Richard Books

My neighbor is from the Virginia area and is one of the dearest people I know. She loaned this book to me at just the right time and when I had nothing else to read. I was so wrapped up in it that I sobbed at the end; not only at the loss of such an amazing man Bob Childress nor at the awe inspiring effect he had on the scots-irish fighters of Buffalo mountain, but simply because the book was over! I knew for certain that my recovering alcoholic husband, who happened to be born in West Virginia, and who turned his own life around in an amazing way, would be even more profoundly moved by this book than I was....and I was right.

My wife and I couldn't put this book down until we finished it.It is well written and an inspiration.It is proof of the difference one man can make if he puts all his heart into his goals,and all of his faith in God.Whether the reader has a faith in God or not, it will entertain and inspire you.

I stumbled across this collection of stories at a garage sale and picked it up for a dime. I enjoyed it so much I sought out the rest of Richard Davids' writing. Bob Childress, the preacher this book is about, could teach our world much today. Richard Davids put a lot of work and research into these stories and it shows. It was an absolute pleasure to read and reread.

If you liked this book you should also check out "Understanding Apples" by J.S. Moore.
Understanding Apples

This book is so amazing. It is a window to a world,thankfully that does
not exist anymore. The author describes how God used a man to bring a whole group of people out of sin and ignorance.
I bought the book because it has my ancestors in it. My father was a pretty wild man. My mother divorced him when I was small because of his violence and drinking. My father's father is mentioned in the book and now I understand my father's problems much more clearly. There is such a thing as generational sin! The book is great for someone with ancestors that came from the mountains of Virginia or North Carolina. I am sure the lifestyle was pretty much the same in any early mountain community.

My husband found this book at a garage sale. He couldn't put it down and related many of the anecdotes to me. I have read this book, since, over and over. There is a sweetness and goodness to it that transforms it from a biography of a great man, to an inspiring book that relates to the possibility for each of us to make our life worthwhile. It is down to earth, funny and wise, a story of a person that lived an amazing life told in a very compelling manner. An encapsulation of the "best" of America's essence.
Anyone who likes history or,especially, anyone who likes Janice Holt Giles books or Forrest Carter will love this book. It is one I return to when I am disenchanted and depressed for a lift.

I couldn't believe the depths Ellmann takes the reader in his biography of Oscar Wilde. Everything; every aspect of Wilde's life is thoroughly explored. The best single word review of this book would be just that; thorough.

On the other hand, the text is very dry at times, and you may find yourself frusterated. It always seems that, too often, biographies fall victim of the "dry writer."

Just as to know James Joyce, discover his daughter, the spark of his own genius.

Lady Wilde was a writer and Irish revolutionary who raised her son to infiltrate the highest ranks of the empire and expose their foibles, faults, cruelties and hidden shames, which he so fully did through his theatre work and other writings. He was investigating the widespread homosexuality of the British aristocracy when he was arested for his prying and blamed for that which he himself investigated and reported. He was silenced through breaking imprisonment (read his post-prison poetry, and the uneven yet revelatory De Profundis written from prison) which debilitated, discouraged and killed him a few short years after his release.

TO know Wilde, know his mother: Speranza, Lady Wilde, whose wonderful works of Irish history and legends are now available on amazon.com only in Spanish translation. Several good biographies are also available at unattainable price.

Know alos his son. Wilde was a loving family man who wrote wonderful bedtime stories for his own beloved children. What broke him in prison was losing them, as he writes in De Profundis.

Ellman's is a fine biography. Find out far more about Wilde than the popular and shallow slander urgently promoted by the Empire

Imagine the challenges facing a Wilde biographer: the contradictions of an outrageous, larger-than-life subject whose brittle public persona masked his inner torments; Wilde's enormous drive, which led to success and acclaim, but also set in motion his ultimate fall from grace. Worse: so much already written, including Wilde's own glittering one-liners - what could anyone presume to add to the already crowded record?

Professor Ellmann, who worked for almost twenty years on this book, doesn't fail to deliver. In what will clearly be the definitive biography, he lays out details of Wilde's life, illuminates the work, and cuts through the brilliant and brittle public persona to show us Wilde's soul. All of this is accomplished with wit, intelligence and compassion -- this book confirmed Ellmann's status as the English professor I always wished I'd had. Professor Ellmann doesn't make a single misstep in this astonishing biography.

His final assessment of Wilde:

"He belongs to our world more than to Victoria's. Now, beyond the reach of scandal, his best writings validated by time, he comes before us still, a towering figure, laughing and weeping, with parables and paradoxes, so generous, so amusing, and so right."

If I may be forgiven a paraphrase of Ellmann's own words, this biography is also "generous, amusing, and so right."

I remember reading this book when I was 16 and being blown away by the erudition. Even to this day it's probably the most erudite biography I've ever read. The scholarly weight and depth of this book is tremendous. It is amazingly comprehensive. This is the kind of book that takes 20 years to write and must be a labor of love for the writer--the writer must really love his subject, in this case, Wilde. And one has every indication from the book that Richard Ellman did. His portrait of Wilde is no less sympathetic as it is complete. This must be the definitive biography which all other Wilde bios should be measured against. A superlative achievement.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

I had just finished this book ten minutes ago and I am completely in love with the man. His life was one of both tragedy and creativity. I felt so sad for him in the last part of his life. He was an amazing soul and this bio accented it. A must read!

Tasha always said that when she died, she would just come back to 1830, her favorite time period, and the period in which she tried to live her life. She lived in Fairyland, as far as I am concerned- and that's a compliment. The pictures of her farm, her wonderful birds and animals are exceptional. Be sure to see the picture of her one-eyed cat and her African gray parrot and her gorgeous white doves, with feathered feet. Tasha died at age 92 recently and I would imagine her spirit is still drifting around her house and garden that she loved so much.

Beautiful book about a very interesting person and shows her lovely artwork. Love Vermont and the photographs were wonderful. Gave it as a gift to my daughter, who was very pleased.

I love this book. I saw her in Victoria magazine years ago, and then again in a bookstore, and finally ordered it on Amazon and read it from front to back in 2 days. I could not put this down. This amazing lady is living life as She wants to live it. This will transport you to a more gentler time, slower than today's crazy pace. You'll be inspired to live up to your own dreams. I love seasons, but I happen to live in a place where we don't have them, this book has enabled me to enjoy them when I need to. Her home and gardens are very inspiring and the photo's are great.

If we could all live in a fantasy world this book would probaly be more meaningful. Got this book as a garden/back to nature resource. Not for people who have to balance their families,work and of course money. Skip unless you are an absolute Tasha Tudor fan.

I bought a Tasha Tudor print for my daughter's birthday and ordered this book to go with it. It came just in time.

An outstanding view of the War Between the States from the point of view of an "ordinary" soldier.

Perhaps if the writer had put his thoughts to paper soon after the events described he might have remembered a few details! We barely find out anything about his weapons, his leaders, his thoughts on seccession etc... While the small details of camp life and escaping are interesting a better book on that subject is Prison Pen.

This book is a very enjoyable and powerful read. The "War of Northern Aggression" has never seemed such a real happening to me before. It makes well-known battlefield names come alive. Fletcher was a very practical, down-to-earth man and the reader is exposed to the practical everyday concerns of a Confederate soldier. The plight of the wounded is nearly felt by the reader. Fletcher candidly discusses taking food from women and children in Union territory and scavenging the dying. He even expresses regret that he had refrained from shooting an enemy soldier because he appeared very young and he wonders if it hurt his nation's cause. There are very exciting stories about being captured and escaping from a moving prison train. After the war, he heard a North Carolina soldier ask Fletcher's Texas cavalry unit if they had any bacon. When one answered yes, the man said "Grease and slide back into the Union." After thinking about it a while, Fletcher saw the wisdom in that statement and did just that. He became a highly successful lumber entrepreneur. I highly recommend for students of military or Southern history or anyone who likes true adventures.

Excellent, first had observations made by a common private in during the Civil War. The author IS NOT a professional writer. This makes it all the more valuable. The author is not writing the book to entertain, or to pass along old, gory war stories. This is a story by a simple man trying to tell us his point of view, simple as that. This account is quite valuable to anyone interested in the study of this horrible conflict. Recommend it's reading and recommend you add it to your collection. I do wish there had been more like this one.

This is a good, first hand account of the life of a Confederate soldier. Fletcher writes of only what he seen during the war. The only judgement he cast is upon his leaders actions at Gettysburg. This book will definitely change your perspective on the life of a common soldier.

Don't take everything he says literally and you'll be fine after reading this book.

The book is entertaining and very well written. The stories used to illustrate the points made are usually an adventure in themselves.

Richard Marcinko practices what he preaches and this book will tell you how to do the same.

Buy this book!

When I first put this tape in I thought to myself what the heck is this guy going on about. But I kept on going. It will grow on you. Richard's navy seal strategy to success is definitely one of the original motivational tapes out there. With a warriors attitude and what the author describes as "Testical Fortitude" you know your in for a ride. The author takes real navy missions and turns them into business strategies. With a philosophy of breaking rules only hurts the person who made the rules Richard just puts a foot in the face of whoever stands in the way. Dont be a follower. Set the standard not live up to it. Its a very inspiring look at a different approach to success. Exciting and motivating.

Great book. I like Dickie's straight forward, everything goes approach. Very practical and useful advice you can put to use right away no matter what your career is.

Another good motivational book from the Rogue, but I have seen much of the same ideas in a lot of his other books. I would still recommend it to anyone intrested in looking for a good motivational book.

I have read several business success books but none of the others even came close to this one. Marcinko cuts through all the politics and political correctness and delivers an excellent set of principles applicable to any industry. His war stories are more than just entertaining, they really drive home the points that he is making about the importance of planning, training, etc. This is must reading for everyone who is a warrior at heart regardless of their field of endeavor.

Having been boxed up in Portugal for several years, only now are the British trying to get some real traction against the French, thrusting into Spain. And they're losing. Marshal Marmont, commander of just one of five huge armies Napoleon has put in Spain, is pushing Wellington back. The English take Salamanca, but only because Marmont pulls out tactically, seeking a better place for the battle he knows will destroy the English. Marmont threatens to retake the city, but the major battle never materializes. Wellington chases him east, but then his army must retreat to avoid being cut off from its Portuguese redoubt by the French.

Sharpe fights both the large war and a smaller, more private one. French assassin Colonel Leroux kills ruthlessly, hideously and often as he tries to break up an English spy ring and save his own hide. Caught by the British but escaping, he kills Sharpe's commanding and junior officers. Sharpe vows to catch him. Sharpe's pal, the intelligence chief Major Hogan, and Wellington both need him caught. Meanwhile they worry about intelligence leaks; the French have a spy too close to the high command.

Sharpe and every other British officer swoons when meeting the dazzling Marquesa who dominates Salamanca society, and we all know which officer the Marquesa will take a shine to, despite his poverty and lack of polish. And when Sharpe and Leroux cross swords, as they do, and do again, we know what kind of sparks will fly.

Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe series is one of the most beloved collective works in the sub-genre of historical fiction. Spanning over twenty novels (and counting!), Cornwell has treated his readers with thrilling battlefield and bedroom exploits from Flanders to India to Spain and France. While the novels have a definitive formula, they never grow stale.

"Sharpe's Sword" is among the best of the Sharpe novels. Sharpe is a captain of the 95th Rifles, attached to the South Essex regiment as a light company. As fans of the series know, Sharpe has made himself indispensable to the British army (including his patron, Lord Wellington) by being the most lethal rogue in an army full of cut-throats and vagabonds. But in "Sharpe's Sword," Cornwell has created a foe worthy of Sharpe - the French spy-hunter Leroux, a lethal aristocrat whose charge from Napoleon is to topple the British spy network.

Leroux is captured by Sharpe early in the novel, but takes advantage of a foolish British officer's notion of "parole" (in which a captured officer may keep his weapons and freedom if he gives his sworn statement that he will not try to escape). Acting quickly, Leroux murders his way back to freedom, but in doing so he earns Sharpe's undying hatred . . . and envy. Sharpe hates him for being a backstabbing liar, but Sharpe envies him because Leroux has the most magnificent sword Sharpe has ever seen, and Sharpe wants it.

And so Sharpe and Leroux are caught in a duel to the death while the French and British armies slug it out in the gorgeous city of Salamanca and also on the plains of Spain. "Sharpe's Sword" has it all - humor, romance, intrigue, friendship, betrayal, and battles. And what battles! Nobody writes a better battle scene than Bernard Cornwell, and he tops himself when describing a suicidal, insane cavalry charge by Wellington's German heavy cavalry against formed French squares. The reader is flung into the wild madness that is Napoleonic warfare, and it is a glorious madness indeed.

Well-researched and lovingly written, "Sharpe's Sword" exemplifies all that is good in the Sharpe series.

A friend referred to the Sharpe series as literary opium...he may be right. They are guilty pleasures, for sure....and I worry what will happen when I have read them all.

The thing is, drug or not, Cornwell is a wonderful writer. I laughed out loud a couple of times, was riveted by a love scene, and ran to the computer to look up the actual battle and scenes described. Great stuff.

And then I had the misfortune to read the new McMurtry novel....

"Sharpe's Sword" is a decent entry into the Sharpe series, but I happen to tend to prefer the Sharpe adventures that are primarily military rather than the ones with espionage plots. And, for my taste, "Sharpe's Sword" is a bit heavy on the spy angle and a hair light on the battles. But the book's action scenes, while failing to rival those in, say, "Sharpe's Rifles," "Sharpe's Eagle" or "Sharpe's Company," are still pretty satisfying. "Sharpe's Sword" is far from the weakest of the generally very strong Sharpe series (of the ones that I've read so far, I'd say that "Sharpe's Prey" my least favorite), but it doesn't quite rank among the very best, either.

This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.

Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...

And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.

richard aiple book was awsome....go buy it cuz he is off the shnizzle

holla

I found this book insightful and positive and it gave me a whole new perspective on my own life and issues. I recommend you buy and read it cover to cover, more than once.

This is a significant work. It was a joy to read. You will find it a motivational and inspirational work to digest ... gaining a bit more each time. It makes a perfect holiday gift. I highly recommend it.

Sparks of Life helped me to find mine. I cannot recommend it more highly.

This poet's work runs the emotional gamut, all the while giving the reader food for thought. You will be gently reminded of the lessons in your life and the people who have meant the most to you.

~ I first read "Summons of the Trumpet" when it was published in 1978. Interestingly, in his preface, LTG Palmer states "There will be those who claim that history, true history, can't be written so soon after an event...they are correct. The definitive version of the Vietnam War will be published decades hence..." Well, a full thirty years later, it turns out this statement is the only thing he got wrong!

~ For me, this volume was and remains the definitive work on the Vietnam conflict. It is interesting, concise, understandable, and insightful. I continue to re-read it about every five years and just cracked it open again.

~ When I retired from my Army career (as an Infantry officer), I became a high school social studies teacher and I have used "Summons" as one of my main references when teaching my students about the Vietnam War, this time period, our society, and American government.

~ Russell Weigley, a noted historian who I also value, correctly called this book "by far the best synthesis of...the Vietnam War." Thank you, General Palmer, for letting the "Trumpet" sound!

As a Vietnam veteran, I am often surprised at the mythology that surrounds the Vietnam war to this day. This is "must reading" for anyone seeking fresh insight into that struggle. I found this book consistent with my own experiences and observations from my tour of duty in Vietnam (1968 to 1969). For this reason, I highly recommend it to any serious student of history.

This is one of the best books (if not the best) I have ever read on the Vietnam War. The author develops his arguments with such clarity and eloquence that the book is a real joy to read. Palmer does not describe many battles but only those which were characterized as turning points of the conflict, like Ap Bac (1963), Ia Drang (1965) and Tet (1968) but the depth of the political and military analysis is fantastic. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the military logistics of the US forces in Vietnam as well as the role of the air power in the conflict. It is astonishing to realize that the US actually defeated the insurgency in Vietnam and lost the war only because of the persistent commitment of numerous regular North Vietnamese divisions, which were also mauled badly in battle in many cases! The `Ahilles heel` of the US was the Vietnamization program which the communists didn't allow to mature. Very highly recommended!

Palmer's book was one on the first I have ever read on Vietnam, and remains one of the best. It is mostly concerned with overall strategy and campaigns; less with individual battles and operations. The book severely criticizes the Johnson Administration (with a particular venom for Robert McNamara) but is much more positive about Nixon. The author's attitude towards the South Vietnamese government and Army is critical but quite fair, and he gives the North Vietnamese their due. This is not really a book about American military performance, and does not really mention problems within the military, such as drug abuse, racial incidents, massacres, etc., but he does believe that any problems were a result of having a bankrupt political/military strategy. A few OK maps, no photographs or footnotes, but a nice bibliographical essay. All in all, a very good short introduction but certainly not a complete history of the war.

I was looking for a good overview book of the Vietnam War and this really fit the bill. The author put together a well thought out, easy to read and well-written book that does a good job of giving the reader the high points. The author was a solder in the combat and spent a number of years in the military so he has an authoritative position to speak from. He does a great job of keeping the book away from being overly laden with military jargon or the Rambo style of combat writing. The book is focused on the American effort and thus skims the pre U.S. troop entry into the war. If you are looking for a deeper history on the start of the war with the French or the overall American involvement in Asia then this book will disappoint.

The treatment he gave to the major battles was good. He presented an easy to follow account of the battle, what lead up to it and the outcome. He also touched on some of what was happening back home with the politics, but only briefly. I think the most interesting parts of the book for me was the details of the air war, more specifically how the bombing kept escalating and then the final bombing push by Nixon. My only complaint with the book is that it was an overview that was a bit too light on the facts for me. The book was only 270 pages long, and book size do not necessary determine quality, this book could have been a little bit more in-depth. It seemed to me that to get a better understanding a few more pages could have been added without the overview turning into a in depth study.

Divided into 12 monthly teachable values this book gives "lesson plans" for preschoolers and elementary age children along with a story (sometimes two or more), guidelines for parents, simple games and disussions that further illustrate the topic for the child/ren over the course of a month and guidelines for encouraging praise throughout the month as children begin to exhibit or model the desired trait.

Although major Christian values are covered, Christian parents may notice that God is not directly mentioned as this book was written generic traditional moral values(with no biblical reference) but there is room for you to add your religious belief and doctrine although you will have to do the footwork yourself (look up scripture reference and incorporate God into the little stories).

Values are divided into two categories: values of being (who we are) and Values of Giving (what we do). They include:
honesty, courage, peaceability, self-reliance, discipline, fidelity/chastity, loyalty, respect, unselfishness, kindless, and justice and mercy.

The authors raised NINE children with these concepts. Creative parents will find it a great launching point for them to expand on monthly while EXHAUSTED parents will find it a wonderfully easy "road map" to use when instructing their children that requires virtually no advance preparation and is easy to execute.

Parents of preschoolers will find that the preschool activities while geared to the younger set are NOT dumbed down which may make it a fun activitity to do with older siblings as well.

Teaching Your Children Values is one of those rare books that outgrows trends, critics, and what is currently popular in the way of teaching and parenting. This book, written by Linda and Richard Eyre, is full of stories, games, and activities that teach values, such as honesty, courage, love, self-discipline, respect, and unselfishness.
The Eyres draw from years of experience raising kids(nine), and being active in the national movement toward more conscientious parenting. Richard has served as Director of the White House Conference on Children and Parents, and they host their own radio and TV programs, geared toward helping parents to become better at instilling the same values they speak of in this most wonderful book, destined to become a classic.

This book is a must-have for parents who are worried about the effects of our increasingly values-less society on the well-being of their children. The authors present a number of important values and then provide strategies to teach these to children within the context of the family. I found the anecdotes from their personal experience--the authors are a married couple with nine(!) children--to be especially helpful and encouraging. I have read and re-read this book many times, and passed it on to anyone who will agree to read it!

This book is a must-have for parents who are worried about the effects of our increasingly values-less society on the well-being of their children. The authors present a number of important values and then provide strategies to teach these to children within the context of the family. I found the anecdotes from their personal experience--the authors are a married couple with nine(!) children--to be especially helpful and encouraging. I have read and re-read this book many times, and passed it on to anyone who will agree to read it!

I've read lots of parenting books (over 50 or so) and this is my second favorite. My first is by the same authors, 3 Steps to a Strong Family.

This book contains information on how to teach values to your children. We've just started using it but are having excellent results already. My kids are happier and are grasping concepts they've struggled with in the past. There is a calmer feeling in our home as we all work together to master a certain value.

I appreciate the personal experiences the authors share and the writing style is easy to understand and very well organized.

My two 6-year-olds enjoy the games and stories. They do not have any problems with them as an earlier reviewer mentioned would happen.

I highly recommend this book, but suggest you read 3 Steps to a Strong Family first. These books work and will make your home such a happier, calmer place.

I got this book as a present to read to my special needs students three years ago, and they couldn't get enough of it! Now that I am a stay at home Mom with a thirteen month old, she loves it even more :) It is her favorite book; I read it to her at least four times a day. One of my favorite parts of this book is that if you lose the mouse, there are instructions to make a new one on the back cover: how clever!

Great book... We read it with my 2 year old granddaughter and just loved it. She insists on putting the mouse through the slots herself and it accidentally ripped a page, so we had to order another one. She has really enjoyed it.. I would reccomend it to anyone with children.

This is a wonderful book for young children. They love moving the mouse through the house to see where he will be next. Expect to read this one over and over again!

This book comes with a cardboard mouse who slides through slots in the sturdy pages as he goes on his adventures. This is not a board book; the slots can tear if handled roughly but easily remedied with a little scotch tape. There is a template for a mouse, on the back cover of the book, so you can make another one if the original is lost. I made a spare for use while my daughter is younger and very rough with her books. The original started to peel a bit but that is easily fixed with a little glue. So although this is a fairly sturdy book it is not indestructible. My two year old loves this book.

As a child I read this book a hundred times with my parents. It was truly my favorite book and I can't wait to purchase a copy for my future children.