Anne Books

In Anne of the Islnad, the character that I have grown to love and become familiar with, grows up and moves on to college. With college, comes new friends and new romances too. The only part that continued to annoy me was how Anne was rejecting everybody who asked her to marry. However, Anne learns through her failures and to my contentment, ended up with the one person whose heart truly belongs to her.

The sequel to Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea is just as good as the first. Anne is older now, and she becomes a teacher at the town school, Marilla and Matthew adopt little boys, and Anne's relationship with Gilbert ripens. If you have not read Anne of Green Gables, I recommend reading that first, so you can understand this book better.

This version of the book is hardback and VERY colorful, which I really enjoyed, and it is a book from the Illustrated Junior Library Editions. It comes with a plastic covering to protect the book. This book along with Anne of Green Gables would be a great book for any young girl, and can be passed down to the next generation.

Maud's "Anne" series has captured my heart since I was a young girl. I can relate to Anne because we share a lot of the same characteristics. We are both hopeless dramatists and romantics. Anne is as hilarious as she is touching. I know I will share this beautiful story with my own daughter some day. A MUST READ!!

Anne of Green Gables is one of the best books I have ever read. It starts off very realistically and I especially like the way the author describes Anne when she is talking to Matthew is the beginning of the book.

THE MAIN OUTLINE

Anne is a poor orphan girl who has been treated badly by all the people who she has stayed with. However, she has an unquenchable imagination, which keeps working wherever she is. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert(brother and sister) adopt Anne and the adventures start from there.............

MY FAVOURITE PARTS

One of my favourite parts in the book is when Anne tentatively shows her hair, which she attempted to dye black but ended up green, to Marilla.

If you loved the first novel in the series, Anne of Green Gables, you won't be disappointed with it's sequel, Anne of Avonlea. Continuing where Anne of Green Gables left off, we meet up again with our kindred, bosom friend Anne, as she has graduated from Queens, and begins her teaching position in Avonlea. Living at home with Marilla at beautiful Green Gables, Anne & Marilla find themselves the caretakers of six year old twins, Davey & Dora. As Anne embarks on a classroom full of new students, and life at home helping to care for the twins, L.M. Montgomery provides us with more delightful stories and hijinks with our favorite characters of Avonlea. Mrs. Rachel Lynde is still up to her old ways, Diana remains Anne's dearest bosom friend, and we meet some new characters too. What does the future have in store for Anne & Gilbert Blythe? Anne of Avonlea is full of the magic and charm that one can expect from L.M. Montgomery. The ending will leave you yearning for the next in the series~

My dd (age 6) has listened to this audio book CD so many times she can quote entire passages with the dramatic flair of stage actress. She adores it. She desperately wants to listen to Anne of Avonlea, but I don't seem to find an Focus on the Family Radio Theatre version of that, and I am afraid any other version will fall seriously short of her expectations after loving this one so much. Even her older brother has been accused of secretly taking the cd's one by one and listening to them in his room, but he isn't openly admitting to it. LOL! A fantastic production.

I was never a fan of Anne of Green Gables until I came across this version of the story. And it's all thanks to Mae Whitman, that I now love the story. Mae brings Anne to life so well and she portrays her in a way that nobody else could. I highly recommend this version of the book to anyone who isn't already a fan. Mae does an awesome job of expressing her emotions and describing things in the story. All in all, Mae Whitman will always be a true rose of inspiration to me.

We listened to this story on a recent trip. It was a great way to spend time in the car. Even my husband enjoyed listening to the story!

Anne of Green Gables by Focus on the Family Radio Theater is the best audio product we have listened to in a long long time! My 3 daughters and their friends LOVE it and even my son enjoys it. WE have listened to it daily for several weeks and our enjoyment of it grows. This is a GREAT retelling of Anne Of Green Gables.

I bought this for my 2006 summer vacation road trip with my wife and two boys, 16 and 12. We all laughed, including the boys, and were very moved by the wonderful presentation and acting. There are many more things in this presentation than in the celebrated PBS version. I was concerned that my boys wouldn't like it, but after a few minutes they were really into it and couldn't wait to finish listening to all 4 hours. It is very moving and keeps the magic of this wonderful story intact. I highly recommend this.

What a wonderful and moving love story.
Ian Sinclair, 33 is shocked to find himself as appointed guardian of Colonel George Darlington's daughter. A child he has ignored most of her life.
Anne Darlington is a young woman of 19 turning 20 and completely content with the teaching job offered by Mrs. Kemp.
Mrs. Kemp is concerned for Anne's welfare and quietly informs former Major Sinclair that Anne deserves to be presented in London for her coming out season and an opportunity to find a suitable husband.

Ian's problem was in remembering the wonderful holiday seasons that he and his siblings enjoyed when they were younger. Darlington's lawyer informs Ian that Darlington has not been in contact with his daughter for a number of years.

Anne's sensibleness in gallantly facing an attempted hold-up and actually helping him because of his wounded leg started to put a crack in the protective cover he uses to guard his heart.

He is laid out with a fever and his brother, Valentine Sinclair, the Earl of Dare shows up with his pregnant wife, Elizabeth [MY LADY'S DARE].
Dare thinks Ian is foolish to take on the guardianship of Anne because of her father's part in nearly getting Ian killed.

Ah well, they go to London and with Elizabeth's help collect the necessary clothing needed for Anne's come-out. Then Anne meets Doyle Travener who wished to court her. She foolishly get mixed-up in a brawl over a chimney sweep child. Ian comes to the rescue and takes a bit of a beating which Doyle stops. And the plot thickens.

Dare is called again to see to his brother in his wounded state. Dare has informed Anne that he would gladly kill anyone who harmed his brothers. Too bad that Darlington is already dead.

It seems that Anne and Ian have speaking eyes and romance is blooming where it would not be acknowledge. Ian cannot marry someone because of the metal near his heart that could end his life at any time. He won't even inform the Earl of his problem or allow the doctor to speak of it either.

Ah, the misunderstandings of love. Even when Ian asked Anne to marry him she didn't trust him to love her. Duty and all that rot!
Anne was still wanting the love she saw when she spied Elizabeth and Val dancing in the moonlight in the garden [and barefoot no less].

Most excellent characters - great plot even if a bit obscured - enough little tid-bits and emotions to keep the plot going - and loved the inclusion of family problems and brotherly love.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - so far it is turning out to be a great trilogy +

I usually don't go for Regency romances, I tend to prefer contemporary romances, but this book was incredible! Ian Sinclair, a handsome war hero who is devoted to the principles of honor, comes back from war with potentially fatal wounds. He discovers that he is now the legal guardian of a child he has never met, the daughter of the man whose actions nearly killed Ian. Ian, however, does not wish to hold the father's shortcomings against the daughter, and travels to the rural school to take her to his home for the holiday season. Ian is shocked to discover that his ward is no child, but a young woman who steals his heart. Ever the gentleman, however, Ian could not bear to subject her to a life of anything less than perfection, and he knows he is hardly perfect. He instead plans a Season for her, to introduce her to the eligble bachelors of London society. When will he learn that he's Anne's perfect husband?

This book is almost perfect itself, and the characters are quite charming and realistic. I wish that more attention had been spent on the events that occur in the last part of the book. I also wish that some of the other themes had been emphasized - Anne's father's actions against Ian, for example, as well as the age gap between Anne and Ian (which seemed to be a slight problem in the beginning, but was not addressed at all in the remainder of the book). Altogether, however, Ian is everything a romantic hero should be, if you go for those war-hardened, gentlemanly types (and I do! WOOHOO! ;)) An excellent book, and definitely a keeper.

I loved Anne and Ian, the main characters of this story. Anne was a great heroine and Ian was everything that any reader could want in a Romantic hero. He was handsome and courageous and truly and deeply in love with Anne. He was so unselfish that he did not want to take advantage of her love for him by marrying her because he was severely wounded during the Napoleonic Wars. He is made Anne's guardian and decides to take her to London to get married to a young and suitable man. Ian loves Anne so very much and she returns his feelings, but he will not burden her with a man who is much older and wounded. If the story had concentrated on the relationship between Ian and Anne it would have been perfect. As it was written however, their relationship is not the main focus. The story again and again and again deals with a plot to kill either Ian or Anne or both. Unfortunately, that seriously detracts from what should have been the main focus of the book. All of the intrigue could have easily been disposed of in a couple of chapters and the rest of the novel should have dealt with the very real issues confronting this couple: their age difference, Ian's illnessas well as her father's role in their relationship. The villan's ultimate crime against Anne and their response to it should have taken up most of the book instead of a few pages at the end. As it is, the resolution was simply not believable. However, I am still recommending this book simply because Ian and Anne were wonderful characters, and it's been a long time since I've come across such a wonderful hero.

Having read three of Gayle Wilson's books by now, I SHOULD know better than to start one in the middle of the night! "I'll just read a few pages, to break the insomnia. . ." Yeah, sure, it's like eating just one cashew! I usually like sexier books, but the plots are so interesting, the characters so entirely likable, if not lovable, and the details so flavorful, that I loved this book. For once, the heroine did not do stupid things; she was level headed and loving. Although I was frustrated that Ian did not express his love for Anne (assuming, with cause, that he was about to die), I did not feel "Oh, come ON! You expect us to believe this impediment?" Sometimes romances' impediments are so stupid that no one would allow a misunderstanding, etc. to continue, but Gayle Chase does not write that. Another reviewer said that the ending was unbelievable, but I disagree. A good novelist's job is to create a world in which unrealistic events happen all the time and if she's good, the reader accepts them. I accepted that Ian and Anne overcame their many difficulties. I only wish Chase had written more after they achieved happiness. All in all, even if you don't usually like regencies, this one is a keeper!

Ian has serious physical disability from service in Peninsula War but, for love of his family, will not share burden. Then he finds himself responsible for Anne, his enemy's orphaned daughter. Unwilling to burden his brothers, how much less willing he is to burden this vibrant young woman who has chance to marry a healthy husband. After meeting Ian and sharing mutual rescues from very dangerous situations, Anne cannot imagine life without him. She is desolate when Ian tells her he cannot return her love. The solution to their problem is not cotton candy but strong meat for a "mere" regency novel. The courage, honor, integrity of these characters remind me of Patricia Veryan, Dorothy Dunnett, Joan Wolf.

Here is a unique work of reference for the embroiderer. As a result of extensive research and experience, Anne Butler brings together some five hundred individual stitches used in embroidery through the centuries. Each example has been worked by the author and photographed, to the same scale, to illustrate the complete stitch. Accompanying each photograph are diagrams explaining the step by step method of working the stitch. For ease of reference and identification, Anne Butler has grouped the stitches under families and these include: Line; Couchings; Stem; Running and back; Herringbone; Feather; Fly; Cretan; Buttonhole; Chain; Straight (including cross); Single Unit (such as woven wheels); Edgings; and Filling stitches. The colour plates show the working of the more complex stitches. Anne Butler (now Professor Anne Morrell) lectured at several schools and colleges before becoming Principal Lecturer and Head of the Embroidery School at Manchester Polytechnic (later Manchester Metropolitan University). Examples of her work have been exhibited all over the world, and her embroidery is much sought after by provate collectors, with many items purchased for public display. This definitive encyclopedia of embroidery stitches will be of the utmost value to everybody interested in embroidery, regardless of age or ability, and it is a book which no student of embroidery, at any level, should be without.

A great book, allowing you to discover exciting new ways of adding interest and variety to your embroidery designs. Here, you can choose from some five hundred individual stitches used in embroidery throughout the centuries. Each example has been worked by the author and photographed to the same scale to illustrate the complete stitch. Accompanying each photograph are clear diagrams explaining the step-by-step method of working the stitch.

The result of extensive research and experience, this book brings together some five hundred individual stitches used in embroidery through the centuries. Each example has been worked by the author and photographed to the same scale, illustrating the complete stitch, while additional diagrams explain step-by-step the method of working the stitch. A wonderful and very useful book!

Here is a unique work of reference for the embroiderer. As a result of extensive research and experience, Anne Butler brings together some five hundred individual stitches used in embroidery through the centuries. Each example has been worked by the author and photographed, to the same scale, to illustrate the complete stitch. Accompanying each photograph are diagrams explaining the step by step method of working the stitch. For ease of reference and identification, Anne Butler has grouped the stitches under families and these include: Line; Couchings; Stem; Running and back; Herringbone; Feather; Fly; Cretan; Buttonhole; Chain; Straight (including cross); Single Unit (such as woven wheels); Edgings; and Filling stitches. The colour plates show the working of the more complex stitches. Anne Butler (now Professor Anne Morrell) lectured at several schools and colleges before becoming Principal Lecturer and Head of the Embroidery School at Manchester Polytechnic (later Manchester Metropolitan University). Examples of her work have been exhibited all over the world, and her embroidery is much sought after by private collectors, with many items purchased for public display. This definitive encyclopedia of embroidery stitches will be of the utmost value to everybody interested in embroidery, regardless of age or ability, and it is a book which no student of embroidery, at any level, should be without.

The result of extensive research and experience, this book brings together some five hundred individual stitches used in embroidery through the centuries. Each example has been worked by the author and photographed to the same scale, illustrating the complete stitch- additional diagrams explain step-by-step the method of working the stitch.

I saw this book in a local book store several years ago, but didn't buy it. When I saw it again after reading Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography I had to get it. Candace Fleming's style of writing makes it fun to read and the layout felt colonial. I lent it to a neighbor who read it with her children. I have to say that this is not just for children. I enjoy perusing it on occasion, myself!

Excellent book!!!
I learned so much from this book, and I bought it for my kids. I would recommend it to any one.

It isn't often that we are lucky enough to learn about a man who had the curiosity of a child and the mind of a genius, who loved learning and was able to find humor in all types of situations. Benjamin Franklin was such a man.

Candace Fleming allows us to explore Franklin's extraordinary life in a new way. She has chosen to present Franklin's life in the form of a scrapbook or almanac, rather than a traditional biography. Franklin in fact gained a good portion of his original popularity by publishing an almanac himself titled POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC. It is perhaps only fitting that his life be presented in the form of an almanac as well.

It is quite astonishing to discover within the pages of this remarkable book how much Franklin accomplished in his lifetime. In addition to his electrical experiments involving kites, Franklin organized the first real postal system in the thirteen colonies, printed the first paper money, and saw years before anyone else that the American Revolution was going to happen. He also recognized that slavery would be an issue that would not go away; he knew that one day it would be a problem for the people of the United States.

One of the wonderful things about this book is that you can pick it up and dip into the pages at random --- and once you pick it up, you cannot put it down. Resembling an almanac or scrapbook with an old-fashioned looking script, pictures, photographs, copies of letters and other documents, BEN FRANKLIN'S ALMANAC is a refreshing new look at the life of one of America's greatest men. We are able to marvel and sometimes smile at the things Benjamin Franklin did and said. Surely, such a lover of books would be proud of this gem.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber

This account of Franklin's life holds a little over a hundred pages, and has good large print and fine pictures to offset the many words from Franklin's own almanac which offers a scrapbook of his accomplishments. Modeled on his Poor Richard's Almanack but revised for younger audiences, this blends biography and observation with cartoons, etchings, and other illustrations to create a lively coverage for kids with good reading skills.

"Ben's Rules for Being a Better Writer
"Everyone, Ben believed, had a need to communicate well. Over the years he developed and stuck to these writing rules.
"Good writing should be smooth, clear, and short, and the art of saying little in much must be avoided at all costs. In written discourse, every needless thing gives offense and must be eliminated...Had this always been done, many large and tiresome volumes would have shrunk into pamphlets, and many a pamphlet into a single period."

It seems like a stream of new Benjamin Franklin biographies make their appearance as steadily as the changing of the seasons. That perception has caused my building a healthy skepticism concerning the need for just one more. But Candace Fleming has taken Ben's writing rules to heart. Less is more in BEN FRANKLIN'S ALMANAC, Fleming's continually entertaining and enlightening collection of quotes, anecdotes, illustrations, American history, and other tasty tidbits (including the occasional fish story) that the author has harvested from original source materials.

Rather than assembling a typical chronological tome, Fleming has grouped this assortment of goodies into an eye-catching patchwork format that is clumped around eight themes: Boyhood Memories, The Family Album, The Writer's Journal, Tokens of a Well-Lived Life, The Scientist's Scrapbook, Revolutionary Memorabilia, Souvenirs from France, and Final Remembrances.

"All his life Ben tried to do what was right. His daily routine reminded him to put mankind's problems before his own.
"I rose at five each morning, and addressed Powerful Goodness [Ben's name for God] with the same question: What Good Shall I Do Today? I then studied and planned my day until eight, worked until twelve, dined and overlooked my account books until two, worked again until six when I had supper, music and conversation. At ten I examined my day. What Good Had I Done That Day?"

Not that he was perfect, or anything. As Ben noted, "With regards to places for things, papers, etc., I am a dismal failure." And as Fleming reveals, while his genius included his being credited for so many important inventions including bifocals, he nonetheless lacked the vision to see that women should be accorded the same opportunities and rights as men:

"When his young friend Polly Stevenson talked of devoting herself to studying philosophy, Ben was appalled. 'Knowledge may be useful,' he warned her, 'but there is nothing of equal dignity and importance than being a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother.' Ben wondered why women needed the 'full Pandora's box of knowledge' opened to them. Instead, he argued, women should be taught useful and functional skills--reading, writing, and accounting. This, he claimed, 'stood them in good stead to be active, helpful partners in their husband's business.' "

And, speaking of errors, "Ben once invited a group of friends to an 'electrical picnic.' He planned to kill a turkey by 'electrical shock,' then roast it with 'electrical fire.' Unfortunately, he became so engrossed in conversation he forgot to pay close attention to what he was doing. He touched two wires together and zap! Ben received the shock instead of the turkey. His body vibrated from head to toe, and smoke curled from one buckled shoe. Luckily, he escaped with just a few bruises and a sore chest."

Through the accumulated pieces of her collection, the author succinctly covers the well-trod life-of-Franklin: Ben's printing career, centered on his 26 years as writer and publisher of the annual Poor Richard's Almanack (the second-most read book in the Colonies), would by itself have insured Franklin's immortality. Then that aspect of his life was topped by the jaw-dropping string of inventions coupled with his instigation of public libraries, street lamps, quality postal service, and volunteer fire departments, which made him even more famous. And then, his involvement--the old guy with the fire in his belly--in producing the Declaration of Independence, followed by his pivotal role in the winning of the Revolution by persuading France to enter the fray when Washington's troops were on the verge of defeat, elevated Franklin to American sainthood. If that wasn't enough, he returned to America and (at 81 years old) helped formulate the Constitution.

But he STILL wasn't done!

"Saint" Ben had at one time been a slave owner. But while in England in the years preceding the Revolution, Franklin "found himself trying to defend America against charges of hypocrisy." He had freed his slaves, observed "firsthand 'the natural capacities of the black race,' " and then, after ratification of the Constitution, he petitioned Congress on the subject of slavery:

"Noting Congress had been created to 'promulgate the welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to the People of the United States,' he argued that this should be done 'without distinction of color,' since all people are created by the 'same Almighty Being, alike the objects of his care and equally designed for the enjoyment of happiness.' To tolerate less, Franklin argued, 'was to contradict the meaning of the Revolution.' "

If only Ben could have hung around for another decade in order to persuade the new nation of this argument, we might have had him to thank for the success of one more of his great ideas.

But thanks to the fine work of Candace Fleming, we at least have a thoroughly satisfying "true account of the good gentleman's life," as well as one more important piece of ammunition in my argument that a real love and understanding of American history will much more readily come from trade books of this caliber than from standardized textbooks.

Too often we lack the humility to let God be God. Our thinking about God becomes a projection of our own limited beliefs and prejudices. This short book puts the issue into perspective.

Anne Robertson, a United Methodist minister in New England, writes, 'There are few things more upsetting than a God who refuses to stay put...'

Anne Robertson gives a wonderful, personal development of the idea of God being bigger and broader than one can possibly imagine. I've often used the example in my preaching that God is more than any idea we could ever have of God; this is rather difficult for many people to grasp, but Robertson has a wonderful way of exploring this aspect of God. It can be challenging and disconcerting, because it is far from the norm in our everyday, quantifiable and measurable world. The modern world is uncomfortable with ambiguity, and often terrified of the unknown. Speaking of the women who went to the tomb on the first Easter morning, Robertson writes, 'The very thing that frightened the women - the unknown and the unexpected - is that same thing that frightens us today when we consider that God might be larger and more complex than our particular experience of God.'

Robertson does her writing in confessional style (this is a literary/theological designation, rather than a penitential or 'just-the-facts, maam' kind of admission of guilt); she goes through her experiences both conservative and liberal, both within and outside the church, and casts her ideas for God's reality and God's presence with us in terms that many readers will find very familiar and easy to relate to.

Her central cipher is that of the God-box. A box is a container (even when it is empty). Most of us (if not all of us) have a container of sorts, into which we pour our ideas of what and who God is. Even professional theologians (or perhaps most especially professional systematic theologians) do not escape the trap of trying to define God so precisely as to render God less than who God truly is, and can be. One crucial element Robertson identifies for the God-box is keeping it open in the context of community - what is in the box needs to be valuable and recognised as such by members of the community, and what other community members have in their God-boxes can be shared and used to enrich one's own. Careful not to make community a panacea for all ills, she nonetheless highlights the advantages, and shows the disadvantages of the 'go-it-alone' approach.

The book continues with a look at common and uncommon images of God, the way in which we think about God both in scripture and tradition, the use and misuse of institutional religion and community, and finishes with a chapter that develops her device of the God-box in context of creedal statements familiar to many Christians through the centuries.

This is a wonderful book to use for private and group study. Well-written and engaging both personally and spiritually, it is uplifting and thought-provoking in many ways.

United Methodist minister, Anne Robertson, has contributed a challenging work, inspiring Christians to examine their beliefs and prejudices. Using a humble approach, she describes her opinion that believers, young or old, new to the faith or "old timers," risk the danger of isolating God by reducing Him to
stereotypes and defining Him through holding to the expected, the norm, the safe. She points out the ways in which we limit God and ourselves by confining ourselves to traditional and habitual responses and practices, and suggests we examine our individual and collective "boxes" in which we place a God too large to be contained. Whether you fall into the category of liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, Baptist or Episcopalian, this book will stretch your mind and heart. An easy read, it is a profound work.

Theologians and writers like Leslie Weatherhead, J.B. Phillips, Marcus Borg, Jon Dominic Crossan, Elaine Pagels, and Barbara Brown Taylor have long been helping us to expand our experiencing of God to counteract what seems to be human nature to pin God down to be within our capacity to understand. Anne Robertson throws her hat in the ring with this wonderful little book and encourages us to not only be open to our experience of God but to the experience others have of God as well. She reminds us, through both her personal sharing as well as her teaching and preaching, that our challenge is to keep our minds open as we live, breathe, walk and talk our life in the spirit, allowing God to light our path. As the motto for our denomination has been this past year, "Don't put a period where God has put a comma," our faith journey can be much more vital and life-giving when we don't assume we know all there is to know about God. Thank you, Anne, for sharing your thinking with such clarity and grace.

In her beautifully flowing and extraordinarily insightful first publication, Anne Robertson brings her expansive and Jesus-centered Belief to her readers, challenging us not to allow Faith to become a mere reflection of our own, privatized and sometimes very convenient religious beliefs..or to cut it out if we already have. In beautiful, short chapters, she calls on each of us to allow God to be the One doing the defining. Calling on Scripture, as well as personal and professional experience, she is at once serious and light-hearted, many times using her wonderful gift of "getting to the point" in unique, thought-provoking and often humorous ways. She tackles difficult moral dilemmas and human frailties, and gives us a new, more open way to look at them. She throws the gauntlet down to those who co-op God for their own private advancement, for the "my way or the highway" type of sectioning that modern religions can break down into..leading to personal and sometimes national wars: if both sides fervently believe God is on their side, one side (or both) has placed God in a box. This book will help each person of Faith blow off the lid to see the bigger picture, and help prevent one from closing off to many of God's Creation's wondrous aspects. As she says in discussing the tensions caused by different types of services (organ music; drums and guitars; skits, etc.), "Recognize that your way of worship isn't the sum total of worship itself." The Prelude alone will make your realize you are dealing with a writer and thinker of the first order in Anne Roberston..a fresh, new and most welcome voice in Christian letters. You'll be wanting to continue on immediately! As you proceed, you'll think you can hear God saying, "Finally, someone gets it!" Blowing the Lid off the God-box is a delightful read, and Anne's fervent belief in Love as the basic building block of all existence wafts across the pages like the scents of blossoms in the spring winds. When you finish this book, you'll realize that by offering it, she is telling you she loves the reflection of God in you, too.

Chloe Anne - Force of Nature is the endearing true-life story of the self-assured, well-fed, and thoroughly beloved pet cat Chloe Anne, told directly from Chloe's point of view. She has no qualms about expressing her feline feelings to author and de facto cat mother Valerie Oblath. The result is an engaging chronicle of Chloe Anne's adventures, including imprisonment in the Big House, her inquisitive exploration of the washing machine, her encounters with ducks, and much more. An episodic delight to read in quick bursts, or all at once (perhaps while one's own purring pet demands obligatory lap time), Chloe Anne - Force of Nature is highly recommended for cat lovers everywhere.

If you've ever wondered what might be going on in your cat's mind, this is a wonderful story to read. Chloe Anne is a beautiful, savvy, sophisticated (and somewhat voluptuous) cat who tells the story of her adoption and life with her new mom from her own point of view. She touches upon all of the most important feline subjects: eating, sleeping, grooming, and of course curiosity.
This is a truly touching story, and especially a must-read for cat-lovers!

Meet Chloe Anne - a voluptuous, long-haired kitty. Full of curiosity and charm, she knows she's "too beautiful for words."

Chloe Anne begins life as Penny, before being incarcerated at the Big House, and before author Valerie Oblath adopts her. Living with her new Mom and sister, Chloe Anne never runs out of ways to amuse herself and find trouble. But despite her mischief, she's secure in the knowledge that her Mom loves her, and she'll never have to worry about ending up in the Big House again.

This humorous tale of Chloe Anne's adventures is a joy to read. Even though it's impossible to tell what a cat is really thinking, Valerie Oblath has created a convincing chat with this delightful feline. But even more than that, she shares her own warmth and devotion to the cats who share her home.

Anyone who's ever lived with and been loved by a cat will enjoy reading this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews

When I finished reading this book, the first thing I felt was that I was already missing listening to the chatty, opinionated, touching, funny, haute-couture character who is Chloe Anne and who is a cat. To say that Chloe Anne is a cat is somehow to misrepresent her. Chloe Anne (nee Penny, short for Penelope) comments on anything and everything, and it is amusing to hear what she has to say. Judge for yourself. In the following passage she describes her stay at the pound: "The first night or so was hard. All alone. Even surrounded by my fellow prisoners. I felt hopelessly alone. And let me tall you, the Humane Society will not be the path to my formal societal debut. But you already know that, don't you? There is no need to mince words here. I'd been sent to the Big House. No room with a view. Dry food in a bowl, filled once a day. And so confining. The bidet right next to the food bowl, Mon Dieu! I'd been incarcerated, locked in a cell behind bars, sentenced without a trial. And while this was no Alcatraz (Wasn't Burt compelling in that role? His Birdman kept my eyes riveted to the screen!) It seemed I was there for the long run."

And so the narrative flows with cultural, societal and literary references woven into its canvas. Consider just the chapter titles: "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream," "A hiss is just a Hiss, "I Have a Dream". Sparks, hilarious and touching, are flying at the juncture of the context referred to, for example, Hamlet's supreme anguish in "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream" and that of Chloe Anne's immediate concern with a comfortable warm place where she could settle down to sleep, or doze, or nap, or slumber. An exhaustive study of the differences between these states is cleverly and thoroughly noted.

The narrative and the character are bubbly, funny, full of clever surprises, and amusement. The book is tastefully designed; every detail is attended to so much so that I suspect that even the measurements of the rectangular shape of the book have been chosen to satisfy the golden ratio.

I agree with Betty White (actress/author) who has read the book and said, "I feel as though I know Chloe Anne--all of her--and I love her a lot. So will you."

Sent to the Humane Society when her owners had to move, Penny the cat is soon adopted and her new mom renames her Chloe Anne. Chloe loves her new mom and home, but can't help being a bit adventurous. Many of her adventures are harmless - befriending a duck for example; some are messy (it's not a good idea to explore fireplaces); but some are scary (Chloe decides to investigate how a washing machine works). Chloe doesn't mean to upset her mom, but she is a cat after all. Is it her fault that her brother and sister aren't as adventurous as she is?

Told in the first person by Chloe Anne, "Chloe Anne: Force of Nature" is a delightful, very funny book. Chloe Anne belongs to author Valerie Oblah, who clearly loves and understands cats. If cats could really write and think (besides about food and sleep) they would no doubt think like Chloe Anne. Chloe Anne never means to get into mischief, it's just that there's so much to explore and the world is a pretty big place. The humor throughout the book is at times laugh out loud funny (I especially liked the parts when Chloe goes out to explore something, falls asleep in the middle of exploring, then wakes up and goes on as if uninterrupted). Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat will have experienced their cat doing at least one of the things Chloe Anne does and will now know what their cat was thinking while doing it!

Cat lovers will enjoy "Chloe Anne: Force of Nature".

Dear Ms. Maltby,

My name is Jen and I live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. I have been married to my husband for a little over six years, and we are not able to conceive children. The last year has been the most difficult year of my life, and frankly I'm in a battle like I never thought possible. This past fall a variety of issues in my life came to a head, and I crashed. As a survivor as child sexual abuse, I have struggled with depression on and off for about twenty years. My marriage is falling apart, and the issue of infertility continues to haunt me. I have been involved with a wonderful Christian counselor who is guiding me with God's help toward healing, but there are still a great many battles to be fought before my world will be sitting upright again.

I stumbled across your book in the local Lifeway store, and the provocative title led me to pick it up. I decided to purchase it, and from the last page of Chapter One I was in tears. It seemed that every chapter held something to say about some profound truth that was affecting my life, and I have never been so blessed by someone else's words. I am a follower of Christ, and as such I know what the Word says about truth. But my life experiences have twisted many of my beliefs and I struggle every day to remember who I am in Christ and what that means about how this journey through life trials will ultimately work out. Your work addressed many of the pitfalls I find myself struggling with, and your gentle, loving delivery was like a salve to this battered heart. Thank you, dear woman of God, for the insights and reminders. I know that as I re-read your book I will glean something new from it each time, but for now know that your inspired work has changed me. Thank you for allowing God to use you...a. perfect stranger...in such a powerful way in my life.

May God continue to bless your ministry...you are making a difference for His kingdom, and I'm so happy to have found your book.

Much love in Christ,
Jen

Tammy is awake to what others have buried their heads in the sand to: we're all broken inside, and our journey to wholeness comes in sharing our stories with one another. Why is it that we struggle so with this?

Why does it seem like Christians are the last ones in on the joke: we claim to love others, yet are known to our neighbors as hypocrites? Motivated more by guilt and shame than by love, we hide our hurts from everyone including ourselves. It's a broken way to live and it certainly isn't Jesus' way.

And that's why we need more books like "Confessions" as an invitation to others that says not only is it safe to be vulnerable, but that is the only way to health, and in fact, is the only way to be a true disciple of Jesus. In "Confessions" you'll recognize parts of yourself and you'll see where perhaps you still need healing and how that healing can begin.

If you're like the great thundering herd of Christians that, lost in the dust and the noise of others around you, struggle to voice the broken parts of your story, you need this book as a catalyst to your healing and growth. The paradox is that by confessing your humanity to others, Christ, the God-man, is formed in you. Read "Confessions" and weep - with joy and recognition.

I would highly recommend this book. The author Tammy Maltby lays out her life on paper so candidly and honestly. She gives so much inspiration to women out there who are facing the same issues. Trying to be the perfect christian girl and yet faced with depression, abuse, addictions and suicide. Tammy shares what most of us good christian girls would be too ashamed to ever talk about. Those of us who hide in shame on church pews, being paralyzed emotionally because of sin and past regrets. Tammy lays out steps in order to overcome and be victorious. This book is scriptural and guided by bible truths and the promises of God. She writes about how we should step out in faith, pray, and and know that God wants more for us than what we want for ourselves. This book is for any women who may be living in emotional or physical bondage or in some situation that prevents you from living a peaceful life due to circumstances. This book will bless your life with all the tools you need to find peace and understanding. You will learn how to not suffer in silence and get out of the personal prison you've been living in. Most importantly, Tammy Maltby will give you the help you need through her own personal circumstances and how we can move forward to the life that Christ so lovingly wants us to have. This book will bring you the freedom you've been searching for.

Confessions of a Good Christian Girl: the Secrets Women Keep and the Grace That Saves Them is powerful...and seasoned with grace. It's filled with wonderful quotes and more importantly, points to the one who can heal all of our brokenness. Many times throughout reading, I thought...Oh that is powerful...Oh that ministers healing...It's the kindness of God that leads us to repentance and it's the brave woman of God, willing to be transparent, that ministers to the broken. I know the darkest hours of my life exposed the tenderness of God the most. Though I never would wish a divorce on anyone...for me it proved to be the time God revealed His grace most powerfully. I felt as though I committed the ultimate sin. It broke my self-will and my belief that somehow I might earn God's love...As I read your book I realized you learned the same thing and it encouraged me. No matter how "good" we are we can never merit God's love or our salvation. That's the beauty of Christianity. We don't need to have all the answers or be perfect because God loves us no matter what. His grace is for every area of our life...not just our salvation. He equips and empowers us to "be" for Him. Each of my dark seasons produced more of Christ character and caused me to love others more unconditionally. He loves us...because He chose to...and nothing can change that.

When I first became a Christian at age 22, I devoured every possible Christian book, I needed all the direction and information I could get! After a while, I got burned out, so I took a break from them ~ for years.... However, this book has brought me back in a big way. It is refreshing, honest, edgy, real, hopeful and different. If you are a women who doesn't feel she fits in to the classic mold, but one who feels she has to put on a smiley face and hide her real pain and confusion, then be encouraged with this book - you will find women just like you, who aren't perfect, but find the hope and love of Jesus. Tammy, thanks for writing a book that's filled a much needed void....Bravo

This is a beautiful book to look at with wonderful, old fashioned French country recipes. Anyone who likes French food, and/or who has spent any time in the French country side is bound to find a favorite dish. The photographs alone are almost worth buying the book for

This is now the finest French Cookery book that I possess. It is interesting just to read, and is well illustrated. The recipes are well laid out and easy to follow.
Absolutely love it !

Many years ago, I remember reading through cookbooks. Anne Willan's La Varenne, named for her cooking school, offered tremendous insight into technique applied to based French dishes, and I learned much from it. So I was delighted this Christmas Eve day to receive a review copy of her new book, The Country Cooking of France. There are many books on French country cooking, and, yes, you'll find Salade Niçoise and Pot-au-Feu, but she pulls in many recipes that I hadn't heard of - for example, Galettes Bretonnes au Sarrasin, or Breton buckwheat galettes, in which buckwheat crepes can wrap around such fillings as ham, cheese, or egg (and I'll be trying these tomorrow morning, as we're having ham tonight, and I'll want to do something with the leftovers). There's Turbot Vallée D'Auge (turbot with apple and cider sauce), the Burbundian cheese puff called Gougères, and Salade Tiède de Pommes de Terre, Saucisse À L'Ail (warm potato salad with garlic sausage). The book is beautifully produced - hardback with great photography by France Ruffenach. The only fault I can find is that when I opened the back cover, it started to come away from the spine, which might have been a singular defect, but at a list price of $50 it is a shortcoming that should not be tolerated. All in all, a marvelous new text from someone who deeply understands French cooking and how to write and structure a useful cookbook.

Great reference book
Easy to follow recipes with few "exotic" ingredients
Good photos

Anne Willan has gifted us all with a truly wonderful tome of french country cuisine. It is of the same quality as her other: La Varenne Pratique. The entries reflect the true approach to the informal cooking of the country - beautiful creations using elements which naturally occur in each area. The recipes are interesting, truly "do-able" and completely delicious. The photos are beautiful and the narrative is accurate and inspiring. This book will be a worthy tool always as well as a lovely goft for any recipient. Cheers.

Wonderful cookbook! The recipes are simple and easy to prepare. "My Big fat Greek Chicken Salad" and "tipsy Turkey Chipotle Chilli" are two of my family's favorites. The "I'm Confessin" section gives you such great tips for substitutions and side dishes. Nothing could be easier!
I have given several as gifts to friends and family. I would highly recommend! Two funny divas!

I saw this cookbook on the Today Show and bought it immediately!

The Recipes are great, simple and creative!! And the confessions are very entertaining!

A Great gift for Teachers and MOM's, especially now during the back to school season.

This is a must have book - whether you buy it for the recipes or the humor that runs throughout the entire book. I love this cookbook and I've shared it with many girlfriends who had to buy one or more copies because they fell in love with it too. When I first received the book as a gift, I couldn't put it down. I had to go through it page by page and savor the ambience.

It's a great concept and you are drawn into the world of the 1960's PTA Divas page after page. The pictures tell a story and really compliment the recipies. The illustrations are top rate and punctuate the recipies perfectly adding just the right touch. This book oozes charm and is a must have.

I'm not much of a cook; however, I find that the recipies are tempting -- they're easy and very tasty. I've been compelled to try many of them. And the best part of each recipe is the tips for modifying the recipe. It's such an EASY cookbook to own and use.

You'll be delighted to be pulled into the Culinary Confessions of the PTA Divas.

What a great cookbook. I have tried many of recipes, and ALWAYS serve a hit to my family and friends. The soup recipes are my favorite...I have tried them all! Each recipe includes "I'm confessin" tips on cooking, serving and fun facts about the recipe making it enjoyable and easy for the chef!

I cannot get enough of this book! I've tried a number of the recipes and always score a homerun with my teenage son and hubbie. Most of the dishes can be prepared well under 30 minutes, which makes it a snap for weeknight meals. Perfect dishes for elegant entertaining, too. The "I'm Confessing" sidebars offer a host of insider secrets for cooks at all levels. If that's not enough, the cleverly written copy is a hoot and had me laughing all the way to the 'frig. Perfect for gift-giving, too!