K Books

With "how to" books, I have a relevancy quiz: Does the book quickly tell me something new worth knowing, as I flip through its pages? This book did. So I bought it and put it aside without a second look. Recently I was struggling with a major ad campaign. I pulled this book off the shelf and began reading the plain, direct, revealing advice that each of these hugely talented and amazingly humble copywriting stars offers. And presto: I found my way again. I began writing above my level, too. I can't recommend the book enough, but you have to read it: it is not a coffee-table book, despite its looks.

Wow! There are over 200 ads in this book and I could spend hours just cruising through each of them. But this is more than just a book with top advertising pictured in it. It is also a primer on idea generation, perfect for anyone writing ad copy and feeling blocked.

The writers in this book are some of the industry's best and each has their own stand alone section that discusses their approach to the art and science of copywriting. They are essentially asked "How do you write your copy?", and then turned loose to answer. Amazingly, each seems to come up with a different answer and approach to their craft.

The book also appears under the the title "The Copywriter's Bible," but either edition is equally great. Different cover, same great content.

Brutal! I opened the book and cut my fragile fingers. Now they sting. How can I write copy with gravely injured fingers? I'd pay for tips on that!

While this is a very good book, you may be interested to know that it's merely a paperback version of the original book originally published in 1995. The trick here is the new paperback version doesn't contain any new material, yet it has a different title. The original book was titled "The Copy Book." If you already own this book, don't buy "The Copywriter's Bible." Same book, different name. I found out the hard way.

Yeah ... I'll jump on this wagon. It's a great book. And it's already done wonders for my daily idea-generation duties. Get it.

When I finished reading this book, I was sad that it was over! It was so good I didn't want it to end. The beginning is at first hard to read because it's sad, but by chapter two, I was completely hooked! It's very exciting and mysterious. It would make an excellent movie. It's about the relationship between a 14-year-old girl who loves horses, a Brittish 16-year-old girl named Meg, and two teen boys, who have many adventures together while helping the Patriot army. This book teaches history while at the same time you're actually enjoying reading it! I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages who love mystery, adventure, and of course horses! C age 13

This book is Fantatstic! A great young adult book and also anyone who loves horses and history.

i love this book!!!! its about a girl named hannah who is sent by her horrid aunt pheobe to be a indengered servant. she loves horses and becomes friends with two stable boys named will and caleb. hannah hates being a servant, so to breakaway from the servant life, she goes on midnight rides on her beloved horse promise. i'm not gonna say anything else though!!!! read this book and find out what happens!!!

this book was awesome!
they really could make a movie out of it
if u like horses and a little bit of history then u will like this book!

I have read this story with students average age 14. Their response was total involvement in the plot and the character, Hannah and her horse, Promise. They did not believe at first that the book would be interesting, since they thought it would be "ho hum" history. The cover illustration suggests it might be another Paul Revere Midnight Ride to Lexington and Concord. Wrong! The main historical event is the lesser known "Salem Alarm." The author weaves fascinating historical events into a plot that today's kids love. Not a bit boring! In fact, one student said, "It was like watching a movie in my head." Kids LOVED this story and rated it a 10/10. Did I forget to mention that I loved it, too?

I opened this book to expecting another hard-to-read but still classic book. I made a HUGE mistake! The story line was very interesting, never boring, and suspenseful. It had an amazing moral. Definately worth reading.

Number me among the many who read this book in grade school back in the late 60's or 70's and the name stuck with me through the years.

Later as an adult, I returned to this book to read it anew and experience the magic again.

Yes, this is book designed for the younger reader. But as is the case with most well written books, all ages will find something to take away. Treasure Island, Kidnapped etc. are all of the same genre, but what makes Moonfleet unique is the tight identification of the young protagonist John Trenchard and the first person telling which brings the reader into seeing and experiencing it though his eyes.

For a book published in 1898 and set in 1757 and following, that youth in the 60's would find it so fascinating and real is a testament to the talent of Falkner.

Timeless. Engaging. Intriguing. Fantastic!

Did I mention that I like it and recommend it heartily?

Moonfleet is a story that you just want to read over and over again.The beginning is kinda slow but by Chapter Four you will be reading till the wolves come home. This book as you can tell by my review is very addictive to read, I would recommend to anyone who is bored with Harry Potter or who despretly needs a good read. P.S Don't get hooked on Elziver..... if you buy this book you will know why. :P

It's 1757. Fifteen-year old John Trenchard is bored living with his Aunt Jane in the shoreline village of Moonfleet in England - unitl his discovery of a secret thrusts him into a fugitive existence. The relatively dullish opening sets you up for a rivetting adventure, complete with "ghosts," an underground tunnel, smugglers, and the quest for a pirate's jewel treasure. Very atmospheric. Very intriguing.

I read this in high school and saw it for 50 cents in a used book store. Best money i have ever spent. This story is about a young boy that "finds" a large diamond and consequently spends 10 years in prison with his elder friend and companion. He has a "Y" branded on his face and struggles to return home where his love is keeping a candle in the window for him to guide his return.(This is where Credence Clearwater Revival got the idea for the song "Long as I Can see the Light") There are some really awesome twists regarding the ownership of the diamond as it changes hands time and again...True, this is a "kids book" but the story and writing are fantastic... The ending is pure brilliance!

I suggest you grab a copy of this book next time you are at the book store - It contains a lot more treasure than just the diamond.

Relic113

As a fan of the TV show "The West Wing", and considering how much the Situation Room was an integral part of the shows storylines, I wondered and wondered what the real Sit Room was about. Even more, I always wondered if there was a book that takes you inside the Sit Room, just like a book that takes you inside the Pentagon, or inside the White House. Naturally, there is such a book in "Nerve Center". Even better, it's the only book on record that takes you into the Sit Room.

This book has it all: political intrigue, history, secrets, clashes of personalities, clashes of organizations, character development of those who functioned in the room, even a bit of fiction. It greatly clears up the perceptions about how the Sit Room is depicted in TV and in the movies.

A bit of warning! If you were not a political junkie before reading this book, you will become one after reading this book. The book influenced me greatly. I am now one of them, whether it is fact or fiction...I want more. You WILL NOT be disappointed after reading this book. Great reading!!

Excellent sneak peak into the White House Situation Room, dispelling myths and showing us the American people how our leaders handle a crisis.

I first read this book 2 years ago after purchasing it from Amazon, and loved it the moment I saw it. Sitting down to read it was almost like opening a chocolate box, with wonderful anecdotes from dozens of men and women who have served in the nexus of American Military decision making. I highly recomend this book to anyone who would like to find out more about the White House Situation room and it's impact on the world and the West Wing itself.

Bohn, Commander Bohn. Shakes not stirs events in the White House from the Situation Room. He takes the pulse of the Sit Room and displays it with humor and humanity. This is the first account of the people who watch and report on events that shape our world. Well done and well written!

Mike Bohn has succeeded in opening to the reader a portion of the White House that few understand - let alone acknowledge its existence or function. The Situation Room truly is the "Nerve Center" for the country - both in times of crisis and in peace time. It is a central briefing room for the President, and a contact center for countries around the globe. Before reading this wonderful book, I hadn't thought about how calls to heads-of-state were made on behalf of the President, but now I can see why they would all go through the Situation Room.

If you are a fan of political movies, and want to know the truth behind the Hollywood fiction, or are just a political junkie, then this truly is the one book you want on your shelf!

I would recommend this book to any kindergarten teacher. For those new to the profession, it offers wonderful suggestions for writing activities that don't take much preparation time and don't require special supplies or materials. For experienced teachers, this book will spice up the existing writing program.
I am a kindergarten teacher and have used ideas from this book for the last two years. The natural language Bea uses makes it enjoyable to read and easy to understand. Her philosophy that children don't need to be pushed in order to grow as writers makes a lot of sense. The writing activities in this book have helped produce many happy, self-confident students who love to write and a happy teacher who has gotten to know her students better than ever before.

I am very excited about this book and this program. I began using this program in just two months ago. The setting is a first semester, half-day kindergarten program. Over 30% of my students are English Language Learners, nearly 10% receive speech services, 5% are hearing impaired, and nearly 10% receive other special education services. Most are considered low-income. If this program produces results for us, it can work for anyone.
The strategies in Never Too Early To Write are designed to lead each individual student to her full potential. Students express their own thoughts, feelings, and concerns. A teacher cannot help but connect with the children. Every student wants to be loved and respected as a unique person. Journal writing allows for a private moment with each student. Each child is working on skills that are meaningful to her. Once a concept is mastered, there is another to focus on.
The reasons for beginning the program are clear, but the side effects were the most impressive. Writing is FUN! It is fun for me. It is fun for the paraprofessionals in the classroom. It is fun for the volunteers. It is fun for parents to see their children progress. Most importantly, it is fun for the students; they love it.

This book has an excellent overview of writing with early learners. It also has great activities and strategies for engaging students in learning to write. Wonderful!

Do children have to know how to spell and read before they are taught to write? No, contends Bea Johnson emphatically in Never Too Early to Write-a gem of a book which describes both a writing program and a way of thinking.

Each chapter is chock-full of advice, tips, anecdotes, and, thoughtfully, samples of actual student work. In Chapters 1 and 2, Johnson makes the argument that kindergartners and first graders should be taught to write. To support her contention, she explains in detail the many benefits in doing so. One of the most important is that when students write, they are using letters and punctuation. Indeed, they are immersed in them. This, in turn, imbues the strange squiggles and marks with meaning. They are not so mysterious nor foreign anymore. They have a purpose. They can communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas. Other benefits include: enlarged vocabulary, enhanced phonetics and spelling, increased familiarity of sentence patterns and word discrimination, additional opportunities to think critically and creatively, and even increased self-esteem.

At this point you may be thinking, that all sounds well and good, but how am I going to fit this into my already crowded day? The answer: Integrate the writing experiences into your other subjects. "Writing," asserts Johnson, "shouldn't be a once-a-week activity done on Friday afternoon, 20 minutes before the busses arrive." Johnson also contends that you "will discover incredible truths" about your teaching if you have your students write in the content areas. How? By having students write about the lesson, you will have immediate feedback-in black and white-about what they learned
and didn't learn.

Chapter 3 delves into seven stages or benchmarks of writing: from scribbling to random lettering to conventional spelling. It is important, declares Johnson, that children should not be taught at a level beyond their capabilities.

In the next chapter, Johnson discusses "The Rules." Although they are an "ideal" and you won't be able to follow them all the time, they should, she states, at least be in the back of your mind. In a nutshell, an effective writing classroom is informal, open to experimentation, content oriented, supportive, affirming, and encourages "table talk." The teacher "provides students with the tools, time, and structure to write."

"The Big Four" are discussed in Chapter 5. They are: Dictation, Drawing, Scribbling, and Temporary Spelling. There are a plethora of benefits to dictation, notes Johnson. First and foremost, the student "realizes immediately that his spoken words have meaning and can be written down" (emphasis mine). As the teacher or volunteer writes, the student is able to observe: left-to-right progression, punctuation, phonics, sentence structure, and more.

"Drawing," writes Johnson, "becomes the child's rehearsal stage of writing." These illustrations are snapshots, so to speak, of the child's thinking. Scribbles are the beginning stages of writing. Here the child experiments with word and sentence formation, symbols, holding the writing instrument and more. As educators, we should not overlook these attempts. Rather, we should "take advantage of the learning potential" of them by asking the student what he or she has written. Temporary spelling, notes Johnson, "is children's first attempts to write words using their best judgment about spelling." She then goes on to discuss the three stages of temporary spelling as well as the benefits described in research findings.

In Chapters 6 through 15 Johnson discusses in detail ten writing strategies. Among them are: Individual Language Experience Stories (ILES); Journal Writing; Draw and Write; Pattern Stories; Class Newspaper.

Johnson rounds out the book with a chapter on communicating with parents (which includes sample parent letters) and a chapter on conclusions, questions and answers.

If you are interested in trying a writing workshop in your kindergarten or first grade classroom, this concise, approachable, highly useful volume that will help you accomplish your goal.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff

This book is about a teaching to write curriculum that is wideley used in Northern Italy schools.We call it Ferrero-Teberoski. I use the same method to allow my fifth graders write in English, a language they are learning as EFL.Letting them write in English allows me to gear my teaching to kids with different abilities and it also let students having whatever ability to feel proud of his/her accomplishments, and hence improves their self-assureness. I would encourage EFL and ESL teachers to read this book and make this method part of their curriculum.

Odyssey: 1970

John, first I would like to thank you for making this fabulous piece of artistry available. To keep such work hidden in the mind would deprive us all a wonderful insight to living.

The artistry of Odyssey: 1970 comes through with the complexity, intelligence, effectiveness, and the use of the fundamental elements of language and narrative in which it was written.

The story captures aspects of human experience vividly, precisely and freshly. And John opens for us the emotional, moral, intellectual and social complexities of its theme.

The summation of Literary Gateway in John's work-at least for me- was the drawing in of my mind and imagination in such a way that I became involved in the issues and decisions with which the story confronted me. Finally, John persuaded a consideration of actions and issues that fit in with larger cultural, political, social, and intellectual concerns.

The following are examples of Literary Gateways, some sentences, some a few words, but never the less, most powerful: I paraphrase

"Salvation is just around the corner" During this period in time, people searched frantically for something to believe in, they certainly knew what they didn't believe, war.
Suddenly, the youth found a certain connection, whether it be because of (cause and effect) of the world around them, or the vacuum of destiny.

John speaks of people taking "Time Out" in that period of their lives. These two words found their mark in that vortex where I once lived, trapped in a consciousness which cannot be conscious of anything outside itself, war. I sank into the vortex, the maelstrom, suffocation by premature death; I became non-self while others became addicted to one poison or another. "Time Out"- the most turbulent of times.

"That Key" Rique knew its connection with John, what it stood for, and John, it may be at rest with Rique, but it remains in you. To Rique, the key was symbolic, a destiny, with you, your thought's dominion.

"I watched in awe as each individual sunbeam of the breaking dawn shot like a grayish-red rocket above the Sandia Mountains and exploded into the fast-lightening sky."
This particular passage arouses my mind, and out of interior compulsion, I reach that plane of a broadening cosmos.

Finally, I must admit, I found a portion of myself in Odyssey, a little Ernie, Vince, and John Cassell himself.

Robert A Meacham

After reading the very human search for meaningfulness of the protagonist in Crossroads: 1969, I had to read the sequel. The book paints a vivid and obviously knowledgeable portrait of a young man's coming of age in what had to be one of the most exciting yet challenging times in our country's history. The characters are fascinating and in many cases tragic. The reader comes to appreciate the destructive impact of the war in Vietnam on both sides of the politics as well as on young and old alike. The deadly cat-and-mouse duel of the protagonist and his rogue cop pursuer is compelling. The collision of the new values of the rebellious younger generation of those days with the realities of their world is vividly portrayed. As one who was not alive during those times, I found it a worthwhile literary journey, obviously fortified both with historical research and personal experience. Yet as one dealing with the challenges of young adulthood in the first decade of the new century, I also found both the conflicts and lessons depicted to be universal in their appeal.

All in all a great experience... a very human story with lots of excitement and some major surprises thrown in. I hope there will be a sequel.

after reading his first book, i just had to read this sequel to Crossroads. often staying up quite late to read, i was totally immersed in the lives of the characters. the author is very adept at plumbing the depths of his own & his characters' feelings. this gifted writer & story-teller unfolds a different time in america in such a real way - i was taken there to live it for myself & i hated for it to be over. i am DEFINITELY looking forward to his next releases.

This is nothing short of a landmark novel. The precision of research into this segment of history melded into the deeply significant personal experiences of an author seasoned in his art feature a finesse worthy of the literary classics. I've never read a book, fiction or non, which accomplished more in clarifying alternate angles in play during a heated, hassled period of recent times. The voice of this author on this subject is pure, clear, and charismatic.

As a slight sample of evidence of the verity of this praise, read an excerpt of the opening of chapter one of ODYESSY: 1970:

>> For a town of just over thirty-five thousand people, one telephone exchange and with tumbleweeds frequently blowing across its main north-south thoroughfare, Santa Fe, New Mexico boasted some pretty impressive distinctions. For one thing, at six thousand five-hundred feet and more above sea level, it was the highest altitude state capital in the country. To get there from Albuquerque, itself a mile above sea level, one had to limb a steep mountainside of almost a thousand feet before arriving at he plateau on which the town was located. From there, it angled upward even more as one approached the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.... I guess it was fitting that I should be spending the second full day of 1970 in such a place. I was boasting of some pretty impressive distinctions these days as well. <<

As added evidence that this novel is a hallmark of classic literature, note some of the chapter titles in the Table of Contents, which itself reads like a list of seasons of literary excellence:

1. Aquarian Passages
2. New Myths And Old Realities
3. The Wisest Eighteen Year Old In The World
4. More Streets And Roads
5. The Worm Turns
6. Menace And Movement
7. The Long March Back
8. Armageddon
9. Inside The Kaleidoscope
10. By The Dark Of The Moon
11. The Green Leaves Of Summer
12. The Attack Of The Badge People
*******
21 chapters conclude brilliantly with an Epilogue, Acknowledgments, Glossary Of 1970 Slang, Police Radio Ten Code, and a Bibliography on page 683 of this thick trade paperback worth lifetimes beyond its price (see also the Kindle version: Odyssey: 1970 (N/A)).

Kent State and Cambodia are dramatized and unearthed as the facets of politics and youth unbounded clash in an X-Ray exposure of cultural change in catalytic process.

In a discussion forum titled "Toasting John Cassell's HELL'S QUEST: 1972, An Ongoing Commentary," located in the Amazon Shorts main category, you'll find a quote (posted Feb 2, 2008 by author John W. Cassell of a passage in this novel) which you won't want to miss, including the commentary around that excerpt. That quote focuses a philosophical pivotal point upon which Cassell's collection of novels build a maturity of art and life which he has exquisitely executed and fully lived, with ODYESSEY: 1970 being a prime literary jewel in the crown of his books.

Don't miss reading the best examples of classic literature, at the moment in time of the author's pausing on a precipice of acknowledgment and accolade.

A link to the novel in the forum title noted above, Hell's Quest: 1971

With greatest admiration and respect for a friend and colleague,
Linda Shelnutt

Shelnutt is the author of several Amazon Shorts and Kindle books including:
Myrtle's Ultimate Mystery
Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1
The Rose and the Pyramid (The Books of Gem)
Full Moon Rising (The Books of Gem)
Quarter Moon Dues: Book Two (The Books of Gem)

I should probably not give such a title to John Cassell's 'Odyssey before reading the other two of his works that lie, expectantly, on my office desk but it is hard to believe that he can top this one. This is the third of his book's that I have read and each one confirms the man's talent.
Is 'Odyssey', in fact, a novel or a memoir? It matters little. You will be very quickly immersed in the 'age of Aquarius' and all of the turmoil that the era encapsulates. Whether describing, in amazing detail, the events at Kent State that, more than any other happening, ruptured sensibilities in the United States, or recounting intimate conversations with friends, lovers and would-be soul mates, Cassell manages to create enduring passages that should stand with the best ever written - and I am not being kind here, this is one of the best books (novel or memoir) that I have read.
There are numerous examples that I could quote to illustrate my point - a description of a man being '35, hard years, old', Linda's encounter with the Kent State riots (beautifully detailed, especially in the quiet leading up to the shattering climax), the anticipation of breakfast in Berkeley with Roberta etc. etc. I re-read many passages just for the pure pleasure that the prose created.
Well rounded characters, who interact seamlessly and believably - even when events have you asking 'how can that happen?', the characters and their dialogues will make you believe - inhabit a world that helped shape the USA in the late sixties and early seventies, in a novel/memoir that is as good as any written about the era, and better than most.
Do yourself a favor and read it, it is THAT good.
TW

I first read this work 30 years ago. It remains as vital and relevant today as it was then. If you're serious about helping yourself get rid of old emotional baggage, this is a superior tool.

The book was delivered to me complete and in the condition that it was sold to me in. I would recommend and use this seller for future transactions.

...and traces, not just the "pathways" of inner conflict, but their intertwinings, demonstrating with case examples how problems in one area of one's life put roots into many areas.

You've read the above reviews, and I second them all, so I will not repeat them. Let me just add that you will want a pencil and highlighter, because you will be underlining, circling, and making notes to yourself in the margin. This is an irreplaceable tool if you're into self-cultivation. A giant step UP from the abundant new-age spiritual soul-candy out there. It is not a book on spirituality, but identifying and correcting our OWN inner conflicts is the cornerstone of spiritual practice; therefore I highly recommend it for seekers and cerebrals alike. Everyone has heard the saying "Know Thyself"; this book will help you do it.

Karen Horney is one of the greatest of the Post-Freudian psychoanalysts. Horney's concepts of the root causes of neurosis, a basic anxiety, a sense of lurking hypocrisy , an idealized self image, conflicting impulses, are ingeniously insightful and, I have found, correct. Her paradigm is very useful for understanding human behavior; not only the behavior of those who would be diagnosed with a formal disorder but also of those whose personalities contain elements of neurosis not extensive enough for formal diagnosis. Understanding her concepts can also be valuable for those of us who would like to understand our own neuroses better. If you want to understand psychoanalysis, read Freud, read Jung, but read Horney as well. Without her ideas, your understanding will be sorely incomplete. Remember, Jung and Frued can be integrated with Horney, synthesis brings greater understanding. Read, learn, and enjoy the benefits.

I found Mary K DeLurgio's book rich and deeply affecting. The images are wonderful and helped me to visualize the important lessons on every page. She has a gift for dialogue, a way of engaging the reader in each one. I am grateful for this lovely, serious, and thoughtful book.

"Spirituality is an evolving process of Self-awareness. It moves through our life carrying with it all of our experiences building meaning and insight upon previous understandings." ~ pg. 223

In the tradition of classics like The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, Mary K Delurgio guides us through a process of spiritual awakening to reveal inner wisdom in a poetic story. Her writing is a beautiful, comforting embrace and has the appeal of an intimate conversation with a wise friend or teacher.

This book holds a conversation with you and also provides moments of humor and revelation throughout the main stories, which are expanded and explained throughout the book.

~The Rebecca Review

I'm reading this marvelous book and finding it engaging, helpful, loving. I can't imagine anyone else reading it wouldn't be grateful for the serious and thoughtful ideas -- expressed so beautifully here -- presented.

Mary K DeLurgio has done her work from the heart out. The book is both universal in its concept and intimate in its embrace. Thank you Mary K for this useful journal.

Our Journey to the Sky is not for the faint of heart. It is a book that is meant for the person who really is on the path of spiritual growth formation. If you are willing, it will take you on a ride to the shores of your spiritual angst so you can tie up, look around, and check out all those gnawing uncertainties. A wonderful means of in-depth analysis of one's self, it requires a commitment and a willingness to work by the reader. But that reader will be amply rewarded.

C. Poet
Glendale, CA

Our Journey to the Sky is refreshingly easy to read, but it is not easy to digest more than one or two chapters at a sitting. It's contemplative and philosophical. Even scholarly nature requires time to absorb.

The book makes me even more aware that something is beyond what I or science can comprehend. Be it a greater hand or God, there is a thread which connects us all.

Our Journey to the Sky clearly gives each of us the tools to dicover our inner spiritual self and how to move forward and "take the sky".

It is truly a masterpiece!

I usually don't read this type of novel and having read the Publisher's Weekly review, I was prepared for a drawn-out melodrama, but I found myself utterly sucked in to The Pacific Between. I could not put this book down!

Raymond Wong's debut novel is not only filled with insight about the nature of love, maturity, and forgiveness, it's told in a thoroughly engaging and honest manner. All the characters were well-developed, believable and interesting. Greg's whiplash journey to uncover his past and ultimately understand his future was touching and vivid. I can't wait to read Raymond's next novel!

A friend of mine recommended this novel to me, said it was one of the best books she'd read this year. At first, I wasn't sure what to think of it, since I wasn't familiar with the author and it was a debut novel. Soon, I was enthralled and enchanted by the twists and turns, and was surprised by its emotional depth and power.

I thought the protagonist was very interesting, and I was amazed by all the wrong choices he made. I couldn't put this book down, simply to see where he was going. What happened next surprised me. Just when I figured out what was going on, the story took a different, unexpected turn, and turns after turns they led to a satisfying ending. I didn't want to let these characters go, and in the process, have learned a few things myself.

The story is a mix of mystery, suspense, romance and coming of age, and it's done extremely well. The minor characters are wonderful, and the author's descriptions are top-notch, giving me an experience that feels very real. An intimate, personal, and powerful page-turner.

Raymond K. Wong's debut novel was wonderful. Beautiful. It made me laugh, it made me cry. It made me see life in a whole new way. This novel moved me in a way no other novel I have ever read has, and I have read a lot! It took me right along the same journey Greg Lockland travelled. It made me look into my heart, into my soul, just as Greg had, and feel that same inner peace he finally obtains in the end. Through his struggles of facing betrayals of the past, the search for truth in the present and embracing what road lays ahead in the future, Wong's character takes readers along on the journey of the lifetime, through worlds, through cultures, through the mechanics of the human heart. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.

Raymond K. Wong's first novel is a journey between two cultures, as well as within the heart and soul of the protagonist, Greg Lockland.

Some reviews have called this book a "romance novel." Well, I wouldn't call The Pacific Between a genre romance novel. However, it most definitely is a romantic novel. Two very different things, though they might share a common thematic underpinning, that of finding love and happiness.

As for the setting, I found myself transported to a place as unfamiliar to me as any spot on Earth, yet when I reached the end of this compelling story, felt as though I could go to Hong Kong and not feel completely lost.

I've put down a few books unfinished in the last couple of years, but this is one I couldn't put down, especially toward the end, and that to me is the truest way to determine whether or not it's a good read.

The Pacific Between is a fine first novel, and I'm looking forward to Raymond K. Wong's next effort.

In The Pacific Between we are introduced to Greg Lockland who has recently lost both of his parents. He is in his thirties, unmarried and coping with this loss without the support of an extended family. He has come back to California for the funeral and re-connected with Kate, the daughter of his parents' close friends, after ten years of growing steadily apart.

Greg's longtime friendship with Kate seems to be on the verge of becoming something more, but before Greg can truly understand that for himself, he discovers letters and pictures that bring up more questions than answers about his past, his father's relationships, and ultimately, whether the woman Greg really loves is Kate or Lian. Without explaining why he must go, or what he is feeling, to Kate, Greg leaves for Hong Kong to confront Lian with what he thinks he's learned.

The Pacific Between artfully moves between scenes from Greg's past and the present. Greg's search for Lian is also his search for understanding about himself and his relationship with his father. Woven throughout the book are scenes with other friends and acquaintances of Greg's that expose for us the boy he was, the man he has been and the man he is becoming.

The secondary characters are full of life and personality; each scene with them is just as important to the book as the scenes with Kate and Lian. Equally compelling are Raymond Wong's descriptions of Hong Kong that fully envelop one in the sights, sounds, and smells of the island. He truly has a fantastic way with words. I was transported to Hong Kong - it was colored by my memory of Tien Mou, Taiwan, and my more recent trip to Singapore, I'm sure, but I really felt like I was seeing it thru Greg's eyes. I want even more to go to Hong Kong after reading this book.

The Pacific Between is so tightly woven I'm hard pressed to uncover one extraneous bit of dialogue or description. The shift from chapter to chapter is effortless; the ending lives up to the rest of the novel in that it is the honest outcome of the journey Greg has made.

I've always bought comic books for the cover art. But with tens-of-thousands of comics out there, it was almost impossible to know which ones to search for. Of course, if I remembered a comic from when I was a kid that was a start, but what of the thousands I'd never seen? I was a blind collector. Gerber's books cover almost every comic book published till about 1965! 20,000+ photographs...fantastic! Even if I couldn't buy them all, I could at least see what was out there. The only weakness is that some later issues of the longer running titles are omitted. I would liked to have seen them all, but can understand the desire to wrap things up. For the price of one good 1950's era comic you can view just about ever cover published...a very good deal.

What a [great] set of volumes. I am a huge comic collector, owning every issue of Spider-Man ever printed, but I am also a great fan and collector of various other comics, and a comic-history buff. These books are a joy to just flip through, learning about Golden and Silver Age comics. The pictures are gorgeous, all in color on glossy paper. And there's 10's of thousands of them! Well worth the money and worth their weight in gold if you're a true comic fan and collector! Might be a bit much for just the casual comic enthusiast. These 2 books and the two volume Marvel set are the standard by which all other collecting resources should be held to!

What a [great] set of volumes. I am a huge comic collector, owning every issue of Spider-Man ever printed, but I am also a great fan and collector of various other comics, and a comic-history buff. These books are a joy to just flip through, learning about Golden and Silver Age comics. The pictures are gorgeous, all in color on glossy paper. And there's 10's of thousands of them! Well worth the money and worth their weight in gold if you're a true comic fan and collector! Might be a bit much for just the casual comic enthusiast. These 2 books and the two volume Marvel set are the standard by which all other collecting resources should be held to!

What can you say about two books that have 21700 comic book covers beautifully printed on gloss paper? WOW! for a start. No one is going to better Ernst and Mary Gerber's five-year labor of love to complete this project. If you collect comics from 1935 thru 1965 you need these. I don't collect them but as a publication designer I have an interest in the visual aspects of popular culture so I got a set...despite the price!

Open either book anywhere and start looking and it soon becomes apparent that this is a very comprehensive collection, I kept coming across comics that ran for a few issues, sometimes only one issue. Each cover has up to twenty-five pieces of information, essential for collectors. Many show a cover of the only copy known to exist. The first sixteen pages of each book has text about collecting comics and their values. I liked the page in book two that is devoted to ads that appeared on the back covers, strangely some collectors only go for these, if you do, go for a copy of 'Hey Skinny!' by Mike Beller and Jerry Leibowitz, surely the only book about the subject.

Author Gerber says on the jacket flap...''if you spend one minute examining each picture, eight hours per day, five days a week, it would require an astounding NINE weeks to complete the job.'' Nine weeks later have a rest and then go and buy the two volume 'Photo-Journal Guide to Marvel Comics' and start to look at a further 7700 covers!

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

I was amazed at the scope of this book, every cover from 1935-1965, and the labor that must have gone into compiling and producing it. Its extremely well photographed, carefully indexed, and the quality of paper and binding is excellent. For serious comic book collectors, it's worth every penny. A lifetime book.