Blake Books

Once I received this book I couldn't put it down. There are great characters, a fascinating plot line, a really unexpected pleasure. This book would make a terrific movie.

I'm not through with the book yet, but after reading 1/2 of it, I've got to let readers know about it! If the second half of the book is as good as the first 1/2, Blake Dawson has a best-seller on his hand. Exciting, thoughful, chilling. You feel like you know these characters, and so the events that occur carry quite an impact. The action moves fluidly and builds fairly quickly -- I cannot wait to get back to it!

This book is not only extremely fast paced and exciting, but it also has some interesting facts about the bombing. I love all of the characters, and I would love to have Bunt and Manuel as my best friends. This book reads well for both men and women. One of the best I've read in a long time. The description of the characters is so good that I feel like I know them personally. I highly recommend this novel

This was a fantastic page-turner about actual events surrounding the OK City bombing! The characters are well-developed and I found myself rooting all the way for Danny. One of the best summertime books out there and, if you're into mystery, action, history and even a little romance, you'll like this book as much as I did.

Wherever people are gathered, the possibility of hurting each other looms large. Somehow I had hoped that churches would be asylums where human beings uplifted and never hurt each other, by omission or by comission. Because churches are populated by regular human beings, like you and me, people do get hurt and so does God. Wounded people are tempted to withdraw, in pain or fear, from other people, church, and God; finding their way back can be difficult and lonely. This book offers empathy, written by authors who are people themselves, hurt by people in their church. It also offers insights and strategies, couched in the context of God's Word. What a relief! What a blessing!

When I first started reading Blake Coffee and Debbie William's book, I was sure they must have been writing about my church and I am sure every reader will have the same thought...because the problems are so universal whenever people gather together in community there are going to be clashes, feelings hurt, misunderstandings, disappointments...we've all been there. Everyone who has ever been a member of a church will relate to this book. Blake and Debbie take a refreshing look at biblically resolving issues and provide a case study for the reader to see it put to action. They marry the theory with the application! A must read because sooner or later you are going to need it.

Trusting God's People...Again provides wisdom, biblical guidance, and a wealth of information to help those of us who have been wounded by the church heal, forgive, and mature. The words of Blake Coffee and Debbie Taylor Williams are fresh and encouraging, yet bold and honest. A great resource for church libraries, small groups, and individuals, filled with reminders about why God created us and our mission on earth.

I was unprepared for the array of emotions that would well up from deep within as I read this book. As I recount in my own book, Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, I've also been wounded by God's people. Trusting God's People Again will be a resource I recommend in my retreats and day seminars for this book also addresses difficult questions about God's will, His forgiveness, our own journey through forgiveness, and the hope of wholeness we cling to. Blake Coffee and Debbie Taylor Williams have written a much needed book, on an often pushed-under-the-carpet subject with truth, honesty, and vulnerability.

Wizzil, that horrible, nasty hag is bored and decides to entertain herself by making the Frimp family suffer. She turns herself into a work glove and leaves herself right in the path of Grandpa, DeWitt Frimp. He picks up the glove, puts it on and just can't believe his good fortune. That is until strange things begin to happen. When he tries to swat houseflies, he hits everything but the flies, destroying the house. The rest of the family begins to suffer, too. They develope unbearable itches that only get worse with scratching. At dinner, meatballs begin exploding and water spurts like fountains, right out of their glasses. The next morning, the whole house begins to shake and won't stop. DeWitt, can't take it anymore. He figures it must be the glove, that's when all the trouble started and throws it into the river. Then a strange thing happens. The glove turns back into Wizzil. She sputters and thrashes and sinks. DeWitt can't stand to watch her drown and jumps into the water to save her. As he pulls the repulsive witch to shore, all that mean nastiness washes away and when Wizzil and DeWitt look into each others eyes, it's true love, happily ever after..... Award winning author, William Steig has written another terrific story full of silly characters, laugh-out-loud scenes and hip kid-speak language that will charm and delight youngsters. Quentin Blake's expressive, busy cartoon-like illustrations compliment the story perfectly and together they've authored a picture book kids will want to read again and again. Perfect for children 4-8, Wizzil is a winner.

I am so in love with William Steig's books that I was a little bit startled to see that Quentin Blake had illustrated "Wizzil"--but since I adore Blake also, that was only a momentary setback. "Wizzil" is an unusual witch tale in that the witch ends up not only changing for the better, but having a pretty darned good life for herself once someone takes a moment to show her some kindness.

Steig pulls out all the stops here--don't you love the character names? Let's see, there's Wizzil the witch, DeWitt Frimp, Florence and Fred Frimp (try saying THAT three times fast!), and of course, a parrot named Beatrice. It's a happy combination of offbeat, cranky text and the loosey-goosey pen-and-ink illustrations of the inimitable Quentin Blake. Too good to miss!

I found "Wizzil" at the local library and thought it would be just another picture book to share with my children. As I started reading it, I was instantly hooked on the writing style of author William Steig. This book is "awesome" and "highly entertaining." I am also a children's writer myself trying to break into the business, so I have read and studied many children's picture books--this one by far stands out as being one of the best written. The imagination of William Steig is very comical as well as highly entertaining. His writing style is one of the best. You can't help but love his characters and sink into the story. I am going to purchase my own copy of this book--this is one story my kids will want to hear over and over. It is a purchase well worth the price. I was amazed to find out he also wrote "Shrek." What a talented writer!

This book is an engaging departure from all that is tried and tested in witch stories for children. A surprise ending introduces a theme not often seen in this type of literature. The illustrations are well done and very humorous. The pet parrot's sideline commentary is hilarious. I have had this book for under a week and already it is a big leisure reading favorite with my fifth graders who are rapidly acquiring the English language.

About a year ago a teacher/performer friend asked me who my first guitar teacher was. Larry McCabe, quite a few years ago. My friend looked surprised, and told me he uses Larry's books in his own teaching, and that Larry had written something like 80 books to date. I had no idea, as Larry was in the process of writing his first book when I had lessons with him. So when it came time to brush up on some basic blues licks for a band I'm in I ended up obtaining some of Larry's books.

This book of blues turnarounds is where I started. What a great book - full of excellent turnaround licks. At this point I've only played through about half of them note for note, but have used those as a basis for coming up with my own licks. And to me, that is the mark of a great book - lots of useful information if read note-for-note, but can also be used as a springboard for creating new ideas.

The licks I've learned from the book thus far are all in the key of C, but can be easily used in other keys if one has a basic knowledge of the notes on the fretboard. I'd highly recommend this book for a beginner wanting to learn stock blues licks, or intermediate players who need to expand their blues vocabulary.

An Excellent Choice for the Early Intermediate Blues Guitarist

A turnaround is a lick played at the end of a section of music. A blues turnaround would be played in measures 11-12 of a 12-bar blues, or measures 7-8 of an eight-bar blues.

Electric urban blues turnarounds are fairly easy to play, and the difference from one to another is subtle. Having the ability to play a variety of turnarounds is an important skill in blues guitar playing. This is the best book I know of that addresses exclusively the subject of electric blues guitar turnarounds.

This a book for a VERY ambitious beginner, or an early intermediate guitarist who has an interest in Chicago blues in the classic style of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, etc.

The licks are all arranged in the key of C. This is for ease of analysis and comparison. The user is encouraged to transpose the licks to other keys - a worthwhile project for exploring and learning the fingerboard. Very, very good practice for learning the art of blues phrasing.

Great book from one of our leading authors. My students (and myself) have consistently benefited from the interesting instruction contained here.

My students and I work from several of Larry McCabe's guitar books and find that the books produce consistently high results.

This book, like the others, is exceptionally well crafted, specific in intent, and the guitar lines are accurately written exactly as they are heard on the CD. Larry McCabe books are the work of a dedicated teacher who has achieved a high level of respect nationally in the field of music education.

Larry asked me to write a review for this book, and I am happy to do so. The object of this book is to teach the art of playing blues guitar turnarounds to a guitarist who has some prior experience but is just beginning to explore electric blues.

If a student knows how to bend the strings and perhaps play slurs, slides, and hammers, blues turnarounds are not difficult to play. What is important is to play them authentically and with conviction. This book does a very good job in advancing those objectives.

A component of this book that is quite effective is that every phrase is written in the Key of C. The student should then transpose each lick to other keys, a desirable skill that encourages individual incentive and ability to solve arranging problems.

The turnarounds sound exactly like the ones played on classic blues recordings by the great artists from Chicago and other urban areas.

I know other teachers who swear by Larry's books, and I am one of them. Great book- effective in its aims, ambitious content, fun to work through, and a great value.

This very fine book has been in print in one form or another since the early-to-mid 1980s. Not many music books remain in print that long, but this is an exceptional collection of model solos in the urban blues style.

The book is quite popular with music teachers (as evidenced by the other reviews) and it is enjoyable and productive for students as well. The book is aimed at the ambitious early intermediate student, and a few of the solos will challenge an intermediate guitarist.

There are 25 full-length solos in the book, each written in notation and tablature, and each recorded note-for-note on the accompanying CD. The band on the CD is excellent. There are five solos in C, five in G, five in D, five in A, and five in E. The solos are played to standard blues progressions, meaning that they may be "plugged in" to similar blues progressions that are found in many, many songs.

The solos sound exactly like the solos heard on real blues records. They are varied and performed with taste, authenticity, and feeling. You can hear why the author was a columnist for Living Blues Magazine and why his work has received consistently high reviews in a number of guitar magazines.

Great book, highly recommended.

I wish all music instruction books were written in this format. The song tabs just go from one page to the next without a bunch of talking/writing in between, and the song numbers in the book actually match the song numbers on the cd...what a rare and unique idea! Of course, none of that would matter if the material were bad, but that's not the case, the solos are great - quite diverse too. There is a lot of helpful information in this book: theory, writing your own solos, a guide to blues styles and artists,etc. - but it's all in it's own section of the book, not sprinkled throughout the book here and there making it impossible to find. As a full time guitar instructor I would just like to say "great job", "great blues solos" and "great, easy to use format". Thanks.

The author of this book, Larry McCabe, is re-releasing books that have gone out of print for one reason or another. This particular book is an old friend. After I received it, I went into my library and found a copy. It has been in print in one form or another for 25 years. Most instruction books don't last anywhere near that long. First, this book (as the author warns) is not for beginners. You need to be familiar with the movable blues scales we all use. If you are playing out, and feel comfortable with the whole neck, get this book. The style of lead is closer to Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King than anyone else. If you don't know who these men are, buy their CDs. You are in for a treat. Please read the author's introduction. There is a lot of good info there. The Tab system is the older style. It should take about 30 seconds to adjust. It's actually easier to read than the current form. If you consider yourself a Rock guitarist instead of Blues, you really could use this book. If you use these solos as a "how to", instead of just memorizing them, they will give you some new weapons. You know, for scaring the heck out of other guitarists.

It is a pleasure to read a food book with such vast information. With its tightly written entries, I can absorb knowledge while relaxing. I have worked with freshly prepared food and fresh produce all my life. My father is an avid gardener.
With my past 30 years of experience in restaurant work and as a produce specialist, it is uplifting to keep learning from this book. The ABC'S OF FOOD has fascinated and challenged me to broaden my horizons. I highly recommend THE ABC'S OF FOOD to any age group. --Joan Harness, Wal-Mart Superstore Produce Specialist

Ulmer and Calhoun have presented a comprehensive food library that is sprinkled with stories and anecdotes that keep the reader at full attention. It is easy to read, concise yet useful by its brevity, and gives the reader what he is looking for. It has both utility and entertainment. Bravo Ulmer and Calhoun!

ABC'S OF FOOD encyclopedia is one of the most interesting and informative books I have. For example, I assumed in eating the abalone that we ate the body. In the ABC'S OF FOOD I learned it's the foot we eat. It even explained how to cook and tenderize the foot. Most fascinating were the how and where foods, such as Hot Cross Buns, originated from. With the explanation of terms, such as Dry Water, I can now answer customer questions. I work in the food area of the largest retail chain in the world and I am asked about lots of products. Now if I don't know the answer, I use my ABC's book!
Also,reading about such down home wild foods as chinquepins
(chinky pins), hickory nuts, muskadine grapes, and pawpaws brought back childhood memories of following my daddy through the woods, looking for these, along with sassafras roots for the tea in the winter for better health. And if I got hungry while there, we ate veenie weenies (Vienna Sausages)with crackers. I wonder how many of the readers have some of the same fond memories. It would be very interesting to hear from them. I hope there is a follow up book VERY soon! Linda Clark,
former Bakery Manager for Ingles, Consumers, Wal-Mart.

"Cultivating the Strategic Mind" is different! Useful tools, leadership principles and strategic applications, organizational leadership history, practical application guidance, thought-provoking concepts, and illuminating examples and stories permeate this book. The author's philosophy seems to be reflected even in the margins of the book--margins to the edge of the page in an effort to provide as much content as the pages will hold. This is not a "fluff filled" recitation of strategy or leadership principles--rather it is a book that holds the promise of expanding the reader's ability to find purpose, achievement, and satisfaction in life and work--it is about creating the high-performance environment that builds long term competitive advantage and personal significance. This book goes directly to my reference library for daily use--because I refer to it daily.

Countless organizations cannot go where they want or need to because their executives' and leaders' thinking is too shallow. Strategic thinking is hard work; it requires a level of mindfulness to do the thinking that today's complex businesses and organizations require. In the midst of our hyper-speed culture, Dr. Leath unveils a simple, clear, pragmatic approach for developing the Strategic Mind that will change how you think about and run your business or organization - forever.

Jim Horan, President, The One Page Business Plan Company

Being an executive for a fortune 500 company in a strategy development leadership role, I have read many books on strategy. Most are mathematical and "Text Book" in nature. I have found that they are basically useless in the real world.
Dr. Leath's book shatters this paradigm and truly has written a book that provokes and stimulates the very same part of the brain that should be used when executives are working on the strategy for their businesses. It shows you that strategy truly at its best may and should be unconventional, it should reach beyond what may be known today and what could be possible tomorrow.
After all, if a company continues to create more of what they are doing today, they will certainly be obsolete tomorrow.
Truly great companies have the courage and wisdom to look well beyond what is known today, and this is why they grow, prosper, and ultimately shatter todays paradigms.
"Cultivating the Strategic Mind" is a terrific book to help the usual boring, uncreative, and non-visionary process of strategy that occurs in corporations today become exciting, highly creative, and very forward looking.
Dr. Leath, thanks for breaking the mold on conventional strategy books. This book is excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to both have their company and themselves succeed in strategy development.

Buy as many copies of this out-of-print book that you can and give them to everyone you know with a preschooler... the lyrics are simple and sing-song, but hilarious and vibrant. And the illustrations have a wildness that never gets old. Blake is an absolute treasure. What do we do, for goodness sake? ALL JOIN IN!

There as been a wealth of excellent children's poetry published over the fifteen years since ALL JOIN IN first appeared. And yet, such pieces here as "Sorting out the kitchen pans" remain totally unique, fresh, and hysterically funny. I read this aloud hundreds of times during circle time and still am not tired of it.

My daughters & I LOVE this book. Blake is a master of silliness, and his rhymes invite kids to "all join in." This is a must-have for any bookshelf.
A sample, "When Oscar's on the sofa and he's curled up fast asleep, We know he likes a serenade -- We go BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP."

An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide To Headaches is a comprehensive guide to alternative medicinal treatments of chronic headaches -- a common malady that afflicts 90% of men and 95% of women. Collaborative written by Robert D. Milne, Blake More, and Burton Goldberg to help readers "say goodbye to headaches for the rest of your life," with multiple treatment options for 11 major types of headaches. The described treatments include herbalism and acupuncture, which are free of the side effects common to conventional treatments. An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide To Headaches is essential reading for anyone who suffers from America's number one health complaint!

This book is a must for anyone who suffers from chronic headaches or migraines. It covers not only treatments, but also guides you through the causes and what parts of the body are responsible. Complete descriptions of every type of headache and many examples of ways to treat them fill the pages in an easy to read manner. This is the best book I have read on headaches, and being a migraine researcher and sufferer, I highly recommend it.

A must for all headache suffer's, with the help of this book I decreased my migraine pain by more than two-thirds! This book is packed with valuable information on how to kill the pain involved with headaches. All the treatments are drug free. If your a headache sufferer this is a MUST!

I received this book in just a few days after I ordered it and it was in stellar condition. I haven't received anything from or through Amazon yet that wasn't in good condition, as stated in the advertisement of the product. One book I purchased came from an obvious heavy smoker, and when I opened the envelope, the smoke was overwhelming. After immediately airing out the book, I've had no problem with it. I love using Amazon because it saves me bundles of money I can spend on other things - like more products! Good job, Amazon, and all its sellers!

I just bought this latest edition. It doesn't have as many listings as one of the other well-known directories, but the over 1,700 listings it does have are the most extensive I've seen anywhere. They give you the writer's guidelines, what publishers and editors are looking for and what's expected if you want to make a sale. Some of the listings are over two pages long and these are big pages folks. There's a ton of info here that a writer needs, stuff you won't easily find elsewhere. It's a great book of writer's guidelines and I recommend it.

Knowledgeably compiled and meticulously edited by the team of Stephen Blake Mettee, Michelle Doland, and Doris Hall, "The American Directory Of Writer's Guidelines" is an 816-page, alphabetically organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of more than 1,700 magazine editors and book publishers along with descriptive explanation of what these editors and publishers want when considering submissions from freelance writers. Now in a substantially expanded and newly updated sixth edition, "The American Directory Of Writer's Guidelines" offers more than 1,300 periodical publishers and more than 400 book publishers, along with their criteria for work that is either commissioned or submitted on spec by aspiring writers wanting to be published. This superbly organized reference provides detailed submission guidelines that will help a writer to determine if their particular projects are suited to a given magazine or book publisher, as well as providing an indispensable resource when seeking an appropriate publication outlet for a proposal or a manuscript. "The American Directory Of Writer's Guidelines" will prove to be an invaluable and indispensable asset to any professional (or aspiring to be profession) author regardless of the genre of work they are pursuing in their writing career.