Close Books

I receieved these books whenever I was in middle school. I am now 22 years old, and from time to time I will go back and re-read them. Robin Jones Gunn really has done something wonderful in writing these books. They are sweet, innocent reads that bring the reader closer to their Heavenly Father. I recommend them from the bottom of my heart.

Christy Miller will forever be my favorite book character. I can relate to her and the situations she encounters. At the end of the last book, I cried my eyes out, feeling as though i had lost my best friend. Serria Jensen is no different. These are characters you can truly connect with, who will ultimatley lead you closer to the Lord. I recommend these books to all christian teens!!

I love the Christy Miller Series and I have just started the Sierra Jensen Series! They can keep me hooked for hours! I am begging for 5-12 of the Sierra Jensen series. It is a continual of the Christy Miller and like they help you with your relationship with God and his Amazing Grace and love and they help you realize how truly amazing God is! I recommend these books to anyone! Read all of them!

The Sierra Jensen series is great. It is inspiring especially to all those new Christians out there. It is light reading especially good for a busy lifestyle but also made me think that maybe my relationship with God is not good enough.
I can really understand Sierra's life as it is very much the same as mine. Then again, my life isn't that bad so maybe now i'll be able t thank God more for how he is working in me.
These books and the Christy Millar series are an awsome read and believe me, your missing out if you don't read them. Thannx amazon as i got me sierra series here a few weeks ago!!!!!

These books are a must have! Everyone will enjoy them! They're perfect for gifts to share and spread the faith! If you read these then the Christy Miller Series is also a must!

Wonderful ghost story..reminded me somewhat of Sala's "Annie & the Outlaw". Jackson Tate was killed in poker game and is sent to save Rachel whose family has been killed along a wagon trail. She is just a child but decides he's the one she's going to marry. Jackson leaves her with a family but the mother dies a few years later and the father is a mean man who beats her. Jackson is supposed to wipe Rachel's memory of him but he's in such a hurry to "get the job done" so he can go on to his reward that he forgets. He "lingers" in a saloon for 15 years until he's sent back to Rachel to make sure she gets married because she is to have a daughter who becomes a doctor. Naturally, things don't turn out like they're supposed to. Jackson falls for her because she is the first person who ever cared what happened to him. Rachel convinces him to take whatever happiness they can find until he has to go back. This is a must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of love.

This book is awesome.. the first one of Kathleen Kanes which has made me an advid reader of her other books. I even referred my family and friends to read this book, and they too agreed with my feelings towards Still Close to Heaven! FYI for the reader who was unsure who lesley was in the book.. He was kinda like the one in charge of the actions Tate did. He gave him the direction of his other assignments. So when Tate started falling for the damsel Rachel... Tate had to prosuade Lesley to let him stay with Rachel. Hope I was some help! :)

Though I don't consider this as good as Pocketful of Paradise, this was very good. Containing all of the same wonderful ingredients as the first. I have never cared about characters in a book as much as I have the characters created by Kathleen Kane. She is a wonderful writer and I would highly recommend her books.

Kathleen Kane has done a wonderful job writing this story. The only element that confused me was the character of Lesley. I never quite figured out who he was and how he fit into the heavenly situation that brought Tate into the "neither heaven nor hell" dilemma. This minor confusion didn't matter enough to cause me to dislike the book at all. It's a wonderful read. I despaired that Rachel and Tate would ever get to be together near the end, but I should have known that Kathleen's skillful suspense was destined for a happy resolution. Good going, Kathleen!

I particularly love ghost stories, so I hung on every passage, enjoying the ride and the read.

Kathleen's characters always become people you'd love to meet-even the dandified Lesley. I have a few questions for him. Lee Emory

Set in Washington Territory in the late 1800s. Jackson Tate is shot dead, in a saloon bar in Pine Ridge, after discovering and accusing a gambler at his table of cheating at cards. The ghost of Jackson finds himself stuck in the saloon bar neither ascending to heaven nor descending to "the other place". Looks like he's checked into the saloon bar for an unspecified period with no hope of leaving, until Lesley, a celestial messenger arrives and sets him the task of rescuing a ten year old kid called Rachel Morgan, which may just earn him the right to leave the saloon. The rescuing part was easy, however, Jackson forgot one minor detail - to erase her memory of his existence. Fifteen years later, he is sent back to Stillwater to correct his wrong. Rachel, now a grown woman, has not forgotten her "Mister Angel" who gallantly saved her so many years ago. Torn between duty and their growing love for one another will Rachel and her "angel" make the ultimate sacrifice?

Oh such a wonderful book! I sat up until 3.30am, crying my eyes out towards the end. This is my first book by Kathleen Kane and I am so glad that I bought it after reading another Amazon reviewer's comments. The hero is not perfect, in fact, he is riddled with faults but that's what makes him so endearing. The heroine is no fragile flower but will follow blindly where her heart leads her. A story of doomed love, told with much humor and tenderness. You will not be disappointed!

Lealing

Most of us grew up believing that the Civil War ended the moment Robert E. Lee surrendered to U.S. Grant at Appomatox Court House in Virginia. One can only assume that his came about as a part of the deification of Lee and the promotion of the 'Lost Cause' doctrine that was so popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Historically, most things regarding the Confederacy have always begun and ended with Lee. Thanks to the scholarship and hard work of Mark Bradley, we now have a much more accurate picture of how the war ended and the major roles played by Joseph Johnston and W. T. Sherman well after Lee's surrender.

As a companion to Bradley's earlier work on the Bentonville battle, 'Last Stand in the Carolinas', 'This Astounding Close' creates an extremely satisfying conclusion. But, as a stand alone work, 'This Astounding Close' is a tremendous asset in its own right.

If you want a comprehensive blow-by-blow description of the battles of Averasboro and Bentonville, read 'Last Stand in the Carolinas'. For a valuable capsule summary of the battles, combined with a complete historical account of the negotiations leading up to the surrender, 'This Astounding Close' fills the bill wonderfully!

Without doubt Bradley's book does justice to each side all the way from the Generals to local people in
Chapel Hill to Raleigh. It fails to note Bennett Place was in Orange County at the time. Durham county did not exsist
until 1868 when it was carved out of Orange Co. I had a 3 Great-grandfather, CSA Col, who was killed at Bentonville, NC
James Henry Neal.
His daughter lived until 1935 when she died in Atlanta Ga. She as a child of 6 living in Atlanta Ga.during the
"March To The Sea" Gen. Sherman set-up his HQ in her mother's kitchen, my gg-aunt Louise Neal, served Sherman biskets.
I have many hand-written letters by John White and his daughters Laura and Delia who discussed Chapel Hill
immediately after the war in 1865.John White eventually became U.S. Postmater in Chapel Hill for three years and later left that job to be Orange County Sheriff twice.
Bradley's book is a wealth of knowledge of events ocurring on the local scene.
Sherman conducted several military trials in Raleigh of civilians and soldiers alike. I have original documents and judgements of the
officer's tribunal. Each were charged with various offenses from plundering to murder.AT least 2 soldiers and 1 civilian were
sentenced to death,only to have Grant void the verdicts with Pres.Andrew Johnson's permission.

Mark Bradley has written a most excellent account of the last days of the Civil War in North Carolina between Joseph Johnston and William Sherman. Being a North Carolina native and having visited and traveled through many of the places in the book, I was particularly interested.

The book is not so much a detailed account of the last battles in North Carolina (Bentonville, Averasboro, Wyse Fork, Fort Fisher, etc.) as it is the military and political maneuvering between the two generals - Johnston in attempting to gain favorable surrender terms for his army and Sherman attempting to be lenient with the South at the end of the war. Indeed, aside from the aforementioned battles, most encounters between North and South during the last days in North Carolina were no more than brief skirmishes.

I particulary enjoyed reading the accounts of the Union occupation of Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Goldsboro. Having lived in Goldsboro and Raleigh earlier in my life, I enjoyed reading the accounts. Also interesting were the accounts of the Rebel occupation of Greensboro and Charlotte.

Throughout the book, Bradley manages to incorporate several interesting anecdotes: the unfortunate luck of Rebel Lietenant Walsh from Texas, the marriage of Northern General Atkins' courtship and marriage to a Chapel Hill lady, etc.

Bradley's writing style is interesting and maintains a fine balance between being a free-flowing read, just like his excellent Battle of Bentonville title.

Read and enjoy! Highly recommended.

The Civil War didn't officially end with General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox. General Joe Johnston's Army of the South and General Kirby Smith's forces in the Trans-Mississippi still remained in the field.
This is the story of the situation in North Carolina facing Johnston and Union General William Sherman after the Battle of Bentonville. The author presents both sides of the story along with the political pressures from Richmond and Washington.
There is not an abundance of information about Johnston's eventual surrender of the Army of the South and other forces under his command. The author is a leading authority about the 1865 North Carolina Campaign and presents an entertaining, interesting and scholarly review of the events after Bentonville.

Mark Bradley has written an excellent companion book to his "Last Stand in the Carolinas," which has currently gone out of print. In this volume, Mr. Bradley picks up where he left off, following Johnston and Sherman from Bentonville to the surrender of the Army of Tennessee at Durham, North Carolina. Bradley's writing is, as in his other book, great!

But missing from "This Astounding Close," are the excellent maps created the very skilled cartographer Mark Moore. The maps provided are not bad--they are actually quite good--but they could have been better. The small numbers of maps left me wanting more, especially ones detailing the smaller skirmishes taking place during the maneuvering in North Carolina. If the maps had been better and mpre plentiful, I would have given the book five starts instead of four.

Being from the South, I have always considered Sherman and his subordinates nothing short of the devil-incarnate. But from this book, I gained a new respect for these men and saw the softer side of them. Bradley depicts how John "Black Jack" Logan saved Raleigh from destruction at the hands of raged Federal troops intent on avenging Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Mr. Bradley also told of how lenient Sherman was toward the surrendering Confederate troops and toward the civilians of North Carolina, especially after the surrender. Sherman even offered Johnston and his troops much kinder terms than those given to Robert E. Lee at Appomattox! But Northern politicians saw these terms as too soft and evetually gave Johnston the same terms given to Lee.

This is a very good book; no doubt a great addition to my rapidly growing Civil War library. Before reading this volume, I knew next to nothing about Johnston's surrender at Durham, North Carolina, in the Bennet Farmhouse. If you are a Civil War buff get this book; if you are a military history buff, get this book! I got it, and am happy I did.

Dr. Evans doesn't play around in these devotionals. He takes God very serious and so should we. This book is very time friendly without trivializing your time with God.

This book will keep you focused. It only takes a few minutes a day, and the message is powerful! Tony Evans has you read a passage from the bible, then he explains the lesson it contains. Each day one page, and is based on a 5-day week, with a page of 'reflection' for the weekend. He uses today's language and is very easy to understand. I highly recommend it for anyone who is trying to digest the true word of Jesus.

For years and years I have been told quiet times with God are absolutely essential to walking with Christ. I could never get into a pattern of doing this. This book is the difference. Dr Evans has a year of growing a walk laid out so well, that now it is my routine. He has a beautiful way of zinging you so that you really reflect all day. A fabulous devotion book. I wish more were this plain spoken

Working in ministry myself, I have stacks of devotional materials that don't keep my interest. They don't have any fresh, interesting or inspiring moments while reading, rather use the same passages and parables. That's not the case with Tony Evans' book. I ordered it about a year ago in hopes to find a challenging devotional book that would deal with tough questions, as well as be a daily read for me.
I've used this book many times when meeting with collegues, and each time someone asks for the title & author to order it themselves. The format is basic and non-threatening for new believers, as well as educational for life-long Christians...I can't recommend it enough. His "Thoughts for the day" are great to reflect upon. Buy the book if you're wanting a daily lesson or reminder of where, why and how God is love.

This book consists of in-depth devotions for each day of the week. It's a little different then most daily devotions because it forces the reader to take a deep look at the meaning of the scripture being reviewed for that day. There is a devotion for each day on Mon-Fri and then there is a review of the week's devotions/scriptures on Sat-Sun.

If you are wanting to gain a more intimate understanding of God's Word..this book is for you.

What a wonderful read!! Ian Stearn is a hero anyone would want in her backyard -- this particular backyard is Alaska and a great, unusual setting for an SIM. Rosie is definitely the woman for Ian.

Sharon Mignerey is such a great writer. Easy to read, but hard to skip any piece of information she shoots your way. The blending of background, heritage and gut-wrenching emotion is perfect.

Don't miss any of her books.

Too Close for Comfort keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story is incredible and the characters....well, who wouldn't want to meet a hero like Ian Stearne? Fantastic book.

What a wonderful read!! Ian Stearn is a hero anyone would want in her backyard -- this particular backyard is Alaska and a great, unusual setting for an SIM. Rosie is definitely the woman for Ian.

Sharon Mignerey is such a great writer. Easy to read, but hard to skip any piece of information she shoots your way. The blending of background, heritage and gut-wrenching emotion is perfect.

Don't miss any of her books.

Wow! Sharon Mignerey is a master storyteller. From the very first page, she had me wondering and asking "What's going to happen next?" Rosie Jensen and Ian Stearne are beautifully motivated and well drawn characters that you can't help but cheer for, and little Annemarie is so adorable.

The inside passageway of Alaska is the setting for this page-turning romantic suspense and the author had me believing I was right there.

Sharon Mignerey is definately on my list of must read authors. I can't wait to pick up her next project!

If you haven't bought this book, do so now! You won't be disappointed.

If you like romances where no on is quite what they appear to be, not even the secondary characters, then this book is for you. It has it all: a hero with a shady past; a heroine who has the strength to endure a heart-wrenching sacrifice that most women would not be able to face, let alone carry through with.

Action. Adventure. Betrayal. Danger. Sensual love scenes that will leave the reader sighing with emotion.

The final chapters alone are worth the price. The frustrating yet all too realistic circumstances that keep Rosie and Ian apart, just when the bad guys are closing in, will have the reader itching to skip ahead to find out how it all ends. The tension is exquisite. The growing yet hesitant love for each other true to life.

As an added bonus, Mignerey provides just enough description of Alaska's Inward Passage that the weather and each locale become integral elements of the story. She makes it easy for the reader to imagine what it's like to take to the sea, to explore an uninhabited rain-swept island, to be pursued through a night-darkened forest, and to search the streets of Juneau for the one person you can no longer live without.

This is Sharon Mignerey at her best.

Although this is a departure from author Lundin's famous "Fish" series of customer service focused books, "Top Performer" demonstrates yet another means of identifying and delivering excellent customer service. It is novel in that most people would never seriously consider a street performer to be excellent at focusing upon the "needs" of his customers and then delivering customer service that fulfills those needs. As in the "Fish" series, "Top Performer" will deliver those "light bulb goes on" moments. The lessons that it delivers are easy to recall and should be part of any process used to identify and deliver superior sales and service. This is a fast and easy read which you will end up going back to periodically for a refresher course.

What a cool concept, increase the energy of yourself and those people around you. Without getting metaphysical, Lundin and Hagerman have touched on something that is real but cannot be seen. A great, fun read to keep me on the path of continuous improvement.

Lundin and Hagerman have authored a book that is surprising in its depth. A burned-out businessman goes in search of new energy to stay on top of his game. What he finds surprises him and it will surprise you, the reader!

This clever fable of life lessons from a street performer is something we all need to learn. Life is about relationships--about living the moment with gusto--about honoring mistakes and surprises, and finally about taking care of one another. The principles that spark the protagonist are good advice for life. This book is a great gift. How rare to find a "business book" that is fun to read and offers life-changing advice.

Anyone who works in sales or customer service industries should definately read this book. It tells the story of a successful salesperson who finds that the extra hours and discipline which have worked well early in his career are no longer enough. His home life is strained, his motivation is low, and he no longer can sustain himself on the challenge of just meeting his targets. He finds the answers he needs from discussions with street performers and learns tools and strategies to excel and rekindle the excitement in his job and life. A quick and fun read full of great ideas that stick with you!

A wonderful journey in the land of intuitive reasoning and inner potential mining. For those of us struggling in the pursuit of new business ideas or suffocating in unattainable bottom lines. Top Performer will help you tap your natural energy, awaken your curiosity and leverage your unique abilities. A truly sustainable new year's resolution!

The definitive history of PT boats in World War II, reprinted in paperback by the Navy.

As the son of a WWII veteran who served on PT boats in the Mediterranean, I am learning the history of the service, and this is the earliest of several excellent books which describe the history and times of the PTs.

My father was a PT sailor during World War II in the Solomon Islands, then stateside for the last 2 years of the war. He gave me this book when it first published in the 1960's. It is the cornerstone of my library of PT boat books.

It is not the easiest book to read, but it is simply loaded with information about all PT's during the war. This book and PT 105 will give you an excellent overview of both history, and what it was like to be there.

This book is a thorough history of American PT boat operations in World War Two. It covers all battle actions of the boats and what they accomplished in all theaters that the boats operated in -- the South Pacific, the Aleutians, and in Europe and the Mediterranean, an area of the PT boat war that, for some reaon, has had much less coverage than what these boats did in the Pacific. It also details the origins and developements of the boats, and the vastly complicated logistical problems covering huge distances that often bedeviled the boats and their crews. The book features many photographs of the boats and their crews and how they lived, as well as a complete list of every man killed or wounded on a PT boat during the war, as well as the numerous medals awarded to pt boat crews. It is a great record of these versatile boats and their courageous sailors.

Yet, it is a dry history. There is little or nothing about the men that sailed these boats into harm's way. Where did they come from? Why did they choose the dangers of a PT boat? What led them to go up against destroyers in plywood/mahongeny boats? A little bit of that and it would have been a fantastic account of the pt boats. Still, for anyone that loves naval history this is an incredible book.

Anyone who genuinely wishes to understand PT combat tactics and operations must read this book. It may not be the easiest to read at first, but it gains its own rhythm.

Bulkley was the man who was at the center of the development of the PT as a useful combat platform. At first underarmed and under-appreciated, it became the workhorse of the patrol mission and was greatly feared by the Japanese navy.

Pay attention as the nature of the role of the PT changes from the beginning of the war to the end. Bulkley was an Admiral (an Lt. during the war) and is certainly subtle in his finger waving, but it is there.

Even though some Japanese destroyers could actually outrun the PT in straight flight (a highly classified secret), the manuevering characteristics of the PT and the tremendous boldness of the crews were enough to make Japanese officers decline combat with the much smaller craft.

In one case (told by my grandfather, a PT veteran) a PT patrol encountered a Japanese destroyer patrol during the day (marked Japanese advantage). The PT's scrambled accidentally into a closed lagoon.

Fearing a bombardment if they stayed and attack upon leaving, they geared up and flew out through the inlet. To their surprise, they only saw a group of ships in flight at flank (pouring smoke).

Any patrol of wooden boats that can make a destroyer patrol do this has got to be studied.

A PT man might experience as many as 80 or 90 armed engagements. Only 3 of the 18 original crew on my grandfathers boat actually walked off. These were dramatic conflicts and tremendously brave men.

I encourage all who are interested in naval military history to understand this piece of the puzzle. Those who don't will have a notable void. This book is a good place to start for it will eventually be essential in that pursuit.

I started reading Blind Spot on my flight from California to Hawaii. I was a bit concerned at first because I thought it was going to be a technical book on photography and the laser weapon. After a chapter a two I was competely hooked! I finished the book in less then 5 hours. It was a great detective/mystery novel. I didn't sleep at all on the flight - amazing! I read a lot of Patterson, Grisham, Cussler, etc and Blind Spot is one of my favorites!

This book was absolutely riveting. I never expected to be so entertained. Someone gave me the book as a gift because I am involved in law enforcement and she thought I would enjoy it. WELL I DID! I took it with me on a flight to the Amazon and I got stuck for hours on the tarmac. I pulled it from my sack and began reading. Before I knew it, I was in Peru wishing the flight was longer. What an exhilarating read.

I am the author of BLIND SPOT. My book was an interesting project bringing me back to many countries I visited during my business years. My character - Robert Schein - tries to thwart a manufacturing project that has been put together by Russia, East Germany and China - REC, LTD. A number of famous scientists are kidnapped to work on a dangerous LASER weapon that blinds the enemy. The book takes place in 1962, the year John Glenn orbited the earth. In actuality, LASER blinding weapons were banned by a Geneva protocal endorsed by 15 nations in 1998. However, in Iraq today we use LASER weapons to temporarily blind the enemy [as per the Los Angelis Times]. I think you will find my book adventurous, exciting, interesting and a fun and fast read. This is a sequel to my first book published earlier this year in 2006 - BEHIND THE YELLOW FILTER.

Stuart Held, author

Blind Spot, though a follow up to Behind the Yellow Filter, is also a strong enough story to stand on its own merit. In some respects, I found this to be more developed and solid, testament to Mr. Held's growth as a writer and storyteller.

Perhaps the aspect of the book that was the most solid was that as a reader, I was always on my toes. Mr. Held allowed me to think I was headed in a given direction, and gave me enough confidence in my `detective skills' to totally surprise me when the story went in yet another direction. By the same token, this didn't feel artificial or forced-it was the natural progression of the story to change direction. This is wonderful in an era of stories where the reader sometimes feels as if he or she is reading the same plot over and over, with only the names changed.

Speaking of the characters, similar to in Behind the Yellow Filter, I was left feeling as if I'd known these characters. I followed them, and wanted to know more. When Robert Schein became personally involved in the kidnapping, I became involved along side him. I wanted to know the outcome as much, if not more, than he did. These were real people jumping off the page.

Blind Spot is also written in such a manner that it appeals to espionage fans, without alienating the more mainstream reader. It's mystery with a taste of espionage in the right amount to keep the reader intrigued without going too far into a realm which might not interest the general readership. In the same vein, he keeps the gadgets interesting, without going into too much detail. As always, he maintained the balance.

As with Behind the Yellow Filter, Mr. Held left me wanting more and I eagerly anticipate his next work.

In a story that sounds very unlikely you find that sometimes things are not what they seem. For you can think that one person is the one behind it all but somewhere he winds up and throws you a curve ball. Managing to throw you off and think that it is some one entirely different. Just when you think there are no more curves to be found you find that your first impression is the one that is the truth.

While reading Blind Spot I found the Stuart gave you just enough details to keep you going. Getting you to want to read on to see what happens. Those characters that have a passion for gadgets especially cameras and the goodies that goes with them. In a story where you're not quite sure what is being invented, he gives you just enough details to make it understandable rather then confusing. It shows you twists into how different company's work. Where the ideas come from, who starts them off. Also showing you just how important a few small parts can be to the over all workmanship of a project.

In this novel Stuart delves into parts that were never really thought of before. Coming up with a new twist on a different time. That sometimes you can be in the right place at the right time. He makes the story his own and weaves a form of magic. Making his own brand of espionage/intrigue. Each chapter seems to have something new and different going on. He shows you new forms of networking to get the answers you need. That just sometimes things are not always what they appear to be. Proving that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Making the story a page turner to the end.

This is a clear and inspiring story of the life and art of a great american artist. (and not as expensive and art speaky as a catalogue raisonne) Good for children and adults. I highly recommend it!!!!!!

I'm an artist and art teacher, and I recently read this book tomy high school art students as an introduction to gridded portraiture.Don't let the age 9-12 reading level put you off--my high schoolstudents really enjoyed learning about Chuck Close, and were impressedby his work and his life story. In addition to having some greatpictures of Close's work, the book has a lot to say about the artist'sability to develop strategies to deal with his learning disabilities,and his perseverance to continue to work despite an injury that lefthim paralyzed from the neck down. Many of the students could relateto Close's learning differences, and viewed his story as veryinspirational. I like this book so much, in fact, that I'mrecommending it on my website where I have a detailed lesson planbased on teaching kids portraiture via a similar gridded method! END

Greenberg and Jordan's book is a pretty good introduction to the work of one of our modern masters, Chuck Close. Chuck Close is a phenomenal painter, both before the onset of his disease and even more so after. You won't find many books on him, or many that contain his work. Until something a bit more 'adult' or comprehensive comes out, this is a good selection. It discusses his life and work. There is also a brief chapter on what is a portrait. They finish it off with a list of museums that have some of Chuck Close's work. It's a nice intro to a great artist.

Chuck Close has been a bridge for introducing the world of possibilities to children and adults alike who are physically challenged in some way. What Christopher Reeve did so eloquently in speaking to us all, so does Chuck Close. A gifted artist, Close's now highly regarded works demand our attention. By using his techniques developed because of his paralysis, he has magnificently demonstrated how portraits are built from cells/cellules that when viewed up close appear to be a gorgeous abstraction of oversized pointillistic units only to come profoundly into focus with distance. He has re-educated our eyes and the way we visually dissect images.

The writing in this fine book is sophisticated and endearing, and without being the least bit maudlin it shows how a gifted artist has utilized his challenges to become one of America's foremost representational artists. This is an exceptional little book. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

Both elementary and high school readers get something from this book. The straightforward prose coveys this artist's powerful talent, humanity and relevance without being sappy. My students like to be read to when they work - its great to see them process and internalize this information as they struggle with these skills and concepts. Clean design and beautiful photos lay it all out simply. If more art history grad students would get to the point this well and this fast, I could coach art history as a sport.

I heard about this book on Kevin and Bean's Radio show, so I thougt I would try it. What a hoot! I laughed and laughed and laughed. Good times.

MK

When I picked up the book just to browse through it, I got such a feeling of relief knowing that I'm not the only one who had some really hair-brained experiences with the cops. The officers were rather cool but, some were either dumb to believe my story or just didn't want to deal with the paperwork and used their descretion. In any case, the book is really great! It tickled my funnybone in more ways than I thought.

I don't think there's anyone with a driver's license who hasn't dreamed of some kind of harebrain scenario that would get them out of automobile hock with the cops. Personally, I remember making a Detroit cop car smash into a retainer wall back in college while stupidly backing out an onramp to a freeway two days before Christmas. When they tried to come after me their car died, literally - like right out of a corny movie, halfway down the ramp. A dream come true or just plain dumb luck. Why I wasn't stopped further down I-75 and beaten silly, I'll never know. I just remember them jumping out of their black and white and waving their fist at me as I sped down the ramp, out of date driver's license, no insurance, no plates and no registration in my clown-nose red 1969 VW Bug. "Officers, if you read this, I'm sorry about your car, and I'm glad you didn't get hurt." So, if you have a story saved somewhere deep inside your guilty mind waiting for a place to belong, Close Calls with the Cops: Volume 1 is the sanctuary for you. Michael Kenworthy is right on the bumper with this hilarious book. It's guaranteed to lock you up with laughter, spin your wheels with ideas, and slam the door on your troubled past forever.

Karl J. Niemeic author of Mammoth Towers Mysteries (Apartment 101)

As a daughter of a cop it is so refreshing to read a book that paints police officers in a positive and human light. It is a great handbook of what not to do and will make you laugh out loud reading what others have done to avoid getting a ticket.

A great gift for the young and old drivers in your life.

This book made soda shoot out of my nose!
I emailed one of the quiz's to everyone in my office.
It's refreshing to read a genuinely funny book. The pictures were hilarious.The Top Ten Lists cracked me up. This was a great book. A+++