Curtis Books

Some people think reading is a waste of time.
That children's books are worthless junk.
I think that a good sci fi classic like
Heinlein's Podkayne of Mars makes them very wrong.
This author knows here plots and even mentions a very good
book as a tv space play for the young central character.
It is a mystery of aliens ( good and bad) and artifact smuggling ( very modern today!), but all turns out well in the end.
The concepts of Alien art and relative ethno-exo-anthropology
are even touched on. Not bad for a useless kid's book!

The book alien secret is a book that has suspense that builds up in the story and it also has mystery. This is a great book for anyone who likes to read. This book is also one of the greatest books that I have ever read. So if you like book full of mystery and suspense I highly recommend this one. My favorite part of the book is fantastic the way she makes you feel as if you are in the story or traveling in space. Puck is traveling in space by herself when she meets two women MZ.Florette and MZ.cubek and she started traveling with them to different planets. If you are wandering why she was alone and the first place was because her parents are on a space shuttle there and she is trying to see them because she is expelled from regular school. On board puck is friends with hush a native Shoowa who is also returning home in shame he was in susted with the soo, a symbol of freedom for his people, and now it has been stolen. Puck believes the soo is hidden somewhere on the ship. She and hush must find it before they reach Shoon. Where she will soon meet her parents on another planet. My favorite part was when puck first met MZ. Florette and MZ. Cubek and then they started talking about why puck got suspended and got sent to space. The setting of the story was outer space and a galaxy mood to help the reader understand how the characters feel about their situation. About every ones problems pucks problem is she got expelled hush lost the symbol of peace. ]

Lance Mial

The book alien secrets is a book that has suspense that builds up in the story and it also has mystery. This is a great book for anyone who likes to read. this book is also one of the greatest books that i have ever read. so if you like book full of mystery and suspense i highly recomend this one.myy favorite part of the book is fantastic the way she makes you feel as if you are in the story or traveling in space.

Lance mial

puck is traveling in space by herself when she meets miss florett and miss cubek and she startedtraveling with them to diffrent planets. if you are wondering whyshe was alone in the first place is because her parents are on a space shuttle there and she is trying to see them because she is expelled from regular school on board puck is friends with hush a native shoowa who is also returning home in shamehe was insusted with the soo, a symbol of freedom for his people,and now it has been stolen. Puck believes the soo is hidden somewhere on the ship.She and hush must find it before they reach shoon.

Puck is traveling in space by herself when she meets two women MZ.Florette and MZ.cubek and she started traveling with them to diffrent planets. If you are wandering why she was alone and the first place was because her parents are on a space shuttle there and she is trying to see them because she is expelled from regular school. On board puck is friends with hush a native shoowa who is also returning home in shame he was in susted with the soo,a symbol of freedom for his people,and now it has been stolen.puck beleives the soo is hidden somewhere on the ship. She and hush must find it before they reach shoon. Where she will meet her parents

Curtis has written a true gem. This book will get any novice on his or her feet within the time it takes to read the book. The book is comprehensive in breadth and is quite detailed without getting too cut-and-dried (or maybe I just find the subject matter too interesting =-P). Clearly, the author knows what to cover and to what extent -- there's something to be said for a man who, as the head of the Princeton Outdoor Action, must get a lot of contact with people new to backpacking. Even somewhat experienced backpackers will be able to gain much useful information from this book, particularly from such unusual topics as reading and predicting the weather. Additionally, Curtis' almost die-hard approach to true leave-no-trace backpacking is quite appealing to me -- it only takes a few careless or reckless people before a previously pristine location is ruined for weeks or even months. All in all, this is *the* must-get guide to backpacking. It's comprehensive, adequately detailed (1/4 to 1/3 of the book is dedicated to first aid!) and, best of all, reasonably cheap! =-)

If you are new to backpacking and the backcountry, then this is probably the book for you as it has a little information on just about every backpacking subject imaginable. If you have moderate to extensive experience backpacking then you will probably find the information in this book very basic. I have moderate experience and I plowed through about half the book before I permanently set it down out of boredom.

I agree with a previous poster that said:

"Yet Mr. Curtis' unconventional and sometimes bizarre brand of rules quickly begin to irritate even the most patient reader. Most troubling are his one-sided views of camping and how it is supposed to be done. quickly, the book becomes a turn-off to backpacking."

My views are that ...

This book is a book of rules. Way too many rules. A couple thousand rules it seems.
Not much in the way of original thinking. Decent sections for group leaders.
First Aid and Navigating sections are decent but I prefer separate books
for these issues.

This book covers everything that a general backpacker needs to know about hiking and camping. The few things the author doesn't cover (great detail about hiking specific specialized terrain, for example), he lists additional resources for. This book is well-written and clearly organized, and includes wilderness first aid, cooking and menu-planning, navigation, how to pack a backpack comfortably, how to select gear, and where to go for more information. There is much more included in the book, including stories from the author's own experience, and some information about ultralight backpacking. Especially valuable is the detailed information about leading a group into the wilderness, how to send out a search party, how to signal for help in all environments, and how to ensure that everyone in a group is comfortable.

I've seen many other similar books, and none provide the excellent level of detail that this book provides. I recommend it most highly.

After I read this book, I felt the wilderness could never be fun again. I was completely wrong, but that's the tone this book has. The entire book tells you what not to do and what could go wrong. That's very important to know, but what is almost as important (and a lot more interesting) are things to do: suggestions about how to make things easier, how to have fun, how to bring the love of the outdoors to other members of your group.

The good: There were a couple good ideas in among the mind-numbing numbers of admonitions (damp socks in sleeping bag: genius). Also, the packing lists at the end of the book can be good reminders.

As far as I can tell, it's good for a very small class of people: complete beginners who will find all the rules to be new, but are so excited about backpacking that they won't be turned off by the boring, pessimistic book. Personally, I learned just as much from the much shorter section of tips in the beginning of Backpacking California, even though I had not backpacked a whole bunch before reading either.

This Bible contains KJV in its entirety with different renderings from other versions for each verse. With all the different, sometime conflicting renderings, are they all equally valid? If not, how is a reader supposed to tell which one is? Most readers simply ignore these questions. This could lead them to false understanding of God's word because they simply pick the translations they like or the ones that fit their current needs.

Sometimes the biggest difference between two translations are not the wording, but the sentence structures. Those differences are for the most part lost in this book.

Some translations included in this book are still somewhat valuable, such as American Standard Bible and New English Bible. Most are very outdated. Many more recent translations have corrected the errors in those old versions. Readers will be far better off to buy a parallel bible featuring more recent translations. Two of the best are Essential Evangelical Parallel Bible and Hendrickson Parallel Bible, each features four translations. Evangelical Parallel New Testament features eight translations of the New Testament. After comparing different versions, it is essential to consult other reference books and other believers in order to correctly understand the Bible. Most importantly, ask God to give you understanding.

Those who use computers can also download free softwares such as esword or sword to compare more versions of the English translations of the Bible. They both include some useful Bible reference works.

A "must have" for any serious student of the Bible. The entire King James is in bold type. Very easy to compare with other translations. If the KJV is inconsistent with earlier manuscripts discover in recent years it is pointed out in a footnote. My only objection is the size of the type...it is a bit smaller than my other Bibles. Other than that, I highly recommend.

This book is a rare treasure! I have had mine for years. I'm buying additional copies to give as gifts. Not only do I enjoy reading it, but, I use it as a tool for studies.

This Bible is a fantastic idea, unfortunately not carried out with enough care by the publishers. After only a few months with my 2007 leather bound version, I've already discovered 5 editing/printing errors. For instance Eph 1:23, "which is his body" has been rendered "what is his body". Also Jer 7:22, "nor commanded them" has been printed as "not commanded them".
Very disappointing for such an expensive Bible. I tried to contact Mathis publishers, but emails just bounce back.
The above notwithstanding, if I knew that previous versions were error free, I'd buy one.

I'm giving this Bible 4 stars, because I don't have it YET (I'M HOPING IT WILL TURN INTO 5 STARS, I'LL UPDATE REVIEW AFTER I RECEIVE AND REVIEW THE BOOK). I'm ordering it today--but as a few people have also inquired, I TOO wanted to KNOW what the 26 different translations were before I purchased this bible.

I've done the research for YOU and me and found which 26 versions this book uses (Hooray)! I wanted to list it here to help you use this review for future reference to discover EXACTLY what are the 26 translations found in this Bible and decide if this is what you're looking for or not. I'm looking forward to hiding God's Word in my heart with the help of this book.

Contains The King James Version in its entirety, plus the most significant insights from:

1.) The Bible: An American Translation (J. M. Powis Smith and Edgar J. Goodspeed)
University of Chicago Press

2.) The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments: An Improved Edition
American Baptist Publication Society

3.) The Amplified Bible
Zondervan Publishing House

4.) The American Standard Version

5.) The Bible in Basic English
Cambridge University Press and E. P. Dutton and Company

6.) The Modern Language Bible: The New Berkeley Version in Modern English
Zondervan Publishing House

7.) Praise-Songs of Israel: A Rendering of the Book of Psalms (John DeWitt)

8.) The Psalms for Today: A New Translation from the Hebrew into Current English (R. K. Harrison)
Zondervan Publishing House

9.) The Jerusalem Bible
Doubleday and Company, Inc.

11.) The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation
The Jewish Publication Society

12.) The Holy Bible: A Translation from the Latin Vulgate in the Light of the Hebrew and Greek Originals (Monsignor Ronald Knox)
Sheed and Ward, Inc. and Burns and Oates, Ltd.

13.) The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts (George M. Lamsa)
A. J. Holman Company

14.) A New Translation of the Bible (James Moffatt)
Harper and Row Publishers, Inc. and Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd.

15.) The New American Bible
P. J. Kennedy and Sons

16.) The New English Bible
Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press

17.) The Psalms in the Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church

18.) Four Prophets: Amos, Hosea, First Isaiah, Micah (J. B. Phillips)
The Macmillan Company

19.) The Emphasized Bible: A New Translation (J. B. Rotherham)
Kregel Publications

20.) The Revised Standard Version
Division of Christian Education, National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America

21.) The Holy Bible: Revised Version
Cambridge University Press

22.) The Septuagint (Charles Thompson)

23.) A Translation of the Old Testament Scriptures from the Original Hebrew (Helen Spurrell)

24.) The Living Bible
Tyndale House Publishers

25.) The Torah: The Five Books of Moses
The Jewish Publication Society

26.) Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (Robert Young)
Baker Book House

THE WORD ...The Bible from 26 Translations
Combines the effective power of 26 Bibles into one
Empowers you to accomplish in seconds-at a glance-what would have previously taken hours of research
Gives immediate, instant access to a Bible Library worth hundreds of dollars
Represents over 25 man-years of tedious biblical research from leading theologians and scholars, representing seminaries and universities throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland, and New Zealand (See Editorial Board)
At a single glance, you get the complete King James text (in boldface type) followed by the most significant insights from: The Amplified Bible, The American Standard Version, The Living Bible, The Revised Standard Version, The Jerusalem Bible, The New English Bible, The J.B. Phillips Translation and more! (See Translations above)
2608 pages
7-7/8" x 9-3/4"
only 1-1/2 inches thick!

HOPE THIS ADDITIONAL INFO HELPS YOU DECIDE RATHER OR NOT TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK!

Fabulous Hell is , without a doubt, one of the most honest, humorous, and insightful books I have had the pleasure to read. You know how sometimes people say "Oh-it's one of those books you can't put down"?...and seldom mean it? Well, this one is an absolute 100% page-turner.I could not put it down. I received it at noon, and by 4:00 I had read every last juicy page. The story is fast, honest, and takes a look at what it really feels like to live with a terminal disease. Craig is a fantastic writer, completely forthright with his life, his emotions, and how alone something like this can really make a person feel. But he tells it with humor,in a very candid-like manor, and trust me, you never want it to end. A Fabulous first novel for Mr. Curtis! I can't wait for the next one!

I am the author of Fabulous Hell. Needless to say, I was shocked to find copies of the book available at $350.00! Unless it's for charity, I suggest you find this tome at the local library.
Fab Hell was an incredibly tough book to write. I'm giving the reader a "Life," as it where, on paper. I lived it, and I am not so much proud of my experience, as I am the fact that I had something to say and said it. It is a caustic story of survival in a time when people were dying daily. Plus there's the overarching story of child neglect, etc, that always seems a plus, these days.
This is my life folks. As ugly and sarcastic as it may seem, I lived it. It's real, and I hope, funny in it's pathos.
Take it from the author: This is a good book, but hardly worth a bunch of money for a paper-back.

I really don't want to give credence to Quentin Crisp's back cover blurb calling this novel a wonderful, remarkable portrait of modern gay life. It is an extremely interesting story, but if FABULOUS HELL represents gay life today, I want to call it quits! But then, that's what the unnamed narrator of this tale tries to do throughout the novel. He's a very likable character who could probably succeed at anything he ever tried, if he only put in the effort. But he seems determined to fail in all jobs and relationships because of the ghosts that haunt his life - childhood sexual abuse, a wicked stepfather, a hands-off mother and an HIV infection -- all good excuses in his opinion to speed up his end with excess drink and drugs.

Being a firm believer in the Scarlet O'Hara way of life, I kept hoping for him to get out of the gutter and get on with life. And maybe he does or doesn't; that's something for each individual reader to decide at the end of the story. I enjoyed the book, and I encourage everyone to give it a try.

However, I have one complaint with the author. You see, I'm from Missouri, and the author/narrator seems to have an extremely a low opinion of the intelligence and taste of people from Missouri. I just want to let him know that not all the queers from here are dazzled by Vegas glitz. Actually, Nebraska or Iowa would be a better state to use.

Just like the powder of so many glassine baggies, the one-liners pile up & blow the reader away with a manic intensity. The novel's theme of a search for connection, for meaning, is hauntingly familiar.

I want to be chums with this guy.

Having personally lived, loved, lied and lost in L.A., I believe that Fabulous Hell provides incredible insight into L.A.'s edgy gay scene. Craig Curtis is a gifted author. This is one of those exceptional books that---once I picked it up and started to read the first page---I could not set down until I had reached the last page.

Some day this book will be considered a gay classic. A "must read" for anyone who wants to understand what West Coast hip (including the zingy highs and the depressing lows) is all about. Kudos to Craig Curtis.

Admittedly, everyone has their own idea of what's funny. For some people, it's seeing others slip on an icy street and fall down. Others quite enjoy someone being humiliated, and the more famous the person receiving this treatment, the funnier it is; I guess it makes the envy more bearable.

If there's humor in this book, it escaped me. Prolonged descriptions of diarrhea don't make me laugh, especially when they are inflicted on the likenesses of well-known authors, who are presented as grotesques and lampooned with pitiless adolescent glee.

If I'm a spoilsport for not thinking public humiliations of living human beings are a laugh riot, so be it. If you happen to be one of the increasingly few people who agree that mean spirited ridicule isn't funny, consider yourself warned to avoid this book.

This parody by Robert Kaplow is quite simply hilarious. I'm buying it as a gift for every SMART FUNNY person I know (but not the dumb boring ones.)

A great idea all-around and executed flawlessly by Kaplow.

My only request: More, more, more!

I spotted this gem at the local library (bless those astute librarians who displayed it prominently), and had not read Kaplow before. But I love satire, and was hooked from the first sentence. I'm sure the authors who "appeared" as characters laughed harder than any reader. Kaplow is a master at recreating the inner ramblings of all writers and also wannabe writers(I'm one)who never actually write the novel in their heads. He nailed every facet of the publishing world, extending to media, teachers and others. I taught high school English for a while in the 70s,and I'd forgotten all about "transformational grammar" and Noam Chomsky till I read this book.
I"m sorry for those who didn't love it and probably didn't even "get" most of it. You almost have to be an English Major or at least have taken some literature and creative writing courses, and you'd have to be familar with all the genres referenced as well as the dozens and dozens of famous novels and writers mentioned to get the jokes. Kaplow's choices of "characters" had to fit the story line exactly for it all to work. Stephen King, the undisputed master of horror, is the perfect protagonist. I won't go further, and be a spoiler, but the irony of the last several chapters is delicious. And there really is a mystery.
I got a little tired of the "f" word and the outrageously kinky sex both real and imagined, but must admit the sex (and yes, Sue Grafton's excessive diarrhea) was all there for a reason. The poignant ending celebrating true, unkinky love was all the more so when juxtaposed against the yucky stuff. I suspect there is a special "satire appreciation" gene, and some of us have it and some of us don't. But it's not a big deal. By the way, I'm 76. The older I get, the funnier we humans seem. I'm going to read this book again and again, and give it to carefully selected friends.

Anyone who has had the misfortune of seeing the countless parody movies in theaters such as Epic Movie or Meet the Spartans should feel intense deja vu. This books seems to think that vulgarity equals humor. The attempts at humor fail and as they flood the book, it becomes a series of eye rolls and groans. I would not recommend this book to my friends or my enemies.

OKAY, when I got this review copy I was not thrilled. A parody is fair humor at best. I disliked the last audio production done of a Robert Kaplow novel.

WELL I WAS WRONG! (hanging my head in shame). I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. It pokes satirical fun at the mystery genre and its authors as the world in general.

Who knew Kaplow's unabridged text was so funny? I KNOW NOW! Kaplow work hear can be compared to Weird Al of modern day mystery genre. Whereas Al points out the world in his parodies. So does Kaplow and the interesting thing about it, you love the gossip tone of this novel. The text seems like Entertainment Tonight with a laugh track for the lit set.

And you owe the wonderful audio experience to craftsmanship and vocal talents of Arte Johnson. Yes, this is the same Arte Johnson from Laugh-in Fame. As a narrator, He can do narrative magic with his voice that you assume there are a cast of thousands in the booth. If you dont laugh at his narration antics, have your doctor check to see if your funny bone is still working.

There is every style of comedy employed in the project....and if a slip on a banana peel or a slapstick gag could be done on audio, i bet it would be thrown into this production

To try to explain this multi dirrectional plot is a waste of your time, because you need to expierence this outragous farce first hand without any help. It is a five star winner!

All I will say is clear your schedules, once you start this humor fest, you wont want to stop listening until the end of the last CD.

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

This was not an easy read. The writer is so proud of his status as a maverick, that it invades the whole book, and makes one wonder why he wrote it at all. Compared to the Red Badge of Courage, or All Quiet on the Western Front, Saving Private Ryan, etc. it is an almost silly attempt to describe his experiences as a P51 pilot. He should have been court marshalled.

I am a big fan of this book. The author was a human guinea pig who was sent to a front line fighter group with minimal training, as the government wanted to see how little training pilots could receive and still be effective and survive. This is not the usual account of a figher pilot, who normally tells you exactly how good he was. He candidly informs you how unprepared he was. The title says it all. I am also glad to hear about a unit and theater of war that is not often written about or published. The Eighth Airforce and the Fifteenth Airforce were partners that worked together to keep the enemy off balance. Together they did much to finish Nazi Germany. The Mighty Eighth is well covered in many books, especially a handful of groups. You could fit all that is written on the fifteenth on a short shelf. I found the author engaging and humorous. He also helps you see the ugly side of war, even though he flies the "glamorous" P-51 Mustang.

The author served in the same fighter squadron as the man that I was later named after, who like many others gave the ultimate sacrifice. I found this book very enlightening, because it is not just a recount of the military strategy and the tactics of air battles, but a broad description of the culture, technology, training and hardships of a very young man doing his patriotic duty with honor. Mr Curtis reveals some of the reckless and foolish things that he and others did, and the lucky and un-lucky pilots that he served with. His colorful descriptions of the pilot's life in P-51 Mustangs and in Italy paint an vivid picture. The long-distance love story with his one-and-only Myrt adds another dimension.

This is a well-written book with all the fears, mishaps and accomplishments of the young men who gave so much for us to be free!

This is a wonderful account of the truth of a mustang. The plane was a danger as much as a wonderful fighter. The story is also great of a life and time most people have forgotten.

This is by far one of the best historical fiction stories I've read so far. Ford's Ten Thousand was boring. There simply wasn't enough fighting, and Xenophon was just try'na get home. In Fall of Rome, Odoacer links the fall of the last Hunnish powers to the Fall of the Empire he failed to bring down. I found the rivalry between the cunning Orestes and more honorable Odoacer quite fun. Reading from most history books, one would have thought Odoacer was supposed to be a bad guy, but here, we see his noble intents. Like us, he is fallible, easy to identify with, and in some senses a victim of society. I think the book is inspiring, and will cause some of us to take things into our own hands instead of letting "destiny" or "God" dictate it for us...and what's more? It's a true story to boot.

Not nearly as good as other works by this author. The book is somewhat short and yet repetitive. A huge disappointment.

Michael Curtis Ford has surely taken to heart the old chestnut - what's the most important attribute of a historian? An iron butt. This joke is a testament to the solitary, grueling craft of history - grinding through the source material until your eyes water and your rear goes numb.

The same is true for the best historical fiction - a good entry into the genre must be solidly grounded in the period. Otherwise, the book is fantasy.

Ford has clearly done his research - while many writers of historical fiction are content to jump from battle to battle (the battles are the easy part to write), good historical fiction makes a bygone era come alive with accurate-yet-riveting depictions of a bygone era. Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series achieves this end, as do the action-packed books of Steven Pressfield and Bernard Cornwell.

This novel is ostensibly a sequel to "The Sword of Attila," Ford's excellent take on Attila and his march against Rome. "The Fall of Rome," however, struggles. This is in many ways understandable. Rome did not fall in a single cataclysmic event like Atlantis getting swallowed by the sea or Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star. Rome died a death by a thousand cuts. This makes the event no less interesting, but it does create problems for the writer seeking to create a sense of drama.

As a result, "Fall" takes place over several decades as the heirs to Attila (who died shortly after he failed to conquer Rome) vie for power. If Ford had written a "Shogun"-sized epic of several hundred pages, "Fall" might have worked. But instead he wrote a novel of a bare 300-odd pages. Accordingly, there are huge jumps between chapters of several years and hundreds of miles - and the novel loses all flow and cohesiveness. Also, the ostensible conflict between hero and villain suffers as the two men - Orestes (villain) and Odoacer (hero) don't interact for close to thirty years.

"Fall" reads kind of like a Cliff Notes version of the novel, highlighting key passages but leaving much of the meat off the page.

Ford is an enjoyable writer, and his research is impeccable. This novel simply smacks of biting off too much for the size of the planned novel and not being able to make it into the true epic it deserves.

This was an interesting book, but it left me wanting more. Seeing it from one man's viewpoint, while exciting, doesn't begin to answer why the political climate allowed this to happen. Good Story.

Just when you thought you knew the history of the fall of Rome, Michael Ford still manages to surprise you. Who would have guessed how ironically the most fearsome conqueror of the old world died? Who would have imagined that such an austere people as the Huns held improvident and absurdly lavish burial ceremonies for their fallen king? Who would have thought that such an obscure race as the Scyri or the Heruli contributed to the downfall of an empire? But Ford shows us these things, and more - opens our eyes to a lost civilization we otherwise only catch a glimpse of in textbooks and the occasional period films.

Ford's knowledge of historical facts and period detail is impeccable. The more I read the book, the more I learned how little I knew of the events leading to the decline and fall of Rome.

With a few well-written paragraphs, Ford conjures the images of epic battles, the daunting mass and efficiency of the Roman army, the butchery of Huns with arrows and javelins and swords. And the story of betrayal and honor revolving around Odoacer was so riveting and dramatic that I could only guess which parts were factual and which parts the product of Ford's creative license.

"The Fall of Rome" is truly an enjoyable ride in historical fiction. It is the sort of novel that you expect to find once a year, if you're lucky.

Any Michael Ford fan is in for a real treat with this one.

A quick read. Nothing too heavy. I'm a huge Niners fan and it was good to hear Rice talk about his career. The drive he had while playing and training is inspiring.

I enjoyed the book, but do not expect great writing or insights. This is one of those obligatory autobios that sports figures feel they have to write for their fans. I'd have liked to read more about Rice's growing up in MS. His coments on various fellow sprts stars was fun to reqd. ( He doesn't believe Barry Bonds either ). Quick read. Solid three stars.

this was a great book, i rarly read but when i found out Jerry wrote a book I knew i'd have to have it. It was a very quick read, took me only 2 weeks to finish. It's also opened my eyes to the NFL and the way it works. One of the best books ive read

Not every football memoir/autbio will be like Jerry Kramer's DISTANT REPLAY or have a subject as complex as Jim Brown. It was painful to hear Rice read his book (Audio CD) because he's not a natural reader mor speaker, but one can appreciate the path he laid for future players to emulate. I think this book is more geared towards the non-fan as opposed to the historian, NFL fan or Jerry Rice fan. I do think Jerry could've improved his reading skills for the CD edition or have someone else read the book, but it's a good story. As long as the book served its purpose, I can't complain.

- This review is for the Unabridged CD edition.

Excellent book, easy read. Very frank and honest dialogue produces a very refreshing look at the character and
makeup of NFL great Jerry Rice. He possesses "old school" values, rare for todays athletes and his humble
approach and its origins are clearly defined in his upbringing. Would highly recommend it for parents and players
of any sport as well as non-players as it explores more than the world of athletics and promotes a great
work ethic.

K.F.

This provides a way to introduce God into Halloween in a non-threatening way. It has some debatable theology associated with it, but I think that's only for the adults; I think the children will hear the overriding lessons and miss this aspect of the book.

God is in everything, and this book serves to remind us of that. Man's perspective can be small and petty, whereas God works through all things for good.

A wonderful book to read to children. Liz Curtis Higgs has a God-given insight which she uses to provide quality Christian picture books.

My kids ages 2,3, and 4 love this book! (and the rest of the series) The Bible verses at the bottom of each page is a really nice touch. This past Halloween my oldest asked me to read her this book over and over again. She picked up a few great biblical concepts from our times of reading Pumpkin Patch Parable.

I think it's wonderful book and I'm a christian. Everything was made by god including pumpkins and carving pumpkins is fun. It does not have to be evil and the fact that you can do it and teach your child about god is wonderful. Just wondering if the people who judge the book as trying to turn evil into good buy christmas trees and decorate them?? Did you know that is also a Pagan tradition with roots not honoring god?? How many Christians buy and decorate Christmas trees?? I would say step back and look more closely at yourself before judging others. In the Bible we are not bound by law but by grace. How can anything that teaches about god be sinful?? It does not matter what people did thousands of years ago but it does matter that we honor god in our words and actions today. I don't see the harm in this book.

This is a great story that can help people of all ages, even though geared to children, understand the message of the Gospel in a creative way. This doesn't have to be associated with the celebration of Halloween. I know that many people who profess to be Christians still like to celebrate Halloween and feel that this story helps to tie it to their faith. That shouldn't make this a bad book for those who don't think Halloween has a place in the lives of Christians. Putting a face on a pumpkin to do something fun during fall harvest is a spiritually neutral activity. It just doesn't have to be about Halloween. I am glad that people like Ms Higgs take the time to do something positive for this time of year--something that takes the focus OFF of Halloween.

When I ordered this book I didn't realize it would be so hard to read. I had always heard about this book but never read it, I still haven't. It has too much slang and half words in it. For as well known as it is I don't know how anybody read it. The story behind it is probably a very good story, but I couldn't understand enough of it to read more than the first chapter then it was placed on the book shelf. And I now know why it looks new and was sold as used, the fist purchaser probably couldn't read it either.

A catalyst for the civil war, this book gives vivid details on the living conditions of the black slaves. The book's literary worth lies in the fact that people can make a difference by speaking out, and by preserving a kind of fictional history of the African American's pain, despite being redundant, rube and rife with tautology.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope and South State Street Journal.

Wow! I must say this book is just...really amazing. I would reccomend it to anyone especially anyone who is studying the civil war or slavery in school.

right after lotr ttt. i think this book is awesome because it's got an engaging plot, with some "historial" references mixed in. if you're easily bored don't read the sermons where she begins with "dear reader/mother" and goes in to stir your pity. it's got a really fascinating ending and i'm just sad the real life cases never ended that way. read this if you're looking for something entertaining with historical background. no need to be studying history at all because i'm glad i read this even though i'm still in high school.

This book was incredible. Yes it can be racist, and extremist at times, but at it's core you're reading a piece of history. For a book to sell 300,000 copies during it's original publication in the mid 19th century is astounding. You're reading a book that had a part in the Civil War, the bloodiest war of our history. I did find while reading it that many parallels can be made between this book and "Black Beauty". Coincidence? Perhaps, but worth looking at in a review, or report. To read this and think that America permitted this slavery to go on for years, would be enough to disgust anyone. America's history is a bloody one, one that we need to remember, and reading this book will make you appriciate your freedom now, as an American. Please do keep in mind however, the slave trade is still going not to America, but places in Europe and Asia, even with the U.N outlawing it in 1953. I just cannot say how much this book made me think about the world past and present. Most highly recommended.