T Books

"Suds In Your Eye" introduces us to the marvelous Mrs. Annie Feely, Miss Agnes Harriet Tinkham, and Mrs. Erna Rasmussen. These are ladies banding together during World War II to lend each other sisterly support and companionship. This is a bygone era where the ladies address each other using their last names and titles. I had to read all six of the "Suds" books to discover each of their first names.
The ladies combined are a piquant amalgam representing "Everywoman." Mrs. Feely is the gutsy and brash leader of the pack (spouting quotes such as, "Not as long as my pooper points down"), Miss Tinkham is the intellectual who lends insight to their exploits while spouting poetic verses and high-brow vocabulary (she is also open-minded and goes to Rosicrucian Society lectures), and the no-nonsense Mrs. Rasmussen nourishes the ranks with her kitchen wizardry and money management skills.
There's something so innocent about these books that keep you cheering on the gals in each predicament they get themselves into and don't we all love a "pull up your bootstraps" and get it done kind of book?"
These books are especially fun for me to read because I live in the San Diego area and recognize the various locations mentioned in the books. The junkyard at Island and 10th Street has been replaced with high-rise condos conveniently located to Petco Baseball Park. Five Points mentioned in the last book, "Let's Go For Broke," is located in Escondido and is a busy intersection (No, I have not located the Mansion as of yet).
Enjoy the books and wonder if there was a "High Hat" beer the gals guzzled.

I would rate this even higher if they allowed it. This first book in the series introduces you to three loveable, beer-drinking ladies. They believe in helping others and good old down home living. Their love of "class" will have you roaring with laughter. And their caring of others will give you warm fuzzies. Be prepared to want to raise a glass or two as well as go off your diet. The food descriptions are wonderful. And what they can do with a nickel will floor you. Truly an uplift to the spirits.

I have had copies of this whole series for 25 years and still read all every year. This trio, through their love of living and laughter, teaches you more about enjoying life than any other book I know. Pure uplift of spirits occurs as they work together and care about those they come into contact with. Down home atmosphere. They don't need expensive "things" to get the most out of life. You too will want to hoist a few by the time you finish. I wish they were my neighbors. Once you start with this book, you will have to read the rest in the series. They know how to squeeze a nickel, give back change and still be generous. AND THE FOOD DESCRIPTIONS!

I first read this book as a teenager 25 years ago. I was enchanted then with the idea that life did not have to revolve around being young. I have only become more enchanted with that idea.

My husband and I read the series of books and fell in love with Mrs. Feeley, Mrs. Rasmussen, and Miss Tinkham. These ladies and their adventures warm your heart and just make you feel good. Nothing very intellectual, but lots of fun.

I am in the process of answering a questionnaire asking, if I could recommend one book to someone to read, what book would it be?

I came on this site to check the spelling of the full name of this book.

I love this book.

"Swimming Lessons", a short story collection, may be Mistry's earliest published work. He of course wrote the awesome "A Fine Balance", a panoramic look at life in India circa 1975. "Lessons" is set in about the same time period and chronicles the life experiences of middle-class Indians from a particular apartment complex. Major characters in one story show up as minor characters in other stories, giving the book a novelistic feel. Emigration, experienced directly by Mistry in his early 20's as he moved to Canada, is a major theme of the book. The story "Squatters", contains a "story inside the story" that affect your thinking about the trials of emigration (as it relates to bodily functions) for a long time. Those who know Mistry will enjoy this look at his early writing. Newcomers to Mistry might enjoy the short story form as an intro before tackling the epic "A Fine Balance."

A collection of interwoven tales told from the perspective of the different residents of Ferozsha Baag, an apartment building in Bombay. All the stories are good; some are outstanding. In particular, the story of the son who emigrates to Canada to become a writer has a uniquely autobiographical feel to it. =)

I read A Fine Balance about a year ago and loved it. I just finished Swimming Lessons and I'm going out to buy Family Matters right now. He writes so beautifully and descriptively that you feel that you lived alongside the characters in his books.He's my favorite author right now.

And I thought that "A Fine Balance" was Rohinton's best! Yet again, I find myself speechless in my admiration for his astute command of language. His precise and inventive prose never quits until he has portrayed an image in sentences. Images that I grew up with myself but never quite would have thought of expressing in the grippingly sensitive way he can.

Swimming Lessons is a collection of such reminiscences from the author's childhood in a Parsi neighborhood in suburban middle-class Bombay. The setting itself may be confined to a particular community, but his compassionate brush carves such a wide sweep of the minutest of human emotions that the sheer force of this book is not in its plot or setting, but in its recognition of the universal bounty of life.

Our quirky residents of 'Firozsha Baag' have every reason to be disconcerted and baffled with their difficult lives. The walls of their building complex are coming apart. Washroom flushes don't work. One family has the refrigerator that's shared by the entire colony, and another has the common telephone. Their lives are marred by simple everyday things, innocent infatuations, unconfessed fantasies, fatal jealousies, neighborhood bullies, petty thefts, memory lapses, shared newspapers, cultural/generational clashes, etc etc.

Yet, beneath this veneer of this seeming hardships glimmers a subtle undercurrent of hope and happiness, of a bond that does not need expressing in the common social forms.

The high praise that Mistry has garnered is not exaggerated. The man has a disarming sense of humor and a lingering sense of what makes literature great. I laughed, I cried, I sat back and pondered. I was especially stirred by the moving story "Of White Hairs and Cricket", and the cover story, which is saved for the last, "Swimming Pools."

Couldn't recommend this brilliant compilation highly enough. It hardly reads like a debut.

Targeting Autism is an excellent book for those new to Autism. Families and teachers should especially appreciate the analysis and overview of the various educational interventions, from one-on-one methods, to group programs used in many preschool and school situations. The book lists many available resources and spotlights inspiring new advances in research creating an overall atmosphere of hope and possibility for the prospects of more universally effective treatments and eventual cure of this devastating developmental disorder.

Since the symptoms and manifestations of Autistic Spectrum Disorders vary in incidence and severity, those who read this book should not be unduly encouraged or discouraged by the often times conflicting reports of success and/or failure of the various treatments and interventions discussed, but rather use the information given to further investigate the possibilities of each treatment or intervention on an individual or case by case basis.

Very easy to read in layman's terms. As the mother of a four year old with PDD, I would suggest this book as a great book to start off with if your child was diagnosed with autism or pdd. It touches on a lot of areas ABA, schooling etc. without getting to technical. It also has statements and examples made by adults with autism/pdd which I found very interesting.

Why it should be so hard to find a book that thoughtfully discusses the myriad of autism treatments, I don't know. As a parent of a child diagnosed last year at age three, I appreciate this book.

Thank you Shirley Cohen for writing it. Thank you Amazon, for making it so easy to find.

I WORK WITH AUTSTIC KIDS SO I READ THIS BOOK TO UPDATE MYSELF.IT WAS GREAT IIT PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES FORM OTHER BOOKS. AND IT GAVE EVIDANCE THAT SOME OF THE CURES MIGHT WORK FORM SOME. ALSO IT PROVIDE GOOD INFO ON ASPEGERS YNDROME MOST OF THE BOOKS JUST GIVE IT A PPAARGPAPH.

First off, she defines autism in layman's terms and with first person testimonials.

Secondly, she provides a life cycle view of autism, so that you have SOME idea of what the future might hold for your child.

Third, she describes how families cope with autism, that some become driven, others fall apart, others adopt a "Holland" approach.

Then she discusses treatments, including a solid analysis of educational approaches such as Lovaas (leans positive), mainstreaming, TEACH, DAP, etc... and non-traditional approaches, such as AIT, FC, etc...

And she talks about recovery too, the controversy that very term raises. She closes this chapter with a quote that could have come straight out of my own heart: "A parent asked, What if my child remains autistic? What will we do? The best you can - with your love, your skills, and all the resources you can marshal - to help him achieve as independent and joyful a life as possible for him."

Perhaps I love this book because so much of what she writes does articulate what I have felt as I've gone over the different options for my son's interventions.

But also, her testimonials from a wide range of sources really help to illuminate autism as well.

And finally, her book is very REASONED in tone.

The only thing missing is a chapter that summarizes her thoughts about what she thinks parents should do. I mean really, most parents are reading these books for ADVICE! Even if parents eventually do something else, its always nice to have a plan laid out that you can either agree with or react against and develop your own. You won't find an action plan here, but the information provided should help you in making one of your own.

I have read this book at least five times and will read it again, because it is quite simply the best read on the subject. It is not a verse by verse commentary, but a theological commentary that is reader friendly, but one recognizes the depth of research and understanding of history that Bauckham pours into this book. He has another book called The Climax of Prophecy that carries much of the same subject matter, but this one is an easier read. This book completely changed my thinking on the book of Revelation. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a serious approach to Revelation and not the canned stuff that you get from the Left Behind series. This book will leave you hoping for Bauckham to write a verse by verse commentary on Revelation. Until he does read Craig Koester's book Revelation and The End of All Things along with this book. Bauckham makes sense of the 144,000, the two witnesses, the goal of history and how the book centers around the worship of God and Christ. I recommend this book for everybody from scholar on down.

Bauckham's essay of Revelation is thought provoking and spiritually challenging. His analysis of Revelation through the lens of "apocalyptic genre" gives pause to readers who are of a dispensational bent. He has a strong grasp of the 1st century influences that seemingly competed with Christian piety. To put it plainly, this book puts Revelation in context from beginning to end, while defying the more popular interpretations of today. It is a definite read for the seminary student, scholar, and layman alike.

Bauckham offers the interested reader relentless and inspiring insights into the Theology of this often misunderstood New Testament book. I found I had to put down the highlighter because I was highlighting entire pages. This book is excellent for both the serious student as well as the everyday reader.

Bauckham's work here is a fresh of breath air in the midst of a lot of choking misunderstanding. He reads Revelation appropriately in context while recognizing the highly phenomenal language of apocalyptic literature. One of the monumental strengths of this book is the way that Bauckham seamlessly weaves theology and exegesis. He explains the complexities and intricacies of the book contextually and then develops an extremely clear theology. In addition, Bauckham's treatment of Revelation in relation to the OT is clear and indispensable to really understand this book. He allows the OT scriptures to form the paradigm from which he understands John's language, imagery, even his prophetic role. With imaginative application of a paradigm-shifting book, Bauckham's work must be read and continually referred to in order to understand the richness of such a beautiful, and so often misunderstood book. Bauckham is a scholar of the highest rank, and yet his writing is both engaging and accessible. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to seriously understand Revelation.

This book came as required reading for a class in graduate school and helped reveal the overarching messages in the book of revelation. This book has been one that has perplexed me since I was a young believer. Is this book to be taken literally? Is the book figurative? Is it somewhere in-between? Bauckham falls into a general examination of the book, looking at the genre, the big issues, the themes, and specific issues that scholars debate in all circles. This book is not an exegetical painful process, rather a good look at the big picture of revelation. How should we apply it today? Are we afraid that we will be 'left behind?' Thank goodness Tim Lahaye made a DVD for those people who will be 'left behind.' Anyway, on a more serious note, this book is a great introduction to the book of Revelation and will help almost anyone get around the book without feeling overwhelmed or lost. Highly Recommended - Joseph Dworak

This is seriously one of my favorite books in the world. I loved it! The characters were awesome and I think more people should read this amazing classic. This is one of the few classics that I actually think anyone would enjoy. It's long but you really just zip through it and honestly not all classics are like that. This is just a really awesome book. Thank you Alexandre Dumas!

One stupid rookie farmboy with a nice sword, 3 veterans, evil religious villains and wenches, enough beer and good swords means an outstanding good time, especially with the dry wit of Dumas. Crazy swashbuckling superskilled heroes, an evil controlling supervillain, crazy henchmen, a black widow, stupidity, sarcasm, and anything else you could want. Classic adventure.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS ranks as one of the ten best books I've ever read. With fast-paced and nonstop action the whole way through, this nearly 800 page book flies by surprisingly quickly. A great story with some of the most memorable characters in all of literature makes for an excellent reading experience. Dumas' style of wit, humor, and drama, and his ability to bring unique individual characters to life through dialogue makes him [IMHO] one of the best writers of the past and present.

This novel is a story of adventure, love, politics, and friendship. It could be considered a historical fiction, with a few real life secondary characters such as Cardinal Richelieu and Anne of Austria playing significant parts in the story and acting in ways that agree with their historical reputation. Still, the book is primarily a character-driven story. The main character, D'Artagnan, is brash and prideful, while still being utterably lovable. His friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are each so unique and well-developed that you'll feel like you know them. The antagonists are so deliciously evil as to make their triumphs painful and their defeats glorious. Each character, from King Louis XIII to the musketeer's lackeys, is central to the story.

The straightforward but eloquent style in which the story is told makes it an excellent book for any age. A proliferation of French words and expressions may cause some readers to stumble at first, but they quickly become familiar and add to the flavor of the overall story. The few scenes of a sexual nature are mild PG only and shouldn't concern parents or teachers. The vibrancy and color that Dumas brings to life in this story will delight any reader that is brave enough to give it a chance. Really nothing to complain about in this one. Extremely highly recommended.

After reading this book in elementary school (on my own) I had the urge to read it again, this time with the eyes of an adult. The book did not disappoint, and I further understood why it is a classic. Dumas is a master of invention, if he'd live today he'd be making shows like "24", but he's not ... and he didn't. Instead he gave us a timeless, serial classic peppered with a good deal of humor, romance and even some swordplay.

If you've seen the movies, do yourself a favor and read the book, if you haven't then you have an advantage.

Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers is a thrilling tale of courage, loyalty and love. Anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, intelligent adventure will be intrigued by this story, centered around a young man from the country, D'Artagnan, on his quest to join the ranks of the king's musketeers and later to win the heart of the woman he loves. The story begins in a small town in France in the 17th century. D'Artagnan leaves his country home with hopes of joining the king's Musketeers in Paris. Here he finds three lifelong friends and companions--Athos, Porthos and Aramis--for which the title of the book was given. Together with D'Artagnan, they help thwart the plans of Cardinal Richelieu, the king's advisor and rival, as he plots against the queen, the king, and the musketeers throughout the book. Undoubtedly, The Three Musketeers comes complete with its heroes, villains, surprises and scandals that will captivate readers throughout the world. Alexandre Dumas uses the theme, characterization, and symbolism to appeal to a broad universal audience.

Alexandre Dumas uses close father-son relationships in The Three Musketeers, between different characters to illustrate the theme of friends are like family. One of the most outstanding father-like roles is played by M. de Treville, the captain of the king's Musketeers. He protects his courageous musketeers by vouching for and advising them. In his own words he teaches D'Artagnan, "A captain is nothing by a father of a family, charged with even a greater responsibility than the father of an ordinary family. Soldiers are big children" (30). M. de Treville cares about his men as if they were his own sons. He maintains a close relationship with them and helps guide them in the way they should go. Readers everywhere can identify with M. Treville's relationship with his men, in that they must look after others as others look after them. "M. de Treville was the father of his soldiers. The lowest of least known of them, as soon as he assumed the uniform of the company, was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been his own brother" (148). The company is described here as being a family, with M. de Treville as the father figure. Not only does he play this role in D'Artagnan's life but also in the lives of the other soldiers he has authority over.

Athos is another of the many father characters in this novel. He is the eldest of his three companions, and rightfully would assume this role. His friends, like children, turn to him for advice. Not only does Athos advise his three companions on the whole, but also individually. This relationship is particularly strong between D'Artagnan and Athos. "D'Artagnan began by making his most splendid toilet, then returned to Athos's, and according to custom, related everything to him. Athos listened to his projects, then shook his head, and recommended prudence to him..." (323). D'Artagnan eventually decides not to follow this advice though he continually asks for Athos' guidance, much as a rebelling child would ask a father for advice and end up shunning it in the end. It is a common part of human existence to rebel against one's parents at some point or another. Although his advice at this point may have been ignored, Athos still had a huge influence in the life of D'Artagnan. Athos' continual wisdom, loyalty and distinguished intellect provide this book with another example of a father figure. Though there are many more links to father-son relationships in this novel, these two are definitely the most prominent. There is an overall theme of friendships bordering on the brink of family in their manner of relationships. This theme provides one of the driving forces for this novel, whether in the beginning between D'Artagnan and his true father, M. de Treville and his Musketeers, Athos and D'Artagnan, the Cardinal and his followers, or several other characters in this novel.

The characterizations in this novel are also strong. Though some can be classified as heroes and others as villains, all have their moments of triumph and blunder. One example of this is the main character, D'Artagnan. Although he is a hero in this novel, he is a deeply complex individual with faults and weaknesses as well as strengths. He offends and challenges his future friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis directly upon his arrival in Paris because of his headstrong discourtesy. This character trait is shown implicitly through his actions and speech when he comes in contact with others. Another multifaceted character is Athos. He is a melancholy man because of the past he attempts to hide from his companions. By far the most distinguished of all the musketeers, he guides them in wisdom. This characterization is shown directly through the way his companions speak of him. " `My dear Athos,' said Aramis, `you speak like Nestor, who was, as everyone knows, the wisest among the Greeks' " (467). In comparing Athos to Nestor, he is directly assisting in the characterization of Athos.

Finally, the main characters are symbols of courage and loyalty. Through the actions of D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, the reader gains a sense of their undying loyalty to the queen, the king, and each other. They show their loyalty to the queen by helping save her reputation. She secretly gives away a few diamond studs to the English Duke of Buckingham (who is in love with her), and the Cardinal finds out. He plots to ruin her by persuading the king to order her to wear them at an upcoming ball. The musketeers find out about this plot and ride quickly to England facing many dangers along the way to retrieve the two diamond studs. Their efforts effectively show their loyalty and courage. Another example of the musketeers being symbols of loyalty occurs on one of their missions; one by one each of the musketeers falls behind, except D'Artagnan. Once the task is completed, he goes back and searches for his companions, not stopping until they are all reunited. In this and other instances, the musketeers are shown as symbols of loyalty and courage.

The Three Musketeers, a brilliant action-filled novel, is an excellent read. The action and suspense provide the driving force of the novel, while the underlying relationships provide multifaceted characters who are easily identify with, as fantastic and extraordinary as their lives may be. As Dumas wove theme, characterization, and symbolism into his thrilling story, it became a treasure to last for generations. Truly this novel is a timeless attestation of the human experience that readers can relate to throughout the world.

The book arrived in great condition and is full of great pictures and information about the making of the movie. Great for Tim Burton fans.

I got this book at Disneyland yesterday. It was SO great! I'm glad I bought this instead of a stuffed Sally doll. It was very interesting, and I'm very pleased to see storyboards and the very informative contents of the book, especially the poem of The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, I wish I could've read more of the poem Tim Burton wrote. Then I could compare it to the original poem of The Night Before Christmas. Tim Burton is an exceedingly creative man, and I'm glad he makes stop-motion animation, because I'm SO sick of all the stupid computer animated movies that studios make nowadays. Tim Burton follows his own ideas, and this movie inspired me to be a stop-motion animator when I grow up, alongside with a career as an author.
-Jo W.

If you're interested in knowing more about Tim Burton's movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, this book is a great buy. It has all the details about the making of the movie and the characters plus loads of great pictures. A must have for every Nightmare Before Christmas enthusiast.

This book is definitely very illustrative about the process of creation of a film of the caliber of `The nightmare before Christmas'. With a foreword by Tim Burton, the book includes everything related with the making of this stop-motion animation classic. This book is more a documentary about the making of the film; it is divided in three sections (described below) and takes you through the whole process of creation of the movie. It is an interesting document indeed for people wanting to know about the creative process of making a movie of this kind. A perfect companion for the film!

The Film

The first part of the book focuses on the story ans the lyrics of the movie songs, beautifully illustrated with pictures from the movie, designs and Burton's sketches. Some movie facts are also given in this part of the book.

The Art

The original poem by Burton in which the movie is based on is presented in the firt part of the section. Most of Burton's sketches and character designs are here. The design of the sets, the characters and storyboards are well explained and presented in this section of the book with beautiful pictures, colored sketches and original drawings by Tim.

The Vision

In this section we get to meet all the people involved in making this film possible, and a little background on her profiles and how they were selected to partake on this project. Tim Burton, Henry Selick, Danny Elfman, Caroline Thompson, Kathleen Gavin and Denise Di Novi participate with comments and thought about the project.

If you've ever seen Tim Burton's truly excellent stop-motion animation film The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you've probably wondered, "How was all this done?" This book can answer that. Inside you'll find the stories behind the screenplay, the music, the process of stop-motion animation itself, and see some of Burton's original sketches that gave inspiration to one of the most imaginative and outright magnificent movies in the last fifteen years. If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you'll go nuts over this book.

After I mentioned just a little bit about a couple of comments this book made about the third chapter in Genesis, I had three people wanting to borrow it. This is a serious study. I appreciate that much of the commentary relates to a direct literal study of the Hebrew (even though it has poetic interpretations in the same book). Well worth the money.

Ardent feminists will love this book. Moderate ones may think it goes too far in emphasizing the significance of women in the Torah. The commentaries and the literary entries are excellent and the format is easily accessible. I would not recommend reading this commentary alone, without a less egalitarian version at one's side. Comparisons are always valid. I especially like the non-gendered usage, which doesn't hammer the reader over the head but makes its point nicely.

I bought this for my wife, a theology major. She has been very excited about the book, finding it scholarly, well researched and a new approach to the Torah from women's point of view. There are many significant insights to be gained from this work.

Wow! This is such a beautiful commentary on Judaism's holiest text. I love the symphony of voices that flow through this book. Not only are comments meaningful and well written but the general oranization of the book is wonderful. I am man who loves Torah and all of the commentaries that it produces. This volume will sit proudly on my bookself next Rashi, Hirsch, Sforno, Ramban, etc. I am recommending this commentary to every Rabbi I know regardless of affiliation. Even if the price is a stretch for you, buy this book because you won't be sorry.

The Torah: A Women's Commentary is a compilation of the most recent Torah scholarship that also includes a woman's perspective. Introductory essays by Carol Meyers, Judith R. Baskin and Ellen Umansky are outstanding in orienting the reader to the world of Torah history and post biblical analysis. Alterative perspectives enrich this multi-dimential effort. This volume produced by the Women of Reform Judaism makes me proud to be a scholar and a Jew.

Cris Beam lived the experiences she relates in this book and relays them without embellishment. We know this because she tape recorded every conversation described, and the few she didn't tape record she kept logs of. It is written in the form of a narrative and is written with skill and intimacy. Cris Beam explains that as we mature from children into adults there is an inexorable question we each seek to find an answer to. For a transexual youth named Dominique the question was: What drug could be so good my mother would choose it over me? For Cris the question was: What child could be so bad she's unlovable? The answer to Chris's question is answered in this book: no child. This book has widened my experience of what it is to be human and I recommend it to everyone.

When Cris Beam moved to Los Angeles so her partner could get a Ph. D., she found she needed a challenge to offset the boredom of working at home in a strange city. When she heard of Eagles, a "small, scrappy high school for gay and transgender teenagers," she decided to volunteer "maybe once or twice a week."
Like most adults, she had little idea of how transgender teenagers survive on the streets. Most could care less - they shake their heads and ignore them as they pass by, or else they stop and become the kids' prostitution customers. Ms. Beam's experience with them over the next several years, chronicled in Transparent, sheds new light on their lives.
Her story is not about child abuse or exploitation, yet it reflects a great deal of both. While we hear a lot about physical and sexual abuse of children, reading this book raised several questions in my mind. What is child abuse?
Is it destroying all your 11 year-olds possessions, and then throwing him out on the street?
Is it refusing to recognize your child's identity and forcing them into a role against their will?
Is it throwing a child in jail for fighting back against abusive classmates or teachers?
Is it incarcerating transgirls in the male section of the juvenile hall or prison?
In many ways, Transparent is about children reacting to abusive authority figures of all kinds - parents, school personnel, law enforcement, social services, and medical professionals. Unloved or rejected by their birth parents because they do not fit societal norms, they find acceptance on the street. Their survival is often through prostitution and the concurrent drug use that makes it possible. This book is about survival - the struggles of unloved, rejected, cast-off children to survive and mature in whatever way they can.
Transparent also serves as a primer for dealing openly and supportively with these kids. They need acceptance and family - and they find it on the streets with their "drag mothers," and gender variant brothers, and sisters. They need love. Cris beam shows just how much they need love and how difficult it is to overcome their natural fear of adults and authority figures. Transparent shows the impact a single, concerned, loving person can have on their lives.
We need more such people.

The subject of transgender teenagers may make some uncomfortable, but this book will help any family going through this situation.

TS lit has been largely dreary, solipsistic and poorly-written over the years. Jennifer Finney Boyan's bestselling She's Not There, building on her pre-exisiting literary skills, rectified matters considerably.

Now, here's something even better - a TS tale told by a feminist woman, and told with the narrative power of a secure and sagacious novelist. Smart, sure, but dramatic, too. And the story is an original one.

Not a false step anywhere. Fascinating, vivid, human as all-get-out, intense. And the ending - wow! - like, I was reduced to happy tears. Transparent, meriting repeated readings, would sure make a marvelous movie.

Impressive! It will be interesting to see where Beam goes next.

This book deals primarily with transgendered teens, a subject which may make many people uncomfortable. Cris Beam does, however, humanize the entire phenomenon as she tells the story of four teenagers who are intimately involved in the transition from one gender to the opposite. I suggest it is a particularly valuable book for any family who is facing this type of situation as well as any reader who is interested in the "why's" and "wherefores" of transgenderism. This phenomenon is not unknown to history nor to anthropology. It is, in other words, not a uniquely contemporary or American phenomenon; nor is it the result of the so-called "sexual revolution" of the 1960s. It was not unknown in ancient Greek and Roman times and it has been uncovered in studies of other cultures ranging from the Mojave Indians to the natives of Tahiti.

Whether or not the transgendered phenomenon is biologically based or psychologically determined, a matter of nature or nurture, or a matter of genetic influences or environmental construction remains, at least in my considered opinion, unknown. I think much of the present controversy over transgenderism is misguided since no definitive and empirically validated evidence exists as to its genesis. To her credit, the author refrains from attempting to explain or justify or rationalize the question. Beam spends the bulk of her time simply describing what these teenagers are experiencing. That, at this point in the discussion at least, is about as much as anyone can do. And one can't help but sympathize with what these teens are going through even if one doesn't exactly relate to the circumstances they face.

Can there really be such a thing as a woman's psychological being within a man's physical body? Can nature be so cruel as to give one male genitals but a female psychology? Can a child really "think" that his or her physical gender is a mistake and he or she ought to be of the opposite gender even in spite of physical evidence to the contrary? I have no idea and Beam, in my opinion, doesn't make a solid case regarding any of this. On the other hand, I don't know how to refute someone who says, "I feel like I'm really a female imprisoned in a man's body." Such a mental state is a subjective experience and one which no "outsider" can truly share. Contrary to the assertion of a former U.S. president, I cannot feel your pain. Your pain is yours and yours alone. I may be able to vicariously identify with it to the extent that I've had a similar pain but, no, I cannot feel your pain. Similarly, I cannot say that your thinking that you're a woman (or man) trapped in the wrong physical body is untrue, or disingenuous, or a matter of your "arbitrary choice."

There is a point upon which I must disagree with Beam if I understand her correctly: Genitalia are irrelevant to determining a person's sex. This is flatly false. Except in the rare cases where a child may be born with both male and female genitalia, the sex of a child is wholly determined by the presence of either male or female sex organs. However, it could be argued, I think, that "gender" is another matter. Sex organs determine male and female from a strictly physiological perspective but, I think it can reasonably be argued, "gender" describes masculinity and femininity or a degree thereof. Masculinity and femininity tend to be "psychological" or "mental" states and do not necessitate a physical dimension. Thus, one could be transgendered without being a transsexual, I would propose. If this has any efficacy, then the difference between one's "sex" and one's "gender" might be better explained and elucidated.

(As a sidebar to the above, it is interesting to note that while most languages seem to allow for only two "sexes," many languages have words categorized into three or four "genders." English is one of the latter and nouns can be designated as masculine, feminine, neutral, or common.)

The main difficulty I had with the book, although Beam's prose is fluid and easily read, is with the pronouns "he" and "she" which are ascribed to the transgendering subjects at various stages of their development and can confuse the reader as to who or what is being addressed at any specific time. Our language is obviously deficient when it comes to describing a phenomenon such as this and one can get confused as to the gender of the subject being discussed. Sometimes one of the teens insists on being addressed as "she," only to revert to his original physical gender and be addressed as "he." Sorting it all out and keeping the narrative consistent can be somewhat difficult.

Nevertheless, regardless of one's personal opinion or attitude toward transgendered teens (or adults, for that matter), there is a story here to be told and Beam does a fine job of telling it. Besides the personal narratives provided, Beam includes some valuable information about transgenderism from both the psychological and medical perspectives. She also includes some important resources at the end of the book, as well as an informative bibliography.

While I cannot pretend to fully understand why anyone, especially a young teenage boy, wants to become a member of the opposite sex or feels the desire to do so, the fact remains that such is the reality regarding some young members of our society and culture. It would seem worthy of us as human beings, therefore, to put aside any qualms about this matter and attempt to try to understand it without resorting -- which is all too common the case -- to moralizing about it or passing premature judgments on it. These young people, as Beam describes them in her book, are facing struggles and challenges of a sometimes horrendous nature and at least deserve a hearing and our empathy as fellow human beings. Furthermore, Beam is to be commended for her compassionate approach to this difficult subject.

It's been a while since I read a book that I loved this much. This book was exquisite. It's a simple story, but that doesn't mean it's boring, not by any means. It's gloriously interesting. Even the littlest words, the tiniest snippets of dialogue, are intriguing. Well, I was intrigued, anyway!

I fell in love with the characters in it right from page one. And that meant I cared what happened to them. The birds, the trees...they all had unique and well-developed characters. (I cannot remember reading a book where I fell in love with the character of a tree before, but it happened here!) And thankfully, there were no 2D characters here, and no cliches. The characters took me on a deeply emotional journey, and I returned changed. Not many books can do that.

Kids will love the exciting, fast-paced story with gorgeous animals in it. Adults will be intrigued by the story as well, but will also be impressed by the psychology of the tale. It's a happy story on the whole, but it's also a story of love and loss, and how what happens in moments of grief or adversity can stay with us for a lifetime.

I would thoroughly recommend this book, not just for kids but also for adults who want to read classic YA fantasy.

I would also suggest that people ignore the laughably inaccurate Editorial Review on this website that is written by Publishers Weekly. Seriously, when I read that review, I was forced to wonder if the reviewer had even read the book, because if they had, they would have understood Anna's resemblance to Mellwyn's daughter. The book could NOT have made the reason for that any clearer!

This is a well-written story of a young girl trying to learn of her roots. At nine years old she knows little about her mother or father. She lives with an old fisherman. The old man has told her he found her in the woods, but warns her to stay away, or the ghouls in the forest will get her.

Young children, especially girls, will enjoy this story.

*warning, major spoilers*

T.A. Barrons writing carves a magical story about Anna, a 9 year old girl who desperately wants to know of her past, though all the fisherman she lives with will tell her is that he found her under the branches of the High Willow, which now seems to call to Anna. He forbids her to ever go into the forest, for fear she will be torn apart by the murderous "tree ghouls" But one day when the fisherman is out at sea, the curiousity gets the best of Anna, and she wanders into the forest, where she finds only magic and beauty. She soon befriends a bear cub, who later turns into a boy who claims to be a "tree spirit".
Anna's new friend takes her to the high willow, but the fisherman finds her and furiously drags her back home, and forbids her to leave the cabin.
Anna one day realizes how very much her fingers look like willow branches, long and thin, and how the high willow calls so longingly to her, and suddenly figures out exactly where her mother is.
But when her tree spirit friend returns to take her back into the woods, in trying to prevent Anna from going the fisherman injures himself badly on an ax, and Anna must choose between the man who fathered her since before she could remember, and her destiny.

With beautiful writing that will weave you tightly through this story of love, magic, and family, T.A. Barron will enrapture you, I couldnt put it down. I highly reccomend this book to everyone, of all ages.

T.A. Barron wrote a wonderful book, Tree Girl that will blow you away. In the book you meet a little girl named Anna. She lives with her grumpy old father Mellwyn in a little one room cottage by the sea and forest. All day long Anna will play with Old Master Burl, the tree in her back yard. Through the friendship she has with Old Master Burl, she became inspired to meet the High Willow in the forest to unlock the secrets of the past.
If you love fantasy this is the book for you. Every minute you read this book you feel like you are with Anna seeing her story with your own eyes. The author's great sense of words bring the characters to life. No one is stuck behind in your head. With the words, T.A, Barron pulls you in the book; you won't want to get away. You can't go to bed without dreams about what will happen next, will the wind show her the way and much more. This is a must read.
After you read this book you will never forget the message in the story. Millions of kids all over the world find out that it is better to be where you belong and not where you feel weird. If you find your place you will be happier than ever!

I loved reading Tree Girl. You feel like you're really there. I have dreams about this book. If I could put up more stars,I would.

After having to climb through so many books looking for the information I required to understand the issues and response to terrorism I came across Understanding Terrorism by Maniscalco & Christen. What a relief to find a comprehensive, cohesive and no nonsense book.

These authors have done a remarkable job with synthesizing complex data and rendering it into a discussional and informational manner easily comprehended by all emergency planners and responders. The constant reinforcement of "system" play and interoperability as well as a function rather than an agency approach lent great assistance to my team being able to immediately apply the knowledge to the crafting of our contingency response templates.

Great job by the composers, fantastic text for you or your organization!

This book is fantastic. It articulates the issues in a discussional format and make sense of the many confusing topics of terrorism planning and response.

I like the fact that the authors have taken the time to include a very robust reference appendix section. It has proven to be unquestionably my go to book on this subject matter.

In addition to the front matter which is invaluable, I now have to only grab one book to reference the myriad of references, case in point is the streamlined access to federal response plan, MSDS sheets, radiological references etc.

If you are an operator, supervisor, manager, planner or instructor this text is for you!

A lot of books on terrorism response have been written by 'experts'; fine folks who understand the theory, but in reality lack the practical experience. This book is NOT one those.

The authors are well organized, show their writing experience, as well as their provider and leadership experience.

The book is a comfortable read, not a scholarly tome that is an alternative to Xanax. Illustrations are good.

If you have a need to plan for medical response to terrorism, this book is an excellent resource to aid in your preparations.

The authors of Understanding Terrorism have done a great job with presenting complex and difficult material in a manner that is easy for all responders to understand.

This book covers all the bases and met all of my expectations. It has become a permanent fixture in my response bag should I need a ready reference. Frankly, this is perhaps the best book on the subject for emergency responders that I have seen to date. A great value for the price!

I was skeptical at first about another book on terrorism. After being disappointed by several other terrorism response books allegedly written for emergency planners and responders, I was very satisfied with Understanding Terrorism and Managing The Consequences.

This book is a breath of fresh air that restores my confidence that responders who have the experience and background of planning for & operating at terrorist events are sharing their expertise & knowledge.

Understanding Terrorism provides you the VITAL information you need to perform your duties as a responder as well as provides security directors & safety managers expanded knowledge on what is expected for their functional areas in times of terrorist events.

The information is provided in a cohesive manner that aids the users with easy comprehension and utility of the material. It also compiles all the needed references under one cover to make your job easier.

The approach the authors have adopted with this book is a big bonus. Frankly I am tired of books that adopt a "shotgun" approach or use theoretical [terminology] to convey the message of safe and effective response strategies; they fail to address the implementation and operational application issues effectively. THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM. This book helped me each step of the way as well as provides me with the benefit of being a "one book" planning and response reference.

Public or private sector emergency managers, responders or security officials, if you are responsible for the emergency response, Understanding Terrorism is the one book you should own, read and use.