Bonds Books

Current adoption statistics record that up to 60% of women who place a child for adoption already have one or more children that they are parenting. As far as I know, this is the only book available for a special population: siblings of a child placed for adoption. It explains in simple language the reason for the adoption decision, and suggests a path to remain in touch with the soon-to-be absent sibling. This book is effective for use with children who remain with a parent who has chosen adoption for a baby, and also works for a child who is born later in the birth mother's life. Recommended for adoptive parents to give to their baby's birth mother; and for agencies who work with birth mothers to make available to their pregnancy clients.

A great children's book for use with any children who are touched by adoption especially a young child a birthparent is already parenting. I bought a copy for our birthmother and kept one to read to our son to help him understand his birthfamily's feelings.

This is an excellent tale for families on both sides of the adoption fence. Sam's Sister shows an endearing and insightful little girl's viewpoint and questions she has, about her younger sibling who will be adopted to another family. This is a side of adoption rarely seen in children's literature, and has been written in a very tender manner.

This beautiful little book is bound to bring comfort to many mothers and children out there struggling to come to terms with the decision to place a child for adoption. Written love and compassion, this book tells the story of a beautiful little girl, Rosa, who struggles to understand why her mother's new baby isn't going to be living with them. Ms. Bond writes straight from the heart with an understand and compassion that is truly remarkable, and Ms. Majewski's illustrations compliment the story beautifully. In this busy and sometimes impersonal world, a little gem like this book is truly something to be treasured.

Sam's Sister is a work of beauty. The author and the illustrator have done an impeccable job of representing the emotional aspects of open adoption from a child's perspective.

The U.S. has seen a steady rise in open adoptions in the last two decades. Many feel that its process-birthparents, adoptive parents, and children in an ongoing relationship-has improved adoption overall by promoting healthier emotional experiences for the families involved. Yet, open adoption continues to be somewhat mysterious to the general population. If open adoption is a challenge for adults to understand, what about the children involved? This question is eloquently tackled in Sam's Sister.

Rosa, the 5-year-old central character in the book, recognizes that her single mom is behaving differently. She worries, and when unable to get a smile from her, wonders if her mother is sick or has stopped loving her.

Her mother eventually tells Rosa that she has a new baby growing in her tummy, and when he's born, she won't be able to take care of him. She explains, in language that a child can understand, many of the reasons that birthmothers relinquish their newborn infants: There just isn't enough money or energy to provide the support and care a new baby needs. "Right now I couldn't provide those things for two children, even with your help," she tells Rosa.

While other stories might stop here, Sam's Sister is just beginning. Rosa's mom assures her that both she and the baby in her mother's tummy are loved. Rosa helps in making the open-adoption plan and meets the chosen parents for her soon-to-be baby brother. Her desire to maintain a relationship with her new brother is validated by everyone, and the adoptive parents encourage her involvement on many levels. When Sam is finally born, Rosa is able to visit him, reaffirming that she will always be Sam's sister.

This wonderful story is told with a clear, honest approach that avoids fantasy. The book will be an effective tool in helping young children understand the experiences and feelings that surround adoption.

This is certainly a good book for the James Bond fan (I include myself).

It's probably worth reading for the general movie fan as well since one can see the roles of chance and chaos in any creative endeavor.

The simple story of producers Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzmann finding the 007 books by Ian Fleming and creating the biggest franchise in movie history just didn't come about that easily. In fact, Broccoli & Saltzmann don't play very big roles in THE BATTLE FOR BOND.

The first third of the book meticulously chronicles Ian Fleming's attempts to get Bond on the silver screen, quoting or just reprinting the letters and cables between Fleming, his friends/business associates, the producer Kevin McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham. It quickly becomes a mess.

The middle third discusses the filming of "Thunderball" with plenty of interesting tidbits from actors and crew.

The final third follows the chaotic set of McClory & Sean Connery's "renegade" Bond film, "Never Say Never Again," as well as McClory's attempts to hang on to Bond to his dying day.

What jumped out at me while reading THE BATTLE FOR BOND was just how little happiness 007 and "Thunderball" brought to the principle personalities. Ian Fleming, already in failing health from 60 cigarettes a day and heavy drinking, slowly burned out and died of a heart attack just a few months after settling with McClory. Jack Whittingham also suffered from severe heart problems and risked death to participate in a trial that profited him nothing.

Sean Connery, the actor who would become the biggest movie star in the world in perhaps the most iconic film character of the 20th Century, was sick to death of Bond by 1965's "Thunderball" and miserable. He then returned to the role in 1983's "Never Say Never Again" and was even more miserable shooting that unorganized film.

And Kevin McClory, who begins this saga as a scrappy underdog but ends as a disgraceful, greedy thorn in everyone's side, ends a broken, bitter man, his last tenuous grasp on Bond finally wrenched from his dying fingers by the courts shortly before his death.

I wouldn't call it "The Curse of Bond," but it doesn't look like any of the leads really savored and enjoyed the success of James Bond and "Thunderball."

(Financially, Broccoli & Saltzmann would benefit the most but they don't play major roles in this book. There are plenty of people who complain about how cheap they were--Sean Connery first and foremost--but the author doesn't go into much detail about them.)

A worthy entry in the Bond lore.

The book features not one but two villains, but they are so beautifully brought to life you can see their characters in the round, as it were, humans with failings just like the rest of us. One was Ian Fleming himself, who comes across in THE BATTLE FOR BOND as a pop genius like Warhol with a great invention, the James Bond character, and yet a weakness for trampling over the rights of others out of his sense of clubby privilege which is fairly sickening after a few chapters. So when he employs others to help him sketch out a screenplay that will feature his Bond character, he doesn't even think twice about novelizing their joint effort and publishing it under his own name. He had what became the modern equivalent of the old fashioned "droit du seigneur," and the others were just pawns in his game.

The second "villain who's not really a villain" was the crazy swinger Kevin McClory, technically he was used and abused by Ian Fleming but he sure wound up with his pound of flesh didn't he! Author Robert Sellers, the one man who was able to pick up and tell the whole wretched and confused saga from beginning to end, makes you eventually loathe Kevin, even though he started out as the underdog. Kevin was the type of friend than which you'd rather have an enemy, so you hold him in your embrace just so you can see what he's doing with his hands.

The hero of the book winds up to be Jack Whittingham, a venerable and talented screenwriter whom BOTH McClory and Fleming took up, then cast aside. AND his daughter, the beautiful singer and office manager Sylvan Whittingham, who kept all the papers together for forty years and then finally, with the help of a faithful lawyer, Peter Carter-Ruck, brought all the pieces together to tell a strange and disturbing story of genius gone mad. As Sellers points out, the saga of Carter-Ruck is like a Shakespearean tragedy, but the same can be said for the sad and wasted life of Kevin McClory. At the very end of the book there's a great photo of a little girl, Jack Whittingham's granddaughter, Aimi, inspecting with all the unconscious grace of a child, the neatly cared for grave of her grandad. It's in Malta, of all places, an island he loved.

I did not know a thousand facts that Sellers lets on: that Julie Christie was considered for the role of Domino; that Luciana Paluzzi considered Claudine Auger cold and calculating; that Dirk Bogarde might have been James Bond--or Rod Taylor--both of them I guess, not so bad choices. The angry figure of Sean Connery permeates the flavor of the book like a simmering stew of bad feeling that will not go away. He's great, but like everyone else in the book bar the Whittinghams, his life has been misspent chasing money and licking wounded pride.

A saga big as BLEAK HOUSE and as captivating as CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, except for grown ups.

A brilliant, well researched indepth study of a ongoing war between two rival film companies on the greatest film hero of all time JAMES BOND and the movies THUNDERBALL and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. Buy it now...because in ENGLAND the book has been through the law courts and consequently has been banned from sale, it will be reprinted minus a few items that caused quite a fuss. So buy it now from amazon usa

Alot of the history of THUNDERBALL isn't new to me but Sellers writes a really entertaining and fascinating bit of history. I couldn't put it down until I had finished it -- in one seating. Great treasure of previously unseen material (Connery scouting the State of Liberty for the never made WARHEAD, production drawings, rare photos, etc). As it has been pulled off the market because litigation from the Fleming Trust (who could they be? Fleming's been dead since 1964, his wife died years ago and his only son died from a drug overdose in the early 1970's) so it is going to be harder to get. Worth the effort!

There are many of us who do care to know the true story about Thunderball - have a look at the uk reviews! This is a landmark book and contains fresh information on this fascinating subject. Top marks to author Robert Sellers who tells an unbiased factual story about the origins of the Bond movies

the book is a journey to the past of the author. it is difficult to sieve out where the reminiscences end and fiction begins. feast for a reader who loves to know about india and its people. it's the connossieur working at his best. the english man wrote about india better than most of indian authors. his macabre tales are also very interesting.

Read the "Night Train at Deoli". And see if you don't remember an airport, a railway station, a dock ... and a loved one waving goodbye.

Ruskin Bond is the first author I've read who doesn't try to show off his command over the language[english] by using the most difficult words he can find and flaunting his excellent vocabulary.In other words he uses very simple english. When I first read this book the thing that most impressed me was the depth in his writing and his characters despite the simple language. A collection of some touching stories and essays,"Delhi is not far" can be described in just one word - beautiful.

His style of writing and his stories clearly show the Indian in him. On the whole, reading this book was a very satisfying experience.

'Delhi is not far' is one of the finest collection of stories and essays I have come across till date.This is the first Ruskin Bond book I've read and now that I've read it I plan to read all his other works as well.It is so easy to relate to the protagonists in these stories and identify with them. Being a die-hard dreamer,and over that being an Indian,it was but natural for me to love this book and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in some simply but beautifully written stories & essays. There are also some travel writings and tales of the macabre.

This book may be out of print in the USA, Mr. Bond himself might be considered to be a writer from another century and time in this day and age of the fiery Arundhati Roys and minimalistic Pankaj Mishras.

Today's literary world of India is one where authors struggle so hard for their writings to be inspirational on a grand scale, they fail miserably and ungracefully. Rushdie is an example.

Or set down a path of social activism of such extremes that the written word ceases to be a medium of good literature - but rather becomes the means to social and political mobilization. AKA Arundhati Roy and VS Naipaul.

Or even more tiresomely - flounder in the grand mediocrity of scale and let supposed expectations drive their pen instead of their inner pleasures/fears. Vikram Seth lead the charge of this faction of Indian writers.

Or just be plain moronic and maniacal in their old age - like Kushwant Singh. Their outstanding lechery in social circles of the ultra-pretentious in New Delhi easily masks the little literary promise they showed and threw away in their younger years.

And then - there are the likes of Lahiri and Bond. Bond, a venerable old gentlemen who writes out of a little cottage encosed in the mountains of Northern India, is of English descent. A strapping young man in his early 20s when the British left India, he stayed behind because "India is home", in his world.

Nobody in the last 50 years has or even strikingy, today, can match the joy, hurt, loneliness, companionship and beauty in Mr. Bond's writings on the land he plainly and painfully loves so deeply.

His hallmark literary style has allways been a simple choice of words, woven together in a breathtaking manner, sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph. Story after story, book after book, plot after plot, his brilliance has shone for a nation of a billion strong for many a decade.

As you would say so yourself sir, the lamp is lit. It shines on.

And we are greatful.

Literary 007 fans are in for a real surprise with Charlie Higson's Blood Fever. A dark and intense story awaits readers and the result is thrilling and enjoyable. At first I was apprehensive about starting it. When I had obtained Higson's first novel, SilverFin, I had immediately jumped into it, excited and curious. With Blood Fever, I was worried that I would be slightly disappointed; that the success of SilverFin might have just been a one time deal. It turns out that I could not have been further wrong. Blood Fever is a fast-paced, exciting, well-crafted, and mature James Bond novel.

SilverFin started to clear up the many, many rumours that this new Young Bond series would only appeal to young readers or the Harry Potter crowd, but Blood Fever wipes the slate clean. This is a darker and tougher James Bond novel than anticipated. Where there were some decidedly cute aspects of SilverFin, such as the horse being called "Martini," Blood Fever is devoid of such moments. The maturity, both of Bond and overall, is much more pronounced in this story.

One way this new level of maturity is obtained is in the development of the characters. Many of them are standouts in this novel, starting first with the villain, Count Ugo Carnifex. Villains, both in the Bond novels and films, have to be above par to create an interesting enough challenge for Bond, and Carnifex meets the requirements. He is ruthless and cruel; Higson's characterization of this villain is full of details; and...of course, where would a good villain be without a well-designed and dangerous lair? An improvement over Lord Randolph Hellebore of the previous novel, SilverFin. The other obligatory character is the Bond girl--in this case, the determined and efficient Amy Goodenough. Again, as in the case of the villains, the improvement from SilverFin to Blood Fever is clearly evident. Amy is introduced early on in the story and Higson allows the character plenty of time to develop and become someone that readers actually care about. She is the perfect candidate to be the girl who needs rescuing. Her interaction with James is handled wonderfully and very believable for the reader.

The darkness of Blood Fever is accented by the violence, which seems to have been increased for this second novel. James Bond is much more agent 007 than Young Bond in Blood Fever. In SilverFin, he was unsure, but determined and not willing to give up. Even with those qualities, it was evident that this character was clearly no 007...yet. Blood Fever now takes James Bond on the path to 007. Even the first line, 'James Bond hated feeling trapped,' shows that this boy is restless and one that does not take the common path in life. He must know that there is an exit where ever he may be, and his real ambition is to be free. He realizes that he does not fit in with Eton, the so-called common path. This boy is different from the others. All of this essential information about the back round to this character is presented on the first page describing him alone (pg 15 UK first edition paperback).

One standout scene of Blood Fever (and one that was certainly anticipated before the release of the novel) is the torture sequence involving James Bond. The form of torture is the deadliest animal in the world: mosquitoes. As Ugo Carnifex says, 'they are a nuisance, aren't they?' The scene is written magnificently, from the lack of mutual respect between James Bond and Ugo Carnifex to the sense of hopelessness James feels after he is left alone. Blood drips from the uncountable bites on his body and the creatures are relentless and ruthless in their mass attack. Help eventually comes, but not after James experiences a world of agony and pain. In a way, this scene (which succeeds wonderfully) represents a transition from young Bond to the adult 007. Charlie Higson proves he can make a scene like this work very well. The violence is increased, but sex still remains very PG. Bond tries to resist Vendetta's uncontrollable attempts to kiss him, thinking the action to be embarrassing. He does however kiss her 'hard on the mouth' when trying to get a point across, but the idea of Amy as a girlfriend is 'nonsense' to him.

Do not resist this second Young Bond novel if you did of SilverFin because the idea seemed too childish or silly. Charlie Higson is an accomplished writer and his work on Blood Fever is definitely deserving of praise. This is the best kind of Bond novels--young or old. It grips you from the start and truly does not let go until the conclusion. The characterization is deep and rich, the settings described in detail, and the plot interesting and exciting. Equally as important, there is a point: Blood Fever continues young James Bond on the road to 007. Both James Bond and the readers are in for quite the journey.

commanderbond.net

In this, the second Young James Bond novel BLOOD FEVER, British author Charlie Higson follows in the footsteps of Ian Fleming by introducing characters with names that give the reader some idea of who the heroes and villains are. For example, Fleming's characters were named Hugo Drax, Honey Rider, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Mary Goodnight, Rosa Kleb, Dr. No, et al. Higson's characters are named Count Ugo Carnifex, John Cooper-ffrench, Amy Goodenough, Peter Love-Haight, Zoltan the Magyar, a Sardinian girl named Vendetta, and many others (perhaps too many). You'll have to figure out who is good and who is bad and who is at times good and then bad (and vice versa) by reading the book. But...it isn't all that difficult and I figured out who the seemingly good-bad/bad-good guys were early on.

This book is, in my opinion, better than SILVERFIN, the first in the series. It's full of mystery, beginning when James, clinging to a climbing vine in the dead of night on the side of a house, overhears a conversation by two men...in Latin. This leads Young JB into an adventure that takes him from Eton College to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia in search of the reasons why a ghostly painting and a scary man he saw in England, who had the letter "M" tattooed on each hand, were connected. He later discovers that the letters MM together are the symbol of a secret Italian society called -the Millenaria - which stands for "two thousand years."

None of the unbelievable creatures or gastly experiments by mad scientists that were found in SILVERFIN pop up in BLOOD FEVER, thank goodness, though JB has a serious problem with bloodthirsty Sardinian mosquitoes and poisonous sea urchins.

I won't spoil the fun of reading this page turner by giving away too much info. I gave it only 4 stars, though, because it needed something that seemed to be missing to make it truly James Bondian (if there is such a term). I think it could have something to do with...well, you'll have to work that out for yourself. When/If you do, please let me know.

BLOOD FEVER is recommended for the teenage reader...or those of us who wish there were books as interesting as this to read when we were in our teens so many years ago.

"Blood Fever" is an all-around good book. As opposed to "Silverfin."

Don't get me wrong. "Silverfin", Charlie Higson's first entry in the Young James Bond series, was a solid first entry, and showed great potential for the rest of the series. But "Blood Fever" fully capitalizes on that potential. It's more genuinely suspenseful, more clever and humorous, more well-written in general, and better in every other conceivable way. Plus it has a higher body count. However, just like "Silverfin", "Blood Fever" requires the reader's indulgence. In order to enjoy either book, you have to be interested in the exploits of James Bond at age thirteen.

"Silverfin" was entertaining, but it was filled with several cheesy moments. "Blood Fever" is much more cleverly written, especially in regard to the "prequel" moments in regard to James' future. These play tribute to Ian Fleming's original novels, and, consequentially, to the movies they inspired. While they're more plentiful in "Blood Fever" than "Silverfin", they're also much more subtle and intelligently placed. To give some examples here would ruin the fun, but I will say that Fleming's recurring motifs of the number 7 and the "octopussy" are prevalent throughout the book.

The plot of "Bloodfever" is much more complex than "Silverfin", with too many twists and turns to explain here. But basically, the book starts with the abduction of a young blonde named Amy Goodenough and the murder of her father by the pirate Zoltan. Meanwhile, the teenage James Bond is studying at Eton when he discovers the workings of a secret society on campus. The paths of James, Amy, and Zoltan, as well as a megalomaniac named Ugo Carnifex with designs on world domination, cross on a field trip to Sardinia. James encounters several grotesque baddies that could give Oddjob and Jaws a run for their money, as well as frighteningly realistic scene in which James in nearly eaten alive by a swarm of mosquitoes, so well written it will probably make you itch. This all climaxes in what's probably the coolest villain death in all of Bond history.

In my review for "Silverfin", I mentioned that James could sometimes be substituted with any other young adventure hero. Not so in "Blood Fever." This young James has all of the traits of the James Bond we know and love. He gets all of the latest technology, but in a much more realistic way. For example, it's the 1930's, and James manages to get his hands on one of the first ever scuba suits. Also, James causes not one but two women to go completely gaa-gaa over him: Amy Goodenough and a young Italian girl named Vendetta.

One of the few flaws that occurred in both Young Bond novels is that Charlie Higson introduces too many characters to give them all the amount of "screen time" they deserve. The main "Bond villain", Ugo Carnifex, and "Bond girls" in particular get too little attention, especially the character of Amy Goodenough. Since Bond's enemies and loves have always played major roles in his adventures, you expect them to be better treated her. However, the characters Charlie Higson does focus on are very well-written. The character of Zoltan the pirate is especially interesting. He walks the fine line between being an enemy and an ally to James, and he's lovable and despicable, sometimes at the same time. Also, there were a couple of twists I could see coming a mile away, but I suspect other readers, young readers especially, will be thoroughly baffled.

"Blood Fever" fully capitalizes on the potential of its subject. Now, I wait with baited breath for the U. S. release of "Double or Die", the next book in the series.

Pretty good story, and we find out what makes Bond ticks. A must for Alex Rider fans!!!

Blood Fever is about a boy named James, that goes to the island of Sardinia on a class trip. On the island he starts to reveal a mystery about one of the most dangerous men in Europe. He will encounter many obstacles in his journey to stop him from ruling Europe.Will he stop him or not?
In my personal opinion Blood Fever was a better than the first book of this series,Silverfin. I still liked Silverfin and it was a great lead up to Blood Fever. The reason I liked Blood Fever more than Silver fin was because it had more action. The book was as I said action-packed and was also a mystery. James acts as a dare-devil and detective at the same time to solve the mystery. He will do some crazy stunts while trying to find out a "clue".of the mystery. Last of all people who loved Midnight Rider will love this book. I loved this book.

The fates of those who sacrificed during the 60s to make America a more perfect union were varied; Some were cut down by assassins. Others re-defined the struggle by securing historic victories at the ballot box. Most simply returned to anonymity, choosing to bear the scars of battle in silence.
While many of these heroes remain unsung, the legacies of the more prominent among them have been well-documented in mainstream media outlets dutifully marking civil rights anniversaries as a way of gauging how far we've come since then. In some cases, these stories have now been re-told so often they seem dated and stale.
But John Blake's compelling new book, "Children of the Movement" traces those human blood lines forward and breathes life into these intimate -- but largely unknown-- family portraits. His interviews with the sons and daughters of those who fought for America's soul are at once inspiring, depressing, universal and utterly unpredictable.
Blake's sparing but effective writing frames each vignette, putting them in context without overwhelming you with tons of historical detail that might have detracted from the narrative. His book is not only a pleasure to read, but also informative, captivating and timely.
Most of all, "Children of the Movement" reminds us that while the struggle for civil rights has changed much in a generation, it is still far from over.

This is really one of the most fascinating books to deal with the civil rights movement in recent years. The author does not rehash old ground, but instead strikes out to see what happened to the next generation born of the activists, heroes, martyrs--and even the repulsive racists--of the 1960s. The older generation that we all know in another context turn out to have been parents ranging in quality from wonderful to awful--and those who knew them 40 years ago may sometimes nod their heads knowingly and say "Told you so!" It adds a human element to our knowledge of that great movement that shaped modern America and inspired the world.
I should add that I took this book with me on two hurricane evacuations this year (you can see that I am from Florida, The Hurricane State), and I could not have wanted for a better literary companion. I recommend it highly.
It does not pretend to tell the whole story of the civil rights movement--but it does tell an aspect of it that no one before John Blake has put between hard covers. No library dealing with that era is complete without this book.

As a child born in the late 70's, I've often felt, in some sense, that the Movement was something in the "past tense"...something that was really (according to History Books) only associated with MLK and other "icons".

After reading Children of the Movement, I realize I was reading the gaps of my childhood history books. I was also hearing the story told from the children...the youth of the 50s/60s...the ones that essentially "gave up" their fathers and mothers for the cause.

Wow...what sacrifice...John Blake makes you look at MORE than the leaders we often hear about, but forces the reader to face how the movement affected children of the time and how the pain and loss weighs on all of us today.

The only way to ensure this perspective is HEARD is to recommend this book to an educator you know...a History professor, a Social Studies teacher...someone who can truly ensure that children today absorb this rich perspective...

This book should be required reading for anyone from the age of 10 to 100, but particularly for those members of the last several generations who may take certain freedoms and rights for granted. For anyone who may be only slightly familiar with the struggles, sacrifices, pains and scars of those who fought for civil rights in America, Blake's book is a vital history lesson, presented in fascinating narratives that captures the reader's attention from beginning to end.
By focusing on the children of the movement, Blake gives a fresh and often unpredictable view of the civil rights movement. The extensive use of photographs was an important compliment to each and every chapter.

John Blake's book, "Children of the Movement," provides a powerful, if painful, glimpse into the heart and soul of the Freedom Movement of the Sixties, as, an insightful portrait of its legacy, through the lens of some of its children--one of whom is my own daughter, Ericka Abram. Blake's tenderly-written report reveals many common themes in the perspectives and lives of these offspring, the most compelling for me being that Movement parents seemed to have been so committed to our cause and protecting our children from the social ills we fought, we forgot to tell them what and why we were fighting. The resulting common disconnection between parents and children is more broadly reflected in the confusion and despair of today, in dealing with unrelenting racism and poverty and oppression, that stand in the stead of the clarity of purpose and commitment of the past. Blake's book opens the door to a healthy discussion toward healing familial wounds and easing generational divisions so as to bring us together in a new effort to finally find freedom in America.

One day, it begins to rain hearts, and young Cornelia Augusta begins to catch them. She realizes that these hearts would be great for making valentines. We watch her think of many different kinds of valentines, and think about who each one would be perfect for. What I love about this little book is the thoughtfulness Cornelia Augusta demonstrates, customizing each gift to please a particular friend (and the friends all turn out to be members of the animal world!). My young daughter enjoyed figuring out who each valentine was for and why. Very cute!

My mother bought this for Valentine's Day this year for my, then 2.5 year old, boy-girl twins and my kids love this book. It is May and we still read this book at least once a week.

The fact that little Cornelia looks at each heart and creates a special valentine card that matches the heart and the recipent shows thoughtfulness. I also liked that even though it never rained hearts again Cornelia wasn't disappointed or sad, but knew what to each Valentine's Day after that.

Our book also came with a page of stickers based on the illustrations in the book.

A wonderful and cute story. Short in length and great for younger children (ages 2-4). Definately recommend.

My six year old took the board book version of this book out of my hands. I meant to read it to my two year old son. Instead,
my first grader was enthralled with the illustrations, the story and the name of the loveable protagonist "Cornelia Augusta".

I especially enjoyed how ALL the rainbow hearts Cornelia Augusta catches are ALL different so she can craft personalized, different Valentine's for each recipient of one of her precious gifts.

The story is also a very opening one: there are always ways to create... no matter what the medium, what the celebration, whether the people are together or apart.

Also, I think the 3-5 year recommendation is a bit young. My 6 year old really enjoyed it as well, the language was perfect for a first grader.

It rains an abundance of hearts one day and
Cornielia Augusta catches them and brings them home and figures out who she wants to make things for.

She makes a necklace by stringing them together, then cuts holes in one and as the story goes on, the children try to guess who she made the valentins for.

It is simple and cute and give the children ideas about doing nice things for their friends.

ellen

Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation

This is an ambitious and serious work, accessible in style, and packed with information in over four hundred pages. It has three main themes, clearly defined in the introduction.
The first is the love between Adrienne Monnier and Sylvia. The details of this, so we are told, 'were and are still little known' in 1983 when this book was first published. The second is her admiration for, and championship of, James Joyce. The third is her bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, which was a key feature of the literary scene in Paris between the two World Wars.
By far the most detail is provided on her professional relationship with Joyce. Her efforts to get Ulysses published and smuggled into America, her financial and personal efforts to support the author, and the amount of time and energy she invested, are the key theme of the book.
Naturally Sylvia knew all the other familiar literary figures of the time. Hemingway and Pound are frequently mentioned, as is Gertrude Stein.
As intimated in the introduction there is less to be said about more personal relationships. In a way this seems rather a pity. The anecdotal style and recurring references to various incidents along the way give the writing a rather disjointed feel. Inevitably there is also a certain sense of déja vu particularly for anyone familiar with biographies of Hemingway for example.
The strength and the weakness of the book is the amount of text devoted to James Joyce. Joyce attracts great, but not universal, enthusiasm. The man himself seems to have had more arrogance than charm. Depending on the side of this divide which the reader favours this book will firmly hold the attention or will, in places, rather pall.

This is one of the best books that I've ever read about the 'lost generation' of Americans literary refugees in Paris. The writing is excellent, the research exhaustive and thorough with unparalleled access to Ms. Beach's 'surpressed' portions of her autobiography "Shakespeare and Company". It is readily apparent from this book that without Ms. Beach and her unflinching support, there would have been no "Ulysses" (and maybe no James Joyce). But there was so many other authors she supported and nurtured as well, as the quote from Ernest Hemingway cited above illustrates as well. This book is almost a 'must read' for those persons interested in American literature of the mid 20th century.

This one has been around for some time now and it is not the worse for wear. For those interested in our literature and literary Paris during the 1920s and 1930s, then this is one of those "must reads" (I truely hate that term, but know of no better to describe the improtance of this work at this time). The author's research is absolutely miticulous and fills in many gaps in the story of this remarkable woman. Do be warned though. Many of the names of people mentioned here are rather obscure (at this day and time) for those not immersed in the literary world. This can make the work a bit difficult to follow at times. That being said, this is a wonderful work to read to cause many of these names to become less obscure than they are now...one more of the many reasons to read this work! The book covers some of the intimate details of Beach's relationship with friends and lovers that she so well side steps in her own account of this time. Recommend this one highly. Actually, you probably should purchase this one as it is one that is a good book for reference and one you will probably want to reread.

This is quite a spectacular book, a privileged look into the most famous English language bookstore in Paris, Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare & Company. Not only is it delightful to read the history of how Sylvia's modest dream became such a huge success, but it is also fascinating to read about Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce when they were young. The language is rich and fulfilling, the photos insightful, and in the end, I really felt as if I had been part of it all, sitting in Sylvia's bookstore, hearing the rustle of pages as the day passed away.

This is one of those books where you care about the characters. Their past and future becomes important and that the characters are real people make this book all the more fasinating. A book one does want to end. But end it does with style.

This was my first book on investing, three years ago. It starts with the assumption that you know nothing, but it treats you like an educated, intelligent person. The pace goes quickly, and by the end of the book you know everything you need to know to be an intelligent investor.
I have recommended this book to several friends who wanted a good investing primer.

Thanks--this is an incredibly well written and clear guide. Based on some of Groz' theories, I sold two stocks last week and moved the money into two others I already owned. The market has been good since then, but the two I sold have gone down and the two I kept have gone up. Great book.

Groz's book is just the kind of investment book that has been needed to fill the gap between market kitch and high-brow professional narrative. It leaves the reader feeling well informed but piques her curiousity -- and prepares her for an even deeper understanding of the markets and investing. It is clear that this was Groz's intention. A great book for journeyman investors seeking to negotiate markets and market-speak on a daily basis.

After reading many books on investing, this is the first I've found that offers keen insights to beginners and advanced investors. I would have no problem recommending this book to any of my Wall Street friends--or to my parents.

This is a pretty good book...it seems to me it covers ground a little too fast, and dosen't give enough examples. If you are a quick learner, this is a good book for you. To me, after I got to the part on Mutual Funds I started getting bored....I just wish it was a little more fun to read...but again, A good book to read and learn about the stock market.

Neil Perkins, a fifteen-year-old prankster from northern England, has few greater pleasures than harassing his eccentric Latin teacher, Miss Klitsa. But when an accident on his four-wheeler uncovers some ancient Latin tablets near the ruins of Hadrian's Wall, Neil is forced to cooperate with her in order to translate the tablets, which were written by a Roman centurion named Rusticus. Due to the mysterious illness of Legate Julus, Rusticus's commanding officer, the scheming Tribune Festus has taken charge of the Roman soldiers stationed at Hadrian's Wall. Festus orders Rusticus to lead his men on a so-called training march into Celt-held territory, and as a result, the entire group, save Rusticus and his staff officer Linus, are wiped out. Rusticus's survival is due to the quick thinking of Calum, an auxiliary officer of Celtic blood. Unfortunately for Rusticus and Calum, Festus is unhappy with Rusticus's survival and sends them on a mission to gather intelligence about the warring Celtic tribes, taking Calum's close friend Iona as a hostage to see that the job gets done. However, they realize that even if they give Festus the information he desires, Festus will probably kill them because they are both too aware of his underhanded plottings. Rusticus must eventually find a way to save Iona as well as Calum, who puts himself in harm's way to look after her.

The frame story works well with the main one, and, although the transition between the two is a bit awkward, Rusticus's action-packed story more than makes up for it. Ancient times are a rare subject for historical fiction among American writers, but Douglas Bond brings out the humanity of his subjects while keeping true to their historical background. Parents should be aware that "Hostage Lands" is best suited for teenage readers due to limited harsh violence and several extremely vague references to women being abused in a particular way that most children would not catch on to. Bond's writing, while not inappropriate for teenagers, is too deep for most ten-year-olds.

Perhaps most interesting to parents who want to use "Hostage Lands" as a teaching tool is Rusticus's inward struggle. He has been taught to believe firmly in "eternal Rome" as the bastion of civilization and order. However, his misguided patriotism begins to flag due to both Festus's scheming and the influence of Calum, who began following "Christus" after seeing Christians cruely martyred in the Roman Colloseum. About his experience there, Calum says, "For me, the glory of Rome faded that day." And so Rome's glory fades for Rusticus as Calum's questions about true endurance and higher loyalties seem more and more logical in light of Festus's unbridled ambition. Without sounding moralistic, "Hostage Lands" serves as a sound lesson about the dangers of state worship. To his credit, however, Bond never loses sight of his story, which is one of his most engrossing so far.

Hostage Lands is a great read! Its one of those books that once started, you don't want to put down. Full of intrigue and suspense, this is a book that young and young at heart will enjoy. I appreciated Douglas Bond's ability to weave so much history of post Roman Britain into the book. I've read other books that speak to Rome's conquering Brittania, but this was a new era for me and filled in gaps that I wondered about. A definite must for students of world history, the Roman empire, or just "ancient" civilizations.

Officially listed as teen fiction, Hostage Lands has an appeal which reaches a larger audience, from approximately 10 years old through adult. Set in English farmlands near the remains of Hadrian's Wall, this historical adventure can be read for its entertainment value alone; but, the reader will also find out what it can cost to be a follower of our Lord, as well as gaining some fine Christian perspectives for living.

In contemporary England, eccentric, extremely laughable Miss Klitsa's Latin class alternates between soporific trance and wild hilarity at the teacher's expense. The protagonist of this story, Neil Perkins, gets to drive his ATV to school everyday, and it isn't only teenage readers who grow green with envy. He often leads in the hilarity aimed at the redoubtable Miss Klitsa. Then one fateful day, Neil and his ATV hair-raisingly gouge a ditch near Hadrian's Wall and he finds an ancient manuscript. The only one who can help him is Miss Klitsa.

As Neil translates the manuscript, the reader falls headlong into a spine-tingling Roman/Celtic adventure of sword-play, treachery, fearful undertakings, wild men vs. civilized people, undying friendship, and impossible decisions. It's hard to put this book down and just as hard not to assimilate the lessons: true friendship; patriotism gone awry; willingness to die for another; various battle styles and the war equipment for each; uncivilized Christians vs. civilized pagans; some intriguing English archaeological lessons; accepting people as worthwhile even when you think them ridiculous; and a great deal more.

High school history and English teacher as well as author, Douglas Bond knows how to portray people of all ages. He is a rising star in the historical fiction genre for both older and younger people. Not satisfied with his own history background, Bond draws on the research of other historians. With a wide but understandable vocabulary, a talent for keeping the plot under control, a penchant for characterization, and a wonderful imagination, Bond presents a tale sure to engross any reader. A glossary of terms and a Roman timeline help keep the audience on track. As well as being a good read for the individual, Hostage Lands makes a fine read-aloud book. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com

I've been learning alot about Roman history, lately, and I must admit I was getting tired of hearing about it. But this book is amazing. When I finished Hostage Lands, I wished there was more of it to read. Great book, from cover to cover.

Fifteen-year-old Neil Perkins lived a reasonably good life. He lived on Hostage Heath, a farm near Hadrian's Wall in northern England, and his parents let him go where he please on his four-wheeler, as long as he accomplished his chores. Yes, he had a good life, except for his Latin classes with the ridiculous Miss Klitsa. Perhaps she would have been better off teaching a drama class.

After wrecking his four-wheeler near the wall, Neil finds a packet of tablets in the hole he made in landing. The tablets were all written upon, and in Latin, no less! He took them to Miss Klitsa and asked what they said, but she was too much of a teacher to tell him.

All of this merely serves as the introduction to the tale which Neil laboriously translated. The epic tale of Celts and Romans scheming, spying, fighting and dying around Hadrian's Wall is reminiscent of the tales spun by Rosemary Sutcliff. We follow the centurion Rusticus, who must decide where his loyalties lay. The story is well told, and readers will hold their breath, instead of easily guessing the way everything will resolve itself. To make this drama even better than Sutcliff's, one of these characters, Calum, is a Christian, although he does not proclaim it to everyone he meets. When the Celts sit around the fire at night, and call on him for a story, he tells them, "My tale is of a great King," and gives the whole gospel. Calum's service to the Prince of Peace does not however, make him any less valiant a soldier.

The book concludes with Rusticas telling a story of "a great King." Neil wonders if the whole story is true, and asks questions. Will Neil, will the reader believe the story? What about the tale of "a great King"?

I have always loved Sutcliff's books, but Hostage Lands ranks even higher on my list. I wish I could give it more stars, and highly recommend it to those 13 and up. Travel back to the misty, dangerous Britain of the Celts, when Romans built their wall, and flaunted their standards. You will learn to think like a Celt, and step quietly behind a tree when you hear footsteps. And maybe you finish this book, and read it again, and give it a place with your favorite Celtic books.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to get an understanding of their personal finances. These are real life questions with easy-to-understand answers.

The question and answer format allows one to pick and choose those financial subjects one is interested in. There is no wasting of time to go through pages of uninteresting information. The book deals with every conceivable financial problem and information one would want to ask about, and the answers are written in a very concise and easy to understand manner. This is a book for everyone, whether it is a home-maker, a student or a business person. Its a good investment !

A great book for the beginning investor and a terrific reference work for the more sophisticated investor. Concise and to the point in a clever Q&A format.

A great book for the beginning investor and a terrific reference work for the more sophisticated investor. Concise and to the point in a clever Q&A format.

Money Matters Made Easy is a book every starting, and regular investor should have on his, or her bookshelf. It covers 178 subjects from evaluating investments to home ownership, and more, like wills, understanding bonds,retirement etc, in short concise and very easy to understand paragraphs. Because it is written in a simple, common-sense way, it is a bargain, for what it contains, and is one investment, which can only lead to dividends in any ones' investments and also life style, since it covers paying for college, insurance and taxes. GO BUY IT !