Carousels Books

I loved this novel. I thought the character of Meredith was amazingly real, even within the first chapter. I loved the balance of cynicism and confidence. Really great and relatable faux memoir.

I was also intrigued by the story and the cover of the book, and I was immersed from the time I picked it up and started reading. What I especially liked about the novel was how it spanned several years and truly showed Meredith's growth and the changing ways she viewed her parents. I thought the depiction of her mother and father was classic and right on. Katherine Tanney didn't try to sugarcoat or mask the inner workings of a not-so-perfect family, creating such realistic characters that I cringed at some of the dialogue and scenes because I felt how painful Meredith's life was. I definitely recommend this book.

A Carousel of Progress is an intense journey, albeit laced with some humor, which is seen through the eyes of a fourteen year old. For those who can relate to growing up in the seventies, this book provides an interesting look back at the historic relevance of Meredith's emotional journey. Women's roles, at that time, are changing while the protagonist is trying to define who she really is and where she is going. Her mother and step-mother are poor role models. Caught in a turbulent divorce, her sense of self becomes disjointed. Although the book is interesting, I found myself lost in the characters anger and constant bickering. I wanted more; the characters needed more dimension. I enjoyed going back to the early, chaotic days of teenage years in the seventies, but I completed the book wanting more substance!

I was attracted to this book by its cover and I was pleased at what this book had to offer. I was in the mood for a shallow book, and this fit the bill. Overall comedic and entertaining, but much more than that as the story progresses. You fall deeper into the characters, and realize that though your parents may have not went through a divorce, you can relate to Meredith (main character) on a personal level. Read it when you are in for humor, cynism and slight flash back to your teen years.

I couldn't put this book down, because the story was so compelling. Meredith was believable. I loved how Tanney portrayed her affection for her brother and her relationships with everyone.

But I do have a question...any idea why Kim's pregnancy wasn't addressed head on? And I didn't understand why Tanney wrote in a scene where Leo tells Meredith she will be better off without Kim, and then dances around Kim's pregnancy and maybe Meredith's feelings for Kim... Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Compact book decoration that opens to intricate papercutting scenes of the biblical Christmas story. Great gift reminding of true meaning of Christmas. Works well as a centerpiece or can be hung from loop.

This is a really lovely telling of the Christmas story. The intricate paper cut-outs of six Christmas scenes along with a one sentence description of the scene are so well done that I bought a copy for myself as well as for the daugher of a friend of mine. Highly recommended.

I have purchased this for my "mother" not in law (my partner's mother), friend's who have children, my neice who had twins last year and for our own home. It is a lovely piece of art and a beatifully crafted.

This book looks more like a piece of art than a pop-up book. The three dimentional cut-work pages are masterfully done.

The book was above my expectations. Such a lovely idea to display the Nativity story. I'm going to order another. Great service!

The stiff, easily broken paper won't lie flat or hold intended positions. The book is always misshapen when opened and problems can't be corrected. Ribbons are very weak and don't close the covers when tied.

This is a great book for any Harry Potter fan!! When you open the book it turns into a 3D Hogwarts. There are 4 pages with 8 areas inclucing: Harrys bedroom, Griffindor common room, the great hall, snapes classroom, the library, the trophy room etc with lots of pop up surprises and flaps to open. It also comes comes with punch out paper dolls of characters and the sorting hat for hours of creative play. I would recomend this book to anyone but especially for children who love Harry. I love this book and it brings out the child in me!

Hello my name is nathalia. I love this movie and Im reading the books,I dont speak english soo im reading the book in espanich.Im going to buy the books are in english but I thing Harry Potter is a good book.My mother said this book is important because when the children read it the now what is the magic.I think is a good book because when I haved 6 years old(now I have 12)my mother said me all we do is magic ex:the rain is magic and when we are crying... and the magic is a part of our life.MY father is going to buy me
all the books of H.P I want to talk with daniel radcliffe because I want to ask him some questions about the movie and I want to now how is him.I think H.p is the best book in the world.good bye! thank for read this.

I have read these books and they are exciting for me.They are too good and I want to read the next book fast. I can't wait to read it.

This book is just so neat! It can be used as a toy or decoration! The book opens to form a circle with a lot of the Hogwarts rooms featured in GREAT DETAIL. It's an interesting alternative to reading all about Harry Potter and Hogwarts School, you can actually see another visual representation of what J.K. Rowling invented. It would make a great/unique present for the Harry Potter fan in your life.

Traveling across the country or around the world hasn't been this difficult since the days of covered wagons and tall masted sailing ships. At least back then it was easier to keep track of your luggage! Focusing specifically on the subject of travel luggage, "The Empty Carousel: A Consumer's Guide to Checked And Carry-on Luggage by Scott T. Mueller is an indispensable travel guide for airline passengers traveling today's airlines in an era where there is an average of 10,000 lost luggage pieces each day in the USA alone! In just ten compact chapters of tips, trick, techniques, and practical advice, readers will learn what they must do to insure the safety and retrievability of their luggage with respect to baggage check-in and proper identification; luggage and locks; preparations for packing; luggage damage and insurance coverage; luggage thieves; domestic vs. international compensation for lost or damaged luggage; luggage security at the airport carousel; where luggage goes when it disappears; filing luggage claims with an airline; and 'Make the Best of Your Travel Experience'. Informed and informative, "The Empty Carousel" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone traveling today's airlines, foreign or domestic!

This book contains no useful information for a traveller. It is amazing that the same simplistic statements, avoid checking luggage if posssible, use durable luggage with multiple labels, unpleasant things are likely to happen to your checked baggage as airline service is neither gentle nor caring, could be expanded to 90 pages. The book has the largest typeface I have ever seen outside of a children's publication. There also seems to be a literacy issue if the subtitle is really a "Cunsumer's" Guide. Easily the worst value purchase in my years as an Amazon "consumer".

So what happens when you show up at the airport after a flight, and your luggage decided to take a different itinerary? Those are the questions and issues that Scott T. Mueller deals with in his short self-published book The Empty Carousel: A Consumers Guide to Checked and Carry-on Luggage. This is a very quick read that doesn't guarantee you *won't* lose your bags, but you'll be in a much better position to deal with the situation after reading it.

Contents:
Baggage Check-in - Proper Identification; Luggage and Locks; Before You Pack; Luggage Damage - What's Covered? What's Not?; What Thieves Target and When; Domestic vs. International Compensation - What's Covered? What's Not?; Luggage Security at the Carousel; Where Does Luggage Go When It Disappears?; Filing a Luggage Claim with the Airline; Make the Best of Your Travel Experience

Mueller shares his nearly 20 years of experience in the airline industry when it comes to how the luggage handling system works. When it comes to dealing with lost luggage, he's seen it all... including lost cremated remains of husbands and favorite pets. His goal here is to help you pack properly to avoid damage and expedite the process of reconnecting you and your luggage should you become separated. The first couple of chapters are probably familiar to anyone who's traveled a bit. But when you start into the Before You Pack chapter, you start to see things from the "other side" of the desk. You learn what things the airline will not cover in case of loss (it's a larger list than you'd expect). You'll find out that your definition of luggage damage and the airline's definition are probably different (luggage is designed to protect the contents, not to avoid wear and tear). The process for filing claims is more complex than you'd imagine, and the documentation required to prove value of certain items probably doesn't exist (like receipts for that leather jacket!). Knowing all this going in, you can pack appropriately to decrease the chance of irreplaceable loss, while giving yourself a better chance of a happy outcome should the bags take a different vacation than you did.

My only knock on the book is the size. At 80 pages, it's not very long. Add in the fact that the font type is relatively large and the lines are double-spaced, and you're almost dealing with a bound article instead of a book. That's not meant to diminish the value of the information. In fact, it's likely that the size and format will lend itself to actually reading the material at one sitting. Still, you need to keep that in mind so you're not disappointed when a very thin book shows up in your mailbox.

As my wife and I get ready for a vacation, we'll be using the information we learned here to guard against loss. Hopefully we won't have to use it, but better to be informed and prepared.

If you have spent any amount of time traveling by air you have probably experienced that sick feeling that comes when all the bags have finished coming onto the carousel and yours isn't there. You are not even sure whom to see about finding your bag, but somehow you do. Most of the time the bag either came in on an earlier flight and is off in the corner (but no one told you) or it has been misrouted somewhere and will catch up with you later. But sometimes your stuff has found a worse fate. For a few years back in the 90s I had a gold card and flew all over the world on business. Frankly, having any kind of a problem was rare, but it did happen, and the information here would have helped me. And it will help you.

This handy little book (booklet?) provides a bunch of handy tips on how to protect your stuff, what not to pack, what signals thieves that your bags might have valuables worth taking, what is covered against damage (and why YOU have to prove your claims), and if all else fails, how to file a claim. Plus a lot more.

The author, Scott T. Mueller, was manager for baggage services for an airline. He knows what he is talking about and he shares it with you. The book has ten short chapters: 1) Baggage Check-in & Proper ID, 2) Luggage & Locks, 3) Before You Pack, 4) Luggage Damage & What's Covered, 5) What Thieves Target and When, 6) Domestic vs International Compensation, 7) Luggage Security at the Carousel, 8) Where Does Luggage Go When It Disappears, 9) Filing a Luggage Claim with the Airline, 10) Make the Best of Your Travel Experience.

I like the way each chapter is organized. The text of each chapter is concisely and clearly written. There is a little teaser box at the beginning to get you to read it. And at the end there is a nice list of the points made in the chapter.

Simple, Handy, and Helpful.

Daily we read of the increasing lines at the airports across the US and around the world, the late departures, altered plane assignments at the last minute, and the stringent check-in rules accompanied by long lines. All of that is daunting to the planning traveler, but add to that the frustration and at times disastrous loss of checked in luggage and travel begins to lose its allure.

In this very spare, no nonsense little book Scott T. Mueller has used his personal background as a system manager of baggage services to create a tight and easy to follow guide on both the mysteries of how luggage is lost and, more important, how we as travelers can take the assertive stance to prevent mush of the world wide frustrating problem. Mueller explains how mistakes are made - whether internally or at the baggage carousel - and how to cope with these mistakes. He wisely informs us how to label and mark our luggage, pitfalls to avoid in check-in and pickup of luggage, and even the complex rules and regulations binding the airlines in baggage recovery or reimbursement, giving timelines and inside information on how to take care of things ourselves!

This little book is now an invaluable aid to those who travel either for business or for pleasure, teaching the reader methods to avoid loss and how to manage the process of recouping lost goods - or the reimbursement for same. It is a smart, quick read, full of pertinent information. Grady Harp, September 07

This book is excellent for a 2-year old. It is repetitious and teaches new vocabulary and concepts easily. The text is short and a toddler follows the story easily. It is also fun!

This is a cute short story that is fun to share with your little boy. Mommy or Daddy can read about how father and son are similar. Simple, easy to follow theme that your little boy will love.

I won't give the ending away, but this story is sweet, simple and the art is old fashioned, which is always a treat! Whether Mom or Dad read this one, it always seems to bring a smile to the little one's face when the last page is read aloud.

This is a great book as a read aloud and read along. It's patterned text is very appealing and the surprise ending is great. I give this book as an extra baby gift, because it is so cute. I have probably purchased 10 of these already!!

Frank Asch was on my entering kindergartners Summer Reading List (they simply stated "anything by this author") and to tell you the truth we were not familiar with his work.

Boy were we missing out. We love his stories. They are simple and sweet and really manage to spark a child's imagination.

The other reviewers' have done an excellent job outlining the story, so all I will add is that our household was captivated by this book. We go around finding things that we do "just like daddy".

Lots of fun and a good read.

**See also, www.frankasch.com for the author reading some of his stories. My kids just loved it!

The book had too many random thoughts and notions. I found it to be a confusing and arduous read with no roadmap to its destination.

A thrilling and comic adventure. I could not put this book down. One of the best books of the year. A great debut for a first-time author. I hope we get more from him soon.

Funny. Intelligent. Provocative. Exciting. Fresh.
A breath-taking achievement for a first-time author. I can't wait to see what the author will write next. I'm a fan, and it really made me think about the world around us.

The book can be evocative of Tom Robbins, Robert Penn Warren and many curious combinations in between, resulting in its own exceptional new voice. If you enjoy immersing yourself in sentences as you would a piece of art, you should read this book. I didn't want to skip a single sentence, because I knew if I did I was missing an intriguing reference, a profound thought, a subtle character distinction, or just a good laugh (or snicker -being the more cynical word).

My only complaint is that there are way too many characters, although the author easily makes them plausible. (Also, I have personal issues with The House on the Rock resulting from a disturbing childhood visit.)

Mainly I am just really eager to see what is next from this author. It's not too often that I get excited about a new writer, so this was a very gratifying read.

A creative and cleverly designed story with an interesting narrative perspective. It reads well, and makes you stop and think about yourself at times. Very interesting. Very worthwhile read. This author really knows his breakfast cereals!

My 2 year old daughter loves this book. She knows every word! Every night before bed, she say's "Bird Book?" and we read it together. The illustrations are GORGEOUS, and the story and just happy and sweet. We had this book about a year ago and recently left it behind while on vacation in Florida, so I ordered a new one from Amazon because she couldn't do without it! All in all, a wonderful children's book!

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The illustrations in this book are powerful but very beautiful.

All the farmyard creatures are wide - eyed, with warm, welcoming friendly faces.

They all know something is going on. They all have simple questions to ask. There is something mysterious happening.

Their suspense and curiosity grows.

The arrival of a new baby in the farmhouse is a source of wonderment and delight.

We bought this book when we found out that we were expecting our second child. The book is full of rhymes and repetition, which is perfect for our 2-year old daughter. And most toddlers love animals...my daughter loved pointing out and naming every animal, and the sounds that they make. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

At the end of the book, a new baby comes home. The focus of this book is not about what babies can or cannot do, but rather on the animals talking about the "new one" coming. This would be a good book for a child whether or not there was a new sibling on the way.

My 15-month-old son loves this book's barnyard animals and rhyming text about a mysterious newcomer to the farm. Is the "NEW ONE" a duckling or a piglet? Nope! Take a tour of the farm and find out for yourself with this delightful book.

This has been a great book for introducing my son to the idea that there's a "NEW ONE" coming to our homestead soon. It'll also make a great gift for another little boy I know who's going to be a big brother soon.

This book has incredible illustrations. They are what make the book worth noting. The animals are drawn from unusual perspectives. The horse looms over you (hard to do in a book, I'll admit!), the sparrow perches rather in your face. Small children--even tiny children--will be able to enjoy this book because of the pictures. The story is about a new baby that has arrived on a farmstead--that is what the bird heard. The rhyming text is sweet but predictable. This would be a great book for a toddler with a sibling on the way. (I know my toddler was hoping for one after we read this.) Note, however, that it is a simple book, probably best enjoyed by the under-four crowd.

The autobiography of Dick Clark, in his Riding the Carousel with God, is sure to move any reader. Glimpses of boyhood in a tarpapered cabin 5 miles East of Blaine, of church and school in Blaine, of academic achievements and struggles, of conflicts with church issues, of adventures in Alaska, of dealings with his inner self, of seeking some relief from past hurts and of his present life in Blaine, Wa are most intriguing. Punctuated, here and there, will be essays and comments on religion, establishments, ethics, politics, and much more. For breathers, his readers are treated to "rides on his carousels". Any reader who enjoys mental gymnastics in theology, and in word crafting, will be entertained royally. The author is acquainted with a vast array of disciplines, of authors, and of scholastic pursuits. If you love "axes to grind", Richard Clark has a few. Submitted by: Donald E. Walter, Pastor Emeritus UCC

This is a theological autobiography by an agnostic--a former pastor, shoddily treated by the institutions he served, who took a second career as a sociologist of religion. And yet the reflections interspersed in his autobiography, almost every other chapter, are more theological than sociological, which tells you the Christian faith is something he doesn't quite know how to let go of.

Yet it is also something he can't quite come to terms with. He came of age in the heyday of a liberal Protestantism that wanted to save the Christian faith rather than be saved by it, and failed. You can glimpse that larger cultural story behind his own story, but it never quite comes into focus. It is one of several important themes that never quite come into focus in this genial, quirky, attractive, sad and ultimately unsatisfying book.

How do you judge another man's autobiography? (But you asked me to do it, Dick--you even twisted my arm, electronically speaking!) In literary terms, this is apprentice-work, a first try at autobiography by someone who might have written a very fine book if he had 20 more years to practice the craft of matching words to the intractable depths of the heart.

For it's something about the heart that never gets into focus here, looming behind every page but never clearly seen. When Dick Clark goes to school, which he does often, we hear about nearly every course he takes or teaches, but we don't hear about his friendships, the people he loved. We learn the names of men and women who mattered to him--mostly teachers--but we don't really learn why they mattered.

And then there's the sadness at the heart of the book, in an episode where an Anglican bishop who doesn't know how to care for his emotionally hurting priest pretends he has no obligation to care, and this sends the priest, Dick Clark, further into depression and eventually agnosticism, though we never quite learn why. We have to guess, and the culmination of this part of the story gives us plenty to guess at: near the end of the book we get the transcript of an interview recorded many years later, when Dick, now an ex-priest but still clearly hurting, tries to get some kind of recognition from the bishop's successor, who has been pretending for years that he is a kind of non-person, not answering his letters, and so forth. The bishop's lawyer is in the room, too, which is why you know from the start that nothing good will come of this.

But what you don't know--does Dick know?--is why this still matters to him so much, and why exactly it led to his loss of faith, and what kind of reconciliation he was really hoping for. That's the hidden thread of this story, woven into it everywhere but never fully visible. Our human loves echo our divine loves, and I have to guess that what he wanted from that bishop was something like what he still wants from God, and that this has to do, too, with the friendships that do not quite show up in his autobiography, replaced by heartbreaking theological meditations on kindness, koinonia, fantasy and solipsism.

You can tell from this book: this would be a good man to get to know. But that would mean also getting to know a sadness which does not come fully to light here. Another guess: the carousel is this agnostic's favorite metaphor for his relationship with God because in his experience it never gets him anywhere, even though it keeps him moving. If that's the heart of the sadness here, then I want to imagine what it would be like for Dick Clark to step off the carousel and set foot on a journey--that ancient metaphor for the Christian life--with Christ as both companion and goal.

Though dense with theological and classical allusions,Richard Clark's book nevertheless exudes humanity and a quest for meaning both personal and for man(woman)kind as well. It is clear that Clark's life was permanently scarred by his rejection by organized religion - not once, but twice, leading him on a long and peripatetic journey; but out of this crucible he has remarkably emerged as a compassionate observer and participant in the carousel of life. It is a work to be read and re-read, easily done by picking individual essays at random. It is an admirable accomplishment and - to use a word he distills as mankind's need, kindness - Clark has shown us that nothing but kindness can salve all wounds, ours and Mother Earth's.

I loved this book and am also unable to easily describe or explain it -- it defies simple categorization. Richard Clark alternates the chronological story of his life with essays which furnish him with the opportunity of expressing his wide ranging views on God and our place in His universe. This he does with an extraordinary mixture of learned discourse (he was a Baptist minister and Anglican priest and also holds degrees in Sociology and the Humanities) and self effacing insights which are not only wise but very witty and humorous as well. His Carousel takes us on a grand ride.

Infamous Blaine, Washington author and historian Dick Clark strikes again! In his latest book Carousel, Clark grows in his writing from being the local town historian to becoming the local town philosopher. Clark lays his ideas and opinions out in the open for all to read. Carousel intertwines two components vital to who the author is, his life experiences from childhood to present and his carousel ride, that is, his relationship with God. From his birth in Wenatchee, WA to his service in the Baptist and Anglican churches, Clark's autobiography is eclectic and far from boring! A heresy trial by the Baptist Church in Alberta, Canada and bouts with severe depression to teaching assignments and service with the US military in the outskirts of Alaska compose the mosaic that is Dick Clark. His philosophical essays vary from spiritualism and fundamentalism to hypocrisy and religiosity. Some may view Clark's writing as eccentric, including many of those who know him well. Above all, Clark pushes the envelope with ideas provoking thought and discussion. Carousel is a must for a reader looking for a unique twist on today's mainstream philosophy and theology.
Clark is also the author of Point Roberts, USA and Sam Hill's Peace Arch.

Once again Charles Grant takes the reader on a chill inducing visit to his haunted town of Oxrun. The Pilgrim's Travelers Carnival has arrived and it is something to see, just stay away from the Carousel, as the quartet of novellas introduced by Oxrun's resident, and always anonymous, writer and reluctant historian repeatedly warn. Like Ray Bradbury's 'Something Wicked this Way Comes', which a cover blurb compares this novel/collection to, Grant's The Black Carousel is a sweetly melancholic and unsettling reading experience. New readers beware, you are in for an addictive treat. One that should be read while wrapped in a blanket so you can try and smother the chills it will give you. Also be prepared to start combing the used book racks for Grant's other Oxrun titles, you'll be wanting to visit Oxrun again and again. Highly recommended.

THE BLACK CAROUSEL is an intriguing beginning but feels like a prelude to further works, rather than a complete story. How about bringing the rest of the Oxrun Station novels back into print so we can read the rest? Grant's prose is, as always, a pleasure to read.

I just recently read this book and loved it. My only complaint is that there weren't more stories to make the book last longer. Each short story was wonderfully written and completely eerie. It was very reminiscent of Ray Bradbury whose books I have read over and over. I have to say that Charles Grant is now up there with some of my favorite horror writers of all time.

One story that particularly spooked me was the one about the little girl who moves to Oxrun Station. The part where she sees the boy under the tree watching the house is so spooky that I actually had to peer out the window during a thunderstorm just to make sure there was no one out there. Since I've read so many horror stories all my life, I find it great when I can find a story spooky enough to scare me out of my wits. This whole book is kind of like that. I think its great.

Several tales of visitors to the Black Carousel make up this novel. I didn't know quite what to expect when I picked up this book on Amazon, and was surprised to find that it was shorter than expected. But don't let the size fool you--there are great tales in this one.

A man whose once-beautiful garden withers and dies, a new girl in town who finds some of the other kids have strange rules for making friends, and a boy whose mother seems a bit controlling are amongst those who encounter the Carousel. These were some of my favorite tales. Charles Grant offers twists and turns and things aren't what you expect, adding up to a terrific novel.

Grant writes well and keeps things interesting, strange and horrible things happening all along. I would have loved to read even more tales of the Black Carousel. I think you will, too.

As a little boy, baseball was most certainly my first and only love...it was the reason this book was requested by me to be read everynight, and soon memorized word for word...at the time, girls and ballet were unimportant to me. However, as a college student-athlete (the only first baseman in the league who can do the splits!) deeply involved in gender studies, in particular the importance of examining an American culture that makes things such as boys unnaceptable, and also a participant during high school in the musicals and shows, I realized that this book had an instrumental role in creating this awareness within me at a young age...a big personal thanks to Rachel Isadora for such an inspiring and thought-provoking book...she hit a home run...

I am so happy to see this book is still in print. This was one of my childhood favorites when I was a "little ballerina". ( I loved the comical illustrations). Now I am a instructor and have many students boys and girls with siblings. I highly recommend this book to any parent, especially with a son who has to spend any time "hanging out at the dance studio". A great read!

This book was just okay. The illustrations were very drab and not very exciting due to the poor color choices. The story itself was very simple, and frankly, not something my children could relate to. The boys that age I know wouldn't even go near a Ballet School Building, much less participate.

I have a son who is a ballet dancer and I was thrilled to find a book he could relate to. I felt I just had to review it because I own a book store and have had numerous requests for books concerning boys who dance, ballet especially. We love this book because of it's energy, content and acceptance of an art that is not familiar to many people in this country. I thought the idea of combining ballet and baseball was brilliant. I wish Ms. Isadora would create a new book relating to boys who dance. Grand jete and tendu to Ms. Isadora! And thank you!