King Books

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT FORMER NFL HEAD COACH OF DALLAS AND MIAMI JIMMY JOHNSON. HE TELLS THE READER MOSTLY ABOUT HIS CAREER COACHING A BIT ABOUT HIS LIFE OFF THE FIELD. I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AS HE TELLS US HOW HE WON A NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND A SUPER BOWL. HE GIVES HIS HONEST AND INTERESTING INSIGHTS ON MANY PLAYERS AND COACHES. I FOUND THE MOST INTERESTING TO BE HOW HE MADE THE COWBOYS INTO A POWER HOUSE DURING THE 1990'S. EVEN AFTER 15 YEARS, THIS IS STILL A GREAT BOOK. NOW JIMMY STILL USES THE HAIRSPRAY AND IS A COMMENTATOR ALONG WITH TERRY BRADSHAW AND HOWIE LONG ON THE PRE GAME AND POST GAME WRAP UP ON FOX AND ARE QUITE GOOD AND ENTERTAINING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.

Straight forward, no nonsense book about everything from Johnson's college coaching days to the Cowboy's first super bowl under his staff. He spends several pages scattered through the book almost whining about certain calls of the official in certain games, but what coach doesn't (even I'm guilty). However, I read the book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. He does give insight into how he became (in my mind) the master motivator of NFL football. Recommened to any football coach or player who loves the game and loves learning pychological aspects of the game.

Jimmy Johnson's life is a great story, this book tells that story with great detail from Johnson's boyhood in Port Arthur, Texas all the way through his days of restoring glory in Dallas. This book is not just for Cowboy fans, it's for anyone who loves a good book.

I read this book when I was 12 years old and the Cowboys had won their first of 3 Super Bowls in the 90's. I loved it but, then again, I would have loved a bottle of poison if it had a Cowboys star on it.

I picked it up again about a year ago when I was thinking about what made that team (and champion teams in general) tick. The psychological edge those teams enjoyed is probably what made the difference, to which Jimmy Johnson deserves the ultimate credit.

His approach to the mental side of football is evident in this book. For example, instead of telling a kicker "don't miss" before a good field goal, Jimmy will always say "make this." The difference is the seed, either positive or negative, that is planted in that kicker's mind.

But the book goes beyond coaching philosophy to chronicle the interesting, if not a little whacky, life of an extremely sucessful football coach.

If you are a Jimmy Johnson fan or a fan of good football autobiographies, then check this book out. It starts with Jimmy living in Port Arthur and takes you all the way through to his days with the Cowboys. The best part of the book in my opinion was the behind the scenes of the different colleges he coached at.

You know it's a good book when reading it evokes an audible reaction, and sometimes even a physical one--like pitching forward in shocked laughter when you see the main character do something completely unexpected. This book delivers that kind of fun throughout.

Andrea is a rebellious princess in a medieval world who longs to be her own person, but her parents demand that she become a lady. Sound like a plot you've read before? Just wait. When Andrea finds an opening/portal that allows her to leave her world and enter a parallel world, modern day California, she believes this to be the place she belongs. And I ignorantly thougt so too. I particularly liked the way the author reveals Andrea's experiences, as she adjusts her archaic lifestyle to that of the twenty-first century. Andrea is awed by the "cubical rock" called a mall, and amazed at the way clothing hangs ready-made for purchase.

Still, this is only the beginning to an action packed adventure. As Andrea inadvertently ends up back in her world, setting off a chain of events that plunge that world into war, a much more complicated story evolves, yielding many unexpected twists and turns. I could not put this one down.

A wonderful coming-of-age story that spans two worlds and features a clever, lovable heroine! Nicely told, with lots of action and a touch of romance--perfect for any young adult.

Full of quirky, opinionated young characters with boyfriend-girlfriend baggage that follows them between two worlds as they fight to preserve their country's future while trying to understand their pasts. Action, young adult romantic entanglements, strong young female characters, patriotism to one's country and one's beliefs make this a clean and enjoyable read for a young adult audience.

When I was growing up, many young girls might have envied the life of Princess Andrea, the heroine of Two Moon Princess. She lives in a castle in a world resembling medieval Spain. Horses, servants, beautiful scenery--what's not to like? But for Andrea, a headstrong young woman, that life is stifling. She'd rather train to be a knight, but her fourteenth birthday is only months away, and she must become a "lady." That means staying inside the castle, learning to curtsy and smile and do needlework ad nauseam. No more hunting in the woods.

One day, in the midst of this unwanted transition, Andrea is accidentally transported to modern California. Now we're talking! Andrea is awed by the freedom of the teenagers she meets on a beach. Here as well, she sees her uncle, and is taken to his beautiful home. He travels freely between the two worlds by entering a forbidden cave on the night of a full moon, and tells Andrea she must return to her father's kingdom the next month. But knowing Andrea as we do, it won't be that easy.

Unfortunately, her plans don't work out, and her return to the Kingdom of Zeltia is accidental. She brings back a California boy who falls in love with the lore and swordplay of Zeltia and puts his life at risk.

The relationships between Andrea and her parents, her sister, and the young men she is attracted to in both worlds, are expertly drawn. These are no two-dimensional characters. The author skillfully exposes the motivations of everyone who plays a role in Andrea's burgeoning adolescence. We see both the good and bad sides of people who have the heroine's best interests at heart.

Andrea matures during the course of the story, traveling from her world, which has two moons, to California and back again. She gets into more than a few hair-raising predicaments along the way, but this is no "damsel in distress" story. Andrea keeps busy saving a life or two on her own, learns to accept help, and never gives up trying for the best outcome for everyone in her parallel lives.

This is a princess story to keep a young adult reader turning the pages until the end. Even after the last word, though, you'll wonder what happens to Andrea next. Lucky for us, the author has written a sequel called The King In the Stone for the same publisher.

by Linda Wisniewski
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Fast paced and full of twists, Two Moon Princess follows Andrea, a strong-willed princess, from her Spanish Medieval world to present day California and back.

While her unplanned return to her own world with a Californian boy brings war to Andrea's kingdom, her brave and at times foolish attempts to stop the war and keep the American boy alive has unforeseen consequences that will change her forever.

A feminine protagonist girls can admire, Andrea's daring, strength, powers of observation and compassion lead her and us to discoveries about our world and ourselves.

The characters are fully realized and the romance, forbidden and unexpected, makes for a deeply satisfying ending.

This is an excellent fantasy book for children and adults alike. I highly recommend it.

As a black female living in Orange County I was very touched and inspired by this true masterpiece.I would have rated it TEN STARS if I could. I urge all Americans,Black,White,Hispanic,Asain etc to buy and read how great things are accomplished when the races work together.The heroes are the black runaway slaves and their white friends who helped them at risk to themselves. God Bless Roger King who wrote what could have been lost to history.Those of us who live in Orange County know Mr.King and are lucky to attend his lectures.Keep up the good work Rog. Stacey McKeon.

this piece of history is cleary written , with factual items as well as tales handed down from generations. it is an entertaining read with an important theme

After reading this book, I will start to refer to author Stephen King as the "other King." Roger King's historical cronicle surprised me and I considered myself a "hisory junkie."

As a resident of Orange County I was lucky to attend one of Prof.Kings lectures. I was awstruck by this great mans wit and powerful intellect.This thoughtful and informative book is a MUST read for the young people because it tells the story of of Orange Counties past,Americas past and the struggle of the African Americans in the 1850 era.If you get your child one book this year,make this one it.Where can I attend another Roger King lecture?

I loved it! I couldn't put it down! I read it in one afternoon without stopping, something I never do. I never realized the plight of the slaves in the North. It made me proud to be an American.

This novel opens in Sydney, 1845, with the German explorer Voss preparing to cross the Australian continent. This physical aspect of the novel is loosely based on the ill-fated expedition of Ludwig Leichhardt.

Prior to leaving Sydney, Voss meets Laura Trevelyan. Laura is the niece of one of Voss's patrons and is perhaps the only person apart from Voss himself who perceives that his journey is a challenge of will as much as a geographical journey of discovery. Voss and Laura, despite only meeting four times before he departs, form a spiritual bond which strengthens during the course of the novel.

The novel is about discovery, about triumph and about failure. The physical elements of the journey describe many of the challenges facing explorers within central Australia at the time and combines elements of human suffering and religious metaphor.

The intense relationship between Laura and Voss develops during the course of the journey, and is conducted both through letter and telepathy.

This novel can be read as a simple story of an ill-fated expedition. Alternatively, it can be read as one man's challenge to the physical world, and of the good and evil in each of us.

By the end of the novel, the discovery seems clear, the triumphs and the failures are obvious. Or are they? Perhaps it depends on which viewpoint you choose to adopt.

I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read well written literature which, under the guise of telling a story, invites the readers to confront their own thinking. The choice is yours.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This is a deeply sad story of tragic love in Australia's colonial times. Voss, "The German" and Laura, a young Sydney woman, are societal misfits who meet quite awkwardly in drawing room one day. Soon after this meeting, Voss begins his epic journey into the unknown Australian outback. As the journey progresses he realizes his love for Laura and writes her a letter asking for her hand in marriage. She accepts his proposal and a love affair of the minds begins. More letters are written but never received by either party. Amazingly, their love blossoms for each other in a small minded, petty, and class driven society. Sadly, in the end their love is tragically never to be.
I found this book to be extremely well written and deeply moving. I believe that this novel is on par with Bronte's Jane Eyre and I do not understand why it is not on any classical reading lists. There are parts of the book that move somewhat slowly, but each part has its purpose in bringing you deeper into the story. The insights into the human soul are incredibly poignant. If you do decide to give Voss a chance read it slowly and in quite spaces. Soak up the meanings within the writing and enjoy this sad, sad tale.

This epic about a man's journey into the heart of the Australian desert and into his own heart and mind is a classic of modern literature. Johann Ulrich Voss, though he remains always just beyond the reader's grasp as a character, is as memorable as any great figure in modern literature. If Marlow and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness were one man, this would be him.

The novel is also a love story about two people who go beyond the mediocrity of their surroundings to embark on interior journeys where they learn to know themselves and unite with each other in spirit.

For 80% of the novel I was gripped, running home from college to read more and more. My only qualm would be the ending, as the tension dissipates and the last 80 pages or so peter out under the excessive Christian symbolism. But there is no way that a potential reader should be put off by this assessment

Sentence for sentence, word for word, Patrick White is as good a prose stylist as I've ever read. The phrase "tour de force" could have been invented for this book.

Patrick White gained fame as the Australian Nobel prize winner in literature, and as a person with a prickly or what some call a difficult personality. He was educated at Cambridge but then settled and wrote in Australia after World War II. He has about a dozen novels and I have read two of them, the other being The Tree of Man which is set in rural but agricultural Australia, not in the Outback as is Voss.

This is a good novel, and it deserves 5 stars. After a dozen pages or so it becomes clear to the reader that White has an unusual style and he is a gifted writer. There is no question about his writing ability.

This particular story starts off in Sydney in the mid-19th century, and White uses real street names and locations in central Sydney, just east of Darling Harbour. Since the same streets still exist today, his setting and references to the city bring a high degree of realism to the story.

The plot is about a man and a woman who become engaged by mail after meeting. Voss is the man, and he leads a voyage of discovery into the Outback, north and west of Sydney. The plot involves the hardships of the trip, the interaction among the characters travelling with Voss, the natives, and what takes place in Sydney with his fiancee while Voss is away on the trip.

The discouraging feature of White's writing is that the characters seem stiff or cardboard, a bit lifeless. Voss is not a man to show much emotion or talk. So, there are many passages where White simply describes the activities. That gives the book - especially in the middle - a dry feel. This was reinforced for me when I read The Tree of Man where White has a similar strong male protagonist, the farmer; but there, White goes into much more depth with the man's personality in the novel.

The tale has a strong and a surprise ending, and the novel picks up as the story closes.

Overall, I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book. It is not a quick read nor is it compelling stuff to digest, but it is an interesting and well written novel.

Big, powerful novel by a skilled storyteller, a master of the Australian landscape and peoples. In the 1800's the German settler Voss meets Laura Trevelyan in Sydney once or twice, then together with an ill-assorted ragtag of followers he sets off on an ill-fated expedition from Sydney westwards through the Australian desert.

Voss's purpose seems to be to get to 'love the land'. Laura waits in Sydney; she's a thoughtful person, different from the others, aware that Australian white society in those days could be shallow and not in tune with deeper things. When Voss and Laura are not together, the relationship takes place in the mind, with some sort of sixth sense resulting in a synchronisation of feelings. The is cleverly done and works well.

Aboriginals figure strongly - they are part of the land, timeless, noble. But, in the period set in this novel, there is a dark side; through and through they come across as bestial savages. They could help and save Voss, who reaches out to them, but instead they thwart and eventually kill him.

Patrick White won the 1973 Nobel prize for literature, and it's not surprising. But his style in Voss is not always easy; he's always invading his characters' minds and trying too hard to explain every nuance of their thinking. This slows it down. Ideas about 'point of view' have to be put on hold in this novel.

Ultimately though it's an indelible experience, and one is left with haunting images of Australia.

This is the only introduction to Tibetan Buddhism I've read which avoids the speculation or downright mystification which most writers on Tibetan Buddhism seem to be unable to do without. The Buddhist path as practiced in Tibet by the four main schools is set out very clearly, and comes across as a logical extension of the teachings of Shakyamuni. The fundamentals are set out in a traditional fashion by Lama Jampa Thaye, with the minimum of interpretation. There is a refreshingly honest review of the main exponents of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and a question and answer chapter in which the teachings discussed in the earlier part of the book are addressed to Western concerns. A great way in.

Way of Tibetan Buddhism is an excellent overview of the Buddhist path. Lama Jampe Thaye clearly shows how the different level of teachings within Buddhism relate to each other. It also contains a comprehensive history of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Jampa Thaye writes with a great understanding of the difficulties facing western people approaching the practice of Buddhism and explodes many of the misunderstandings and misconceptions prevalent in the West today. I found his style both direct and approachable and thoroughly inspiring. I recommend Way of Tibetan Buddhism as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhism.

This book is so clear and precise... It is most certainly the best introduction to Buddhism I have ever read. It is very rare to find an exposition on the subject written by such a highly qualified author, which lacks any controversy. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Buddhist tradition in general and in Tibetan Buddhism in particular. Much, much better than all the other items in this category!

Lama Jampa Thaye's book is scholarly, comprehensive and above all crystal clear. The author begins with a valuable history of Buddhism and it's journey from India to Tibet and then proceeds to examine the fundamental stages of the path to enlightenment in detail, starting with Refuge and dealing progressively with the Three Vehicles. The section on vajrayana dispels the fog of misinformation and inaccuracy that can confuse and bewilder the newcomer to this vast and profound subject and is particularly useful. A central theme of the book is the significance of the teacher in Tibetan Buddhism and the importance of receiving the teachings from an authentic lineage. The book finishes with a description of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism and a very helpful Question and Answer section. This is, in my opinion, the best introduction to Tibetan Buddhism available and is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in practicing the dharma.

This short book offers a concise introduction to the tenets of Buddhism in general and to Tibetan Buddhism in particular. Beginning with a brief outline of the life of the historical Buddha, English scholar and Tibetan mediatation practioner Dr David Stott (writing here under his Buddhist name, Lama Jampa Thaye) leads the reader through the historical and philosophical development of Tibetan Buddhism.

Written in unpretentious, everyday English, Stott stays on topic and, except for a lengthy middle section readers already familiar with Buddhism might like to skip, presents in less than 150 pages a succinct oultine of what makes Tibetan Buddhism unique as well as to what separates Tibetans in matters of Buddhist philosophy.

Tibetan terms are not overused and are explained as they are introduced. A glossary is provided but unfortunately a guide to pronunciation is not. Also available for your edification are the author's opinions on theism (you cannot practice Buddhism and be a Christian, Jew, Muslim or any other kind of theist), reincarnation (which he claims is the conerstone of Buddhist philosophy and without which the entire system would collapse), and orthoxody (anyone wishing to be a Buddhist must accept it whole, the complete 2500 year accretion of study, practice and tradition).

It was a delightful experience to purchase a copy of your book and read it this last weekend during my travels back and forth to Canada. Your style of writing and the selection of personal situational venues gave me the feeling that I was there with you. I could just see you interacting with the different family members in the personal, cordial style for which you are well known. I even got a little bit of personal encouragement from different sections of the book. A work well done and a work needed by families doing business together.

In my practice, as a management consultant who specializes in assisting financially troubled companies through times of crisis, I have frequently encountered business decisions that are made on the basis of family considerations having little to do with sound business practices. Koenig's practical advise and code of conduct for family businesses should be required reading for anyone involved in guiding a family enterprise

In a former life I was a non-family member of senior management for a family owned and operated business. If I would have had access too and read the material Dr. Koenig presents in this book then, I would look much younger now! This book makes me see how much more effective I could have been by simply understanding the impact that family decisions had on business decisions. I couldn't understand then that simple issues like Thanksgiving Dinner Plans can have a great impact on things like Strategic Plans. The common sense displayed in dealing with such a huge volume of material made for easy reading and more important, easy application. I recommend this book for anyone trying to assist a family in making their company what they want it to be. G Ransdell President/CEO AEI Environmental, Inc.

Outstanding work and an easy read. Understanding the many dynamics that can and often do take place in a family business is very critical. The family members as well as the advisers need to be familiar with the challenges and issues they are sure to face. This work should be required reading for any professional that assists family businesses. I will give a copy of this enlightening work to all my family business clients.

I am currently a small business owner/operator. I have also had some 30 plus years in international development. Dr. Koenig's book offers some first rate, common sense guidelines to private, family owned and operated business entrepreneures. In that context, the book transcends international bounderies. I'd recommend the book to anyone, not just American readers. I would particularly recommend the book to heads of family busnesses that are about to retire and turn over management. New entrepreneurs in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union will find this book particularly helpful.

Hi Reader! I wrote 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History because our children need to know so much about the past in order to move forward into the future. This book not only teaches children about the lives of Frederick Douglass, Phillis Wheatley, Dr. Charles Drew, Benjamin Banneker or Buffalo Soldiers, but it also allows seasoned readers and Black historians to reflect on the lives of Black people in America in "Reflections Eternal," "After Katrina," "Fredom Without Revelation," and "The Sounds of Blackness."

This book also includes poems paying tribute to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mrs. Rosa Parks, and Mr. Ossie Davis. In addition, this book displays the best of Black life, and it will encourage children and adults to press on. "We Shall Because We Must." This book brings to life reflections on Black history from the Middle Passage through the Civil Rights Movementand brings us all into the present.

I hope that you will get a copy of this book for your collection. Better yet, pick up a few copies for the young readers in your life no matter what the age, race, ethnicity, or gender. We all need to learn, appreciate, understand, and embrace the history of America. Purchase this book because it's motivating, educating, and liberating! Thanks for reading 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating "Our" History. Be on the lookout for Volume II in 2008.

We all know the familiar names: Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, all readily recognizable for the high profiles of their lives, as well as their contributions to the rich legacy of African-American culture. But, who can really say they know much about Charles Drew or Ossie Davis? Or just how much the Buffalo Soldiers really accomplished during their years of service?

28 Days Of Poetry is an impressive mosaic of the kaleidoscopic African-American experience. In it, Latorial Faison has breathed new life into the usual retellings of Black history that have often been reduced to quaint clichés and trite sound bites. The breadth and depth of her compositions are so comprehensive that 28 Days can - and probably should - replace most of the textbooks and other outdated materials currently serving as ersatz representations of the American Black experience.

The broad-based appeal of 28 Days will certainly endear it to individuals from all walks of life, but the focus of most of Faison's offerings is clearly on the young. She repeatedly implores the leaders of tomorrow not only to remember the struggles of their forebears that forged the freedoms they currently enjoy, but also to continue the fight to preserve those freedoms for posterity's sake. Witness the second half of the poem "B.L.A.C.K. H.I.S.T.O.R.Y.":

"Hope ran through their veins
In search of rights and freedom trains
Sons and daughters still dying a million deaths
Trying to be free of the chains
Others pressed their way across the
Racial divide of prejudice and hate
Yesterday"

And this moving section of "Slave Questions":

"Why use the whip
And change my name,
Tell all the world
That I've been tamed?

Why teach me words
And give me things
But give me not
What freedom brings?"

Passages such as these should strike today's youth with the same conscientious impact that Alex Haley's ROOTS had on a generation of young viewers in the `70s.

Faison's opus is not just a treatise on cries in the night and cracks of the whip, though. She provides refreshing insight on the lesser known names of some our culture's greatest contributors, such as Phillis Wheatley and Charles Drew. Even the unsung inventor Benjamin Banneker gets the star treatment in "Who Was Benjamin Banneker?":

"If you visit the nation's capital
Or hold a watch in your hand
Think of Benjamin Banneker
Another great African American"

Such tributes serve as reassuring reminders of the towering giants on whose shoulders we stand.

But make no mistake: just as easily as Faison seeks to soothe, she also seeks to stir. Many of her pieces are brashly unapologetic, like this passage from "After Katrina":

"Horrific, embarrassing,
A travesty it is...
When a government waits
To aid its own citizens.

And where was America's
'Great White Hope'
Securing the Middle East
From dictatorship's scope"

Or this one from "Irreconcilable Differences":

With their played out and pimped out politics
Washington is filled with a sad lot of lunatics
So I speak to and preach to my fellowmen
About the need to politically be "born again"

Polemic stances such as these, of course, won't surprise anyone familiar with Faison's other works - namely her contributions to the anti-war (Iraq) movement, "Poets Against The War." In fact, many of the pieces in 28 Days can easily serve as revolutionary fodder in their own right. Consider this passage from "A Slave's Revolt," detailing Nat Turner's insurrection of 1831:

"they bled a dark people of life running through
their veins, mocked them with husbands, wives, and
mulatto baby cries until it was, to no surprise,
a justified rebellion, a righteous revolt, a song
of silent amen's."

At its heart, 28 Days Of Poetry bravely continues the ongoing task of reminding us all that African-American history and American history are one and the same, conveyed most effectively in these lines taken from the opening poem, "Celebrate":

"Acknowledge Black history on any day.
Allow freedom to ring in the noblest way."

While she may only have intended for it to be celebrated during Black History Month, Faison's collection is a treasure that MUST be hailed every day of the year.

28 DAYS OF POETRY CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY, reminds me of a Reader's Digest version of a stirring novel. It houses an eclectic collection of poems celebrating the legacy of gifted, charismatic, African-Americans. With added accounts of slavery and the civil rights movement, Ms. Faison paints vivid pictures of the south during a time when America was split in half. Readers will be able to lose themselves in biographical poems that highlight Black inventors, innovators, and leaders. The poems are varied in how they inspire; 'B.L.A.C.K. H.I.S.T.O.R.Y.' fills the heart, 'S.L.A.V.E. Q.U.A.R.T.E.R.S. fuels the mind, while 'Buffalo Soldiers' gives a prideful account of some of the first men of color to fight for America's freedom.

Ms. Faison uses the short biographies to capture the attention of young readers. From noted celebrities of yester-year: Benjamin Banneker, Charles Drew, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, and Phyllis Wheatley to more current names: Dr. M.L. King and Rosa Parks, readers are given a treat. This is an empowering collection that adds value to the endurance and stamina of a people who have transcended and continue to rise.

Kudos to Ms. Faison for such inspiring poems that give honor to whom honor is due. Persons desiring a succinct accountability of African-American history will regret not having a copy.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I too am an author who likes to write poetry about Black History and I could not put this book down. It even taught me a few things. This book should be distributed amoungst schools, especially during Black History Month (February) and Poetry Month (April).

As you read each poem, you can feel Faison's pride as an African American come through. In this book, she cover's topics like Hurricane Katrina, and The Million Man March. She also teaches us about the accomplishments and achievements of people like Phillis Wheatley, Benjamin Banneker, and Charles Richard Drew just to name a few. If you don't know who these people are, I suggest you pick up a copy of "28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History", and prepare to be enlightened.

My favorite poems were, "Slave Questions", "Buffalo Soldiers", "Riding the Bus with Rosa Parks" and "I Thought I Was Free". Here are a couple of stanzas from my favorite of all, "Reflections Eternal".

"We built our hope on nothing less
Than God-given rights and His justice
Now we can stand proud and free
As we vividly reflect on our history

We've come so far, yet the road is long
As the struggle continues, we must stay strong
For each reflection etched in our minds
Is hope and power to survive these times"

Many times we try to find a way to remember important things that happened in the past; what better way than in verse? Latorial Faison's 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History, helps to remind us of the important people that contributed to the African American history.

Each verse carried a piece of history, whether it was centuries ago, or a few years ago. Can you say that you know about Fatou, Benjamin Banneker, or Fredrick Douglass? After you read Faison, you can say that you do. The great thing about this selection of poetry is that it can be equally appreciated by children of all ages.

Faison's 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History will give families something to enjoy together. I recommend this to anyone that really has a passion for poetry, and to parents that want to expose their children to new things and the people of African American history and poetry.


Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Great CD set for anyone who likes to escape the talk radio and wordly music while driving.

Alexander Scourby's experience as a Shakespearian actor shines through in this beautiful rendering of the bible. The tenor of his voice and perfect intonations makes it easy to imagine this is a character that has lived in the bible era and is simply recounting his experiences back then.

Well done audio recording of the entire Bible. Very listenable, especially New Testament tracts. Scourby does a good job of personifying the Word without over-dramatizing.

Years ago I had the King James Bible on cassette, read by Alexander Scourby. It was getting really old and needing replaced. I had someone recommend another King James version audio Bible, so I ordered one. My husband and I were very disappointed, and agreed the other readers were not nearly as good as Alexander Scourby. So I ordered this one again, and was SO glad I did. I hadn't listened to my old audio Bible in a long time, since the cassettes were in such bad shape, and I had forgotten how very REAL and "authentic" Alexander Scourby reads. He makes the Bible really come alive...seems like he takes you back to those days he is reading about! I would highly recommend this audio Bible...you will not be disappointed!

Please purchase this Holy Word. I can say listening to the Holy Bible has changed my life, has helped me when sad, lonely, depressed and angry. Has even helped me get a job to this day! Even though Alexander Scourby speaks the Word. The real glory goes to Jesus Christ and our Father God and no other. That's why this product is so powerful, because Jesus Christ and God controls it.

But to review, this is a great DVD. You have to get this DVD, for example when you get it listen to Psalm 22, which is
"1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?2O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent 3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them." And more.

But when you listen to that Psalm he really acts it out. So you all know thats the chapter that prophecies Jesus Christs death on the cross. But he just doesn't speak the verse, when he acts the verse out, you can feel the strain, pain, and wearinees in his voice, as the writer supposedly would have said it in Psalm 22. Other books and chapters he acts the verse out to how they would seem to say it. For example, when Jacob lets all his children go to Egypt with Benjamin, you can hear a cry in his voice which is acted out "If I be bereaved, I'm bereaved". That only makes the Bible easier to listen too, it's more than a book, the Word comes while you listen and it comes alive in your life. But may all glory be given to God. This is a GREAT BUY!!! I FINISHED THE WHOLE BIBLE FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION. ONLY BE CAREFUL, SOMETIMES YOU CAN FALL ASLEEP WITH THIS GOOD BIBLE READING, BUT GOD BLESS ALL YOU CHRISTIANS.
-MARK 13

Written by columnist and polka dancer Bob Dolgan, America's Polka King: The Real Story of Frankie Yankovic and His Music is the true-life story of ethnic Slovenian and Cleveland native Frankie Yankovic, winner of the first Polka Grammy, whose hit, upbeat tunes earned him international fame and fortune. Chapters cover his turbulent life, his service in World War II, the loves of his life including the bitter end to his first marriage, raising his children, and of course, the absolutely stunning and smashing popularity of his music. Black-and-white photographs, an extensive discography, and an index round out this appealing survey of the sunshine and shadows in a groundbreaking musician's life.

This was a great book about Frankie Yankovic. Bob Dolgan did a great job on this book and should be commended. I grew up on Frankie because my dad loved his music, as I grew older, I appreciated more the music and the man behind it. Yankovic truly sacrificed allot especially his family life. This book covers everything, there were some things that kind of bothered me, not that the book had anything to do with that, but I guess things that I learned about Yankovic that really told me more of who he was. I reccommend this book not only to Yankovic fans and fans of polka music but anyone who loves the history of music. Great book!!!

My husband and I found "America's Polka King" to be the most interesting book we have read in a long time. The book is subtitled "The real story of Frankie Yankovic and his Music" and although Yankovic is the focal point of the book and a person who has done remarkable things for the polka genre, we also found the side stories of other musicians and incidents to be absolutely fascinating.

Frankie Yankovic was the most famous polka musician in U.S. history but this book also brings other legends (guys like Johnny Pecon and George Cook)to life for us, and explains their influence on the music and the musicians of today. Until we fell in love with this music we did not realize that Cleveland and the surrounding area was a "hotbed" of such incredible talent in those early years. Frankie Yankovic was quite an interesting individual who sacrificed much of his personal life for his love of polka music, but when put in the context of the other musicians of his era, the music, and the times - the book is even more than his story. It is a history of the Cleveland-style music that is so loved by so many today.

We took turns reading the book (should have bought two copies!), laughing at the stories, and saying to one another: "Did you know............?" Bob Dolgan does an excellent job of bringing these people to life and you will enjoy the book thoroughly.

In 1977, the author, Bob Dolgan, wrote a book entitled "The Polka King" about the life and times of Frankie Yankovic. That book has been out-of-print for many years. In his new book "America's Polka King," Dolgan revisits much of what he covered in 1977, but additional information and subjects are covered because Yankovic lived another twenty-one years after the 1977 book was published.

Cleveland has been internationally renowned for its symphonic Orchestra since shortly after it was formed in 1918. In the late 1900s, we became the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. In between these two events, however, Clevelanders knew--and danced to--a different kind of music. This music was by Frank, as in Yankovic, the man who made the words `polka' and `Cleveland' nearly synonymous from the late thirties until his death in 1998. In fact, in 1948 Yankovic won the first of his three titles as America's Polka King three times running when the competition was new. (It was sponsored by the major record companies, each of which had at least one polka band in their collection.)

He won the first-ever Grammy Award for polka music. Just his name alone drew the largest crowds ever to many dance halls throughout the midwest during a time of less mobility than in our current era. It was also a time when the media wasn't always busy creating the new hotshot.
Ten famous accordionists played for his funeral--one of the largest ever seen in Cleveland.

Recently-retired sportswriter for the Plain Dealer, Bob Dolgan, who knew Yankovic when they were both hardly more than pups, has written an engaging book about "America's Polka King - the real story of Frankie Yankovic." Yankovic, who was not born in Cleveland, certainly made it his homebase (as much as anywhere) for most of his adult life. Dolgan tells it like it was--the shiny and the tarnished parts--without dwelling on those bits that might possibly be considered a tad unsavory. This is a portrait of a real person.

Yankovic was a natural on the stage--a born entertainer, who loved what he did, unqualifiedly, and made sure the people in the audience enjoyed themselves as well. The ones who suffered most were his family--wives and children who remained behind in Cleveland, while he toured for 325 days a year. The flip side of that is that he earned an excellent living by doing so, and none of his three wives or ten children ever went without anything he (or they) thought they needed--except for his presence or companionship.

It may come as a surprise to some to discover that polkas are not exclusively Polish. There are many differences between the Polish and Slovenian varieties, and Yankovic was entirely Slovenian. Once he learned how to play the accordion, he was a gifted musician, able to write lyrics to go with melodies that he wrote, or to put American lyrics to older Slovenian or Italian folk songs. Either way, he quickly made the new song his own, and happily shared with his huge audience. His biggest hits were "Blue Skirt Waltz," "Just Because" and "In Heaven There is no Beer".

Dolgan also honors other Cleveland polka greats: Johnny Pecon and his sons Jeff and John, Jr., Lou Trebar, Eddie Habat, Kenny Bass, Johnny Vadnal, Jimmy Sturr, George Staiduhar, Dan Wojtila, Don Wojtila, Ed Sumrada, Tony Petkovsek and Joey Miskulin. There are photos, an index and a splendid discography, in addition to the history of Cleveland through the 1900s, told as a framework to the man and his music.

It's too bad that Yankovic didn't listen (or pay attention) to another popular song of his era, however. "You Always Hurt the One You Love," might have saved him some heartaches along the way. Or maybe not. He was one of a kind--a showman through and through, and as Dolgan says, "He brought a lot of joy to a lot of people." Not a bad epitaph, after all.

As I read this book I couldn't help but feel all the pain, the hurt, the acomplishments, that Angelique so rarely recieved. Throughout the book your heart stops at the moments of triumph. As you read on you can't help but wis that the book never ends, and that you can keep it locked in your heart forever.
Angelique's books encluding this one will go down in history for the most magical and loved books of all time. Bie.~

As there is no provision for Angelique and the Sultan (or Angelique in Barbary as it is known in some English translation versions)to be reviewed separately, I have decided to enter it in this section as it is the sequel to Angelique and the King. At the end of that book, Angelique decides to pursue an unknown destiny - she has part of the key to the lock, but not all of it ... at the start of Angelique and Sultan she discovers ever more tasty morsels. Well, actually those morsels are for us the reader - eager to know more, but even with the surprises and little hints that we get we are still left with not a bowl of water to quench our thirst, but a colander with the water slowly yet inexorably seeping away! Aaaah! yes, it's all worthy of a scream of frustration - the desire to know more, the carrots being dangled. Then peace and tranquillity dawn once more, the authors weave their magic by taking us away from the frustrations and thrusting us into the peaceful and romantic nature of calm sea waters and blissful colours and smells emanating from the mysterious near-east - until that is the new adventure begins. We have to put our clues on hold and follow the madness with which our heroine has become entangled - we fear only for her safety, everything else can wait. But we get a few more clues at one point - clues which are so obvious we decide not to set too much store by them as they are obviously red herrings! This book, like its successors, speeds you along wanting to get to the next chapter of this overwhelming adventure that has a long way to run yet.

I loved the first part of the book. The Golons have an incredible talent for incorporating historical and fictional characters. The reign of Louis XIV is my favorite period in history and thus I was eager to see how he and other members of his court were portrayed. The King's portrayal was wonderful and very true to his character. Angelique's interactions at the Court were very well written and the intrigues were in the spirit of one of my favorite novelists, Alexander Dumas. However, not everything worked. Philip's transformation came a little bit too quick and without much explanation. His infatuation with Angelique was apparent in the first book but he seemed to have mellowed in the middle. This change came too unexpectingly and overcame him completely. What happened to the gradual and slow change in emotions, so masterfully done with Angelique's feelings toward Count de Peyrac in the first book? Of course, Philip is a different character who is quite complex but the Golons did not capitalize on his complexity. The ending was a little bit weak but very rewarding for the fans of the series. The first part is tramendous. The rest has a few bumps but is still great. It is better than "The Road to Versaille" but not as good, on the whole, as the first book.

Of the first 5 books in the Angelique series, this is my favorite, because it portrays so many different facets of human nature. This book ravishes you with emotion, especially referencing to Philippe, as well as Luis XIV, both of them being so desperately needy. This book is riveting in its accounts of the court of the Sun King, the the plotting and scheming, the power plays, the decadence and the glory. Each scene grabs you and holds you as you breathlessly read on, hoping the book will never end.

I looked forward to reading this book again, knowing now that I would have the opportunity of "reviewing" it on this page. That made me think a bit more (my first 2 reveiws were spontaneous and without much pre-thought)about why I have always considered this book one of my favourites of the series. As I started to read I felt, once again, a certain frustration in the turnaround of events; in that Angelique had to pursue her beautiful big cousin and finally blackmail him into marrying her (instead of him falling at her feet like so many others did). My memories of previously reading this were that she was almost betraying the memory of Joffrey, whatever her motives - this time I felt more in tune with her motivation - perhaps because I too have re-married (with no blackmail on my part let me add in haste!) This relationship is doomed from the start, although Phillipes' demise is ironical considering his need to primp himself and at all times consider his exterior image. I have a tinge of regret for Angeliques loss but can't help feeling a bit relieved that it had to happen - otherwise how else could the rest of the series have been written? In this relationship Angelique had the sort of teasing and testing of her emotions that at a similar stage of her relationship with Joffrey had never come into play - the authors brilliantly interweave conflicting emotions in two separate relationships. Angeliques star becomes ever brighter after the death of Phillippe with the continued help of devoted servants and her allies from the days of the Court of Miracles, some of whom like her are at Versailles. She succeeds in not only preventing her own death and that of her remaining son Florimond, but manages to overpower the machinations of Montespan and put paid to her threats for the immediate future at least. The short episode of Cantor (where we meet him as a real person for the first time) was sensitively dealt with - the fact that Angelique asked for Phillippes' involvement (here, he was, for once not such a resentful adolescent himself for a change) in the decision making process made his ultimate capitulation to her all the sweeter. Angeliques memory of herself at that age also brings up another query in previous translations of these books. She refers to an incident in Marquise of the Angels when she herself had wanted to leave home - this episode is not evident in all translations. So finally - I can reveal why this book is one of my favourites - in it we are given news that we had not dared hope for, a little like Oscar Wilds "the love that dare not speak its name" - yes, I know this refers to something more specific, but the poignancy of the words evoke strong and powerful emotions. Angelique (and therefore we) are told that the King had pardoned Joffroi, that he had arranged for him not to be burned at the stake and in the course of the transfer from pyre to prison Joffroi had disappeared ....... I, the reader had not even dared to think let alone hope that Angelique and Joffroi would ever be reunited - but after this, knowing there were more books, what more could I want or do but to continue with the series and hope and pray for a successful conclusion wherever it led to ... However, how like a woman - on receiving a gift of this magnitude from the King himself - no less - what does our heroine do? Instead of allowing herself to become the favourite, the Maitresse en titre, the beloved of the king, heaped with riches and comforts and every whim she could hope for - she bites the hand that feeds her and searches for the quickest way out of town and out of his life! Bravo Angelique - a truly modern woman!