P Books

Just Past Oysterville: Shoalwater Book One

Review by Dennis Beaudry

Bitterness, hatred, revenge, guilt: powerful emotions, but what would it take for us to face these destructive feelings and escape their damaging results? Read the soon to be published Christian novel, Just Past Oysterville by author Perry Perkins.

Perry's way with the art of true storytelling is captivating to say the least, yet Just Past Oysterville goes way beyond story for the sake of entertainment. His dynamic weaving of plot and characters shows us how love and forgiveness can truly work miracles and how the opposite only fuels the fire and leads to ruin. Love and forgiveness, the two things needed most in this world as a whole and in our personal lives; are portrayed as a balm for emotional healing.

Hang on to your stomach and your nerves as Perry takes you on an emotional roller coaster with far more twists, turns, and drops than the subtle title and cover portray. Here's a story that blends Christian beliefs with deep hurts and spiritual challenges that could face any of us just up the road of life.

Just Past Oysterville is, without a doubt, captivating. It pulls you in and seldom gives you an opportunity to set it down. Be prepared for the unexpected and be ready to see how human events can never frustrate the plans of God. Written by the extraordinarily talented Perry Perkins; Just Past Oysterville will undoubtedly garner many accolades and awards and soon make him a well-known and respected Christian fiction writer.

Dennis A. Beaudry
Columbus, Ohio
Author of A Meeting in the Air

Rating: Highly Recommended! This one is destined to stand out in the literary world! I had the pleasure of reading Just Past Oysterville, a remarkable book penned by a new author named Perry Perkins. When the book arrived I was impressed with the cover first - that's simply something that I do to set the tone for my reading material. The cover bears the image of a set of bright headlights piercing through the darkness traveling a long road superimposed over a faint road map. I opened the cover and read the dedications and acknowledgements and I could determine at that point in time that this would be a good read. Cassie Belanger lost both of her parents and considered herself an orphan. She barely knew her father, being that he "abandoned" her and her mother decades ago. Her mother, with the help of her community and her church, raised her to adulthood instilling values and morals that Cassie embraced. In the blink of an eye, Cassie's mom was gone - killed by a drunk driver as she returned from work one evening. Cassie's world crashed down around her and she determined that the only way to find closure was to seek out her birth father who deserted her so many years before. Cassie's desire was to somehow make him feel the pain, anguish and rejection that enveloped her broken spirit. Cassie wanted revenge. She utilizes clues from her mother's possessions to ascertain her father's location and she begins a journey that would change her life. She meets Jack, a loner in search of peace, weighed down by burdens that drive him to the bottle in search of an escape. The two embark on a journey to a town "just past Oysterville" and form a bond with one another along the way. The two are so alike, but why? Just Past Oysterville was an excellent read. Mr. Perkins utilizes simple yet colorful dialogue that will entrance you. He pays attention to detail, quotes appropriate bible verses at appropriate moments and he will take you on an amazing journey. A journey through pain, loss, happiness and closure. This is called Shoalwater Book one, and it would be an honor to review the continuation of this series. Just when you think that you have this story figured out, Mr. Perkins will gently push you one step further and open your eyes to the possibilities that make up your destiny. Simply stated, I LOVED THIS BOOK! Reviewed by Tyrone Banks

I am a leader of teen girls & a mom of three teens. I would recomend this book to all the teens I work with and my own! I cried I laughed & was on the edge of my seat! This is a must that will not disapoint you. Enjoy and give it away as a Christmas, birthday or just because gift. You will be as thrilled as I was.

Becky

I loved the book. I would recommend it to all. Please read it.

Even before I read JUST PAST OYSTERVILLE, I knew Perry Perkins was an amazing writer from reading one of his short stories, but this book placed him permanently within the group of authors whose books I will buy immediately upon release.

This book is so much more than the usual hyper-censored, unrealistic story to be found in Christian fiction. The characters are real people with strengths and weaknesses, and they live real lives filled with anguish, love, mistakes, and triumphs. And the underlying message of God's love is relayed so effortlessly and so poignantly that it comes through loud and clear and leaves the reader with such a wonderful feeling of hope--just the way I believe Jesus would have done it.

I encourage everyone who loves a good story to read this book, and I can't wait to read the next installment in the series!

The big colourful pictures will delight the kids, and the lesson they learn will please the parents. And...the poetic storyline is fun to read too. Everyone's a winner. You won't be disappointed.

This little Maynard is just about the cutest thing going. I have two great-grandsons that love to have their Boppy & Grammy read this book to them. This book is highly recommended to teach little ones their manners. Definitely a "must-have" for the young and old alike.

My daughter loves this book! She loves how it rhymes and the pictures are great - very bright and colorful. The lessons this book teaches makes this a priceless and timeless book. Thanks to PS Murphy for sharing her talents. Can't wait for the next in the series to hit the shelves!

A darling way to teach manners so children can relate & not realize that they are learning. My 2 Granddaughters thoroughly enjoy the book. (over & over & over).We look forward to the next book.

Kudos to Peg and Cheryl for their first children's book that holds a good message for everyone... be polite and considerate of others.
Keep up the good work!

Definitely an amazing story. A man told he will never walk again, not only does he walk, but goes on to become a Green Beret afterwards. The story is amazing for what he overcame in life, don't expect a tell all combat memoir though, it's more about his life.

I first read this book in the span of two days in 1998; it was amazing. While the writing wasn't necessarily anything impressive, the story was inspiring. At times throughout Roy's life, I laughed, cringed, and smiled.

It was when he joined the Army, however, that the book took my breath away. The pace of the book during his military career absolutely flies by, chapters are gone in an instant. When the actual battle timeline and facts start rolling in, well, all I can say is: goosebumps and a dropped jaw. Amazing.

To think that a man can define the word hero as perfectly as Roy did and NOT be a household name speaks poorly of how much our country knows about the men and women in the military.

As a former soldier, I immediately put Tango Mike Mike near the top of my "personal heroes" list.

If you pick this book up, you will not be disappointed.

My father told Roy's heroism as a bedtime story when I was a very young - before Roy even receive the Medal of Honor from President Reagan and before this book was written. You see, my family is the 1st generation from Vietnam. While he was in the army, my father had the honor and privilege meeting Roy. Needless to say, my father revive Roy's story numerous times to me. I never imagine it was all real...I am so overwhelm while reading this book that it is all true. A definitely must read.

My USA retired husband saw Roy Benavidez 3 days before he passed in Nov '98. Visitors were restricted but Roy beckoned for him to come into his hospital room (he always made time for everyone). He was in great pain and had his shirt off. His scars showed. A few words were spoken between 2 battlefield brothers. It must have been a comfort to the family to see the hundreds who went to the funeral. Mrs. Benevidez resides in El Campo TX, drop her a line to tell her you still remember Roy. Maybe one day a movie will be made about THIS FINE CHRISTIAN MAN.

I truly enjoyed the book! I met MSG Roy P. Benavidez in 1990 while stationed in the Air Force at Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas. The book is a must to read. It's an inspiration to all mankind. Unfortunately, on 11-30-98, he passed away. I attended his funeral services along with hundreds to pay our respects to a man whom I met in my lifetime and will never forget. The book has been written. Now, the movie must be made...

This is an excellent book. I have used it for medieval, folk/fairy tale, multiplication, critical thinking, and role playing studies. It is also just a wonderful story for read aloud at home or school. The illustrations are just beautiful.

...Nesbit writes beautifully and is clever and unpredictable enough that without going over the kids' heads, the reading adult can enjoy it too. The illustrations are excellent; I just wish the hardcover version was available!

A century-old thoughtful twist on the fairy tale genre by a classic Children's writer (would love to see reviews of some of her other works). Melisande is a princess subject to the usual misfortune: a wicked fairy not invited to the christening casts an evil spell on her--"The Princess shall be bald." Not to worry the King has a wish he was given by his fairy godmother locked in his safe, the Princess may use it however she wishes when she comes of age. At that point, the Queen says,

"Dearest, for my sake, wish what I tell you to." "Why, of course I will," said Melisande. The Queen whispered in her ear, and Melisande nodded. Then she said, "I wish I had golden hair a yard long, and that it would grow an inch every day, and grow twice as fast every time it was cut..."
"Stop!" cried the King..."You've done about enough." For he had a mathematical mind and could do the sums about the grains of wheat on the chessboard...

You can imagine what happens next. According to the formula, they promise the Princess's hand in marriage to the Prince who can solve this problem. One unfortunate attempt leaves her growing into a giant a la Alice in Wonderland. The final solution is very clever and I won't spoil it for you. There is a great deal of humor throughout and it is illustrated very well, though I'm not an uberfan of Lynch's caricatures.

I remember this book from middle school. I told people the story, and everyone thought I made it up! I'm glad to see that it's in print, and not just a figment of my imagination. If you love fairy tales, you'll like this book. A little strange, but worth the read.

From one irritated, uninvited guest comes the gift of baldness. From one poorly worded wish comes out of control hair. Add one prince determined to find the solution. Mix in Melisande's need to rescue her island home. How does it turn out? It adds up to an enchanting tale that delights both young and old. I've used the book in elementary classes as well as college classes--both were mesmerized.

This is a great positing book. All the postions are demonstrated with visuals along with a radiographic picture to demonstrate what is should look like. It also contains the criteria and evaluation for every position. the book is well organized and easy to follow. i would recommend this book as part of a class book. I learned a lot from it.

This is a perfect book for upcoming radiography students. Covers not only standard position techniques but also the more obscure. The is the perfect book for anyone student or radiographer to expand their knowledge in the field. Stop reading this and buy it already!

AS A FRENCH RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGIST, I WANT YOU TO FORGIVE MY ENGLISH, BUT BOTH THE ATLAS AND GUIDES ARE NECESSARY FOR ANY RADIOLOGIC SERVICE. IT'S A REFERENCE, AND EVEN IF YOU CAN'T READ ENGLISH PERFECTLY YOU CAN REFER TO THEM (ANATOMIC DESCRIPTION, PHOTOGRAPHY OF RADIOLOGIC POSITION AND RESULTS WITH COMMENTARY). MY GUIDE IS IN THE ROOM WHERE I'M WORKINK EVERY MINUTE, BECAUSE IT CONTENTS NOW ALL INFORMATIONS NEEDED AND ADAPTED FOR EACH POSITION AND EACH X-RAY TUBE. THEY HAVE TO BE IN EVERY SCHOOL. WAITING FOR THE FRENCH VERSION AND AN INTERACTIVE CDROM.

We began using this text this fall and have been very impressed with the quality of the anataomy sections and the radiographs are all excellent. The color makes it much easier to learn radiography. It is also very comprehensive. Students can learn many projections and not just the basics. We especially like the Mobile chapter which is very practical and accurate in its approach. The Workbook by Hayes which accompanies the Atlas is also excellent. We can use the 3-volumes for 7 different courses in our school and that makes this text a bargain overall. Our students also began using the accompanying Pocket Guide which they much prefer over the one they were using previously because of the AEC write-in ability. This whole package is excellent for radiography students.

It is easy to see why this textbook has made it to its 50th anniversary edition. The authors have introduced all the latest techniques, including computed radiography. The color throughout is wonderful. This is not only a great student textbook, but a great book for reference purposes. We continue to use this book for 5 different courses in our program and we continue to love it. Thanks for the color !

Many, many years ago I read this book to my former husband as a bedtime story. The book occasioned one of the few instances in which I laughed so hard I cried. Now I have a new husband and a new copy of the book. Who says you can't go back.

Okay, before you read too far into this review, keep in mind that I am only 13, and haven't read as many books as some of the other reviewers on this page, but I have read enough to know that I love this book. It's a fantasy lover's book. If you like E. Nesbit, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and other books by A. A. Milne, you will certainly enjoy this book as well. With a exciting plot, and humerous but loveable characters, this book is a must have.

Okay, before you read too far into this review, keep in mind that I am only 13, and haven't read as many books as some of the other reviewers on this page, but I have read enough to know that I love this book. It's a fantasy lover's book. If you like E. Nesbit, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and other books by A. A. Milne, you will certainly enjoy this book as well. With a exciting plot, and humerous but loveable characters, this book is a must have.

A.A.Milne wrote this fairytale after being in the army during WWI. the story is basically about how easy it is to get into war (and over very stupid reasons), and how no one REALLY wants to hurt every one, but they just want to look out for their own interests. The charecters are not your typical bad-vs-good and each one can be lovable in his or her own way, and there are also wonderful little stories inside the major plot line. one of the BEST books I have ever read.

This book is a wonderful story about a king, princess and an "evil" countess. The king, King Merriwig of Euralia, is in love with the Countess Belvane. Belvane has her sights set on becoming queen of Euralia. However, Princess Hyacinth is suspicious of how the countess acts. So the Princess enlists the help of Prince Udo from Araby. When Belvane finds out, she wishes for something humorous to happen to the prince on his journey - and it does! Now, Hyacinth must stop Belvane, help the prince all while keeping him from falling in love with the countess!

A. A. Milne has done it again with this story of pure fantasy. He did not write this book for children, as he states in his introduction, yet it is fun and exciting for all ages. If you need a great bedtime story, check this book out. Would you care for some light reading? "Once On A Time" is the book for you. I recommend this book with a happy heart and hope you will feel the same way too!

What possessed me to purchase this book? There I was, in Bonanza Books, my favorite book store in my parent's home town. I looked at the title and thought, "Maybe I am interested in the struggle for mastery in europe (1848-1918).

I'm not at all a fan of european diplomatic history. Though the material has a certain "Wes Anderson" (filmmaker of Rushmore and Royal Tennenbaum) flavor to it. Lots of triple ententes, diplomatic notes and, my favorite phrase in the whole book- "secret diplomacy". You see, through out the time period of this book, few of the European Powers resembled the modern democracy of free press and public opinion. In fact- of the major powers (UK, France, Prussia/Germany, Austria Hungary, Russia and sometimes Italy and Turkey), only England was arguably a "demoracy" for the entire period.

So basically, European Diplomacy during this period resembled a version of Risk- alll the players plotting with first one partner, then the other, with the idea of maintaining a balance, rather then provoking a final reckoning. Taylor- an english historian who is widely acclaimed for being one of the first "tv" personalities from the history profession (though not on you tube), was also one of the very first "revisionist" historians. "Mastery" was originally published in 1954. Talor is revisionist in an American sense because he doesn't adopt a principled/moral perspective on the events of history. Although Taylor is "anti-German" in a broad sense, it's a more sophisticated perspective on world affairs then most americans are used to reading at the college level (though I'd imagine post graduate students of european history are required to read taylor.

In my reading, the nuances of each event (Colorful sub chapters like "The Andrassy Note" or "The Leauge of the Three Emperors" abound) are subsumed by the broad flow of Taylor's broader "anti-great men" of history approach. Taylor takes the position that most deailng in international affairs are dealing with a lack of solid information about their oppoenents and partners. I can think of at least twent occasions where Taylor was "But Minister X was wrong about his assumption."

That there largely was no war amongst the so-called Great Powers between the Crimean war of the 1850s and World War I of 1914 is largely ascribed by Taylor to the brilliance of Bismarck. Bismarck's genius is that he subscribed to a world view where Germany DID NOT dominate all of Europe. After he leave the scene, the German/Prussian leadership is gradually won over to the "German mastery over Europe." "German Nationalism" serves as an eerie prologue to events that this book does not cover, but the time period in Mastery is just as close to Napoleon's French Empire- an era also not covered in this book.

Taylor successfully tackles a sprawling, detailed subject -- seventy years of byzantine European diplomacy that set the stage for the First World War and, not so indirectly, the Second. He doesn't hold the reader's hand, and assumes you are familiar with many of the events and people he discusses. I wasn't, so I referred often to Britannica, Encarta, and Wikipedia as I read. By doing so, I learned a lot from this book.

El Prof. Taylor, de Oxford ,ha escrito una pieza maestra. Por decadas sera leido y recordado con furor. El libro es ameno y de facil comprension. Su estilo brillante y claro ha hecho historia en si mismo. Un libro para releer.

A. J. P. Taylor's The Struggle for Mastery in Europe is the book to start reading about those 70 crucial years in Europe's history.
The book begins with the Revolutions of 1845, that's why it would be a good thing to have some knowledge regarding the Napoleonic Wars and its outcome (Treaty of Metternich). Taylor analyses the out coming system of the Balance of Power that governed European diplomacy until War World I. According to This system, the five great powers (England, Prussia, Austria, Russia and the defeated France) would balance each others force, avoiding the out come of war.
The system worked pretty well until the fall of Bismarck. That is because Bismarck, as his successor once said, knew how to "play with three balls at the same time". He could keep Russia and Austria tied to Germany at the same time. Thus, France was checked. Nevertheless, when Germany didn't renewed its treaty with Russia the obvious move was Russia's alliance with France.
It could be said that by 1885 the outcome of a Great War was a matter just of time. The system of alliances so well designed by Metternich and so well understood and curried out by Bismarck was at the same time the cause of War World I. Without a great politician as Bismarck nobody could make Metternich's system work.
All through his book, Taylor explains what I have just summarized in a really better way. I highly recommend the lecture of this great book.

A. J. P. Taylor's book is the sine qua non for university students of European history. This is the real deal: Taylor was a genuine historian who never went further than his facts--and his facts are incredibly well researched, well documented, and bountiful. This is true historiography: the way history ought to be done! Plus, Taylor writes very well, in a lively and entertaining fashion. He has good language, wit, and trenchant observations.

It must be noted that this is a history of diplomacy--with some political and military of necessity treated. What does this mean? Well, it means that the characters of Taylor's book are mostly forgotten professional diplomats, and therefore most of their names won't be familiar to those unschooled in modern European history--Bismarck and Disraeli excepted. But this esoterica only increases the value of Taylor's work; for it reveals these forgotten characters to us once again: a gem of historical literature.

The Payroll Source is the best payroll book available in the market today. I use it for reference material almost every day. Practically every payroll issue is covered and if you need to see the IRS regs involved, just look at the bottom of the page. What could be more efficient? Try it. You will be thrilled. How did you ever live without it?

I wouldn't have it out of arms reach at my desk! I use it every day and would be lost without it.

This book has been my life blood as a payroll professional. It explains complicated regulations which are often incomprehensible when viewed as code and states them in a concise and useful manner.

Michael O'Toole's book has saved my day on many days!!!

This is THE book to have if you are at all involved with payroll. It is a comprehensive resource and provides information in an easy to read and understand format. It goes well beyond the basics of paying employees and handling taxes by including information on recordkeeping, accounting, technology and management. A truly complete reference that I reach for again and again!

I wouldn't have it out of arms reach at my desk! I use it every day and would be lost without it.

I bought this book at a ued bookstore in fairly bad shape, but it was excellent.
Bloom County is one of the funniest comics out on the streets today. If you want to start reading Bloom County, Though, don't start with this book! Start with "Billy and the Boingers BOOTLEG". I just read this book at school, and I thought it was hilarious. This is an excellent book. The best series, i'd say, would be when Steve Dallas becomes Mr. America. That was SO Funny!
But, the best strip in this comic is the one when Opus and Portnoy are sitting in the pond, and pous tells about his favorite song (Yesterday)
Read This comic!

Close your eyes and go back in time 20 years. Ronald Reagan is in the White House and getting ready to run for a second term against Walter Mondale. Disco, Heavy Metal, and Michael Jackson compete for space on a new network, MTV. In the funnies, Bloom County provides a humorous take on American society. This collection from 1983 and 1984 can take you back to those golden days when the Soviet threat made terrorists seem insignificant.

I love the "Bloom County" seiries - the deranged goings on of various animals and humans, Steve Dallas the lawyer, Opus and of course, Bill the Cat. Mr Breathed's humor is right on target and very funny.

I recommend this book highly

Bloom County was one of the greatest comic strips ever to have existed, and possibly the best comic in the whole decade of the 1980's and that was when Calvin and Hobbs (by Bill Watterson) and The Far Side (by Gary Larson) were in their prime.

The best comic strips today are Scott Adams' Dilbert (which jumped the Shark a few years back, but still have good moments), Get Fuzzy (by Darby Conley) and a few online comics, most notably User Friendly (by Illiad) and Sinfest (by Tatsuya Ishid). See www.userfriendly.org and www.sinfest.net for some good stuff.

Bloom County dealt with political and social issues in original and novel ways. He didn't shy away from issues, and always dealt with things in a nice and funny way. Lovable Opus the Penguin became the soul of the strip. The plush Opus dolls I still own to this day are some of my favorite possessions.

Yes, it does look a lot like Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury. But Breathed was not copying it, but satirizing it and paying homage to it at the same time. Especially the way Milo Bloom played when compared to the Doonesbury's Uncle Duke... who Trudeau was just spoofing off from the real life Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (author who is most famous for his quasi-novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas").

However, my favorite character was Oliver Wendell Holmes, the young computer hacker who fought apartite in South Africa through his invention, which was going to turn all the white people in South Africa black. Then there was the time he basically brought down Western Civilization as we knew it when he hacked into the New York Stock Exchange and put "A vast Ye mattes, Bank of America's about to go belly up" across the ticker. He got a well deserved spanking for that.

Most important to me, however, Bloom County forms one of the great memories I have from High School. Reading Bloom County and talking about it with friends was something I really have fond memories of from that time. Maybe it was just something from youth that maybe you remember as a little better than it really was. Things like "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams and the Night Court TV series seem that way to me now. Heck, I find much of Night Court to now be unwatchable. But Bloom County still seems to be very much readable to me. The 1980's in most ways basically stunk. But there were some minor high points to civilization as we knew it, and Bloom County was one of them.

This book was probably the best of the regular collections. It is good that I now hear that Breathed may be restarting Bloom County again.

Although perhaps not the best introduction to the characters of Bloom County, this book will please fans of Opus, Steve Dallas and the rest.

Opus heads off to the South Pole, Steve Dallas becomes a sex gargoyle but still doesn't get the girl and the 'roaches continue to cause trouble.

Despite it's vintage, Bloom County continues to appeal and it looks just as good from both sides of the Atlantic.

Since I knew in advance that this was a wonderful Sicilian cookbook before I ordered it, there was no surprises for me when I received it. It is, exactly that, a wonderful cookbook. If you are looking for great Sicilian recipes ... look no further.

This much more than a recipe book--tho it is that as well. It is principally a social history of eating norms and the impact of successive cultural invasions: Norman, Arabic, and the like. It explains why Sicilians of various classes eat as they do, and it is fascinatingly well-written and researched. A real treat that explains why this is the best cuisine that modern Italy has to offer.

This much more than a recipe book--tho it is that as well. It is principally a social history of eating norms and the impact of successive cultural invasions: Norman, Arabic, and the like. It explains why Sicilians of various classes eat as they do, and it is fascinatingly well-written and researched. A real treat that explains why this is the best cuisine that modern Italy has to offer.

Having read every book by this author - I can recommend this
work to anyone who'd like to know what it was like for our
ancestors over the last 2500 yrs in Sicily. Within the pages, I found receipes that were handed down from my immigrant Girgentano
grandmother, Gesuelda. (Sicilian for Jesus). My family history project is only 10 yrs old, but by reading this book and making the receipes, I have come close to feeling and tasting the foods my Grandparents and their anscestors shared during their life time. Mary Taylor-Simeti has given Sicilian Americans a huge gift by writing about our Siclian history. If you want to know and understand more about why you are the person you are, Simeti's book can help in that journey.

This cookbook is the real deal. If you have some familiarity with Italian food and are looking for different regional cuisines(and especially if you're Italian and Southern)you will find a lot of joy in this book. There aren't really that many recipes, but there is a lot of interesting background about all of those invasions in Sicily. Sicilians are Arab,Norman, Greek, Spanish,French and God-only-knows. That makes for an interesting mix, and the food is the most interesting of Italy if not what you usually get in a restaurant. The recipes however aren't that different from Neapolitan dishes, just imagine more Arab and Greek influence. The food: I tried a fantastic baked ziti with hard-boiled eggs, cheese and a pork meat sauce, all covered with fried eggplant(no breadcrumbs) from the bottom in an upside-down cake sort of way. It was very good. Also interesting: chickpea fritters; mint and caper tomato sauce; fennel and olive pasta; an "Arabian" pasta timbale. Simetti doesn't hold you to weird recipe confines, her explanations just makes sense and if you play around with them, it's still fine. If you're at all interested in food this book is a good investment. (And don't you want to know why Sicily is said to be the only Arab country that recognizes Israel?)