Douglas Books

Snow Blind is a true story that moves at the pace of an action adventure. The action happens in the courtroom, as a youg public defender with a gift for showmanship rights wrongs, rescues the innocent and puts the high-and-mighty in their place. And then something goes wrong, big time. If you live in South Florida you WILL recognize the protagonist and the bigwigs he must duel. You'll be surprised, because not many people know the details. Even if you live elsewhere and don't know the names, you'll be swept along by this amazing story.

Kalajian has written a riveting tale of the true life fall of a passionate advocate for the poor who becomes caught in the seductions of the drug underworld and who saves his soul only when he returns to his calling to help others.

I first met Douglas Kalajian after toasting the New Journalism with the fabled editor Eddie Sears during a wine-fueled chit-chat in the executive floors of The Palm Beach Post. The year was 1994 or 1995. I forget, mainly because I left all my brains to the wrinkled mavens who entertained me nightly at the many ornate bars I frequented in Palm Beach. What Sears said about Kalajian pretty much cements my belief that Douglas, more than any other writer in star-crossed Southern Florida, has a full grasp of the many flawed characters that walk that wild geography. "Kalajian will shock the Hell out of a witch," Sears said. This book is about one such wicked dude. You can visit Florida for a week and it isn't long before you get the distinct feeling that Florida is no Midwest Wimp like Oklahomo or Kancer or Rita Nebraska...No, sir. Here, in his book, Douglas Kalajian is both Dali and Diego Rivera. He has painted a factual mural so alarming and bright that to read it is to see what's on the other side of the Sun. I read it while fishing in The Gulf of Mexico and damned if every damned fish I caught didn't look ugly as all Hell. Truth is scary and Douglas Kalajian has thrown truth at us...

This book is a tender look at the quiet heroes who made baseball an all-American sport. The players Doug Williams introduces are noble men who made difficult choices--men who lived with integrity, diligence, and perseverance. In addition, the book is about living in joyous gratitude. Finally, with each chapter, the reader is aware that often there are no coincidences in our lives, only new paths to different adventures.

This is an outstanding piece of work. Williams does a great job of contextualizing these former players for novel and avid sports readers. His accurate knowledge of the game, the times, and the people involved make this a must read for anyone who has ever enjoyed the game of baseball. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

OK, I am a friend of Doug Williams, and we have been encouraging him to write a book like this for years. I'm not really a baseball fan, but I really liked this book. It is not only about baseball, but also about friendship, values, and family relationships. I told Doug that I took it on a business trip to read at bedtime, but it was so good that I stayed up two extra hours to finish it. The book is very well written and I recommend it highly.

Quirky but real. As a Canadian from the same era I can totally relate to what he describes. A really great book to give to Americans to explain who we Canadian really are.

So, what constitutes 'Canadian culture' and elements of Canada? From notorious plastics which take twice as long to decompose to a special kind of screw and driver used only in Canada, there's a host of oddities uniquely Canadian which Douglas Coupland here sets out to capture visually and in text description. A hilarious, pointed set of true observations, all backed with color photos.

This SECOND collection of imagery and musings from Famous Canadian Writer Douglas Coupland didn't always strike a chord with me. I'm from a different part of the country, with different history and experiences, of course.

Yet enough was oddly, eerily familiar to convince me that there are few young writers better qualified to comment on the State of Our Nation than Coupland. Not as enjoyable as his fiction, but something fun to tide us fans over while we wait!

I enjoyed this quirky collection, particularly Coupland's Canadian House installation art, more than the first. The images seemed fresher and his intelligent commentary was just as enjoyable. Keep 'em coming!

Jennifer Ellis now eight years later after the hijacking of the plane in Spain, is all grown up, kicking butt and taking names. Conservatively working at the Smithsonian, she should be working with the F.B. I., after a man from her past, Eduardo Costa aka Ernesto de Rivera shows up out of the blue. She finds it odd that he would run from her, and instead of just leaving it alone, Jennie followed him and made things a little more difficult for herself.

Ernesto's family was brutally murdered by El K'kah after the hijacking when Henry Ellis let him escape to finish off some "old" business. Ernesto was commissioned to do one thing, but then he was free to settle the score with a couple of men from his past, including El K'kah, and the Ellis'. The priests are even on the wrong side of the law, and continue to help Ernesto finish his business. So far he has been one step ahead eluding the police and F.B.I. but how long can he keep up his little game of hide and seek?

Jennie, Henry, and two officials, Agent Fontaine and Agent Savall, were about to be stuck in the middle of a gun war. Ernesto was not the only one trying to kill off the Ellis' someone else had a personal vendetta as well! The real shocker is, where has Jennie's brother Theo been in the past 8 years?

Douglas Quinn's The Spanish Game is my all time favorite so far out of all of his novels that I have read. Action-packed, thrilling, and explosive this one is a winner! A great stand alone novel; enough info is given to relate the story to The Catalan Gambit so that you can follow from the beginning eight years ago. There better be another book in this series or else I am going on my own hunt for a Mr. Douglas Quinn! 5 Hearts

Douglas on Myspace: www.myspace.com/obxwriter

Douglas Quinn has done it again with another fast-paced action thriller. Once I started reading the first chapter, I had a really hard time putting the book down. This is the continuing saga of the Ellis Family, as they move forward in their lives since that tragic day on the plane eight years ago. Jennifer Ellis is a very business savvy young woman now, and she's determined to protect her father from the dangers that have recently resurfaced. I enjoyed this book as much as Quinn's first novel, The Catalan Gambit, and would recommend it to anyone that loves a good ride.

Ernesto de Rivera, an assassin out to get revenge on Henry Ellis for slaying his family is a major threat to the Ellis family. Ernesto is very skillful in how he lays out his plan for each target and is able to adjust quickly to unexpected events. Luckily Ernesto was not prepared for Henry's daughter Jennifer.

I rooted for Henry and Jennifer Ellis the entire time. The love the Ellis family has for each other is beautiful. Their love for each other gives them the strength to go up against unknown threats who have vowed to end the lives of the entire family.

I sat on the edge of my seat the entire time. I couldn't put the book down. A suspense thriller - action packed from beginning to end! I was totally surprised by "The Spanish Game's" ending. I highly recommend purchasing "The Spanish Game" by Douglas Quinn. An Excellent Follow Up to the "The Catalan Gambit". It leaves you wanting for more.

The Spectrum series has very good information and activities in it. I have used the upper elementary grade books in middle school, and the middle school grade books for high school. The Spectrum series is highly recommended.

Spectrum Books were recommended by my child's teacher. Now I can understand why. We home school and these books are great. They self teach and are easy to understand. They are economically priced which is rare in educational books. I find that every Spectrum Book on every subject is equally as great. Not only are they valuable to home schooled kids like mine, they also are great to tutor kids in traditional schools who may need a little help. I will never hesitate to buy any book under the Spectrum name brand. They are tops. However it's my nature to be picky, so here it goes, the only thing I recommend is removing the answers from the back of the book. All the pages have been conveniently perforated. Because if you have a child like mine, he'll discover this before you do and whiz through his assignments without getting any question wrong. I'll be buying these books for years to come. I love them and it will be hard to find anything better.

The assignments are fun and you can use the
same ideas and substitute something appropriate for the
particular student.
The lessons are also sequential which makes them effective in
helping the students to put their thoughts down in an organized
manner and then write from there.

A great aunt gave me this book about 20 yrs ago, and I've treasured it ever since. If you can find a used copy that you can afford it, go ahead and buy it: you won't be disappointed. It's a hilarious story of the author's relationship with a squirrel he rescued when it was a baby, about as big as his thumb. Pretty soon it grew up and virtually took over this man's house, his food, his life, and his world. Loving as this squirrel could be, she also seemed to have a mean streak, particularly if he dared to invite females into the home.
Great little story.

This is a wonderful book. I recommend it to any animal lover or anyone who appreciates the various personalities animals posses. It is at the same time humorous and touching. A highly entertaining and enduring story.

This is an excellent book for anyone who has ever found an orphaned baby squirrel and tried to raise it. Plus, it has an element of humor that is well done.

This book is 1,000 Saturday Night Live skits waiting to happen. If you enjoy those with "unique" insights into the truth of everyday events, you'll enjoy this book. It's a fun, quick read, and a great re-read as well. Leave it on a coffee table, and it's sure to induce multiple chuckles from your guests.

Doug Hecox has written the most useful book I've read this year. Rather than getting hung up about politics, or foreign policy, or the economy, or the direction of the morals of today's youth, Doug teaches us to laugh at them. There isn't a topic you will encounter today that Doug doesn't touch on, and his touch invariably tickles. Words of advice for high school graduates? Doug's got 'em. Words of advice on cleaning your bachelor apartment? Doug's got 'em. Doug's even got advice on how to deal with the infamous "School of the Americas."

For those of us raised on Mad Magazine and Don Martin, we can only say "Huzzah! Satire lives!" And it's funnier than ever!

I've read Doug's columns in the paper for several years, which usually have some sort of news or political flavor to them. They're funny, but fixed on politicians and newsmakers. This book has some of that stuff in it but, surprisingly, is jam-packed with satirical looks at some everyday stuff too. I just about lost it when I read his bit on driver-side airbags, and his view that scattering someone's ashes is just another form of littering. This is a VERY funny book and I highly recommend it!

Great book. Seemed to be written from an objective view point - and I really appreciate that. I came away from this book with a better understanding of Prime Minister Harper and a better hope for the future of Canada.

this book was originally assigned to me for a Canadian politics class, but I never got around to reading it until after I graduated. It's a solid book - it really portrays the leadership style of Stephen Harper in the context of an ever-contentious Canadian political history. Johnson does a superb job of displaying Harper as a leader unrivaled in his vision for Canada. For Americans like myself, it's a great book to gain a better grasp on major Canadian political issues such as regionalism, Constitutional politics, and of course, Quebec separatism, among others. Go for it!

This is a well-written book, full of anecdotes and about an interesting subject. Many people claim that Stephen Harper has a "hidden agenda" but when reading about his life, it is easy to see a consistency in vision and a steadfast dedication to making Canada a better place for all Canadians, not just the political elite. Mr. Harper is brilliant and that comes out loud and clear in this unauthorized biography. Mr. Harper also is clearly a man with integrity and honesty. That greatest asset is also his biggest handicap, because Canadians are so used to the "what's in it for me?" style of politics that they have trouble understanding the integrity of Mr. Harper. I hope his critics will take the time to read this excellent book.

ABOUT BLADY is a touching book about life and death. It inspired this poem which I hope will suffice as a reveiw.

HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 68 HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 36 HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 24

LATTER RAINS come sparking on a comet's tail out of control

strike a silent blow to grow in him out of sight coming in visionary midnight dreams

frightening misunderstood meaning clear in afterthought

after ravaged body nears end of capability felt end of being

Pain no pills can erase subdued by chords of Beethoven passages of Mozart

Sunshine overshadowed by death clouds a peaceful finale echoes through stainglass windows to silence

ABOUT BLADY is a touching book about life and death. It inspired this poem which I hope will suffice as a reveiw.

HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 68 HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 36 HE DIED OF CANCER HE WAS 24

LATTER RAINS come sparking on a comet's tail out of control

strike a silent blow to grow in him out of sight coming in visionary midnight dreams

frightening misunderstood meaning clear in afterthought

after ravaged body nears end of capability felt end of being

Pain no pills can erase subdued by chords of Beethoven passages of Mozart

Sunshine overshadowed by death clouds a peaceful finale echoes through stainglass windows to silence

Laurens van der Post gives us glimpses into various parts of his life, and finally bears down on the subject of the title of this book, a mare called Blady, spotted in a field by a young horsewoman of Argentine origins in Spain, purchased on the spot, and trained and ridden by her against against the greatest rider in all of Spain. Van der Post writes the story with great affection for the for the young woman and her mare. Many insights are given into the complex interrealtions and customs of the Spanish, none more interesting than Laurens' reflections on the meaning and symbolism of the bullfight.

At the price Amazon is offering this powerful book (I paid $35 for it), this is an incredible bargain for a fascinating read. With its size, scope, and beautiful pictures (2 large sections in color), a publisher like Abrams might charge $90 for it! Author J. Dennis Robinson is known throughout New England for both writing must-read history but also for being a spellbinding lecturer. His knowledge of New England history is deep and sweeping, but more important is his love and "feel" for that history. Not just a history of landmark Strawbery Banke colonial museum, this is a hard-hitting history of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which is even today loaded with hundreds of stunningly huge colonial homes. In these months of a highly interesting presidential race, make sure you read this book to get the true feel of where our nation came from and why we love it so.

Not just a beautifully illustrated history of a New England seaport town's colonial village museum, Robinson's book is a lively portrait of New Hampshire's only seaport, Portsmouth. Through the personalities and events that shaped it, Robinson shows how the town grew and shrank and thrived and burned (twice!) and transformed itself again and again to meet the changing times, without being overtaken by them.

First visited by close-mouthed fishermen and settled by venturesome capitalists, Strawberry Banke (as it was first known) resisted the onslaught of Puritans from Massachusetts as best it could, given its isolation, economic woes, and small population. Robinson introduces readers to the men who carved a town from the wilderness, jockeyed for power and abandoned the place when the going got tough.

Robinson brings these and later adventurers to life as he chronicles the early years, Portsmouth's role in the Revolution, the economic woes of the early 19th century and the devastating fires, which drove men, like the young lawyer Daniel Webster to leave Portsmouth forever. He describes the rise of the red-light district, the descent of the waterfront, and the ongoing cries for urban renewal, destruction, and preservation right up to the present day.

Portsmouth's determination to thrive created friction early on between preservationists and those eager to embrace the future by discarding the past. As in many towns the preservationists were often descendants of moneyed summer visitors, like John Mead Howells, son of editor and author William Dean Howells, and Stephen Decatur IV, the latest in a long line of famous military men. Howells and Decatur teamed up with an ambitious plan to restore the waterfront and before their plan fizzled Portsmouth had hit the top ten list of possible National Park projects.

Though Howells failed, his grandson married a woman who was a major player in the founding of the Strawbery Banke Museum, which has preserved and restored many of the city's oldest buildings and relocated them to its village setting across the road from the Piscataqua River.

Robinson weaves the genesis and development of the museum into his narrative. We meet the people who built and lived in the houses that now make up the museum and see the transformations of many of the buildings over the years as people added on, modernized or changed their use entirely.

The hundreds of photographs and illustrations that accompany Robinson's history are integral to the story. They have been carefully chosen to enhance the narrative, from the first drawings of the colonial grounds to the mechanics of moving a building to the Strawbery Banke site and, always, the people who have given Portsmouth its life since the early 1600s.

Well organized, engaging, and attractively designed, this is a book to be savored from cover to cover.

This is, as the title suggests, a history of a museum, but in addition it's a rather amazing story about how history reached out and touched the folks in a small New England town. It has a wonderful balance of lively prose and what seems to be hundreds of photographs, all beautifully reproduced, that really bring the people and the place to life. If the Thorton Wilder wrote books instead of plays, it would be a lot like this!