Bennett Books

This book has a really great quick review of US history. I literally started reading the review two days before the actual AP test, and I'm certain that run-through helped me earn a 5 on the AP test. This book isn't a standalone certainly, but if you've worked hard/have a good teacher, then this book will just further cement your knowledge of facts and themes. Plus, the Princeton Review people always have a writing style that engages you, rather than puts you to sleep.

This book is a great thing to read after you review everything. It's concise and well explained. I am a horrible student at history because I've never had a good teacher. I actually had a D in my history class but I got a 4 on the AP test! I don't recommend reading Rea. Some people say it's too long...but in reality it's just too complicating. You have no idea what they are even talking about. My friend used Rea all year long and got a 2. I used Kaplan first and then Princeton Review like a week before the AP test and I know Princeton Review made the difference between a 3 and a 4 for me. I remember when I was taking the test like 20 questions came from the Princeton Review book almost like word for word. Get this book!

This book is great if you want to score a 3 or 4 on the exam, don't have a lot of time to study, and have had a very good teacher who has drilled the information into your head. If you haven't then get a more extensive book. You can't learn the material from this book, just review it. This is the only review book I found that was historically accurate.The chapters can be confusing and hard to digest. The info is short but condenced, meaning that in a single paragraph you will get all of the information found in 30 textbook pages. There is not a lot of great info for the essays so the highest you might get is a three unless you get lucky. I had a great teacher and reviewed with this for about 15 hours. I ended up getting a 4 on the exam because I had a lot of outside info about the essays.

OK, this book is helpful as are most AP US History books.However, don't relly on it (that is, unless u have like two weeks left and have not paid attention in class, jk). OK, this is my formula that will help you pass the AP US History exam (i got a 4):
1)Listen to your teacher no matter how boring he may be. He knows his stuff, and his input is most likely helpful.
2)Read your own History text book, and take notes out of it.
3)Read the AP review in this book atleast twice (i read it five times, it's good for your memory)
4)Absolutely take all the practice tests
5)Sleep well before the test
6)Believe in yourself (honestly, a big part of this test is psychological)
**optional**
a)Pray if you have some faith
b)cheat...no jk, that is bad...tell yourself you can do it (over and over until you believe it)

Good luck

Although I only started reviewing until the last couple of days before the exam, which i wholeheartedly do not advise you do, this book truly helped me go over everything in the test. This being my first ap test ever, the test strategies helped a lot. The review, however, was probably the most help to me. It went over all aspects of US history that were relevent to the test and actually helped me learn the first hundred years, due to a bad teacher in the beginning of the year. The review was also written in easy to understand short sentences, which definitely was a big help in memorizing information and actually understanding the topics. My advice is to buy this book early and use it while you're doing AP US schoolwork, then take the practice tests and review about a month before the big day. If you do all that, chances are you'll probably get at least a 3, which many colleges count towards credit. I got a 4, a result that I am pleased with. Well anyways good luck with the exam! You'll breathe a big sigh of relief once it's done!

Havemercy is a mechanical dragon, empowered by magic, one of fourteen such creatures built to protect the city of Volstov during its hundred year war with its enemy, the Ke-Han. She can also talk and often does often to her rider, Rook. This novel is entertaining for many reasons, one of which is that it's told from the first-person viewpoint of the four main characters: Royston, a mage (with a Talent for exploding and burning things)who's been exile from the city of Thremedon for a sexual indescretion; Hal, the naive country boy who is dazzled by his knowledge; Rook, leader of the Dragon Corp, the group of fourteen men who, because of their prowess in handling the mechanical beasts have been lead to believe the city itself is theirs playground, and Thom, a young 'Versity professor who has been assigned by the monarch to teach the airmen how to conduct themselves in public. The story of how these four are brought together is played against the war between the two countries, one which the Dragon Corps has been winning until someone discovers a way to kill the magicians supplying the dragons' magic. Thom, bookish and nerdy, immediately clashes with Rook, who initially comes across as a foul-mouthed bully, going out of his way to humiliate this "intruder" and in the process learning a few things about himself which also brings about an unexpected discovery for Thom. The Airmen themselves are described enough to give each individualsm; in some ways the barracks where they live is like a gigantic Frat House with Thom as the unwilling Housemother. Royston finds himself the object of Hal's innocent passion and, because passion is the reason for his current predicament, is hesitant to take advantage of it. Then Royston is recalled to the capitol; Rook and the Airmen refuse to fly their dragons because the mechanical creatures are beginning to malfunction; and Thom and Hal attempt to discover a way to restore magic to the mages and win the war. Because this story has four viewpoints, it is vivid and dramatic and gives specific touches to each character. The clashes between Rook and Thom are shown from each man's point of view as well as the revelation of the secret the two unknowingly share. Royston's love for Hal is handled with delicacy and tact, shown from the mage's mature and somewhat sardonic aspect as well as that of the unawakened Hal who is at first dazzled by the older man's sophistication, then discovering a gentle soul lurking inside Royston's jaded armor. Since this is a tale of men at war--fighting against unexpectedly dire odds--there no romance per se, and I fully expected it to have an unhappy ending... so I was pleased at the resolutions for the characters. While they might not be what all readers would wish, I found the outcome of Havemercy to be totally satisfying within the novel's framework. Is there a sequel for these four characters? I certainly hope so. I'd like to hear more about Rook and Thom and Margrave Royston and his book-loving Hal.

Very nicely done! It's always a pleasure to run across talented new fantasy authors, and that's what we've got here. Ms. Jones and Ms. Bennett have put together a highly entertaining first novel that fans of the genre ought to take a look at; I doubt many will be disappointed.

The plot of the book isn't terribly original, as another reviewer has noted, but the authors are so good at making you care about what happens to their main characters that you hardly notice. Royston and Hal are an appealing pair, and the spiky relationship between Thom and Rook reminded me of nothing so much as the interaction between the two leads in the movie _Ravenous_. They're all fun to watch, even when nothing much is going on. Maybe especially when nothing much is going on.

The only real complaint I have about the book is the rushed feel of the ending. The authors should have taken an extra 30 pages or so to tie up all the loose threads in a more leisurely and satisfying fashion.

That's just a quibble, however. I bought the book on the strength of Ellen Kushner's recommendation, and I had a lot of fun reading it. You probably will, too.

This is a book where the cover sold it. That magnificent mechanical dragon and all those glowing reviews should have led to a grand steampunk story. What I got instead was 2 gay romances set against a detailed painted backdrop. There was no depth to the world or development of the people. The dragons were a minor prop, never explained and mostly offstage, and the action was left to the very end and rushed over. Mostly there was the older city gentleman seducing the young, naive country boy in a dreamy regency romance and the brutal, coarse airman versus the young, idealistic student who turn out to be brothers but it was still a romance. There were no women to speak of and the few there were were prostitutes or unsympathetic. Even the dragons are referred to as girls and treated like a favorite whore.

Havemercy struck me first when the cover came up in my Amazon recommendations. I've always had a thing for dragons. If you're looking for a story "specifically" about dragons, this might not be it. That is not to say there aren't any dragons, because there are, and for the small amount of page space she gets, Havemercy (said dragon) totally makes her vibrant personality known. The only thing is we unfortunately don't get to see much of her, although she is never far from our thoughts through the thoughts of the characters. However, on the total upside of all this, the rest of the human cast of characters are each very intriguing and I loved reading about each of their trials and tribulations. First we have Margrave Royston, a royal wizard with an amazing talent, both magically and for getting into trouble. His most recent transgression; an all too public affair with the crown prince of his country's newest ally. Hal is a simple country boy with a yearning for both a little affection and a lot of intellectual stimulation, neither of which is available at the home of his cousin, until the appearance of an exiled wizard changes everything for him. Rook is an arrogant dragon rider who cares for nothing other than flying his precious Havemercy and Thom is the unfortunate 'versity student assigned the impossible task of teaching the elite Dragon Corps the ways of manners and refinement.

This story, told in alternating parts, really focuses most on the innermost challenges facing each of them. We get to see how they think, feel, act and react to each other and when they are all brought together, the results are quite gratifying. There is both action (the story taking place during an ongoing war between neighboring countries) and romance (heads up for the said romance being of the gay variety for those that care) mixed along with more personal discoveries for each of the characters which made this an above average read for me and something I'm very happy to have found. It was exactly the kind of engrossing fantasy I've been looking for since finishing Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner books. Highly recommended!

I'm just not feeling the great enthusiasm. I thought "Havemercy" was an interesting spin on some SF tropes and it was really impressive as a first book. The writing was graceful but the book just wasn't more than mildly entertaining for me.
First off, the book was badly unbalanced. The plot was condensed into a few chapters. The book started out slow, which is nice for world building and all, but it took way too long for anything to happen. The action picked up about 3/4 of the way through the book. The action scenes were few but nicely handled but the ending was shamefully rushed.
Second, the world building was sketchy and confusing. The actual role magic played in the society was barely implied. We get a clear view of the power/political aspects used by the emperor but the general society was barely limned in. The three adjoining cities, bearing womens' names, were little more than caricatures. Molly was the slum. Yeah, got it already. What was trade in this society? How much, if any, social mobility was there? There were a few glimpses--young Hal escaping rural isolation, vicious Rook somehow being chosen by his mechanical/magic dragon--but overall the world building was careless at best.
Third, too many of the characters were flat and sterotypical in a novel that's very character-driven. The romance between naive Hal and older Royston was charming in an old-Harlequin-Barbara-Cartland mold. Hal was the essential pure, blushing virgin to Royston's damaged, worldly self. The slow seduction was sweet but corny because neither of the characters were anything more complex than types.
Unfortunately none of the other characters rang true as real people either. I vehemently agree with the reviewer who noted homoerotic overtones between the airman Rook and Thom the academic. The tension was explained away in a hokey long-lost-brother frill that was telegraphed chapters before. NOT convincing. The book is overwhelmingly masculine, hardly any female characters (besides whores and a nasty housewife) so the authors' weird tone deafness about men was all the more jarring. Example: hyper-macho Rook persecutes gentle Thom ruthlessly--but gently raises Thom by the chin to look into his eyes during an argument. A genuine WTF!? moment and one of too many.
I enjoyed the book, mind. The dragons were fascinating; worth a lot more development. The characters were more types than people and the world building was incomplete but the book was still a fun read. (Gorgeous cover art too.) So...a *good* book, and authors with a lot of potential.

Not one of the best efforts on compiling available facts from that dreadful day but worthy of your read. Worth the price just to have the sounds of that time.

I am sure all of us remember where we were on that tragic Friday nearly 44 years ago. The book and companion CD recreates those horrible images from Dallas in 1963 up to the time of Kennedy's funeral. Whether you like him or not Dan Rather did a fine job in narrating the CD featuring the actual news clips from the broadcasts at that time. Excellent reading for those who remember this tragedy and for those who like to get a sense of what America and the world was like at that time.

As the leading civilian authority on the U.S. Secret Service (and President Kennedy's interaction with the agency), I was much interested in this book by Cathy Trost. In conjunction with the audio cd, this book provides a dramatic overview of that terrible time in our nation's history. I recommend this book and cd, especially to the newcomer. vince palamara

This is an excellent book(with CD) ,through the media's eyes.There is no scientific ,logical evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald shot the President.Yet,the media captures the staged-event and the hoopla connected with it. (-My theory-) Nixon never forgave the Irish Catholics for the tragic ,senseless murder of his childhood brother ,Arthur Nixon.Nor forgiving of Kennedy for the alledged voter-fraud of the 1960 race.Johnson divided the democratic vote and Nixon reaped the unified Republican consenses.So-called "witnesses" add to the myth, that all the shots came exclusively from the book-depository warehouse building.There is no mentioning of Charles Harrelson,the most credible shooter.There are Christian Masons,as well as Jewish B'nai B'rth ones.So what about the Masonic connection to Dealy Plaza?And no mentioning of the Nixon Cuban Miami goons,calling off a possible Miami assassination attempt.Nor a mentioning of George Sr. assigning landmark status to a Dallas grand hotel ,that day.If you think Oswald was the lone shooter,don't believe the hype.Investigate.One star for the pictures,and none for reporting the truth.

I typically read books that I think will be good for my mind or my soul, rather than selecting them strictly because they will be fun or interesting. This book reminded me about the joys of pleasure reading.

Of course, the topic of the book is far from fun, and I was initially disappointed by the focus of the book. Rather than focusing strictly on the events surrounding President Kennedy's assassination (which I am too young to have experienced), this book addresses those horrific days from the perspective of many journalists. It is basically a series of interviews from literally dozens of the newsmen around the country who played significant roles in the coverage of this historic event.

Though I didn't really anticipate this emphasis, it was actually an incredibly fascinating vantage point from which to analyze the events surrounding JFK's death. To hear the stories of the men and women who helped the nation and world process and understand these shocking scenes was at times exhilarating and at other times gut-wrenching.

Besides these fantastic interviews, the book also includes a CD, which gives the listener an opportunity to hear 42 different soundbites (most only a minute or two in length) starting with Kennedy's arrival in Dallas and concluding with the funeral. I imagine that this would resonate well with folks who heard many of these clips over forty years ago, but it was equally interesting for me to hear them for the first time.

Ultimately, this book and the accompanying CD far exceeded my expectations. I was hoping to learn some interesting little trivia tidbits, but instead, I was engrossed in those terrible four days when the country suffered and grieved such a great loss. I was absolutely captivated and had a hard time putting down the book.

This book is an excellent guide for beginners of veganism. I got it after I had read a couple of other books related to veganism. I thought it would be very informative and supportive to the change I made, and it has truly lived up to my expectation. It covers a wide variety of topics related to veganism, but I have especially enjoyed the information it gives on choosing a plant-based diet. It also provides many websites that are useful, especially if you are interested in ordering products that are vegan and often hard to come by in smaller communities. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has recently become vegan or is considering becoming a vegan...it is more infomative than persuasive, and it gives you lots of ideas and recipes in an enjoyable and easy to read format. Love it, love it, love it!

This is a comprehensive overview of the issues that a person who is considering living a Vegan lifestyle must think about. The information is not presented through the use of scare tactics but with facts and philosophical debates and queries.The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

I was vegetarian for 3 months and woke one morning with an epiphany- I should go vegan. I researched many issues online, such as the AR reasons to go completely vegan and dietary needs. This book filled in the gaps.
I disagree with the reviewer who mentioned that this book should list specific ethical reasons for veganism. Most people transitioning, aside from the "Skinny Bitch" phenomenon, are doing so because they know the horrors of factory farms. There is a small discussion on wool, but I felt even that was superfluous. I also disagree with the notion of the tone being haughty. This book is not about persuasion, but simply an instruction manual of sorts. There is nothing wrong with it seeming authoritarian when the "complete idiot" is looking for a firm resource.
There are some questionable chapters, as previously mentioned, but the value of the other sections out weighs the misinformation. The authors probably believe these things in their hearts, and it is up to the reader to decide whether or not to vaccinate or eat raw or what have you. I have found many vegan and vegetarian books to have strange ideas or "facts" that weren't cited, which is one reason why I went vege only 2 years ago. The authors have listed other sources, so the reader can research and get straight facts or make up their minds.
I found this book to be excellent. I've cooked several of the recipes, which were delicious and easy enough for a so-so cook to create. I often refer back to the guide, even a year later. If you're even considering living vegan this book is invaluable.

Overall, this book is a pretty good beginning resource for the new vegan, or for those like I am, in the process of experimenting with and transitioning to veganism. It covers common types of vegan staples (such as tofu, tempeh, soy cheeses, milk substitutes, and legumes), hidden animal ingredients to look for (such as carmine red and "natural flavorings"), good ideas for all of the daily meals, non-food-related vegan issues (such as wardrobe, household cleaners, and candles), rebuttals of common myths about veganism, the myriad of health benefits associated with a vegan diet, how to handle eating out, and how to cope with the non-vegans in one's midst. And the book doesn't seem really preachy, holier than thou, or guilt-tripping. The authors stress that such a big sea change in both diet and lifestyle can't happen overnight, and should take place at one's own pace. It's also great how they acknowledge that it's probably impossible to be 100% vegan, no matter how seriously one takes the commitment. There will probably still be some foods, clothing, and household products with unknown non-vegan ingredients that slip through the cracks. The most important thing is to do the best one can.

As wonderful of a resource as the book otherwise is, though, I wished there had been a chapter covering the ethical reasons behind going vegan, not just the health benefits. Granted, the issue of factory farming was covered in depth in 'The Idiot's Guide to Vegetarianism' and they might not wanted to have significant overlap between these two similar books in the series, but it can never hurt to repeat and reword such important information, particularly since it seems to be the main reason most people go vegan. And while they did say that higher prices mean the food is higher quality (one always does get what one pays for), buying only or mostly organic isn't always an automatic guarantor of getting the best food available. Not everyone can afford the grocery bills that go along with buying the more expensive organic versions of normal foods, and there isn't always a huge difference between organic and regular. A number of the recipes (and they are great recipes) thus call for ingredients that are going to be rather expensive and/or hard (if not downright impossible, depending upon where one lives) to find. In spite of what the ultra-health-conscious crowd might say, I really don't think it's going to be jeopardizing my health if I use white flour and wheat grains instead of making a total switch to whole grains only. One can easily be a successful vegan without having a pantry and fridge stocked full of organic foods and hard-to-find products like oat flour and amaranth.

My other major issue with the book was the anti-vaccination section in the chapter on raising vegan kids and having a healthy vegan pregnancy. I kind of think that saving a life takes precedence over all else, even if it means having to violate one's ordinary beliefs and lifestyle. Better a baby get non-vegan vaccines and thus be able to live a full healthy life as a vegan than be at risk for being killed, maimed, or disabled by a scary disease like measles, polio, rubella, whooping cough, or diphtheria. A lot of the "information" in this section was just plain false, like claiming that vaccines cause autism (that ridiculous claim has been debunked by all of the reputable medical and scientific sources), that vaccines cause more harm than good and aren't usually effective (was this section written by the anti-vaccine radicals at Mothering magazine or something?!), that there are a lot of bad side effects (not mentioning that that's only true in a small minority of cases!), and that some vaccines contain mercury (only the flu vaccine still contains mercury, and only trace amounts). Reading blatantly false propaganda like this really raises my blood pressure, and it had no place in an otherwise very sound and researched book!

In spite of some questionable portions, I would recommend the book to someone who's just become a vegan or who is interested in becoming one, but only to be used as a supplement with other vegan-related books that cover some of these issues in more depth.

`The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living' by Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray Sammartano, `Vegan Freak' by Bob Torres and Jenna Torres, and `Vegan Planet' by Robin Robertson are three books my godson purchases, believing they were oriented primarily toward what most of us would consider a vegetarian diet adopted for simple health reasons. The primary objective of this review is to warn those who may be interested in these books for the same purpose. And, to make a strong distinction between the first two and the third.
The vegan lifestyle, at its heart, is far more than a dietary regimen. It is a combination of a system of spiritual values, culinary choices for health, and economic values allied with `green' doctrines of helping to preserve resources. Surprisingly, the first is by far the most important of these three, especially to those like the authors of the `Vegan Freak' book. One need read only a few pages of this book to realize veganism may in some senses be considered a Hindu sect, as it shares many of the same values of this religion, including many approaches to animal products which are as extremely anti-scientific as the rejection of some scientific theories by those who espouse creationism. As someone who has some reasonably sound background in Christian and Jewish doctrines, I can say with some certainty that vegan values are NOT shared by either Christian, Jewish, or Muslim value systems. In fact, the Judeo-Christian scriptures are often cited as justifications for using animal products. I will also venture the thought that the vegan doctrines are not consistent with secular ethical theory. By the definition assumed by every ethical value system, including those based on Judaism and Christianity, moral principles are those principals related specifically to behavior toward other humans. Thus, the vegan apologists are truly stretching the meaning of `ethical' or `moral' in order to add cachet to their preaching, which it does not deserve. That doesn't mean these values are baseless. It just means they need some justification which is independent of moral theories.
Now that is not to say many vegan values are not shared by the non-vegan population at large. Most civilized people, and even cultures which may be considered pre-civilized savages, place a value on `humane' treatment of animals. Thus, we have dedicated a fair amount of resources to SPCA organizations and other animal rescue organizations. It is also due more to ignorance than to inhumanity that we indulge in animal products which are raised in an inhumane manner. And, the rationale that these animals would never have lived if it were not for our raising them specifically for food is scant excuse.
As sound as the basic vegan value system is, to some peoples' minds, it seems to cross some line from humane principles to surprising extremes when it raises its ban against literally every animal product, no matter how remotely removed from cruel commercial animal husbandry. Two of the most extreme examples are bans against vaccines because they are incubated in eggs and many beers and wines, because they are clarified using animal products. Less extreme, but similarly questionable are the prohibitions against milk and eggs, especially if one makes the effort to purchase products raised according to humane husbandry techniques. Here, one encounters many of the health concerns of vegans, and for many people, milk and eggs have health problems. But not for everyone. And, eggs and milk products are the basis of some of the most nutritious and delicious food products.
`Vegan Freaks', as one may assume from the title, is the most extremely doctrinaire of the three books. As with the `freaks' of the 60's and later, they revel in their differentness, making that a fourth leg of their vegan lifestyle. `...Vegan Living' is less strident, but, it is no less doctrinally `pure'. It is somewhat easier to read, as it does not have the attitude of poking a stick in the eyes of non-vegans. Both are excellent starting points and both have very good bibliographies for obtaining additional information. But, neither contains any major sections on recipes! And this is where a purchaser may be most surprised, believing that these are `cookbooks'.
`Vegan Planet' is substantially different, as it is a cookbook from start to finish. In fact, it is not even doctrinally pure vegan, as it joyfully includes bread recipes which use yeast! As I write this, I realize that it has been a very long time since I took high school biology, and I'm no longer sure whether yeasts are related to the animal protozoans or the `vegetable' fungi. Except for this somewhat gray area, the book is otherwise true vegan, except that it never leaves the kitchen in order to climb on its soapbox and preach its gospel of avoiding animal products in every form.
In the end, if you have health concerns which bring you to the vegan diet, `Vegan Planet' is certainly the book you want. It will give you hundreds of recipes which simulate dishes traditionally cooked with milk, plus lots of great recipes for the staple vegan protein replacements such as beans, pulses, and grains. The other two books may only be of value if you are interested in the vegan value system. And, although these books mention the raw `cooking' style, neither deals with it in any depth. For that, I suggest `RAW, The UnCook Book' by Juliano.

Excellent instructions. Easy to follow and to the point. This CD would be useful even if you have never played a piano before. David obviously enjoys he music and takes great pleasure in teaching.

Excellent product.

Some people give it 5 stars, some think it's a bad book. I think it may depend on your skill to some degree. If you are a proficient piano player with already some skill on piano, you probably won't learn much from this book. For me, being an early intermediate player, I did get some info from this book which I can directly apply to my playing. A couple of bad points about this book is that there are no fingerings!! I mean really, a piano book without piano fingerings? That is just a pet peeve of mine, so that is minus 1 star right off the bat. Also keep in mind that there are only 17 pages to this book. So there isn't a whole heck of a lot of info in it. You really have to look at every measure and decide what you like and what you don't like and try to incorporate those into your playing. All in all this book could have been a lot better. For one, incorporate fingerings and two, possibly he could have combined book one and two together to form one book. It does come with a CD though which is a good feature. If you can find this book for really cheap it may be worth picking up. A better book is Tricia Woods "Beginning Blues Keyboard", which I highly recommend.

Like most other reviewers, I had been looking for a way to learn to play the blues and was very frustrated. David Cohen is the answer to my wish! If one is willing to do the work and practice, following the music both written and on the CD, you will be playing the blues.

You must be able to read music and have an understanding of music theory for his explanations to make sense, but you don't have to be anything more than proficient.

I played one of his solos for my son last week and he could not believe how good it sounded!

This instructional doesn't waste any time. I was amazed at how soon I began to improvise, and would often times find myself having already improvised the next lesson.

this cat has been around block.he knows his stuff.only warning is if your comfortable with alot of theory you might be left wanting. that said,i recommend highly.

Great book! Open your mind a bit and read about someone who has a "different" background than a lot of people. Surviving both a harsh family history and various terrifying expressions of supernatural power, the author tells an absolutely fascinating story. Worth the effort to find this small press gem.

I have read the book and I think it's worth every penny. I believe your story Jackie. It's a shame how people become very envious when something happens good for a family member. A message to the woman Judy who wrote something negative...if your not a family member then you should mind your own business. You remind me of a person who has so much stuff in her closet that you have to talk bad about someone else. GET A LIFE!

Got the book - read the book - Here's the promised review. WOW!!! Quite the ride for a reader - Laughing one sec - getting goose bumps the next...Checked your website, sorry your family is Suing you. Good luck with them...Stephen

Jackie is a personal friend. She shared many of these stories before she wrote them. It was a gut-wrenching experience for her. I read the rough draft and the hair on the back of my neck stood up many times. It's wonder she's as sane as she is. It's all true.

Saw the article in the Fingerlakes Times, was so intrigued I bought the book. Reading this book was scary - but I loved it. I can't imagine those things happening to me and am certainly glad they did'nt. Anyway great book, I give it my official Okey Dokey :) Meri

This book was extremely enlightening and great reading. It captures the history of Black culture from the beginning of the slave trade to America and the significant contributions made by Blacks.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading, regardles of race, ethinic background, religion, or cultural beliefs.

Wonderful book! Read origin over 30 years ago. Greatly appreciate being able to replace a lost volume.

This book is a good reference for those who want to gain more knowledge about the african american experience before slavery and after. There is so much more to African American history than being enslaved in the United States. In this book you learn a little about African civilization, slavery, post slavery and today.

I read this about a decade ago. Incredible insights! Well written. I am reading it again, and have given it as a gift. I will buy as many as I can afford. It is one book that must be read, for a historical and spiritual perspective of African Americans.

Regardless of Mr. Bennett's apparent biases, and sometimes lofty criticisms of white America, this book is a remarkable read. When writing about such an emotional and intense subject, I believe it is impossible to be completely objective, especially when the topic involves the oppression and suppression of your own people. That being said, the author does a good job of remaining as objective as possible throughout the bulk of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the history of black America.

Strange gifts from remote relatives
and an unlikely and resourceful boy
make for a story line that is very lovable.
I read just after reading this about a biologist studying
a Gray Parrot's remarkable intelligence.
I think playing chess is out of the question
except for fiction...
Not a bird brain book.

I chose this book because in the past I read another book by the same author. This book takes place in Paris, France. There are four main characters. The characters are Mom, Dad, Madison, the African Gray Parrot. I like Madison the most because he can talk and play more games than the average parrot, and because madison is the center of the whole story. The story begins when Harry inherits an African Gray Parrot, named Madison, from his Great Uncle George. harry spends much time with the parrot, and becomes attached to him. One day, when no one was home, a burglar breaks in and steals Madison. While Madison is at the robber's house alone, he calls the police. The policeman could not believe what madison told him because Madison's stoy was unbelievable. Madison had even told the police man that he was 9 inches tall. Later in the story Madison manages to pry a hole in the chimney and get away. Going up the chimney he got covered in suit and could not fly. Then you should read the book to see what happens next. I thoght this was a great story. i would reccomend this book to you to read

Are you looking for a marvelous animal fantasy story? Then that's "Harry's Mad" by Dick King-Smith is just the book for you. The main characters are Harry and his parrot, Madison. Harry is very brave to go to Washington D.C to get Madison and to dare to finally talk to Madison. This talking African Gray Parrot is very clever because he knows about presidents and he also knew how to fly away from the thief who kidnapped him. The story takes place in London because that's when Harry tries to find Madison. This is a modern time story because everything in the story is not about anything in the past. The story is about a young boy name Harry. After his great uncle, George died he had to take care of his great uncle, George's parrot which is an African Grey Parrot name Madison. Mad is a genius and knows how to talk very well. One day Madison got kidnapped by a thief and no one knew. What wells Harry do and how long would Madison have to stay with the thief? I recommend this book because this book has my favorite kind of parrot that is call an "African Grey Parrot." Also in each chapter in this book it always makes me wants to keep on reading. Now you know what's Harry's Mad about. You might want to get this book or buy this book so you could start reading this outstanding animal fantasy story now!

Did you know that a parrot that can talk??
The main character is Harry is a British boy who has brown hair and likes to eat American brownies. Madison the parrot is his favorite pet. He is very active, imaginative, and likes to daydream a lot.
Madison is a main character too. He is an intelligent African Gray male parrot, raised up in America. Madison enjoys eating food taken by people. He not only mimics with human voice, he speaks with an American accent and is also able to use telephone. Madison favorite game is monopoly.
The setting of this bock is from London. When Harry received Mad (short form for Madison) from Great Uncle George's will, he thought he is just an ordinary bird. When Harry came to know that it could talk, He kept it a secret from his parents. Very often, Harry would go into fits of giggles, falling about clutching his stomach and howling with laughter. Both his parents thought sometimes that. Harry is very mad.
After a few weeks, Harry revealed his secret to his parents. From then on, it seemed to the whole family that they had never been a time without Madison even the cat and the dog thought so too. Madison is also a walking dictionary because he helps Mr. Holdworth to think about the puzzle sheet and amazingly, he eats together with the family-using spoon. He knows how to cook by giving Harry's mother some recipes, teaches Harry in his English homework, plays chess and even monopoly with the family.
One day, while Mrs. Holdswoth went shopping, Harry in school and his father is in work, a burglar broke into the house and took Madison away. Will our hero find his way back home or will he die or been sold to a faraway parrot shop?
I will recommend this book because without a talkative parrot is very boring.

The book I am going to talk about is called Harry's Mad. It is an adventurous book. There are two main characters. The first character is Harry he is a blonde hair boy and he has black eyes. He is ten years old and has no brothers or sisters. He lives with his parents. The second character is an African parrot with gray and black eyes and has a dark gray beak.
They live in a famous city called London. The story takes place in November. Harry got a parrot from his uncle who passed away and whom he never met. Harry went out with his mom and a robber break in. The robber robs Mad and Harry couldn't find Mad. The parrot flew away from the robber. At last Harry and Mad meet again.
I recommend you read this book because it is incredibly, exciting, and interesting.

What does the confederate flag mean to you? Is it a sign of pride and justice, or a sign of racism and hate? What would you do if you were a person who came from a liberal democratic New Jersey family and had to move to a place where they proudly fly the rebel flag? Would you say "Oh this is there culture might as well get used to it." Or would you do as the main character did and join up with a local church group and fight for what you believe in and try to have it taken down? Would you try and see both sides of the flag and try and find out what is the true meaning of the flag? Read this story, it just may change your idea of the flag

In A Heart Divided, by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld, Kate Pride tells the story of her experiences in Redford, Tennessee as a 16-year-old playwright from New Jersey. She shares how she met Jack Redford and eventually wrote a play with the hopes of reuniting the heart of the Redford community - divided over the meaning of the Confederate flag. She discovers who she really is and that "Purpose is: Who you touch. How you change the world. The good you leave behind."
When Kate meets Jack, her life changes. Jack is 17 and wants to become an actor, but finds it challenging to stand up to his mom who wants him to continue the Redford family tradition of attending military school. Kate's new friend Nikki Roberts is organizing a vote to change the Redford Rebels high school football team name and Confederate flag mascot. To much of the community, including Jack, the flag simply represents family history - what their fathers died for. Many others believe it represents racism. When Kate's own family becomes directly involved in the conflict, Kate brings together the feelings of various members of the community (including her own) in her first serious play, performed by Jack and Nikki. Kate's performance piece can be found at the end of the book and includes excerpts from real interviews conducted by Bennett and Gottesfeld.
This book is written with a realistic, sometimes romantic, sometimes funny style that teen girls can relate to. You feel like you're really in the little Southern town of Redford, Tennessee. The performance piece at the end is the true reward for reading the book, a beautifully written process of discovery. I hope you will read this book and find your heart touched as deeply as mine was.

This is by far the best book I've read in years for young people about the experience of living in the South today. Whether the reader is white or black, conservative or liberal, rich or poor, in a big city or in a small town is much that can be gained from A Heart Divided. The best thing about the book is that the authors have written a marvelous story about a teen girl and wrapped it around a hot political issue. Even though the issue is hot, they have managed to present all points of view with fairness and with dignity. No matter what you think about the Confederate Flag and whether it should be flown today, you will feel that your point of view is represented and not smirked at. Meanwhile, Kate Pride emerges as one of the most interesting teen girls I've read about in years. She's a regular girl from a regular family, trying to figure out what it all means. This is a wonderful read for anyone age twelve and up.

Sixteen-year-old Kate Pride is outraged when her parents inform her that they are moving. Not only moving a few miles away, but hundreds of thousands of miles away, from their beloved hometown of New Jersey, to Redford, Tennessee. Kate is horrified at the thought of leaving her closest friends behind, as well as giving up the spot that she earned in a prestigious playwriting workshop. In Redford, racial tensions quickly arise, as Kate admits that she is a very northern teenager, in a very southern town. These differences prompt her to write a play. Her play is about the town's choices to fly the Confederate flag, and the opposition that the movement causes. However, when Jack Redford steps into the picture, a Romeo-and-Juliet type love affair begins. Suddenly Jack is trying to explain to his Mother why he doesn't want to attend the Citadel, even though it is a family tradition, and Kate joins various high school students in the attempt to get the school team's name changed to something other than the Rebels, and to get the town to stop flying their Confederate flag.

The voice of Kate Pride is wise beyond her 16-years. She is intelligent and confident, determined and strong. Kate is a role model for teenage girls the world over, as she speaks to readers, rathern than down to them. Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld have created an inspirational and endearing novel that will stay with the reader for years, and, eventually go down in literary history. For once, two authors of the young adult genre have decided to give their lead character a plot, and voice of importance. A HEART DIVIDED will leave a lasting impression. Don't miss it!

Erika Sorocco

Jeff Gottesfeld and Cherie Bennett have written a novel in which any student, parent, or teacher can find truths about life. As an educator, I am constantly given recommendations for good books to read; this book is one of my favorites. It deals with issues that fit not only adolescent concerns, but also with problems facing society in general: tolerance for others' differences, compassion for others' suffering, and adjustment to new situations. Best of all is the awakening of the main character, Kate, to the realization of her goals. She discovers that opening her heart and mind to life's obstacles takes her to places she had previously only dreamed of reaching. This book is one that teens and adults will read cover-to-cover!

Great book that provides comprehensive information on Canadian Immigration process. Also covers the different immigration rules in different provinces of Canada. The book also sites good online references. A useful resource for Americans who wish to immigrate to Canada.

Myths about Canada abound: it's a "fake country," it has a population of 20, people are allowed to marry moose, it's one big year-round hockey tournament, it doesn't really exist, everyone speaks a vulgar form of French, and they have free healthcare but you'll perish waiting in line for service. Canada gets taken for granted. As such, many south of "the other border" know little about the enormous country that sits on top of them. And so myths perpetuate like Yukon snow. But moving to Canada? That assumes one already acknowledges its existence and possesses at least a speck of knowledge about the land with the maple leaf flag. "How To Move To Canada" only assumes the former. Those with no, or very minute, familiarity with Canada will drown in the historical, cultural, and political knowledge contained in these thick 200 pages.

Though its subtitle, "A Primer for Americans," remains a bit of a misnomer (since Canadians are also Americans), this book nonetheless provides a great launching pad for those wanting to immigrate to the Great White North. Note that this book assumes readers want to permanently move to Canada, or at least obtain dual citizenship (only a recent possibility). But those who merely want to "try it out" via a temporary work permit will also benefit from the information within. Both groups will learn about the steps to long term settlement, the long process, and the potential legal roadblocks. Such questions as "when do I need an immigration attorney?" and "how long does citizenship take?" get addressed throughout. A handy "Immigration Time Line" outlines the steps from deciding to move, to permanent residency, and ultimately to Canadian citizenship. But again the underlying assumption is that the reader wants to immigrate, not just get a job. That's an important distinction the book doesn't address very clearly. People can move to and work in Canada without immigrating. Section Two does mention work permits, but briefly. It also contains another very short section on retiring to Canada. Those looking for detailed information on those subjects should look elsewhere.

Hopefully those considering moving to Canada have already done their homework about where and why they want to move. Regardless, "Moving to Canada" contains droves of information on Canadian history, healthcare, politics, climate, differences from province to province (and territory to territory), employment, crime, economy (including housing prices) and demographics. No previous knowledge required. The final section, which makes up more than half the book's bulk, outlines basic information for all ten provinces, three territories, and many major cities. A word of caution: this book was published in 2006, but much of its information dates to the most recently available data. Some dates to 2001. Laws and the economy obviously fluctuate, so readers should consider that while perusing this book's figures. Canada's immigration website, frequently mentioned in the book, remains a good up to date resource.

"How To Move To Canada" contains far more than immigration instructions. It encompasses a historical and cultural survey of North America's placid giant. Expect to learn things like "why do people in Quebec speak French?" "does Canada have a Queen?" "how did Canada become what it is today?" but especially "how do I move there permanently?" This book even serves as a great reference for those who don't ultimately immigrate. As such, "How To Move To Canada" remains a great and easy to read introduction for anyone.

This is the most thoroughly readable how-to book I have seen on moving to Canada. It is practical and authoritative and has helped my quest for emigration greatly. It's a good investment and the perfect 'starter' book for anyone with thoughts of becoming an ex-pat by moving north of the border.

I found this book reasonably useful as a means of learning how the immigration process works for Canada. You could certainly research all this info on the Internet yourself, but it would be a bother. The author points out some common and potentially serious mistakes that applicants often make on their paperwork.

Also, she herself is an American immigrant to Canada, and speaks from experience and from the American perspective, which makes this book superior to another of its type, "Living and Working in Canada" which was written by a British citizen for an audience of non-North Americans.

This book doesn't pull any punches - you are leaving the United States and moving to another country - an action not to be taken lightly at all. Whether entering our friendly neighbors to the north as just a permanent resident or going all the way and becoming a Canadian citizen (Note! You don't have to give up your US citizenship!)- it's a lot more complicated than just arriving, buying a house, and starting your new job that you've previously located and landed. Interesting sidebar segments on those who have gone before and what they did - or wished they had done - to make the move and transition easier and less stressful.

Yes you can "retire" to Canada - you just have to loan the government $400,000 (CD) interest free for 61 months and have total assets of greater than $800,000 (CD) when you enter and before the loan. No more just showing up with your retirement nest egg.