Carter Books

What a candid book. I read it in one night. I volunteer in Los Angeles County Juvenile Hall. I read this aloud to the wards, 15-16 year old boys. That was last year, some are asking me when am I going to read it again. Some books about incaceration glorify the situation, but Mr. Abbott's account of an innocent childhood to a downhill spiral of abuse and survival really strikes a cord with the reader.

this is a great read. though much of it is tought to read through, the material is important and needs to be circulated!

The author of this book states that he wrote it while in solitary confinement. It's a trip into his childhood, where he came of age in California's Juvenile system. It takes place throughout his childhood years, beginning with an early stay at age 6 (along with a rape by a counselor). The rest is his teenage years spent trying to survive the brutal system of rape, violence, and sadistic counselors (also known as prison guards).

It's very chilling. I couldn't peel myself away from this book, even though it has graphic descriptions of rapes and brutal fights between gangs of boys not even old enough to shave. The fact that the author even survived that system, which incidentally took place in the 1960s, impresses me. When I was a teenager, a few friends of mine ended up in a juvenile drug rehab center at Horsham, PA, and afterwards they were extremely shaken up. It turned out later they had been raped. Not much has changed in the last 40 years.

Abbott and his companion quickly rise to the top of the ruling prison gang, which he uses to attempt several escapes. Each time, he nearly makes it. It's amazing that he goes for his parents, who are totally excluded from being able to help their boy. He forms a love relationship with his companion which he must hide in order to survive. The counselors maintain the order by daily beatdowns and shake-ups, and when it comes down to it, the boys are treated exactly like adults. The prison system makes people have to fight for their survival almost daily, or be pushed to a fate of worse than death.

It makes the reader wonder why anyone thinks that prisons can reform any person. Trapping someone in a room and punishing them for years with the most sadistic people doesn't seem like a good way to reform anyone. In the end, prison, for adults or kids, really just sweeps the problem of emotional disturbance underneath the carpet. Nowadays, a few million reside in United States prisons, the largest such population in the world (even more than China, which has 5 times the population). We're at a time when the ruling classes think it's better to completely separate millions into boxes than to even give a carrot to oppressed communities.

Dwight Abbott remains in jail today, and he says he wouldn't be there unless the Juvenile Youth Authority had twisted him as a human being to the point where the only place he could exist was in a prison. They destroyed him as a teenager at a critical point in any human being's development. Why? If you want a window into how a person can be destroyed, read this book. At the same time, if you want to see how a person can keep some amount of love and hope for a better day (away from the prison), read this book as well.

This plain autobiography is written with such directness that it is difficult to doubt the veracity of even the smallest incident. More important, it is difficult to doubt that these incidents (or similar ones) are fairly common place, not just the events of some freakish horror story.

The story is told with great specific purpose, to expose institutions so completely rotten, but one is aware that much is not being told. The author concentrates on what must be said to bear witness to what is wrong institutionally, and does not allow himself long divergences into his own feelings and ideas. The title is a bit ironic; it's about tears shed long ago, and mere personal understanding can no longer change much.

The book speaks clearly to the need for, at very least, massive alterations in the juvenile (and adult) justice system in this country, above and beyond any very small reforms made since this story occurred. Ultimately, one must question our reliance on "professionals" to do our thinking and social organizing for us. Every terrible action detailed in this book, each so obviously misguided and clearly bound to have exactly the opposite effect of it's supposed intention, is a reminder of how we as a people have turned our freedom and control over to institutions that serve only the dictates of cynical and uncaring power, and which operate directly against the interests of individuals and society in general.

Whatever tiny changes have been made in California's juvenile system must be looked at against the fact that America has few (or perhaps no) growing industries other than it's prison system, which cannibalizes the society it purports to serve, and is already a bloated hulk, claiming more far people per capita than that of any other country, two, four, or 10 times as many as any other major nation today.

I cried, You Didn't Listen was absolutely breath taking. The whole time I wanted to stop reading the horrors, but didnt stop looking at the text the entire way through the book. It placed a new perspective on a lot of things for me and I thank Abbott for such. This is a must read for anybody looking for some perspective on juvenile punishment within the Califonia Youth Authority. It is a tough one though if you have a passion for living beings, especially children.

This is a fantastic book about salary negotiation and more. Not only does Chapman discuss salary negotiation (both at time of hire and subsequently), but he discusses why and how people should be paid what they are worth. He shows how both company and employee win when an employee is paid fairly, and how both lose when an employee is paid unfairly. Please be aware that this book does not advocate getting "more" unless you are not being paid or offered what you are worth.

This was a fast and (hopefully) profitable read for me. His techniques are simple and forward. No magic or miracles promised, just some old-fashioned horse-sense for understanding the salary negotiating game and how and why to develop your own negotiating strategies beforehand. The mind-opening section for me was the "budget-fudgit-judgit" stages in Chapter Three "Salary-Making Rule 1: When to Discuss Money". Also good strategies to use to get a raise or at salary review time.

YOU GOTTA GET IT! "Negotiating Your Salary" is, without question, the best investment any working individual - or entrepreneur - can make! And what a bargain - if anyone knew what was between the covers, and what an incredible impact it would have on them financially, they would gladly spent ten times the cover price. I am an independent career consultant working with several major outplacement and career coaching entities. As a recognized authority on the subject of job search, I have copyrighted my own program and book on the topic. But when it comes to negotiating techniques, I bow to the Master. I highly recommend "Negotiating Your Salary" to everyone who wants to improve their financial position! I have "sold" this book to every single person I counsel, including a business client who drastically needed to learn how to stop being shy about asking for what she was worth. My copy of "Negotiating Your Salary" is already dog-eared because I read it over and over again. It's my "negotiating bible."

This book or audiobook is a must have. I used these techniques to successfully negotiate a salary increase of 30% one year and a $10,000 bonus the following year.

This book breaks it down step by step and gives you lines to say. It was amazing! Everything the book said the employer would bring up did come up and I was ready with a counter-aurguement. Marvelous!

Don't go into another salary negotiation or performance review without reading this book or listening to the audio-tape. The ROI on this investment has been more than 1000% for me!

Describes how to negotiate salary by taking employers through three stages of thinking about your salary: 1) budget- this is the range. I will go no further; 2) fudge it--OK, I see this person's value, let's see what I can do; and 3)judge it- I jusge this is what we need. Now, how can I pay them enough? The section on research is exceptional. In addition, there are many excellent phrases to memorize for sticky negotiating points.

From Annotated Bibliography- Learning A Living A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding A Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia

I recently finished a book about parapsychology myself, and I had planned to have a chapter at the end, addressing the fact the the results of the experiments I had written about were never generally accepted (at least not publicly). I quickly realized that the subject was a book in itself, and not a chapter. There isn't one reason, there are many reasons, and a lot of misinformation and rumor that has been repeated decade after decade that needed to be dispelled.

I read this book and was so happy because now I no longer had to figure out how to accomplish that, Chris Carter already has. He has done an excellent job of addressing every rumor and mistaken assumption one by one and making it accessible to the non-scientist. It's an interesting subject. As a non-scientist, and someone looking from the outside in, I had always assumed scientists were so rational. But of course they're human, aren't they? Carter's book is must read. Especially for open-minded scientists.

While writing on a book on yoga psychology, which included a section providing an overview of parapsychology research, I spent a considerable amount of time going through the skeptical literature. I had found Dean Radin's "Field Guide to Skeptics" particularly helpful. But I've never found anything as comprehensive and incisive as Chris Carter's "Parapsychology and the Skeptics."

For those sitting on the fence, Carter marshals a massive amount of evidence showing - for those willing to consider psi research with an open mind - that there is no doubt that psi phenomena have been found in laboratory experiments, and that such experiments have been successfully replicated.

Particularly helpful is the way Carter shows how skeptics misrepresent parapsychological research. Have you at times wondered, if parapsychological research is valid, why nobody has taken up the so-called "Million Dollar Challenge" of the "Amazing Randi"? I was quite surprised to discover in Carter's section on Randi that the "amazing" magician Mr. Randi set it up so he would never have to pay out. Carter quotes Randi as saying, in regard to the challenge, "I always have an out". You will find many other quite intriguing examples of the skeptics' tactics in Carter's book.

Despite some of these at times shocking revelations, Carter maintains an admirable clarity of mind, providing a fair, balanced treatment. Particularly helpful is his overview of quantum physics and its relevance to parapsychological theory. He does not make the mistake (as unfortunately was done by several scientists in "What the Bleep") of claiming that the findings of quantum physics "prove" psi phenomena, simply that they more flexibly allow for the possibility of telepathy, psychokinesis, etc than classical physics.

Finally, showing again his sympathy toward the skeptics he criticizes, Carter helps us to understand the motivation of the various skeptics. Given their wrong assumption that psi "violates" the laws of nature, it is understandable that they might go overboard in their misguided attempt to "protect" science from psi. Together with B. Alan Wallace (who, in his "Taboo of Subjectivity" provides an excellent account of the origins of psi skepticism both in ancient Greece and in certain aspects of Christian theology), Carter will help many understand why skeptics have been so vehement and irrational in their attempted defense of rationality.

Finally, one of the Amazon reviewers, in an otherwise positive review, made three comments that are worth looking at. She wondered why Carter focused mostly on experimental parapsychology and didn't make more mention of the difference between lab psi and "real-world" psi. In fact, he has an excellent chapter near the beginning of the book providing a summary of extremely interesting anecdotal evidence for psi. Regarding the reviewer's follow-up speculation that psi effects in the lab will never be as strong as those found in the real world, Carter doesn't address this, but look at Alan Wallace's "Samatha" project and consider whether individuals highly trained in contemplation may not surprise us all in terms of the kind of psi effects that might be demonstrated in the laboratory.

The reviewer also asked why Carter didn't mention unconscious fear of psi. I suspect this is actually a more powerful factor working in many skeptics than the desire to defend the scientific enterprise (philosopher Daniel Dennett has said - one hopes, in a whimsical mood - that he would commit suicide if psi were "proven" - someone should write to him and warn him about Carter's book!). However, if Carter had thought of mentioning this, I think he was wise not to. The few times I've brought this up to otherwise rational skeptics, they become vehemently irrational in their denial of the possibility that any kind of unconscious motivation - fear or otherwise - could possibly be relevant to their decidedly rational rejection of parapsychology.


Oh, I almost forgot to mention - the book's lots of fun to read.

This is a book which will be very valuable to a lot of people interested in the scientific research which has been done on the subject.
It describes the whole saga that parapsychology has been through on a very clear way. Dogmatism, ignoring evidence, out-dated arguments, a bunch of dogmatic media skeptics, it becomes clear why parapsychology still has such a hard time to become accepted in the mainstream scientific world and this has very little to do with the amount of evidence which is out there.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

Chris Carter does a stand-up job of countering the skeptics using their favorite weapon-- logic and rationality. In an intelligently presented yet easily understood review, Carter makes the case for the scientific merits of parapsychology, starting right in the introduction. As a lawyer and writer researching parapsychology through the last 150 years, I rely repeatedly on Carter's excellent work. I would recommend it to all thinking inquirers. Ronda Muir, Esq.

This fine book fills a pressing need: it's an up-to-date source that can be wholeheartedly recommended to people who are under the impression that belief in so-called "paranormal" phenomena is contrary to science -- both those who are dogmatically convinced that it is, and those who do believe in the existence of psi but feel they should be apologetic about it. I am acquainted with some of each, and I will waste no time in suggesting that they owe it to themselves to read what Chris Carter has to say.

In relatively brief but clear and well-documented chapters, Carter covers the history of psi research, the experimental evidence for psi phenomena, the reasons why skeptics reject this evidence, and the principles of contemporary science with which it is compatible. His discussion is wisely limited to extrasensory perception (telepathy, precognition, and clairvoyance) and psychokinesis (PK, the action of mind on matter). Future books dealing with other, less firmly established, phenomena are planned; separating them not only keeps the coverage within manageable length, but avoids the possibility that aspects of research not dependent on each other will be will judged as a whole, causing some readers to doubt even the unassailable facts of what is now known.

Carter's emphasis on the philosophy of science, and his analysis of modern skeptics' determined resistance to acceptance of evidence that in any other area they would consider conclusive, is particularly valuable. I myself suspect that this resistance goes somewhat deeper than he suggests; my own view, expressed in my fiction, is that it is based not merely on commitment to an obsolete conception of scientific principles that would be upset by recognition of psi, but on an underlying unconscious fear. However, that is simply my personal hypothesis. As the book is about science, it rightly focuses on demonstrable facts and scientific considerations rather than speculation about psychological factors.

My only reservation about this book as an introduction to psi for the uninformed reader is that it fails to make clear the distinction between experimental evidence for psi and psi as it operates in the real world.
Although it briefly covers historical reports of real-world psi, the fundamental reason why equally spectacular results are not, and can never be, obtained through controlled experiments may not be grasped by readers whose impression of psychic powers has been gained from pop-culture media. Carter does mention that many people feel that laboratory psi is "somehow different" from real-life psi, but surely that is an understatement. It is generally acknowledged that spontaneous psi experiences are strongly dependent on emotion. That psi exists can be demonstrated scientifically, but its role in human affairs can no more be investigated in a lab setting than can that of love. Furthermore, the extent to which psi occurs spontaneously on an unconscious level, which I believe to be a major factor in that role, cannot be revealed by scientific research of the kind now possible. Whereas these considerations are beyond the scope of the book, I do fear that some readers may be given the impression that the data obtained in laboratories is fully representative of the human mind's "paranormal" capabilities. The absence of a more detailed description of the very real evidence for controlled clairvoyance obtained through military use of remote viewing (a term not even included in the index) is also unfortunate in this regard. But these omissions do not detract from the overall importance of the book as a refutation of the claim that science rules out psi phenomena. It is indispensable for that purpose and should be required reading for everyone with an interest in the nature of reality.

I found this a fantastic guide to finding many of the hidden gems that we all take for granted when visiting Disney World. You blink you will miss them. I like some of the history and meanings behind many of the items that I would have missed otherwise. I think this guide would be great to entertain and the teens on your trip.

This lets you see the ins and outs of Disney. It lets you look at Disney in a different way. It's just fun and it's great. So it's great fun!!!!!

I'm sure this is a perfectly wonderful book and I'll give it 5 stars based on how well it's written and how much fun it looks like it would be. However, I bought this book along with the Hidden Mickey's book and we soon learned it was impossible to do both, so we chose looking for Hidden Mickeys. I think the Treasure Hunts would be a lot of fun for large families, church or school groups.

My husband and I are avid Disney goers, visiting at least once a year. We always try to find something different to do when wer're there (i.e. tours around the parks). This book has provided that new fun thing to do on our next trip. It asks a lot of questions and you really have to hunt for answers. There are differnet levels of hunts so it's great for kids, teenagers, or kids at heart. Enjoy!!!!!!

This book is a necessity for anyone who visits WDW. We have been 11 times now, and thought we knew everything. WRONG. We had more much fun on this last trip using this book than ever before.

If you look around at WDW, everyone is hurrying, running, to get to the "next" thing. What you may not realize is that every step IS the next thing.

WDW is not just about shows and rides. It's all the little details that create the whole fun effect. We had never even stopped to read all the handprints in front of The Great Movie Ride, examine the fountain in front of Muppet Labs, notice all the details inside Country Bear Jamboree, or a million other things. Treaure hunting gave this trip so much more and really made this trip more "magical" than ever.

This book was super amazingly crazy popular in Sweden. It was widely adored, and also made into a film. The reviews of the English translation have also been glowing, and words like "luminous" were thrown around as though they cost absolutely nothing instead of 50 cents.

I feel as though I must have missed something BIG. After I looked at the reviews (I generally don't look at 'em until after I'm done with a book) I found myself paging back through the book, looking for what everybody found so wildly new and exciting.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate the book. I thought that it was a nice little coming of age story, made interesting by the theme of the impact that popular music can have in the midst of isolation. The fact that it is set in Norrbotten made it particularly interesting for me. (I actually would really like to visit Haparanda sometime, but that's a different story.)

No, my issue is that I am not really sure why there is so much to love about it. I'm not sure if it is the translation or the writing, but I find the prose kind of clunky in places-- not luminous, whatever that means. It has its moments where it gathers itself to take flight, and almost succeeds. But then I found it sank back down into more predictable sociology of the far north-- saunas and schnapps and what not.

Anyhow, I would recommend the novel, but with reservations. It was a quick smooth read, and interesting enough. Particularly if you have an interest in Swedes or Sweden, it is worth the time to read.

This novel was recommended to me by fiddler Colm O'Riain and poet Pireeni Sundaralingam, both much more cosmopolitan than I. They keep in better touch with great European writing. It's as wonderful as they said it would be, and hard to describe because Vittula is truly another world, a least as Niemi portrays it. Picture kids at the far end of nowhere trying to make out the Beatles on short wave radio and practicing on broomstick guitars. Picture winter-goofy Scandinavian men with too much to drink, too long in the sweathouse, and too little to shoot at--in a funny/weird sort of way! Really, this book will take you to place you'll remember more vividly and strangely fondly than most of the places you've actually been. Take Me With You When You GoNutty to Meet You! Dr. Peanut Book #1

This is one of those gems that would never have been published in the US unless it came in with some momentum and buzz from afar. It describes adolesence, dipping deeply into the well, stringing together a series of vignettes that are well tied together. I'm a 54-year old businessman, parts of the book were agonizing and I actually found myself squinting through my fingers in raw embarassment. The wedding chapter was tremendous.
jk

Growing up anyplace isn't smooth, it isn't describable exactly. If you search your memories later, trying to ask why you did something, you can't, for the life of you, remember why. You just did it. Things happened. You tried to get to China. You mimicked the rock stars when you thought you were alone. You might even have licked cold locks---if you grew up in northern climes--- and got your tongue stuck. You were never the hero of your own legend. Well, folks, this novel captures that confusion perfectly. I've never set foot in Sweden, let alone in its far north by the Finnish border, where all the growing up takes place. But now I feel I know what it was like. Niemi's description, magical realism and all, gives you such joy, such interest, that I assure you, you will read POPULAR MUSIC IN VITTULA as quickly as you can. I haven't laughed out loud over a book so much for years. Hey, I even laughed in the Boston subway like some kind of weird, public transport cackler. But I didn't care. Kids fight in the woods with B-B guns, try to start rock bands to impress girls, experiment with sex and alcohol, get up the teacher's nose, visit scary old healers, watch the grownups pass out at huge drinkups, and dream of fast cars. In the very end, things turn out quite differently, but that's really familiar too. Most of the themes are hardly unique to the area, but it's Niemi's genius that he makes you feel it exotic and familiar at the same time. It's contemporary writing at its best and I think all readers in English owe a vote of thanks to the translator too.

You've got to have a strong stomach for a couple sections, say for example, if large piles of dead mice are not your forte. If you have ever seen Kaurismaki films like "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" or "The Man without a Past", you will recognize the same deadpan Finnish humor in Niemi's novel, whose characters are mainly from the Finnish minority in Sweden's rural north. I could recount a scene or two for the surfing reader, try to "deconstruct" whatever, go literary if I could, but your best bet would be to read the book. You will not regret it.

If you're looking for a funny and tender coming-of-age story set above the Arctic Circle, this is the book for you! It's set in Pajala, a small town in the remote Tornedalen region of Sweden, far north and near the Finnish border. The semi-autobiographical story is told through a series of twenty self-contained short stories that take Matti roughly from age 5-15 or so from the mid-'60s to mid-'70s. One is immediately given a taste of the book's style in the prologue, in which the adult Matti manages to freeze his tongue to a metal plaque atop a Nepalese mountain. He only manages to free himself (and live) by using his urine to break the bond, which then launches him into the story of his youth. The broad outlines of his experiences are similar to those of any other boy growing up in a remote place forty years ago. Life was boring and filled with hard work, some things were manly (hunting, work, fighting, hockey, eating, drinking, machines), and everything else is "women's work." If you're not good at manly things, well... at a minimum you won't fit in very well.

Of course, Matti is a little outside the mainstream, but manages to make his way with best friend Niila by his side. Where the book shines is in the the specifics of his childhood, in which wacky antics shine with humor and pathos, and magic realism rears its head every now and then. Some of the events covered include: discovering rock and roll music via the Beatles, a summer job as a mouse hunter, a raucous arm wrestling contest, an equally grueling sauna endurance contest, a sermon in Esperanto, a mind-boggling teenage drinking contest, tall tales of family prowess, a will reading degenerating into a brawl, starting a band with a cardboard guitar, the vagaries of a fundamentalist Christian sect (Laestadianism), first sexual encounters, and a BB-gun war. And let's not forget the transsexual hermit magician... All these individual parts are quite entertaining, even if they never quite add up to a complete hole. It's an amusing, and sometimes very funny look at growing up rural which would probably resonate much more with other remote cold climate dwellers than the average reader. A welcome oddball addition to the coming-of-age genre.

Note: The book was a runaway bestseller in Sweden, selling one copy for every twelve Swedes! Naturally, the book has been adapted as a film--which was co-written and directed by an Iranian who immigrated to Sweden as a teenager!

A beautiful book in it's own right but with a use. The alters can go anywhere with you and brighten your life and bring support when meditating.Each alter can relfect your wishes for that day. I love it.

This is "just fine" for taking on the road. A lovely 3D series of altars that can be very easily packed and opened wherever and whenever.

Awsome artwork and creative folding and cutting make beautiful pictures on each and every page of this imaginative creation.

Tibetan Buddhism is intimidating in its complexity. Despite the Dalai Lama's accessible,user-friendly books about happiness and compassion, it remains exotic with its visualizations, mantras, and imagery.

"Tibetan Buddhist Altars:A Pop-Up Gallery of Traditional Art and Wisdom" is a colorful and surprisingly reverent introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. The "portable altars" are to Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha),Padmapani Avalokiteshvara,Green Tara,Manjushri,and Medicine Buddha. The chants are written in Tibetan with English translations.The symbolism is explained. For western Buddhists who have passing familiarity with Tara, Avalokiteshvara (the Dalai Lama is considered an embodiment of him), and the various forms of the Buddha, this is helpful.

This is a wonderful introduction to Tibetan Buddhism for the beginner. It's high-quality and colorful. It's a SPIRITUAL pop-up book! (and there aren't many of those)

This was a gift for my adult granddaughter who spent a year in India studying Tibetan and Nepali religion, culture and languages. She was delighted with it. The format of having individual altars, with accompanying explanations, was perfect for this subject matter.

All of Grace was a wonderful book. It was rich with doctrinal truths that believers at any stage of their growth in Christ will appreciate. Spurgeon always humbly directs the focus on God and His word and brings the reader greater understanding into the riches of God's grace. He makes it very clear that God's mercy and grace is not earned, but given freely - Eph 2:8,9. The chapters dealing with Salvation and Faith are extremely helpful. The book is written in devotional form, so it is excellent for bible studies, or for your personal devotional time with the Lord.

Good book about the grace of God and salvation to everyone that believes in Christ Jesus.

We need to believe in the forgiveness of our sins. God gives us a new heart and a right Spirit through salvation.

Recommend to those that want to understand what salvation is all about.

As with all works done by Spurgeon, this is a timeless classic. First printing in 1894, it is still in print. Simple yet profoundly true, Spurgeon explains the true Grace of God with a heart desire that many will come to know Christ through this work. I actually bought a whole case of 120 of these in paperback to give away from Moody Press. The audio version is awesome. I loaded it onto my iPod to listen while on the go.

There are three great strengths of this book; 1)the ability to make the gospel so clear that even a child can understand, 2)it is written in modern english, and 3)the chapters are very short and to the point. Asking someone to read this is one of the easiest ways to introduce the subject of Christ. The book provides a basis of discussion and followup that many can not deny.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is considered by many to be the greatest preacher of the 19th century. This book, subtitled, "An Earnest Word with Those Who Are Seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ," is Spurgeon's great explanation of salvation and God's grace. He explains what God has done and why, and what we must do to be saved and to persevere in the faith.

This is a great book, showing the power and intelligence that form the bedrock of Spurgeon's reputation. But, even more, herein you really see his earnest concern for those who are unsaved and dying in their sins. I found this book to be enlightening and uplifting.

It's a truly wonderful book, a true classic of Christian literature - as much alive and relevant to today as it ever was. I highly recommend this book!

My son had to pick two books off of a large list to read over the summer for school. After reading the other reviews of this book, we picked it. It was a wonderful choice. The book was very interesting, fast paced, well written and easy to read. I read it in 3 hours, and my son was able to read in in a few nights without any complaints of boredom.

If any literary giant needs to have his work adapted to film, it is Myers. As one of the premier writers of fiction for juveniles, the author has added another significant piece to his long line of classics. This one tells the story of a little-known African princess who comes under the wing of England's legendary Queen Victoria.

Not only does the book reveal the horrors of the African slave trade, the atrocities that some tyrants inflict on their enemies, and the class system that pervades much of a "civilized" society, it is a marvelous tale of a girl who overcomes such obstacles and becomes the darling of English society.

Although Sarah's life is brief, it is a memorable one as the character grows from frightened child to a loving mother.
I am recommending that all my students read this book as well as others by Myers. Now, if only someone in "Tinsel Town" would discover this fine author.

I'd much rather see his stories on the big screen than any about a teenaged wizard.

"At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England" tells the life story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who was born an African Egbado princess, captured by rival Dohamans and taken to Dahomey to be murdered in a ritual sacrifice, rescued and adopted by a British naval captain, taken to England and presented to Queen Victoria, and raised under the Queen's protection in England and Sierra Leone. This handsome book is a very fine biography for young readers; it includes many excerpts from Sarah's letters and the Queen's diaries, as well as historic illustrations. Relevant information about 19th century West Africa and Britain (e.g., the Dahomey empire, the slave trade and British actions to end it, Christian missions in Africa, Sierra Leone, the British class system, women's place in society, etc.) is well presented. Although Sarah's story is interesting because of its uniqueness, much about the lives of ordinary 19th century West Africans and Europeans can be learned here. Despite the fact that there is little material concerning Sarah's life, the author has done a fine job and readers interested in Africa should be glad he did. The book contains a useful bibliography which includes "Dahomey and the Dahomans" (1851) by Frederick E. Forbes (the captain who rescued and adopted Sarah).

19th century Dahomey is also the setting of "The Viceroy of Ouidah" by Bruce Chatwin.

I think this is a very well written book. I think that Walter Dean Myers is an amazing writer and that it is great he found this fantastic girl that many have never heard of.

The book, At Her Majesty's Request was the most wonderful book I've read because it tells the story of how Sarah Bonetta overcomed so many problems. First w/ the horror of watching her parents being killed, and then almost being sacrificed by the slave holders because of who she was and where she lived.Then when she was saved by a white man whom she couldn't even understand becase she spoke a different language.And then soon after that she learned how to speak english and then she became friends w/ the Queen of England, Queen Victoria.So the book to me was very heart-warming and I hope you love the book too! Go Wells Wolverines!

Ramon Alonzo is a young man who has been sent to live with, and learn from, a famous wizard. He is only interested in how to turn base metals into gold. His sister is engaged to be married, and the family hopes that a small chest full of gold will suffice as a dowry.

While studying with the wizard, Ramon meets an elderly charwoman who has no shadow. The wizard took it many years ago, and refuses to give it back, keeping it in a locked box. She is basically trapped at the castle; she was chased out of the nearby village years before as some sort of demon, because of her lack of shadow. In a moment of chivalry, Ramon vows to retrieve her shadow. The charwoman urges Ramon to never, ever give up his shadow.

As part of his teaching fee, the wizard demands Ramon's shadow, but replaces it with a fake shadow that looks, and acts, like the real thing. Ramon figures that he has gotten a great deal; the ability to create gold for nothing. That is, until the day that Ramon is also chased out of the local village as some sort of monster. The problem with his fake shadow is that it does not shrink or grow depending on the time of day; it is the same size, all the time.

Ramon receives a letter from home, and is told to forget the gold; make a love potion, instead. He creates one on his own, and during a visit home, it is given to a visiting Duke. The potion nearly kills the Duke, and causes great embarrassment to the family. He is bedridden for several days, during which time Ramon's sister is the only one who can get near him. In the meantime, back at the castle, with much patience and diligence, Ramon finds the combination to the box of shadows. He releases several shadows, including his own, and that of a young woman. He brings it to the charwoman, not knowing if it is the right one; it is. Ramon figures that the shadow of the young woman will turn into an elderly crone. To his delight, the transformation goes the other way, and the charwoman turns into a young woman. After they escape from the wizard, the next problem concerns Ramon's family. Since she is not of noble blood, will they accept her as Ramon's bride?

From the first few paragraphs, the reader will know that they are in the hands of a master. Dunsany is generally considered the most influential author in the entire fantasy field. Stories like this will justify such a claim. It is very well done from beginning to end, and will get the reader looking at their shadow in a whole new way.

Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, better and more succinctly known by his title, Lord Dunsany (pronounced "done-SANEY"), is perhaps the most important British fantasy author to appear before Tolkien. Lord Dunsany's work has little connection to Tolkien's except that both create feelings of wonder in readers that whisk them away to fantastic worlds. Dunsany's work has a less realistic, more ethereal quality than Tolkien's, and draws strongly on the traditional fairy-tale, while at that same time energizing the simplicity of the fairy-tale with his sense of drama (Dunsany was also a playwright) and with his magnificent, fluid, beautiful writing. His 1927 novel, "The Charwoman's Shadow," is one of his greatest works, second only to "The King of Elfland's Daughter."

Edward Plunkett was born in 1878, became the 18th Lord Dunsany upon the death of his father in 1899, and made an unsuccessful attempt to run for parliament in 1904. With his failure in politics, he began writing his stories of the fantastic, beginning with the collection (currently in-print) "The Gods of Pegana." He enjoyed great literary success and acclaim until his death in 1957, but sadly, at the end of the century, his literature seemed in danger of vanishing from the minds of all but ardent fantasy historians and those who could afford the out-of-print volumes containing his work. But Dunsany has suddenly roared back into print; if you're a lover of fantasy, you cannot miss "The Charwoman's Shadow." It ranks as one of finest novels of the fantastic.

The story takes place in a fantasy vision of medieval Spain: "Picture an evening sombre and sweet over Spain, the glittering sheen of leaves fading to somberer colours...Picture the Golden Age past its wonderful zenith, and westering now towards its setting." Young Ramon Alonzo goes to learn the One True Art -- the art of magic -- from a master magician who lives in an old house in the woods. The Master requires a fee, however: Don Alonzo's shadow. The boy surrenders it, believing it is of no use to him. But even as he advances himself in the magic arts, he soon learns there are serious consequences to losing your shadow. An old charwoman who works for the Master seeks Don Alonzo's aid, for she too lost her shadow many years ago to the Master, and she desires it back. The two enter an alliance, one that Don Alonzo starts to regret when he discovers the youthful beauty of the old charwoman's shadow.

There are no action set-pieces in "The Charwoman's Shadow," no epic battles, no swarms of monsters and demons, but every sequence in the book is full of unforgettable images and beauty. The scene of re-attaching the shadow makes the book a masterpiece on its own; it reduced me to tears the first time I read it. Lord Dunsany will remind you of no other writer, and you'll thrill to discover his unique take on fantasy, feeling if you were sharing a secret private encounter.

Dunsany's word magic pulses stronger than any of the actual magic that appears in the book. In fact, the book is really about the power of language itself; we spend time with Don Alonzo pouring over words and learning their secrets. As Peter S. Beagle (author of "The Last Unicorn") says in his brief but powerful introduction, Dunsany had "an understanding that the right name for a character can imply an entire culture, a history, a music, a world; that a single word chosen properly can persuade a reader that he shares a folklore he can't possibly know...To open this book is, like Don Ramon Alonzo, to begin learning the true nature of enchantment from a master."

I can't give a better recommendation than that, so I will only second him: open this book and fall deep into the fantasy of language.

Before Tolkien told his children bedtime stories about hobbits and dwarves, there was Lord Dunsany. One of the early fantasy writers, Dunsany only wrote a few full-length novels -- one of which was the haunting, beautifully-written "Charwoman's Shadow." (And if anyone thinks that J.K. Rowling made up the immortality elixir and "philosopher/sorcerer's stone," they better read this!)

Ramon Alonzo is a young Spanish nobleman sent to find a dowry for his sister Mirandola. He goes to a powerful magician to learn alchemy -- how to turn dross into gold. The magician agrees, at a price: Ramon Alonzo's shadow. At first he's inclined to give up his shadow, but an elderly charwoman warns him not to. She gave up her shadow, and now is shunned by everyone except the magician because if her contact with dark magic.

Eventually Ramon Alonzo agrees to give up his shadow in exchange for a replacement, which turns out to be a dud. His attempts at magic for his sister's sake begin to go horribly wrong, and he finds his very soul in peril as he struggles to fulfil his promise to the charwoman, and get back both of their shadows.

Most of Dunsany's fantasy stories are set in fictional lands full of magic and wizards and gods. This one is slightly different, as it is set in a sort of semi-fictional part of Spain, and magic is something which seeps naturally to great evil. But the entire world it's set in has the same sort of fantastical edge that his books usually do. Kids with a good attention span can read this, though some may be bored by the gradual pace and flowery language. And the language is very flowery. Dunsany writes in his standard dreamy prose, with a lot of very strange imagery (like the charwoman scrubbing a bloodstained floor stone, or Ramon Alonzo's fake shadow getting up and racing away).

Ramon Alonzo is a nice leading character -- he's a good guy who gets enmeshed in bad things for good reasons. His spiritual struggle and chivalrous rescue of the charwoman Anemone and her shadow are central to the plot. Anemone herself remains a mystery for most of the book, although one development is rather obvious early on. The magician is a cold, unsympathetic character who "scorns salvation" and shows no pity to someone he's wronged. Father Joseph serves as the counterbalance for the magician, a kindly priest who helps Ramon Alonzo out.

A beautiful story about love, magic, and kindness, this is a must-read for fans of classic fantasy. See why Dunsany is still one of the best.

Before Tolkien told his children bedtime stories about hobbits and dwarves, there was Lord Dunsany. One of the early fantasy writers, Dunsany only wrote a few full-length novels -- one of which was the haunting, beautifully-written "Charwoman's Shadow," a story that slips into the grey place between good and evil.

Ramon Alonzo is a young Spanish nobleman sent to find a dowry for his sister Mirandola. He goes to a powerful magician to learn alchemy -- how to turn dross into gold. The magician agrees, at a price: Ramon Alonzo's shadow. At first he's inclined to give up his shadow, but an elderly charwoman warns him not to. She gave up her shadow, and now is shunned by everyone except the magician because if her contact with dark magic.

Eventually Ramon Alonzo agrees to give up his shadow in exchange for a replacement, which turns out to be a dud. His attempts at magic for his sister's sake begin to go horribly wrong, and he finds his very soul in peril as he struggles to fulfil his promise to the charwoman, and get back both of their shadows.

Most of Dunsany's fantasy stories are set in fictional lands full of magic and wizards and gods. This one is slightly different, as it is set in a sort of semi-fictional part of Spain, and magic is something which leads to evil. But the plot in this book has the same sort of otherworldly edge that his more fantastical works do. (Although if any Harry Potter fans think that Rowling created the "philosopher's stone," they'll be sadly disappointed)

It has a straightforward plot, which is made more elaborate by his flowery prose. Dunsany was one of those writers who dwelled on the more beautiful details of his stories, and as a result, "Charwoman's Shadow" has the feeling of a dream. Especially in scenes where really strange things happen, like the charwoman scrubbing a bloodstained floor stone, or Ramon Alonzo's fake shadow getting up and racing away.

Ramon Alonzo is a good hero -- he's a nice guy who gets enmeshed in bad things for good reasons. The charwoman Anemone herself remains a mystery for most of the book, although one development is rather obvious early on. And the other two characters show the good vs. evil struggle: Father Joseph, a kindly priest, and the cold, cruel magician who "scorns salvation" and shows no pity to someone he's wronged.

"The Charwoman's Shadow" is not only an early fantasy novel, but also an exquisite little story of love, magic and kindness. Definitely worth checking out.

Those approaching Dunsany because of his reputation as a proto-fantasy writer (in the sense we now use "fantasy" to decribe a genre) are bound to be disappointed. Happily, he hails from an age before such labels solidified into something restrictive, and his intoxicating prose can be regarded as "fantastic" in its looser sense. He was also a good deal more versatile than the description "fantasy-writer" would suggest, at one point with five plays being staged concurrently on Broadway.

The reviewer who cites Dunsany's dreamy style hits closer to the mark. Dunsany is not about plot. He is all about atmosphere, and the joy of language. Here, as elsewhere, there is a heavy perfume in the air, and an admitted stream-of-consciousness at work. If details seem to appear out of nowhere, it is probably because they do. It is part of what makes Dunsany so fascinating. The reader is aware of a fecund imagination spontaneously drawing connections with every sentence. This is unfettered inspiration at work, and it is refreshing in a day when conformity (and bland prose) rules to encounter a writer so obviously delighting in his own personal muse. Yes, certain cells recur, mantra-like, simulating the rhythm of the ancient epics. It is the structure of instinct. Remember, Dunsany was an unrepentent anachronist, setting down all of his flowery, wonderful inspirations with a quill. He was also an Irishman, and as such, of an apparent genetic predisposition to unspool beautifully-crafted tales.

Comparisons to Tolkien are useless, and do a grave disservice to Dunsany's art. In Tolkien you find myth; in Dunsany, fable. His writings are not writings for children, as some have suggested (although I suspect children unspoiled by too much Gameboy would enjoy them), but rather fairy stories penned for adults. One needs have lived long enough to have experienced regret, and nostalgia, of the retreat of the fantastic from the more prosaic world of "maturity," to fully appreciate the special bittersweet qualities that inform most of Dunsany's fiction.

I haven't checked if it is still in print, but those who enjoy this work should definitely try and locate a copy of "Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley," as it has much in common. In fact, I find it slightly perverse for Del Rey not to have published it first, as a knowledge of "Rodriguez" enriches one's understanding of the novel under consideration. You will learn more about the bowmen, and experience further enchantment (and romance) in Dunsany's imaginative Spain.

What's more, it may be the finer book.

Clients Forever is a hands on plan to increase your productivity and customer satisfaction. I was shocked to get results before I finished the book! Read this book if you want to satisfy your number one client - yourself. I have continued to re-read sections of this book to keep my focus on behaviors that will net my clients and myself the most amazing results.

I also enjoyed the author's humor and enlightened perspective on the driving factors of customer satisfaciton.

Flo Ligon

If you just "read" the book, you'll miss the power. You must also DO the exercises as they come up, and allow yourself to become the type of person that Doug describes. So if you're brave enough to truly "change" you'll no doubt get the results Doug describes.

I've done the work, and begun to see the results, and can tell you it's well worth the effort. I bought a case of these books and mailed them to 20 of my friends. Several have called me to say thanks... genuinely.

My genuine thanks for Doug for sharing his wisdom with us in this concise, easy to read and fun format. It's like you're there with him in a workshop, which I've had the privilege of doing also.

What a great book! Specific, step-by-step instructions that have REALLY worked for me. Learn how to create an extraordinarly successful business. Work only with clients who feel like friends, stay with you forever, and tell everyone they know about your services. Work less hours - - but earn more (a lot more). This book is unlike all other "selling" books I've read. It is the best book I've read, and has given me tremendous insight.

This book is not about sales training. Forget everything you have been taught about sales, closing funnels, and how to acquire clients. The message and the exercises in "Clients Forever" will transform you, your business and how you attract the type of clients that you want to work with. Permanent change is the natural outcome of the exercises and insights into who you are and how you show up in the world, when they are applied to yourself and to the relationships with your clients. Most importantly, your clients will have the opportunity to work with someone who is truly client centered and principled.

I was very impressed by the section on intuition, in chapter 11. Coming from a background in mathematics, I am too familiar with how logic and reasoning can destroy flashes and moments of insight. Doug Carter gives tremendous credibility to intuitive awareness. He teaches us that our own intuition is the most powerful tool that we own for evaluating how our clients feel in their relationships with us. This is very powerful stuff. I sincerely hope that someday he will dedicate an entire book to this topic and relate it to how we are "being" with our clients, ourselves, and everyone we know.

Like what the authour mentioned, I have personally gone through all 6 out of the 7 'generations' of selling techniques. I am currently selling using needs based (5th g) and questions based (6th g) techniques and have always felt there are something important missing. I didn't know why until I started to search for the answer and found it with Hyrum W. Smiths books (what matters most and the 10 natural laws of successful time and life management).

Then I stumbled onto 'clients forever' and discovered in a revelation that it is exactly the missing link. I tried it on some leads and it works! This book would be able to make my life easier and my income higher.

However, I would suggest that those who want to use the technique combine it with Hyrum's Franklin Planning system because they matched exactly.

Well worth the time invested to learn the knowledge!