Perry Books

This is the best Perry Mason I've read! (But I have to qualify that -- I've only read about 30 of the 70 or so Gardner wrote.) Facing a perjury charge after he gives some tap-dance testimony to a grand jury, and this close to a murder charge, Perry has never been so close to both ruin and prison, and Hamilton Burger has never been so happy! If you only ever read one Perry Mason mystery, this is the one to get. Right away.

or so he thought. Burger's legal aruguement was sound, but then he got the shock of his life, when Mason turned it against him. With Burger pleading to get a look at documents Mason produced, he put Mason on the stand against his own client. However, Mason was both clever enough to avoid a criminal charge... and use his own testimony to get his client aquitted...

Typical Perry Mason mystery with the eccentric opening, the thrilling development and the pleasant victory. Mason is severely cornered; the circumstantial evidence shows that the murderer is either Mason himself or his client, the sunbathing girl. D.A. Hamilton Burger cannot restrain himself from laughing triumphantly. Although I know it is Mason who laughs last, I enjoy the thrillingness very much.

Every school library will want this book. Through diverse, inspiring examples Dr.Perry shows how teens all across America have made a difference by volunteering their time and passion to good causes. Each story is both personal and universal and brings home the point that nothing feels better than making the world a better place. In the back of the book are great suggestions for getting started with your own service project and special tips if you're shy or unsure what kind of project is right for you. This book would also be a great gift for service organizations to give to outstanding teens.

So much of what is said in the news about young people today is negative and critical of them, highlighting disasters and tragedies. CATCH THE SPIRIT focuses on a few of the many teenagers who volunteer and make a difference in the world by giving of themselves and reaching out to help others. More important, they learn that confidence and self-esteem come from taking having purpose and taking action in their lives. How delightful to hear these stories in the words of these young, courageous, and empathic teens! I'd love to see some of these stories featured on TV talk shows.

~Joan Mazza, author of Dream Back Your Life; Dreaming Your Real Self; Things That Tick Me Off; and Exploring Your Sexual Self.

Even thought this is a book of wonderful examples about teens who have volunteered, it's an inspiration for everyone -- whether they already volunteer or want to. I'm recommending this book to the thousands of people I network with while co-authoring "Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul."

I have owned this book since 1972. My original copy finally gave up the ghost and, as ET would say, "disassembled"! So now I buy a new copy -- and we hold services for the old copy tomorrow.

The first time you read this book you will get "x" quantity of knowledge from the reading. Every time you read the book again, you will learn something in more detail that you didn't know before. In other words, this is one of the most well-written and logical displays I have ever encountered.

sorry, I don't speakg english very well, I only try . I need buy this book, that was indicated by a friend, but I have a problem(I never bought a book in another country e I don't have credit card). Please help me.

sorry, I don't speakg english very well, I only try . I need buy this book, that was indicated by a friend, but I have a problem(I never bought a book in another country e I don't have credit card). Please help me.

Sit and enjoy the reading. If you're planing a long flight you could read all the book in that flight. The story is good for any age because it doesn't have curses or bad words or sex or anything scary but this is not a Xmas story.

Although Rachel Hampton has survived a hit and run accident, and is able to resume helping run the Three Sisters Inn, she's still a bit wary. Was the hit and run an accident? Or did someone hit her on purpose. Then Tylor Dunn comes to stay at the Inn. He believes his grandfather was murdered, and he wants to know what happened, but no one will talk about it. His search stirs up old memories and rouses a killer, and Rachel is the intended victim.
Marta Perry always tells a good story. This is book two of her Three Sister Series, set among the Pennsylvania Amish Community. A Christmas To Die For is an exciting blend of romance and suspense. Now I'm looking forward to book three.

Is justice worth it?

Tyler Dunn returns to the land owned by his grandfather, land right in the heart of Amish country. His grandfather, John Hostetler, died of a heart attack during a robbery and now Tyler wants justice. But will justice come at the expense of Rachel Hampton, whose family owns the inn adjourning the Hostetler property? And does love stand a chance in the midst of this suspicion?

A CHRISTMAS TO DIE FOR is the second in The Three Sisters Inn trilogy. This is the first book I've read in the series so I can verify that it is easily read as a stand alone. However, there is what appears to be a significant spoiler from the first book that is revealed in the conclusion of A CHRISTMAS TO DIE FOR so you may want to read this series in order.

Marta Perry does a beautiful job at creating characters who are both likeable and show a lot of depth in their emotions. Rachel's plight touched my heart instantly. She is still recovering from a hit and run accident (apparently addressed in the first book, HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT) and her fears are understandable. Years ago, I too was involved in a hit and run incident where I was a pedestrian so I immediately felt a bond with Rachel. Her desire to have a family Christmas, despite some of the past upheavals in her own life, is both understandable and heart wrenching.

A CHRISTMAS TO DIE FOR is a poignant tale set in the midst of the Amish people. The setting is just as important as the mystery and characters themselves, as the ambiance makes the story all the more powerful. I will definitely be reading the other two books in this series!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Richard Wiley's novel takes you to a time of great change in Japan, the opening to the west. You will see history through the eyes of memorable vivid characters - and you will feel attached to these people - their strengths and foibles - their love affairs, rip-roaring bloody battles and roll on the floor laughing scenes as well.
It's got something for everyone and just beautifully written.

I've read all of Richard Wiley's books, and like anyone else, I have my favorites. Soldiers in Hiding is, of course, a fine book. Fool's Gold is a beauty, and Festival for 3,000 Maidens is a great little Peace Corps Novel. I have to ask myself whether Commodore Perry's Minstrel Show is now my favorite because I've just finished it, but it's a strange and wonderful delight.

Who else would write about such an unusual subject? And what makes the book such a pleasure? It has to do with the beauty of the characters and the language, both light as a feather and yet capable of great and sudden strength. I've rarely seen a book with such a texture, bright and dark, comic and serious, distant and close, ridiculous and urgent.

At times I found myself wondering why I became so involved with this odd bunch of characters from the mid 1800's Japan, but generally I was too involved to ask the question. Of course, it's no wonder, since Richard Wiley has lived in, visited, and obviously loved Japan over the years. But what surprised me the most was the book's ability to make me gasp now and again. And to curse the writer for having received, worked for, and developed such a gift.

The novelist Richard Bausch once remarked that a reader is always guaranteed to learn something new in any novel written by Richard Wiley. Wiley shepherds us into a foreign landscape and introduces us to a culture that is strikingly remote from our own yet is so intimately and recognizably human that we close the book with the realization that not only are we more savvy about the workings of the world at large, but we have a rich new insight into ourselves as well. These two feats can be achieved only by a literary master capable of topnotch entertainment who also has his thumb firmly on the pulse of humanity. In Commodore Perry's Minstrel Show, Richard Wiley outdoes himself. The novel abounds in characters who will live in the reader's mind long after finishing that last page; a plot that is riveting in terms of tragedy, comedy, and samurai action; if that's not enough, this novel is one of the most poetically rendered achievements I've read in the past year. Each sentence is carefully crafted and is in full service to a compelling story about the cultural clashes, tribal rivalries, and familial conflicts that occur when Commodore Perry and his unlikely crew sail into Japan's Edo Bay in 1854 to open trade with the United States. Along the way we are treated to sex, romance, swordplay, deapitation, high and low comedy, and a sense of history whose heartbeat resounds through the ages to make it all feel insistently modern. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who cares about excellent storytelling.

This book tells everything you need to know in an easy to read, hilarious format. Unlike other wedding books that tend to take themselves too seriously, this book gets the pertinent information across in a manner that makes you WANT to read it.

My fiance particularly liked the section on ring buying.

Perry keeps the focus on WHY you are getting married, to be together forever. He downplays the keeping up with the Jones which is so prevelant in marriages these days. However, if you want to go all out, he'll tell you who, traditionally, pays for what!

A must have book!

I will be married in six months, and I was getting tired of looking at all of the wedding books available that dealt with the nitty gritty of planning, picking out flowers, sites, photographers, etc. This book is wonderfully refreshing to read, as it reminds the reader not to become too bogged down with the 'show' of a wedding and remember why a couple should get married in the first place. The delightfully sarcastic humor is just what a harried bride and groom need.

I really liked this book. In fact, I read it twice because it was so fun to read. And most wedding books are not particularly fun, either. The Wedding Survival Guide was great for keeping perspective and a sense of humor at a time when things are getting a bit overwhelming and it has a lot of extremely helpful information - which I actually read and retained because the book was so engaging. The photos and their captions are especially amusing, too.

Out of my entire collection of herb books, I would recommend THIS book to anyone who has the slightest interest in herbs, flowers, gardening, oils, and/or cooking. This book provides absolutely gorgeous pictures, an abundant variety of ideas/gifts, yummy and unique recipes, excellent herbal descriptions, and an appealing selection of mixtures. What a refreshing difference in my entire book collection! It would make an excellent gift for that "hard to buy for" person; great for a thank-you, love gesture, birthday, or any occasion. I have opened it numerous times, with always a sense of relaxation and happiness. I love it today as much as the day I opened it for the first time. My only regret: that there isn't a volume 2 but I guess you can't improve on what's already great. Thank you.

This is an absolutely gorgeous book, loaded with pictures that make me want to quit my job and get a greenhouse in the country and grow beautiful herbs and flowers. This book covers a wide range of topics for each aromatic group, ranging from perfumes, to garden designs, to recipes. It is practical as well as it is beautiful. This is one of my favorite garden/herb picture books, in fact it is one of my favorite picture books, period.

The English perfumier Crabtree & Evelyn "nose" (knows) about the power of scent. Our reactions to a scent-experience can be powerful; This became apparent one day while sticking my nose into a fully-blown pink cabbage rose. The neurons that sense smell cut straight to the brain, immediately evoking thoughts and feelings related to past experiences. The scent of grandma's lilac soap may stir joy-filled memories experienced during a visit fifteen years ago. Crabtree & Evelyn's Fragrant Herbal is as enjoyable and informative as it is practical. There are recipes for making fragrant soaps and scented products containing essential oils and scented herbs grown in one's own garden. For those who are new to the growing of herbs for personal use, there is an A-Z section on growing and use of herbs. The photographs are of a high quality and display everything from beautifully crafted soaps and bath products to scenes of scented gardens abundant with roses and lavender. The artistic and writing style of this work is quite English, captivating those qualities of Britain found endearing by romantically-minded Americans. A well-done compilation that appeals as much to the heart of a gardener as to the mind seeking everyday uses for the season's bounty, Crabtree & Evelyn's Fragrant Herbal is a learning opportunity for both the seasoned gardener and the amateur maker of scented home and bath items. This comprehensive, powerful work is a tool for improving the quality of life through the use of scent, whether it be in the garden, bath or home.

Everything you could ever want to know about High/Scope! PAGES on every learning center, in-depth explanation of plan/do/recall, so much more! I can't say enough about this book!

I bought the older edition for just $1.99!!!

This book is the official manual for High/Scope curriculum. It outlines exactly how to set up a High/Scope classroom, from setting up the learning environment to guiding adult interactions. It gives you everything you need to know to be an amazing preschool teacher and it is backed by a mountain of research. You no longer have to reinvent the wheel. They have provided everything necessary to be successful in a classroom and for your students to be successful.

Flipping through the chapters in this book will inform you about the reason behind the popularity of High/Scope's early childhood curriculum: its efficient, paragonic planning. Planning makes a teacher...period. This curriculum teaches you to plan everything from the room arrangement to the assessment scheduling. Active learning incorporates itself into all aspects. The key experiences align almost like contact paper with most state-level educational standards for this age group. Please try it.

It's a pity this is out of print. I have the 2nd edition which was one of the first general engineering books I ever bought. I still use it regularly. Starting with math and working through all engineering fields (up to nuclear engineering), it's well organized and clearly written. Not an academic book, this is targeted at working engineers who need quick access to reliable data or who need to call upon a skill which has become rusty with lack of use.

Highly recommended if you can find it!

The book holds the most important equations that an engineer will need in the working feild. This book is a handy size that allows one to bring along with them unlike the full lenght Perry's chemical engineering handbook. It is a must buy for a working engineer

One of the best general engineering reference manuals ever written.

Perry Mason Seven Famous Novels

These seven novels were originally published between 1955 and 1959 when Gardner was at his prime. They take place in 1950s Los Angeles California, an area where Erle Stanley Gardner lived and worked. Gardner never put dates in his novels to keep them from being dated. But after the devaluation of the dollar from 1971 on many of the dollar figures are long out of date. There were other changes in law and culture as well. Gardner was a trial attorney himself, and his experiences were not unlike that of Perry Mason. His novels economize on characterization, using dialogue to keep the story moving. Few of the people tell the whole truth to Mason. His job is to compare testimony to the facts gathered by his private investigator. Mason's clients are usually "middle class" or better; few clients have messy lives or cases. The stories involve some technical or scientific facts, and show some point of law.

Erle Stanley Gardner was the founder of the "Court of Last Resort" which sought to free many unjustly convicted persons. Gardner, among others, sought to use scientific means to find the guilty, rather than using hunches or guesses alone. Mason's clients are always not guilty, because few would buy a book where a defense lawyer let the guilty go free. An important lesson for the reader is to think about the facts, and not jump to a conclusion based on newspaper reports. These seven novels are often educational, like some novels of Dashiell Hammett, in teaching about the tricks of undercover detectives. You'll learn about a "roper", rough or smooth shadows, etc. and be able to identify the undercover operatives that you may encounter in your life.


* The Case of the Glamorous Ghost. A young woman was found in a park at night, nearly nude. She seems to be an amnesia victim. When her missing boyfriend is found dead she is accused of the murder.
* The Case of the Terrified Typist. A skilled typist shows up for work, then disappears. This typist matches a suspect in a burglary. Perry Mason's client is convicted of murder, but this is overturned on a technicality.
* The Case of the Lucky Loser. A young man is on trial for a hit-and-run. The investigation brings out hidden facts. Why did his step-mother and a company official testify against him?
* The Case of the Screaming Woman. A wife calls to have her husband's story checked. He had picked up a hitchhiker and taken her to a motel. After a nearby doctor was killed, the man is charged with murder.
* The Case of the Long-Legged Models. A young lady inherited shares in a Las Vegas casino. A man is pressuring her to sell out. When the man is murdered, the young lady is charged with murder.
* The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll. A woman runs away and assumes a new identity. But an investigator ties the new identity to a past crime. When the investigator is killed, she is accused of the murder.
* The Case of the Waylaid Wolf. A woman can't start her car, and is given a ride by her employer's son. She resists his advances, then runs off. When this man is found dead she is charged with murder.

Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) wrote some one hundred novels over the course of his long career. He was at the height of his powers during the late 1950s, and this collection offers seven of his best works featuring Los Angeles attorney Perry Mason. Writing in a dialogue-heavy, almost staccato style that calls to mind the likes of Hammett, Gardner leads the reader through complexities of the law with considerable skill--and if these tales are genre-fiction pure and simple, they are nonetheless enjoyable for that.

THE CASE OF THE GLAMOROUS GHOST (1955) finds Mason entangled with a young woman who claims memory loss, and her dead boyfriend is one of the the things she can't quite recall. In THE CASE OF THE TERRIFIED TYPIST (1956) Mason requires an office temp--who suddenly disappears from the job and may be implicated in both robbery and murder.

In THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LOSER (1957) Mason is asked to observe a trail by a mysterious client and finds himself more involved in the court case than he expected. THE CASE OF THE SCREAMING WOMAN finds Mason called upon to play marriage counselor when a skeptical woman demands that he get to the bottom of her husband's wild story.

THE CASE OF THE LONG-LEGGED MODELS (1957) finds Mason representing a casino heiress who is being strong armed to sell. In THE CASE OF THE FOOT-LOOSE DOLL (1958) a lovelorn woman claims to have committed insurance fraud, and in THE CASE OF THE WAYLAID WOLF (1959) an office worker's refusal of a young man's advances has unexpected consequences to say the least.

The novels include the supporting characters so much beloved--or loathed--by Gardner's fans: the witty and efficient secretary Della Street; the hard nosed detective Paul Drake; and, of course, such 'for the prosecution' figures as Police Lt. Trask and the urbane but none-to-swift attorney Hamilton Burger. Police processes and in some instances laws have changed in the half-century Gardner wrote these tales, but they are still good fun, fast and entertaining reads from the first page to the last. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

If you are a Perry Mason fan, buy this volume now or check it out from your library. This 821 page collection of novels from 1955-59 will keep you entertained with non-stop action. Note: The publisher used a font that is smaller in size than some aging eyes might prefer and the line spacing is a bit tight.

Erle Stanley Gardner published his first novel at age 44 and he still managed to author 82 novels featuring Perry Mason. Under the pseudonym of A. A. Fair, he wrote 24 novels featuring Bertha Cool and Donald Lam. These are delightfully light entertainment, and have more repartee between the main characters (undersized detective Donald Lam and his overweight boss, Bertha Cool) and a bit more descriptive text than was Gardner's style in the Mason novels. The irreverent Lam might remind some of Craig Rice's John J. Malone, but Gardner's plots are always better constructed than Rice's.

Gardner was a man of energy with an amazing work ethic who became the most read mystery writer in the world. At age 32, Gardner, a practicing attorney, began writing fiction for the pulps for a very minimal amount per word. His output was in the range of a one million words year - a stunning level by any measure. By the time he started writing the Perry Mason novels, he had the right systems and support staff to allow an incredible output.

Gardner dictated his prose, and that in part explains his preference for dialogue over description, action over analysis. Gardner's novels emphasize physical movement - running from one place to another, full-throttle car trips, chartered airplane flights.

Gardner's clients in these works are innocent, but usually do not reveal the full truth to Perry Mason. The highlight of each novel is in the courtroom, where Perry Mason with flamboyance and audacity not only proves his client innocent, but also reveals the identity of the real murderer. Mason's novels are plot driven, and the plots grab your attention - even though there is seldom an immediate danger to either the client or Mason. Plausibility and consistency in the plots are quite good. The crimes and their solutions hold up well to scrutiny.

Buy and read this volume if you enjoy classic American entertainment. Part of Gardner's incredible popularity was that he never added the extensive descriptions that most readers skip in detective novels. Gardner's novels have tight plots, snappy dialog and an abundance of action.

If your only exposure to Perry Mason was from the television show, you are in for much more rapid and exciting entertainment than you could possibly expect. Each of these novels is a quick and fun read. I also recommend that you explore some of the earlier writings of Gardner, where the testosterone and energy are even stronger. You might also enjoy the insightful biography of Gardner, The Case Of The Real Perry Mason, authored by mystery writer and critic Dorothy B. Hughes.