Travel Books

I loved this book!! It was laugh out loud funny, and I got a real feel for the places that Doreen and her husband got to visit. When I was finished reading I was so sad that the trip was over, made me want to go right out,buy a renovated bus and hit the road. Unfortunately not possible for me at this time, but at least I got to live the life vicarously through Doreen's great story telling. One of the things I came away with from this book (besides some really imaginative and delicious sounding martini recipes featured in the beginning of each chapter, so fun and practical!!) was a strong sense of wanderlust, a real desire to see more of this country! Thanks Doreen, looking forward to more stories.

It is definately not worth five stars. I find that her humor is abit stale, that is unless you enjoy self-depricating humor. I personally don't. I think where whe excels by far is in her description of all the people and sites that she has traversed over her year long trip; they are simply amazing. I am not saying that the book couldn't be a five star book for someone else but for me it left a bit something lacking. Do pick it up you will be glad that you did, remember one man's trash is another man's gold.

So take a skeptical homebody psychiatrist and throw her on a careening bus with an optimistic adventuring psychiatrist and what do you get? A fabulous, faceted read that keeps the chuckles coming. The book is not only hilariously sarcastic, but also offers a sensitive look into the lives of two people reconnecting and prioritizing and just being brave and up for something new. Doreen makes no excuses for the person she is (a "Queen from the Island of Long") and pet lovers out there will truly appreciate the hijinks involving pets on a bus! And because Doreen is cerebral, the book isn't just a bunch of silly, funny travel notes; there is depth and conscious contemplation that gives the reader something meaty to hold onto. Enjoy!

I bought a signed copy at Border's in NYC. I am a huge fan of travel memoirs and this one was a smash. It was part love story, part adventure, a lot of mishaps and a lot of laughs! I really enjoyed seeing how this trip changed both Doreen and her husband. I won't say more as I don't want to spoil the adventure. You won't be let down.
Many thanks to Doreen! Can't wait for your next book!

I have three words for this book - FUN FUN FUN! My son actually passed me this book and said, "Read it, Mom. You will enjoy it". I read it and laughed all the way through. I actually wanted to pack up my animals, get a bus and travel the country. It's nice to see a well written book about the trials and tribulations of spending a year with your spouse, critters and sharing your journey throughout America. Take the bus ride with this book. You will love it.

The are many "Bibles" on market but ArtScroll has the best! They have the best covers and commentaries. None compare. A close second is Gutnick but ArtScroll has been around much longer.

This book is beautiful and a blessing to have! This is my favorite Chumash by far (and I have many). The format of the book is easy to follow, and the Hebrew includes cantillation! I personally think that the commentary was great, especially considering the limited space the author had to work with.

Great book for Shabbat :)

As a traditional Catholic, I was searching for authentic Jewish commentary on the Old Testament and found this title through the Art Scroll publishing company. Boy, was I impressed!

Let me start by stating that the Chumash only contains the first five (5) books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, etc. It does not contain the remainder books of the Old Testament beyond the first five (5) books. This is commonly referred to as the "Torah" in Judaism. Also, there is no New Testament in this volume.

Also, for the lay Catholic, don't confuse the word Torah with the word Tanach. The Torah is the first five (5) books only, whereas the Tanach is the entire Old Testament, including the Torah.

On to the review:

First, the text is very easy to read and understand. The translated text is in basic English, with Hebrew on the corresponding page opposite the English translation. This Chumash truly brings the Old Testament alive with its superb English translation. No more confusing terms, odd language, or outdated words to confuse the reader. Any unusual words are clearly defined and explained in the commentary. Some parts of the book contain illustrations and diagrams that are immensely helpful as well.

By the same token, the text is very reverent and professionally written. You don't get the sense that the authors "dumbed down" the translation. I am comfortable using this Chumash as a study Bible, and a prayer book to meditate on the text.

Secondly, the commentary is superb. It expands upon the historical context of the text, and gives the reader the background necessary to gain a deeper comprehension of the text. The commentary expands on the text at great length, giving great detail and explanation.

This Chumash takes commentary from a wide variety of Jewish scholars, most notably Rashi and Rambam. Rashi is considered one of the leading commentator in Judaism. If you want to delve further into Rashi, you can purchase Rashi's entire commentary in five (5) volumes - It's called the Sapirstein edition of Rashi. Rashi is excellent to read by himself as well.

For most Catholics, reading the Old Testament can be very difficult without the historical context, commentary, and background in Jewish traditions. This Chumash lays the whole text out in an easy to understand format, rich in commentary and historical context.

I would encourage any reader to purchase this Chumash. In addition, you might consider purchasing Rubin's Commentary on the Prophets, which is the complementary volume to the Stone Edition of the Chumash. Rubin's volumes comment on the book of Joshua, Kings, etc.

You also might want to purchase the Stone Edition of the Tanach as well which covers the entire Old Testament. All of the above are excellent resources for the lay Catholic that wants a better understanding of the Old Testament.

Reading the Old Testament from these texts will give you a richer appreciation for the New Testament. The Old Testament is the foundation for the New Testament, and these resources are invaluable to give you some insight into what many Catholics might consider to be a difficult text. Please note, however, that the commentary is strictly from Jewish sources, and no Christian or Catholic commentary is prescribed in these volumes. As a lay Catholic, you might consider purchasing an original Douay Rheims translation (pre-Challoner) of the Bible to compare and contrast the text and commentary.

I have found the insight and information contained in this book tremendously valuable in learning and gaining a little understanding into the Torah. Each year as I go through it I glean a little more knowledge. So much stuff, I will be learning from it as long as I read it.

The Chumash is a wonderful book to have for those learning the Hebrew language or the biblical culture, the rabitic commentaries are very intriguing but all in all i would recommend this to any one and everyone

This travel tale about a diminutive gal on a small wheeled folding bike in Cuba hits a home run. Lynette's brutally honest account of her feelings and course of action taken during this trek is wonderful reading. This story is something which I believe many people dream of yet few actually do. Myself included.

When I picked up this book I thought I'd get a quirky and fun read about a solo woman bike rider traveling and learning about Cuba. Well, it IS that, but it's so much more. It's about a unique woman riding a unique bicycle (Bike Friday), getting deep into the country through living with locals. At the same time, she lets the reader into her life journey, shattering expectations about what a successful Asian woman growing up in Australia should be doing with her life.

If you're adventurous, or if you've ever fantasized about getting on a bike to ride into the sunrise/sunset, or if you're simply looking for a book that you can't put down, this is the one. And guys, check it out. Her grueling bike rides--not to mention boat rides during severe storms--will impress even the toughest bikers.

I like bicycling books with a lot of bicycling in them, and there isn't all that much bicycling in this book. That notwithstanding, it's a really good book. This lady is observant and perceptive, not to mention brave and adventurous. She is also, at times, wickedly funny and doesn't spare herself when it comes to pointing out human foibles and follies. I thought I got a real flavor of Cuba from the book as well. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys real life adventure stories.

I recently rode my Bike Friday with Lynette and some 40 other "Friday" enthusiasts through the historic towns of Southern Arizona, so I was pleased to find that the personality that exudes from her every pore was clearly revealed in this entertaining, funny, bittersweet, educational account of her biking through Cuba. I can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours (whether or not you like biking and travel) than to view Cuban everyday life through Lynette's perceptive and objective eyes. The only thing better would be to actually take a bike ride with Lynette.

In "The Handsomest Man in Cuba: An Escapade" Lynette Chiang wrote about her adventure biking in Cuba. Originally from Sydney, Lynette travelled light with a bicycle that can be folded, a tent, and a few other necessity items for travelling. It was a great way for Lynette to learn about the culture, food, and people in the country. Even though she was a foreigner with U.S. dollars, Lynette was determined not to travel the way Castro expected tourists to; paying exhorbitant amount of money for hotel or food. Most of the time, she stayed with families or friends that she people she met recommended or just if the rooms were cheap. She was able to learn a lot about Cuban families and their way of life in Cuba.

What I like most about the book is that the author was candid about her observation of Cuba, of the poverty and at the same time of the friendliness of the people. Unlike some foreigners, she did not romanticize Cuba. It was most fascinating to read about the characters she met along her journey, which I thought was definitely the highlight of her travelogue. However, I wish that the author shared more about her personal life, and what brought her to Central America in the first place. This would have made the book even more engaging than it already is. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Cuba and the Cuban people. A fantastic summer read.

This is the first time that I felt compelled to write a review. I found this book honest, entertaining, soul searching and amazing. Josh really lets you see who he is and doesn't hide his emotions or short comings. He provides insights into coping with his deafness and also reveals how he experiences that world. His journey in Africa is unbelievable except, of course, it is true. I would highly recommend this book.

I found Josh Swiller's riveting and beautifully written account of his Peace Corps service in Eastern Africa impossible to put down. Swiller weaves insight about deafness brilliantly into his story, giving the reader an insider's perspective on being deaf in any and every possible situation. As the mother of a present Peace Corps Volunteer, I couldn't help but imagine how Josh's mother might have been feeling during his two years in Africa. What did she know about his experience? Was she able to communicate with him? Did he protect her by not divulging details of the danger? While he doesn't tell the reader much about his mother in his book, I found myself wondering about her beyond the book. And...I have continued to think deeply about his experience long after reading his final words. I'm ready to read whatever Swiller publishes next!

I love this book. I've recommended it to just about everyone I've spoken to since I finished it. It is a wonderful memoir. It is hard to put down, and it's incredible to reflect on.

Read it.

As a Psychotherapist, I would recommend this book to anyone with a hearing problem or anyone who has a child with a hearing problem. I also would recommend it to anyone who needed to be inspired by the human spirit and to see that the limits of our coping capacities are beyond anything we can imagine.

Josh Swiller's account of his Peace Corps years is a wonderful insight into how he coped with volunteering in an African village as a young deaf man. It is a real page turner. A 5 star read!

Jackie and Me is a book about a kid named Joe Stashack. He has the power to touch baseball cards and go back in time to when that card was printed. Joe is supposed to write an essay on African-American Heroes. He loves baseball so much he does his report on Jackie Robinson. There is also a contest where the best essay wins a trip to Kentucky Kingdom. Joe really wants to win. Joe goes to his favorite baseball card shop but they don't have a Jackie Robinson 1947 card. Jackie will break the color barrier which is not an actual barrier but it is the law, yet in 1947 he hasn't broken it yet. So they don't have the card, but they do have a Jackie Robinson 1947 signature. Joe is able to travel back through time and he learns something from Jackie. You must stay cool and do not use violence. This is a great book. -Andromeda Grade 5

The book I am reading is Jackie and Me. It is written by Dan Gutman. I think this book deserves five stars because it has real events but at the same time its fiction. It's about a kid who travels back in time to meet Jackie Robinson. But the next thing he knows he gets stuck back in time. So the next thing he tricked ant a bat boy to give his Ken Griffin Jr. Card back the key to get back to his time. He also wrote Babe and Me Honus and Me.

Jackie andme is the best baseball book ive ever read but the thing i hate about it isthere is a kid namedant whosi very negative and hecalls african americans bad names thatwe cant speak of but i would recomend the book if you like baseball.

This book was very powerful in climaxs and the segregation.As I read this I was mad at the terms and the abuse the african american people had to stand up to and in doing so were at risk of being killed.But at the same time I enjoyed hearing about the early 1900's ball players so i rate this book a 4 star book.

I purchased the book as a gift for my children. They love the series and have all of them. I highly recommend the series. It engages the minds of the readers in a fictional, imaginative way for those avid baseball lovers.

Khyber Knights is beyond best seller! It took me wholly to another world. This story is gripping, captivating, and intriguing, one of the best reads I've had in a long while.
Masterfully told, it reaches to the core of humanity while also providing valuable insight into a place and culture that is all but lost to us in recent years of global turmoil. On a contemporary horse journey, the author takes the reader from the crossroads of the ancient silk routes into the forbidden heart of Asia, to the hidden valleys of the Hindu Kush and the Karakorum, to cultures which extend hospitality to all, even the enemy, but also embrace evil and deceipt, as we know it.
O'Reilly calls his work fiction, based on a sequence of actual events, but it could only be written by one who experienced it. It's an artistic weave allowing the author to tell a bold and intimate story, straight from the heart. It encompasses personal dreams and convictions, hopes and delusions, adventure and heartbreak, horses and lovers, and the stark reality of embracing a country and culture that is not one's own.
Horses are the heart of the story, however, the golden mare Shavon, the fleet dun Pasha, the young roan Pukhtoon, and others. It's an account of passion and feeling in the realm of adventure, misadventure, and romance, a tale only a man could write, a story unique in the remarkable relationship of man and horse in journey.
As a horse traveler myself, I could only dream of such adventures, though I would never have survived them, let alone write the tale so boldly and true.
Khyber Knights takes us far beyond adventure, straight into the soul of humanity. The eloquent and vivid descriptions, historical background, poignant documentation, glossary, and superb illustrations contribute to better understanding of a culture so rich and ancient, while allowing the imagination to soar. It's a work of art. I treasure this book.

Today many of us live lives of relative comfort, insulated from the rigors of daily survival by the mechanisms of civilization. The ability to "escape" the confines of modern civilization has become considerably less attainable, making even the most determined explorer's attempts to find isolated and undiscovered locales difficult, if not impossible. No matter the venue or the feat, a safety net of communication and rescue is available even in the most extreme aspects of exploration. Nonetheless, in the1980's, CuChullaine O'Reilly, undertook travel that would seem impossible to most of us. Far from the protections and comforts tacitly assumed in modern travel, CuChullaine ventured into what is still considered one of the most dangerous regions of the world on a true quest to explore bushkazi, the world's most violent equestrian sport.

On horseback, CuChullaine rode into the backlands of Pakistan, isolated from the modern world of technology and social niceties. Reduced to the basic requirements of survival in a primitive and basic culture where the day-to-day concerns center on essentials such as the next meal, dodging the next bullet, lasting the next day in prison, and enduring the next illness, CuChullaine reports on his trek in a reflective and philosophical manner. His use of narrative is artful and compelling; his tale flows unimpeded by complaint or request for sympathy. Riding by choice into a primitive setting, his journey is as much an inner one of self-discovery of personal limits and capabilities as it is a record of overcoming physical hardships in a savage land. As such, Khyber Knights is an astounding chronicle of physical and mental challenge.

Those from the traveling set who seek warm beaches, fine dining, five-star hotels and first-class accommodations might not choose Khyber Knights as their primary travel guide. However, here is a tale of a journey worthy of all types of readers from those who enjoy vicarious experiences from the security of their armchairs to those bold explorers seeking inspiration for their next quest.

Khyber Knights looks like a perfectly normal book from the outside. A handsome painting graces the front cover and the back cover promises an epic journey that it dares you to survive. 'How exciting,' you think happily, sinking into a comfortable position and turning to the first page of what you expect to be a long, richly entertaining memoir into which you can look from the outside.

But to your shock, the saga of Khyber Knights has a peculiar, vivid power. It reaches up to grab you by your very soul with a frightening force. It pulls you down to face it with what courage you find in yourself as you follow the footprint of the author's true odyssey on horseback through one of the most dangerous places in the world in the early 1980s--Pakistan. And you learn soon enough what international journalist turned equestrian explorer Asadullah Khan (CuChullaine O'Reilly), has insinuated about surviving the experience of reading this book.

We converge with the fiery young Khan, a visitor who is so fascinated with the colorful Pakistani culture that he embraces living in Peshawar to carve his way into the soul of this savage, medieval country. When he finds eventually that he has entered, in his words "a portion of the world devoid of mercy," it is the genius of this book that he takes us with him. Perhaps at the start the young Khan has no idea of what a world devoid of mercy is really like any more than the rest of us, we who can deflect the challenges of real life with the shields of our eternal 24-hour conveniences, our enviable rights and privileges, and our almost egregious recourse to any measure to resolve our problems.

But in the epic Khyber Knights, Khan takes no prisoners with his readers. As he journeys across Pakistan with his companions and he learns about the spectrums of mercy and brutality, love and hate, courage and cowardice, strength and weakness, and much more, so do we. We struggle as he does to understand the foreign mind. We too fall in love with the exotic, the perfumed, the alluring and exciting, the curious, the sensuous, the astounding beauty of the remote geography, his loyal and passionately loved horses who accompany him sometimes to their cost despite his extreme efforts to keep them safe. Alongside Khan we are betrayed by corruption and barbaric, sadistic cruelty, exhausted to near death by ever-present danger, fear and the inhuman strain of the barren wasteland, bewildered by mercenary greed and inhumanity, heartbroken in despair, loss and loneliness. It is no exaggeration to say that Khan's collective experiences are unimaginable to the average postmodern.

Here we have the opportunity to realize how much dimension and richness of living we have lost in our sanitization of the authentic sweat, dirt, blood and tears that we have just about made extinct in our society. Many times during the reading of Khyber Knights I had such dread about what was going to happen next that I realized I was tensed, cold and stiff. At these times I had to force myself to keep reading. I happened to know that the author was still alive today, but what of the other people and the horses I had grown to care about? What had happened to them? I dreaded to know, but I had to. When I finished the book I felt that in a way I didn't just accompany Khan, I had made my own passage.

So at the same time that we are reminded what a joke the caricaturized Schwartzenager-esque "mow-em down" killer-hero has become, who destroys everything in his path, the good with the bad, we recall an older wisdom about the hero. This wisdom concerns not only the mythological or legendary figure or warrior of divine descent endowed with great strength and ability who performs acts that save the community from harm, or the man admired for his achievements and noble qualities. The hero is also the individual who shows great courage.

And in this sense Khan grows so visibly in strength and spirit and understanding, though no such achievement is claimed by him. The reader who is searching for meaning can read between the written lines and see beyond any possible doubt a young man who demonstrates steadfastness and pure heroic courage through trials that would simply destroy most people.

You will not only learn how safe and sheltered your life and will look at it with new eyes, you will get so used to looking at the world through Asadullah Khan's eyes, if you are an awake, aware person, by the end of this tale you will find yourself taking a hard look at your mirror to see who looks back. I did. And what I truthfully wondered, looking back as best I could into the eyes of my own image, was if I had a right to the pure luxury of standing there looking at myself in a mirror. Meeting Asadullah Khan made me question why I wasn't out there living instead of even for a moment watching my own image as if it were a symbol of my own self, something hanging in a dark closet behind closed doors.

Khyber Knights is a recounting of true events skillfully, realistically yet colorfully and compellingly, even passionately told, and in all these ways it is a work of art. And certain acts of creative imagination that we define as art call home the parts of our soul that linger outside us, as silk broken from a spider web rides a soft breeze. They reach into our longing for wholeness and for a moment, pull a sense of loss into our awareness as a bittersweet cosmic loneliness. Since art is so confused today with the media's distractions and entertainments, it is a rare work that has the power to trigger a shift in consciousness like this book.

Khyber Knights has a great deal of power indeed and it will force you to question many things. What they are depends on you. Yet, as 19th century Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle wrote, "Thought once awakened does not again slumber."

Dare to explore this antidote to postmodern complacency.

Khyber Knights is a rattling good account of high adventure in wild - and not so wild - places that could, with a little chronological adjustment, have been lifted straight out of the Great Game at the height of the British imperial raj. Almost in fact what the British used to call a ripping yarn. It keeps faith with the derring-do of Henry Pottinger, Arthur Conolly, Alexander Burnes and Josiah Harlan and in some instances exceeds them. Indeed it is almost a study of imperialist behaviour without the imperialists. When I came to the end, I felt that real sense of loss that invariably comes with the last page of a really good read. Wonderful stuff. Kipling would have loved it. If this doesn't get armrchair travellers out of their chairs and heading off in search of peak to climb or a desert to explore, then nothing will.
Derek O'Connor, author of The King's Stranger.

I spent the last two days reading Khyber Knights.
I couldn't put the book down and now that I have read the last sentences I feel orphaned. What an amazing account of even more amazing adventures.
Expecially the second part of the book captured me, the words were no longer words,
they were an avalanche, a tidal wave, a hurricane.
I read so fast that I must have missed sentences - I indulged in the raw beauty and horror of what was written. The book is not your usual superficial travelbook, no, it takes you to the heart of the matter. While we travel with CuChullaine on his splendid horse through the wild wild north of Pakistan we search our soul and we ask ourselves what risks we are prepared to take to find fulfilment and to live life to the full.
CuChullaine's love for horses brought tears into my eyes, the loyalty to his friends made me
wonder if it was madness or courage that made him do what he did, the descriptions
of nature gave my heart wings, the craving for freedom and the longing to follow
the wind obliterated the doubts I sometimes have about my nomadic life style.
Khyber Knights is a must read and I must warn you, after you've read the last pages you won't be able to read another book for a while.
Arita Baaijens, Dutch desert explorer and writer

Having travelled some what, I feel qualified to fairly assess 'The Paris Mapguide'. There are many guides of Paris on store bookshelves far more illistrated and far more detailed but they do not address the basic needs of a traveller standing on a Paris street. This publication meets all requirements, it is the right size,street maps and the 'Metro'are percise and very easy to read and the supporting information, be it city history,districts,places of interest etc, are all there.
'The Paris Mapguide' will facilitate an enjoyable visit to this beautiful city.

My family and I just came back from a week in Paris and wouldn't you know that we were there during the transportation strike and WALKED everywhere that we went. You can imagine my glee that I had this nifty little street map guide book to lead the way for us. We never got lost once with it and it is small and compact and fit into my pocketbook quite nicely. The streets and landmarks were clearly marked and easy to read. Also, at the beginning of the book, gives a list of the different sites, addresses and opening/closing times. We never could have done what we did if it wasn't for this little gem. Whenever we travel to another city again, the first thing that I will do is buy another for the city that I am going to.

What can I say that everyone hasn't already said. I am so happy that I purchased this map. I have 3 other maps of Paris, but none are as good as this one. I really like the way it is laid out. This would be the map that I would recommend to my friends.

tOGETHER WITH ITS COMPANION LONDON MAPGUIDE, AN EXTREMELY CONVENIENT, COMPLETE AND USEABLE MAP OF THE CITIES. POCKET SIZE AND VERY HELPFUL-HAVEN'T FOUND BETTER.

We went all over Paris using this mapguide. It was the best map for a large city that I ever used. It was our first ime to Paris and I was very comfortable getting around. I would highly recommend the Paris mapguide. We also used the London mapguide also and were just as pleased.

Hungry Planet is a moving look at what families of the world live on...it combines incredible photography, well chosen statistics and outstanding commentary to clearly portray the diversity and real life economic situations of our fellows on planet earth. I love this book for the way it influences my children to see compassionately and with greater gratitude (and me too!)

An through and interesting way to present the food of different cultures. The book not only shows a picture of what a week's worth of food looks like across the globe, but puts how much it costs and in USD. The book also elaborates on the eating habits, culture, and daily life of the people. There are also recipes! A great book with an eye opening perspective of people all over the world.

Everyone I have shown this book to has been fascinated. The photos are stunning.

I couldn't put this book down! I was drawn to it because it mixed my loves of both food and culture into one superb read.The photography is stunning,the cultural facts immersing and the reading about different families addictive.

this book is facinating if you are at all interested in how the rest of the world lives

i love this book, and i have read many books on the AT-- this is by far the best account.

'A Walk For Sunshine: a 2,160 mile expedition for charity on the Appalachian Trail' tells the story of Jeff Alt who walked the entire 2,160 Appalachian Trail to help raise $100,000 for his disabled brother. Embarking on an adventure few people would ever think to take on, you will be inspired by his adventures and learn about the simple way of life that might be better than the hectic stress-full ones that we deal with every day. If you are a hiker or just want to be inspired to do great things, this is a wonderful read!!

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A Walk For Sunshine by Jeff Alt is the story of his 2,160 mile trek-through on the Appalachian Trail, from the southern end in Georgia to the Northern end in Maine. This is the oldest trail in the United States, started in 1921. Jeff's dream since childhood was to walk it without interruption, but it was not until the end of his college degrees in marketing that he was able to do so and to accomplish the feat with an extended purpose. He has a mentally retarded, cerebral palsey brother who is in a care center, Sunshine, in Toledo, and Jeff decided to promote his walk and gather sponsor's money for equipment for Sunshine. With lectures, slide shows, newsletters, emails, and magazine and newspaper articles he gathered more than his goal of $10,000. He perservered through six months of blistered feet, rain, sleet, snow, heat, varmits, doubts, fears, and lonliness to go all the way to Maine. His book, a portion of which goes to Sunshine, is the fascinating detailing of the dream trek, which thousands wish to do and only several hundres accomplish. Jeff now sponsors annual fundraisers and leads short Appalachian hikes to continue to raise funds for Sunshine. He has raised now over $100,000. A really gripping and inspiring book!

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (2/08)

"A Walk for Sunshine" is a non-fiction account of Jeff Alt's thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in Spring 1998. The Appalachian Trail, also known as the AT, is a 2,160-mile trail through forests, meadows, mountains, and streams from Georgia to Maine. Hiking from one end to the other straight through takes 3-6 months. Jeff Alt did his walk in 147 days. He did this hike not only for himself, but also as a fundraiser for Sunshine, Inc., a group home for people with disabilities, where his brother lives.

The purpose of this book was for Jeff to tell the story of his hike and how he organized it as a fundraiser. Jeff kept journals throughout the trip and mailed them back home. He did an amazing job of compiling these journals into this book. It was written in an easy-to-read style with short chapters. I felt like I was walking the trail with Jeff. In 3-4 pages we had walked 15-20 miles. His fun storytelling and friendly, easy style made me think. Maybe I could really do this too.

Jeff stresses the importance of family and friends as the inspiration and motivation throughout his journey. Jeff did his hike for Sunshine, Inc., a group home where his brother lives with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. Sunshine organized a short accessible day hike to correspond with Jeff's hike. They sent cards and letters to him on a regular basis. His family arranged to meet him at various points on the hike. Jeff made it clear that he could not have finished this hike without them.

The unwritten motto on the trail is "Hike your own hike." Jeff takes that motto one step further in this book. He extends it beyond the trail. Anyone can reach their goals by taking it one step at a time and doing it their own way and from their own inspiration. A Post Script in the book talks about how to organize a charity fundraiser and life lessons Jeff learned from the trail.

This book really inspired me. As someone who has always wanted to walk the Appalachian Trail, I was so excited to read each page and really soak in what the reality of a three-month hike would take. Jeff makes the point that people need to take the time now to reach our goals--not to wait for retirement or when we have more time. Take the time to make our lives what we want. I recommend "A Walk for Sunshine" to anyone interested in reading an inspiring book about reaching goals.

A brisk mile around the block toting a water bottle is a just the right walk for me so reading about someone who enjoys a 2160 mile hike lugging a 50 pound backback is mind boggling. While I enjoy my comforts, a cozy bed, sweet smelling clothes, tasty meals, moderate weather etc. Jeff Alt, doesn't mind roughing it with a sleeping bag, sweaty duds, freeze dried food and braving the elements.

Reading Jeff's journey is awesome. I have the benefit of getting an idea of what it is like to walk the Appalachian Trail without actually having to do it. I mean something inside me wants to be adventuresome but the truth is I know I wouldn't make it past the first couple miles.
To successfully walk the trail you have to really want it. There is a lot of planning involved. Selecting just the right gear, arranging for the right amount of food.....the list goes on. Once on the trail you encounter a variety of experiences that you have to be mentally prepared for from wild animals (and people) to bad weather to health issues.
Jeff is pretty detailed about his experiences. He discusses the nitty gritty from smelly socks to foot blisters.

Though Jeff had a mission for his journey (to raise funds for The Sunshine Home, where his brother is a resident) you can read through the lines and know that he loves the discipline and conditioning of the trail.

The softcover 285 book is an entertaining read. I especially enjoyed the back section, Jeff's lessons from the trail. These were lessons he learned while walking. Lessons like the simplest things can serve the biggest rewards, go after your dreams now and more! He also includes a suggested reading list at the back of the book.

Kudos to Jeff for the great read, what he accomplished and the beautiful, positive way he shares his story.

Lee Mellott

This a a very interesting book. If you like stories about girls who have powers. Then this a a good book for you to read. IN this book it is about a girl name Catty. In this book she is trying to find her real mom. While she tries to find her mom she bumps into something strange. A guy is trying give her this little message thing to help her. BUt she still doesn't know that who it is though. So anyways she finds out a little thing about the passage. In the middle of the story she finds out who her mother and all that good stuff.

What would you do if you had dreamable powers? Clean your room, get rid of your annoying younger sibling, who knows maybe even same the world? An amazing book named The Secret Scroll is about four girls that have unbelievable powers. The Secret Scroll is part of a series called Daughters of the Moon. In this book one of the characters is named Catty. Catty has never met her birth mother. So, Catty travels back in time (which is her power) to meet her mother. Her mother gives her a necklace that could destroy the evil Atrox. The only trick is she has many people that are working for the Atrox, trying to find her.
I think the book was incredible. A lot of stuff comes up that you wouldn't suspect. I definitely recommend this book.

This is a series of books that are about 4 girls that have special powers. This one is better than the 3rd one for me. each book is about a different girl of the 4 girls and it tells their points of views. i thought this book was a lot more exciting. my favorite one was the 1st one. when the chapters end they just leave you hanging and it makes you just want to keep reading it. you never know whats going to happen next and it makes you really think about it. when you predict something will happen your usually wrong because its hard to guess what will happen next. it was just a really good book to read!

This is the best in the series so far. (I am currently reading the 5th book) Ewing's portrayl of Catty is the most realistic and fully realised. She even comes across well in the other books, her character is always well defined and unconfused. This book also focuses a little more on the technicalities of being a moon goddess than any of the others and sounds far less hokey in doing so. Stanton has a nice featuring role, which is good, because he is the strongest character in the whole series (the most interesting too, that bad boy that needs to be redeemed is always appealing). It is also nice to see a glimpse of another generation of Moon Goddesses and how someone else could be as frustrated with Maggie as I am. I hope this is a sign the rest of the series is picking up in quality.

I read this book over the week-end and loved it. stanton played a great role in this one by the way he went out and helped Catty. The story also introduced a new character but Stanton is still my favorite. The scene at the park was the best with the merry-go-round.