E Books

A book to keep by the bedside; tales to enjoy again and again. A haven for those familiar with the genre, and, for the novice, a menu of the fine writers of dark imagination.

Nearly fifty years ago, in the mid-sized Midwestern town where I spent many of my formative years, with some windfall paper route money, I purchased the Modern Library edition of "Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural" (published by Random House, edited by Herbert A Wise and Phyllis Fraser). That particular edition was eventually worn out from extensive reading and re-reading and had long since disappeared from my possession; but several months ago, at a Montgomery County Public Library sale in Troy, North Carolina, thanks the alertness of my sharp-eyed wife, I purchased, for a mere pittance, the *original* edition of this book, published in 1944; it was like encountering a long-lost friend! The dedication page consists of an Old Scotch Invocation: "FROM GHOULIES AND GHOSTIES AND LONG-LEGGED BEASTIES AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT, GOOD LORD DELIVER US!". Of interest also is that on the publication page the following appears: "THIS IS A WARTIME BOOK - The Text is complete and unabridged, but every effort has been made to comply with the Government's request to conserve essential materials." It was in my Modern Library edition that, as a teen-ager, I first read classic supernatural stories by Algernon Blackwood (the well-known "Ancient Sorceries" and the lesser-known "Confession" [but not "The Willows" or "The Wendigo"]), F(rancis) Marion Crawford ("The Screaming Skull" [but not "The Upper Berth"]), M(ontague) R(hodes) James ("Casting the Runes" [my favorite of all of his 30 stories] and "Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad"; both stories, incidentally, illustrate James's adroit and effective handling of understatement), H(oward) P(hilips) Lovecraft ("The Rats in the Walls" and "The Dunwich Horror"), Arthur Machen ("The Great God Pan" [but not "The Inmost Light"]), Oliver Onions ("The Beckoning Fair One"), Edgar Allan Poe (the well-known story "The Black Cat" and the lesser-known but even more disturbing "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar"), and Edgar Lukas White (the eerie "Lunkundoo"). Also among the 52 stories in this collection are some powerfully-effective adventure stories: Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game", Geoffrey Household's "Taboo", Carl Stephenson's "Leiningen versus the Ants", and H.G. Wells's "Pollock and the Porroh Man". (Undoubtedly because of the publication date, there is nothing here by Robert Aickman [e.g., "The Inner Room"], Clive Barker [e.g., "In the Hills, The Cities"], Stephen King [e.g., "Dolan's Cadillac" {terror} or "The Mist" {supernatural/preternatural], or Joyce Carol Oates [e.g., "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"]). The editors provide an Introduction, an Introduction to the Notes, and interesting and comprehensive biographical sketches of each of the authors. Over the past few months, I have enjoyed becoming re-acquainted with these stories. Although there now exist more modern collections of these types of stories (e.g. David Hartwell's "The Dark Descent", "The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories", and "Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories"), this out-of-print book is well worth acquiring, if you should be fortunate enough to happen upon it in an estate collection auction, at a library sale, in a thrift store, or at a used-book seller's.

This is yet another one of the books that was required for my Arts & Humanities class "The Horror Story"...I must say that I'm quite glad that I was introduced to this novel.

This book houses some of the greatest horror stories since the genre came into existence. I have a new appreciation for Edgar Allen Poe. Algernon Blackwood is an AMAZING writer, quite possibly my new favorite. There is even a story written by O. Henry!

This book could easily be considered a bible among those who are horror-genre fans. I can't say much else about this book other than IN MY OPINION it is worth the money you will spend on it and the time you will spend reading it.

This book is, quite simply, the best collection of 19th and early-20th century short fiction of the dark variety in existence. First published in the 1940s, this single (albeit fat) volume is a goldmine of the roots of modern horror, a great way to see where today's horror heavyweights got their inspiration and influence.

Some authors whose stories appear within: Bierce, Blackwood, Dickens, Faulkner, Hawthorne, Hemingway, James (both Henry & M.R.), Kipling, Lovecraft, Machen, Poe, Wells, and many more, a good mixture of horror genre regulars and more conventional or 'literary' authors to whom dark fiction was a departure from the norm. If many of those above names are unfamiliar to you and you consider yourself a fan of dark fiction, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

[Sidenote: The book also contains two of my all-time favorite short stories from two slightly lesser-known authors: Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," and W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw." As far as I know, this is the only single volume that includes both. The latter story is, in my humble opinion, THE most perfect scary story of all time.]

Once again: Wagner & Wise's collection is the best thing of its kind.

If you're looking for a little fear on your pallet, this book will dish it out in buckets. The authors are old world craftsmen who wrote these stories on dark and stormy nights. As you read, the wind will howl, dead children will laugh, and the scurry of rats will make you look around your room. Drink a glass of wine, eat dark chocolate, and curl up to this one in bed. Dead men do write good tales.

I have used Jane Brody's book so much that the pages were yellow and torn. I was glad Amazon could supply me with a crisp, clean copy.
I put the old one in our high-rise book exchange area. It was gone the next day.

I have a 20-year-old softbound copy of this cookbook that is in tatters, so I am very happy finally to find a fresh copy. I have made many of the recipes in this book and my family has a couple of all-time favorites, especially the pork with green beans and the vegetarian lasagne. While the basic recipes are wonderful, I frequently find them to be bland. My cookbook is filled with margin notes about what herbs and spices I have tried over the years to enhance the recipes. Nonetheless, this is a treasured part of my cookbook library.

The first part of the book is lots of info about nutrition and so on, very interesting and informative (like talking about how potatoes have gotten a bum rap, there really healthy, she mentions one guy who lived healthily for 300 days on nothing but potatoes (and a little margarin). The second part is a few hundred recipes, which are great - easy, delicious, pretty fast, a lot of them with ingredients we keep around the house. Some of our favorites - the chili recipes, the spaghetti pancakes, multigrain pancakes (good with soy flour and blueberries), etc. This (along with books from Moosewood, Tara Duggan, and the Quick Vegetarian Pleasures book) is one of primary cookbooks; we use it all the time. Highly recommended.

Putting "high carbohydrate" in the title is a no-no these days with the lo-carb craze that's going on, but I'm here to tell everyone that this is a great cookbook full of healthy recipes. Brody focuses on recipes that are often low-calorie and almost always include lots of veggies and other complex carbs, and she has many delicious desserts that aren't overloaded on fat and sugar. True weight management comes with exercise and watching overall calorie intake, while ensuring a majority of those calories are healthy ones. This cookbook is perfect for anyone who's interested in increasing his/her repertoire of delicious, healthy recipes.

I bought this cookbook back around 1992 and the tattered paperback is the most used cookbook in my kitchen.

I live with a vegetarian, so most of what I've cooked has been the meatless recipes, and without exception, they have all been wonderful! Some of these recipes are also my potluck dinner staples (esp the Tri-Color Chickpea Salad). The Quick Lasanga with Bean Sauce has been the hit of every party I've taken it to, and the Lentil soup is to die for.

At one point, I went through a heavy-duty baking phase, and tried many of the muffin and quick bread recipes in this book. Again, there wasn't a dud in the bunch - everything I baked was excellent and won praise from all who partook.

Most of the recipes in this book are very good "as is" (they don't need much futzing with). There is some prep work involved (lots of chopping of veggies and the like), so many of the recipes do take some time. Almost half of the book consists of information about food, nutrition, cooking hints and techniques, which I've found to be very useful. Personally, if you have to have one main cookbook, I'd say that this should be it!

This book was recommended to me in my favorites quite a while ago, and I finally decided to give it a try. It was so good. I never wanted to put it down, and when I was finished I wanted it to keep going. I have read "These is my words" and loved that. This is another to add to it.

Good book, but I liked Calico Palace much better. Jubilee Trail is just a little to predictable.

We had a rather intimidating librarian at my high school, but she was also very insightful when suggesting books. I was Junior when she handed this book to me, stuck her face right in mine, and said, "This book is out of print, so if I don't get it back, YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!" As she escorted me to the checkout table, she gave me a full dissertation on how wonderful the story was, and how much I'd love it. Staring at the plain blue cover with white writing on the spine, I wondered what could be so great. Curious, I took it home.

Trying to avoid my sister later that night, I stretched out across the foot of my bed, and decided to give it a chance... It had my full attention well within the first chapter, and I finished the entire 300-something page book within three days - three SCHOOL days, I might add. I absolutely devoured this book.

I returned it to Ms. Padilla gushing about it, and she had my full trust in any other suggestions she had. I have a few other favorites that were first placed in my hands by that woman, but this one stood out in my memory for a long time as honestly and truly one of the very best books I had ever read - and this is coming from a 'Gone With the Wind' fanatic, too!


***


Fast forward six years, my sister calls me from a rare bookstore to ask the name of the book I'd read in high school and loved... She knew I was looking for a copy, and thoughtfully decided to stop and search for me. Lo and behold, they had a first edition. They obviously didn't know what it was worth, because it was only $8.95. A gem for that low price; what a shame.

I read it again, and was just as enraptured as I was the first time! I now tell everyone that it is my absolute favorite book in the entire world, and the few people who have read it on my suggestion have all but kissed me for it.


***


I really encourage you to pick this one up... Meet Garnet, Oliver, Florinda, John, and - my favorite - Texas. They will have a place in your heart forever, just like they do mine. This is one you pass down to your children.

Living out West I've always been into the history of the Oregon trail but I never knew very much about the history off the California trial (except apparently there was assign showing the turn to Oregon and on fork was a nugget of gold and on the other was the word Oregon because the settlers in Oregon wanted more people to come there and settle who knew how to read and the illiterate people went to California) so reading "Jubilee Trail was kind of a history lesson for me. And an interesting, well written one at that.

This is the story of Garnet, a very well brought up New York socialite in the 1840's who ends up marrying a man who is a trader on the Jubilee trail, the trail to California, which Garnet has never even heard of. She marries Oliver because she wants adventure so bad, and ends up going on the trail with him. Along the way she meets Florinda, who is a sort of actress/courtesan with a very mysterious past but a heart of gold. The book tells the story of the journey to California and Garnet's meeting with Oliver's evil older brother Charles, who has Oliver so squarely under his thumb he makes Garnet feel like an exile in the beautiful flower cover Californian country. But she also meets Oliver's mysterious, emotionless best friend John, and his best friend the seven foot tall Russian called the Handsome Brute. When disaster strikes for Garnet, leaving her 3,000 miles from family in a wild country she will have to rely on her own strength and endurance, because even though she has great friends, pioneers can not depend on each other for sole support.

This is really a good historical book. Its quite accurate from what I can tell and very well plotted in the smallest details that all fall to place at the very end. Though it was written 50 years ago it's very readable and in fact, this gives the unique perspective of letting you see what people in the 1950'ss thought of people in the 1840's-so it's like a double historical. It also has wonderful insights into human nature and the nature of pioneers especially, which are beautifully expressed. I recommend this book highly and look forward to reading others by this author.

Five stars.

I can't believe I had never heard of this book before, and I am grateful to my Amazon friend who did review it or I would never have found it. I was quite surprised, as Amazon is usually so good at recommending similar items once it picks up on your reading habits.

This is the story of just out of finishing school Garnet, who meets and falls in love with Oliver Hale while he's visiting New York from California. Garnet has an adventurous spirit that Oliver indulges and they're off to California via the Jubilee Trail. Along the way they meet up with Florinda, the "bad" woman with a heart of gold and Garnet and Florinda become great friends, and support each other during the good and bad times as they cross the country and come to California before it is governed by the US.

The author does a very nice job of setting the scenery and the conditions along the trail -- you almost feel the dust in your mouth and on your skin and hair. I loved the way she used John's love of nature so that you can visualize everything from the snow topped mountains, to the red rocks of the southwest, to the wide open ranges, and the flora and fauna of California.

All in all a jolly good yarn, I had a hard time putting this down until the very end at the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. Highly recommended for any lover of historical fiction, and as this was written 50+ years ago, the love scenes (if you can call them that) are very chaste and well suited for a younger reader.

Lee: The Last Years

This is a wonderful book about a wonderful man. Although Robert E. Lee is most remembered as a General, for most of his adult life, he was an engineer and educator (although in the army). Mr. Lee could have become very wealthy after the war by simply allowing his name to be used commercially. However, he wanted to make a contribution and did so by accepting the position as President of Washington College. He seldom spoke of the war and brought no military flavor to the College.

There is an argument that Robert E. Lee is responsible for more American dead than any other single individual. The difficult part of this book is tying to tie that Robert E. Lee to the man he was in his last five (5) years. He played Santa at Christmas, broke up a lynching, stroked the ego of his horse Traveller, was a good family man, looked out for the under dog and took care of his students, even when they were in trouble. How he handled all these situations, often minor by standards of the war, brings out the essence of the man including his character, values, wit and subtle humor.

I have read/studied history and biography for 40 years. I have spent more time on Robert E. Lee than any other individual and this book someway brings all my study of Mr. Lee together and puts it in perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in American History. Thanks Mr. Flood.

Outstanding biography of the man. Much has been written about the general, this book brings the humble father, husband and Christian man to life.

I've long considered myself a student of Southern history and the Civil War. Heck, I've been a historian at museums so I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the Civil War era. Furthermore, I live in Virginia and have been to the campus of Washington and Lee University. However, nearly every page of Charles Bracelen Flood's work on Robert E. Lee's post-war years is full of information I've never heard about. Flood has used many differing sources to pull together a wonderful, highly readable account of Lee's years after the war, how he came to be President of Washington College, and his role in the reconstruction of this country. What jumps out off the pages is that for as much as Lee has been studied and idolized for his exploits on the battlefield, his postwar years as President of the college should get just as much press. While Lee did not think defending his native state was wrong, he did wish for both North and South to reconcile as quickly as possible. After reading the book, I still do not think Lee is the god that some people hold him up to be, but he does stand out as a good man who wanted to bring the nation back together while also helping his fellow Southerners get back on their feet. While Flood's writing can be unimaginative at times and I thought he threw in little stories and vignettes that he didn't need too, the book is excellent overall and should be a must read for anyone interested in Lee. However, the book is such an easy, good read that I think almost anyone should pick it up.

Bracelen Flood clearly does extensive research in order to render this intimate and engrossing portrayal of Lee.

Lee: The Last Years was well worth reading. A must for anyone who wants to know a little more of the Rest of The Story about a fine American, though much misunderstood.

This was a very supportive book,and had very useful information. Heal Your Headache by Dr. David Buchholz helped me more.

I have had migraines for over 20 years. I thought I knew it all and could write the book on migraines, but this one actually taught me some new tricks! I have shared it with 3 other people and even bought it for my sisters who suffer from migraines.

After living with Migraine Disease for 22 years (I am now only 26) this book has provided me with some answers. I have been suffering from chronic daily headache for the past four years. I picked up this book one weekend and could NOT put it down. Within a week, I was on the recommended Web sites, found a recommended doctor in my area and got in to see him. I've been headache-free for 2 days now! That might not seem like much to some people but to me, it feels like forever! Thank you Teri!

I enjoyed this book far more than I expected. Since the author also experiences migraine attacks, she writes with a great deal of empathy for the sufferer. Reading the stories of the author and others who have experienced attacks at least as frequent or as "bad" as mine reassured me that I am not alone. This book makes two main points: Nearly all migraine patients can be helped, and we should not settle for inadequate medical care. I recommend this book to anyone who experiences migraine attacks, or who cares about someone who does. The book provides both information and encouragement.

This is the book that changed my life! It gives you comprehensive information, guides on how to help yourself in an ER situation, doctors that don't listen, and how to get the best care possible for yourself or your loved one.

Teri writes with such knowledge and compassion. Every single medical term is explained. She speaks from the heart and you can tell this book was a labor of love.

Thank you Teri! You helped me get my life back!!

Good quality used book, required for my high school AP Psychology course. Took about 12 days to arrive, which is too long.

A very good book for general psych. It will will help to lay the ground work for all your future psych courses.

Exeptionally good study guide. Has helped raise my son's grade in his AP physcology class.

I love this book, I'm 16 and I have no trouble understanding it (though I am smarter than your average teen). It's quite interesting and explains a lot. It's the perfect introduction to psychology for someone like myself looking to pursue it as a career.

This is the best textbook I've ever used. It is interesting and engaging. The content is excellent, but the charts, photos, quotes, cartoons, etc. make studying even more enjoyable. If you want to learn the basics of pyschology, but this book!

A TASTE OF HONEY WAS A VERY GOOD BOOK IT DEALS WITH LIFE PROBLEMS AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE ABUSED A CHILD AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT THEM IN THEIR ADULT LIFE. THIS WAS VERY GOOD IT A MUST GET.

When I purchased this book I didn't think that it would be something that would keep my attention. That all changed before I finished the first page. The twist and turns that Darren Coleman threw in each chapter kept me turn the page to see what would happen next. I never expected Honey turn out the way she did. But with the start in life she had, I'm glad that it didn't ruin her.

I enjoyed this book and I could not stop turning the pages. It has drama, suspense and true love. This author never disapppoints and I can't wait for the next novel.

I Believe This Was A Very Interesting Read. Darren Kept Me Guessing the Whole Entire Time. I Would Highly Recommend This Book to Others

Hailey Height lived with her mother in the projects and would spend afternoons swooning over her fine neighbor, Manny, who lives across the hall. Although Manny is much older than Hailey's fifteen years, she becomes involved in a sexual relationship with him. Because of her skills in the bedroom, he affectionately nicknames her "Honey". After experiencing the worst type of betrayal by her best friend and tragic events that follow, Honey finds herself
having to grow up fast and survive on her own. She uses the only talent she has to make money; as a high-priced call girl.

Khalil Graves is a movie producer with several movie deals being considered for the big screen. The demons from his past follow him, but he's able to cope with the help of medication and therapy. When he meets Honey he is instantly
smitten and she is also attracted to Khalil, but her motives for initiating a relationship are purely selfish. The resulting consequences make for a very thrilling and stimulating adventure. This is the first time I've read a book by Darren Coleman and it won't be my last. Coleman presents great characterization and plot development. The book quickly grabbed my attention and held it to the end. A TASTE OF HONEY is an absorbing and entertaining read, a great addition to your home library.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

If you are a learning (or even trained) dancer,, you should definitely buy this book. Teachers- you should keep a copy in your studio library. My old dance teacher introduced me to this dictionary, and I continued to use it in my college dance classes and when I taught dance on my own.

It's small enough to slip inside your dance bag, so you can take it with you to class. It's a fabulous resource for terminology, which is priceless to learning dancers. Because, there's nothing worse than going to a class when the teacher is of a different methodology. This one features several, including the more popular methods, like Cechetti. There are also some drawings to help you understand more clearly.

This book will help you learn all your arabesques, positions, and more.
A great tool!

It helped me visualize my eight body positions in order to put them in practice. It also helped me with spelling of different positions.

The information is invaluable and an excellent reference at an incredibly low price. But a beginner reading this book would be like reading about myocardial infarctions for someone not knowledgeable in medical terminology (that's a heart attack). It makes sense if you have a grasp on ballet already, but should not be bought as a guide from which to learn ballet. If you are looking for a place to quickly look up a step, and already have a good deal of training, then this is the book for you.

I was reaquired to purchase this book many years ago for a college level ballet class I took. I still have my copy. It's an outstanding reference for terminology.

This book best serves those who have had enough experience with ballet to be able to understand the terms within the definitions themselves. Almost all ballet terms in this book contain other ballet terms within the definitions, and pictures are minimal (positions of the feet/arms, body in space, head, stage terms). If the dancer is not familiar enough with ballet terms, technique, and form, then this book can be overwhelming. I recommend this book to all teachers as well as teenagers who are serious about ballet (it's a must have). For younger students (9 years old and up), I recommend any ballet book that contains basic terms as well as pictures showing proper form/execution of these terms (pictures will also include proper alignment and proper turn-out as well as a clear explaination on how to work toward both).

BOOK OFFERS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION. PUT THEORY INTO PRACTICE AND OVERALL HEALTH DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES. FLIPPING COIN, IF YOU'RE FIT, YOU OWE IT TO OTHERS TO SHARE BOOK AS IT'S USER FRIENDLY AND AN ENJOYABLE READ.

Great book...learned lots of new and interesting things about tea that I never knew - I highly recommend it!

A very neat book even though I'm still reading it. I can't wait to start this diet.

Neat book and have enjoyed reading and learning and think much of the information is true and good to follow.

This book recommends that you drink at least 8 cups of tea per day. If you're making hot tea, this is really inconvenient, especially if you're a busy person. I bought some of his teas and I was disappointed -they weren't as good as I hoped.

This series is Stellar. Not only are they well written and identifiable romance novels, they also take you on a journey in the life of the people of those times. It is a truly remarkable and educational reading experience. These period pieces are my all time favorite!

Another Beverly Jenkins hit. I've just about read all of Beverly Jenkins books and trust me this woman can deliver the best...it's never a disappointment with anything she's written. This is a wonderful historical romance book, if you are interested in black history and what black people have done to make the many contributions that we've had to this country, read this book. Beverly does an extensive amount of research when she writes historical books, or any book for that matter and is excellent with providing further insight and websites to further your knowledge. This is another book that doesn't disappoint.

Known only as the Butterfly, Zahra fluttered about the country providing information to the Federal forces and aiding in the rescue of runaway slaves and other men and women who required help. Zahra takes great pride in her small contribution to the civil war efforts, but she's never forgotten one of the men she saved - Archer Le Veq. The war is over but Zahra has been requested for a special mission - posing as the madam of a brothel in New Orleans.

Archer Le Veq owns a prominent hotel in New Orleans. During the war, he had worked for the Bureau of Military Information, collecting intelligence on the Confederacy. Until he was captured and came close to losing his life, only to be rescued by a mysterious woman known only as the Butterfly.

In the days following the war, the country is in a state of Reconstruction. For many it's a time of rebuilding and hope. For others, it's a time of a questionable future as they struggle to be accepted into society. Zahra was content with her life in South Carolina. She'd done her part to help her people during the war. She had no intention of going back into the service of the country, but President Grant requested Zahra and promised to look into the situation involving her parents getting their land back. Hoping the president would honor his word and help her parents, Zahra takes the assignment. In order to collect information involving the perilous situations that people of color faced, Zahra will travel to New Orleans posing as the madam of a newly established brothel. Nobody would suspect the proprietor of such an establishment of gathering information. To protect her identity, Zahra wears a domino which only seems to entice the men, including Archer's brother, Phillipe. Everybody wants to know the story behind the mysterious Madam Domino. Archer fully intends to stay away from the house of ill-repute until circumstances bring them together and he finds himself just as enamored of Madam Domino as everyone else. Unlike the others though, Archer has a feeling he's met her before, if he could only remember where . . .

Beverly Jenkins WINDS OF THE STORM is an awesome tale. You not only get a fabulous love story but you get further insight into the history behind the figures who struggled to help ensure every man, woman, and child of every race were treated equally. Zahra is one of the most memorable characters I've ever encountered in a storyline. She's strong willed, incredibly smart, and selfless. Archer is everything Zahra needs in a man - virile, sexy, and he accepts her and the roles she plays in an effort to help their people. There are other equally great characters in this story that do bear mentioning but that would make this review way too long. I highly recommend this book. You'll want to meet the other great characters from this period in our history.

This book is a follow up to Ms. Jenkins book THROUGH THE STORM. I'm sincerely hoping there will be a third book involving Phillipe. He's a dynamic character throughout the plot in this story who had me smiling with his antics. This is a powerfully moving tale that has earned permanent spot on my keeper shelf.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Beverly Jenkins is brilliant. I normally read modern-day novels, however, she is the only author whose historical romances I will read. Her historical romance always provide some insight into black history, which is valuable.

Indigo was the first book I read by Beverly Jenkins. Afterwards, I purchased most of her books. I've also purchased a couple of the books that she lists in her Author's Note. Her characters are so life-like. Sometimes I wish I could be transported back in time to see what life was really like for 19th century African Americans.