Bode, whoever you are, what kind of magical literary genius can spin a tale so mesmerizing that even 8 yr olds deny themselves the frivolity of recess in order to hear "what happens next"?

When the last day of reading "The Anybodies" rolled around, the kids were downtrodden to say the least. What to do now? So, on to trusty Amazon.com. What on earth is there to read following that addicting novel? AHA!

Yes, N.E. Bode, we're reading "The Nobodies" and, yes, we're hooked again. See a review for that book in a few short weeks. You have made fans and friends of us all! What does that old writing professor of yours know anyway?

This was a fantastic book -- one of the best P I books I have read in a while. The characters were engaging and interesting and the plot made me stay up late into the night to finish the story. I highly recommend this book.

It's been quite some time since I've read a book as tight, exciting, and twisty as Dead Again. This novel has just about everything you need for a stay-up-all-night read and absolutely nothing you don't need. It's very well-paced, and I swear this is one of the hardest books to put down. Until I read his debut novel, The Eagle Heist, and was bowled over again by this new author. He just has a knack for getting you hooked right from the start and not weighing you down with a lot of character development until you're ready. And by this I mean he doesn't spend the first 50-100 pages introducing the main players and boring the socks off of you like a lot of authors do now. Austin gradually unveils each character over the course of the novel, so like in real life, you get to know them over a period of time. Austin two books are all about the character, and the action, plot, and narrative are secondary. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for character development, but I simply can't remember all there is to know about a person when 50 pages are devoted to them back to back. Just doesn't work, at least not for me.

I finished this book Dead Again at 4am this morning. I had to force myself to put this one down (just twice).

There's lots of details, and well delineated characters
I found the premise very believable, the storyline believeable, and perhaps most of all, the characters were believeable. Why sould I be surprised, Austin always hooked me in as a director . . .So why not with a book?

Read this book you'll like it if you like strong characters, I'm off to the bookstore to buy The Eagle Heist Austin's frist book.

This book is a sleeper. I had never seen it, or been told about it. Why! I found it at a book sale in NY. It is one of the best reads I have had in detective stories for a long time. It is fast moving, good plot and a great ending. I got to like Beauford Sloan after a few pages with him. I still can't understand why more has not been said about this book and the author. I am out to get another book by him, which looks to be his first, The Eagle Heist. This Austin has been hiding behind a film camera until now. I recommend this book. I am a avid reader.

I was going to say that the second Beauford Sloan mystery was too early to send our hero off to England to do the stranger in a strange land bit, but since author Raymond Austin is from that side of the Pond there is a sense in which he is on familiar turf. As was the case in "The Eagle Heist" the running conceit is that Sloan looks a lot like Wilford Brimley, although it is really the other way around because Sloan was born first. The author and the actor have known each other since they were stunt men in the good old days, so it has Brimley's blessing, and it is pretty cool that when you read these mysteries you can hear Brimley's familiar growl every time Sloan speaks.

"Dead Again" begins with Sloan stumbling upon a crime in progress, but that turns out not to be what this one is about. The Lester Hancock Insurance Company hires private investigate Beauford Sloan to England to check out a couple of deaths that have been ruled accidental by the local police. The first man who died was insured by the company for $20 million, while the second was an insurance investigator sent to investigate the first death. Sloan does not believe in coincidences and neither does the person who hires him to dig around and see what he can find.

This means that Beauford's regular allies, such as Detective Sergeant Bobby Hoy and his fellow P.I. Sally Peters, are back in Virginia. They get to help here and there, but mostly Beauford is relying on another old friend, Romo Gorrara, a well-connected stunt coordinator for the movies living in the U.K., and charming some of the women he meets into helping him with his investigations. These ladies prove to be more helpful than the inspector in charge of the investigation, who is not happy with the idea of some American ex-cop private investigator for a big insurance company coming around and double-guessing his work.

Like "The Eagle Heist" the more that Beauford pokes around the more people start dying. But our hero did not buy two deaths as a coincidence, so getting to a third and fourth body only get the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up again. This might be only the second book in the series, but there is a definite comfort level with Austin's character, thereby disproving the adage about the inherent relationship between familiarity and contempt. How many detectives are cute curmudgeons who censor their profanity when talking to ladies? Besides, it is not like you have to wondering about the casting if they ever film one of these stories.

Don't you hate marketing books that have so much strategy you're not sure where to start? What I love about Duct Tape Marketing is that I came away with a laundry list of tactics that I could employ immediately and see fast results.

I first saw John speak in Cleveland and then had a chance to read his book. It's a quick read. Make sure you have a notepad next to you to take notes for all the things that you'll need to do as a result of reading this book.

This is especially an important book for anyone trying to figure out website and social media strategy. Excellent advice that works. Highly recommend this book.

Novice business owners, like me, will love this book. It lays out the foundation for marketing your business with no expectation of prior marketing experience. Great job, John.

My one gripe, and the reason I gave it 4 of 5, is that the author assumes that you, the business owner, have an established clientele. Start-up owners, like me, who want to kick off the marketing effort to establish a clientele, will have to "act as if" we do and fill in the blank spots with educated guesses.

John, if there's a sequel, please point out where start-ups differ from established small businesses and if we need to do something different to reach the same goal in that particular phase of marketing.

All in all, though, a great read.

This is really an amazing little book - such an easy read (John Jantsch style), yet PACKED with incredibly practical and simple marketing information for small business. I love hearing John's definition for Marketing! How Simple!! That makes marketing less about the product you are selling but more about the personal trust factor involved in the transactions. That permits ANY small business (including a start-up like mine) to compete in the marketplace - without having to compete on price! John's ideas are so effective and I have been putting them into practice since I first read the book 9 months ago (I've read it 3 times since). It's a good primer for the full Duct Tape Marketing coaching program, too! (Believe me, the book is just a teaser of what you get when you sign up for the full coaching program + awesome CDs!!) A great resource for any small business owner!!

Fantastic marketing book, with a ton of small business common sense thrown in. John's book and blog are a non-stop source for great marketing ideas and practices. If you grow weary of endless prose and theories in most business manuals, this book will refresh you and inspire you.

John digs just deep enough into each section, category, and idea for marketing, to give you the jump start and next actions required to make that marketing effort happen. This book is like a compendium of the knowledge of thousands of small business blogs, forums, and books across the shelf. It's not an in-depth analysis of industry or marketing, but it's a great kick-in-the-pants way to get your small business in the market and making money fast.

I went step-by-step through every part of the book, taking notes and creating marketing plans, pieces, and systems based on the information and ideas provided. Building that structure, brick by brick, as outlined in this book, is essential to creating a marketing strategy that you will actually implement. If you don't act on the systems and ideas, then you won't reap the rewards.

I earned back the cost of this book within the first 10 pages, and even greater measures of success lie on the other side of the final page and the implementation of the strategies and tactics within.

When it comes to delivering practical advise on how to market your small business, John Jantsch never disappoints. This book, his web site, his podcasts (everything he produces) is filled with practical information you can use to grow your small business. Interestingly, there's nothing revolutionary or subversive about the text and the information presented, it's actually a lot of common sense advice from a seasoned veteran. But what strikes me most is that Mr. Jantsch seems to be deeply connected to the volksgeist of the small business crowd. He gets it. He feels our pain. He's accessible and down-to-earth. And he gives us an endless stream of ideas that can help you grow your business. It's like having a close buddy who takes you under his wing and shows you the clearest path to success.

Look, I know I'm dangerously close to idolatry here, but I can't praise this tome or anything Mr. Jantsch produces enough. That's how highly I regard him. This book and the other materials he shares with his audience are simply indispensable. Go get you some!

I love any and all Susan Branch books so this one did not disappoint! I actually already had it but bought it as a gift for a very good friend who is going through a rough patch in her life. I hope it gives her as much joy as I get just by looking at the pages!

Product arrived in perfect shape. I gave the book to a friend for her birthday, and she loves it.

Thsi book is just a light read ,full of snippets on friendship and wonderful recipes

Every page of "Girlfriends Forever" is a treasure to read. That is why I have bought copy after copy of this book to share with my best and dearest friends.

It is filled with all the everyday things that girls laugh and talk about. It's not the kind of book that has to be read from cover to cover. You can read a page or ten pages from anywhere in the book and enjoy every minute of your reading time.

I purchased this book for a dear friend a few years ago and she loved it. I have all of Susan's books and decided I owed it to myself to add this to my collection. Her style is so warm and genuine you feel as if you're talking with an old friend. Wonderful to curl up with and reminisce about your own "girlfriend" experiences as you read. If you enjoy Susan Branch you must have this book.