United States Books

I must say that I really enjoy this book. It is well written and provides alot of very good information. It is a good resource book to keep in your RV. I am planning to go full time RVing in the next couple of months and this book helped me to make that important decision. Read and enjoy folks!

We found this book a very valuable resource for planning on our eventual fulltiming phase of life. It is a very easy read, but it also has the information you need. It's very well laid out! Thanks for a great book!

Support Your RV Lifestyle: An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road (Second Edition)
is a wonderful resource -- it's well-written, filled with great information, and is inspirational and encouraging, as well. Jaimie Hall is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her topic. It's obvious that she's a seasoned traveler -- and has been both working on the road and talking to many other RVers who have worked while enjoying their travels.

The book summarizes over 350 jobs (in categories like work at rv parks and resorts, christmas tree farms, state parks and national forest areas, concessions, seasonal jobs, sales of rv related products, crafts, writing and consulting). Details like how to handle resumes, long-distance job interviews, contact information and communication while traveling, and the right questions to ask about jobs are also covered. In addition to the many options it lists, it points out possible problems and challenges one may encounter on the road while trying to find a job or while working.

If you (like us) are thinking about traveling in an RV, this is the book to have in the planning stage -- and I assume it will also be helpful when on the road.
Also check out the author's website and enewsletter.

My husband was intrigued by the idea of full-timing in an RV. This book gives you ideas of working while moving around in your RV. Maybe working a seasonal job in a theme park or with a tour group, on a guest ranch or in a national park appeals to you. Some jobs offer free campsites.
Ultimately I chickened out on the idea, but if you think the open road is for you and want to make some money along the way, be sure to read this book.
It includes a ton of info in the appendix: including contact information for state tourist bureaus, state parks, state revenue offices and state motor vehicle and licensing bureaus and more, plus an additional 32 pages of resources.

Many people who contemplate living the RV lifestyle probably equate it with a leisurely retirement. But what if you combine RVing with a lucrative work life? You may discover that you can hit the road at a younger age and reap more rewards.
Support Your RV Lifestyle spells out in great detail exactly how to live this dream life. Jaimie Hall speaks from her own experience and culls information from a wealth of other sources to create a comprehensive tool for planning to live and work on the road.
Just as you wouldn't set out on a trip without a road map, you would be miles ahead by consulting this guide before embarking on this life journey. There's a lot more to consider than where to park your vehicle each night. Don't assume you'll just "find a job" when you reach your destination. There are many considerations, from tying your marketable skills to a job on the road, to balancing work and fun, to tax implications. Because Ms. Hall is so thorough with her guidance, you will be well-equipped to make decisions about how to combine work with pleasure.
It is likely that some of her 100-plus pages of worksheets and resource lists would assist travelers in general, not only those traveling and working out of an RV. You'll recoup the price of this travel guide many times if you choose to follow its course for living and working on the road

I just finished the book--WOW, What a great read! This book is MUST READ for any Fleshtones fan and a highly recommended read for anyone interested in the 1970's-80's NYC punk/new wave/garage rock music scene. The Fleshtones have always been one of my all-time favorite bands and they have always seemed very cool every time I've interacted with them at their shows. After reading their bio, I feel like I have a whole new appreciation and respect for the band. So glad the Fleshtones are still preaching their SUPERROCK to the masses!! I am very much looking forward to reading "Sweat, Pt. 2" in another 30 years :)

Joe Bonomo's book is a great journey with the most fabulous live band of the last decades.

I was a rock critic back in the day and I bought "Marty Thau's 2X5" when it came out and was immediately struck by "Shadow Line." Sometimes when you hear a song, you can immediately envision a band on stage charging through it. It blew me away. Hmm. Who are these tones of flesh color?

When I spotted the EP "Up Front," I could hardly get it home, get the shrink wrap off and get the platter on a turntable fast enough. Only five songs, but three were absolute knockouts: "Girl from Baltimore," "Cold, Cold Shoes" and "Vindicators." In fact, whenever I would put "Shoes" on at a party, everybody would hit the dance floor, shouting "Whoa! Who's This?" To this day, I consider it one of the greatest rock and roll dance songs ever written.

Then came "Roman Gods" with more powerhouse stuff, including the title track which has one of the greatest use of horns in rock song I've ever heard.

I have only seen them once, at a small club in Philadelphia. Great show.

It not only puzzles me, it angers me that such great talent has not been met with the reward it deserves. It is absolutely infernal that it has taken the French, who adore them, to keep their fortunes afloat.

It is rare to hear a rock band whose taste in music seems to come out of your own head, like they were reading your thoughts. To me, the Fleshtones are that band. Some contenders are Jonathan Richman, Neil Young and the Feelies.

I think one problem could be their name. It's semi-comical instead of abstract and "cool." Maybe it shoulda just been Flesh.

Anyway, thanks, Joe Bonomo, for giving us the truth and the legend about these enduring, underappreciated rock and roll geniuses.

From about 1985 onward, I've been a steady fan of the mighty Fleshtones, although I confess that by about 1993 I sort of stopped keeping up with them. But if for no other reason than to understand why "Roman Gods" and "Hexbreaker" have never been reissued on CD, I bought this book. Little did I know how insane the story of the Fleshtones really is.

In a nutshell, "Sweat" reveals that despite the jolly, party-time atmosphere that is the essence of the Fleshtones, the band and its individual members have truly been through hell along the way. The well-documented drug use by this band is nothing short of legendary, and at least one member, Marek Pakulski, ultimately had to leave the group do to his uncontrollable heroin addiction. Other members, particularly Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer, are probably lucky to be alive considering the amount of alcohol they've consumed. As for Peter Zaremba, it's surprising his body didn't just blast off into orbit, with the amount of speed he was taking!

Funny personal story - I saw the Fleshtones in Boston back around 1988, and got a chance to meet them before the show. I'd brought along the cover of my "Fleshtones vs. Reality" CD and Keith, Bill and Peter all cheerfully signed it. But Peter was irked by the fact that the label, Roadrunner, had included one of those anti-drug public service messages inside it. So Peter scribbled over the message and wrote underneath, "Do what thou willst! A.C." (An Aleister Crowley quote) I had no idea at the time just how serious he was!

And then of course there's the most notorious Fleshtone of all, Gordon Spaeth (R.I.P.). Who would have thought that a member of the Fleshtones served several years in prison after killing a man in a drunken fight?!

Author Joe Bonomo does a fantastic job of tracing the band's history over more than 30 years. From the young hipsters prowling lower Manhattan at the dawn of the punk era, through the 80's where at least Europe embraced the band and they enjoyed some celebrity, and on through the 90's to the present, as the bandmates have continued to make music on their own terms, even as material success has eluded them, "Sweat" spares no detail and offers compelling proof that the Fleshtones, albeit on a small scale, are true living legends.

And by the way, why won't I.R.S. allow those classic early albums to be reissued? You guessed it - it's all about money. As much as any band in history, the Fleshtones are a prime example of why major labels suck.

This book is essential for any Fleshtones fan, and even someone who never heard of them should still find "Sweat" to be one hell of a good read.

(p.s. The Fleshtones' brand-new album "Take A Good Look" is their best album ever.)

R&R is not defined by its stars. Although undoubtedly R&R in their hey days Elvis, the Stones or Springsteen do not define the genre. The may make up for its aspirations, but they are not at the core of what R&R is. At its heart R&R is literally thousands of bands busting their chops in the garages and sordid basements all over the world, dreaming to make it in the big league one day. The Fleshtones have been at this game for about 30 years now, never escaping the basement. In a sense they are the text book example of R&R. Joe Bonomo's book "Sweat" captures their ongoing search for ever elusive fame perfectly. Anybody familiar with the band couldn't have thought of a better tittle to this autobiography. The Fleshtones have been guaranteed to give the best R&R show around for as long as they've been together. Yet the subtitle to sweat, "30 Years, 2.000 Shows, 1.000 Blue Whales, No Hits, No Sleep" gives the perfect summary of what to expect when reading "Sweat".

The Fleshtones story starts in a basement in Queens. Much to the dismay of the neighbors, some of the key members of what later would become the Fleshtones, throw legendary Blue Whale parties while churning out raggedy R&R, barely being able to master their instruments. A Blue Whale apparently is quite the toxic mix of various kinds of alcohol, preferably served in big barrels. That loud and lethal mix of three chord R&R would be a constant in the band's bumpy career. It would get them kicked out of their apartments, make them lose record companies, would find them in bloody brawls, turn them in the gutter but would also make living legends out of them. Although there are way to little people to recognize them. For the lucky few who fell under their spell, they are R&R best hidden deities. For the lucky few who stumbled onto their albums the Fleshtones have come to symbolize sweat drenched good times at their shows, roaring saxophones, screeching farfisa organs, rambling guitar riffs, raggedy soul crooning and pure and simple R&R.

The Fleshtones came smashed between the burgeoning Punk scene of NY city in the late seventies and back to basic superstars such as Bruce Springsteen. Like the latter the Fleshtones went back to the core of R&R. They found their inspiration in a time when 45 was king. The core of the Fleshtones, Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng found themselves in their love for the format. Swapping obscure 7" records filled with R&R, ranging from Hank Ballard and the Midnighters to the Strangeloves. At the time when Punk and Springsteen were about to burst wide open, R&R had strayed from its true path. The scene was marred by various horrific super groups, making guitar based intellectual drivel that had very little to do with R&R. Both Punk and Springsteen were a counter reaction to that drivel. The Ramones brought R&R back to its (barely) three minute essence in a loud cartoon like mess. Blondie did much the same, giving R&R a new sense of ice cold cool. Building on the foundations Punk's god fathers, the MC5 and the Stooges, had built, NY busted R&R wide open again.

"Sweat" unravels the mystery why the Fleshtones, despite a killer live reputation and rave reviews, never managed to reap the benefits of that movement. In a sense R&R was the Fleshtones final destination. Though you couldn't accuse the Fleshtones of being a retro act, the strand of R&R they tapped into just didn't gel with the all too self conscious Punk movement, especially in NY where Punk was as much high fashion as it was a new form of musical rebellion. The Fleshtones simply didn't thunder down the same tracks the Punk movement lays down. In Bonomo's excellent write up of that scene it soon becomes clear that the Fleshtones' brand of good times and party hard R&R "danced" to a different beat than the Punk movement where shaking it up was branded out of style. Punk rebelled against the drivel of the day, but wasn't about to put the fun back in R&R. The very fuel that kept the Fleshtones running.

At the same time the Fleshtones never made R&R any grander than it was. Unlike Springsteen who infused his brand of R&R with big dreams and a lingering sense of melancholy. Where R&R was the door to ultra coolness for the Punks, to Springsteen it was the door to something bigger, an escape for his small town background. R&R as a means, R&R as a promise, not an end. To the Fleshtones R&R was the final stop. They live to recreate the exitement on the records of Larry Williams, The Kingsmen, Lee Dorsey and Link Wray. The Fleshtones never aspired to anything bigger, be it a fleeting sense of cool or the realization of bigger dreams. The Fleshtones simply wanted to be R&R and indulge themselves in the accompanying lifestyle of sweaty parties deep into the night, raving live shows, sex & drugs.

It's not that the Fleshtones never dreamed of making it bigger. Bonomo's book is drenched with frustration. The Fleshtones were chasing that same all to elusive dream of R&R stardom. Save for in Paris, where they were treated like R&R royalty throughout the years, they would find that dream always more than an arm's length out of reach. Although their career seemed to be off on a promising start when they got signed at Punk legend's Marty Thau's Red Star label in 1978, the band soon hit that brick wall they would ram in to on various occasions throughout their career. Red Star folded after the recording sessions, the Fleshtones' "American Beat" single fell of radar and their debut album never properly saw light of day.

The Fleshtones would be forever stuck in the basement their story is defined by bad business decisions, botched album preparations, odd production decisions and sometimes disastrous tours drenched in and caused by a haze of alcohol and drugs. Although "Sweat" is superbly written, Joe's subject is what makes the book hard to stomach at times. I don't think that there are a lot of R&R biographies out there that are as honest and confrontational as "Sweat". Even though Joe is clearly a fan, he doesn't spare the band. Peter's and Keith's erratic moods are thrown right in their faces, they come off as troopers of R&R yet seldom as heroes. Through out the book you keep waiting for that release of success and career highs that are trade mark to most R&R biographies. That release never comes. Instead there's this uneasy sense of "what if.......". You can't help but escape the notion that with a little more luck and discipline the Fleshtones would have been inducted in the R&R Hall of fame by now, doing high priced reunion tours. In stead the Flsehtones stumble their way through their career, seemingly forever one step behind or beyond the zeit geist. Never really fitting into the Punk movement, too raggedy to go up against the super stars of the eighties, too upbeat for the chronically depressed Grunge movement and finally too old for the recent Garage revival.

Yet despite all the hard knocks and set backs the Fleshtones have managed to keep that train rolling down the track. They are still living it up on the road, albeit with moderate amounts of drugs and alcohol these days, garanteed to give you one of the best R&R shows you'll ever witness. They seem to have found a stable record deal at Yep-Records, issuing some of the best albums in their career. A new Fleshtones album is slated for early next year. I don't think it will make any dents in the charts. Meaning that quite a few people will deny themselves some of the finest R&R there is to find.

My daughter (9) loves this book! She says that it is very creative!

What a find! This is a beautifully illustrated book. The story is so magical that the entire family was eager to hear every word.

There is not much not to like about this work. The author has given us a great folk tale, well written, wonderful illustrations, a work full of lessons and just a pure simple fun story to read. Like all good fables this one not only entertains, but teaches some very valuable lessons in life and living (something most of we adults could use a dose of now and again). This is a great book for a child to read on her or his own, a wonderful book to read with a child and a great book to read to an entire class. It is absolutely amazing the amount of discussion this book can create in a class room. I certainly am not going to go into the story line here, other reviewers here have done a grand job of that, but I do say the book is well worth owning and well worth using with children and/or young adults. I do wish more of our folk tales and lore could be so well presented. This particular edition is well constructed, sturdy and can last through many little hands. Highly recommend this one.

This is a charming little folktale about two sisters Ð one mean and greedy, the other generous and kind Ð and their encounter with a strange, magical old woman. In the end, the good sister is rewarded and the bad one punished. A nice story with a good message.

But this isnÕt just a nice book, it is an extraordinary one. One thing that makes it special is the way the author uses language. Robert San Souci draws on an African American storytelling tradition and a southern rural dialect that just makes the language sing! The book is full of wonderful, poetic lines and great rhythmic language. ItÕs a joy to read aloud. The words feel good in your mouth. And any parent or teacher who reads aloud a lot knows what a rare quality that is. Even when IÕm tired, I feel like I canÕt read this book badly. The words just flow.

And the illustrations are gorgeous. Jerry Pinkney is one of the best illustrators around and this is one of my favorites of all his work. The composition, the subtle colors, the intricate detail Ð you rarely come across art this fine in childrenÕs books.

I bought this book for my daughter a couple of years ago, and weÕre still reading it over and over again. ItÕs so good, I hope in a generation sheÕll still be reading it to my grandchildren.

This book received a Caldecott Honor as one of the best illustrated children's books in 1990. The rich, subtle watercolors expand the reader's appreciation of the story, and help keep some of its stronger elements in balance for younger children. The story itself is a cross between several favorite fairy tales, most significantly Cinderella, and represents a retelling of a Creole story from the American South.

A widow has two daughters, and lives with them on a poor farm that "looked like the tail end of bad luck." Rose, who was like her mother, was "cross and mean and didn't know beans from birds' eggs." Her sister, Blanche, was "sweet and kind and sharp as forty crickets."

Unfortunately, their mother liked Rose best because they were so similar, being "bad-tempered, sharp-tongued, and always putting on airs." While the two of them chatted, Blanche did the work.

One day, Blanche was getting water and ran into an older woman who asked for a drink. Blanche helped her. As a result, Blanche was late returning and received much ill-treatment from her mother and sister. Running off, Blanche saw the old woman again, who asked Blanche to join her. She warned Blanche not to laugh and to do as she was told. Soon, they are in a magical place where all kinds of strange things happen. But there is plenty to eat and drink. At the end, Blanche is told to bring back certain talking eggs and throw them over her shoulder. When she does, a nice set of surprises occurs.

Immediately jealous, her mother sends Rose to the old woman to get similar help. But Rose cannot follow directions, and the magic either doesn't work for her or causes her problems.

In each case, justice is done.

The story is told in an imaginative way that makes the reader want to know what will happen next. Unlike many fairy tales where you can pretty much outline the rest of the plot near the beginning, this one has some interesting, unexpected twists.

The writing is witty, and makes good use of the story's inherent charm in praising goodness of character.

If you have a sensitive child, this may not be the right book for you to acquire. The treatment of Blanche can upset some children. The magic involves creatures having two heads, and the old woman being able to take her head on and off again. In one scene, Rose takes the woman's head as a ploy to get some talking eggs, too. You can see how this might be a bit much for a sensitive four year old. Children who are able to suspend their sense of reality will probably have no problems with the story.

I enjoyed the watercolors very much. They provided a richness in their exquisite detail that made me feel good just holding the book. Also, it made the book seem more sophisticated than the typical treatment of fairy and folk tales.

The book deals with many realistic problems that occur in families, like having only one parent, not having enough money, having one child be favored over another, having one child be treated poorly, and children looking for sympathy from nonfamily members. This will provide many opportunities to discuss these issues, and find out what your child thinks.

I also suggest that you talk about whether or not Blanche should have gone off with the old woman. The book seems to suggest that looking for help from strangers is a good idea. That's not an idea that I wanted my children to have, so you will probably want to clarify your feelings on this subject as you read the book.

May all be loved, and treated fairly!

Have you read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins? If the answer is "Yes", you don't have to spend a lot of time in reading this book. At least, 50% of the book conveys what is already told in Good to Great. Of course, with different stories as example.

I liked two concepts from this book - "Have everyone think and act like an owner" & "Choose your competitors". It is hard to institutionalize the first concept, though.

Choosing your competition is something that many companies forget to do (or) they don't do it right. Many of them aim to reach the sky and at the end, do not even take off from the land.

If you are wondering how to keep the startup spirits alive in your giant corporation, this is a good book to read.

I loved this book. It's an easy, enjoyable read, and very rich in information on how companies we know and love have made it through difficult times and the habits and beliefs they live on a day-to-day basis. Very interesting and insightful. I plan to re-read it in case I missed anything the first go-round.

This book reminds us to set aside our own egos when managing a business or a department. It is a quick read with a clear message. I would recommend that all senior managers and those who aspire to be a senior manager read this book.

The book covers the study of 10 companies that have had an increase in revenue and profit of 10%, or more, for 10 consecutive years. There are many similarities with "Good to Great", however, this book deals with smaller companies and the leader at the helm is written about in more detail than "Good to Great". Like any great book on leadership and business you will find that the key to greatness is, you guessed it, FUNDAMENTALS. I particularly enjoyed the study of Koch Industries. Mr. Charles Koch guiding principles are outlined well in this book and I believe they are worth studying and implementing. They certainly have produced incredible results for his business conglomerate. Overall this book was well written and I was able to get some great nuggets of practical information from all 10 of the companies studied. I really enjoyed it, and got enough out of it to give it the 5 stars.

This is a great business practice/philosophy book. It doesn't throw numbers at you or tell you how to hit your quarterly target. Instead, the stories of nine culturally healthy and monetarily profitable companies are told. The format is interviews with the company leaders and other key players. Jennings expounds on the interviews and builds similarities among the companies. For instance, these companies don't acquire customers or clientèle, they build communities and fans.

The stories are inspiring because they truly start from the beginning. For example, Dick Cabela purchased fishing flies in Chicago for only pennies apiece. When he returned home to the Midwest, he put an ad in a sportsmen magazine and the orders started to roll in. He and his wife filled orders on the kitchen table and their first warehouse was the shed in the backyard. Today, Cabela's is one of the largest outdoors specialty merchandisers/retailers in the US, grosses more than $1.5B, and their stores are considered tourist attractions.

One more story: Charles O'Reilly and his son Chub worked at an automotive parts store for years. Charles was let go at the age of 72 and Chub was transferred out of state by some higher-ups, as I like to call them. So Charles decided to open a competing store. Chub was a cofounder and they also hired 10 employees from their competitors under one condition, "anyone joining the new company had to make an investment and become and owner."

These companies don't make big 5-10 year plans, instead they focus on today through next year and sometimes two years ahead. They claim making big plans never work because trends, business, technology, etc. change too often and you lose site of the fundamentals and current goals and neglect suppliers (partners) and customers (the community). Additionally, resources are wasted trying to achieve something that might never be. However, they do focus on being extremely adaptable; ready to refocus the entire company or invent new businesses in short notice.

Bottom line, all the stories and lessons are inspiring and invaluable. Considerable focus is placed on the cultures of these companies. Basically, they don't worry about making money and acquiring customers. They concentrate on building a healthy culture, make sure employees are happy, and provide solutions to problems; gaining wealth and customers is only an axiomatic consequence.

The nine companies interviewed are PETCO, Koch Industries, Sonic, Cabela's, Medline Industries, O'Reilly Automotive, Dot Foods, SAS Institute, Strayer Education. The companies presented have grown revenues by at least 10% for 10 consecutive years.

for those who like graphic design this is an icon. A rich illustraded biography and radical ideas

I waited 5 years before I bought this book. Just buy it, you'll love it.

i have been trying to write alot abt this great designer/man, but couldnt write a word because he is so true and real, that you start loosing words for him. He lives with designer who consider their resposibity and moves on. TIBOR tells the story of Tibor's life and his achivement phase to phase. I dont want to complete this book or Close this book, because it is full of Wit, Humor and Lots of Sense. A book that showcases the thumbnails, sketches, art-work, approvals and disapproved work.
You can find lots of lessions, essay and speeches about Tibor and From Tibor that are helpful esp. for Design Students/Teacher and Graphic Designers in the end. It a worth buying book for every student-teacher and designer!
WELLDONE!

Kalman was a fascinating artist, but above all, he was down to earth. He told it like it is. That's why people found his work disturbing and cutting edge at the same time. His images and ideas have the power to change how people think. As an artist, he was vastly underrated, but his art made important comments about popular culture. He fits right in with Warhol, Rauschenberg, et. al. This is a book worth many times its price.

I first heard of Tibor Kalman while browsing a copy of "Interview", just to learn that it was a tribute. Sometime later, I found a smiling bookcover looking at me. I bought it. I was waiting for the bus and started to read it... I could not put it down again. I read textes, subtitles, infos, even the small characters of the work reproduced. It was not enough. It made me regain the somehow lost faith in design, showing me how humour, money and a cause could be combined together with surprising results.
Do not be fooled: this book goes beyond the cult of the author's personality; it shows brief, concept and ways of thinking which are useful to everyone, not only designers and students.
Although I knew it from the beginning, in the end I had tears in my eyes, because this man was gone and could no longer make our world a better place.

Dear animation lover. This book will restore your faith in the power of passion. With a never failing belief in the craftmanship of delivering a great story Pixar showed the possibilities of a good marriage between art and technique. Off course, some luck of being in the right place at the right time counts as well.

The book starts with the original background of the pixar machine as a calculating machine to the point where Disney takes over.

I also have almost every Pixar art-of book there is, but the movies described in the book (including all the shorts) are mostly viewed from a Pixar company point of view. This way you get a great overall view.

As it is my dream to come close to the Pixar company, this is probably the closest you can get the heart of Pixar when you are living far away...

Great book,
have to read a lot but very very interesting.
Great image quality and edition.
I'm loving it!


Martina,
Buenos Aires
Argentina

If you're at all a Pixar fan, or even an animation fan, this book deserves a place on your shelf!

very insightful look at the fascinating studio that pioneered the animation industry into the 21st century.

The content of the book is as high quality and colorfull as the company it describes. Also the author did a good job at documenting the history of the company.

However, in the making of this book someone made a couple of mistakes. There are tens of images which have unacceptable 'pixelation' (i.e. blockiness due to overstretching of digital images). Especially the full page spread on p. 220 jumps out with pixels blown up to almost milimeter size!

This is quite dissappointing to me, especially as it is the artwork of a company which spearheads the way in digital imaging! I can imagine this is a slap in the face of some of the artitst and it would definitely not pass through their quality system if the book was produced by Pixar.

Overall the majority of the images in the book are very well reproduced, so I take the couple of handfull of bad apples for granted.

This is a really super book. More that just of story of climbing Everest. It is a story of lives and it is very very good.

A very inspiring book that validated my desire to do what I love and will keep me optimistic about finding my way for a long time!

Battles with snow and ice, battles with cancer, and a charming romance. What else is needed for a great book in the outside genre? Good Writing.

Unfortunately, this book is short on good writing. It will sell as well as a book in this genre can sell but it will not become a classic nor even provide many memories for its readers. Ghost written, the heart and soul of this book was lost in the expedition of commercialism.

Is it worth reading? You bet. If you are a man with a taste for the outdoors whose significant other would rather go shopping, you will eat your heart out for not having the wisdom of Phil Ershler in carefully using bimbos until you found the woman who would follow you to the tops of the world. If you are a woman who wants some encouragement in following your man, this is the book for you. If you are a fan of high altitude climbing, you will enjoy reading this book.

It lacks tension, that force which makes you stay up late turning pages. But the elements of outdoor adventure are there and, after all, those of us who read this genre are used to mediocre writing and passionate about the subject. So, all in all, it is a worthy read

This book was suggested to us as not only a mountaineering story but a story of life's struggles. We weren't disappointed but very humbled. This dual autobiography (each taking turns telling their story) was a fast-paced read, taking us from childhood to mountain top, leaving out nothing. A very intimately detailed sharing of two full lives. Color photographs support the many stories and stages in the Ershler's lives.

Phil and Sue Ershler's story has everything I enjoy in a book - adventure, courage, inspiration, challenges faced and challenges overcome, and the kind of love that can, literally, overcome mountains. As a small-time climber myself (Rainier's the highest I've ever summited), I could relate to the love of the mountains the Ershlers feel, and the enjoyment that comes in testing oneself emotionally and physically in a mountain ascent. But this book is about more than just mountain-climbing - it's about facing life's unexpected curveballs with a positive attitude, it's about setting goals and working for them, and it's about appreciating all the good in life and living every day to the fullest.

Karen Molenaar Terrell

Gave this book to our Son so we will see if he enjoyed it after he has time to read it. Thanks for shipping it in a timely matter.

Its Christmas 2007 and I am a big Tony Stewart fan. I received this book from family and wasnt all that thrilled since it only goes up to 2002 and to be honest I know absolutely nothing about dirt racing, sprint cars, midget cars, USAC, IRL, or Kart racing.
Well I do now.
I started glancing through the book and got hooked. Its written by Tony (with another writer Mark Bourcier ) so its in his own words. Its Tonys thoughts and memories. It gave me a huge insight into a racer I thought I already knew a lot about. I really enjoyed reading it, from his start as a child up to his NASCAR career. It has a lot of comments from a lot of people he has met in his life as a racer and a regular guy. If you are a Tony fan or a racing fan, this is really a good read. I doubt if hes this open now but he is just as honest and he hasnt changed his feelings.He discusses his honesty and troubles and fans and lots and lots of racing. I knew he was good but after reading this I came away more impressed than ever. I plan on checking through Amazon for more. more. more.

I loved this book. It was very entertaining. It really held my attention. As a matter of fact it only took me a week to read it all. That is pretty good for me and always a sign of a good book. I highly recommend it. It had some pretty funny stuff in it.

this book is a great tool for those wanting to know just how someone as talented as Tony Stewart got where he is. Its a book on racing and stays out of being too personal.

Well, I would think it would be a great book, however, I have been waiting for more than two (2) months for Amazon to sent it to me. I hope those of you who order it have months to wait for it to be shipped to you. Good luck and happy racing!

This work is rather realistic. For anyone who grew up in similiar surroundings, it brings on waves of nostalgia. Growing up in the Ozark Mountains was quite similar to the setting of this story. These were simpler times, for good and bad, and it is good that we have something like this to pass on to our children. The illustrations in this book are soft and wonderful. The text is quite to the point and quite readable and understandable. The book leaves much room for open discussion, although it helps a lot if you actually grew up in these conditions, when discussing it with the young ones. I find that the simple fact there there was no electricity, no T.V., no radios, no running water, etc. quite difficult for children to understand and grasp. This book helps a lot. Recommend this one highly.

I read When I was young in the mountains, then took it to my father, who read it. Rylant is slightly older than me, but she grew up near where my dad was born and raised. My father said after reading that he'd pretty much grown up the same way. He left the poverty of Appalachia as a teenager via the poor man's college-- the service. I was born and raised in Utah. Books such as When I was young in the Mountains were a way for me to connect with a way of life I knew very little about, and I am very thankful for Rylant's work, especially since Dad died recently.

Growing up in West Virginia myself, I relate to to this book. Although I'm now 20 and currently attending college, I still love to read it. It is something I plan to read to my children.

A poignant reminiscence of a way of life that has largely disappeared.

This book showed us what is best about the mountains and the traditions of those living in those mountains. It has been so easy for our society to stereotype Appalachian mountain people as ignorant, backwards hillbillies that it is refreshing to see a depiction that shows mountain people in a different light. The old ways are disappearing. So are the mountains. The Appalachian mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, containing one of the most diverse hardwood forests on earth. Mountain top coal removal, strip mining, and valley fills are destroying these mountains. Soon, the only way we will be able to show our children the beauty and wonder of these mountains will be through books and memories. "When I Was Young in the Mountains" will be a treasure in our house for generations. I encourage everyone to not only read this book, but also to support efforts to stop destructive, non-sustainable coal mining practices so we will be able to show our children and grandchildren more than just beautiful pictures of what once existed!

As the mother of sons, I was curious about what types of questions girls were asking about sex. What a surprise! This book is enlightening for people of all ages about today's teen sexual culture. Sexual awareness is a parent's best tool for helping their teens stay pure. The book is very well organized and easy to read, even for the preteen. It's a great book for keeping on an accessible shelf for when "those" questions might come up or to give to the preteen and teen girls you love.

This book is a great read! It's filled with useful information and is provided in a format that is easy to comprehend. I was specifically interested in the section on pregnancy, it gives the adoption option that is not always spoken about now days. Adoption can touch so many lives and is often the best option. I wish this book was around when I was a teen!!

I thought this book helped counter the myths and innuendo about sex that the kids of today seem to have. It is hard get the real facts about sex when the media distorts it so very much. Regardless of one's beliefs, I think that we can all agree that kids should have a proper launch into the sexual arena when the time comes. Hopefully, with books like this, it will be as adults in a loving friendship framed by marriage. The format was very teen-friendly and readable. When is the adult Unwrapped coming out? LOL

I had been reading the book for about a week when I suddenly realized that others in the home were reading it too. Husband and two teenage sons had picked it up and read some excerpts. It sparked a beneficial discussion about what they knew already and what they learned from the book. I think this is the best use of Unwrapped. It can help parents to bridge the gap between what your teens already know and what they NEED to know. The book is laid out so that teens can scan the topics and find a quick answer. No need to try and digest it all in one sitting. Most of the facts and information presented could be found elsewhere but with Unwrapped, it's all in one small, easy-to-read book.
I must admit, it was unsettling that the Islamic Qur'an was given authority alongside the teachings of the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah in some instances and that Oprah got the last word but, overall, a good resource.

It takes a religious point of view; and is an easy read containing much good information and many important facts aimed for today's teens. This book brings up many topics for discussion. After reading it, my wife and I have given copies to both our teens (daughter and son).