Big Books

I loved A. Whitney Brown during his time on Saturday Night Live, and "The Big Picture" delivers the same wit, insight, comedic timing and irrascableness that only Brown can dish out. If you like smart commentary on important political issues, this is the book to have - you'll laugh AND you'll think.

If you think A. Whitney Brown is funny on the Daily Show, you're in for a treat in this volume from his SNL days. Wry, insightful commentary from Brown's funnier years.

I don't think people take satire seriously enough. In Europe, satire used to be something reserved for the truly luminary authors/minds. Because it dwells in the less dignified realm of comedy, I think it's poorly understood by the average person just how much intelligence is required to do satire well. A Whitney Brown has to be one of the most brilliant minds in modern times. Not only does he parody politics (which maybe some people wouldn't relate to), but modern mores and values as well. Sadly, I often find that I AM the very person he is poking fun at. However, then I realize that it's really all of us, or the human condition in general, and the pathetic, contemporary ways that we respond to age-old problems, that he is ridiculing. I really wish we would hear more from him, especially in times like these! I believe he is or was on AirAmerica. I wish he would find his way into mainstream media again. This country can't afford to keep its great minds in obscurity. Write another book! America needs you!

Good stuff. Buy it or I'll shank you! (Though I may be a bit biased, being family and all...Oh well.)

The Big Punch is a stunning debut novel. It's not for the faint of heart, but if you like dark, surreal fiction and that you won't soon forget then you must read "The Big Punch". Louis Maistros is an author whom I think we'll all be hearing much more about in the future.

... well, it's Raymond Chandler meets William Burroughs. Sort of. Not your usual Stevie King clone, but a really twisted, gory (yet hilarious) surreal caper. If you dig the likes of Caitlin Kiernan and Poppy Brite (or the above mentioned authors), buy it now.

Louis Maistros' THE BIG PUNCH is stunning-a frenetic, darkly comic voyage through mindscapes of characters who, from page one, we instantly care about. It delivers train-driven wallops to the gut in atmosphere, pacing, mood, and style. The voice is original, fresh, unhurried-all marks of seasoned veterans. As a first novel, it stands head and shoulders above the crowd. But it doesn't just stand, it taunts. The sheer weight inherent in Maistros' noir fiction coupled with his deft cutting hand when using more horrific elements make for a smooth, technically flawless treatment of what dark fiction should be all about.

The writing is crisp, clean, and relentless; the characters deep and fully realized.

THE BIG PUNCH is a novel you will not soon forget.

Loved it! A page turner. Truly chilling, like taking a stroll through hell on earth. Loved the orange haired rat, Ida Mae and Becky, the blind man, Janice, of course the Black Delia, and naturally Jack. Great cast of characters, too many to actually mention all of them. And the voice was incredible, very distinct, humorous but not overly done that it took away from the horror yet enough that it didn't pull me too down into these awful happenings. Wonderful balance. Very unique story, an original I'd say. I've never read anything quite like this. The Horsemen was something I was not familiar with. The Big Punch itself, or theater, I had some inkling of a memory but was surprising pleased to have discovered that these underground theater shows was also called the Big Punch. And the main character Jack--what can I say about Jack--he's my hero, even if he is slightly flawed.

Loved it!!The book was brought for me as a present, unfortunatly I chose to read it on the train home from work and managed to disturb the whole carriage by laughing out loud all the way home!! The poems are great, and I could really relate to them, my favourite being 'The Hormone Patch'. Every woman needs a copy of this book, but they should read it in a private place to avoid embarrassment!!

This book is fantastically written with excellent pictures to perfectly suit the poems. It touches on different subjects such as love, children and family and even a girls best friend - chocolate. It had me in stiches with its witty one liners and I also shed a tear with the beautifully written poem "In a hundred years time" This book is well worth the money and I have told all my friends to get a copy! I just hope there will be more books to come!

I laughed so much at the poems in this book i gave myself the hiccups, one of the poems THE HORMONE PATCH i could imagine the hubby going to work with the patch on his bottom! The SPAMMOGRAM was so real life i cried with laughter at the bit were SHE ROLLED HER[SELF] UP LIKE 2 COCKTAIL SAUSAGES!!!! I really loved THE DANCING DENTURES , where the poor woman got her teeth flicked down the mans trousers!!!! it was so funny , my mom loves it and every woman i have let read it, all the poems i can relate to, and i read over and over again

A beautiful, witty book. I laughed so hard I cried. Amazing detail and insight into the every day life of women. It is the best book I have picked up in many years. These gals are incredible! Absolutely wonderful illustrations!

My son loves this book, all the different kinds of cars and trucks are fun to look at, and the rythm of the story is great for reading aloud. I hope the paperback edition maintains the foldout "centerfold" of the original.

My twin 21 month old sons are fixated on transportation vehicles, but especially buses. This book was renewed from the library as many times as was allowed and they still wanted to hear it every day, 10 times a day! They loved to have a story about a bus that was different from the ever popular "Wheels on the Bus". I enjoyed the text and the fact that it was easy to add my own special touches such as sound effects while reading it.

This can't be out of stock! As a children's librarian, I found this to be a wonderful book. Lots of repetition and vehicles, with big clear pictures. What more could you want? Even parents get into the spirit of the book, yelling 'Stop,' and 'Help' in the appropriate places. Hope that this is not a prelude to out-of-print

I work as a Toddler teacher in a daycare with children whose age range from 14mos to 2yrs and this is thier favorite book. I was so glad to see that it was here because I have looked everywhere for since our copy was recently ripped by one of the childern. I can not tell you just how much the children love this book. If I could give more stars I would.

I used to read this to my fifteen year old when she was little,she remembered it still, so I ordered it to read to my three year old.I had forgotten how well it was illustrated, and how kid friendly it was.I defenitely will NOT mind ready this one over and over again,,,,,again!Great book,cute storyline, and wonderful illustrations are sure to make this a favotite of your children too.

Sarah's old boots make a special sound and the fit just right. But then one day they have shrunk and no amount of stretching by filling them with rocks and other means will ever make them fit her again. When they go to the store to buy a new pair of boots the only ones they have are yellow with a fire engine red stripe and Sarah will never like them! They are taken home. She gives her favorite boots to her brother and he loves them because they fit him perfectly. After it's rained again Sarah's family pulls on their boots. And when they play in the puddles Sarah's new boots make a different sound, but she doesn't mind after a while because they are just as much fun as the old ones and now she is enjoying the puddles with her brother.

The Pictures are well done because they cause you to be drawn into the story and feel exactly how Sarah felt thru the detailed expressions on her face and the characters used to compliment her.

Opinion: Most well done childrens books (at least in my experience) become memories when children grow up, thru the illustrator's pictures, if they're done well. And then the story is remembered thru that art not usually the other way around, in ages about 1-8 or so, then as they start to get into books that are more grown up they create their own pictures thru imagination so illustrations aren't as important in older childrens books.

This book is very helpfull in helping children come to grips with having to give there favorite shoes away because they are too small. It helps them to see the advantages to growing older and getting new things.

My son received this book for Christmas, and we both loved it. The story line is really cute, and the pictures in it are great! I'd recommend this book to anyone with small kids.

Patricia Thomas writes a phenomenal book of science, of politics, of a deadly disease, intertwined with business and the age-old struggle of societal good vs. personal/business gain. I was at first daunted by the size of the book alone, but the writing is so clear, so concise, so reader-friendly that it is an easy read. This is a must read for everyone interested in finding solutions to science-society issues such as AIDS. It is a must read for every health care professional and medical researcher, as well. As a science/health writer myself, I also highly recommend it as a teaching tool for how to write science for the lay person.

Sept. 11 has had a galvanizing effect in reminding Americans that planet earth is really a small place where whatever affects one person ultimately affects us all. The emergence of AIDS in the early 1980s might also have united Americans to fight a common enemy. Might have. But the truth, so compellingly told by Ms. Thomas, is that personalities and politics (both personal and national), prejudice and posturing got in the way of mounting a cohesive campaign. As a result, we are still far from stopping AIDS. Sure, treatments are better, but most of the world cannot afford treatment.
What makes "Big Shot" especially timely is that, as America prepares to fight the "new war," more military personnel will likely be exposed to the AIDS virus. When the GIs line up for vaccinations and grimace comically for the camera, as our fathers and grandfathers did for previous wars, protection against the AIDS virus won't be part of the cocktail. Because there is no vaccine against AIDS.

It's a pretty depressing scenario, but Ms. Thomas retains a wonderfully upbeat message with the subtext "that was then, this is now, so let's move forward."
Besides, she tells a helluva entertaining story.

It's been said that politics, like sausage, is best not seen in the making. But those who wonder why we don't yet have a vaccine or a cure for AIDS need to know why. Pat Thomas takes us behind the scenes and lives of the cast of characters deeply involved in the science, politics and business of one of the most hotly sought-after pharmaceutical products of all time.
"Big Shot" gives us reason to despair that science can ever succeed, given the private and public agendas of so many involved in the AIDS epidemic.
But it also gives us hope, as we see the many dedicated to finding a way to stop the spread of an epidemic that has already claimed 22 million lives. This is a masterful job by one of the best science writers working today -- wonderfully written and compelling.

I think "Big Shot" is the first important nonfiction work of the 21st century. With a clarity and an exuberance not often found in books about hard science, Patricia Thomas explains how politics, human frailty and corporate greed have prevented us from finding a vaccine for AIDS. Comparisons with previous books about AIDS and public policy don't exactly do justice to "Big Shot." If books must be categorized, Thomas' scrupulous research sometimes places this book with top ranking medical journals; but the wonderful writing -- you can almost dance to Thomas' prose -- places it among the better mysteries. In the hands of a lesser writer, the workings of DNA, retroviruses, surface antigens and hard-working proteins would cause one's eyes to glaze over. Instead, I found myself turning pages with Evelynwoodesque speed to get to the next development and the next, wondering which young researcher would win the race to the vaccine goal. Thomas has raised the bar for future books about medical research.

I have had this book for years and it goes everywhere with me. It's got some great poems in it, some that are humorous and some that are inspiring.

Poets, buddhists and a lively history of how they mixed together. . . this is a great read for anyone who likes the beat poets OR the buddhist view of the world. There are details and connections and insights in this book that you won't find anywhere else

it guided me, moved me, changed me like nothing you can imagin. the beat generation (esp. kerouac) have helped me find my place in world that isnt tailored tword individuals. anyone who liked the work of any of the beat poets should read this.

This anthology makes a statement which has been needed for 50 years: the Beat Movement was at its core a spiritual quest. Beat poets and novelists of the 1950s hungered for something more satisfying than the mainstream Judeo-Christianity of Eisenhower's America. For many writers of the Beat era, this search for enlightenment brought them to Buddhism. Editor Carole Tonkinson has gathered together a terrific complilation of Beat writings on Buddhism, including major figures in the Beat canon such as Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, Michael McClure, and Philip Whalen. But more interestingly, she has also included texts by less well known Beats such as Lenore Kandel, Lew Welch, Albert Saijo, and Harold Norse. The introductory essay, by Stephen Prothero, does an excellent job of providing literary and historical background for the Beat movement's embrace of Eastern thought. Several excellent anthologies of Beat writing have been released in the last decade, but this one is the best for readers who want to understand the profoundly spiritual roots of this group of cultural rebels.

Sitton and Hunt recap the Great American Story, told many times in many places in this great nation. Blending a worthy narrative with an amazing array of photographs from Larry Jene Fisher, the authors remind us why and how America became so great and why East Texas is such a magnificent story of its own. Read this book if you want to understand what made America and Texas rich and dynamic. Study this book if you want to recall what we must build on to keep our nation great. There's a reason we are who we are and Big Thicket People captures that story superbly.

This book does a magnificent job of capturing a poorly documented chapter
in our nation's history. Sitton and Hunt's text combined with Fisher's
amazing photography magically transports you to the East Texas of the 1930s and 1940s. In reality, the book transports you to the Old South for these "lost" lifeways were common throughout the South before WWII. If you'd like to know more about the Old South, whether it be fox hunting, tie hacking, turpentining or just the old free range livestock culture, this book is a must.

Again, Sitton and Hunt do a great job of telling/showing the history of the rural South which has not been heavily documented. I highly recommend this book, it is a MUST have.

This book offers wonderful photography of an almost lost era in American history. The history of the rural South has not been heavily documented. Sitton and Hunt combine the outstanding photography of Larry Fisher with their wonderful text to make this era come alive. Many of these photographs provide extremely rare documentation of old Southern lifeways, such as turpentining, marking ears of free-range hogs, stave making, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the South or East Texas. It is a fabulous resource.

Big Thicket People by Thad Sitton and Charles Hunt provides an invaluable pictorial record of a back woods culture that has faded from the scene.
Larry Jean Fisher moved to Saratoga, Texas and the area called the Big Thicket in the mid 1930s when his first career as a silent movie pianist was ended by the "talkies". We are extremely fortunate that he chose to apply his artistic talents to photography for his pictures provide authentic images of a lost culture.
The Big Thicket is a unique ecological area whose major feature is quite well described by its name. For some the "Thicket" provided a hiding place and for others it meant a meager livelihood, but its harsh and also bountiful environs shaped the lives of those who established homes there. Fisher took pictures of the rustic culture that he found in and around Saratoga. The negatives of his pictures were fortunately passed to the custody of the Lamar University Library where they were finally published by Sitton and Hunt.
The natural history of the Big Thicket was significantly altered by timber-cutting and oil exploration, but it is now slowly reverting to its original state under the protection of the National Park Service's 100,000 acre Big Thicket National Preserve. The Preserve, however, can not bring back the way of life so we are left with the Fisher pictures and the descriptions by Sitton and Hunt.
This short volume provides an excellent review of life in the Big Thicket, but it leaves one wanting more than just this taste of what once was.

Got this for my 7 year old daughter before we went on a trip to Yellowstone. She loved the pictures and turned out to be pretty darned good a spotting and identifying many of the tracks from it. Great little book...was her favorite of several that I got for us.

Big Tracks, Little Tracks is a beautifully illustrated book for young "nature detectives." All animals leave different tracks and if you know just how to study them, you will find out how they walked, what or how they ate and sometimes even what way the wind was blowing as they walked!

A fun activity page explains how to do an experiment with leaving tracks of your own and making plaster casts of tracks that you find. Fun read!

The book is a great way to get children involved in their reading. The questions in the book encourage reflection and help children make predictions about what they are reading. The concepts can be applied to anywhere in nature, and are appropriate for all children no matter where they live. The book gives important facts and information, but also allows children to become "detectives" and take an active role in the book. It is great for science discovery with young children!

This book is written in a style that promotes problem solving and develops inquiry skills. It is a wonderful introduction to animal tracks. After a child reads this book they will be able to differentiate between several common tracks and have an understanding of how to interpret tracks to understand the behavior of the animal that made them. I highly recommend this book to teachers, families...

We borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much that we bought our own copy. It's beautiful and informative, tells a great story, too. Both my kids (3 and 7) love this book. It's ideal for reading to kids of different ages because the younger ones will enjoy the illustrations and story and the older ones will appreciate all that as well as the science.

This is a great book to use in conjunction with a unit on trees. I was absolutely thrilled when I received this book. I purchased it based on the description that it tells the story of a tree and the history that occurs in our country as the tree grows older. I was thrilled when I saw that is also discusses how the tree grows, its rings, and growth needs. I strongly recommend this picture book for any elementary school teacher.

I came to Amazon, as I typically do, looking for something special. 1,000 wods, hunh? Okay. One of my fondest childhood memories is of a book entitled The Big Tree. It was read to my 2nd grade class by a wonderful old grandmotherly teacher...Mrs. Woods. This was at Wineteer Elementary School at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita Kansas in 1962. That book literally changed my life, in the sense that it alone initiated a love affair with reading that has lasted my entire life. The book was about the life and times of a giant redwood tree in California...as I recall the story spanned several hundred years. Clearly, it made a terrific impression on me. I came here looking for this book. Instead I have found Bruce's book, which appears to be a similar story told from an oak tree's point of view. I can say this about that, considering the fact that I have not read Bruce's book. If it is half a good as the book I recall, I would recommend this story whole heartedly. If a book like this can reach your grade school child the way the redwood story affected me, it will be an investment in the future the likes of which you can only begin to imagine. Bruce, thank you for keeping the dream alive.

This is a wonderful book. It is the story of a maple tree inNew York state; how it began from a seed, grew up in the forestprimeval, survived the pioneer's axe to live in a family's yard, has provided shade and syrup to generations passing on its way to becoming the venerable giant it is now. Part science, part American history, all beautiful. My son has enjoyed this book since he was about 3 (he's reading it himself now at 7) and I'm buying extra copies as gifts.