Clark Books

You don't have to know Louisiana to love this book. Joshua Clark is a genius at putting words on paper and assembling other writers' works in a unique format. In this post Katrina time we are all interested in Louisiana. This is a book everyone should buy to own and to share with others as gifts. It is a truly beautiful book from the cover to the introduction and throughout every minute.

This book is so rich, so diverse, so mesmerizing; it's hard to believe we all live in the same state! The vignettes are so on-target the reader feels he is there: visiting a traiteur, cleaning old graves for All Saints Day, watching street performers in Jackson Square, eating boiled crawfish, reciting a rosary in French. It all makes up who we are as Louisianans--native or transplanted. Kudos to Joshua Clark and his crew!!

When we are young, we look breathlessly to the "big moments" that mark our passage to maturity: the first "real" date; the first day of high school; the driver's license; high school graduation day; college; the first day on the job.

As the years pass, we learn that real joy is not in passing highs of happiness, but in each individual moment as we come to live them, know them, appreciate, and treasure them along the way.

Living in Louisiana means living with stories. They are told while you post your mail; sung to you in check out lines; shared while you do your banking. Living in Louisiana means living with conversation, and conversation means sharing stories.

Joshua Clark--who edited this collection of Louisiana moments with the same loving care he gave French Quarter Fiction: The Newest Stories of America's Oldest Bohemia--has allowed us to paint the canvas of a vast wealth of stories, histories, and peoples coming together in an incredibly lush and beautiful environment to create a state, cities, and a town and country life unlike any others in the country.

Pass some time with us on our front porches, in our living rooms, in the bayous, on our boats, on our streets, in our backyards, and on our waterways. Get to know us.

The lagniappe we are giving you this time is our hearts.

Louisiana in Words is simply a don't-miss look into the soul of the Pelican State. Reach out for us, and we will honestly touch your heart.

I had the honor of being one of the authors in the book, but it also gave me the opportunity and the desire to share in other's "minutes". The book is rich in imagery and full of powerful storylines. Mr. Clark did a fine job at putting together these wonderful "glimpses".

This book proves words are more powerful than pictures. It has finally enabled me to see a whole Louisiana, to know every last part of it. These "minutes" are pure poetry and action. My favorites include one from a woman who writes letters for the mayor (he catches her with her hands in his chocolates); staying up for three days to see LSU take on the Gators in Death Valley; a gravedigger who learned that sleeping on top of the mounded graves would keep him dry, even if the water level rose during the night, in Vietnam; a golddigger who pans for gold in the swamps; three a.m. zen meditation on Angola's Death Row; a veteran mistaking a South Louisiana crawfish pond for a South Vietnamese rice paddy; an old man dancing in St. Charles Street shortly after dawn, Ash Wednesday, with a glass of water on top of his brown felt hat; and standing at the end of the world in Plaquemine's Parish

I brought this book because of the title and the cost, plus it's Malcolm, but when I began to read it, it was more than what I expected to be. Best 80 cents I ever spent

Malcolm X Talks to Young People is an immensely relevant and instructive book for the young and the young at heart. His words, spoken to university students in Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States in 1964-65, ring as true today as they did then.

"I just try to face the fact as it actually is and come to this meeting as one of the victims of America, one of the victims of Americanism, one of the victims of democracy, one of the victims of a very hypocritical system that is going all over this earth today representing itself as being qualified to tell other people how to run their country when they can't get the dirty things that are going on in their own country straightened out," he told students at the University of Ghana, May 13, 1964.

A new expanded edition of this book has been available since November 2002!
This new edition includes 43 more pages than the previous edition, with the complete text of Malcolm's Speech at Oxford and a more complete text of his speech at the London School of Economics. The expanded introduction together with Jack Barnes' "He spoke the truth to our generation of revolutionists," a memorial speech for Malcolm given in March 5, 1965, provides an excellent short introduction to Malcolm's life and ideas.

There is a six-page index, eight pages of notes, as well as an expanded photo display of 17 pages including Malcolm X with students and young people from Tanzania to Alabama, including a picture of Fidel Castro and Malcolm X smiling together in Harlem in 1960 when they were both still young!

This edition of Malcolm X Speaks to Young People is being produced together with a first-ever Spanish-language edition, entitled Malcolm X habla a la juventud, which is being released simultaneously by Pathfinder Press and by Casa Editora Abril, the publishing house of the Union of Young Communists in Cuba.


While this book may not be directly available from Amazon at times, they are available from the booksfrompathfinder on Amazon that you can find by clicking on the new and used books on this page.

Originally issued as the first Gulf War began,in these pages Malcolm explains how in the Congo the US govt bombed women,men,children, and babies and called THEM terrorists,as he points out,the same as in Vietnam.He shows how it was the U.S. and U.S.-flunky ( "anti-Castro Cubans pilots" ) who were the terrorists in the Congo in the early to mid 1960s. At a time when the word "hero" is twisted so obscenely, it is a breath of fresh clean air to read Malcom's descriptions of the herois Simba fighters of the Congo who tried, and failed to liberate their country from U.S. neocolonial domination after kicking out the Belgian colonizers, and to hear him describe the equally heroic fighters who defeated the Empire in China and Cuba and Vietnam in the same terms.He exposes the use of UN cover for the Yanqui Empire's wars and drive for profits.He explains that these crimes are the doings of a system, the imperialist system ,as he calls it himself.He points out they use the cops to do the same at home :brutalize working people. Malcolm further points out that both the Republican AND the Democratic parties are the twin parties of racism and imperial exploitation. Oh yes, both parties ! He explains how he came to the conclusion that " capitalism is like a vulture...it used to be able to suck anybody's blood...but now it can only suck the blood of the helpless. It's only a matter of time , in my opinion, before it will collapse completely " and how he became prosocialist. He points to the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cuban revolutions as examples for Blacks - today he would add and we can add, all working people -- to emulate in this country, in our time.And, he makes his stand to fight alongside anyone, any color, who fights to better condtiions for humans on this earth. As the 2nd Gulf War begins, again under UN cover and "inspections" just as the liberals pleaded, as more working people's blood, Iraq and American, for the sake of the oil profits of a tiny few, it is good to be reminded that as, Malcolm says in these pages, " The young generation of whites, Blacks, browns-you're living at a time of revolution." He was right then and he is still right.If you seek serious fundamental social change, you owe it to yourself to buy and STUDY this book.

I think the best way to describe this wonderful book is a few excerpts (from the 2002 expanded edition).

"The young generation of whites, Blacks, browns, whatever else there is -- you're living at ... a time of revolution, a time when there's got to be a change.... And I for one will join in with anyone, I don't care what color you are, as long as you want to change this miserable condition that exists on this earth."

"It is the teenagers ... all over the world, who are actually involving themselves in the struggle to eliminate oppression and exploitation.... The young people are the ones who most quickly identify with the struggle and the necessity to eliminate the evil conditions that exist."

"In America the Black community in which we live is not owned by us. The landlord is white. The merchant is white. . . . And these are the people who suck the economic blood of our community."

"We are not for violence in any shape or form, but believe that the people who have violence committed against them should be able to defend themselves.... I have never said that the Negroes should initiate acts of aggression against whites, but where the government fails to protect the Negro he is entitled to do it himself."

[In Africa] "I'm from America but I'm not an American. I didn't go there of my own free choice.... [I am] one of the victims of Americanism, ... one of the victims of a very hypocritical system that is going all over this earth today representing itself as being qualified to tell other people how to run their country when they can't get the dirty things that are going on in their own country straightened out."

[In Africa] "When we find a Black man who's always receiving the praise of the Americans, we become suspicious of him.... Because it has been our experience that the Americans don't praise any Black man who is really working for the benefit of the Black man."

"It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it's more like a vulture. It used to be strong enough to go and suck anybody's blood whether they were strong or not. But now it has become more cowardly, like the vulture, and it can only suck the blood of the helpless."

I recommend the ads in the back of the book. Pathfinder Press is defined by a political goal, not commercial success. It aims to provide a platform for revolutionary leaders speaking in their own words. If you like one book, you will probably like others.

This cookbook is super! Try the Double Vision Banana Pie!! It's fun and easy to make AND it's super delicious!!

Viewers, I know Betty Crocker Cookbook has been around for a very long time; long before I knew how to say Betty Crocker, but when I first discovered MaryAnn's Cookbook, I was living in Cali, and I had to order the Cookbook thru a major Bookstore. Upon reciept of the Cookbook, I started with the Meatloaf by the Professor...It is the best I've ever had; now don't get me wrong I do enjoy making meatloaf the ole fashion way, but that recipe will leave you coming back for more. So I relocated to the South, and left my Cookbook with a relative to use, unfortunately, I never got it back, so I contacted every Bookstore in this town, and everyone is sold out, or can't order the Cookbook. So, I saw on the Amazon.com that I could order the Cookbook, and I've always been reluctant about putting my CC number online, so I sent a MO in to the address listed on Amazon, and to no avail, my MO was lost in the shuffle, I went belistic, so I am now forced to put my CC online in order to get the Maryann Cookbook, and I will tell each and everyone out there, if you've tried the rest, then you MUST try Maryann Cookbook, it is the BEST. It's worth losing the money from the MO and having to go another route to get my Maryann Cookbook. God only knows, I wish I could have ordered the Cookbook from Maryann herself, then I know I would have long recieved my Cookbook by now. Again its worth it!!

Thanks, Dawn, for keeping Gilligan's Island and "Mary Ann" alive. Can't wait for the sequel! Have any good brownie recipes? :)

Not only does this book have some great recipes, but Dawn has done a masterful job of both blending and separating the fictional characters of Mary Ann and the real- life Dawn Wells through the various anecdotes that are sprinkled throughout the book. A must have for every Dawn Wells fan.

Every recipe I've tried in this book has been wonderful! There are Gilligan-themed recipes, favorite recipes of cast members, and Dawn Wells' own family recipes, along with an interesting story about her family's history in cooking! (Naturally, there is a plethora of coconut-cream pie recipes as well!!)

Between the recipes are fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about the cast members, Gilligan trivia, and bits of script from the series.

Those who enjoyed Knight's excellent "Johnny D." will again appreciate the rapid-fire style of storytelling as told from the rotating points of view of the central characters.

As mentioned in some of the other reviews, this would make a great movie, though the casting would indeed be difficult due to the sheer iconic nature of two of the principals. Maybe enough time has passed, though, for younger audiences (the largest portion of the movie-going public) would be willing to accept such a reach..

Movie historians should consider this book a "must-read." Casual readers will also quickly be drawn into the engaging narrative "flow" of the book, too. I'm already looking forward to Knight's next book.

I've read quite a bit on the subject of the making of THE MISFITS, and I cannot imagine a better book on the subject. Knight captures every aspect of the real persons involved in the making of the film, good, bad and appalling. Knowing that Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift will soon be dead adds to the poignancy of the story. I've never read a better treatment of Marilyn. She is exasperating, appealing, loving, caring and on the skids. Buy this book. It is riveting.

REVIEW BY CHARLES ALVERSON:

`Misfits Country' by Arthur Winfield Knight (Tres Picos Press, March, 2008)

It was the boiling summer of 1960. Three famous actors, a celebrated director and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright arrived in Nevada, USA, to make a film the playwright, Arthur Miller, had written for one of the stars, Marilyn Monroe, his wife at the time.

The film was `The Misfits,' the other stars were Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift and the director was John Huston, creator of many great films including `The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and `The Maltese Falcon'.

The occasion was a fit setting for a classic motion picture and a personal disaster for most of the principals as portrayed by Arthur Winfield Knight in a work of fiction that reads as if it were a documentary written by someone who'd probed the mind and soul of those involved.

In Knight's imagination--bolstered by the mythology surrounding such luminaries:

Marilyn Monroe is a passive, drug-addled, constantly late nymphomaniac who despises her husband and can be consoled only by Paula Strasberg, the drama coach/masseuse who followed her from New York. `The Misfits' was her last completed film.

Clark Gable is an aging screen immortal whose youthful excesses and efforts to maintain a macho image at age 59 threaten his life and his happiness with his wife, pregnant with his first child. He was to die within two weeks after shooting finished.

Montgomery Clift is an insecure homosexual addict mourning the lost beauty of his face, reconstructed after a car wreck, and scorned by the he-men Gable and Huston. He would die at 45, having destroyed his system with drugs and booze.

John Huston is the hard-drinking, hard-gambling ringmaster of this circus of human wrecks. Despairing of maintaining order, he coddled Monroe and Clift, sometimes directed when drunk and took time out to go camel racing.

Arthur Miller is the odd man out, the Eastern intellectual in a nest of Hollywood neurotics, despised by his soon-to-be ex-wife and constantly rewriting scenes from the film to salvage Monroe's unraveling ability to play the heroine of the film.

This is Arthur Knight's raw material, the puppets he manipulates through gyrations that seem as familiar as they are bizarre. By chance, he was present in Dayton, Nevada, when `The Misfits' was being filmed, but Knight claims that did not influence the writing of this novel. We think we know a lot about Monroe's tragic life as a sex symbol and something about the lives of Gable and Clift. And certainly much of what Knight writes rings true to what we think we know, but the line between fact and fiction in `Misfits Country is imperceptible. This is perhaps the danger of this genre. Will Arthur Knight's imaginings fuse with the `reality' of the lives and events he portrays? Or are the facts and myths so conflated that one cannot tell--or care--which is which?

Knight's version of the making of `The Misfits' is exciting, sexy, torturous and almost as nervous-making as the endless wait to see if Monroe will show up on set. His puppets--Marilyn, Monty, Clark, John, Arthur and a small host of supporting characters--are revealed in chapters averaging less than two pages long. Though we know the film was finished and the fates of the principles, the tension remains high to the very end.

Critics may complain that Knight erases the line between fact and fiction by claiming well-known personalities as booster rockets for his imagination, but he makes them ring tragically true.

In his novel "Misfits Country," Arthur Knight imaginatively creates a movie within a movie, using the actors of the 47-year-old film The Misfits as characters in his new movie about their dysfunctional relationships as they are concurrently creating The Misfits. Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Arthur Miller, and John Huston star in Knight's movie which has an atmosphere and residue of a bygone era, most of their best work (Some Like It Hot, From Here to Eternity, Gone With the Wind, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Death of a Salesman) being done well before The Misfits.

Knight creates an intimate, documentary-style piece, employing cinematic writing that immerses the reader in the day-to-day saga of the fictionalized lives of Marilyn, Monty, Clark, John, and Arthur. At times, he uses a close-up, allowing the reader entree into the intimate details of the characters' personal challenges. We feel their angst; we're told their self-doubts; we taste the martinis, whiskey, and champagne they drink; we smell Huston's nearly constant cigar and feel overwhelmed by the fumes of so many cigarettes smoked by Monty, Arthur, and Clark. We pity the pain, suffering, and frustration of Marilyn and Monty as they attempt to confront their ever-present demons. We sense Arthur's awkwardness, his inability to fit in with the others. Clark, much older than his 59 years and in bad health, knows who he is and recognizes he doesn't have a lot of time left; he looks forward to the birth of his son. John has a picture to complete; he'll get paid and he can pay his gambling debts; after this film, he'll move on to the next one.

Knight racks focus and we tunnel to the arid Nevada landscape, an integral character in his story. The unwavering, searing, bright sun forces us to squint. The roasting heat across the salt flats keeps us wiping our faces and necks in an unsuccessful effort to remove constant perspiration.

At other times, Knight utilizes flashbacks for insight into present behavior. He'll then flash forward, showing the characters pondering their future, wondering where they will be in five or ten years, especially poignant because we know several of them will be dead.

Arthur Knight's "Misfits Country" is an enticing, surprisingly realistic work of fiction.

Arthur Knight's "Misfits Country," for those of us either old enough to recall or be adequately studied in cinema to harbor curiosity about what may have actually occurred in the minds and lives of the cast members of Hollywood's hot list during the shooting of what has been univocally described as one of the most difficult film productions ever undertaken, reads like a dream we may have never dreamt ... but always considered.
Arthur Miller's script for The Misfits, directed by John Houston in 1961 and strongly supported by then A-list actors Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift marked the last curtain call for two of America's greatest film stars ... they just didn't know it yet. And ... who would've?
Such retrospective analysis provided the fictional fodder for Knight, who delves deeply into the "what if?" He presents the reader with scenarios created from actual, factual research and a sharper mind for speculative scenarios with even more finely honed prose to explore the dynamics of what happened on the set ... or what may have, behind the sets and soundstages in the personal challenges facing these stars whose inner lights were dimming in a rapidly fading horizon of personal illusion simultaneously melding with that of the public silver screen.
Using the tension of Miller's and Monroe's failing marriage sizzling in the Reno, Nevada desert heat, accentuated by an increasingly inebriated Houston who had indeed lost his "direction," Knight explores the breadth and depth of these rich and famous personas America adored, and insightfully presents through his inner-dramatic format what may have really led to the end of the epic drama, the erratic lives of those who embodied it, and an era when a movie-going public departed theaters in awe, never knowing what dirt might lie within the folds of the theater's curtains. They bought the dream - Knight didn't.
The documented reality of the film's labored production is, in and of itself, tabloid material, but Knight exercises his focused writing to cast the characters in different lights - sometimes soft and forgiving, and others harsh and unyielding. Between the novel's bindings and among its pages, readers become privy to thoughts, attitudes, intentions and actions stripped of a Hollywood mystique that can never be proven. Nor, however ... can his suppositions ever be outright denied. And in such ... the drama within a drama emerges.
The film, after much delay, opened to mixed reviews, no doubt born from an expectation of audiences who were awaiting established superstar performances, but had no clue about a drunken and compulsively gambling director; the downright nasty marital discord of America's blonde-bombshell sweetheart stoned out of her beautiful gourd on drugs and alcohol during filming; the ever-widening gap of her marriage to acclaimed playwright Arthur Miller; or Monroe's implied liaisons with "Monty," a closeted bisexual who sported a drug usage profile equal to or greater than Monroe's.
Fact: Miller and Monroe divorced shortly after production on The Misfits was completed.
What "Misfits Country" offers that the film does not is a vast and deep undercurrent of raw dialogue that wasn't scripted for actors, yet in prose form reveals a story equally as compelling, perhaps even more compelling, than that of the film, where actors were merely reciting lines for takes ... but not delivering the stuff emanating from their true hearts, even if their true hearts' desires are the product of Knight's imagination.
"Misfits?" Probably. But in "Misfits Country," human beings - not actors - with much more real emotions, real issues, real dramas, real problems ... without direction ... and without doubt, seek solace, happiness, and comfort wherever it might exist ... for survival.
Reality, in "Misfits Country" seems to possess more inherent truth than what we saw on the screen when too, and quite fairly, we suspended our belief for entertainment.
Arthur Knight, an early scholar of Beat Generation poets and retired university professor, edited and published several acclaimed anthologies from this historic era of American literature. He's also written plays on his versions of the lives of Billy The Kid, James Dean, and Jack Kerouac. Among his other available novels is "Blue Skies Falling," a thinly-disguised take on the life of Sam Peckinpah.
"Misfits Country" presents readers with yet another dreamy journey into the lives of Hollywood's American film icons ... and outlaws.
Like Knight's past literary endeavors, "Misfits Country" is well worth the read - so read it now ... before the inevitable movie ... about the movie, arrives at your local theater.

This is a dramatic and poignant tale of growing up in a Philadelphia housing project. Through vivid language, such as Mixed Up Strawberry Sky and a young hoodlum who's "perpetratin'," Clark takes the reader into a harsh world. The story begins a week before she leaves for college, immediately setting up the premise that she literally is one in a million to escape poverty, abuse and neglect. Kelee's story is inspiring and written with courageous honesty. Her lively writing and insights gave me a deeper understanding of the forces that perpetuate poverty for some African-Americans.

This author doesn't worry about sentence structure, but develops a good rhythmic cadence.

The black ghetto setting is well evoked and the use of the main character's Journal works well as an expository device. I am unable to get a clear sense of Kelee, the protagonist. She's described as old enough to go to college, but she alternates between too-mature philosophy and childlike dreaming. If the author sustains this throughout the novel as part of the "mixed up sky" reference, I could accept it.

What I couldn't accept comes at the end of the excerpt: Kelee watches the neighborhood 'bad boy' follow his usual routine, but when we get to the action that the reader believes Kelee expects, she suddenly over reacts and reveals herself. Very confusing.

I was mildly irritated by a few typos (no space between the very first two words) and lack of subject-verb agreement (the life and the God... seems so far away.)

The first paragraph put me off, (typo, grammar and I couldn't make sense of, "besides, she read about it in a book." I persevered long enough to decide that the novel has possibilities, but doesn't much interest me.

I loved the vivid descriptions and analogies of a world opened through the eyes of a resilient, strong and "tainted" young girl named Kelee - one who has experienced more at a young age due to the environment she is brought up in. Although you get the feeling like the odds are against Kelee (bad neighborhood, high crime), you feel like Kelee has taken it all in as a matter of fact and she is still not broken. You feel for her as you would an underdog, and hope that she will not succumb to the pressures around her but find a way to get out.

The author structures the story around Kelee's diary excerpts, a very effective technique because you know these thoughts are the most intimate, gratifyingly real, and nakedly honest feelings as one can get.

Kelee has the rare power to see things for what they are. She accurately analyzes the situation before her - an ability many people wish to have. You can't pull away from her descriptions of the life and people around her. Parts of Kelee's life sound so normal and I could relate, but then the other parts are so shocking and you can't help but feel that no one should have to grow up like this girl.

These five short pages demands the reader's attention and I look forward to reading how Kelee will transition away from this impoverished neighborhood to college - a great stage in life to capture.

This excerpt left me longing for more. The story centers around a young girl, Kelee, who yearns to escape from "the island" (a southwest Philly neighborhood). With the author's vivid descriptions, I could almost visualize the abject living conditions that Kelee is so desperate to get away from. This has the promise of a feel good story though, as Kelee is full of hope no matter how dire her current circumstances appear. I especially enjoyed the introduction of Jojo, described as the Messiah of his family who has been doted on incessantly since birth. The excerpt is really brief (five and a half pages), but I think this story has vast potential and would love to read the entire book.

The first chapter, or pages 1-7 of the first chapter, proved intriguing. The notion that one can take refuge from painful memories, ignorance and a minacious environment through a relentless pursuit of knowledge is one that just may touch a nerve. A comfort found not so much in the change of geography but in the erudition itself. I gave it five stars not so much for the brief glimpse into the work itself, but for the option value. A downpayment on the promise the author purports to deliver.

This is an artistic and literary presentation of the Parisian café. The beautiful photographs and matching quotes are an inspiration to the reader who readily senses the author's knowledge of the subject and her devotion to those cafes that were the haven for great painters, photographers, and writers. As one traverses the pages of this elegant, petite volume, one becomes, in one's imagination, a frequenter of those cafes, enjoying their seductive ambiance, while sipping coffee, chatting with artists and friends, admiring the decor without and within, and hoping to find, in this world, a café that can bestow upon him such joy and offer him a home away from home.

Wow! I found this little gem at the bookstore at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. The cover attracted me because it looked like a scene I had seen many times when I lived and wrote in Paris. Any writer who has spent time in Cafe le Dome or Le Select will get multiple nostalgia attacks looking over the pictures and reading the quotes from Shaw, Papa Hemingway, Camus and the other greats. The review title above about everyone having two countries comes from Thomas Jefferson who loved Paris. Too bad he is dead, for he too would have also loved Val Clark's wonderful little book.

A Literary Companion, indeed! As a writer, lover of Paris and cafes--I found this book delightful, and the perfect companion for a cold winter day. For like the cafe it celebrates, it has the ability to lift my spirits the moment I "enter" its sumptuous pages. Val Clark has done a masterful job in matching up the evocative photographs of Doisneau and Brassai, the art of Van Gogh, Manet, Bemelmans and much more--with the words of writers and artists that endure because they resonate with that fullness of being that the cafe nurtures. This little book pays loving homage to that sensibility. Thank you Val Clark!

Val Clark's selection of images and quotations evoking the literary life of Paris cafes is like sitting down to a cafe creme at Les Deux Magots with your favorite writers. Clark has scoured literary sources both familiar and overlooked to compile an ecclectic assemblage of testimonies on the allure of Paris cafes. She pairs these testimonies with images (photographs, oils, watercolors) so naturally that it seems the writers and artists had collaborated: Langston Hughes and Vincent Van Gogh, Irwin Shaw and Andre Kertesz, Henry Miller and LeRoy Neiman, and many, many more. The Introduction gives an insightful and appreciative overview of the essential role of cafes in Paris literary and artistic life. Like a good cafe, this charming books offers a respite from our hectic work-a-day lives. A delight!

This is a great book! Val Clark has assembled a wonderful collection of photos and quotes that transport the reader to the Paris café scene of Hemingway, Anais Nin and Albert Camus. Flipping through the pages of this beautifully laid out book will send any reader into another world entirely. I would say that it is an ideal coffee table book, except that two friends have already asked to borrow it from my coffee table!

Peter Penny: Discovers The Gift It is a common occurence - your child is fearing the darkness, hearing an unexpected noise, taking a school test, or being left alone at home for the very first time. This book has a great storyline because it contains several instances of how a child can be overwhelmed by fear or uneasiness. To address those feelings, as a parent, I found this book to be a wonderful tool by reminding my child of the gift. I recommend this 'feel good' and 'self-esteem builder' book to all early to pre-teen readers.

What an outstanding book to add to my collection.This has to be as close to home as I can get."Peter Penny Discovers The Gift" really kept my attention as I was reading.The story takes you back to a childhood that most us have lived.From the time I started the book, I just could'nt put it down. It definitely makes you want to finish it, just to find out what happens in the end.With all the color illustrations in this story, you can almost feel the moments happen as if you where there.Children will love this story, as well as adults. I recommend this book highly.

This book I would recommend to any parent that wants to send a great message to their child. What a wonderful story , and message. The wonderful illistrations that go along with add so much to the story , makes it fun and easy to follow. This would be the perfect gift for around the Holidays or any time of the year .

With the market place being flooded with so many negative images for our kids and youth today, it's nice to be able to read a book to my three-year-old son that shares some of our same beliefs about faith. I would recommend this book to anyone with young children.

A nice, warm story for young readers to learn how coincidences in everyday life can lead to misunderstandings and beliefs, but also shows that being faithful can have its rewards. The illustrations on every page help young readers envision the story and lets older readers remember a simpler time.

The entire series has been exceptional. I have learned a lot about charitable organizations while enjoying the mysteries. Mindy Starns Clark is one of my favorite authors and she did a great job on this book. Each book has had a major mystery, but a secondary one in the person of Tom. It has been interesting as we have learned more about Tom in each book. I think a movie series could be made of these outstanding stories - expecially this one.

The first book in the Million Dollar Mysteries that you get to see Callie and Tom work so closely together. Clark drives the story along amongst breathtaking scenery, and mounting action. She kept me turing the pages and I finished the story in a short time. The Christianity part wasn't overbearing. I enjoyed being able to see a bit more of Tom, and can't wait to read what the next book will tell of him and Callie.

The only flaw with the series is that the story is "told" to you. I feel as if I don't get to feel and see as Callie actually does, that she is holding me slightly at bay. For a story written in FP POV, I'd like to have more of my senses involved. But it still is a good read.

The latest in the Million Dollar Mysteries series is, as always with this author's work, better than the last (and that was pretty good to begin with). Her characters are deepening, she has a gift for plot and structure, and she leaves you wishing she could write the next book fast enough to read as soon as you're done with this one. As Callie and her new beau (and still boss) Tom investigate the shooting of an old, dear friend, the stakes are higher than usual, the emotions are more intense and the story is propelled forward more forcefully. The secrets are many, the solutions make sense and the reader is left wanting more. Can you ask for more than that?

Tom and Callie finally get to spend some time getting to know each other in person. Almost alone at a retreat in North Carolina, one week has stretched into three, but the real world is calling again and they must reluctantly part ways.

Just as they reach the airport, Callie gets a phone call from Stella Gold. Her husband Eli has just been shot by a sniper and is in surgery. Before loosing consciousness, he specifically asked for the two of them to come. Since Eli is such a good friend, they drop everything and rush to his bed side.

A PI, Callie wants to figure out what happened to Eli. The only clue is a warning from someone named Nadine. When Eli and Stella's condo is searched, it is further proof that someone is after him. Where might he have hidden his notes? And why did Eli request Tom's presence?

As this series has progressed, the plots have only gotten strong, and this book is no exception. It starts with a bang and keeps right on going. Every time an answer comes, it only leaves more questions. Yet Callie and Tom keep digging, getting themselves further and further in trouble. While some things seemed obvious a little early on, there are still several nice twists along the way that keep the reader guessing.

Fans of the series will be happy to learn that Tom is a very active part of this book instead of only a presence like in previous entries. In fact, we even get to learn what he does, finally. His relationship with Callie continues to grow as she continues to move on from her husband's death. In fact, one of the strong points of the series is watching Callie finally truly deal with her grief.

The writing style is still a little rough, keeping the reader a little more at bay by telling instead of showing. It's not a big problem, however, and I found myself staying up too late reading every night to see what would happen in the next chapter.

The only problem with this book is the cliffhanger ending. Even though I saw it coming (I've read the back of the next book already), it still left me wanting to pick up the next book right away. Which isn't really a bad thing at all.

With a strong plot and great characters, this Christian mystery series is wonderful entertainment.

Charity investigator Callie Webber finally seems to be having some joy in her life. Although heartbroken by the death of her beloved husband in a boating accident, she has just started to explore a relationship with Tom Bennett, Callie's boss and the philanthropist behind the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation. As they are ending their vacation together in the North Carolina mountains they receive a devastating call; Eli Gold, Tom's friend and Callie's mentor, has just been shot and his last words before sliding into unconsciousness were to ask for the couple's help.

After rushing to Eli's bedside they discover that he had been tracking down a woman he had thought was dead but is apparently very much alive. Callie also learns that Eli has been hiding his own secret past, namely his history with the National Security Agency and his ties with the mysterious woman. As Tom and Callie follow the trail to the Caribbean island of St. John they find themselves involved in a complicated scheme involving art fraud, secret identities, and double-crosses. Complicating matters is that just as Callie allows herself to believe that it's possible to find two loves in a lifetime she must confront Tom's own past and whether she has enough trust left in her to believe in him.

Although labeled an inspirational Christian mystery, Quarter for a Kiss easily crosses into the mainstream thriller genre with its fascinating plot and fast pace. The action speeds up as Tom and Callie use his rock climbing skills to stage an elaborate break-in into an extensively guarded home and coordinate their investigation with federal agents. One of the most entertaining scenes is the detailed description of Callie's attempt to place bugs within the home of their suspect by using actual bug traps. Additionally, Clark so vividly paints a picture of St. John that the reader feels the breezes and sees the clear ocean. The author successfully creates great characters that are conflicted and very real, from Jodi, Eli's immature adult daughter, to Sergeant Abraham Ruhl, the St. John's police officer who is unwilling to give up his investigation to Interpol or the NAS. Of course, Clark's greatest achievement comes with Callie and Tom, who are both very engaging and slowly building a stronger relationship together. Callie's wit, investigative skills, perseverance, and faith will ensure the success of this fourth entry in the winning Million Dollar Mystery series.

I've made many of these recipes, and turn to this book again and again. I just made the scallops with walnut persillade for my parents (embarassingly easy) and they (and I) were thrilled with the results! This book is worth tracking down.

This book has been my cooking bible for many years now. We've cooked so many fabulous and easy recipes from here. Wondering if it was still available after yet another good meal I decided to check out Amazon. Get it. It's worth it.

As someone with very little time and no great love of cooking, I require that a well-thumbed cookbook be very high on flavor and low on work. This book is just that. The recipes are so satisfying and easy to cook that for the first time in my life, I'd rather eat my own cooking than opt for takeout.

I love this cookbook - it is my absolute favorite. The recipes are truly quick, easy, elegant, and delicious.

Like her first book, Ann Clarks Fabulous Fish, her latest collection of recipes in Quick Cuisine are simple yet tasty, sophisticated, and clearly well pre-tested. Follow her instructions and you can't go wrong. She deserves to be far better known. To quote Barbara Ensrud, author of Wine with Food, she has "a marvelous way with food."

A great way to bring those little or big issues that cause faltering relationships to the table. Well worth the small investment.

Good idea, this book focuses on real issue, an is very good in enhancing communication. My family an I have started our own family court.

I enjoy using the relationship citation with my husband. It's a safe and non threatening way to deal with some touchy issues and at the same time we have alot of fun with it.

This is a great way to get issues placed on the table. My husband is notorious for leaving the place a mess. I cited him and he got the point without an arguement. He understood my position and even complied to the restitution.... I Love this booklet! I am going to even try checking off a restitution code to add excitement in our marriage of 23 years. Why cite them all the time, let them know they are appreciated and just check off the restitution... thanks to the authors of this book... The authors apparently know what it takes to keep a relationship going!!!!! 5 stars to them.

What an excellent idea! This book should be included as a gift idea for anyone in a relationship of any kind.

The book focuses on the immediate issue from that persons perspective, and then goes the next step of allowing that person to decide what the remedy should be.

There have been a lot of other books that deal with relationships. First they try to explain the issues. Then they try to explain the causes for the issues. Then some of them (the good ones) suggest alternative actions to prevent the situation from reoccuring. With The RELATIONSHIP CITATION you don't mess around with all the psychoanalysis 101, you get right to the point.

This is a great way for a person to break the ice on that "silent treatment" that we as men are familiar with from both sides of the fence. I highly recommend the book for everyone. Incidently, for all of you guys out there that are guilty of Violation code VC334 "Giving me the silent treatment"

I highly recommend Restitution Code RC123 "Set aside some cuddling time" It works every time.

Buy the book. It should be guaranteed to bring a smile to even the most heated relationship situations.

Ramon