Scott Books

Sir Walter Scott's second novel GUY MANNERING; OR, THE ASTROLOGER is built around three sets of incidents spread out between +/- 1760 and +/- 1782.

--First incidents: around 1760 Guy Mannering, English, fresh out of Oxford University and on a walking and painting tour, finds shelter from the elements in a manor house called Ellangowan in Galloway in Southwestern Scotland. There he is hosted by its Laird, Godfrey Bertram, who is dining with his companion, the absent-minded, taciturn Presbyterian non-pulpited divine, Dominie Abel Sampson. The night of Mannering's arrival, Lady Bertram gives birth to her first child, a son, Henry, later usually styled Harry.

As a joke, Guy Mannering draws on now passe astrological lore he had picked up from an early mentor. Mannering casts young Harry's horoscope. He had once before cast a horoscope: his girl friend's, and foreseen that that 18 year old would either die or be imprisoned at age 38. He now foresees a similar negative rhythm for the infant Harry: big trouble or great danger at ages 4, 10 and 20. Mannering's horoscope is wrapped up and hung around the infant's neck. It is still there to identify him 20 or 21 years later.

On that birthing occasion we also meet a six-feet tall, broad Lowland Scots-speaking gypsy woman, Meg Merrilies. Meg is come to keep away evil spirits from the first-born son of a family that has allowed loyal Meg's tribe to squat on Bertram land for centuries. Her first words are a chant:

"Canny moment, lucky fit;
Is the lady lighter yet?
Be it lad, or be it lass,
Sign wi' cross, and sain wi' mass." (Book I. Ch. 3)

Meg foresees that young Harry will live a full 70 years but with three major breaks in his upward course, followed by three re-stitchings of his predestined path. We also overhear a meeting between the gypsy woman and a smuggling German sea captain, Dirk Hattaraick.

--Second set of incidents: four years later, around 1764, the ambitious but impoverished Laird Bertram was appointed a justice of the peace. His devious estate manager and lawyer Gilbert Glossin was made a minor justice official. Good natured Bertram's new self-image required him to crack down uncharacteristically both on smugglers from the nearby Isle of Man and on the gypsies whose presence both his ancestors for centuries and he had tolerated. The Laird became great chums with revenue agent Frank Kennedy. Months later Kennedy snatched away from the boy's tutor, Dominie Sampson, four-year old Harry Bertram to let the youngster enjoy watching the arrest of Captain Hattaraick and his crew of smugglers run aground by a British warship.

Witnesses who arrived later found evidence of a scuffle. Kennedy was dead, the boy Harry Bertram had disappeared. The County sheriff (not named) did a thorough investigation and ruled murder. Meg Merrilies was suspected and spent some time in prison before being released. The boy was never found. Shocked by the news, his mother gave birth prematurely to a girl (not named) and died. The murder remained unsolved 17 or more years later. And we have read through the tenth chapter of Volume One of this Three Volume novel.

--Third Set of incidents: 17 years later or so, toward the end of the American Revolution, say 1782, the story resumes. Guy Mannering had married his sweetheart and become Colonel of his regiment in India, winning military fame. His teenage daughter Julia Mannering was wooed in India by a young recruit from Holland named Vanbeest Brown. Guy Mannering erroneously suspected this subordinate of wooing his wife, not his daughter. They fight a duel in which Brown is wounded. But bandits fall upon them and the combatants are separated. Mrs Mannering dies. Colonel Mannering resigns his commission and returns to England, enriched by inheritances. But the injured Brown has survived and eventually returns with the regiment to England -- unknown to Guy Mannering.

Taking leave, love-stricken Vanbeest Brown traces Julia Mannering to Scotland where her father is keen to purchase the old estate of Ellangowan. But immoral lawyer Gilbert Glossin has dispossessed his onetime patron, the old laird, of his ancestral holdings.

Meg Merrilies and Captain Dirk Hattaraick reappear, the latter, it develops, long protected by Glossin. New characters also make their appearance, most notably, the amiable lowland farmer Dandie Dinmont (the terrier breed will be named for him after Scott's novel). Dinmont provides an even warmer reception to young Vanbeest Brown than the Laird had given Guy Mannering two decades earlier.

An austere, wealthy aunt of Miss Lucy Bertram dies in Edinburgh, having been persuaded by none other than Meg Merrilies that somehow her nephew Harry Bertram has survived and will soon return to claim his ancestral home. Guy Mannering, Lucy's host after the sudden death of her father, volunteers to go to Edinburgh for the reading of Lucy's aunt's will. The current sheriff of the shire, Mac-Morlan, gives Colonel Mannering letters of introduction to his predecessor as county sheriff, now a prominent lawyer in Edinburgh. We finally learn that lawyer's name: Paulus Pleydell, Esquire. Pleydell in turn gives Mannering letters of introduction to David Hume and a few other luminaries of the Edinburgh enlightenment. Pleydell also agrees to represent Dandie Dinmont in a property suit.

All of the major players are now linked, in place and the plot gathers speed.

The greatest family of the shire, the Hazelwoods, also come into play. The wealthy Laird of Hazelwood begins to think highly of the crooked lawyer Glossin. The laird's son, Charles, falls in love with Miss Lucy Bertram. It slowly seems likely that Vanbeest Brown is Lucy's missing older brother Harry Bertram, though this is first surmised only by lawyer Glossin and Harry's loyal old protectress, the gypsy Meg Merrilies.

In a scuffle Brown/Bertram accidentally wounds Lucy's admirer Charles Hazelwood. All players shortly come together in a fiery ending so complicated that I had best leave its fun and denouements entirely to you.

Themes embedded in GUY MANNERING occur in other Walter Scott works as well: gypsies, inter-generational tensions, a missing heir, the role of cities and lawyers in accelerating the sunset of the "auld ways" of feudal Scotland, the virtual impossibility of a poor untitled man marrying a rich titled girl -- or vice versa. Once encountered, some of the characters can never be forgotten, notably Meg Merrilies, Dandie Dinmont and taciturn Dominie Sampson with his repeated exclamation of "pro-di-gi-ous!"

And we see old superstitions still holding sway a hundred or so country miles west of contrasting Edinburgh, with its immortal 50 year ascendancy in art, learning and science comparable only to eras of Periclean Athens and Medici Florence. -OOO-

There are some appalling cliches here - the mysterious gypsy, a lost infant (who turns up as a strapping handsome adult, but who still has the identifying talisman tied around his neck) - but my guess is that these weren't such cliches back in 1805 (so this predates Il Trovatore by a few decades). Even so I was completely taken with this, and found the last 100 pages to be very compelling reading, put down very reluctantly.

Scott's second novel Guy Mannering begins in the 1760s and concludes "near the end of the American war" in the early 1780s. Scott is deliberately vague about dates, as his focus in this novel is not on historical events or persons. The story begins with Guy Mannering's chance visit to Ellangowan the home of the Bertrams a noble Scottish family somewhat in decline. It is the night when Henry Bertram is born and Mannering an amateur astrologer sets out to make a chart of the boy's future. He is disturbed by the result however, and declines to reveal what he has foreseen, asking the family to wait five years before reading the prediction. Mannering leaves only to return some twenty years later to find that the fate of the Bertram family has become intimately connected with that of his own and that somehow, despite his own scepticism about his abilities as an astrologer, his predictions in an uncanny way have mirrored events.

Scott's skill as a storyteller is shown well in this novel. The story has a fast pace with lots of action and suspense. The major characters are confronted with the dangers of a lawless time, including murder, smuggling and abduction. Moreover, they must carry out their romances despite the disapproval of their parents. As is so often the case with Scott, much of the pleasure from reading the tale comes from the various minor characters he describes. Dominie Sampson is an unforgettable character hilariously awkward of speech and manner, constantly exclaiming "prodigious", but fiercely loyal to the Bertram family. Meg Merrilies, an unusually tall, mysterious gypsy fortune-teller, is likewise fascinating with her apparently supernatural ability to influence events. These and other characters, both the virtuous and the villainous, make the story continually interesting.

The best edition of Guy Mannering is that edited by P.D. Garside. This edition, based on the first edition and manuscript, provides the best possible text, restoring for the first time a large number of lost readings and indeed some quite extensive passages. It also has a full glossary, essential for understanding the Scots dialect and archaic words in the novel, and an extensive set of notes. Guy Mannering is a really enjoyable novel and good fun to read. It is also relatively straightforward and so would provide a good introduction to Scott's Waverley novels.

I read Walter Scott for atmosphere, for mood, for humor and characterization and perhaps most of all, to listen to his voice. Scott has an endearingly present narrative persona--he's that chatty, knowledgeable, and even slightly eccentric uncle, the one with all the hobbies and interests and entirely too many books, who seems to be a kind of expert on every subject. The best Scott novels tap into this feeling of cozy kinship and exploit it, and in the end this is often more important than the story proper.

More than many other Waverley novels, more than Waverley itself certainly, Scott's second novel, Guy Mannering (1815), excels at producing this complicated, friendly, peculiar narrative hodge-podge. There's a bit of everything here, from romantic scenery to sharp satire, from a bookish name-dropping to curse-muttering gypsies. There's smugglers and kidnappers, astrologers and cranks, the Scottish lowlands and the English lake district. Like all Scott, there's old and new joyfully intermingled--a birth mystery worthy of Tom Jones yet a good deal of what would become Treasure Island. More Gothic and less historical than Waverley, more fun than Heart of Midlothian, less forced than Ivanhoe, this novel was an unexpected treat. It remains underrated and understudied.

Consider that Scott dashed this novel out in six weeks, and you'll get some idea of both his own considerable talents and also the casualness, almost carelessness of its tone. Like all of his novels, Guy Mannering should be imbibed slowly, savored rather than gulped. Kudos to Penguin Classics for tapping into the Edinburgh Edition and providing us with a cheap, well-annotated text of this neglected classic!

Addendum: Someone asked me, so I thought I'd add: this is the novel featuring Dandy Dinmont, for whom the popular terrier is named.

This novel combines action, humor, unforgettable characters and intelligent writing. The author takes you into the landscape-you feel every bump in the road. A very accessible novel, considering Scott's other works. While I loved The Antiquarian, the Bride of Lammermoor, Waverly and Rob Roy, Guy Mannering is the best so far, with a plot that never falters and a few heroes that inspire admiration as well as inquiry. There is also little of the thick, unintelligible scot's dialect that can trip up the average reader. While Scott falls short on his female love interest,(she's only human) he excels in the character of the female lead, a brave gypsy filled with a sense of her own doom.
Please read Scott. He's good, and good for you.
Note to dog-lovers: the fun-loving Dandie Dinmont Terrier takes its name from this novel.

This is the only book I've found that makes programming Word understandable. The biggest stumbling block to programming in Word is not knowing what the terms are. I was very frustrated (as a programmer for 20+years) because there was no place to find what the elements were in a consistent fashion. Woody's book solved this! Projects that would take days (head scratching to figure out how to find what I needed)are now done in minutes. Only one problem with the book: WE NEED A WORD 97 VERSION!!!

This book is a must-have for anyone who REALLY knows Word back and forth and wants to tap into its power. It's NOT for people who use Word casually and/or only use its word-processing tool.

The only problems I have with this are as follows: The book was published in '94 and is very dated; people who don't know BASIC will have some trouble with learning WordBasic, which is the underlying program language of Word; and also the fact that 3.5" floppy in the back is IMPOSSIBLE to get out! It had to use sharp scissors and use them carefully.

However, if you don't have a problem with my above complaints, and you know Word inside and out, BUY THIS BOOK

As a professional software support technician specializing in Microsoft Office products, I've found Woody Leonhard's HACKER'S GUIDE TO WORD FOR WINDOWS (2nd Ed.) to be the single best book on Microsoft Word--period. While on the surface it is a guide to the WordBasic language, what it really is, is a look inside Microsoft Word, letting you see the nuts and bolts, the cogs and wheels--and the not-so-occasional glitch. My personal copy, sitting beside my pc as I type, is very battered and dog-eared, testimony to the hard use it has received over the past year. I can recommend it without reservation to anyone using Word, writing WordBasic macros, or just plain interested in what makes a word-processing program tick

This is quite possibly the single most useful computer book I have ever bought. My company bought the original first edition after I read the rave reviews in Byte and PC-Week. I was not disappointed.

The book paid for itself within two days. I solved nagging problems which had plagued my users for months, if not years.

This book is both an astonishingly good reference book (look up a problem in the index, and you'll likely find it points you to a page with step-by-step instructions on how to fix your exact problem) and one of the most entertaining books I've ever read. On any subject.

Woody is hilarious and irreverent. He makes what could have been dreadfully dry material into a very informative, VERY entertaining read.

I loved this book so much, I personally bought the second edition when it became available and I have recommended it to everyone I know who needs to support Word for a living

My experience with this book shows Amazon's strength. Having read the other reviews, I purchased this book, and found that it more than fulfilled my expectations. It has a simple way of doing pseudo-hypertext with Word. It tells what works, what doesn't, and what work-arounds to use to get Word to work for you.

Without Amazon.com, I would never have found this excellent resource among the dozens of books on Word and WordBasic. Highly recommended.

this is the first book i ever purchased about ghost hunting exclusively in texas. i was impressed with the detail that the author included in her book. every bit of information that you need in order to conduct ghost hunting trips in Texas is included here. i have purchased a couple of books after this one that dealt with texas ghosts but they fall short of Haunted Texas Vacations.

This is a fun-to-read, informative book full of interesting ghost stories. It can be used for informative, historical reading or for pure enjoyment.

After reading "Haunted Texas Vacations," my husband and I set out on our own ghost hunts in San Antonio, Spring and Jefferson and, I'm happy to report, we were privileged to experience first-hand a couple of unexplained phenomena mentioned in Ms. Farwell's writings because we knew exactly where to look.

Please give us more, Ms. Farwell!

This was my first really good book on haunted places. Anyone who is interested in local (Texas) ghost stories just has to read this one. I am planning my vacation around some of these towns and I am very excited.

This book is so well written that it held my interest for hours and gave me quite a chill more than a couple of times. The way the author put Texas in sections made it even easier to find a particular area I was looking for. Although I was looking for San Antonio, I found there are all kinds of interesting places in between and beyond. I intend to eventually visit them all.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in our haunted history or just a great ghost story.

"Remember, ghosts were people too" says Farwell and what a cast: frantically romantic lovers, dashing Edwardian gentlemen, poor pirates, southern belles, war heroes, war victims, and even--well, what other state would his ghost inhabit! --John Wayne...

What great stories!

For example: the story of the 19 year old boy who fell in love with a beautiful girl in the 1860's...she had not only the beauty but also the warmth of a diamond. He proposed, she declined, he shot himself...in a back room of the Texas Governor's Mansion. The boy was the governor's nephew; and shortly thereafter, the family was forced to flee because of the fall of the Confederacy. They simply shut the bedroom door on the blood, guts, fingers and toes. The mess remained until the next governor moved in. Witnesses say the poor spirit remains, still in love, still sobbing late in the night...

Cocktail-party-chatter-sized facts are also included: The average sighting is 15 seconds, ghosts usually have no sense of time, most ghosts are heard, felt, etc. but only rarely seen.

If you like a good story, you'll love Texas Haunted Vacations...Fun! You might not fall asleep so easily tonight, but who wants to sleep when spirits are walking the hallway and shaking the china...

This is a great book to take on a trip to add that extra worldly dimension to your vacation. The book divides Texas into six regions. Then the specific location is discussed there are key symbols to let you know about such things as "Ghostly Missions and Churches" or "Most Haunted Location." It includes such subjects as "What is a Ghost?", " Ghost Hunting", and "A ghost Hunter's Tool Kit."

A place that is eerie enough with out being haunted is the Monahans Sandhills state Park. When you get out the dunes they seem to go on forever. However I sounds like the ghosts are more interested in the "Visitors' center building".

"According to legend the visitors' center a Monahans Sandhills State Park is built on the sight of a nineteenth-center Comanche burial ground. In 1967, two boys digging neat the building unearthed a skeleton, lending credence to the ghost story."

A year prior to 911, my elderly mother took a bad fall as we strolled on Central Park West. Father Mychal happened to be nearby, raced to our rescue, and took control of the situation. He gently calmed her, summoned two police officers from Central Park, directed that they "just put in a few butterflies, we're not going to take this woman to a hospital" (they immediately complied with "Yes, Father Mike") and then put Mom and myself in his car and drove us back to our hotel, using his siren and flashing lights to circumvent traffic. We had no idea of who this man "was".. until the horror of 911... and heard Mayor Giulianai speak of "losing Father Mike". How wonderful that the author had the presence of mind to write a book focused for children to detail the life of this kind and brave man.

I ordered 6 copies of this book for myself and friends of mine who have a personal connection to NYC. They love the book and have subsequently ordered more copies. What a moving tribute to Father Mychal Judge ... thank you!

Having read most of the books written about Fr. Mychal Judge, I was anxious to add this children's book to my collection. Especially since I would like my own young child to grow up learning from his lessons of love, faith, forgiveness & acceptance. I was not at all dissapointed by this book. It contains beautiful illustrations and a lovely story that tells of the life of Fr. Judge in a way children can understand. I bought a copy for my child's (Catholic) school as well as for our Church library in addition to our copy. I hope many will be touched by this lovely book.

The book, He Said Yes: The Story of Father Mychal Judge, is well written and interestingly illustrated. The language and reading level are judged to be best accepted by students of third or fourth grade. The book concludes with some activity pages.
Although it was made public after 911 that Father Mychal Judge was gay, this is not mentioned or even alluded to in the book. This book would be appropriate in any library or private collection. If Catholic schools and libraries are not placing this biography within their walls, then they are missing a real treasure.

Here is the story of a small boy who, in his youth, found a path to a life of service. The wonder of it all gave him great happiness. Life as a Franciscan was what he was born to be. It had hardships as well as joy. But Fr. Mychal Judge rejoiced in the love of the people he met daily along his path and loved each one in the depth of his soul. At the end of his life, Fr. Mike had the great good luck to be both friar and firefighter; he delighted in them both. All were his brothers, along with those who came into his life every day.
Dympna [Judge] Jessich, Father Mychal's twin sister


Father Mychal Judge was certainly a remarkable man. This book for children is a fine introduction to a person who gave of himself in so many ways, and all without prejudice."
Tomie dePaola, Children's author and illustrator

... but Von Doviak did it. Wow. This is the kind of pop culture read that I really like. Smart, funny, thoroughly knowledgeable. It was a fun and yet totally definitive exploration of a film genre that no one has really ever tackled. Maybe no one thought it was worth tackling? But Von Doviak braved the (swampy) waters beautifully. And being from Texas, I admit I was concerned that the book was going to rip apart my treasured Southern culture- but it didn't. This guy deserves a case of Lone Star.

You don't actually have to care much about redneck movies to like this book - I didn't, at least not much, but Von Doviak drew me into it, largely due to his amiable writing style and sharp sense of humor - he performed the impossible task of making a history of redneck cinema actually very personable. This must be what it's like to sit down and have a beer with Von Doviak and talk hixploitation. But the book is not some vanity piece meant to spotlight the author's personality at the expense of the subject - quite the opposite. Von Doviak covers his subject with a mix of knowledge and humor that reveals his understanding of the ridiculous nature of the films he has set about to cover, while at the same time treating their history with respect and providing context that deflects the possible cliched insults that could be lobbed at these movies..

We need more people like Mr. Von Doviak writing about popular culture - he presents an unusual take on a subject that is never over the top. The book is fresh, lively, unstudied in the best possible meaning of the term, and laced with a self-deprecating sarcasm that many more critics could take cues from as they get to know their subject.

I'll say it loud and drunkenly: Hick Flicks is a brilliant analysis, defining the genre and subgenres of movies by and about Redneck-Americans, or, as we prefer, "Sons of the Soil."

Von Doviak starts us with an Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow (www.drafthouse.com), as Scott canoes downriver, encountering hillbillies both planted and au naturale (that means "nekkid" or, in this case, "not planted"), to a riverside viewing of Deliverance. This experience sets Mr. Von D to wondering: "Is that banjo kid available for weddings? Failing that, should I write an in-depth analysis of redneck movies?" The answer, as Scott reveals in a surprising twist, is (brace yourselves for maximum shock value) yes.

Somewhat in the tradition of Jackass, Von D subjected himself to more movies about and by rednecks than is legal in 27 states. Von Doviak divides these into subgenres: trucker movies, stunt driver movies, chicks seeking revenge for what was done to them movies, hillbilly horror movies, documentaries about rural folk, and the like. In fact, in one of the more astounding segments of masochistic horror ever to emerge from scholarly film criticism, Von Doviak undertakes 24 hours of hillbilly horror flicks, starting with the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which shortly emerges as one of the more intelligent and sensitive movies on the line-up. The guy deserves a Purple Heart.

Anyway, it's fun to laugh at rednecks, especially if, like me, redneck blood courses through your veins (and only occasionally coats your rage-filled hands of justice), but thinking about rednecks and the mysterious ways of redneck culture is hard work and usually limited to slightly contemptuous, brilliantly smart-assed novelists like Harry Crews. Von Doviak leads the way in thinking about an underappreciated segment of film history, one that mostly exists only in documentaries and on the USA Network now. This book's a hoot and a holler and has been scientifically proven to be more fun than a semi full of monkey sidekicks. Go buy it.

We all now know that the 1970s was the period of the American movie Renaissance, when such artists as Coppola and Scorsese and Altman broke free to strew masterpieces across the landscape. But for some of us, in certain parts of the country, it was also the time when we huddled together on the playground or at the back of the school bus to trade rumors, in awestruck whispers, about what brand of violent justice was meted out by Buford Pusser in "Walking Tall" and what wiseguy putdown Gator McCluskey said to the sheriff in "White Lightning" and what horrors were to be seen in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and just how real "The Legend of Boggy Creek" was supposed to be. It was the era of Earl Owensby and Hal Needham and a time when both Jan-Michael Vincent and Jethro Bodine could be seen playing violent rednecks. Scott Von Doviak brings it all back, in such a way as to provide an alternative film history of the period, a free-wheeling period of creative ferment, countercultural experimentation and demented hucksterism as seen through the bottom of a corn likker bottle. It also happens to be the funniest book I've read in ages.

Hick Flicks is a fantastic and fun read. It's a bit like a walk down memory lane - summers of bad movies at the drive-in. God do I miss a good drive-in.

I did have some disturbing dreams about Bigfoot and the dude from The Hills Have Eyes, but I blame that as much on my cold medicine as I do on the book.

Scott Von Doviak's voice is clear and true, with enough astute observations to border on an entry for the Cahier du Cinema. I would have liked more Maury stories, but that's me. I'm a sucker for a dog.

Now you may question the relevance of a book like Hick Flicks. Hillbilly exploitation films died out with gas rationing (more or less). But I'd argue that with all this Red State/Blue State nonsense they're probably more relevant than ever.

Hollywood marketed 30 years ahead of where politics moved in the past two elections. Put that in yer corncob pipe and smoke it.

The stories in "How to Jump from a Ferris Wheel and Land on Your Feet" are of women who have not only been through but have overcome challenges. I am sure you will have your own favorite story, although all are good. My personal favorite is Candace story. The words of a little eight-year-old girl who have in just a few years experience adversity, because she is were born with a rare condition. Candace's words moved and inspired me.

No matter where you are in your life; currently going through or already has overcome, I believe you too will find these stories motivating.

"Every so often, you'll come across a book that transcends the obvious and unveils the unknown.

How to Jump From a Ferris Wheel and Land On Your Feet, is such a book. This publication goes far beyond the preliminaries of personal empowerment. It rises above. Other books may have this appeal in a series, but not the unique collection of positive and uplifting stories found here."
~ Fran Briggs
Motivational Speaker, Author

Women often uplift, motivate and empower each other by sharing chapters from their own lives. Knowing this, the idea to write How To Jump From a Ferris Wheel and Land on Your Feet was born. Handpicking women for volume one of this series was easy. Their stories are amazing and inspirational so I believed that other people would benefit from reading from these contributing authors:

Demetra Reid
Candace Battiste
Rachel M. Battiste
Fran Briggs
Sharon M. Fisher
Barbara Price
Miriam L. Jacobs
Michele Green
Debra Griffin
Dorothy Scott

Adverse situations arise in life.

How we cope with these adversities is what is important. Adversity can build strength of character and triumphant spirits, or crush us. Every author who contributed a chapter in How to Jump From a Ferris Wheel and Land on Your Feet has seen more than her fair share of trials and tribulations.

From alcohol and drug addiction to battles with grave illnesses to domestic abuse, these women used tenacious fortitude, perseverance, faith and other sources to stand firmly on their feet.. VICTORIOUS!

Two thumbs up!!
Miriam L. Jacobs
Author, Publisher, Survivor

This book is all about self-empowerment. There are moments of clarity, compassion & companionship. Miriam Jacobs writes with a gentle realism that all can relate to. Sharon Fisher's story beckons you with its sheer humanity. This collection of inspirational stories is prose with a purpose. Share it with your mothers, daughters, and sisters.

How to Jump From a Ferris Wheel and Land on Your Feet
I have had the Opportunity to meet some of these Women. What an Honor ! Each one of these women, Should Be Applauded for Their Courage. Each One Shared with all of us,The Struggles and the Triumphs,The laughter and Tears. Women who Have Rose to what I would call Pillars of Our Community,Teachers,Leaders,Sisters and Friends. I know, as you Read, you will find a part of yourself in each one of the stories.To the Courageous Women May you Be Blessed.

This culmination of stories written by women who have all overcome adversity to learn the meaning and method of transcendence is an uplifting read that brings encouragement and strength to anyone who turns its pages. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to any woman in the process of battling opression while trying to find her hidden truth and strength as well as to any man who seeks to understand what women face in their search for personal empowerment. This book is both socially and personally relevant to the journey we all take as individuals as we attempt to stretch the definition of all that we can be while simultaneously trying to find intimacy with those we love. Five stars to How to Jump From a Ferris Wheel and Land on Your Feet!!!

After reading hundreds of Civil War titles over the years, and many on Gettysburg, I did not think reading another book on Gettysburg would result in as much enjoyment as this one did. Scott Mingus has a hit here with wonderful "nuggets" of information.

These "nuggets" provide an insight into the minds of the individual soldiers, citizens and others affected by this great battle. I found that this book was hard to set down. It is laid out in an easy to read format with chapters on the invasion, days 1, 2 and 3, as well as a chapter on the aftermath.

Enjoyable little tales of interaction between soldiers, civilians and their enemies. In addition to tales about battle, I found many tales to show the softer or human side of the battle. Much of the information was culled from memoirs, newspapers, letters and other sources. Each "nugget" varies in length from 1 to 2 paragraphs up to a page. Scott also provides source information related to each item which can be very helpful if you want to further your research.

Human Interest Stories is a wonderful book that I recommend to anyone interested in Civil War history. Scott has really found an interesting niche with this title. I hope to see similar offerings on other battles!

Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg Campaign by Scott Mingus Sr. is a "must read" for anyone interested in history and particularly curious about the period of the American Civil War. This roughly 100 page collection of brief commentary on the progression of the Gettysburg Campaign of Robert E. Lee couches a multitude of stories and quotes from original sources for both the North and the South. It includes interactions of young and old, soldiers and citizens, men and women, friends and foes, heroes and scoundrels. There are even described interactions between men and animals caught in the whirlwind of the event including horses, cattle, rabbits, fox, snake, and birds. Scott's presentation carries the essence of the individual's experience leading up to, through, and the aftermath of the great battle. He touches on stories that demonstrate courage and cowardice. Examples of deep faith and others expressing the human failure are all in this little book. This is one book that some will not be able to put down, while others will find it a perfect distraction by enjoying it by bits and pieces of the humorous and the solemn. I did some of each and believe that I came away with a deeper understanding of how those that experienced the event felt.

The Battle of Gettysburg has had more written about it than any other battle of the Civil War, and probably more than the entire Western and Trans-Mississippi Theaters combined. This leads readers to the obvious question, "Why should anyone do another book on Gettysburg?", and it's one that I often ask. Author Scott Mingus has a ready answer for that question. Many of the Gettysburg studies are detailed accounts of strategy and tactics. Mingus responds that Gettysburg was a "very individual event for the 150,000 or so troops engaged." On that note, the author sets out to detail some of these "individual events", drawing from various primary sources and rewording or reinterpreting the stories told. This book moves in areas far below the level of army commanders, getting down to the individual soldiers who lived, marched, fought, and died during this famous campaign. Human Interest Stories is a look at Gettysburg from the ground up, allowing the soldiers' stories, many unknown and unpublished prior to this account, to stand independent of the battle's strategy and tactics.

The book is divided into five chapters, covering the march north into Maryland and Pennsylvania, the three days of battle, and the aftermath. After each vignette, Mingus includes the source he pulled the story from, allowing interested readers to find those available sources on their own. These sources include diaries, letters, newspapers, regimentals, MOLLUS accounts, county histories, and even the Official Records. The author gives equal coverage to the fighting men of the Union and Confederacy, and also includes civilians on occasion. One of my favorite stories involved a civilian of Gettysburg who ran an inn. He had only recently received a large shipment of liquor, and he rightly feared this would all be taken if soldiers entered the town. The civilian decided to hide his liquor in a trench in his garden, covering it up with a newly created cabbage patch. The man completed the ruse by saving a few barrels of the poorest liquor and hiding it in his home. Confederates did discover this poor quality liquor, but they were satisfied that this was all the man had. After the Confederates had left, the man was dismayed to find his liquor had been ruined after water seeped into the barrels after a heavy rain!

I enjoyed this book, honestly much more than I thought I would. My main interest in the war involves the campaign and battle studies I mentioned in the original paragraph, so I did not know how much I would like the format going in. With that said, I absolutely could not put this book down. At 100 pages it is a very fast read. The various stories can be read in order, or you can randomly flip through the book and find something interesting on almost every page. Mingus, an award winning scenario designer for the Johnny Reb 3 miniatures gaming system and author of several wargame scenario booklets, has chosen a diverse set of vignettes for his readers. The author rewrote a lot of the stories for clarity and space constraints, allowing a modern audience to read the book with a full understanding of what is being said. Mingus promises future volumes covering more previously uncovered stories in much the same way.

Mingus delivers an entertaining, enjoyable read that can be enjoyed in one sitting or over a lengthier period of time. Jaded readers tired of "yet another Gettysburg book" will want to give this one a try, as it does deliver on the author's promise to approach Gettysburg from an unconventional angle. Civil War buffs interested in the individual stories of the war rather than tactical studies will find this book to be an exciting first entry in what should quickly become a series. The book contains no maps, and none are really needed, as that's not the point. Even beginners to the rich history of this time period can take something tangible from Human Interest Stories. In fact, I see this as a nice gift to lend or give to friends who might not otherwise be interested in the Civil War specifically or history in general. It shows that history need not be dry and boring. Considering the low price, I consider this a solid purchase for any Civil War enthusiast.

Upon my first trip as a boy to Gettysburg in 1958 I returned home with a paperback of human interest stories on the battle. I devoured that book and through it the momentous battle came alive for me. Scott Mingus has done a great service in compiling a far better collection of such wonderful stories, complete with citations. As a public historian who has the honor of intereting the battle on the very ground, I repeatedly mention that there are 200,000 amazing stories to be told, beyond the popular accounts about men like Chamberlain and Pickett. Mr. Mingus has opened the door for us to meet a number of ordinary people struck by truly extraordinary experiences.

The battle can be approached from many perspectives. What Mr. Mingus has done is to compile the stories that the veterans and locals themselves enjoyed reminiscing about for decades thereafter. You won't find tactical and technical matters addressed here, but the fascinating observations of common folk who would never ever forget the images deeply fixed in their memories. It's sort of like sitting on the porch steps of an old Victorian home listening to a gray-haired codger in a rocking chair tell about that time back in '63 when he "saw the elephant." Some tales are gruesome, others are humorous. But each one leads you to call out, "Wow! Tell me more!"

Even those quite familiar with the Battle of Gettysburg will marvel at the fresh stories Mr. Mingus has unearthed and shared for our enjoyment.

I enjoy reading about the strategy and tactics used by the Federals and Confederates leading up to and including the battle of Gettysburg, but it's the human interest stories about the participants and civilians that move my heart. And that is exactly what Scott Mingus has done with this collection of excerpts from memoirs, regimental biographies, newspaper articles, and letters to loved ones. If one enjoyed the now out-of-print Voices of the Civil War series by Time-Life Books, then one will find this book to be a wonderful companion to that series. Though not illustrated (which would have added more value, but also more cost) it is the soldiers and civilians own words that are important. The excerpts are not long, and the book can be read in its entirety over a couple of evenings, but one can also just pick it up anytime to read a few paragraphs and still enjoy it. I believe that anyone that is interested not only in the battle of Gettysburg but in the American Civil War in general, will find this book a worthy addition to their library. I highly recommend it.

My 8 year old son LOVED this book!! He wants the rest of this series. So do I!

This book is very good because, I mean kids turning into dinosaurs is just cool. If you like dinosaurs this is a book that you must buy.

WOW! Can you imagine yourself trapped in the body of a gigantic T-Rex? Or even a Triceratops? Wouldn't that be awsome if that could really happen to us? Well, in this steller new book, written by Scott Ciencin, he in fact, dose makes four kids go back in time, only trapped in dinosaur bodies. Another thing that I have just realized that this book series is somewhat in realation to Animorphs; only with dinosaurs, and without the alien invasion thing. But still, Ciencin is a new and remarkable author, that I think will have many great things happen to him in the future. Is work of fiction really makes you feel as though you have somehow went to the world of dinosaurs, along with the characters in his stories. I have just recently checked out these new series at my local Barnes & Noble Booksellers store, and wow, I was impressed! I've read halfway through the first already, and can't wait 'till the new books come in! Keep up the excellent job, Scott Ciencin! If you love Animorphs, you will most certainly love Scott Ciencin's Dinoverse, full of non-stop suspense and thrills. Each chapter leaves you hanging with a cliffhanger, making you wanna read some more. That's what I love about reading. The suspense. And Dinoverse has it all. Action, Thrills, and Spills. Who couldn't resist reading these magical tales of wonder? Anyone who is in love with dinosaurs, this is the book series for you! These books are filled with powerful imagination. If the kids in "I Was a Teenage T-Rex" thought it was tough now, they better hold their breath, because they're about to face danger in a whole new way--or should I say, in a whole new BODY! OK, I think I should stop writing here, so if you haven't checked out the Dinoverse series, written by Scott Ciencin, then what are you waiting for? Go out, and buy or check them out in your local librairy, if they have any copies of the Dinoverse book series. Who knows? Maybe one of these days we might really actually go back to the age of the dinosaurs and experince real adventure. Anything's possible. Right?

I have recently checked out the new sci-fi-adventure books, Dinoverse, written by Scott Ciencin. And wow--he really knows how to write from the heart and get into his characters! Each book also gives you an idea of what it might like to be a dinosaur. You learn a lot also. We learn different varieties of dinosaurs and what they eat how they live. Storng characterization and wonderfully written, non-stop action and fun. Each chapter leaves off with a cliffhanger, making you wanna read through the whole thing. Anyway, the story of the Dinoverse series, starts out with 13-year-old, Beatram. His project goes wrong and before they know--they are stuck in the bodies of vicous dinosaurs and brought back to South Dakota 67 million years ago. I loved this book so much--I can't wait 'till Scott Ciencin's next Dinoverse book comes out! Wonderfully written--page-turning suspense. I would recommend this book to anybody that is in love with dinos or simply just read it for fun and excitment. So what are you waiting for? Stop reading these reviews and go buy the Dinoverse series now...before they become extinct!(If this were made into a movie, it would be a perfect sci-fi, adventure movie that ever one could enjoy!)

WOW! Could you imagine yourself trapped in the body of a gigantic T-Rex? Or even a Triceratops? Wouldn't that be awsome if that could really happen to us? Well, in this stellar new book series, written by Scott Ciencin, he in fact, does make four kids go back in time, only trapped in the bodies of dinosaurs. There is also something about this series that I have just realized about: it is somewhat in realation to the Animorphs series, by A.K. Applegate; only with dinosaurs, and without the alien invasion thing. But still, Ciencin is a new and remarkable author, that I think will have many great things happen to him in the future. His work of fiction really makes you feel as though you have somehow went to the world of dinosaurs, along with the characters in his stories. I have just recently checked out these new series at my local Barnes & Noble Booksellers store, and wow, was I impressed! I've read half-way through the first book, and can't wait 'till the new books come in! Keep up the excellent work, Scott Ciencin! If you love Animorphs, you will most certainly love Scott Ciencin's Dinoverse, full of non-stop suspense and thrills, keeping you wondering what will happen next. That's what I love about reading. The suspense that keeps you hanging and wanna read the whole thing. And Dinoverse has it all: action, trills, chills, and spills. Wou would resist reading these magical tales of wonder and adventure? Anyone who is in love with dinosuars, this is the book series for you! These books are filled with powerful imagination. If the kids in "I Was a Teenage T-Rex" thought it was tough now days, they better hold their breath, because they're about to face reality in a whole new way--or should I say, in a whole new BODY! OK, I think I should stop writing here, so that I won't give out any more secrets to this face-paced thriller-adventure of a novel. So if you haven't checked out the Dinoverse series, then what are you waiting for? Go ou and buy or check them out in your local library, if they have any copies of the Dinoverse book series. Who knows? Maybe one of these days we might really actually go back to the age of the dinosaurs and experience real adventure. Anything's possible. Right?

Seller of this book was CONFUSED- sent this, and another, entitled "First Impression, Best Impression" that we DID NOT ORDER,OR WANT, but got charged for anyway."High School" book is a good read,though- so don't judge a book BY ITS SELLER.

This is a super empowering insightful read for teen girls as well as their parents. If you are having trouble communicating and getting your teen to listen to reason about making good choices and finding the right words in answering questions about tough issues during their teenage years, this book should be a part of any self-respecting teenagers home library collection! The title alone is bound to intrigue your teenager enough to pick it up and read.

In this book, the author gives the 10 truths to being to in high school. It is basically a self help book, but not only does it tell you how to recuperate from bad situations; it also helps to avoid landing in the same situations again. Through teenagers' quotes and life stories, you can connect better with the information it holds and helps you to understand it.
One of the most important parts of this book is when she talks about changing your environment. A quote from this chapter would be "know what you can change (don't forget about negotiating!) and what you cannot. Apply your energy to what you can change and accept those things you can't."(Page 112). Too many people get caught up in things that are permanent and don't focus their attention on temporary things that could make life bearable.
*I liked the book because it doesn't sugar coat anything and it gives the facts flat out.
* I would recommend this to teens because it can help us deal with the world and assist us into blossoming into the adults we were meant to be.
* I would recommend this book to adults because even though it is centered to teens, its lessons can be beneficial to adults also.
* I wouldn't recommend this book to schools because although I like the book, many people would find it time-wasting and boring.

After reading this book, I learned a lot. By reading this book, you learn how to make right choices, how to react in certain situations etc. The book contains short stories and experiances written by teens. Each chapter has a series of different stories regarding certain topics. Reading this book when you are a teen is very useful, you learn how to handle peer pressure, issues with friends, parents, school, teachers etc. I enjoyed reading this book very much and I reccommend it to early teens because it relates to them more. Overall, I would rate this book a 5, I enjoyed it AND I learnt from it!

This book is a wonderful resource and guide for my teens. They have read it and love it. I highly recommend it to those of you with children entering or already in high school!

Amazing book. Ended up chuckling throughout with the simplicity/accuracy of it all.

This book brings up alot of good points and makes you think about yourself and what you can do to better the "sore spots" in your life.
It is definately written for a female reader but guys would benefit from the information too.

FINALLY! A book that leaves behind all the "doctor jargon" and abstract ideas. Dr. Scott Kudia very clearly and simply explains what we can do to get the very best out of our relationships with the help of his many vignettes and quotations. The entire book is entertaining as well as informative. Ever wonder why you end up in the same rut again and again in relationships or what you could do to improve your relationships? Dr. Kudia has the answers to all your questions. You should also sign up for Klub Kudia at his website.

Everyone needs to read this book... even if you think you have the best relationship in the world! Seriouisly.

It was helpful to know that things we do or reactions we have, may at times be due to conditioned response that we are not aware of. As well, it was helpful in understanding your spouse better, when you realize he has been conditioned for same reasons as you, the parental pattern.

Great book! It doesn't give you a bunch of flowery foo-foo information. It gives some great facts and insights. The most valuable was a reference to Dr. Leiberman (UCLA) and his research into the cognitive brain, physical pain, and how verbal abuse is truly just as bad, if not worse, than physical abuse (So that's what Dr. Spock was talking about!). Amazing stuff and a must for ALL parents!