Caldwell Books

I purchased this and the Fantasy! Cartooning book. I really wanted to polish my drawings and they looked like great resources for 'finding my style'.

I'd be considered a beginner/intermediate artist, and these benefited me greatly. Definitely work through this book before Fantasy! Cartooning. You can think of that book as an expansion pack rather than a sequel. Fantasy! Cartooning is merely tips on tweaking your style and filled with a bunch of example drawings. If you're on a budget, you can completely skip that book. (Though I still like it and keep it handy for reference.)

Now Action! Cartooning on the other hand is a goldmine of resources for beginners. He goes over everything from breaking down gestures and cartoon anatomy for beginners. Gives the basics on drawing Emotions and gives a nice resource of eye/nose/mouth styles to study. It's written to be easy to understand and filled with humor. He makes it fun!

This is a great crash course on Cartooning basics. It greatly helped improve my art and drawing from my imagination. Definitely pick this book up! Now I recommend doing some figure study before cartooning though. You really need a basic understand of human anatomy before starting cartooning. Trust me. Get some books for that as well. I picked up How to Draw the Human Figure and basically drew an assload of nude people for awhile before cartooning, and still do. It helps a TON.

This book is great. With its simple approach it's good for beginners, as well as more seasoned artists--Ben Calwell's style is FANTASTIC. For me this book works as an excellent character design book. Love it, five stars.

This is a pretty good book for the hobbyist who wants to improve his or her drawing skills, but there's no information beyond that. What do professional cartoonists do once they've finished sketching? We're never told. There's nothing about transitioning from pencil to pen, or what kind of pens to use, no mention of light boards or lettering or laying out panels, not one word about color. Do professional cartoonists use computers for any of this? We're not told. Frankly, I was disappointed. (Not to mention a tad turned off by the "Don't worry, guys!" on the back cover. What is this, the fifties?) I was looking specifically for that information, and would have given this book two stars, but you get what you pay for.

I very rarely write comments on books, but I had to make an exception for this book because it is far and away so much better than all the other books I own on cartooning. I keep it close by my desk for regular reference. When I teach my children to draw, this is the book we ALWAYS come back to. I'll probably buy a second copy soon because I am wearing my first copy out and I simply can't imagine not having this book around. Unlike other cartooning books that I find to be annoyingly wordy or too simple, this book is PACKED with vital, detailed, HOW-TO instructions on drawing dynamic figures in exciting poses. It gives you a full, easy method on how to draw ANY pose in 3-D, from ANY visual angle. It provides plenty of step-by-step instructions so you can practice this same method over and over until you master it. It provides detailed instructions and examples of important techniques like overlapping and fore-shortening, so your characters have depth, and can appear as if they are jumping off the page right at you. It gives amazing details on basic anatomy - both male and female. It shows how to draw difficult body parts like hands and feet. It also provides valuable information on character design, like explaining facial features that make a character appear young or old; how to make a character look heroic, charming, tough, or mixing these features to suggest hints of various personality traits. For example, you can mix features to create an intelligent looking, tough guy. It explains how to draw various expressions - not from templates - but how you can design your own. Most art books I buy I feel could have been cut down to half their size. But not this book - this book fits everything into only 80 pages, but every page gives you something of real value. It does not discuss color, and I would have like to have seen a section on dealing with hair, but other than that, the book is - far and away - the best value in cartooning that I own. If you want to learn to cartoon action figures - not copy them - but really create your own dynamic and exciting poses from scratch - right out of you own imagination, then buy this book. You won't regret it.

I have several books on drawing the human figure and this is in the top two. Lots of great ideas and examples, and they're all very carefully drawn to avoid throwing the student off. Some books have vague or confusing examples; the examples here are always clear and straightforward and easy to mimic. Great examples of head poses; over the shoulder, tilted, etc., in relationship to the body.

I bought this used for a pittance and boy, did I ever get a bargain.

Not only is this an entertaining story with interesting characters; there's something about it that makes you want to go have your own adventure. The books the ladies read throughout the year are familiar to most people - but it's how they take their book club discussions to the next level and actually live a theme from each book that will really get to you. You'll enjoy the story but you'll enjoy even more all the inspiring ideas it gives you.

it was good. not exactly predictable, so that's always a plus. simply put, just a light enjoyable read. i'll be looking for the follow-ups to this novel.

"Daring Chloe" by the sublime Laura Jensen Walker

What book lover hasn't wished that they could float down the Mississippi with Jim and Huck? Or be sitting in the courtroom while Atticus Finch gave closing arguments?
All her life Chloe Adams has been "Chloe the Timid." The rest of this Adams clan isn't mysterious or spooky, but our little caterpillar is definitely just a bit kooky. On one branch of Chloe's family tree is Julia the perfect. Another little twig is Chloe's cousin Erica, a Nellie Olson carbon copy.
Chloe's wedding march towards happily ever after comes to a screeching halt when her betrothed breaks up by text message Chloe is shaken to her core. Her Aunt Tess's sons volunteer to make Chris disappear Soprano style.
Fellow Paperback Girls book club babes Tess and Becca whisk her away, on a Mend Your Broken Heart Cruise, what would have been her honeymoon.
When Chloe thinks back on how she met Becca flashes of lime green polka dots and a fake red nose come to mind. This fellow book nut works at the local book store, and that's how she made an entrance into Chloe's world. Becca is the friend who would scuba dive for the thrill of a shark encounter. At the thought of a little deep sea diving all Chloe hears is the Jaws theme.
When they return from the honeymoon that wasn't Becca and Chloe become roomies at the condo where the lovebirds were supposed to build their nest.
At the next Paperback Girls pow-wow the plan is hatched: They'll build adventures around the book club choices. Jane Austen's "Emma" inspires a night of harmless matchmaking,
As they go along the escapades become more outrageous and bold. There's a rafting trip in Huck's honor. On a camping trip thanks to "A Walk in the Woods' Chloe is ready to face down a bear for the safety of the others. This tame grizzly is a slobbering Newfoundland.
Julia the Perfect is falls off her pedestal when Chloe has to face the "scene of her nightmares" the bridal shop. The last great voyage of the book finds the Paperback/Getaway gals in Nutella rapture in Paris. While there Chloe falls in love--with the Eiffel Tower. And the butterfly starts to emerge from her cocoon in a little chapel in France.
There's part of a quote in the book (every chapter begins with a quote), from "French Women Don't Get Fat" "Laughs are like wild mushrooms, they don't come to you." Well, Laura Jensen Walker can serve up laughter and tears on a silver platter.
"Daring Chloe" is a slice of heaven for bookworms everywhere. Bookworms are actually a species of tapeworm. As we watch Chloe take flight into her chapter you realize Laura Jensen Walker is the kind of author you want as a tour guide, no matter where she takes you; you just want to be invited along for the ride. "Daring Chloe is a book lovers feast--Bon appetit--it's quite delicious, and it's also tres magnifique.

Laura Jensen Walker's books are always fun to read, and usually when I pick up one of her books, by the bottom of the first page, I wonder exactly when it is that she tapped into my brain. I didn't connect with the main character, Chloe, that directly in this novel, however it is for the most part a very enjoyable read. One of the things I appreciate about this work of chick lit is that it doesn't revolve around the heroine's job---or loss of her job. Though she's fearful, she's not angst-ridden like most chick-lit heroines. She's down-to-earth and relatable. The idea of a group of women of different ages and backgrounds not only forming a book club but planning 'adventures' based on the novels they're reading makes me want to go out and start a similar group. However, a couple of times, I found myself skimming through a lot of their discussions of the books (or the rabbit-trail conversations these discussions led to) because they didn't seem to further the plot much---and they came across as somewhat of an advertisement for certain books or movies. But each adventure the ladies went on were fun and reasonable. I love the fact that they had to save for a year to take their trip to Paris instead of being able to just pick up and go at a moment's notice, as would happen in many other chick-lit books.

Where I did get a little frustrated was in the last 25% of the book, which is basically a travelogue of Paris. Not being enthralled with Paris/all-things-French myself, the frequent use of French words/phrases/sentences and the blow-by-blow of everything the ladies do in Paris got a little tedious for me. But if you love Paris and have always wanted to visit, you'll probably thoroughly enjoy that part. All-in-all, though, an enjoyable read and a great start to a new series by one of my favorite authors.

Daring Chloe is a great summer read that will have you booking your flight to Paris by the last page. Chloe is an endearing character who is jilted by text message and leaps from her bookish comfort zone into life on the edge - with a little help from her friends. Laura Jensen Walker's snappy prose and beautiful description make us all yearn for adventure, and for good friends like Chloe's.
Debbie Fuller Thomas

I sure wish I had this book a few years back, I might would have made wiser choices when dealing with dishonest men. I am surprised that men could devise such schemes to deceive people, I don't think I will ever underestimate men again. The whole web of deceit they create is sordidly ingenius!!

This book is the most telling insightful book ever written about lying. It can happen to you (regardless of age, financial circumstance, education, looks etc.)---that's the biggest thing to recognize---prepare yourself. I am buying this book for all of my single friends. I read it cover to cover and it gave me everything I needed to assess the situation, understand why it happened, heal, act, and prevent it again.

While this book is written with the male being the Romantic Liar, it applies equally to the reverse situation.

This is a very important book and should be read by everyone who wants a better understanding of the dynamics of the romantic relationship process. The book is filled with actual case studies. Some are truly heart breaking and it is fairly easy to think that you could never be duped by some smooth talking Romantic Liar. As Dr. Caldell points out, it can and does happen to well adjusted people.

Not only does Sally do a great job of pointing out six of the tell tale signs of a Romantic Liar, she goes into great detail concerning the healing process. If you have been or are currently in a deceptive relationship, this is the most important part of the book. All too often people think they are able to change their partner. As Dr. Caldwell points out, it will not happen. It is difficult enough to change our own behavior, even when we want to. It is nearly impossible to change the behavior of someone else. And the Romantic Liar would be one of the toughest to change.

The best advise for anyone caught in an abusive or deceptive relationship is to leave as quickly as possible. While we all have the desire to let a person know that we know how low life they are, there is nothing to be gained by confrontation and often it can cost you - not the person you have the confrontation with. Just don't do it.

While the book was written for women, it gives great insight into the dynamics of romantic relationships. Even though the book deals with highly dsyfuncational relationships, it can offer some insight and guidelines into all relationships.

Well worth reading.

After many years on Amazon and many books, this is the first review I am compelled to write.

I'm an educated, successful woman in my early 30's, and have just gone through a classic romantic deception (I never thought I would be 'stupid' enough to fall for such schlock). All of us are susceptible, and if we were only taught early on, we would be much less so. The material in this book should be shared in a seminar format with every young woman in high school.

This book has great substance and covers much more than 'the six signs', including getting out of the involvement safely (as these men are often dangerous) and getting over it (in the chapter 'Some things you need to know'), as well as nipping it in the bud should such a situation possibly present itself again (in the chapter 'Survival guide').

Importantly, it helps you to understand that if you've gone through this it's not because you're an idiot. And, if you haven't gone through it, you are naieve to think that you're too smart to. Basically, if you are an honest person yourself, it is normal for you to expect that those around you are honest - especially in intimate situations. But, shockingly, this is not always the case. This book helps you to become aware of the worst type of dishonesty that is out there, and how to spot it before you get used (or come to grips with it if you already have been).

I think this knowledge will also help one to be more appreciative when they really have come across a great catch, which can only be truly known after careful scrutiny - and this book certainly helps with the scrutiny part.

Buy it. It's a small investment with a big return for your heath and safety.

I so wished I'd read this book 6 months ago. I was a victim of Romantic Deception. The red flags were all there and I didn't want to see them.

Sally explains in detail why this happens and how to NOT blame ourselves. We think we did something wrong. She also explains how these men almost have sociopathic tendencies and they KNOW they are lying, yet continue the relationship anyway.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for any woman out there who is in the dating world, ESPECIALLY if you are doing the online thing.

A MUST HAVE BOOK.

I'm from Southeastern MA. I've actually met people who Mr. Tasca Sr worked for as a grease mechanic in his youth. And I've seen his church, St Rocco, in Johnston RI. Never met Mr. Tasca nor had the chance to buy from him, although his Ford/Lincoln dealership hours, and how you are threated hold true to the narrative. Folks who know him can vouch he's a stickler for getting things right.

I've practiced the concepts, as much as my employers afforded me to at various occasions . I will tell you some of his decisions are empowering, and do deliver satisfaction. His emphasis on efficiency has a lot to do with deliverying total satisfaction since you can only afford to provide satisfaction if you are efficiency oriented.

As an attestment to his sucess, his new store in Cranston, RI, and his Volvo store in Seekonk, MA are something worth looking into, in stark contrast with other failed Ford franchisees around the area ( I won't mention names in fairness to other franchisees ).

Tony

I am currently experiencing poor customer service from my local Ford dealership and from the parent company, Ford of Canada. I won't go into specifics but it involves a warranty claim that is dragging on for almost 4 months now. That said, I read Bob Tasca's book, and I only wish that the current bureaucracy at Ford be locked into a room, be forced to read this book, and then be forced to implement Mr Tasca's methods. The Ford Motor Company is losing a record amount of dollars and it's market share is plummeting, all because of lack of attention to customer service. Indeed, I would state they appear to hold their customers in contempt. "You Will Be Satisfied" is not a book about rocket science; rather, it is a book about common sense and a moral obligation to do the best one can for the customer. Mr Tasca values his customers and will go out of his way to earn their future business. Suffice to say, Ford in 2007 is seemingly doing all it can to alienate it's once loyal customers, and it deserves to be in the dire situation it is now in.

Most of the book is informative and understandable. However, I wish there was some more statistics and less "trust me" behind the buy versus lease question. Not all lease buyers can write off lease costs, for example.

This book opens our eyes. Sure, we feel that we know what we should be doing. Many times we are right in our hunches. Yet, we still do not always do what needs to be done. Instead, out of either laziness or taking the easy road, we fail because it is so easy to do so. Besides, the customer will always walk in the door. Right? As this book reminds us, the customer may never be back. It is in the insight of a professioanl like Tasca that we are reminded of wehat we may already know. Again, our implementation of these rules which he explains simply, we will achieve. Another book I encourage is "Cars and People: How to Put the Two Together."

After the owner of our store read the book all employees read it . Then the owner flew to meet Mr Tasca at his store ,he spent 3 days there, wa sgiven the tour of his store, he spent quite a bit of time meeting with Mr Tasca and his sons talking about his philosophy and way of doing business .What a place !! upon returning we have instatuted The same 7 day return policy that Mr Tasca has as well as putting 3month 3000 mile waranties on our cars.it took some faith in our selves and our business to go all the way but we have and we have not regreted it one bit,, Great Book

The book arrived almost immediately, in better shape than promised. Seller followed up to confirm receipt. I was very satisfied with this vendor and would recommend them without hesitation. MOM

This book by F.A. Hayek is eye-opening and terrifying in this age of Obama and Socialism (which is a code word for Marxism and Communism). In the book, you learn of the reasons for the failure of socialism and why it always fails and always will fail.

This definitive edition has been edited and provided with a Foreword and Introduction by Bruce Caldwell who retained the prefaces and forewords of earlier editions. The text has been enhanced by explanatory notes and new appendices that are listed at the end of this review.

Even after six decades, The Road To Serfdom remains essential for understanding economics, politics and history. Hayek's main point, that whatever the problem, human nature demands that government provide the solution and that this is the road to hell, remains more valid than ever. He demonstrated the similarities between Soviet communism and fascism in Germany and Italy.

The consensus in post-war Europe was for the welfare state which seemed humane and sensible for a long time. Now it is clear that this has led to declining birth-rates amongst native Europeans, mass immigration from North Africa and the Middle East, and a tendency to exchange their ancient cultural values for multiculturalism and moral relativism which is just another form of nihilism as the French philosopher Chantal Delsol observes.

In this timeless classic, Hayek examines issues like planning and power, the fallacy of the utopian idea, state planning versus the rule of law, economic control, totalitarianism, security and economic freedom. He brilliantly explains how we are faced with two irreconcilable forms of social organization. Choice and risk either reside with the individual or s/he is relieved of both. Societies that opt for security instead of economic freedom will in the long run have neither.

Complete economic security is inseparable from restrictions on liberty - it becomes the security of the barracks. When the striving for security becomes stronger than the love of freedom, a society gets into deep, deep trouble. The way to prosperity for all is to remove the obstacles of bureaucracy in order to release the creative energy of individuals.

The government's job is not to plan for progress but to create the conditions favorable to progress. This has been proved by the impressive economic expansion under Reagan and Thatcher and by the amazing growth of the Asian Tiger economies, and most recently India since it started implementing sensible economic policies. Everywhere entrepreneurial energy is unshackled, massive improvements follow.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the contrast between phenomenal growth in formerly communist countries like Estonia or Poland or even the economic health of the UK as measured against the stagnant economies of Germany and France during the first years of the millennium. Old Europe would have benefited by a Thatcher and the French would have welcomed Polish plumbers instead of being resentful.

Hayek warns against utopian yearnings that are exploited by politicians, the stealthy way in which welfarism diminishes individual freedom, the totalitarian impulse and different types of propaganda. As pointed out by Chantal Delsol in Icarus Fallen, lack of personal responsibility leads to perpetual adolescence where citizens conflate desires with rights. Defining this process as the "sacralization" of rights, she shows that freedoms are then transformed into entitlements.

What a pity people don't learn; what a blessing we have in The Road to Serfdom as a reminder and a warning. The new Appendix of Related Documents include: Nazi-Socialism (1933), Reader's Report by Frank Knight (1943), Reader's Report by Jacob Marschak (1943), Foreword to the 1944 American Edition by John Chamberlain, Letter from John Scoon to C. Hartley Grattan (1945) and Introduction to the 1994 Edition by Milton Friedman. The book concludes with an index.

I read this book while in high school, many people thought that I was radical and was being taken in by ideas that sounded great but never worked in principle. Essentially I was surrounded by people who approved of government expansion, as long as it was in their interest, this included fellow students and teachers, who in lectures about US history and government espoused the greatness of the government and those presidents who contributed the most to its expansion. This book readily refutes many of the claims that government expansion is not bad so long as the people helming the expansion are benevolent.

It has become to be interesting to watch the news after reading this book, you will instantly see claims to more regulation of the lives of others and appointing people from academia to run these operations. If ever someone questions this arrangement, such as with the Fed, people will either claim that they do not know enough about the area being regulated or that the examples they point to of regulation gone wrong was an anomaly, enlightened and well-written legislation will solve the problems that may arise from regulation. But through reading this book you realize that the very nature and incentive structure of the bureaucratic system leads even the most well-meaning individuals to stray and even those that do not face the inevitable negative consequences that develop when the government tries to defy economic laws and limit the freedom of its constituents.

This book should be required reading for those in high school (maybe even middle school, but many would not have the historical or vocabulary necessary to understand much of the book) and above. It was relevant in its time, yet it is even more relevant now, because then the fight was obvious, the enemies clear, and the motives and goals of all involved clearly defined. Now the enemies are those who wish us well, those who believe they are doing good when they are actually doing the most harm. The enemies of freedom today, more than ever, use gradual erosion, much like boiling frog, of liberty until waking up one day, we realize much of our freedom is gone. Hayek discusses concepts like these and more, it is a testament to his understanding of the workings of government and the incentives that go along with in addition to understanding basic economic principles that make this work so timeless.

This edition is indeed the definitive, it corrects some of the citation errors in the original and provides many footnotes that help with some of the references Hayek makes to lesser known historical figures, works and events. The index is well done and helps greatly in finding those concepts you want to look over. The Preface to the Original Editions, Foreword to the 1956 and the Preface to the 1976 editions are welcome, they provide added insight, such as what the author wished to change and why he left certain elements the same across the editions. The introduction is something else, a great summary of what Hayek went through to publish this book and what lead him down the path to publishing the book while also putting the book into a historical context and explaining its continued relevance. It is a wonderful look at the history behind the book itself and Hayek as well. Lastly, the Appendix provides several reads that are insightful, the introduction to the 1994 edition by Milton Friedman is welcome. Bruce Caldwell has done a brilliant job with this edition, I find it hard to see anyone making a better edition, this is indeed the definitive.

People, scenarios, governments - these all change with time, but the basic laws underlying economics and the workings of government do not. Just because people want to end poverty, hunger, unequal distribution of wealth and other malaises of modern life, does not mean using force and the government will cure them. As Hayek noted, "Is there a greater tragedy imaginable than that, in our endeavour consciously to shape our future in accordance with high ideals, we should in fact unwittingly produce the very opposite of what we have been striving."

Friedrich Hayek, the Nobel prize winning economist, wrote this brilliant classic as a critique of government intervention and manipulation in markets. I am neither an economist nor a political scientist, but I was led to this book after watching with horror the recent outrages that are consciously being inflicted on us by our elected officials, most recently the bailout and socialization of the two giant mortgage lenders, Freddie and Fannie. I couldn't remember that I ever received any share of the loot when those companies were making huge profits and their CEOs were earning tens of millions per year, but now I find that our elected officials have written a blank check in my name, the taxpayer, to bail out these companies' losses and stupidity, and then handed the check to a group of unelected officials (and, surprise, surprise, those two companies spend hundreds of millions on congressional lobbying). Privatize the gains, socialize the losses: sounds like a win-win situation for somebody.

This kind of disastrous socialism is exactly what Hayek critiques in devastating form in this book, specifically government control of the economy. Apparently, they say, this book has been very influential, but a layman could certainly never tell by looking around. Hayek was writing from the perspective of a central European who had recently witnessed first-hand the unfolding development of National Socialism (Nazism) in Germany, and he is warning that the exact same attitudes and policies that had been followed in Germany were uncritically being followed by the Allies, merely at a few years distance.

He begins by recollecting the ideals of old, classic liberalism, "the forgotten road". Of course, in Hayek's context, "liberal" means the true, historic liberalism of limited government, free markets, and private property, not "liberal" in the bastardized sense somehow hijacked by Leftists to mean unlimited government, socialized markets and massive forced wealth redistribution. He looks at the rise of collectivist thinking versus individual (it's all for the greater good); the problems of central planning in a democracy (someone in power makes the economic decisions for everybody else); the downfall of the Rule of Law (government is no longer bound by fixed rules announced beforehand but instead possesses arbitrary power limited only by its own discretion); the inextricable link between centralized economic planning and totalitarian regimes (if we're going to follow a plan, someone's got to force everyone to follow it); the problem of deciding how the society's production will be distributed; a chapter showing that "nothing is more fatal than the present fashion among intellectual leaders of extolling security at the expense of freedom" (Republicans apparently didn't get the memo); how in a socialized economy the worst individuals inevitably rise to the top (Really? Can it be? Obama and McCain?); the necessity of manipulating truth in a socialized society; and the fact that Nazism was a direct outgrowth of socialism and socialist ideology.

The relevance of the points enumerated above does not require comment. We are running madly down the road to serfdom, which is the road of socialism. Unfortunately for those of us who are being dragged along against our will, history is not neutral, and we will suffer the consequences of other peoples' decisions, just as the Jews in Germany did and the Russians in the Soviet Union did. Socialism has always led to poverty and oppression, and freedom, on the rare occasions it has been tried, has produced unparalleled prosperity. Hayek shows in detail why. We've decided to give socialism another try. God help us.

If you want a great overveiw of how to apply flames, this is the book. If you want to learn how to apply flames, this is the place to start. It gives detailed instructions, materials, and brand names, so you get started right, and getting started right gives you a great base for gaining expearance.

This really does show you how to paint flames and in lots of styles. Well worth picking up if this area interests you.

I bought this book for my brother since he paints flames on cars as a hobby. He was THRILLED to receive this book. He said it will really help him fine-tune his skills.

This is a very inspirational book! great tutorials and very nice information about some general fields in custom painting. If you feel you like some flame works, you'll find this book leads you to flame almost anything around you... BEWARE! maybe you never stop!

I suggest to read this book together with "How to paint your car" also from Motorbooks, this one first because maybe you'd like to start with some nice graphics before putting yourself on a whole car painting job.

The best instructional book I have ever read regarding Flame design, inspiration and how-to. It covers every aspect there is in the world of flamework; from traditional flames,wall-of-flames,realistic and ghost flames. Not only does it give you an in-sight into the world of creativity but gives a step-by-step guide to all products used and why they are used. In a nutshell, if you are considering the thought of customising Mom's shopping wagon, this book is for you!!!

The Romance Of Atlantis is a really good book, i love reading stories of mythical places. This book made me become an Atlantis fannatic. I give it the highest rating.You should read it!

I read this book so many years ago (I'm 46) and yet I've never forgotten it! I just told my daughter who is an avid reader, about this remarkable book and the remarkable woman who wrote it and my 8 year old daughter now wants to read it, too!
I can't believe the price at [$$$]! Doesn't that tell you something? Please get this book BACK IN PRINT. So many would value from its entrancing images, telling words.

If you've ever read any of Taylor Caldwell's works, you have likely recognized pure genius. But this book takes the cake. She wrote The Romance of Atlantis at the age of twelve, yet it is amazing in its intuitive sence of a world unimaginable to a child in the early 1910's. Perhaps Caldwell really did live in Atlantis at one time...

This is a romance novel, but with a political intrigue element that will keep male and female interested indeed. The incredible thing about this novel, is that Taylor Caldwell wrote this when she was 12! The book is an entertaining twist of maybe accidential cold war history back in the time of Atlantis. Weapon system disarment, overtaxation and a decadent and lazy culture are all discussed against a young and cold weathered enemy. Sound familiar. This should be published agAIN, JUST BECAUSE IT IS GOOD.

A glimpse of the enchanting and sought after Atlantis. Atlantis comes alive with the complex charachter portrayals and detailed descriptions of a Fantastic world. Experience the mundane and the thrills of what it FEELS like.to be Atalantian. Discover What happened! Brilliant, and as always, applicable to our lives today The miracle is that Ms Caldwell wrote this book when she was only in the eighth grade. No one commands English vocabulary quite like Taylor Caldwell. If you have ever had an inkling of Curiosity about Atlantis this is a Must read!!! You do not want to miss this one!!

This book was recommended to me by my dear friend, Harriet Cutler. When I asked her for a book recommendation she thought I'd like this for it's flashbacks into the Investment Banking business as it related to a young woman who inherited her father's wealth. Not only did I LOVE the book but I got so much more out of it. There were lines in the book that really made me step back and think. For instance:
'It's a funny thing about love: you don't need to have it returned to love somebody. Loving's enough.'
or
'You can be happy without money and you can be wretched with it. It depends on what kind of person you are.'
or
'I'm not the scoundrel you think I am; if you had ever taken the time to learn about me you'd even have liked me.'
or
'If people are lucky enough to have family they should cultivate it.'
or
'We all choose how to look at life.'
or
'How can you keep resentment alive so long?'
or
'Really, half the troubel and misery and pain people have is brought on by themselves. They either talk too much or not enough.'
or
'He had his preconceived frame of reference, and he thought everyone should fit into it. Why does everyone believe his own particular reality is the only reality?'
or
'Every day is different, and in some way we change every day.'
...need I say more? Well, believe it or not, there is more.
A great family saga of a story...

This is the very best book I have ever read. It totally dispicts the power or corruption money has on people. Some people think that money is power and that's all there is. They forget about family, friends, and God. Only to discover that money doesn't keep you happy or provide you friendship. You end up rich and lonely. I loved this book. I have a step-mother who could be the starring character in this book. I've been looking for this book for a long time. Couldn't remember the name. The first chapter in this book is the best since "It was the best of times, etc,etc." Absolutely loved this book.

My mother had this book on her shelf for many years. She just read it again and recommended it to me. Not only is this book well written, but the character sketches are absolutely fascinating. This book truly reveals the tragedy and ugliness, yet the hope and redemption that can be found in all mankind. A Prologue to Love truly gave me an insight into why many people just don't seem to operate in ways most of us can understand.

Taylor Caldwell does a masterful job of enabling the reader to actually see and become part of this novel. This is on the order of The East of Eden by Steinbeck...only better. What a great job of comparing the struggle between love and money! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone that wants a really great read.

I first read "A Prologue to Love" when I was a young girl and it
remains the best novel I've ever read. I love Caldwell's rigorous intelligence, crisp avoidance of sentimentality for pure and honest emotion, and the sheer force of her language - she would have made a formidable lawyer or stateswoman. The book is sweeping but in the end a simple parable about how we can be blind to what is truly important and enduring because of fears born of ignorance, abused innocence and deprivation of love. I didn't understand the political commentary until later readings, but when I saw it, it just added another layer of richness to the story.
Read this book!

This is, by far, the best book I have ever read. Taylor Caldwell's writing style allows the reader a vivid sense of the character's personalities and lifestyles. You feel like you are right there in the era, in their homes and in their lives. The best part of the book is realizing the true meaning that many readers could never identify with in their personal lives. Hopefully, you are not one of those people. You will want to share this book with others, after you have read it as quickly as you can, because you won't want to put it down!

I love the way Colleen Coble writes her mystery stories. This was another exceptional book of mystery and intrigue, plus a little bit of romance as well. I couldn't wait to read the next book in her series.

In BLACK SANDS, we are gifted with what Coble does so well--a furry little creature named Wilson (who I would love to have curled up in my lap at this moment), a setting we can smell and touch, and an ending that leaves us satisfied.

Even though this is book two in her Aloha Reef series, don't worry if you haven't read DISTANT ECHOES. This one stands alone.

I like this book.

Black Sands is the second installment in the Aloha Reef series by Colleen Coble. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, Distant Echoes, the characters in Black Sands truly resonated with me.

Annie, the middle child in the Tagama family, is always the one behind the scenes keeping everything running smoothly, especially since her mother's death. Mano, her brother Tomi's best friend and Annie's childhood crush, has been like part of the family for years. But that all changes when Tomi is reported dead and Mano implicated in part for his death.

When Mano returns Tomi's belongings to the Tagama family the same day Annie's sister Leilani goes missing, Annie is forced to turn to him for help in finding her sister, in spite of her very mixed feelings.

The twists & turns of the story are exciting, but it is Annie & Mano who touched my heart. They are both strong but very human characters dealing with their individual weaknesses in realistic and faith filled ways. The spiritual growth of the characters, especially Annie, is as compelling to me as the suspenseful storyline.

I would recommend this book highly.

I am a loyal true-blue fan of Colleen Coble. She didn't disappoint me with Black Sands. Wonderful story, beautifully crafted with nail-biting tension. The setting was wonderful, I felt like I was there. The characters were so wonderfully flawed and real. The plot kept you guessing and everything they tried to do only compounded matters like the lava building up under the islands. I loved Mano and Annie, as they stumbled through the mystery and their growing attraction to one another. I loved Wilson. I have to get me a mongoose now, :0). The secondary characters were also well done, I closed the book feeling like I had made a whole bunch of new friends. (I also stayed up until 2:00am to finish it because I couldn't bear not knowing what happened.)

The book is not preachy, but it has definate take away value. At least it did for me. I know Colleen only wants to do God's will. I want her to know that she touched me with her work.

And now I can quit hiding it and let my son have it to read. (I think my hubby read it during the times I didn't have it clutched in my hands.) Can't wait for Dangerous Depths.

If you've never read a Colleen Coble novel, click on the BUY NOW button IMMEDIATELY. If you love suspense with clever twists and turns, a romance that will warm your heart, and a storyline that leaves you filled with hope and promise, you won't be disappointed!

Black Sands, the second book in the Aloha series, blew me away! While in a series, Black Sands is easily a stand-alone novel. Set in Hawaii, Coble weaves the island culture and scenery into the story so masterfully that you can almost feel the ocean breeze kissing your face! With a strong heroine and an even stronger hero, you can't help but fall in love with these characters--become emotionally involved in the drama they face--and root them on to not only find the heroine's missing sister, rediscover the love they are destined to share, but also to be refilled with their faith.

This book is one of the best I've read in a long time! Get it. Read it. Devour the pages. It's a must-read!

For more of my personal reviews, visit my website at (...)

Not everyone is ready to be a parent. "So I Was Thinking About Adoption: Considering Your Choices" is for women who are faced with the life changing situation of an unplanned pregnancy. Outlining everything a woman needs to know, guidance for dealing with one's family and the father, and a step-by-step walkthrough for the process, it leaves nothing out. "So I was Thinking About Adoption" is a must for any woman who is facing a tough decision in nine months or less.

So I Was Thinking About Adoption... is an informative, helpful and straight to the point book. Small enough to fit in your purse, but packed with questions and answers to help may an informed decision. I love the journal areas and inviting images.

This attractive book is practical, personal and powerful to any woman considering adoption as a parenting choice. Written in a compassionate and straight-talking voice, it asks relevant questions and provides trusted resources to assist her in exploring adoption. This guidebook not only helps her navigate personal thoughts about adoption, but it also helps her talk to her family, friends and the father of her baby as well. To offer a realistic view the book highlights personal stories of others who have chosen adoption for their baby. Pregnancy resource centers, counselors and even Obstetricians should make this resource available to all of their clients experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.

I like that this book is short enough to read in one sitting and is very easy to understand! It has honest answers to the difficult questions that women facing an unplanned pregnancy may have. The author provides women thinking about adoption with the resources to make an informed decision. I would definitely recommend it to a friend considering her pregnancy choices!

This book is a beautifully crafted guide for women with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy who wants to consider adoption... and I do mean CONSIDER. This book doesn't push or even guilt anyone into choosing adoption, but rather gives the facts and encourages women to make their own choice.

Adoption is defintiely a choice, and should be more included when we are discussing pro-life or pro-choice approaches. Adoption is a beautiful third option that lets a woman who is abortion minded choose life for her child but not have to be a mom at this time. So truly, the best of both choices.

This book is a wonderful guide and I hope that it receives the wide distribution it deserves.

[...]