North America Books

Whether for a valuable collection at home, or a sight while swimming or scuba diving, this will prove very reliable in the field. A MUCH more advanced field guide than the Golden First Guides, this lists over 600 shells in all and will quickly identify any strange seashell you happen to find beachcombing. This guide contains: Augor shells, chitons, whelks, limpets, and many other valuable collectibles. Each shell species entry has a description added to the side, explaining: abundance, range, and habitat. After the first Golden Guide to Seashells intrigues you, try your luck out with this field reference.
There are several editions made of this guide, from cheap paperback to hardcore turtleback. The paperback and hardback are the best to buy, as they are both great deals and cost less than the turtleback, which is also durable. Any edition will serve you very well in shell collection ID or snorkeling discoveries.

Yes it's way out of date. Yes the super rare shells listed in the book are often no longer even mildly rare. Yes it is drawings only. Sigh. But this is the book that got me and all too many others hooked into this area. 30 years later I still love the hobby. Give it to a child and watch him/her grow.

This was exactly the book on shells that I was looking for for my grandson. I remember the "Little Golden Guides" when I was a child and was so happy to see that they still exist. Good illustrations and compact easy to carry size.

If you like to collect seashells, then this handy key to the typical shells found on a beach may be of interest. It comes in a handy soft cover and is pocket sized, so it will easily fit in one's bathing suit's waist. It is slender, although several of the easy to find shells are listed, photos are reasonable and of good quality. It is similar to other such books, although not quite a book and not quite a pamphlet. It's in a league of its own!

Sara Littlecrow Russell's debut book dishes out the horrors of bigotry with humor and a matter of fact tone that can only arrive in the company of truth. If you're looking for the feather and the flute, you've come to the wrong place. This is the fire and the blade. Nothing rings false. The poems feel as if they could have been written on paper bags while shopping yet with the surgical precision of finely honed craft. Honest, real and fleshy. So what are you waiting for? It belongs on the shelf of anyone who likes the direct gaze, the strong handshake, the wild dance. These poems do not waste your time, they ignite it.

Magdalena Gomez, Poet
www.myspace.com/magdalenagomez

A unique and thought-provoking book. Littlecrow writes with the voice of a strong survivor weaving the threads of tradition, belief and harsh reality in modern day America. Her writing is sharply clever and savagely witty yet shines with integrity. The images are vivid and accessible and will resonate with the reader struggling to hold their sanity in a world gone mad. A book to be savoured.

I tried to read it one poem at a time, tried to take my time, to let it all soak in. But I stayed up very late reading it, until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer, and when I woke, I was unable to get out of bed until I completed it. Now I keep my copy at work, so I can lend it out to folks. This collection of poetry is vivid, fierce, powerfull, deep. Poetry for the people.

...it would be more appropriate in the backpack, car, bedside table, work place, public library, etc. Sara's poems are awesome - like swallowing little razors and every cut gets you closer to the truth. Kind of like Sharon Olds only more dazzling and gutsy. I don't read too many poets but I bought seven of these and gave them all to people I care about. Buy two - one for you and one to leave at a bus stop somewhere.

I got to read this book again after a long, long time (after a generation). I am trying to get my daughter interested in reading, and this series seems great to get her started on the reading habit.

It's half a century since Enid Blyton first wrote this book, and it is still captivating enough. I'm surprised that these books are not as popular any more. When I used to read these books, we were sharing them with friends and making sure we read all the books in the series. Nowadays, television and game consoles seem more interesting to children. Maybe, the publishers are aware of this -- and they made the covers look more interesting!

One of the rewards of reading Enid Blyton titles like this Secret Seven book is that it improves your language skills. And yes, this is the first book in the Secret Seven series.

I recently shared my old collection of Enid Blyton books with my son, who is 7 years old. They were an instant hit! The stories are full of imagination and humor and it is a shame that finding new copies is so difficult. I would advise anyone looking for childrens books to start with this author.

Enid Blyton is one of the best children's authors I know. As an eight-year old, I personally bought and collected Blyton's books. There are different series for different age levels, so you can actually grow through the books. Unfortunately, few of Blyton's books are available in the U.S., and if available, are usually quite high priced. I miss those books.

Two days went by, and the secret seven were very busy with all kinds of things. Peter and Janet lime-washed the hen-houses for their father, with Scamper watching in great intrest. 'You look a bit peculiar, Scamper-splashed with white from the lime-wash drips,' sais Janet.'Why must you sit exactly under where we're working you get all the splashes!' George was busy too, with Colin, rigging a fine ship they had made together.

hello am shravya from india.
i am really crazy abt Ms. enid blyton's novels.
i really love them a lot. she is a very good writer and she has just got a lot many innovative ideas and she has put them all into her works to make them more interesting and adventurous.
she is just awesome and her so are her books!!!

shravya,
india

I remember reading this book when I was about 7 and I was instantly hooked on The Secret Seven and their marvellous adventures. From then on I saved my weekly allowance of $2.50 to buy all of Enid Blyton's books which I still have. Reading this book today takes me back to my childhood where in my imagination a half built house could become a Medieval Fortess and a creek could become a Raging River.I suggest you give this book to your children and if their attention spans have yet to be corrupted by 3 minute flashing videos on MTV they will love this book.Harry Potter has nothing on The Secret Seven. They really ROCK!!!

it is indeed surprising that enid blyton doesnt seem to be in vogue any longer, infact her books which made many a long summer afternoon fly are not even available today. her variuos mystery and adventure series, incl famous five, secret seven, five findouters, the adventure series starring kiki the talking parrot, the r's mystery series with miranda the monkey and snubby the scallywag, and ofcourse her inimitable school stories the St Claires and Malory Towers and all timeless classics whcih i enjoy even today. i will be happy to chat to like minded readers

I second the comments made by the reviewer above. I can still remember reading The Secret Seven and Famous Five books when I was a kid and praying that I too somehow will be transported to their world and relive all the adventures that they've gone through. I came in here looking for Ms. Blyton's books for a gift to my niece but I was doubtly dissapointed that they are mostly out of print. Harry Potter and the like are nice books but nothing compares to the Secret Seven and Famous Five series. Read one and you'll know what I mean.

This is a good book for beginners that teaches the basics of arrow making the traditional way. It also offers alternative ways using modern tools. If you are looking for the way a specific tribe/people made arrows then further research will be required as with any book on this subject. It does however give some detailed information on the arrow crafting techniques of some plains Indians.

A magnificent compendium of Native American cures and treatments, which are just the thing unless you are actually, you know, sick.

I thought that this book was informative. He describes the herb, and the tribe(s) that used it, and how. There is several pages on the tribal tradition, but I would have liked to have seen more indepth about several of the more common tribes and their herbal medicinal usage and practices.

I really appreciated the author bringing together how the whole person must be treated in order to treat dis-ease. This is really missing in allopathic medicine.

I would recommend this book to any herbal practitioner that would like a different view of herbal treatment, using traditional Native American ways.
Kathy Miller

Another book you don't loan out, you'll miss having it for reference.

It lists recipes for ailments, and companies where you can purchase the items needed in the mixes.

I had to buy more than one, one for loans, one for keeps.

The best advice is also given in this book, just because one mix worked for another, it may not be the same for you. We are all different, and so are the many different species of plants. So it doesn't just give you one recipe for one ailment, unlike so many other herbal books.

This is a great reading for school age kids, who like mysteries, and it can also help those who do not feel welcome at a new school. I think Joan Aiken is a wonderful writer, and I wish there was a sequel, so I can read more about Cosmo and his friends.

Cosmo applies to each person. We all have "Shadow Guests" and his illusions are like corners of mind. Aiken has written a lovely break from the Wolves series and written something very powerful. Death and love are the two components that appear to battle endlessly in Cosmo's mind, and that of his predecessors. Everybody should read this.

I really liked this book because it is a realistic story about Cosmo and his deceased mother and older brother. this book somewhat relates to my life and my grandfather because I feel that he is watching over me at all times and makes sure I get through life easily. That is what I think happens in this book and that is why I liked it so much, also it is a very realistic story so I think that is what I think makes this book a graet one.

Probably the best reprints by Starscape books are the little-known Joan Aiken fantasies. Her "Dido" series is easily found, but only recently books like "Cockatrice Boys" and "Whispering Mountain" have been made available. "Shadow Guests" is the latest of these -- it isn't quite as good as the others, but still quite enjoyable.

After his mother and older brother mysteriously vanish, Cosmo Curtoys is sent to live with an eccentric mathematician relative in England. While Aunt Eunice is pleasant (though odd), Cosmo rapidly makes enemies of almost every other kid in school. What's more, strange things have begun lurking nearby, including a tadpole-like thing that fell off of his sleeve -- and grew.

Soon Cosmo finds out about something linked to the disappearance of his mom and brother -- a family curse that dooms every eldest brother to die in battle, and every mother to die of grief. Because of this curse, he is visited by "shadow guests," a Roman gladiatior, a naive Crusader... and a sinister force that threatens to kill him.

It's definitely above the average ghost story, and makes good use of Cosmo's social isolation to let him encounter ancestors who are also burdened by the curse. Cosmo is a likeable hero, who alternates between not understanding what's happening, and knowing all too well what is going on. Cousin Eunice is a nice (mathematician) twist on the usual weird relative; the kids at school often seem like their friendliness or hostility has some bearing on the story, but ultimately that peters out.

Aiken's writing is pleasant, although the pacing is a bit odd -- one minute we're reading about kids snubbing him at school or playing jokes on Bun, then we're reading about ghosts and ancient warlocks and family curses. Moreover, some of the details in the book must have passed me by, because I didn't quite understand a few parts of the ending. But the haunting (pun intended) atmosphere and mix of the unearthly and the solidly, likeably British is very fresh-feeling.

While this book isn't quite as stellar as "Cockatrice" or "Mountain," it's a solid ghost story with a pleasant storyline and hero. Well worth the read.

Imagine for a moment you are a young warrior captured by an enemy tribe. You are enslaved, tortured and humiliated by your captors, then offered an opportunity to escape; which would mean personal freedom, but could also lead to the annihilation of your people and the desecration of the earth. What would you choose? This is the dilemma faced by Sequannah, the youthful protagonist of this action-packed fantasy/adventure Shadow of the Serpent A Coyote Moon Story. James Joseph weaves together a poignant coming-of-age story with the earth-centered teachings of Native American spirituality into an engaging and entertaining first novel. --Patricia A. Burke, editor, The Hungry Soul: An Online Literary Magazine

If someone asked me to review this book with just one word, I think "great" wouldn't be enough. It was an enthralling experience to learn more about the Native American ways and wisdom through such a fantastic story. Also, the narrative is quite elegant and detailed and the story never loses its pace. In the story, we are introduced to the Mineccou clan, a peaceful, yet strong tribe that are pushed into war when a powerful enemy nearly wipes out all the other clans in the area and enslaves the survivors. Sequannah, a young Mineccou warrior is also captured and enslaved, but soon he finds that he will play a very important role in his tribe's struggle. For he will have to fight not only for his own freedom, but also for the freedom of his clan's ways. A story full of wisdom that makes us think about our own ways.

I spent hours reading the book,absorbed by the writing technique of James Joseph. The book starts in early and keeps dragging you in deeper after every chapter. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel by James Joseph. He is a promising author

SHADOW OF THE SERPENT is a thrill-packed and emotionally-charged epic adventure which beckons those of us on the "war path" to follow a better Way. I had a sense of being irresistably drawn through misty woods into mysterious caverns, only to hear the whisperings of shamans sharing the wonders of ancient Truth: Go back and live in the Light. Henceforth, whenever I see patterns of yellow and black, I will be unable to ignore the metaphorical warning. Read this important mystical work. --Dan Gallagher

This is another exciting romp through a world that's not so different from the one we know, but enough so that we can't help but eagerly demand, "What next?"

This novel continues the saga of George Custer Jr., estranged son of the President of the United States, in a slightly different late nineteenth century America. See reviews of earlier books in this series for more details. In this new story, we gain much more insight into what makes father and son tick, but not at the expense of sweeping adventure. This is still very much a thrill ride that will keep you turning pages long after a sensible person would have turned out the lights.

I eagerly anticipate Giambastiani's next tale of adventure set in the wonderful world he has created.

It is flattering when your ideas are incorporated in future literary work, even if the author has never actually read them. It generally shows that your evaluations and thoughts are on the right track. Personal feelings aside, there are many reasons why this Book 3 of the series should be considered the best of the three written so far.

One: More detailed character development. My main complaint about "The Spirit of Thunder" was that the plot was moving too quickly, which took away from painting a deeper psychological picture of the main characters. In "Shadow of the Storm," the progress of time slows down considerably, and details such slowdown allows to incorporate make the book a vivid read.

Two: Improved writing depth. While previous installments were perfectly readable, "Shadow" goes one step further. It reads like a Hollywood epic, with characters and events flashed out to such a degree the readers can actually see them in their mind's eye. For example, the scene of Indian cavalry maneuvers in a San Francisco corrida arena is nothing less than "The Gladiator" transferred in all its glory from the movie screen to paper.

Three: Stronger emphasis on human drama. While the first two books touched on George Custer Jr.'s emotional struggle with conflicting allegiances, "Shadow" brings it to a climax, but not on the inaccessible level of national politics, but rather on a very close, and thus painfully real, personal level. The tone for the most important question of the book - what constitutes family and what role blood connection plays in it - is set from Chapter 1 and is brought to a heartrending climax with the novel's final scene.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. While I will await the next installment with impatience, a certain degree of trepidation will also be there. Mr. Giambastiani has set the bar of my expectations pretty high with "Shadow." Will he be able to reach it with Book 4? Only time will tell...

I really enjoy the books in this series, particularly because I love the opportunity to spend time with the Cheyenne characters that the author has developed so well - both individual personalities as well as insights into the culture. However, this third book in the series moves the saga forward in very dramatic ways with lots of new thought-provoking ideas and adventures. And the dinosaurs are back. I thought they were a bit of an afterthought in the second book, but Mr. Giambastiani brings them back as key characters in the story. The author also demonstrates a growing talent in his writing as he narration shifts effortlessly between the different characters perspectives on the action. I eagerly await book 4.

Shadow of the Storm is the third novel in the Fallen Cloud series, following The Spirit of Thunder. In the previous volume, George has lost a great deal of gold to a French trader, but finds another way to obtain weapons. He is severely wounded during the attack on Fort Assurance and Storm Arriving is also wounded while setting demolition charges on the railroad bridge over the Missouri. News of the bridge's destruction reaches Washington before the election, but is suppressed.

In this novel, George Armstrong Custer, Senior, wins re-election to his second term as President of the United States. Not everybody is pleased, to say the least, and trouble is brewing between the labor unionists and the industrialists. The common people, however, are mostly pleased at the prospect of free land made available with the Homestead Act, property in the lands of the Cheyenne Alliance.

In Little Italy, Cesare Uccido tries to protect his twin sister, Fortuna, from the hustlers and pimps, but is unsuccesful. In despair for the hard life of her family, Fortuna agrees to couple with a rich man for a golden coin, yet Cesare finds her with the man and tries to take her away, but the man attacks him and Cesare fights back, finally taking out all his rage on the man, killing him thoroughly. Afterward they flee, to find themselves with the man's clothes containing a large amount of cash and coin. With this money, the Uccido family flees to the frontier to stake out a homestead.

Back in New York, the new Ambassador from New Spain takes on his duties after the degraded death of his predecessor in a house of ill-repute. On his introductory visit to the White House, he overhears the President disparaging the Spanish government and leaves angrily. Since the Ambassador has a prior hatred for Custer, he looks for a way to pay back the President for his misdeeds.

Among the Cheyenne, George Armstong Custer, Junior, called One Who Flies by his Cheyenne family, is still trying to stop the slaughter of his adopted people. He is still weak from his wounds, but agrees to leave early with Mouse Roads and Picking Bones Woman to join Storm Arriving and Speaks While Leaving for the birth of their baby. One Who Flies is happy to travel early since he wants to ask Storm Arriving for permission to court Mouse Roads. Before he can be answered, the death of Picking Bones Woman causes the family to leave for the deathgrounds on the shore of the Big Salty, the Nebraska Sea.

All these elements converge on Washington for a major confrontation between the US and the Cheyenne.

This novel is well written and enjoyable, not only for the plot, but for the details on the lives of the Cheyenne people. The twists and turns of the plot are frustrating to the reader as well as the main character, but are necessary to sustain the story. After all, a peaceful life is boring to most readers, yet most of the really good sections were just everyday life among the Cheyenne.

Recommended for Giambastiani fans and anyone who enjoys tales of exotic people and international intrigue in a fantasy setting.

What I like best about this collection is that the author (or editor, really) tells you a little bit about the people who tell the stories. He also includes the original Quechua, which is an interesting touch even if I can't read it. At any rate, if you enjoy fairy tales, and are interested in hearing them from other cultures (there are a few parallels to the traditional Brothers Grimm in this book), this is a good book to buy. If you aren't interested in fairy tales, this is a good book to change your mind.

An enchanting book! Here is a unique opportunity to read stories never before written down, much less translated. The author was told them in the original language in the high Andes by Quecua storytellers. Now he has translated them into English, and in She-Calf and Other Quechua Folk Tales we find, opposite each translated page, a page printed in the original Quechuan language. Fascinating! Johnny Payne further enriches our experience by sharing the similarities that he observed between these stories and stories with which we are already familiar. Included as well are wonderful background stories of experiences and people he encountered in the story-gathering process. For those interested in stories, folk tales, oral tradition, antropology, history, language, travel... This is not only a must-read, but a must-own. It's a keeper!

This is a marvelous collection of Quechua folktales, told by various Quechua speakers to anthropologist Johnny Payne. These are short and "catchy" tales printed in English with the Quechua version on the facing page. This gives you a chance to get acquainted with the sentence structure of the Quechua language which I found very helpful. The author also shares interesting insights into the people who tell the tales. I love to travel in Peru and I am going to pass this book on to a Quechua friend who will surely enjoy it as much as I did. If you're interested in the cultures of the Andes, or if you plan to travel there, don't miss this book! .

An excellent collection of stories -- not merely in the presentation of a different set of stories than those which reach the common awareness, but also in the insights it gives to the shape of the Quechua culture and people. It is not presented as an explication of the way these people live, the way the thoughts go, but the stories show that shape, show that means, bring the world alive in a way both subtle and profound.

The stories are presented both in the Quechua language and in English translation, and it is possible to see the shape and patterns of the language with careful text comparison; it makes it worth considering learning the Quechua tongue to pick out the nuances which are inevitably lost in translation.

This is a great book for those who are fans of the "So Weird" T.V. show.

I thought this book was really great, it is one of my favorite's in the whole So Weird book series. Fi gets lost in the woods while on a camping trip with her family and finds Bigfoot, who tries to save her. Fi finds out that a Civil War hero died just so he could protect Bigfoot, now Fi has to do the same.

...The story follows the main plot of the episode"Sacrifice" almost verbatim. It doesn't leave anything out,but it does have things that weren't in the show. It spices up the paranormal aspect and gives a much more extensive backstory for the Civil War soldier who encounters "Bigfoot" (middle name: Fuzzy) so many years before Fiona. It's a cute book and even if you haven't seen the show the story is easy to follow and the characters are given quite a bit of background. You won't be lost at all.

Do you think you could maybe put this series on dvd format. I would love to see The whole series again on dvd format. I would even buy the ones with Annie I just loved that show. Please concider putting this on dvd. I would buy this a.s.a.p. Thanks. I love this show. I give it 100 stars if provided.