United States Books

Bravo! This book should be in every teacher's professional library! The world we live in today exposes children to the many ugly sides of humanity. Too often the people they look up to and aspire to become are not worthy of their devotion. Dennis Deneberg and Lorraine Roscoe have presented kids with an opportunity to meet real heroes. I use this book each year to define what it means to be a hero and to help 5th graders look beyond "famous" to see quality of character. This book inspires children to the best! Thank you Dennis and Lorraine! I am ready for the next edition!

Great Book --- I love the way it is written. It gives the reader not only information about a wonderful variety of American Heroes but asks questions about how the reader might be challenged to a higher standard. I'm looking forward to introducing my grandson to this book. I'm sure he will find many heroes in the book that he will want to find out more about.

As a 5th grade teacher in a mostly rural area, this book has allowed my students to get to know so many different American heroes. I was so impressed with the book myself, that I read the whole book cover to cover in one night! I have had parents of my students ask if their child could bring the book home so they (the parents) could read it and enjoy it as well. Our school wrote a grant in order to purchase about 50 copies of the book and it was probably some of the best money our district has ever spent! I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages - it's a gem!

My New Year's resolution..one of them, is to read more with and in front of my children. I brought this book home and read to them one or two of the figures. They LOVED it. We read from it almost every night now. They fight over who gets to pick the figure we read about and actually ask me to go and get it. It's really nice that they are learning about older historical figures but also recognize some of the faces they are reading about. I try to make my kids understand that great people are not born that way they are normal people who aspire to greatness. This is a great way to teach them that and then some!!

50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet is a wonderful book. The sections on each hero are concise, informative and up-to-date, especially for the heroes that are still alive. Includes heroes that are not new in history but usually are not included in publications. Excellent book for history classes in elementary grades.

I love this book, it has to be my favorite book of all time. Abby is the new girl in town and she moved her from Long Island with her mom and twin sis, Anna.

Anyways Abby is made to write a bio about her life for English. I seriously think this is the best one out of the Portrait Collection. Abby is so down to earth, humorous, and down right honest it's hard not to like her.

There are painful siturations in the book such as the details of her father's death, and the way she and her family handled it. It was with such honestly, you felt for Abby really bad espeically if you lost someone you truly and honestly love.

The hightlights of the book were whenever her family decided to go to Florida for Winter Break, and they althrough started out in seperate ways, but ended up retelling their favorite holiday stories, and creating new ways to celebrate the holidays together as a new family.

If you haven't read this book you should have. You will not be dissappointed. The way the book was written you find it hard not to like Abby especially after all the tragic situration her and her family had to endure, makes her a winner in all levels.

This book was so sad, it went into alot of detail about Abby's dad's death and how her mum never really gets over it (well, thats my impression) and how and how she went through everything. You really start to feel bad for Abby in the end! Read it if you like serious books, but not if you dont!

This book is the best, since Abby's the best baby-sitter! I really miss her in the new series, Friends Forever! I wish that there was a real person like Abby, so I could meet her! Please write some more regular BSC books, Ann, I really miss Abby!

Abby is, without question, my favorite member of the BSC series. (Yes, folks, the BSC has a following of ALL ages). Abby is smart, funny, wonderfully clever and gifted with natural expression. She's great! I like the way she tells her story in a tone of unflinching honesty and the part about the deep bond she and her dad have is classic. I also loved the way Abby's twin, Anna used musical terms to name the chapters of her version of their lives together. The sisters balance one another well. Abby is a very distinct personality and she is sorely missed in the new series. I wish Ann M. Martin would bring her back. Abby rocks!

The book has some parts which are funny and sad. Abby tells us how she was born and how she lived on Long Island.

Anyone who is interested in the Civil War has to read this book. All for the Union is the diary of Elisha Hunt Rhodes and covers the four years that he spent in the Union army. Entry by entry, the reader can watch Rhodes go from an enthusiastic young man, to hard, weary soldier. Appalled by the death and destruction early in the book, by the end, laying down to sleep between the dead and dying barely justifies a comment. A wonderful read.

It isn't easy to find quality diaries written so well from the Civil War sometimes; although this book will rank with in the top 10. Popularized and quoted often in Ken Burn's Civil War series on PBS, Rhodes' book about his life as a soldier come to life. Rhodes brings the excitement and patriotic fervor of being a new recruit in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry early in the war. This patriotic spirit never dies through out his writing. Many times he writes about the daily hardships such as bad weather, sickness and death while always falling back on the duty to ones country and the saving of the union. Rhodes' duty carries him many engagements where death lingers around every corner. Battles such as Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg are just a few that this man witnessed and wrote about firsthand. Rhodes' was really an ideal soldier and loved the life. He started the war as a private and by the end of it was a colonel. Many people would benefit from reading this book be it a historian or beginner looking to further understand soldier life in the Civil War.

If you are interested in more than big names and big battles this book is well worth reading. Elisha Hunt Rhodes shares his experiences from his enlistment as a boy having never been away from home until his mustering out as a man having earned the rank of Col. He writes in an honest straight forward manner about every aspect of daily life. His strong belief in duty, sense of right and wrong and his ever important sense of humor show in everything he writes. He's an optimist that made it through the war with all these attributes intact. Thankfully for us he kept this diary so that we can understand a little more about life during the Civil War.

Whie the Army of the Potomac suffered the usual soldier hardships we also have to realize these soldiers suffered some very bad generals in comparison to the Army of the Tennessee. We see the participants sense of this in the memoir. It is best placed in the heirarchy of the Civil War memoirs it must be placed beside Sam Watkins's "Co. Aytch." High praoise indeed.

We have works on the Civil War written by generals (e.g., the memoirs of Ulysses Grant and James Longstreet) and other officers (E. P. Alexander, Moxley Sorrell). However, equally valuable is the view from the bottom, by the foot soldiers. From the Confederate side, the paradigm example is Sam Watkins, "Company Aytch". From the Union side, Elisha Hunt Rhodes fills the bill. He rose through the ranks, and his diaries and letters provide a first-hand, ground-level view of the war in the east. As the Introduction by one of his descendants notes (Page xv): "He participated in every campaign of the Army of the Potomac from Bull Run to Appomattox with rapid promotions up to the rank of colonel in 1865."

Incidents are described plainly and with an eye from the front. On pages 15 and following, he describes the march to Bull Run, the state of the troops, the weariness experienced on that march. Then, the battle itself and aftermath are described in an economical manner. Here and after, his observations of fellow soldiers and officers is most useful, giving the reader a sense of what he was perceiving.

On pages 106 and following is his description of his regiment's (2nd Rhode Island) and his corps' (VI Corps under General John Sedgwick) march to and role at Gettysburg. While the corps arrived late, its uniting with the rest of the Army of the Potomac was a great morale boost for the Union forces, as this Corps was the largest in the northern army, bringing it to full strength at this bloody conflict.

Then, his description of the bloody battle at the Wilderness, where he took the measure of Grant, after vicious fighting. In his diary on May 7th, 1864, he noted (page 138): "If we were under any other General except Grant I should expect a retreat, but Grant is not that kind of soldier, and we feel that we can trust him." In that phrase, he captures nicely the bulldog tenacity of Grant as a General, and identifying what was different from him compared with other commanders of the Army of the Potomac.

His rendering the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, where General Phil Sheridan jousted with Jubal Early's forces is is insightful. He speaks of the classic surprise assault on the Union position while Sheridan was off consulting with Washington. The surprise attack rolled up the Union lines for a time, although the VI Corps held pretty well. His description of Sheridan's role is interesting, as his simple coda for this indicates (page 185): "Hurrah for Sheridan!"

And, finally, these lines (page 221): "Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men! Thank God Lee has surrendered and the war will end soon." Thus, his response at Appomattox Court House.

As with Sam Watkins' observations, so, too, with Rhodes'. These observers provide a valuable and insightful perspective on the war from the ground level. Well recommended for those interested in the soldier's view of the Civil War.

Authors Jerry Sprout and Janine Sprout have explored the Sierra Nevada for more than twenty years; Alpine Sierra Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Ski, Bike, Fish, Drive from Tahoe to Yosemite is the culmination of their combined experience. Written for families and veteran hikers alike, Alpine Sierra Trailblazer covers 88 different trailheads suitable for assorted levels of experience, 51 cross country ski and snowshoeing spots, 72 places ideal for fishing in lakes and rivers or creeks, 6 driving tours, 148 black-and-white photographs, 7 maps, and much more. Organized primarily by site - each ideal location to visit is listed successively, along with notes about its highlights and extensive directions - Alpine Sierra Trailblazer is an excellent supplementary resource for anyone seeking to see Sierra Nevada's natural beauty and wonders for themselves.

My first visit to Lake Tahoe last week and not knowing where to go I picked up this travel guide. Off trail and on trail the seepsprings were alive with yellows, blues, oranges and it's only going to get better. Some of the hikes at the higher elevations are still snowbound but there are plenty of listings around the lake to keep me going. The list of dayhikes in this book is staggering and since it's written by locals has real credo. You can't beat all the clean air up at Big Blue.

Since I live downslope from Yosemite and Tahoe I consider it my backyard recreation area. Cross country ski trails, hiking trails, trails bordering the Great Basin, they're all in here. I like to fish and this serves as my river guide too. It's very user friendly and has a real personal touch. These guys are trail experts and list all the good ones and those less traveled. My son and his wife have gone to Hawaii with their Kauai book and tell me it's also a winner.

This is the third guide we've used in this outdoor series. The Kauai and Golden Gate books have become mainstays in our hiking collection. I like their system for organizing their activities according to region and this one follows the same format. It spans the area from Yosemite's Tioga Pass, takes in Ebbetts and Monitor and Carson passes and covers south Lake Tahoe's turf. This is the author's home base and they certainly have the credentials for knowing all the best trails and sightseeing backroads.

There aren't many adventure guides that feel as personal or are multi-use like this one. We cross country ski, fish, hike, camp and mountain bike so for our family it's a perfect fit.

Two books you most definitely need if you're hanging out at Tahoe is this one and the Tahoe Rim Trail guide. This area has some of the best hiking in the western U.S. We found both books to be extremely current and clearly written.

So far we've used them for both dayhiking and and overnight backpacking trips up at the north end of Lake Tahoe and due south around Carson Pass. Having two to compare has given us extra ideas for sidetrips. We're a family of four and have gotten alot of use from these top notch trail resources.

I received this book for my 10th birthday from my parents, many years ago. At the time, I was very impressionable and this book made a significant impact on my life. I learned then that what we as fallible humans consider to be "imperfect" according to our standards of ignorance and bias is usually the most precious of all things to God.

Now, I have a two-year-old son with Down Syndrome and I can relate in so many ways to this book. As I look back over my life and various correlating events that have taken place, I see that God was preparing me to be the mother of a special needs child all along. And it all started with this one little book.

I doubt even Dale Evans knew how much this little book would touch lives. It was published in 1953 and my 6th grade teacher read the book to all of us in her class years later. Of course, we were all Dale and Roy's fans so we could not wait until the next day when she read another chapter. It is one book that I have read over and over again. It is amazing how Dale got Robin's message which was told from her point of view. If you want to read a book that is life touching, then read "Angel Unaware". The Bible verse from Hebrews is still my favorite verse.

I bought this as a present for my wife and it moved both of us to tears. Wonderful.

I first read this book shortly after I learned to read, at my grandparents house. The book was hardcover with a pink cover page.

Every time I went to my grandparents I would reread the book.

This book will bring tears to your eyes, and it shows that you are truly not alone.

Karen

A brief story of a child with Downs Syndrome, born to Dale Evans & Roy Rogers, this story reaffirms the obvious...God makes no mistakes, & uses all things to draw us closer to Him.

Interesting book really makes you think about self defense in todays world. I grew up with guns, hunting and target shooting so I might have a different perspective than most. Having a loaded gun readily accessable is a huge responsibility that can either save your life or ruin it forever.

If you even thought about owning a gun you should have this book. It is full of factual information regarding crime statistics, dos and don'ts regarding gun ownership and use. It is written by a women for women and I bought it for my wife but I read every page. I recommend it highly.

Larry C

Informative
Great to give your lady if you would like her to consider arming herself

Thoughtful, informative and written in simple language for the woman who has, or is intending to own/carry a concealed weapon.
Covers types of handguns, true life experiences, other means of self defense and consequences of using lethal force.

I bought it for her and she thought it was worthwhile. So much so I ordered some similar titles. These books aren't crazy. They're for women that refuse to be victims.

As one who can personally relate to the stories told by Schaeffer, I just couldn't put the book down. He cycles from view to view of multiple characters, fully examining the situations and events throughout the book. The multiple viewpoints don't lend themselves to individual favor, aka good and bad people, but more to the thoughts and actions you commonly wouldn't assosiate with people put in these situations.

Great book, very detailed and descriptive of events you wouldn't associate with a military enlistment.

I loved this book. Mr. Schaeffer is not only a very, very good writer, he also captures the feelings of an unlikely military family. I highly recommend this book for military and non military. If you are a military family, you will cry, we always do. If you are not, read it anyway, it's a good read.

I have read Schaeffer's Calvin Becker trilogy plus the book (title escapes me) written jointly with his son. Baby Jack starts out sounding written in one voice (Frank's) which I was finding a little disappointing. The author surprised me as he introduced new voices to further the story a definite new twist. I hesitate to say more for giving away the story. A must read for all families with sons and daughters in the military. It is also a must read for those of us who oppose the war in the Middle East to remind us at what cost we have the freedoms we have today.

Baby Jack

Todd Ogden, an acclaimed painter with works in museums around the world and a supposedly successful thirty-year marriage is living in and painting his two hundred year old house when his youngest son, Jack joins the Marines instead of going to college. Jack goes to Iraq and is killed. Baby Jack is the story of how his baby son is coped with by the baby's grandfather.

Recommended for fans of Frank Schaeffer

Gunner December 2007

This is an extraordinary book about the meaning of service and sacrifice. Given that we are at war, it is a book that "must be read" if we are to understand that the war is being fought by a very few and their loved ones. It is not a political polemic. It is the story of a young man who chooses to become a Marine and the profound impact of that choice.

Highly recommended.

The book was interesting although I do have to admit I wish there were better photos and close-ups in the book. Seemed to focus too much on the negative, hear say of this wonderfully talented gentleman. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the actor. It saddens me that his contributions have gone mostly unnoticed in the film industry. The proof is that there are hardly ANY DVD's or even VHS available of his best films? It would be fantastic if there were a film made today of this great actor, that is as long as it was as close to the real Mr Novarro as possible. I'm afraid it would focus too much on the negative, gossipy parts of his most private life.

This what saddens me when any person passes away, others can swoop in and destroy their reputations and if no living relatives are around to stop it. the story becomes gospel truth. Such an injustice.

The book is worth buying but lacks movie still, etc that most BIO's have.

Re: Krebsman comment:

In "Beyond Paradise," it is stated that Franklin was located just north of El Paso del Norte, not El Paso. (We're talking 19th century here.)

It says in the book that El Paso del Norte would be renamed "Ciudad Juarez" or "Juarez." Needless to say, Franklin would turn into (or become a part of) what is today known as "El Paso."

If silent movie star Ramon Novarro is remembered at all today, it is for two things: his starring role in the original film version of BEN-HUR and his brutal murder in 1968 by two alleged male hustlers. Andre Soares' biography of Novarro, BEYOND PARADISE, is intelligently written and sympathetic towards its subject. Novarro seems to have been a nice Mexican boy who was devoted to his family and his religion. He was also homosexual, which caused him a great deal of spiritual torment in a time when such things were not even mentioned among nice people. He had a rapid rise to stardom in the embryonic motion picture industry and was one of the few silent screen stars to survive the transition to talking pictures (despite his Spanish accent), when he played opposite Greta Garbo in the sound feature MATA HARI. But miscasting combined with a conflicting desire to become an opera singer brought about a slow decline and ultimate obscurity. He also became an alcoholic and, perhaps because of his homosexuality, a virtual recluse. This is a sad story.

There are some factual errors early in the book that made me doubt the accuracy of the other points in the book. For example, he says that Franklin, Texas is slightly north of El Paso when it is actually 300 miles to the East. However, he does set the record straight about the means of Novarro's death. In the 1975 book HOLLYWOOD BABYLON, Kenneth Anger states that Novarro choked to death when his art deco styled artificial phallus was stuffed into his mouth by his assailants. Soares gives the lie to this myth when he quotes official evidence that Novarro not only died from being bludgeoned to death, but that no such object was found among Novarro's possessions, nor did it ever exist.

The trouble I had with the book is that actor biographies are all fairly similar. After reading dozens of them over the years, I don't find most of them very interesting. The best parts of the book for me were the final chapters dealing with the murder and its aftermath. But for those who already have a keen interest in the silent movie era of Hollywood and are already familiar with the actors and directors of the period, BEYOND PARADISE could be compelling reading.

I bought this book at the behest of a friend and have since reread it twice. I am a severe critic of biographies, having read more than I can number. Happliy, Andre Soares' book is a well-written, intelligent and well-balanced account of the life of a man who was both complex and not always very smart in his choices. The book does what all good biographies SHOULD do: make you want to go out and find out more about the subject.

Among the many positive attributes to BEYOND PARADISE are:

* A balanced appraisal of Novarro's personal and professional strengths and weaknesses (this is a hopeless, gushing tome by a misguided fan)
* A willingness to analyze the facts without sensational exploitation of them
* Detailed research and substantive factual foundations
* A sincere (thought not always likeable) portrayal of Mr. Novarro
* A well researched documentation of the studio system that made and ultimately destroyed one of it's brightest stars who is, today, largely forgotten

I cannot recommend this book highly enough - it is one of the best biographies I have read in some years.

This is an incredibly riveting compelling read, and beyond being entertaining and informative, it's also a balanced thoughtful sensitive portrait of a fascinating human being and actor. Some celebrity biographies seem to have been written by people who can't stand their subject and some are written by people who are too in love with the subject to think clearly, but this one gives a nicely balanced account. We see here a man who was a very fine gifted talented actor, but who eventually became a has-been, for various reasons, who didn't always give his all to selecting the best projects because of his conflicting desire to have a career as an opera singer, and who was deeply torn over his genuine deep committment to his family, his Mexican roots, and his Catholic faith, and how he was also a gay man in a time and a society where that subject was strictly taboo. Even at the time of his murder by two young hustlers, gayness was still considered a psychiatric disorder. Because Ramon kept so much of his life private, this biography can't tell us everything about his personal life, but it is made clear he was:

A very talented actor (he was allowed more range and depth of roles than some of his other romantic leading man counterparts), a man who played to perfection a number of dream roles, most notably that of Judah Ben-Hur in the 1925 version of the screen adaptation of the General Lew Wallace novel, as well as starring with a number of great leading ladies;

A talented singer (even though his acting and singing careers conflicted multiple times and mutually hindered one another);

A devoted family man, deeply religious (he seriously wanted to enter a religious order at several points in his life), becoming the head of the household after his family immigrated to America, as the oldest surviving son in a family of originally twelve children, stepping into the shoes of his father, who had once been a successful dentist but became too ill to support his family during much of his life;

A good human being in spite of natural human flaws (such as his problems with drinking in his later years and several car accidents caused by his heavy drinking);

Someone who sometimes wasn't always the most agreeable person, as evidenced by when he was touring a play in England in the Thirties and getting catcalled by the audience who couldn't hear him, since Ramon had never learnt how to project his voice, being a screen and not stage actor, and actually stepped out of the play to catcall back, "Now, *I* can't hear *you*!"

Even though he is most remembered today for playing the title role in 'Ben-Hur' and for being murdered in his home on Halloween Eve 1968 by two young hustlers, which finally exposed to the public that which he had worked so hard to keep hidden and private (i.e., the fact that he was gay), he was so much more than either of those things, a deeply talented and flawed man. This biography truly does his life and character justice.

I started reading after lunch today, and couldn't put it down. The writing is compelling and real, and inspiring in so many ways.
I am grateful that Mr. Schimmel lived through it all, and even more grateful that his book enriches our lives by reminding us about what really matters. As a survivor myself, and having lost many relatives to cancer, the book had my emotions all over the place...but through it all, the humor prevails. I can't remember ever reading a book that had me laughing and crying at the same time.

This book is in my collection after seeing him on Conan, and it's going to get a lot more readings from here on out. It's a keeper.

Humor is a gift, and Robert Schimmel has the gift.

While some readers might think: "Cancer is no laughing matter", Schimmel's story shows how the use of laughter can lead a patient through the terror of cancer diagnosis and the devastating effects of treatment.

If you or someone you know has heard the dreaded words: "You have cancer", get this book. It's absolutely inspiring, and will help you to laugh through your tears.

Robert has been one of my favorite comedians since the mid 80s. This is a very touching book. It sounds cliche, but it'll make you laugh and it'll make you cry. Being one of the worlds top comedians he is really able to tackle such heavy topics in a amusing way.

Definitely a must read for anyone experiencing something similar or for any of his fans.

I remember Robert from the mid eighties and he has been my favorite stand-up since then. Robert keeps you rolling with laughter from cover to cover, and kept alot of people involved rolling throughout his ordeal.

CANCER ON $5 A DAY: HOW HUMOR GOT ME THROUGH THE TOUGHEST JOURNEY OF MY LIFE comes from a stand-up comedian who discusses her how humor got him through his battle with cancer. From his banter with nurses to his search for alternative options, CANCER ON $5 A DAY doesn't detract from cancer's seriousness - but it does offer a refreshing alternative to approaching it. Any health collection or general lending library needs this.

I loved Water for Elephants so much that I had to read about more elephants. This is a fast read but very worthwhile.

I loved being able to get the books so quickly and in topnotch condition especially since they were not available in local bookstores

This is the best pet story ever. It begins with a baby elephant whose life's destiny was altered several times, most noticeably when it crossed paths with Bob Norris. I rejoiced in the absolute miracles in this book, and really cried at the sad moments. But the ending was superb, and I was tempted to call Bob Norris and tell him myself how much I loved his story. I have never been more impressed by a relationship between a man and his pet than by this book. Bob Norris is a remarkable person. You will not regret buying this book!

I loved this book. My 7 year old loves elephants and although this is a bit over her reading level, I got it for her and ended up reading for myself. It is a wonderful story about a female elephant and her rescue from Africa, then her tales of growing up on a ranch out west in the U.S. It is a fascinating story about African elephant life, the rancher who adopted her, Texaco, Malboro, African politics, and circus life all rolled into the unusual story of an elephant named Amy. I had no idea elphants were socially such advanced creatures. Plus, I got so much information in such a quick and easy read. Thanks to Malcolm Macpherson for his well researched story.

The true story of Bob and his good natured Amy. It is a wonderful read for anyone who loves animals but Amy's story did not really end the way the book implies. Instead, Amy resides at Riddle's Elephant & Wildlife Sanctuary in Arkansas. I don't believe the author intentionally misleads the reader but I think the plans just fell through in the end and everyone decided it was best. I saw first-hand the excellent care and freedom she is given at Riddle's and approve whole-heartedly of the true ending.