Washington Books

When we found out my father in law was dying of pancreatic cancer, one of our main concerns was how to deal with it with our kids. This book was a great resource, especially for our introspective 11 year old. She was able to read it on her own and ponder the chapters. It gave her great comfort to know that because of Grandpa's faith in Christ, he has a promise of eternity in heaven - free from any more pain or suffering. She also like to read that heaven is going to be exciting and active - not a bunch of cloud-sitting and harp playing. In fact she said, "Now that I've learned more about what heaven will be like, I'm a little jealous that Grandpa gets to go so soon." I highly recommend for any family in a similar situation.

EXCELLENT PRODUCT!!! Randy Alcorn is an excellent and trustworthy writer with sterling integrity. He always delivers the best, life-changing materials. He is tried and true.

This book gives excellent, concise, understandable and sufficient information on key issues surrounding heaven. Great for kids and for those adults who might find Alcorn's original big volume on heaven a little too heavy.

HeavenEveryone should read this book, Christian or not. If you are a Christian, you will become more excited than ever to leave this earth and go to your new home. If you are not a Christian, you will be ready to give your life to God, so that you too, may go to HEAVEN!!! Everything that Mr. Alcorn writes is backed by scripture, so this is not a "made up" story. "Heaven" has given me more determination than ever to try to reach the unsaved.

I absolutley love this book! I have a progressive disease and worry about my young child growing up without his mom. I read this book first and found great comfort in what it has to say about Heaven. I appreciate all the references to scripture so you can look things up for your self if you choose. I will now begin reading this to my son so he will have a better understanding of what Heaven is all about. This book is very uplifing. A must have for all Christian homes!

The book showed me quite a few of the things I missed on my visit to the Market. I will be making another trip to Seattle in March and have already highlighted the places in the market that I want to see. I have even found places that my six year old grandson will enjoy visiting also. I have fallen in love with Seattle and the Market. My thanks to the authors for allowing me to visit the Market right in my living room in Houston when ever the notion strikes me.

I rarely read a food-related book, skimming instead for any nuggets of wisdom, or a select recipe or two. But few such books are as well-written as Braiden Rex-Johnson's "Inside the Pike Place Market." I opened to the first paragraph and just couldn't put it down. Part history, part travelogue, part cookbook, and lavishly illustrated with Paul Souders' photographs, this is indeed a book to savor from beginning to end.

I READ THIS BOOK BEFORE MY LAST TRIP TO SEATTLE AND DISCOVERED PLACES IN THE MARKET THAT I DID NOT KNOW EXISTED. MY GRANDSON AND I VISITED LOTS OF NOOKS AND CRANNIES IN THE LOWER LEVELS THAT I HAD NOT DISCOVERED ON PREVIOUS VISITS TO THE MARKET. THE MARKET IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN SEATTLE. FROM THE FLOWER STALLS TO THE HISTORY OF THIS SEATTLE ICON, THIS BOOK IS A GOLD MINE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEATTLE OR JUST TO LIKE TO READ ABOUT INTERESTING PLACES---YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

For anyone who has ever visited Seattle's famous Pike Place Market, the book is a joy. It captures the hustle, bustle and charm of the market. Braiden Rex-Johnson has culled stories that make the market come alive in words as well as the wonderful pictures of Paul Souders. The 20 recipes spice up the text and serve to bring home the variety and texture of the market. Congratulations to both Braiden and Paul!

Braiden Rex-Johnson has written a foodies delight. Sumptuously decorated with the photographs of Paul Soders, Rex-Johnson's exploration of Pike Place Market is candy for all the senses. This is NOT a cookbook. There are just 20 recipes (all very good). Rather, this is a delightful narrative of the history of the market, the people and products that inhabit it, and the terrific food that emerges from it. Braiden-Rex is deeply in love with her market, and it shows in her wonderful book. When you finish the book, you'll be hungry, but very, very satisfied.

Vivid Dialogue, September 1, 2005
By Barbara Glass

In her second novel, Fleming brings back Lieutenant Matthew Alexander, whose directness and lack of concern about embarrassing the wealthy and powerful make him a very appealing character. Alexander and his partner Jake are called to the scene of a homicide in the posh Gold Coast section of Washington, D.C., where the victim is a millionaire real estate developer. He died in the home of a young woman to whom Alexander had once been engaged, but she's only one of a collection of suspects with reasons to want the dead man out of their lives.

Fleming knows how to write a gripping story, but what makes it especially vivid is her dialogue. With their words, her characters show their personalities, beliefs, and values. When they speak, you can almost see the flash of anger in their eyes, hear the chuckle in their voices, or sense the sorrow in their body language. These voices, freighted with emotion and edgy as they wait for the discovery of various truths, draw you into the world of the book and make it hard for you to put it down. Furthermore, Alexander knows that the truth he's looking for lies deep in those personalities.

Suspense builds on every page. Add to this the tension between the lead detective and his bosses, the racial and family issues that won't go away, and the beautiful wife Alexander has at home, and the result is a satisfying complexity that pulls you into his world and keeps you there until the conclusion.


Murder in Black and Gold, June 10, 2006
By Chiquita Mullins Lee (Columbus, Ohio USA)

Murder on the Gold Coast brims with surprises and revelations. Barbara Fleming's intelligent writing sheds wisdom and insight into the human condition. With her uncanny eye for detail and a well-tuned ear for dialogue, even Washington, DC is a character full of energy and personality. Fleming's writing is by turns lyrically poetic and as staccato as a crime report. Matthew Alexander deserves a long career investigating the District's crimes. And Barbara Fleming is building a solid body of work from the capers of this cunning detective.

Murder on the Gold Coast is the newest installment of Fleming's Matthew Alexander Mystery Series. Someone has killed wealthy black real estate developer, Harold William Waterson, Sr., and, surprisingly, his Washington, DC social sphere encompasses a circle of people with motives. His elegant white wife is miserable. His son detests him. The black, beautiful Angela Bowman wants to end their affair. When Waterson winds up dead in the posh basement of Angela's parents, the three Bowman's maintain their innocence. While there is no hard evidence to implicate them, there is the matter of the murder weapon; that key piece of evidence - a 38-caliber revolver that emptied two slugs into Waterson's chest - is missing.

Matthew Alexander steps in to unravel this mystery, wrestling against the odds, frustration, and time. Matt's personal history with Angela enhances the intrigue; they might have married had her father found him worthy. In his current marriage to sultry Carla, his life balances romantic negotiation, administrative head-games, and brutally long hours. His witnesses balk, and his leads sometimes disintegrate, but his instincts seldom betray him. This sharp, handsome detective is cocky for a reason. He's good at his job.

Wow, I loved this book! For weeks I had been searching for a good mystery book and when I saw the reviews for this one I didn't waste any time ordering it. This story starts off with Harold Waterson, a wealthy businessman being murdered at the beginning of the story. The question is who shot him..why and why did he get murdered in the basement of people who claimed not to know him?

Barbara Fleming will have you guessing and assuming to the very last chapter. Once I got down to 100 pages left I stayed up all night trying to solve this murder case.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

You won't be disappointed!

Barbara Fleming's Murder On The Gold Coast: A Matthew Alexander Mystery is a murder mystery which offers delightful dialog, well-developed characters, a finely designed plot, and intimate insight into the process of a police department's murder investigation.

While the homicide detective's viewpoint is the primary viewpoint, what I found fascinating was how Barbara Fleming gives us a "look-see" into the work and involvement of a forensic specialist, district attorney, and police chief, among others, as Detective Lieutenant Matthew Alexander investigates wealthy Harold Waterson's murder in Washington D.C..

If you love murder mysteries, you'll thoroughly enjoy the experience of reading Barbara Fleming's Murder On The Gold Coast: A Matthew Alexander Mystery.

I enjoyed it and I am sure you will too.

Detective Mathew Arnold investigates a murder in the home of his former girl friend, whose father persuaded his daughter to break off the relationship. The victim and several suspects are members of the upper crust of black society in Washington, D.C. Detective Arnold faces not only the stress of a personal relationship with a key suspect, but also intense political and social pressures in a high profile case that his superiors are anxious to close with a quick arrest. His character, perserverance and investigative instincts and skill prevent a gross injustice, and leave the reader with the challenge of figuring out who did it. As a dectective story, this is a thrilling piece of work with a convincing assortment of possible culprits that make the book difficult to put down. As a literary work, the author creates some fascinating characters and provides some interesting insights into the social milieux of the characters.
Fred J. Milligan, Westerville, Ohio

Murder on the Gold Coast brims with surprises and revelations. Barbara Fleming's intelligent writing sheds wisdom and insight into the human condition. With her uncanny eye for detail and a well-tuned ear for dialogue, even Washington, DC is a character full of energy and personality. Fleming's writing is by turns lyrically poetic and as staccato as a crime report. Matthew Alexander deserves a long career investigating the District's crimes. And Barbara Fleming is building a solid body of work from the capers of this cunning detective.

Murder on the Gold Coast is the newest installment of Fleming's Matthew Alexander Mystery Series. Someone has killed wealthy black real estate developer, Harold William Waterson, Sr., and, surprisingly, his Washington, DC social sphere encompasses a circle of people with motives. His elegant white wife is miserable. His son detests him. The black, beautiful Angela Bowman wants to end their affair. When Waterson winds up dead in the posh basement of Angela's parents, the three Bowman's maintain their innocence. While there is no hard evidence to implicate them, there is the matter of the murder weapon; that key piece of evidence - a 38-caliber revolver that emptied two slugs into Waterson's chest - is missing.

Matthew Alexander steps in to unravel this mystery, wrestling against the odds, frustration, and time. Matt's personal history with Angela enhances the intrigue; they might have married had her father found him worthy. In his current marriage to sultry Carla, his life balances romantic negotiation, administrative head-games, and brutally long hours. His witnesses balk, and his leads sometimes disintegrate, but his instincts seldom betray him. This sharp, handsome detective is cocky for a reason. He's good at his job.

Murder on the Gold Coast by Barbara Fleming
Reviewed by Chiquita Mullins Lee

Excellent information on the history of gemstones, understanding color and cuts. Exquisite examples, beautifully photographed. A must for anyone interested in gemstones or the history of jewelry.

This is a beautiful book with lots of interesting information on the gem collection.

This review is for the paperback version of the book, which I loved. It has a lovely balance of terrific photos & explanations of the various sources of the featured gems. It serves as a nice beginning reference when you have heard the terms sapphire & red sapphire (huh? I thought red gems were rubys or spinels) and would like to know more about which gems are related to others.

And did I say the photos are just wonderful? Enjoy!

If you have visited the National Collection and want a souvenir to remind you of the stunning array of unique World Class Gems then this is the book for you. Both the format of the book and the superlative quality of the photography make this book the next best thing to being in the exhibition hall. There is a fairly light weight coverage of the gemmology in the text, but it mostly focusses on the history and ownership of these fabulous gems. The National Collection is unique, no where else in the world is there such a concentration of fabulous jewels with such an interesting history, with the possible exception of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This book is a fitting celebration of such a marvellous collection.

"The National Gem Collection," by Jeffrey E. Post, features photographs by Chip Clark. The book is a beautiful celebration of the title collection, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The informative text discusses the history of the collection, facts about types of different gemstones, and specific pieces in the collection.

The full-color photography is really stunning, and brings a rich assortment of gems to glorious life. Some of the historic pieces pictured are the blue Hope Diamond, the diamond Napoleon Necklace, the Hooker Emerald, and more. Also shown are a colorful collection of "fancy" diamonds, a rare red diamond, the 858-carat uncut Gachala Emerald, the delightful "pink tutu" (a band of dainty rose quartz crystals on a large smoky quartz crystal), a dazzling group of fire opals, a lapis lazuli carving from Afghanistan, and more.

I appreciate how the book celebrates gemstones at various stages: uncut, cut, and set in artfully crafted pieces of jewelry. Many different types of gemstones--aquamarine, garnet, spinel, chrysoberyl, turquoise, etc.--are covered. Features such as a scanning electron microscope photo of the inner structure of an opal give the reader a deeper understanding of the science behind gems. From start to finish, this book is a marvelous feast for both the eyes and the brain.

Nightmare Mountain is one of the best books I've ever read. If you like adventures, you'll love this book! I think almost everybody will love this book. This book has a lot of cliffhangers that keep you entertained. Just a warning, if you don't have lots of time to finish a few chapters, it will drive you crazy until you scream! Our third grade class read this book. Evertime we had to stop reading the whole class would go NOOOOOOOO, PLEASE CAN WE KEEP READING!!!! WE'RE BEGGING YOU!!!!!

Nightmare Mountain


Nightmare Mountain is about a girl named Molly and her cousin Glendon that get kidnapped by Glendon's dad's brother. He takes them to the top of the nearest snowy mountain and leaves them there.Molly is a young girl who wants to make friends with her cousin but he doesn't want to.The story takes place on Molly's uncles farm and on the nearest snow covered mountain. The theme is that you should not dislike a person because you are jeolous of them. I liked the story because there was excitement in every chapter of the story.

This is a must read. Every page is filled with adventure, suspence, and Glendon and Molly!
Summary: After Aunt Karen becomes ill with a coma, Molly and Glenden and to stay home at te ranch. Then a thief is lurking in the barn! He tried to kidnap them but Glenden ran. A gunshot triggerd an avalanch and burried them both. Molly saved herself and can't find Glenden. Can she save him before he dies?

I really like this book. It's about a girl named Molly who goes to stay at her aunt and uncle's llama ranch. But her cousin Glendon is ignoring her and being mean. Then her Aunt Karen gets really sick, and Glendon blames Molly. But Molly thinks that someone is trying to kill her. Then a valuable llama is stolen, and Molly and Glendon have to find the thief. A scary, dramatic mystery that I would strongly reccomend.

I actually read this book way back in 1993 as a lad of thirteen. Then, about two or three years later I got an urge to read it again. Of course, that was back when internet access for us blind folks was little more than a pipedream, so there was no posting online reviews. Anyway, I was hooked from the beginning.
Twelve-year-old Molly Newman is looking forward to a relaxing vacation on her Aunt Karen's llama ranch. Though Molly and Uncle Phil had never met before, they hit it off immediately. But Glendon, Phil's distant son, seems to strongly dislike Molly for a reason he refuses to disclose. Within days of Molly's arrival, Aunt Karen becomes desperately ill, forcing Phil to stay with her at the hospital, leaving Molly and Glendon alone on the ranch. Glendon, of course, blames Molly for his stepmother's illness. It is at this time that Molly discovers that a valuable, pregnant llama has been stolen. From there, things only get worse as the thief catches Molly and Glendon snooping around the barn and abandons them on a mountainside immediately following a deadly avalanche. Abandond on the mountain and separated from her cousin, Molly embarks on a daring and dangerous effort to find and rescue Glendon before he freezes to death. In the process, she learns a shocking truth about the identity of their attacker and a disturbing secret from Glendon's past, and the reason for his inexplicable resentment towards her.
All in all, it's the perfect adventure story. It might even make a good movie.

If I would only have the joy to read one book in my lifetime, it should be See Under: Love.

See Under: Love took my breath away, moved me to tears and touched me in the tenderest reaches of my soul. It is brilliant, imaginative, engaging and humane. The way characters, themes and time wind into each other transport the reader to a place far beyond the mundane. I loved every word. Immediately upon finishing, I went back to the first page to reread. My second reading was more deliberate and careful, and I caught much that I had overlooked in my first pass. I am sure that I will reread it again and again.

I originally bought this book after Jonathan Safran Foer enumerated it in his "Five Most Important Books" for an August 2007 Newsweek piece. Foer called it, "The novel of the 21st century" though it was first published in English in 1989. I thank Jonathan Safran Foer for his own works and, here, this recommendation. And in turn, I hope that I can pass this rare jewel on to others. This is my first review (well, not really a review which is elsewhere on Amazon but a recommendation) but I am compelled to do so. Months after the reading, I find myself thinking about See Under: Love and feeling grateful that I experienced it. This is not an easy book to read but the rewards are multifold. And when you are done, read the transcript of a talk that the author gave for a San Francisco Symposium at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0411/is_1_51/ai_85068470 for even greater insight.

David Grossman has taken the worst that man has to offer and spun it into a magical, magnificent ouevre which will touch you with the human spirit and make you proud to be alive.

Words fail. I beg anyone who has been considering buying into Jonathan Safran Foer's hype to instead find themselves a copy of this, the book from which he appears to have stolen most of his ideas, instead.

All hyperbole aside, this wonderful book has few equals. It demands attention, and reflection, and time, and it rewards those willing to invest those things in it beyond compare. Nothing short on a meditation the way our lives are impacted by the moral calculi of others, and the way our own actions reverberate throughout the generations.

As an Israeli who have read it in Hebrew, I would like to add a few words. One thing: this book is entirely different if you read it in Hebrew. It losses a lot in the translation, and not because the translation is bad, rather that the combination of different layers of very special Hebrew combined with Yiddish, along with the cultural context, makes it a book that is an impossible mission for the translator. Of course, you can't ask someone to learn Hebrew just for this book (and this still won't be enough, because he has to be born again as an Israeli and grow up here to understand everything...), but the book has numerous universal aspects that can be translated, and it's still, even after the translation, a must-read.
And now, for the book itself (if there is such a thing the book itself...).
This is by-far the greatest Israeli book that I have ever read. I had one feeling that went along with me throughout the journey: I don't know how the hell he did. I just don't know. Like a magician that makes a trick you just can't figure. The scope. The depth. I cannot describe this book. It defies space and time. It is a masterpiece.

I don't think I am qualified to write a review of this piece of art. Think Toni Morrison on LSD, or maybe Falkner writing in Hebrew as Isaiah, composing in a way never before conceived, about of all things, The Hollocaust! I guess this most twisted example of human depravity requires such a book. However, if I had not read Mr. Grossman's beautiful love narrative, " Someone to Run With" I would not have known at first if it was a work of genius or a tale told by an idiot, and might not have hung in there long enough to declare it the former - 5 stars! However, a second reading may be required to understand the nuances.

One of the best novels I have ever read. Don't miss it!

When I read the first chapter in the book store, I knew I'd buy the book. But, I didn't know if the author could keep up her salacious, witty pace. I'm happy to say that she did - and it got so, much, better. This is one talented woman - just google her interviews. She knows sexy women, the South, and storytelling. A must have, especially for saucy Southern women.

Who would of thunk you could have a story that's both sexy and funny? The Wilde girls...and their mom...are a wild ride with equal amounts of comedy and drama. A good time guaranteed.

What a great suprise! I picked this up on a whim the other day at the library. I opened it while waiting in line and was immediatley hooked from the first page! Don't miss this one!

I can almost see this book as a movie or mini series. The characters are so funny and so likeable. I laughed out loud too many times to count. Pick up this book if you want a quick, quirky read full of unforgettable characters.

Paula Wall's THE WILDE WOMEN receives veteran Susan Ericksen's smooth voice and stage and screen background as it tells of sisters who have a taste for mischief and bad men. When one sister cheats with another's man, trouble begins which will lead to changes and danger.

When Paula Wall published her first novel, The Rock Garden, I read it and loved it and felt it was by far one of the best novels of that year. I was quite fearful that Ms. Wall was one of those one novel wonders and thought "what a shame." Fortunately my fears were for naught! With this second offering I truly feel the author out did even her first work, which I have said, is one of the best. This is good stuff here folks!

At first glance, the author could quite well be classified as a regional author as her novels take place in a specific geographical area. But, like Ferrol Sams (Run with the Horsemen, the first of his wonderful trilogy), Ms. Wall transcends geography and produces a work that most people, if not all people, can relate to. She is simply an excellent, gifted writer and a true master story teller. If, after reading the first five pages, your sides are not hurting from laughter, then something has to be wrong with your sense of humor. This lady is funny. Her one liners are beyond a doubt some of the best I've read in years.

This is a novel of the depression south. It is not a "romance" novel, a "bodice ripper" nor is it a "historical romance." It is the story of a small town in the south during the depression years. Yes, there is an element of romance woven into the story, fear not, but this simply in not what this work is about. The author hangs her story on two sisters, which are great characters, but are only a small part of the novel as a whole. We meet page after page of vivid characters. The author has a skill which allows her to, in one paragraph, convince the reader that they have known a character all of their life. The twists and turns of this story are absolutely amazing and complicated, yet not so complicated that it does not all make perfect sense as you read on. Even though the story and plot are wonderful, they are almost over shadowed by the author's keen sense of character development. In this work we have probably at least a dozen story lines going and they are all wonderfully interlinked as are the quirky characters sprinkled here and there. The ending of this work...well, you just have to read that yourself, but trust me, it is great. Like another reviewer here, I recommend you go ahead and buy this one as you will no doubt want to give it a reread. I cannot wait for her next work to come out!

Recommend this one highly.

The irony here is that neither Woodward nor Bernstein would speak with the author, despite having made millionaires out of themselves over the past 30-plus years by insinuating themselves into other peoples' lives and putting everything they've ever been told by anyone about anyone else between book covers. A bit of a double standard. Still, this look at how Watergate affected these two reporters is an engrossing read and a first class research job. Many many intriguing revelations for anyone who follows journalism and those who still like to read about the Watergate scandal. It's all tied up with a red bow because of the revelation in 2005 that Deep Throat was former FBI official Mark Felt, a secret that Woodstein kept religiously for three decades. Woodward's latest books on Bush are a bit boring, but that doesn't come across here. His Belushi expose remains his best, but this book points out that Woodward never again went outside politics in his reporting. Too bad. He should.

A MUST-READ FOR WATERGATE JUNKIES! We have all followed Woodward and Bernstein's careers through newspaper articles and the occa¬sional TV interview. Now Alicia Shepard has gathered all those data into a book about what Watergate did for them...and to them. It is a fascinating tale of young reporters who got sudden fame and fortune early in their lives, and how Woodward prospered while Bernstein foundered.
Shepard had access to their entire Watergate archives, and my only criticism of the book is its liberal quotations of that material. When "letters and telegrams" pour in from all over the country to them, it is not necessary to quote from so many. It slows down the narrative and you will find yourself skipping over most of these repetitive passages. All in all, it is a 266 page book that would have a much easier read at about 225. But if you love Water¬gate and all that came in its wake, pick up this book and read about how it careened the careers of these little reports to un¬known heights and depths.

When the five burglars bungled their bugging mission at the Watergate in June of 1972, they unwittingly changed not only our country's political history, but its journalistic one as well. Alicia Shepard has masterfully chronicled the successes and struggles, both professional and personal, of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the men who blew the lid off Watergate, in this informative and enjoyable book. She recounts their investigation of the scandal, illuminating a new perspective through extensive interviews with their editors. She pulls no punches in exposing their triumphs and their failures in the ensuring three decades, in their reporting, their marriages, and even their relationship with each other. The result is an eminently readable book that will leave you feeling as if you have finally gotten the inside scoop on the men whose names are synonymous with Watergate.

Alicia C. Shepard has written what should become the definitive biography of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Her book is scholarly without being pedantic and revelatory without being salacious. She skillfully shows how Watergate affected not only history, but journalism, and the lives of the two young men who doggedly pursued the truth. This book is must reading for anyone who wants to become a journalist, or who cares about what journalists do.

John DeDakis
CNN Senior Copy Editor, "The Situation Room"
Author, FAST TRACK
[...]

This book is a terrific explanation of the Kismet that brought Woodward and Bernstein together with the fortunate, and rare, backing of a committed publisher to chronicle truth in the midst of near-battlefield conditions. Read it and be amazed that it happened. Read it and be proud of journalism, many members of Congress, our courts and citizens reading, watching, and caring that our government, not politics, carried the day. It's so interestingly written that it shoved aside all the rest of the books on my "must read" pile.

I love Susanne Strempek-Shea's books and this is one of my favorites. It's kind of like "Under the Tuscan Sun" but takes place in Ireland.

This was an amazing book. I was shocked as I read it how alike this town Booley was to a town I visited last time I was in Ireland called Doolin. Both towns had a row of about 5 or 6 shops, one of wich being a pub, both towns have cliffs with a holy well only about a mile or 3 fields away, and both are on the side of a hill next to the ocean on the west coast of Ireland not to far from Limerick. I swear Shea must have visited Doolin before writing the book because she captured the spirt of the little Irish town to a key.
Now a word about the book, wonderful, it's a classic love story that every woman wishes she could experience while on vacation, or as they say in Ireland "on holiday"

I first got into Shea when I read "Hoopi Shoopi Donna," to which I could relate because I, too, grew up second-generation Polish in New England. Although the characters and plots varied, Shea's first four or so books tended to focus upon Polish-American twenty-something heroines, usually living in Massachusetts, humorously dealing with their old-country relatives.

In "Becoming Finola," however, Shea tackles an unfamiliar country, Ireland, and does it wonderfully. Massachusetts native (she couldn't totally abandon the old and familiar, could she?) Sophie accompanies her friend Gina on a three-month trip to Ireland for a change of pace after Gina's husband's death. However, Gina lasts all of one night, heading back to America and insisting Sophie stay. She does, and finds it surprisingly easy to fall into small-town Irish life -- as well as the spot left by Finola, a local legend who broke hearts when she abruptly fled the village three years earlier. Sophie all but takes over Finola's old life as she works Finola's old job, and falls in love with her old boyfriend. And then Finola comes back...

Suzanne Strempek Shea must have been gone to Ireland during the Spring of 2002, when Americans began to go back to Europe, once we felt flying was safe again. First we went to countries where English was the official language - Ireland being the closest to US soil. We liked to be able to get on one plane, either in Boston or Baltimore, and get off in Ireland 7 hours later. We were worried about the dollar to Euro exchange rate and preferred that it be one for one, so we wouldn't have to "do the math." Shea must have gone to some of the Irish villages I visited, as she describes them wonderfully.
Not that anyone needs an excuse to go to Ireland, but if you're looking for more reasons to go there, read this book first.

I read this book a few months ago and it's still fresh in my mind, which I consider the sign of a truly good read. Overall, the book was a good story, told in an utterly charming and fresh way. The characters and setting are so well/vividly written that you feel as if you could picture it and almost believe such a place and people exist (and wish that you could visit them). Enjoyable read and one I've been recommending to friends.

Terrific book that is a keeper. If you can't get to see a portion of these works of art exhibited, at least you can enjoy what is being created out there by this wonderfully photographed and informative book. An added bonus was that it arrived sealed in plastic in mint condition!

This book is a wonderful review of the art of books as contemporary sculpture. As a fiber artist-bookmaker-handmade paper maker, I bought a copy for my own library, then gave another copy as a gift to a fellow artist who was interested in using books and book images in art. Inspirational as well as informative. I look forward to seeing the actual exhibition.

This is one of those products which is true to its theme from the moment you unwrap it.Being a book about the beauty and creativity of books it has itself to be worthy, which it certainly is. It is a pleasure to hold and to explore, as the design and concept have been carefuly considered.
The examples chosen are rich and varied and are divided thematically.The problem is that so many of the books are enormously intriguing that one wants to handle them to discover their mysteries. However the descriptions are usually very good and do allow one to at least understand the concept of the creator.If you love books as art, this is a truly wonderful possession.

Turning the book making into an art can make a book more attractive and collectible. This book demonstrates a lot of outstanding examples. Readers are completely satisfied by the books in this book.

One of the best! This book should be on your bookshelf if you are interested in the books as an art form. I would suggest it for any school or college media center. I would not include it on a list for coffee table books but if you have a serious home library which leans toward the book arts,artist journals and sketchbooks; by all means, put this out on the reading table.
The next best thing:Visiting the Museum in person!