O Books

Looking for a really good book? Well, here it is! There is a truly romantic love story where great, amiable characters move within an unconventional plot. Bright ideas, a witty refreshing writing style combined with a sense for slapstick and just the right dose of sarcasm - that's how books should be written!

This book is funny and romantic. I read it twice. Both time I was captivated by it's content. Dani O'Connor`s Witty sarcasm makes you want to read more ,just to see what's next. Doc and What's her name have the kind of loving relationship that most people only dream of. It's the dream some of us actually get to live. The story deals with issues that an alternative lifestyle raise. Congratulations Dani on another great book I can't wait for the next one.

O'Connor's unique writing style and dry wit make this cleverly written novel a must read. She does a fantastic job relating the trials and tribulations of lesbian dating and a budding romance, two topics that can never have too much levity. Great book, light and fun, laugh out loud funny.

Plenty of humor. Fun lovable characters make this short novel enjoyable. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the sequel.

I have read this book three times and every time I laugh out loud (I get weird looks on the bus).. I enjoy her style of writing and her wit. Whenever I need a good laugh because sometimes life is complicated I pick this book up and read it again. A definite keeper.

Poet and author Terry A. O'Neal, truly finds her voice in a moving collection of free verse prose called "The Poet Speaks In Black" that encompasses and reflects who she is. Her poems stand outside the circle of standardized thinking and common views and soars with her spirit. However, these poems are not confined to just her own African American culture--although she proudly walks and displays that emotional aspect in her words and themes--but she takes on a universal oneness quality that most all men and women can identify with. I personally felt the oneness she conveys with her poetry.

Her words translate feelings and emotions and conjure up inner visions of life around her. She transcends the ordinary at times and wanders across the pages with her simple words strung together that make emotional connections with the reader. Her over-all work in this collection is pure gold. I think the only way this book could be appreciated more would be to hear her give a live performance reading her poems in a gentle voice that I am sure would radiant with the fullness of her heart.

O'Neal even has a couple of moving poems that reflect the happenings of 9/11. The book over-all feeling is one of compassionate acceptance with who you are. She writes a wonderful poem to that effect in her strongest poem of the book titled "Birthmark". She conveys full appreciation and comfort at being who she is--"from toasted skin to chocolate dark." and even with her place in life. These were obviously written by a very secure and confident woman. There is lots of that feminine energy flowing but not enough to scare away male readers. It is not pushed as any kind of agenda--she just is what she is and it comes across as satisfied and honest.

I strongly recommend this wonderful book of poetry. It comes in a simple hardback book with a black front cover with an image of an empty stage with a microphone. On the back cover there is an elegant portrait of the poet herself.

First Published in the Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper

THE POET SPEAKS IN BLACK is a melancholy collection of poetry by Terry a.
O'Neal that covers a gamut of life experiences. The poems will evoke emotion
and paint vivid pictures of the pain and hurt that many people experience.
The mood of the collection is somber, but laced with hope. Pieces like 'Jump
The Fence' speak to the resilience of the human spirit. In this poem, O'Neal
talks about escaping and her words are so vibrant, you are running with her and
planning your own escape.

O'Neal uses her words like a painter uses color in his work. She creates a
world between each syllable and punctuation mark. The poems will leave you
sighing and pondering. She ends the collection with a thoughtful tribute to
September 11. After delving the reader into the abyss of sadness that
surrounds that day, she dips the tip of her brush into yellow paint and leaves
us with 'Lessons Learned,' reminding us that there is always hope in the midst
of darkness.

Reviewed by Diane Marbury (HonestD)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

"Word of Mouth" [he say, she say] the poem rings true as does the entire collection. Terry A. O'Neal is a wordsmith. "Loose Change," "A Bottle's Blues," and "Behind Romance," are some of my favorites and posess words that take you poetically and hold you hostage, leaving you finally understanding what drives some people to write poetry. Her poems are crisp, clear and are varied in that they range from love to a prayer for the people. The Poet Speaks in Black is a collection that you'll be glad that you purchased and will encourage your friends to own for years to come.

The Poet Speaks In Black is a rich volume of rhythmic, free-verse poetry by Terry O'Neal, an emotional, talented, and compelling female writer. Encouraging dreams, pondering life, and stretching past the horizons of the mind, The Poet Speaks In Black is highly enjoyable reading whether aloud at a microphone or at quietly at home. Free At Last: As I lay on the ground/with a bullet in my chest,/faintly,/I hear the cries/of my family and friends/as they hover over me,/watching,/while I fight for my last breath,/frightened,/till that moment/I look up and see/the chariot/coming to carry me home.

I received this book in mail just before a Thanksgiving road trip to Dallas! Thank God it arrived on time. I could not put the book down. As a poet, I found myself totally "into" Terry O'Neal's delightful way with words. Sometimes I thought I was reading a poem I'd like to write myself. Other times I tricked my husband with her words along the road as I read him a poem or two from the book.

We often think of poetry as a fast read or a complicated read. You will want to read this book again and again as you find that you have favorites throughout the book. My personal favorites were "Choices," "Guide Me" and "Word of Mouth" to name a few. Terry O'Neal not only speaks to you, but she teaches you a thing or two about life with her words and experiences. That's what poetry is all about.

It's a beautiful book inside and out: well written, well designed, well spoken and well worth the purchase! Congratulations to this sister poet for such stylistic, heart-grabbing poetry. Her words on life, history, family, relationships and self will have you believing she wrote the book just for you! I can't wait to read another selection by this author. Not only does this poet speak in "black," but she also speaks with a language that your soul can understand. Great book of poems, a must have if you call yourself a poet and/or poetry reader!

Latorial Faison
www.latorial.com

Dr. DeHaan's "Portraits of Christ in Genesis" is the number two book I recommend to almost anyone I talk to any length of time. The first, of course the Bible. I was an avid reader of Scripture, in fact once reading it through 4 times in a year BUT when I read this book, I not only "read" the Bible, each time I opened it, I explored it, searched it, meditated on it. I encourage you to buy it and several for others...I have given many.

The only negative aspect of M.R. Dehaans Portraits of Christ in Genesis is that it is not long enough. In fact, the book originally was to illustrate portraits of Christ from the entire Old Testament but Dr. Dehaan sensed that to be a mounumental task, so he limited the scope to Genesis. The revelation of Christ in the Bible begins at Genesis 1:1. The Genesis portraits are detailed in profile yet Dr. Dehaan encourages readers to look further into the depths of scripture to find deeper shades of meaning for each portrait. This was M.R. Dehaans last book of the 25 he wrote and he passed into the presence of the Lord shortly after completing it. Portraits of Christ in Genesis is a climactic testimony to a life of service to the Lord.

I have read many books by M.R. Dehaan and have loved them all. They are Rich in Spiritual Truths. M.R. Dehaan has an incredible God given gift for taking you into the deep waters of Scripture in the simplest of ways. Portraits of Christ in Genesis is that type of book. You learn to see Christ in every chapter not only of the book of Genesis but every book of the Bible. The beautiful types showing God's love for mankind and His plan of Salvation are richly portrayed through the words of this wise old Preacher. I Highly recommend this book.

I was very impressed with this book,which I understand was Dehaan's last book. What impressed me most was his grasping the concept that Christ,as the Word of God, is on every page of Scripture,that it truly is the revealing of Him. Highly recommended reading!

This book reveals the work of God in His plan of redemption from the beginning of creation. Once you read this book you will have a greater understanding of the rest of the Bible. This book forms the seedbed for interpretation of the New Testament. I now know what is meant by "In the Old the New is contained and in the New the Old is explained" . I would also recommend De Haans commentary on the book of Hebrews with 5 stars as well.

Excellent text--very readable in a pattern-oriented approach. Would highly recommend for someone wanting basics plus on lung pathology.

I have used this book about 6 months in conjunction with all the "other" pulmonary path books (including the WHO). On difficult cases, I find this text more than any other useful and practical but encyclopedic enough for my daily needs. It reads much better than the nonneoplastic AFIP book, and the concepts are much easier to apply. The tables are great, and I have used it for some IHC questions (although Immunoquery.com is another great and frequently updated resource). I have not seen the brand new Churg 3rd edition to compare, but for less than $300, you've got to have Wick on your shelf.

'Practical pulmonary pathology' is just that - the most practical pulmonary book I have found. I am a pathology resident and wanted a concise, well-documented, all-inclusive lung book - and this is it. I especially like the infectious disease and medical lung chapters. The pictures are really good and illustrative. Furthermore, this book is organized in such a way that it is easy to thumb through and look up particular entities. I am quite happy with it.

For any physician involved with lung biopsies or lung specimens, this book is a must! Lavishly illustrated, meticulously referenced, with scholarly text and very clear pictures, you will be using it for years. I am a hematopatholgist without too much knowledge of lungs and often need help with lung specimens. This book is very good for that. Need pictures for education or conferences? This book is a wonderful resource. Good for pathologist and pulmonologists alike. It's expensive but as pathology books go these days, it's a good value.

This is the best book to help a practising pathologist to sign out lung surgical and medical specimens. Finally a book that shows, explains and has conceptual grouping of pathology of the lung in a manner now seen in so many outsdanding books in other disciplines of pathology (skin or gi come to mind). Complete, helpful, completely illustrated. I will not need the other 6 textbooks that are gathering dust on my shelf any more. Expensive? perhaps but in line with the cost (exorbitant) of all good pathology books (will we ever see something good for less than 200$ anymore?).

One or two were amazing, and most were good, but I wasn't crazy about the somewhat snotty ("we're all so well-read and a good STORY doesn't matter") attitude of the editor, which showed through in the selection.

Excellent collection of cutting-edge short fiction. If you want to see the extreme edges of today's scene and what, hopefully, is the future of short fiction, buy this collection every year. Extremely compelling work, wide variety of styles, and not the same old names.

If you are only able to read one book this year make it this book, I just want to thank you Mr.Dark for being the creative god that you are!

Though I majored in English, I never took a creative writing course while in college. When I started writing fiction a few years ago, I knew that I couldn't enter an MFA program because I'm a full-time attorney with a family to feed and a mortgage to pay. So, I decided that I should read as much fiction as possible to help teach myself the craft of writing. One of the books I purchased was the then-new 1998 Prize Stories: The O'Henry Awards. I couldn't have made a better choice! In this one volume, I read Lorrie Moore's heartbreaking "People Like That Are the Only People Here," Steven Millhauser's chilling "The Knife Thrower," Alice Munro's evocative "The Children Stay," among many other wonderful and powerful fiction from The New Yorker, Zoetrope: All-Story, Ploughshares, Harper's, and others. Larry Dark, the series editor, and the prize jury, Andrea Barrett, Mary Gaitskill and Rick Moody, did a wonderful job pulling together the best short fiction of that year. This collection not only gave me great joy as a reader, but also wonderful lessons in the art and craft of fiction writing.

As an avid reader of the O.Henry series, I felt that it was in a bit of a rut until this new editor, Larry Dark came along. Last year and especially this year, the O. Henry has become exciting and cutting edge, and Dark must be given all the credit. C'est magnefique Monseiur Dark!!

As with all O'Reilly books there's a great intro to the technologies. They take you through how it works, not just how to deploy some code. When you get to the XML-RPC modules, they don't force a solution on you, but give a great tour of what's available and let you pick. For me, the highlight was the intro to Randy J. Ray's RPC::XML modules (he's also one of the authors). I've been fighting with getting the 'system.*' handlers hacked in with other aproaches and it was great to see someone had already figured out such a clean approach. (Which is something since Perl can get reeeaaal ugly!) This book has saved me many days of wasted development.

And yet this book covers every aspect of web service development utilizing perl. As a long time user of the original Frontier::RPC2 module, things have come a long way, and with that greater complexity, the concepts have grown in scope considerably. This IS the book that you want to read if you REALLY want to understand SOAP and XML-RPC. From the XML DTD's to implementation code (either standalone applications or utilizing mod_perl) this book covers everything in between. In all it is a welcome addition to the O'Reilly family of Perl books.

Some time ago, I purchased a different book: "Programming Web Services With SOAP" (ASIN: 0596000952), and my feeling - and that of many others - is that it was very weak. A decent view from 30,000 feet, but it was not very helpful to a perl developer thrown kicking and screaming into a project requiring XML and the use of SOAP::Lite. "Disappointment" was the best way to describe it.

But *THIS* is the book that the other one should have been - it's fantastic. It is chock-full of real live examples *with code*, the introductory and explanatory material is excellent, and the writing style is simply a joy to read.

In particular, the reference material for SOAP::Lite is very much welcome: it was written by the author of the code.

Five very glowing stars for this book.

Programming Web Services with Perl is principally a book on implementing solutions using XML-RPC and SOAP in Perl. It also covers complementary and alternative standards such as WSDL, UDDI, and REST in some detail. And on the periphery, it finishes with a whirlwind tour of developing message routing, alternative data encoding within XML, security, transactions, workflow, internationalization, service discovery, extension, and management techniques and specifications.

The book assumes the reader will have the knowledge of an intermediate level Perl programmer. I.e., the reader is assumed to have a working knowledge of references, data structures, and object-oriented Perl. On the other hand no previous knowledge of XML, XML-RPC, SOAP or XML related technologies is required.

It should also be mentioned that both of the authors Randy J. Ray and Pavel Kulchenko are also the principle developers of the most popular XML-RPC and SOAP Perl modules: XML::RPC and SOAP::Lite respectively. That said, the book is not a soap box for the authors to tout the merits of their tools.

Rather, it is a practical book which starts with grounding fundamentals. Readers should walk away with a core understanding of XML-RPC and SOAP and not just a particular tool set for working with them. The authors examine the alternative XML-RPC and SOAP tools, illustrate how they are used, and give practical and even handed reasons why their modules should be preferred. Which comes down to issues of features, active development, support, and the amount of work required to code to a particular interface. They then settle down to a comfortable and thorough guide to XML::RPC and SOAP::Lite.

The topics and issues are illustrated throughout using real world web services. For example creating an XML-RPC client for O'Reilly's Meerkat news wire, or a SOAP client to covert use.perl.org's journal stream to RSS. Code is presented to the reader filtered down to highlight each particular issue as it is discussed. This is nice in that it avoids listing slight variations of the same code multiple times, but on the down side it can also leave the reader flipping back and forth to reassemble an example in their head. Full code for each example is provided in the appendices. And all of the example code may be downloaded from O'Reilly at [their web site].

All-in-all, the book is a thorough practical introduction to working with XML-RPC, SOAP and related technologies. When I started reading the book, I was a bit disappointed to see that it only covered XML-RPC and SOAP related services. When I finished, I was impressed with how very much information they'd managed to pack into so few pages.

And yet, I was left wishing there'd been a more through coverage of interoperability issues between other SOAP implementations and things like custom de-serializers. To be honest interoperability and de-serialization are mentioned, and the authors do an excellent job of referring the reader on to sources for continued reading on most other topics.

The book does an admirable job balancing content, length, and information density. Not to mention an excellent job delivering the information that will still be relevant years and not just weeks from the date published. Most of the topics I'd wished to see covered in more depth are those that are still developing and consequently most likely to become quickly dated. In short a well balanced practical guide to applying XML-RPC and SOAP to solve problems.

As with all O'Reilly books there's a great intro to the technologies. They take you through how it works, not just how to deploy some code. When you get to the XML-RPC modules, they don't force a solution on you, but give a great tour of what's available and let you pick. For me, the highlight was the intro to Randy J. Ray's RPC::XML modules (he's also one of the authors). I've been fighting with getting the 'system.*' handlers hacked in with other aproaches and it was great to see someone had already figured out such a clean approach. (Which is something since Perl can get reeeaaal ugly!) This book has saved me many days of wasted development.

Get the revised edition if you can. It has three band sampler projects at the end that are worth the cost of the book in themselves. No stitcher of counted thread work should be without this book. Illustrations are large and clear, and there is plenty of helpful advice.

This book is out of print and extraordinarily rare! If you find a copy, snap it up at any price. It was published ten years ago by Symbol of Excellence Publishers and is the absolute best cross-stitch book I have ever owned (which is saying a lot - I have shelves of books, magazines, and patterns). Darlene O'Steen, considered one of the best - if not THE best - needlework expert and instructor in the country has assembled instructions for dozens of unique and interesting 17th century stitches that will transform your needlework and the way you use and look at threads and linen. The book is spiral-bound, printed on very expensive paper, and the (autocad?) diagrams are in full color and are the easiest-to-understand stitch instructions I've ever seen. The diagrams transform what could be quite challenging stitches into a simple step-by-step process. The book itself is a beautiful masterpiece celebrating a unique art. I was lucky enough to buy a copy of this book when it first came out, paying ($) at a cross-stitch shop, and I made one of the three samplers in the book - it didn't take that long to complete and looks lovely. Recently I came across another copy at a library sale for $3 and snapped it up fast enough to make my wrist hurt. No surprise - I found a (very happy) buyer who paid me ($) for the book. That was probably too low. I am hanging on to my remaining copy for dear life. You can look on ebay, you can call the publisher, you can look on addall, and you won't find it anywhere. Hopefully they'll reprint it someday, but I called Symbol of Excellence to ask and they said they have no plans to reprint it. Their advice? "Look on Amazon or ebay." So if you CAN find it, get it - and enjoy Darlene O'Steen's stitching wizardry.

Guess what folks. It's been reprinted!!!! Saw it at the Just Cross Stitch seminar in Colonial Wmsbg this afternoon (3 Dec 06). Amazon doesn't have it, but it IS out there to be had. I don't remember the exact price, but it was approx. $45.00. Hope that makes someone's Christmas brighter!

The bible of stitchers. A must for every cross stitcher! Wonderful illustrations, and three lovely samplers!

This book has no equal - period. Interesting information, clear and concise directions and diagrams. Everything from simple running and cross stitches to those that take over 30 passes of the needle to complete, all easy to follow. No serious needlewoman should be without this one, but alas it is out of print. Someone PLEASE get Symbol of Excellence to run a re-print!!!

I love beautifully illustrated children's books. This book is certainly one of them. I implore you to consider picking up a copy for yourself or someone that you know. The artwork is simply breathtaking. The realism and detail are unparalleled. Of course paired with the 23 Psalm just makes this visual treat even better.

We found this book because we have What Does the Sky Say? also illustrated by Tim Ladwig. The pictures were simply so beautiful we searched on the internet for anything we could find out about this artist. I encourage you to check out that book, too. You will not be disappointed.

This book is fantastic. My children and I both love it. It brought me to tears the first time I read it. The thing I love about it is that it brings scripture to life. It makes it real and meaningful, easy to understand and apply, both for me and my children. You SEE how it is for today. Not to mention the art work is beautiful. We have enjoyed this book over and over again. I give it 5 stars.

This book has brought us to tears on numerous occassions. As urban dwellers (city folk) or those living in rural lands around the world, this book speaks to the eternal power of the Psalms and gives hope to us all. The art is phenominal - cutting to the core of a day-in-the-life for two African American inner-city children. The love, protection and abundance of God's provision is shown through the mundane - or is it the sacred? In God's world there is no difference. My wife and I give this book as a THE staple gift for all newborn children we know and love.

Buy, read, re-read, enjoy, meditate, ponder.

The beauty and power of these words originally penned thousands of years ago are fresh, relevant and alive again in the magnificent artwork of Tim Ladwig. This is not the Psalm recited in the pristine pasture of the Mediterranean region. It is the Song of the Urban Neighborhood and it will resonate in your soul. A must get for everyone whether you associate with kids and grandbabies or not.

This book is so special, after reading it I want to get a copy for everyone I know. This is a book not just for children, but for adults who need the constant reassurance and reminder of God's love for us. It is beautifully done, in a manner that should humble all of us.

Anne Weems pours out her heart and reaches the sadness and overwhelming grief that many feel. I ordered this book for a friend who lost both of her children in an automobile accident.

This is one of the best books that I have ever purchased. I have used it time and again for many devotional times in churches and Christian educational events.

This book is terrific for anyone stuggling with the tragides of life, espechally sudden death or serious or chronic illness. It is plea to God for help, understanding and solice for those burdened by the unfairness that is life. It has been a source of comfort to read these each night. Sad as they, are they are cathartic

all i can tell you of this book is my mother credits a large percentage of her still being on this planet after the death of her 16 year old daughter in a car accident to the insights in this book of poetry--it is a series of poems about the loss of her son, mostly written as appeals to god, and it certainly brings the reader face to face with their anger and sadness, so they can move on and face the future with a little less hopelessness.

When my son was killed in an auto/pedestrian accident two years ago, I read books that were given to me, books that were recommended by therapists, and books that I randomly bought in search of any source of solace. Ann Weem's "Psalms of Lament" spoke the words my heart has been crying. Especially Lament Psalm Forty-Nine. Like Ann and Rachel, I will never be comforted; until God wipes the tears from my eyes.

Patricia Chavez

A delightful picture book that perfectly captures a child's sensitive feelings about losing too many teeth at once!!

I HIGHLY recommend this book for grades K-3 (ages 5-8) This also makes a wonderful Halloween book to add to any collection.

Sherry Ann Marcum
School Librarian

"Pumkin Smile" is a pure delight. It is the perfect book for any child with a loose tooth or an empty space waiting for a new tooth to grow in. The story is charming, the illustrations are extraordinarily fine and the design of the book is first class. Hearty cheers to all involved in bringing to the scene a book so typical of the feelings of every child.

Six-year-old Hannah is going through the disconcerting experience of losing he baby teeth, one after the other. At first it's fun -- until the gaps make her talk with a lisp. Besides that, her tongue sticks out! Embarrassed, Hannah decides not to smile again until her new teeth grow in. But when Halloween arrives, Hannah and her Dad figure out a clever way to turn her problem into a funny, but useful idea! Emily Chetkowski's endearing and lively Pumpkins Smile is enhanced with the artistry of Dawn Peterson resulting in an enthusiastically recommended picturebook story for young readers.

...tho not a matching smile! I'm too old for that. But, this is a wonderful story about a little girl who is feeling insecure about her looks as she loses her baby teeth and before her second teeth come in. What a delightful way to improve self esteem at such a tender moment; create a matching smile on a Halloween pumpkin! The emotions of Hannah are captured beautifully in the illustrations, which carry us through Hannah's difficult days straight into the next year with the pumpkin being placed in a compost heap and regenerating in time for the next year's child in need of a Pumpkin Smile. Read this to your children and grandchildren - they'll love the rhyme and you'll enjoy the lithping, too.

This clever book deals With how a girl feels When she talks and looks different from before.

At first she's distraught, (Misses out on a lot), 'Cause her smile brings pleasure no more.

When October arrives Her dad really strives To give her a lot of assurance.

With her pumpkin face She wins first place And regains her old confidence.

Together, Chetkowski and Peterson have created a delightful book. Chetkowski tells the true story of Hannah, age 6, losing teeth. Peterson complements the story with her warm and detailed illustrations. Children who have lost teeth or are about to lose them can relate to Hannah and her feelings of self-consciousness. Teachers of pre-school to first grade children will enjoy reading this book aloud in the Fall. The rhyming pattern and pumpkin carvings will capture the young audience's attention.