Phillips Books

This book is great for those who want some first hand accounts of the early years of Ohio's History.

Ms. Sanders' loved the pictures. Her students had their favorite parts like: Angela and Jared like when Josh and Millie meet. Jon's favorite part is when everyone is praying for Millie, and she gets better.

This sweet little children's book has it all. Right off the bat the main character makes a very bad choice and learns that getting what you want can make you miserable. Finally unable to live with himself he owns up to what he has done, and much to his surprise, discovers that what makes him truly happy is doing the RIGHT thing.

As a child I was intrigued by a set of nested building blocks received as a gift. When I opened the box, I first saw a single large cube with colorful images of animals on all sides. As I examined it further (bringing an array of quality tools to the situation), I realized that the cube contained a number of progressively smaller blocks. The gift, it turned out, was not just one cube, but a complete set of building blocks, each with its own theme and brilliant images.

Phil Scanlan's new book, "The Dolphins Are Back (Productivity Press 1998)", is very much like those blocks. It is at first look a book about a remarkable environmental cleanup project. In 1987-88, problems of water pollution had reached a critical point, as unprecedented numbers of dead and dying bottle-nosed dolphins washed ashore along the Atlantic coast from New Jersey to Florida. During this 12-month period, 740 animals were swept ashore and died, whereas in the course of a normal beach season, about three or four dead dolphins wash up. In New Jersey, the discovery of waste, debris and pollution also led to beach closings that destroyed vacation plans and threatened shore tourism. Ten years later, the dolphins are back, and New Jersey's shore ranks as one of the cleanest in the country. How was this feat accomplished? Phil Scanlan's book presents a detailed chronology and explanation of the steps through which the quality approach was utilized to bring about this most impressive outcome.

A closer look reveals that the The Dolphins Are Back is also an excellent textbook on the quality approach. It presents a comprehensive overview and detailed case study that illustrates the theory, concepts, strategies and tools of the continuous quality improvement approach.

Beyond this, the book is a tribute -- a tribute to AT&T and the leadership role the corporation has played nationally in advancing the cause of quality, and in generously contributing expertise and insight for the public good. It is also a trib! ute to the skilled and dedicated professionals from AT&T, and colleagues from Quality New Jersey, the QNJ Environment Focus Group and New Jersey state government who contributed their time and talent to the project.

Looking still further, The Dolphins is a testament to the power of teamwork and collaborative problem solving, and an inspirational reminder of what is possible when resources and expertise from the private and public sectors are brought together to address complex and critical issues of the day.

At its core, this is also a book about a teacher, Phil Scanlan. Between the lines it tells the story of a man whose insight, dedication and generosity have made a difference -- to the ecology of the Atlantic coast, New Jersey tourism, the quality movement nationally, and to the many people and organizations he has touched through his work.

So, The Dolphins Are Back is a book to have. It's a set of building blocks, each with its own theme and brilliance.

The book presents a variety of Egyptian plants (grains, oils, fruits, vegetables) and animals (cattle, donkeys, camels, cats, dogs, monkeys, birds, bees). The authors cover the origins of agriculture and of the plants, as well as the evidence of those found in Egypt. They also discuss breeds of animals. A concise bibliography is provided for those wishing to consult for further information; this is an excellent reference to have handy.

This book captured my interest as it is the basis of an oratorio by Sir Edward Elgar. Being a musician, I like to do a bit of research into literary sources of musical compositions.

The book contains a disclaimer that some pages may be missing or that print quality may be less than perfect or that strange paginations may appear. This edition of The Dream of Gerontius contained all of the pages and color quality was fine. There were some checks and X's throughout but nothing that hampered the intelligibility of the text.

As a twenty-five-year fan of Michael Phillips, I know I can always count on him for an enjoyable read; and the conclusion of the American Dreams trilogy did not disappoint. It arrived this week (finally!), and I couldn't put it down. With the thorough research and mature writing his readers expect, Phillips introduces new characters and plot twists, while tying up the storylines from the previous two novels. I heartily recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, but the novels must be read sequentially.

Don't skip the introduction in which the author explains both the origins of the series and his general theory of why stories and genealogies matter; it's very interesting! Also, though I found the novel engrossing, this is not the book for those in the mood for light historical romance. It requires and deserves more attention than that. Like all Phillips' novels, it explores the meaning of living a life of faith, this time in the context of the American Dream. The theology challenges and inspires. The wrenching backdrop of the American Civil War reminds me of the cost of freedom and the American Dream, and of our frequent failure to live up to either one.

History, mystery, romance, high ideals are all here. I only wish I could start the books again for the first time!

This book is about eight people, who for various reasons, end up in a creepy town called Devin. Immediately, strange things start to happen and the mystery begins. I really enjoyed this book. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The characters are realistic and it has the perfect mixture of eeriness and suspense. I really look forward to reading the second book in this series.

In Georgia Appalachia, an odd stranger calls on folklorist Fever Devilin. The young man is a ball of nervous passionate energy as he relates his story to Devilin. Unable to sit quietly, he insists he is a century old and fervently begins telling Devilin about his past as he claims to have survived gas warfare in the European trenches during WWI and learning to tango following a murder At Madam Biscoe's House in the Windy City. Soon after his fervor slows down a bit he pulls out a gun, but falls into a deep sleep in the middle of some rant.

Devilin assumes the sleeping stranger is either on drugs or simply loco so he calls the sheriff, who tells him he has received similar calls; however before Skid reaches Fever's home, the vagrant vanishes. The next morning the murdered corpse of a drifter, wearing the identical clothes as Fever's visitor, is found. Devilin needs to know if the victim was his strange storyteller so he investigates the homicide.

The latest Devilin regional amateur sleuth is not an easy read as the stranger is so abnormal with his rant, his gun, and his abrupt nap he is frightening yet so real. While totally disturbing the reader, he also absorbs the audience like he did Devilin with a need to know the truth of who he is, how he got to this point in which his sanity is questioned, and is he dead; if not who is. THE DRIFTER'S WHEEL is thought provoking, gripping and well written, but haunting as this tale will stay with readers long afterward.

Harriet Klausner

For those interested in the life of a Very successful movie producer! Phillips is Honest about her Hollywood life, from her drug use, to her very wise insight into producing Hit Films! (Close Encounters of the Third Kind,etc)