Buck Books

I didn't think that this book would be as useful as it is. After reading this book I found many things I wanted to do, and have done, to be prepared. While I hope to never have to use the information from the book, I feel more prepared in case the need arises. A must have for those wanting to be prepared.

Few escape a hospital stay at some time during their life, and all should read Jan Buck's "24/7 or Dead" before they need it.

In a very personal account, Jan shares her 8 month ordeal with a hospitalized critically ill husband. The lessons she learned are invaluable. In this easy-to-read book she gives recommendations in layman's terms, check lists and tools we can all use when we are faced with helping a hospitalized loved one.

Jan's book is not critical of the medical profession, but she shows you how to be your loved one's advocate while working with the doctors and nurses. Don't let medical mistakes claim the life of someone you love, be there for them 24/7.

As an RN I appreciate and second all the advice given in this book! It's easy to read, a fast read, and I'd encourage anyone to read it BEFORE they have a loved one in the hospital. The recommendations Jari Buck provides are applicable to all patients, whether in Intensive Care or the Emergency Room, during an extended stay or same-day procedure.

There are some minor medical details that are not accurate, or misspelled, but they do not affect the great tips and advice given in this book.

Who wants to even think about having to care for a loved one in the hospital let alone write about the worry, pain and fear. Its no question our lives can be disrupted in an instant. I'm glad I read Jari's book before I faced my mother's hospital experience. This book is a real eye opener. A must read. So much so I purchased copies for several friends and family members.

Don't wait until you need to know how to deal with hospital personnel, policies and paperwork. Read it now. Don't wait until you need to know how to deal with your own frustration, questions and fatigue. Read it now. If not for your sake then for someone else's so you can help them in their 24/7 'hour' of need.

It's compelling, real and straight forward. Are you prepared?

24/7 or Dead
By: Jari Holland Buck
Jan Holland Buck has written this book to recount lessons she learned over a period of eight and one-half months during her husband's hospitalization.

Jan's husband, Bill, was suddenly stricken with severe pancreatits. This rapidly progressed to multiple organ failure, severe infection, and seizures.

As a result of observing and involving herself in her husband's care, Jan has concluded, "Without the full-time presence of a family member for every patient in a hospital, I believe there is a very good chance mistakes will be made. Some of those mistakes could cost your loved one his or her life."

Jan details their story of hospital stays in four hospitals, six months of which were in intensive care. She has provided the reader with fourteen recommendations for implementation, important checklists to help with the implementation. She has included an Appendix with important fact sheets, tools, and sample legal forms, medical statements, billing information, and additional resources.

I am fortunate to have read the book at a time when I am not faced with a family health crisis. My wife is a registered nurse and worked for years in the Emergency Department. I have two sons who worked as EMTs for a period of time. I have been hospitalized on several occasions. Jan's book has opened my eyes to the importance of patient advocacy. As a result of reading 24/7, I plan to be more vocal in asking my primary doctor questions regarding known medical conditions, review my legal forms, power of attorney, medical power of attorney, and to leave written documents regarding important papers for my caregiver and family. In these papers I will note and have readily available a copy of Jan Holland's book.

This book is a book that should be read by every family caregiver and patient advocate. It is an important and timely resource for those comforting and counseling family members. The instructions and suggestions will give you insight into what you are facing and help you to have peace of mind in knowing you are a part of the healthcare team responsible for your loved one.

I highly recommend that 24/7 or dead be read by every adult family member before a family medical crisis forces that dreaded 9ll call for an ambulance.

I first read this book early in my private pilot training, many years ago. Needless to say, I did not really understand what I was reading. Coming back to it now, with a number of additional ratings and many more hours of flight time to my name, was a revelation. Almost on every page, I found myself saying, "Yes, that's how it is." Buck really knows what he is talking about, whether it be ice, thunderstorms, turbulence, or transitioning from instruments to visual on the approach. Taking to heart what Buck has to say will first and foremost help you to survive as a pilot by making good weather decisions. Just as importantly, he imparts a great deal of wisdom on how to get maximum utility from the airplane while keeping risk to a low level. However, as indicated earlier, the book is definitely not for beginners. A solid understanding of basic meteorology and a considerable amount of piloting experience are needed to interpret it correctly--and safely.

As a CFI I have numerous books in my aviation library. This book details flying in weather and the mindset required to be a safe and competent instrument pilot.

Recommeded to me by my instructor after I received my instrument rating I now recommend it to students and associates whenever the subject of flying in weather (or not flying in weather) comes up.

I read Northstar Over My Shoulder prior to buying this book so I had an understanding of Captain Buck's history and experience which added weight to the wisdom obvious in Weather Flying (buy that book too!)

Not a lesson on meteorology; more of a lesson on judgment and decision-making. In other words, how does one deal with the weather? What does one do with the information one has?
Bob Buck is a man of authority, vast knowledge and experience when it comes to weather flying. His advice is, therefore, not to be taken lightly.
The book is readable, Buck writes "as he talks and flies, with an easy touch...he makes it simple and plain". The only thing that frustrated me at times was the fact that due to the sheer amount of information and knowledge he wants to impart, he occasionally jumps from one issue to the other, picking up new subjects while seemingly leaving others unfinished.

It is hard to imagine a pilot with more weather flying experience than Captain Robert Buck. And much of this flying was in the old days: in the early years of the Army Air Corp and a young company called TWA. Much of this flying was accomplished without the assistance of modern instrumentation. Captain Buck travelled the world seeking the most ornery weather he could find, and then flew into it time and time again, compiling the experience and collecting the data that no one else had at the time. Captain Buck shares that experience here. This book is interesting and engaging to the flying enthusiast, essential to the VFR pilot, and absolutely priceless to the aspiring instrument pilot. Every discipline and every pastime has its classics, and WEATHER FLYING is, without a doubt, one of the classics of aviation.

The language of WEATHER FLYING is simple and straightforward. The lessons are practical more than theoretical, though Captain Buck keeps his readers briefed on essential weather theory as well. Virtually every weather situation that a pilot can encounter is covered in this book, from the ordinary to the exotic. Then Captain Buck instructs you how to fly it. The concept is simple and direct; the lessons are comprehensive and pragmatic.

In short, this is not a book to read once and then shelve. The lessons are too important to be forgotten. This is a manual to be taken down and read over and over again by any sort of pilot who flies any sort of aircraft.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

... and will remain so after you read this book. Everything in Buck's book is useful but it is tough to remember all of his rules without a solid grounding in meteorology. The cover's subtitle "a practical book on flying in all kinds of weather" is accurate. This book is about practice, not theory. However, after finishing the book, I was disappointed to find myself as ignorant as ever about weather and completely at the mercy of the FAA briefers.

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire histroy. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

-Sports Columnist, Kansas City Star

"The food industry has Emeril, the political pundits have O'Reilly and the Negro Leagues has Holway. Artfully wrote by the premier expert on Negro Leagues history."

-President, Legends of Sports

". . . statistics that prove the greatness of the Negro League players. Now, we can truly call baseball the National Pastime."

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire history. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

As submitted to Hasting House on Dec. 10, 2001 via e-mail

This is a fine overview of the contributions made by black ball players from the mid 19th Century to the more well known players of the 20th. I judge baseball books on how they contribute to the overall understanding of their subject matter. This book stands among the others, including Only the Ball Was White and Larry Lester's pictorials on the Negro Leagues in Chicago, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.

Hospital Stay Handbook summarizes the essential issues needed to ensure your loved ones will survive a trip to any hospital regardless of duration. Ms. Buck lifts the "White Curtain" on standard operating polices calculated to cause harm to patients - policies not intended to harm, of course, just not carefully and tightly managed by the hospital system. She explains the concept of "body part Doctors" who see the patient as a Liver, Lung or Spleen, not a human being. The most important message Ms. Buck delivers is "be there 24/7" or expect the worse. Our family's experience bears testimony to her advice that some family members must be at or near bedside continuously - the consequences of not doing so are dire.

A Grateful Patient

Hospital Stay Handbook is a necessary read for anyone who is unfamiliar with how the hospital and medical system really works. It is an inside guide to ensuring quality care for you and your loved ones. Having been one of the health care professionals who assisted in the care of Jari's husband, Bill, I am keenly aware of the circumstances from which the book was written and am inspired by the amount of knowledge the book imparts. As a voice of advocacy for patients, Jari's efforts are unparalleled. Raise the bar for hospital-based patient care by educating yourself -- this book is the perfect primer.

I purchased this book for my healthy, yet aging parents who have been facing some hospital stays recently. I was concerned they could be 'wiser consumers'.

Having a book lay out the risks and true dangers and how to prepare in advance is extremely valuable. The idea of 'advocacy' and advance preparation in this field strife with land mines is aided by Jari's unfortunate personal experience.

Thank you, Jari.

Jari Buck has authored a book that enables the family of a patient to potentially make a most significant difference in the outcome of the loved one. The text imparts good common sense, as well as needed encouragement to step up to the bat and participate.

A serious illness can generate overwhelming fear and depression, which of course, makes it difficult for someone to become engaged in the process of healing. Yet, problem solving and just helping out when the staff is stretched too thin can work miracles.

Just try...and if you're lacking in ideas, please read Jari Buck's book.

Holly Fritch, M.D.
Leawood, KS

Having health insurance is a critical component in assuring quality health care ~ but there's another kind of "insurance" that is just as important. Being a patient advocate for someone you love can truly make the difference between life and death, as Jari Holland Buck writes in her "Hospital Stay Handbook." My eyes were opened when I witnessed the constancy and continuity of care that's required to support a loved one who's in the hospital for any length of time. Read this book now ~ before a crisis strikes ~ as a kind of personal insurance policy for how to be an effective advocate for your loved one if the time comes. As with most insurance policies, you hope you never have to use them but, should the need arise, you're always glad you invested in preplanning.

If you're interested in looking at the data behind women and careers, this is the book for you. Hewlett has summarized a number of really interesting data. For example, 37% of women take time off at some point in their careers. 30% of women take advantage of part-time or other flexible programs. Hewlett's data illustrates a number of important reasons companies should care about gender diversity. After building the business case for women, she talks about how companies have created programs to make it work. One of the nice elements of this book is that she illustrates the data with personal stories. One of my favorite quotes underscores the importance of finding meaning in your job. A working mom comments, "when I walk out the door in the morning leaving my 2-yaer-old with the nanny, there's usually a bit of a scene. Tommy clings, pouts, and whips up the guilt. Now, I know it's not serious--most of the time he likes his nanny. But it sure makes me think about why I go to work--and why I put in a ten hour day. It's as though every day I make the following calculation: do the satisfactions I derive from my job (efficacy, recognition--a sense of stretching my mind) justify leaving Tommy? Some days it's a close run. One thing I do know. It couldn't just be the money. I need a whole lot of things to be happening for me to work."

Economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett does an excellent job of outlining both subtle and bold barriers that relegate many talented women (and minorities) to the lower end of promotions and pay scales. Using ample documentation, she outlines the financial costs that corporations suffer when they operate with outdated career models designed for white male professionals. Hewlett also lines up practical solutions with real-life examples from top corporations. Though the book is marred by repetition and various examples are recycled in different chapters, overall, we consider this essential reading for senior corporate officials and staff members.

This book honestly and openly explores what I believe thousands of professional women are facing today - the deep challenge of creating a successful professional life of meaning, fulfillment, and balance, in today's current dominant work model. As one who works with hundreds of professional women each year, I see over and over the ill-effects of professional women striving to fit into a model that no longer reflects our needs, priorities, and values. Hewlett's book goes a long way toward presenting beneficial new thinking and programs that, when adopted, will certainly bring about beneficial and urgently-needed change.

Despite all the print about the "Mommy Wars" and whether women should or shouldn't be in the workplace, the fact is that half the U.S. workforce is currently made up of women - and the workplace will have to change to accommodate them. Sylvia Hewlett's "Off-Ramps and On-Ramps" adds new, crucial information to this discussion. She provides data about women in the work force and provides models of flexible workplace structures now being used in corporations. The book gives a convincing business case for work force diversity and for the restructuring of our career model.
Hewlett's book is a must read for anyone concerned about the work force of the twenty first century.

I actually hesitated to read Off-Ramps and On-Ramps, as it looked like a boring textbook at first glance. But, as I got into it, it was quite a provocative read and even brought up some interesting points that applied to both men and women. Here are a few highlights that struck my fancy:

Chapter 1 - Why Mess with the Male Competitive Model. Good way to start a book. I think we'll be hearing more about this as generation y gets further into the workplace. While a hardcore minority will stick to the traditional Gordon Gecko "greed is good" model, we'll see countless others rebel against the values of the generations before them (as all generations before rebelled against their parent's values).

Chapter 2 - Looks at how large a factor elder-care already plays in women's lives. In fact, it's larger than child-care as this affects all women. This is only going to increase as Boomers start being the ones needing care.

Chapter 3 - Extreme Jobs, Extreme Demands. Thought this chapter could make a whole book. It's a great overview of how corporate America has changed. I have a friend whose parents were both big executives at major companies, yet all the time growing up, she swears that both made it home for dinner almost every single night. This is practically unheard of even for middle management these days.

The latter half of the book gives examples of companies who are launching innovative programs to resolve the situation. This makes it a must-read for any management team who is struggling to keep women, OR, better yet, recognizes what a great asset they have and wants to boost them up even more! However, it still begs the question of what to do for the majority of women who do not work for the handful of Fortune 500 companies who get it, and have the funds to produce such innovative programs.

This is a very thorough complilation of works by many well known or slightly known painters of mostly Eastern PA. There is ample reading and explanations of their influences, theories, and philosophies on art. It was interesting reading about how interconnected so many of them were. And ,oh yes, the pictures were very nice too.

This book has many, good-sized, excellent color reproductions of work with an interesting history of the New Hope artists. There are also succinct biographies of each of the major artists of this regional school plus a list with images of many of the lesser known people.
The last chapter of the book discusses the framemakers in the New Hope region who were part of the arts and crafts movement which is an interesting piece of art history in itself.
Mention is made of the "Pennsylvania 10", a group of the prominent women artists in this area, and a chapter could have been created to feature them, but they are worth a book unto themselves.
For anyone interested in American art, American Impressionism, and that period during the first half of the twentieth century as art moved from representational concepts to abstract and non-objective concepts, this book is worth having.
For artists who are working in this representational manner, they will find a wealth of ideas from these painters in terms of technique, design, and concepts.

Pennsylvania Impressionism opens with an introduction explaining the origins of painting in the area, followed by a somewhat pensive and personal mediation on art both, by Brian H Peterson; followed by two further discussions of art in Pennsylvania by Sylvia Yount and William H Gerdts respectively. Then comes the main colour plates section along with the artists' biographies. This is followed with entries for other associated artists and comprises brief descriptions accompanied by a representative thumb-nail illustration of each artist's work. The book concludes with two bibliographies and other lists.

This is a beautifully illustrated volume, the introductory chapters are illustrated, the colour plates section amounts to nearly two hundred pages, and along with the concluding section the full colour illustrations number three hundred and sixty nine. In the colour plates section they are arranged one and sometime two to a page and the standard is good, often revealing the quality and texture of the paint. However it should be noted that even the full page illustrations in fact rarely occupy more than half of the total page area, leaving the image surrounded by a lot of white space.

This is an attractively laid out and beautifully illustrated book, and the paintings themselves are absolutely superb.

This book provides a thorough survey of the Bucks County "Impressionist" painters. Plenty of good quality visuals, excellent as a resource. Particularly of interest to people in the Bucks Co, PA area.

Excellent history of an important period in American art. Outstanding production - paper, color plates and binding. Efficient processing from Amazon.

Thank you so much - the book arrived in fantastic condition and I enjoyed it very much.

--Beth :)

In this entry of the popular Rina/Peter Decker series, Kellerman assures us of more Jewish history and customs as the victims in this one are of the Jewish faith. This time the double-edged mystery sends Peter and Rina to Israel to track down the sons of a wealthy diamond magnate and his wife. Did the boys kill their parents? Add to this, the search for a friend of Rina's from New York, who comes to California for a visit with her three children and then mysteriously vanishes as well---to Israel. Add a cool ice queen named Kate Milligan, a shady partner named Shaul Gold, add a few other nasties and Kellerman sends her heroes off into a labyrinthine plot.
Kellerman's a good writer and as she progresses, she tries to focus more on plot and suspense, and not so much on Rina's faith. It does seem surprising though that she manages to slight other religious beliefs while sanctifying her own? Hopefully, as she progresses she'll take some clues from her husband Jonathan and write more substantial works.

I had trouble putting down this book from the very start -- it's a real page turner with a well-plotted mystery -- two of them actually -- keeping you going. The mysteries involve a family who has disappeared out of the blue -- he's a California diamond dealer, so perhaps this was part of a theft -- and a woman and children who arrive unexpectedly for a visit with Detective Decker and his family -- her husband is also a diamond dealer in a Chasidic community in New York. As Decker goes about trying to solve the disappearance of the California family, odd things begin happening with the New York family who are visiting -- they also disappear. Is there a connection?

The mystery takes Decker and wife Rina to Israel, a major diamond cutting/dealing country.

I learned a lot about diamonds and Israel reading this book, and for the most part really enjoyed it. The dialogue was more natural than in some Kellerman books I've read. But -- her pro-Jewish, anti-everything else sentiment was present in this book again, this time in an anti-Moslem bias. Why are metal boxes on door frames considered good religious practice but painting a doorway blue (as Moslems do) treated as superstitious? It seems to me that the customs of Orthodoxy Judaism are unusual enough that Kellerman should be more tolerant and openminded about the practices of other faiths.

Peter Decker and his wife Rina are enjoying family life with her sons and their new baby daughter when Rina's old friend Honey Klein asks to come visit. Rina is surprised because they hasn't been in close contact with Honey in recent years, but she agrees to the visit. Meanwhile Peter works with his partner Marge on a case involving an entire family who have suddenly vanished. The husband is a diamond dealer, and there are many motives for a possible murder, most of them having to do with money. Coincidentally, after Honey comes to the Lazarus home, her husband, also a diamond dealer, is mysteriously killed. Peter's quest for the truth in these matters eventually takes him and Rina to Israel where they pursue missing persons from both of these cases. As usual, author Kellerman weaves interesting facts about the orthodox Jewish religion as well as Peter and Rina's evolving family life. The trip to Israel adds an extra dimension to the story, and the total package is very satisfying for a mystery reader.

In my book 'Sanctuary' is one of the best in the Peter Decker/ Rina Lazarus series. The story revolves around the missing husband of Rina's friend. The search takes Rina and Peter to Israel where we are treated to a fascinating tour of the West Bank and the diamond trade in Israel. What makes this entry so important today is the portrayal of the continuing conflict and violence that shapes Israel's future and her people. It is a pleasure to read a book that is both thoughtful and fun to read.

My only other suggestion if you are new to Faye Kellerman is to start at the beginning with 'Ritual Bath' to see the relationship between Rina and Peter unfold. Then read all her books in the order in which they were written. Its a great series.

One of the best parts of working at Sales Gravy is all of the books that come my way from authors and publishers who want us to give them a review. Every once in a while I get a book that makes a real impact on my life. Most recently it was The All Star Sales Book by Billy Cox. Quite frankly, this book came to me at the right place, at the right time. I was having one of those weeks where everything was going wrong. Set back upon setback had sapped my energy and ruined my optimism. After one final kick in the pants, I threw my hands in the air and shouted out loud, "what else can possible go wrong." I had a serious case of "stinkin-thinkin."

Disgusted, I started sorting through the pile of mail my assistant had placed on my desk. The first package I opened contained Billy Cox's, All-Star Sales Book. I turned to the first page and started reading. Almost immediately my mood began to improve. Cox's inspirational and motivational message broke through my bad attitude and began to lift me up. In one passage Cox writes, "I've always heard that when life knocks you down you need to land on your back because if you can look up, you can get up." Just the message I needed to hear at the moment.

Throughout the book Cox delivers the message that in sales and life there are no time-outs, no overtimes, and you only get one chance to play. Through his inspiring stories, easy to understand analogies, and humor, Cox delivers a guaranteed road map to success. In the book he provides practical, and easy-to-implement advice that is both relevant and critical for succeeding in today's sales environment. These tried and true methods are central to every successful sales career and I applaud Cox for delivering these key lessons, anew, in a fresh and engaging style that makes it fun to learn and inspires action.

Jeb Blount,author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

Billy Cox has really put it all together in an easy to read & understand, step by step guide on how to succeed in business and life. My husband and I own a succesful sales company and we have made this book mandatory reading for all of our employees. This book along with Billy's goal setting workbook "The Dream Book" has improved our business and our personal lives dramatically. I will echo what others have said and encourage you to pick up enough of these books for your entire oranization or team.

Although I am not a sales professional, I believe everybody's selling something whether it's to our family members or business associates and "The All-Star Sales Book" will sell you on believing in yourself again. I highly recommend this book for Billy Cox gives you the strategies and techniques to getting and keeping the "winning edge" in life, business, and sales. His book is full of ideas on how to develop and maintain a burning desire to win at the highest levels and to continue raising your personal bar. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of goal setting, decision making, and taking action and initiative so that you stretch yourself to perform at an All-Star level and get results.

Working in the direct sales industry one can really use a great tool to get re-motivated....this is the tool. Not only does it cover tools for work, but in the home front as well. I would recommend this book to anyone!

Being stuck in mediocrity is quite possibly the worst place a salesman can be, claims "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks". Selling just enough to get by makes one comfortable, and lacking aspiration - where one who is doing miserably will be motivated to do everything they can to recover and make the most of themselves- to dream of what they want and that drives them. "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks" hopes to inspire sales people to become more that they can ever hope to be through stories, analogies, anecdotes and more. "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks" is highly recommended to business people everywhere who need that little kick to get them rolling in life and for community library business collections.

This is a beautiful book with gorgeous photos of Cuban architecture and furniture of the Cuba I left behind many, many years ago. I gave it to all of my siblings for Christmas and it was an instant hit! Its ovely pictures bring both smiles and tears. A must for those of us who want to keep a collection of what once was our life in Cuba before our exile.

Cuban Elegance is a great book, has wonderful photography and dipicts the elegant decore of Cuba and its architecture as well.

This is a great coffee table book of good quality. The colour photographs are excellent, accompanied by descriptive text. I bought it out of a sense of curiosity of how the more affluent Cubans might live. Unfortunately, as it turns out, I don't generally share their taste in design or dark furniture, but don't let that put you off an excellent and informative book.

THIS IS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BOOK. THE PICTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL, THE TEXT REGARDING EACH ONE IS VERY CLEAR. IT HAS A GOOD FLOW AND MAY I DARE SAY IT IS A SEXY BOOK? IF THERE IS SUCH A THING. I WOULD RECOMMEND EVERYONE AND ANYONE TO GET IT. WHEATHER YOU'RE CUBAN OR NOT.

IT HELPS POINT OUT ALL THE BEATY THAT ONCE USED TO BE AS WELL AS THE ONE LEFT NOW AMIDST ALL THE DECAY AND ABANDONEMENT CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE ISLAND COUNTRY. I LOVED IT.

I recently bought this book and despite that I had never being in Cuba before this is better than the real thing. Cuba was one the biggest economies in the region and such growth gave the possibility to create one of the most selected elites in the Caribbean islands. That prestige and class is all what you can find in this book full of excellent pictures. The reading of the book is pleasant, accurate and, full of details. I was amaze by the work around Cuban furniture which reflects the passion of the author in the topic. It's worth 5 out 5 starts with any doubts.

Cupid's Secret is a wonderful book. It is filled with incredible emotion. I will read it again,recommend it and give it as gift's. Everyone needs to read this one no matter how old you are. You will never forget Cupid.

"where am i?" Thought a cold black cat. A snow storm was stirring and the poor cat was lost. Soon he found an open garage and headed for shelter from the cold. When the snow storm was over a human heard a sound. She went outside and there was the cat. She called her two neighbors who quickly came over. "look at him!" said Olivia one of the adults children. "Who's gonna get it?" she asked. "I'M A BOY!!!!! NOT AN IT!!!!" Was the cat's reply. "Look he's hungry." said the third neighbor worriedly. "WE can't have him with Codie." said Olivia's mom, Lisa. "but Marvin would scare it too death!" replied the human who found the cat. "AGAIN I'M A GUY!!!!!" said the cat. "Fine! Shamrock can't do too much damage." joked Kathy the third neighbor. So Kathy scooped up the cat and went home. At first Shamrock was unsure about the cat. But the cat had made up his mind and was spooked of the dog which he soon started to bat at. Then Kathy called her animal loving daughter, Megan who was at a freind's house and told her about the cat. Megan was home in the blink of an eye even though it was pretty dark. after a couple of weeks she and the cat who she named Raven began to bond. Since it was now march and Meg's birthday was in April Kathy declaired Raven her early birthday present. All of Raven's stuff was in Meg's room so he also slept on her bed. On Meg's birthday she got a shiny gold name tag for Raven. When Meg put it on Raven she had been petting him so his fur was ruffled but now they were in the light and Meg noticed his fur now had a brown tint. She steped out of the light and he was totally black again! "WOW! Raven you're magic!" Raven was flattered and started to purr. After many months this bond had grown stronger and best of all that cat with magic loved Meg over everyone else.

I just want to say that this book is a wonderful book. It truly speaks to the young and tells a beautiful story that is inspiring. I will definately recommend this book to all of my family and friends.

As a designer of promotional items for various companies as well as authors, I am constantly looking for stories and themes of interest. I picked up a copy of Cupid's Secret by Buck Kalinowski. While my intent was to develop promotional characters, I soon found myself caught up in the wonderful and true story of this amazing little horse. It is a heartfelt story of what love, trust, and a little determination can do. This book is a lesson in what can happen if you truly "believe"...a lesson that we all can benefit from. I recommend this book to any child or adult who would like to be inspired.

Best book of.... well forever!!!!!!!!!!! I MIS UNDER STOOD WHAT BOOK REVIEW MENT AND WROTE A STORY OF MY CAT BUT ANY WAY CUPID'S SECRET IS A STORY WITH A MESSAGE!