Lee Books

Raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm about 15-20 years later than author Ben Logan, I have long since concluded that for me it was the Right Time - Right Place. Logan's living history of family values, relationships and life lessons, told in the context or rural farm life, lets me relive my life through his, and glean our mutual past for the source of our values. I just read The Land Remembers for the second time. I think I'll read it every year.

I'm biased, because I'm from Gays Mills, WI (I used to mow Leita Slayton's lawn!) - but I recently re-read it, and was surprised at how many of the anecdotes and images I remembered were actually from The Land Remembers, and not from Steinbeck or anyone else better-known. Parts of this book will stay with you for years and years. It's like going home again every time I pick it up.

This is one of those books I will always remember. My children were young when I read it and I felt that it contained many lessons on how to be a good parent. And all in the context of very enjoyable reading. The story about learning to use the horse drawn cultivator shows how a parents help their child develop self-confidence, which is something I see so many people lacking. I can't say enough good things about this gem of a book.

This book is full of humor and spends wonderful time on how a farm is run, explaining the land, the chores, the wonder of living on a farm. Ben's antics with his brothers are delightful, and his account of his evenings with his family are memorable. I read this anytime I need a lift, and share its richness with anyone who will listen.

One room school house, the changing of the seasons and the farm chores for each one...a memior of one man's boyhood experiences. I liked this book and my husband liked it even more than I did. He was born and raised in rural WI, picking rocks, milking, and going sledding with his brothers. This book is well written and reads like a time capsule...the people & chores on a family farm. I would have given it a perfect 5 stars, but there is too much about bees. Less bee watching and the author would have a classic here. Great that his story goes full circle. We learn what happens to the people we've read and cared about...which is always gratifying to us readers.

I bought a 2nd hand Xpan (1st gen) a year ago but never really know what to do with it. It was left on the shelf when I bought a digital SLR.

After going through this book, I'm back to film and I never leave home without my Xpan.

This is a great book for anyone considering panoramic photography or for those who are new to the format.

This is an excellent book for those interested in making photographic panoramas. It is a little outdated, but still covers the basics of making panoramas with a digital camera. The author is british, so a little of the terminology seems a bit strange to Americans (in a delightful sort of way). It is chock full of beautiful panoramas and the author's explanations of how he made them are very valuable. Good technique is timeless and this book is crammed with useful techniques as well as a very good photograhic philosophy. Being a photographer myself, I very much appreciate Mr. Frost sharing his valuable experience, opinions and outstanding panoramas with us! Lee frost discusses, and evaluates (objectively), all the panoramic cameras I am aware of, and some that I was not. I highly recommend this book for those interested in this subject and for those who simply want to look at and appreciate his beautiful photographs.

When I first began to browse this book I thought that there was nothing new here, especially for a photographer with some experience. It was almost a retelling of other "how to" photographic books, covering basics such as filling the frame, foreground interest and the rule of thirds.

However, on reading through it in more detail, it did cover issues specifically related to panoramic images, such as exposure, filters (especially polarisers), and metering. There were a number of helpful tips, such as using blue-tac to secure filters and center ND filters.

There were some omissions, such as stitching backs and pinhole panoramas, but all in all it covered the equipment side very well. The section on digital stitching was adequate but did not cover the issue of lens nodal points and specialized panoramic tripod adapters. There are now photographers creating giant digital mosaics that are at the 1gig file size level using stitching software such as PTAssembler and hardware such as the Panosaurus Panoramic Tripod Head. Imagine turning a Canon 10D into a 100megapixel camera!

In the end I awarded this book four stars only because I could not award 3.5. I admit though that this is an excellent starting point for someone new to panoramic photography, and all in one handy book.

In recent years, the very portable Hasselblad X-Pan camera has done a lot to (re-)popularise the panoramic format. In addition, digital cameras allow for easy stitching of separate exposures into elaborate panorama images.

In the wake of these developments, a flurry of books discussing or showcasing panoramic photography have appeared. Lee Frost's book brings us the best of both worlds. On the one hand it is a very thorough and practical discussion of the nuts and bolts of making panorama pictures. But given the profusion of eye catching and alluring images on its pages, it can serve as an excellent coffee table book too.

As there are only a few pages on creating "digital joiners", the book is primarily intended for those photographers wanting to make panoramic pictures with a dedicated (analogue) panorama camera. The book's material is conventionally and usefully organised in chapters discussing equipment, composition, exposure and creative techniques.

The book opens with a very complete survey of flatback, swing-lens and rotational cameras on the market today (including even recent additions - such as the Chinese Widepan and Fotoman cameras). Frost discusses pros, cons and quirks of the many cameras he has used himself. Even an experienced panorama photographer will pick up useful things here. Less conventional solutions - such as using a panoramic adaptor on standard medium format cameras or a panoramic back on a view camera - are included in the discussion too.

The chapters focusing on the practice of taking panorama pictures are all eminently practical and complete. The discussion is hands-on and doesn't avoid specifics: exactly what is needed to carry over the learning to one's own practice in the field. In fact, these sections are recommended reading for any photographer, not just those interested in panorama pictures.

Very interesting also are the closing chapters on presenting and selling panoramics, where Frost gives us a peek behind the curtains on how he runs his business as a professional photographer.

The tone of the book is pleasingly personal (although not quite as personal as Barry Thornton used to be). Despite the wealth of practical tips and hints, Frost manages to convey the excitement of practicing this kind of photography in a narrative that makes frequent reference to specific moments or experiences in his development as professional photographer. That results in a text that is approachable and pleasant to read, though never banal. The personal tone is reinforced by the extensive captions to the photos, in which Frost narrates the specific conditions in which the picture was taken. Very helpful also is that all photos in the book are annotated with camera, lens, filters and film used.

A final appreciative note, perhaps, for the pleasing layout of the book and its careful production.

At the end of this book, author Andy Hamilton reassures Konitz that it will become a classic of jazz literature. I guess Hamilton was speaking at least half tongue-in-cheek, but, for what it's worth, I also think he's probably right.

As it's been said elsewhere, the author's editorial prowess is phenomenal, and the proof is that the book is extremely easy to read, while, at the same time, it is packed with information and insight. Hamilton has also been able to engage Konitz in some interesting discussions, like his views on several musicians - Anthony Braxton, most memorably - or his assessment of his own playing, and on the actual physical and psychological aspects of the process of improvising music.

This is pretty close to my ideal book on a jazz musician, where the subject has the chance to tell his story while speaking freely to a knowledgeable counterpart.

Highly recommended.

I found this book to be one of the most clear, informative and honest books in jazz literature that I have ever read.
Lee comes across as a candid, humble man, a servant to his art.
Through the conversational and well researched style that the writer Andy Hamilton adopts, Lee Konitz offers many realistic, straightforward insights into his life and study: and the lives of those around him.
As a jazz musician myself, this book opens many doors of perception.
It cuts through the myth and hyperbole that often surround the lives of the truly great ones in this wonderful artform.
Highly recommended!

In this book of lively conversations on the improviser's art, Lee Konitz talks about all aspects of his music, from his beginnings (as a student of the clarinet, during the late 1930s) to the early years of the new century, and he does so with great candour. There's lots about the Cool School of playing and Konitz's musical mentor, the blind pianist Lennie Tristano. Tristano's music ran on a parallel track to bebop, but because it wasn't such a hot, sweaty affair it's been dismissed as a pallid version of the real thing, cerebral and abstract, disconnected from feelings, a music to be analysed by beard-strokers rather than enjoyed by foot-tappers. Konitz dismisses these false distinctions and emphasises both the vitality and originality of Tristano's music - points supported by several musician-contributors to the book.

The criticisms and comments that Konitz offers are frank, thoughtful and well-argued. Several of the chapters cover specific decades in his career. Others include: Formative Influences; Working with Tristano; Early Collaborators; The Art of Improvisation; The Instrument; The Material. Embedded within each of the chapters is a series of brief interviews with musicians, most of whom have worked on the bandstand with Konitz or recorded with him, including John Zorn, Phil Woods, Mike Zwerin, George Russell, Clare Fischer, Sal Mosca, Alan Broadbent, Sonny Rollins, Rufus Reid, Ornette Coleman, Harold Danko, Wayne Shorter, Paul Bley, John Tchicai, Greg Osby, Martial Solal and Evan Parker. Although this is fundamentally a book of interviews, Andy Hamilton provides scene-setting introductions to each of the chapters, explanatory links between subsections, and brief comments that help the reader better to contextualise the interview material. His contributions are considerable, but they're done with such a light touch the attention remains firmly on Konitz throughout.

Although Konitz broke with the Tristano school, Tristano's foremost `disciple', tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh, remained in a strong creative partnership with him until the late 1970s. Marsh is undoubtedly the saxophonist whom Konitz admires most, and Konitz's aesthetic, sound and approach to improvisation owe perhaps more to Marsh than any other player. He contrasts Marsh's approach with that of several other major players, including Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, whose solos relied to some degree on pre-prepared material. Throughout the book, there's much useful discussion about the philosophy of music-making.

Konitz is a great talker, with lots of interesting things to say about his own music and the music of Marsh, Tristano, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Parker, Coltrane, Charles Mingus and a host of others, and the book is peppered with valuable comments about `the jazz life'.

This is clearly one of the best books about jazz I ever red. I'd put it next to P.Pettinger's "How My Heart Sings", J Szwed's "Space Is The Place" or E.Jost's "Free Jazz".
Pretty differently, here author chooses an original, extensive interview format, augmented by short essays written with the complete approval -and corrections, is said- of Mr.Konitz himself. Many great insight and analisys of this great, epocal musician are offered for a good work of comprehension of the complexity of Lee Konitz music and his belonging to jazz tendencies such Cool Jazz and Tristano's and others, his relations to many major jazz figures.

Despite Lee Konitz's illustrious career, there had not been a book-length treatment of his music and life until Andy Hamilton's book appeared. There have been numerous published interviews with him, but none is as informative, thorough, or enlightening as this book. Considering that Mr. Konitz is much better known in other countries than in the U.S., it is no wonder that an Englishman decided to write a book on him. One of the things that I liked about the book is that the artist got involved in the process, for example, proofreading the text himself. This lends a high degree of authenticity to the book. In addition to the interviews with Mr. Konitz, there are a number of shorter interviews with other musicians, which are also intriguing. This is an exciting and enjoyable book and I highly recommend it.

I can't add much to what's already been said. Adrianne has never written a bad book but this one is something special. Loved Kane and Carleen's story. If you haven't checked her out, you don't know what you're missing!

Carleen Ellison wakes up unsure where the last week went, or what happened to her little boy. Someone else is pretending to be her, and her ex-husband is playing along. Carlie runs to Kane Kindacid, the man she once loved -- the father of her son -- for help.

Kane doesn't know what to make of Carlie's story, but he's sure she's the real deal. Just as he's sure he never got over her, even after she married his cousin. And now he has to help her rescue the son he never knew he had. Will he be able to let her ago again when this mess is finally worked out?

Adrianne Lee writes a compelling mystery and a great romance about a love that never truly died.

What a fantastic read this is. I almost didn't buy it since it's a secret child book but Adrianne has never led me wrong and she didn't this time either. Don't miss this one!

LITTLE BOY LOST is an all around winner. I literally could not put it down until I found out who the bad guy was and all the truths came out. Carleen has to get her son back from the woman pretending to be her. Everybody thinks she's the imposter! Soooo scary and suspenseful. Great book!

This one was no different. She has the most distinctive writing styles of any romance author today. You won't be able to put the book down once you start. Don't miss her!

I could not put this book down. Read it in one day. Was disappointed that I had nothing to read when I was finished. LOL Great characters. Great story line. Great author.

This story starts with a bang (you just wait and see!)- it is exciting from the first page and continues throughout the novel. The love blooms slowly enough to be realistic as does faith. Though clearly Christian, this would be spectacular for non-believers/new-believers as the Christian themes are not as in-your-face as in many Christian romance novels. It is weaved in such a way that, while I was completely aware of the Christian themes, at times I forgot I was reading a Christian book. Very well written.

I was very excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. Both the romance and the plot moved along gradually and sweetly, nothing too forced or unrealistic. And just when I thought the book was about to end, the plot twisted and turned, and made the ending even sweeter. I love to see the drastic change in Walker and the vast difference in Libby when she's out west, and Libby when she's "home." This story is a beautiful christian romance that I highly recommend, one that I intend to keep and read on my next rainy day. This is the first of Robin Lee Hatcher's books that I've read, and I'm sure I'll be reading more of hers in the future.

This is such a wonderful story!!! I never read any books by this author so when I saw this one I thought I would give it a try. It was a perfect book to sit and read on a rainey day. I couldnt put it down. I will defently be reading more books my this author in the future.

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (2/06)

When Remington Walker trespasses on Blue Springs Ranch, Libby Blue thinks he is her ruthless neighbor Bevins skulking in the shadows. She fires her shotgun in warning, but she shoots him. Fearing she has committed murder, she discovers the wounded man is not who she thought. Libby drags him inside and nurses him back to health. Soon Remington becomes involved in the joys and sorrows of the hard-working ranch life. He befriends Sawyer-son of the deceased ranch foreman-whom Libby is raising. He intervenes when Bevins threatens Libby. He helps with the cooking and other chores.

Remington and Libby fall in love, but their relationship is built on a shaky foundation of lies. More than six years ago, Libby fled her controlling father, Northrop, who insisted on a loveless marriage for her that would bring him greater wealth. Loath to marry a man who didn't share her faith, Libby eluded her father by changing her name and hiding on the sheep ranch. Relentless in his quest to get her back, Northrop has hired one of the best detectives to locate her-Remington.

The detective doesn't tell Libby who he is or how he came to Idaho. As they work to save the struggling ranch and keep it out of Bevins's control, Remington wrestles with his role in ruining Libby's life and forcing her to go home. He resolves to deny finding her, return his fee to her father and stay in Idaho. But he doesn't come clean soon enough and, in the way of all lies, the deception is too complicated for truth to triumph easily. Their lives may be destroyed when another of Northrop's detectives finds them both.

Hatcher's book offers enough attraction and romance to make the developing relationship interesting. She also depicts Libby's faith well. She is an example to Remington who renounced his beliefs years ago when Northrop ruined his father. Remington slowly returns to his relationship with God, abandoning his methodical pursuit of revenge. Truth prevails and love overcomes deceit, revenge and fear.

This book is helpful as it has six stories instead of the five it was originally released with, the last WORLDS WITHOUT END being a particular favourite of mine

As a longtime Silver Surfer fan, who didn't managed to keep very many issues over the years, I am delighted to find a collection such as this. I am not at all disappointed with my purchase, but will have to struggle a bit to limit my reading of this to just a few times so that I can keep it in pristine condition.

The art of this collection is exquisitely beautiful, as always with Silver Surfer stories. "Masterworks" is truly an appropriate title because both the art and storytelling are masterful, treating Stan Lee's greatest character creation (in my opinion) with the loving care a masterpiece deserves.

The stories in this book very much embody the true essence of Silver Surfer and everything that is wonderful about his saga. Please excuse any gushing in my descriptions, but I am sure that many other female Surfer fans feel the same way I do about this amazing character.

Having read the six stories in this book without pausing, I am once again mesmerized and awed by the many exceptional qualities of my favorite superhero: self-sacrifice, insight, humanity despite not being human, kindness, trusting nature, sensitivity, the ever-cool surfing the solar winds skills, quick thinking, ability to look at the big picture, amazing speed, no apparent Achilles heel (other than a trusting and kind nature), purity of motives and spirit, no human flaws such as greed or pride, compassion, tremendous power, etc. Also, his expressions are often incredibly endearing; for example, frequent expressions of surprise and delight, which contrast nicely to his normal stoicism. The unique and engaging villains are also an interesting element in these tales.

The morals and values present in these stories are highly significant. I believe kids should definitely be encouraged to read them. Parents striving to raise decent human beings, and the heroes of our future, would do well to encourage this pursuit because the lessons in this book are well worth learning.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles, and Silver Surfer fan

If the comics are reprinted under the Marvel Masterworks title, it's gotta be a masterpiece, and the Silver Surfer stories written by Stan Lee are definitely classics.

The Silver Surfer has always been one of my favorite comic characters, unfortunately, there were never many Silver Surfer books. This TPB collects the first 6 issues of the original Silver Surfer story. Written by legend among comic creaters, and founder of Marvel, Stan Lee, and pencilled by a lengend in his own right, John Buscema. Together they bring us one of the best comics of Marvel, the origin of the Silver Surfer. Originallt named Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfers acquired his powers of the cosmos when the almighty Galactus threatened to destroy Norrin Radd's home planet. To save his planet Norrin Radd became Galactus's herald looking for other planets for Galactus to devour, in the process, acquiring his powers. But when the Silver Surfer defied Galactus when he tried to devour Earth, Galactus trapped the Surfer on Earth. But even though the Surfer save Earth from being destroyed, the humans did not know it and always thought of the Silver Surfer as a menace, too blinded by the fact that he's different to see his good will. On Earth, the Sufer will fight many villains, including a misterious alien race, Mephisto, and even the Mighty Thor, but only because he was decieved by the evil Loki. But even after all he has done the human race just cannot except him, instead they hate and fear him. This book is beautifully written, wonderful story, and great read.

If you're a Silve Surfer fan, this is a must-have, beautifully restored and you are bound to enjoy it.

The reason I give this four stars, not five, is because I didn't like the first two issues collected very much. They are OK, but the series really gets going with issue 3, in which he battles Miphisto for the first time and which is one of the greatest Marvel comics ever! I didn't really care much for Silver Surfer before reading this issue, which captures his unique personality, nobility and charm extremely well. I read the issue without any prior knowledge that issue 3 was regarded as a classic so there was no preconceived notions on my part. I liked it based on its merit alone. Later, I found out that the story is highly regarded in many circules and all I can say is that it truly deserves to be called a classic. Issues four and onwards maintain a high quality also, although not as good as the flawless issue 3. And Buscema's art is brilliant. As much as I like Kirby, he draws the Silver Surfer much, much better. This is even better than his early Conan work, in which he kind of drew Conan looking a bit too weak for my tastes. And I never really held Stan Lee in such high regard before reading the Masterworks volumes. I always thought he was just a self-promoter but his work stands well on its own. The fact that he and Kirby created so many classic characters is testament to his talent as a writer/creator.

I read these when they first came out and they were my instant favorites--the issues featured some of Lee's best writing and art by Buscema (always great). What more could one want? You can read some of the other reviews for summaries, but issue #5 won the "Academy Award" for best comic that year and it holds up well over time.

As I re-read these issues, I was still impressed by everything, but I can also see why the series didn't last. For most comic readers of the time (perhaps today as well), the Surfer is sometimes overly preachy and the conflicts (inner and outer) are very serious with none of the humorous banter that shows up in the FF or the wise-cracking Spiderman. Though originally created by Jack Kirby, the Surfer as taken over by Lee and Buscema becomes more like the early Ditko Spiderman who can't ever get a break. However, Marvel was reaching for an older audience (hence the "expensive" 25 cent larger size), and, unfortunately, it didn't work well enough. The last few issues (in the second volume) are a disappointment as Lee drops back to a smaller comic size and lower price and introduces guest-star battles. Even so, these Surfer issues remain one of Marvel's (and Stan Lee's) brightest accomplishments.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a well-written historical romance with a Beauty and the Beast theme. This book also has a slight Phantom of the Opera connection; a mysterious man with facial deformities, who wears a mask to hide his ugliness. Wrestling with the demons he perceives are a result of his scarring, he falls in love with a simple honest, but beautiful woman. In this tale, we are shown how her love ultimately provides redemption for him, and a normal life. This is not "high" literature. It is a lusty "bodice ripper", although it is not graphic or over-blown. The characters are interesting and we want to see them succeed in their search for happiness. I would recommend "The Mask" as a good way to spend a hot, lazy day. Ms. Poff has done an excellent job!

Donna Lee Poff’s THE MASK is a wonderful example of a beautifully constructed Beauty and the Beast tale. From page one the reader will be totally mesmerized by the magically created cast of characters.

Galen Tarrant, Lord of Rosethorn, returns from the Crusades after an eleven-year absence to reclaim his land. Having been captured and savagely tortured by an archenemy, he now hides half of his face behind a mask. On a late night outing he happens upon Anne of Thornberry, the carpenter’s daughter. He is enchanted by this dainty "wood elf" who sits in the forest, with not a care in the world. Her innocence gives him the strength to once again trust in mankind. Her zest for life will shed light on his dark, tortured soul.

Anne of Thornberry, a fresh-faced village girl, is naive to the evils in which the world contains. On a fateful moonlit night she meets with Galen Tarrant, a dark, mysterious stranger. In her eyes she sees Galen as being perfect in every way possible. Her greatest challenge will be to convince Galen he is not the Beast he is convinced he has become. Little does she know danger looms in the shadows. A madman is determined to reek havoc once again, and finish the vengeance he once started.

THE MASK is a much treasured book. Its value is priceless in my library. It is one of those books, which can be read a thousand times over, and each time find something new and exciting. A word of caution - have plenty of Kleenex on hand when you experience it for the first time. Being so close to the characters, you will feel their pain and suffering as it enfolds before your eyes.

This was one of the best books i have ever read! Miss Poff really hit the mark! It is hard to find but it is worth every cent and more..!I couldn't put it down and was up half the night finishing it. It is very true to reality and you can easily picture what is being described. I love it and am very glad i decided to buy a copy for myself. A must read!

I also enjoy the "Beauty and the Beast" premise and I was not disappointed. This story made me laugh and cry. What more can a reader ask? Ms. Poff makes a wonderful debut and I eagerly await additional books by this author.

I don't think I can adequately describe how I feel about this book.
I do not normally care much for a plot that has kids as some of
the central charaters, however, in this case, Derek & Lyssa add
much to an already stellar read.

I loved everything about this book. This author has such promise,
and I hope I can find she is still writing books under another name, because it would be a shame if this is the only book she has
ever wrote.

This book touched me in a way similar to how Cordia Byer's
"Lady of the Night" did. It was beautiful, sensitive, and
well written. All of the characters came to life; I felt like I
was in the book with them. They felt so real.

It was a mostly serious book, however, the few funny moments it
had were hysterical! When Derek peeks under Galen's covers &
declares "he doesn't have a stitch on under there!", I laughed
so hard, I thought I'd break a rib. Another funny moment, earlier in the book, was when Lyssa took Bryan's hand in an
attempt to comfort him, and the guards snickered. It was cute,
tender, & funny.

It did take much of the book for Anne to see Galen with just
his mask, let alone the scene where he finally whips it off &
shows her his scarred face. But it was timed perfectly. I am
telling you, Donna Lee Poff knows how to write!

The only thing that I might have found annoying (and in a remote
way at that), was the constant reference from Galen to Anne as
his 'wood elf'. This was similar to Connor constantly calling Rebecca 'wee Becca' in "The Runaway Duke" by Julie Anne Long
(another excellent book, by the way). I did not let this term
of endearment get to me. I just took it for what it was & let
it go at that.

The end is full of shockers, if you have never read a romance, but if you have read romance, and follow the clues carefully, it won't be a shock to your system. Donna Lee Poff's writing style
in regards to mystery reminds me very much of Lynsay Sands writing style.

I could go on & on (I already have, really), but I can't say
enough about this book.

Donna Lee Poff, if you are out there & reading this, please,
please, PLEASE pen at least one more book! PLEASE!!! You are
such a talent.

This book was so fun to read, and so engaging, that I could not put it down. The characters are very real and endearing, and the plot line makes the reader think about how different people will see right and wrong differently. You gotta read this book!

Very engaging story. Characters are likable, plot is well paced. The sequel is great, too.

If your child or student doesn't like historical fiction, try them on this one. They won't be able to put it down. The book also has enough period details to make it great supplemental reading for an American history unit.

i couldn't put this book down! It was utterly depresing when the book ended!

Much like the "dimer novels" Sallie enjoys reading in this novel, "The Misadventures of Maude March" gets off to a rollicking start and continues at this fast and furious pace. Bank robberies, mountain lions, ornery mules, shooting, snake attacks, outlaw gangs--it is full of everything a reader could want. When Sallie and Maude are orphaned by the stray bullet from a dimer hero Joe Harden, they are sent to live with the preacher who sees them as potential maids. Anxious to marry off Maude, the sisters decide to escape in search of long lost Uncle Arlen. Stealing two horses and disguised as boys, they fall into one wild escapade after another. Interspersed are highly exaggerated newspaper articles about Maude's escapades. With its fast action, humor, fully developed and strong heroines, it is a perfect novel to suggest to those readers looking for more than a girl wants boy, chases boy, falls in love type novel.
A great read aloud as well, and one that has enough excitement to appeal to male listeners. A thoroughly enjoyable book, worth 5+ stars!

This book is so great I had a old copy that was my moms when she was litle then mine, so I bought a new one for my daughter it is GREAT, very interesting and good for the imagimation. However there were some coffe stains in the book when the seller listed it as new.

Over the years I continue to love this book. Part of the reason is that it is a well told story involving animals. I also love the drawings.
I recently purchased this book for my niece and for the older children of two families who will be having a new addition. When I was asked to present a child's book to my class in middle school this was the book I chose.

MY DAUGHTER LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH, THAT WHEN SHE WAS SELECTED TO READ TO OTHERS DURING LIBRARY WEEK, SHE CHOSE THE MITTEN. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAVORITE OF OUR FAMILY'S AND NOW I AM ORDERING THIS ONE FOR MY FIRST GRANDCHILD. A READER FROM CA.

Even though I buy them for my daughter, I try not to review items that I owned or remember from my childhood as I feel I am biased towards them simply because of the nostalgic factor. However, I do think I would still love this book even if I had just recently come upon it. For starters it has such vibrant colors with the alternating turquoise background and the bright red and gold Ukrainian clothing. And what child wouldn't love the thought of woodland creatures taking refuge from the snow in his or her lost mitten, although the story is just folklore and the product of a child's imagination...or is it?

What a treasure: the illustrations and the story go hand in hand so wonderfully, quiet and witty and authentic. If you have Slavic roots, the Ukrainian illustrator's work may have extra resonance for you. Yaroslava drew the animals wearing Ukrainian costume, but with subtle touches of real life; this one's boots have creases, see the wrinkles in that one's heavy coat. I always wondered if there was an anti-Soviet subtext to the characters all insisting on sharing one living-space until it bursts at the seams (literally)...

The five stars are granted for reason that this is not only an excellent procedural but a romantic story. The romance snaps into place at the end. I won't disclose the details. Jane Bauer is concerned with something known as the City Hall Park case. She is taken off that case and put on a task force to solve old homicides.

It seems to Jane that the initial session is all hype and cheer-leading. She wonders if other groups got more promising cases. Her team's case is set in a rent-controlled building. Four and a half years later all of the former tenants have moved. Such attrition is unusual.

It is a truism that a detective never loses interest in his old cases. Jane talked to Bracken, the investigating officer, about their case, termed the Quill case. It turns out that suspicious circumstances followed other in habitants of Quill's building.

Jane had grown to love her job in the police force. Retiring from it could be a problem for her. She is to move to a new expensive apartment and is slated to start a new job as an insurance investigator.

She likes the havoc below 14th Street. Most of the people in Quill's building had been sad older people, but not Jerry Hutchins. One of the original investigators thought that he did not fit. She flew to Omaha to pursue the investigation. She was in search of Hutchins. The officer assisting Jane in Omaha is injured. A badly beaten Hutchins is located, eventually. Obviously someone in New York City knew that the trail of the case had shifted to Nebraska.

A child Jane gave up for adoption surfaces. The real victim in the cold case used an alias. The plot is exciting and satisfying.

A great read. Her previous series (Christine Bennett, former nun) was getting a little tired, but with this novel she proves to be a great and versatile writer.

I was very pleased with this new series from Lee Harris, since I felt the Christine Bennett series had gotten stale and silly about three books ago.

Jane is a very likeable character, as is the entire supporting cast. I was a bit put off by the violence towards the end of the book, but I also realized it was necessary to the storyline. The whole thing wrapped up nicely, and it was a book I read at night until I fell asleep with it in my hand.

I look forward to Jane's next adventure.

Detective Jane Bauer is pulled of what she believes to be the case of her career to work with a special unit tackling unsolved crimes. She is planning to leave the NYPD soon for a desk job with an insurance company.

Her new partners are Gordon Defino and Sean MacHovec. It is soon evident that MacHovec prefers to stay in and work the phones. Defino and Jane do the legwork. They were to re-investigate the death of Arlen Quill. Quill had been found stabbed to death in the entry of his apartment building.

When they begin investigating, they find that everyone has moved from the apartment building. Considering that it is a rent-controlled building, this alone is suspicious. Then they find out that there were other deaths that in and of themselves were not suspicious but when you put them all together, they were.

On top of all this, Jane is going through some changes in her life. Recently she split up with Hack. He's married and his daughter was getting suspicious. And she's moving into a new apartment. Then the letter arrives and complicates her life even more.

She ends up going to Omaha to try to find one of the former tenants who might have much needed information. From that trip, she is concerned that she was followed. The case takes on a different tempo. She ends up putting herself in danger in her attempts to solve it.

I really like Jane. She is a complex character but yet she is human. New York is always a great setting for a mystery with a detective for the protagonist.

The plot takes many twists and turns before everything is discovered. It is very well written.

I have always enjoyed Lee Harris' other series starring ex-nun Christine Bennett. The two series are very different and I think that is a good thing.

I highly recommend this new series and cannot wait for the next book to be published.

We're familiar with solving old crimes from the author's ex-nun Christine Bennett series, now some 15 or so books in that set. As devoted fans, we were delighted when Harris set out to give us a new heroine, NYPD Detective Jane Bauer. Bauer is nearing her 20 years of service, with every intention of "pulling the pin" (retiring), but is given a special assignment with several other detectives to solve an old case from years earlier. When Jane discovers that in addition to the murder victim, a few other folks who lived in the same building are also dead, she launches a sequence of investigations that eventually flush out the truth, mostly from clues that were never worked the first time around. Her male sidekicks Defino and MacHovek help her with much of the legwork, but it's Jane's trip to the Midwest that really brings things into focus midway through what turns out to be a fairly complex plot.

While much of the form of this book -- the cold case, the New York setting, and a female lead with both smarts and a winning way of dealing with people -- reminds us of the other Harris series, we have here more of a police procedural without having to rely on "helpers" to track clues from official sources. Jane is a likable gal, as a couple of men that warm up to her in the story find out. Meanwhile, all of Harris's skills are on display, including a plot with just enough intricacy to engage, enough characters to provide variety, and a solid writing style that pleases us from start to finish. We not only recommend this new entree, but will also no doubt anxiously await another outing with Bauer. Will she retire or not ?!