Gregory Books

I just completed this novel last night and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is well written and does a more than adequate job of holding the reader's attention despite the fact that it is a lengthy novel. I was touched by the love story Ms. Seton creates for Katherine and John of Gaunt and was impressed that the novel still felt fresh to me, even though it was written in the 1950s.

The one complaint I have is in regard to the ending. I don't want to deny anyone the pleasure of discovering the entire novel for themselves, so I won't give anything away. However, I think I can at least say that I was disappointed in the final scenes that took place between Katherine and John. I was eagerly awaiting the denouement but was left feeling like it fell a little flat.

Regardless, if you are a fan of historical fiction, you will enjoy this book!

One of the reason historical romantic novels were so popular in their day. Lots of story, and history to enjoy, plus being well written.

This is one of my very favorite books! If you like historical fiction you will really enjoy this book.

Found it to be very lengthy and therefore dull in many sections. Lost some interest throughout.

I've read so much medieval romantic literature...Katherine is one of the best. Kristin Lavransdatter is the finest, yet, Katherine does have as much historic content and fact as any text book.
Though I think the "bodice busting" parts are not really so necessary they do add a bit of spice. Ms. Seton really did her homework and I look forward to reading the rest of her stories.

As a native Oregonian, the attraction of reading a diary of one who made the Oregon Trail journey was met with eager anticipation. Early on, the diary though very interesting, soon became a series of calamities that left the reader thinking, what else could this poor family possibly endure? As the journey continued, it became apparent that the author had taken great liberty and creative license to spice up this historical adventure. By the end of the diary it was discovered that this work was fiction, which resulted in great disappointment, leaving the reader feeling mislead. As a work of fiction based on possible Oregon Trail experiences, this book proves to be entertaining, however it is not a true diary.

It has been years since I have read this book. I can still, to this day, remember the effect this book had on me. I was eight or nine at the time. I remember reading the diary entries and feeling as if I were right there next to Hattie, walking in the dirt or the snow. I cried at times when something bad had happened to Hattie or the people around her. I felt compassion, and found myself wanting to reach into the book and help the people myself. I learned many things about life in that time period that I had never known. I had learned about pioneers in school, but I never imagined that it would be as hard or as rewarding of an experience for them to go through.

The book made an impact on me from page one. I highly recommend it.

This book is a great one. It is about a girl named Hattie and about her life going on the Oregon Trail. She faces many troubles and all the things that happened to her. It is very emotional. There's good times : ) and bad times : ( . But it all works out well!!!!!( I hope I didn't spoil the ending for you!!!!) : )

I read this when it first came out, when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I loved this story and could not put it down. Plus, when we started talking about the Oregon Trail in class, I was really interested in it and prepared for it. It is my favorite book of the Dear America series, and it is one of the most amazing children's story ever. The only criticism I can make is that sometimes it is hard to sympathize with Hattie; she is not the best Dear America character.

I love 'Oregon Trail' stories and this one was no exception. The story is stunningly written, and a careful line is trod between emphasizing the dangers and discomforts of the trail without making the story seem scary or unpleasant to the reader.

My only real gripe about this book (and not even a big enough gripe to drop a star, so take it for the whining that it is) is that the adult characters can be pretty stupid at times. I know this is a staple of children's literature in order to forment conflict (after all, conflict couldn't form very easily if all these adults were competant), but it's simply infuriating that the two resident thieves in the group are continually treated with 'Christian charity' in an atmosphere where one's possessions often meant the difference between life and death. It may seem very natural, to our modern American eyes, to overlook the theft of a sweater, but when that's the only sweater a child owns and a cold night is falling, you can bet that is a much bigger deal than previously realized.

Nevertheless, this book is still superb. Buy it, read it, enjoy it. Just be prepared to explain to your children that being 'charitable' doesn't mean you have to be a victim.

This book is a page-turner right from the beginning. I loved reading in this time period when men spoke to women like this (from page 23):

"See the two meadow flowers, the yellow and the violet? One is as different from the other as day from night. Yet who will say that one is more beautiful? Oh, a fool might. But only a fool... But do you know what may determine the desirability of one over the other?... The fragrance!"

Be still my heart! If you love that kind of subtle romance, you will love this book.

Anna shows such strength despite the overwhelming tragedies (one after the other) she faces in her young life. And even though she is a Countess, she is very down-to-earth and sensitive to those "under her" although it was a no-no for those of such high society. Her tenderness and innocense makes her so very likable.

The book goes back and forth between family life and what's politically going on in Poland during the late 1700s with the underlying romance throughout. You're always wondering about what will finally happen with Jan Stelnicki. At no point was this book boring!!!

I loved it.

I loved this book. There are so few novels on the market about Poland and Polish history (I don't know of any others!). This is indeed a rare find. The characters are well developed, the descriptions of locations and activities are wonderfully detailed and passionately written. The setting and content about the significant historical moments are woven in expertly. It really is a history lesson embedded in a very fast-moving and dramatic story. Yes, sometimes it may be a bit overly dramatic, but I really enjoy that rich, gossipy style. So cool that it is based on REAL journal entries. These characters come alive and will stay with you well after you are done reading. Great ending, too.

Looking forward to reading Chrimson Sky.

I found this historical fiction text to be absolutely enthralling! It has not only provided me with hours of enjoyable, page-turning reading, but has also given me great insight into my Polish ancestry and heritage. The strength, spirit, and heart of the Polish people--MY people--is wonderfully portrayed within the pages of this book. I'm so looking forward to receiving Mr. Martin's sequel, Against a Crimson Sky. I'm sure I'll not be disappointed!

I found the book very engaging. I loved the characters and can't wait to find out what happens next.

This is the best book I've read in a long time. Martin's vivid descriptions and the depth of his characters made this book an incredibly interesting and fulfilling read. I could not put it down. I love "Push Not the River."

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It is funny. It is another one of those books I discovered by accident. The reviews were on average a five. So decided the majority must be onto something. So I decided to give it a chance, if I liked it, I would possibly include it on my book blog.

Mr. Townes did an excellent job of incorporating African and African diasporan history and the supernatural. He is an excellent storyteller. At times, the telling of the story is a painful one. It is inevitable, because our history over the last 500 years has been a painful. Most importantly, even though it had an urban flavor, it was not profane, predictable, and ignorant. Reluctantly, I am going to place him among this Big Boys and Gals temporarily, i.e. Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, Charles Saunders, Octavia Butler, etc. The reason I say reluctantly is because he lacks a body of consistent good works like the authors mentioned. This is his first book and a darn good one at that. So I will wait to see the quality of his next work.

The only thing that annoyed me was his going on about good black men being screwed over by some black women. My point of view is that the main character, David and his wife's father, Mr. Levy chose these women. I know these types of men in real life, they love the lowly, abusive type and drama filled women, while ignoring the peaceful, loving sistah. The people we chose to bring into our life are a direct reflection of how we feel about ourselves. This goes for males and females. As they say, "birds of a feather flock together." I know this to be true.

Otherwise, I highly recommend this book. I give it a five star. I could see Malik nem so vividly in my mind, proud and beautiful.

IT TOOK ME NEARLY A YEAR TO GET THIS BOOK..WHEN I FINALLY RECIEVED IT , I WASN'T DISAPPOINTED! I'VE NEVER READ ANYTHING BY GREGORY TOWNES, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SAY..THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO ANYTHING ELSE HE WRITES..
I WAS CAPTIVATED BY HIS STYLE OF WRITING AND THE CHARACTERS..
THIS ISNT A MIND BOGGLING BOOK, BUT IT IS ONE TO REALLY MAKE YOU WONDER ABOUT THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE...IS IT FACT OR FICTION? Hmmmmmmm?
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GREGORY TOWNES FOR SHARING SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WITH ME AND THE REST OF THE LITERARY WORLD!

Gregory Townes is a true storyteller. From the onset, you are pulled into the world of the Tribe and never let go. The ride is exhilarating as we travel the jungles of Africa, through the middle passage, and around the streets of Brooklyn, a modern day jungle.

As I read, I could feel the power of the characters through the pages. Each one became three dimensional, sometimes four dimensional, virtually standing in the room with me, coaxing me to go on; turn the pages, be a part of the journey they seemed to whisper. There were moments of anxiety as I wondered how David, the protagonist, would fulfill his unseen destiny. And the role the twelve would play in bringing the past full circle.

The story is about the past, present and the future. It is about faith, strength and an unswerving belief in the power of our ancestors. The Tribe encompasses everything holy and unholy--it lays bare the evil that dwells in man. A hypnotic work, it shows us the role we play in our successes and our failures, and ultimately, in our destiny. The Tribe is the story of mankind and our quest to eradicate the source of evil.

I could definitely read it again. You won't be able to put it down.

This book is a definite "must read"!! Gregory Townes shows some of the strength of a young Stephen King!! His style of writing leaves the reader breathless at every turn.... a master of suspense!!

The living and the dead somehow merge across centuries and continents. The Curse of the Silver Eyes-an extremely powerful tribe of shunned blacks with the symbol of infinity as a birthmark and blessed with incredible gifts are destined to fulfill the curse. The tribe cursed Captain Pearson and his men who stole them and they cursed the neighboring tribes who helped them. And now the tribe has stolen a little girl to help them with their curse. It is an intriguing science-fiction mystery that will keep you riveted to your seat and turning pages because...the dead know what the living are doing.

The Mark of Zorro is the first Zorro story, retitled for publication in many different book editions.

Repression and oppressive taxation grows in one corner of California. Don Diego Viega, whose picture might just be beside the word 'fop' if California had a dictionary, can do nothing about it.

As one of the local military says "he is about as dangerous as a lizard basking in the sun".

The same cannot be said for Zorro. The Fox offers the local peons some hope, and does what he can to foment resistance.

When the moneygrubbing goes to far and some of the reasonably well liked local aristocracy are imprisoned, things come to a head, especially after the flogging of the local friar.

In an amusing scene, Senorita Pulido gets herself out of captivity by holding herself hostage. Luckily, while fleeing, Zorro is on hand.

Comedy, and action, and romance as Zorro saves the day.

Well worth reading.

Excellent reading of old Spanish California - Paladin of Justice.
Recommend to young and/or old - global audiences.
Thought provoking and suspenseful filled with witt.

We all know the story of Zorro by now. I, myself, read The Mark of Zorro more than two decades ago, when I was a child and the copy I read was titled The Curse of Capistrano. No doubt, more people have seen the various Zorro films than have read the actual book, which started the Zorro legend. Johnston McCulley first introduced his iconic character in a five-part serial in the pulp magazine All Story Weekly, in 1919. The story proved to be popular enough, but this masked avenger really took off when silent film star Douglas Fairbanks read it and subsequently made it into the silent swashbuckling film The Mark of Zorro in 1920. Since then, Senor Zorro has never looked back.

Before re-reading this novel, I was afraid that I would find the writing stilted and archaic. Happily, the page-turning experience proved to be as reader-friendly as I remembered it. True, you do have to get into a certain mindset to get used to the writing style (this is classic pulp writing, after all), but, once you do, you'll be swept along. Zorro, nicknamed the Curse of Capistrano and the defender of Old California's oppressed, was still the same vibrant Zorro - dashing, bold, cunning, and intolerant of injustice. He still flashed that certain twinkle in the eye and displayed that playful nature. Handsome, wealthy Don Diego Vega, on the other hand, was still the dubious caballero, unbolstered by his languid, foppish mannerisms and hindered by the weak constitution. Upon seeking a girl's hand in marriage, Don Diego announced to her father that he would send his servant over at night to serenade the girl by proxy, because the chill night wind would kill the delicate Vega. Of course, we all know it's a game that Diego's been playing for years and his devotion to his wussy role makes it all the more delicious for the reader. Also, I was again struck by how delightful and plucky the beautiful love interest, Senorita Lolita Pulido, was.

Another thing I didn't recall was how long it took before Zorro's alter ego was divulged to the reader, although McCulley didn't really try too hard to hide his secret identity. People ignorant of the Zorro mythos (and under which rock have you been hiding?) would still be readily able to figure out who Zorro really is. However, the novel was almost at the last page before Zorro finally unmasked. But it was worth it to witness the stunned but happy reaction of Diego's father, Don Alejandro Vega, who had long been disappointed with his wimpish son.

To echo A. Nesbitt's spotlight review, if you thought Johnston McCulley only wrote this one Zorro adventure, think again. McCulley ended up writing more than 60 Zorro stories (65, to be exact), several of which were in serial format. The last Zorro tale, "The Mask of Zorro," was published in 1959 (Short Stories for Men magazine).

Full of derring-do, sword fights, daring escapes, a passionate love story, and a masked hero who laughs scornfully in the face of danger, it's escapism at its finest, imbued with a Spanish/Mexican flavor. Yes, it does borrow a bit from The Scarlet Pimpernel, but no matter. The Mark of Zorro is still as entertaining a read today as it undoubtedly was back in 1919. Give it a try and see why Zorro is hailed as the people's champion and why this book gave birth to so many reincarnations in cinema.

I liked this story quite a bit. I remember when I was a little kid watching The Zorro show on television so I was interested in reading this book and see how it all started. I thought overall it was really good.. Senorita Lolita sounds like a very attractive girl. I like how the story ended as well sort of caught me off guard a bit. If your any at all interested in Zorro then pick this book up.. Good stuff.

Justin

I found "The Mark of Zorro" to be a wonderful romp through a bygone era.
I read this book out loud to my father, and we could hardly put it down. If you like swashbuckling adventures, heroes who stand against injustice and play their part in the struggle between good and evil. Then "The Mark of Zorro" is for you. And if you enjoy finding the origins of things, as much as I do, then this book will be well
worth your wile. A true gem for anyone's collection.

A very enjoyable read and inspirational. I went out purchased a sketch pad and started drawing after finishing the book!

This is a great book! I read it in an hour and a half. I enjoy knowing the process people take in order to deal with life's occasional hiccups that knock the world out from under you. It helps to know that you're not the only one sometimes. It's always a relief when the person works it out positively and thinks enough to want to share it with others. Thank you, Danny!

love it, love it, love it !!!!
a wonderful inspiring little book.
perfect smaller size (6"x8") to carry along with your sketchbook to keep you encouraged in your drawing.

I suppose I had some misperceptions of this book. I was assuming there would be more inspiration that would cajole me into journaling and artwork. I also thought is was he who was disabled - it was his wife. There was little mention of how his wife's diability figured into the whole pictue of his life. As a disabled person, I thought there would be some insight into overcoming disability to do what you want. I do however, love the way he draws and journals. In the end I saw this as a simple journal that anyone might have done. I still have his other book and I have higher hopes for that.

i loved it! i recived the book for valentines day and finished in a day...its very intresting to examine dannys drawing and learn about his life in nyc..

This book is an easy read (2 to 3 hours) with deep insights about following your passion. The information is depicted like a story of a mentor and mentee.

Mr. Reid's message is very inspirational and it moved me to take action resulting in profound changes in my life. Mr. Reid "walks his talk" therefore the principals that he teaches automatically has an powerful impact to the reader in the most authentic way. A true masterpiece, pack full of solid teachings that will affect your life in an Incr-e-i-d-ible way!

This book is a quick and easy read that gets down to the basics of what it takes to be successful without the hype. Straight forward and fun to read, The Millionaire Mentor is a must for anyone who is looking for the foundation that all successful individuals have in common.

One of the Best books I have ever read! Teaching you the laws of success in a story format that hits home. A must read for anyone who wants to get to the next level of success.

Don Boyer
Creator of The Power of Mentorship series

I love the fact that the book is a combination of fiction and nonfiction, putting across a great message told as a story. To use a famous sales quote: "Facts tell, Stories sell", and the story in this book really makes sure that the message hits home.
If you love books like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki and "The One Minute Millionaire" by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen, make sure you get a copy of this great book as well.

If you want a very, very basic introduction to Economics, this book is a good one. However, as an Economics major in college, I was looking more for a reference book to refresh my fading knowledge. This book doesn't have that level of detail.

I gave it five stars, because it's not the book's fault that I wanted something different.

The text is excellent and is suitable for any type of introductary Ecnonomics class. It can be used in a tough course or an easy course, as it provides a great level of organization so that the instructor may choose the material at his discretion depending on his course lay out.

Among all the textbooks I have seen in economics, I have found Mankiw's to be the best. It is clear and concise, addressing all the important intermediate issues in macroeconomics. The description of concepts is simple, and the book benefits from a three pronged approach to teaching - graphical, mathematical, and anecdotal. The student is free to choose whichever one he feels most comfortable learning from.

I'd recommend this along w/ "The Economic Way of Thinking" by Heyne, as the two best Econ textbooks I've read. Mankiw's book is fair and balanced, he is not a frothing at the mouth partisan, and it is a straightforward explanation of basic economic terms. However, he establishes a handful of core truths that anyone who wishes to understand economics must accept, and if not accept, explain as to why these certain truths don't apply. For example, Mankiw establishes that 1.) free markets work better than regulated markets, 2.) private property and incentives are necessary for productivity 3.) trade makes everyone wealthier.

He does not explain these in a polemical way, but he calmly establishes a solid case for these (and other principles), and despite being fairly standard in economic circles, they are fairly contentious in the realm of political economics and discourse (particularly on the collegiete level, where English Major Marxists think they know more about the social order than those who study the social order). This makes the book more persuasive than a fire and brimstone screed from an Ann Coulter type. Books like this need to be read by all to improve the Economical I.Q. of the voting public.

As an instructor of introductory macroeconomics, I often rue the fact that we do not utilize this textbook. I borrow material from it INCESSANTLY and without shame.

It presents the "Keynesian" viewpoint on macroeconomics in an extraordinarily clear and interesting fashion. Frankly, I consider the introductory (read literally - first semester macro books) texts to be a waste of time. There is absolutely no reason this textbook should not be used for a first semester macroeconomics course (assuming one has already taken an introductory microeconomics course).

Suggested plan of study for those interested in a fairly serious study of macroeconomics (without an INSANE amount of mathematical preparation): this book and Barro's book with the same title. Barro's book presents the real business cycle theory approach in a clear manner (though the book is somewhat dull in comparison)...then decide for yourself which 'camp' is making the most sense.

My order arrived on time and the book was in pristine condition. This collection of books are great, meaningful gifts.

I bought this book for my husband in anticipation of our adopted daughter from China. For starters, I was thrilled that the photographs showed multicultural, multigenerational fathers and daughters including a photograph of a white father with an Asian daughter.

The sentiments inside are beautiful. If you're looking for a self-help book, this isn't it. If you're looking for short, single sentences of wisdom and encouragement accompanied by moving and beautiful photographs, this is your book.

I found this book in Target and must admit I was a little embarrassed by the tears streaming down my face when I read it. It reminded me of my own father, a true inspiration, and how my husband will be as a father once we bring our daughter home. This is a wonderful Father's Day, birthday, or Christmas present for any father from any daughter.

Like the author, I'm a divorced dad of daughters so his foreward struck close to home. As if the words and pictures in this book weren't sappy enough on their own, my daughters recently gave me a copy to which they'd added a sentence or a paragraph next to a dozen or so of the author's lines which resonated with them. I nearly cry every time I read it.

My daughters bought this book for my husband for Father's Day; he was so moved by each sentiment that when his friend's wife gave birth to their first child a few days later (a girl!), my husband asked me to get this book to give to the new parents. He felt that it was the most profound gift for the occasion, not just for now but for future years, to be read and re-read at all stages of their daughter's life. If these pages don't touch your heart as you read each one.....you need to visit a cardiologist to make sure you still have a beating, functional heart! And I recommend the companion book to be purchased with this one - a perfect set; "Why a Daughter Needs a Mom"

I purchased two copies of this book, one for my father and one for my husband. As I flipped through the pages I felt I could relate to every passage that was written. They are personal, yet universal........simple but descriptive. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to touch the heart of a dad with a little girl (or a grown little girl).

This C++ core language book is so often used that I thought it may deserve a review.

I own 3 books about C++ and this one became the reference. Only 200 pages (compared to the 1000 pages of another one :) but every useful feature is well explained. Authors payed careful attention in order to prevent the reader to fall in common traps. Lots of examples, always accompanied with relevant comments.

C++ in a core language really answers the questions the beginners have in mind. Concise, pragmatic, the authors are not showing off, they simply remember they were beginners one day and their explanations are exactly what one can expect. Well, I'm so happy about this book (this morning again, I was looking for a reminder about "virtual" functions or a detail about the copy constructor and all my worries were answered with no ambiguity at all) I went straight to to Amazon for a review :)

This book is relatively short, but many people might see this as a good thing, since it is really intended to transition C programmers to the basics ("core") of C++. I believe it does a decent job of this, although there are some topics (such as const) that I think it should cover but, surprisingly, does not. I liked the comparisons between polymorphism in C and C++, and the explanation of virtual functions. The examples are pretty good. There is some great humor in the book, and some parts actually made me laugh out loud. Overall, I would suggest the book to any C programmer who wants to transition to C++. Get this as your first such transitional book, then once you understand the basics, move on to a more comprehensive intermediate level book.

C++: The Core Language is a well written book and a pleasure to read. It appears that that authors made an extra effort to remove unneeded verbiage. I appreciate this because I have so much to read.

The bread and butter OOD concepts of abstraction and polymorphism are well covered. The chapter on templates covers this difficult subject well, however, I would have liked to have seen a little more on template functions.

I came from a Kernighan and Ritche C background (the "C' bible), and this seemed to pick up right where they left off. You could call this book K&R part II, and it is also about the same size. If you want a complete C++ bookshelf, I would also recommend buying (in this order) Effective C++ by Scott Meyers, The C++ Standard Library by Nicolai Josuttis, and C++ in a Nutshell by Ray Lischer.

-ND
www.NicholasDiToro.com

This is an excellent book for C programmers coming to C++ for the first time. I found the writing style and organisation of topics to be very good. The authors describe key object-based and object-oriented concepts first using familiar C constructions and then extend those ideas into the C++ domain. The ease of transitioning from C structs to C++ classes was very good, as was the discussion of subtle points like the copy constructor. Almost all major C++ concepts are described, including inheritence, virtual functions, and even templates.

My only negative criticism is that the authors leave out some important C++ functionality from their view of the C++ "core." They only mention in passing the use of const, considered by many to be vital to good C++ design. Also, since this book was published in 1995, it does not discuss the C++ standard library, which was finalised in 1997. It is therefore missing a discussion of the very useful 'string' class, among many others. Readers should defininitely follow up on these topics.

Regardless of this missing information, this book will give C programmers a solid foundation for using C++.

As an undergrad and passionate dbl major, having read many books in C and C++, this book quickly became my friend. It's a good read for those breaking out of C to C++. This book helped me cope with the shock experienced while I was trying to learn ADTs, BSTs, splay trees, skip lists, multiway tries and extendable hashing in the high level programming courses where if you asked questions you'd look dumb. The information in this book made me feel contiguously good while sitting in class. It also served as another perspective and filled in the gaps that the professor and school text left out. Also, pick up Robert Sedgewick's Algorithms in C++ 3rd Edition, which is also a splendid read.

Enjoy helping computers understand people!

late-