News and Media Books

This book is a great read. It has a lot of interesting information about the Mafia, and provides a good lense to look at other parts of history from the perspective of the mafia.

I just wish they had put more into the construction of the book. This book has never left my home, and yet several pages began falling out soon after I bought it. Reading it soon became a balancing act.

When I saw this, I said to myself, "Just what the world needs...another 101 Things book. Is there any innovation and originality left in the publishing industry? Does anyone take risks or push the envelope anymore?"

However, as these things go, this is a fun and well-written entry in the tired and lazy 101 Things genre. It has oddball facts/info and offbeat humor. I laughed aloud more than once at the writer's observations and turns of phrase.

It's also the perfect bathroom book. The 101 points make for frequent breaks, and you can chuckle through as many as it takes for you to do your business.

A cut above the usual man-hating, cat-loving 101 drivel out there. Take it into the john and have a big laugh.

I was given this book as a gift. As a mafia buff, my initial reaction was to cringe: "101 Things"...give me a break. These days, publishers appeal foremost to an attention-deficit disordered readership. That's a fact. What's annoying is that they have the audacity to tout these titles as cutting-edge stuff. Fortunately, in this rare instance, author James Mannion's wry and informative approach to the ridiculous 101 concept makes this particular title well worth the purchase price. Let's just say that the publisher got lucky on this one--finding an author with something worth saying in these generally banal books. Mannion furnishes readers--and mafia aficionados--with many real gems of trivia on the mob. A truly fun and edifying little book.

Okay, I know they're fluff, but what's wrong with a little fluff? Those two guys from the East Coast may make fun of the concept, but this soccer mom from a "red state" enjoyed the short segments and small pocket size of the book.

It's also very funny and full of little known facts, at least little known to little ol' me.

I did notice in the fine print that this book is "adapted and abridged" from the Everything Mafia Book by the same writer. So if you've read the first book, I guess the second is something of a rehash. Shame on you, Mr. Publisher, going to the well twice for a quick buckeroo. Tsk, tsk.

Well, whatever, I liked it a lot. It made me laugh, and we can all use a good laugh these days, right?

Definitely a book that I recommend to friends. If you are interested in the political process, Watergate, Nixon; or simply this tumultuous period in American history then this book is for you. And it's grammatically correct too. Rob--Fairhope, AL

Even today, it's difficult to be objective about Richard Nixon. Author Russ Witcher succeeds, however, in his seminal study about how Nixon dealt with the press in the two decades following his resignation from the presidency. Relying on articles about Nixon in the three national newsweeklies during this period, Witcher presents a dispassionate look at how Nixon's image improved in the national print media. By quantifying the number of positive and negative statements the newsweeklies made about the former president, Witcher avoids the subjectivity that has marred much of the earlier research that has been done about Mr. Nixon.

Russ Witcher's superb study of Richard Nixon's post-presidential rehabilitation in the media is long overdue. Many observers have said that Nixon was largely successful in improving his media image during the last 20 years of his life, but Witcher has the numbers to prove it. In an exhaustive look at every article written in Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News & World Report about Nixon from his resignation in 1974 until his death in 1994, Witcher finds that Nixon improved his image over time in all three of the newsweeklies. Such research is a testament to Nixon's perseverance to fight to be known as more than The Watergate Man. That fight found its ultimate culmination at Nixon's funeral when even President Clinton declared that the days of judging Nixon on anything less than his whole life and career were over.

Russ Witcher's book, that Watergate thing, is one of the best books that I have ever read. The tension kept me on the edge of my seat! The climatic conclusion is unparalled by anything except for certain Betty Davis movies. Keep up the good work, Russ. I hope to see more work from you in the near future.

This book is absolutely beautiful. Simple to read and understand. The artwork is also beaufiful. Great information about the Archangels and how we can work with them to make our lives better. It talks about how each Archangel has a specific ray of Light that shines down on the Earth more strongly on specific days of the week, and how we can work with the Archangels and their Light so that we grow spiritually. Wonderful book for yourself or as a gift.

I found this book very interesting and informative. It is one of the best books I have read for the information I was looking for on the Archangels.
I am thrilled that I now own this book.

Angels of Love and Light: The Great Archangels & Their Divine Complements, the Archeiai
A great little book for those who want to know about the archangels and their female complements called the "archeiai," including Michael and Faith, Jophiel and Christine, Chamuel and Charity, Gabriel and Hope, Raphael and Mary, Uriel and Aurora, and Zadkiel and Amethyst. Learn about the seven rays of color (blue, gold, pink, white, green, ruby, and violet) in relationship to the archangels.

This is an excellent book which gives a detailed unbiased and rather loving view of the angels of Christian doctrine. If you have ever been interested in Gabriel , Michael or any other Angels I would recommend this book , as it will give you gorgeous pictures and all the information you will ever need on these beings.

I've watched the Japanese version of "Mewtwo Strikes back" and this book fits it to a perfect T! The BEST adaptation of the movie that I've seen! And to qoute another reviewer, it shows to the readers that Mewtwo is NOT a shallow villian, but more of a tortured philosopher who cannot realize the value of his unnatural life. Takeshi Shudo weaves a tale of a Pokémon-esque Frankenstein, if you will. In the origonal Mary Shelley version of Frankenstein, the monster escapes its master to find others, but doesn't understand why people fear it. it is confused and lashes out in self-defense, the humans labeling it as a "mosnter". They persue it, mainly because they are afraid of something they cannot understand. When i first saw the movie, I related it to the tale of Prometheus, the Greek Titan. The scientists were playing god. They were dabbling in a power that wasn't meant for them. It seemed natural for their creation to turn on them. Though, Mewtwo destroyed them in self-defense and because he was confused.

Blinded by rage and hatred and filled with confusion and emptiness, Mewtwo joined Giovanni, and eventually turned on the human also because he was being used.

I will not speak more of the plot, but I'll say this: This book is a much better adaptation than the actual novelization. If you're looking for a tale of creation, betrayal, and the value of life regardless of one's birth, then consider this book. The art is gorgeous, the story is unforgettable. Kudos to Takeshi Shudo! Domo arigatou for the great story!

Finally, an ACCURATE translation of Mewtwo Strikes Back. The book, the dubbed movie, all of them were severely altered from the true version. However, in the Art book you can finally read true quotes from Mewtwo Strikes Back and see that Mewtwo was no longer such a shallow villan, but rather a tortured philospher who could not realize that value of his unnatural life.

Mewtwo Strikes Back

This book would be enjoyed by someone who likes monsters. In the beginning, Ash, Misty, and Brock go out for a picnic. Meanwhile, Mewtwo is in a lab. Mewtwo is upset when he learned that he was a clone. He used his psychic power to destroy the lab. Mewtwo escapes and form a blue shield to protect himself from the flames. Later, Mewtwo rebuilds the lab that he destroyed and called New Island. Meanwhile when Misty, Brock, and Ash are having their picnic, Mewtwo tells Dragonite to deliver a hologram to Ash Misty, and Brock. The invitation is to come to New Island to see the world's best trainer.But the world's best trainer is really Mewtwo. I think that the movie was better than the book because the movie has the sound of the actors and battle sounds. The movie had more kick to it.2\2\00

This is a lot more accurate than the novelization of Pokemon: The First Movie. It includes a lot of art and pictures from the movie and also includes some quotes on the bottom of the pages from the different scenes. Has both the movie, and Pikachu's Vacation. I was a little concerned about it until I bought it. The book had proven me wrong. It was a lot better than I had expected and it's a book that any Pokemon fan might want to get . An excellent book. 5 stars.

The novelisation of the big 1989 movie. It also includes a photo section in the middle, as lots of those sort of books of the time did. It is competently handled, even asking "Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight?"

Batman faces off with Jack Napier as he becomes the Joker, and discovers the links to his past. He also has to deal with the prying of Vicki Vale.

Batman Is one of America's Favorite Superhero. This Book is very good. There is a lot of action and suspense in this book. Criag Shaw Gardner did an exceilent job on this book




if you liked this on then read batman Returns, Batman Forever & Batman & Robin

Accompanying the release of the 1989 smash hit, Tim Burton movie Batman, Dove Books on Tape released this audio book. Acclaimed author Craig Shaw Gardner took the screenplay for the movie, and did an excellent job of reorganizing the story for audio. Making the project complete, veteran actor Roddy McDowall provided the voice, doing an excellent job of playing the roles of the maniacal Joker, the sultry Vicky Vale, and the serious Batman.

Overall, I found this to be an excellent audio book. The story is quite close to the original movie, and Roddy McDowall pulls off a real coup, doing all three major characters in a believable and interesting way. Indeed, I highly recommend his performance as the Joker to everyone.

I loved this audio book, and highly recommend it to everyone. This is a prized part of my library, and my only regret is that I cannot now get it on CD!

It's strange. You'd never guess that a book based on a screenplay could be any good, but you'd be wrong in this case.

Craig Shaw Gardner, my favorite movie-tie-in author, wrote this book, taking a good screenplay and turning it into a truly masterful, exciting, and touching book!

To start off with, the book has whole sections that were cut from the film, giving it more depth and character development. Hmmm.... character development.... there's a whole lot of it. The book truly gets inside the head of everyone, Batman, The Joker, Alexander Knox, Commisioner Gordon, and even Vicki Vale, and all have varied outlooks on the book's events. The Joker sees everything as hilarious, and twisted, Vicki's stressful situations are more developed, Knox is detailed as a hard-boiled reporter (Moreso then the film), Commisioner Gordon is very interesting, in the fact that he likes Batman, but is sworn to his duty to arrest the vigilante, and he's very dedicated and tough, and Batman/Bruce is incredibly written. The writing for Batman's mind is at it's best toward the end, when Batman tries to get up into the Cathedral, while trying not to faint from the wounds he got by crashing the Batwing, and he fades in and out of reality as he remembers the night he lost his parents.

I mean, the film is excellent, but the book is not to be missed. It's deep, profound, moving, and truly exciting in the way Gardner writes fight scenes. Fast and furious, but also surprisingly detailed. I've read this thing so many times that the pages are starting to fall out, and I am continually surprised at the quality of the book. A truly enjoyable read from start to finish.

If you're a fan in the least, you'll pick up this wonderful book!

We checked this book out from the library and my three year old daughter fell in love. :) We have had to check it out so frequently and my daughter asked so sweetly not to check it back in that we decided to buy it. It recently kept her occupied for over an hour on a long trip. She likes to help me cook so she really enjoys the cooking theme of the book. It has a nice message about sharing and is fairly pleasant to read over and over. My daughter now has it memorized and will "read" it to her younger brother.

My 5 year old daughter Loves this book, because she can read it by herself. Its a very good book for children just learning how to read. It is also very cute.

My 3 year old daughter loves this little book!

Strawberry Shortcake and her friends are planning a little picnic when each of them discovers that they are missing an ingredient to make their favorite treat. It teaches the value of sharing and has lovely, colorful graphics to make it a must have for little Strawberry Shortcake fans.

This little book is very cute with bright, colorful graphics; it teaches the value of sharing! My three-year-old daughter loves it!

SpongeBob finds a perfect way to celebrate Halloween. As usual, SpongeBob finds a way to amaze everyone, including the reader, and offer a funny, scary Halloween tale for us all to enjoy. My 6 yr old is a big SpongeBob fan, as is my 10 year old. They both have enjoyed this book over and over, even past the holiday.

My son LOVES this book. He had me read it to him several times in a row the first day then just about every night for weeks now. My son is at a level 2 reading & this is a good fit for him to read alone. Of course he still loves for me to read it to him.

Any kid will love this book. This book is so funny that you should not even think twice about buying it- it is a guaranteed hit! There is no doubt that you would not like this book.

I'm sharing this with my students. They will think it is great fun and will probably remember the cartoon.

The Big Wonder took me back to a more innocent time, when me and my sister's would lie out on the cool grass in the evenings and listen to KOMA from Oklahoma City. I especially enjoyed the little bit of romance the story holds, as well as it's suprizing characters, such as Curly, the Burro, and Uncle Clay. This is certainly a book for all ages.

A Review by Kyle

Mike and Clay, two brothers from Seattle, are searching for their uncle Clay. Uncle Clay was a famous all-around rodeo star who lived in northern Arizona. He has disappeared. It is up to Mike and Clay to piece together their uncle's fate, their only clue being a mysterious phone call that was so unclear, all they heard was "Restaurant Hay." Taking their life savings, and a beat up old truck they bought for $75, they head out to Arizona to spend their summer searching for their uncle.

I like how the author blends the era of 1962 with the characters and setting, influencing how they act and what they say, such as Clay mailing a letter to President Kennedy, or having a conversation about the new space program America was developing. The book plays out with the perfect blend of comedy and action, more than enough to keep you reading. The descriptions of all characters and settings are incredibly vivid, giving you a clear picture of what Monument Valley or a Navajo village looks like. The dialogue is simple and easy to understand, and the events are realistic enough that I would believe this story if it were not fiction. The only downside to reading this is that it doesn't seem long enough; I would really like to know what happens after the end.

I recommend this book to ages 10+ and to anyone who enjoys survival stories or books about the old west or the author Gary Paulsen..

This is a great book because of the adventures envolved in it. It was full of excitment and humor. It is about a boy going into the southwest (in the 60's) with his older brother searching for his Uncle Clay who he has not seen in years. I enjoyed this book because it kept me reading all of the time.

The Big Wander is a humorous, thoughtful trip through the American southwest amidst the tumultuous 60's. If that era wasn't enough to fuel the author's creative palette, our hero, Clay, is euphorically approaching adolescent replete with starry eyed infatuation and an all-to-well-remembered awkwardness in his approach to young ladies. The novel sets out as an summer adventure ("The Wander") for Clay and his older brother, Mike. But, the story strays from its origins and delights the reader with its creative insight into the workings of a young teenager's imagination; too young to give up John Wayne, but well on the way to his first lovesick romance. Natural beauty, native american lore, and the love and loyalty of distant family are woven into a rewarding tale. The plot is best shared with a young reader, an excellent bedtime "chapter book" for Dad to read each night. Oh, I imagine the rigidly fixed realist may have problems with the unfolding of events that defy a likely outcome; but the child you read to (and the one kept deep inside) will receive each and every adventure Clay encounters with a smile, a giggle, and a brief reflection on life as they have known it.

Do you like building things? This book is about Bionicles. Bionicles are weird looking legos that you connect together. WIll the Bionicle Toa beat the evil Vakama? Maybe or maybe not. Read it to find out! Recommended for 8-13.

by
Marcus

If your tv's jammed and you really want to watch it your backup will always be your book. Bionicle Adventures #4: Legends of Metru Nui,has more lines than the movie. I read it more than 10 times and it never gets boring. It's like reading a movie. And it doesn't waste electricity for 1 hour and about 30 min. Great gift for girls and boys!

The book I'm reviewing is BIONICLE Adventures #4: Legends of Metru Nui by Greg Farshtey. It is based on a movie with a similar name. It is about six Matoran villagers of the island city, Metru Nui, that have been transformed into Toa, protectors of the island. They must figure out why so many Matoran are vanishing. They must also escape the Vahki enforcers and the Dark Hunters, Nidhiki and Krekka. I give this book four stars because I am very familiar with BIONICLE and have liked it for a while. There's also lots of action in the book. I would recommend this book to a friend.

Emerson, NJ, 5th grade student

Hi. My name is Nicholas (I feel I should express my first name)and I purchased this book. This is an AWESOME BOOK! It is based on the new Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui movie. I rate it 5 stars because well, it is such a cool book! This is a real great job for Greg Farshtey (writer).

From a true Bionicle fan, Nicholas

On the side, the eight pages of "Exclusive movie pictures" are not all movie pictures. The first 6 pictures (The first 3 pages) are regular Toa Metru pictures. Pages 4-8, though, are movie pictures.

This book is great for our 3-year-old who is having a hard time adjusting to glasses. Her love of the Blues Clues characters helped make her more receptive to the message of the book as opposed to other books we have tried. It's also great that Magenta expresses some of the same feelings of discomfort that our daughter has also felt.

Finally, a book without the negative name-calling i have seen in multiple other books! It just states that Magenta see's blurry, goes for an exam and tells of how she discovers all of the things she couldnt see before like the bird in the tree. It also emphasizes that she can pick out her own pair of frames for her glasses making her seem "cool." I highly recommend it for the preschooler-Kindergartner who is going to get glasses or just did. My 4 year old liked it and his teacher read it to the class.

"But now I have lots of friends who see like me / My glasses are so cool!"

That's from the television episode. It's not in this book, but that doesn't stop this book from being an excellent adaptation of the television story.

In this book, the readers follow from Magenta's perspective as she goes to get glasses. We get to "hear" Magenta's thoughts basically, as she worries the glasses will be too heavy and then later realizes how much the glasses are helping her. Magenta wanted to see a butterfly and with her new glasses, she finally can.

Anyone who's ever needed to get glasses will be able to identify with what happens in this story.

In this book, Magenta gets glasses. This involves a trip to the eye doctor. Of course, Steve and Blue go along for moral support. Magenta gets to tell the doctor which items are bigger, more in focus, and so on. Then she gets to pick out her own frames (purple of course!) and have the glasses fitted.

This book parallels the Blue's Clues TV episode of the same name. In the TV episode, Sherry Stringer (of ER fame - Susan) does the voice for the eye doctor.

Both the episode and the book adequately prepare a child for the experience of getting glasses. My two year old was so excited about this book (she hadn't seen the episode, although she will, via Tivo). It's precious and helpful in a stressful situation. My daughter picked out purple frames, in order to be like Magenta.