Urns Books

This book is a great read. It's a mystery, but a lot more. It has a lot of layers. Yes, it has the mystery side, but it is much deeper. It is about relationships, dealing with loss, but it also has a happy ending. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, but demands something a little more intelligent. I loved this book and I'm looking forward to Alison's next.

Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (9/08)

"No Urn for the Ashes" is a gripping thriller about a woman who loses her husband and daughter in a fire. The husband was murdered by a former partner who wants access to his completed scientific research. This research would provide the world with alternatives to using fossil fuels for energy but the researcher does not feel the world is ready for it.

While the initial premise may sound like that of a sci-fi novel, don't let that stop you. The actual "science" takes up very little of this book. The book revolves around Taylor, the scientist's widow, and her small but strong group of friends. It has been eight years since the fire and Taylor still mourns her loss, especially that of the one-year-old daughter that perished in the fire. When evidence comes about that the baby may have survived, Taylor's friend Ruby seeks to find the truth about what happened that day. With the help of new friend Diane, Ruby searches out every last clue and follows the path of the woman believed to be raising Taylor's daughter.

The book was well written and very descriptive. It was easy to picture the surrounding as if I were actually there. I did have some trouble with the characters. I thought the way Diane entered the fray was unbelievable, and the characters overall were not well developed. It was hard to connect with them since they each seemed like more of a sketch rather than a real person. Taylor was just slightly short of crazy in my opinion and while I understand the profound effects that losing a child has on a person, for her to be so out of touch with reality eight years later was frustrating.

Overall, "No Urn for the Ashes" by Alison Sawyer Current was a good book. There were times when I found it difficult to put down. It was interesting to watch the each of the characters grow in their own way and make their way forward after such a traumatic event.

No Urn for the Ashes kept me up WAY past my bedtime... I absolutely couldn't put it down! The storyline kept me both guessing and emotionally involved. Kudos to Alison Sawyer Current for this excellent first novel... I can't wait to read what she writes next!

Wow! What a fabulous story. I'm an avid reader & love this novel. It's a mystery within several mysteries. I've ordered 10 copies & all my favourite friends & family are recieving copies. I recommend this book to everyone, especially anyone who has spent time on Isla Mujeres in Mexico. I love the characters & the different geography & both the plot & personal insight. You'll love this novel & anticipate Alison's next book.

No Urn for the Ashes was compelling and a real paper turner. The character development made me feel as if I acutally knew them. Everyone can relate to a Jeannie Tull in their life. I can't wait for the next book from this new author on the fiction scene.

During an excavation of an ancient Middle-Eastern ziggurat in 1970, an American archeological expedition encounters an anomalous artifact: an engraved reliquary urn claiming to contain ashes of the ancient Hindu god Purusha, from whose body the Universe was created. In spite of the artifact's beauty, the archeologists are wary of their find, because everything about it is wrong for its location: the language engraved upon it, the shape of the world it depicts, and the odd collection of gods that are referenced. The urn is sealed with a technology far beyond the capabilities of ancient people, and fearing a hoax, the head of the archeological team smuggles the urn out of the country. His intention is to conceal it until its origins can be determined--but curiosity gets the better of him and, predictably, he opens it ...

Purusha's Urn gives readers a chilling glimpse at just how small and fragile our world (and universe) might be. A bizarre and seemingly supernatural event in the basement of an archeologist's house precipitates a cataclysmic event of unimaginable proportions. Could a simple act of human curiosity bring about the end of the universe? And how large is our universe anyway? Could it possibly be more fragile than we ever imagined?

Recommended for fans of astronomy, philosophy, and science fiction - and for readers ready to have the hair stand up on the back of their necks. Prepare for the end of everything - and the line in the sky that underscores our doom!

Dianne Salerni
Reviewing for POD Book Reviews and More

Purusha's Urn is uncommonly exceptional. The first chapter captures your imagination and you are simply compelled to continue reading. As the characters are masterfully developed and you are maneuvered into a uniquely earth shattering scenario, you wonder how the heck mankind, and even the universe, can survive. Great story, imaginative ending, no disappointments.

I'm not usually a big science fiction fan, but this book had me from the first chapter. Fascinating characters, imaginative story line and what an ending! I think I'll be trying more science fiction from, now on!

A great book; an original and intriguing plot. I couldn't put the book down.

I've always thought the Universe was a big place, but after reading Purusha's Urn, I'm not so sure. This is a very unusual book to say the least. Not really hard science fiction, but not too soft, either. Once you get into it, you won't want to put it down. Purusha's Urn is based on a totally outrageous premise, but the characters are so well defined and real that I found myself buying into it completely. I especially loved the lead character, Niklas, a pint-sized curmudgeon with a genius intellect who is lovable despite his acidic wit. The story is so refreshingly original that it was unlike any other science fiction book I've ever read, and the imagery was so vivid that I kept thinking this would be a great film.

When I first read Michael Meyerhofer's poems, I immediately saw him as poetry's modern messiah: a poet that could save poetry from being regarded solely as "high art," or too confusing for modern readers. The poems in Cardboard Urn do not intimidate us with esoteric language; nor are his poems timid or pretentious. While many poems in this collection approach sensitive subjects with barefaced conviction, Meyerhofer tapdances on the line between the tragic and the humorous. He writes not of the mind, but of the physical world, and in such a way that we feel enriched by language instead of burdened by it. Meyerhofer's poems are purely luminous in their simplicity and touching in their sincerity.

One of my favorite books of poetry, hands down.

Mike Meyerhofer's book, Cardboard Urn, manages to cultivate a trustworthy level of sentiment while remaining objectively analytic al to such an extent that the reader truly begins to "understand" Meyerhofer's personal experiences and the effects that they have had. Brilliant use of language, form, register and aesthetics. Get this book and read "Digger", which is my personal favorite

I am just kicking myself. I had the chance to see this wonderful poet read, and I missed it. The poems in Cardboard Urn are pure, elegant, and moving. Meyerhofer's work covers a variety of subjects, but is consistent throughout in quality. Get this book!

If you are a science fiction(sci-fic) fans, you will love this book! It also talk about alot of topic you never thought of before and got you running. I think this book is totallly cool!

"Urn Burial" is one of my very favorite books. I am definintly not a science fiction freak, but this one was really good. It is about a boy who discovers a cat-like being's body buried in a cairn with many mysterious objects, but gets more than he bargained for when an alien race, much resembling dogs, pays earth a visit hoping to find a the cat-thing after detecting the radition from an egg buried with the cat.

"Urn Burial" is the story of a young man and his interaction with forces beyond his control. Capturing the mood and feeling of Scotland, Westall tells how 'Ralph', the lead character, uncovers an alien coffin and goes on to detail the strange and intriuging set of events that unfold. It's all very believable. "Urn Burial" won the Carneigie award for teenage fiction and this book is certainly Westall at his best.

Urns, Dice, and Polyominoes: Topics in the Theory of Groups, Residues, Primes, & Probability is an anthology of brain-teasing mathematical puzzles and solutions, written by expert mathematician and instructor Barr McCutcheon. The puzzles are presented in a print-handwritten style script with diagrams, one that readily lends itself to immediate absorption more quickly than a standard typeface. Extensive formal education is not required to better understand the probability-related problems and their solutions, which walk the reader through basic principles in a lighthearted, easy-to-assimilate manner. Highly recommended for leisure fun or for the dedicated mathematics and probability student student seeking to round out his or her problem-solving skills and put them to the experimental test.

This is a wealth of material for math teachers. Written by a math wizard with a lifetime experience in keeping kids excited about math with the help of one of his ex-students who became a math teacher himself, it's a must have for teachers looking to inspire, entertain and fire up their math students.

Full disclosure: I haven't read the book yet, but Mr. McCutcheon was my math teacher in 6th and 8th grade and all through high school, and he is singlehandedly responsible for making me comfortable and confident with math. He made math class both fun and challenging, and taught in a way that forced us to use our brains creatively rather than simply memorizing formulas and spitting them back. If this book is anything like his classes (as the title suggests it is), it would be a wonderful resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in increasing their knowledge and enjoyment of mathematics.

This guy Friedman knows how to write. His knowledge of the locations were extrordinary, it was as though I was actually there, living through the eyes of those children.

Keats is wonderful. However, a reason to purchase *this* version over other publications is because of Jack Stillinger. He was my english professor and the man is an expert on all things Keats. It was a pleasure learning from him and his essays are always worth reading.

Urn Burial is one of the best YA fantasy/SF novels I have read in over eighteen years of library work. It deserves to be a movie. The main character, a teenage boy in the Scottish Highlands, is believable and engaging. A series of increasingly bizarre events, which unfold parallel to his harsh and gritty everyday life, will capture the reader's attention immediately and keep it throughout. Your hackles will rise when the monster passes by...

A creepy old mansion, murders, and spooky caves--what could make a better story?! I admit I've always had a "thing" for caves, and these sound particularly fascinating. Aside from the great story, though, there's the usual selection of lost capital letters, comma splices, and the like. Sigh. That's why I didn't give it 5 stars.

Kerry Greenwood's URN BURIAL: A PHRYNE FISHER MYSTERY tells of a holiday at an Australian gothic mansion in the country where a host faces death threats and traps are set. When murder results and mysterious funerary urns appear, Phyrne sets out on one of the most dangerous investigations of her life.

Not much as a mysteery but great as a fun read. The lifestyle Phryne has and era in which she lives are the really fun things here. Because of the latter theses books are always worth reading.

This is the sexiest of the Phryne Fisher series that I've read. Yowsa. A good mystery with a big, thrilling conclusion. One of Greenwood's best.

Phryne Fisher is an enchanting young socialite who enjoys setting society in 1928 slightly on its ear. She drives a cool car, flies planes, is a crack shot, and shows up at house parties with her Chinese lover, scandalizing her hosts and fellow guests. And she is gorgeous and wealthy, too. Is it wrong to be jealous of a fictional character?

Urn Burial follows a typical theme for mysteries set in the 20's - a weekend party at a country house. So it is no big surprise when the river cuts the house off from the town and they are all trapped with a murderer. The cast of characters is also as expected with some old maids, a military man, young socialites and dashing young men. But this setup has some modern twists. I don't remember books written in the 20's having quite so much sex in them, for example. Not that this is a bad thing, just different. The attitudes and actions of the characters also have a touch of modernity to them - there are stronger roles for women and less social rigidity that probably existed at the time.

And did I mention that this book is set in Australia? Another interesting twist on the classic mystery. This book highlights and incorporates into the story some of the amazing natural wonders found all over Australia.

This book is a good read. The characters are good, the setting interesting, and the urn theme is bizarre and intriguing. There is some sex, some action, and a good ending. If the mystery is a little weaker than you might like, you don't notice much because it is all of a piece and enjoyable.

Did I guess it? Parts. Will I read more? Yes, I'm looking forward to them!

I've attended too many funerals where I left even more depressed than when I went in. I felt like there had to be a better way, a more contemporary option for planning a service. This book gave me the direction I needed to create the perfect ceremony for a dear friend who was very creative and had a lot of character. The book is a quick, easy read. I just needed some ideas in a simple format with plenty of pictures and that's what I got. I strongly recommend it. -- James Martin, North Carolina

What a great book. I'd never would have guessed there were so many unique and easy ideas ways to make a service special and personal. I loved the idea of a memory table... great book and a quick and easy read, especially during a difficult time. The fact that it's downloadable is a real plus.

This book was essential in helping me plan my Grandmother's service. It guided me through the steps and offered unique ideas. Through the suggestion from this book of creating a video, the celebration of her life was captured and shared with all during this difficult time.

I would recommend this book to others.Planning a Celebration of Life, A Simple Guide for Turning a Memorial Service into a Celebration of Life

"Planning a Celebration of Life" helped my family honor our Mom in a very warm, loving and personal manner. Mom died suddenly, leaving no written instructions and everyone in the family had a different opinion of what she wanted. The book provided an easy to read, step by step process for us to discuss. The ideas were creative but respectful. Also had recommendations on where to purchase hard to find memorial materials. I know Mom was proud of how we honored her. And it helped bring the family together on how to create a lasting celebration of her life. Thumbs up on the book! I've referred several friends to it.

This guide was a total God-send. I'm not sure how I would have made it through all the planning for my friend's service without it. We were really trying to honor her request to celebrate her life, but weren't sure how to go about it. With all the grief in addition to all the details, I was at a total loss. This little booklet gave us wonderful ideas and really made a difficult process so much better. I can't recommend it highly enough.