New Hampshire Books

I read this book in high school...late 70's/early 80's. I see it's been rereleased. I loved it then and recently came across it while sorting through memorabilia so read it again and still love it. A truly timeless story that any girl who remembers the social and academinc pressures of high school can relate to. A must read!!!

I have read and re-read this book, along with the subsequent ones in the series (Snowy, Henrietta Snow, and recently The Husband's Bench) and never tire of them. I grew up in the 70's, but the town where I went to high school was very much a "small town", and was the town where my mother had grown up, gone to high school and yes, been a cheerleader in the 50's. Like Snowy, my childhood home now houses a business, our high school hangout was demolished, a new high school was built, and on and on. The characters in these books are so real that I always find myself loathe to finish the book and have to leave them. Snowy, Tom, Bev, Puddles, Charl, Darl, Dudley.... I feel like all of them are my friends. I cannot recommend this book, or the rest of the series highly enough.

My aunt lent me a copy of this book when I was about 15 years old. The Cheerleader came out before I was born and 2 of my aunts loved the story, so they felt sharing it with me was appropriate. I in turn passed it on to my friends and a revival of Snowy, Tom, Puddles and Bev began. Imagine the thrill of seeing a sequel 20 years later..Snowy! And then the books that followed "the gang". I haven't enjoyed this author's other stories (outside of the "Snowy") ones nearly as much as this, but once you read The Cheerleader, be sure to follow up with the rest of them!

Every once in a while a novel comes along that for some reason never seems to become a huge bestseller or make its author famous and renowned, but that is so note-perfect that the few who read it gobble it up like an addictive drug, pass it on to their friends (who never return the copy lent to them) and never forget it. THE CHEERLEADER is just such a novel. It captures right down to the smallest detail the way life was for an ambitious high-school girl growing up in a small town in New Hampshire in the 1950s. By doing so, it becomes a novel with which any woman (American, anyway) of any era can identify. Snowy's world, her parents, her school, her friends, her teachers, her hopes and her dreams are all drawn here with a truth that is almost painful. Once you read it, it stays with you forever...and you want more stories about her, which the author has supplied, thanks to fan demand, in the form thus far of SNOWY, HENRIETTA SNOW and, now, THE HUSBAND BENCH (which focuses on the life of Snowy's friend Bev, and which I have already pre-ordered). The book I can compare this to most is Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN--another example of a novel that hits a timeless chord with its readers yet, thanks to some strange quirk of fate, has failed to make its author as well known as she should be. If you've read TREE and haven't read THE CHEERLEADER and its sequels, do yourself a favor and start now. If you haven't read any of these books, what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair, a glass of your favorite beverage and lose yourself in the worlds of Francie and Snowy. It'll be some of the best reading time you've ever spent. Warning, though: don't lend out your copy of THE CHEERLEADER to anyone; chances are you won't get it back!

I first read this when I was 16, in the 1970s. I don't know how MacDougall got a drug-addled, school-vandalizing little punker to identify with a straight-A, student council member, 1950s cheerleader, but instead of resenting Snowy, I loved her and cared what happened to her. MacDougall does a fantastic job of giving the physical details of a 1950s adolescence: the smell of Noxzema and Cashmere Bouquet, the revolving fads of ice-cream bucket purses and turned-up collars. Maybe that's why I understood, even though my fads involved satin windbreakers, purple concert kits, and patchwork jeans: like Snowy, I simultaneously wanted to fit in with the crowd and to remain my own person. Ironically, by using the tiniest specifics of a mid-twentieth-century high school experience, MacDougall has given us a world and a character that readers from any era will somehow find recognizable.

I've always enjoy Og Mandino's self-development books, both his nonfiction and fiction. The Twelfth Angel is trademark Og Mandino - it is a powerful self-development lesson taught through emotion and by example. It's a story of hope for the future, even when the future appears hopeless.

In my opinion, you don't just read an Og Mandino fiction book, you "feel" an Og Mandino book and The Twelfth Angel is no exception. He is one of my favorite self-development writers, so this review may be a bit partial.

Have you ever been through such a powerful life changing and emotionally devastating experience that you instinctively know life will never be the same again? You begin to realize that you are at an emotional fork in the road, you're either going to learn from the experience or end up wallowing in it. That's exactly what happens to the main character John Harding in The Twelfth Angel - his life is facing that powerful and often frightening life-changing fork in the road.

After the tragic loss of his wife and child in an accident, John Harding believes he is faced with the choices of either to go on living or to end it all. When it seems the bleakest, a friend comes to him asking for help. He's asked to help coach a boys little league baseball team. And slowly but surely John's life has hope and purpose once again.

We can learn so much from children. They have such an unstoppable optimism and enthusiasm. And in The Twelfth Angel, this is just what John needs in his life. This book is also about never, ever giving up. John begins to mentor Timothy Noble who is not the athletic type yet becomes one of the most important players on "The Angels" baseball team. Timothy teaches everyone about the power of possibility and persistence.

What can this well written story teach us? It teaches that life is full of purpose and wonder. You were placed on this earth to make a difference and it's up to you to find that purpose. As John discovered, with purpose you have the willpower to keep going even when the going looks impossible and hopeless.

This book is about courage, belief, hope, persistence and the power of purpose - that's how I'd summarize this powerful little story.

The Twelfth Angel is an easy read and in fact you can probably read it in a couple of days. Be prepared to read with your mind and emotions. Give yourself some quiet time to absorb the self-discovery lessons and feel the emotions these lessons can invoke.

If you decide to read The Twelfth Angel, please read with an open mind and heart because then you'll truly appreciate Og Mandino's wise lessons about the wonder of living a meaningful life.

This book just makes you want to count your blessings! I absolutely loved it!

I've read every book that Mandino has written. This was the first book that got me hooked on this author. He is a great story teller and a great motivational/inspirational writer! This is a must read for anyone over the age of 12. If all little league coaches read this book, there would be less problems with out of control coaches. This is not about baseball but about how to deal with life and how to treat people.

I have read everyone of Og Mandinos Books and all I can say is that he writes with brilliance, clarity, enthusiasm, and spirit. You can never go wrong with any of his books. He points out the path to success and motivates the spirit within to achieve all that we as human beings are capable. He helped me to tap into my innate genuis and create a life of prosperity and creativity. If you havent raed his books, start now and your journey of the spirit will begin. He was a born writer and even after his passing continues to have a great influence on many people old and young. He truly lived a purposeful and divine life. Go buy all his books and enjoy the growth and enlightenment. After that Buy my Book " Your daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present". Enjoy and rememeber you are capable of great things in your life.

The Twelfth Angel, by Og Mandigo, is truly an inspiring and heartfelt story. This story left such an unforgettable impact on me that I know I'm likely to ponder it for years. Everyone should absolutely read this book, especially those in need of inspiration and hope. This book leaves you with tears, with hope you never knew you had, and with the wanting to never give up.

I don't want to give away too much, but this book is about a young, diligent, succesful, loving man who moves back to his small hometown of Boland, NH, with his wife Sally and their young boy Rick. When tradegy strikes, John has to struggle to cope. His life is shattered and he ultimately looks to suicide as an answer. Fortunately, his old friend, Bill helps him out of the gutter, which is where his life now lies, by asking him to help coach the boys little league. Uncertain, John finally accepts.

The day of tryouts John notices a boy who is smaller than any of the other kids, whose baseball hat and clothes look about two sizes too big on him. This little boy isn't very good at baseball, but he kept on trying, the whole time with determination and a big smile on his face. Although some of the older and better kids laughed and smirked at his constant mistakes and misses, this little boy was never put down and never stopped. And to John's surprise, this boy was amazingly the splitting image of his boy Rick! At first John had even thought he could have been Rick. This little boy, Timothy Noble, was by far the worst player of all the kids who tried out, and who had managed, almost as if by destiny, to end up on John's baseball team, receiving a jersey with number twelve on it.

Early on in the baseball season, John noticed that there was something very genuine and original about Timothy. What John and Timothy both don't know, is that their relationship will become very close, as they both need each other more than they can imagine.

I absolutely loved this heartfelt story. I even had tears gushing down my cheeks as I neared the end of the book. I think that this book is truly inspiring and comforting. I loved how caring and concerned John was of Timothy, and I especially loved little Timothy Noble and how happy he was. I was truly touched by this story and will always cherish everything I learned from this book. The lesson I think that Mandigo was in a way trying to get across is that you must be positive and have at least a good-maybe even a great-outlook on life, no matter what comes your way. If you are positive, you have a positive feedback, making your life richer everyday and in many different ways.

I really enjoyed Og Mandigo's writing style, as he was very, very vivid with his descriptions. I definitely plan to read more of his books in the future, and I would recommend this book to anyone who can read!

Debbie Lee Wesselmann has written a masterful novel. One so full of riddles and subterfuge, you wonder how such an imagination could come to be. This author has it all, intellect, superb mastery of the written page, and a keen insight into the workings of the kind of mind that you or I could not even imagine.

Michelle Trutor comes to New Hampshire to escape a life of physical and mental abuse. She loves "Ted" so, but she knows if she stays with him in their home in Boston she will surely die. The life of an abused woman is brought to life in this novel. We can surely understand what keeps a woman in the throes of such a man. Trutor as she likes to be called is going to be an assistant to help the man she calls the Balloonist and his family reclaim their rightful dues. In the process Trutor brings to life many of he secrets that have been kept hidden by Caroline. Caroline, the wily sister of the Balloonist and Proctor. Into this household come many strange people, some of them relatives, some of them looking for no-good and some of them wanting it all for themselves. All of the charscters in this novel stand alone in the depth of their intellect and surprising insights. Trutor alone, however, begins to grasp what the riddles are really about. The trips to Boston, Portsmouth, Oxford, the Colony all bring to fruition the reality of what Caroline's life has wrought. And, Trutor also delivers the best of people. We find in this strange household and town many loving and helpful strangers. Trutor is the heroine and she must, yes, she must have the Balloonist has her, well, I don't know ,maybe her lover? There are so many twists and turns in this novel I can't and won't betray any of the secrets. They are mine to keep. I helped solve them in my reading, AHA, you must read this also to find out what really happens, what is Caroline really up to? Why was she so strange and unloving?

A novel to bring you to laughter and to tears. Yes, Elvis Has Not Left The Building!
Heartily recommended. prisrb

Debbie Wesselman write another book!

I enjoyed the eccentric New England characters in 'Trutor and the Balloonist' but the real magic existed in the detailed painting of words that described New England. Like a jewel colored painting of autumn leaves New England shines bright in the pages of 'Trutor and the Balloonist'. Filled with wonderful writing that was perfection. Some writers' give an air that is above the reader but Debbie Wesselman invites you into this eccentric world with her words.

At first you think this is just another story of a woman escaping a terrible relationship but then the story turns to the one character that has no direct words in the book: Caroline Wharton. So much of the character development of Caroline Wharton is second hand and that was compelling. What a wonder device to use with a character that is the object of everyone's obsession and she never speaks directly to us.

I could tell you all about the book but since it's a mystery you should read it yourself. Debbie Wesselman takes you on an intriguing journey of theft, fraud, lies, and self-discovery while her characters Trutor and the Balloonist search their own hearts for personal peace. You'll find it all in this book: art, wonderful characters, riddles of life, and a character that you too will be come obsessed.

I got the distinct feeling Caroline Wharton existed in more than Debbie Wesselman's book. Usually that longing need to know more doesn't exist in a lot of fictional characters. Debbie Wesselman tells us just enough to want more.

girldiver:)

If ever a book cried out to be re-released in trade paperback format, to be made available for under fifteen dollars, this is it. I browse the shelves of Target all the time (can't help it, my sister works there) and I see so many inferior works. I don't know who picks 'em and I should, as I was sort of raised in the entertainment business, but I suppose the music business and the book business are very different, but maybe they're not, because I've seen some great bands sink into oblivion for reasons that made no sense to me.

In the case of "Trutor" I see that some very reputable reviewers have reviewed it and given it high marks. So why oh why have the powers that be at MacAdam/Cage dropped the ball? I don't get it. I've been to their website, they've got gobs of books on their backlist available in trade paper. This book deserves a second life and let me tell you, if they took a chance on "Trutor", did what I said, re-released it in paper, this delightful story would fly off the shelves with only just a little bit of promotion. Because in the end it's all about the story and this is a story so sublime, so engrossing, with characters quaint and quirky, who will live on in your imagination long after you've put the book on the shelf.

You know, dear reader, this could be a chance for you to cast a positive vote for something with your pocketbook. Put "Trutor and the Balloonist" in your shopping cart and take it to the check out. I know it's expensive for a book that's been around since the last millennium and I know it's not being discounted, but it's worth the price, really it is.

Reviewed by Stephanie Sane

I stumbled upon this title and after savoring the final chapters, not wanting it to end, I feel incredibly lucky. This novel has everything I crave: Plot, mystery, well-drawn, eccentric characters, RIDDLES, history, art, lyrical and descriptive prose. I was transported to New England while following the unfolding story of Caroline Wharton as discovered by the somewhat reluctant biographer, Michelle Trutor.

Through her main character, Debbie Lee Wesselmann paints Trutor's subject as an "intellectual enigma" and the owner of souls. As she unravels the "sticky web" left behind by Caroline, a woman who committed suicide and virtually imprisoned her family (the "Balloonist," Arthur, and his twin brother, Proctor, and their niece, Roberta) in a former mortuary, she offers riddles that one can't help but try to solve before reading further. The clever riddles pull you through this fascinating story of complicated relationships.

Because of a convoluted will and a watchful attorney, Trutor was the only one who had access to the clues Caroline had left behind, which included her personal journals. I particularly enjoyed the journal entries, which intimately portray the creative and multifarious soul that was Caroline Wharton. My favorite entry: "I spent hours reading today here in the Botanical Gardens before I felt the need to write myself: the small leap from someone else's words to my own like a garden shading from lavender to deep purple."

Deep purple indeed. This novel deserves the royal treatment and my highest recommendation.

Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.

A long time ago, when Johnny Carson, Truman Capote and Jacqueline Susanne were still alive, Truman and Jackie were guests on the Tonight Show. Truman was first, talked about one of his books, I don't remember which one. He did his bit, told a few jokes, they went to commercial, then Jackie came out. She was promoting her new book, THE LOVE MACHINE, but before she got a chance to say anything, Truman piped up with something like:

"When I start to read a good book, I might spend an hour on the first paragraph, longer if it's really good. I can take up to a week on a fair book, a month on a good book and a really good book could take me up to a year, as I savor every word, enjoy every thought." Then he turned to Jackie and said, "I read THE LOVE MACHINE in twenty minutes."

The audience burst out laughing, Johnny too, Jackie as well. She was a good sport. And you know, I liked her book, but Jackie's book isn't the subject of this review, Debbie Lee's is and if she would have been on that show way back then, instead of Jackie, and if she'd've handed a copy of TRUTOR AND THE BALLONIST off to Truman, he wouldn't have had enough time left in his life to finish it.

Mr. Capote graced this planet for many years after that and he'd've spent many a long night savoring and enjoying this book, only to pass away without knowing whether or not Michele Trutor finishes her biography of Caroline. He would've gone to his maker wondering if Debbie Lee's batch of humorous and very real misfits ever come to terms with her, her life, her forgeries. He'd've missed out on Halloween in Derbysville, on Roberta's not so very good meals, on riddles that will tickle any mystery lover, on oh so much that this book has to offer.

They would have shoveled an unfulfilled Truman into the ground with one of Debbie Lee's riddles still pinging around in a brain that would have refused to die. Truman's ghost would have become legendary, haunting the library nearest to where he expired, refusing to cross over to the other side, still wanting to savor each and every sentence in this masterpiece of a novel.

Well you know what, I've read Truman Capote. He was a masterful writer, a dealer in prose extraordinaire, and I'm telling you now and I'm telling you true, Truman would have loved this book as much as I do, as much as you will if you give it a chance.

It took them 30 years but they are back together again, all grown up, married, widowed, divorced and grown children. They find their way back together again. A must have it you have read The Cheerleader and Snowy.

A real keeper. You won't want to let anyone borrow your copy! I couldn't wait to read this and it was totally enjoyable. Snowy is as real as your best girlfriend in high school. I feel like I know every one of these people. The descriptions of ordinary day to day events is Ruth Doan Macdougall's forte. Make sure you read the other tow books of the trilogy first and you won't want to put any of them down. I read each of them again and again.

I have been a long-time lover of The Cheerleader and Snowy and have been waiting for this third book of the series. When I clicked on Amazon this morning to find a new book to read and saw that this was available, I just about flipped, lol. I didn't hesitate to order and now cannot WAIT until it arrives to see what Snowy, Bev, Puddles and the rest of the gang are up to next!!

Like all Ruth Doan MacDougall's other books, HENRIETTA SNOW is a delicious page turner. It would not be fair to readers to give away any of the plot twists and turns of the third book in MacDougall's trilogy (HENRIETTA SNOW follows SNOWY, which in turn follows THE CHEERLEADER), but as MacDougall's heroine Snowy and the people in her life advance all too quickly toward late-middle age, we are impressed once again by MacDougall's strong and abiding sense of place, her meticulous writer's craft, her evocative descriptions, and her encyclopedic attention to detail. MacDougall has been compared to Jane Austen. The comparison is sound; for both, it's all in the gossipy details of what makes people tick.

I am a huge fan of THE CHEERLEADER, so I naturally approach its sequels with a combination of excitement and trepidation -- and I was astounded by how much I loved HENRIETTA SNOW. It is an *amazing* book! We get to spend lots of time with the characters we fell in love with in THE CHEERLEADER: Bev, Tom, Dudley, Puddles -- they're all here, in great and glorious detail, as well as the Twins, Rita, Joanne . . . everyone! (Diane Morrissette! Norm Noyes!) Oh! And Harriet, too! This is a CHEERLEADER fan's dream book, answering almost every "What if...?" and "What ever happened to...?" question we could have had. But more than just an extended reunion with characters I adore, the story itself is fabulous -- I laughed, I sobbed, I was on the edge of my seat, and, at about 1:00 a.m., when it became clear that I was not going to be able to put this book down until I'd read every word, I cursed Ruth Doan MacDougall for being so darned addictive!!! It is simply a marvelous book, and I can't wait to forget it a little bit so that I can read it all over again (and probably stay up all night this time as well -- darn you, Mrs. MacDougall!). What a great and wonderful treat for people like me, who've loved Snowy for decades now. I can't praise this book highly enough.

This was the first May Sarton book I read. I admit I had never heard of her and am not sure where I picked the book up. I now own a few of her works and will be buying more. This is a wonderful look at the life of a writer, a woman, who buys an older home in an isolated area, and starts a new chapter in her life. She immerses herself in the solitude in order to write, and to bring together different aspects of her life. The title is very appropriate as she talks a lot about gardening and plants AND dreams and hopes. I have passed this on to a friend to enjoy.

This book is about the author's first home purchase in Nelson, N.H. May Sarton does an excellent job telling about her first home purchase by herself, living alone in a small town, the joys and therapies of gardening. If you have never read May Sarton and you are a lover of reading, writing and solitude, you must read this author.

I don't know who reads May Sarton nowadays (hopefully at least students are still imbibing) for hers is a chosen art beholden to stillness and its plenitude, and we know the short shrift given to reflection in an oversized disposable culture. I do know that everything she's written holds magical lessons for every writer - her poems and journals are steeped in subtle lessons of patience, fearlessness and conscience. Plant Dreaming Deep (a title intended both as admonition and hopeful reflection) is a masterpiece. Part memoir, journal, survival guide, it's a kind of holy book for seekers searching the scrub of rocks and weeds. Sarton's intrepid gift has always been to secure for us the infinite contained in the small and unnoticed, to plant within the careful reader a kind of loving understanding to bloom unexpectedly farther on down the road, easing the load even as it deepens the search. Above all else, hers is an enlightening art that cannot lead astray. Quietly artful black and white photographs (of house and garden and friends - most by Lotte Jacobi and Eleanor Blair) are among the treasure found in the 1983 Norton paperback edition I own. Sarton's voice never fails; it's always rich and reasonable and true. It's easy to surmise that she's a overlooked writer, but if you really want what you're looking for, read May Sarton. Once born inside you, she's faithful to the end.

When you need to take a deep breath and destress, pick up this book. Sarton has a rich understanding of the rhythm of nature and lives often in harmony with it...and she will inspire you to do the same.

This is the first May Sarton book I ever read.

In this journal Sarton describes buying and moving into an 18th century broken-down house on thirty-six acres in a small New Hampshire village.

She chronicles for us the many varied emotions and pressures involved with getting the house repaired and renovated to her liking.

She describes moving in and then adapting (both as a writer and as a human being) to the solitude of living there alone.

She describes her relationships with many of the people (some of whom are unusual characters) that she comes to know living in Nelson.

She does very well in communicating all the sensory impressions that she experienced living right in the heart of nature and the outdoors.

I read it a chapter a day so that I could allow it to sink in slowly.

All chapters seemed well-paced (and not too long nor too short) and I didn't get bored anywhere along the way.

As a writer Sarton seems to have a nice gentle natural writing style.

I liked this (my first Sarton book) so much that I intend to read much more of her work.

I recommend this journal to you.

I have three books in my cabin. The Holy Bible, The Complete Walker, and The White Mountain Guide. They are all you need.

You may rail against some of the trail descriptions after finishing a bruising hike that had not been described as such in the Guide.Many breathtaking views are described matter-of-factly. Still, no serious New England hiker, beginner or fanatic, should be without the AMC's White Mountain Guide. It is unmatched for thoroughness and save for a few gaffes, accuracy. Moreover, unlike the also fine "50 Hikes" series by Backcountry Publications or "New England Hiking" by Michael Lanza, the AMC Guide leaves enough unsaid to allow for the best kind of discovery - your own on the trail. There is more than adequate information, though, for planning and safety. I have only two complaints stemming from unfortunate changes made in the most recent addition: (1) the book is larger and no longer fits neatly into a backpack - an odd choice for a hiking book; (2) southern New Hampshire hikes, many fine half day choices, are now covered in a separate book, the "Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide." Despite the AMC's tinkering with what wasn't broken, the AMC Guide still serves the N.H. White Mountain hiker better than any other book.

I just returned from my first trip to the White Mountains, and this book was the best thing I took with me. I stuck to day-hikes only, and found the information in the book to be the most helpful guide I had. The beginning gives an overview of the region, and tips for anyone planning to hike in the White Mountains. I'm glad I bought the book before I arrived, so I was able to make sure I had the necessary equipment to keep me safe and comfortable on my hikes. Experienced hikers may not need the advice, but novice hikers and those not accustomed to the perils of hiking above the treeline will appreciate it.

The rest of the book is devoted to trail descriptions. Lots of them. Although I carried the book and the maps with me on every hike, I found the information was most useful when I was planning my hikes. Once I found the trails (with the help of the guide), they were so well marked that I didn't need to consult the maps. I also used the maps throughout my trip, even when I wasn't hiking. I didn't need to purchase a road map since everything I needed was included.

After I had hiked a trail or two, I learned to "interpret" the descriptions, and figure out what would be the challenging sections of trails. The description of the first hike I choose didn't sound too tough, but I found myself hanging onto a boulder with only one hand and calling my husband back to help me. The description of this section is simply: "leaving the trees, it climbs over open rocks.." There are a few trails that come with serious cautions, such as the paragraph devoted to the Huntington Ravine Trail on the side of Mt. Washington.

The one odd thing lacking from the book is the fact that AMC operates shuttles that can take hikers down from the summit of Mt. Washington (for a fee, and providing the summit isn't closed to auto traffic). I descended on foot, but it seems strange that an AMC book overlooks an AMC service, especially since all of the other AMC operations are mentioned.

The book has a few suggested hikes for each area of the White Mountains, broken down into easy, moderate, and hard. Since this was my first visit, I stuck to these trails. I found them all to be enjoyable.

I can't wait to return, for more hiking. This book makes it possible. Anyone going to the area should purchase it prior to arriving, and keep it handy at all times.

i actually read this book for fun. my copy is extremely dogeared and annotated. it is my guide to life.

This is indeed the bible of White Mountains hiking, and is particularly recommended for anyone attempting a multi-day hike and/or a hike above treeline. Not much I can add to what others have said, except that for casual hikes and dayhikes you should really check out White Mountains Map Book of New Hampshire and Maine (Hiking Maps and Guides) by Steve Bushey, Angela Faeth (Illustrator), Steve Smith (Editor), which has a superb map and brief descriptions of the most popular day trails.

A superb novel that mixes the quest for 'the perfect meal' with the quest for 'the perfect life.' You can try for both but the journey not the end is it's own reward. Thought provoking and entertaining. Must read.

Besides being simply entertaining, Hunger will make you experience every emotion. You can FEEL the characters' sadness, their anger, their desire and passion. You will at times feel sympathy for Anna and then at other times want to wring her neck!! leaving you starving for the ending and her final decision about Michael and James.....

I am an avid readier and I was enthralled with this book. I was unable to put it down once I started reading it. "Hunger" completely captured my attention from the start. Anna Rossi, the title character was so interesting, so human. She came alive through the pages of this book. I felt that she was a friend that I wanted to talk to and offer support. I could relate to her conflict and her struggles. I envied the fact that she could pour herself into her cooking and that it was theraputic for her and such a gift to others.

I became emotionally involved in the story. I became Anna's cheerleader and wanted to see her succeed. I was angry with Michael and I could not grasp his way of dealing with everything.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys a great story that wraps itself around you from the start to the finish. Bottom-line this novel feeds your body and your soul.

The main character in Jane Ward's HUNGER, Anna Rossi, understands the sensuous nature of food as well as the nourishing properties of love. With lovely and adroit prose, the author serves us a compelling story of a woman in her early thirties assessing her life with a sometimes frightening dose of honesty. Her work as a food chemist and chef-in-training provides insight into all arenas of her life. An engrossing novel, it left me craving for more wonderful literature like this.

All Anna Rossi ever wanted from life was not to repeat her parents' bland inanimate existence. She thought when she married Michael that she found everything with him and through her love of cooking. However, after a few blissful years together, Anna finds herself in that same rut of her childhood that still haunts her today. Trying to put some flavor back into her marriage, Anna persuades Michael to go on vacation, but that only substantiates that they have nothing in common except a six-year-old child.

Deciding to start fresh, Anna leaves Michael to accept a job as a cooking assistant. She soon has an affair with her chef-boss even as Michael pleadingly asks her to return to him in his letters. Confused, Anna finally must decide between Michael and cooking even as her mother suffers a debilitating stroke, making her decision much easier to accept.

HUNGER is an adult coming of age tale starring a frustrated and bewildered individual seeking happiness and solace in life. Readers will react to the demoralized Anna with mixed feelings as they will sympathize with a great to say you are finally getting a life vs. wanting to shout to her to be an adult already. Though Anna over-muses at times, Jane Ward has written a tale that will provide much enjoyment to those readers who relish an intriguing personal crisis.

Harriet Klausner

this book was excellent. informing readers of the tragedy of that cold day in January in 1986 when Space Shuttle Challenger exploded killing all 7 on board. for me, it taught me a lot about the disaster and the months leading up to it. i was born in 1986, 9 months after the explosion and until recently, i had no knowledge of it. then i heard that the first teacher to go into orbit was on that flight and she had 2 kids and a husband, it prompted me to read this book. at first glance, i thought, ok, they're going to tell me that she won a contest, she did some training, and she went up in the shuttle. but the author went in depth so much more and explained the hardships the children faced, after learning their mother would be gone for months at a time. and he explained the exhausting life Christa McAuliffe lived prior to lift-off. I reccommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good and fact-filled book now and then. and for those of you who witnessed the explosion 14 years ago, that should make this book all the more important to you. email me comments or suggestions: rogcha_22@hotmail.com

In the book" I Touch the Future..The Story of Christa McAuliffe"we the readers get to have a closer look at the Challenger tragedy and see just what a tragedy it truly was. Anyone who saw the disaster as it happened probably already had developed an interest in Christa McAuliffe because she was an ordinairy person doing something most of us will never do,and mourned her death.But for those of us who are to young to remember the explosion and the loss of the Challenger crew,( I was only about three years old when it happened) we have to rely on books and old news segments to tell us about this tragedy, and I would have to recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Challenger and Christa McAuliffe. Robert T. Hohler shows the reader all about Christa's training ,homelife and also a clearer view about what her crewmates were like, something we know almost nothing about. I only wish the author could've wrote the biographies of all of Challenger's passengers as well.Read this book so you won't be like me: Not knowing anything about such an important part of history until it's victims had been dead for a decade.

This book by Robert Hohler is a well-written, very personal look at the life of a very special woman whom most of us only had a chance to know from a distance. From her childhood to the last few days of her life, Christa McAuliffe was constantly giving gifts of love, insight, advice, friendship and understanding to her family, friends, and students, and the last few months of her life to the rest of the world as well. I Touch The Future gives us all a chance to realize what a huge loss we were dealt on January 28, 1996. If only someone would write equally good biographies of the rest of the Challenger astronauts, we could all realize the full extent of this tragedy.

This book is one of many that have touched the hearts of millions with the life of a historical role model. From the day of her birth to the day of the fatal teacher-in-space flight, this book shows the climaxes and downfalls of Christa McAuliffe's wonderful life. We find that through tough childhoods, even the most ordinary person can turn into the most respected role model in the nation. I suggest reading this book if you were at all inspired or touched by the 1986 space shuttle tragedy. You will always remember her touching moments as a child, her fantasitic teaching career for the future of many kids, and her sad ending of her young life. Please read this book as a motion of kindness and rememberance for this wonderful role model for thousands.

Having experienced the disaster as a middle school student, I have only just begun to research Christa and her glorious rise as an educational icon. As someone who aspires both to be an astronaut and a teacher, I wept at the epilogue. Simply put, Christa was far from normal and average--she worked herself very hard and never seemed to complain.

Hohler did her justice in this chronicle of Christa's final field trip. It should be required reading of all students who wish to make something of their lives.

A gem! I loved eating at the Loaf & Ladle in Exeter, NH and am so glad to have found these recipes of much beloved dishes.

I've used this cookbook since the 80's. I don't even know if the restaurant is still open, but she has great recipes for soups, breads and desserts. Plain, simple, easy to make and delicious. The very definition of homemade. I used to use the recipes for my own sandwich shop over 20 years ago. I lost my original copy and just bought it again, used. It has a divine recipe for chocolate sheet cake with cream cheese icing ever. Highly recommend. My other favorite cookbook for easy homemade is Woodbine Cottage, another New Hampshire restaurant.

I am one of those fortunate souls who received the book as a gift from reviewer John Stone about eight years ago. Imagine my delight when finding his words here as I contemplated buying the Loaf and Ladle Cookbook as Christmas gifts for several friends. He's right, it's wonderful - a classic of simplicity and a trusted friend. What fun to find Martha's Company Casserole, which I received from my sister in our 1960s newlywed days and thought was a treasured family recipe from her in-laws. Here it is called Bob's Casserole, but it has stood the test of time. And who but Joan Harlow could inspire me to combine apples and cabbage for an Apple Slaw that has been the hit of numerous potlucks?
I heartily recommend this book for all cooks, whether skilled or rank beginners.

An easy to follow book of bread, soup and casserole recipes. Many useable recipes. I have been to the restaurant several times and would go more often if it were closer to home. I was suprised to see that they don't sell the book in the restaurant.

I went to prep school in the town that this restaurant "lives in" - and live, it does. I've given this book to many people - having eaten there every Saturday from age 14 to 18, and having loved the food. Whenever I get back there, I go there, and always get Joan's hearty and yummy food. These recipes are easy to execute for someone who's not the most professional of chefs, and never fail to taste good. I love any cookbook that's not afraid to call for Real-lemon - when that will do just fine..... or, one that starts a recipe out with "catch a good fish". The soups are wonderful and easy - and the breads are also great - I use a bread machine to knead the dough, raise the bread and then bake it in pans or free form....comes out wonderfully. Stews, soups and breads - what more could one want? A big test of how well I like a cookbook is how many stains it has on the pages (lots) and how many people I've shared it with/given it to (also lots).

Allen Schoen and Pam Proctor bring us a rich, detailed spectrum of ways in which love, intuition and complementary/ alternative therapies can help animals small and large. This book is rich in anecdotes and reports of healings on physical, psychological and spiritual levels for animals with these approaches after conventional veterinary care had exhausted its potentials to help. Schoen integrates acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal remedies in his practice.

This is a truly wholistic book, addressing body, emotions, mind, relationships and spirit - both of the animals who were helped and of their owners.

Schoen illustrates his work with many heartwarming stories of his challenges and adventures with animals and their owners.

A typical example is Schoen's description of how he nursed a wild hawk who was paralyzed from the neck down following injuries from a power line. Schoen found ways to tame and heal this wary creature so that it could recover, eventually returning to his wilderness home. As with many of his animal patients, Schoen found himself learning and growing in the process of his ministrations.

" ...no creature can remain forever closed to the healing power of love. I knew that if I could establish an intimate relationship with a bird of prey, I could communicate with any animal, no matter how distant or fearsome it might appear to be. All I would need was a sensitivity of spirit, a willingness to open myself nonjudgmentally to a dimension of reality where feathers, fur, skin, scales, or hair are stripped away - and where the only language is love.

"Hawkeye had his freedom, and now I had mine. He had given me my wings, and I was ready to soar." (p. 71)

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning about ways of healing that extend beyond conventional veterinary care.

I am twelve years old, and have great dreams of being a vet some day. I always like to read vet books, and when I found this one at the library I was amazed, it look awsome. I read it, and thought it was even better. I am now looking to purchase a copy, one for me, and one for Nina,(a friend of mine) and one for Kendra(another friend). I think that this is an awsome book, and if you haven't read it you should.
Allan tells wonderful tales of his life as a vet, and the absured treatments that he used. Nothing was too absured, he even untwisted the cow when he couldn't untwist the uterous! He also uses acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
I don't have a pet:(, but if I did I would want a vet like Allan to take care of it for me.

Dr. Schoen has once again succesfully captured the attention of his readers with a warm yet informative account on the veterinary experience. His years of medical expertise and devotion to his field add to the composition of his book. Flavored with plenty of heart-felt emotions, his tales of his animal companions really remind Us, as humans, what it is to care for another living creature. Dr. Schoen effectively conveys his numerous veterinary experiences, and even manages to shed some Western thought on the ancient, Eastern art of acupuncture.

DR. SCHOEN IS AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL. IT WAS AMAZING TO READ MY OWN BELIEFS IN PRINT. THE FEELINGS I HAVE ABOUT ANIMALS AND THEIR ABILITIES ARE THE EXACT PRINCIPLES BY WHICH DR. SCHOEN PRACTICES. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY ANIMAL LOVER. I RECEIVED IT FOR CHRISTMAS AND FINISHED IT CHRISTMAS NIGHT. IT IS TRULY A TREASURE

A mixture of tender stories and practical advice. I've read the book many times and with each reading, I'm always moved to try a little harder to communicate with my pets. Great book. Wish I had a vet like this.