Bats Books

I thought this book was the best book on Vietnam that I have ever read. Its a facinating look into life as a line officer in a front line Marine Infantry batallion during the early part of the war. Caputo holds nothing back when it comes to describing life on the front line and what goes through the minds of these young, too young Marines who fought on the front line. An excellent read and I highly reccomend it.

Its a page turner from start to finish. A very unique view of the war.

I assigned this book to my college students for a closer glimpse of the Vietnam Conflict. I had not read it before, but had done research and study on the subject. I found Caputo's book to be insightful, controversial and thought provoking. He doesn't glamorize the war but explains how it effected soldiers and one of the many reasons it was such a mess. Throughout the book, Caputo shows how the conditions changed the average American teenager into a robotic killer and how their experiences stayed with them. In the end, he speaks against the war, but not in the normal Jane Fonda version of bashing the military and labeling them rapists and baby killer. Caputo talks about how the government was at fault and created the situations that lead to PTSD and other issues for returning soldiers.

A must read to understand the war and its effects on our soldiers.

In keeping with the theme of this Memorial Day weekend, I would like to offer my thoughts on "A Rumor of War," a classic tale of Vietnam. Philip Caputo has crafted one of the most moving and disturbing testaments to the men who fought and died in that far away land. When the book was first published in 1977, the New York Times called it "The troubled conscience of America speaking passionately, truthfully, finally." I became aware of this classic memoir when my friend, Capt. Kyle Kalkwarf, West Point Class of 2002, told me that it was one of the best books about war he had ever read. He recommended that I add it to my reading list. He was right in doing so.

Caputo's recollections of his time as a Marine in Vietnam are filled with anger and sorrow at the misbegotten policies promulgated in Washington and carried out with disastrous results by General Westmorland and his subordinates. The author makes it clear in his introductory remarks how he felt and feels about that war and the impact that it had upon him and his comrades in arms:

"Beyond adding a few more corpses to the weekly body count, none of these encounters achieved anything; none will ever appear in military histories or be studied by cadets at West Point. Still, they changed us and taught us, the men who fought in them; in those obscure skirmishes we learned the old lessons about fear, cowardice, courage, suffering, cruelty and comradeship. Most of all, we learned about death at an age when it is common to think of oneself as immortal. Everyone loses that illusion eventually, but in civilian life it is lost in installments over the years. We lost it all at once, and in the span of months, passed from boyhood through manhood to a premature middle age. The knowledge of death, of the implacable limits placed on a man's existence, severed us from our youth as irrevocably as a surgeon's scissors had once severed us from the womb. And yet, few of us were past twenty-five. We left Vietnam peculiar creatures, with young shoulders that bore rather old heads. . .

This book is partly an attempt to capture something of its [the war's] ambivalent realities. Anyone who fought in Vietnam, if he is honest about himself, will have to admit he enjoyed the compelling attractiveness of combat. It was a peculiar enjoyment because it was mixed with a commensurate pain. Under fire, a man's powers of life heightened in proportion to the proximity of death, so that he felt an elation as extreme as his dread. His senses quickened, and he attained an acuity of consciousness at once pleasurable and excruciating. It was something like the elevated state of awareness induced by drugs. And it could be just as addictive, for it made whatever else life offered in the way of delights or torments see pedestrian." (Pages xv-xvii)

Caputo's last comments in the section just quoted seem to be eerily in keeping with the themes of the stunning films, "The Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now."

In one of the most gripping passages in the book, Caputo recaptures the spectrum of emotions he felt during a helicopter assault - running the gamut from fear to courage:

"A helicopter assault on a hot landing zone creates emotional pressures far more intense than a conventional ground assault. It is the enclosed space, the noise, the speed, and, above all, the sense of total helplessness. There is a certain excitement to it the first time, but after that it is one of the more unpleasant experiences offered by modern war. On the ground, an infantryman has some control over his destiny, or at least the illusion of it. In a helicopter under fire, he hasn't even the illusion. Confronted by the indifferent forces of gravity, ballistics and machinery, he is himself pulled in several directions at once by a range of extreme, conflicting emotions. Claustrophobia plagues him in the small space: the sense of being trapped and powerless in a machine in unbearable, and yet he has to bear it. Bearing it, he begins to feel a blind fury toward the forces that made him powerless, but has to control his fury until he is out of the helicopter and on the ground again. He yearns to be on the ground, but the desire is countered by the danger he knows is there. Yet, he is also attracted by the danger, for he knows he can only overcome his fear by facing it. His blind rage then begins to focus on the men who are the source of the danger - and of his fear. It concentrates inside him, and through some chemistry is transformed into a fierce resolve to fight until the danger ceases to exist. But this resolve, which is sometimes called courage, cannot be separated from the fear that has aroused it. Its very measure is the measure of that fear. It is, in fact, a powerful urge not to be afraid anymore, to rid himself of fear by eliminating the source of it. This inner, emotional war produces tension almost sexual in its intensity. It is too painful to endure for long. All a soldier can think about is the moment when he can escape his impotent confinement and release this tension. All other considerations, the rights and wrongs of what he is doing, the chances for victory or defeat in the battle, the battle's purpose or lack of it, become so absurd as to be less than irrelevant. Nothing matters except the final, critical instant when he leaps out into the violent catharsis he both seeks and dreads." (Pages 277-8)

Caputo's thoughtful and passionate recounting of the growing up that he did in the cauldron of Vietnam added to my understanding of what many of my generation experienced as they fought in Southeast Asia and returned to a country that had grown sick of the fighting. As our nation once again wrestles with combat fatigue and the questions of when to withdraw and how to withdraw from Iraq, I am grateful that this time around - unlike the situation that existed in the late `60's and 70's - even those who oppose the war have not showered those returning from the Gulf with opprobrium. They desire our admiration and our gratitude.

Thanks Kyle, for recommending this book, and for your continuing service to our nation.

Al

Caputo wasn't much of a marine. He started complaining about Vietnam before he arrived. Every page is filled with criticism, cynicism, griping, complaining, and self-serving tripe. He wanted to be a hero, but he didn't have what it took to be anything but a whining wimp. Certainly he writes well. But writing well and living well are entirely different. He doesn't understand honor or duty. Sure the war was politicized, but so is every war. Sure the rules of engagement were stupid, but a soldier serves. Caputo did not serve; rather he whined. Many of us who served in Vietnam believed there were many things that made no sense. But we didn't turn tail and run. We served. For those who want to understand what is was like to be a soldier in Vietnam, read "We Were Soldiers Once... and Young" or "Steel My Soldiers' Hearts". If you want to know what is was like to be useless in Vietnam, read this book.

This sweet, beautiful book teaches about bats in a lovely, non-threatening way. Stellaluna, as a lost baby bat, must learn about her talents on her own while trying to live with birds. Readers learn the difference between birds and bats, as well as the beauty of bats. What a wonderful book for bat lovers as well as those who fear bats! It is a wonderful tool for education as well as an all-round stunningly wonderful book.

GREAT STORY, WE HAVE THE BOOK AND VIDEO. A MUST HAVE FOR YOUNG ONES, CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. MY SON LOVES IT.

An owl attacks a mother bat one night, as the owl attacked a baby bat named Stellaluna was knocked out of her mother's grip and landed in a nest of baby birds. She must conform to the birds' ways and not hang upside down and starts to eat bugs. However, she then gets the chance to show her fellow bird "siblings" what life is like as a bat and the birds and Stellaluna learn about self-acceptance and accepting others. The genre is picture book and reading level is ages 4-8.
First and foremost it's a picture book that has information about bats and teaches it in the most interesting and appealing way for young readers to understand. The illustrations are very realistic and go fantastic with the words on the page. Genre: Fiction-Picture Book. Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Completed by Z on 5/12/08

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon is about a bat named Stellaluna. When she was barely born she was with her mother. Then an owl struck Stellaluna's mother. Stellaluna went down faster and faster until she hit a branch, hung up side down and covered herself. The next day she fell down in a nest. She never knew the nest. She met some birds named Pip, Flitter and Flap. Mama Bird came and let her stay. She also brought a green grasshopper for Stellaluna to eat so she won't be hungry. Stellaluna got in trouble by Mama Bird because she was hanging upside down with Pip, Flap and Flitter. Mama Bird said that if she doesn't behave she will not live in the nest. The next day it was time to learn how to fly. When Stellaluna flew she was full of happiness. When she landed she was trying to stand on the branch. Then she did it. It took her a lot of time but she got it. She flew a lot with Pip, Flitter and Flap. Then the birds went home. Stellaluna was hanging by her wings, too tired to soar. There came a bat hanging upside down. A lot of bats came. Bats were asking her questions. Someone wanted to see her. It was her mother! She was so happy. Stellaluna was hungry. Her mother said they would fly at night to find fruit. They found mangoes. When she was done she was upside down with Flitter, Pip, and Flap. At night they couldn't see. Quickly they were falling down but Stellaluna caught their hands wrapping them closely like they were sisters and brothers.

It doesn't matter if you're different. You can still be friends. Stellaluna and the birds ate different things. They fly at different times. They were different but Stellaluna still saved them. Stellaluna taught the birds how to hang upside down. I liked the way that Stellaluna was a bat and she still saved the birds when they weren't brothers and sisters.

By Jose

This book was in excellent condition. I gave it as a gift. Also I received it very quickly.

This is a stupendous book! Wonderful prose and gorgeous illustrations appeal to both children and adults, and hopefully will encourage bat tolerance, if not interest.

The story is cute and clever. The art is great. I can't wait to share it with my grandkids!!! I heard a review on NPR and thought that I must have this book. I'll probably keep it at my house so they'll have something to read when they come.

On a recent trip to visit my nephew (who is in the second grade) he read this book to me each night, it was so cute with good illistrations I bougth a copy for my grand children when I got home. They enjoy it to.

First, let me say that my children love looking at the pictures in this book. The pages are wide and full of bats doing all kinds of fun things. I give it four stars based on the illustrations. The text is a bit lacking. Some thought was obviously put into it: the author fits in fun things like "bug-mallows" and "pickled slugs". However, the text is rhyming verse and Lies doesn't use consistent meter. I found it a bit clunky to read and felt like the words drew attention to themselves instead of working together as a whole. It's still worth getting, especially if you know a little kid like mine who loves bats and bugs. The pictures are excellent and kids won't notice anything amiss in the text.

I read one reviewer who gave this book 1 star he/she bought it and found it to be nothing but "fluff". I have to firmly disagree I found this book enticing it had a new concept and that was bats in a whole new light (well kinda since the book takes place at night), but normally if you hear about bats their depicted only in Halloween books made out to be creepy, swooping, bug slurping cave dwellers. These bats are FUN, FUN, FUN as is the book! The text is rhythmic and the illustrations are luminous, I highly recommend it for ages 2+.

The book sunwing was a great read, intense and freighting usually sequels aren't as good as the first book. But in this case the book sunwing and silverwing were both great! The book sunwing is about the mission finding his father continuing from the first book. Silverwing Shade and Marina with their colony are looking for shades father. They go to so many places he's been to, and they finally find him. But with all this looking they have started a war. Witch they must end. A war with the carnivore bats these carnivore bats have caused death to so many creatures. Even owls are fighting back with them! Please read this book it is a great book.

My son has been reading this series. He loves the story line - he's 11, but reads on a college level. So, I would say this is appropriate for that age group, and interresting enough to hold the attention of an older reader. The sory line seems interesting enough for an adult reader wanting a quick read too.

This book is really awesome. This book starts when a runt silverwing bat named Shade wants to find his father. His father, Cassiel, disappeared after he wanted to see a human building. So, Shade, Chinnook, Ariel, Freida, and a lot of other bats go to find him. On their trip they get stuck in an indoor forest, where humans put exploding metal bands on bats and birds because they use the explosive bands to blow up building for war. Shade and Chinnook have to escape from exploding and then they run into Goths forest, and then they have to save the world from eternal night. Goth is a vampire bat. One of the coolest things about the bats is their echo-vision. Shade uses his echo-vision and makes himself look like a vulture to the vampire bats. The best part of this book is when Shade and his family and other silverwing bats and some rats enter the bone room. I like when they crawl into the bone room because it is really creepy and full of bones.
My favorite character was Throbb, but he dies in Silverwing. My favorite character in Sunwing is Cassiel because he says things that can be funny. The thing I don't like about this book is how there are too many things to do with forests. In the beginning they run into a human forest and it takes them 6 chapters to get out of that forest. Later in the book they run into Goths forest and it takes them 3 chapters to get out. But sometimes they do interesting stuff in the forests. My least favorite character is Goth because at the end all he does is roar. I want every body to buy this book! But, you must read Silverwing first to understand Sunwing.

This book is as good as the first one, and is as enjoyable as the first as well. But, don't read Firewing, you'll hate it. I did.

Sunwing was one of the BEST books I've EVER read! It has lots of fiction in it but, it also has a large amount of true facts in it also. I truly reomend this book. And it has a bunch of action and adventure in it. And I think people who like animals such as, bats, mice, owls etc. will LOVE this book completley.

Jacob Milette

As an admitted father of two toddlers, book lover, history buff and baseball fan, my review may seem like the most biased you could read. Yes, I do love this book on many levels.

But I have shared this book with children and adults of all ages -- many that care less about baseball, sports or history -- and all have been captivated by the illustrations and unbelievable level of detail Christopher Bing brought to this book.

Indeed, it is "copiously and faithfully illustrated" by the author. Every time you pick up this book you will be rewarded for your attention: it is filled with interesting little images of ads, money and baseball-related items from the period.

This book will surprise and delight you, again and again. Nice job, Mr. Bing. Very nice job.

Anyone who loves baseball, poetry, or amazingly intricate illustrations will love this book. I've used it in the classroom as part of units on poetry and baseball and it's always a hit. Great stuff!

I loved this book. I loved how they took a old poem and put it in to a book!!! So if could 1,000,000 copies of one book Cassey at the Bat would be it!!!

What a wonderful rendition of one of my favorite (and many others) poems! Not only do I like this book my self (I actually own the thing), but I have found it to be very useful in school and in teaching young grandsons. The author has taken the classic poem of Casey at the Bat and turned it into a piece of art and a history lesson all in one. He has used old newspaper clippings of the late 1800s as a back ground to his wonderful illustrations. A close look at these clippings reveal that they enhance and go along with the story quite well. Not only do the kids (I use this for 3rd graders through 6th graders) get to hear, as I read the book to them, one of our classic "fun poems" but they get a great history lesson as we discuss the context of the story with the newspaper background. It is rather amazing, upon close examination, just how much extras information the author has packed into this book. Now I realize that this is classified as a juvenal book, which I think is a real shame as it will possible divert the attention of older baseball fans and they will miss out on quite a lot. That is a pity. This book is actually quite suitable for a baseball fan of any age. I know I treasure my copy at well over sixty years old...of course I must admit to still having a lot of little boy in me, still. Highly recommend this one.

Christopher Bing's version of Ernest Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" is a must for serious baseball fans of any age. He presents the Thayer's classic ballad in a scrapbook/folio format, the poem superimposed against a "yellowed" and torn newspaper. For authenticity--and baseball fans are sticklers for details--Bing uses period font from the era, draws black and white line pictures resembling hand-engravings (it wasn't until 1890 that newspapers replaced engravings with the speedier photoengraving technique), and layers the whole effort with printed ephemera, including "caveat emptor" (let the buyer beware) medicinal ads, newspaper clippings about baseball, and memorabilia such as money, tickets, and medallions. I know about the birth of newspaper photoengraving only because Bing includes a lot of interesting history (and copious acknowledgements) in the newspaper-formatted endpapers.

The strength of the poem is unquestioned; "Casey" is so firmly engrained in the national psyche that the Library of Congress lists him as a real person, complete with birthdate. Dozens of authors mimicked or enhanced the piece, and the ballad's illustrators include Leroi Neiman, Barry Moser, and Patricia Polacco. Bing's choice of (mostly) drab colors will probably lose a younger audience; Patricia Polacco corners that demographic with her warm and wonderfully loopy style. Nor does Bing add any overt story features; Polacco changes the setting to a contemporary Little League game, and frames the story with some family dynamics between Casey, his sister, and the game's umpire-his dad!

Where Bing excels is context. Obviously, he displays the style and format of printed materials in his pseudo-engravature, and his fictionalized but historically accurate newspaper clippings. More importantly, however, he shows how the tight interweaving of baseball and society. Baseball, like the Constitution (Scalia and Thomas dissenting) and the performing arts in general, changes with the times. Back in 1888, baseball had one umpire, used one ball throughout the game, and lacked fences (one amusing clipping tells of a fan absconding with a ball so that the opposing team couldn't field it). In 1888, African-American players played alongside Whites, but the writing is on the wall, one telling clip hints at the eventual banning of all but Caucasian players.

Bing makes a few errors (one of his newspaper accounts praises Casey's hitting in another game, but the box score shows that he went 0 for 5), and he normalizes Casey--his face shows reasonable emotion, not the overwrought feelings that Thayer describes in his grand, faux-epic style.

However, the book casts an impressively broad net over an entire era, and look ahead towards the inevitable change. It's a great model for similar classroom projects, and Bing's research and color illuminate the reciprocity between society and game like no other. Still, this is not a book for young kids (except for those who are really, really into baseball, and who have the attention span to pour over the ephemera). The overall look is a grayish/yellow drab, with specks of color, and Bing packs in a lot of information. I believe Bing would agree that it's not the definitive or even the best "Casey" version for all ages-what could be?--even with its Caldecott honor and a legion of fans.

Bing's "copious and faithfully illustrated" achievement (and ultimately, much of the book's following stems from its achievement in research and illustration, as opposed to its entertainment value for kids) is impressive, educational, and maps neatly onto Thayer's poem. It's easy to imagine kids from older elementary school through middle school, as well as adult fans, pouring over every background detail as Casey's sneers one more time.

The vegan recipes offered in this book will excite your taste buds and rekindle your passion for good food. A wonderfully health conscious collaboration of recipes, from various chefs, authors and the people at Friends of Animals with a great personal touch from Priscilla Feral. Family friendly recipes like Wheat free wild rice pancakes (pg.8) and scrambled tofu (pg. 11) keep the kid's complaint free through breakfast. There is a great range of sophisticated to super simple recipes to satisfy any taste.

While i personally tend to simply wing it when cooking and rarely use recipes or cookbooks, my friend Heather Steel also from Victoria, BC asked if i could post her review of Dining with Friends since she s had such positive experiences, which has inspired me to want to crack it OPEN as well!

Here s Heather s review:

When I m trying to decide what to bring for a potluck, this is the first book I take off the shelf. So far, every recipe I have tried from this book has been a huge success! This is the first recipe book I can actually make such a positive statement about. No matter how accurately I try to follow a recipe there are usually at least one or two recipes in a vegan cookbook which flop - especially in the baked goods section. I ve tried over half of the recipes in Dining With Friends are they have ALL turned out ultra delicious. Most are quite easy to prepare with common vegan ingredients and yet their presentation is really quite unique. I m particularly impressed with the dessert section ... the Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake, for example, looks unbelievable elegant and is a unique addition to vegan and non-vegan tables alike. It is fun to prepare these dishes for non-vegans and totally change their mis perceptions of vegan food. Another bonus about this book is the Raw Foods section which contains yummy, enzyme-rich treats for the tummy. Even if you re not into raw, most of the dishes in this book contain relatively healthy ingredients so you can feel doubly good about eating them as their good for you and for the rest of the animals on the planet.

As a NYC resident, there are fantastic restaurants and prepared food geared towards vegans here, so it takes a lot for me choose to create my own gourmet meals.

Dining With Friends inspired me to spend more time preparing some truly delicious and classic recipes and to share them with others. The first recipe I tried was the Cashew Cream Lasagna, and not only did it knock my socks off, it impressed several non-vegetarians at a holiday gathering to no end. One taster refused to believe it was vegan, due to the exquisite and rich cheesiness of the dish. I'd formerly thought of vegan lasagna as rather boring until this recipe-now it's my first choice for bringing to events and for impressing those wary of plant-based cuisine.

My latest favorite for winter months is the Vegetable Bisque-a delicious and comforting soup which melts in your mouth and has just the right amount of texture and creaminess. As someone who was never a big fan of tempeh, I've since changed my opinion after making the Tempeh London Broil. This dish is simply spectacular and goes will with almost any side dish you can think of. As for desserts, I can guarantee that anyone who makes the Key Lime Pie will adore it as much as I do!

No kitchen is complete without this cookbook, so I encourage anyone to but a copy (or several) as gifts for friends and family. It just might inspire you the way it inspired me!

Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine

Dining with Friends is truly an inspired cookbook. I have shelves of vegetarian cookbooks and this cookbook stands out as a favorite of my family's due to the simplicity of the recipes and the flavorful results. When I've prepared dishes from this cookbook and taken them to events, inevitably people ask me for the recipes. I'm always anxious to purchase this cookbook for others who may not be vegan because I know they can find the ingredients and follow the recipes. Dining with Friends is a winner.

Dining with Friends has many great vegan recipes that my family and I have enjoyed. The Lentil Orzo Casserole is fabulous and the Cashew Cream Lasagna was a huge hit. My teenage sons lapped up the Cream of Broccoli soup. The recipe for Braised Brussel Sprouts is a tasty new way to prepare this often overlooked vegetable. They were so good that my son and I ate them all and had none to bring to the Thanksgiving dinner we attended. Aah, the vegan cookie dough! Very easy to prepare and the Thumbprint Cookies were gone within hours. I had planned on making the Snowy Almond Crescents however, those same teenage hands got into the dough and that was the end of that. At least I didn't have to worry about salmonella poisoning since this was vegan dough after all and contains none of the cruel and unhealthy animal products. I look forward to trying many more of the recipes in this beautifully prepared cookbook.

Block has to be one of the most beautiful, most creative writers in the whole world! I love her writing style. It is so easy to get lost in her books with all of her wonderful descriptions.... pretty soon you are breathing the musky air of her world.
Witch Baby is adorable with her purple hair and her bad attitude.
The story that Block included within this book about the people who find the glowing globe of blue and then die after decorating themselves with it was haunting....
I felt so bad for Witch Baby because she felt so unwanted....
I love the scene when she dances on the pancakes after hiding in the trunk when Dirk and Duck go on vacation.

A Review by Brittany

This book is about a baby that a family took and called her Witch Baby and raised her as their own. She grew up in Shangri, Los Angeles. She had purple eyes, wild, dark hair and looked at the world in a very special way. Even though Witch Baby tried to fit in, she never felt as if she truly belonged. One day she packed her bat-shaped backpack and put on her black cowboy-boot roller skates and went into the world to find out who she really was.

The realism of this book is that there are some real character names like Rachel and Dirk and two other names, there are such things as surf boards and surfing and water and cars and roads, and a few other things, but other than that there is not a lot. The conflicts in this book there are a few like in the beginning Witch Baby wants to go with Dirk and Duck on their little adventure to one of their moms house. Then there was the conflict when Dirk and Duck found out that Witch Baby snuck into their car and ate all of the fig-newtons. The relevance of this book to todays world is that it almost has a lot of the same things we do as in cars, roads, people, water, surfing, surfboards, etc;. This book is pretty boring. So basically I did not like this book.

The kind of person that might enjoy this book is a person that enjoys mystery.

Never, EVER think that this book belongs on the children's fiction table. Well, it belongs there, obviously. But it would also fit in very comfortably in the adult fiction section.

Witch Baby is a girl who has never quite felt at home in the family who adopted her. This book is all about her trying to fit in, to relate to the people around her, and to find her true niche in life. Although it all sounds very cliche, this is one of the most rewarding books I've read in a long time. The print is large, the book is small enough to read in an evening, and you walk away feeling as if it was more than worth the effort.

Written in fairly plain, even childlike language, using slang that could seem forced in another context, but fits in nicely, it is truly a work of art. At times it is hard to fit Witch Baby into an age bracket - at times she seems little older than ten, but at others she could be seven or eight years older than that.

With characters such as My Secret Agent Lover Man, and Angel Juan, again it seems childlike in its outlook. However, issues confronted in the book, like acceptance of homosexuality, being adopted and finding your true roots are deep and well presented in this book. In this kind of book, a younger reader could encounter, for example, homosexuality in a non-judgemental light, and completely accept it at a younger age.

This book is a jewel to read.

Witch baby the book stands out among the other works in the Dangerous Angels series just as Witch Baby the character does from her colourful, sparkling, and seemingly wonderful almost-family in glittering LA. The story of Witch Baby is written from the point of view of a mysterious, elf-like little girl with a dark, secretive, and magical nature about her. She lives in a world of family, friends, sunshine and movies, but never feels that she really belongs to it. Is it because she's the daughter of a witch? Because she never knew who her father was? Whatever the reason, Witch Baby is determined to find her place in the world (most importantly in her own family), and opens peoples eyes in her own mysterious Witch Baby way. I love this book because it really makes the reader see things from a unique point of view, using the colourful imagery and feeling that Francesca Lia Block is known for. This is a particularly good read for adolescent and teenage girls, but I would encourage anyone to try it, because I think everyone can relate to Witch Baby and her struggle to fit in at some point in their lives.

Francesca Lia Block, Witch Baby (Harper, 1991)

The adventures of Weetzie Bat and Co. continue in this second book in the cycle, though Weetzie takes a background to Witch Baby here. Witch Baby is almost the darker side of Weetzie's coin, and gets into a number of the same messes (the names and dates change, but the situations sound somewhat similar). Block's Acker-esque fasination with ways to twist language continues apace.

The book's major failing, as compared to its predecessor, is that Block lets her prejudices bubble much closer to the surface here, and the books smacks far more of politics than did Weetzie Bat. Political polemic and novels do not mix (though, to be fair, it's easier to do in fiction than poetry; a handful of poets can do it successfully, while perhaps a dozen novelists have managed it over the years). While Block seemed to have the trick down in Weetzie Bat, here it comes off as pedestrian at best. (To be fair, though, unlike most political screed masquerading as fiction, it never gets in the way of the story or interferes with the pace.)

I hope the politics calm down in the series' later books, and that this was just a dip in quality easily remedied. Guess I'll find out as I keep going. ** ½

The purpose of a book, in my opinion, is to take the reader away and allow him to experience what the author writes about. McGough has done an excellent job of doing this in his debut.

As a kid, I was obsessed with baseball. It was a rite of passage in our country for young boys to collect baseball cards and idolize the players on their faces. McGough was able to gain access to this world, which is a privilege most of us would have died for. He preserves that childlike wonder throughout this book. Rather than becoming annoying, this tone allows the reader to empathize with McGough's struggles and cheer at his triumphs.

The book also gives a fresh new look at the inner workings of a baseball team. Most sports books are written by players or journalists. Both groups have a certain detachment from society as a whole. McGough is an average kid from New York city with an average kid's problems. He writes about how his grades suffer, struggling to talk to girls, and other situations an adolescent male would find himself in. The difference is that most kids don't have millionaire pals who will lend a helping hand in impressing a young lady. McGough's description of his interactions with the players is very humanizing. In a way, McGough takes these players off the pedestal society has placed them on and shows the reader they are average guys.

This book is my favorite baseball book by far, even surpassing Jim Bouton's Ball Four. If you have a baseball fan in the family, get this book for them. You won't be sorry.

You don't need to be a Yankee fan or a baseball fan to enjoy this book. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I feel guilty that I've taken a liking to a Yankee's team written about in this book. Mr. Mcgough does an incredible job of making you feel that you're part of the locker room, in the dugout, and on the field with the team.

If you are a Yankee fan who remembers the team of the mid-80's era, this book is a nice walk down memory lane. It's a quick, easy read written in an enjoyable narrative style, and it provides the reader with an inside glimpse that most of us Yankee fans would have given our left foot to experience.

This was an amazing book and probably one of the best autobiographys I've ever read. Growing up in California I've been a hard core Oakland a's and San Fransico Giants fan. Reading this book makes you love the Yankees. Mr.Mcough's writing gives you the feeling that you're actually at the baseball game. Matt gives you a full on description of everything he does and if he does something bad or gets in trouble it makes you relate when something like that happened to you. It's great description and humor this definitely a must read for anyone.

I can't recommend this book enough for any Yankee fan who suffered through the '80's and early '90's. Perfect read for a day at the beach or a plane ride.

My grand daughter's are anxious to get started building! I bought this and the Stokes Guide to Bats. They love the books. Easy to use and with a little help 8 & 10 years-old understand the blueprints.

Maybe I'm too sold on what's marketed as variety.

I agree with what other reviewers have said, that these are good bathouses and the instructions are easy to follow. I just wish there were a little more variety in terms of design.

The book, by the way, over and above the houses does have some reference information on bats including where to put the houses. That was helpful.

If you're into bats, and would like to make your own houses, this is the book I would recommend.

Lots of good information in here. This book went into detail that I'd never even thought about. Definitely worth a buy if you want a good house that will attract bats.

I was a bit annoyed to open the package from Amazon and see this glorified pamphlet inside. "There goes ten bucks!" I thought. Don't let the size fool you, though. When I opened the booklet and started flipping through, I saw that it really is an excellent guide. It is far superior to anything else I have seen on the subject. I have seen bat houses for sale in my area that do not come close to meeting the well researched guidelines described in this book. Worth buying, definitely. I just wanted to combat the mosquitos in my neighborhood -- now I will likely join the Bat Conservancy and build houses for any friends who ask.

This is a very concise and thorough book on how to construct a successful bat house.

This is quite a book. Since it is over 900 pages you must put it down but I read it straight through. There are some very keen insights into the armament industry and its power over nations and governments - even over Adolf Hitler. If you think Hitler answered to no one, you might want to read this book. My tendency is to tell you many of the shocking facts contained in this work. But Mr. Manchester spent a lot of time building his shocking facts into a reasonable and established context. This is a very important book and I am very, very surprised that I am the first to review it. This is another one of those books that should be a college text. Buy it! This book is a bargain, believe me. No price could repay Mr. Manchester for this type of research.

This is an excellent book about a family's, noted for their involvement with the steel industry and especially the manufacturer of arms, struggle with Germany's economy and power covering about 400 years. It looks lengthy however it is over just as you are getting started. A side benefit is the technical information added helps you imagine what is like to design and sell the arms. In some cases they were almost given away for a causes. This story parallels other books on history and makes the world seem that it is made up of people not just historical facts. Speaking of historical facts, one of the things I like to do is to read books that become movies and movies that are novelized. This would have to be a mini-series. Notice that in the book

William Manchester mentions that the movie "Major Barbara", the play was actually written by George Bernard Shaw and was modeled on the Krupp family.

"The Arms Of Krupp" is the incredible biography of a powerful and incredibly rich and powerful family that was central in the advent and progress of European history for the more than four hundred years they presided as an almost imperial force within the boundaries of what is present-ay Germany. Certainly no other non-royal dynasty engenders such controversy and hotly expressed differences in opinion than does the multiple generations of this critically based family so critical to the development and technological capabilities of the German war machine. Of course, no one could do a better job at providing a definitive historical biography of the Krupp family than William Manchester. This is truly a magnificent book, a spellbinding story splendidly told by a master of English prose, rendered in a flawless, comprehensive, and objective treatment of this fascinating, often outrageous, and sometime imperious string of Krupp family member who ignited the wars raging in Europe in terms of their ability to provide the motherland with such complex, ingenious, and technically superior weapons of war.

This is, in fact, considered a masterwork of history, an eminently readable and elegantly stylish work by Manchester, a master of the trade. Manchester, a retired history professor at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, is widely regarded as one of this country's preeminent biographers and historian. The Krupp dynasty was extinguished in 1967, when the last surviving family member passed away. With his death the legacy of a four hundred year span of contribution to the European armaments industry came to an end, and so brought to a conclusion a tradition spanning wars and quite profoundly influencing outcomes of European history for centuries. The Krupp Arms conglomerate was technologically innovative, devising new weapons such as a superior cannon to an anti-air vehicle weapon designed to counter the reconnaissance capabilities of aerial observation balloons to exotic and much more capable submarines, which they then built for over four decades.

In so doing, they became fabulously rich, and rose to become extremely influential and exceedingly conservative voices within the realm of German political circles. No German leader could hope to marshal the resources or the weapons of war necessary to mount a military campaign without first gaining the trust, confidence and support of the Krupp family, which then cleverly and cynically manipulated this influence to vastly enrich themselves. During World War One, their cannons helped to flatten the French city of Verdun, and at one point succeeded in lobbing projectiles into Paris from as distant a location as some eighty miles away, an unheard-of innovation at the time. Aiding the Third Reich in its secret rearmament effort after the end of the First Word War, they provided a much advanced tank design that eventuated in the Panzer tank, used subsequently so successfully in Hitler's blitzkrieg through France in the summer of 1940.

They were quite influential within the German society as well, having armed the forces of Kaiser Wilhelm for battle before World War One, and then surreptitiously backed Hitler financially in the so-called terror-campaign" of 1933. Incredibly, the Krupps participated in the war crimes of the Third Reich, even controlling and operating more than 130 concentration camps during the war. Afterwards, they help to rebuild Europe in the eventual development of the European Common Market. This is a truly fascinating book written with all of the usual style and substance one come s to expect of William Manchester, and it is certainly a book I can highly recommend to anyone with an interest in European history. Enjoy!

This is an excellent description of a family, noted for their involvement with the steel industry and especially the manufacturer of arms. They struggle with Germany's economy and influence Germaine's foreign policy covering about 400 years.

It looks like a lengthy volume however it is over just as you are getting started. A side benefit is the technical information added helps you imagine what is like to design and sell the arms.

In some cases arms were almost given away for a cause. At other times they mercenarily sold arms to may conflicting countries on both sides. This story parallels other books on history and makes the world seem that it is made up of people not just historical facts. Speaking of historical facts, one of the things I like to do is to read books that become movies and movies that are novelized. This would have to be a mini-series.

Notice that in the book; interestingly enough William Manchester mentions that George Bernard Shaw actually based a play on the Krupp family, "Major Barbara" which consequently was made into a movie with windy Hiller in 1941.

Seeing what this book was about, I thought it had no chance of holding my interest. However, once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Manchester really makes this history read like a first class novel.