Smith Books

Relive Mark McGwire's historic 1998 assault on the single season home run record with this magnificent book overflowing with full-color photos and amusing anecdotes. "Celebrating 70" charts the slugger's season, home run for home run, and features a bevy of information - complete with pictures - including the date of each long ball, the distance, and which pitcher was christened with the dubious distinction of yielding one of Big Mac's clouts! Along the way, you can read a brief summary for each game McGwire applied his trade. The pictures have been well chosen, conveying the emotion of each moment. The text matches the shear exuberance of the images, and Jack Buck's forward is simply splendid.

Relive Mark McGwire's historic 1998 assault on the single season home run record with this magnificent book overflowing with full-color photos and amusing anecdotes. "Celebrating 70" charts the slugger's season, home run for home run, and features a bevy of information - complete with pictures - including the date of each long ball, the distance, and which pitcher was christened with the dubious distinction of yielding one of Big Mac's clouts! Along the way, you can read a brief summary for each game McGwire applied his trade. The pictures have been well chosen, conveying the emotion of each moment. The text matches the shear exuberance of the images, and Jack Buck's forward is simply splendid.

It was a fabulous book which relived all of the excitement of the homerun-record chase of the 1998 baseball season. The photographs are excellent and the text is very well-written as well. The exact distance, pitcher, count, inning, and stadium are given for every one of "Big Mac's" homers, with at least one picture for each. Not only does it cover McGwire's homers, but it also covers the homeruns of Sammy Sosa. The introduction by St. Luis Cardinal announcer, Jack Buck is nice too. Overall, Celebrating 70:MARK MCWIRE'S HISTORIC SEASON is a must-have for any baseball enthusiast.

The 1998 baseball season was truly one of the most magic in recenty years, thanks in part to the "home run battle" between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. This book chronicles their achievement which I suspect will grow to legendary tones in the years to come. The sportmanship between these two hereos was evident all season long, and the book reflects that.

Perhaps it was fitting that McGwire should wind up in a city that is a true "baseball town," and one that could truly love and cherish his accomplishment. I remember watching the game on TV where McGwire broke Babe Ruth's home regular season home run record and even the Cub players stood and applauded him. This book remembers that.

It starts off with pictures of McGwire and a nice foreword by Jack Buck, the longtime St. Louis Cardinals' broadcaster. There's also a brief story about Maris and Ruth, the men McGwire chased for most of that long summer. And then the home runs. Each page is devoted to a description of each one; the date, the opposing pitcher, the final score and so on.

Reading through each page brought back all those wonderful memories of the 1998 season for me. This book is a wonderful treasure and keepsake to celebrate an incredible baseball season by one man.

For the strongman from Pomona, California playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Summer of '98 was one long victory parade. A reminder of seasons past & a celebration of baseball future. He became a national hero & role model with class. He gave baseball back its luster. In this large, glossy, colorful homage to one fabulous boy of summer - the team of writers, photographers, designers & editors has given us a memorable, collectible, hit-by-hit, play-by-play story of a modern grand adventure. What a gift!

I highly recommend this translation of Joinville and Villehardouin.

The translator has taken care to translate these works into lucid, contemporary language without dumbing down the writing. Her work has paid off, providing a readable and lively edition still suitable for scholarly review.

Whether you are reading these for enjoyment, personal interest, or academic reasons, this translation is a good one.

I had to read this book in my Medieval and Ranasance Class at OSU. This book gives a first person view of what the Crusades were like. My teenage son has read the book several times and used for several research papers in high school.

These are both excellent accounts of the crusades. Villehardouin proves insightful in what he does not say. A small army of crusaders faces unbelievable odds in Constantinople and yet somehow they conquer and hold this territory. It brings up the question of whether the conquest was an accident or a conspiracy, and a reader can answer that question through careful reading. There are other books wholly committed to this argument of conspiracy vs. accident.

Joinville gives an equally appreciable account of a crusade, this time a failed attempt in Egypt by Saint Louis. Joinville is an author that gives a huge amount of information. The integrity of Louis is apparent as well as the mistakes made by the crusaders (Joinville rarely places direct blame of any failure on Louis, noting instead Louis's brother and his failures.)

This is a well introduced book and is not difficult to read in my opinion.

Chronicles of the Crusades is a chronicle of the Crusades from two of the senior participants who took part in two of the Crusades. The book covers the descriptions of the fourth and the seventh crusades as seen through the eyes of Geoffroy De Villehardouin (who took part in the fourth crusade) and Jean De Joinville (who took part in the seventh crusade). The two chronicles were translated for this book by Margaret Shaw. The book was published in 1963 around the time of her death. The two chronicles give us a look into the two crusades as chronicled through the eyes of two important noblemen of their time. This in itself will taint the purity of the chronicle. Chronicles such as these lay out the justifications for the crusades and tend to gloss over the blemishes. These two are no different. They were written to glorify the Crusaders and surely the writers would not put on ink anything that would later detract from their names. These chronicles do an excellent job of showing how the two chroniclers thought and how they wanted these two crusades remembered. When this book is read this should be kept in mind. The average crusader was a mixture of those driven by greed and religious extremists. The crusaders were allowed to plunder the lands they conquered. In today's terms they were allowed to take war trophies, thus stealing from the inhabitants of the land. They were barbaric in their means of taking the land and the raping of women was allowed, if the women were not of the Christian faith. The fourth crusade received condemnation on its behavior when the Christian city of Constantinople was sacked. This was due to the crusaders raping of the women. This of course is not pointed out by Villehardouin. The chroniclers mention a little of the plunder, but do not mention anything else. Though the chroniclers are quick to point out the cruelty of the Saracens. Margaret Shaw refers to these two chronicles as being the most reliable accounts of the crusades written in French. I would have to disagree that these chronicles should be taken as completely accurate. Joinville refers to Prestor John as if he was a person who actually existed, thus showing that his accounts are not strictly cemented in fact. The chronicles give an overview of the crusades and do not go into much detail on the equipment used and the everyday life of the average crusader. This book is a good book to show the chroniclers thoughts and perspectives but if you are trying to get an accurate picture of what happened during these crusades I would look into other books as well. Such books that describe the opposing views as seen from the Muslim side and other books that can give specifics on how the crusaders lived and their equipment could help in understanding these crusades better. I am giving this book 5 stars because it does accurately convey it's title. It does cover the Chronicles of the Crusades.

The two accounts in _Chronicles of the Crusades_ provide readers with fascinating accounts of the 4th and 7th crusades. Villehardoun's observations of the sack of Constantinople leave some questions regarding whether it was a conspiracy to destroy the city or not; ultimately it is up to the reader to decide... It does, however, provide a window into 12th century warfare and politics.

Joinville's chronicle of the 7th crusade into the Holy Land was similarly fascinating, providing more information about a European's impressions of the Near East and Christian-Islamic conflict than Villehardoun. I much preferred Joinville for this reason. Together, both accounts provide a well-rounded history of the time and place - a tremendously interesting read for professional and armchair historians alike.

Cisco ISP Essentials is the ideal book for those responsible for ISP networks, whether big or small. The authors mix in practical examples, along with industry standard methods to describe ideal network setups.
The book follows a logical step by step look at ISP networks, first by examining basic router setup and maintenance. Here topics such as memory and backup issues are discussed. The wonderful thing about this book is that it covers in detail many books simply leave out and unnecessary. There are detailed examples of the Network Time Protocol and configuration management. Along with the how, is the very important why for the various techniques.
In the routing protocols section, most of the space is dedicated to BGP, as would be expected in a book dealing with ISP networks. The authors did not forget about internal protocols and laid a foundation for the rest of the book. There is in depth coverage of BGP setup, and the various features and setting to further enhance your network based on its requirements. Examples are provided to show actual running configurations proving the practices out.
Security is a hot topic right now, and it seems to not receive as much time in its chapter of the book. What you will find however, is the constant minding of security issues throughout the rest of the book. Securing routers and routing protocols is followed by discussions on ACL's and network filters. Every area of the book touches aspects of security at some point.
The fifth chapter is entitled Operational Practices, and takes the detailed ideas presented so far, and applies them to actual situations seen on ISP networks. The chapter starts with design ideas, and follows with discussions of ISP services such as DNS, Mail, and News. A detailed discussion of IPv4 addressing covers the basic structure of addressing history. There is a detailed example of an allocation plan for an ISP's needs, as well as any customers. It shows the steps to plan for the present as well as future growth in your network.
There follows an extensive survey of external routing topics. A few examples for interior protocols are given, but the main topic is exterior protocols. Scaling route protocols is discussed for both interior and exterior protocols. This talk leads in to peering practices involving BGP. Multi-homing is the last topic covered, and is done in great detail. The authors describe the various options available for stub networks, single and multiple ISP connections, as well as load sharing designs.
Here again security and the management tasks talked about in earlier chapters are placed into the ISP network and their use described. Tools and sample configurations follow in appendices to wrap up the discussion on best practices.
Overall, the detailed examples and well thought out explanations of the various practices will serve your ISP for a long time.

Good work and a must have for people dealing with networks daily.

I totally agree with the other reviewers. Reading this book is an enjoyment.

Better yet, this book has both to-the-point explaination _and_ example on all topics.

I would say, if you wanted to learn tricks to doing things, this is for you. Don't forget this book concludes with full examples/templates showing how people configure their ISP core and edge routers/switches.

What I love about this book is both the way the authors explain complex technologies simply and also (and more importantly for me) add a very real-world/practical slant to everything. Not much more I can say except do yourself a favour and buy this book.

Written especially for network engineers by Cisco experts Barry Raveendran Greene and Philip Smith, Cisco ISP Essentials is a 428-page, matter-of-fact, "access friendly" guide to the many versions of Cisco IOS Software, and cogently explains how to ensure the best configurations that provide Internet access, as well as having a reasonable expectation of security. Offering a wealth of detailed technical information at the expert level, configuration diagrams, examples, and much, much, more, Cisco ISP Essentials is an indispensable and recommended guide, serving the Cisco using community as a much-needed supplement to the often confusing documentation of the Cisco IOS Software itself.

I thought it was my own secret obsession. My God, how I love laundry. Until recently, I lived with a clothesline out in the yard. Now, I use a commercial washer and dryer, and it's nowhere near as much fun!

However, I do sometimes wash some things by hand, lovingly hanging them up inside the house. What is it about the smell of clothes drying on the line that refreshes the spirit so very well? It takes me back to being a young child reaching up to hang out the towels on the line, all the while relishing the sunshine smell and nature all around me.

This book just takes you back to another place and time, and those wonderful nostalgic feelings that laundry brings about. The pictures are wonderful! This is a book to cherish.

If you are looking for a little item for the "Wishing Well" at a bridal shower, this is an awesome present. But first, be sure to get one for yourself! Thank you, Andrea VanSteenhouse, Irene Rawlings, David Foxhoven and Jason McConathy for this trip down a fragrant and sunny memory lane!

"The simple act of picking clean, wet clothes out of a wicker basket, shaking them out, and hanging them up makes me slow down, giving me time to compose the rest of my day."

Washing machines are great for convenience, but there is a magical quality to hand washing clothes with a delicious essential oil soap (orange or lavender) and hanging them outside to dry. Of course, this means you need a clothesline and a secluded back yard.

As a child we used a soap called Sunlight and washed clothes in a ring washer. I know, I'm too young to know about ring washers, but in Africa that is what we used and we even had a sink with a washboard type surface.

The spinning umbrella clothesline was behind the house with a mountain right behind where animals could easily find their way down to our house. Often while putting up clothes, I'd walk up the steps and scare a baboon who would screech at me for interrupting the stealing of fruit. I'm not sure who scared who more, but clothes definitely ended up thrown about the garden as I ran one way and the baboon ran the other.

Memories of running outside to quickly take down the clothes in the afternoon is also a fun memory. As the rain would start to soak the clothes and sheets, we'd frantically be pulling them off the line, then hanging them inside to dry overnight.

With memories of hanging out clothes on a line, this book becomes even more meaningful. If you have a penchant for lavender ironing water and verbena soap, this will also be a delight.

This unique book has recipes for making your own soap with herbs, describes the variety of clotheslines, shows pictures of many different clothespin bags and explains how to wash linens. How do you make a new clothesline last longer? Why use a naturally scented softener?

Throughout this informative and very practical guide there are also moments of inspiration for designing your own laundry room. The storage of linens with small herbal sachets is followed by recipes and creative ideas. A special section shows how clotheslines found their way into art. Urban clotheslines and country clotheslines are included. Remember clothespin toys? They have pictures of those too.

"I know this sounds funny, but I think of hanging clothes as an almost religious experience." ~Betsy Bennett, artist (Sheets to the Wind II painting)

Now and then I just wish I could take my laundry down to the river and wash it on stones. I have strange notions, but mostly they appeal to my outdoor nature. By washing our clothes inside, we miss out on the feeling of the sun on our skin and the sound of clothes whipping about in the wind. While at my mother's house one day I found two clothespins and decided to keep them. My mother and grandmother always had clotheslines and I remember many happy hours as a child running through the sheets warmed by the sun.

~The Rebecca Review

This is a real glimpse of another era, but one not so intangible as we might think....we can definitely enjoy it, too. Some of the sweetest things in life are the simplest pleasures, and a sniff of our bedsheets after drying in the sun, or drying off with a towel that did the same is a perfect example. Since our olfactory sense is the one most tied to memories, this book would be a great one for those new to housekeeping or new mothers. I can remember running through the sheets on my mother's clothesline, smelling my clean clothes as we brought them in and folded them. I do the same for my family when I have the time, and my 78 year-old mother recently expressed a desire to start hanging out her wash again. So since April 19th (yes, it's a Monday--traditional washday for years and years and years in our country) is National Hang Out Your Wash Day; I got the book for my mom and will pair it with a clothesline and clothespins. It's a wonderful little book, and even has a recipe for lye soap that we used to make as kids. It was pretty gross but those farm women were strong and even though I'll bet it took the skin right off their hands, they used it. We could learn a thing or two from them, I'm sure.

I guess I hadn't thought about it till I read this book, but the simple act of doing the laundry can generate an almost Zen like satisfaction. We wash our clothes almost every week, and it seems like a chore... or is it? Take a walk back in time and even through today and look at the way we do wash and how. This book brought back the smells I remember of my Mother over the enamelled steel tub rinsing and scrubbing. Me and my sisters had endless fun running between the sheets and clothes hung from the seemingly endless lines of drying laundry in our back yard playing hide and go seek. For any of you who remember when simple pleasures were derived from simple tasks, and satisfaction from a job well done wasn't pushing a button on a TV remote you ought to give this a read.

I like books full of nostalgia and simpler ideas. Like the other reviewers I found it a good walk through memory lane. We never had a clothesline since we grew up in the city, but I remember seeing them on movies and the like. Its definitly a piece of Americana. I picked this up mainly because of the stress of the current war on terrorism, I needed something simple and nice. This made me feel some more trust and confidence in our values and the core of what is America. I really needed a break from all the crud books coming out on politics from former hippies trying to make a buck (sorry Mr. Bob Woodward). I like knowing that at our heart America is the home of the free, brave, and simple folks doing normal things. Thanks for an easy, stress free, good book.

Based on official guidelines from the Surgeon General and CDC, Combat Fat! by fitness, diet, and exercise authority Andrew Flach is a solidly written, "user friendly" guide to healthy eating, proper exercise, and a medically sound weight loss plan to improve personal overall fitness and health. Body-mindful recipes, stretches, workouts, and more fill the pages of this handy and very highly recommended informational resource.

This is an awesome program. I have been confused by the complexity of other programs. I read the entire book in one day and found the advice straightforward and easy to implement in my everyday life. I am losing weight and getting fitter than I have been in years.

For the most part, I am enjoying this book. The diet is based on the food pyramid, and the exercise program has do-able daily choices. My only complaints are the following: First, the page quality is very poor. I felt like I had to be really careful turning the pages or they would tear. Second, some of the exercise photos show very poor form, like knees extending past ankles is lunges. All in all, it's a good book.

If you want a no nonsense fitness plan to follow then this book is for you! This book contains a large menu section that covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I really liked the fact that it listed the recipes for many of the meals. There are three levels of exercise plans including stretches. Absolutely everything is spelled out for you, there is no guesswork. You can say goodbye to calorie counting, pre-packaged meals and supplements. The bottom line is: This book works.

An excellent book! I found this to be the most comprehensive, informative and easy to understand health-related book I've ever read. It refocuses the long-time emphasis away from weight control and calorie counting to the real health problem facing millions of Americans: Fat. It clearly defines the problem and the best way to tackle it. Not only does it include lots of exercises designed to fight fat, it also devotes many pages to nutrition, diet, menus and the psychology of improving over-all health by reducing the percentage of fat in ones body. It's the kind of book you can continually refer to. It's already helped me look and feel better. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to avoid fad diets and deceptive weight-loss schemes.

You would be surprised at the differences between purchasing a house and opting for a condo, apartment or townhouse! This guide totally demystifies the documents and the process, laying bare the restrictions (the plusses too!) associated with shared living. My own changing lifestyle necessitated a move from a house with all its trappings, to a townhouse complex, and at first my misgivings left me with an air of uncertainty as to what to expect. The invaluable information I found in this handy manual took me step by step through the process, covering areas I am sure would have been overlooked. Those important documents including clauses relating to disclosure statements and warranties, options and ordinances, became a lot less threatening after my virtual tour of the entire process through this exhaustive guide. I even found to my utter delight, a full amortization table based on 30 years, a glossary that simplified much of the industry terminology, sample condominium rules and regulations, and last but not least, a questionnaire that prompted me to think of issues which may have later resulted in pesky little problems. The Complete Guide was for me, a jewel of a find!

Despite all the fluctuations in the real estate market these days, buying a place of their own is still high on the list of priorities for many people. However, an increasing number of buyers are examining the advantages of shared housing space, as opposed to purchasing a house. Whether you're thinking about investing in a condo, townhouse or apartment for yourself or as an investment, first pick up a copy of Susan Smith Alvis' useful guide.

Alvis offers potential homeowners a better understanding of the difference between the different types of properties, and examines the benefits and drawbacks of shared housing. While some might prefer the greater degree of privacy provided by a single-family home, the alternative offers advantages such as low maintenance and a sense of community. But, Alvis notes, real estate professionals always say, "Location, location, location," for a good reason. Whether you're buying a condo, townhouse or apartment as a place to live or as a rental property, bear in mind that it is important to ask questions such as: Why is the property for sale? How many bedrooms and bathrooms does the place have? Is it close to schools, work, and shopping?

In addition to explaining important documents such as disclosure, and insurance forms, Alvis closes her book with an extensive glossary of property-related terms that are clearly defined. She also includes a financial table that will allow potential homeowners to calculate their monthly payments. So, before you buy, first invest in a copy of Alvis' valuable guide. She'll help you get the best value for your money.

Realtor turned author Susan Smith Alvis knows how to generate a profit-- and in her latest title, "The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Condo, Townhouse, or Apartment", she provides a no-holds-barred, handy reference aimed at maximizing your multi-family property investment dollars. Here, Alvis draws upon her considerable knowledge and "insider's" perspective to lay bare the complexities -- from shopping to closing-- of these unique transactions utilizing a deceptively simple, straightforward tone and format; while her expertise is apparent throughout each chapter, the book's major strength lies in its easy readability and common-sense advice. Another plus -- though it is primarily oriented toward the first-time investor, the author has devoted substantial material to the buyer intent on occupying a shared housing unit full-time. No consumer is excluded, and, indeed, it is a fair assertion that even the seasoned landlord will glean new and relevant information from this guide.

Clearly, the work is tailored to the conscientious buyer. As such, Alvis: defines -- in a logical, step-by-step fashion -- the differences between these specialty properties; illustrates: the necessary considerations based upon the buyer's goals; uncovers: the challenges specific to these structures via varied scenarios; and, more importantly, educates. And, in addition to her own hard-earned insights, this veteran real estate professional includes solid counsel and oft-unknown purchase tips from colleagues representing a cross-section of national markets. These tips -- all gems and presented in a fun, "classified case study" quote context -- outline realistic scenarios designed to navigate the prospective condo, townhouse, or apartment owner through unforeseen wrinkles and avoid potential pitfalls so as to culminate in a successful sale, regardless of occupancy or investment intent.

Ultimately, "The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Condo, Townhouse, or Apartment" is an invaluable reference for the homeowner or investor considering a shared housing unit(s) acquisition.

This book is ideal for people who have never bought a condo, townhouse, or apartment. Each type of property is defined, and myths about different properties are dispelled. The ideas are explained in straightforward language. It's full of useful caveats that revolve around such topics as upcoming assessments, homeowner's boards, restrictions, types of neighbors, and amenities. Quite a bit of the book is dedicated to discussion on the pros and cons of shared housing. There are also discussions on home warranties, subleases, lease options, and vacation homes. In the back are a glossary, appendices with checklists, and an index, so the book can serve as a resource for later use. The amortization schedules in appendix probably aren't necessary because you can find this information online, but it doesn't hurt to have them there because they're in an appendix, not in the text.

The author takes great pains to dispel those lingering myths about condo ownership. She does this in a light easy tone. The book has a good layout in an easy to read format. The chapters flow nicely into one another. The author has included some very interesting case studies and anecdotes provide by others in the Real Estate field.

The book is full of strong practical advice. It also pulls no punches, she makes it clear that condo townhome ownership is not for everyone. She makes sure to cover not only the good points but the bad ones as well, especially in the area of Homeowners Associations-she explains their importance and how to deal with them. All of this done in an easy friendly manner with a welcome touch of humor.

The book is an excellent checklist for anyone considering buying.

I have been attending several Bahai classes and also reading several Bahai books but I find that this book makes it a lot more easier to understand. Some of the other books uses "old & flowery" English :-) which usually takes me longer to understand.. but not this book. I am also one of those people that process information in point forms so this book definitely works for me.. Highly recommended reading for someone who is a seeker like me :-)

This is a must buy book for all Bahai's. When I first bought it I couldn't put it down. The missing link in any library. The information is accurate and concise. It would take you years to compile this information. Don't wait, get one as soon as possible. You will be overjoyed at the vast information included in this book. Should have had this book 30 yrs. ago.

This is an extremely useful and handy reference book for students of comparative religion, the Baha'i Faith, Middle Eastern studies, Islamic studies, etc. The categories are excellent, the research excellent, and the topics are written extremely well. In addition to fine historical biograhies, this brief book covers a diverse array to topics associated with the history, theology, ethical and moral stances related to the Baha'i Faith. Contemporary issues, social and historical issues, theological controveries, all are in this book as well as the nature of Baha'i administration, social organization, scriptural descriptions, relations with other religions, etc. It is an excellent book and useful to academics and students of the Baha'i Faith. Objective and informative, respectful and accurate, and briefly written this book stands as a good beginning for a series of volumes on the Baha'i Faith. I strongly recommend it to everyone.

Over the past year, for a project I've read a wide variety of encyclopedias on religious movements, religious issues, and religions in general. Out of more than 20, Smith's encyclopedia is certainly the best. Unlike some volumes of the "Concise Encyclopedia of X" series, Smith has reasonably detailed entries, ranging from a paragraph to several pages. The articles themselves are very clear and well-written, with suggestions for further reading. The articles cover an enormous range of personalities, doctrine, and history of Baha'i. Fascinating.

This Encyclopedia covers a HUGE variety of topics. History of the faith, central characters, daily life practices, stances on topics from abortion to burial practices.

This book is not just for the 4 to 6 group. My daughter is almost two and has loved it and learned from it since the first time it was read to her. Lots to look at and learn from in each wonderful illustration. It must have been originated from some wonderful childhood memories of Maggie Smith's.

This is a counting book with a progressive story about one family's trip to Maine (they pack one baby, two dogs, three bicycles, pass four smokestacks, etc.). The pictures are great. My three year old doesn't remember having been to Maine, and asks for this over and over because of the story about the family (there is a dropped ice cream cone, sand castles, etc.).

I have 2 children, almost 5 and just 3. We've been reading this book for a year now. They absolutely love it. It never gets old, because it's cute (illustrations) and silly/whimsical (writing). My kids love to point out all of the funny things that happen in the book -- the doggies getting in to the fresh-baked pies and eating their own ice cream cones, slimy smelly slugs on the front porch steps, the baby filling a shoe with blueberries, the brother throwing seaweed at the sister and more! It has helped my children recognize numbers in a really fun way -- by taking a summer vacation with the family/pets in the book! This book is especially meaningful to us as we have a speical connection to Maine -- we visit relatives (grandparents, aunts/uncles and first cousins) on the shore in Maine a few times per year, including a 2-week trip every summer. This book reminds us of the best of Maine while we read it all year long. Enjoy!

Every time I read this book to my children (which is often), I feel an overwhelming urge to call a travel agent and book a vacation in Maine. With delightful pictures and remarkably few words, Maggie Smith does an incredible job of capturing the joys and adventures of a family trip. Far more appealing than most other "counting" books, this one will leave you with dreams of fireflies, and a yen for blueberry pie.

My family and I are preparing to move to Maine in two weeks. I happened to see this wonderful book by chance while at the library. It has gotten our 3 year old very excited about our upcoming move and where we will be living! I love the illustrations! We plan to order a bunch of them to give to friend's children as a momento of their visit to Maine.

I purchased this book as a required textbook for a college course. It turned out to be so much more than a grade. I have read it. I have highlighted it. I have taken notes for it. Now I am sharing it with everyone in my family. This is an amazing book. It has taught me how to maintain focus and direction as I move on in my college studies and into my career. It is a must have for anyone looking to find a context for their lives.

This book is truly life changing if one dares to embrace its message and submit to one's calling. I wish I had the guidance of this tome when I was 12 years of age. It would have saved me much heart ache and confusion.

This is one of the best books I have ever read.
I heartily recommend it as a source of great wisdom about matters such as callings, courage, mature living, choices, living. Written from a Christian perspective by a very wise leader. I am giving lots of copies away to good friends - both young adults and mid-career friends struggling with lots of priorities. Smith offers very helpful, practical guidance!!

A very good book for understanding the Christian's call. It addresses the various levels that every believer ought to understand concerning calling. It does, as few do, walk the line between simple writing and deeper theology.

This is the first of Gordon T. Smith's books I have read and now I intend to read others. He writes with unusual insight. I confess I have found many mainstream Christian living books written for too wide an audience, with a basic-level vocabulary, but Smith writes with intelligence, precision, and wisdom. This book aided my understanding a great deal as I struggled with a vocational loss of direction. I am so grateful for his perception and I praise this book in hope that it will guide you to a clearer understanding of God's direction for your life.

this is the most ambitious detective novel that i know of. the war and peace of detective novels, perhaps. a sprawling, huge epic of prose that is wonderfully strange and glorious. there are overtones of kafka and thomas pynchon here, but mark smith's novel is so much more enjoyable than anything those authors have in the bookstores. i read over a hundred books a year, and it has been several years since a book has blown me away with its genius the way that this one did. i spent eight enthralling days lost in this giant work of the imagination, and loved every minute i spent wandering through the words. can't wait to read more of this author's work. i found 4 more of his novels available on amazon at a very cheap price. read this thing, people. you really should.

An incredible book never to be forgotten. Keep it, the reader will want to read it again. For those familiar with Chicago this book is especially interesting. The author has an incredible ability to describe events, ordinary or extraordinary, in such a way as to cause the reader to feel, see and hear the event with astonishing clarity. The characters come alive, the reader soon knows and clearly pictures them. And, the story is great and the plot is about perfect. I have read thousands of books I suppose but never one better.

This great book is the best of any type ever written about Chicago. How one man knew so much about what went on there is amazing. Many great characters that stay with you long after you've finished the book. Great writing of a tale of revenge, albiet by a madman. Many unforgettable scenes. By the end you are as exhausted as Johnny Helenowski. I read it every 2 years and it still amazes me. I would be great to see this masterpeice back in print.

My first read of this book must have been ten years ago. I have reread it five times since, enjoying it more and more with each read.I agree with others that this is a masterpiece demanding to be reissued and garner the awards it deserves. The characters, especially Maggie, are rich, multi-faceted, and extremely memorable. I have stayed up with this book reading until the wee hours many a night. I only regret that the story ends and Maggie dies. I keep this book with five other favorite books of all time and reread it once a year. I also regret that this book is almost impossible to find in bookstores. Why this is the case I'll never understand.

I read this work about twenty years ago (maybe more). It has never left my mind. I remember after reading this dark quest novel actually going to the University of New Hampshire to meet Mark Smith, finding my way to the room with his name on the door. Unfortunately, He was not there at the time so I never met him.
But - I did talk to him on the phone not too long ago to say that there are those out there that appreciate this overlooked masterpiece.
What can I say - an amazing, unforgetable read!