Fitzgerald Books

One thing about reading these baseball books Fred Bowen has written by the AllStar SportStory series is that if your Little League days are behind you then you are going to have memories of highs and lows coming back to you. While reading "T.J.'s Secret Pitch" I recalled the painful memory of our team losing a game to of the second division teams because the pitcher was throwing the ball so slow nobody could hit him. So when T.J. Burns' father quoted Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn dictum, "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing," I know from painful experience that this is true. However, this excellent baseball story for young readers has another more important lesson that will help Little Leaguers even if they are not pitchers.

Like a lot of kids who play baseball, T.J. wants to be a pitcher. He is the team's second baseman, but he has been practicing pitching all summer long, learning how to move the ball around the strike zone. But he is also the shortest player on his team and when he is given a chance to pitch batting practice he cannot get anybody out. That night he watches his father pitch a softball game and win, throw great, high "meatballs" that nobody can hit. From that performance and talking with his dad afterwards, T.J. learns quite a few things about pitching with your head as well as with your arm. So in his back yard T.J. starts teaching himself to throw meatballs and when he pitches to his friends they are surprised to find out these are very hard pitches to hit. Now he just needs to have an opportunity to pitch in a real game.

One of the defining characteristics of Bowen's stories is the way he always works a little baseball history into the plot. In the case of "T.J.'s Secret Pitch" that would be the example of Rip Sewell and his infamous eephus pitch. In the back of this book Bowen tells the real story of Sewell's pitch, which he lofted as high as 25 feet. Besides Sewell's famous encounter with Ted Williams in the 1946 All Star Game, Bowen tells about Sewell's entire career and what happened to him afterwards, and I was surprised to learn Sewell only threw the pitch he made famous about 20 times a game, and never with runners on base (think about it).

"T.J.'s Secret Pitch" is illustrated by Jim Thorpe and should give young baseball players plenty to think about. To quote another Hall of Famer, Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, "Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical." Young readers should certainly learn that important lesson from the examples provided in this excellent little story.

This is a fantastic book about sports, life, and weird pitches. Everyone should go pick up a copy right now and read it cover to cover. Go. Now.

My son is four and not yet a reader, but he loves being read to--and in the first 24 hours of having this book we've probably read it at least a dozen times. A better choice than some other early reader books--with word choices that are neither too simple nor too repetitive. The story is told in such an engaging manner that it opens avenues for discussion--my son offers how he would help or serves up editorial comments ("That's not good...."). The illustrations are clean, warm and so evocative that my son has joined in offering voices to accompany the illustrations. He will certainly choose this book when he begins to read himself. A wholesome, believable and true story--quite a combination.

For my son who is a learning reader, this was a fascinating story. This is another good one in the Pets to the Rescue series. It seems to be hard to find books to interest boys learning to read and this was another one that served as an enticement to get to sit down and read. Again the "true story" aspect was particularly interesting to him.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Too Tall Tina" and will purchase copies for all 14 of my grandchildren. Although the book teaches math, it also includes lessons in both feelings and friendship, and is fun to read.

This book seems excellent in my opinion. I will enjoy reading it to my younger cousins and I think they will enjoy it, too. I would recommend this book for anybody around the age of 8. You should buy this book if you have any youngsters yourself.
~Christine

J.T. Fitzgerald Is a great author! I loved his first book too! This book was a bit more like a mystery/action book. I like to picture the story happening in my mind and with the way J.T.Fitzgerald writes that's easy because hes adds all the good detail! I'm looking forward to another CIA/Military war book he comes out with. If yu enjoy a nice action/mystery book this one is great!

For the generations that did not exist during the Vietnam era, this book weeds out the rumors and tells the true story of what this war was really like. I could not put it down, I read it in one night. I did not think that J.T. Fitzgerald could ever top his first book Operation Stagecoach Red but I was delightfully surprised! Traitor in White Laces is the perfect sequel and a thrilling ride!

I got this book when I was ten and I think I read this book two or three times a year. It's a gorgeous story with amazing characters and writing. I love the 'Ted and Wanda' storyline and 'Dr. Pepper.' Old Pepper is a great character. There isnt a single word of this book that I dont adore. I recommend it to both kids and adults. Everyone can get something out of this book. Out of all the books I've ever read in my entire life (and boy are there a lot of them) it definitely makes the top 10 list.

When I was in 5th grade, my cronies and I discovered this book in our school library and quickly found the 'kissing scene.' The book became instantly popular to all the girls in our class after word got out. Aside from that, I have read this book many times since then and found it to be very well written, and worthy of its award as Notable Book. I have been making a list of favourite books I read as a little girl, and this is one of the first on the list. And Since I was a complete tomboy at age 10, this book isn't just for sissies...it has humour, and a few suspenseful scenes (one resulting in physical injury...what more can you ask for?)

The Warren Commission, in late 1964, issued its 888-page Final Report on the assassination of President John Kennedy. The Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald had murdered JFK, and in so doing, had acted alone. Also within that report rests one of the most controversial so-called "theories" in history -- the "Single-Bullet Theory".

The "SBT" has been battered from proverbial pillar to post by conspiracy theorists for multiple decades now since JFK's tragic death in 1963. And it's been an undeserved bad rap, too, in my opinion. Because the SBT is almost certainly the only conceivable (accurate) scenario to explain the injuries sustained by victims JFK and John B. Connally in Dallas on 11/22/63.

Lacking the SBT, so many weird and incredible and, frankly, impossible, things would have had to have taken place in Dealey Plaza, it would make a Max Fleischer cartoon seem believable by comparison.

Many people ("CTers" by specific categorization) seem to think that the holes in JFK's clothing are rock-solid "proof" that the Single-Bullet Conclusion is worthy of only disdain. They'll claim the holes in Kennedy's coat and shirt were "too low" to accommodate the accuracy of the SBT scenario.

But, it must be remembered that the JFK jacket hole in dispute is a hole on the BACK side of President Kennedy's suit jacket, not the front side (with the front part of the jacket, of course, much more likely to move around with ease).

Therefore, since the portion of the coat/jacket on JFK's back isn't going to be moving around like a coat lapel at the front, the coat hole lining up with the hole in his shirt is understandable, IMO.

The bottom line of this argument is -- CTers have taken one single aspect of the "whole" that makes up the SBT scenario (JFK's clothing holes on his back) and then they have seemingly chosen to ignore all of the surrounding evidence that says the SBT is the ONLY way the shooting could have occurred.

Plus -- I'm thinking it's quite possible that JFK's back brace might have aided in keeping those two layers of clothing (shirt and jacket) TOGETHER to some extent...more so than if he wasn't wearing the back brace. I'll admit straight away, that this is just simply a wild guess on my part (but CTers do nothing BUT "guess" 24/7 re. many aspects of the JFK murder case; so I suppose an LNer can do it on occasion as well). But it seems within the bounds of reason. I've never worn a brace like that on my back, and don't know for sure how it might "bind" or affect the clothing of the wearer of such an item. But it might have had some effect on the clothing to a small, or not so small, degree.

But a discrepancy in the President's clothing holes pales in overall significance when compared to the things that are "out of whack" re. the pro-CT side of the SBT equation.

Things like:

Disappearing bullets.....Pictures that have to be faked.....Three autopsy doctors who have to be falsifying official documents.....And three gunmen performing the impossible at-the-same-time task of shooting JFK in such a way to even come remotely close to being able to say (later) that these THREE shots all "line up" to a "Single Bullet" possibility.

Even WITH clothing holes that cannot be completely reconciled to the square inch to align with JFK's back (skin) wound, the SBT is far, far ahead of ANY conspiracy-slanted substitute for it. In fact, I've yet to hear a good, sound, logical, based-on-the-evidence "CT substitute" for the Single-Bullet Theory. I wonder if we'll ever be treated to such a revelation by conspiracy authors/promoters? Unlikely to happen, IMO. Because no such "believable" CT version of the shooting exists.

CTers, IMO, still haven't a leg to wobble on with respect to the SBT. Because virtually everything "fits" re. the SBT for the Lone-Assassin side.

But CTers, in trying to debunk the Single-Bullet Theory, are attempting to do so, even though the conspiracists have......

1.) No bullets where there most certainly ought to be bullets found (and THREE of them at that, discounting CE399 of course; because no self-respecting CTer would dare think that that bullet was ACTUALLY part of the "real" shooting).

2.) No damage inside JFK's back/neck where there certainly should be some degree of damage if two whole bullets had just stopped inside the President as if they'd hit a brick wall.

3.) No good, rooted-in-logic explanation for why Governor Connally's back wound was "oblong" in shape if that wound had been caused by an unimpeded bullet in flight.

4.) No real good explanation (at all) as to why on Earth those two missiles just stopped inside Jack Kennedy's body without exiting. (Two "duds"? Or two "misfires"? TWO?? Come now. What are the odds?)

5.) Not a single witness saying they saw an additional non-Oswald shooter.

6.) No proof whatsoever that the Official Autopsy Report has been "faked" or "phonied up" by the autopsy doctors (all three of whom signed off on said document).

7.) No proof at all that the autopsy photos and X-rays have been "faked" in some manner to "hide" the true wounds.

8.) No proof at all to show that the 19 different HSCA panel members who authenticated the autopsy photos/X-rays all lied when they said this in 1978:

"From the reports of the experts' analyses of the autopsy photographs and X-rays, the evidence indicates that the autopsy photographs and X-rays were taken of President Kennedy at the time of his autopsy and that they had not been altered in any manner."

9.) And to repeat a variation of #1 just for amplification -- WHERE DID ALL THOSE BULLETS GO? WHERE? Can some conspiracy theorist please provide the waiting world with the answer to that very important question? I, for one, would certainly like to hear it. It should be an amusing answer, if nothing else.

I know what your thinking, another book on the JFK Assassination and another book for the conspiracy theory, right? Yes and no, yes it is another book on the Assassination and no it is not the typical book; in fact this book has answers not found anywhere else.

Having read the author's first book, this follow-up is nothing short of astounding. What the author does here is simply take the evidence that has been used by the Warren commission and show you how they relate to the conclusions. What the book doesn't do is spin anything, everything is right in front of you and you get to decide what is fact what is fiction. Judging form what I have read this may not be as easy at it first appears.

You may think you have read or heard everything by now, but keep an open mind and delve into the heart of the book and you may find a few eye openers here and there. It is not just another book; it is so much more and if you are an assassination expert or beginner this book will have you talking, thinking and pondering the issue and evidence all over again.

What at first seems to be just another "JFK - what really happened book", turns out to be one of the best investigative pieces of research I've seen on the subject.

The power lies in the questions. The realization that something really corrupt and unspeakable happened in this country is hammered home with a simple yes or no answer determined by indepth research. The implications of those involved is chilling.

I've seen the JKF movies and read a few books and remember when the asassination was announced. Information I've never heard before is presented in this book.

"What Really Happend", brings up facts and answers questions that will send chills up your spine. Eye opening information presented in a concise and chronological format making a complex subject and course of events more comprehensible.

This is a hard-to-find book, but well worth the search.

this book is a simple question and answer book.
it dosen't go into the assassination of JFK, but rather it answers the questions of who was this guy and what was his role.
you learn about when ex-President Jimmy Carter was giving a speech on the JFK assassination and then the tv sound just went mute. the book answers what Jackie was actually reaching over the car for and who people like Lee Bowers were and what Richard Nixon and J Edgar Hoover had to do with the JFK assassination.

this is a very simple book, but it's very informative and very well written.
has numerous photos of some of the people mentioned in the book.

great book.

If you liked Laura in the Little House book series, then you will like Gina in this delightful story. You will learn about how things were in New York City during the late 1800's for an Italian immigrant named Gina. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy learning about this time period in our history.

If you liked Laura in the Little House book series, then you will like Gina in this delightful story. You will learn about how things were in New York City during the late 1800's for an Italian immigrant named Gina. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy learning about this time period in our history.

Really funny Spongy stuff! Patrick goes and thinks that
he's valentine going to get the greatest ever and he does!
But it's funnier than that! He has to wait FOR HOURS at
the carnival and he gets..well PRETTY MADDD! Their are VERY
great pictres! Especially another brilliant and hilaourious and
HISTERICAL cartoon scene where Patrick thinks Spongebob
(his best friend) is trapped in a rock!
GREAT SPONGEHALICIOUS BOOK!
Very fun and well done!
Even if you'v already seen the episode it's still funny to read!
And of course I didn't give EVERYTHING away..just read it
yourself!

The colors in this book make my kids busy for hours on end! Parents, if you like me and need some time with your spouse then GET THIS BOOK!!! the words are very easy to learn and my kids love for me to read to them and gives us a chance to get together after a hard days work. If you havnt noticed that a lot of the books that are great and that are spongebob are by Mr. Terry Collins him self. I have had the pleasure of meeting this kind hearted man and now i have a signed copy of all my spongebob book colletion! if you have the means, i HIGHLY suggest you look up what else this very talented writer has done.

Zack gets a package from his uncle who lives in Florida. Eagerly he opens it to find an alligator key chain. He takes it to the sink to wash it and it comes to life, growing to the size of the sink. The gator says her name is Bridget and Zack puts her into the bath where she showers and grows even more. Soon she is a full-sized girl gator and she is hungry. Zack feeds her all the food in the fridge, then they go out to play, amazing Zack's friends. As the day draws to a close, Bridget starts to shrink and by the time they get home, she is back to her key chain size. "Don't forget to water me tomorrow," she says.

This book will take your toddler on a terrific ride to where only imagination can go. My son Devon and I have been looking at the pictures for over a year, but now that he is almost three and knows all his letters, I am reading with my finger under the words and he is following along and he still loves Bridget's story as much now as he did when we weren't working so hard on the words.

This is a book for beginning readers. The words are simple, grammar too. Bridget's story is sure to keep your toddler interested, so much better than the "See Spot Run" kind of early readers. If you want your child reading before Kindergarten, and I do, then this book and books like it are very good additions to your toddlers reading arsenal.

Jack Priest, Dad in Training

This book is a delight -- it is a great book for emergent readers, but it is more fun to read out loud. Zack's alligator has attitude -- and the giggles from my daughter made it a book we had to add to her personal library.