Boyd Books

A very moving look into the fragile psyche
of soldiers in combat. I couldn't put it down from the first page until the end, and I strongly recommend it to young soldiers and junior leadership in the armed forces today. Not only is it historically accurate, it is a testament to the strength of the human emotion and the bonds of friendship during war.

A Vet I met at the Bloomsburg PA county fair told me about this book. He said that the author was in his unit and that the stories were very well retold in the book. You as the reader can get a real feeling of what Bill Boyd and the men in unit went through. When you finish the story you are left with an feeling that it just incredible that anyone survived those final months of the war as the Germans fought to save there homeland and sadness for those who didn't make it. You will thoroughly enjoy reading this book.

This story was so gripping you felt like you were with William Pope (the main character) every step of the way. It provides the reader with great insight into World War II, as well as into the personal journies of the soldiers. I have not been so captivated by a book in a very long time.

One of the best books among the many about infantry combat. That it is fictional detracts not one iota. The author quite obviously writes from experience and makes use of the freedom fiction provides to paint a powerful and realistic picture of ground warfare, particularly the randomness through which men live and die. As one who fought in the infantry during the Battle of the Bulge, the setting for Mr. Boyd's novel, and produced three highly researched chapters about it in a memoir, I am proud to recommend "The Gentle Infantryman" as an authentic account of the way it was. Fiction can indeed be more true than fact. This honest little book is a primary example.

This is the best book about the WW2 combat soldier I've ever read. The information is historically accurate and exacting in detail, told with a true storyteller's memory and eye for a good yarn. The fact that the author experienced WW2 in Europe gives you the feeling that he is writing his own life story. The story is neither sentimental nor maudlin, nor is it gritty; it is realistic. Easy to read, it makes you proud to be an American and will leave you with immense respect for the "Greatest Generation." A must for every WW2 historian.

Succeeding in school is a tough life, there is much to complain about and regret. There is homework and stern teachers that make you stay quiet and still and keep you from enjoying yourself. However, as the stories in this collection demonstrate, sometimes having your complaints answered is as bad as having a genuine Midas touch. Written at the level of the late elementary school student and full of situations that can generate giggles while also being serious, these are modern fables. They point out to young people that you must be careful what you wish for as if it is granted your next wish may be to undo the first one.

Book is outstanding for working with elementary students.
It arrived in perfect condition and in a timely manner.

These are good stories about the classroom at the end of the hall. I enjoyed the characters like the Homework Gnome and Dilly-Dally, the Doodles. It's easy to read and not preachy at all.

Hurrah for another Douglas Evans book about the Classroom at the End of the Hall! These stories are even better than the first. this was the best book I've read this year. My favorite story was The Homework Gnome because I hate homework like Hari. I also thought the Chatterbox was very funny.

Our teacher read us Classroom at the End of the Hall by Douglas Evans which is the prequel to this book. I thought it was very funny, but Math Rashes is even funnier. The students in this book sound like students in my fifth-grade class. I like the Chatterbox, The Pencil Grinder and the Homework Gnome. All teachers should definately read this book their class!

This is one of the greatest of all Baseball Books. It is an unforgettable book. I first owned a paperback copy waaaaaaay back in 1975 when I was in the Sixth grade!!!
Those that have read this masterpiece will NEVER forget it,I guarantee it.
It is not only a book about Baseball or Baseball cards but about LIFE and about the America we wish to remember.
Buy it! You won't be dissapointed.
And...Goodnight Sibby Sisti,wherever you are......

I received the book as a Christmas present in 1973. I love, loved, and will love baseball. I was at Yankee Stadium when Mantle hit his 500th HR.
I watched the Yankees go from a dynasty to the cellar. I was at the double-header in June 1970 when Bobby Murcer hit 4 consecutive home runs.
($1.75 for general admission). From the first word to the last, this is a great book. I lost the original, found a soft-cover version which proceeded to fall apart, and then found a hard-cover that I have surrounded by barbed-wire and rabid pit bulls. I recognized many of the players, never heard of quite a few, but it didn't matter. If you are a baseball fan, new or old, buy the book.

Here's a little time travel for you. I first got my hands on this book when I was a little baseball-loving kid, back in 1974. This book scared the hell out of me back then.

Thirty years later it turned up again, and this time it blew my mind. It's one of the most creative, touching, thoughtful, mildly mean-spirited works of literature I've ever come across (And I read books for a living.)

Here's the backstory on the book. It's the early 1970's in Boston, and two witty, profound, slightly geeky local bookstore employees decide to rummage through their childhood baseball-card collections and write a book about their love of the game. Please note: this book **isn't** about baseball or even about baseball cards (here I'm citing the authors in their preface), it's a book about childhood as recalled through the prism of baseball cards.

This book isn't for everyone. It's for grown-up men who loved baseball as boys, weren't very good at it (as the authors admit about themselves), and were probably picked near the end in gym class when teams were being chosen.

This book is probably best (and most mind-blowing) for people who grew up during the late 1950's and early 1960's, as the authors did. But the generations of childhood baseball fans ever since will also find great pleasure in this entirely irreverent and clever book.

"GOOD NIGHT, SIBBI SISTI, WHEREVER YOU ARE." When I read this line in the book back in 1974, it gave me the willies. Now I just grin.

I received this as a Christmas gift one year and was initially disappointed. I had only heard of a few of the guys that were showed on the cards and I set it aside, figuring on sticking it up on my bookshelf with the other boring books that I had and never bothered with. Several days after Christmas we went on the annual family gift return, a day I truly hated. In desperation I grabbed this book off of my pile and took my accustomed place in the back of the station wagon. For the rest of that day and night the only time I put the book down was to eat, and then only briefly. This is a completely irreverent look at baseball as a whole, and the thing that really sealed the deal for me was the card of Whammy Douglas and the comments made by the author. I tried to get my dad to read it because I figured he would get more out of it than I did, (I'm 41 and consider myself to be on the trailing edge of those who might "get it",) but he wasn't interested. Maybe I'll try again. This book might have a limited range of interest, but if you have fond memories of baseball in the 50's and 60's, I think you'll fall right into that range.

Each of us occasionally has experiences that are so vivid that they make immediate and permanent imprints upon the memory. For example, I can still remember my excited first day of kindergarten, as well as my first glimpse of Three Rivers stadium, as our family car approached it along the jumbled, congested streets of the North Side.

Believe it or not, I can similarly remember my first experiences reading this book, as though they were yesterday. I was in grad school in California, and a friend was visiting me with this book in tow. As he spread out a sleeping bag and nodded off to sleep, I curled up with his magnificent book. I can still picture that entire scene, my old apartment as it was then, and even one particular page on which I lingered in fascination (the Joe Fornieles profile.) The feeling of reading it was that electric, that hyper-engaging.

A book has got to be good if reading it is remembered as a formative experience.

Let me try another way to explain how much I loved this book. When I couldn't find this book anywhere (it being out of print), I directed a nationwide book search to try to find it for me. They did, a flawless hardback edition that I still treasure, and still maintain in carefully guarded, pristine condition. Mind you, I was a starving grad student when I did this, and could hardly afford such luxuries.

As you can see from the other reviews below, this book takes that type of hold on those who love it.

There are three major sections in this book; one covering the sensory atmosphere of a 1950s suburban childhood, one on the baseball card industry as it existed in 1973, and one a series of profiles of players as depicted on samples from the authors' baseball card collection. The first and third of these are the great ones.

I adore the opening chapter, which brought childhood back to me even though I didn't grow up in the same era as the authors. But some things are universal I guess, including the way that childhood memories exist as scraps and floating debris of the odd popular cultures through which we guide our children.

Boyd and Harris's childhood world will be recognizable to anyone who grew up in America -- a world of advertising jingles, cap guns, yo-yos, Pez, and of course, baseball cards. A time cycle in which the kids learn to break down the interminable flow of their school year according to the changing weather, the holidays and favorite activities of each mini-season. And even those of us whose childhoods weren't so innocent nevertheless cling to those small fragments of memory of a time when we had no responsibilities and the world was a fascinating and wondrous place. I once wrote a newspaper review of this book in which I referred to this opening chapter as Marcel Proust in Levittown, and I think it still fits.

But the real core of the book is the "Profiles" section. This is a procession of baseball cards, one after another, two per page, each of which triggers a particular set of memories from the authors. Many of these, if not most, are really funny. But others are poignant.

Not all of the little capsule profiles are about the players themselves. Sometimes the authors take the opportunity to laugh over the baseball card itself -- a goofy pose, a bad airbrushing job, an inexplicable caption, an ill-considered description on the back.

It's an exquisite feeling, thumbing through their card collection with them. You feel the pang of reverence for the Ted Williams card. You snicker over Choo-Choo Coleman and the lousy catchers collected by the New York Mets. You ponder how it could be that Charlie Smith was traded straight up for Roger Maris. You nod knowingly over the author's continual confusion of Mike de la Hoz and Bob del Greco.

The visual design of the book is central to its power, which is why I particularly treasure my hardback edition. One page of umpire cards has a colored backround on which is stamped,simply, "Boo, Boo, Boo, Boo. . ." A page with the cards of Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente contains no commentary, just a respectful black background (each had recently passed at the time of the book's original publication.)

Somehow it all seems to mean something, even without seeming to try to mean anything. And therein lies the book's genius.

I know of no other baseball book like this one. It defies categorization, and despite my poor effort above, it really defies description. Buy it, hide it, shut the door and turn out the world, savor it, ponder it, laugh at it, love it.

Have a good time. It's meant to be fun, you know. Let's play two.

QUE NO CREA EN LA SABIDURÍA Y EL SIGNIFICADO DE NUESTROS SUEÑOS !
No son una superstición! Estás comprobado que son como EL SABIO DEL INCONSCIENTE, que nos trae a flote todo lo que ignoramos!....

COMO ARGUENDE:
La interpretacion de los sueños, tiene dos GRANDES POTENCIALIDADES:
1.- TE DICE QUE HAY EN TU SUBCONCIENTE
2.- TE PREVIENE DE POSIBLES ACCIDENTES TRAGICOS

la ENORME IMPORTANCIA DE INTERPRETAR LOS SUEÑOS...
SON LOS GRITOS, LOS AVISOS, LAS NECESIDADES DEL SUBCONSCIENTE..
Y con este libro, ES PAN COMIDO !

CIENCIA EXACTA, EN LA QUE NO CABEN LOS ERRORES..
Y es fascinante descubrir lo que hay en la parte m,as escondida de nuestro interior...lo que se le escapa al inconsciente cuando estamos dormidos..
Un GRAN LIBRO Y FACIL DE USAR !

LOS MENSAJES DEL INCONSCIENTE !
Extraordinario!

This book is awesome. I like this book because,ponies are my favorite country animals. Leah had to save her family`s farm. She had to give her pony away. What happen to it? Read to find out.

One of my favorite children's books, just like "It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite films. Can I get through either without rushing to the restroom for a tissue? No, and neither will you, unless you have a cold moldy stone for a heart!

It tugs at your heartstrings and is guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. If only the author wrote more children's like this one, and hope she does.

This was my 16 year old son's favorite book in first and second grade. We had to have it.
Such a nice tale of kindess in this often cold hearted world.
Wonderful story, beautiful illustrations.
Highly reccomend it.

This is an excellent book that I just recently purchased. My daughter had checked it out at her school library some years ago, and we both fell in love with it. Not only are the pictures beautifully-illustrated, but the story is about a little girl who has learned what truly matters in life, and gives sacrificially to that end. Highly recommended for any age.

The message of empowerment that my daugter gleans from Karen Winnick's latest installment of what I hope will be a series of books from her on young women, is extremely important. However, the original artwork and thoughtfulness of the prose makes reading Sybil's Night Ride, for me, a pure pleasure.

Our 2 1/2 year old daughter has lots of books; many of these are for older children, and are placed higher up on the bookshelf, waiting until she is ready for them. This book is the exception. She keeps pulling it down by herself, telling me her version of a story of a girl and her horse, an owl, a dog, her family, all details she gleans from the rich, evocative illustrations. It's already a favorite. Karen Winnick has created a masterpiece; her understated narrative strikes just the right tone without terrifying young readers, while providing rich, historical details of everyday life. The rendering of Sybil, her expressions, her hair, her clothes, all bring her immediately to life. Her tender relationships with her family, horse and community are the focus of the story, against the background of sheer bravery. A wonderful role model for my daughter. The archival map reproduced at the back of the book can actually be read to follow Sybil's route. Thank you Karen Winnick.

Karen Winnick's Sybil's Night Ride is the children's book every parent should obtain for the soul purpose of giving the best of children's literature and illustration to his or her child or pre-adolescent. Karen Winnick skillfully masters the historical story of Sybil Ludington and transcends it into a captivating 20 or so pages of beautiful words and detailed oil paints, the likes of which I have only seen in such genius as Van Gogh or Monet. This is a must, a bestseller, a joy. Also, look for Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers, the perfect complement.

Certain children books have the magic that leaves lasting memories. The book paints a picture of a little known courageous girl that overcomes all odds to leave lasting historical mark. With vibrant art work the dark obstacles that she must surpass come alive. The book will set fire to a child's imagination. It is the perfect mix of a small simple story with a grand historical ladscape. I recommend to this anybody who wants to delight their child.

As a parent, nothing makes me happier than knowing my daughter is enjoying reading. And even better when the reading brings her inspiration. This is the case with Karen Winnick's Sybil's Night Rider. My daughter loves the book, fancying herself as Sybil. This is what a children's book should be - words that inspire upon graphics that ignite the imagination.

Gave this book as a gift to a child who aspires to become a police officer. He just loved it and keeps it on his nightstand next to his bed so he can read it every night.

My young cousin, whom I'm raising, has wanted to be a police officer since he could talk. After reading THIS book, he wants to be a K-9 Officer. I had to get him a second copy, for him to keep at school. My neighbour owns a day care centre, and has three or four copies for the children; she says that they're fascinated by the book, and it's a great spur to reading.

The photography is outstanding, and Officer Matsik makes for a terrific representative of the Shaker Heights Police Dept. A very positive book, which should be in the library of every child.

This book has given my daughter an understanding of the job I do as a K-9 handler in a way that makes reading fun for her. I have chosen this book for our donations to area school that I visit to enhance their library.

A wonderful `grandfather' book. My younger grandchildren want me to read it over and over. I enjoy the well written story and the photographs are excellent. Actually, all ages can appreciate this quality book.

Enjoyed the book so much that I bought two extra
copies and donated them to my neigbhorhood public
library and elementary school....two places that
always have tight budgets. Buy one for Christmas,
your kids will love you.

THE BIG BURN is a fascinating and harrowing historic novel set in the midst of a forest fire that trashed Northern Idaho and Western Montana in 1910. It was a large forest fire. "How large?" you may ask. Okay--If there are 640 acres in a square mile and there were nearly three million acres affected by THE BIG BURN, then we're talking an area nearly 4700 square miles. Sonoma County, where I live, is one-third that size. If you consider the San Francisco Bay Area counties of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, AND Sonoma together, then you've got a sense of the scale of the destruction. For those of you on the East Coast, we're talking Long Island, plus all of New York's boroughs, and the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Columbia.

"Field Notes: In the summer of 1910, rangers who were used to working in isolation suddenly found their forests filling with strangers. With new fires breaking out daily through July and older ones stubbornly resisting control, the Forest Service's District One had no choice but to hire more and more men to fight them. By the end of the month, there were almost three thousand firefighters scattered across the district's several forests...W.B. Greeley, would later write, 'It was a case of hiring anyone we could get. We cleaned out Skid Road in Spokane and Butte. A lot of temporaries were bums and hobos. In a bad fire year, the temporary is the weakest link in the chain'...They went into the burning forests wearing the clothes they'd been recruited in, and the ones wearing street shoes or snug wool suits would regret that. They worked for twenty-five cents an hour with board, thirty if they provided their own food..."

In THE BIG BURN we do meet a few scoundrels. But the main characters here are three young people--Jarrett, a local boy who leaves his harsh dad; Seth, a southern kid in a black regiment who is trying to live up to the memory of his dead father; and Lizbeth, a young woman originally from New England, who is falling in love with the land she's found herself homesteading with her young, widowed aunt. All three cross paths before finding themselves in the midst of Hell on Earth.

Perhaps the publisher is calling this an "ages 12 and up" to spare younger children potential nightmares from the vividly drawn scenes of towering flames bearing down on our heroes. But for any kid whose tastes run to disaster and survival, mixed into a coming of age story, THE BIG BURN is a riveting read.

Jeanette Ingold has pulled out all stops in her book called The Bug Burn. In this exciting tale of Idaho's wildfires in 1910, three young adults battle the forces of nature. Seth, Jaret, and Lizbeth each fight life in their own way, and overcome personal obstacles. Seth is an African American trying to fit-in in the army. Jaret is a rebel son as he goes looking for a job in firefighting after he got fired from his railroad job. Lizbeth is a niece who is trying to convince her aunt not to sell their homestead. I like this book because it is full of action and adventure, but educational at the same time. I would give it five out of five stars because I had a fun time reading it and learned a lot from it. I can't tell you the ending, but I can give you a little sneak peek. The strong wind blows many fires together, creating a giant blaze. That blaze charges forward, burning everything in its path. Eventually it comes to a city named Wallace, and everyone has to work together to try to stop it. Do they succeed? Read the book, The Big Burn, to find out.

I think that The Big Burn was a very precice and educational book. The main carachters were Jarett, a young man wanting to fight fires with his older brother; Seth, An afircan American young man trying to show his pride for his country by joining the army; and Lizbeth, a young women trying to stay and keep her aunt from selling their home. The setting is 1910's, in Idaho and Montana. They over come some goals, and others are crushed. This all adds up untill the climax were all the flames come together and

In light of the recent wildfires in Colorado and Arizona, THE BIG BURN is an interesting book, but it would certainly be noteworthy under any circumstances. The story follows two young men and a young woman as they encounter and combat the infamously ferocious Montana wildfires of 1910. Jeanette Ingold deftly switches perspectives throughout the tale to keep the reader interested in this well-crafted historical novel.

Jarrett, the brother of a forest ranger, is on a quest to prove himself to his gruff father; Lizbeth, living with her widowed aunt, wants to preserve her adopted Western home; and Seth, a young black soldier, is dedicated to serving his country and overcoming racial prejudice. Apart and together, they transcend traditional teenage roles and attempt to save their homes from the fires that ravaged the Montana and Idaho wilderness during the summer of 1910. Some of the plot developments may seem cliché (romance blooms where you'd probably expect --- close calls end with last-second rescues, etc.), but overall the adventure is unlike any other book available. This overlooked event in US history provides a wealth of excitement for a talented writer. The parallel stories of the three protagonists allow for several viewpoints of every episode; Ingold paints a comprehensive portrait of the true historical events of the period.

Ingold intersperses the chapters with "field notes" chronicling the wildfires and wilderness firefighting from an objective standpoint. These sections are actually where she writes best and they are a testament to the thorough research that went into writing the book. Both historically accurate and dramatically engaging, THE BIG BURN is a great choice for anyone who is interested in learning about the phenomena of forest fires while also reading a great story.

--- Reviewed by Lowell Putnam

Ingold tells the reader that if you talk with anyone in Idaho or Montana for long enough, the subject of the Big Burn will come up, and the person telling you about it will expect you to know all about it. After reading Ingold's well-researched book, any reader would be able to contribute to the subject. Set in 1910, when forest rangers were new, railroads were huge, and immigrants were still flooding the country, The Big Burn tells the story of the wild fires of the northwestern United States. Ingold gives us three main characters: Jarrett, Lisbeth and Seth. These teenagers each deal with the fire in their own way, and find that there is more to fighting fires than a little water or ditch digging. The three do meet in the tale (it is plausible), and each tell their view of the events in concurrent chapters. Ingold breaks in with facts and accounts of actual events, which makes the fictitious story feel all the more real.

Ingold has done her homework, and it shows in the story. Her afterword, acknowledgements, and list of suggested reading at the end all provide valuable information. The only problem I had with the book was a bit of charaterization--the relationships between the characters felt forced and unbelievable, particularly the budding romance between Jarrett and Lisbeth. On their own, the characters were strong, interesting, and contributed to the story. But when they came in contact with the others, even the minor characters became a bit forced in the relationships in which they were observing or participating. Otherwise this is a wonderful example of great historical fiction.

John Matlock's review echoes my own feelings. Alex Nibley gives a touching
insight to aspects of Dr. Nibley's character that are, to say the least,
interesting. The text is excellent; the illustrations plenteous; all
adding to the readability and supplementation of a glimpse into the life
of Hugh Nibley.

I had more fun reading this book than any book I've read in a while. A reader who doesn't have knowledge of The Church of Jesus Christ (Mormon) to which Nibley belongs would probably not find this book interesting.

However, for someone who is familiar with Nibley's many and varied writings this book is very entertaining and informative, much like Nibley himself.

Criticisms of the book are the following: 1. The author alternates chronological chapters with topical chapters and it is sometimes difficult to remember what part of Nibley's life you are reading about. Similarly, this means that many parts are redundant.

2. I would like to have heard more about Nibley's political adventures. As a student at BYU from 1977 to 1988 (nobody ever accused me of being overly bright)you could always count on Nibley to support the Democratic candidate. Usually Nibley would give them permission to hand out a pamphlet he had written that was something about a parable of giving up our birthright. My roommates and I read this thing several times and never could quite figure out what Nibley was getting at. But we always felt vaguely guilty when we were done.
3. The author several times stated as if it were fact things like "conservative extremism continued to characterize BYU and Mormon culture". Having been part of Mormon Culture and BYU for many of those years, this is not true. There were professors like Reed Benson, son of Prophet Ezra Taft Benson, who worked as a Birch society coordinator but most of these people were the ones most likely to agree with Nibley. J. Reuben Clark could not have been more anti-war. Skousen, Reed Benson, H. Verlan Andersen (future general authority, author of "Many are called, but few are chosen", and Utah legislator) and others were among those most likely to agree with Nibley. The Conservatives on campus always complained that the University tilted too far leftward. And as a Biology major, that department's leftish slant was no less prominent than the Department of Religion's rightward slant. Having attended and visited numerous colleges since then I consider BYU the school with the most academic freedom, something Nibley no doubt recognized and benefited from.

Also, I would like to have heard a little more about the travails of Nibley being treated like a Rock Star. Every dubious wacko on campus at one time or another would show up at Nibley's office or home and it was always amazing to me that Nibley not only didn't call the police but would treat everyone well and answer their questions. Nibley was truly a man of the people. At the "One Eternal Round" lecture a few years ago Nibley was almost mobbed afterward with autograph seekers and confidantes who wished to tell Nibley what their latest "research" showed.

The greatest strength of this book is the author's obvious great love and respect for this great man. He shares letters and viewpoints that simply would be unavailable to anyone other than a family member.

The author also does a wonderful job summing up Nibley's articles, ideas and research - something very difficult to do and it shows the author has quite an intellect of his own.

Lastly the author did a wonderful job of getting at primary sources that interacted directly with Nibley - much like Nibley's scholarship.

Overall, this book was simply wonderful, entertaining and thoughtful.

I have read many Latter-day Saint Bios, and many non-LDS one's, and this is the best of them all. Boyd Petersen is remarkable in his writing style, presentation, scholarship, and detail. I imagine that if there were a college class on "How to Write a Good Bio," this book would be the manual! It truly does not get any better than this! There really is no better source about this man than this book; and you would be hard pressed to find it in any better presentation!
Hugh Nibley may only be an LDS known scholar, but when it comes to a man's legacy and impact upon the world around him, you would be hard pressed to find another as successful and powerful as Nibley. In this honest and 'bare all' approach, Petersen allows us the glimpse into the life of a man whose intellect and impact rivals any other man or woman who has ever lived. The reader quickly becomes aware of the fact that they are reading about a life that will have forever changed the world. "Hugh Nibleys" only come around once in a while. He is a man that could, and did, raise the level of scholarship, study and human knowledge. He could have been anything he wanted. If you are looking for a book that is well written and about an amazing subject... this book is for you.

In my next life... I want to come back as Hugh Nibley, or at least have his brain! Perhaps, the most brilliant man of our day!

This is one of the best biographies I have read in years. Bios can be hard to write (or read) because covering a whole life is not easy to do. I think Boyd Petersen does a great job here. Every other chapter is devoted to teachings of Hugh Nibley. This provides a great balance to the story since teachings make up such a big part of Hugh Nibley's life. Hugh Nibley has lived a most fascinating life. I would rank this right up there with great biographies of the prophets (such as Ezra T. Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley and Spencer W. Kimball). I can't quite get through all of Nibley's most scholarly work, but I appreciate much of what he has given to the LDS community, the best book being "Approaching Zion". Read the biography - and if you read any book of Hugh Nibley's, read "Approaching Zion".

With Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life, author Boyd Peterson has produced of the most fascinating biographies I have ever read. I had been an avid reader of Hugh Nibley's writings ever since 1975, when a LDS member in a branch in Kendall, England, loaned me a copy of his 1957 work, An Approach to the Book of Mormon. Nibley's astonishingly wide ranging erudition, brilliant prose, fascinating insights, and blew me away, and I have continued to read and draw on his work and example for 30 years. I looked forward to reading the biography for many years, and enjoyed the publication of several chapters in a variety of LDS academic journals, and I talked with Peterson for a few moments after he had given a presentation on Nibley's WWI experiences at a symposium in Salt Lake City. The long wait for the book was worth it. The book is a clear-eyed labor of love, and a masterpiece in its own right.

Peterson's introduction to Hugh Nibley came via his marriage to Zina Nibley, Hugh's youngest daughter. He began working on the biography over a decade ago, gathering correspondence, diaries, conducting interviews with family, friends, acquaintances, over many years. He documents everything, footnoting his sources for everything, obviously influenced in this approach by the man himself. (In contrast, Martha Beck's recent book footnotes nothing, and the difference in commitment shows. At one point Beck refers to the biography of her father, but it is clear that she only read the page that mentions her accusations against her father-in Peterson, page 400. All of the key claims that she makes about Hugh's state of mind, financial situation, beliefs, and scholarship, are contradicted and amply documented in Peterson's biography. For example, when she claims that he couldn't job outside of BYU, Peterson records several occasions when Hugh was offered much more money to go elsewhere.)

Daughter Zina, Peterson's wife, includes a fascinating introduction, consisting of 12 vignettes designed show what it was like to grow up as Hugh Nibley's daughter. Considering the hoopla over the recent publication of Martha Nibley Beck's expose, Leaving the Saints, Zina's chapter here offers a fascinatingly different portrait of Hugh Nibley as a father, from one was only 18 months younger than Martha, who slept in the bottom bunk under where Martha slept until she was a teenager. For instance, in vignette 10, on page xx, "She comments that "Daddy bought the big colorful French comics at BYU's bookstore, and read them to Martha and me as bedtime stories. He would point to the words and illustration details and talk about them; not just the story plots and the history, but also the language, explaining French pronounciation, and how much more regular the spelling is in Latin languages that are conservative, compared to English, which since it borrows words from so many sources, has an irregular spelling system. When I got to first grade, I couldn't read very well, but I sure could misspell." And she concludes, building on a memory of her daddy pushing her in a swing hanging from a tree limb, "Growing up with Hugh Nibley as a father, I learned this: the world, with all its exhilaration, giddiness, and danger, is actually pretty safe, as long as you are on a course that strong ropes and sturdy knots and unmovable, unshakable faith pushing you higher. Then all you have to do is hang on tight."

The biography proper continues with accounts of Hugh Nibley's Scottish ancestry, and his early life in Oregon. From there, Peterson begins to alternate biographical chapters with thematic chapters. For example, there are chapters on "Hugh Nibley as a Social Critic" and "Hugh Nibley as a Naturalist", "The Clown of Professions: Hugh Nibley and Scholarship", "Hugh Nibley and War" and "The Home Dance: Hugh Nibley Among the Hopi," "Taking Himself Lightly: The Wit of Hugh Nibley." All of these are fascinating in themselves, even though this approach brings some repetition, the different focus adds to the flavor of the volume, and shows the range of Nibley's interests, influence, and thought.

The biographical chapters all contain rich details, observations, and interesting stories. We get the account of Hugh's NDE, his LDS mission to Germany in the 1930s, his six weeks alone in the Oregon forests, his UCLA education, his joining the army in WWII, experiences in intelligence, and in combat with the 101st Airborne Division at Utah Beach, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and his experience of the war's aftermath.

In contrast to Martha's scanty gossipy speculations about Hugh's mother, here we get a fully drawn portrait, drawn from interviews and letters. Hugh's wife, Phyllis, also comes across as a fully rounded personality, with her own interests and distinctive strong character compared to the reduction to beehive hairdo, and sock-puppet witness that appears in Leaving the Saints. We get the legendary story of Hugh's courtship (his decision to marry the first girl he met at BYU, who turned out to be Phyllis) and the development of a growing family.

Peterson includes both biographical and survey chapters discussing Hugh Nibley's scholarship on the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Temple in antiquity. All of these chapters show an excellent grasp of Hugh thought and work, as well as the critical responses to it, and the impact it continues to have on the larger LDS community, and beyond.

Every reader will have favorite passages. I was fascinated by the friendship between the Yugoslavian basketball star, Kresmir Cosic and Hugh Nibley, as well as that between Nibley and Egyptologist Klaus Bayer. I have been touched and inspired by his discipleship and commitment as well as his scholarship. Peterson concludes by discussing that "Not only is the private man consistent with the public man, but Hugh's actions have been consistent with his words." A brilliant book. A fine tribute and an important account of a fascinating man.

My grandson (22 months) laughs when this is read and at the same time has learned the names of various musical instruments

This book is a trip ! I teach Music K-2 and all the children loved this book. The best part about Shy Fellow is that it's a great teaching tool in terms of all different musical instruments swallowed. The children were amused, curious and interested with every page!
Music Teachers: I highly recommend this book !!

This is a great book to use introduce instruments to young students. Has some very funny rhymes for young ones. A great companion book to I know an Old Woman... A must for music teachers. Can be used as a major part of the lesson. Even would be great to leave for sub to read and show pictures of the instruments.

This book is delicious! A parody on the song, " I know an old Lady who Swallowed a Fly", "I know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello" is funnier and delightfully illustrated. I purchased it because I am a music educator, and I highly recommend it for children from ages 3 to 100, but only if they have active imaginations.

The kids in my class loved singing along. I read/sang it with my K-3 music students. They all know the tune and enjoyed this variation. I used it to introduce various instruments and as a memory test for the kids. Cute pictures, well written. Just be ready to explain the word "bellow."