AA Books

I've been a fan of his for many years, and if you've somehow managed to live in a cave so long that you don't know why, you could easily find out by reading this book. I've also read one of his later books, which I also enjoyed, but this is somehow much better. Not a whole lot in it that's new -- observations about getting older -- but the style is Cosby at his best. Skip the introduction by Alvin Poussaint, however. If any writing is more painful to read, I haven't had the misfortune to find it.

This is an excellent book for men and women to read who are really concerned about getting past middle age. It presents a humorous approach to accepting the reality of each birthday. I am still laughing from reading this novel. It's classic humor! I like the use of figurative language including the way the metaphors and similes come across in a comparative way. Cosby presented truth and facts about life in an acceptable manner with humor. This book tears down the closet walls and exposes the truth as a process of life. This is a great book to read!!!

This book is so funny, i could not contain myself, i started laughing in the library, i was eventually kicked out!! i have never looked more silly in my life but i walked out giggling and laughing. my roommate says he heard me laughing in my sleep. A graceful book, full of truths handed out as comic situations and dialogue, a must if you need to laugh. and who doesn't these days?

Book Review

TIME FLIES

It was out of curiosity that I picked up Bill Cosby's "Time Flies" from a second hand bookstore in downtown San Francisco. I knew him earlier as an actor in the series "I Spy". He starred opposite Robert Culp. I tried not to miss the show. Later in life I followed avidly his hit comedy series, "Cosby Show". Knowing him, I thought it must be a book of humour reminiscent of the old P G Woodhouse. But behind all the zaniness and hilarity, there is a sombre message: that growing old is a serious business and should not be taken too lightly. Cosby deals with a topical subject on reaching 50 and growing old gracefully. It is also a subject close to our nation.

Dr Alvin Poussaint, who wrote the introduction to Cosby's "Time Flies", rightfully observes that, "Growing old begins to concern most of us to some extent when we are in our fifties. But growing old gracefully, in good mental and physical health, is unnecessarily impeded by attitudes in our culture that devalue old age." The aged people need to adopt a positive approach to ageing and accept ageing as not only a physical process but also a state of mind. After all a person is as old as he feels rather than how old his actual age is. It is Mark Twain who said: "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

Cosby does not look at ageing from the viewpoint of social demographics or the socio-economic cost to a nation. He does not suggest policies and programmes that need to be designed or implemented to cope with a "greying" population. His is an anecdotal account of coping with growing age. Activities of living that seemed so obvious and effortless become pronounced and visible at age 50. One suddenly realises that the human machine is slowing down. As Cosby laments, "It seems that only yesterday I was fifteen and old people were people of forty, who were always going some place to sit down. And now I am doing the sitting....".How often old people have difficulty in remembering. Cosby recalls how with growing despair he began to hunt for the can of insect spray. He tells himself, "There is no point, of course, in also hunting for your mind: it is permanently lost". He later finds it on his desk only after drifting back upstairs.

Cosby deals with the many day-to-day predictable encounters faced by him with sensitivity, purpose and self-deprecating wit and humour. The events seem so real and their familiarity are quite comforting as if some of them had just happened to you a week before. Any person in his fifties can identify the situations. Cosby faces failing eye- sight and quips on his need for trifocals. He becomes conscious of his weight and the battle he has to keep away from fried egg-sandwiches and buttermilk pancakes. I could not help laughing under my breath when he describes his battle with his belt and growing mid- riff. "No matter what size belt is strangling you, there are times when it will disappear under a roll of dough", he observes. How true it is with some of us.

Maybe the climax of all his ins and outs of coping with growing old is his anxiety on going to bed. He says:

"A man of my age comes home late from the office, has dinner, takes a shower, ignores a few bills, and finally makes it into bed. Discovering another person in that bed, and dimly aware that this person is a different sex, he starts to make his move.
`Not tonight', says his wife.
And the man rolls over with a smile.
Thank you very much, he silently says.
His heart had not been in the mood, or any other part. All he wanted really to do was to go on record."

Cosby's treatment of his experiences is personalized to the extent that one feels that he is talking about them to a convivial group of friends in a neighbourhood coffee house. The language is simple, lucid and chatty. It makes for easy reading and one can probably finish the book at one sitting.

I would recommend the book to any causal reader who is probably seeking a quick anecdote for his transient depression.

K.V.Veloo

Bill Cosby is a very perceptive man. In "Time Flies", he makes his observations about getting old. Much like "Fatherhood", this book is laugh out loud funny. This is a great read for young and old.

Bill Cosby's has a gift for writing quality comedy. "Times Flies" focuses on several facets of growing old. One of the funniest chapters addresses the complications of adjusting to bifocals. As a former wearer of bifocals, I had a great appreciation of Cosby's view. As somebody that has dietary issues, I also had a great appreciation of his perspective of dieting. Other sections deal with changes in your body and clothes. My only objection is that I feel Alvin Poussaint's introductions are a bit patronizing and annoying. This is a sample of Cosby's wit. And Cosby's wit is worth its price.

I enjoyed this book for the historic content but found a few of the characters less than believable and thought the book just needed "something." I just wanted more from it somehow. The characters that were well-done were enjoyable, however, and I did like the descriptions and the language.

This tender but sad story touches on the loneliness of an elderly man, guilt over his family's past, his lost relationship with his son and former wife, and the expectations he puts on a friendship based on a relic from his past. More than anything it expresses just how fleeting relationships are in this life and how important it is to have something onto which to hold in times of uncertainty.

Told beautifully through Tristan's relationships with two young women (one a former student) in his present life and flashbacks to his life as a child in Nazi Europe (the Netherlands and Germany), this story is presented in such as way as to expose the vulnerability of one elderly man and leave the reader feeling just a bit sadder for having read this touching novel.

This is a simple story portraying very complex emotions. I wouldn't describe this as a story that I "couldn't put down" but rather one that I would "go back to" because it is one that stays in your heart. The writing style is truly fine-tuned and the flashbacks into the past are so well done.

The explanation of the line carved in the bottom of the sewing desk "When the Jews are gone, we will be the next ones", is so well done. Things are never as they seem.

This is a wonderful example of how each of us cannot escape our history, but we have choices: we either have to let it overcome us or come to terms with it.

This book was recommended to me by a friend -- an author and bookseller -- and I feel it is one of the best gifts he's ever given me.

Told with grace, wit and intelligence, the plot of the book -- the skeleton on which the events are hung -- is not as important as the way in which the author tells it. There is a grandeur, a measured unfolding which wraps you in the characters' lives. There is real sympathy for the different human viewpoints which come from our varied experiences, and the reader is gradually allowed to share in the breadth of the characters.

It's a lovely, loving and very artfully told journey.

"The Deadwood Beetle" by Mylene Dressler, G. K. Hall & Co., 2001, Large Type Book.

At first, this book appears to be about a little Dutch boy who survived the Holocaust, and, years later spies his mother's sewing table in an antiques store. The store owner, Cora Lowenstein, translates the child's inscription, on the bottom of the table, without knowing that it was Tristan Martens, himself, who carved it there years ago. Her version in English is "When the Jews are gone, we will be the next ones", which she interprets as in the same fashion as the famous quote from Pastor Niemoeller, (1892-1984).

It seems, however, that was not the meaning of the carved words: Tristan Martens (who now had to be in his late sixties or early seventies) knew it was from his Dutch father, who was a Nazi. Tristan was not a victim of the holocaust; instead, his family was waiting for their turn in power, after the Jews were gone. Angry Dutch citizens had looted his mother's table from their Dutch home when The Netherlands was liberated. He feels guilty for most of his life. This central theme of guilt is always a background plot as Tristan begins to see Cora Lowenstein in a romantic light. The guilt theme is intertwined, somewhat, with entomology, as he deals with his last graduate student, who, in turn, is dealing with a unique form of insect out in Arizona. Tristan Martens tells the student's parents how he happened to be an immigrant (as they were) and some of the story of his life directly after the World War.

Except for flashbacks to his life in The Netherlands, the book is set mainly in winter-time New York City, with some trips to a nursing home in nearby Connecticut. I think that the author, Dressler, has done a good job in capturing the flavor of subways and travel in New York. She has written an intriguing book.

In this collection of essays, Michael L, Lindvall presents sensitive stories and caring messages based upon the life of an ordinary church and its congregation. It is clear that Rev. Lindvall loves these people, who although fictitious, are no doubt drawn upon his own experience serving a congregation in the upper Midwest that served as a prototype for the "North Haven" church.

This best seller is the first of his published works. There is a follow-up "Leaving North Haven" book and two recent (2007) non-fiction Christian works "A Geography of God" and "What Did Jesus Do?" Both also receive five stars by this reviewer on amazon.com

Those who read this one will want to read them all.

Time passes and Rev. Lindvall is no longer serving the church at "North Haven". If you are fortunate enough to hear him preach each Sunday morning at the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City, then you know that he has a gift for telling stories that reach people, down deep, inspiring, tender, challenging, and filled with light and love.

At the Brick Church, Michael L. Lindvall follows several illustrious pastors of other eras, including two different pastor-authors of much loved hymns: "This Is My Father's World" (Maltbie Davenport Babcock) and "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Henry van Dyke)"

Come to think of it, Lindvall's essays come very close to being hymns, and we believe that his predecessors would both appreciate and approve of his writings.

Someone reviewed the book and told several of the stories to a very receptive audience. I then purchased several books as I found them for gifts, and made sure I kept one. I used it for a lesson one Sunday with my Sunday School group, and now they want copies. We all remembered similar situations of small towns, people, traditions and change, and how the Grace of God keeps us growing.

This book is sweet, funny and charming. It's everything we city dwellers think should happen in a hometown and much of it makes us long for a haven. Thank you Michael Lindvall for sharing your thoughts and reflections.

I'm a writing teacher and a Christian and felt that the simple messages were a gentle reminder of caring and goodness. I highly recommend this book and I'm just sorry that there's not an entire series.

I just attended a conference where Michael Lindvall was the keynoter. The book will come out again next year along with his new one_Leaving North Haven_. Rev. Lindvall is a pastor first and a writer second. He was gracious and listened to all our suggestions for his new book. Buy both of them for some wonderful stories of God's grace in the lives of special small-town people.

I'm disappointed that this book is out of print. Some friends have heard excerpts from my copy and want to purchase a copy for themselves. Three years ago I gave copies of it as a Christmas gift. I hope the publisher will decide to start printing this again! This book shows that it's okay to be a Christian and have a sense of humor at the same time.

Poorly written and if you go to the site and listen to these recording, you'll hear garbled sounds. Weird, yes, but her daughter? I doubt it.

I was looking for books on electronic voice phenomenon and found Sarah Estep's material much more helpful.

This is an honest opinion, and people should know that the information given in Copeland's book is simply a repeat of other, better authors with actual recordings of evp you can hear.

Most of the reviewers who gave 5 stars are biased as they are friends of Copeland.

Martha Copeland's story of her communication with after-death her daughter Cathy and her subsequent work in The Big Circle- Bridge to the Afterlife- http://bigcircle.aaevp.com/are an enormous contribution to the systematic research into evidence for the afterlife. The book is a wonderful story in itself, a source of hope for anyone who is mourning the death of a loved one and an inspiring "how to" manual for anyone who is attempting to find their own personal proof of the afterlife.
Highly recommended.

I have read Mrs Copeland's book and found it so upsetting that I wanted to testify that this book is useful and was of great help to me. It is not that I have lost one of my children, no. But I couldn't help feeling concerned, and I always wondered how I would have reacted in Mrs Copeland's position.
To me, saying that this book is only repeating what other persons have already sais about evps is a nonsense. I am familiar with this kind of books as I have read a lot of them from various writers in Europe (I am French) and I can tell that this one turned me upside down.
Moreover, I read a lot of books in English, and this one did not seem bad written to me. For who knows Mrs Copeland a little more, she is dedicated to people in order to help them through their ordeals which must be very difficult as she has to deal with her own. The book is comforting, sad and cheerful at the time, and the hearing of the evps on the website decided me to be a part of it and to sign in the aaevp.
Thank you Martha for this lesson about life and hope that everyone should want to share with you.

I would just like to say that the book was very well written and once i started to read it i couldnt put it down.
losing a child is every mothers worst nightmare and no words can ever describe that feeling.if you could have a chance to communicate with a loved one that has passed to the next world wouldnt you try to contact them? i know i would.
This book gives us understanding,It shows a mothers love that will never end,It also gives us Hope

A hug to Martha and to all the group circle you have opened another way to communicate to our loved ones in the spiritual world.

well done xxxx

There is nothing harder than trying to get through the difficult days after you lose a loved one. This book not only helped me get through those days, but also took away any doubts I had about life after death. I now believe that there is no death---just a transition. I definitely recommend that you buy this book.

This book was a little childish and choppy but it was good. It was a total speed-read and it only took me about an hour to read it. It was cool that it was about animals and the author used pretty good personification. The kids were really annoying though. Good book.

It was a very good book to read.I liked the book,eventhough i didn't finish the story.The story was about two dogs and one cat the cats name was Chester. The dogs name was Howie and Harold

As much as Harold would love to put mystery, horror, and suspense behind him, and spend his days lounging about the kitchen waiting for his next chocolate treat; with Chester the neurotic, hare-brained, paranoid kitty quickly dashes those dreams, and does the unthinkable - drags Harold into his next crazy scheme. While Harold, Howie, and Chester are accompanying the Monroe family on an impromptu camping trip, Chester announces to his canine comrades that May 5 - Saint George's Day - is upon them; thus, spirits will be hovering about the moment the clock strikes midnight. Harold instantly knows that this is the worst possible time to be camping in the creepy woods, especially with such inexperienced campers such as Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, and their budding Boy Scouts, Toby and Pete. But when the Monroe's run into two bumbling men - Bud and Spud - along with their scruffy dog, Dawg, the Monroe pets know that something fishy is surrounding them. Howie is instantly mesmerized by Dawg, and becomes his bosom buddy; Harold is trying to accept the stubby-legged pooch simply as a new friend; but Chester is convinced that Dawg is nothing but trouble, set-up to lure them away from the Monroe's so that Bud and Spud can do all sorts of evil things to the unsuspecting humans. When Dawg suggests a trip through the woods to show the Monroe pets something interesting, Howie, Harold, and Chester are only too eager to go. But when they discover that they seem to be lost in the woods, they begin to wonder whether Dawg intentionally lured them away from their owners, or if there was simply a glitch in his tracking. When they're unable to find their way back to the campsite, Chester is the first to freak out, and finds himself worrying about leaving the Monroe's overnight, in the hands of spirits run amok, not to mention the bizarre Bud and Spud. But the boys find it difficult to lose Dawg, and make their way back to camp before it's too late, and they never see the Monroe's again. Chester is convinced that the only possible way to escape from Dawg's clutches is to tell him a bedtime story that will, hopefully, lull him to sleep, and create the perfect escape plan for the Monroe pets. But as soon as Chester begins the tale, it turns into a horrific, hare-raising story about the origins of their bunny brother, Bunnicula, and his life as a vampire amongst human vampires in both Transylvania and England. The trouble with Chester's story, is that, while it is a spooky tale that many would love to hear around the campfire; it poses many frightening thoughts, and serves to give each of the four-legged creatures nightmares, as opposed to a peaceful doze. Now Chester and Harold have no idea whether Dawg will be able to get some shut-eye, or find himself on edge all night, all thanks to Chester's creepy creation. And without Dawg falling asleep, the end could be quite near for the Monroe's.

While I never read anything by James Howe when I was younger; over the past couple of years, I have found myself drawn to his BUNNICULA series, making me incapable of resisting any of his stories about the Monroe family pets. NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE proves the same. As with the previous books, Chester seems to be the most neurotic character in the tale - which isn't that unusual for a feline. His constant musings about horror stories, and creepy legends set the reader on edge; while his ability to cause paranoia in his canine brothers is humorous, and really lends a laugh to the story. Harold is his usual self, thinking about nothing more than tasty S'mores, long naps, and dinner. His narration is enjoyable; while his easy-going, laid-back attitude provides a more relaxed edge to the story. Howie, on the other hand, is as rambunctious as ever. The little pup seems to go a mile a minute with his rapid thoughts; and his trusting nature can sometimes make the reader worry about his safety, as he manages to get himself into all sorts of trouble. Howie truly embodies the spirit of a puppy, and I have to give Howe credit for managing to get inside a pup's head, and giving him a unique, playful, voice of a youngster. While Bunnicula is not really present throughout NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE - except for the role he plays during Chester's scary story - he is replaced by Dawg, a country dog with an attitude. Dawg is a fun addition to the story. His oft-times clueless nature, and ability to bring out the panic in Chester is humorous; while his kind treatment of Howie makes you instantly like him. While Dawg often comes off as shady, or being up-to-something, he easily redeems himself many times, so that the reader has mixed feelings about his character. Howe has woven another delightful tale from THE HOUSE OF BUNNICULA that will keep readers occupied long into the night. A word of advice, if you're headed on a camping trip, leave NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE at home.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Anyway!!,this novel is written by Howard the dog.(no really)and he tells of his scary adventure in the woods,with 2 strange fellas and their ugly dog with an attitude problem.
Cons..The story one of the dogs was telling was boring and took up too much space.

This one was just alright. It's the second sequel to the classic original BUNNICULA. It's not really bad but it's boring in part; like I found the whole first chapter to be a bore.

It does get sort of scary in parts, but nothing major. Read it if you want. It's fun. But, for really good BUNNICULA bookds, I recommend: BUNNICULA, THE CELERY STALKS AT MIDNIGHT, HOWLIDAY INN, RETURN TO HOWLIDAY INN, CREEPY CRAWLY BIRTHDAY, THE FRIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HOT FUDGE, RABBIT-KADABRA, and BUNNICULA STRIKES AGAIN.

My children read this when they were small and I bought it for my grandson.

This is one of those children's books that grownups love to read to children and children love to read over and over again. We're into a third generation of Beverly Cleary fans. This book is especially great if you've been struggling to find something to read to a six year old boy!

Oh how we love Henry Huggins! My daughter (age 8) just adores these books! Our most recent read, Henry and Beezus didn't disappoint. Told in the same chapter style as the previous books, we start out with Henry and is dog getting into more trouble...this time with the neighbors and their roast and where Henry swears to his friends that he'll have a bike as nice as Scooter's. From there we follow Henry on a raccous, fun-filled set of adventures which involve him striking gum gold, untraining Ribsy to fetch the paper (hileraious), a dog and his parking ticket, an awesome and funny bike auction, and finally the boy who ate dog food! In this group of stories, Ramona and her sister are also key players in each adventure and they lend a nice touch to this particular set of stories. Will Henry get that spiffy red bike he's got his eye on? Will he ever save enough money...or will Ribsy and Ramona "help" him right out of his chance to get it? Since this story, like others in the series, was written in the 1950's, it has a dated "leave it to beaver" feel...but that's also a great deal of the charm. They are clean cut, the kid's respet their parents and take their problems to them...and whey they get in trouble, even though they somtiems lie...there is always discussion and rational solving of the issues. I like that and apparently so does my daughter. I give it an A+, another classic that is sure to keep right on pleasing kids for years to come!

Are you bored of mystery books? Well, get Henry and Beezus. It's the most funny book ever. It's about Henry wanting a bike and earning it. Henry finds lots of bubble gum packages and sells them. But a lot of kids at school are tired of them. Then Scooter goes to camp while Henry is taking his route to deliver Journals on the neighbors' front door step. Then Henry is dared to eat Woofy Dog Food. After that Henry has won beauty tickets, so Henry sold his beauty tickets and got his bike. --Andrea Arauza, Aimee Lopez, Shelly Newman and Diana Ruiz in Ms. Marik's 6th grade class

On a scale of one to ten Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary is a twenty. That is why I am going to try to persuade you to read this wonderful book. The first reason you should read this book is because once you pick it up you just cannot put it down. It has so many funny things that happen to Henry, Beezus, and Ramona that you cannot wait to read what happens next. Now I am going to tell you a little about this book. It is about a boy, Henry, who wants a new bicycle. His parents cannot afford to buy him one so he decides to find a way to get the money himself. If you want to know how he gets the money you will have to read the book. But don't think that reading a book about a boy that gets money to get a bike is boring. In this book Beverly Cleary makes it so much more interesting. So if you want a book that you can read that will bring the kid side out of you again, read Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary.

After thumbing through this book I learned more in a few hours than I have in the last 6 months. Like previous reviews have stated its straight forward and to the point. There are a few do's and dont's that are common sense, but you must make that call for yourself. There are also a few suggestions the author made that I feel were slightly inappropriate for certain interviewing situations. If you are an individual with sound mind and judgment then this book will be your guiding light through the oh so dark tunnel of job hunting!!! Good Luck!

I liked this book because it gives well rounded view of what the interview process is like. Author tells you how to dress, groom and accessorize, prepare objective, make well thought out resume and smart cover letter. You will be thought on how to research the company, prepare for the interview, ask quesitons during the interview and finish with really smart follow up and thank you letter. Negotiation techniques and acceptance letter and great part of the process. Many reference books mentioned here are probably worth reading and I just may do that next.

I left school about 18 years ago armed with a copy of this book. The book helped me get offers or at least second interviews in about 75% of my attempts. From my experience, you'll do quite well in the interview if you take the author's advice. You'll actually feel positive energy flowing during the interview if you are using the techniques from the book.

...this short and sweet book ...[has]
tried and true concepts [that] will walk you through the critical
interview process, and send you on your way prepared and
confident. Once you have spent the time and effort it
takes to land an interview, Jeffrey G. Allen, in How to
Turn an Interview Into a Job will show you how to make it
count.

Let this no nonsense 12-step action plan be your guide. It
includes frequently asked and tricky questions, pro-active
answers, and some simple but valuable tips to demystify the
process. Keep Allen's list of action and buzz words handy,
so you can have what he calls a "winner's vocabulary".
Preparation is key, and Allen keeps it simple.

I did not find ANY thing there that are new for me. All information was VERY basic.
Besides, I don't think that this book will help you with ANSWER to question "HOW to turn an interview into a job?".
If you don't have any idea about resume and interview I think it's probably better to buy:
1.) Resumes in cyberspace (about e-mail resumes and more);
2.) 10 insider secrets to job hunting success;
3.) Gallery of best resumes;
4.) How to knock `em dead (interview questions).

Also I found "Here is my card "book. I think some info there is interesting and useful.

Good luck!

I was supposed to review this book months ago. I had it sent to a friend's house, but I had to go back to North Carolina suddenly and so I wasn't there when the book arrived. Sadly it's been sitting in an unopened package, up in a closet, waiting for me to come back.

Well, I'm back at my friend's and my first order of business was going through the mail that missed me and to my surprise there was this book, THE PATRON SAINT OF DESPERATION SITUATIONS that I'd forgotten all about.

I went upstairs, pulled a hot bath and settled in to read and lo and behold, I was a long time in the tub. Down at the dinner table, I was still reading and after dinner I went to bed early, reading away. Have you figure out yet that I was hooked?

This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you, pulls you in and doesn't let you go. There is adventure here, mystery too. And you know else, this book gets you thinking, but it doesn't get in the way of the story. Back when it happened I was saddened by Paul Wellstone's death. I thought he was a great man. But I'd never even given a thought about whether or not he was murdered.

When financial advisor Jake Morgan meets feisty Brazilian art teacher Sonia Lindquist (she got the last name from an ex-husband) he doesn't know it's going to turn his life upside down. One of his clients had arranged for him to be sitting next to her at a college function. Later the client turns up dead, but not before leaving Jake a message to clean out his safe deposit box and to warn Sonia that she might be in danger. And now Jake is in for the adventure of his life and his life is in the balance, as is Sonia's.

I couldn't put this book down. I read well into the night and when I finally finished I thought about the story well into Dreamland, where the characters really came to life for me. This book is a treat. You'll just love it. I know you will.

Being familiar with how covers come to be attached to a book, I seldom judge a book by its cover. I will, however occasionally be enticed or turned off by the blurbs that accompany the book - on the back cover or inside the front. Merely reading the back cover copy actually turned me away from this book initially. And that would have been a shame, because this is one very good book, in almost every category one could imagine. One other small niggle--it's categorized as fiction or detective and mystery story; it's certainly fiction, but I think it's much more of a suspense novel (with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure) than anything else.

It is very well-written, and the author obviously knows of what he writes! The story is told in first person by the male protagonist, Jake (J. P.) Morgan, who is very sensitive towards the opinions and thoughts of the females he encounters in the telling of the tale.

Jake is a financial planner in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. One of his clients is Lars Johanson, a professor at Northland College of Arts and Sciences. After having invited Jake to a reception there, Lars doesn't appear, a somewhat surprising turn of affairs. However, one of his colleagues is there, and makes a startling conquest of Jake before he even realizes what has happened to him.

The beautiful Brazilian-born (but now U.S. citizen) Sonia Lindquist, teaches Art History at the school, but also works for a local gallery, specializing in art from South America. She is divorced (as is Jake) and has a young son, Rodrigo, who suffers from Williams Syndrome, which causes physical and mental problems, non-life-threatening, but difficult, nonetheless.

At the reception, Sonia tangles verbally with a new local philanthropist, a Mr. Radezewell, who promptly insults the memory and reputation of the very liberal U. S. Senator Paul Wellstone, who had recently died in a plane crash.

Jake falls hard for Sonia, and at first she reciprocates his feelings, but he, too, has a past that comes back to bite him--he's an alcoholic. He's been dry for five years, but can promise her no more than `one day at a time'. She wants more than that.

The day after the reception, Jake receives a note from Lars, directing him to a storage locker at the Mall of America, and asking Jake to secure the contents until Lars can explain. The contents consist of a million dollars in apparently unmarked and untraceable bills. After yet another day of hearing nothing from Lars, Jake heads to Lars' cabin in the north, and finds his mutilated body.

Almost immediately thereafter, Jake and Sonia find themselves being stalked, and banding together, they set out to find the missing items and decide the purpose of the money.

Here is where the suspense begins to build, as they must find ways and means to continue their search while staying alive. Rodrigo is sent to his grandparents in Rio, while Jake and Sonia discover the underbelly of American society in which money will buy nearly anything, including false IDs, untraceable guns and various other nefarious items.

It's a crackling good story that always makes sense. Every now and then, a marvelous fragment of a sentence grabs you and won't let go. For example: on page 229, `when cultures mix, exciting things happen.' and from page 247 `he ran into the bullet'.

As Jake and Sonia stumble around searching for the solution to the problem, she calls it a `jaytoo', or workaround. What a wonderful title that would have made. Totally unique, too. The Jaytoo.

Woven throughout are wonderful references to older Broadway musicals, old songs and the entertainers who made them famous. It adds a great amount of character delineation as Jake explains, and she struggles to understand, given their differences in age and ethnic background.. The story also provides an excellent introduction to Williams Syndrome, for those of us without previous knowledge of the symptoms and effects, as well as an insider's view of alcoholism and the constant struggle to get through just `one day at a time'.

I do take exception to his minor grumble about Title Nine, however; men had it their way for 20 or more centuries. Certainly, we women should have at least part of one!

Fabulous book - I recommend it highly! In fact, I do hope Mr. Harrigan writes more of them.

It is with great pleasure that I finished reading John Harrigan's The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations with a huge smile on my face. The book had me on the edge of my seat. I simply could not put it down. Patron Saint marks the arrival of a bright new voice in suspense fiction.

Sonia and Jake meet by chance. They have no idea that their lives are entertwined in a way neither of them can control. As they both realise the kind of problem they are in, their desperate situations only seem to get heavier and heavier, to the point where they soon become the suspects of a murder investigation.

The thing to appreciate about this novel is how vivid and real the characters are. Sonia is flawed and so real she nearly crawls out of the page. Harrigan also has a great voice when it comes to writing dialogue. It is very real, very engaging.

Although I would have liked it if the two ongoing narratives verged more, I have to admit that this one really had me thinking. I can't wait to see what Harrigan has in store for us next.

John Harrigan was one of my political science professors at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. I read many of John's text books and articles. When he told me about his fiction project, I was intrigued. I bought John's book and read it over the Columbus Day weekend. What a treat. As with Garrison Keillor and David McCollough, I heard John's voice as I read the book. The twists and turns of the plot kept me at edge as I couldn't put the book down. I even imagined a movie along the same lines as a Grisham novel. I cannot wait to read another of John Harrigan's novels. Great job, John!

A conspiracy. Romance. Lots of local color. And fast paced.
First novelist John Harrigan debuts with a "The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations" and a welcome it is. The conspiracy concerns the death of liberal Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone. The romance is between our narrator, a successful professional financial adviser (and recovering alcoholic) named J.P. Morgan (Right! But he prefers to be called Jake) who meets early on Sonia, a Brazilian ex-patriot, divorcee, and mother of a young boy. Set entirely in Minnesota, and more particularly the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), Harrigan flavors the novel with plenty of local spots, niceties, and stories that lend deeply to the landscape and atmosphere of his story.
As this is a compelling story of murder and mayhem (to go along with the romance), Harrigan treats us to a plot that moves along at breakneck speed. The death of Sen. Wellstone, however, merely overhadowis the storyline. A suspicious death of Jake's best friend, with what appears to be connecting links to Wellstone turns into more than that. And because the friend had left notes (and possibly more) with Jake, the real murderers will stop at nothing to retrieve the incriminating evidence the friend possessed. From this point on, the pace only accelerates and by the time the conclusion hits us, the climactic scene is almost Hamlet-esque (with all those bodies lying around in Act V!).
"Patron Saint" is a good read. Harrigan spices the narrative with tidbits of art history, jazz, and even some dining delights. Here's to Harrigan's second novel! [...]

Oh, wow, lovely tales about an upright English judge overseeing those amusing simpleton Irish, a people just too darn backward and wee slow-minded to oversee their own affairs... As an Irish citizen, I find this book offensive in the same way such one-time ethnic classics as Song of the South are now seen as offensive.

very funny!

Reviewer Ellie Reasoner must not have read this book, only a synopsis, because she is SOOOOOO wrong!

Has the world of sensitivity soured you a bit. Me too. These stories are fun to read. Especially fun in an age of political correctness and/or professional nationalism. These ascendancy authors see their way of life fading and reconcile themselves to it with all the grace of good losers who are still happy to have played the game. With that attitude in mind they approach the schemes of Flurry Knox to best either Major Yeates or Lady Knox as certainly humorous if not always completely justifiable. The conflict of the perfectly rational approach to living of the Irish encountering the multitude of rules and regulations of an empire( in one story a group of moonshiners has set up in the unused portion of a vast barn attached to Yeates' house)reminds any reader of the inexorable sense of justice which a child deploys when confronted with a different bedtime from parents."Well since Dad has to work harder at his job than I do at school, he should go to bed earlier."

Making their own class the (...) of the jokes (eccentric Lady Knox might well find a role in "Kind Hearts and Coronets") takes a good deal from the sting of charges of creation of stage "Irishmen." The fact that each story is complete but part of a continuing series makes for put down, pick up reading. This is a grand book for a rainy afternoon's read, commute reading, or sitting in a lobby or airport. The only problem is when you start laughing outloud, folks will start to stare.

so be careful where you read it, don't try to sneak in a few pages on the sly anywhere.

Sinclair Yeates has a problem, he has met and fallen in love but that's not the problem, she loves him in return and has agreed to marry him. Therein lies the problem, Yeates is an army major and simply could not afford to marry. The solution came in using every contact he and his fiancee, Philippa, had in order to secure a post of Resident Magistrate (circuit court judge) in western Ireland. The volume contains a dozen short stories describing his adventures there. Major Yeates tries to maintain order in his little corner of the world but is hard pressed to even keep up with his devious landlord (and fellow magistrate) Florence 'Flurry' Knox, other members of the Knox clan, servants and other residents of the district.

These stories were written about a hundred years ago but are still just as funny and fresh as if they had been written yesterday. This volume contains about a third of the 'Major Sinclair Yeates' stories and seems to be the only one currently in print, which is a pity as all the stories a hilarious. In addition this series was presented on PBS many years ago, starring Peter Bowles and is well worth viewing.

I highly recommend first getting this book, then tracking down the other stories and watching the TV series.

Somerville and Ross were a pair of ladies from the West Cork Gentry who lived in the pretty village of Castletownsend on the south coast of Ireland. They were ideally positioned to write this collection of stories which contrasts the positions of the Anglo-Irish Gentry with the Native Irish Commoners. The interactions are always exciting, frequently devious and guaranteed to give you a good laugh.

I challenge anyone to read only the first two free pages displayed on the Amazon site and keep a straight face. The stiff upper lip of the English Major serving as the local magistrate (judge) is a perfect counterfoil to the thieving, poaching, lying, brawling and drinking of the local populace, which is paraded before the judge in the course of his daily work.

A beautiful snapshot of life in the Ireland of the late 19th century, lovingly, honestly and humorously portrayed. A really good read.

I have shared this book with many of my friends, as a woman-to-woman gift. I bought it back in 1995 and have never lent out my own copy. I would not wish to lose it and the joy of re-reading it.

My favorite book of 1999 was one whose characters stayed with me long after I'd turned the last page. Southern Gothic in tone and set in the 1920s, Private Altars tells the story of a Yankee woman whose intelligence and independence are seen as ecentricities in the rural community she has moved to. Abandoned by her husband, she teaches her two children to make the most of their imaginations. They are observed by an outsider, a youngster who has recently moved to the area and is fascinated by the main character and her family. The rapport between the children reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird. The most striking element of this book is the author's amazing use of language, words and poetic turns of phrase that make you stop to reread them and days later, turn back and read them again.

Mosby is a poet, and there are a few nice turns of speech, but the novel is ridiculous. The prose style is labored to the point of exasperation; the plot lacks direction; the characters are romance-novel farcical. The few attempts to create a real sense of time and place one are unconvincing. Very little to recommend about this one.

My favorite book of 1999 was one whose characters stayed with me long after I'd turned the last page. Southern Gothic in tone and set in the 1920s, Private Altars tells the story of a Yankee woman whose intelligence and independence are seen as ecentricities in the rural community she has moved to. Abandoned by her husband, she teaches her two children to make the most of their imaginations. They are observed by an outsider, a youngster who has recently moved to the area and is fascinated by the main character and her family. The rapport between the children reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird. The most striking element of this book is the author's amazing use of language, words and poetic turns of phrase that make you stop to reread them and days later, turn back and read them again.

I read this book for the first time a few years ago. I loaned it to a friend and never saw it again. I bought it again, read a few more times, loaned it to a friend, lost it again. I'm on my third copy. It still sings to my soul every time I open it up...so beautiful it makes my heart ache. I hope to hang on to this copy, but it's such a wonderful book to share, I might have to get another pretty soon.