Literature Books

This a great collection of poems from the past! If you enjoy whimsy, this is for you!

with eliot, a maximum of content is achieved through a FORM worked with a
care and conciousness not seen perhaps since the greeks. he understood,
as he once wrote, that the novel form ended with flaubert. in the centuries after picasso and stravinsky there is no place for anything in
literature which makes people remain sitting, whithout standing and perhaps dancing. the same thing could be said about pound, very different though very twin.

The Eliot of despair, the Eliot of 'Prufrock' and 'Wasteland' is contended with and overcome by the Eliot of the 'Quartets'. The message of modern mankind's meaninglessness, the broken fragments ( of Tradition) shored against his ruin is replaced by the vision of sacred turning, a Christian vision of redemption. Eliot is a writer whose work and life break down into these two distinct periods each of which has its champions in defining what is best in him.
As one raised on 'April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land' and 'Let us go then you and I when the evening is spread out against the sky, like a patient etherized upon a table' the most memorable lines are certainly of the first phase where it ends not with a bang but with a whimper.
Yet my admiration for the hypnotic power of Eliot's memorable lines is strongly qualified by my knowledge of his 'Burbank with a Baedaker, and Bluestein with a Cigar' with his all too fashionable literary anti- Semitism. Of course Eliot was not preaching death camps and extermination but he did connect his work to the tradition of Christian Anti- Semitism.
Thus I have always had difficulty being comfortable with my 'enjoying of Eliot's poetry. And I have never been able to sympathetically read 'The Quartets.' They have always seemed to me to be too impersonal characterless and abstract.
Eliot who for most of the century strode the English Departments as if he were a colossus did noble work in reviving interest in 'The Metaphysicals' but somehow failed in my mind to write a poetry humanly rich in the deepest sense.

When you think of the best poets ever, T.S. Eliot is one of those that comes to mind. His work is well crafted, intelligent, beautifully written, and has a flow to it that few poets can match. And this is a fine collection for the Eliot lover or for the reader unfamiliar with Eliot. It's divided into several sections. The first section is his Prufrock section, poems from 1917, which contains probably his finest poems: "Prufrock", "Preludes" "Rhapsody on a Windy Night", "Hysteria", among others. Then there is the Poems 1920 section which also contains many fine poems ("Sweeney Erect" and "The Hippopotamus" being my favorites). Then follows his masterpiece The Wasteland. Then The Hollow Men which is followed by the wonderful Ash Wednesday. Then the Ariel Poems (which contains "Journey of the Magi"). Then there are two unfinished poems, "Sweeney Agonistes" and "Coriolan" which I thought were weak. Maybe they would have been great had he ever finished them. Then there is a section called minor poems followed by the mediocre "Choruses from 'The Rock.' And then there is what I consider to be his true masterpiece, "Four Quartets." And the book finishes with some occasional verses, one of which is a sweet and touching poem to his wife. This is a great collection of poems.

Yep, this is a great collection of Eliot's works. I initially found out about Eliot throught the Movie 'Apocalypse Now' in which Brando is heard reciting the poem 'The Hollow Men'. The poem sounded so good I hunted it down and came across this little book.

My favourite poems would have to be 'The Hollow Men', 'Love song of Prufrock', 'Ash Wednesday' and 'Rannoch, by Glencoe (perfectly captured, drive through Rannoch and you'll see ;-)

Yep, definetly worth a read.

Eric's writing is simply amazing. He digs down and finds different ways of expressing his emotions.

If you're into music, and enjoy honest, easy-to-read writing, this is the book for you. I read it on recommendation from one of my HS students, and read it in about 45 minutes - it was a great way to pass the time in the airport!

After months of harassment from Eric via MySpace, I finally quit drinking long enough to set aside some money for his book. (Just kidding.) Anyway... I am really glad I did. Coma Therapy is the first poetry/prose book I have enjoyed in a very long time. I truly appreciate the honesty of the work, even if it were to turn out it isn't all truth.(Thank you, James Frey, for making me doubt every autobiographical account that is published.) I don't care at this point, because this is a collection of poems and stories that can affect the reader. I was reminded of the late Jim Morrison's poetry, only Coma Therapy is more intelligible and you can even read it if you aren't in a Hunter S. Thompson-like haze. (The lack of lizard-king repetition is also a plus.) With each page, I was drawn further into the text. It all seemed so personal that I felt like I was reading a journal without the author's knowledge and wanted to absorb as much as possible before he walked in the room and caught me read handed. It takes a very gifted writer to let their guard down and write with such candor. Victorino does not censor the text for fear of an outsider's judgmental prejudice. I only wish I possessed the courage to write without inhibitions, as Eric Victorino has been able to do in this book. In conclusion, thank you Eric, for constantly reminding us on Myspace about your book. I just started reading it for the third time. My favorite pieces include: "first kiss girl", "sweet, cherry red", "it's a people business", and "one of the most terrible things I have ever done (and a great friend.)" What am I saying? They're all friggin' good. Just buy the damn book and support a talented writer and musician.

I read this book for two reasons: The first of which is that I am a fan of the musical group "Strata" in which the author, Eric Victorino, is the lead singer. The second being, Eric personally asked me to read it..and being an artist myself constantly yearning for a greater audience, I decided I would help him pay the rent by buying a copy. It wasn't that spontaneous however, I started reading my friend's copy...and after the first two poems I decided that a great piece of literature such as this deserves a place amongst my shelf of classics.

It is written in a very artistic and impressive way that reminds me of Jack Kerouacs revolutionary spontaneous prose. It is metrical in yet lyrical...prose in yet romantically composed as poetry. I can safely say that I was intrigued 100% whilst reading the entire book and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, reader or not. You don't need to be a performing artist to feel emotion when reading this, but it helps.

Coma Therepy is written very well. I couldn't put it down when I was reading it. I felt as if I was living in the stories.

Bloom is captivating, mind-blowing and a wonderful emotional read.

I have never read a novella so captivating, well rounded, fast, believable and daring...and when Lily said, "I'm going to love him like my life depended on it." I could have fell out of my chair.

Thanks Dom...for writing what love should be. Many people need to read and learn a great lesson...forget opinions and love freely.

Wow!

BLOOM by Linda Dominique Grosvenor is the second installment in the Cradle Robber series, a series that portrays loving relationships between older women and younger men.
Lily Manchester's husband, Barry Johnson, enlisted in the Army eleven years ago and never returned from his tour of duty. Since that time, Lily's poured herself into her floral shop, Bloom located in Bliss, North Carolina. That is until the day a very handsome delivery man, Alex James delivered more than flowers to Lily's flower shop. Instantly, they are attracted to each other, but Lily convinces herself that it could never work out between the two of them, mainly because of his age. She didn't want to be the talk of the town and risk losing everything that was important to her, mainly her reputation and her business
Despite Lily's objections, Alex boldly pursues her. As their love blossoms, Lily struggles with the disapproval of her mother's best friend, Mrs. Miller. Out of the blue, the ex-husband returns, which further complicates things. Will Lily give into love with Alex, or will she find herself thrust back into the familiarity of the past with her ex?
This was a romantic love story proving that age is nothing but a number. Lily shows us that sometimes it's okay to throw caution at the wind in our pursuit of happiness. Although BLOOM is a short read of only 125 pages, the characters were well developed and the story line was very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Cradle Robber series and I look forward to reading the next installment, Class Act by T. C. Matthews.
Reviewed by Vanessa A. Johnson, Readincolor Reviewer

This story of Lily and Alex is short, but very sweet. Lily is the owner of Bloom, a floral shop that she started after her husband of 1 year left for the Armed Services and never looked back. After picking up the pieces of her life and starting a successful business, Lily is living the single life.

Until Alex, the new flower delivery guy walks into her shop and into her life. As is fitting for such a short book, the action starts quickly in the first few pages as Alex starts a bold pursuit of Lily. Not one to take no for an answer, things look like they may get off to a good romantic start, even though Lily has strong reservations about dating a younger man. Things are moving along well until Lily's ex, who has been gone for more than 11 years, comes back to town.

The story is good from page one until the conclusion.

Life in Bliss, North Carolina was anything but bliss for Lily Manchester the lovely but lonely owner of Bloom, who had been deserted by her husband years before. Seemingly, her only life passion was her flowers, that was until she met Alex James. Grosvenor handles this story with such delight. Definitely far from the ordinary romance. It was uplifting with its share of surprises. A definite must read for this summer.

BLOOM is the second book in the Cradle Robber series. This series embraces love between an older woman and a younger man.

Lily Manchester's husband enlisted in the Army eleven years ago and never returned. From the time of his departure, Lily's life and "love" has been her floral shop, Bloom. One day a very handsome delivery man, Alex James, delivers more than flowers to Lily's shop. There is an immediate attraction between the two, but Lily is determined to keep from being the "talk of the town." 

"We (women) weren't looked upon as savvy when we dipped below thirty. I didn't even want to think about what they would call me if I was ever caught up in a scandal liaison of any sort with Alex." [excerpt]

Despite Lily's fears, Alex boldly pursues her - determined to prove himself worthy and mature for his age. As their love "blooms" Lily struggles with the disapproval of a motherly, but nosy customer and the surprising return of her ex-husband.

This was a sweet love story proving that age is nothing but a number. Lily was at a stage in her life where it was time for a relationship - time to learn how to love again. Her fears were very real and the decision to be open-minded was a lesson for the readers about taking risks. It was a delight to read about a young man who truly pursued love rather than another sexual conquest. The author is to be commended for creating an extraordinary male character like Alex.

While BLOOM is a short read, the characters were well developed and readers will find the storyline to be engaging from the first page to the last.

Virginia Lanier's bloodhound series opens pretty convincingly in this book which has enough plotting and subplotting to fill three books. We're introduced to feisty JoBeth Sidden, a near-thirtyish trainer of bloodhounds who also has her own company which does search and rescue operations for local police authorities. In this debut, JoBeth is involved with an abusive ex-husband; the mysterious will of her deceased artist father; a handsome new lawyer in town; escaped criminals; missing children; a handsome private investigator; and lots more. JoBeth is even framed for the attempted murder of aforementined Bubba, her ex! While it takes a little patience to get into this book, once you do, you'll find yourself rewarded. Lanier has a flair for Southern life, and her characters are sharply drawn and developed.
I'm looking forward to further adventures with JoBeth and her hounds!

"Death in Bloodhound Red" is the first in the Virginia Lanier "Bloodhound Series." It is a great book and so different from most mysteries that I am surprised that I had not heard of the series before.

This is a series to buy all at once because once you start reading = you will not want to stop.

"Death in Bloodhound Red" is difficult to classify even though it is a mystery. It is not a superficially light book and there are parts that will make you laugh and parts that are very somber.

Jo Beth Sidden raises and trains bloodhounds and utilizes them for tracking in a small county in Georgia. Her life is rather interesting. Her deceased father became a famous artist when she was a teenager, while most of her childhood was spent in dire poverty. Her childhood though, is in many ways very mysterious.

Yet by working continually, Jo Beth has built a kennel and bloodhoumd business. Businesses and law enforcement agencies hire her and her dogs to seek out drugs and criminals.

Jo Beth is rather a tough woman because she has had to be. But she is working at addressing the vulnerabilities in her life and this dialogue is reflected as well. She is a very ardent feminist because she has had to confront countless prejuidices in her life of work.

Virginia Lanier has topped my list for new authors.

A Must read series - All of Viriginia Lanier's books. The characters come alive on each page. Her description of loving and smart bloodhounds will endear you to them forever. You can't wait to read what happens next. A true treasure of a character is Joe Beth, a woman detective and her bloodhounds.

The sub-genre of "dog mysteries" is not nearly as extensive as "cat mysteries" for reasons I will never understand. (After all, do cats really care what human beings do to each other? I don't think so.) In this specialized arena, Virgina Lanier's Bloodhound books are definately best in show. "Death in Bloodhound Red" is one of the best novels -- in or out of the mystery genre -- I've read in a long time. Yes, the plot is meandering and convoluted, the conversations are of a length only southerners can aspire to, and the language is as dense and atmospheric as the scent of jasmine on an early summer day. But what matters in the end is how completely Lanier manages to submerge us in the swampy world of southern Georgia and the wonderful profession of search-and-rescue with her beloved bloodhounds. If all the following books aren't always as over the top excellent as the first, who cares? They are all great and the bloodhounds get even more time on stage as the series goes on. What more could you want?

This is an incredible first book of a series, that sadly is behind a couple years. The books are; 1996-Death in Bloodhound Red, 1997-The House on Bloodhound Lane, 1998- A Brace of Bloodhounds, 1999-Blind Bloodhound Justice, 2000-Ten Little Bloodhounds. I'm not sure why we don't have books for 2001 and 2002, but after you read the first book and then run out and buy the next four that continue without dropping the pace and excitement, you'll mourn the gap in the series. Especially using the recommendations, its not that infrequent I get a new author 'can't put me down'er. However this was one of those I read through as fast as I can because of the tension and mystery, and then start right over again to read for the wealth of information and the beauty of the text.

I can't think of anything this book doesn't have. There is a strong female protaganist, and one that hard to work her way from the ground up as well (as I did) that I really appreciate. As a now breeder and trainer of bloodhounds, Jo Beth is a complex character with sometimes warring qualitis, but one that acts consistently within the defined pesonality. The tension with the maniacal ex husband catches you quickly, but the mystery picks up and holds you as you go on. Additionally I love a book that provides some other new knowlege and this book is rife with knowlege about 'The South', the Okenofree swamp, and Bloodhounds. I've checked some of what I learned here with a friend who has been in the swamp and the South and it's been checking out. As an animal lover as well, you really get to love the bloodhounds and the knowlege of scent tracking and bloodhounds in particular is wide and varied.

Yet Virginia Lanier sneaks the information in without any long boring solioquies. She always manages to get the right amount in to help you appreciate the story and does it in a way that goes with the story, like say explaining something to a new person, and then drives back to the plot before you could get bored. And she makes it fascinating. As I said earlier I was interested enough to talk to people till I found one that had been in the okenofee swamp, and I've got bloodhound research on my list of things to look into as well. As far as the south in concerned, I feel she does a good job of showing the pros and cons, the beauty and surface graciousness on the surface, and the misogeny and the racism underneath.

I kept reading reviews by Lori Lake and I knew she had written some books, but I never got around to making the purchase. Well, I now have two and "Gun Shy" is awesome.

Dez Reilly answers a 911 call and interrupts a double rape. As the first attacker holds one victim, Sarah, while the other rapist tries to nab the second victim, Jaylynn, Dez comes storming thru the door. The second rapist breaks her arm with the bat he's carrying and she loses her gun. With a little help from Jaylynn, she's able to down both rapist cuff them together ankle to wrist.

Dez made such an impression on Jaylynn, she decides to go to the academy to become a police officer. As Jaylynn and her rookie class join the force they are joined up with different officers on different shifts. Jaylynn finally get her turn with Dez and they are a good team. Naturally, there are some rifts, i.e., who's in charge? is there only one way to handle each situation?

Dez is still a little gun shy after her partner, Ryan was killed during a call and she wasn't able to save him. She's afraid to let herself have a partner or to let anyone get close to her.

Well, Dez's rule...no dating cops, is keeping these two from coming to terms with each other. Dez's landlady, Luella is a charming and loving character in this book. She and Dez have a good relationship and they take care of each other. I love the pounding on the ceiling with the broom in order to get Dez's attention.

The kind and caring shown throughout the story shows from all the characters is something you don't usually see in a police/action novel. It's refreshing.

This was an intense book which awesome characterization and great detail to plot. You could feel the electricity between the two main characters.

Am I the last person on earth NOT to have read Lori Lake's lesbian action/drama novel, GUN SHY, already out long enough to have its sequel UNDER THE GUN? If I'm not, those of you yet to give the book a read should head right on down to your local bookstore and pick it up for one heck of an interesting experience.

My reading of GUN SHY brought to mind a couple of things:

Firstly, whenever a couple of us old-timers, from the heydays of pulp fiction, get together (actually, there are only a couple of us left "to" get together!), to discuss the days before lesbian "literature", we have to admit that in those early days a lot of the gal-gal books were written by us men, writing not reality but merely our male fantasies (and the male fantasies of our male readers) of lesbian relationships. Obviously, we didn't have a clue. Obviously, most of us men still don't have a clue, although a few of us have become enlightened enough, over the years, to admit to our ignorance. GUN SHY is not in the least like the books I, and my male friends used to write, and would likely still write. Anyone looking for a lot of heavy-breathing naked sexual nymphos mud-wrestling up a storm, should steer clear of Lake's book which actually has two mature, intelligent women spending a good deal of time thinking through and discussing their relationship with each other and with others, and just getting on with the nitty-gritty reality of life. Particularly nitty-gritty, in this instance, in that both women are members of a metro-Minneapolis police force.

Secondly, when my German-language short story "Doppelmörder" was published in Lisa Kuppler's anthology QUEER CRIME, and I had critics deeming me "A Master of the Mystery Genre", the latter was for, among other things, apparently my NOT having tackled a tale that incorporated police procedure, because so many of my fellow authors who did go that route got "it" all wrong. The reason I had purposely "not" attempted a story involving police procedure was just because I had sense enough to know beforehand that I didn't have enough of a clue to get it right; it simply required far more diligence in research and time and effort than I figured (and rightly so) I could properly muster. Lake, though, in GUN SHY, has obviously devoted the time and effort to get right the ins-and-outs ups-and-downs of cops on the job. It - from the uniforms, to the locker-room conversations, to the chatter of police-radio broadcasts, to the personality clashes, et al - just reads "right-on" this-is-the-way-it-is.

If I might have preferred one major crime to have infused this novel from beginning to a satisfactory guns-a-blazing-bad-guys-dying conclusion (probably "a guy" thing), I know from what little I've gleaned, by way of research, that most police work is mainly a long series of routine incidents that get reported in the back pages of local newspapers if they get reported at all, with only a very few in-the-spotlight major incidents. So, it would seem, Lake's GUN SHY gets that right, too.

I DO think that if I even thought of eating as much as rookie Jaylynn Savage does (I'm talking food, here), I suspect I'd look like the Goodyear blimp; then, again, I spend all of my day sitting on my fat-getting-fatter rear while Jaylynn is up-and-at-it, making the city safe for one and all. Go Jaylynn! Go Lori Lake! Go to your local bookstore and put down your hard-won cash for this one!

Gun Shy is an excellent book! I couldn't put it down... All the characters in this book are wonderfully writen! Jaylynn and Des are strong and amazing women. I fell in love with LouElla. She is the little sweet neighbor lady that everyone would love to have! This book was a roller coaster ride that I didn't want to end! Thanks goodness for sequels! This book offers a lot to a reader: Romance, thrill, humor and we can't forget the sex! It also show the power of friendship and taking a chance with your heart. Lori Lake is a very talented writer. I am glad I bought this book! This is a must read and one to keep in your collection. I know I will...

In high school, my friends and I were hooked on the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. We lived an hour's drive from New Orleans and spent many weekends scouring the city to see if Rice's settings were real. They were very real and made the stories jump off the page for us. I mention this because I now live in the suburbs of St. Paul, MN, and have visited many of the locales mentioned in Lori Lake's `Gun Shy.' She writes about real places such as the Como Park area, making this series much more real for me.

Lake brings two Uber characters into a modern-day story of a Xena-ish cop, Dez Reilly, and Jaylynn Savage, the young blonde woman she saves from attempted rape. Following in the tradition of the Warrior Princess and her companion, Jay joins the police department in hopes of befriending Dez. Little does she know the `gun shy' Dez has sworn off love and has no intention of being swayed by a rookie. Of course, Dez doesn't realize Jay has many skills of her own.

A wonderful story of two women who come together in the face of adversity, `Gun Shy' is truly a cornerstone of lesbian literature. Thankfully, Lake follows it with two equally enjoyable sequels (Under the Gun; Have Gun, We'll Travel). If not a must own, this is at least a must read and comes highly recommended from this reader.

Officer Desiree "Dez" Reilly is a veteran cop extraordinaire with the St. Paul Police Department in Lori L. Lake's police action/drama Gun Shy. This reticent Amazon beauty with long black hair, smooth ivory skin, electric blue eyes, and a muscular build is an adept daredevil at police work, but she is extremely cautious (gun shy) when it comes to matters of the heart. While Dez is on the job, she rescues and meets a "whirling bundle of energy," Jaylynn "Jay" Savage, a sharp pre-law student. Jaylynn could not be more different from Dez in stature, appearance, and personality. Jay is a talkative, vivacious, shorthaired, curvaceous blonde, who wears her heart on her sleeve. Dez is in complete control of her emotions...most of the time. Jaylynn falls in love with the tall, mysterious cop, her "hero," at first sight.

Carefully guarding her emotions, Dez is very careful whom she trusts. Estranged from her mother, her father gone, her mentor avoiding her since he found out she was gay, and feeling like a loser at love, she keeps her distance from others to protect herself from any further pain and sorrow. She has also been living with a thick black cloud over her head because of a shooting that left her partner and close friend, Ryan Michaelson, a married father of two young children, dead. Dez deals with his death the only way she knows how-by shutting down her emotions and refusing psychological treatment. The department can make her see a shrink, but they can't make her accept help.

After assisting an officer apprehend the men who broke into her house, witnessing police work first hand, and meeting the woman of her dreams, Jaylynn decides to apply for the Police Academy rather than apply to law school as planned. She feels she can always go back to it after she sees what police work is all about. The rookie excels at the academy and lands a rotation with the veteran cop, who actually requests to be Jaylynn's Field Training Officer. The two women ride together as teacher/student and work extremely well together. They form a friendship in the process, but much to Dez's chagrin, Jaylynn wants more than a working relationship. Jay feels that she has finally found her soul mate even though Dez can be a moody, tough nut to crack. Meanwhile, Dez, scared to death of commitment, pushes the rookie away. Everyone who knows the two, from Luella Williams, Dez's landlady, cook, uniform washer, and surrogate mother, to Jaylynn's best friend and housemate, Sara, can tell there is electricity in the air between the two cops.

Gun Shy is an exciting look at police work through the eyes of police officers who also happen to be lesbians. Lori L. Lake has set a fine precedent with her endearing, witty, action packed story that has plenty of police activity, longing, and romance. It brings to mind one of my favorite TV shows, Cagney and Lacey, a classic 1980's hit about two straight female cops. Gun Shy would be a great model for a contemporary version-two female officers, Reilly and Savage, who not only fight crime, but also have the hots for each other. It would be a big hit too.


Before reading Gun Shy, Ricochet in Time was my favorite book by Lori L. Lake. Her heroines are real, believable, and interesting. What I like most about Lake's writing is that I identify with the characters, even though I lead a different lifestyle. She uses phrases and expressions that I use in daily life. Curling up in bed with a Lake novel is like pulling an all-nighter...laughing, sharing, and gabbing with an old friend. Lake has a way of making the reader fall in love with her characters and really care about them. The reader longs for Dez and Jay to become lovers. I also like how Lake uses the contrary features of her characters to emphasize a point. For example, the dichotomy of Dez: she has white skin and black hair; she is a lion on the outside, and a lamb on the inside; she often comes across as cold hearted on the outside, but she's a warm toasty marshmallow on the inside. Dez is the epitome of the tough cop when she informs Jaylynn that cops don't cry. Jaylynn teaches her that sometimes cops need to cry in order to heal, and that it's ok.

Luella is another great character who is funny, sassy, and provides Dez with more than an affordable place to live-she looks out for her, and treats her like a daughter. She can also whip up a complete hot meal in twenty minutes. Luella is Lake's idea of a "fantasy woman-my own personal chef." If I had a landlady, I'd want her to be just like Luella. Dez reciprocates by doing yard work and repairs around the house, but more ironically, by allowing the older woman to boss her around, when it seems that Dez only takes orders from senior officers. Dez keeps her heart under lock and key, but not with Luella. You can't help but love the reserved cop, especially when you're privy to her vulnerable side. I'm straight and I fell in love with Dez, so I can certainly understand why Jaylynn feels the way she does. Will Dez unlock her heart for Jay? You'll have to read this book to find out.

To say that I enjoyed Gun Shy is an understatement; I loved it. Lori Lake has repeatedly proven herself a noteworthy writer, who I feel will soon find herself in the mainstream market. Currently, she is working on a third book in the Gun series, Have Gun We'll Travel, plus a series of non-gay themed mystery novels. Under the Gun is the sequel to Gun Shy, and I recommend not missing either selection. With an unlimited supply of ideas for novels floating around in her head, Lake's fans will have plenty to read for years to come.

This is one of those books I found as a child AFTER seeing the Disney movie and reading that it was based on a book. As usual, the book is so much better! If you've never read this book, but you're fond of the movie, or of dogs, you will love it. The story is truly heart-warming, and I love that certain scenes are oh-so familiar if you've seen the movie, but so much of the story is completely new! Did you know Perdita is NOT the name of the "leading lady"? That's all I'll say about the actual story, but please, read it for yourself, even if you don't have kids. It's a wonderful read-aloud book, too--the first time my husband ever heard about this book was when I made him lie down and let me read it to him. We didn't have a child then, so now we get to share it with our son, too. Truly, a wonderful book. However, just so you know--the second book is not nearly so good! I own both of them, but I probably won't read the second one more than one more time, when I read it to my son. It's just not at all the same thing--aliens in London? Anyway, read 101 Dalmations and I know you'll enjoy it!

I loved this book I read it when I was very young, I fell in love with it then, I lost the book and for years thought of getting it again. I feared that I would not like it as much, it was as I remembered, and not the Disney version. I still love the book it did not let let me down. It made me laugh, cry and now understand my dog a little more (ha ha)

I owned this book by Dodie Smith when I was a boy. I loved it and from this story I developed an even stronger love for dogs and animals in general. Written in a most loving way, the story takes us beyond the later Disney film's watered down presentation of the story and dives deep into the realm of dogs. We discover the magic of "dogdom" and how dogs of every kind communicate with each other and with their humans (as Dodie states, and I am certainly paraphrasing, dogs own their humans, but let them think they own the dogs because it is so sweet!)

I have only one complaint about this publication of the book. the illustrations are just short of atrocious. I had an earlier edition of the book that had wonderful drawings that clearly were created with a real understanding of the story and what Dodie was trying to say. The illustrations in this edition look like they were pulled from someone's generic dog clip art. They are technically fine in their own right (I could NEVER draw like that), but they just don't capture the magic of the book.

If you can look past the illustrations, this is a wonderful story and a well written book.

101 Dalmations has appeal to dog lovers of all ages, breeds and sizes.

Dodie Smith - Thanks for leaving this gem for all to share.

This is a charming and delightful book that is deserving of its status as a classic of children's literature.

It takes a dog's eye view of the world, and features as its heroes Pongo and Missis, a pair of Dalmatians whose litter of puppies disappears one day.

As they set off to reunite their family, they find themselves in a struggle against the illegal coat-making operation of one Cruella Deville, an iconic villainess whose name and passion for high temperatures hint that she may be the devil incarnate.

The book becomes a fantastic quest book that takes place in the heart of England. The adult dalmatians find friends and foes along their path, and end up liberating nearly a hundred little puppies.

Smith has fun with the details and logistics of feeding, disguising, and transporting the refugee puppies, and young readers will enjoy learning the particulars of the secret lives of dogs.

The original animated movie adaptation is a good and fairly faithful movie in its own right, but the book is better by far.

Some parents might shy away from the book because of the gruesome idea that Cruella literally skins her young charges, but I think that the darker elements are an integral part of the winning tone, which refrains from talking down to children.

Highly recommended!

I won my tattered, dog eared, Disyned-fied copy of "100 Dalmatians" in a school auction when I was 7 years old. I learned to read late because I'm dyslexic (hence any bad spelling you may notice) so this was the first real chapter book that I ever owned and the very first I read.

It was great. This is a fabulous novel for all ages but especially for kids. I'm not going to re-hash the plot because I think the whole world knows it by now. The themes of good parenting, loyalty, and of course, good, intelligent, kind dogs are things that every child should learn. It is true that this book contains some talk of puppy killing, which didn't disturb me, and I'm guessing that today's 7 year olds wouldn't be scared by it either.

Another reason to read, or let your child read this book is that it will encourage a love of dogs, and having grown up with dogs every minute of my life, I can tell you having one (or more) helps immensely in all kinds of situations, social and otherwise. It provides an example of love and loyalty, as well as the responsibility involved in feeding and caring for a dog. However on that note Dalmatians, contrary to the lovable Pongo, Missus and Perdita in this book, do not make good dogs for children. They don't have the temperament for it. If you read this book and decide to get a dog for your child (an excellent idea) I recommend a good old fashioned mutt (they're smarter because they're not inbred) or a border collie, which can actually be trained to be nannies for children because of their sheep herding instincts.

Anyway, five stars. Great for the whole family, and an excellent way to encourage reading in a child of any age. At 18 years old I still love reading this book. And the sequel, "The Twilight Barking" isn't half bad either.

We have enjoyed many hours playing our own way of I spy. Thank you for your promt delivery.

Recieved this for christmas and Believe it or not my 2 year old loves all the I spy books. She is very good at them and loves to just ask what everything is and then find whatever I ask her to look for. Illustrations are great.

Thank you to the earlier reviewers.... I (as well as my husband, father, and mother--not to mention my five year old!!) have been going CRAZY looking for the striped cat!!!

These books are just incredible--my son is well on his way to collecting ALL of them! And, we already have ALL of the CD-Rom games--he's solved them all several times. These are the perfect books (and software) for kids--and has occupied more than a few hours of my time since I discovered them. Even my 18 year old daughter has been challenged and frustrated by these books! There's not much out there that can entertain (or drive crazy) both kids and adults.

There are small differences in the books and software--some kids like the spooky motif of this book--while other kids seem to prefer the space or school motifs--but, all-in-all, any of these books and software are WELL worth the $$ you put into them. Enjoy!!! (Dang that striped cat! LOL)

The bat on page 19 is a baseball bat, held by the boy in the picture glued to the inside right door (just above the word "workshop").

The I Spy Spooky Night book is one of many 'I Spy' books our family has enjoyed. We have the 'I Spy Extreme Challenger!',
'I Spy Super Challenger', 'I Spy School Days', 'I Spy Treasure Hunt' and the 'I Spy Mystery' book just to name a few of them. They will entertain no matter what your age. Our children and now our grandchildren have pulled these books out many times. They are like magnets and will draw in whoever is around to your side to help find the hidden I Spy items. Here's a hint. If, no - when, you have trouble finding any of the objects turn the book upside down and that just might help. The I Spy Spooky Night Book in combination with the Boo-opoly Game will provide some frighteningly good Halloween entertainment. ~ Mrs. B.

Isle of Swords is an amazing book written by the mastermind author Wayne Thomas Batson. It's about pirates, a topic that I have found to be handled strangely in other books, but the author weaves a believable but still spellbinding tale. I love the spirituality in this book, as well. It isn't too in-your-face but can be greatly appreciated by believers, and unbelievers might get curious about God. It doesn't justify the horrible acts of pirates, which I have found to be a problem elsewhere, and doesn't have objectionable content besides some violence which is not explicit. This book is great for about middle school students to adults.

I fell in love with this book from the first sentence. I've read it three times and will read it again in order to prepare for Isle of Fire. I adore the whole "pirate genre", but it's so hard these days to find something clean and well-written in that area. Wayne Thomas Batson more than delivered a book I could read without cringing, and still not put down. So intense it made me jump... So well-written it made me see what was going on like a movie in my head... So emotional it made me cry. Please read it, you won't be disappointed.

Ahoy!
I must say, Isle of Swords is my absolute favorite pirate adventure ever! From the first page, I was swept into the story and was drawn by the awesome characters!
At the very moment you pick it up, you can not set it down until you have finished it!
Mr. Batson is a terrific story teller!

(Lindsay W.)

Incredible book! Mr. Batson, with his simple, yet fast-paced writing style, knows how to spin an amazing tale! Whipped half to death, a teen wakes on an island with no memory of who he is and how he got there. A pouch he clutches holds a shock of hair, a small cross, and a rare green diamond pirates would kill for (and do). Declan Ross, captain of the Wallace, and later the Bruce (and what a battle it was!), wants to free himself and his somewhat annoying and headstrong daughter Anne from the piracy business forever. But when he crosses with the notorious, blood-thirsty pirate Bartholomew Thorne, things get ugly for him and a friendly order of monks... who hold the last (um... maybe not) map to the long lost treasure of Constantine located on the volcanic Isle of Swords. 115% percent, absolutely incredible!

Isle of Swords is a thrilling novel about a boy who awakes on an island with no memory who joins a captain who wants to be free of the pirate business and a ruthless villain who wants them dead. And what pirate book doesn't have treasure? Captain Ross and Thorne must fight their way across the sea to find the biggest treasure anyone has ever heard of...the lost treasure of Constantine. Who will get the treasure? And will the young lad remember who he is? Find out in Wayne Thomas Batson's pirate adventure!

I decided to pick up this book on a whim the other day while browsing amazon. I have never really been that interested in these types of books before, but I thought it looked interesting enough. I must have really lucked out on this one, because this book is great! I loved every minute of it. It was such an interesting story that made me consider history and how it changes the world. If I were you, I'd get it.

When I started reading "The Lions Way" I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy it. I was especially concerned with how the book would deal with religion. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. The author dealt with religion in a new and interesting light that really made me think and expand my faith. I really would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fiction story, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction!

This is a great 'what if' fictional history that mixes action and good old fashioned boy meets girl with thought provoking ideas. An undercurrent for the tides of change can be felt as the story parallels our own current and past culture and events. I often found myself thinking that Marsan's fictional history was more believable than the history we are familiar with. I enjoyed the humanness and humor of the characters. Marsan's writing style is subtle and light. It easily invokes imagery-helping you to play out the story like a movie in your head. Yes, this book would make a great movie!

To tell the truth...I am not the biggest reader...I'm a senior in college with 3 jobs and about 2 minutes to contribute to free reading...The day I bought the book I expected to keep it by the bed and have it done in a few weeks, but the story line kept pulling me in...2 days later I had read the book cover to cover while going back and rereading a couple chapters...wether it was the action, fighting, romance, personal battles, or relevance to actual events...I couldn't put the thing down...I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys an adventure...Get ready for a wild ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat!!!

I sat down to read a chapter, and found myself staying up until the early hours of the morning to finish the story. Compelling characters, thought provoking moral questions, and an action-filled sequence of events all made this book impossible to put down.

James Thurber was one of the funiest authors of all time and this book cements his reputation. I enjoyed it many years ago and after re-reading it, I enjoyed it again.

Should be required reading for all folks of any age looking for an introduction to life in these United States, for those learning to overcome despair and disaster with humor and grace, for any and all learning the English language.

Thurber is a great favorite of mine, and this was another fun book to read.

Take your mind back half a century and read these mildly amusing essays about life in the 1920s and 1930s. The style is so different from modern prose, but it is well worth the read.

I am 52 yrs. old. I read this book in High School and couldn't put it down. When I read it again as adult, I laughed even harder because somehow it made having the weirdest family in the whole world a joke instead of a hardship. It made Thurber's family, the Coneheads, the Simpsons, and the Osbornes seem like life is good as long as you can laugh once in a while, and even better if you can laugh at yourself.