Close Books

This is a great reference grammar book, excellent for beginners and intermediate students of the spanish language, covering all aspects of prepositions and pronouns with numerous examples covering all types of usage. Very useful and thorough exercises in both languages, that if you manage to complete them all, you become a master of the subject.
This book along with the one covering prepositions and pronouns are the top best that I could find to assist me in my spanish classes.

This is one in a great series of Spanish study books. Lots of exercises so you can really practice. Also the organization makes for a great reference. My English grammar is terrible so I have a hard time figuring out what tense I want to use. The beginning of each section has an explanation of how the tenses translate. The pronouns and prepositions book is also great.

Easy to use with worksheets that make the subject clear. I particularly like the written paragraph exercise. After writing the paragraph you can check your Spanish phrasing in the answer section.

A good book for the low price. It's large and has over 300 pages. It makes a good supplement for other spanish learning books that you may have. But I found it to be the type of book so often written by educators with many degrees. Too many rules.

This book on Spanish verb tenses is the best I've ever seen. In fact, it is probably the only book of its kind. I haven't seen any other books like this one, probably because it would be a waste of time for someone else to write a book like this.

The book first explains the present tense in great detail. It explains how the present tense is used in every possibleway. Although, it doesn't explain that the present tense is often used to convey a future action more often than the actual future is.

Richmond's explanation of the past tenses is also very good, but I didn't like how the imperfect and the preterit were explained. What I did like was how the author explains that the irregular preterit conjugations have predictable patterns.

The subjunctive is explained towards the end, which is one of the most difficult things to master in Spanish grammar. I didn't particularly care for the author's explanation of the subjunctive because it seems to be a "regurgitation" of how other books explain it.

All in all, this book is well worth its price. Every Spanish student (and teacher) should have a copy of "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses."

Brandon Simpson

The thing I will remember most about this book is that, surprisingly, it was a deeply touching tribute to his mother. The military stuff is all extremely interesting, to the point where you won't be able to put it down. But the book goes far deeper. It's a timeless story from the heart -- one that every son wishes he could write for his mother. On the outside, the author is a tough-as-nails soldier. But on the inside, he's still a little boy who continually reaches back to his mother's love to guide him through life. This is as it should be. God bless all the good mothers of the world.

I haven't read this book yet (sorry for the 5 star rating), but have picked up on his online magazine (blog). Michael Yon has and is travelling all around Iraq - mostly in the hotspots with the U.S. Army (Strykers), where he does his reporting. I find his weekly dispatches informative and interesting, and will definitely be picking up his book. If you liked his book, please go to http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/ and start reading at the bottom (where he started writing) and work your way up. New dispatches posted weekly (mostly). Also, it seems he's doing this out of his own pocket, so donate towards his blog if you can. From his online magazine:

Michael Yon, author of "Danger Close," is currently in Iraq. Email: [...] Michael Yon is an independent, informed observer chronicling the monumentally important events in the efforts to stabilize Iraq. His dispatches have the benefit of his life experiences without drawbacks based on deadlines or demands of marketplace. The cost of these dispatches is borne solely by Michael. Readers who enjoy these dispatches and want to support Michael's mission in Iraq, can make a contribution using the PayPal links

This poignant biographical work hits you in all places of your heart. At times laughing with him and at other times feeling the heartwrenching pain with him, this book captures your attention from page one to the end. While retelling his captivating adventures of being a Green Beret with the US Army, he also includes the less exciting and heartwrenching details of his life--including the untimely death of his mother. I picked it up and couldn't put it down until I was done with it. This book is great for military and civilians alike! If a submarine-hunting P-3 flier can enjoy this book, so can you. Mike Yon candidly opens up and relates life--as is. If you relish the adventure of fiction with the down-to-earth punch of reality, this book is for you!

Mr. Yon is currently in Northern Iraq and writes periodic pieces on the web about his experiences with American forces. He is a very dedicated and personable guy who is just trying to do the right thing. I enjoyed this book very much but would have liked to know what happened after the car wreck. How did his SF career end,etc. Anyway those of you who are interested in personal military type accounts will definetly enjoy this book. It received an award for his writing style.

Although Mike Yon and myself both graduated from Winter Haven High School it was years apart and I never had the pleasure of meeting him. I found the book enjoyable because I could relate to some of the local places that he mentioned. But the story was well written and interesting besides being informative despite that fact. Charles E. Gist author of the historical fiction novel "The Other Side of The River"

I bought this book because I needed help with getting better at playing with my daughter. She always wants to play and I am busy or not in the mood. I was feeling so guilty and not a good mom that I started looking for books on how to be a better parent. After reading this book, I realized how important play is. Is not just a game but a way to build a stronger relationship with my daughter and learning what she is thinking and feeling. Through play she lets me know if she had a good day at the daycare.
I strongly recommend this book.

A pleasant read with plenty of humor and ideas. The author is a nice real human being, not a miracle worker coming from outer space, teaching you how to loosen up and reconnect with your children in very simple ways.
The author offers hope and guidance to parents, helping them understand their mistakes with empathetic insights; empowers you with tools to address your own emotional issues, and covers every possible topic with lots of examples ( I loved that!)
Definitely the best parenting book I've ever read.

Will use some of these ideas in my daily life-i got 2 sons (3&1 year) and really some of these ideas weren't new, but in our busy schedule it's good to have a book like this to remind us that all the kids need are play (among all other necessities :))

So many of us have become too caught up in our busy lives to remember that children need to play. This book includes great recommendations and strategies for re-connecting with our children through play. So far, it is helping us with our 4 and 1 year olds--we are finding that using a playful approach is helping us feel better about our relationships with our children.

I loved this book. It gave me a different prospective on raising and understanding my child. It takes practice to get the hang of it but after I read this book, my baby whinned a LOT LESS. He seems happier.

I was skeptical at first that this was a book by someone born with a silver spoon just looking to sell a book. But after reading through the thoughts and stories included, it's evident that Hutcheson has been on the front line throughout his career and the information included can be a benefit to any business owner and manager, particularly one looking to grow and transition ownership while facing the rough roads that will come with it.

As the world changes, a business must change or decline and die. Some do so even if their business climate has not changed at all. These businesses self-destruct due to internal incompetence or conflicts that blur their focus on what it is their business should do. James Olan Hutcheson is the grandson of the founder of Olan Mills, the world's largest photography company. After starting in the company as a telemarketer, he rose to a position of responsibility and then resigned to pursue a career as a business consultant. Therefore, while he draws heavily from the history of Olan Mills, he also uses examples from several other businesses.
His advice is sound, logical and yet not simple. Ideas such as having proteges (including relatives), work their way up through a company rather than having the reins of power simply handed to them without training is a sound yet often ignored management principle. Another bit of sound advice that is often ignored is the toleration of honest, well meaning and factually based dissent. An examination of business, political and religious history shows quite clearly that when dissent is crushed an organization loses its' health and eventually dies, sometimes rather abruptly. As greater details of the latest corporate fiasco's come to light, it is clear that those who dissented were hounded, and sometimes it continues even after they were proven correct. This is an absurd business practice, as denying the truth only makes it worse when the end finally comes.
The nine keys listed in this book will not make your business a success. Only the making of a valuable product and executing a sound business plan can do that. What it can do is increase the odds that you will do both by showing you how others have done it.

James Olan Hutcheson has written a book that should prove invaluable to owners of small businesses and other nonhierarchical organizations. Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business is a book that deserves--and will hopefully get--a large readership.

Drawing on what he has seen in his own family business' transition to second generation leadership, as well as what he has witnessed as a consultant on such transitions, Hutcheson gives the reader much to think about. As he makes each point in his "9 Keys" he illustrates it with a real-life example.

Many of the keys are basic but easy to overlook and (after having overlooked them) sometimes tricky to introduce in a static leadership environment. Yet Hutcheson is a faithful guide through the peaks and valleys.

Having suffered through encounters with ineffective organizations (my daughter's school) and reveled in being a part of an effective, on-purpose organization (my Church), I cannot stress enough how important it is for people in leadership positions to be intentional in what they do and have the ability to be life-long learners. Learning about leadership and listening to those who "have been there," like Mr. Hutcheson, is a big part of this. Nothing less is in the balance than the difference between a life of drudgery and one of joy and freedom.

My only critique of this book is one that springs from my Christianity. I feel that the missing tenth (and possibly most important key) is Spiritual giftedness. When people serve in an area they not only enjoy, but also are gifted by God to serve in, explosive results are to be had. Also, as part of the Kingdom, "Business Traditions, Myths, and Shared Beliefs" melt away in the face of the kind of common purpose given by the Great Commission and the whole history of salvation.

Bearing this in mind and also recognizing that Mr. Hutcheson's audience probably have not all partaken of the Kingdom as of yet, I have to say that this book does a darn good job as a whole. It is less of a compilation of other sources than are most other leadership books. I found it refreshing to be able to distinguish an actual authorial voice in a work such as this. Too many leadership books read like a cross between a presentation and an instruction manual.

Get this book. It is well worth the time spent reading.

A great book to read especially if you are interested in building a great company.

I've done the leadership thing at Toastmasters. I've attended the 12-class Dale Carnegie Course. I've read a lot of books on leadership, and I've counseled clients at SCORE.org counseling sessions on leadership. What I've garnered from all of this on the subject of starting a business and doing it as a leader is described in this book.

If you are leading a company - are you interested in just creating short term profits, or are you looking to the long term? When you hire people are you promoting them because you have become their friend, or because they have earned it? Are you leading or just managing? Do you have passion, or are you just putting in your time? These and other topics are addressed in this book. Get it and read it. You'll be glad you did.

"Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business" by James Olan Hutcheson is just another "how to succeed at business" book. I wish its value was more than that, but it isn't. It is neither passionate nor any more informative than its competitors.

In the business books I have read recently, I found this one lacks the authority and substance I found in others. William Pollard's "Soul of the Firm" has the authority, as he took ServiceMaster to a new level. "Values of the Game" by Bill Bradley was worth the read because of Bradley's unique metaphorical look at life. "Leadership" by Rudolph Giuliani has power because of what Giuliani has gone through. "Portraits," however, has a flaccid tone to it. I felt as if it was researched information regurgitated into book form. I felt like I was reading the kind of book which gets sold after a corporate sales seminar.

The book, as seen in the subtitle, can be boiled down to nine major points. In each, Hutcheson retells stories of business success and failures, from security company founder Richard Wackenhut to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Action items accompany each chapter, and herein lay the book's greatest value. Hutcheson provides a topic sentence to lead the mini-lesson, but weakly completes the thesis in the following paragraphs.

The redundancy of subject matter mixed with a bland presentation has me suggesting to you to look elsewhere. It was not edited tightly enough to build the necessary tension and excitement. Overall, "Portraits of Success: 9 Keys to Sustaining Value in Any Business" lacks the poignancy I have come to expect from professional advancement books.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

This is the first book by Hansen I've read, and I enjoyed it. It is a very funny and quick read. There are not many travel writers who describe events like "It was like an all-male barn dance at sea." Or describe a man spitting his flaming dentures off a pier on Thursday Island.

This is what I wrote to a USA forum of birders (birdwatchers):
Eric Hansen, well known from his impressive travel stories located in Yemen and Borneo, has published a collection of short stories titled the Bird Man and the Lap Dancer - Close Encounters with Strangers. The main story is about a real wildlife biologist in California and the interest a few female 'special club' dancers developed for going out with him to go birdwatching. It's not hard to believe how weird this story is, but possibly in a different way from what you think. Even though birding practically disappears from halfway this 45 pages long story, it's interesting enough from the birding perspective alone. There is even some serious talk about birding, like the standardising of bird census techniques in the USA. Good to know that these subjects have made it to the world literature!
The other eight stories are not about birding but often show Hansen's great gift in describing outdoor atmosphere.

My Aunt Dagmar once told me - `All of my stories are true and some of them actually happened.' I strongly believe that is a sentiment shared by Eric Hansen.

"The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer" is an excellent read. Hansen is a first-rate writer and has no problem holding the reader's interest from one page to the next and from story to story. I was somewhat surprised to find that the first story was a character study about a relationship between two women rather than a travel story per se. However, as I read on, Hansen made me realize that travel is not just about place, but also about the people the traveler will come across in his or her journeys and I grew to appreciate the subtitle - "Close Encounters with Strangers."

I am not at all disappointed in the tales the author has to relate. But, deep down I feel that is mostly what they are - tales. This is especially true of the title story. Perhaps I come to this conclusion because in this story Hansen at times seems to lose his narrative thread and delve a little too deeply and a little too long into the psyche of the characters rather than the encounter. This story, to me, feels like a fantasy and firmly embeds this book in to the growing genre of "creative nonfiction."

While I would not place this book in the Travel section, I do highly recommend it to any one who is interested in reading about colorful people in exotic settings.

Highest recommendation! How much living can one man fit into his years? I'd guess Eric Hansen can answer that as well as any person alive today. Some reviewers have praised the chapter "Life Lessons from Dying Strangers" as the best of the book. While I thoroughly loved it, "Cooking with Madame Zoya" brought a lump to my throat as I read about this spunky, independent woman making a life in a neighborhood most men would never consider entering--and receiving help from the most unexpected of sources! What a story!
"Three Nights on the Mountain" will give you chills. "The Ghost Wind" will renew your faith in native intelligence and perception. And "The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer" will leave you shaking your head in wonder at the amazing variety of people in the world.
Read this book!

This is an unusual book and for many people it will be the title that will first beckon. It was loaned to me by a close friend and once I started it I found that I couldn't wait to find out where the next essay led. As a result I turned the last page after a four hour plane trip and was sorry that there wasn't more. This is not to say that there aren't some essays that are more successful than others but each illumines a facet of this amazing life and planet that you are unlikely to read about anywhere else. In many cases it is the juxtaposition of people,their circumstances, and their associations that makes this book unique. Hansen has lived a fascinating and unusual life. In his willingness to take risks and to say "yes," before he really understands what is in store he has opened himself up to the richness of life. It was great fun to go along for the ride.

This book has beautiful illustrations. My son is 7 months old and he reaches out to grab at the pages. The illustrations are so colorful and bright. It has a cute story as well.

I gave this as a gift a few years ago and the kids still love it and count it as a favorite. I recently gave it to another child as a gift, but will have to wait to find out how they like it as they are not yet born.

I first discovered this book at the library. I liked it so much that I've checked it out multiple times and have now purchased it.

Kate Banks' writing is a parent telling a story to a child. The words are soothing, but become more poetic with each reading.
Georg Hallenleben's art fills the page and takes you into the imagination of the writer.

I am a new mom and have received lots of books as gifts. I buy books used or on clearance as I see them. This is the first book I have purchased for my son at full price - I love it and would recommend as my top choice to anyone. I like it for naps.

This book is one of my daughter's favorite bedtimes stories and mine. The little tiger is adorable and I love how all the illustrations complement the storyline. I absolutely LOVE this book and recommend it highly.

The beautiful illustrations and words of comfort help our two children, ages 2 and 4, at bedtime. The baby tiger expresses his fears of bedtime while mommy tiger provides words to calm and soothe.

"Utopia Closes" reveals to us an all-too-realistic future where brand names are the only nouns that matter and journalism is a notch below pornography on the ladder of decency. Follow Baby Trousers, in his quest to become a composer in an ugly landscape--whether it is read in Ireland or in the United States, "Utopia Closes" describes a familiar sensation--that of the political apparatus closing around us.

As funny as Flann, as detailed as Dedalus and as wild as, umm, Wilde.
Here's hoping we get a chance to read the whole thing and find out if it's as barmy as Beckett.

Biting, satirical view of the land of the Green Tiger, could it be as bad as this or worse? Read on . . . [[ASIN:B00121WDG0 Utopia Closes - Official ABNA Entrant

A witty and engaging read that ended too soon--loved the ironic crafting of the characters, especially the Marshal.

Fin Keegan rewrites recent Irish history in the terms of a Stalinist fable, creating a hilarious and ambitious vision of his native land as green bear rather than green tiger.

Exciting and inspiring. This book contains many exciting closeup photos and also has clear photographs with text that help the reader to achieve similar results. Written and illustrated by a famous photographer, "Closeup Shooting" is a must have for all aspiring macro photographers.

Some guides simply brag of the authors experience, others throw technical terms, shutter speeds and f-stops at the reader. A good guide should be wonderfully assembled to teach and inspire without arrogance. This book does that, providing a wonderful resource that even experienced photographers can learn from. Stunning photos and explanations inspire and teach. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to make their photos the best they can be.

Buen y serio trabajo con algunas fotos realmente magnificas. Profundiza mas que otras obras similares en aspectos técnicos sin olvidar darle también ese leve toque tecnico a aquellos capitulos que tratan temas mas basicos e introductorios. Resulta facil y agradable de leer al no tratarse de de un tratado cientifico-técnico sobre macrofotografia. Interesante y recomendable para aficionados y amateurs.

Closeup Shooting is filled with excellent advice for beginning photographers wanting to do close-up photography. Harnischmacher clearly explains the various types of close-up photography, ranging from 1:2 to about 6:1 image magnification. Unlike many photography writers, he seems to be aware that most of his readers are amateurs and do not have unlimited equipment budgets, so he takes care to show what can be done with limited or inexpensive equipment.

The text and illustrating photos are consistently on the same page or on facing pages. The graphic layout of the book is quite appealing. Each chapter opens with a full-page 3x3 grid on which there are about 9 close-up photos, typically of camera equipment. Each facing page within the chapter typically has a couple photos to accompany the descriptive text, and a larger photo whose technical aspects are clearly explained.

The section I found most useful was near the end. In it, Harnischmacher describes and diagrams the lighting used on a series of subjects. Each diagram shows the placement of the camera, the subject, each of the lights and their coverage, and any screens or reflectors that were used. Most books, even those whose main topic is lighting, don't use this simple but highly effective way of visualizing the lighting setup.

After reading through this book twice I know this will be one of my favorites on the subject. There are many things to like about it. The examples are inspiring and informative. The content is varied but not shallow. And the layout and organization make it easy to follow.

Most of all I like this book because the author exhibits many of the traits I associate with great photographers. I can tell that he has wonderful vision, and that he spends many hours diligently pursuing it. I'm also impressed by the way he applies creativity, and uses low-cost items, rather than just instructing us to buy one of everything from the camera shop to make boring "me too" images. I recommend this book 100% to anyone seriously wanting to grow into macrophotography.

If you are a seasoned sales person/manager who knows the pain of too many Nos or no answer proposals, this is your book. This is a fitting up to date replacement for the New Solution Selling. Marx has been there, dione that and got all the T-shirts,. It is a pure sales book which happily ignores completely the need for nurturing etc. But for pure in the trenches, gut feel selling this is the book. I took a while to read it as the title put me off. But boy was I was mistaken. Marx could have been listening in on many Rocket Builders consults wrto sales and the buyer's journey. He is so bang on. Some insights:

* The salesperson gains power by empowering the buyer.
* Selling is tough but so is buying today.
* Your prospects want to buy, why would you be invited.
* Contracting is essential to set and maintain buyer expectations.
* What is the buyer doing to move the sale forward?
* Use half baked/straw man ideas before you present the maximum idea
* Use progress reports to show how far you have come
* A critical path details where you are going.
* There is no correlation between a rapid turnaround of a proposal and a good sale. None.

This is a salesman's/manager's must buy book.

Its been a good reading so far. Interesting points of view. I'll keep reading it for sure.

I can't speak for every industry but it's dead on for the media industry. When we look at the diminishing number of clients or prospects that have a solid respect for what we do, many of the answers (the little things) are in this book.

I don't hide the fact that I go against the grain in my search to improve procedures and systems to super serve clients while strengthening a company's bottom line. In that quest, a book called, "Close Like The Pros" by Steve Marx, had an impact on me. It's the closest strategy that I have found to date that I totally agree with in terms of real and realistic sales. "Close Like The Pros" is not a sales style, but rather a sales strategy for sales professionals who already understand why and how you should focus on customer needs. The book explains that providing the focus, power, and direction for the sale are important points to make during the sale. Oftentimes, management forces their own sales style on other members of their team and loses focus of the common goals to fill the client's needs while generating revenue for your company.

It's clear that Steve Marx has a sales training company because he provides a useful resource for the employee-focused manager. Those who live by partnership creation realize that it takes a great deal of work to provide that training and teach that skill to others. As an effective tool for the sales staff you want to educate and inspire, "Close Like the Pros" tells it like it is with clear, easy-to-follow examples. The book also includes easy and precise "how-to's" and encourages the exploration of the sales process in steps that permit growth. For the sales person who welcomes the opportunity to become even better, and for the manager who would appreciate an effective format for addressing the subject with new life, "Close Like the Pros" sets the stage for discussion in an active and energetic manner. I don't think there's any doubt that interactive selling is effective - "Close Like the Pros" will boost your own enthusiasm and renew your skills, whether you manage a staff of sales individuals or sell directly yourself. I've heard it said that 90% of all jobs are sales in one way or another. This book benefits people in every field because the ability to interact, to sell our product, or ourselves, is part of life as we know it.

What if our First Contact from another planet was a human? What if the first real alien to visit Earth from another solar system was a human woman on a mission to find the distantly related cousins of her own people? What if she brought with her a warning of an impending disaster of apocalyptic proportions? And what if nobody believed her?

Al Past's novel Distant Cousin is a most unusual science fiction story with a most unusual heroine. Ana Darcy has jeopardized her mission and cut herself off from her own people to bring a desperate warning to Earth authorities. Astronomers at a Texas observatory don't believe her, but the US military is willing to interrogate her - under custody of course. Her astonishing escape from Army detainment is our first hint that she may be more than she first appears and capable of more than we imagine. (Memorable quote from the Army Air Defense: "Barbie's baby sister from outer space is in our custody and you let her get away! If the mother ship beamed her up, you better pray they get you next!")

Befriended by ordinary people as varied as the family owners of a Texas dude ranch, a mild-mannered reporter, and an Olympic contender from Barbados, Darcy conceives a daring plan to evade government capture while hiding in plain sight and deliver her warning in a manner which cannot possibly be ignored. And afterward, she might just fall in love ... if she can trust her own feelings ... and trust her boyfriend with the truth about her origins. By the end of this most original novel, I knew two things for certain. The first was not to underestimate this diminutive and seemingly harmless protagonist. And the second was that the sequel, DC Repatriation, was going on my "buy-it-soon" list so that I could learn more about Ana Darcy and her mysterious people.

Typically, once I move beyond the pantheon of the all-time great SciFi writers (e.g., Clark, Bradbury, Heinlein, Brin, Niven, Sturgeon...), I find myself disappointed in the quality of the writing. I don't mean this as a slam on the genre, only on my difficulty in finding SciFi novelists who can combine a good SciFi storyline with good writing. Al Past is such a novelist. From the opening line, Distant Cousins leaves no doubt that its author knows his way around the English language. Other reviews have explained the story line, so I'll simply say that if you like SciFi, and prefer that it be well-written, you should give Distant Cousins a try.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the parts about Barbados and the Olympics. I lived in Barbados for two years (was stationed there with the USN) and I recognized most of the references in the book. The story was delightful and I'm preparing to read the two follow-on novels. This series would make a fun movie!

"Distant Cousin" is an interesting and eccentric book that manages to cross a number of genres - a little bit science fiction, sprinkled with alterna-sociology, a generous dash of techno-thriller, several roman-a-clef conventions gently folded in, and a rather sweet love story. Oh, and finding a place in the world for yourself; not the easiest thing for anyone, let alone for the young woman who calls herself Ana Darcy. Ana Darcy appears very early one morning at the University of Texas' Mt. Davis observatory with an urgent warning; the Earth will be in terrible danger from a so-far-undetected asteroid.

She is actually a scientist from another planet, sent to observe the earth from a distance on behalf of her own people, who may have originated here - hence the `distant cousin' - but Ana has good reason to keep quiet about many things, even among those friends she makes in the course of her quest. And she is an endearing person, both as a character and as written; observant, studious, given to sudden impulses and often quite uncertain about herself. The various stories unfold at a leisurely pace, but seem to conclude in mid-arc - not surprising once the reader realizes the final quarter of "Distant Cousin" is a careful set-up for not one but two sequels.

Much of the story is set in the mountains and deserts of West Texas around Alpine, or in southern New Mexico; the scenery, the culture and the cuisine are observed in close details, as an alien like Ana would see them. Mr. Past has included a few local characters and locations, which must especially amuse readers who know that part of the country well. This is a very readable diversion, and what is revealed about Ana's own culture and civilization is worked out in considerable and convincing detail.

Is it really? The Fifth Kind is supposed to denote communication with an alien. The Barbie doll who plays the lead in this screenplay waiting to happen is not actually an alien being. She is a human from another planet, and she does one helluva job at communicating! Remember the wonderful magic you felt the first time you saw Spielberg's Close Encounters? Literary author Al Past makes us feel that way again. You will fall in love with an alien all over again, just like you did when you met E.T. The author of Distant Cousin takes you to one of those places we all seek when we encounter a delightful, memorable novel like this one. Mr. Past shows us the majestic beauty of the mountains near Alpine, TX, and he takes us for an exciting ride to other locales both inside and outside the U.S., but those are merely logistical issues that complement the plot. The real story is found in that magical, mysterious place within our hearts.

Romance fans will enjoy this book as much as SciFi bugs. The storyline never encourages you to get out the hankies or bores you with technical mumbo-jumbo. It just blasts along the highway of your first big love affair. Like that affair, you may find a few bumps in the road in the form of grammatical typos, but I assure you they will never give you a flat tire! The characters and plotlines are all first-rate. There isn't a single wasted page or a single slow spot that you just have to wade through to get back to the good part. You will love the lead characters so much that you will be casting in your head for the Spielberg movie long before the end. Don't worry about there never being a sequel: it's already out. This is quite a book. When do we get to see the movie?