Whips Books

This was actually a great read and I read it from start to finish the instant Glenn emailed the draft to me. it explained a lot to me about Glenn and what he is going through. You can't chose Glenn as a friend, he will chose you. But most people dont want to accept his invitation anymore.
I highly recommend this book, it is a very honest and eye-opening account about life on the streets of Sydney.
Glenn emailed me the draft of his 3rd book in this series and I was disgusted by it, it should be heavily edited before publication. Glenn, I know you like to live in filth, but you have managed to keep it out of your writing up to this point. Your 3rd book was mostly filth, there wre some gems in there though about discovering God, focus on that a bit more. Tone down the swearing.

this book was a real page turner and really let my imagination run wild. the characters are very memorable and my favorite parts were the flashbacks within the story. this story can be very brutal and shocking at times but that is a big compliment and one reason i would recommend this book to others.

Frederick Faust, Max Brand and Evan Evans--and an assortment of other names--were one fantastic feast of American "Westerns" for me. Only Faust was a "real" person but Harrison Destry and a stageful of others became personal heroes to this then-young reader and I recall the paperback SONG OF THE WHIP as the cream of the cream--the best western I ever read!

Almost all Short's Westerns are first rate but this one is in a class of it's own. Probably inspired by the real life J.A.Slade
this tells how one man cleans up the Stage division which is beset by lawlessness. All the characters are fully rounded and clearly motivated - the hero is a fiercly hard man with full justification for his use of violence to overcome the bad guys.
This would have made a brilliant movie - in fact if Tom Selleck or Kevin Costner were to spot it (either of them could fit the leading role ) it still could.

Whether you're blissfully content in your 9-5, or pounding the pavement in search of your next cubicle, "Whip Your Career" is a humorous motivational guide that will leave you entertained, informed . . . and wanting more.

Salmansohn's 30-day plan will inspire your transformation from June Cleaver to Amanda Woodward . . . and you'll love every minute of it!

I purchased this book with some hesitation, as there was only one pattern I was interested that wasn't similar to something I already had. I found the instructions poorly written and confusing, and had to re-knit the Mohawk multiple times due to the poor instructions. While the corrections to the published errors helped (check it before you begin any project, as there are entire lines omitted from some patterns, reversed instructions ie purl instead of knit and so on.)The directions were still unclear. Half the patterns the book have significant errors, and one pattern is (deliberatly) omitted entirely. And even the web page you can find this missing pattern at has errors!!! Now I wish pretty in punk had been instock instead of this piece of garbage. You always expect any pattern book to have a few errors, but the amount in this book is unacceptable.

i checked this book out of the library, and did not want to bring it back! well...i did the right thing, and returned it, so i had to order one on amazon!
anyways...this book is not only filled with cute/kinky things to knit, but it is the most clearly written instruction book that i have ever read!
it is HARD to write down how to do a specific knitting stitch, especially the more complicated ones, but this book not only has clear photo illustrations, but easy to follow directions as well!
i have been knitting since kindergarten, and i am so happy that knitting has finally started to emerge outside the box!
if i can master knitting the Little Red Riding Hoodie, then i will never have to buy an overpriced hoodie again! :)
other very cute/kinky projects include "spank me" pillows and a knitted winter hat with devil horns :)

I have been knitting for many years, and every so often someone asks me for a book that can get the beginner going in the right direction. I am not a pattern person, but i do like good visual instructions. This book has that in spades. The first half of this book gives you clear and precise instructions (the long tail cast on has never been better shown) in basic techniques, and does so with a wit that is often missing in knitting books. pair this with any title from Elizabeth Zimmerman, and you are good to go.

I love this book! The wealth of knitting knowledge and different techniques in this book make it a definate must have. I am new to knitting, but I have learned so much in this book. The patterns are really nice. (not for everyone though) The instructions are clearly written and leave no guess work. Plus, if you have questions, there are many pics to go with it. There is a whole section on casting on with many cast on styles, and a huge section on different techiniques including continential knitting. (Which I couldn't do at all until I got this book, now it's easy). I highly recommend this book and will go as far as saying it is definately my favorite knitting book. It's worth the price of the book and then some just for the wisdom you get from the author concerning knitting techniques.

I LOVE this book. I'm constantly flipping through it and referencing it. It's worth the MSRP for chapters on technique alone!! I've not found a site online that explained twisted knitting better than Jennifer has.

I love her wit and sarcastic sense of humor...and there's not a baby bib in the bunch! She is also a great story teller. If you like her writing you should listen to her episode in the "Craft Sanity" podcast.

It is sad that the concept of this book is lost on reviewers who left poor feedback. Even the seemingly simple patterns in the book were designed to have "bite" to them. Yes can use double pointed needles to make the Thin Mint Scarf, but by challenging yourself to use two circulars you are learning a more valuable skill than by just "doing what you know." It's easy to stay in your comfort zone, but it is a gratifying and rewarding feeling to accomplish something difficult.

I may never reach the skill level to make the Elfin Bride or Gothlet, but I'll always appreciate Jennifer's uncanny talent for clean line, intricate design, and innovative technique.

The second Sid Halley book. Sid investigates horses who don't run to form.
Along with a good story line there are the usual interesting characters.
This is one of the better books by a really great author.

This is one of DF's better books IMHO, the 2nd of 4 (so far) in the Sid Halley "series:" Odds Against Odds Against, Whip Hand WHIP HAND., Come to Grief Come to Grief, & Under Orders Under Orders. DF's indestructible hero seems to court trouble with impeccable morality. It's easy to root for him. But, in this work, we see deeper into Sid's psyche as he agonizes over fear/terror on one hand vs. courage/duty on the other. It's quite well done. It also has a bit about ballooning which I found interesting & exciting--many of his books include details/descriptions of a technical discipline: textiles, leukemia, etc. &, most have a connection with horse racing. However, there are some difficult to believe things too--even Sid notices--after the fact! (though the reader can see it at the time). But it IS light fiction--not Hemingway, and (per "Come to Grief") "Half of human actions don't make sense in the eye of the beholder."

This work has Sid investigating 3 cases at once. Two get very ugly. The one I liked the best concerns his ex-wife, & Francis now provides some explanation for her attitude--leading into the next Halley book. And, as usual, Halley often has an interestingly relationship with a woman--in this book with Louise, his ex-wife's roommate! Unfortunately, there is no continuity in later books for Halley's love interests (except his ex-wife). Also, this work lacks such delightful turns-of-phrase "They said she kept a penknife handy for sharpening her ball-points" as in "Come to Grief."

The 1st 3 Halley novels (Odds Against, Whip Hand, & Come to Grief) have been anthologized: "Win, Place, or Show" 042519972X Win, Place, or Show, "The Sid Halley Omnibus" The Sid Halley Omnibus , & "3 Titles by Dick Francis" B000MN3WV4 3 Titles By Dick Francis Sid Halley Series : Odds Against Whip Hand Come to Grief. Whip Hand is darker than most but worth your time. Enjoy!

This is one of DF's better books IMHO, the 2nd of 4 (so far) in the Sid Halley "series:" Odds Against, Whip Hand, Come to Grief, & Under Orders. DF's indestructible hero seems to court trouble with impeccable morality. It's easy to root for him. But, in this work, we see deeper into Sid's psyche as he agonizes over fear/terror on one hand vs. courage/duty on the other. It's quite well done. It also has a bit about ballooning which I found interesting & exciting--many of his books include details/descriptions of a technical discipline: textiles, leukemia, etc. &, most have a connection with horse racing. However, there are some difficult to believe things too--even Sid notices--after the fact! (though the reader can see it at the time). But it IS light fiction--not Hemingway, and (per "Come to Grief") "Half of human actions don't make sense in the eye of the beholder."

This work has Sid investigating 3 cases at once. Two get very ugly. The one I liked the best concerns his ex-wife, & Francis now provides some explanation for her attitude--leading into the next Halley book. And, as usual, Halley often has an interestingly relationship with a woman--in this book with Louise, his ex-wife's roommate! Unfortunately, there is no continuity in later books for Halley's love interests (except his ex-wife). Also, this work lacks such delightful turns-of-phrase "They said she kept a penknife handy for sharpening her ball-points" as in "Come to Grief."

The 1st 3 Halley novels (Odds Against, Whip Hand, & Come to Grief) have been anthologized: Win, Place, or Show, The Sid Halley Omnibus , and 3 Titles By Dick Francis Sid Halley Series : Odds Against Whip Hand Come to Grief. Whip Hand is darker than most but worth your time. Enjoy!

Whip Hand takes us down another mystery road with Sid Halley again. You can actually read this before you read Odds Against, as I did, and still keep up with the goings on.
The reason that this is one of the best books by Dick Francis is that he keeps to his nice formula of the underrated guy kicking the bad-guys' trash because he is just tough and sharp as nails; but in addition to his formula, Francis takes us deep into Sid's character and shows us a guy we love. We root for him more than any other Francis character because we know him better and can see some of ourselves in him. The plot as always is clean with some neat twists. This is another entertaining and relatively satisfying title from an author who has mastered his art.

Last year, someone gave me my first Dick Francis to read, 10 LB. Penalty, which can best be described as horrid. I couldn't believe that someone as prolific as Dick Francis could sell so many books if they were of this caliber. This summer, my same friend gave me a big bag of mysteries to read, and I planned to skip Whip Hand. But as luck would have it, I ran out of books before I ran out of summer and Whip Hand was the only one left. Was I pleasantly surprised! In fact, this turned out to be the best mystery I have read all summer. The main character is Sid Halley, an ex-jockey turned PI whose small stature belies all the hidden baggage beneath. He also brings the same passion to win that he had as a jockey to his investigations. Halley has three separate mysteries dumped on him: a mail fraud, a syndicate fixing and racehorse tampering. The racehorse tampering was especially timely after spending some time in Versailles Kentucky this summer, site of the tragic and still unsolved horse tampering case. Not to give the story away, but this book is filled with action, drama, suspense, believable characters, just a little romance, and a plot that will have you guessing until the very end. Next time I receive a Dick Francis book, I will be a little more anxious to begin reading!

In February 2006, winter and not the most pleasant time of the year to begin with, I had an all time low job and career wise. I was unhappy. I had the opportunity to attend one of Karen Salmansohn's seminars which was based on a different book of hers but I thought, in my situation, I start out with that one. I read it in 30 days because one needs 30 days to change old habits. I re-read it again after finishing it, just to make sure that all the wisdom can properly settle down.
While I am still in my old job, I've got a new outlook on things and found a way, my way, to deal with things. I still do have a different career in mind, which Karen's book made me dare to pursue. It opened my eyes for what I really, really, REALLY want and how to get it!
Karen's style is funny, direct and never boring. I recommend this book to everybody who's frustrated with their job - it definitely can be the first step to a more rewarding career - all you need to do is to give it a try. Check it out!

its not that the advice is earth shatteringly new...its not. But is the first book that I have read that has positively addressed the issues that women face in business. I love that it is a book of empowerment for women as opposed to a bitch session about how rough we have it. I love this book. One of my very favorite quotes is actually a recommended mantra...whenever you think you have made the most horrible business mistake in the world, repeat yourself "John Travolta is back. John Travolta is back". Clearly John Travolta has made some disasterous career decisions...but he is back. We too can make it back from any mistake.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK and have given to several friends.

Wow, what an inspiring book. I love how Salmansohn mixes humor with really smart business advice. I also loved her HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT A PENIS and HOW TO BE HAPPY, DAMMIT books. That's how I discovered this WHIP book, because I loved those other two so much...I keep buying them for friends for birthday gifts! Kudos to Karen! She rocks!

I totally loved this book. It really encouraged me to do something about my job dissatisfaction...and I'm now in a better position at my company because of it. I highly recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this book. It was not only very insightful but entertaining. When I was finished, I found myself very motivated to put into action Karen's helpful advice...and have already witnessed the benefits at my job! I thoroughly recommend it!

I bought a copy of Cherry Whip based on the paralyzing illness from which the main character, Hiroshi, suffers. Since my fiancé had a severe case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in 2005, I've been compelled to read anything and everything on the subject, and, when I'm really lucky, I come across a book that actually gives me a lesson in life and gives me something to think about. Cherry Whip did just that.

The novel is about a young Japanese clarinet player who comes to New York to make it big and ends up hospitalized with GBS. Although Hiroshi deals with the issues of being paralyzed and in a hospital and, therefore, in complete submission to those around him, pretty well, it's his reaction to his physical limitations after being released back into the world where the real evidence of his personality come into play. Without realizing he's doing this, Hiroshi goes through an involved process of convincing himself that he can no longer do the one thing in life he enjoys most, which is playing the clarinet. He doesn't even attempt to pick up the clarinet or to exercise his hands, which would give him the dexterity needed to play. He gives up on living the life he's dreamed of since childhood, and he gives up on himself.

Cherry Whip shows how a person's mind can affect the outcome of one's life, whether dealing with a physical limitation or not, and that when we begin to think positively, good things happen for us. Hiroshi gets himself into sticky situations during the novel, and the fascinating, creative ways he finds of getting out of them entices the reader to want to learn more.

Recently a friend of mine gave me a copy of CHERRY WHIP, his long-time friend's first novel, and encouraged me to read it. admittedly skeptical (with friends like these, and all that stuff) I read it. Wow! What an upside surprise!

A young Japanese jazz clarinetist lands in New York City, abound with optimism and on the brink of stardom. A series of devastating shocks threaten to short-circuit his dreams. With literary aplomb Mr. antman guides his hero,and us, through a living hell, skillfully attuned to character development, and the subtle development of cultural disconnects.

A wonderfully creative novel, first or otherwise.

Cherry Whip is a fascinating character study of the hero, Hiroshi, who over-analyzes just about everything anyone says to him. At times, it's exasperating to the point of being comedic; and the trials and tribulations he suffers in New York become seconadary to his thought processes. After a rough first chapter, the book becomes a real page-turner and I found myself trying to finish it in one sitting. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

What a pleasure it was to submerge myself in this first novel by Michael Antman, whose bright, quirky characters, nicely penned portrait of New York and undercurrents of irony, alienation and obsession hooked me from the start. Equally gratifying were glimpses into the world of professional jazz and the Japanese psyche, as conveyed by Hiroshi Mori, the novel's main character.

Hiroshi is an accomplished Japanese jazz clarinetist, newly arrived in the Big Apple for his North American debut. But what awaits him, instead, is one catastrophe after another, including a rare and mysterious neurological disorder. Throughout Hiroshi's adventures and misadventures in New York, we see in him the sort of obsessive personality that leads, on the one hand, to his mastery of jazz, and on the other to his fixations with language, familial relations, race cars, food and even home hardware, for heaven sake.

There was a moment in reading Cherry Whip, when I sat back and laughed out loud, marveling at how much this tortured main character and I have in common emotionally. Though I don't know beans about jazz or Japan, I came to believe I understood them better through Hiroshi's eyes and realized just how universal are our fears, misunderstandings and personal demons.

In the course of the story, there are other finely drawn characters, such as my personal favorite, Maureen, a young musician and love interest of Hiroshi's, who both attracts and repels him with her archetypical New York abrasiveness and charm. Hiroshi's enigmatic father makes an appearance, too, as does the ghostly memory of Hiroshi's tortured and very deceased sister.

But don't get the idea that this is a tale that wallows in gloom and angst; through all Hiroshi's misgivings and missteps, Antman delivers a modern parable of the human condition, and one that provides hope for Hiroshi's deliverance, as well as ultimately our own.

Michael Antman's novel begins with a Japanese jazz musician's self-conscious journey through New York and his discovery of himself along the way. Hiroshi's skilled command of music is in stark contrast to his awkward relationships with his American and Japanese counterparts. Hiroshi is full of pride with his English pronunciation and he speaks flawless English yet he is too preoccupied and oversensitive with his persona to function as normal. As a result, Hiroshi communicates poorly with his long distance American girlfriend and his overassertive Japanese father.

Early in the novel, Hiroshi is struck with a rare impermanent paralyzing sickness in which he is bed bound in a foreign country and needs to relearn all of his basic motor skills. During his punishing rehabilitation he comes to realize that he may never play music again and needs to come to grips with his own personal flaws as his own life tumbles to rock bottom.

The most compelling part in Antman's novel is Hiroshi's journey back to his childhood and his relationship with his sister, Shizuka, in the small Japanese town Ichikawa. As a child in Ichikawa, Hiroshi follows his sister along the Forbidden Pathway and comes to finally comprehend his sister's secret as an adult. Michael Antman's writing style reminds me very much of Mark Salzman and his character's journey through ones self. This is an exceptional novel, well written and inspired by life's surprises

Keeps you entertained and interested from the start!

Sid Halley was a top jockey until his hand was damaged beyond repair. When the story begins, he is working as a private investigator specializing in cases related to racing. He receives an unpleasant surprise when his ex father-in-law asks for help tracking down a con man who victimized Sid's ex-wife, Jenny. Jenny hates Sid and is about as rude as she can possibly be even when he's trying to help her. Sid also is asked to look into some suspicious racing syndicates and a trainer's wife asks him to protect a horse she fears is in danger. With the help of his friend Chico, he tries to dig into all of these matters with varying results. Unfortunately, some of the cases turn downright nasty as thugs start looking to dish out beatings and worse as he digs up things better left untouched.

Perhaps because Sid pursues several cases, Whip Hand starts off pretty fragmented and also seems a bit dry. The pace picks up and the story begins to come together in the second half and gets especially tense leading up to the climax. Sid is a sympathetic protagonist as he is tough on the outside but fairly insecure about having a prosthetic hand and some of the threats he receives scare him quite badly. His attempts to deal with that fear are a big part of what make the later stages of the book so compelling.

This was my third Dick Francis book and I must admit that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two. The first third was especially disappointing, but it definitely picked up from there. It's not a bad novel for Dick Francis fans, but I probably would not recommend it to a first time reader. A better choice might be Enquiry which is strong from start to finish.

WHIP HAND features a second mystery using the ex-steeplechase jokey turned detective, Sid Haley
Read a Dick Francis is like going to an exciting movie which has you on the edge of your seat. The wife of a trainer comes to Sid with a problem, the winners her husband trained are coming in last and then dying. She suspects fixing on the turf and begs Sid's help in discovering the culprit. The racing authorities prefer to settle their own problems.
Sid's ex-wife returns for an engagement, she learns that winning is Sid's main goal and she cannot place in the show. Sid and his partner Chico face heavy inducement to retire from the field, but the story sets the pace until the final lap.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This is the sequel to "Odds Against," and is the second novel about ex-jockey turned PI Sid Halley. It takes you into the world of racetracks, syndicates owning horses, trainers, and bookmakers. Sid becomes involved in two separate cases of people trying to fix the outcome of races, and corruption involving bookmakers, trainers, jockeys, etc. The racing world wants things handled internally (no police) because of the potential scandal. Not everyone gets officially punished, but Sid can give back as good as he gets, especially when he has a heavy artificial arm to use as a club.

The author is very knowledgable about the subject, and you get a good picture of English racing (flat and steeplechase), horse training, and breeding. It is a very big business.

Sid and his employee Chico do get banged about a bit. People are trying to encourage them to go into another line of work. That can be difficult to do with Sid, who has a reputation for being hard and out to win. He got used to bumps, bruises, and broken bones when he was riding.

There are some additional encounters with his ex-wife, and a side case to help her out of some difficulties. Sid still does care about her.

The first three books in the Sid Halley series, "Odds Against," "Whip Hand," and "Come to Grief," are also available in a combined omnibus edition, "Win, Place, or Show."

In "Whip Hand" Francis returns with a character first introduced in "Odds Against" Sid Halley. Sid and his partner Chico are on yet again more page turning adventures. When a wife of a prominent trainer shows up(at Sid's door) wanting to know why her husbands "cream of the crop" horse's destined to win the races end up coming in last, and then later end up dieing. Also Sid's ex-wife enters the picture which makes for some great tension. A great read from beginning to end. Dick Francis again does what he does best,that is he writes great page turning mysteries. Happy Reading!