Peter Books

This book moved me on so many levels. I could not put it down. Godwin's aging parents, his heartbreak about the decline of Zimbabwe, his anguish about living so far away, the fascinating past of his father... it is all so beautifully described. But it is what is not said that will take your breath away. A FANTASTIC book.

I lived in South AFrica for 3 years and knew many Zim refugees, including a farmer's daughter who lost both her legs and her family to a land mine. I also knew many current refugees who just wanted to work and support their families. When are we going to be rid of Mugabe, who has ruined this beautiful country?

The Power of One: A Novel If you've read The Power of One, you'll have a good background for Peter Godwin's novel. This grim, factual-ish, totally absorbing work is a must-read for all who see Africa as the land of sunshine, safaris, exotic flora and fauna, and Ipi Tombi. It deals with post-war (1998-2006) Zimbabwe in an engaging, intimate, heart-wrenching fashion. It is not a political treatise. It is a stunning showcase of how "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." The story begins and ends with Peter Godwin's father's death in 2006. The parts in between should be taught in every Pol. Sci class. The writing is excellent, and very accessible; the accounts horrific and frustrating.

While traveling on an overland safari, I ran out of books to read. (Although I brought plenty, as an English teacher, I was devouring them as we drove through the African countryside.) Fortunately, one of the French girls in the back of the truck had just finished a book and was willing to lend it to me. She said that Mukiwa was captivating and that I wouldn't be able to put it down, and she was right. Having already visited Zimbabwe several times, I was fascinated to learn more about the white experience there, especially since I had recently read Catherine Buckle's African Tears, which also describes the current land invasions. Because many tourists don't delve deeper into Zimbabwe than a quick jaunt to Victoria Falls, Godwin's memoir is an important read. Godwin describes the reality of living in a country as tumultuous as it is beautiful. The reader can't help but gain a love of the country himself and come to understand why Godwin would risk his life in returning. Fortunately, I was able to experience a glimpse of the beauty of the country myself while visiting some of their game parks. It was on one of these drives in Hwange that I first fell in love with Africa and can understand why Godwin's parents would risk their lives by choosing to remain. I enjoyed the book so much that I purchased the sequel When a Crocodile Eats the Sun at the Johannesburg Airport. I follow the news in Africa online every day--especially the news of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and cannot express how much I value the insight that Godwin provides in both of these books. I also developed a fondness and empathy for his family as they endure the turbulent times that face Zimbabwe. Despite the many problems that face the continent, I am looking forward to my eighth trip. I have been discussing Godwin's book with my honors students and told them that I plan to read his other three--Wild at Heart, The Three of Us, and Rhodesians Never Die--before I leave.

This is a fast reading book - I couldn't put it down. With Zimbabwe showing up in the headlines almost daily (contested elections, violence against the opposition party), I thought this would be a good book to read. While the story is personal, Godwin as a journalist conveys a lot of information about Zimbabwe's more recent history, politics, and movement/violence against the white farmers. The personal side to Godwin's story is also compelling as he writes of discovering his father's Jewish past and his father's unknown past late in his father's life.

Suggested by our daughter's teacher. Wish we could adhere to the guidelines regularly. The argument is sound and definitely gave us food for thought about how we teach our kids to relate to books and think about the written word. Recommended if you wish to share your passion with reading with your kids.

Any edition of this masterpiece is a must-have for any teacher, parent, or human being connected with reading in any way, shape, or form. Mr. Trelease presents a convincing argument for the importance (and joy!) of reading aloud, with plenty of case-studies and touching stories to give an emotional and logical edge.

Trelease says that reading aloud is something that should continue beyond the early childhood years of bedtime reading; just because a child can read on his own does not mean reading aloud is a bad thing--quite the opposite! Reading aloud is a pleasurable activity for people of any age. After all, who does not love to hear a good story? Reading aloud also shares a correlation with improved individual reading skills and overall intelligence. Maybe we can't prove anything, but there are absolutely no down-sides to reading.

This book extends the read-aloud concept to all aspects of learning, from childhood to special education.

Another bonus is a list of recommended read-aloud books.

This is a well-researched and very convincing book that is written with a sparkling syntax. Heck, it's just as fun and fascinating to read as anything else. Definitely a keeper.

I always carry this book in my minivan so that I'm never without it in the event of an impromptu stop at a bookstore or a library. And I always give it as a gift at baby showers (along with some board books recommended by Jim Trelease as well). Clothes get outgrown, toys break, but books are gifts that just keep on giving --- especially this one. My three sons and I have been introduced to authors and illustrators we would never have even heard of if it wasn't for good ole J.T. Highly recommended; you won't be sorry!

What a wonderful book!!! And what a fantastic resource!! I am so glad I found this while my children are still babies. Their father is grateful as well since this book has inspired him to take an active part in reading aloud to them.

I do wonder if I read the same book as some others!?!? Trelease isn't against phonics. (He says over and over that he's not suggesting we do away with worksheets entirely.) Nor does he push whole language instruction. He simply suggests that the traditional methods of piling worksheets in front of children be balanced out with reading aloud and sustained silent reading. Perhaps some people will find that a scary or threatening proposition. In that case... BEWARE! I for one find it quite refreshing though I don't agree with every one of his social positions. Even if I'm wrong about his positions on phonics, I'd still recommend this book. Regardless of how you choose to teach your child to read, reading out loud to them is STILL a wonderful, vital, bonding thing to do. Kudos to the author for driving that point home.

I have been reading to my babies since the day they were born and I plan to continue through the grades. I thank Jim Trelease for an inspiring and wonderful book.

I read to my kids and I read for pleasure (a lot!)but this book rocked my world. Someone loaned an older copy to me and I thought "Why do I need this? I already read to my kids." I did need it and every parent and teacher needs it too. This book does far more than telling you to read to your kids. It shows you how to do it the right way and it shows you what reading can do for everyone, the very poor, the prison population, special needs children, etc. I have never been so moved by a book. I am not sure how or where but I feel a calling to start or participate in a read-aloud program. This is an excellent book for parents and teachers. I plan to give it again and again.

this was a phenomenal story about struggle and rebirth. the story focuses on a transgendered guy through the eyes of his sister. and quite honestly i didn't go to sleep last night as i read it from start to finish.

the whole story is about how luna (liam's true self) is trapped within liam, and liam is a construction what the most acceptable way he can exist without revealing his true self turns out to be, which throughout the book we are told is like a shell of a person. regan, the sister, has known from a young age that her brother is really a sister and devotes her entire life to keeping up the facade of liam and dealing with luna's problems. as a result regan doesn't really have an identity. both she and luna are repressed 'liam' liam being society's rejection of transgendered individuals, and 'liam' stifles those who know the truth to the point where the death of the individual wouldn't matter because the spirit, their soul, is already dead, crushed by society's rigid rejection. as depressing as that sounds however, this book is a phoenix rising out of the ashes story. for most of the novel everyone rejects luna, even regan and liam as they are more embarrased and wanting to keep luna underground more than anything else. as the story progresses however, luna decides that she needs to make herself known, she needs to break free, so she hesitantly goes about doing this, at first just recognizing this fact, than taking ever growing steps toward freedom. people accept or reject her as this process takes shape, but the only viewpoints the readers focus in on are luna/ liam's and regans. we never hear the final conclusion the other characters come to, which is appropriate as we can fill in our own selves or those we know into those characters, because this is very much an unfinished story as sexism still exists in a huge way today.

for most of the book regan is just used as a lense through which the reader can learn about luna and has no personality or character of her own, but she along with luna, comes to the realization that she has no 'self' because of 'liam' and though she doesn't act on it the way luna does, she gets proddings from the outside world (in the shape of a new guy in school) to bring attention to her own life and not focus everything on luna.

i teared up a few times reading this. everyone has an inner self to let out, it's a struggle we all go through, some more so than others.

I enjoyed the vivid portrayals of the four family members -- mother, father, sister and Luna, the male-to-female transgender teenager. Luna is impatient and exercises poor judgment, just as one would expect of a teenage transgender individual. Luna's younger sister is actually the central character, as she finds herself conflicted, caught in the middle and consumed by Luna's needs, all of which is tough on a shy teenager trying to make her own way through school and relationships. The reader pulls for her every step of the way. Although the book's crisis scene is somewhat predictable, it is still entertaining as it impacts the well-characterized family members. There is even a twist or two at the end to make for a very satisfying read and a sense of completeness, even though Luna's life in many ways is just beginning.

Regan's brother, Liam, is one person by day and another by night. Literally. During the day, he is Liam but during the night, his inner-self comes out in the form of Luna, a girl. She spends the night in her sister's bed room, trying on wigs and clothes.

Regan is the only one who knows about Liam's true identity and she isn't exactly sure how to deal with it. Besides dealing with Liam, she struggles with normal teen problems - boys, grades, and her job.

When I picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. For my local book club, we had to read a book about accepting people and another one of the girls suggested this book to me. I have absolutely no problem with the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender issue but I wasn't sure if I could handle reading about it in detail, especially not knowing what to expect. However, since I respect Julie Anne Peters as an author (Far From Xanadu is brilliant), I decided to give it a try. I wasn't let down.

This book is great and you should definitely read it as long as transgender doesn't bother you. It doesn't go into too much detail, but explains the struggles of Regan dealing with her older brother whom is truly a girl inside. The characters are believable, the dialogue is great, and the plot is amazing. It's definitely a book you won't want to put down once you start. I read it in less than five hours with a few breaks. Even if you aren't sure you'll like it, give this book a chance!

Gender-identity crisis is a rarely discussed topic within the many forms of literature. It tends to be a touchy subject due to existing prejudice against transsexuals. However, Julie Anne Peters does an outstanding job with addressing this subject in her young adult novel "Luna". The difficulties of the transsexual character are addressed, along with hardships later experienced by family and friends.

"Luna" is the story of Liam O'Neill, a high school senior hiding a huge secret from his family and friends, besides his younger sister Regan. This secret of his is that he is truly a girl trapped in a male body. The tale of this troubled teen is narrated through Regan, the only person that Liam confides in. Liam only reveals the true girl inside him at night by using Regan's makeup along with wigs and women's clothing, and he goes by the name of Luna. However, the ends that Regan goes to in order to keep Luna a secret ultimately dominates her life as well. Basically, Liam's life is Regan's life as well. Regan's narration allows readers to understand the difficulties that come along with having a transsexual sibling, which includes her constant inner conflicts about whether Liam/Luna is a burden or a blessing. Peters uses a variety of techniques to describe Liam and Regan's lives, including childhood flashbacks that demonstrate early indications of Liam's gender issues.

Not only will readers enjoy the uniqueness of the storyline and the characters, but they will gain a better understanding of the obstacles that transsexuals face each day while trying to express the way they truly are. This book also teaches people to accept everyone for who they are because displaying the real you to the world is one of the hardest things to do. I enjoyed this book because it addresses a subject that is not often discussed, and there was never really a dull moment in the story. Something was always happening with one of the characters, and Regan always had something she was contemplating. Therefore, I would recommend this book to basically anyone, but especially those with an open mind.

- Written by Paige O'Brien

Mes not much of a book person. mes had copys buts was lost durings a moves. glad mes coud get a new copys. mes was toweds abouts this book by a friends. mes counds nots puts the books downs mes wub its.

I've read a number of books on Zen, which technically can't be written about. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Reps and Senzaki is a good example of the pithy stories and poems that teachers use to "point toward the moon" while helping students not to confuse the finger for the moon.

The selection of material and translation are very good.

I have the Shambhala edition. It is a shame that one of the few good-quality translations in Shambhala's Pocket Classics series is out of print. If you can find one you should buy it, because it really can be read again and again and it really does fit in your pocket.

For a different sort of introduction to Zen I recommend D. T. Suzuki's Introduction to Zen Buddhism (An Introduction to Zen Buddhism).

For a fuller treatment it is hard to beat D.T. Suzuki's Essays (Essays in Zen Buddhism: First Series).

What strikes me as I read many of the reviews here is that most of the reviewers have a truly fond feeling for this book and that many have also read and re-read it over the years. Both of these experiences are true for me too!

"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is a collection of Zen tales that touch the heart and mind in the true spirit of Zen.

It was the first book that I ever read about Zen and it is invaluable still. I purchased my first copy in my early college days and over 20 years later I bought this book again, because I had lost my taped up and worn out copy in a move. I simply had to have this book once more, which in a strange way is an Attachment, yet not... which sounds like some half-baked Koan or humorous Zen twist like those that are so wonderful in the stories in this book. ( "What is the sound of one page turning?" )

If I had to choose one book on Zen it would be this one.
There are many, many fine books that delve deeper into the subject of Zen, but "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" has the friendly essence and simplicity that is Zen. If you had no other introduction to Zen, somehow I think what is in this book would suffice.

The title of the book is no lie, it is telling the truth!

Peace

a great starter book. The parables are easy to read and simple to understand. I first read the book in larger size format 10 years ago. Today, I still appreciate every content of it. The best feature of the pocket size format is that you can carry them anywhere or leave it beside your bed when a bit of zen is needed in your life. I don't know why Shambhala Publishing stopped printing them.

I don't know why I find this book such a comfort. But it is one. I have read and reread it for over thirty years now. Zen is very foreign to American life. And it is hardly the answer to that life. But it is a partial answer -- if its influence on me is any indication.

This is one of the earliest Zen books available in English. ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is not "about" Zen, it "is" Zen. An omnibus of beloved Zen tales ("101 Zen Stories"), the classic ten "Oxherding Pictures," and the "Mumonkan" ("The Gateless Gate") a collection of those ironic, irreverent, and seemingly illogical Zen riddles known as Koans, this book is an excellent, one might say, indispensable, part of any Zen practitioner's library, whether beginner or Dharma Heir.

It's an excellent translation. Zen writings are essentially paradoxical, filled with sense impressions, and sometimes arcane (Koans descended from Chinese law cases of the Confucian period and are still called Cases today). ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES will not have you tearing your hair out trying to decipher the language of the Zen Masters (given the number of shaven-headed monks, you have to wonder), but it still gives the reader a great sense of the fluidity of thought that marks the material.

There are other books out there that "explain" Zen, or "teach" Zen, but ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is the essence of the immediate experience that IS Zen. The recorded version, read by Peter Coyote, is a wonderful listening experience.

Sit with it.

Absolutely the definitive book for anyone dealing with dementia, alzheimers, etc. Great to give to all family members. Very thorough and easy reading.

My mother has been diagnosed with dementia, probably Alzheimer's, and I have been seeking information to help me understand and deal with her deteriorating mental capabilities. This book provided great examples of what to expect, what others have gone through, and how to deal with some of the more difficult issues. It was recommended to me by a geriatric case manager, and I highly recommend it to others.

I appreciate what the authors put together in this book - it has a ton of useful info and has helped me in understanding (and thus adding alittle patience) to what is happening with several senior members of my family.

Not all the info is relevant to my needs, but that's the point, not everyone has the same issues to deal with.

Thanks!

This is a must read by all! Whether you have a family member with Dementia or you are curious about this topic.

Very superficial and general information. I've read a lot on this subject since my mom's diagnosis a couple of months ago and I'm frankly puzzled as to why this book is recommended so frequently.

The Alzheimer Assn's website provides more thorough information. It's extremely well written and easy to understand. And free.

[...]

I love Scottish Fold Cats and of course had to read the adventures of Norton, a very intelligent cat! I anxiously awaited the final book about Norton's last days. Very touching but of course sad. Mr. Gethers is quite a nice author as I wrote to him and got a personal reply back. (As my Scottish Fold looks like Norton, I even sent Mr. Gethers a photo my my cat.)

The book itself is in excellent physical edition; only the end pages with library info have been removed.
I was overcome by the depth and intensity of the love shown for Norton by his friend Peter. Heartbreaking--but also heartwarming to read of such a strong bond between man and cat. Not sure if I could be so attentive to my adopted 14-year old cat if she were to encounter severe medical problems. Hats off and hugs to you, Peter.

A Hallmark card disguised as a book. If you like your cliches syrupy, I guess you might like this drivel.

I was given the first two Norton books as a gift. A Cat in Paris, and A Cat Abroad. What I discovered is the magic of Peter Gethers. My friends, these are more than just "cat books". Peter Gethers is an a gifted writer who writes about his interesting life, and the adventures Norton has with him. This book is the final Chapter of Norton stories. It's a heart-wrenching story of the final adventures of the friends we've known to love, whether abroad or home. Our rough around the edges Peter has no boundaries when it comes to sweet Norton. One thing that has always stuck with me is Gethers, a grown man, who would move over in bed so as not to disturb Norton sleeping on his pillow. It's painful to read, especially if you've read the others. But, Gethers brings us to Norton's end in peace. It's a great book for an animal lover, but Gether's adventures make this book a fit for anyone.

I think this book is just marvelous. I really enjoyed the previous 2 Norton books, but I think this one is the best of the 3.
The book tells of the great love a person can have for an animal. Your heart breaks along with Mr Gethers as Norton grows old and frail. You hope for a miracle, and you will be touched by the bravery of little Norton.
I confess to being teary-eyed by the end, and I felt the need to give my cat a big hug.

As a fan of the game, I was delighted to discover a book. Mr. Telep is a new author for me, and I was not disappointed.
His main characters could have used a little more developing, but they still became real as the book progressed.
The ethereal "Programmers" desire to understand humans by "afflicting" the drones with personality was a surprise. I am eager to see how this develops.
All in all, a very enjoyable few hours. I will be searching for more of Mr. Telep's books.

Peter Telep does a great job portraying detail in this book. The characters are believable, there are many very suspenseful parts in the book, it never gets tedious or boring, and the overall plot, though based on a game, stands alone as one of the best I have ever read. I highly recommend this book to any and all who enjoy thrilling science fiction. It's also good for all the DescentHeads out there!

When I started reading this book, I had absolutely no idea how a person could turn the immersive but sometimes confusing world of mines, robots, and destruction into an immersive novel as well. I soon found out how as Telep not only manages to create an addicting world of nonstop action and adventure, but succeeds in creating a gripping storyline where an ex-marine named Benjamin St. John must race against the clock and his senior employer, Saumel Dravis, to save scientists and a prototype targeting system stranded in the robot driven, virus-infected PTMC, or Post Terran Mining Corporation, flagship mine on the Earth's moon. Many deadly suprises await the intrepid rescuer, however...

This is one of my favorite books! I would definatley reccomend it to just about anybody. This book took me about two weeks to read. Most average readers would consider this a long time, but for me, who reads most books in about 3 months because I keep putting them down, two weeks is a very small time. I absolutley loved the suspense scenes with the Pyro-GX ships. It was absolutley outstanding!
If you're bored with other books or just bored with life itself, check this one out. You'll love it.

To be honest, I must say that I expected DESCENT to be worse than the game, as it was released after. I was horribly wrong. Every time I read this book (which is several dozen times a year), I feel like i'm really in the cockpit of an illegally modified Pyro-GX, blasting mechs apart with a vengeance. This is the best book I have read in a long time, save for the other two books, DESCENT : Stealing Thunder and DESCENT : Equinox. I only hope there is a fourth.

If you were to own only one volume of Lovecraft's works, then this is it. It is perfect for those new to Lovecraft. It has the most famous and essential tales including all of the "Arkham Cycle". Most other editions split his best stuff across several volumes with his lesser works as filler. Not only that, they are printed out of chronological order, revealing semi spoilers in the Arkham Cycle Mythos from one story to the next. Not so here. And it's a sleek durable volume printed on acid-free paper, a real treat for those who had to suffer through shoddy paperbacks over the years. Alot of talk has been made of Lovecraft's influence in horror but little has been stated how influential his works were to science fiction as well. Lovecraft pioneered sci-fi concepts as alien abduction, the ancient astronaut theory, and secret "aliens among us" conspiracies. He discarded many of the old terrors from gothic horror and gave us brand new ones. Lovecraft was to pulp horror what Chandler was to Hard-boiled fiction.

H.P. Lovecraft is one of the favorite authors of The Fall's Mark E. Smith. He is also one of Smith's greatest lyrical influences. This is enough to recommend the book to me!Grotesque (After the Gramme)

It's thrilling and important that the Library of America brought out an edition of Lovecraft's best in the first place.

But this is probably the finest (to say nothing of the most attractive and durable) collection of Lovecraft's best and most mature work that you can find.

Anyone who cares about supernatural fiction should have this volume in his or her library.

The Library of America has produced a handsome and affordable edition of a selection of H.P. Lovecraft's Tales chosen, edited and with notes by author Peter Straub. The twenty-two selections are from the years 1919 to 1935 and encompass the best of Lovecraft's extensive writings. In addition there is a chronology of the significant incidents of his life. The notes by Straub are detailed and are very helpful in both setting the context of the stories and explaining the sometimes obscure references that the very intellectual Lovecraft incorporated into his writings. This is an excellent collection and the beautifully bound hardcover will last for many years.

Daniel Phelan, Kingston, Ontario Canada

This collection of 22 of Lovecraft's most essential works is an must for anyone considering themselves a fan of science fiction, fantasy, horror, or just plain "weird tales". Beautifully bound and presented, this volume displays Lovecraft at his most imaginative and eloquent. Peter Straub has selected the most revered of Lovecraft's tales, and does as much justice as a one volume can do to so prolific an imagination. Truly, imagination lies at the very center of Lovecraft's best tales. A master at granting fleeting glimpses into the unknown and terrifying vistas of reality, Lovecraft has an uncanny ability to conjure terrifying alternate universes and realities, the full realizations of which are often enough to drive his protagonists to madness, or worse. Subject to some poorly conceived film adaptations over the years, Lovecraft's works continue to gain the attentions of Hollywood. The sheer imaginative power of Lovecraft, however, seemingly defies a visual representation capable of holding a candle to the images conjured by the imagination of his reader's minds. For a summary of the works of an essential American author, look no further than this volume.

I couldn't put this book down! I was drawn to it because it mixed my loves of both food and culture into one superb read.The photography is stunning,the cultural facts immersing and the reading about different families addictive.

this book is facinating if you are at all interested in how the rest of the world lives

Nice wrapping-- great delivery-- Prompt. We received this book in perfect condition as stated.
Thank you.

This is a great book to pick up any time you have a minute and just read little pieces that are fascinating... or you can read it cover to cover. the photos are beautiful and it really gives you an incite into how other cultures around the world are living right now. It's inspiring and made me want to inprove my own diet.

At the James Beard Awards in 2006, a huge, on-stage screen supplemented each presentation with images for the audience - images that illustrated themes within restaurants, foods, photos, and books. As a "foodie" who writes about beer, I was enchanted by a number of entries, including Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio.

So intense was this impression, that I was unable to leave the memory of this book at the Awards Ceremony. Two years later, the compulsion overtook me. Hungry Planet: What the World Eats stood on the shelf at my local bookshop, tempting me with what lived within the covers. This masterful display of "what the world eats," is so alive that, as I read, I become a participant in every global society we pass through.

Each chapter (organized by country) begins with a photograph of a "typical" family unit. The families are posed within their living quarters, surrounded by the food consumed in an average week. We feel as if we are peering into their personal lives. We know how much they spend on this food, (converted into US dollars). We see what they wear, how their family unit is structured, and what we would encounter in the marketplace where they shop. We are exposed to the sudden realization that some societies physically work for an entire lifetime at the meager chance for survival, so harsh are their living conditions. In other societies, the threat of obesity and diabetes looms with constancy, despite an affluence that, in theory, should be the key to longevity and health.

The authors give us extraordinary details about foods in each land - how animals are slaughtered and preserved without refrigeration; the method used to patiently separate barley grains from sand; or the necessity of constantly hand-filling an animal trough with water, because the earth and the heat claim its own share. We imagine surviving on skewered scorpions, seahorses, cicadas and silkworm pupae; Spit-roasted cui (Guinea pig), narwhal skin, polar bear, and camel; Khova (partially caramelized condensed milk), mung beans, spiny lobster, and aiysh (porridge); espresso coffee, well water, jasmine tea, cocoa, and Ur-bock beer. We also contemplate the effect of preservatives, prepared foods, and fast-food franchises on our daily lives in the Western world.

So fascinated was I with this voyeur's look into the personal eating habits within our fellow global societies, that I was unable to put this book down. As a documentary on global survival, it is superb. As a catalyst to our own self-examination, it is invaluable. It does not read like a novel, but is a rich tapestry that can be digested in bits and pieces - with leisure, or as an all-consuming, intellectual work.

Ok, before I explain the title of this review, let me make an embarrassing admission. I originally picked this book up at a library instead of purchasing it. I did this because I have wasted the rough equivallent of 2 wheelbarrels full of cash on copywriting courses that turned out to be complete and utter wastes of my time, money, and remaining hair waiting to be pulled out...

If you have invested any of your own precious time searching for great advice and material on how to make a great living as a copywriter, then I'm sure you understand exaclty what I mean.

As I cracked open The Well Fed Writer: Back For Seconds, I skimmed through the book as I always do when sizing up new material, searching for relevant chapters. I must say that it took only 1 chapter of reading for me to set the book aside, whip out my notebook and furiously scratch down good advice, valuable resources to check out on the web and even 2 clever quips that I wanted to use the next time I host a teleseminar. (The comparison of common marketing practices to camoflauge was a stroke of genius)

I realize that I may be dangerously close to sounding like a gushing teenager asking for his favorite celecrities autograph, but I cannot emphasize enough how 'right on the money' this book is. Perhaps the best way to illustrate how valuable the Well Fed Writer is to your success as a freelance writer would be to show you what 3 qualities I look for in a 'good' book:

1 - Straight forward - The author must not pull any punches. Tell it like it is. Don't paint overly rosey pictures or candy coat your advice. If there are landmines to my career that must be avoided, then by all means point them out! Thankfully Peter goes above and beyond by acknowledging traits that are common to most humans that could kill your progress before you even get started. Peter seems to have a talent for painting visual pictures and images that will stick with you. I hope he doesn't mind if I use a few of his analogies with my clients!

2 - Realistic - I don't know about you, but I'm tired of having my ears tickled. Don't tell me what you think I want to hear, tell me the truth! There's enough hyped up pie in the sky books, websites and emails floating around in cyberspace... I don't need to spend money on a book that will add to it! I found this book to be a refreshing change of pace as you are constantly reminded of the fact that we live and work in the real world, so results can and will vary.

However, Peter also takes the time to show you alternative paths to success should you find that your current conditions are less than ideal. Much appreciated!

3 - Easy to read - Ok, call me petty for listing such a seemingly unimportant feature in my #3 spot, but I couldn't resist. Regardless of how good the information is, if I feel as if I am plodding my way through a college biology text book, then chances are I'm more likely to use the book as a paper-weight.

I found this book to be entertaining to read as well as informative. Please do yourself a favor and purchase this book now. I returned my copy to the library and snagged my own personal copy, because this is a book that you will want to highlight and bookmark for continous future reference. You can thank me for the strong recommendation later!

All in all .. Peter Bowerman has one of the few "voices" that bears a ring of truth rather than hype to me. My aversion to hype is one of the reasons I struggle with even trying copywriting for real. Your books resonate with me because he is doing it everyday.

This is as opposed to those who have done it for a thousand years and might not have to work as hard as the rest of us in this day and age. That's not to negate their success or status but getting advice from someone who has already made their fortune and can sell on name recognizability alone is very different than having someone who's risen from the trenches in the same era that new aspiring creatives are coming from.

I say creative btw because much of what Bowerman advises should (will?) work for my design aspirations as well as writing.

Like Peter Bowerman's first book, this book is well worth the $20. He expands on concepts from the first book, goes into more specific detail and gives more examples. I found it very useful.

Not an easy book for beginner's. I have now ordered his 1st book. If you are more advanced at this than I am then I think this is actually a very good book.

Peter Bowerman makes it seem like there`s FLCW (freelance corporate writing) work in abundance for everyone who could possibly seek to get into the game (and has a modicum of talent and is willing to work hard etc.) I love his style. I think he has some good tips. However, he skips the reality that content buyers are developing a Wal-Mart mentality and trying to get 50 articles for $2 each -- no attention to quality as long as certain keywords appear and it meets some sort of hi/lo age group. I know corporate writing is not like poetry or even essay writing. I accept that. As a struggling writer however I see the reality and that is that corporate buyers -- of writing or widgets or any commodity -- are trying to go as cheap as possible no matter what the sacrifice in quality. That`s why many website and brochures, annual reports and white papers you see today have frequent and horrifying grammatical and syntactical errors.