Literature Books

I've read this book and it is absolutely wonderful. Great story line, believable characters, a very enjoyable read. Once you start to read it, you will not want to put it down because you will want to know what is going to happen next to each of the characters.

The Pale Surface of Things was a good read. Other reviewers tell the plot, I simply wanted to point out a couple of things to the reader- first, the author clearly understands the cultures she is writing about, and has done an excellent job of bringing this to the reader. Second, a number of the characters are skillfully brought full circle through personal crisis, paralleling events in the story.

You can't fake knowing the scent of the air, the sound of the forest, the taste of the foods, or the presence of culture, and this all came through quite well in the book.

I recommend it. I read it in Malta, relaxing by the Mediteranean, and it seemed a natural fit, nothing stilted or fake about this book.

Regarding the characters, one of the main characters not from Crete is shot by another, a local. the remark is made "Why would he shoot him? He's not even Greek!" and this is about as sharp a reflection of the culture as you can get, a true understanding of island thinking.

Take the time to read this.

This book grew on me, and I continue to have a sense of well-being after finishing it. I'm not sure how to characterize this book except to say that each time it seems to be fairly predictable it steps aside from the path, just enough to satisfy without being hokey.

It's set on Crete in current times and follows several characters who, of course, eventually intertwine and affect each other. Oh, by the way, drop your expectation of archaeology, it's tangential. The pace is good and the tale isn't maudlin or sappy. Mostly it's about values, the choices we make, and the consequences (no it doesn't preach at all) set in a pretty good story. Probably a good book group book.

The Pale Surface of Things reads like a tapestry of textures weaving emotional, spiritual, cultural, and familial threads into an engrossing glimpse of life in a traditional Cretan village. Bennett's tale encompasses the dichotomies of life: human frailty and resilience, belonging and alienation, forgiveness and redemption, shame and courage. A fast paced novel that will transport you into the lives of unforgettable characters and a cherished ancient landscape.

Nicholas Zaferatos, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Urban Planning.
Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University.

What a fun read! Having visited Crete twice, it was fun to imagine the this story unfolding as it did. The author created terrific characters with interesting backgrounds and many subplots with lots of twists and turns.

Where the heck did Clay Reynolds come from? This is one wild high-octane rush of Texas black comedy, betrayal and bloodshed. Tarrantino meets McMurtry. They'll never cram all this headlong action into a feature-length movie, and if they did it would fry you brainless. Read the book.

A fine plot,interesting,true to life characters and well paced make Players a super crime read.It is not yet up to the better Lawrence Block's or Elmore Leonard's,but I would rate it an 8 if not for the highly distracting use of colons in the punctuation.There are hundreds and hundreds of them.

1)This book is so far the only book that all the readers (including me) who tributed comments to the wonderful and so USER-FRIENDLY cool AMAZON.COM that from top to end, there is only an unique 10 or 10+ ratings. But why Amazon.com never included this wonderfully written book in their best recommanded 50 books? If all the readers of Amazon.com uncontroversially and wholeheartedly said this book is GREAT and only gave a 10~10+, it IS great, OK?! And you don't get any special credit by just writing a shallow negative review.

Players has got be one of the best books written in years. Reynolds ability to keep you thinking shines in this work. The plot is so well done and involved. It is one you will not be able to put down. A 10 without doubt!!!

I was recommended thru the e-mail for a chosen group to read this book. My God, this is the most wonderful book I've ever read, but I chewed it very slowly, because I didn't want to finish it too soon. For years I have been looking for such perfectly plotted, perfectly written, perfectly developed book! This is a real istant modern classic mystery+thriller, because it does not read like most of the so-called mysteries that actually written by retarded imbeciles & morons who dared to call themselves (mystery) writers and their mumbo jumbo craps mystery! This is a book written by a THINKING writer with mature logic. A very complex story twisted with plots within plots, but all were answered logically and completely, making the reading like watching a perfect onion peeled off grdually by a well experienced chef to the core. There was almost no flaw that I could find. This is the first book I could never guess what's gonna happen in the next page or next chapter. Like Carl Hiaassan in Florida, Mr. Reynolds por

Great Book. I highly recommend it to everyone. The characters are wonderful and unforgettable. The portion of this story on Ellis Island brought tears to my eyes. If you haven't read it--get it and read it tomorrow.

This is a brilliant first novel. I couldn't put it down. Couldn't wait to find out what happened to the characters. Looking forward to the next one!!

R.A. Comunale provides just enough action and just enough reflection in this story of friendship through the years and careers of multiple likable characters. The plots begin in childhood, twist and turn through the last century, and resolve (or not) in the current decade. A fast read that has left me wanting for more. A great gift idea for yourself and for others.

This book has characters you can get involved with and situations you can believe in. Dr. Communale weaves persons and times. His descriptions of events so that you see them in your mind's eye as you read about them. You should buy two copies: one for you and one for a gift.

This is an enchanting tale told with wonderfully rich details and unexpected twists. I greatly enjoyed being drawn into the lives of the characters and seeing the developments. Highly recommended!

I ordered the Omnibus intending to surprise my 8 year old daughter who has some of his famous children's books. When I picked it up at the store, I was surprised to learn that some of the stories had appeared in The New Yorker, and ... The Playboy! These are undoubtedly adult versions of his children's stories, with the same wickedly devious mind behind them. If, an 8 year old Charlie concocts a bitter medicine with household chemicals for his nagging grandmother, one can guess what he would do with highly potent bee protein as an adult bee keeper. You certainly need a wicked sense of humour to enjoy these stories but not since Damon Runyon's On Broadway was I so captivated by the short story. Recommended reading but certainly not for children!

i still love reading "the witches" ... but for a little more grownup roald dahl humor, the omnibus is great reading. and as it promises, it is good bedtime story-length (though you get so drawn in that it may end up stay up reading instead of stopping after one story)

Having been a devoted fan of Roald Dahl's from childhood classics like "Danny the Champion of the World" and "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" collection, I had had little exposure to his adult stories until happening upon this book recently. Lucky me for finding it. Every story was an incredibly inventive blend of character and plot, with a twist to every ending, each within the confines of a few short pages. Few other authors can match Dahl's creativity and imagination, Raymond Carver being the only other author I can think of whose short stories and ideas are as impressive in both style and substance. Do yourself a favor and pick this up - an absolute gem.

Roald Dahl has a reputation for being a great writer of disturbing, perverse short stories. This reputation doesn't quite do him justice. Yes, more than a fair share of his stories explore the darker side of human nature, but that's not what he's all about. I think it's more fair to say that he's a talented short story writer, regardless of genre.

Take for example "The Great Automatic Grammatisator." There are no gruesome deaths, no wives murdering their husbands, etc. But it's still a great story, and vintage Dahl. Here he pokes fun at his own profession, inventing a machine that can spit out full-length novels at the press of a button, simply by pulling from a list of generic characters, plot structures, and vocabulary lists. The commentary on the state of the writing profession is not very subtle, but it's hilarious nonetheless.

And that brings us to Dahl's wonderful sense of humor. Take, for instance, the following passage from the same story: "There's a trick that nearly every writer uses, of inserting at least one long, obscure word into each story. This makes the reader think that the man is very wise and clever." When asked where the machine stores all these words, the response is: "In the word-memory section," he said, epexegetically.

Or how about this exchange in "Pig," when a young man goes to the town doctor to request a death certificate for his recently-passed great aunt. "My God, is she dead?" "Certainly she's dead. If you will come back home with me now I will dig her up and you can see for yourself." "How deep did you bury her?" "Six or seven feet down, I should think." "And how long ago?" "Oh, about eight hours." "Then she's dead. Here's the certificate."

There are many gems in this collection, and not just the ones that you've probably already read like "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Way Up to Heaven." Read them all; only a few are disappointing. "Dip in the Pool" is fantastic, as is "The Great Switcheroo."

The one criticism I have of Dahl is that his children's fiction alter-ego tends to make an appearance every once in a while. A handful of his stories are either too simplistic or just plain silly, like they were written for a nine-year-old audience. Sorry, but I can't get into a story about a woman who finds a stray cat and thinks that the reincarnated spirit of Liszt is trapped inside. And occasionally the prose and dialog fail to connect with the mind of an adult reader. But that's okay. Dahl isn't striving for any fancy literary awards. His goal is to entertain, not exercise the mind.

Dahl is probably most famous for his stories for children: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, and MATILDA come to mind.

None of the short stories herein are that kind of story. At least four first appeared in PLAYBOY, and another 7 in THE NEW YORKER. Some are risque, but not all; one would have been suitable for ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and indeed was adapted to become one of the strongest episodes of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS ("Lamb to the Slaughter").

Specifically, this omnibus contains:
- all but 2 stories from Dahl's collection SOMEONE LIKE YOU (the two missing stories are "My Lady Love, My Dove" and "The Sound Machine");

- 9 of the 11 stories from KISS KISS (the missing pair are "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" and "Parson's Pleasure"); and

- 3 of the 4 stories from SWITCH B**** (the missing story, unfortunately, is the first uncle Oswald story, "The Visitor", which provides the backstory for how the old lecher's diaries came into the author's hands, as well as Oswald's experiences in the Sinai with a Syrian female leper).

Consequently, see reviews of the 3 individual collections for detailed discussion of all the stories herein. To summarize, the OMNIBUS makes an interesting read for an adult who can stand some macabre stories (including mysteries where justice may not be done), but this is *not* suitable bedtime reading for little children.

THis story is classic. I use this book so much that I have to retire my old copy and replace it with a new one every couple of years. It is a fabulous vehicle for storywriting in the primary classroom.

I have been reading Pat Hutchins books to children for many years. They are wonderful!! Rosie's Walk is a great book for sound effects! As Rosie goes obliviously on her walk,the fox encounters all sorts of sound effect producing trials. Great fun!

We have the board book edition, and I have to admit, I didn't think my 2-year old was going to like it when I first flipped through it. There didn't seem to be much to it --- no eye-catching illustrations and not much text. Shows how much I know... My daughter loves it. The story is less about Rosie the hen and more about the fox --- what happens to it from page to page. It is truly a sequential story and shows cause-and-effect: on one page you see the fox leaping towards Rosie, who is walking past the pond. On the next page, you see the fox in the pond. Your toddler will make the connection on her own: "Uh-oh. Fox fall in water."

My absolute FAVORITE book as a child! Simple, clever, and humorous all at the same time. GREAT for children starting to read! A+

We fell for this after watching the scholastic dvd series. It's on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video and we're hooked - love the detailed pictures and watching where thefox is headed.

I love this book and this is a perfect source of good learning of idiom for a small price its comes with. Perfect choice of gift for people that would love to read

Can anyone tell me what this book says about the idiom, "the calm before the storm"?

The graphic desciption and origin of the idiom are excellent. The explanation of the idiom is written in simple English that my 5 year old understands and loves. She read half of the book in one sitting. It's like a joke book to her. She was having a good time by herself. (She reads on a 3rd grade level.) I even learned a few things. It's a must have resource like a special dictionary that will also help to expand vocabulary. I now want all of the author's books.

I absolutely love this book. I am a teacher and this book really helped my students in 7th grade learn what idioms are. They really enjoyed learning about where the idioms came from.

Fairly good source for origins of idioms. Not all are here, but many. Some "conjecture" as to origin on many, but they do seem logical. A good over-all (particularly sufficient for elementary level) resource & nice leisure reading.

I love this book! I especially appreciate the photos included with the projects in all different stages. I will use this book again and again.

I've never done paper mache before and I wanted to make a "Monster under the bed" for a Halloween prop. The book is very easy to understand and follow. It took less than two weeks to make the project and it came out much better than I could of ever imagined. I would highly recommend this book!!!

I am 36 years old and I came across this book when I was in college. I grabbed it up and immediately started in creating my own screamers, using the wonderful photos in the book for inspiration. In no time my apartment was crawling with weird creatures from my imagination. Soon I had too many and had to give them away to friends...they are totally unique gifts. The author of the book provides everything you need: complete supply lists, easy-to-follow step-by-step directions with photos, color images of finished screamers to help jump-start your own creativity, plus there is the added bonus of the writer's tounge-in-cheek writing. Making screamers would be fun for anyone at any age. Buy this book and let out you inner monster!

When I first saw a copy of this book back in '85, I thought it was a really great idea, but I never had time to actually build one. The thought was tucked away in the depths of my memory, however, awaiting the opportunity to be explored and applied. Fast forward to 2000. I was in a puppet troupe for the city of Orlando, Florida, and was required to build sets and props for an original show set in ancient Egypt. A large statue of Bas-tet, the cat goddess, was needed and that old thought jumped to the front of my brain. A quick online session to Amazon.com and a couple of weeks later, I had a new copy of Dan Reeder's Simple Screamer aquiring drips of glue while I created the statue. Great project. Great book.

Before I ordered "The Simple Screamer", I thought this book was going to be flimsy magazine-paper type book. But, I was mistaken (for the better), this book's paper cover, is of a very hard-wearing variety and the pages are of good paper and the photographs very clear. I should also note that the directional photographs are black-&-white, but that does not hinder the information provided through them and no problems should arise because of this.

The directions Dan Reeder provides are easily understood and at times quite funny (there are all sorts of little things that he manages to include that tweak my funny bone, just look at the "items needed" page at the front of each chapter. I also particularly enjoyed looking at his own creations, in full color at the back of the book, they are full of creativity and have inspired many "screamers" from me.

Although there are an infinite types of screamers you could make following the directions in this book, I would also recommend getting the sequel, "Make Something Ugly, For a Change" that book will teach you a lot more techniques for making Screamers, although purchasing it is not necessary (but I highly recommend it all the same!)

Making Screamers is lots of fun, but I probably should lend a few cautionary notices. Some stages can be quite tough, especially the ones with clothes hangers, so completing a Screamer may take a couple days for there are many steps, some of them very hard. Also, I would recommend very strong masking tape for making Screamers, along with an abundance of patience. I have also found that making Screamers with your friends is much more fun than doing it in solitude. There are many more laughs, more patience, and a much more light-hearted attitude (although the downside to group Screamer-making is some unaccountable urge from all to make lame "pun" jokes, so beware).

BOTTOM LINE: Buy this book! Make a Screamer!

This book is a companion to the HBO film of the same name. I use the film, and now the book, during my unit on the Holocaust in my High School World War II class. The students are always moved by the experiences of the Tennessee students and teachers as they develop their Holocaust project. It allows the students to relate to the events of the Holocaust in a more realistic way unlike any other assignment I give. I highly recommend both the film and the book!

I bought this book for my classroom library because we watched the DVD for our unit study on the Holocaust. My students have enjoyed reading the materials because of their prior knowledge from the DVD. The book is a paperback, but the quality of the pages and the pictures is superb!

One night on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, the director of a new documentary about a small town in Tennessee remembering the Holocause would both show the film and answer questions. As a native Tennessean I both anticipated and dreaded this, assured that again we would be protrayed as NPR so often does - racist, poor, ignorant, fundamentalist or a combination of the above.

Surprise, Surprise. I was blown away, absolutely stunned at the story and the depiction of a rural Southern town as it slowly encounters the outside world. What wonderful teachers are still around! The suggestion that these all-white, all-Protestant, rural students should undertake an endeavor to break out of their shell seemed to come out of the blue and appeared the most incongruous project possible. Yet, it succeeded and admirably so, The documentary traces the parth, from baby to giant steps as the idea evolves into something none of the participants foresaw. It is and always will be a reminder of Dark Days. I only wish the Soviet and Chinese social experiments that murdered over tens of millions were remembered and memorialized in this way!


As the children and the town learn about Jewish life in Europe and the story of the Holocaust, we learn about them, their lives and their lifestyle that seems strangely satisfying in its simplicity and slowlness. Others become involved - survivors, politicians, two Germans who manage to obtain an actual railroad car used for transporting Jews to concentration camps. Businesses pitch in, individuals donate and a living memorial is designed and stands today almost as a shrine. The paperclips (representing a victim) came from all over the world, from rich and famous, young and old, rich and poor.

Alas, some never learn. At the end, the director was bombarded with questions and suggestions that townsfolk were "really" against the project or secretly racist or did not understand. He said he wanted to make something very clear: He had been in the town over two years and never heard a racist remark nor a single ill word against the project. The people were as nice and down to Earth as they appeared on screen. I felt deep vindication and overwhelming relief. The director, being from the North, was shocked at the casual hospitality of total strangers offering advice and friendship. In this age of increasing anti-Semitism in Europe once again, it is important to ponder the consequences that such speech for whatever reason may bring.

An amazing and uplifting narrative that restores one's faith in humanity and ignites hope for the future. It should be told in every school in the nation and the teachers and children that participated in this project deserve medals. A MUST read.
I give it 5 stars

This is a well written account of the paper clip project at Whitwell Middle School that will touch the heart of people throughout the world. It shows the changes that people went through as the project evolved. Once this book is read, one cannot help but feel a part of a movement that is still attracting more and more people. This is a wonderful book that goes well with the movie, Paper Clips.

As a history major and now a librarian, I've always been fascinated with the Aztec Empire and the destruction of that empire by the Spaniards. This fictionalized account of that event is played out in the two books: Skull Rack and Hummingbird God. The story of young Rodrigo and Cortez holds your interest. You will definitely get caught up in the tale. It's too bad that the story wasn't published in one big book. Hint: you have to get both books to read the entire story. We follow young Rodrigo as he takes on the soldier's life first in Europe and then in the New World. I loved him as the young dashing soldier. What happened to him to turn him into the evil, ancient bishop who is telling his story to the younger priest? Hopefully the author will write a sequel.

Skull Rack and its sequel Hummingbird God give a factual but fictionalized account of the Conquest of Mexico. In a collision of cultures, Hernan Cortes sets out to conquer Mexico with 500 soldiers. He faces the Aztec empire and its army of hundreds of thousands of warriors.
I am biased in that I consider the Conquest the greatest recorded adventure in the history of man. I am also familiar with various factual accounts and am a stickler for accuracy. I rarely, if ever, read fiction. Since this is the first fictionalized account of the Conquest from the Spanish viewpoint that I know of, I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed; I could not put Skull Rack down. Ditto Hummingbird God.
Braithwaite, while remaining true to history, has woven several tales into one great adventure story. You get the Conquest, the Italian Wars, Spain after the expulsion of the Moors and insight into the Inquisition. The exchanges between the protagonist and his unwilling editorial assistant alone make the book worth reading.
This book is not only extremely well researched from an historical perspective, it would feel authentic to anyone unfamiliar with the Conquest. The author's knowledge of weaponry, wounds and the treatment of wounds is equally impressive. I'd be more specific, but don't want to tip Braithwaite's hand.
One word of caution: don't read Skull Rack until you have Hummingbird God in hand or you'll find yourself looking for an all-night bookstore.

This is one of those books you can't stop reading ones you have opened it! Even though I'm not english spoken and my knowledge of the Mexican history is close to zero this is a book that makes me start thinking of the mexican life and the hardship of the people that concered it. Looking forward to the next book!!!

I am astonished that Braithwaite was able to breath new life into an old, often told story. It is a novel, not a history, but in places he puts the orthodox historians to shame.

The subtitle of the book is "A Novel of the Conquest of Mexico," but the book ends with the first glimpse of Tenochtitlan. In other words, there is no conquest of Mexico in the book. That is especially annoying because the New World isn't reached until page 125, and the book is only 329 pages long. So over one-third of the book is prologue, and the book doesn't get to where its title claims it is going.

The sequel, Hummingbird God, promises to finish the story. In my view, the two books should have been combined to make one great book instead of two pretty good books (assuming the sequel will be as good as Skull Rack). The publisher is probably to blame.

For those who appreciate historical novels solidly based on facts,while still telling a gripping story, this is the book for you. Cortes' exploits are vaguely known by most people but the actual story is more fascinating than any "thriller novel" Ron Braithwaite has done his homework. The story, which uses the method of a retelling by a Priest of the Spanish Inquistion,is very well written in a lean and moving fashion. The alternating scenes between Cortes in Mexico and the retelling by the Priest is an effective way of creating two avenues of tension in the book--not an easy thing to do. Most people know what happened to Cortes, but the Priest's narration still leaves the outcome in doubt. Dr. Brathwaite has written a sequel which Im looking forward to reading. Don't miss these books. James E. Vigiletti, Attorney at Law

This is a very interesting Bible study by Beth Moore. The homework is different from any of her other studies. You will learn to personalize the psalms of ascent. The lectures are outstanding on the Jewish feasts and their application to our lives.

Another great study by Beth Moore. the shorter 7 week legnth was perfect for us to do over the summer and many in our group are new to Beth Moore so 7 weeks was a great intro.

This bible study is so wonderful. Beth Moore has such a love for the Lord and such a gift of teaching. I started it almost immediately and am almost through.

This was my first bible study and I thought it was great. Easy to follow and kept me hungry for more. I recommend it - the video is nice, but not necessary. I took the study through my church and found the quiet time study on my own plus discussion later in my group were enough. The video only added more insight into Beth's take on the three feasts.

Stepping up is a wonderful study of God's word spoken through the Psalms of Ascent. Beth Moore has a way of speaking life into the written word and with her love for God she is able to speak things into the word that we may not have seen. It has touched my life in so many ways and I hope that Amazon will carry more of her studies. She truly has a God given gift. Praise God!