Brooks Books

THis is a beautifullly designed book, with a very cute story. My Granddaughter loves books and unicorns, so it is just right for her. Actually I love it for myself!

This is Stephen J. Brooks's fifth published title and it's one your children will cherish and love. The illustrations are brilliantly done with what look like water color backgrounds that offset the vivid illustrations of the characters by Linda Crockett, who has received several awards and honors for her illustrations in children's books.

Unicorn Races takes children into the magical world of Abigail's imagination as she travels to a marvelous feast for a princess. Abigail watches the elves and fairies make preparations for the Unicorn Races as unicorns in every color of the rainbow come to compete before the royal princess Abigail. When the race begins, unicorns fly through the night sky, circle around the moon, dance on the stars, travel to the ocean, glide inches above the waves, and zip around a lighthouse before returning to the magical clearing where Princess Abigail waits to announce the winner. After the feast, Abigail rides home on one of the magical unicorns and falls fast asleep until the next Unicorn Races.

UNICORN RACES is the sweet story of young Abigail, princess to the elves, fairies, and unicorns.

After arriving amidst the dark woods, Princess Abigail presides over the Unicorn Races, in which six beautifully colored unicorns will participate. To the second bright star, around the moon, among the waves, to the lighthouse -- the unicorns race happily, and Blue is declared the winner.

All enjoy a feast of cookies, cakes, and sundaes, but it is soon time for Abigail to return home upon her unicorn steed, Lord William.

The story is one that will appeal to young girls, with it's magical creatures and a girl who yearns to be a princess. It's the wonderful illustrations by Linda Crockett, however, that make this a true winner, to be enjoyed by children and parents alike.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Each page of this exceptional book is magic. Along with colorful unicorns, your child will love the elves, fairies, and the pixies. The story is enchanting; the illustrations are sprinkled with stardust.

This book is a wonderful story of a little girl whose imagination whisks her away to a fantasy land full of adventure and promise. The illistrations are terrific and full of detail. My grandaughters keep asking me to read it againg and again to them at night. The middle grandaughter,(5) "reads" it to her favorite stuffed animals. This book makes a wonderful present or just an anytime gift for your favorite princes.

As a fellow adoptee who searched for and found my birthfamily in my teens over 15 years ago, and experienced wonderful relationships, I found this book an accurate reflection in many ways of an adoptee experience. Thought provoking, moving and compassionate the author gives a wonderful voice to the story of adoption. It is a must read for all those touched by adoption and I highly recommend this book.

A Wealth of Family is a gripping chronicle of Thomas Brooks quest to discover the true wealth of family as he reunites with his birth family and in turn discovers his true self. It is inspiring story that will encourage members of the adoption triad and "traditional" families as well. As an adoptive mother, I highly recommend this book. It will help give you a healthy view of open adoption and the reunion experience.

Brooks' captivating writing style coupled with his amazing life story and steadfast approach to life make this book both an entertainment and thought-triggering masterpiece that had me hooked right to the last page.

At age eleven, Thomas Brooks learned he was adopted and at first it shook his secure world. At age 25, while pursing his MBA, he decided to find his birth parents to complete the circle of his life. In A Wealth of Family, readers are treated to an international travel log and multicultural experience as we travel with Brooks in discovering his true roots.

Although Brooks was acclimated and culturally African American, he always suspected he might be of mixed heritage. When he received a document from the adoption agency, he was surprised to find that his mother was of Lithuanian Jewish background and his father was from Kenya. His parents had a brief affair while his mother was an undergraduate and his father was a graduate student at Penn State. After assuring his beloved adopted mother, Joan, that, no one would usurp her place in his life, he began to earnestly search for his birth parents.

Brooks grew up in a large extended family in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania area surrounded by his mother's large family, the Lowrys. His parents divorced when he was four and he had little contact with his father. Brooks spent most of his growing years struggling with poverty because his mother was unable to work to support them. After a series of moves, they settled in Brighton, a white working/middle class suburb of Pittsburgh. After a rough start, Brooks began to excel in school, making excellent grades and was active in sports. He found himself fighting racism and stereotypes at time but preserved and was valedictorian of his high school class and going on to the University of Pittsburgh. Again, he applied himself to his studies and became immersed in a full college experience to include joining the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a Greek Black organization and other clubs. He pursued engineering and then an MBA at the University of Maryland.

Because his birth mother, Dorothy, left contact information in his file at the adoption agency, he was able to quickly establish contact with her. Dorothy, who was living in England, flew to Houston, where Brooks was then working. They established a rapport and thereafter, Brooks flew to England and met his sister and three brothers. He was received with open arms and they slowly built a relationship, along with his grandmother, Maryan, Dorothy's mother, who was living in Pittsburgh. Dorothy wanted to meet Joan, but he realized it was a delicate situation and it would need more time for the two women, his birth mother and his adoptive mother to meet.

Brooks then took the steps to make contact with his father, Mboga Mageka Omwenga, which was much more difficult. In 1995, he and Dorothy made the trek to Kenya to make his paternal connection. First, they went on a safari to take in the beautiful country and then went on to Nairobi. All he had was a name and the fact that his father was of the Kisii tribe, according to a Kenyan friend in Houston. After a series of word-of-mouth connections, placing an announcement in the newspaper, and a few hits and misses, Brooks connected with his father's daughter, Margaret. She explained the father was out of the area but the two of them became acquainted. Brooks went back to Houston but thereafter started corresponding with his father. He went back to Kenya several months later finally met his father and was warmly received by the entire village and all his relatives, including his 100 year-old grandmother. He slowly established a relationship with his Kenyan family overcoming a few cultural challenges and miscommunications.

After his mother, Joan met Dorothy, the families seemed to blend and accept each other. Brooks came to love and appreciate having three families who all loved and supported him. His world travels served to broaden his understanding of different cultures and heightened his appreciation of his multiracial heritage. While he considers himself African American, he calls himself a world citizen. He learned to value the traits both his birth mother and father passed on to him, such as their intellectual ability.

Part memoir, part family history and genealogy, Brooks has written a memorable account of how race, culture, and family intersect while also recounting his own life lessons. He is a successful businessman living in Atlanta with his wife and family, mentoring inner-city youth and active in several social and civic organizations. There are many stories about bi-racial children but Brooks' story was unique in that it spanned three continents and melded three families to include a wealth of love, forgiveness and acceptance. This book is recommended for those interested in the topics of multiculturalism and adoptees seeking their roots.

Reviewed by Dera R. Williams
APOOO BookClub

I thought this book was inspiring, especially for those seeking their roots. I felt as though I knew the author personally by the end of the story as I went along for the journey with him. It is a must read!

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well... To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson. The 19th century Transcendental philosopher.

In my spiritual family tree, Emerson occupies the great great+ grandfather slot (right there above Dyer and Maslow). :)

I truly love the man. You can feel his energy emanating from his powerful essays and if you haven't read his work yet, I highly recommend it. I'd suggest you start with "Self-Reliance" and then maybe "Nature," "Compensation," "Spiritual Laws," "Heroism," and "Circles."

If you're like me, his eloquence, eminent quotability and passion for each of us to experience the transcendent joy that results from connecting to our Highest Self will often leave you in awe.

Emerson's essays are, of course, absolutely superb, and this Modern Library edition is handsomely bound, as are all of the books in this series. The editing, however, is lacking and leaves something to be desired. For example, the header at the top of the page in the Essays: First Series and Essays: Second Series merely states that fact, rather than the actual essay name, which makes it tedious to return to a particular essay--you must first go to the front of the book, locate the correct page number, and then find that, rather than just thumb through the book.

The essays themselves are introduced quite unceremoniously and in a rather understated manner, to say the least. "The American Scholar" is merely introduced with the two brief sentences, "This is the Phi Beta Kappa address that Emerson delivered at Harvard in 1837. It was received with great enthusiasm." The uninitiated reader would have absolutely no sense of the significance of this address. Only if you happen to peruse the brief commentaries all the way at the back of this volume will you stumble upon Oliver Wendell Holmes' famous assessment, "This grand Oration was our intellectual Declaration of Independence." Similarly, the Divinity School Address is introduced merely as, "This address was delivered before the senior class of the Harvard Divinity School on Sunday evening, July 15, 1838. Emerson had been invited to give it, not by the officers of the school, but by the senior class. What Emerson said was so objectionable to many clergymen that the officers of the school publicly disclaimed responsibility for it. Nearly thirty years passed before Emerson was invited again to speak at Harvard." Again, no context is provided to assist the uninitiated reader in appreciating the true significance of this address.

As a collection of Emerson's writings, however, it is indeed both a handy as well as a handsome volume of his "essential writings," and of course, I highly recommend Emerson's writings themselves. "Self-Reliance," "The Transcendentalist," "The American Scholar," the Divinity School Address (which is listed in the table of contents as merely "An Address"), and "Nature" are not to be missed, seminal essays in American literature, and indeed ought to be revisited often and with regularity. "Self-Reliance" and "The Transcendentalist," in particular, are perspectives sorely needed in our society, and it is rather sad that over the course of nearly 200 years, the spirit of the movement that Emerson engendered is nearly lost, if not altogether lost. "Character" is another fine essay which I highly recommend. A fine companion to these essays is the recently published Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Infinitude of the Private Man by Maurice York and Rick Spaulding.

If the words of Whitman do not prompt one to at least explore the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, nothing I say will be able to (or should). I suppose though many readers have merely seen Emerson's name after a famous quote or heard it mentioned by others and are curious about what he wrote.

The books contains his most essential, influential essays. Each contain classical Emerson thought, unique, hard to pin down, literary... Emerson was known for "trumping the logicians" and appealing to the soul of man. Indeed he does.

I have not read this book in its totality, but of the works I have, I have read thoroughly, as thoroughly as I have read perhaps anything, and I must say there is something undeniable about Emerson's reasoning. It is not logical in the dry fashion of philosophy, yet it is poetically, "humanly" appealing.

All I can say is read Emerson. He was and is one of America's most influencital writers. Some like him, some hate him, some appreciate though not totally agree with things he sets for (like myself). This particular book presents a good overview of his most renowned works, is affordable, and has a nice introduction. Highly recommended.

Glory to thee o Emerson.
Hail o poet philosopher!
Look, look...Even CICERO bows to thee!
Demosthones presents thy laurel!!

Emerson know some truth, yes, yes...and wasn't I told of this fact, yes I was but I ran away until I could bear the truth no longer of Emerson's greatness...

Emerson...friend, friend

Ralph Waldo Emerson could be called America's first Great Man of Letters (sorry Washington Irving). He is the one who started the transendentalist movement in America, influenced Whitman and Thoreau to name a few, and was one of the first framers of the idea and the character of the American man.

This very generous volume contains the best selection of Emerson's essays, poems and other writings to give to the reader the image of a great poet-philosopher.

Particularly the modern library volume, which is the one I spoke of, this volume contains commentary from Emerson's contemporaries such as the Great Matthew Arnold!

And of course, for all of you Nietzsche lovers out there, as a boy, Nietzsche loved Emerson's writings and you can even see some of Emerson's ideas and words in the writings of Nietzsche.

This book was a very good book. There are plenty of times when I got confused, like about who told on Emily. All of my questions were answered later in the book. It was a great suspense novel.

I first read this book as a child in elementary school. I have since then read it at least once a year. BTW I am 30 and still enjoy it. A must have for any child.

It is hard to overstate how much excitement Angela Lansbury brings to the reading of this mystery book for children. Suffice it to say that at age 52 I enjoyed listening to it as much as my daughter, and would have purchased twenty more had they been available. The text by Barbara Brooks Wallace is also very well done, and very accessible for children's vocabulary while remaining exciting enough for an adult to enjoy without becoming bored. I highly recommend both the book and the audiobook for parents of both good readers and readers who need something a little spicier to get them interested and involved in the story. It concerns a young girl who has lost her parents and goes to live with an aunt in San Francisco. The trials and tribulations to which Emily Lucock is subject make up the the plot of the story, but the author is able to build both mystery and suspense into the telling. The audiobook format is especially terrific because of Lansbury's wonderful technique for building drama and suspense.

When I first saw the cover of this book I thought it would be one of those trashy, dull mysteries (Who stole the peppermint candy from the christmas feast?!?) then I saw the sequal, with it's pretty, intresting cover, and began to reconsider buying the first one (if only so I could understand the sequal). I started to read it and was amazed. It has an amazing plot, and is definatly one of the best books I have ever read, and I've read a lot of books. It is completely Dickensian without the slow-moving plot, and hard to understand language that most children find boring and discouraging. It is a wonderful Victorian Melodrama! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

A bowl of lovely red and white peppermints waits on a table in the parlor . . . but the residents of Sugar Hill Hall are not allowed to touch them. That image sticks with me after finishing the final pages of Ms. Wallace's delightful adventure tale of a young orphan and the dire situation she finds herself in. This Victorian story of dramatic suspense is a perfect story for young readers just starting to break into longer fiction and craving something with adventure and intrigue.

Young Emily Luccock has recently lost her parents, and she is now going to live with her Aunt and Uncle Twice at Sugar Hill Hall, a fine mansion in San Francisco. Emily remembers her visits to see her Aunt and Uncle fondly and is looking forward to seeing them again. But something has gone terribly wrong. Aunt Twice has become a timid woman forced to be a servant in her own home, and Uncle Twice is nowhere to be found. The entirety of Sugar Hill appears to be under the thumb of the icy and forbidding Mrs. Meeching, and Emily is made a virtual slave, working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms of the despairing old men and women who reside in the rooms of the house. But young Emily is not about to give up without a fight. She's determined to bring sunshine back to Sugar Hill and to discover what has happened to Uncle Twice. With the help of Kipper, a redheaded boy from town, Emily pits herself against the frightful Mrs. Meeching, and all the secrets hidden in Sugar Hill Hall. Ms. Wallace has provided a rousing adventure story that kicks off from the first page and never slows down until the satisfying ending. The story elements aren't particularly original, but the author uses them to good effect with engaging writing that makes us care about our heroes and hate the villains as the story progresses. Emily, for all her apparent fragility, proves herself to be tough in spirit, and to have a caring heart for the plight of others. She's likeable without being overly sweet or too plucky. Kipper adds to the flavor and fun with his cheerful commentary and use of street slang.

While the story has its dark elements: murder, betrayal, cruelty, Emily and Kipper's adventure doesn't become too frightening either. The story remains just scary and exciting enough for enjoyment of 9-12 year olds, but doesn't become gory or chilling. The book itself is a short read--those who enjoy such books as A Series of Unfortunate Events and want more of the type would probably find this title to their liking. It's also a good recommendation for young readers who want something with action and adventure, but require something without any fantasy or supernatural elements to it. If I have any complaints about the story, its that I felt the secrets unraveled a bit too quickly and all at once towards the end of the story. After wondering for so long what is going on and what happened to Uncle Twice, readers are provided the answers in short order--just in time for the final confrontations. Despite this, I found myself enjoying the entire story--and I particularly liked how the element of peppermints framed the tale. For those who enjoy this stand-alone adventure, Ms. Wallace has written a follow up story with the further adventures of Emily Luccock titled The Perils of the Peppermints. Readers might also want to check out The Half a Moon Inn by Paul Fleischman and the Illyrian Adventure by Lloyd Alexander.

Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^

I must admit that I had never even heard of this series until a month or so ago (I'm nearly 45). I hate that I missed out on these as a kid, but the kid in me is greatly enjoying them now. They are a joy to read.

The only negative that I see is the fact that so much time has passed since these books were written, some of the vocabulary and vernacular present in the books will be unfamiliar or have a much different meaning to kids of today. However, the gentle humor and the life lessons present throughout the Freddy series are ageless, and well worth your money and your children's time. Highly recommended.

Originally published in 1928, this is the first of about a dozen children's books starring Freddy, a clever young pig with a taste for adventure. If you are looking for books for little kids that aren't too scary, too violent or laden with issues such as peer pressure,etc., this is a very good option. The story is a little slow-moving, but it's still clever and engaging, and other than a little bit of sexism (a barnyard rooster in henpecked by his wife) this holds up remarkably well for a story written before the Great Depression. Lots of different animals make up the cast, so if you are reading it aloud, there are good opportunities for doing different voices, etc. And, if you liked this first book, there are plenty more to follow. (Joe Sixpack)

In grammar school,"FREDDY" books were my favorites. I then graduated to Sherlock Holmes. I still love both "detectives"! Lucky you! All the books are available. I used to wait impatiently for each new one!

This is book 1 of the Freddy series (note that it was not originally published with this title, and Freddy is not as much the focus as in later books). These stories of the adventures of the intelligent and sociable animals on the Bean farm are beautifully written, and have some dramatic tension but nothing over the top (no Moms are killed in these stories, unlike Disney's favorite ploy...). The stories introduce some wonderfully adult concepts (like politics, banking, running a business) with well-crafted characters that will broaden a child's understanding of what makes people tick.

In 1955 I was eight, and the eldest of three brothers. My mother couldn't go to the grocery store with all of us so she'd drop me off at the children's room at the West Hartford, CT, public library, and pick me up on the way home. It was there that I discovered Freddy, and that pig spoke my language! It was Freddy, his wonderful compatriots on the Bean farm, and their fabulous adventures, that started me out right. Freddy Goes to Florida is the first of the series, and is where I recommend starting your own adventures with Freddy the Pig. Hats off to Overlook Press for re-publishing these books in their original look.

Mike Brooks is a master at success when it comes to teaching the Secrets of the Top 20%. After reading his book, The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, I was thrilled with the results and understanding that I gained! As a consistent top performer, trained by many well-known sales coaches, I always thought that staying in the Top 20% occurred with efficient action items, and a positive attitude. I could never explain to others why or how I had become a top performer, other than by doing certain activities consistently, and then the results were inevitable.

What I learned from The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, however, was how to turn my action items into predictable and repeatable results and how to STAY in the Top 20%, especially during difficult times. To start with, I learned a new skill each week, practiced the skill, and then watched how this new skill transformed me into a more successful sale professional. Over time, this new skill became a habit, and as the habits multiplied, so did my results! Success was no longer a mystery and I could begin to share my techniques with others.

I highly recommend this book as well as Mike's Boot Camp to anyone in sales, as I learned how to refine my sales skills using leading edge sales strategies that only the most successful sales coaches understand. If you are serious about being in the Top 20%, or moving into the Top 5%, do not hesitate to purchase this book. Buy it for yourself and your sales teams and believe me, you'll be happy you did.

Andrea Samadi, author of The Secret for Teens Revealed: How Parents, Teachers, and Teenagers Can Inspire Leadership and Transform Lives

About six months ago our company hired Mike to come in and train our Inside Sales team and help with our cold calling scripts. We had a difficult time finding someone like Mike who truly understands cold calling and the unique challenges associated with it. When Mike came in to meet with us we immediately knew that Mike "got it". Our sales team is seeing great results because of implementing many of Mike's techniques and using his scripts.

Mike's newest book, The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, encompasses many of these techniques and scripts. There are plenty of sales books out there, but few that focus on cold calling like this book does. You'll learn everything from how to overcome reflex responses to closing techniques that really work. All of the scripts Mike presents are easily adaptable to any type of business. Whether you are a sales rep or a Sales Manager, you'll learn something new.

Finally, here's a book that provides real world tactics and strategies for success. It's not filled with the "Look in the mirror and be happy" rhetoric, or sleazy and manipulative techniques. It's filled with solid guidance and scripts that help you close more deals...if you use them!

I have purchased Mike's CDs and scripts before and share his tips with my Sales force on a regular basis. It's hard to find good, usable scripts for telesales professionals. So, I appreciate the easy-to-use format and scripts that don't sound "hokey" when you try them. Mike's closing and reflex response scripts work! I recommend this book to any sales professional or aspiring sales professional who wants practical techniques for selling over the phone.

If you consider yourself a sales professional and ARE NOT in the Top 20% of your game then read this book to get there. If you ARE in the Top 20% then read this book to move yourself into the Top 1%.

After reading the book you'll want to keep it on your desk to reference the quick summary page at the end of each chapter.

This book is not about sales theory but filled with solid how-to advice complete with scripts you can adapt to your own selling process.

Read the book now and start reaping the rewards of the Top 20%.

Of the many, many books I have read on this topic (which is one of my areas of interests) this is book is by far the best one I have read. This would be, in my opinion the most complete, informative and unbiased work on the subject.
The book covers just about everything most readers would like covered on Serial Murder. It covers fact, fiction, history, definitions, in fact everything you could imagine. I could not believe just how much is packed into the 380 odd pages.
Not only is the book a wealth of knowledge on the subject (and many related areas eg Stalking, Insanity Defences) but is also loaded with 'Profiles' of many individuals (and teams) to illustrate the area under discussion. Many tables also provide interesting reading.
The book also looks at the phenomina of Serial Murder in countries other than the USA.
Another thing I really like is the way Hickey presents various aspects and theories. Hickey discusses all the theories, views etc along with their apparent strenghts and weaknesses. For example, other authors I have read flatly dump the FBI Psychological Profiling Model. Hickly presents all the pros and cons on the topic in a very unbiased manner.
This book is not just a good book, it is a great book. It is a 'must have' in your collection, if this is your area of interest or you really want to learn about it. If someone asked me for just one book to read on Serial Murder, this would be the one. It covers so many topics within a topic, yet it is concise and very readable. The average person with no knowledge on this topic would walk away with a good 'working knowledge'.
I have read the book twice and have now been drawn back to a third read.
I will now be searching for other works by this author and congratulate him on a 'classic'.

This is an excellent reference book, but what really makes it stand out is the "Mind of a Killer" CD-ROM included with it.

The videos and searchable information on the CD-ROM really bring the subject vividly to life. There documentaries on about a dozen famous cases with footage I'd never seen before including confessions made to police, interviews and courtroom scenes.

I was also impressed with the mapping system that plots the locations of different cases or types of cases with all kinds of search options.

After reviewing and studying the material within this cover, you will see life in a different way. We all want to see the good in people; As any physical realm, there is the duality from good to evil. What exactly happens when what we see the destructive nature of man? What makes the destructive destructive? Who are they? What do they think? Where do they come from? and What will they do next?
This book helped me to breeze through my serial and mass murder class ... AND actually lock onto possible perpetrators in real world scenarios.
After reading this book and studying the nature of homocide, you'll be analyzing everything through rational choice. When you walk down the street, youll look at everyone as you notice their demeanor and watch their subtle actions. You'll look at the small and obscure nuacnes in nature as you enhance your deductive reasoning. Most of all, you will build a base in whch to combat becoming a victim.
I highly recommend the first piece you read in this book to be (pg 278) "An Interview with a Male Serial Murderer". This passage will restrain you to read and study this work to its end if not for learning, but to possibly stop a tragedy such as this from happening to someone you love.
You should supplement this book with TV: A&E, Biography, and History Channels will suffice.

Being one of the lucky people in this world to study from Dr. Hickey at Fresno State, I consider this book and the Dr. to be two of the most amaizing sources of knowledge in this dark field. If you begin reading this book knowing nothing about the topic, you walk away being a sudo-expert in the field and study of Serial Killers

I am a graduate student of Dr. Hickey's at California State University, Fresno. I came to this institution specifically as a matter of curricula, and I must say that after a review of the literature both broad and exhaustive Dr. Hickey's book is the closest thing we have to the reality of our special killers' doctrine. What is most compelling about this piece of literature is the open mentality that is greatly lacking in nearly every other book out there. We have relied to a great extent on the works of the FBI and, in a much more aniquated way, the works of Freud and the general positivists.

This text is certainly a sociological treatise, but even more so it underlines the issues inherent in both criminology and a general study of human nature. What should be garnered from this read is what we DON'T know as compared to what we do. One must applaud Dr. Hickey for his ability to admit that the evaporative quality of this field of study is prevalent and must be dealt with.

Of particular interest is the discussion of the mythology surrounding "serial killers" and the true affect with which they operate. Take these things for what they are worth and you are left with many questions. I have no doubt in my mind that this was the objective of Dr. Hickey, and is ideally the objective of any social scientist. Those who wish to comprehend the nature of serial killers will not find all their answers here, but they may find some questions that our humanity dearly needs to be addressed; the most important part.

This is a good book for someone who is intersted in FLW and wants to see most of his Masterworks. However, I wouldn't call much of anything he did after the late 1940's a Masterwork but never the less the book gives a nice overview of his entire career. The guy lived to be 92! Lots of just gorgeous photos. Not many floor plans and the ones included are too small to read. Lots of original colored renderings, sections, elevations & some floor plans. The ratio of text to pictures is 20:80. The book goes quick.

I've seen a lot of books on Wright over the years, and read a number of them, but for sheer enjoyment and the celebration of his work, this work is the best I've seen. It strikes the best balance between the photos and text, but the photos are truly magnificent and worth the price of the book by themselves. Much of the information, as another reviewer has commented, is available in other books on Wright, so there might not be that much new here for the Wright expert, but for those not steeped in Wright scholarship, this book is as good as any to learn about his architecture, philosophy, and life. Thirty-eight of Wright's most important buildings are covered, equally divided between his private and public buildings. Overall, probably the best single book out there on Wright to gain an understanding and appreciation of his work for the general reader.

By the way, just today we toured Taliesen, in Phoenix, AZ. It's a great tour if you ever get to the area and are a fan of Wright's buildings. Perhaps that's why I was inspired to write the review. :-)

No one book could capture the full range of Frank Lloyd Wright's brilliance and versatility, but this one comes close! If you're a fan of the man who was arguably the 20th century's greatest architect, this book is a must-have. It covers his design philosophy, and shows how that philosophy was manifested, from Wright's preliminary sketches to great photos of the finished structures. A visual treat and an invaluable reference work.

Coffee table book, lovely photos; if you love the vision of FLW you'll enjoy this book

The pictures are marvelous and the content is more than the usual re-written information. i have really enjoyed this book.

This noevl The Kid from Tomkinsville, is a very interesting book. The author John R. Tunis tells us about Roy Tucker, a young man from Conneticut trying out to play for the Dodgers.

When I was in junior high, I was addicted to reading juvenile sports fiction. Shortly after beginning seventh grade, I went to the alphabetical beginning of the fiction section in the school library and began moving down the alphabet. As I went, I examined the books and read all that were sports related. In a little over two years, I had read every sports fiction book in the collection. Of all those books, the Kid From Tomkinsville was one of the most memorable.
While the background of the 1940's made the presentation difficult for someone in their early teens in the 1960’s, the descriptions of baseball more than made up for it. Roy Tucker is the title character and an excellent pitcher. However, immediately after one of his best games, he slips and cracks his pitching elbow. This finishes him as a pitcher and the main theme becomes his quest to come back as an outfielder.
He is initially very effective and believes success is assured. However, he soon begins to struggle and doubts creep in. The description of all of this is a combination of one of the best baseball stories as well as one of triumph as a combination of talent, hard work and persistence lead to his success. I still remember the scene where his manager comes to his room and tells him the problem is that he is playing for himself and not for his team.
John Tunis is one of the best writers of sports fiction that has ever lived. He makes baseball exciting, even when all the action is taking place off the field. While our society has moved on to a point quite different from the time period of the story, baseball is still a game where strategy, preparation and dedication can triumph over athletic ability. That has not changed, and the descriptions in this book will continue to keep the attention of baseball fans for decades to come.

Like another reviewer, I fell in love with John R. Tunis as a kid. Tunis has great characters and great stories. Perfect for the kid who loves baseball.

I was hardly a baseball fan at all when I began this book. Now baseball is one of my greatest loves. This book is terrific! Whether you love baseball or not you'll be pulled in as Roy-the main character-tries to overcome a freak injury and rejoin the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I read this book the first time back in the mid-80's in high school. I had a burgeoning love of baseball and fell deeply in love with Tunis' works. The point I got from this story is that there is always another door to get to your dream.

I thought this book was a great book.I think its a great book because of it helps explain how santa came to be.Ialso think its a good book because it helps to feed litle kids imanginations. I thought that giving toys away willingly was a generous thing to do. That's why I think The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a good book

This truly magnificent book has been a family tradition for over 50 years. I have the most fondest memories of my siblings and I sitting in our living room as children listening to our parents read 1 or 2 chapters per night. They would time it perfectly to have the last chapter read on Christmas Eve year after year. More than 30 years later, I continue the tradition with my own children. Although they find the first chapter sad and difficult to understand, my children have learned that the obstacles we encounter in life help shape us into who we are, with Nicholas being the perfect example.

My mother gave me my very own copy of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus when I got married. She wrote on the inside cover, "Dear Patty, I hope you enjoy this book for as many years as I have. May it always remind you of all the Merry Christmas' that we all shared. The years pass so quickly and we are fortunate to have so many happy memories. Love, As Always, Mother" This book will always be one of the most cherished parts of my life. Begin the tradition...

This is the most loving, gentle story of the Santa Claus legend I have ever read. A wonderful telling of the tale, good for children who still believe in Santa Claus, their older siblings who have learned their elders are the givers, and parents who are looking for a way to explain the transition and to focus on the real meaning of Christmas giving.

I have had the 1923 Norwood Press (Norwood, Massachusetts) edition since I was a little girl, and I raised my children on it. I was sharing it with a friend who has grandchildren, and she wanted a copy for them -- we assumed it would be out of print, but I checked on line to see if it was still in copyright before making a photocopy. I'm so grateful it's still in print -- I've just ordered 4 copies to share!

When my adult children were in elementary school, every year during the Christmas season their principal (Mr. Houghton) would read this story over the p.a. system. They would come home and tell me all about it. They were so enchanted with the story I decieded to buy the book and read it myself. When I finished the book I believed in Santa again. It has become a tradition in our home to read every year. I have since bought the book as gifts and everyone who reads it loves it. I have bought copies for when my children become parents so they will have it for their children. I hope it lives on throught the ages. Thank you Mr. Houghton for introducing this wonderful book to my children.

What a beautiful story of how Santa Claus came into being . . it will let you believe! When my son was young, we would read it as a chapter book, we would start on the 8th of the month and read a chapter every day. As he got older, we would take turns reading it to each other. I give credit to Julie Lane for prolonging my sons belief in Santa Claus and he now carries the spirit of Santa Claus in his heart. I strongly recommend it for your bookshlf, no matter how old you are!!!!