Blair Books

Sherazade by Leila Sebbar is a book about an Algerian girl raised in France. As a teenager she runs away from her family and lives in a squat with other vagabonds who are either adolescents or young adults. Sherazade dreams of returning to Algeria someday, but in the meantime she is trying to make it in France. She seems to have no direction or goal in life. She drifts back and forth between the squat and staying with her boyfriend Julien.
I liked the storyline of Sherazade, but I thought that the writing style that Leila Sebbar used was very confusing. Each chapter is devoted to a character, and she jumps around too much. There is no real introduction to each character, and it is very difficult to keep all the different characters straight. I found that while I could understand the events that were taking place, I had a hard time knowing who the characters were. In other words, I could understand what was happening, I just couldn't understand who was involved.
Another aspect of Sherazade I didn't like is the way the book didn't explain either the beginning or the end. In the beginning of the book you learn that Sherazade has run away from her family, but you are not given a reason why. In fact, all the information that you are given about Sherazade's family makes the fact that she ran away even more confusing. Sherazade's family continues to search for her, and she hears tearful pleas on the radio by her sister for her to come home. Still, Sherazade makes no attempt to go home or contact her family. This confused me, and I felt that it was never cleared up.
Also, the ending was not explained very well and left me confused. In the end, Sherazade is going to hitch a ride to Algeria with one of her squat mates named Pierrot. Pierrot is in love with Sherazade. Pierrot is driving with Sherazade and there is an accident. Pierrot dies, but Sherazade escapes. Sherazade tells him to cross the Loire with his car, which he does knowing that he has explosives in the car. It is not made clear whether Pierrot meant to kill himself and Sherazade or not. Also, Sherazade escapes at the end, but there is no explanation given as to what happened to Sherazade after she left the accident site. It felt like the story built up so much and then just ended. It seemed as if the author just wanted to end the book and didn't know how.
The one aspect of this book that I did like is how the author put characters of all different nationalities in the squat, and all of the characters co-exist with each other without any problems. I liked how they all were able to live in harmony even though they all came from different places. However, they all face discrimination and racism by the Parisians. . I also liked how Leila Sebbar illustrated the conflict of being a resident of a country, yet not being accepted as a member of that country. I liked how even though the characters were all discriminated against by the Parisians, they all accepted each other.
Overall, I liked this book. I liked the message the book gave about accepting other people's cultures. I wish that more had been explained and that it was written in a more organized manner so that I could keep that characters straight. However, I know that there are two more sequels to the Sherazade book, and perhaps by writing the ending and leaving out details as she did, it makes people want to read the next book in search of answers. That is exactly the feeling I had after reading this book. I wanted to know more about Sherazade and what happened to her.

In this novel the protagonist, Sherazade is a seventeen year old girl. She is of Algerian descent, but was raised in France. In the midst of an identity crisis she decides to run away from home, although we are not given a specific reason why she decided to run away, she appears to be on a quest for knowledge, a quest of self-discovery. As Sherazade wanders around Paris, she finds many friends, with whom she shares a "squat" (unoccupied building homeless people live in.) What I found most extraordinary about this novel is the ease with which it could be read. I found myself constantly turning the pages without even realizing it, and before I knew it I was half way done with the book. Perhaps this is because the novel does such a good job building suspense. Throughout Sherazade's journey we are constantly left in the dark about everything. In this story it is difficult to predict what will happen next.
Another reason this novel flows so well is because of its many characters, and their stories. Throughout the novel we are introduced to many of Sherazsde's "squat mates" (friends with whom she shares a squat) each one having their own story, their own personality, and their own reasons for living in a squat. As a reader it becomes extremely difficult to not become involved in their stories. For example Djamilia is a half French and half Algerian girl who is on a quest to return to Algeria and reunite with her father and brothers. Eddie is a Tunisian Jew who loves music, and throughout the course of the novel falls in love with Djamilia. Krim is a biker who is a good mechanic; he is one of the only squat mates who actually comes from a good family. Driess is a drug addict, and a drunk. He appears to be extremely hurt and emotionally scarred because neither one of his parents wanted him; he feels he has never really had a place he could call home. Pierrot and Basil are socialist idealists who engaged in many radical activities such as planning robberies in the name of the cause. Basil is a ladies man, and Pierrot comes from a family of Polish immigrants. He is also great with his hands, it is he who teaches the rest of the crew how many things such as how to make Molotov cocktails, as well as other small explosives; he is also deeply in love with Sherazade. Julian doesn't live in the squat, however also plays an important role in Sherazade's life. He is the son of a French couple however he was raised in Algeria; he is an ardent orientalist who becomes very interested in Sherazade, and eventually falls in love with her.
Although I was fascinated by the many stories they share throughout the novel, the real question was where is Sherazade in the end of the novel? I became extremely interested in Sherazade. I followed her through her many adventures as she wanders about the streets of France I became eager to finish the novel, attempting to understand the lesson learned. However the ending to this novel provided me with more questions than it gave answers. It seems that at the end of her journey towards self-discovery, Sherazade doesn't discover anything. As a reader the ending left me with so many questions that it ruined the entire novel. I was hoping this novel would provide a valuable lesson to be learned, or at least answer the question, "what did Sherazade learn throughout this novel? But it didn't. This book is only the first part of a trilogy, and it seems for those of us who became interested in Sherazade, we will have to wait until the other two volumes (which have remained untranslated for many years) are published in English.

The back cover of the book provides the reader with the main plot of the story, yet it fails to provide information about the subplot, which is just as important. Sherazade is indeed the main character but the reader also has to give full attention to the other characters who serve to give a more rounded and very detailed account of the story.
With the exception of Sherazade and Julian, the young people in the story are militants, musicians, runaways, and outcasts of the society they live in. Each has their own reason for being away from their families and living in a condemned building. They are searching for a sense of freedom and an identity that has eluded them all their lives.
Even though some represent the children of the fighters of the revolution, they have no connection to the reason for the fight and its importance to their parents. Even though they are of different ethnic and economic backgrounds, they manage to live together, albeit in poverty, without one person trying to dominate any other person, which for me was one of the highlights of the novel. They brought to mind a mini United Nations minus the disagreements. They are living in Paris, a country that doesn't want them, so they are forced to live as best as they can, which occasionally means stealing to get money and food.
Sherazade is also searching for her identity, even though she comes from a loving home. She rejects Julian's affection towards her because he is not seeing her for who she is, but rather as an image of how he sees Algerian women. He compares her to the different odalisques that he loves so much. When she finally sees the one he is most impressed with she is appalled that he makes such a comparison. The odalisque depict Algerian woman as objects intended for use by men and not as human beings with thoughts and minds of their own.
The novel is also a social comment on the way the young people are viewed and exploited by the wealthy members of French society. They become objects of interest for amusement and sexual fantasy. Sherazade and her friends rebel against this exploitation in various ways. The intertwining plots help to make the novel a worthwhile read and provide the reader with information about what can happen when society fails to acknowledge its younger generations.

Sherazade is a runaway teen searching for her identity. Throughout this book I was searching for a reason on why she ran away from home because her parents seemed loving and caring and it didn't seem like she had a tough childhood. Though, I discovered that Sherazade was searching for her true identity. She knew she wasn't completely free because she was not herself and she wasn't comfortable with that.
She lives in a squad with many young kids as well, who seem to have an unstable life but this instability comes from the world not accepting them for who they are. Their revenge is to steal from the French who put them in the position of denying their culture. Sherazade, for the age that she is, 16, seems to be focused, independent, and determined. She doesn't attach herself to anything or anyone. You don't get a sense of weakness from her; she remains strong throughout the book.
Julian is an older man who falls in love with Sherazade. One might read this book and not see that Sherazade loved Julian as well, but I believe she did. At one point in the book, she started to share personal stories with Julian about her life and that was something Sherazade didn't share with anyone. Her love for him was silent and not so obvious as Julian's love for her, though that was part of Sherazade being strong. She ran away from home for a reason, to chase after her Algerian identity, and she didn't let anyone get in her way. Her love for Julian stayed with in because I believe she knew that would be a distraction and she had to remain strong so she can get to her destination.
Shehrazade tends to run away from everything and everyone, even the ones that love her, though she remained sane and survived through her readings and writings. I believe she felt much safer when she was dealing with herself and her own thoughts because she withheld the truth and Sherazade didn't seem like she trusted anyone. Though, why should she? She is a 16-year-old girl running away from the family she loves so she can find herself and live in a place where she is accepted for who she really is and not be judged by it.
The color red is brought up from the beginning of the book until the end. When something was being described, red would be the main color. At the end, the color red later on merged into the painting Sherazade admired by Matisse. At first I thought that Sherazade loved the painting of Odalisque with Red Trousers. Though, I realized that she was not fascinated with the painting because she loved it, but she was fascinated with it because she was disgusted by it. That painting gave her more determination for her to go back home because in this painting she realized how her culture was being misrepresented. She bought all the postcards and send them out to friends and her family and I understood this to mean that she wanted them to understand why she ran away and this was the best explanation she could find.
Over all this book was very interesting to read and Sherazade is a very strong and independent woman who played a major role in this book and helped the viewers see the struggle of the Arabic culture and also see how it effected many people especially the young generation who people tend to neglect and see how effected they are as well. This book had my attention from the beginning to the end and I enjoyed it very much. The ending was not what I expected, it didn't seem like it belonged in the book at all.

I suppose that every runaway has a story to tell. Usually it involves some sort of abuse or neglect at home. But sometimes it involves searching for identity. Author Leila Sebbar paints a bleak picture of a runaway's day to day existence in Sherazade. I found the book to be a disturbing look at a problem that seems to be growing in cities throughout the world.
The main character, Sherazade, was born in Algeria, raised in France, and is torn between two worlds. She is a dark-skinned immigrant in a country where such characteristics invite suspicion. And seeing in the news the recent wave of racism and anti-immigration sweeping across France made this novel especially relevant to me.
Sherazade hooks up with a diverse group of other disenfranchised youth. They come mostly from former French colonies in search of a life. They are all immigrants or children of immigrants who haven't assimilated. Sherazade and the others are squatters living by their wits and resorting to violence when it suits them. Each has his own or her own reason for living on the streets. I can't say that I'm convinced that their lifestyle is justified, but I think that the author intends to portray them as a product of a dysfunctional society. She is holding a mirror up to society that shows how alienation and poverty breed such people.
Sherazade and her "squat mates" aren't completely disdained by French society. There is a `sympathetic' element in French high society has is enamored by these `street urchins'. It is a two way street of exploitation between the affluent and the disadvantaged. I found this relationship kind of creepy, like an Andy Warhol art house crowd mixing with a gang of street punks. Sherazade and her friends are paraded around like new jewelry or the latest fashion. I think this only elevates the animosity between the two groups. Eventually, Sherazade becomes romantically involved with one of these `benefactors'. Julien Desrosiers is a photographer smitten with Sherazade's beauty. He takes her under his wing and tries to help her. He introduces her to Orientalist art and the painting of Matisse. She is particularly drawn to Matisse's odalisques which portray Arab concubines in various settings. One painting titled "Odalisque in Red Trousers" strikes a nerve in her. It will become a catalyst for change in her life. It will help her to decide whether she is French or Algerian. The relationship between Sherazade and Julien reminded me of Pygmalion, except that Sherazade is only seventeen and is sleeping with a man twice her own age.
I believe Leila Sebbar makes a very powerful statement with Sherazade. The sub-culture of disenfranchised and alienated immigrants that exists in modern day France is a direct result of French colonialism. The lifestyle that Sherazade and her friends lead is disturbing and depressing. But I feel that Sherazade's story needed to be told. Hers is one voice out of thousands of voices with a similar story.

As an Outer Banks resident, this book is almost required reading for any young boy or girl growing up on the islands. Now that I am older and moved to California I read it to my students every year. It is well written, informative and entertaining. It always hold my class's interest. It also allows me to go back to my own childhood once a year.
One of the things I love about this book is that it shows to young students, especially boys, that they can write about a female character with style and power. My male students become much less afraid and much more respectful of girls after I read this.
This is a wonderful book with great language and a fairly short read time. It can be read to someone in less than two weeks, or finished in a few days by a student on their own. Give it a try.

I have always had a hard time enjoying a book. Taffy of Torpedo Junction was an exception. I read this in about the 6th grade and loved it! I have family that lives on Cape Hatteras and have been vacationing there for as long as I can remember. I was hooked as soon as I began reading and couldn't put it down until I was done. It was great reading a story about a young girl who faces danger and saves the day!

This book is a wonderful book for people who are intested in the beach and WWII!! I liked this book because it was thrilling and exciting! It always keeps your attention and you always know what it happening! Nell Wise Wechter did a wonderful job! You will find that the introduction is just as good as the book! If you have not read this book, you should! Now I know why it is on Battle of the Books for the year 2001!

In Taffy of Torpedo Junction by Nell Wise Wechter, Taffy, a Hatteras native, and her dog Brandy show incredible courage when facing Nazi spies on Hatteras. This book is based on true events that occurred on North Carolina's coast during World War II.
I think that Nell Wise Wechter did a phenomenal job in depicting the events that gave the Harker's Island area the name "Torpedo Junction". This book constantly kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next event. If you are a North Carolina native, or just live in North Carolina, this book is for you.

Taffy of Torpedo Junction is one of the best books about WWII I have ever read! It was action packed, there was nonstop suspense, and it takes place in North Carolina where I live. One exciting part of the book was when Taffy and her grandfather heard someone screaming in the wind during a large storm. When they went out to the beach to see what it was, Taffy stepped on a German sailor's head! This book was filled with great humor and excitement. I never wanted to stop reading so I could find out what adventure Taffy was going on next. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good adventure about WWII on the Outer Banks

This book is VERY useful, I had to take an Algebra course where of course my teacher was horrible and I basically had to teach myself. This book has it all, Explanations on problems, example problems, Practice Problems (answers in the back), exercises (answers for ODD problems in the back), chapter tests and cummulative tests (answers on the back). As well as a CD-ROM to help with showing how to solve problems for each Chapter Test. Whether your taking a class or just want to get a head start for Algebra, this is a GREAT book adn you will not be disappointed. You will definately learn a lot!

I am highly pleased with my purchase. The item is in wonderful condition and the delivery was FaSt! Wow. Great Experience!

i read this book and it is the best. it improves your grades

Tobey and Slater's 'Beginning Algebra' text is used by my college where I tutor mathematics in the first course in Algebra, often the first course in Algebra many of our students have ever taken. It is very much a beginning course, as the course itself carries no official 'credit' (it is a zero-level course, as a prerequisite to other science and mathematics courses, that many students place out of on the basis of assessment scores).

The first chapter is actually a Chapter Zero, covering review topics in the event students have not had mathematics for a while. These include topics such as fractions, decimals, percentages, estimation, and basic arithmetical functions. The chapter is a bit disorganised (however, every class seems to have a different intuitive feel for mathematics, so I have not discovered that one system of rearrangement that works for all classes).

The following chapters cover the major topics of Algebra systematically: Real Numbers and Variables; Equations and Inequalities; Applied Problems (this is the dreaded `story problem' chapter, where most students who seek tutoring first seek it out); Exponents and Polynomial expressions; Factoring (another major area of problem for students); Rational Expressions/Equations; Graphing and Functions (the third primary area of problem for students); Solving Systems of Equations; Radicals and Roots (including some basic geometry via the Pythagorean theorem); and finally Quadratic Equations.

Each of the sections includes pretests, post-tests and reviews, and plenty of problems to be solved to reinforce the mathematical principles being presented. There are a few issues with the organisation that we address in the course (sometimes the introduction of square roots and radicals needs to be advanced to assist in the discussion of factoring, for example), but these are fairly minor and can be adjusted as the instructor and/or course planner desires.

Each of the chapters deals with things in a mathematical as well as an 'English' way - explaining in words the concepts and operations being carried out in the numbers. Each section of each chapter covers only a few key concepts, with enough problems for solving that reinforce the principles thoroughly. Each section also as word problems (story problems) to test the real-world applicability of the numerical/mathematical concepts being presented, so when students ask (as they always do and shall), 'When am I ever going to use this?' there are examples drawn from typical situations.

Tobey and Slater have also worked to make various connections with geometry, graphs and charts, tables, as well as internet resources to provide the most up-to-date and useful text. There are specific problems along the way that assume the use of calculators (as most of real-life mathematics now involves calculators).

The book's design is interesting from a graphic-design standpoint, but from the standpoint of clarity to the students, the pages are a bit `busy'. While I appreciate the need to reduce the number of pages in an effort to keep the costs down (text-book prices are typically higher than popular-book prices, and this text is no exception), more white space on the pages would probably help the accessibility and make it a little less intimidating.

Most students who take the Beginning Algebra class using this text who then move on to the Intermediate Algebra class (which is the course level of mathematics required of most every degree programme at our college) find that, in many respects, they have already mastered the key concepts of Algebra, and find Intermediate to be new applications and more complex problems of similar principles they have already learned. In that respect, this text is a good one, and serves the students well.

This widely-acclaimed textbook by Tobey & Slater is a valiant attempt to make elementary algebra both interesting and anxiety-free. I have been using this textbook [both 4th and now 5th editions] to teach in over 30 classes so far at a
community college and have found the book, despite its good intentions, to have many flaws, some of which I would like to touch upon here. The book comes equipped with many extras, such as lecture videos on CD ROM and internet support. I think the study tip boxes scattered throughout the text are condescending to the student and don't belong in an elementary algebra textbook. [If we want to avoid the words "beginning" ,"introductory", "elementary" in the title couldn't we just say "a first course in algebra" or just " algebra I"?] Next, the many "pretests" are a distraction and make no sense in this book. I've noticed that they cause anxiety and I never use them. Chapter "0" reviews basic math and could stand a lot better organization, which I have to do myself. One glaring omission in this chapter is proportion. Proportions are used to solve for a numerator after finding a LCD but the topic is put off until chapter 6 and even then barely discussed.But proportion is the key linking concept for all of our basic math and this omission, in my opinion , could prove disastrous as the course proceeds.The "blueprint for problem solving" seems useless, and I never refer to it. I am still mystified by what they are attempting to communicate. The touted "real-life" applications also seem rather contrived, repetitive, condescending, and plain boring ,so I hardly ever assign these problems. However, the "organizers" at the end of each chapter are superb. They neatly summarize every section and give an example or two as illustrations of the method. The algebra in Chap 1 is good, but could also stand better organization. I have a quarrel with modern notation of signed numbers. They should write the signs smaller and as which would eliminate the need for parentheses ( confusing for the beginner) and also conform to our newer calculators displayal of signs and operations.Quite a few of the word problems are confusing or imprecise so I tend to avoid these. A good example is on page 50 problem #28: "In a recent tire inspection for Ford Explorers, local dealers found that 12% of the treads were defective. For each Explorer that was defective, the dealer offered immediate replacement of all five tires (including the spare ).If the local dealers inspected the tires on 450 Explorers, how many new tires did they need?" The authors insist that the correct answer is 270, but I am not so sure....
I can go on about the cluttered appearance of this book, distracting photos, drawings,etc.
but it would be pointless.However, overall the editing is excellent with very few errors. [a glaring exception is problem #29 on page A-23 ].I would like to end this review with mention of the kind of writing I strenuously object to in a first course in algebra. On p. 526 is a discussion of complex numbers, which is irrelevant to the needs of the student:
"Thus the [square roof of minus 4 ] is not a real number...You may encounter a more sophisticated number system called complex numbers in a higher-level mathematics course. In the complex number system, negative numbers have square roots."
But in Chapter 10, when solving for roots of a quadratic, the authors reject imaginary solutions , so that this topic need never be mentioned in the main body of the text.

The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest by C. Franklin Goldsmith, III, Shannon E. G. Hamrick, and H. James Hamrick, Jr. is only slightly above average as far as trail related hiking books go. I do appreciate how the book is organized, especially at the end of the book when the hikes are organized as Loop Trails, Hikes for Children and the Elderly (easy), Half-Day (or less) Hikes, Full Day Hikes, and Trails Accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. This feature is, in my opinion the single most helpful element of this book. I do appreciate the GPS coordinates when they're provided.

What this book is lacking are good maps. The maps provided are small, and if you need reading glasses may cause you problems. As another reviewer pointed out, finding the exact location of some of the hikes may be problematic if you're unfamiliar with the area. The authors do provide the USGS map quadrant name, but it would take much to provide decent maps in the book. I'd be willing to pay a premium to get a package.

Despite these negatives, I still have found The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest to be above average.

This is an execellent book that provides helpful descriptions of each trail and how to find them. Especially helpful that it uses USGS maps instead of printing their own. I highly recommend this book.

Cutting a long, diagonal swath through the mountains of western North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest offers some of the finest mountain hiking in the eastern United States. Covering the entire national forest, this guide will help you find a great trail to hike regardless of what your definition of great is.

This guide describes 112 national forest trails ranging from a flat, easy 0.5 mile loop to a rugged 12-mile hike one-way through Linville Gorge. The guide is organized around the major hiking areas in the national forest including Black Balsam Knob, Max Patch, Mt. Mitchell, Davidson River Valley, Linville Gorge, and Avery Creek. Each area features an excellent, detailed map copied from a USGS Topo map, driving directions (including landmarks) to the trailheads, and a detailed description of the trail. Additionally, the authors of this guide give GPS coordinates to designate trailheads, major intersections, and points of interest. With the increased popularity and availability of GPS navigation systems on the trail, the GPS coordinates add a nice touch that most guides still do not offer. This feature places this guide on the cutting edge of all hiking guides.

Perhaps the strongest point of this guide is its versatility. In addition to the GPS feature mentioned above, this guide describes both individual trails and possible routes for loop hikes. These day loop hikes are given in addition to descriptions of the longer backpack trails in the forest, namely the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the Art Loeb Trail. Hikes located near the Blue Ridge Parkway are listed separately along with a list of hikes suitable for children and a list of easier trails suitable for the elderly. All of these features and the pocket-small size of the book add up to a guide that can be used by everyone no matter what kind of hike you desire in the Pisgah National Forest.

In summary, I have a bookshelf full of hiking guides, and this guide is perhaps the best guide I have ever encountered. If you are planning a hiking trip to western North Carolina, this is the guide you want in your pocket or in your backpack.

I think that the other reviews on this book are a little over inflated. Pros on this guide: good trail descriptions and the GPS coordinates are a definite plus (although not all the hikes in book include GPS coordinates).
Cons: 1)- Numbering the hikes and giving them a quality rating would be nice (1 to 5 stars). 2)- Putting a key map with their hike number at the front of the book would greatly speed up the process of figuring out where the trails are. I am not from NC and it took me quite a bit of time to figure out where on my trails illustrated map the hikes in this book were located.

The national forest's trails and wonders are revealed by authors who've hiked the trails most of their lives. 100 of the most scenic, strenuous hikes are described in a guide which requires strong walking skills and access to North Carolina wilderness region.

Warner's guide is the premiere resource for bikers who are contemplating the Natchez Trace Parkway. We just finished an abbreviated tour (you can't plan the weather) and found the guide to be a reliable resource for historical sites, terrain, lodging, and the miscellaneous details important to the long-distance biker. There have been some changes in the cities in regards to lodging and dining options but overall there are more options, not less. This guide is highly recommended and we look forward to using it again for our next adventure.

The book is well written with a lot of important details about the trail.

The author obviously has spent considerable time riding the Trace and in surrounding areas. As a result, the book serves as a useful complement to the literature available from the National Park Service on the Natchez Trace. However, the most important document that a Trace traveler needs is a Natchez Trace Parkway Map and Guide from the Park Service.

The author briefly describes the historical significance of many of the landmarks along the Trace. Of great interest to bicylists is the lay of the land (hills) which is well described. Most importantly, one can find the location of food and water and lodging just off of the Trace, that is, not managed by the Park service. The Trace itself has insufficient restroom and water stops for the bicyclist. A minor point is that the author does not indicate the hours of operation of the markets that he notes. The author notes the great amount of wildlife on the Trace; but keep a sharp eye for the snakes sunning themselves on the Trace in warm weather.

Most all of the practical advice in the book is related either to logistics or to various routes. Where and how to ship one's bike is useful. About 40 percent of the book is taken up with auxiliary routes that either start or cross the Trace and are not a part of traveling the Trace from end to end. Multi-day tours through Vicksburg and around the Tennessee River are two of those. Most of these may appeal to local residents.

Throughout the book the author mentions various rules and regulations of the Trace. Although there is a brief section, it would have been useful to see a section with a complete listing: for example, rules for speed limits, parking, picnicing, camping, hiking, etc.

What one will not find in this book is much in the way of practical and general information about bicycling or touring on a bike - what gearing to use, how to pack gear on a bike, how to ride with a fully loaded bike, what is the best way to deal with bicycle problems while on the Trace, etc. One point of interest is that the author provides an 1-800 number that can be called in the case of problems; interestingly the park service does a poor job of signage concerning this number.

The bottom line is that the book would help anyone comtemplating a tour of the Trace to get a better feel for what he or she can expect on the Trace.

The terrain and weather are benign, and the logistical issues are straightforward.

Others have commented that the author assumes readers will know how to pack a bike and how to undertake simple repairs. I think Wanner's omission is a positive feature--there are other books that do these jobs thoroughly.

Bicycling the Natchez Trace excels with the great number of side trips described, which will be most useful for locals who are able to periodically re-visit the Trace.

For all of that, Wanner's book doesn't "speak" to me as a cycle tourist; his rhythms and pace do not closely approximate my own. Experienced tourists will understand my comment, and I would encourage beginning bikers to read other books by other authors to discover which ones work best them. For me, Nadine Slavinski works well.

Well written, accurate usable advice for bikers. The historic facts as well as geography ( mileage to stores, attractions, facilities) were right on the money. I used the book to do the northern 125 miles of the trace. I am preparing for a southbound ride next and will use this book.
john

BLAIR S. WALKER IS A MYSTERY WRITER WHO MUST LOVE A GOOD STORY."DON'T BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES" IS A PAGE TURNER FOR SURE,A BOOK THAT YOU'LL REMEMBER AFTER YOU'RE DONE READING.

I love Blair Walker's writing. It's witty and smart and thouroughly entertaining. I started laughing out loud on the first four pages and from there on I was hooked. The cast of characters are well developed and whether bad or good guys, have dimension and depth. The story moves briskly and keeps the reader engaged until the last page. I can't wait for the next Daryl Billups installment.

I love Blair Walker's writing. It's witty and smart and thouroughly entertaining. I started laughing out loud on the first four pages and from there on I was hooked. The cast of characters are well developed and whether bad or good guys, have dimension and depth. The story moves briskly and keeps the reader engaged until the last page. I can't wait for the next Daryl Billups installment.

Darryl Billups lastest assignment for the Baltimore Herald is to investigate the case of the female corpse found at Safe and Sound a storage facility. Darryl and his longtime live in girlfriend Yolanda breakup after a dinner filled with drama at
her parents home. Discovering the corpse was murdered and missing for eighteen years. Darryl and the beautiful, smart newly promoted to detective Thelma Holmes solve the case. Great mystery with action and unexpected twists.

I personally believe one of the essential elements in a good mystery is a likable protagonist with whom the reader can identify and also bond. Darryl Billups is such a character. He is smart, savvy and has the inquisitive nature required for sleuthing. His job as an investigative journalist provides him with ample opportunity and access to the information needed to solve crimes and unravel mysteries.

This new case is going to be a real challenge. The body of a young African American woman is discovered in a storage facility, and she appears to have been a woman of means. All indications are the body has been hidden for over 18 years. The big questions are who is she, who murdered her and why? Darryl is given the assignment by his editor and it soon becomes evident that some pretty important people would rather Darryl not figure this one out. Quite frankly, that's not Billups style and he becomes even more determined to find the killer/s.

On a personal note, Darryl's love life is in shambles. His fiance, Yolanda, and he are having major problems which are beginning to seem insurmountable. Issues that until now he has ignored, but with the upcoming nuptials, he's forced to consider. To complicate matters Darryl finds himself working this case with a very attractive female detective.

I loved this one just as much as the first two novels. The story leaves you hanging a little at the end, but I'll forgive that because I know there's another book in the works. Right Blair......

Reviewed by Ruby
APOOO BookClub

One of the basic pieces of advice given to any aspiring writer of fiction is to show, rather than tell, the reader what is happening in the story. Maalouf's novel - in spite of his skill at characterisation, analogy, and turn of phrase - falls rather flat because at every stage we are only told of the unfolding tragedy, as in a history book, rather than shown its effects on people. Speculative fiction of this kind works best when we see how individuals are affected by the global tragedy, rather than hearing about it through characters who are geographically removed from the worst of its impact.

The narrator criticises the people "back then" at the start of the twenty-first century, as the tragedy began to make the news, for their indifference and removal from the subject, but sadly that is the reaction he provoked his this reader with his detatched, news soudbite-esque telling of the tale. ("And then, there was rioting in [insert name of fictional African country here].")

The very best passages in this novel are when the narrator speaks of his companion, Clarence, and his daughter, the eponymous Beatrice, and here the prose is shining with tenderness and love. Towards the end, events begin to threaten his loved ones directly, and the peril begins to feel real, but the danger never truly materialises.

In the end, this comes off more as an intellectual exercise in what-if than a living, breathing fiction.

I just finished reading this book (it took me two days) and I have to say that it was quite a joy and a change from Maalouf's other books. The writing style is, as usual, first rate and the difference lies in it being more creative and philosophical. While reading it one cannot help but wonder about the state of our world and the very likely scenarios set out here. This is even more important today with the seemingly limitless possibilities expected from genetic manipulation now that the human genome has been cracked. A very enlightening book that is a joy to read.

This scenario can happen any time now, and it's scary ! I'm sure it would make a wonderful movie. But the book only is worth reading: concise, moving, wonderfully written. A little book that you can read in once, remaining shaken for the rest of your life. A shame that it's out of print right now. Read it in French if you can! it's short and well written.

I have started reading Maalouf's books with Semekand and have always been impressed with the well-researched, perfectly-written historically based books of him. This time he compeletely changes his style and still handles of the best books I have ever read in my whole life... Not only the political estimations but also the characters are deeply thought. The way he criticised the enthusiasm of todays world on gene cloning is really impressive. If you want to think about the North-South relationships on the globe next century, this book will give you a certain perspective for sure. You should also read the gender relationships throughout the world from such a creative point of view... Definetely worth reading. I recommended this book to everybody I know.

The First century after Beatrice was a perfect read. Short, making you want it more than anything too go on! Amin Maalouf writes melodies of words, sentances that are beautiful... His characters are clear and imaginable, but maintain a shadowy edge, as if a slight magic mist is with them at all times. The story is good. Believable. I don't want to use the term science fiction for fear of bringing robots into your head, it's not that at all. It is the best sort of science fiction. Brilliantly written, believable unreality. You are guaranteed to enjoy. Love Mari a xx

My favorite book is "A House of Tailors" by Patricia Reilly Giff. This book is mainly historical fiction. The theme of this book is never give up on any thing. My favorite character is Dina Kirk. Dina is my favorite character because she works hard, never gives up and is very brave. The author's writing style is the kind that brings you in in the beginning and lets out in the end. The book is very exciting and entertaining.I like this book because it tells you about facts that really happened and it is funny. The story is about a girl (Dina) who works hard to have her Uncle give her the respect she wants and treat her like part of the family. I would think that this book is great for everyone over 7 and feels the same way I do. I give this book 2 thumbs up.

I am a mom of a 4th grader. I read this book and cried twice. It's a little intense or over the heads of 4th grade readers, depending on their comprehension level. Wonderful book, though. The best of the Sunshine State books I've read so far this year.

I had to read this book for school and I did not think I would like it. But I did!!!!!!! Read this book, it is good!!!!!!!

Historical fiction is that huge genre of children's books that I am just not as familiar with as I should be. The field tends to be dominated by such big names as Richard Peck and, in this case, Patricia Reilly Giff. As a child I was always far more interested in books of fantasy and magic, and I am afraid that very little has changed since I have grown. But "A House of Tailors" is one of those well-written works of historical fiction that can draw in even a fantasy-preferring twit like myself. Giff brings to beautiful colorful life the world of 1870 Brooklyn, New York. The dirt, the disease, and the small human pleasures of it all.

Dina is desperately jealous of her older sister Katharina. While Dina must stay in Germany doing what she hates most, sewing, Katharina is going to America to live with their rich Uncle. At this moment in 1870 Germany is at war with France, an annoyance to Dina who likes to swap patterns with her friend Elise on the French side. But when Dina escapes one morning to do her usual swap and is caught by German soldiers thinking her a spy, her escape can only be brought about one way. She will have to be the one sent to America and not her sister. Dina is embarrassed and distraught but the fact that she won't be sewing anymore is some comfort. Yet when she arrives in America, the streets her uncle takes her down become dirtier and dirtier. Finally they reach the last one, climb all the steps to the top floor, and enter the apartment. That's when Dina sees the sewing machine in the middle of the room and realizes that she has simply exchanged one house of tailors for another. Now she must save her money to return to Germany, but not before growing to love her family, the boy in the men's shop down the street, and this crazy mixed up town called Brooklyn where dreams of the future came sometimes come true.

Giff's heroine undergoes a perfectly conceived series of changes and she grows and learns realistically in this new world of America. At first, Dina is really quite awful. When she runs off and does something without thinking you instinctively begin to cringe, knowing full well that some awful comeuppance is about to occur. At the same time, however, she's intelligent and ingenious, not to say heroic. It becomes clear that her true love is hatmaking and not sewing, and the sequences in which she describes the creation of a hat are truly amusing and wonderful. They reminded me at times of the hatmaking in Diana Wynne Jones's, "Howl's Moving Castle". Then there is the storytelling, something that Giff has perfected over the years. This book is an almost perfect series of adventures and misadventures with a steady rising/falling action that retains interest right up until the end. If you want something on the mid-19th century German immigrant experience, I can think of few books that tell their tales half as well as this one.

Giff tells us in her Afterword that the Dina featured here is based on her own great-grandmother's life. One hopes that Ms. Giff has more ancestors from whom to plunder this kind of rousing story. Whether the book's showing the ways to battle smallpox or escape from tenement fires, it's a grand testament to a long gone time. A truly enjoyable book that kids will find themselves surprised to enjoy.

Dina's stitches are small and straight. She has a sense for color and fabric. Dina's gift is sewing but she hates it. She longs to go to America and live with her uncle and his family but when she ends up having to flee to New York from her home in Germany she finds her dream and the reality of life in Brooklyn are far apart.

Giff can put the reader into the setting of a story better than any other writer. In her novel, "Nory Ryan's Song," we knew when the blight had overtaken the potato crop because we could "smell" it. In this book we sense the crowded streets, the cooking in the tenements and the soot from the fires of Brooklyn in the 1870s. The crowding, disease and long back breaking hours of labor that were part of the immigrants life are accurately depicted. The joys of the her new land include her first taste of ice cream, a new friend, Johann, and her niece and nephew. Dina longs for her home and family in Germany but finds she cannot imagine leaving her new family and friends. She takes great pride in her talent for hat and dressmaking and ultimately makes a place for herself in her new country. Dina is a wonderful character full of strength and love.

Giff wrote this story as a tribute to her great grandmother. Her touching afterward describes which stories from the book which came directly from her own family history.
Patricia Riley Giff is one of the most honest writers I have ever read. She is like an accomplished musician, every note of her books rings true and touches the heart

This was a very light read. I was very disappointed. I don't feel that the authors spent much time at all on these stories. Sandy Blair's was okay, but could have been bulked up a little. There just wasn't enough there. I read one of the other ones (I don't remember which one), but I only skimmed through the last one. It was about a fairy or a wood sprite or something. Karen Marie Moning does otherworldly stuff far, far better. I should have just waited until her next book comes out. This book really was a waste of time.

The Accidental Duchess, a Highlander tale within this enjoyable novella, was just awarded the 2006 Golden Quill for Best Novella.

Zebra's latest anthology offers three good stories by some of todays' up and coming authors. Debiie Raleigh, Sandy Blair, and Regan Allen have all contributed good stories. None are better than the other and all offer fun characters with short and sweet stories.

"To Woo A Duke" is the story of Shevon Quinn is on a mission to get back her cousin's dowery from a fraud who claims she can teach a young lady how to catch any peer that they set their eyes on. Shevon goes "undercover" in order to prove she has no idea how to go about this...she takes the course and catches the eye of...a Duke!!! Can this turn into a happily ever after?

"The Accidental Duchess" is the story of Rachel O'Leary a governess turned out after she disciplines a nasty little lord. After having all doors closed to her she breaks into an empty house on a snowy, stormy night. She has no idea that she has just broken into a Dukes house. What will she do when the errant owner of the house comes back and catches her in his bed?

"Touch of Magic" is the story of Tess Dewood. She is invited to a party to celebrate the engagement of Duke of Longoford, Stephen Anthony. Stephen is drawn to his mysterious guest will he be able to resist her sweet charms?

These were very short stories offering a quick escape for the reader. These three authors show great potential for having very successful careers in writing romance.

[...]

TOO WOO A DUKE is a wonderful, light hearted love story. Debbie Raleigh's ability to add humor, wit, and sensuality is pure magic. I laughed a lot at the antics and the witty dialogue in this story. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Raleigh's books.
Sandy Blair has outdone herself again. THE ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS is a captivating love story that is heart warming, charming, and humorous. I was not able to put this book down until I read the last page. The secondary characters added a lot of flair and made the story even more interesting. I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit while reading it. Ms. Blair has a magical ability to create a love story laced with sensuality and humor. I am anxiously waiting for Ms. Blair's next book.
Regan Allen did a beautiful job with this magical story. A TOUCH OF MAGIC is a charming and heart-felt story. I was rooting for Tess the whole way. She is a lovely creature that is pure of heart. Ms. Allen did a wonderful job with adding light to a young man who saw his responsibilities as a bleak world. I also look forward to reading more of Ms. Allen's books.
HOW TO MARRY A DUKE is a fantastic read! I enjoyed each one of the short stories in this anthology. All three of these stories left me breathless. They are charming, witty and magical. I could not put this book down. I did not want these captivating stories to end. I highly recommend this book to everyone. This is definitely going on my keeper's shelf.

Reviewed by Billie Jo
Romance Junkies

When her aunt loses her dowry to a marriage fraud, crusading journalist Shevon Quinn decides to right the wrongs and help her aunt recover the fortune. She signs up for the 'marry a duke' course and follows the instructions. Unfortunately for her plans, though, this particular duke isn't responding to the lessons, he's responding to Shevon. Now how is she supposed to prove that the class is a fraud when she has a duke wrapped around her little finger (and around a lot more, as well)?

Unemployed, ex-governess Rachel O'Leary breaks into an empty London house and supports herself and her Irish family with her baking skills. But when long-travelling Duke Connor Kenroe returns home from Egypt, he figures he can blackmail Rachel into helping with his plans--plans that have nothing to do with her Irish relatives and everything to do with his own goals of rebuilding his ancient ducal estates in Scotland. The pretend engagement would have been bad enough if Rachel didn't find herself responding to the sexy Scot--and wishing she could turn pretend into reality.

Stephen Anthony needs to marry and father children. He's picked a suitable wife and waits only her arrival to propose. But then a beautiful sprite dances into his life--claiming to be Tess, Lady of the Forest, and his fated bride. Stephen is a realistic man, and he doesn't believe in fairies, exactly. Still, the attraction he feels toward the stacked sprite is nothing short of magical. How is he supposed to be happy with a suitable wife when the fates have brought him something so special.

In a trio of historical novellas, authors Debbie Raleigh, Sandy Blair, and Regan Allen tell tales of strong women who drive to their goals--picking up the loves of their lives as they go--and none of the dukes knows what hit them.

I was surprised and pleased to see a hint of social conscience in all three of these stories about marrying the top of the British Aristocracy. Shevon worked as a journalist, reporting on the follies of the rich and trying to help the down-trodden. Rachel breaks with aristocratic tradition and goes into 'trade,' and Tess worries about sheep grazing which destroyed the traditional Scotish clan structure and converted common lands to privately owned enclosures during the 19th century. Mixing glamour with a bit of reality adds some depth to these amusing novellas.

This book is a great overlay of what happened in Civil War North Carolina. The eastern coast and rivers, as well as the Outer Banks are all given a account. Decent maps that can be expected for some of the least written and talked about battles. From Cushing to Hoke, from Burnside to Lamb, all the commanders and their men are here, well detailed and spoken for. This is the book to wrap alll of North Carolina's coastal Civil War up in one bundle for buffs and non buffs alike. The author has away of wrapping the reader up into the excitement and history that is both real and fascinating. A great read, pick it up!

This is one of the most excellent books I have ever read on the subject to the Civil War in North Carolina or any other theatre. It easily grabs your attention early on and holds on to it throughout the remainder of the book. It reads splendidly and the author does an excellent job in describing all aspects. Trotter definitely deserves serious recognition. It should be considered a major contribution to the Civil War reading community and a must for any serious student of the Civil War.

Growing up in NC, I saw all of the sights along the coast of Civil War importance. I tramped across Fort Fisher and loked out to sea over the ramparts of Fort Macon. I visited Roanoke and climbed the earthworks left over from the burnside expedition. I live in a state which the Civil War changed forever. North Carolina contributed the most soldiers (besides Virginia) to the Southern cause, and quite a few for the North. It is wonderful to see such a well-written book about this state. Even if you are not a North Carolinian, this book will tell you a lot about the Southern war effort. Wilmington, NC was the only port that blockade runners could enter during the latter half of the war, and so most of the South's supplies came through there. This book is a wonderful read, and has a novel-like feel. Great for all Civil War Buffs.

This is a remarkably easy to read history that grabs your attention in the very beginning and never lets up. It reads as easily as a novel and should be a must for lovers of North Carolina.

The books in Trotter's trilogy, "The Civil War in North Carolina" (the other volumes are "Silk Flags and Cold Steel: The Piedmont" and "Bushwhackers: The Mountains"), were published as independent volumes and can be enjoyed as such. But one can't get a good understanding of the Civil War in North Carolina by reading only about a single region. I strongly suggest that serious students of the war, or of North Carolina, take time to read the entire trilogy.

Aside from John G. Barrett's "The Civil War in North Carolina," Trotter's trilogy is the only modern comprehensive account of the war in the Tar Heel state. (See also my review of Barrett's book at Amazon.com.) Unlike Barrett's rather academic, formal approach, Trotter is as concerned with telling some good stories as he is with documenting North Carolina's role in the war. He includes a fairly extensive bibliography in each volume, but apparently he relied mainly on published sources, and the footnotes are very sparse. This is not to say that his work is inaccurate or invalid, but it is hardly the ultimate account of the war in North Carolina.

His geographical division of the three volumes also presents some problems. Much information about the state's entry into the war and about its poltical aspects is found in the volume on the Piedmont, "Silk Flags and Cold Steel," but the most important battles in the first three years of the war -which had an influence on these political events -- are covered in "Ironclads and Columbiads." These two volumes also contain many later events that "interact," for example, the closing battles in March and April of 1865. And some events in "Bushwhackers" - most notably, Stoneman's cavalry raid in the final weeks of the war - also lap over into Piedmont. Again, a full understanding requires reading all three of these books. Trotter, while adopting a mildly pro-Confederate tone like Barrett's, doesn't do as good a job of tying events in North Carolina to those of the wider war.

"Ironclads and Columbiads" covers the most important battles in the state. In January 1862, Union forces began in earnest to occupy crucial points on the North Carolina coast. Within six months, Union army and naval forces effectively controlled coastal North Carolina from the Virginia line south to present-day Morehead City. Union setbacks in Virginia, however, led to the withdrawal of many federal soldiers from North Carolina, leaving only enough Union troops to hold coastal strongpoints like New Bern, "little" Washington, and Plymouth. Had the Union pressed harder in North Carolina in 1862 - e.g., reinforcing their units there and occupying Wilmington and Goldsboro (a vital railroad junction on the Wilmington-Weldon line) - the armies of the Confederacy might have been stretched much thinner than they were by the ineffective Union campaigns against Richmond, and may well have lost their principal port. Union control of eastern North Carolina would have been a major military and economic disaster for the Confederacy. Instead, the Union forces on the coast had to remain in fortified garrisons until 1865, occasionally venturing out to raid and forage in the rich farmlands of eastern North Carolina. Confederate forces retook Plymouth and Washington in 1864 but lost them again before the year was out.

One failing that Trotter shares with Barrett is the poor quality of his maps and the lack of description of battle sites, roads, and other places in modern terms. A copy of DeLorme's "North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer" is a vital supplement to these three books; modern place names and locations of battles and other events should have been located using modern landmarks, included as footnotes.

Trotter's trilogy is "popular" history, entertainingly related and highly readable. (He doesn't hesitate to have occasional fun with purple prose- "The obsidian mountain night engulfed them like wraiths" -but the writing usually is lively and flows well.) There may be more recent and more thorough books about various aspects of the Civil War in North Carolina, but Trotter's trilogy presents an introductory survey in a convenient package.