Blake Books

I had never heard of Nicholas Blake. I came across his name and
books on Amazon and I am hooked, I mean really hooked. They are among
the most well thought out mysteries in a long time. This is Vol. 4. I am
looking forward to reading the other volumes of this excellent
treasury.

Lovely Amanda Trent hadn't known, when she came to the decaying Monteigne mansion to give her cousin Amelia a valuable family heirloom, that her cousin had recently died under mysterious circumstances. Nor did she know that she so strongly resembled the deceased . . .

But soon after her arrival, strange things began to happen to her. Inexplicable things that couldn't happen. And suddenly Amanda realized that she was slowly being guided from beyond into a dead woman's life, a dead woman's romance -- and, quite possibly, a dead woman's grave . . .

An excellent example of this genre. Highly recommended.

This is the reprint of the edition published in 1797, with engravings of William Blake. The poem itself, enormously popular in the 18th century, is now shrouded in obscurity, and it stays in print only due to Blake's illustrations. But despite of its unpopularity, I found it quite enjoyable. It is best read in one sitting, without interrupting the constant flow of ideas and thoughts. It is a meditation, at once introspective and all-encompassing, a contemplation of Death, Time, Friendship, and Immortality of man. Granted, it does tend to drag on too much in the last chapter, but the first ones are so good they're worthy of being memorized. Blake's engravings, surrounding the text as a frame, capture the essense of the poem and at the same time enhance it, adding to it even more depth. The poem's abstract concepts take shape, making some passages more memorable. (This edition includes a commentary on the pictures' symbolism.) The book is worth getting for the engravings alone; it is a work of art in every sense of the word.

I've read this book since I was 8 years old--now I'm 29! I read it each year to my third grade class and practically have it memorized. I enjoy it over and over. Boys and girls loves the book. You will have no regrets ordering the book. Roald Dahl is an author that can't go wrong.

These easy open books are great -- the page sizes are staggered so that parents AND children can open them easier. We have both the numbers and the colors books; my eight-month-old son is fascinated with the vibrant photographs of animals on each page. It would be a little helpful to have the animal names listed somewhere...One penguin, two giraffes, three zebras, four owls, five ladybugs, six swans, seven meerkats?, eight frogs, nine goldfish, ten deer, many penguins!

I loved this book. It is a great story and very well written. I really got to know John Lowe. Thanks Old Stoneface!

This book is fantastic. I thought I would like it and realised I loved it. The pages turn quickly. The plot is interesting and reveals the true nature of man, his needs, his emotions and his sexuality. The book is a refreshing surprise. The action is realistic, romantic and humerous. The author seems to be hearty as are his characters. I couldn't put the book down and recommend it for a fast read to lose yourself in.

It seems there are a lot of YA books lately with sports themes, but tennis isn't usually the sport of choice. Carol Clippinger's OPEN COURT presents the competitive and emotional pressures of tennis.

Holloway "Hall" Braxton is just thirteen and is making her mark in the world of tennis. She has pretty much outgrown her competition in Colorado, so what is next? Both her coach and her parents think it's time to start looking at improving her world ranking, but Hall isn't sure she's ready. Competing in world class tournaments means moving on from her local coach and attending one of the private tennis academies her parents have been researching. It also means moving away from home.

Hall's life is suddenly more complicated than ever. It's not just her tennis life that is changing. She and her best friend seem to be headed in different directions. Her doubles partner recently suffered a nervous breakdown and is currently living in a mental facility. And then there's Luke, the country club, private school heartthrob who is suddenly paying Hall a lot of attention.

Every night Hall presses her ear to the heating vent between her room and the kitchen to hear her parents plot and plan her tennis future. Her father has his sights set on Bickford Tennis Academy in Florida. Her mother (Hall calls her The Weak Link) seems less sure about sending their only daughter off to swampy Florida and tennis torture. No one bothers asking Hall what she wants, and it's beginning to freak her out.

For awhile Hall tries to lose herself in the world outside tennis. She hangs with her friends, especially handsome Luke and new friend, Polly. Amazed that someone as popular as Luke could be interested in her, Hall explores another side of her personality as she sneaks out for late night swims and make-out sessions. Her longtime friendship with best friend Eve is abandoned as she spends time with more rebellious Polly. But tennis continues to haunt Hall. Is it just a game or is it a much more important part of who she is?

OPEN COURT reaches into the pressures of competitive tennis. The pressure to win, to please coaches and parents, the grueling hours of practice that interfere with friendships, and the powerful love of the game are all revealed in this fast-paced novel. Even those with little knowledge of the game of tennis will still appreciate the drive and determination that pushes and yet terrifies Hall. OPEN COURT is a worthwhile addition to any collection.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

This book successfully gives you what you need to find out if being self employed is possible. It authur gives a much more reallistic comparision of what it takes to make it. All the more newer and recent book on the subject just tell you what you want to hear. This one really prepares you with hard fact comparisions.

Vicki L. Ruiz, Arizona State University Professor and Award winning historian, had this to say about OVER THE EDGE: "This anthology represents the state of the art in scholarship on the U.S. West and charts new paths for western historians involving cultural studies, feminist theory, and even legal criticism. It problematizes the entire field of western history by challenging our notions of what subjects, materials, and themes qualify as 'western' and especially by showcasing the power of cultural studies in illuminating the many strands of western life. OVER THE EDGE is an exceptional contribution to western studies, one which reflects the theoretical energy of an evolving discourse." I AGREE!!! From the Gold Rush to rush hour, the history of the American West is fraught with diverse, subversive, and at times downright eccentric elements. This provacative volume challenges traditional readings of western history and literature, and redraws the boundaries of the American West with absorbing essays ranging widely on topics from tourism to immigration, from environmental battles to interethnic relations, and from law to film. Taken together, the essays reassess the contributions of a diverse and multicultural America to the West, as they link western issues to global frontiers. Featuring the latest work by some of the best new writers both inside and outside academia, the original essays in OVER THE EDGE confront the traditional field of western American studies with a series of radical, speculative, and sometimes outrageous challenges. The collection reads the West through BEN-HUR and the films of MAE WEST; revises the western American literary canon to include the works of African American and Mexican American writers; examines the implications of miscegenation law and American Indian blood quantum requirements; and brings attention to the historical participation of Mexican and Japanese American women, Native American slaves, and Alaskan cannery workers in community life. Valerie J. Matsumoto is Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies at UCLA; Blake Allmendinger is Professor of American Literature at UCLA. Definitely a ***** 5-STAR ***** adventure!