Burke Books

This story is amazing from the first page to the last. From Burke's rough childhood through her riveting years as a cop, it is impossible to put the book down. Hirschfeld delivers some powerful writing and allows every character to come across as they were, for better or for worse.

A female SERPICO story if there ever was one.

This story kept me in the edge, I couldn't put the book down. Thankfully it wasn't 1,000 pages, I stayed up all night just to finish it. ALL NYPD cops should be mandated to read this book.

"Detective" belongs on the same shelf as Robin Moore's "French Connection" and Peter Maas's "Serpico." Kathy Burke's career with the NYPD was exciting, contentious, tragic--yet ultimately groundbreaking and triumphant. Burke battled crooks, killers, corrupt cops, nasty superior officers, and her own demons. That she had the guts to deal with all that--and more--is the fuel that propels this compelling book.

This is a straight forward, kick you in the balls book of what it is like to be a woman cop.
The book concludes with a revelation of the two NYC rogue cops, Eppolito and Caracappa, who sold their souls to the Mafia and thus affected so many people's lives with their corrupt actions. This officer, Kathy Burke, was adversely affected in lifelonghorrible way. There's a great deal of undercover stories detailed here, sexual harrassment, love between cops--both plutonic and sexual. Officer Burke describes so much, including receiving the medal of Honor from Mayor Koch.
But in the end, she concludes, she has her self esteem and dignity. For the reader, its those two good for nothing turncoat cops that betrayed all that was good around them.

the book is very informative with beautiful photographs throughout.

A beautiful way to learn some Persian history and culture, and the role that wine has played.

I have been enjoying "New Food of Life" for the past several years, and when I saw "From Persia to Napa" for sale at a vineyard in Napa, I knew I had to have it. While "New Food of Life" is primarily a cookbook sprinkled with wonderful bits of history, culture, poems, fables and Persian art, "From Persia to Napa" is a love story about wine. In the first half of the book, Ms. Batmanglij covers the history of wine, the evolution of wine and culture in Iran, and includes a long discussion of the new Darioush Winery in Napa Valley, with many vivid photographs. The second half of the book are persian recipes that she has designed specifically to be paired with wine. The recipes are in general designed for high-end meals. Most are accompanied by photographs which make my mouth water! At the end of the book she includes suggested menus for persian meals at different times of the year. This is an aesthetically wonderful book as well as being fascinating reading, and she has elevated it to much more than a book of recipes matched with wine.

This author continues to bring us beautiful books, reliable recipes and now pairing this wonderful wine with the food. Couldn't get better.

After years upon years of too much, too loud, too bloody, too graphic, Kealan Patrick Burke arrives on the scene to give us a more mature and subtle approach to the horror tale. A kind of Medium meets Stand By Me, the story is as much a sensitive coming of age novel as it is a horror story, and as such we CARE about the characters. I think this is easily one of the best horror novels of 2005. No question about it.

Now, Mr. Burke...give us more of the same!

Mr. Burke is a gifted author in the tradition of Charles Grant, and The Turtle Boy quietly makes your skin crawl. Great stuff!

Seventeen years old Ohio teenager Timmy Quinn has the uncanny ability to help homicide victims obtain a modicum of revenge by sharing his gift with the murderers. Over the objections of his mother sick of the visits from the curious, the desperate, and the crazies, he agrees to help his neighbor Mr. Knox with his burden, but explains that it is up to the spirit whether to communicate with Quinn; some have moved on while others just do not want to be seen by any living being. However, the case shakes him at a time when he is vulnerable with his parents splitting.

His father asks Quinn to come to their ancestral home in Dungarvan, Ireland to especially meet his grieving paternal grandmother. Though reluctant to leave his mom behind, Quinn thinks this is the right thing to do so he travels across the Atlantic. However, instead of solace in the sea town, he finds the ghosts there much more gruesome looking than back in the States. He wonders why and who the brutal killer could be. He begins to investigate not understanding that he places himself in danger of being the next victim.

Though the ending defies the Burke Law of paranormal-physics (as established throughout by the encounters) THE HIDES is a fantastic ghost story that grips readers from the moment a desperate Knox asks Timmy for his help and continues at a fast pace when the teen takes his skills to Ireland. The action-packed story line works because Timmy and his supernatural talent seem genuine so that the audience believes in ghosts and other apparitions. Horror fans will take immense "gruesome" delight reading Kealan Patrick Burke's solid chiller.

Harriet Klausner

Brief background: this is the sequel to The Turtle Boy, which is one of the best horror novellas of recent years. A young boy, Timmy Quinn, and his friend stumble upon a young boy at the local pond. The boy is letting the turtles in the pond eat from his flesh...it's not long before Timmy realizes he can communicate with the dead. He soon has a mystery on his hands that involves not only the townfolk, but his own father.

Book two in the Timmy Quin series sees Timmy living in Ireland with his father and grandmother. Though he tries to escape his new "curse", he discovers that the dead can find him no matter where he goes. There is a ghost in his grandmother's house that has someting to tell him. And the factory where his father works is teeming with angry spirits who wish his lineage dead. (The Quinn family is pretty screwed up, now that i think about it.) And there is still the issue of just what his father's past holds.

Burke's prose is graceful and poingnant, and a lot of care has gone into this character. The series is fastly becoming one of my favorites. Like the X-files or Lost, the more it progresses aand answers questions, the more we find ourselves with new questions and secrets.

I highly recommnd picking up both The Turtle Boy and The Hides--Burke is sure to become one of horror's greats in a very short time.

Reviewer's Book: Overcoming Loss: Activities and Stories for Children Who Have Experienced Grief and Loss

This wonderful fictional story follows a young girl in the process of grief and loss. The illustrations are wonderful and it gently explores the wide range of emotions associated with the loss of a loved one.

I picked up "I Wish I Could Hold your Hand: A Child's Guide to Grief and Loss" when my 5-year-old daughter's great grandmother was ailing and nearly 90 years old. It was a very sweet book and helped her cope with losing Grandma, which happened the next week.

After my husband told my daughter that Grandma had died, I read her this book again, and I think we were both blessed by it.

The book encourages children to expressing their emotions in healthy ways, telling them it's OK to be sad or even angry, and to cry. It gives them ideas for what to do when they miss the person, such as drawing them a picture, even if the person will never see it.

It could be used by a family of any faith tradition. It lends the idea that the person who is gone will always be with us. In our family we interpret that as them being in heaven, but it could also mean the person is with us in our memories or our hearts.

This book could be used in many situations where a loved one is gone, such as if someone goes to jail or moves away. I skipped over a couple words when it got to the part about a loved one going to jail. (We were dealing with Grandma's death and I didn't really want to stop and answer her inevitable questions just then, or scare her that it might happen to me or my husband).

Incidentally, a few weeks later a couple in our family got divorced. I wonder if some of the ideas in this book may have helped my daughter when she realized she would not see her aunt much anymore.

It has been a month since Grandma died, and my daughter has told me more than once that when she is a mommy and someone dies, she will read "I Wish I could Hold your Hand" to her children.

When the main character loses several important figures in her life- her pet dies, her father moves away, etc.- she feels the pangs of loss. This is a great book to read to children! So many children have experienced loss- when their parents get divorced, a pet dies, a grandparent dies, or a good friend moves away- but have no way of knowing that what they are feeling is NORMAL. This book helps explain that to children- that feeling sad is normal when you lose someone or something important to you. I recommend this book to anyone who has any contact with children- teachers, parents, sitters, etc. It is a great book!

Diane O'Quinn Burke's gentle duotone illustrations perfectly underscore Pat Palmer's deftly written and gentle "I Wish I Could Hold Your Hand...": A Child's Guide To Grief And Loss. Based upon sound psychology with respect to the grieving process in children, this sensitive and exceptional well written story will significantly assist a young child to identify their feeling arising from their grief including denial, anger, guilt, and sadness. The child will discover within the pages of this brief but superbly presented story that it is normal and natural to feel the pain of loss created by a friend or loved one moving away or dying -- and that they can and will come to accept the change in their life and eventually feel better.

Enough said...the author is straight forward, frank and detail oriented.
Fantastic book for the serious e-businessman/e-businesswoman.

Ken Burke is a genius!! His Intelligent system is an icon in e-commerce today. The book focuses around a system Ken developed into an empire that became what we know as MarketLive. Read the book and you'll know the system. This book is a staple in the world of e-commerce. Read it!

Ken Burke's book shows that he really "gets it", which is clearly why his company has built a growing stable of recognizable, national clients who will attest to the success of his Company's MarketLive application, which is driven by the methodologies spelled out in this book. Ken is obviously a dynamic entrepreneur who is sharply focused on providing an e-commerce selling platform that will drive sales results - in the real world, not in theory. A great tool for any firm considering how to increase their online sales.

This book is an outstanding, comprehensive guide to online sales strategies. It is full of very practical, real-world strategies to increase conversion rates and average order size while reducing cart abandonment and customer service costs. There are lots of great examples about what works and what doesn't, and useful advice on how to keep your online customers happy and returning for more. Highly recommended!

I completely LOVED reading this trilogy. Getting to the last few pages of the third book I had to stop myself from reading ahead. My friends and I read this series together and had our own theories of who the killer might be and when it was finally revealed we were shocked. Reading these books is a complete thrill ride. Now knowing the outcome I am so going to read it again. I say everyone should add this trilogy to their collection.

Who's The Real Killer!?
The Party Room "Last Call" is the third book in the party room series. This book is about a girl named Kirsten, who than recently had a friend die at the party room. There has been many murders at the party room, but she still drops in for a visit every now and than, when she's not in school. This is a good book because it always has you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next and when you think it all is over, the killer strikes again. If you don't like long books, that take quite a bit of patience, than I would suggest not reading this book. If you are a person who likes very mysterious books, The Party Room is the book for you. This is a book you should add to you library or collection.

My sista borrowed the first book and then i read it.
it was really good when u read u really want to read the other 2 books.I have finished the second book and am waiting till christmas to get the third.
The book is really interesting i like how they make u think that it is Paul Stone that killed sam and then they turn it around completely and it is not the person u thought it was. Then a whole new character comes into the book.
I can't wait to sink my teeth into the nxt one. thanks so much this is the best book i have eva read in my whole life n i aint kiddin either.
I strongly advise u 2 read dis book
cya all!!!

OMG I LUVVVV THIS SERIS>> AWSOME BOOKS. My friend recomneded it to me and i read them all and loved them. In the 3rd installment Kristin is trying to recover and move on, since the prep school killer is dead. But was he rly the killer? or was it someone eles? Kristin leaves home to NYU universtity, but still slips back to her favortite place, the party room, with Julie. Kristin feels that she is getting better, until the killer strikes again, and again. She is slowly getting closer to finding out who the killer is, which is putting her in more danger than she could imagine. Can she mangage to find the killer and make sure he is in jail, before he gets her??
read it and ull find out!!

U WONT BE DISAPOINTED>> U WILL BE ESTATIC!! AWSOME BOOOOKK>> READ IT!!! LOVED ITTT

I met Jim Burke five years ago when I purchased his book The English Teacher's Companion. It remains an invaluable source in my practice. Since then, I have added each one of Mr. Burke's books to my collection and have always found relevant and concrete information that I can take into my classroom the next day or use over the course of a unit. Jim Burke's Letters to a New Teacher is the next best thing to having Jim Burke in the room next door.

In the book, coauthored with Joy Krajicek, Mr. Burke allays the fears of a first year teacher who seeks advice on a range of topics-from classroom discipline to teaching writing to creating a unit. Each response, written in a convivial style, offers concrete solutions to Joy's problems and has already proved beneficial to me in the middle of my sixth year teaching. When creating a unit, for example, Burke offers several specific suggestions that will allow the teacher to create steps that assure student success. When teaching writing, this book has helped me to see that not only is learning to write is a process, but also learning to teach writing is as much of a process. Perhaps the most valuable lesson I learned from this book is that it helped to reaffirm for me that accepting the calling of being a teacher means accepting an eternal process of learning. There never will be an end, per se, only a deepening.

Burke includes several poems in his responses to Joy. Each one helped me to rethink what ideas I have about the teaching profession, about my students and about the ideas I have for my classroom. I strongly recommend teachers add this title to their collection. The letters in it will only help to reach for the excellence in ourselves that we demand of our students.

Jim Burke is an inspirational teacher; his books have long been a source of support and wisdom. What is so wonderful about "Letters" is the insight Jim and Joy give into the very real questions, struggles, and satisfaction we all experience as teachers. It is refreshing to read such a honest portrayal of the hearts of two teachers. I came away from the book hopeful, knowing that there are others asking the same questions I ask, even in my fifth year in the profession. Reflective teachers will relate to this book and be helped by it, no matter how long they've been at the job.

Jim Burke is one of those rare people who, when you ask him a question, turns and looks you full in the face before he gives you a reply. You get the sense that he is really listening-ruminating over his own appreciation for the question as well as his desire to genuinely answer. In his new book Letters To A New Teacher, Jim does just that. He doesn't rest on his accomplishments as an award-winning teacher--dispensing golden sound bites of truth and then walking away. Rather, he invites the reader into a conversation. A conversation initiated by Joy Krajicek. He shares the uncertainty, the failures, and the discoveries of the life of a teacher. He hears the yearning of Joy, who like many of us who teach, long to grow in our understanding of the relationship between teaching and life. For Jim teaching is not merely about a subject as much as it is about a lifestyle--a lifestyle of learning how to listen, how to recognize our own gifts, how to challenge ourselves to excellence, and how to grow our students. This is a book to be shared with every teacher, whether novice or veteran. What emerges is a fountain that brims over with encouragement.

I just finished "Letters" and I gotta say, what a tremendous book!! It is a different text than ones previously written by Jim and truthfully, I was exceptionally impressed by the intimacy. Mr. Burke reveals so much of his true self -- both as a person and as a classroom educator -- that I now feel like I know him as a friend now that I have read this book. In certain places, it's literally like a stealing a wonderful glimpse into a man's soul -- really good stuff!!!

Obviously, Jim has a gift for words. The voice of the book is strong, distinct and nakedly honest-which I absolutely loved. If there is one element which might have been my favorite, it's the fact that Jim never skirts away from the confusion, the lack of surety and the imprecision of our profession. (NOTE: I am a teacher as well.) What we do is so much more art than science and in this world of standardized tests which only measure us in a scientific manner, Jim unabashedly address the "grey" in an NCLB universe that only evaluates the black and white. To be so brave about this admission, the conceit that, "Hey, there are times when I am simply going on faith here and there I times I fall flat on my face," is bold. Especially because society's impression of what an educator should be is so unrealistic.

The misperception about educators is that they are professionals who should know exactly what they are doing at all times and know exactly how to do it in an effective manner which can be statistically quantified by evaluations and measurements. And Jim spends quality time saying, "Hey Joy, it's cool to flub it up. That's how you learn to become better in a job where you never stop either striving to become better or learning." But society doesn't want to hear that. Not when Joy's students are the ones who will ostensibly suffer. No parent wants their kids to be taught by a teacher who is inexperienced and lacks educational mastery. Yet, Jim so honestly admits that even he, the author of 13 books, an award winning veteran of the classroom, a dedicated professional (which, BTW, Jim Burke's commitment to education is the HIGHEST I have ever seen - it makes me feel like a complete and total slacker), blah, blah, blah... even Jim Burke still finds himself "flubbing it up" now and then. This book is just so human.

In my estimation, Mr. Jim Burke is to be saluted for giving voice to the paradox that is teaching. We strive to be great but we are set up by the public education system at large to be mediocre at best, with too little time, too many students and not enough resources. Yet still, we forge on.

And this book inspired me to keep doing so.

Read this book -- you will be a better person for it!!!

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Reader Views (1/07)

When Brianna of Belfore pulls Excalibur from the stone she should be the true leader of the Brits. But, it is a male-dominated world and Merlin knows the men will never follow a female leader. Arthur is a total ninny, spineless and greedy;; he quickly takes credit and claims the kingdom for his own. Arthur is now beheld as King Arthur. Merlin has a plan to set things right. He freezes Brianna and throws her into the arms of the Rock of Ages where only her true worthy mate can release her; where she will rule a kingdom.

Chasing a drack, Kerian, Lord of Mirage, is shocked when a mountain opens and spits a beautiful, dark, petite, naked woman into his arms. The drack and Kerian work together to protect the female, Brianna from Shala, Kerian's stepmother and the evil Dagon. Dagon is lord over a wicked place where people are slaves and must do his bidding. Shala, seduced by power joins forces with Dagon against Kerian.

At first Brianna thinks she is still in her era but soon learns that it is the future. A great cloud came over the earth and caused many deaths and the people reverted back to many of the ways of their ancestors, many of the animals mutated to beings with very different behavior. Rabbits are now carnivore to be feared by any in their path, they work together to plot how to capture their next meal. The drack are similar to a dragon but they blow ice instead of fire. This is a new world, one which Brianna must adapt to or die.

Brianna comes to love Zorn, the young drack, and Kerian. But can the two of them fight the evil determined to destroy the beautiful world that now exists?

"Merlin's Kiss" by Stephanie Burke is a beautifully written love story. Brianna and Kerian are meant to be with each other. The love between them is strong. Zorn was my favorite character; while he's a drack, he has so many childlike human qualities. The antagonists Shala and Dagon are easy to dislike and are perfect to play against the hero and heroine of this story. I eagerly turned the pages of this book devouring the adventures that Kerian and Brianna engaged in. I was truly convinced that I was part of the story. I foresee a great future for this writer. It is my honor to highly recommend this book to those who enjoy erotic romance.

Merlin's Kiss:
Brieana is destined to be a Warrior Queen. Her first crush is on Arthur. Getting Arthur out of yet another jam, Brieana rushes to his aid in doing so grabs a sword from a stone. "EXCALIBER". Merlin knows the world is not ready for a female Queen and places her under a sleep-spell, only to be awoken by a man her equal.

Kerian , ruler of Mirage finds a sleeping, naked woman during one of his hunts. He takes Brieana back to his castle. Kerian is a very hard man and vows never to love again, but soon finds a place for Brieana in his heart.

Kerian and Brieana learn that she is from the past and has been asleep for a very long time. She must fulfull her destiny with Kerian at her side.

What a wonderful story... I love this time era. The book was smooth, easy reading, the supporting characters were awesome. There is a evil stepmother, a evil demon trying to take over the kingdom of Mirage, and some large ice-spewing flying dragons.

This book is pure fantasy and romance....I am hoping for a sequel to hear Tybo's story.

by Nicole La Folle

Brieana had gone for a walk in the moonlight with Arthur, when she is forced to defend herself against the unwanted attentions of DeLacy. The promised couple flee the scene and coming upon a sword sticking out of a boulder, Brieana pulls it out and passes it to Arthur so he can defend them against DeLacy. When DeLacy arrives in the clearing, he immediately recognizes Excalibur and hails Arthur as King. Arthur, not being an idiot, quickly agrees that he has pulled the sword from the stone and is now the rightful King of the Britons. Brieana attempts to protest but she is stopped by Merlin. He tells her that the Britons aren't ready for a female leader. Realizing he has wronged Brieana, Merlin places her within the Rock of the Ages to be released when the world is ready for a female ruler and a man matching her in strength, honesty, power and loyalty - the virtues that make a leader great - touches the stone.

Kerian chased a purple drack into the mountains above his castle of Mirage. The purple lizard had stolen and eaten some of Kerian's chums. Kerian follows the drack into a cave and falls into a pit. When the drack taunts him and he responds, the drack is stunned to realize the man he has stolen from and trapped is Kerian - the only man in the Light Isles who can hear the drack. When Kerian attempts to climb out of the hole, the rock rumbles and opens up, spitting out a naked woman. Wrapping her in his war vest Kieran orders the drack to carry them back to Mirage, where he can properly tend to the woman.

Merlin's Kiss is a fun story that will make you both laugh and cry. Many of the traditional Arthurian legend characters are present, but not always as you would expect them to be. From the distant past to the far off future, this story takes you on a journey of discovery. Brieana does not fit into the time in which she was born, but luckily Merlin can send her to the time where she belongs. Kerian is a strong leader of many warriors, both male and female - he is just the right man for Brieana. Once again Ms. Burke has delivered an awesome tale sure to give the readers many hours of entertainment. I hope she will soon take us on another adventure to the Light Isles.

by Amy L. Turpin

Brieana is the true puller of the sword in the stone. Unfortunately, Britton is not ready for a Queen. Since Author was handy at the time, Merlin elected to use him as King rather than shake up the status quo. And we ALL know how THAT turned out. Knowing he has cheated Brieana out of her destiny, he puts her to sleep in a rock wall until such time as the Britons are ready for a Queen and a man with ability and heart to match her own frees her from his spell.

Kerian was the fiercest warrior of his time. He ruled by might, but ruled justly and compassionately. He was not King of the Britons, but rather of his own land. He also had a pesky drack problem. The young drack had broken the treaty his people held with the drackoon and Kerian was not happy to say the least. But finding the naked woman in the wall of the mountain seemed to take his mind off that a bit.

The two quickly realize their attraction to each other can not be ignored, but neither can the purple drack that had taken to Brieana. Kerian sets out with Brieana to return the drack safely home. But fate has a way of returning play at the most unexpected times and the drack, Zorn, was not meant to see his home again. With trouble brewing within Kerian's home and Kerian's own step-mother at the heart of it, Kerian and Breiana need all the help they can get. And they find it. In the guise of the enemy itself.

Personally, I'm a lover of fantasy. This book is romantica, but it is also pure fantasy! I LOVED this story! The author used imaginative creatures and legends to fill the pages of one exciting book. If fantasy is your thing, you've gotta read this.

I've used Word97 for a while, just picking up what I can when I can. I don't intend to take the Word97 exam but I do want to learn the material. I found the explanations very clear and helpful. After reading just the first chapter I had many new tips to share with coworkers. Can't wait to finish!

Superb. I looked at, and bought, a number of books focused on studying for the Word 97 Exam. This was the best. It is carefully edited, concise, and accurate. I just took the Expert test and scored 90% with the help of this book (75% is passing). Highly recommended!

This book is the best resource I've found for passing both the Proficient and the Expert exams. I passed both on the 1st try, however, I also encountered a few questions that were not covered in the book. Just make certain you have an above average user's knowledge before you try to take the exams. Otherwise, you may find this book cannot teach you all that you need to pass the exams.

I bought this book to prepare for the exam. I've used Word for years, but needed to make sure I had all the exam requirements covered. The book was perfect. It taught exactly what I needed to know. It was concise, and it presented each topic three ways: step-by-step narrative, review questions, lab exercises. I highly recommend it.

NO TIME FOR FEAR: VOICES OF AMERICAN MILITARY NURSES IN WORLD WAR II has been reprinted in softcover, latest printing 2007, ISBN 978-087013440-1.
The book contains oral histories of more than 100 nurses who served overseas in all theaters of war during the 1940s.

This book is excellent to get a real feel of what being a World War II Nurse was like. The book shares the best and worse times experienced by Nurses from around the world during very difficult days of War. I have attended signing parties and the experience and warmth is outstanding. A must read book for all World War II history readers who want to understand the real heros just doing their jobs of saving lives.

This is a wonderful look at the dedication, work and hardships of the nurses of World War II. Some of their stories have never been told and it was hard for me to put the book down. Their work was demanding, difficult and exausting but the book also tells about the fun and even some romance. Many were killed and captured. Women in combat is not a 21st century idea!

The voice of women veterans is one too seldom heard. Now, with WWII veterans dying at a rate of over 1,000 per day, those voices will all too soon become silent. WWII was the first time women joined the military, and they encountered prejudice and hardships every step of the way. The nurses who served in the military witnessed horrors that many of the men encountered, but with much less preparation and little resource for healing after the war. All but forgotten for the roles they performed, this book brings to light their stories as they can only be told- by the women veterans themselves. Much of the information is rarely found in available books, and "No Time for Fear" is an excellent resource for that information- particularly on the women who served aboard hospital ships and those who were taken as prisoners of war. The personal accounts tell stories of war as well as stories of the lighter side of day-to-day living that was the human side of life as a nurse in the military.
An excellent overall account of WWII military nursing, and one that will likely encourage the reader to delve deeper into our nation's history of female veterans.