Virginia Books

Fearless by Tom Stephen and Virginia Starkey-Stephen is a lovely book, well written and beautifully illustrated with photos by Hank Foto of Hawaiian surfing. Written with the reflections of a peaceful day ahead, it is truly inspriational that can be used again and again. Wonderful!

This book looks like a coffee table book on surfing. In truth, it is packed with insiteful guidance on how to navigate through life. Using surfing and extreme sports metaphor, the book walks the reader into a much better understanding of what drives us - good or bad - and what God wants. I find myself reading one or two pages every few days, putting it down and chewing on the content. Worth every penny.

This is an awesome devotional. It connects on so many levels and is applicable whether you surf 7 days a week or live 1500 miles away from the ocean. Whether you are a committed follower of Christ, new believer or anywhere in between, or you just like great surf photos, this devotional is great for you. We have been using Fearless in our youth Sunday School class and the kids have been loving it. They love the pictures, the scriptures are relevant, the short readings are really easy to follow and connect with and the questions really spark thought and conversation. In a world that's pretty scary and messed up, the idea of fear and God's answer to that fear is so important. Buy this book. Read it. Use it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and benefited from it. The writing is excellent, the photos are terrific, and the messages are truly inspiring.

how often do you find a great devotion and coffee-table book in one? the cover caught my attention and i started flipping through this book to look at the (fabulous) pictures. before long i found myself reading the insightful, surprisingly personal questions and great scripture excerpts. i've really enjoyed dwelling in the devotions and i look forward to more books by these authors.

Just finished the book in one sitting and I could not put it down! Shawn and Gwenn's story is so inspiring and the book is incredibly funny!

I had seen the two of them speak while I was a student at UVA and was inspired the first time too. Shawn has been an advocate, friend, Homecoming King, musician, husband, and author in 30 years on this planet. Much more than most people will ever do in 90. Do yourself a favor and buy this book right now! And then join me in anticipation of the next one!

Despite the hardships that he has faced throughout his life Shawn Decker has shown that it is possible to be positive, happy, and accepting- even when those around him did not understand or accept him themselves. Through this book Shawn uses his humor and intelligence to teach not only about HIV but about how to be a better human. As someone who has suffered through hardships of their own I know what a difficult task this can be yet Shawn pulls it off effortlessly and with grace. This book so captured my mind and my heart I read it in one sitting. I laughed, I cried, and I learned. Everyone should read this book.

This is a well-written book about living with a life-threatening disease. Decker writes with humor about the fear and adjustments he and his family go through as they come to terms with his disease. At times hilarious, often poignant, I loved it. I bought it for the people I love who are going through the same thing.

Simply a great book. The author is my age and I felt a connection in his stories. It didn't matter that I have not been directly connected to someone with HIV or Aids. The story has an amazing love story built in to a life full of love, support and true creativity. Excellent read!

I have been anticipating this book for quite sometime after stumbling onto Shawn's page on myspace- then meeting him one night at a local restaurant. I read the book in one day- I could not put it down. He writes about his life in such an easy and charming way that you really feel like you were there with him the whole time. Gwenn, his family and friends are amazing- and I am so happy to have gotten to know them better through the book. This book is wonderful and I am so happy that Shawn did something positive with his pet virus instead of letting it take over his life. I also am waiting for the sequel. :) Everyone should read this book. You are one of my heroes Shawn...well done!

This book is not just another tale of a personal fight with cancer. Rather, it is an account of Ms. Hansen's focus on cure for the sake of her family. She injects both humor and honesty during very harrowing times without minimizing the impact it had on her. As a physician, I believe that everyone in the healthcare field should read this book as it gives a very realistic perspective of the fears, wishes and hopes of someone facing a life threatening illness.

Plain speaking Virginia Hansen relates a harrowing tale of one family's battle against Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

This book makes two important contributions: One, it provides step by step real-world instructions for combating a vicious and persistent disease and secondly, it clarifies the uses of stem cells and stem cell applications. The reader can plainly see that stem cell research is not the "boogeyman" some would like us to believe.

Please note, this is not a medical "textbook" account of this disease; rather, it is a heartfelt monologue about a personal triumph over fear and uncertainty.

Michael and Judy

This book was such an inspiration to me as I felt while reading it I was actually there with Ginny. Not only informative but such honesty and the raw truth of what she endured will help me and others to be a better friend, mother, wife and all around person in the event that I have a loved one with such an unforgiving disease. She left me wanting so much more and I am sure she will deliver. Thank you so much Ginny for putting to paper such an incredible story and making it available for all to read and learn from.

As a physician, my ears perked up when I heard the author interviewed on TV last week. I met the author and purchased her book at a booksigning the next day. I later read the entire book in one sitting. It has the ring of authenticity, and is recommended to anyone, even if you think neither you nor anyone you know will ever get cancer.

The book is written in an entertaining, conversational, sometimes humorous, sometimes dramatic, style and always pure Ginny. Thank goodness for the health care giver who advised the author to keep a journal, this brings an immediacy to her story which is hard to duplicate.

Perhaps not the best book for hypochondriacs (a chronic itch becomes a clue to cancer), this book may save more lives than many physicians, simply by illustrating the importance of listening to what your body tells you. It also slips in tips on being assertive when managing your own care. Unlike most treatments of the subject, there is little or no bitterness over the usual early 'missed diagnosis'. Instead, the book is definitely upbeat. Her story demonstrates the importance of having someone with you at all times to serve as an advocate.

This book will be helpful to anyone who has felt uncomfortable knowing what to say when they learn that someone they know or care about has cancer. There are some inspiring heartwarming moments in this book that I will not divulge.

We have been privileged to share an inside look into what it's like to be a patient, and more importantly, what it takes to survive the sometimes bewildering hurdles that confront us when we are least capable of dealing with difficulties. Ginny obviously was blessed with that goodnatured 'cancer personality' which all too often seems to be afflicted with this adversity.

Author and cancer survivor Virginia Hansen has written a book that is not only entertaining and informative, but it is also inspirational. Her debut book "Stems of Life" is a personal memoir of her courageous fight for her life against cancer.

The author uses a simple narrative to weave her life experience. She shares the inmate details of her battle against Hodgkins Lymphoma in much the same way that one would have a conversation with an old friend. Her writing style allows the reader to feel like the author is personally relating her experiences to you. It feels like you are sitting cross the kitchen table having coffee together.

This book could become a life saver for some people but it is certainly an inspirational story for all people to read regardless if they are struggling with some life threatening disease or not. I was personally moved and felt a desire to learn more about this woman.

I first meet the author at the television studios of Channel 10 in Sacramento this year (2007) where we were both waiting in the greenroom for our on-air interviews. She came across then, as someone very special, even though she makes no pretense to be anyone other than herself. She is more than just a cancer survivor--she is a real hero! I feel privileged to have run into her and to have read her wonderful book.

The American Authors Association (AAA) has nominated this book for one of its yearly awards and gives it their highest book rating of FIVE STARS! I also personally endorse and recommend this book!

This book is so comprehensive and informative. It covers every kind of adoption - foster care, state, private, domestic and international. It has tips for paying for your adoption and lots of inspirational stories at the end of each chapter. I highly recommend this book and can't wait until we bring our own little one home!

This book was very well written in both its content and sentiment. Some adoption guides are technical and hard to read and I found this book to be neither. In addition to having great information regarding the various aspects of adoption, there are heart warming stories from adoptive parents and adoptees whose names you will recognize. This book is a must read!

My husband and I felt more confident about going through all of the steps of adoption after reading this book. This book tells you what the different types of adoption there are and what steps are necessary in each case. It is very detailed and helpful.

If you are considering adoption, this is a wonderful resource.

This book is 300% better than the first adoption book I chose to learn about this delicate subject. It has helped tremendously in reconciling feelings about adoption and my faith, as well as provide useful information in a very clear presentation. A must-read for anyone considering adoption!

This book has been such an encouragement to me in our family's adoption journey. It is inspiring and informative. A unique feature of this book is that is includes sample copies of documents needed for adoption paperwork.

I'm not a science fan but I loved learning about the space program and the rockets. I read the book within a few hours. Nice job, authors.

I'm not a science fan but I loved learning about the space program and the rockets. I read the book within a few hours. Nice job, authors.

I really enjoyed learning about this private base where our rockets were developed. The writers made it so clear and easy to read. Neat!

I bet those two authors couldn't get on that base today. How lucky we are to have this book prior to terrorism. It gives a good feel on what goes on behind the scenes. The postcard photos are great.

I bet the authors wouldn't get clearance now to go to this government base...what with 9/11 and all the terrorism. That makes this book all the more valuable and treasured. Neat photos and fun info.

Having read the first book in this series, I couldn't wait to read Con's story and I was not disappointed. Ms. Kantra in a master of characterization.

I thoroughly enjoyed Con's story -- one of the best books I've read all year. Con is a very real-life hero, intelligent enough to think before reacting. He accepts that the heroine, Val, isn't a ninny but rather an independent woman who just needs a helping hand. I adored Con and can't wait for Sean's story! Hurry up September!

Virginia Kantra's writing is, quite simply, extraordinary. Humor, tenderness, action, sizzling sensuality -- this story has it all, and then some. With vivid, evocative prose, the author creates characters whose heartbeats become the reader's own. While sexual tension shimmers throughout THE COMEBACK OF CON MACNEILL, not once does it seem artificial or contrived, but rather a natural, explosive reaction between two brilliantly crafted characters. And her ability to tightly interweave the romance with other aspects of the plot is unsurpassed. Brava!

Virginia Kantra has joined my list of favorite authors, after I read a few other books and then stumbled across Book 2 of the O'Neill brothers trilogy (the first book is Kantra's second THE PASSION OF PATRICK O'NEILL; the third book is THE TEMPTATION OF SEAN O'NEILL). Another book MAD DOG AND ANNIE is a sequel to some of the events that take place in THE COMEBACK OF CON O'NEILL, although both books can pretty much stand on their own - which is the secret of a great series romance.

Kantra writes category romance, i.e. romances published in a monthly line by publishers such as Harlequin and Silhouette. I cut my eye-teeth on category romances (along with Georgette Heyer), but most of the authors I loved back then leave me cold now.

Kantra's second book of her O'Neill trilogy is set in a small town. Financial consultant Con O'Neill, with his lean clever face, has been forced out of Boston and his high-paying and high-flying job. Not only has he lost his job, but also his fiancee. Con comes to small town USA when he is hired for a job or project by the local bank president - to bail his daughter Val out of trouble with her restaurant. This is small potatoes for Con, but if he can pull off the job, he will get a badly-needed recommendation with which to stage his comeback to the world of high finance.

Con is not too enthusiastic. What does he know about restaurants after all? Pretty soon, he realizes that Val Cutler, the restaurant owner, is something special. Val has her own demons too - including being emotionally smothered by her too-helpful father and her distant mother. She wants to run a purely vegetarian show in a town where the usual call is for steak and fries. Con tries to reorient her cuisine with unexpected results. He then begins poking into the business's finances with even more unexpected results.

Woven into this story of a woman's effort to prove herself to her father and the town is the story of her friend Annie who is married to the local "golden boy" [For more on that, read MAD DOG AND ANNIE]. There is suspense, there is heartache, and there is the need to combat prejudices of all kinds - the town's against the outsider Con and for the local "star", Val's father's about his daughter's efforts to make her own living, and more. Throughout this, there winds a honeyed strain of sexual tension (along with tension of another kind) which brings the book to a dramatic close.

Con and Val's problems are not solved by the end. We know that life will be a struggle, and that Con will have to make a choice - between big-city glamour and fame and small-town success. Elder brother Patrick, his second wife Kate and their family make a brief appearance.

If you liked this book, try either the last part of the O'Neill trilogy or MAD DOG AND ANNIE (which tells the heartbreaking story of Val's friend).

After reading THE PASSION OF PATRICK MACNEILL, I had certain expectations for Con. He had to be strong, handsome, intelligent and most of all compassionate. His story had to have the same depth of emotion and character, the same intense and quality writing. That seemed a lot to ask, but I did anyway.
I wasn't disappointed. THE COMEBACK OF CON MACNEILL is just as well written as Patrick's story. Virginia has consistently given us strong men, and holding her to that, I'm looking forward to Sean's story, which is now on shelves.
For those of you who don't normally read category romance, this series about three brothers is one that might just make you change your mind.
~sue
Sue Waldeck
Road to Romance
http://www.roadtoromance.dhs.org

As a person who was not born and raised in West Virginia, Loughry's book was an eye-opener. It takes the reader beyond the flippant comments and sound bites that emerge every political season, to give one a baseline, if you will, of the sordid past of politics in the state. The political shenanigans occur on both sides of the aisle, and some of the strange bedfellows that emerged at various times are truly fascinating.

The book begins with the Kennedy campaign and how a largely Protestant state voted for Kennedy, a Catholic, and changed the balance between Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in a primary season very different from what we see today. Loughry takes us into the inner workings of the political machines, lubricated by money from Joseph Kennedy (who is responsible, verbatim, for the title of the book).

From there the book shifts backwards to the development of political bosses of the distant past and then takes us through to some of the aspects of politics in play to this day.

I cannot verify Loughry's claim that everything he has gathered is verifiable through media excerpts, but I can say that it is a fascinating read that is a must for any armchair politician in the state, and a great read for anyone interested in how our the voting process works or does not work

After having this book recommended to me, I was a bit skeptical, figuring it too dry for my taste, but I was immediately drawn in and had trouble putting it down. Growing up in West Virginia I was startled at how deep the corruption in politics has been and its continuing nature. The book examines corruption itself in a very fair and even manner without attacking any particular group. After reading this, the need for election reform and accountability in public office is obvious. Not just for West Virginia but for the country. I found the book to be interesting, informative, entertaining at times, and very thought provoking. I would recommend it to anyone, whether or not they have an interest in politics. I can even see the value of the book as a required text for high school students because it provides a taste of history that is sometimes buried, along with a plan for the future.

Don't Buy Another Vote....is a wonderful, easy to read, eye-opening book. I think everyone including college students, West Virginians, people that follow politics very closely, and people that just vote should read. It is a very honest look at political corruption with a little humor along the way. Very well written! Go get a copy!!!!

I just finished "Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay For A Landslide" and find it to be one of the most amazing books I have ever read! I started reading and surprisingly, I couldn't put it down. Being a political junkie I thought I knew just about everything about politics, but this book breaks it down to a much more detailed level in a very comprehensive, yet readable way. The detail is mindboggling, but the conversational style of the author is refreshing.
In all of my years of reading political books and following politics, this is the first time I have ever read a book written in such a non partisan manner. I was skeptical at first because individuals often proclaim to be non partisan and write without bias, but that rarely is ever the case. The author is an equal opportunity offender, but it is clear that he doesn't pick on anybody. Instead, he tells the story of incredible corruption broken down at a state level. It includes amazing information about Mother Jones, the Hatfields and McCoys, the Coal Mine Wars, governors going to jail, a state attorney general hiring hit man to kill one of his deputies, another governor having his wife bribe a juror, a judge who bit the end off of a defendant's nose, and countless other stories. What makes this book different, however, is the that author provides a step-by-step way to fix the system that can be applied to all fifty states. This guy should run for Governor or U.S. Senator because we lack these types of visionaries in state and federal government these days.
This book should be read by everyone with any interest in politics, history, psychology, elections, etc.... I was overwhelmed and have told everyone I know. Every single high school student in America should be given a copy of this book as they graduate. This book changed my life! READ THIS BOOK!!!!

Dr. Allen Loughry's "Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay for a Landslide" is truly a breath of fresh air in a genre that sorely needed it. Most books written these days about the political arena and the corrupt nature attendant to it are riddled with shortcomings and philosophical pitfalls and, in the end, simply don't deliver. More often than not they serve to advance the agenda of their own writer, and the most painful part of the whole experience is how patently transparent that writer's intentions are. They provide little more than a laundry list of rants by an author perched high atop his/her soap box driven by a far greater concern for hijacking the pages of his/her own publication to simply rail against the establishment. The greater problem with this is how rarely they provide anything substantive in the way of suggested remedies for a very broken and morally bankrupt system that rules the day in American politics.

With "Don't Buy Another Vote" Loughry breaks that mold. His writing is not only to the complete contrary of such a dissatisfying style, but it downright hits home. This is the political narrative that we've all been waiting to read, and it was well worth the wait. Unlike may authors who complain about the proverbial weather without doing anything to change it, Loughry does plenty, or at least he inspires us to do so. Not only does he call nearly 150 years worth of corrupt West Virginia officials out on the carpet for their egregious misdeeds, but he also provides suggestions for the type of reform he feels is necessary to correct this longstanding crisis.

Loughry's "Contract With the Voter" is as innovative and well thought out as it is groundbreaking. Before the smoke settles, don't be surprised if this model for change might very well be adopted as the accepted norm for those seeking office not just in the Mountain State, but in any state. It's prolific in its simplicity and after reading it you'll find yourself saying..."Yes, why can't we implement something like THAT!?" From cover to cover Loughry's message resonates and his voice is true to the mark. A crisp writing style that goes a long way toward walking us through a murky history in which nothing sacred holds. A must read for all of us, irrespective of our own political affiliations. Loughry points out that corruption is not confined to party lines. Neither, for that matter, is the book now chronicling its long and ugly history in West Virginia.

"Martin's Hundred" by Ivor Noel Hume is as exciting as a detective story and contains the best prose ever spilled on the subject of archaeology. Hume, the Father of Historical Archaeology, was the head archaeologist at Colonial Williamsburg (CW) for many years, and was once given the job of archaeologically investigating the expansive grounds of the James River estate known as Carter's Grove. He was actually looking for the underground remains of 18th century buildings that could be interpreted during tours of the mansion, which was to about to open to the public. What Hume and his associates actually found, completely by accident (as the best mysteries always unravel), was what was left of 17th century Wolstenholme Towne - an English settlement at a place called Martin's Hundred that had been completely lost to history after its destruction in the Indian Massacre of 1622. This book gives a blow by blow description of the finding and further excavations of this long lost settlement, and describes in exciting detail how the archaeologists and other researchers searched the globe for answers to the mysteries and questions raised by the dig. The story takes the reader from Virginia to England, Bermuda, Turkey, Holland and back to Virginia on an epic quest of high adventure. When I first read this book I was a young student archaeologist at Jamestown, Virginia, and overnight it became the best book about an archaeological excavation that I had ever read - although I had not read many at that point. A decade later, and after reading countless other popular and academic books, reports, and articles as a professional archaeologist, "Martin's Hundred" is still by far my favorite. Archaeologists normally write site reports, and if they actually publish anything at all it is laden with all kinds of anthropological jargon and dry, factual descriptions that the public (and even many other archaeologists!) can't understand. This book is the antithesis of that because it was written by a self-effacing, humorous, English gentleman with a great talent for using the English language as it is supposed to be used - with grace and flair and a unique style. I give this book the highest recommendation possible, and only wish that there were more books about archaeology as great as this one is.

I first read "Martin's Hundred" while I was in elementary school and hung on every word. Fifteen years later I bought a copy and reread it, and I have read it again every three or four years for another decade still. Here's why "Martin's Hundred" is so good: Ivor Noel Hume's prose. Gentle, funny, self-effacing, and erudite, Hume's narrative of archeological discovery is a nonfiction page-turner. The evidence of a 17th-century English colony in Virginia is fragmentary, and only luck and patient scholarship sustained over many years yields a coherent picture of what happened and when. In the hands of some writers this could be deadly material, but Hume's elegant turn of phrase makes the story crackle along. This is a book to curl up with on a rainy day.

It is rare that an academic book, no matter what the subject, will both inform as well as entertain. This book does both in spades. It details the four-year excavation project (much of it supported by the National Geographic Society) of part of the Carter's Grove plantation, near Jamestown, Virginia, in the hopes of finding evidence of earlier inhabitation and clues to the 1622 Indian "massacre" that occured there. Before it was all over, a fort, a lost town (Wolstenholme Towne), and the skeletal remains of at least three victims of the Indian attack were unearthed. Hume tells of the archealogical excavation in great detail, yet avaoids the ho-hum pitfalls such detailed scientific explanations might produce by utilizing a very approachable style, filled with humor and good cheer, especially when the weather got bad. Even archeologists are human after all, and false leads, wild goose chases, and seemingly endless unanswerable questions plague them as much as the rest of us; Hume's dealing with that in very human terms we all can appreciate makes this book a welcomed exception to the general rule. An excellent book.

One small quibble: in discussing the wooden palisade that surrounded the fort, Hume refers to a "Fort Laramie-style wall of pointed tree trunks." It's true that many American forts in the West had that kind of protective wall around them, but Fort Laramie never did; it had no wall around it at all.

I purchased this book on a visit to Williamsburg and it sat on my shelf for quite a while before I seriously dove in. This book combines a clear explaination of archaeological methods with the building suspense of a good detective novel. As The author and his team uncover the existence of an early Virginia colony and utilize an astounding range of techniques and research to slowly piece together the lives of the inhabitants you will be drawn into the past. More than that you will be excited to read on and discover with these archaeologists what really happened. I.N. Hume writes eloquently on all aspects of organizing and proceeding with a project of this scale and mixes those details regarding administration and method with the fascinating story of the settlement of Martin's Hundred flawlessly. I could not imagine a better introduction to the discipline of archaeology for the layperson.

It's been said that the extent of most Americans' knowledge of their colonial history encompasses the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In fact much else occurred over a period of almost 200 years: the Lost Colony at Roanoke, the Dutch colony of New Netherland, Roger Williams and William Penn's settlement of Rhode Island and Pennsylvania as havens for religious freedom, the bloodiest per capita conflict on American soil (King Phillip's War), the Palatine migration of the 1700s...

On the eve of the 400th anniversary of the first permanent settlement in America, Jamestown, Ivor Noel Hume's "Martin's Hundred" is an excellent launching point for learning about our antecedents and their attempts at colonization in the New World. Martin's Hundred was settled not far from Jamestown only 12 years after the first Jamestown settlers arrived. At one time the settlement had several hundred residents, with a fort, potter's hut, dwellings, etc. The "town" holds the distinction of being the first settlement destroyed by Indians, in 1622, when two-thirds of the populace was massacred. There was a fitful effort to reestablish the village, but it eventually died out. It was plowed under in the 18th century after a plantation, Carter's Grove, was built on top of it.

The exact location of the Martin's Hundred settlement was unknown until the 1970s, when archaeologist Hume chanced upon it during preparations for a renaissance of Carter's Grove. Hume's book traces the archaeological discoveries and subsequent research of this fascinating village. I was more intrigued by the history, while the archaeological discussion of potsherds and postholes became a little tedious. However, the reader comes away with a great appreciation for the patience, research, and organization that accompanies historical archaeology. Hume had to deal not only with pesky reporters, for whom the discovery represented major news in the popular press, but also cold, rainy weather conditions (which had the potential to destroy valuable artifacts), and the fickle reliability of summer interns.

Hume comes across as a true Renaissance man. For many of the clues and artifacts, he consulted obscure European etchings and paintings of the early 17th century, using these to substantiate many of his finds. A discriminating reader might view this with a jaundiced eye, but Hume is humble enough to avoid making sweeping pronouncements of his finds.

I can't imagine a better introduction to historical archaeology than "Martin's Hundred." Just continue plunging past the endless potsherds and postholes, and you'll be rewarded; much like what happened to me when I saw the photo of a piece of porcelain with the year "1631" etched into it. Truly breathtaking.

I purchased this book because my husband and I are planning a second child. Our daughter is now four years old, and I suffer from several problems postpartum that I have seen numerous specialists about. I am currently under the care of an acupuncturist and am definitely benefitting from the information in this book. I agree with the author 100% in that without the proper nutrition and suplementation, it is hard to recover from pregnancy. Here's to a very healthy second!

In the West there are a few misconceptions that need to be dispelled. The first is that your body does not have to go downhill after pregnancy. The second is that the postpartum period is a genuine time for recovery and should not be neglected. A Natural Guide to Pregnancy and Postpartum Health is so helpful. It really lays out a comprehensive and clear outline for your nutritional and supplemental needs during pregnancy and postpartum. The bottom line... women's bodies get depleted during pregnancy and postpartum which can lead to all sorts of health problems. The authors of this book have mapped out a path to really overcome these challenges. They have also created a line of supplements which are truly fabulous. I have used them all the way through my pregnancy and now postpartum. Thank you Dr. Raffelock and your wonderful team.... you are truly setting new standards for health in America.

This book gives so much information about biochemical processes in the human body, that most people will benefit from it. I have never had a baby, yet it was incredibly helpful to me. I've bought this book as a gift for many friends and I highly recommend it.

This book is so excellent! Everyone should read it, whether having a baby or not! It explains why our body needs certain nutrients and how easily nutrients can become depleted and stay depleted for years and lead to disease. It explains the "why" of things you're always hearing, such as don't eat sugar and flour, or eat more protein. Once you read it and understand how your body works, you feel really motivated to make the extra effort to provide your body with the foods it needs. Also, this book explains some very important things that you need to know postpartum. Especially, if you have a second child, the nutrient depletion from the first child will make your second pregnancy difficult if you don't start restoring nutrients as soon as you can. I wish I had known this before my second pregnancy. This book is very helpful! Get it asap! In our society there is hardly any acknowledgement of how much your body goes through in having a baby. POstpartum problems aren't addressed. Women are expected to have a baby and then be back at work a few months later. This book explains why you need to help your body recover, and what you need to do.

This book is the first one that I have personally read that actually addresses physical needs and deprevations after pregnancy. I have been reading this book since my fourth month of pregnancy and I continually find myself using it as a resource for feeling like I did before my pregnancy. I am recovering so fast. I actually gained 60 healthy lbs. during my pregnancy and after only three months I have shed 50 of it. To be honest with you, I haven't had time to work out, but if you read in this book, now isn't the time to stress our bodies that way; we are equiped to recover naturally and Dr. Raffelock is an expert on just that. I recommend this book to any woman in post-partum recovery. However, I felt that it was even more beneficial to have this book as a resource durng my pregnancy, because it set the right tone for the events to follow.

I first heard of this book when I was in 5th grade (about 10-11 yrs. old)...I'm 28 now. My African-American teacher would read us stories from it. I remember enjoying the stories so much that I bought this book for my son about 2 yrs. ago. My son is almost 3 now & while he can't read yet, I know he will enjoy the stories as much as I have. This book comes with a CD & is narrated by the author & James Earl Jones...the narration was well done. I listened to the CD & I felt as if I had gone back in time. The narrators are so vivid & they really get your attention. The CD is definitely a plus & the book was well written. I really like that the stories have morals & life lessons that we can learn from. I recommend buying this version of the book because it comes with the CD. I also recommend this book for children 9 & up. This book would be a great addition to anyone's book collection. I hope my review is helpful.

I read this book when I was in elementary school and fell in love with it. Virginia Hamilton really captures the essence of West African story telling and transfers that essence into American form. As an educator and historian, the lessons in this book has stayed with me for well over 18 yrs and I suspect the lessons will remain with me forever. I recommend that this book is on the shelves of every African American family.

As a storyteller and folklorist/historian, it saddens me that so few children today know anything about the joys of hearing a good tale from a wise elder. In Black America in particular, generations of children (including my father, thank God) had the wonderful tales of Brer Rabbit, Little 8 John, Raw head & Bloody Bones, Wiley & The Hairy Man, and the People Who Could Fly (title story) told to them as today's children are familiar with Kim Possible and the Proud Family.

I bought this for my beloved niece when she was eight and pretty soon, she began entertaining the children of the neighborhood with these tales just as I did after listening to my dad and I still do during storytelling gigs today.

Virginia Hamilton (RIP) did a masterful work in leaving this beautiful legacy to a generation where it is fast disappearing. She does a good job in interpreting the likes of Wiley the Hairy man, Raw Head and Bloody Bones (the PC crowd occasionally complains about this being too scary for kids as well as Brer Rabbit-let these crybaby fools go ahead with that sickening Barney the Dinosaur and the care bears). The edition that I bought for my neice was before the CD with Miss Hamilton and voicemaster James Earl Jones came out, but I have younger neices and nephews (and hopefully my own children in the future) that I will certainly look out for this for.

Another reason why this collection is in such need is that often, African-American parents (rightfully) complain about the lack of wholesome entertainment for their children in particular. Unfortunately, most parents of today were not exposed to these stories as I was and this often leads to well-intentioned but foolish recent activities such as the NAACP here in Charleston (SC) complaining about the lack of Black Santa Clauses in the local malls. As Miss Hamilton and those of us raised in the folklore tradition know, we have enough good things of our own culture to pass down to children than to worry of the color of Santa Claus.

Buy this, reconnect with your children, and enjoy.

This book is a trifecta:

1. You get to hear the author read her own writing. If you want to hear Virginia Hamilton and James Earl Jones adding their own special lyrical beauty to the reading of these stories, then purchase this version. Considering that Ms. Hamilton died in 2002, this CD is a must have.

I think it is important for children to hear the author reading their own work. So if you can't get to a book reading by the author, this is the next best thing. And you get to hear it over and over again.

2. The illustrations are magical, delicate, and powerful. Every child (but especially black and white) in this nation should hear the stories in this book. Before they know color issues, they should get to know the beauty and dignity of brown skin. To hear the dignity, power, and humanity of their own heritage or that of someone elses, before a world of anger taints them.

3. At the end of each story is a brief history of the story: it's origin, and variations, and other facts that help the story to become more real and personal, especially for a child who wants to know more about their heritage. This will inspire them to ask questions and (if they're older) do research as it cause me to do.

I read this to my daughter, Rachel, and she really enjoyed it. She smiled throughout the entire book. She loved the animal folktales about Bruh Rabbit, and Bruh Fox. She trembled with delight at the reading of the scary tales. As for her mother, my favorite was the title tale, The People Could Fly. It was magical!