Carter Books

Did Forrest Carter have character flaws? Well so did Ricard Wagner.

These are the best two westerns I've ever read. For all his faults, Carter could write.

I loved the movie, but the book was far better.

Forrest Carter did a great job depicting the violence of the post-civil war era. Especially in the South Central part of the country that was never written about in our history books. A very descriptive representation of how things really were. No wonder Clint Eastwood bought the rights to the book for his movie.

Steve Thompson

Great story. Great action. Much grittier than the movie, this book doesn't pull punches when it comes to blood-lettin' the in the finest traditions of the Missouri guerilla-outlaw turned Texan. The characters are well-developed and the "code" underlying Wales' and Lone Watie's partnership is richly detailed. Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey novels are for politically correct sissies. This book and its two novels tell it like it really was. If you like westerns, you'll find this to be one of the best you've ever read!

I READ BOTH BOOKS AS SOON AS I GOT IT. IF FOUND BOTH BOOKS VERY EASY TO READ AND VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO LIKES REALISTIC WESTERN / REAL LIFE TYPE STORIES.

EXCELLENT READ.

This is absolutely fantastic western fiction. The struggle of a post-war confederate guerrilla moves with great speed and energy. It is easy to understand why Clint Eastwood tried to capture this on film, but (no surprise) the book is much better. Only one other western on my Top Ten Books list: The Virginian. Carter's book is THAT good.

amazing amazing amazing. get it, get it now! Perfect for those starting out or those needing quick access to info. contains everything

Great book, has everything you need to know and more about the backstage theatre just a useful book to have handy

The Backstage Handbook is the most comprehensive guide to technical theatre...and could serve as a reference beyond the stage. I was absolutely amazed at the sheer volume of information the author could fit in such a small book. It really has everything imaginable. It covers tools and machines as well as common production techniques. In addition, the Backstage Handbook covers the math and science needed behind the scenes. Need to know how to make a dodecahedron? This book will tell you how to scribe one inside a circle. The handbook also covers architectural details that are common for most American & European styles. I just received the handbook and my students and I have dubbed it the "bible" because of it's binding, but most definitely the content! This is a must-have for anybody who has a need for knowledge of practical math and science applications.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone working behind the scenes as a stage hand or anyone in show business.

This is an unusual book and I haven't seen another like it. I bought a couple of copies for co-workers in the TV studio I manage. Good reference.

It's about time someone has put in writting what everyone has been thinking. This is great eye opener for those in business or thinking about starting a business. We have all experienced "Dead People Working." Wheather a fellow worker,employee or perhaps our self. BOOM! can explode your business into what you first dreamed it could be. Get it NOW!

I truly don't understand what the fuss is all about. In terms of background, I am a successful entrepreneur and business owner who has read a hundred of these types of books. I found this book vague, rather remedial and the authors simply regurgitated the same old stuff. It sounds very much like their book "Guts" which was actually a pretty good read. I feel you would be much better off re-reading one of the classics like Think & Grow Rich, an early book by Dale Carnegie or a true new classic like Visionary Life or Visionary Business by Marc Allen. Trust me .... you will thank me.

Kevin and Jackie tell it like it is in BOOM! They have the highest respect for us as people because they believe we are responsible for our choices and that we can change them to make the biggest contributions to others we can in life. This book confront you with choices and principles that you can't hide from, and provides numerous inspiring and heart warming examples of real people who have lived out those principles. You'll be a different person for the better after reading this book!

This book is an explosion of ideas that will change the way you do business and change the way you live your life. I'm definitely adding this book to my recommended reading list for my Corporate Culture Class at UCSD. Kevin and Jackie should be proud of this "dynamite" book!

Having been in the business world for nearly 30 years and in a leadership role for over 25 years, I've long credited being an avid reader as an integral part of my success. In nearly 30 years of reading, I have never followed reading a book by purchasing 50 copies for our leadership team and valued stakeholders in our business, but that is exactly what I did after reading BOOM. The message in BOOM! could not be delivered in any more of a timely fashion and effective method. I urge, no demand that you read BOOM as quickly as you can if indeed you are interested in taking your performance to an unprecedented level. Fantastic job to the Freiberg's on delivering a "must read" to business leaders. Allen M. Fredrickson, President/CEO Signature Performance, Inc.

Wow! And wow again! As far as I am aware, this is a break out novel for Sharon Carter Rogers, and she just made it to the top of my authors-to-watch list.

Sinner is a story that, while somewhat predictable in outcome, is a compelling journey. Rogers weaves a tale of past and present to a surprise living-connection between two engaging characters.

CK Ivors is a name without a face to most of the world. But to her charming entourage she is boss, author, and Superman collector extraordinaire. The Sinner is mystery man, vigilante and urban-legend all rolled into one. He's been quiet for years but he's on the move again - wearing a cool grey coat. CK Ivors is desperate for the subject of her next book and finds it in The Sinner. CK and her team are some of the most engaging characters - and I do mean "characters" - I have met in my reading of late. Rogers does a fabulous job of making the reader fond of this unlikely collection of talent that hunts down the famous Sinner legend, and eager to read more of their collaborations.

The conclusion of the story finds CK confronting the past and The Sinner confronting forgiveness. It's a soft approach to the message that is accessible and uncomplicated. Sinners in both camps - forgiven and otherwise - will find this a poignant and fitting end.

I'm amazed at how adept Rogers is at pacing and transition, as well as the already mentioned character development. She weaves a tale of ins and outs that could leave you needing a score card, but does it without so much as a moment of confusion or anxiety. What should happen at just the right time - does, leaving the reader wholly gratified and not the least bit disappointed. Don't know where she came from, but this is one author I won't miss next time!

The short and sweet of it is that Sharon Carter Rogers has written an amazing piece of work. Sinner was captivating from the start. Her story telling technique drew me in and held me throughout. She masterfully employed a layering technique in both plot and character development wherein details and structure were withheld from the reader until it became almost crucially necessary.

The story itself is a brilliant concept. The world which Sharon created and the mythology of the titular character were so very well thought out and developed. Nothing felt rushed, stretched or required jumping to conclusions in order to get where she wanted you to go. In fact, I found that when I did jump to conclusions, I was more often than not wrong. And not because of the employment of some deus ex machina or literary slight of hand. Her storyline and subplots followed a logical, progressive order that kept every aspect of the story neatly wrapped up with no loose ends or unanswered questions at the end of the book.

As for the characters themselves, each was well developed, well executed and believable, from main character CK Ivers down to supporting roles and "extras." The dialogue and back stories made each of the characters interesting and each played their parts well with none seeming as though they weren't crucial to the story. And, I might add, Sharon showed us just enough of these characters to make me want more of them. I can only hope we will one day.

I have, over the past 4 months made a concerted effort to reach out and discover authors which I had not yet heard of or read. Sharon Carter Rogers is, without a doubt one one of the top three authors I have discovered and her name will be placed firmly on my "watch list" of other authors to always read whatever they have available.

I whole heartedly recommend Sinner. It is a gripping, captivating read. You will not be sorry you read it.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sinner. Not only is it well-written, intriguing, and suprising, it's also a fun read. It's obvious Sharon Carter Rogers has a sense of humor to go along with her vivid imagination.

Addtionally, it's great to read a Christian novel that speaks the truth of Christ, without forcing it down the readers throat. The author does a superb job of examining the issue of sin, forgiveness, and redemption through normal conversation and everyday experiences(as normal as can be expected in a supernatural novel). A book I highly recommend.

I just finished reading SINNER and I have mixed feelings about it. First I'd like to mention that the opening scene is one of the best I've read in recent times. Awesome! And while I found the plotline and mystery at the core of the book to be very enthralling, I also experienced a strange detachment throughout the ride.

I'm used to reading multi-viewpoint novels, but this one I found a bit jarring. It quickly skips from one view to another, and I knew while reading that all these threads would eventually tie together--so it didn't bother me, but with most of the POV characters having strange names and very little physical description given, it is difficult to remember who's who. I had to keep flipping back, which is very annoying. If you set the book down, forget it. You have to remember who's who, who's where and what predicament they're in. Regarding the strange names, Lincoln, CK, Junebug, Keena, Cyril, Maria Eliza Garces, Rebel, Chance or maybe it's Chase--who knows without the book in front of me, Galway, James Dandy are just some of them, it seems as though the author thought using her list of favorite baby names in her novel would be cool, along with her favorite letters: k, j, c, l, r and S, which causes a lot of confusion. I cringed every time a new character came on the scene with their clunky, funky name. Strange names aren't necessarily bad, like with the Matrix, but the names there were distinct enough. The overuse of last names also, seems like a tiny detail, a preference thing really, but it ushers formality throughout the book. CK Ivors, CK Ivors, CK Ivors. I couldn't stand that. And with so many POV's, the protagonist in the story, CK I'm guessing, is not showcased enough. I don't feel like I know her well.

The author did a FABULOUS job at revealing little idiosyncrasies of the main characters, which were cute and fascinating, but there wasn't much beyond that. The dialogue, which could have been used to reveal more character depth was pretty blah and generic, with the exception of a few key scenes. I hoped to feel CK's passions, hurt, anger, frustration or something somewhere along the line, and I never got that satisfaction. I don't mean the author's characters weren't interesting or that they came across flat. It's just that I didn't experience the book, feel like I lived in that world, which I expect to happen when I read a book. While the intriguing story-question in this novel kept me riveted, there was so much about it that held me at arms-length and jerked me out of the story. By the end, I felt I knew very little about most of the characters, save The Sinner. Maybe that's the author's point. If so, then she was successful.

Also, I'm not one who needs a lot of character description to enjoy a story, but the author withholds facts about certain characters until the end. Totally unfair to the reader. Galway, for instance, is said to be old. So I adopted a certain mental image of him, thinking that's where the description ends. But no. Three-quarters of the way through readers learn he's a chubby, Irish-looking guy with reddish wisps of hair around his balding head. And the MC's description isn't given until almost the very end. Most characters I didn't picture. They were just shadows because I wasn't given much to composite a mental image. Also, journal entries from a Beverly Scott Thomas, who I assumed was a woman, nope, wrong again, were indeed written by a guy. Beverly? Really? Another weird name! Maybe it's a nineteenth century thing.

While the story served to answer the questions, mostly, SINNER didn't really have a converging climax like you'd expect from a book in the thriller genre. All the forces didn't come together, although the threads did, it just kind of ended after a violent episode, a story and a nap.

The story of SINNER is good, in spite of my negative comments. I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded. The piecemeal effect would have been more enjoyable for me with a wilder ending, more identifiable and pronounced characters--minus some of the crazy names. This book differs a great deal from most Christian fiction, which usually highlights at least one strong Christian main character. SINNER simply carries the message of God's grace, which I believe speaks louder than a sermonized chapter would. I do give the author applause for that, as it gives the book a broad-spectrum appeal in both secular and Christian markets. I'm just a reader who values character development and story pull as much as plot.

I do anticipate spectacular works from Rogers in the future. She has an entertaining narrative voice, a creative mind and a heart for God.

SINNER has all the markings of a really terrific thriller - a kind of grown up Nancy Drew mystery whose chief character is a writer CK Ivors who has a penchant for mystery and group coordinated investigation. As Sharon Carter Rogers begins to spin her tale the book has all the tension and feeling of a 'can't put it down' epic: there is a murder of a priest with a past history of unpriestly behaviors, a 'supernatural' hunky guy who traipses around in a bullet proof coat righting wrongs for people by killing the bad guys, a fascinating little group of thinkers and smart kids, police and wealthy men along with gangs, maids of glory etc.

The problem, for this reader, is in the telling. Rogers splices bits and pieces of incidents that are not always linked chronologically (not a bad thing at all) but fragment the story with a plethora of funky names that make the reader keep back-pedaling to stay on track. There is also the addition of a diary in a different font and graphic setting set throughout the book that has a payoff in the end but again blurs the progress of the novel in the meantime. Rogers has some absolutely terrific ideas ('Sinner' as a character is a fine concoction that pleads for cinematic realization) and her use of CK Ivors is very sound. The subtle introduction of spiritual values is well done. But for a novel that is supposed to be a spellbinder there is just too much clutter in getting there. It feels like the next outing will be a solid one, with the help of a more forceful editor. Rogers is a fine writer! Grady Harp, March 07

Well written; excellent research. Will be using the book during my stay... I want to visit all these wonderful places that are off the track.

This book arrived in great condition. It is a very helpful guide to first time visitors to Thailand

I've traveled to Thailand twice and studied Thai language for a year and a half at university. This book, for my money, is the best introduction available to the land, people, and culture of Thailand. It is not a straightforward travel guide; it is a way into the country without being explicit. As a westerner, from the essays contained in this book, I learned so much about a culture - and land - that is so different than the culture and land of the United States. Topics range from religion, agriculture, politics, and customs, to the bar scene, prostitution, and nature, etc etc etc. After reading this book you will come away with a fuller sense of who Thai people are and what Thailand is as a nation.

My favorite story is 'Mein Gott, Miss Siripan' by Susan Fulop Kepner. I love this piece so much I must have read it about twenty times now. It recalls the story of Kepner's beginning struggles learning to speak Thai while living in Bangkok on business. Her characterization of the fierce and indomitable Miss Siripan - her language teacher - is a classic; one of the most memorable characters in all of literature. Kepner, by the way, is now professor of Thai language at Berkeley. If anyone knows her or will meet her soon, please tell her that I am a HUGE fan of her writing! Khap khun!

I usually don't do much preparation for international travel because my husband and I are so busy. We end up missing out on experiences during our travels simply because we didn't prepare. We definitely didn't want to miss out on anything in Thailand. This book was an excellent and easy read. I feel like I've already been to Thailand even though we're not going for another three weeks. Through the short stories and sidebar comments, the reader is presented tons of information about food, culture, and do-and-donts. Plus, this is a much nicer way of learning about Thailand vs reading a guide book that really just consists of lists upon lists. My only concern is that some of the excerpts used as short stories were originally published decades ago. However, I enjoyed reading them anyway since it offers more background info on Thai culture. I highly recommend using this book to prepare for a trip to Thailand along with a traditional guide book. I also recommend this to anyone who leaves to read and learn about other cultures. I definitely plan on purchasing Travelers' Tales, if available, for the next country we visit.

This is a hybrid bewteen guide book and an anthology of travel stories. Quite a novel concept, except that it doesn't work so well as a guide book. There are only a couple of dozen pages on visas, weather and other practical issues towards the end of the book. This book works much better as a collection of beautifully essays - some of the best work by authors like Pico Iyer, Joe Cummings, Ian Buruma and many others.

These essays are highly varied in terms of style and theme. Some are downright romantic and introspective. Some provide a little insider's information on things that most tourists miss out. Some are incisive social commentaries which touch on subjects which may be considered taboo by the sensitive Thais. The editors have attempted to organise the articles in 4 main parts, namely:

1.Essence of Thailand
2.Some Things to Do
3.Going Your Own Way
4.In the Shadows

The 5th part only has one essay. The way these parts are named may cause some confusion. For instance, "some things to do" may contain Pico Iyer's musings on the impact on Thai tourism.

I would give it 5 stars for the great prose, highly enlightening pieces like "Who Was Anna Leonowens" by William Warren and the brutal honesty of many of the articles that are not afraid to go against everything the travel brochures tell us. It's an extremely goo read for people who wish to explore the kingdom or stay awhile. But for the somewhat misleading format and arrangement, I would minus one star.

This is a great book for 6th grade through 9th grade girls. Even some boys may enjoy this book. This book does not contain any inappropriate words or content. Teachers can feel safe about adding this one to their classroom libraries. It is as good as the first book about Galagher Academy Girls. It contains all the adventures of spy school with a little romance thrown in. I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the series.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is the second book in Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl series. It is just as cute and well-written as the first book.

It's a new semester at Cammie's spy school. But getting through the next part of her Covert Operations class isn't her only challenge; the school is also keeping a secret from its students, a secret called Blackthorne. Soon, it's up to Cammie and her genius friends to save the school.

In my opinion, some parts of this story are predictable, but the storyline is cute, so I read it anyway. In fact, this is one of the few series that I collect. I was disappointed that the sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You wasn't longer, because I really enjoyed reading about a spy-in-training's love life. The good news is, Gallagher Girls is not going to be limited to a two-book series.

This is a quick and light read. I recommend this book for fans of action and romance novels.

[...]

In the first book, spy-in-training Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan dealt with boy trouble in the form of her first boyfriend, normal guy Josh. Now, after being debriefed by the CIA about her relationship with Josh, Cammie experiences a new kind of boy trouble: the Blackthorne Boys, students from a top-secret spy school for boys. While most of the Gallagher Girls are excited to have boys in their usually all-girls school for a semester, Cammie is not so sure. Especially since one of the Blackthorne Boys is Zach Goode, a cocky but sweet guy who she first meets when he bests her in a training exercise. Adding to her confused feelings for Zach, Cammie becomes suspicious of the Blackthorne Boys' motives when a Code Black threatens the entire school after their arrival. With the help of her friends, Cammie tries to uncover the truth--and decide what to do about Zach.

I read the first book in this series and found it a quite enjoyable young adult novel. I read this book and became a devoted fan. Everything that was fun in the first book is still here: Cammie's wry narrative, her great group of friends who don't hesitate to use their spy skills to do something like bug the boys' dorm, a dash of romance and, of course, the wish fulfilment of going to an exclusive spy school. Like before, Cammie must deal with very normal teen situations--the awkward run-in with an ex-boyfriend, a school dance, etc.--where her spy skills can't always help her (although they do often lead to funny commentary or creative/unconventional solutions). Added to all this is the great addition of Blackthorne and, especially, Zach who I absolutely love--I've got a weak spot for rascals-with-a-heart-of-gold in fiction.

I absolutely cannot wait until the third Gallagher Girls book comes out. The author has said that she is currently envisioning six books total in this series and I will read every one. I really want to read more about Cammie and her friends' exploits and see what happens with her relationships with both Zach and Josh (which is shaping up into a juicy romantic triangle). Highly recommended and one of the best non-fantasy YA series I've come across.

I liked this much better than the first book in these series. One reason being that I found the love interest much more interesting than Josh. Josh (from the first one) seemed too normal too me, and I feel like in a spy book, the love interest should be mysterious and cooler than the 'average guy'. Zach definitely had all these characteristics, with a cynical humor to boot. :) I also liked the fact that the spy situations seemed more real because the students weren't aware of what was real and what was a test.

"Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy" is the awesome sequal to "I'd Tell You I Love You but than I'd Have to Kill You" both featureing Cammie Morgan in Ally Carters books.
Cammie finds her and her friends wondering why one of the corridors of the school is shut off to students. So, like good spys, they investigate.
They find the corridor stocked with stuff for students dorms.
Meanwhile Cammie's mom, headmistress of Gallagher Acadamy, shows Cammie a picture of her dad, who died while on a mission. In the picture he's with Mr.Soloman (who works a Gallagher now) and Mr.Soloman's shirt says BLACKTHORNE BOYS.
Cammie might of found out about another spy school for boys, has she.
All together add some romantic scenes, with another boy and Josh (Cammie's old boyfriend), Cammie's bra almost coming off, and the school almost closing and you have a really good story from Ally Carter.

Hope this review helps!!!!!
-Lainy-
ps. i spelled my name wrong when i created my account. How dumb!!!!!!

I did not want this book to end! It is a fascinating, fair, well-written book about all of the Kennedy women, their men, and the lives they led. I gained new insight, especially, into Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and matriarhc, Rose.

"For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. She had led such a decorous life, blocking out the untoward, the ugly, and the unacceptable, that her eyes no longer saw the darker colours of the spectrum. "Pat drank a bottle of wine in the morning," Rose was told. "That's impossible" Rose replied, Pat doesn't drink"

I was glad that I read this book because it has helped me to understand so much more about this so much talked about family. In Mr. Leaner's book we get to know about the Kennedy women's personal thoughts and the correct stories of the daughters and daughters-in-law. Mr.Leamer has given us indept portraits of these women and my favourite is Rose Kennedy the Matriarch of the family. For Rose was a woman so strong and who suffered great disloyalty by her husband which she took all gracefully all for the sake of her family and what she supposed the public expected of them. She was a stern Catholic and gain her strength through her prayer and trust in God.
Also portrayed are Joan Kennedy; Ted wife who had a problem with alcohol. Jackie Kennedy Onnassis; the President's wife who remarried after the President's death to a Greek tycoon. Pat Lawford; married to a Hollywood star and spent most of her time in Los Angeles. Eunice Shriver, who was always working for the handicapped and underprivileged and was one of the Kennedys with great patience and common sense. Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow and Jean Smith.
The Kennedys pushed their tragedies to the inner recesses of their minds.They refused to let others see the negative side of their lives, and carried their problems and burdens inwardly taking pains not to show their broken hearts. To some this might seem pretentious, but they honestly had their reasons. After all they were special in the eyes of America.
Whenever tragedy struck it was not unusual for them to suddenly get physical by taking walks, riding, swimming and any form of exercise. Rosemary the eldest daughter who was mentally retarded was isolated from the public eye and sent to Wisconsin where she was looked after by those of the Sacred Order. This book has helped me to understand so much more about the choices they made and the reason they made them, though tragedy seem to follow them everywhere.

Mr. Leamer has pulled out all the stops in the brilliantly written book, and I would not hesitate to read anything by him in the future. Bravo! Bravo! Heather Marshall 04/04/04

This book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner just like the seller promised! A++

I found this book about the Kennedy family women a very interesting read. The only problem with it is that it is so long. At over 900 pages Mr. Leamer could have written three books and had them in instalments about one pericular Kennedy family women instead of tying to write so much about so many interesting people.

This book relates details of the lives of the many Kennedy women, from Bridget Murphy Kennedy, born in Ireland, through Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's daughter. Leamer describes the rise of the Kennedy family from the hard luck tales of newly-arrived Irish immigrants through the dynasty years in Hyannisport. While the book presents many of the historical events of the lives of political Kennedys, the viewpoint is always that of the women, and how these events affected their lives. We hear about the Kennedy women's efforts in John's political campaigns, or how the stress of campaigning contributed to Jacqueline's miscarriages. Leamer includes both women born as Kennedys and women who became Kennedys by marriage. Much of the book, however, focuses on two women who married into the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The book is also about the family structure of the Kennedy's and portrays some of the sinister aspects of Joseph Kennedy as well as the positive traits.

Many times I've heard the Kennedy family referred to as a "dynasty". However, it has never been clear to me why an American family would be called a dynasty. In this book, Leamer describes why this group of people is more than simply a family. He describes the relations between Joseph Kennedy's children, and how Joseph and Rose's parenting style contributed both to their children's closeness and competitiveness, and how their own aspirations were realized in the accomplishments of their children. He also relates the difficulties that Jacqueline had as an outsider in establishing a position in the family. The book provides a unique viewpoint on the political events of the 1950s and 1960s whose legacy continues to permeate our society.

This is such a beautiful book. I recommend everyone to add a copy of this book to their library. I picked up this book in the classroom I work in to engage a 3 year old child with autism. She didn't take her eyes off this book and wanted to play with it again and again. I am now getting one for my three year old son. Every child and adult will love this book. It is truly amazing. Never have I seen such wonderful pop up art done.

For 3 years now, I've been a David A. Carter fan. Why 3 years? You put two and two together. He's the author of these three *very* cool pop-up books that are unlike any pop-up books I've ever seen. They are like individual works of art only they're purchasable at any generic bookstore. It's "Pop" art. Get the double entendre? Well, if not, take a look at the pics above.

My first introduction to his work was with the book: "One Red Dot." Since then he's created "600 Black Spots" and "Blue 2." I purchased these in "new" condition for half of their purchase price on Amazon. However, if you're the type of parent who lets their child run amok with their baby books (not a bad thing) this may have to take a backseat for a year or two. I had to be very careful with my daughter when reading this book. Like any one-year-old her first instinct was to grab then ensuingly tear off the colorful fluttering paper. But I did manage to keep the book "relatively" unscathed and usable for my second daughter.

He's written a couple more "traditional" pop up books about bugs but these were the ones that hooked me. Oh and one more thing, one of the pages makes a great sawing noise when the blades scrape against the paper as you open the page. Clever.
'Kathleen Dougherty
http://the-tum-tum-tree.blogspot.com/

My kids fight to be the one holding this book. They love the search as the pages turn to the next challenge.

Our two year old and four year old love this book. They pick out different items for one another to find.

The pop-ups are intricate and fascinating to young and old. Young children should be supervised if you want the book to last. Artistic and beautiful... this book is a great coffee table book.

Ross Carter, a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne wrote this story almost 60 years ago. He then abruptly died shortly after WWII because of a "bad" mole which caused his melanoma cancer to metastisize. Too bad, because his story as told in this book is worthy enough to merit a follow-on.

His personal story is presented as a series of vignettes. Considering the arduousness of his task as a soldier, it must have been a tall order to write it down contemporaneously with living it. It starts with his tales of parachute training in North Africa followed by a prolonged bloody stint in Italy, circa the autumn of '43 followed by his units' subsequent experiences in the Battle of the Bulge in the Fall of '44. They were in frontline combat under the most difficult of conditions for over 300 days while suffering a >200% replacement rate. It's a miracle that anyone could live through the descriptions of combat as laid out in the book, meaning Carter was remarkably fortunate to have "made it". The core of the story reflects the self sacrificing nature of these men who carry the mantle of American greatness on their collective shoulders. When you compare their heroics to the carping classes in today's America the contrast is glaring. It makes me reflect on the attutudinal differences between the time of Rome's greatness and the time of its collapse.

I've read many stories of combat such as "Fields of Fire" by Webb, "Face of Battle" by Keegan, "Dispatches" by Herr, "A Rumor of War" by Caputo, "Once an Eagle" by Myrer, "Goodbye Darkness" by Manchester, and "Soul of Battle" by Hansen, to cite a few, but to my mind none are as relentless or as compelling as this story. The poignant little things that pop-up in every vignette plus the feeling for these men as nothing less than a force of nature is beyond comparison. One can only marvel at them.

This book explains both directly and indirectly the components of leadership, the kind needed to not only demand excellence, but to get it. It's a story thousands of years old, retold as though a composite of today. It's still us vs them and it's here or there. That there are differences in the technologies of war or of the geographical landscape makes less difference than that it's mano a mano with the will to fight and win the pre-eminent factor ( Victor Davis Hansen describes this well in his terrific work "Soul of Battle.)"

The way to read this book is to imagine a combat infantry paratrooper, dodging death both day and night on a constant basis, taking the time to write down his reflections of the conflict within which he's a participant. Read it and you'll see what I mean. This is one helluva book.

WHY WAS THIS BOOK NEVER MADE INTO A MOVIE??
It would have been much more engrossing than "Band of Brothers". It is at, or near, the top of all the WWII books ever written. Do yourself a favor and read this book. I read it when I was about 17 years old. I have never forgotten it, and many things have brought it back into memory over the many years since mid 1959 when I read it. Only "From Here to Eternity"and "Battle Cry" were as engrossing, BUT this one is TRUE. READ IT.

My Grandfather, Charlie Loyd Shipp, was named "Sheraton" in this fantastic book. A major mistake was made in the book on page 186. "Sheraton" did not die until October 24, 2004 of old age, after battling Alhezimer's, a battle this old solider could not win.The survivors from his regiment thought him dead until they some how learned he'd survived about 25 years ago. I had never read the book until now and now see Papaw as a warrior and not just my gentle grandpa. He married my Grandmother, Letha Shipp who still lives, in 1947, had two sons and two grandchildren. He became a successful automotive dealer in Texarkana, Texas and heck of a good grandfather. We'll miss you papaw!

Much like Company Ach to Civil War buffs, this novel is more of a memoir about the experiences in battle of an enlisted soldier. One may not find scholarly prose, but the first hand accounts are a good source of professional historical authorship.

Frankly, the book reads astoundingly well for a guy that didn't have more than a year to synthesize his thoughts after the actual battles had taken place - mostly, it seems, from memory. He died in 1947 of cancer, of all things. The person who rated this book as one star (above) must be a quite well read, and I would like to see his book list of four star ratings.

One takes away from this a sense of what the comaraderie of being a member of the elite 82nd would have been like, and that the members prided themselves not only on the valor of their volunteer status (actually, the definition of an elite troop), but an affinity to other paratroops, whose Airborne bond is the stuff of legend.

Heartbreaking, the only word I can think of when I think back of the book. It was because Ross Carter fought his last battle (Cheneux) not to far from where I live, that I bought the book.
It's so different from Megellas' great book "All the way to Berlin", mainly because Carter wrote his book just after the war on his sickbed, just before he died of cancer.
Maybe it's not a pageturner as Megallas'book, but it's so genuine, so real. Heartbreaking...

My 8 month old son loves this book so much! He turns each page and loves to feel each and every bug. I think this is great for someone looking to get their child interested in books!

This was my son's favorite book when he was a baby starting at 4 months old. He is now 9 years old and still remembers the bug books. Now that I have a newborn, I am looking to buy another one...and my older kids can't wait to read it again!

Buy this book for the textures, not the text. Unlike prior Bug books that we own, there are no clever popups and little that is clever about the text. There are a good variety of unusual textures and for my son, that is enough. Note that the sticky bug page was disappointing. After the first reading, my 17-month old had stripped two of the four Peel Me stickers from the sticky bugs, who now have shiny white bellies. These criticisms are purely mine--my son enjoys the book.

My friends passed this book (and other Bugs in a box Books) along to me after her son regretably out grew the context of the books (age 7). I know he didn't really want to give away one of his favorite books but soon submitted to his mother. My daughter and I (she is 1.5 yrs old) read this specific book every night. She loves it! It is the greatest feely book we have and we have quite a few. It is well constructed and has a variety of textures for little hands. I alos like the size of the book. It is easy to sit on the bed with her on my crossed legs and have the book in front of us on the bed. She gets so excited when it is bed time because she knows we will be "reading" the Feely Bug book. Thanks Miranda and Simon for giving up one of your treasures to become one of ours.

Want your children to learn at an early age? "Feely Bugs" by David A. Carter, could be helpful to you.
Through this book, children will be able to identify different textures. I would recommend "Feely Bugs" to a younger audience, like 6-12 months.
If you're looking for a storybook that your child will be able to have fun with, "Feely Bugs" may be what you are looking for.
(...) this book appeals to my senses. It is a book that I would enjoy reading to small children.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.