Harris Books

When I bought this book I thought how great it would be to write a story to go with each picture. Obviously, I'm not the only one to have this idea, as the other reviews here show. And Steven King has written a great story based on the "House on Maple Street" picture. A great book that has inspired, I hope, many future writers.

Lets get a couple of things straight: First, Chris Van Allsberg is a genius; second, Mr Van Allsberg does not write "children's books." I will not elaborate on the first point. You need only to open any two of his books to know that it's true. The first book will blow you away; the second book will persuade you that the first was not a fluke. But as for my second point....

"The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" is proof in point. I LOVE this book. The mysterious, creepy, vaguely sinister pictures; the dangling captions; the POSSIBLITIES opened on every page. It's wonderful! But I've never met a child who, of her or his own volition, could/would spend more than five minutes with it. Oh, I know, my experience runs counter to that of many of my fellow reviewers, but it's true. I guess my wife and I were just blessed with second rate kids who had third rate friends. But that doesn't mean that I don't ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECOMMEND this book. I DO! But the heck with the kids! Buy it for yourself!

As an English teacher, I have been amazed by the creative writing The Mysteries of Harris Burdick has inspired. I use the book in conjunction with vocabulary units, having students create short stories (that include the vocabulary words we are studying) based off of the pictures, line and title Van Allsburg provides on each page. The intriguing beginnings he has created lend themselves to a plethora of plots; I've never read two stories that are similar though I've used the book for years now.

I highly recommend this book as a way to encourage any aspiring writers, as well as those who struggle with writing. Even reluctant writers seem to enjoy the challenge of creating a story worthy of such a beautiful illustration. Students are often amazed and pleased with what they can create with a little help from this wonderful book!

I bought this title thinking it was the book form, but I found that the portfolio pages could be framed and hung-up so that the pictures could be constantly in sight, that way you can build your story subconsciously over time.
The pictures are wonderful; the use of grayscale makes it easy to see whatever color you want. The title of the book tells what type of pictures are inside, all are mysterious,
This title is great to get your kids into story writing or just writing period. They can learn to proofread and practice their spelling and grammar. This would be a good resource for homeschoolers as well as school teachers.

I'm a student teacher, and i'm really excited about using this book in the future with children that I will teach.

The illustrations are really thought provoking and gorgeous.

The illustrations are large and clear and are presented nicely in the packaging.

I would definitely recommend this book to anybody that teaches or to any parents. :)

This is a great book that really challenges the way you think and the way you live. This is a book that causes you to get up and do something. In a world of low expectations, I'm OK you're OK, whatever, I don't know I don't care, and endless mindnumbing entertainment with the click of a mouse.... this is indeed a refreshing book. Read it as a family or with 2 other friends and DO HARD THINGS together.

We are using this book as our study guide with a group of 13-18 year olds. Written by teenagers, it addresses their thinking directly without pandering or talking over or down to them. The Study Guide, available for free on the website, had very good questions to lead small groups. The book and the study guide make very good base materials to lead small groups.

I bought this book for my 15 year old grandson, and of course I previewed it to make sure I knew the book would be a positive influence. I can only say I wish I'd had this book to give to my son 25 years ago. Shoot! I wish someone had told me I COULD choose to do hard things that would set the precedent for my entire life.
The book is written (with help, I suspect-but maybe not) by teens for teens, but is not dumbed-down. I pray adults who see the enuii in our kids will use this book to encourage and help to inspire them to Do Hard Things. You can download the FREE (Did I say FREE??) study guide on the Rebelution website, and the blog gives me hope for the future leaders of this nation and this world. Do the Hard Thing--buy this for your teen and then encourage him/her to read it. Then give our kids the tools they need to practice and see the principles are true! They CAN do those things they never dreamed they could...

I bought the book for my son, but read it myself and it was very good. I am totally against the self esteem movement. These guys have pinpointed one of the major problems with that movement (low expectations). Now I just need to push my son to finish reading it, but he's too busy doing hard things.

This is a book written by two teen boys who have excelled in so many ways and challenge their teen readers to do the same by taking work seriously and accepting that challenge as a blessing! I gave this to my graduating grandson. I wish every graduate could have a copy!

Samarkand tells the story of Omar Khayyam and the writing of his Rubaiyaat. It crosses that biographical story with the story of an American scholar who discovers the real book later, in the midst of a journey to the Middle East.

Samarkand breaks nearly every rule that I have for myself about what kind of historical fiction I dislike. It name-drops famous people (characters sail on the Titanic. Khayyam is close to Hassan-i-Sabah and their stories intertwine, etc.). It makes historical characters modern. It indulges in fancy dress and exotic places. But still, that didn't really bother me. Perhaps that is because in the character of the student it seems Maalouf turns the camera back on himself. By giving a young, well-intentioned but ultimately callow character the role to interpret not only the past but the culture of the present, the reader is reminded that such things can not be so easily understood. Maalouf seems to remind us that their is no such thing as an omniscient narrative. And then somehow, just like that, I forgive him the rest of the devices in his book.

Samarkand is not perfect. The latter half, in particular is a little bit clunky. There is something not quite right about the structure. It may be the translation, but I am not completely sure. Still, a worthwhile read. A good use of time. (And now I have to run out and re-read the Rubaiyaat, which I will confess I did not take as seriously as I ought.)

This is the second book that I have read by Maalouf, the first being the magnificent Crusade Through Arab Eyes. I'm definitely going to keep reading in his body of work.

I only picked up the book because of FitzGerald's Rubaiyat and was happily surprised. The only two observations I would add to other reviews here are, first, that the novel was translated from French into English and so may lose some elegance and effect. Perhaps that's the origin of someone's remark, "surprisingly dry"? Second, I enjoyed the way the fictionalized characters were drawn from actual history, Medieval and modern, and how characters in the early history had thought provoking parallels in the modern story. So, I came away moved by the question of how different types of people influence history, or art, or the people around them. And the story opens a door into Persian history, including Islam, for those of us in the West who had little or no idea of it before.

This is a translation of a novel written in French by the Lebanese author Amin Maalouf. This novel is, in fact, two loosely linked stories tied together by the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. For those who are unaware of what this is, the Rubaiyat are a series of quatrains (four line poems) written in the 11th century in Persia. They are poems about life, love, women, and destiny which I would say they are comparable in some sense to the Odes of Horace (for those more familiar with Roman literature). These quatrains were supposedly lost for several centuries, rediscovered in the 19th century, and ultimately became enormously popular both in Persia (Iran) and the West. It is doubtful that Omar Khayyam wrote all of the collection, it is believed that some have been added in subsequent centuries. I found it useful to read some of the quatrains as I was reading this novel.

The first part of this novel is a fictionalized account of Omar Khayyam's life. I am not an expert, and I don't know how much is truly historical and how much is fictionalized, but this is both an informative and entertaining story. Khayyam befriends the head of a strict Muslim sect who founds the Assassins. This is also a tragic love story. This is primarily a political and romantic adventure describing the events surrounding Omar Khayyam as he writes his Rubaiyat.

The second part of the novel takes place in the late 19th and early 20th century as the Rubaiyat is uncoverd after centuries of hiding. A young man becomes obsessed with obtaining an original copy of the Rubaiyat, and ultimately gets swept into the Persian Constitutional Revolution of the early 20th century. As before, the story is primarily political and romantic in nature. It is interesting that the Persians (Iranians) of the early 20th century viewed the United States as the best example of democracy and freedom. I wonder if they feel the same today?

Like much of the writing of Maalouf, the main characters in the two stories don't fully participate/belong in the societies in which they are living. This gives them a unique perspective from which to evaluate the culture and the society around them. This novel is a great balance of compelling tales, tragic loves stories, and fascinating historical fiction, combined with the unique perspective that Mr. Maalouf writes with. This is a beautiful novel that I highly recommend.

This is easily Maaloufs best work. Totally different from all other writers, Maalouf never polarises. He writes with fine balance and invokes a deep respect for every culture and creed he writes of. No one , having read this, will finish it without having a deep understanding and respect for Iran and its people, its brutal history , its identity ,which it has had very little chance in creating due to constant invasions-Turks to Mongols- or tutelege-Britain and Tsarist Russia.
Using the verses of Omar Kayyams Samarkand Manuscript and the turn of the century constitutional and democratic revolts and its failure due to British and Russian interference (what would we give for the democratic Iranian state today-free of religious and political tyranny?!) Maalouf weaves a wonderful tale of -appropriately-Arabian Nights proportions and educates the reader on all the historical upheavals desires and missed opportunities of the region. The book divides into two main parts; 11th century Persia and the life of Kayyam, and the late 19th and early 20th century Persia; a nation trying to establish itself in the world.
A deep lesson lies here, of the importance of democracy freedom and justice to all people, and how fragile it is against vested interests.
This is a truly great novel. A wonderfully unifying novel that lifts the prejudices and fears between the east and west, and misconceptions of Iran and islamic cultures.
A masterpiece in humanitarian understanding.

Other reviewers have highlighted the charm of the book, with its evocation of Khayyam, the Rubiyyat and the fabled cities of the Silk Route. I would like to point out that it holds a frightening parallel to our present times. The book was published in 1988, so Maalouf could have had no idea how closely his book would mirror the early part of the twenty first century.

The book deals partly with the confict between the hidden leader of a violent sect and powerful empire. The second part of the book deals with the citizens of a country (ironically, today's Iran) striving for democracy and freedom from the oppressive rule of theocrats, but opposed by two great world powers of the time (Britain and Russia!) who wish to maintain the status quo for their economic benefit.

The book is written with great charm and makes the reader feel (s)he is there. Like a previous reviewer, I do not know enough to separate fact from fiction, but at the end of the book, one wishes with all one's heart that there IS such a book, written in Omar Khayyam's own hand, and that it is NOT at the bottom of the Atlantic.

An amazing and uplifting book.

As a lover of military history, and WWII in particular, I was eager to read another great sea story, so highly rated. The title, Ship of Ghosts, was most intriguing, suggesting the story of a warship that kept up a fight while out of all communications. Unfortunately, the title turned out to be misleading. The USS Houston was sunk rather quickly, in its second battle of the war, so the bulk of the book describes how the American POWs survived a brutal Japanese imprisonment. An interesting read in itself, but not what it represents to be. I note that out of 420 pages, only 80 are about the sea battles. Hornfischer is a fabulous writer (maybe too good - once in a while the prose seems to get in the way of the storyline)and the story moves along, so "Ship of Ghosts" is worth reading, but readers should expect a story of survival, less so of battle and tactics.

very realistic book about what really happened. my uncle was on this ship and was captured by the japanese and spent the rest of the war in prison camps. he had told me quite a lot about what happened and the book backed up what he said.

At 69, I have never shed so much tear as I did reading "Ship of Ghosts"! I walked away from reading only to wipe or hide my tears.

In a way, I took "comfort" that my father was spared of the ordeal and that "comfort" helps fill somewhat the hole in my heart of my life-long yearning for the father I never knew. The survivors survived, not only to tell the story of the Houston saga, but also to spare the agony of their family members who otherwise would be like me.

Other good books such as Winslow's offered much information about USS Houston and her crew where I first saw my father's name. This "Ship of Ghosts" offers added views from non-Houston survivors.

And lastly, it is well written.

Eric Lien

This was one of those "why not?" choices of reading.

I knew of the heavy cruiser Houston but this book filled in the story. James Hornfischer did a wonderful job accumulating stories to present a good picture of what happened to the men of the Houston in the early days of the war and what happened to them during the war.

The Houston and along with a "rag-tag" collection of ships were given the all but suicide mission to defend Java from the Imperial Navy and the approaching invasion force. Suicide in the fact they were going to a fight severely over gunned and with no air cover.

They tried but were beaten and eventually only the Houstan the and Australian Cruiser HMAS Perth remained. Trying to make a run to Australia, they stumble on the invasion forces even though they thought it was only the navy. The Perth is mortally wounded and the Houston learns she has stumbled on the invasion fleet and rushes in. Four Japanese ships are sunk by the Japanese trying to get the Houston. Eventually she is sunk.

The story reads like an adventure which are greatly added by the personal stories of the survivors. The ship cats of the Perth and Houston. The cat from the Houston runs into the jungle just before the final voyage when the ships stop to refuel. The cat from the Perth is caught 3 times and ordered to be clapped into irons(ie a fuel can with four holes). Poor kitty knew what was coming. The grizzled old marine Sargent who stays at his post firing his 50 calibers while the ship tower sinks into the water(he could not swim). The chaplin who gave up his life in the life boats so the younger men would have a better chance.

The men of both ships try to figure out what to do. Some are picked up but surprisingly many are left by the Japanese. Some unruly Australians cuss out Japanese that try to rescue them. It was commented that in a disaster it's best to be with Australians as they have the penchant to look at everything as an opportunity. One group for instance, made it to shore, made a ragtag ship and sail and were going to make a run for Australia. They were captured.

Next came the stories of the camps. The brutality and the diseases of life in the jungle as a P.O.W. You get to hear the about the amazing doctor who had knowledge of Jungle medicine and probably saved countless men. One thing was surprising was to read these men were involved with the bridge and train system that was told by the move "The Bridge on the River Kawi" I knew Hollywood tends to glamorize things but you will see the full story from this book. One of my favorite characters from this cast is the supreme scavenger named Mccone. The Japanese were scared of him because they thought he was crazy. He assembled a crew which he called the 40 thieves. One story that made me laugh was the arrival of a delivery truck. The thieves stripped it down to the frame in minutes and the tossed the frame next to the junk pile. The driver came back and was subsequently beaten by the guards for loosing the truck. The guards were beaten by the NCOs for the truck being lost and the NCOs were beaten by the commander for the guards loosing the truck. The prisoners had to work from laughing and dreaded what would have happened if the commander had put his hand on the still hot radiator as he looked through the junk pile.

An interesting aspect was the mix of brutality and the rare instances of compassion shown by the Japanese. Beatings were a constant thing but then there were moments of were they would do things. When it came to the Korean guards it was down right brutal.

One interesting side note was the fact the river Kwai was not the original name. It was later renamed after the movie came out.

All in all this is a good book for the historian and the general fan of the area. Numerous sources are listed for further research if so desired. There is also a website listed that keeps track of the survivers and men who died on that day.

The story of the loss of the heavy cruiser USS Houston off the coast of Indonesia on 1 March 1942 is a story which strikes right to the heart of naval traditions which go back beyond the creation of the United State of America itself. It is a story of danger and brave deeds, of gallant actions and bloody combat. Most of all it is a story of ship that went down fighting against insurmountable odds - a ship which never struck her colours and was still fighting when the sea finally claimed her.

Famous for being President F. D. Roosevelt's favourite ship, the Houston was trapped in the Far East immediately after the events of Pearl Harbour and the loss of the British Force Z (Battleships HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse) just a few days later. In company with HMAS Perth, the ships fought off, avoided and evaded overwhelming enemy forces until, low on ammunition, they colluded in the most courageous action now known as the Battle of Sunda Strait where both ships were finally lost.

This, however, is where Mr Hornfischer starts his story about this legendary "Ship of Ghosts."

It is because the Japanese were so very ruthless in their bid to conquer all before them, that prisoners were treated with utter contempt. Consequently, those who survived the sinking of the Houston began a journey that became the stuff of legend and it would be a full 3 years before anyone beyond those Japanese forces would learn what had happened to the ship and that some survivors were still alive - though, by now, far fewer in number.

There is no happy ending to such a story as this because there never can be. War is brutal and warships on both sides get sunk. What actually happened to the survivors of the USS Houston has taken this author right through and beyond the ordinary realms of research into an area of personal accounts, life in captivity and life in the jungle at the hands of a regime far more cruel than anything seen since the dark days of WW2.

And yet, he produces an account of personal achievement for those who possessed that indefinable quality that always meant they were going to survive.

I congratulate Mr Hornfischer on an excellent book, an excellent job of research and a most complete account. Most of all, I congratulate him on making it all so very readable.

NM

The opening line of this story is hilarious, "There are few worse places for a fully grown person than the backseat of her parents' car." This is obviously an understatement, as most of us would heartily agree. Having your parent's drive you home from graduate school is probably not at the top of any our proverbial lists.

Thus begins the story of a young woman and her forced exodus from graduate school. The crime is not entirely fleshed out, due to length issues, but it is clear that is has something to do with a girl from the main character's past.

The parent's are clearly shaken up at the turn of events, and the girl forces herself to remain calm during the long car ride home. It is a delightful narrative, with several moments of levity, amongst the serious turns of the story.

In a plot such as this, there are always clues to what is to come. In this piece, the author does a good job of relating past events, as well as current ones, and I felt a sense of nostalgia as the character recounts a trip to visit a troubled friend. Overall, I did feel as if the author used language well, and had a feel for familiar banter.

I would say that this is not in my personal top ten, but it is worthy of praise. The author is very talented, and I felt that this was in my top twenty picks of the contest. It could have been better, but for an unpublished piece of fiction, it was excellent.

The start of this excerpt sets a heavy tone for the rest of the story, with Katie leaving graduate school in disgrace and revealing that her older sister had a baby under embarrassing circumstances. When her mother started to cry in the front seat, this excerpt became almost painful to read.

The thought that Katie would think she had to make clear that she wasn't a sex offender was intriguing; I was curious about what happened at school.

I liked the brief flashback to Katie's childhood friendship with Molly, and her memories of Molly's mother. Before Katie jumps in to rescue someone else from her situation, I'd like to have more of a solid understanding of her own situation. What is she going to do, now that she's out of grad school? How is her relationship with her parents, now that she has been expelled? Why would she think she could save Molly, when it seems her own life is pretty screwed up?

The dialog between Katie and Molly is incredibly stilted, which may be intentional, but doesn't make for very exciting reading.

There are some nice hints that there are large parts of Molly's life Katie was never in on, despite thinking they were best friends back in junior high and high school. However, I'm not sure why at this point Katie feels like she needs to show loyalty to this woman who obviously couldn't care less about her presence in Chicago.

More direction, more insight into Katie's exact situation and what she plans to do now that she is reunited with Molly, besides sit around and watch her drink, would make for a more compelling story.

This is one of the best entries I've read, and I hope to see it advance in the next round. The writing is thoughtful, and the opening was excellent. Kudos to Sarah. Katy and Molly seem like "real" people with real problems. The use of details such as the baby toy on the floor of the car and the flavored water in the fridge add to the mood of hopelessness. This is a story I would finish and savor.

The Stars are Mostly Planes by S. Harris demonstrates the author's gift for telling a tale through a convincing character voice. If she isn't Katie Campbell herself, I'll be darned.

The only drawback of this excerpt is the lack of a clear overall story direction. It kind of sort reminded me of the way stories like 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'On The Road' unfolded. Just a telling, no solid direction other than to move forward in time.

Outside of that, I found the writing to be extremely engaging and Katie's character to be so real that I could 'hear' her in my mind.

Harris has done a wonderful job of presenting elements (such as Katie's expulsion, Molly's strange calls and the reappearance of April) that keep the reader asking 'what's going on?' without actually answering the previous question. There was an overarching sense that all these things somehow tie in together, as the young women's pasts once did.

There were a couple of lines that I thought were particularly well placed and written that captured sentiments perhaps only women can appreciate, but no doubt anyone would find a bit of humor in:
~'...why I can write essays on Wordsworthian sublimity but hold conversations like a menstruating seventh grader in a white skirt.'
~'The lady's b----s are really jiggly, like a couple of egg yolks slipping around beneath the rim of her shirt.

Overall, I found this piece of story telling to show a fair bit of originality in content and strong talent for delivery. I'll certainly be on the look out for this book.

Katie's voice is very real reading this excerpt. I don't know what she's done, but she's gotten kicked out of grad school and she's going home with Mom and Dad. This is a lot worse than the Principal's office--grim, and the words reflect it:

"There are few worse places for a fully grown person than the backseat of her parents' car. Particularly if your parents are driving you away from the life you thought you were going to have."

I don't know where the story's going. Katie runs on the edge of sympathetic character save I don't know what she's done, what she's going to do, and the word 'stalker' being mentioned in the synopsis. Stalker intrigues me, but in order for me to read on, I'd need a little more story. If I had a few thousand words, I might read on. Katie's got my attention--I don't know if the rest of the story would keep it.

Sarah Harris has created an interesting character and premise and I wish her much luck with her writing career.

Man, my aunt knocked me out with her first book. I truly enjoyed it. It touched on a very big part of African American life/issues - the color complex. I recommend this book to everyone!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. After reading the first few pages, I felt I couldn't put it down. It examined so many crucial issues in the African American community that needed bringing to light. The author really brought the charaters to life so much so that certain sections of the book brought me to tears. I hope maybe movie producers of HBO, BET, etc. will read this novel and consider making a movie based on it.

I purchased this book locally. It really is good. An interesting story that is sometimes painful, sometimes funny, but all the times, interesting. Congrats to this new author.

I've read and reread this book. It is very creative, and written beautifully. If you haven't read this book you're missing out. The characters are so real you feel like you know them. To the author: Great Job!!! Can we expect another great book after this?

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. After reading the first few pages, I felt I couldn't put it down. It examined so many crucial issues in the African American community that needed bringing to light. The author really brought the charaters to life so much so that certain sections of the book brought me to tears. I hope maybe movie producers of HBO, BET, etc. will read this novel and consider making a movie based on it.

Though Disney hasn't released the DVD yet, it has been released through affiliates who have links to disney.com. Search "Song of the South" on your web browser and you should come up with it. I think Disney is afraid to release it under their name, but are doing so undercover. I got one. The live scenes are a bit fuzzy, but not bad. The cartoon characters are clear and apparently were digitized. I doubt it will be on amazon for awhile as the sellers are few and want to maintain a higher price.

I am so glad I found this. Does anyone else think it's ironic that they changed the tar baby to a tar bunny?

What a treasure! Please release this wonderful film on DVD. It makes many important social comments & is very entertaining. This is one of Walt Disney's hidden treasures.

Please release Song of the South for all of us who remember seeing this movie as a child. I would love to share this movie with my child. It will always be one of my favorite movies. My mother, my sisters and myself going to see this movie is one childhood memory that I will always cherish. Please consider making this excellent movie available to us. Thank you!!

Song of the South is one of the most influential movies that I saw as a child. It shows us how to be happy in a lot of different situations. To have a positive attitude. The minority group should be very proud of this movie because the stories Uncle Remus told were positive reflections of life.
This day and age we need more old stories of being happy in tough times. Please release this movie. It is a part of history that should not be hidden.

In Regards to Eheieh Ain Soph .... wtf

Crowley was a man, I'm sure his potential was higher then any womans could ever be....

Otherwise this deck is awesome and so is the man who is behind them.

This is the first deck i have ever worked with, and the only one i will ever work with. Its colours are amazing and every time i see it i want to work with it. I recomend it to anyone who likes Crowley, or his system. You will not be dissapointed with this deck.

I bought this deck along with another more well-known deck. I am new to Tarot and have been reading some books. When these decks arrived...I looked at each card. Personally...this deck is not for me. I am sure many people like this deck since it is quite colorful and the pictures are powerful. But it didn't feel right in my hands. I highly recommend that if you are "ify" about this deck...to visit some other Tarot sites to get a better look at the cards. If you are a beginner, try using the deck that goes along with your beginner book. If you are experienced...this may be an excellent deck.

I didn't know there were two kinds of decks, green and this one. My first deck was the green one and I never really bonded with it. Then one of the cards just vanished, so I couldn't use it. Maybe I wasn't supposed to use it. Comparing the two, this deck is so much nicer. It has a much higher vibration to it than the green one.

I purchased this deck expecting to receive the one pictured that is printed in Switzerland. All of the other reviews exclaim happily that it is as well. Instead of getting the red and white packaged deck in the mail I got a purple and coloured package from Game Systems U.S.A. that is printed in Belgium. Very dissapointing. The colours are greenish in hue and not true to the originals. I wish that the picture of the item and the reviews hadn't been so misleading, as I never would have purchased them if I had known.

..or did I miss something in this book? I was so excited when I received this book in the mail, but I was so disappointed when I started reading it. Something about this story just wasn't good to me. It didn't keep my attention at all. I struggled to read the first 50 pages and then I was just like forget it. There were good parts about this book, but overall I would not recommend it.

This book was EXCELLENT! It had suspense, romance, intrigue and flare. I really enjoyed reading how a friendship between a male and female can really exist, but with it's challenges along the way. I am looking forward to reading more from Toni.....This book was AMAZING and wonderfully written!

I received this novel as a gift from my husband, and what a gift indeed.

Ms. Harris is a very talented storyteller and I was impressed beyond measure by her attention to detail, accuracy in information, and ability to maintain continuity while creatively engaging my mind. I consider this read for the mature because although the text is contemporary and fresh, it also challenges the reader. This is not a "fluff" novel, full of raunch sex, violence, and overrated verbiage. Ms. Harris actually uses the English language as a tool to communicate ideas to provoke thought and deeper discussion. Her novel has depth and substance.

"Nothing Special" tells a story about the trials friendship may go through and how to really overcome them. While never appearing preachy, the story will help the reader experience some type of growth.

Toni Staton-Harris has written a provocative story that illustrates the trials and tribulations friends must endure to maintain a friendship. More importantly she provides insight into how male and female platonic relationships are often presented with a unique set of challenges, which can become very difficult to those involved. In addition, Toni's Nothing Special...Just Friends shows just how much "friends" can endure when they practice open communication and chose to become vulnerable during moments of emotional distress. This is such a great literary work that has given me fresh perspective about whether: "Friendship doesn't cost a thing".

As an African American male who has been reluctant to engage in reading fiction, I must say the time spent reading this book was a great investment. Again, Toni's book has given me a "fresh perspective". Don't sleep on this one brothers...and sisters of course! Great job, Toni.

David L. Anderson, Jr.

I loved this book - The writing grabbed you from the very beginning. I was not only interested in the characters but found myself intrigued with every twist and turn. It definetly was not another typical African American book. I would highly recommend this book as a MUST READ!!!

I received this cookbook for a gift and I love it. So many cookbooks you get have obscure items in the ingredient lists that cost a fortune once you find them. This cookbook has easy to follow recipes that my family will eat and I can find the ingredients at my local grocery store. I have bought this book as a gift four four friends and I am getting another one today.

I love this book! I've collected Junior League and other cookbooks for the last ten years, and this one is a gem! The recipes are easy to follow and use ingrediants I can find at my grocery store. My family especially loves the "comfort foods" section. The margin notes and stories make it interesting and personal. I'm enjoying my copy and have given many as housewarming and hostess gifts.

Texas Ties is incredible! It has a unique recipe for every occasion and draws compliments no matter what the dish. Whether cooking for friends, family, holidays or a week-night dinner, you and your guests will be delighted by the delectable treasures I have found in the Texas Ties cookbook!

I am a huge cookbook fan and love to cook. Texas Ties is my favorite cookbook. I received it as a gift and was pleasantly surprised to see that the recipes are easy to make, unique, and delicious. My all-time favorite recipe is the caramel oatmeal bars. I make these often (especially during the holidays) and will give them to family and friends. Everyone seems to always love what I make from this cookbook! I would definitely recommend this book!!

My daughter, Ali May, recently gave me Texas Ties as a gift. Shortly after that I had a small dinner party and decided to try some recipes from Texas Ties, keeping in mind I shouldn't try new recipes for a party, but I did anyway. These are the recipes I tried that day: White Texas Sheet Cake (a favorite of my entire family now), Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (my guests all took seconds on this one), Black Beans,Corn, and Tomatoes (a juicy marinated salad which is now one of my husband's favorites), and Sumptuous Raspberry and Spinach Salad (a delightful change from lettuce/tomatoes). Just this past week our family came for dinner and I made Best Banana Pudding. I did add 1 t. of vanilla to this one. My grandson, Trent, asked for the first bowl and it was all completely gone by early evening. I am a cookbook collector and Texas Ties is now one of my favorites! Happy Cooking to you!