N Books

All I can say is that I am disappointed with this book.

We're expecting our third child and I picked up this book because I liked the title. I figured almost two years worth of information in one book would be nice since we already kind of know about preganacy and the baby's first year. I wouldn't have to read too much with my busy schedule and maybe get one or two good tips I didn't get before. Was I wrong!

This book is not thin, total 317 pages. And yet, it reads so easy and fast (even considering my first language is not English). As I was reading this book, I was amazed how much information this book is packed with! This book covers not only the generic facts on how your baby grows, but also suggests what you can do as parent(s). It also has many wonderful photos.

Dr. Greene covers physical stuff such as nutrition, but also covers how you act and think may affect your baby. He also covers in detail how the baby develops - very informative and I had to read several passages to my husband. His respect and love for the life also can be felt throughout the book which also increased my own respect, awe, wonder, and love for our third baby.

I love to read and I've skimmed through many books on pregnancy, but this one is the best one and I am reading this thoroughly. This is like an all the best books on pregnancy and first year combined in one!

Although I read this book late in my pregnancy, I would recommend it to any expecting parents! I thought that his insight was more direct (and aligned to my own personal philosophies) than most expectant 'mom' books. Dr. Greene's other book, Raising Baby Green (my personal favorite), encouraged me to pick up this one, and I feel as though many moms and dads have a lot to learn from his experience as both father and pediatrician. Every question from should I eat organic to which diapers to use are covered- don't miss out on this book (it would also make a great shower or congratulations gift!)

My wife and I recently were blessed with the birth of our first child. Being new parents we often have felt overwhelmed and extremely inexperienced. Dr. Greene's book has proven informative and comforting in those moments when we needed a little helpful advice. "From First Kicks to First Steps" is easy and fun to read, and is a great resource for anyone with a little one at home or on the way.

Dr. Greene has put together a remarkable guideline that takes expecting couple from pregnancy through toddlerhood. Much like his award-winning children's health website, DrGreene.com, he does this in an engaging style with well-researched information.

Expectant mothers (and fathers) should look no further. This book is destined to be the "must-have" book for parents-to-be.

Daniel Z. Sands, MD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School

Narrated in first-person by 12-year-old Livy Two Weems, Gentle's Holler tells the story of the Weems family living in the Maggie Valley area of the Smoky Mountains in the 1960s. With money hard to come by and 11 mouths to feed, the Weems don't have much. Daddy is a musician and has been trying to sell a banjo hit for years, and with nine children, Mamma is worn out. And what's more, there's something terribly wrong with three-year-old Gentle's vision. Livy Two comes up with a plan to train their dachshund Uncle Hazard to be a seeing eye dog and to teach Gentle how to read braille. But when tragedy strikes, the family struggles to survive and stay together.

From the very beginning of the book, you can hear Livy Two's voice and know instantly that she's spunky, smart, kind, and a bit loquacious. This voice carries through the book, and there were moments throughout when I laughed out loud, as I did here:

"I may come from a big family, but I already know I don't want children. I want my own house all to myself in the holler, and I swear I won't fill it with nothing but banjo music and vases of mountain laurel and plenty of food. My nieces and nephews will be allowed to visit on Saturday from one to two. I want a homemade rocking chair and a granny quilt on the bed and a rug from Persia on the floor. I wouldn't mind a fancy refrigerator or, even better, a record player like other regular folks have, and I would play me all kinds of music from Patsy Cline to Mozart." (pp. 54-55)

I found myself liking Livy Two and caring about what happened to this family, and Kerry Madden never lets the readers forget the poverty that surrounds the family. They're hungry. Livy Two often feels guilty and ashamed for sneaking an extra bite of cornbread, and her older brother Emmett, is angry at their father for letting them starve. They are unable to take Gentle to the doctor to get her eyes examined. When Daddy brings the dog, Uncle Hazard, home, Mama is furious because they now have another mouth to feed.

But despite this, it's evident that the family loves each other, and I was impressed with the way Kerry Madden was able to depict the love and tenderness that existed among this family. On one occasion, the tapping of a woodpecker inspires Daddy to pick up his banjo and start playing. Soon all of the children are singing and dancing, and Livy Two proclaims, "Sometimes our house is filled with so much love and happiness that a body can't hardly stand it." (p. 59)

On another occasion, Livy Two, overhears her sister Louise, trying to teach Gentle the colors through her senses,

"Pretty soon, I hear Louise carrying Gentle through the edge of the woods, telling her all about color. 'Now Gentle, eat this blueberry and you'll understand the color blue. Azure, sapphire, navy, and indigo. That's other names for blue.'" (88)


Gentle's Holler is a book about love, hardship, and hope. Livy Two teaches us to dream big and to never give up when faced with bad news. But she also teaches us to enjoy life regardless of how much or how little you have.

Gentle's Holler was my introduction to the Weems family. Totally enjoyable! Although the book is listed under youth fiction, I (well past youth) found the book absolutely delightful.

Kerry Madden tells a beautiful story in "Gentle's Holler." While on the surface it seems a simple story, it unfolds with a quiet power that resonates with the reader. Although it is written for young people, it held this older reader from first word to the last. And I will pass it on to my young friends and family, recommended highly.

In Gentle's Holler Kerry Madden deftly portrays the difficult lives of this family of ten without losing the musical voice of the 12-year-old heroine. As readers see "Livy Two" grow through her new perceptions of her parents, her older siblings and her blind baby sister, they can experience many wondrous complexities of family dynamics. It's a great read in the tradition of Betsy Byars. Readers who enjoy Gentle's Holler might also enjoy Danger, Long Division, in which a modern Maryland latch-key kid discovers that she has what it takes to help her baby brother who has special needs.

In GENTLE'S HOLLER, Kerry Madden introduced young readers to Olivia (better known as Livy Two) Weems, a twelve-year-old with a passion for books and music. Livy has eight siblings of various ages and tempermants, a sweet mama, and a starry-eyed daddy. Money's tight - Daddy's music fills the heart and ears more than it fills the pocketbook - but the Weems make do, and their household is always bursting with family, love, and music. Livy Two also sings and plays music, often writing songs about the struggles her family has faced and the hardships they've overcome. The story is set in 1960s North Carolina, a beautiful backdrop for this artistic and energetic family.

As the tale progresses, Livy Two watches carefully over Gentle, the next-to-youngest one in the family, who has always had difficulty with her eyes. Meanwhile, the eldest son, Emmett, looks beyond the holler and fixes his eyes on Ghost Town in the Sky, a new place on the top of a mountain where he might be able to get a job. Livy Two's trips to the lending library truck connect her with another kind soul, Miss Attickson, who encourages Livy's voracious appetite for novels and poetry.

GENTLE'S HOLLER is the first in The Maggie Valley Trilogy. The second book, LOUISIANA'S SONG, is just as precious as the first book. I can't wait to read JESSIE'S MOUNTAIN, the final book in the trilogy. This series will be loved by kids and families who enjoyed the All-of-a-Kind Family books by Sidney Taylor, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, and Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.

i actually bought this book for my wifes birthday. it was an idea from my mom, since she found out how big an animal lover my wife (and I) are. i started to read the first chapter before i wrapped it up, and knew right away it would be a tear jerker. all in all, i bought this book because a portion of the proceeds go to Angels Gate. that is terrific for lots of animals out there, and my wife loved the idea of giving something back. if you even like animals, you should get this book. i pray every day now that more people in the world will follow Susan Marino's idea.

Once you open the book, you can't put it down. My husband picked it up to
read the first couple of pages and did not put it down till he was done.
I did the same. Since I did some volunteer work at Angel's Gate during the summer, I was really able to connect with some of the animals and was able to see how much they are loved and cared for.

This book is one that has to be read just to see what people go through when they lose a pet. I never thought I would be the one that was so attached to a pet. But I did for 13 years. Then when it was time. I made sure everything was is place for a pet funeral and made a great headstone for him. He was a loyal friend and I miss him dearly. I know that there are Angels Gates in heaven.

Getting Lucky is for all of us who share our hearts and lives with our animals. This book will make you laugh and cry, sometimes both at once. Beautifully written, with humor,love and sadness that just pulls at your heart. You won't be able to put it down. Angel's Gate is truly a place where "Angels" go to be loved and let go. I dedicate this review to my own angel, Jakob M. who passed on only 1 year ago. I'm grateful that places like Angel's Gate exist and that there are people out there who know just how special these creatures are.

This book is awesome! I recently lost my beloved Black Lab, Molson, who was 11 years old. I felt like I was there with all the pets in this book. I wish I lived near Angel's Gate... I would be there to volunteer in a minute! How wonderful these people are to take on such a heartfelt approach to helping these precious animals. I found myself smiling from ear to ear throughout the whole story! A must for all animal lovers to read!

A.A. literature and independent research make clear the relevance of this little book to the A.A., 12-Step, Recovery picture. See Dr. Bob's Library, 3rd ed.[[ASIN:1885803257 ; DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers ; The Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth [[ASIN:1885803265 ]; The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous[[ASIN:1885803176 ; and Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots and Successes.[[ASIN:1885803079. A.A.'s co-founder Dr. Bob said hundreds of time that 1 Corinthians 13 was an absolutely essential part of the early A.A. program. He thought so much of this Drummond study that he circulated The Greatest Thing in the World widely among the A.A. pioneers. It was part of his library. It was part of his expression of the meaning of love. For that's what the Corinthians chapter and the Drummond book are about.

I heard Larry Burkett highly praise this book years ago so I got one. I agree, this is an awesome book. read just a few pages and it will change your heart to love others more, no matter how grouchy you are at the time. I prefer the older editions of this book, they fit in my purse better

My brother sent me a copy. He liked it so much he brought fifty copies to share with friends. I in turn have purchased copies to give away. It is the Sermon on the Mount, The Gospel of John, and First John all in one by way of expounding upon Paul's great love expose. Gary Trawick.

This book by Henry Drummond is a much-neglected meditation on I Corinthians 13. With kindness and gentle encouragement, Drummond walks the reader through the characteristics of love we all fail so miserably to exhibit in our own lives. Well-written and short, this book should be on the shelf of anyone who is trying to live Scripture.

Hadn't read Henry Drummond's book in years, but I recently picked it up again and re-read it and found it had lost none of its power for me. This book can be read in twenty minutes, but it's a twenty minutes that can change your perception of life and love.

Drummond, who was an inspiring liberal-thinking Christian of the 1800's, divides Paul's chapter on love in First Corinthians into three parts: "love contrasted," "love analyzed," and "love defended." He shows us what love isn't, shows us what it is, and defends it as the "greatest thing in the world." He helps us understand that it is not a burden to love - it's the easiest thing in the world!

This book is one of the most inspiring pieces of Christian literature I've ever read.

One of the biggest changes the theater has seen of late was Disney's successful track record with bringing their story-telling to the stage. As with most of Disney's greatest successes, their efforts were immediately unique as they ignored many of the rules along the way. In the process, their shows introduced a new audience to the wonders of live theater. So it's only appropriate that the coolest book that ever covers the theater experience comes to us from Thomas Schumacher, the head of Disney Theatricals.

A good play begins with its script- its storyline. Here the journey is suggested in text, providing a beginning, middle and an end. Likewise, this book begins with a telling, informative narrative. It describes in simple yet effective words practically every element of the theatrical experience, be it on stage, backstage or in the 3rd row of the balcony. What will you experience from the moment you arrive at the theater all the way through the end of the curtain call? This book and a little imagination provide answers to that question quite fully. But watching a show is only the beginning. We also experience the many house activities, to the backstage work, to belting a song center stage and even at the initial creative meetings. It's quite simple and informative.

Like any play that begins with a good script, the creative job to follow is how to tell that story. For anyone who has seen any of Disney's Broadway shows, you know that their "way" is simply stunning. From THE LION KING's introduction of Simba to MARY POPPINS' flying retreat over the balcony; from TARZAN's use of vertical stage work to AIDA's mix of modern stagework with a classic tale, the Disney audience usually leaves richly experience. So it should come as no surprise that the book is as beautiful and wild an experience as the works it trumpets. Not only is the book a collage of beautiful photographs easily identifiable to the Disney fan, but they are also surrounded by mixed media samples such as removable ticket booklets, script pages and even costume designs.
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON? is a great book for the theater novice and also the seasoned veteran. It's a nice wink to the audience, a pat on the back to the backstage crew, a nod to the creators and a standing ovation to the performers. Check it out!

This is the best book on Theater I have ever seen. The design, story, and the interactive pieces are well put together in this book.

A really great overview of the wonderful world of Broadway! My daughter, (11 years old) who is a musical theater kid, absolutely loves it!

Get this book if you have young children so they can see what goes on back stage. I think it will make them want to see more of the action.

A great book that shows children (and adults) what goes in to putting on a show!

I have to hand it to the author, he certainly knows his horror movies. This book was fun to read; very entertaining and brought back a lot of memories about many of the horror movies I'd seen. If you want some light, funny, laugh out loud reading, this is a great book to read. I'm still boggled by the author's knowledge! Fun read!

As the senior reporter and reviewer for horror dot com, I have seen *a lot* of genre spoofs in my time; but I must say, this book is not only a must-have keeper for any horror fan's library, it's a great gift for friends. I bought a dozen copies. Seriously. (And because of that, I'm doubly-doomed -- wait till you read the part about "how you got this book" ... it's hysterical!) In addition to being just a plain funny (and nicely illustrated) book, the foreword by Wes Craven is worth the price alone.

haha, what's funny is a few days before I found this book on here I finished my list of "101 Helpful Hints to Survive a Horror Movie". This book added a lot of ideas to what will be on my 2nd list!

This books is awesome! Just to put it shortly. You learn helpful hints and skills to survive everything from a living doll to zombies! Fun read that will send horror movie lovers over the edge. Don't hesitate to get!

Best book I have ever read. First there was the Horror movie survival guide now take it one step further and you have the amazing How to Survive a Horror Movie. This is what HMSC should have been which is no discresit to it either it's an amazing tome. Get this or die cause we all do stupid things.

This is the book every single person should own. It will save your life and make you re-evaluate exactly what you've been doing with it. Every so often, a book comes around with the reformative power to change the way you look at the world. This is that book. This is the one and only book you need to live your life.

How to Survive a Horror Movie breaks apart how the world works. Babysitting? Have to make sure you live the night, right? What with all those psycho-killers out there, the voices on the phone and the intense feeling you're being watched, babysitting is more about staying in one piece than it is actually watching kids.

What about possessed dolls? You can't tell me you've never had a doll that turned its head, laughed and started crawling towards you. I wouldn't believe you if you didn't. How do you protect yourself? How do you survive?

Then there's that feeling that maybe you're actually dead...and have been for quite some time. How do you finally come to that realization? This was the hardest lesson for me. Discovering and coming to terms with that will be a complete eye-opener for many people.

I promise you this book will not only provide you insight to your life, but it will also complement your Zombie Survival Guide; taken together, these two novels will help you survive life as we know it.

And honestly, what's more important than that?

I ordered three of these books. They are wonderful and I highly recommend them, especially for families with little ones.

I was lucky enough to meet Laura and experience the joy and enthusiasm that flows so freely when she talks of creating and sharing this wonderful book.

It's a story that tells both sides of a caring relationship, presenting perfect-pitch dialogue that shows there are no limits to the stretch of the human heart when it comes to love.

This may be perfect for children, but reading it to them enriches each of us by resonating the simple and powerful value of love.

the transaction was flawless, efficient and timely. this was a special item for our children...i love you more is a personal way we sign all correspondence and voice messages, and the book was more than appropriate.

Fast delivery! This book is awesome! I bought it for my granddaughter for her 8th Birthday because we play the "I love you more" game on the phone and she always wins! I can't wait to sit down with her and flip it back and forth and back and forth and back and forth! Even though the book is about a little boy and his Mommy, I'm going to do a little "artistic editing" to personalize it to "Nana and Granddaughter". I'd love to see this book written with different relationships but it's still wonderful and I recommend it to everyone who loves smeone who loves them more!

I read this to my 6 year old. Bought it when he was 5 and he still loves to read it with me. Love the way it's written and love to message!

We came into this series from the back end. Then purchase preceding works to catch up on the story line as the characters were compelling enough to warrant further reading. Deborah Crombie's Inspector's Kincard and James is such a pair. Their personal lives intermingle with their cases. As readers, we root for each installment. Her stories are keepers as we weed our shelves to make room for new favorites.
With "In a Dark House," Ms. Crombie apply demonstrates her ability to rank with Martha Grimes in creating the stark and brutal side of human relations. Knowing how the personal issues evolve, we concentrated on the deftly plotted case and the steps taken to reconstruct the crime from almost non-existent clues in this great police procedural.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Sins of the Fathers."

Deborah Crombie continues to deliver a series worth reading and rereading...this entry is no exception. Balancing jurisdictional disputes, personal life distractions, and a strong sense of historical detail, In a Dark House is another superb example of Crombie's sensitive portrayal of character, place and pitch-perfect plot. If you haven't read her work yet, get them all and be prepared to enter a world you won't want to leave.

I thought that the two books previous to this in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series were slight disappointments. Kincaid seemed relegated to a side character with Gemma taking the lead. IN A DARK HOUSE is an excellent mystery that brings the two back to equal ground and re-establishes them as one of the best partnerships in mystery fiction.

'In a Dark House' is my first foray into the world of Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James and, mostly likely, it will be my last ... which is strange because the book has all the hallmarks of a good detective/mystery series. The author has obviously done her research on the story's setting (Southwark section of London) and criminal investigation procedures. And the story, an interwoven affair involving arson and murder, has surprising yet plausible plot twists. But why is "In a Dark House" so forgettable?

Well it strikes me that the characterizations, especially of our investigative duo of Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, are just a bit too manufactured. It felt something out of EastEnders (a UK soap opera) rather than anything realistic. I also felt the author, who is obviously a talented writer, played too safe in her narrative. I wanted high drama, conflict, and the tangible feeling of suspense ... and I didn't find any of it.


Bottom line: a competent mystery perfect for the beach but certainly the sort of book you won't want to keep on your bookshelf afterwards.

Deborah Crombie's James & Kincaid series just gets better and better. Here the setting is Southwark, not a usual venue for London-loving writers. As always, Crombie provides a physical map with her text, although her descriptions of place are so excellent that it's ironically unnecessary. The aged warehouses oozing toward oblivion in the Thames, the aggressive marks of gentrification (for an even better take on this hot topic, see _Kissed a Sad Goodbye_) mingle with the tang of traditional cheeses from the open market by the cathedral and the wacky/wonky lives of the fringe business people who flourish in spaces between the run-down and the rave restaurant review.

Crombie's characters are equally vivid, not only the series stars, but also the agoraphobic in her doll's house and the oddly honest self-made politician. The characters are given dead-on details that call them to mind for the reader, even after an absence of many chapters. Yet Crombie never falls into the grey-page plague of prose. She uses her omniscient narrator's voice and swaths of unforced dialogue to convey both news and nuance. Her skill at plotting really shines here, as she moves among three sets of self-absorbed characters and the police, never once making the reader feel that "now for something completely different" sense of dislocation.

This is a mystery worthy of a re-read - first class!

This book was a joy to read. Not only is Arnold Steinhardt a superb violinist, he's also a very good writer. No doubt it helps to appreciate this book if you're a fan of the Guarneri Quartet and a lover of the string quartet literature, but I found Steinhardt so charming, and the story so compelling, I imagine the book might have a broader appeal. It's a story of a kid pursuing a dream, then the kid and the dream both maturing while a love of chamber music develops, which then requires the dream of solo stardom to give way to a lifelong collaboration with three others. The three others, of course, share his passion for chamber music, and particularly for that ineffable, almost perfect form they choose to make their life's work together. They start out exploring and experimenting, with hardly a penny. They grope their way towards playing as an ensemble, gradually become established, and then come the constant touring, recording, families. They learn how to stay together by creating boundaries, and they stay together for over four decades (although the original cellist retired before the rest, this book was written before his retirement).

We meet a lot of famous musicians, and there are many interesting and sometimes humorous anecdotes, but the most interesting parts of the book have to do with the music and its making. Steinhardt mentions the cavatina from Beethoven's Op. 130 more than any other piece or movement - clearly it's had a special place in his life. I saw the Guarneri a few months ago, during their final season, and it was bittersweet. They played Beethoven's Op. 74 and his Op. 130 with the Op. 133 Grosse Fuge as the final movement. It was magnificent. I prefer their late Beethoven to anyone else's. Mr. Steinhardt looked liked he'd aged considerably in only a year or so. I'll miss them. I'm grateful to have this book along with their recordings now that they're retiring.

I would recommend this book for any musician, especially a member of an ensemble. This book gives a good insight of the personal dynamics between the members and why they have been successful and together for so many years.

excellent study of the dynamics of a string quartet, or any group of individuals working for a single goal.

Fantastic read for any instrumentalist, especially if youve played in any type of small ensemble.Highly recommended.

This wonderfully humorous and true-to-the-art book is sweet music to anyone who loves chamber music. Steinhardt gets it so right throughout this delightful book, I, like many of the other reviewers was disappointed when I reached the last page - I wanted it to keep on going...

Steinhardt hits a universal chord that will resonate particularly well with those "insiders" who have performed chamber music at any level. While reading it, I found myself digging into my CDs and listening to the piece the author was describing. The unique commentary accompanied by the performance brought me a new appreciation for the string quartet genre.

Avery James is left in the basement of foundling home by her young and frightened mother. Through many twists and turns of fate Avery slowly discovers who her mother is and more importantly, who Avery is herself. This novel is jam packed with a diverse assortment of vivid and fascinating characters. As an added bonus, you will be exposed to the culinary, cultural and artistic flavors of New Mexico, the "Land of Enchantment".

Anyone who has ever thirsted to learn more about themselves, what they wanted and where they were going, will find something to identify with in this book.

I did enjoy it, but thinking about it later I'm not sure why. Judith Hendricks is such a comfortable writer I find myself.... just reading ...... it is comfortable reading her books. I missed the recipes though. I loved Bread Alone and will continue buying her books hoping for another Bread Alone

This is the first of Hendricks' books that I have read. I enjoyed the story line. Some of her descriptions made me read them twice as they were a little over the top. For instance: " Friday night there's a waxing moon, and when I first see it rising up over the hills to hang like a silver apostrophe in the pale blue twilight, I know right away what I have to do." This is a relaxing book to read and I may try another of her books. I am in a book club and this was not on the list. Many of our books are more difficult reads and the subjects depressing. If you want an enjoyable and light read I would recommend this.

Great book I waited till I had the time to read it in a weeks time . Her books are hard to put down. I find myself reading at 1:00 a.m.

Not many writers can weave so much emotion into their passages. But Judith Hendricks does this very well. She has combined real, likeable characters, a story packed with emotion, complicated relationships, and incredibly strong, inspiring female characters. The thing that makes this book, and this author, stand out even more is that Judith Hendricks knows the power and magic of female relationships. And she is a genius at portraying these things in words. I really felt like I understood Avery James in ISABEL'S DAUGHTER, I cried for her. But even better, I loved this story of healing and perseverence and the strength that a woman gathers from within herself and from the women in her life.