Scott Books

Though not a race walker, I'm well beyond fittness walking, walking faster than many others run. It's hard to find a book that takes you beyond fittness walking, but this one does. It has plenty of material for the beginning or average fittness walker, but also has lots of exercises for those who are ready to take thier practice to the upper levels.
I also love the fact that there are also plenty of exercises for those who would like to combine thier spiritual practices with thier fittness routine. This is very practical those of us who have many demands on our lives & little time to go around.

I enjoyed this books suggestions on using mantras to encourage yourself to go that extra distance. It is written with the beginner and beyond in mind to motivate you to bring more "sacredness" in to a simple act that we often take for granted. It isn't packed with alot of technical information about aerobic walking but does suggest reliable resources for the absolute beginner. It also includes the author and other's stories of "flagging motivation" and how they were able to overcome it by bringing more mindfulness to the situation. This is key not only in walking but in life in general (try the mantra exercise the next time you need motivation to get that laundry folded or wash those dishes!) If you're looking for something to motivate you to put more "pep in your step" this is one great book to do it.

I've found this book remarkably helpful. As one who has not exercised for some time due to health problems, I am just getting back into exercise by walking. I'm finding this book helpful with ideas of how to walk to keep things interesting and moving forward physically and mentally. It also keeps me inspired. I read a little every couple days just to keep my interest and inspiration levels up. I've found it very helpful and would recommend it to anyone, whether a beginner at exercise or one who has been walking physically but would like more "spirit" in it.

This book is terrific for a beginner or experienced walker. She will get you out your door and moving! It's very easy to read, and conducive to looking at a chapter or two at a time. She writes especially well about working through mental blocks, and assures the reader that *every* walker has a moment in *every* work-out when s/he wants to give up. She also gives sound advice about stretching and walking form with some simple illustrations. She encourages readers to connect to their own spirituality without espousing a particular religion or belief system. I no longer wear headphones regularly when I walk because of this book: she's helped me turn my walks into truly active meditation, refreshing me mentally with every step. I tried one of her ideas of silently repeating a phrase while I walk ("I am fit, and I am strong") -- and it powered me through hundreds of training miles and my first marathon! Share this book with friends who think they're not athletes, and watch her inspire them to change their self-perception. Great advice for a 15-minute or 15-mile walk, and highly recommended by this Team in Training marathon alumna and Avon 3-Day Walk veteran.

This is an excellent book for anyone who is just starting to walk or for someone who walks on a daily basis. I highly recommend it.

Scott Leysath's recipes would delight any gourmet chef. It's mind boggling to think he has done so many, all using wild game, and that each dish is downright delicious. The book's cover says they are "award winning recipes" and now, after trying several of them, I can understand why. They are real winners and I'm back in the kitchen with renewed enthusiasm and Scott's book in hand.

When the first edition of this book was put together I got a chance to sample some of the recipes prepared by Mr Leysath himself and they were fantastic. I now live in Oklahoma and a lot of my friends are avid hunters and they have his book as well and are enjoying the recipes. If you hunt or fish, get this book!

I love cooking and I love fine dining. I also have the pleasure of cooking wild game several times a year. In an effort to properly cook and present a wonderful meal made with wild game, I ran across a few of Scott Leysath's recipes on the internet [www.huntfishcook.com]. The first recipe I cooked of Scott's was for Black Pepper and Herb Goose Breast. I made this for our next door neighbor and his son, who is 12, from his first hunt. He was so proud to be presenting food for the dinner table. Everyone raved about the goose and said they had NEVER had anything so delicious before.

Since then I have tried many of the recipes on the HuntFishCook website. Impressing family, friends and neighbors with properly cook, wonderful tasting 'not gaming' wild game. I was delighted when I heard their was a cookbook. I purchased it immediately and am absolutely delighted! This book will not let you down. If you enjoy cooking, this book is a MUST HAVE in your kitchen. This book would make a wonderful gift for the avid hunter.

The recipes are not complicated and the ingredients are found in most pantries and frigerators. Never again will I resort to using a crockpot and a can of cream of mushroom soup to cover the taste of 'gamey' meat. These recipes are easy to follow and really bring out the wonderful taste of the meat. The way it is meant to be enjoyed.

This cookbook is simply brilliant!

I own the first hardbound edition of this book. This softcover edition is incredible. Much bigger with more great recipes. I can't believe it. Scott Leysath has done an incredible piece of work here. Wonderful.

The recipes in this books are creative but simple. I recently took it along on a four day fishing trip to Lake Fontana where I cooked a "Brandy-Peppercorn" venison steak that everyone said was the best venison they had ever eaten! This is a book no outdoor sportsman should be without.

The third novel by legal expert and Hollywood industry insider Peter Scott Harmyk, Stalkerazzi is a gripping novel about a haunted and psychologically tormented celebrity, and the friend who tries to help him. Pop icon and rising star Daemon Negranni has whetted his taste for the extravagant life, yet a slippery stalker is hounding him by repeatedly invading his hilltop estate and disappearing. When TV fresh-faced college graduate, news producer, and would-be Hollywood writer Christian Write meets Daemon, the two form friendship - one that turns dangerous once Christian starts to uncover the scandalous and deadly truth about Daemon and his harasser. A dark and suspenseful novel of high-stakes betrayal, money, cover-ups and corruption, sure to keep the reader's attention glued until the last page.

This story held my attention and made me want to finish it right away to find out what happened! I enjoyed following the path of Christian White and
the trap he became entangled in. Thank you for a great book!

With all the headlines of Hollywood stars being stalked and the paparazzi following stars everywhere, you will be close to the action in this truer than fiction novel Stalkerazzi.

Stalkerazzi
By Peter Scott Harmyk
Hardcover
Publisher: The Outlet Press (September 15, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0975351427
ISBN-13: 978-0975351420

Author Peter Scott Harmyk is taking on real issues in his new novel, Stalkerazzi. Follow Christian, a good hearted aspiring writer, who enters the Hollywood scene thinking about the glitz and glamour that we so often see on T.V. After meeting and becoming friends with a top Hollywood Star, Daemon Negranni, Christian soon realizes that the being famous isn't all it's made up to be. There is a dark side to this powerfully glamorous life and Christian is soon caught in the middle of the Hollywood nightmare. Who is stalking Daemon Negranni? Will Christian survive the ups and downs of the Hollywood scene? Will the experience change or break him?

The book is chock full of betrayals, lies, menace, mystery, and misfortune. How could this fabulous lifestyle be so dark and dangerous? Stalkerazzi is a wonderfully written mystery, a true page turner. Wonderful for a raining or cold day, you should take an entire afternoon to read it, because you will NOT want to put it down.

Author, Peter Scott Harmyk, has done a fabulous job in not only writing about a hot topic in today's news, but also bringing a trueness to this fictional piece. Peter Scott Harmyk is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse school at Syracuse University, and Franklin Pierce Law Center. Leaving the legal profession for the lure of Hollywood, Harmyk worked in the TV and film industry until first publishing "Say Good-bye to Johnnie Blue" in 2000. An extreme cyclist and private pilot, Harmyk's greatest thrill comes from story-telling. Stalkerazzi is his third novel. Also available from the author, his best-seller,"A Wind Through Paradise" (Outlet Press, 2004).

Growing up in the Hollywood scene always made me wonder what really lives in the shawdows...where the glitz doesn't shine. After finding my way through lies and dis-integrity, it has remained a mystery to me how any person with a heart at all could possibly survive such a long list of betrayels. Ever wonder how the facade of fame keeps having a life-force?
You'll find out as you take an emotional ride into a web of deceit and manipulation. If you want to see the TRUE ending of a man-made fairy tale ... the one that never gets reported ... then this one's for you!

It has been a long time since I have done marathon reading, but honestly I could not put this book down. it had more twists and turns than Chubby Checker. I started reding it Sunday until my husband drug me out of the house and woke up at 5 am Monday to finish it. I recommend this book to any one that wants to escape or know the real "Hollyweird". Peter Scott Harmyk is a gifted word crafter and will take you on a wild ride.

After my friend Scott Patton had finished "Learning With the Lizard" he showed me some of his artwork for his next book. To be honest I loved the artwork but I had to ask him "Just how exactly are you and Sam going to write a devotional book about plants?" The devotional book I was referring to eventually became "Stories Under the Sycamore Tree" by Samuel J. Hahn and Scott Patton. The book is divided into nine sections each featuring plants which are referenced in the Bible. Each chapter begins with a plant as the subject, a Scriptural reference is given for the basis of the lesson, then the lesson about the plant is given, along with the plants correlation in the Bible, there is a lesson summary, then a prayer which follows to close the chapter.
Our family has used this book for family devotions.
This would make a great addition to any family library!

Sam Hahn & Scott Patton have combinded to produce a valuable and inspiring book. I am making use of it in my Sunday School class and for Children's Serons.

What a great adventure awaits the reader when illustrated pages turn on the theme of the plants in the Bible! Each of the 52 lessons is prefaced by a relevant scripture; then follows an inspiring and factual message by author, Samuel J. Hahn. Lessons are drawn out as an object for living and the reader is blessed with a prayer connecting the themes each plant displays. Colorful and accurate illustrations of each flower, tree or shrub by Scott Patton compliment the text. This is more than an inspiring resource, it is a joyful discovery!

This interesting book about plants and trees mentioned in the Bible could provide
a whole unit of study for a group of young people or adults. It includes little known
facts and uses for so many fruits, flowers, and trees. It is so informational! I enjoyed the book very much.

What an enjoyable book. The delicate illustrations enhance the stories and information. I have used this book as the basis of a program for a club meeting. You can read it all in one stretch or just take a topic at a time. Soothed by the language in the tales, you are surprised by how much you have learned. I keep this book in the guest bedroom for my friends to enjoy when they visit. As a librarian, I recognize the pleasure awaiting readers who purchase these stories.

The characters in this story seem so real that I'm still thinking about them weeks after I finished reading the book. I think anyone who is married will relate to Juliet's and Michael's problems. There are lessons to be learned in this story that I didn't see until I was almost finished reading it.

While I was crying with and relating to Juliet, I was learning something important that I think will make my marriage better. I recommend this book to anyone who has had their heart broken from being in love.

[...]

"Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails?"

A Test of Love was given to me as a birthday gift. This good (guilty shall remain nameless) friend, who knew I never read fiction and especially not romance, even had the nerve to have the actual author sign it for me--as if the author knew me herself (spelled my name correctly, too... which intrigued, but only slightly)!

I took a lot of Tums those year. I was scared I'd have to admit I still had not read past the title page every single time we saw each other. She never did mention it. I'll bet she thought I sold it on eBay in order to purchase a true crime book.

"Reading a romance novel these days was like rubbing salt into a wound."

There it was, in front of my face for a couple of years, in a pile of books I call my "if-I-have-absolutely-nothing-else-to-read" books. I mean, it's sort of Christian and I was newly married at the time (not my first marriage), I didn't need this book or the fiction. But one day, it fell from my pile and I put it in my other pile--the one that goes in the bathroom (I call that one the "okay-if-I-have-to-sit-here-anyway-I-may-as-well-read).

I am a bit embarrassed 'cause I read it in only three sittings (all in a day's work! I know, I know, please, don't bother commenting on it.

Author Kathleen Scott had me at "hello." No, really, she did.

"Juliet Nelson looked at herself in the dressing room mirror at Victoria's Secret and felt like a fool."

Juliet doesn't see the fit woman in the store mirror (she teaches dancercise), she stares at a depressed and lonely woman. Though married, she's alone. Even with kids, she's unfulfilled.

And that's how I got hooked. She was not only writing about me from the very first sentence, but I think she was standing next to me and could mind-read, as well.

Chapter one introduces Juliet, married eleven years with children, to the same man. She's on the road to destruction: she is about to learn about herself. Perhaps it's the almost-middle-age roller coaster whipping her around.

She and her husband, Michael, try surprise trips, candle-light dinners and flowers to rekindle the flame, but still, all she sees is a puff of smoke.

Soon after the stare-down with herself, we're taken back in time to the innocent first meeting and those wonderful butterfly pangs of love. It feels good, too, because Scott's writing is so... so real.

We learn through an innocent conversation with her dad, that Juliet has been brought up believing in God, but Scott refuses to let Juliet shove this in our face (and I liked that).

First comes marriage, then the carriage... yada, yada, yada, move up the financial ladder... you know the story. In the beginning, like any normal family, the routine of it all is okay. People need money, kids need their parents, and everybody stays busy. It's just a part of life.

"...days will go by and I'll realize that we haven't even kissed each other goodnight. I'll tell him that we haven't hugged or kissed for a long time, and he'll give me a nice little brotherly peck..."

I realize I--I mean, Juliet--is bored with her way of living in a marriage she believes could be one-sided and works on taking the superficiality out of their marriage. Somehow, Michael simply doesn't respond.

She drags him to counseling, but the hopelessness continues. Again, I hear myself as Juliet as she talks intimately to a friend. After all, you can't hold it in. When her friend suggests she talk to Michael open and honestly, she says she can't ever ask him such questions--she was nothing more than an intimate stranger to this man she calls her husband.

"How could he explain to his wife that his only real passion these days was making money?"

By chapter eight, we eagerly hear Michael's point of view. He knows Juliet is unhappy and in fact, has been for years. She's needy--needing to talk, needing to be reassured, needing this, needing that--but he's drained trying to stay afloat on finances, he could not afford to make her (and thus their marriage) the priority. Scott has Michael making the reader nod in understanding. He is under pressure, even if it's self-inflicted.

Lake Tahoe. A vacation to the most beautiful lake in the world, with friends, with their kids, and especially with each other--is just what they need.

But Michael can't stay for long. Juliet's depressed, but endures the rest of the vacation with the kids. Anger seeps through her as she faces her fear she's a single parent, only she isn't single.

The drive home from Lake Tahoe, alone with the kids in tow, only served to gather strength in her anger--she tries to fight it, but by the time she gets home, she convinces herself to remain civil.

Time (and chapters) pass. Through prayful meditation, it dawns on Juliet: she has to depend on herself to be happy (good advice from Susan B. Anthony, coincidently) and needs God to take care of Michael. Things are great, but they're tolerable--until...

"...grief over losing her dearest companion was matched by her fury at Michael for letting her down once again."

By the next chapter, Juliet is barely speaking to Michael for being such a selfish person in her eyes. One event changed her from needing a real kiss to turning the other cheek when the peck is even offered. Simple statements turn into defense mechanisms between the two.

Okay, so you get the story so far? Juliet and Michael could be us. The characters force you to know you are not crazy. You are normal. The more you read, the more you see the couples you envy are probably envying you. And seeing as you do get it, let's just skip to the end and then leave you dangling. Okay?

Out of town needy clients for Michael and a babysitter for the kids, make it easier for Juliet to book a convention--solo. No hubby, no kids. She meets Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. She feels like a woman again. She likes what she's hearing, since she's hearing someone talk withher about things that really matter to her.

Because I told you I would divulge most everything in the book, I won't spoil the suspense, but I'll leave you with these two last quotes:

"...how long it had been since the thought of eating dinner out with a man had made her heart race..."

"He's the one who never wants to talk. I think it'd be a waste of time for us to meet with the pastor..."

My generation (me, Teraisa)--we peaked in the eighties--grew up being in love with love. This caused confusion when it came to relationships, marriages, and divorces. We weren't taught or worried about AIDS or abstinence as much as we were about not getting pregnant. Due to this, where I once enjoyed fiction, I now rarely read any at all (save for Stephen King). I mean, it's all fake, right?

For instance, how about the one where the "knight in shining armour" rides up just in time to save the heroine and they live "happily ever after?" Why do we never read about after? What happens when you don't feel that special tingle in the pit of your stomach any longer? How do you live with someone you know as well as you knew your parents (whom you grew out of and left)?

By nature, I am a rambling fool. I proved it above, but only because I want you to leave this review knowing the most important thing you gain when you read A Test of Love: If you've ever been married and in a love rut--you WILL identify with the characters and you will learn to distinguish and make decisions made by the heart, the mind, and the soul--according to God's plans.
[...]

This book is full of valuable lessons. Even if you're a newlywed or not married yet, it shows you what can happen when couples don't communicate. The lessons learned from Juliet & Michaels experiences may help some couples to work through difficult times- other couples may learn how to PREVENT some of the problems outlined in this great novel. God has really given Mrs. Scott a gift- she is able to tell a tale that most people can relate to, and she illustrates it such a way that you truly feel the emotions the characters are feeling. I highly recommend this novel!

This is the first book I've read about how a wife feels when her husband loses interest in their love life. For any wife who feels that she is trying to keep the romance in her marriage alive on her own, this is a book you'll want to buy. One of the reasons this was such a good story is because Kathleen Scott describes this really depressing marriage that I think many couples will relate to, but then she shows how the husband and wife found ways to make things better again. It was really encouraging to me. Buy this book, you'll be glad you did!

Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you won't have problems in life. Juliet and Michael appear to have a perfect marriage, but looks are deceiving. Their struggles are all too familiar, and how they solve them in a Christ-like fashion makes "A Test of Love" stand out in the romance-fiction crowd. Kathleen Scott's passion for family and the sanctity of marriage are certainly refreshing in today's world. I am looking forward to the next story in the Mount Hermon series.

Thank You for the Flowers is a rare book-- a single author collection without a single wasted page --- Scott's voice varies enough from tale to tale to avoid the reader being about to get a firm grasp on his world view --- no way of telling what's coming from second guessing him.

The mood of the stories shifts as well, from disquieting glimpses into aspects of human behavior to straight up fantastic with an odd not-ammoral twist . . . Scott is not precisely a moralist --- He does have opinions about right and wrong, good and evil --- while the reader may not always agree with his opinion the integrity of his fiction is such that you go along for the ride.

One of the stories in this volume is on my list of best stories I've ever read ---- several of them are worth the price of the book.

This is Scott's first book --- I suspect that collectors should grab it now ---

The only short story collection where each story shines. From touching your heart in The Vampire Shortstop, to chills and thrills, this is by far the best collection of stories I have ever read.

In this collection of 13 chilling stories by Scott Nicholson, you will not be disappointed if you have an appreciation of that tingly odd shiver that teases your spinal cord from time to time. In summary, here are the stories.

Haunted - One of my favorites, a story of who's-haunting-who?

The Vampire Shortstop - Probably my least favorite. I'm not a fan of humanized vampires or sports either. A young vampire boy just wants to play baseball.

Skin - Another favorite. Do donors haunt their parts?

Dead Air - Great story of a disc jockey's telephone relationship with a serial killer.

In The Heart Of November - A haunting relationship between two friends that crosses the border of the living.

The Three Dollar Corpse - A tale of prisoner's who sell the right to take corpses out from their camps in order to buy goods, and a revelation of who watches them.

Thirst - What, or Who, are the elements anyway?

Do You Know Me Yet? - The madness of a writer, and a bit of a dig at S. King.

Homecoming - Another of my favorites. A down to earth man is visited by the corpse of his son.

Kill Your Darlings - Not one of my favorites, another surrealistic writer's fantasy of his pages coming to life.

Metabolism - Not one of my favorites, a walk through insanity with a frail woman.

The Boy Who Saw Fire - Another story of what, or who, are the elements? Similar to Thirst.

Constitution - Another favorite. Loves crosses all boundaries, even death.

Afterwards - I listed this like it was a story, but it is not. It is Mr. Nicholson's tales of each of the 13 stories here, how he thought them up and where they were first published. Since I enjoyed his musings on his selection of tales, I included it as a story worth reading.

All in all, a fine collection of dreamy tales that are short and easily read, a worthwhile addition to your collection. Enjoy!

The one thing I came away from after reading these stories was, that Scott Nicholson is not confined to the horror genre: he can write solid pieces of fiction that I would suggest anyone read, even if they are not into horror.

Picks in this collection are the entire book; just read them all and enjoy.

Be sure to read the author 'after words' section at the end. There's some interesting info on where Nicholson got his ideas for these and what mags they were published in, for any writers out there.

5 STAR ESSENTIAL RATING. *****

Scott Nicholson, author of the very successful The Red Church, first began his career writing short stories. This short story collection assembles some of his quieter, more affecting pieces. And what a collection it is! You will not find a single story that rings false in this book.

Two of the best pieces, The Boy Who Saw Fire and Thirst, are two stories set in a strange mythology Nicholson has created. These stories explain the reasons behind rain and wind and the sunset/sunrise. They fully display Scott's great imagination and his skill with words.

There are also many ghost stories in this book. Haunted is a traditional haunted house story (every author needs to have one!) and The Three-Dollar Corpse is a strange ghost tale set in a concentration camp. Then, there is also In The Heart of November a very poignant and sad love story set around a ghost.

These are only some of the good pieces. The great ones are the ones we should talk about. First, there is Kill Your Darlings, a great little story that borders satire about writers and where they get their ideas. There is also The Vampire Shortstop, a great vampire tale about a little boy who just wants to play baseball. The ending will leave you all choked up.

The one story I enjoyed most was Dead Air, about a radio dj who receives calls from a murderer. The story is simple but the characters so likeable and the dialog so witty that I found myself grinning through the whole thing.

This is a great collection to have in your personal library. Every story has its own voice and style. Scott will surely become a great name in horror fiction, so you should grab his debut before they're all gone.

Scott was a compatriot of mine in the California school system, and I learned first hand what a meticutlous researcher, and to-the-point writer, he is. Buy this book. It is a gold mine of information and very well written (and I can say this because I am his "English" buddy from WMS).

Scott did a very good job bringing out the Americans whom we would normally not know anywhere else. The characters, history and places kept me on this one. A fun and interesting book I am glad to share.

Mr Baron presents facts on hundreds of famous Americans in a fast paced and enjoyable manner. He puts each veterans service within a historical context, and the pictures alone are worth the price of admission.

If there is a criticism, it is that the book goes too fast. Lets hope that there is a volume two. A really fun and educational look at the military life of celebrities.

Mr Baron presents facts on hundreds of famous Americans in a fast paced and enjoyable manner. He puts each veterans service within a historical context, and the pictures alone are worth the price of admission.

If there is a criticism, it is that the book goes too fast. Lets hope that there is a volume two. A really fun and educational look at the military life of celebrities.

From Abbott, Bud---longtime screen comic---to Zanuck, Darryl---famed film producer and writer--here are reports on what the famous and infamous did in the service. Written interestingly, succicently, to-the-point no padding briefs of 500+ people you have heard of and admired. This IS a book that's hard to put down, hard to stop reading until you've checked every entry. Enjoy! (You WILL!)

Wayne Rainey is my favorite Road Racer. This book really let's you know what it takes to be a World Champion and the struggle when its taking away. For any race fan this book is a must have!

This is a must for every motorcycle racing fan. I am a GP fan but unfortunately Wayne's career ended a couple of years before I started getting into bike racing. This book is an amazing tale of courage. I could not imagine going through what he had to go through. One of the best biographies I have ever read.

I met wayne as a fan in 1987 at Road Atlanta when he rode for Honda after having read so many magazines about him.I never Heard of Kevin Schwantz until that weekend and Wayne despite being very busy, courteously found time to have Shay take a photo of both of us and give me an autograph.He was so receptive and pleasant.That weekend I watched in awe his amazing battle against Kevin's Suzuki and would never forget that day for the rest of my life.Then I continued to watch him on TV from 1988 to that fateful day.The book brought tears and lumps in my throat.This book tells it all and is a must buy.I am also a racer a know the will and the determination to win at all costs.This book also helps us analyze ourselves and our personal relationship with GOD.A precious collector's item to have.

It's been some time since I last read this biography of Wayne Rainey, but I certainly remember the emotions, and especially the growing pride, I felt with each turned page. The writing was very easy to read, and the content flowed well from Wayne's childhood and foundation of a Champion in the making, through his personal relationships, and to the present (time of writing). I recommend this book to all that loved to watch his battles with Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz, Freddie Spencer, and Mick Doohan, and wish to simply know more about the Champion. And I recommend it to anyone that thinks the world and life aren't fair. Perservere!

Wayne Rainey was certainly one of the greatest GP Racers to hit the scene in the late 80's-early 90's. With 3 consecutive world championships under his belt he had his 4th wrapped up when tragedy struck. Rainey's career was cut short and thus began a new chapter in this champion's life. The book deals with his youth, and his early racing years on the dirt tracks of Southern California and later, the dirt tracks throughouit the US. His entry into GP racing makes for some of the most intriging and blatantly honest reading you will find. With Kenny Roberts as team manager, Wayne Rainey's career began to open up and the more you read the better this book gets. This is simply the best book on the "inside" of a GP racer and the entire lifestyle that goes with it. (Ever wonder how "team-mates" get along when they BOTH want to win? ) Don't pass this one up. It deserves to be read.

I loved this book for each and every character as they came to life and the chance to empathize and see into their lives. Just the right amount of suspense, mystery, intrigue and philosophers.

In the writing styles of Sinclair and Steinbeck, Baillie submerges the reader in the worlds above and below a small mining town in Montana. Baillie's descriptions are so detailed you have no choice but to believe you're there. A quick "can't put it down read", this modern day classic keeps you riveted through a dizzying series of twists and turns. A beautiful story of an entire town's redemption through love.

I can only say this - I love it. Its a mind blowing work. This book reads like a literary puzzle. The story is wonderful and the characters are riveting, but there is a much deeper element at work in this novel. I had to read it twice to "get it".

This book is an allegory of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. At least I believe it is. A secondary character appears to really be an angel. Another's words are shadowy paraphrases from collections like the Bible. I'm sure there is much much more. You don't find novels like this very often - real literature in a commercial style. Each time I read a section, I find myself wondering "what is Baillie really saying?" Its a fun game.

Lucas, the main character, is so real, his emotions, his thoughts so authentic. His love of "the girl next door" moved me to tears. His "Poorest-kid-in-town" friend Scabby broke my heart, too. The beauty inside of him, erases the tarnish on the outside. Heather, the love interest, is a complex young woman, with a burden so huge it can't be shouldered by anybody. She is an emblem of strength and fraility, blended into one. The town in this story is hellish; maybe it is Hell. I don't know. But it feels so dark and evil.

This book is outstanding and Baillie has a gift. Is this the "great American novel"? Well, no. But it is far better than most of the contemporary works out there. I couldn't put it down. I recommend it highly.

Where the Sun Don't Shine is a powerful tale of coming of age that touches upon bravery, loss, young love, family love, and friendship all set in a town so real I felt I could step into the setting and start up a conversation with the characters.

This story intrigues with little-known information on mining, it inspires laughter at the situations young adults find themselves in and it evokes tears.

I found that I cared about the characters and didn't want anything bad to happen to them--this is a very enjoyable read.

I read this book after having it be recommended by a work collegue. At first I thought that it was going to be a self-serving work since the author grew up in a mining town much like the one in the book. I was dead wrong. This is an impressive first effort, in my opinion. From the opening pages to the final sentence, I read the most moving, most introspective, most powerful book I've seen in several years. Yes, there are a few scenes here and there in the book that I thought were a little cliche', but those blend so well in the overall story, that they don't detract from the message the author is trying to convey; that message being - it sometimes takes tragedy to make us whole.

The main character of the story is so identifiable, so real, I could feel his every emotion and every frustration. I did not want the story to end.

I have already recommended this book to my book club and to my family. I hope this isn't Baille's only effort. He has touched a deep part of the human experience and left its impact on me. This book is from a small publisher. I believe that it could be a major book someday. Lets hope so.

My daughter loved reading this book. I t was in great shape when we received it also.

I would recommend this book to a reader who loves reading mystery books. The person who doesn't like mystery books, I would still recommend it to them because after they read it they would love reading mystery books. My thoughts about the protagonist were that they really wanted to solve the mystery about the woodshed. They wanted to know what was wrong with it. They were not afraid to go down and look. I really loved this book because it had mysteries in it and I love reading mystery books.

Have read the first eight Boxcar Children books and think this is one of the three best with the other two being The Yellow House Mystery and The Blue Bay Mystery. This book could stand alone although an important character is from The Mystery Ranch book and might be more fun to read after reading that book. This is also the only book of the first eight to have a dedication. The Boxcar Children books are all good reading and can't think of a good reason not to read them in order. With the Box sets 1-4 and 5-8, four books are available for the price of two and a half. I read these books in order and there are references in the books to events and characters in previous books but not enough that the books could not be read out of order or as stand alone books. Gertrude Chandler Warner wrote the Boxcar Children books over a period of many years from the 1940's to the 1970's. She must have enjoyed writing them and that spirit comes through in her books.

Would you think that you would find a trap door in the potato pit in your aunt's basement or in the wood shed in her back yard? Well, the Boxcar Children didn't, but they found the trap doors, they had things from the Revolutionary War! They found strange letters about what was going on in the house during the Revolutionary War! Find out what mysterious things they find!

I think this book is so good because you never know what will happen next, like when the children find the trap door in the woodshed and then they find the trap door in the potato pit! The moral of this story is never play with some thing that isn't yours.

Like "Mike's Mystery", this is a mystery with a solid foundation and never once drags.

I first read it when I was about eight and learnt several things I didn't know before. I learned what ammunition meant. It also was my first introduction to any information about the Revolutionary War.

The story takes place primarily on a farm in New England that dates back to the 1700's. Grandfather and Aunt Jane grew up there, and he buys it back for her to live in. But everyone seems to think something is wrong with the house, and the children set out to find out what it is and clear the air of all secrets. And they are pretty sure the woodshed holds an important clue.

Read this book to your children - I am sure they will like it.