African Books

I loved what this book represented - a large variety of voices from many walks of life in the African American community to address a disease that has been silent within the community. Each piece was short as well as engaging and held my attention. I feel that the format can be useful for engaging many ages and gender within the community. It lends itself to be a great tool for educating the community.
Pamela Payne Foster, author of "is there a balm in Black America?"

Have you ever heard an unpleasant story or watched a horrific event on the TV newscast and thought "Oh no, not me?" Most of us have at one time or another. "Not in my Family," a collection of observations by various African Americans, examines this response in the context of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and HIV infection. Edited by journalist Gil L. Robertson IV, contributors to this compilation include celebrities such as Mo'nique and Hill Harper, activists such as Reverend Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, and ordinary folk whose names we would not recognize. Each contributor shares with the reader his or her perception of AIDS and HIV infection, usually through an essay, but sometimes through a poem or a speech.
[...] This is enough to make one sit up and take notice. Although the book contains much statistical data on AIDS and HIV, it also contains many stories of individuals who are living with this disease or have personally felt its impact. Some of the contributors share their stories of how they contracted HIV, and the manner in which they or their families coped. Others share how they first became conscious of the disease when it first came to the fore in the early 1980's.
The book examines many of the deep seated prejudices we hold about HIV and AIDS, and the way these prejudices have aided the escalation of the disease in the African American community. The issues most frequently discussed were people's perception of HIV/AIDS as a "gay" disease, and the still widely held belief that one can be infected by casual contact such as a hug or a handshake. Since HIV/AIDS is sexually transmitted, the issue of sex also looms large throughout the book.
For me, the most poignant story was that of a [...]Many contributors to the book discuss society's perceptions of "the kind of people" that contract the disease, and the factors in our community which have most impact on its spread. Among the factors discussed is the "down low" phenomenon, and the black church's position regarding homosexuality and sex outside of marriage.
Be warned! Although the book is well written and well edited, it sometimes contains adult language as the editor apparently sought to maintain the authenticity of the contributors' feelings and expressions. The "in your face" language of some of the contributors seems geared to shock. It seems their justification for this is to rouse the reader out of complacency into at least awareness if not activism.
Overall, the book will cause you to examine your attitudes toward the disease and toward people who are living with the disease. For example, one contributor questions, would you date someone who was HIV positive? Well, would you? It will also make you pay more attention to the impact the disease is having on our people here in the United States as well as in the Diaspora. The views expressed by the contributors range from conservative to ultra liberal, from conspiracy theory to punishment by the almighty for too much free love. One thing on which all of the contributors seem to agree is that a cure must be found, and it must be found very soon.
I highly recommend this book because it is bound to heighten awareness and empathy with regard to HIV/AIDS and its victims. It is also quite likely to raise levels of awareness of the impact this disease has been having on black women in particular. It certainly did that for me.

This AIDS awareness books is a great way for people to learn about the horrors of AIDS what they can do to help stop this epidemic. Robertson calls on many African American figures like Patti LaBelle, Mo'Nique, and Al Sharpton and others. There were stories from everyday figures and I could honestly feel their pain. There was a poem from a poet in the beginning of the book and it was well fit to open this kind of book. Kudos to Gil for this effort, we need to support!!

Not in My Family: AIDS in the African American Community grips its readers form the opening words. This collection of personal essay by numerous celebrities including Mo'Nique, Byron Cage, Patti LaBelle and Sheryl Lee Ralph, Randall Robison, Omar Tyree, Hill Harper, Jasmine Guy and Rev. Al Sharpton is edited by Gil L. Robertson IV and explores the debilitating disease that has quietly ravage countless families in the black community.

This candid compilation pokes its head into the darkest corners of the African-American psyche and experience. A black woman faced with the infection of her beloved drug-abusing bisexual husband and a swinging corporate America nephew recalls the connection, crisis and journey of those within his own family. The account of Mr. Marcus,, the highly popular adult film star, who feel compelled to have sex on camera after being recruited in Las Vegas, reveals the historical wounds that his family's legacy inflicted upon him.

Robertson weaves personal and heart-wrenching experiences that shed light on the dire need that exists throughout the African Diaspora. This anthology should be "used to stop the enemy in his tracks," as Robertson prescribes. Not in My Family is a guide and an icebreaker. It is thought provoking, sincere and heartfelt. It is necessary.

"Black America, we have a problem.
HIV/AIDS is running rampant through our communities. Many of us are sick and dying and living in fear and shame, and many of us who aren't afflicted are living in denial, detachment, ignorant, and glass houses. Worse yet, too many people in our communities act as if they are immune to the problem altogether.
`Not me.' `Not in my family!' And that's the problem.
Not in My Family is a weapon of warfare, a tool of empowerment, and a manual on friendship. It includes lessons before dying, lessons on living, lessons on love, and lessons on letting go. It is a collection of colorful stories, hard truths, and differing opinions from people of various lifestyles strung together to teach us not only how to survive, but how to thrive in the face of HIV and AIDS.
It is a dose of truth to our community. And hopefully, the truth will make us free."
-- Excerpted from the Introduction

In the United States, AIDS is increasingly an African-American epidemic, taking a disproportionate toll on the black community where someone is ten times as likely to contract the disease as in a white neighborhood. According to Gil Robertson, many factors have contributed to the explosion of this frightening phenomenon, including "dysfunction, fear, poverty, and lack of information." In fact, he suggests, that upon close inspection, we find the causes to be almost as plentiful as the number of individuals infected.
For this reason, Robertson, decided to edit an anthology of essays by folks touched by the disease, whether they might having a loved one coping with the ailment, be personally infected, on the front lines as an activist, or modestly ministering to patients. In Gil's case, his brother, Jeffrey, was diagnosed as HIV-positive over 20 years ago, and the fallout visited upon the family in the form of "shock, fear and regret" has taken the Robertsons years to overcome.
Fortunately, Gil, a gifted, syndicated journalist whose work has appeared in Essence, Billboard, Black Enterprise and The Los Angeles Times, had the wherewithal to channel his energy positively in terms of tackling a subject which has heretofore been left woefully unaddressed. For AIDS is a scourge likely to ravage the black community exponentially unless it wakes up and faces the fact that Silence = Death.
Thus, Not in My Family: AIDS in the African-American Family is an urgent, informative, groundbreaking book because it takes AIDS out of the inner-city closet by initiating an intelligent dialogue designed to shake both brothers and sisters out of their complacency and thereby inspire everyone to action. Among the sixty or so contributors to this timely text are entertainers, such as Patti LaBelle, Jasmine Guy, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mo'Nique and Hill Harper; physicians, including Dr. Donna Christensen, DR. James Benton and Dr. Joycelyn Elders; AIDS activists Phill Wilson and Christopher Cathcart; ministers, like Reverend Al Sharpton and Calvin Butts; best-selling authors, such as Randall Robinson and Omar Tyree; and Congressmen Barbara Lee, Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Gregory Meeks.
But just as moving as the clarion call sounded by any of these celebs, are the heartfelt stories related by relative unknowns with out any pedigree. For instance, 22 year-old Marvelyn Brown talks about how having AIDS has taught her the true meaning of friendship. Jaded judge Ivory Brown waxes poetic about her late friend and hairdresser who, before he expired, inspired her to overhaul her life by seizing the day.
Dena Gray starts her chapter with an entry from her diary which describes December 20, 1991 as "the worst day of my life," because "I found out today that I'm HIV-positive." Such a powerfully simple, straightforward, and sobering statement can't help but halt a reader in his or her tracks. Shawna Ervin, meanwhile, recounts how she reacted, at the tender age of 11, to learning that her best friend had contracted the illness via a blood transfusion, and how they remained close, in spite of the stigma, till Andrea's demise ten years later.
Filled to overflowing with such almost sacred moments, Not in My Family is a must read, but not merely as a heart-wrenching collection of moving AIDS memoirs. For perhaps more significantly, this seminal work simultaneously serves as the means of kickstarting candid dialogue about an array of pressing, collateral topics, ranging from homophobia to incarceration to brothers on the down low to low self-esteem to the use of condoms to the role of the Church in combating this virtually-invisible genocide quietly claiming African-Americana.

Michael Forrester hails from Buena Vista, Michigan. After passing the bar, he moves to Atlanta, Georgia where instead of practicing law, he delves into a writing profession. After writing three unsuccessful books, he starts to write articles in a local newspaper under a pseudonym, making a pretty good living. One day he comes across an article which holds black men in an unfavorable light and he becomes outraged. He contacts the woman who wrote the article and asks her to rewrite it since she based her research on black women only. She refuses, so he decides to do his own research. After being fired from his job, he is hired in an office that is staffed by all women. He decides to get all of their stories no matter how he has to go about it, to write the ultimate book that'll put him on the bestseller's list.

Things quickly spiral out of control, because of all Michael does to obtain each one of these women's story. Will his plan be revealed? And, will new friendships and love affairs he has engaged in be put to the test? Will he lose focus of his goal and gain more than he originally set out for?

I've got to be honest when I first ran across THE OFFICE GIRLS by Sylvester Stephens, I was a little "iffy" but I have got to tell you this was an incredible story. It depicts black women in a favorable light, and tells the story of ordinary everyday women and the challenges they face day to day. It actually brought tears to my eyes, because you can relate to these women, if you're not one of them, you know of someone just like them. The story is so real that you get attached to the characters and you begin to feel for them and with them.

Reviewed by Leona Romich
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a great page turner. I read it in two days because I was unable to put it down. I love it because it has all the elements that a great book needs. It has romance, friendship, and a little thrill. This books keeps you guessing from the begining to the end. It has real work issues and thay was a plus for me. It is a must read for any book lover.

I loved this book, from the very first page to the last. It took me by surprise at how the book ended up being cause like the other review said the cover was decieving. It was not all just about sex. I loved how you got to see a little bit into each character about their background lives and how it was that they ended up working at Upskon.
Not only did this book give the male character a softer side and make him able to relate to the female characters, but I also got more than a few laughs from some of the conversations and things said between characters. Out of all I like how things twisted at the end with Mrs. Virginia...yes it was a little sad, but it was also and eye opener.

Can't wait to read the next novel, involving Michael Forrester. The excerpt at the end of the novel for the next book had me ready to read it already.
Good job Mr. Stephens...keep it up.

This book took me by surprise. I rarely write reviews, but I had to take a few minutes to encourage the purchase of this book. The cover is VERY deceiving, because the storyline is so much more than office sex. Each "Office Girl"'story will have you enthralled and mesmerized. I applaude the author for tackling the disturbing topics that plague our soceity...This book was based on true people, which made it even more interesting and was written extremely well. I was also shocked that the author (male) could connect with each female character in such a feminine and gentle way, which was nice to sometimes see the softer side of the lead male character. Now Mike was a DOGGGGGGGG, and at times I thought was very childish for a grown man, but in the end he redeemed himself. EXCELLENT book

It is nothing to get excited about.However,I will read the sequel to find out what happens next.

Ms. Anderson's talent as a writer and an artist is overwhelming. I don't care if you're black, white, green, blue or purple, this book is for everyone! As an Iranian-American Muslim woman, I was unsure as to how much I could relate to these stories before I began reading, but as a human and an increasingly persecuted minority in this country, it's impossible not to relate. While these may be African Americcan stories, they are more than anything human stories. Ms. Anderson's skill as a writer is undeniable. She can take you from tears to laughter in a span of two or three pages. Set aside an afternoon and sit down with it, and enjoy. It's a quick and accessible book for general audiences. Beautifully written--I've read it twice so far it's that good. Ms. Anderson is a true renaissance woman, and as such, she excells at nearly all of the arts--writing, painting, dancing--she is a woman of the world with incredible stories to share. I just wish more people would start listening.

"On the other Side, African Americans tell of Healing," was an amazing book. I loved the art, the testimonies, and how everything just flowed. I love the fact that the author was on a journey and each testimony helped get her from one step to the next. The stories were about real people with real problem who met a real God who gave them real healing and victory. As I read this book, I was inspired, motivated, healed, blessed, and amazed.

I believe that this book was absolutely amazing because it touched my heart in such a way that it has brought about change in my own life. The author's journey was my journey as well. I would recommend this book to everyone I know. After reading it I am renewed, refreshed, and ready to contiue and endure whatever.

A powerful book by a gifted and sensitive woman who is wise beyond her years.

Although Alita is my cousin, I still choose to write a review for her book. First of all I just want to congratulate her for finishing it. I found the book to be inspiring, motivating, and uplifting. It makes you believe that there is always someone out there watching over you. The testimonies in the book reach out and touch you spiritually. I also like how she ties in her life with some of the testimonies. I encourage everyone to read this book. When you finish it, you feel a sense of spiritual healing.

Although I am the editor who worked with Alita Anderson on this project, I still feel objective enough to make the argument that this is a book that will inspire and motivate you, because it did those two things for me each and every day that Alita and I poured over these heart-felt testimonies by people like you and I---People who were merely on a quest to find peace and healing in a world that doesn't often give such gifts. Each testimony offers the reader with a different "take" on what it means to be healed. The healings are of the body, the mind, and the spirit. All of these seekers were people who were trying to get to the other side of hurt, pain, dispair, and sorrow. Now who among us can't relate to that? I promise you that after reading "On The Other Side," you will never be the same again.

I grew up watching Ms. Holly on OLTL in the 70's. I remember the Ebony magazine cover that had her and Al Freeman, Jr. being married on the show. I read this powerful book many years ago and felt her pain from the first page. When she spoke of being passed for White, she stood her ground and her position was clear. She made it firm in every role she played that she was Black and proud. This sista is a Queen on all fronts. When I finished her book (which is a powerful read), I was so disguted with the way OLTL treated her I stopped watching the show in protest. To see some of the actors on that show win award after award with no talent at all turned my stomach. This woman deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys because she put her dues in. She laid the groundwork for the Debbi Morgans, Bianca Fergusons, Shari Headleys, and Veronica Webbs of Daytime TV. If it wasn't for Ellen Holly puttin' it down the way she did, none of the other African-American daytime actresses I just mentioned would have had a chance at achieving success at a career in the soaps. Thank you Ms. Holly for your sacrifices and your triumphs. You are a quality talent that I have nothin' but respect for. God bless Ellen Holly for being the Queen that she is and thank you for this phenomenal book. It should be required reading! Wherever you are Ellen Holly, I pray that you are well. You are respected and loved by the real fans of OLTL that know what REAL talent is.

I initially bought Ellen's book because I was an avid OLTL fan. I wanted to read about the years that she spent as "Carly Gray" on my favorite soap opera. Ellen Holly is such an eloquent writer that she had me enthralled with her life from page one. I forgot why I first bought the book and I didn't want it to end.

If Ms. Holly wrote another book, I would buy it the minute it hit the stands; that is how great I think her writing is.

I have to say that I first saw Ellen Holly playing Judge Frances Collier on Guiding Light. As a caucasian american woman and a lifelong soap fan, I was shocked to learn that she was dismissed from One Life to Life. I wanted her role on Guiding Light to be expanded. Ellen added a touch of class to the show. At least that job provided income to pay some bills, besides Ellen Holly is an intelligent resourceful woman. It took me only a couple of hours to read this magnificient book. I still think Ellen Holly is a very attractive and talented woman. I was glad that finally somebody broke the image of the happy loving family in the soaps. The soaps have never been an easy environment. I have to say that Ellen deserved more than being dismissed and the pitiful salary that she and her co-stars like Al Freeman and Lillian Hayman received is awful. I would say that Agnes Nixon should have done more for Ellen. Despite the bitterness and anger, Ellen maintains her dignity and most of all, she is proud to be who and what she is. She could have easily passed herself off to get work and roles but she chose to lead her career with honoring her family history and ancestry. Still, I would like to see Ellen act whether on stage, television or film. I wish Ellen the best of luck. I don't care what the race of the character is as long as it's played appropriately. Ellen fought for Carla Gray. Sure, people think that soap couples become boring after a while but I don't think so. I think they could be just as interesting. As a soap fan, I love watching familiar characters like Carla and Ed Hall but their departures were just awful. I still wish the best for Ellen and this book is quite an interesting read. Ellen is true to herself and to her readers. I think she has mixed feelings about playing Carla but she is grateful to her fans and people who fondly remember her. No, she never made stardom that she deserved but she is in many ways a star.

I am a voracious reader, but never have I been so captivated by the style and well chosen words of this mesmerizing writer. I felt Ellen's feelings and found myself hanging on her every word, as she guided me through the events of her life. I was especially taken by her strength as she received the many attacks on her African background. She responded with pride and dignity and always seemed to leave the attacker disarmed. I was so taken by her genealogy, I felt compelled to travel the road to the African prince who escaped from the slave ship. I have validated most of the genealogical information on her prince ancestor and have enjoyed the exercise.
This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in history, the theatre, or just want to get to know this beautiful, charming, and well educated lady.

billnell@fibervision.com

If you are an actress or screenwriter in Hollywood or New York, read this and think about it. This is not just another "who I slept with" tell all. Ellen Holly's life is really a cautionary tale about the perils intelligent, ambitious, talented black women face in the entertainment industry (and in life and love of course). Dorothy Dandridge wasn't the only black actress trying to make it in the 1950's and Diahann Carroll is not the only survivor. Ellen Holly, who has written for the New York Times and still writes screenplays, is truly one of the faceless pioneers that opened the door for the Halle Berrys, the Vanessa L.Williams, the Angela Bassetts and the Tina Andrews in Hollywood today.

This rich, engaging novel tackles one of our most intransigent social issues while never sacrificing the individuality and depth of its characters. Audrey Conarroe's moving journey into her own past, and the future she must create for her nephew is one that will remain with this reader for a long time.

I found One Sister's Song to be a very personal journey through life lessons that could happen to anyone. While I have never experienced the same emotional trials, nor any racial discrimination, I thought I had some notion of what it would be like. I was wrong. I learned so much from Audrey's perspective. Through her dreams and research I feel enriched by UGRR history. Her story grabbed me from the start, and while I found myself worrying on her behalf for much of the book, I am very proud of her in the end. I will be thinking about Audrey for a long time. I'd love to read another Song!

Carter's One Sister's Song is a clear-headed, multi-sided look at a complex situation that hasn't found resolution in hundreds of years of history. What world(s) do people live in when they come from more than one racial or ethnic background? Who wants them? Who claims them? Where do they want to be? How do they choose?
Carter, who knows some of these issues first-hand, is sensitive to the fact that everyone involved in an interracial situation has their own image of how things are and how they should be. She also knows that lives are lived on private terms, sometimes raggedly, sometimes nobly. Her characters are not socio-political representations, but they are real people, right down to their inconsistent and sometimes bumbling ways.
Audrey acts impulsively; Julian zooms from gloom to exuberance and back again. Boyfriends past and present act like clods; some people are just unthinking. Some are just plain mean. Behind it all hovers the spirit of Audrey's sister Laura and the way she viewed the world. Audrey's coming to grips with this, finding her own way, is the heart of the story.
Refreshing, engaging, thought-provoking, and real. One Sister's Song is all of these.

A beautiful story - you will not be disappointed!

**NOTE** Currently all the used copies of this book listed for sale refer to the first edition, which has a plain cover with no artwork. The second edition, published in January 2004 with artwork on the cover, is listed as "New." The second edition is the book pictured above.

Enjoy!!!

This novel is one of the best I've ever read. I've often wondered why many authors feel they have to intentionally offend. This book is proof that an exciting, well written story doesn't have to go there.

One Sister's Song is intriguing; the characters and imagery are so rich and real I felt pulled right into the book.

This novel is effortless to read and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. It's hard to believe Audrey, James, Pritch, Julian and Laura exist only on paper! I'm hooked! And I anxiously await Karen DeGroot Carter's second novel.

This book should be standard issue to any candidate officer at both Sandhurst and West Point.

There are a ton of lessons here that could/should have been used in Iraq.

This book should be a mandatory read for Non-commissioned officers and Officers serving in special mission units or special operations the world over. In the counter-insurgency / low-intensity conflict arena there are many valuable lessons to be learned from this text, and for the armchair historian or casual reader the story is still gripping enough to keep you enthralled to the last page. Basically this is story of the birth and death of one of the most feared insurgency units of the time, as told by the founder of this outstanding unit; Ron Reid-Daly. It covers the units training, selection, operations, and personalities of the unit with the war being the tool that propels the story and evolution of the unit. One of the most remarkable aspects of Selous scouts was their employment of pseudo-terrorist techniques, which were used to melt into know terrorist cells, to either eliminate the terrorist themselves or direct other assets to the known cells to be neutralized. While conducting these type operations the Selous Scouts maintained the cover of being a combat tracking (mantracking) unit, as to keep their true purpose under wraps from the rest of the Rhodesian Security Forces. I would also like to point out they were truly all trained tracks and maintained this capability to superb levels of proficiency. This book is a re-release and completely revamped version of "SELOUS SCOUTS - Top Secret War" (original title). If you read the original edition you will enjoy this one much better. Many areas in the book have been rewritten and their many additions and details added to the text. Many of the names of individual have added into this text, originally kept exempt for security and safety reasons. Also there are many new photographs added and the Illustrations are a lot crisper. One of the biggest treats in this edition is the added appendix covering; roll of honor, wing nominal roll, awards and citations. Bottom line is this version truly opens the door to this once `Top Secret" organization of combat trackers turned pseudo-terrorist specialist.

Pamwe Chete is without question one of the most interesting accounts of counter-insurgency operations ever written. LTC Reid-Daly formed the Selous Scouts in the early 1970s' at the behest of the Rhodesian Army Chief of Staff. What follows is the most famous (or infamous) counter-insurgency campaign in recent history. The Selous Scouts were the finest counter-insurgency force ever to take to the field and hunt down guerillas. LTC Reid-Daly has written an honest, detailed account that draws the reader's interest on the first page and never lets go. This book is a must read for any military historian. Reid's engaging book is chocked full of incredible stories about the incredible challenges the Selous Scouts overcame and the unbelievable but true successes they achieved.

LTC Ron Reid-Daly has written a superb book on the finest killing machine in Africa, the Selous Scouts. LTC Reid-Daly was the founder and commanding officer of this psuedo counter-insurgency force. The author gives us the insight into the bravery, courage, and brutality of his men while performing their operations. This group of highly skilled black and white operators wrecked havoc on the guerilla forces inside and out of Rhodesia. Because of his availability to intelligence Reid-Daly also gives the reader a overview of the conflict and the politics behind the decisions. This is a great read on special operations and Reid-Daly gives a great narrative of the missions and the background for them. This is a great story of an exceptional group of men written by an exceptional soldier and is a must read!

This is an excellent and comprehensive book on the Selous Scouts - a special forces unit based in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during the 1970's. The book covers the history of the unit from the time its founder, Ron Reid-Daly, spent in Malaysia with C Squadron 22 SAS, to the end of the war. What is interesting is the high level of racial integration in the unit, and the use of 'turned' guerillas. In some cases captured guerillas were turned, briefed and back in the field within hours of capture.

While the unit's informal approach to standard military discipline made it shunned by the high command the unit had stunning military successes, especially with cross-border raids to target enemy bases.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the bush wars in Southern Africa in the 70/80's and terrorism in general. Special forces soldiers could learn a lot from this book.

This book is a must have. I think it should be in all public schools. The writer tells a beautiful story about the Civil Rights Movement. The pictures are fantastic while we have all seen pictures of the Movement, these pictures tell a story. Great Job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a book that every young adult and adults should have on their coffee table!!! Never before seen pictures and told through the eyes of a child through the civil rights movement this book is a refreshing, new insight that is a fast paced read!! A book to revist again and again!!!!!

Partners to History is a beautifully written and illustrated story of the Civil Rights Movement, its unsung heroes, its celebrated heroes, and the American struggle for freedom and peace. It is imperative that educational institutions with quality American history programs have this masterful work of historical literature on its shelves.

Carla Newsome McManus
Sisters and Brothers of HotLanta Book Club
http://www.sistersbrothers.com

Partners to History is a beautifully written and illustrated story of the Civil Rights Movement, its unsung heroes, its celebrated heroes, and the struggle for freedom in America. It is imperative that any school with a quality American history program have this masterful work of historic literature on its shelves.

Carla Newsome McManus
President
Sisters and Brothers of HotLanta Book Club
http://www.sistersbrothers.com

These images are worth more than 1 million words. They speak the truth with clarity that is rarely achieved in a discourse about race in America. This is American history in its true form. A great editing job and choice of photos.

THIS IS A CLASSIC HISTORY LESSON

This is one of my favorite books ever...I fell in love with the Nodd's Ridge series about 10 years ago and devoured all of the books and still wish there were more! The characters are so well-crafted and inter-twined throughout generations, its compelling. There is also an element of mystery to Tabitha King's books (especially Caretakers and the Trap) that makes the stories of Nodd's Ridge even more interesting. I just picked up "Candles Burning", but I have to admit, I am eager for more from this series. I can never put down her books! I wish she would write more!

Pearl Dickenson inherits the home and land of her great-uncle Joe, who she never had the chance to meet. On the spur of the moment, while taking care of Uncle Joe's funeral arrangements, Pearl decides to live in his house rather than sell it. Even though Pearl is "from away" she fits in with many of the inhabitants of the small Maine town. All of sudden, after three years of having no gentlemen friends, there are two men on the horizon. The two are very different from one another, but both have a lot to offer Pearl--and both have their own troubled pasts.

PEARL is not a fast-paced action-packed read. It is a novel of setting and character, a slice-of-life story that lets the reader live in small town Maine for a while. The characters are funny and real, and Pearl is so likable that one has to keep reading and share her life. Tabitha King doesn't fool around with sex issues, either: she faces them head-on, and most of the love scenes are poetic while retaining their reality. The author has some interesting things to say about sex, love, friendship, family, and caring, but never says them in a preachy, intrusive way. PEARL is a smooth, leisurely, thought-provoking read.

Kimberly Borrowdale Under the Covers Book Reviews

Now here's a writer who knows how to write an engrossing story with real character development. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the prequel, "The Book of Reuben". Tabitha King invited the reader to meet an unusual yet very interesting group of people. Mrs. King's descriptive and clear narrative style is such a welcome change to other interracial romance stories that I've read. She really made the reader feel that they were a part of her characters lives and as a reader one really wanted to know about their lives in Nodd's Ridge, Maine. I think Reuben Styles is one of the most sexiest, sweet, vulnerable and yet strong males I've ever been introduced to and he and Pearl were meant for each other. I fell in love with him myself. Pearl was a woman of purpose and very captivating. No one was larger than life, breathtakingly beautiful or facing horrific or outrageous challenges. Just living life was challenging enough. Simplicity goes a long way and I as a reader appreciate simplicity. I couldn't put it down. It is an interracial love story but, the romance is treated realistically and maturely and the interracial love story is not the only important story being told. Nothing unbelievable, sophomoric or just plain annoying was any where in this book. It's become one of my favorites and I'm so glad it was recommended to me. You really should meet Reuben, Pearl and all the other inhabitants of Nodd's Ridge, Maine.

This book is so rich and engrossing. This is one of my books that I always go back to periodically. It is also the second book I've looked up only to find out that it is out of print or stock. Please look for it, buy it, read and enjoy.

From chapter one, this book hooks you into the life and loves of Pearl, an amazing person, but with human frailties. One can identify with her and you find yourself rooting for her throughout. Which of the men in her life will she choose? Or will she lose them both? The characters are interesting and believable. Pearl is enigmatic, as is the book. It has been, undoubtedly, one of the best books i have read in a long time. It was my first Tabitha King book, but certainly won't be my last. A very satisfying read.

My seven-year-old daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this book together - time well spent! It led to wonderful talks about how these historic events influenced our own family and others. It's a book that entertains while telling an important story. As a social studies teacher, I highly recommend this book to other young readers and their parents.

How many times have we seen an antique or a classic automobile and wondered what stories of the people, places and times must be hidden within their framework? "A Penny in my Pocket" allows YOU to be that proverbial "fly on the wall" and step back into another place and time to experience American history rather than just read about it. It is certainly an appropriate read for an elementary student, but it is also an exciting read for everyone! I look forward to her next book to see what new faces she puts on our rich American history.

For all the reasons we love to read, and for all the reasons we want our children to love to read, this book hits the mark - wit, creativity, knowledge, history, science, literature, cultural and social issues - all in palatable doses. The individual chapters as stand-alone short stories within the theme, the discussion questions, the web-site filled with activities, curriculum aids and lesson plan ideas will excite all intermediate and middle school teachers. This is certainly a "penny" worth picking up!

This is a really nice book. Bringing history alive is such a crucial element for the effective teaching of social studies to youngsters. Ms. Hill has written an accessible story that does just that. The theme of the book allows young readers to make direct connections to the past and identify with children from those times. I predict that they will be inspired to hunt down their own old pennies so that they can experience the same wonder as their literary counterparts! As a parent, librarian and former substitute teacher, I am familiar with literature for young people. Ms. Hill's simple yet brilliant concept is a wonderful contribution. This book is fun, and it makes the grade.

"A Penny in My Pocket" is a lovely story about a school project designed to spark the creativity of the students. The children are assigned the task of finding the oldest penny they can, and imagining the life of a child from the year the penny was minted. Following the route of the pennies, Ms. Hill takes the reader through significant events in American history as seen through the eyes of adolescents. The children, both from the past and present, are as diverse as America itself, and speak in genuine voices that young teenagers, and those who love them, will recognize and appreciate. In the words of young Amelia, this book is a "veritable" delight!

This book is a MUST-HAVE for children of all ages. I first got it at a book fair in the frist grade. Now I am 11 and am in the sixth grade, and I STILL can't stop reading it! Get this book-now!

The illustrations caught my eye and kept me enthralled. My 3 1/2 year old son loves stubborn Mrs. Pickle (he can relate). It's nice to find a clever and beautiful book that we can share.

This silly book tells the story of Mrs. Pickle who won't eat anything except pickles - - that is, until she is challenged by her niece to try something new. The funny illustrations with their clever details will keep parents laughing, and children with a budding sense of humor will really get catch the giggles from you as you read to them. The colorful illustrations and funny storyline create a great book to add to your collection and would make a good gift - even if your little eater is not picky.

I borrowed this book from our local library and our little girls just LOVE this book (so do I). If you have adult friends or relatives who are stuck in their ways, this might make a good gift. The point it makes is a great reminder for all of us and is made in a very neat way.

What a great book for my little boy (3 years). We love thebright and vivid colors - the message is one we can all learn from -especially if you are dealing with a strong minded little guy. Thisis a great gift idea - you really will enjoy!