Leagues Books

Read this for school. It was funny, sad, interesting. I would tell a friend to read it.

This is one of the most touching and interesting books I've read....I have this book at the top of my list! It contains the action of baseball (from the point of view of a young boy) with the struggles of Cuban life. I would recommend this book to young teens, and/or those interested in baseball.

Free Baseball By: Sue Corbett

Free Baseball was I warm story about I Cuba boy who escaped. Felix, the boy, was the main character in this great story. Felix was a boy whose dad was a Cuba baseball star, and dreamed about nothing but baseball. Sue Corbett wrote this story well, and I really treasured it.
One part I liked was the part where Felix had just escaped on the bus. He ran away from his "evil" babysitter and was named the new ball boy of the opposing team. Felix slides in a small compartment and hides till the bus stops. Felix realizes it was foolish to do it because it got hot and un-cozy.
The next part I really liked is when he met the team mascot who was a dog named Miracle. Miracle was really important to the team because he was the only reason fans came to the games. He would run around the bases when one of the players hit a homerun. He also lived right in the stadium and could catch fly balls.
The last part was when Felix met a Cuban named Diaz. Diaz didn't speak much English but understood what people were talking about. Felix and Diaz became kind of best friends while Felix was a run away. Diaz was known as the team slugger and was one of the newer players. Diaz also said he met Felix's dad.
In conclusion Free Baseball was an about a boy named Felix who ran away from home during a baseball game. Felix was soon known to be the ball boy while he traveled with the team. He met a man named Diaz and met a "miracle" of a dog on his journey. Free Baseball was one of the best books I ever read.

D. Williams

She read it to us at school, and it was really great. It made our teacher cry. I loved it.

Sue Corbett's middle-grade book Free Baseball is the story of Felix, an eleven-year-old Cuban-American who stows away on a minor league team bus and steps in for the new bat boy who never showed up for work. It's sort of a Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler-kids-hiding-overnight-in-the-museum for the sports set. Typically, I have a hard time swallowing such fantasies as realistic, and thus my enjoyment of these kind of stories is always muted. But as charming or as impossible as the idea of living in a ballpark and working behind the scenes at a professional baseball game might be, there is so much more to this story that such issues are quickly left behind.

At the heart of this story are the diplomatic issues between America and Cuba, and the social turmoil those politics leave in their wake. Felix and his mother were "boat-people," Cuban immigrants who took a secret, overcrowded, and ultimately perilous boat ride to seek refuge in America. They left behind Felix's father, a star outfielder on the Cuban National Team, thinking he would be able to defect and join them during the team's travels. But it's been years now - Felix was an infant during the night-crossing - and he despairs that his father will never be able to join them.

The book then becomes something of a father quest - always a good pairing with baseball (see Field of Dreams, et al.) - as well as an exploration of Felix's strained relationship with his mother and his world. Yet despite settling into these well-worn spots in the outfield, Free Baseball stays on its toes and keeps the reader there too, managing to be pleasingly predictable and surprising at the same time. It's an atypical baseball book for this age group - it's not about winning a big game with a clutch hit, but instead about finding one's home in the dugout, and one's family in the stands. A story about that oddly redemptive power of a simple yet multi-faceted game, and the many ways in which it can touch all those who come into contact with it.

Highly recommended for all readers, but particularly those who have already tasted the magic of baseball.

When I started to read manga's I was always looking for something new. Not the same old "shoot 'em up" or "magical girl" story but something unique. Mermaids Scar is an excellent example. I recived this novel with much delight, and was even more enthralled with the series afterwards. Rumiko Takahashi gives a reader an array of emotions that help to create one of the most emotional and interesting novels to read. It is well worth your money to purchase this book, I guarentee you will not be disapointed!

Like the Mermaid books that preceed and follow it, this work is a masterpiece. This is an edgy, disturbing horror story with likable characters and a friendly drawing style. People who started with Inu Yashu should try the Mermaid stories next. (Mermaid Forest is the first of three). They may notice some similarities between the two heroines! Anyone who enjoyed the video should also read the manga, since the story is slightly different, and the second part of this book was never animated. Enjoy!

Rumiko Takahashi is better known for her romantic comedies than for dark fantasies. But her brief Mermaid series is an excellent display of Takahashi's dark side, in a world where a handful of humans who eat mermaid flesh become immortal, and the rest turn into fishlike, monstrous creatures called "lost souls."

Like the other two collections of Mermaid stories, "Mermaid's Scar" focuses on the immortal duo Mana and Yuta. In "Dream's End," Mana encounters a lost soul who has somehow retained his human soul, turning him into a tormented monster. "Mermaid's Promise" brings Yuta back to where he once met a young girl who fell in love with him -- and who has somehow been brought back to life as a soulless creature. "Mermaid's Scar" brings Mana and Yuta to a town where a woman somehow recovered from deadly burns -- and discovers an immortal boy with a horrifying secret. "The Ash Princess" goes back to 17th-century Japan, when Yuta was still wandering alone. Here, he finds a travelling old man and his young daughter -- a girl brought to life with a mermaid's liver.

Perhaps the most common comparison to the Mermaid series is the action/fantasy/romance series "Inuyasha." However, the Mermaid stories have none of the humor and goofiness that pop up in "Inuyasha" (although the story of the undead, tormented ex-girlfriend is quite familiar). The tone is melancholy, sometimes outright macabre, with a few sweet scenes of romance between the two immortals. Perhaps the best scene is the hauntingly lovely last moments with Nae and Yuta.

The relationship between Yuta and Mana is pure Takahashi -- they love each other but somehow won't admit it (and Mana gets pretty jealous at times). They stick with one another through thick and thin, and occasionally show little indications of how they actually feel. ("It sounds like you've fallen for me," Yuta says half-jokingly at one point)

Takahashi's dark "Mermaid's Scar" is a fantastic mixture of dark fantasy and gently understated romance. Sweet, terrifying and deeply satisfying.

This is a very, very violent manga, even by MY standards. Even though it's JUST a comic book, I often found myself cringing and flinching just looking at the drawings (I didn't even flinch while reading 3x3 Eyes, but this one... just the way things are drawn makes them look REALLY painful)... speaking of that, the art is very good, obviously Takahashi-style. Anyways, even though it is SO violent and bloody, it is actually quite enjoyable. In fact, after reading it I almost completely changed my taste in manga and went on the reading more violent ones instead of the usual silly ones, and even drawing one of my own (heh heh don't ask!). Yes, it really entertained and inspired me! Nice, creepy story! Hard to believe it was created by the same woman who made Ranma 1/2 and Lum!

Legend has it that whoever eats the flesh of a mermaid will be granted eternal life and youth. Yuta is one of those who have received this "gift". But is it really a gift? Yuta has been forced to watch his loved ones age and die through the years. For five centuries he has roamed the world searching for a "cure", or for someone like himself. As fate would have it, Yuta chances upon a girl named Mana. She too has been bestowed with immortality like Yuta. Together they travel through Japan longing for a normal life. Soon, they meet others who have also experienced the mermaid's "gift". But as they soon discover, mermaid's flesh affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are just the more fortunate ones...

Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Series is really quite a masterpiece. Each chapter presents a different tale and yet everything is tied together by the main characters, Yuta and Mana. It's like a group of short stories unfolding inside one main plot. It's not episodic, as the stories can stand alone. They are, however, greatly enriched by the base storyline about the legendary mermaid flesh. It's really quite an inventive approach, and I really admire Ms. Takahashi's imagination. The overall atmosphere is grim. The tone is serious, as darker facets of human nature are revealed. Everyone wants a piece of the mermaids, and all for various reasons. Greed, vengeance, selfishness... they are the driving forces in the pursuit of the elusive mermaid flesh. Yuta and Mana are plunged into the situation, being immortals on an unending quest for something... even they cannot be sure of what they're truly seeking. The art is simple in style, yet pleasant to look at and effective -- as is always the case with Ms. Takahashi's works. Panel layout is quite conservative if compared to her later works like "Inu-Yasha". The Mermaid Series definitely is a suspenseful page-turner which will leave readers very satisfied. Each volume packs a lot of punch. It's a pity because this is not enjoying as much exposure as "Ranma 1/2", "Urusei Yatsura", and "Maison Ikkoku" are. In some ways, this series is even better than Ms. Takahashi's more popular works.

I used this product to learn the code, and it worked wonders! I was preparing for my General amateur radio exam, and I turned to the ARRL for assistance in the form of this CD and booklet. It is excellently put together. They start you off slow, learning and repeating the characters until you are thoroughly familiar with the entire alphabet. They then move onto the words and phrases. By the end of the program, you are competent in morse code, and can easily decipher and send at around 5 words per minute, a good starting place. The good thing about the program is that it uses something called the Farnsworth method to teach morse code. This utilizes extra large spaces in between the individual characters, giving you ample time to decipher them. This is a great help in the learning process. Highly recommended!!!

This was a gift for my mother. She is really enjoying it. She is 86 and learning Morse Code, just for fun!

This CS is a no nonsense guide to learning code. It jumps right on in and starts. the narration gets to you so I would only recommend short lessons with frequency. Otherwise, you do really seem to pick up the code fairly easily.

I'm not yet done learning the morse code alphabet, but this has helped me with half of it so far. Great Value as well.

I like the cd very much, it is very informative. The only way (I believe) that it could be better is if it had a visual(dvd)effect. In other words, some feedback besides just writing down the letters and words. If there was some type of devise with which the student could also "send" the letters and words. If someone has - or can come up with a "kit" that includes both receive AND send - audio and visual - maybe using the computer and a printout to be used to better evaluate one's progress, one could learn more quickly. I would like to be able to "test" myself.

I've had this cookbook for years and my most recent purchase of it (used) was to get it for another foodie friend. It is a feast for the eyes, but also has wonderful recipes that are in my regular repertoire. The book also gives you wonderful ideas for presentation and combinations with other dishes.

I have had this cookbook since it was first published and I still find that it is one of the cookbooks that I reach for most often. Beautiful photography. I don't hesitate to try a new recipe on company as I've never had a failure. I consider it to be a "Classic".

This is one of those cookbooks that you can pick up hours before a dinner party, open it to any page, make the dish and have rave reviews. There are VERY few dishes in here that aren't good.

This is an older cookbook, but definitely worth looking into adding to your collection!

We would go hungry without this book! This is the cook book we use far and away more than any other. We have even started some family holiday traditions from the recipes i.e. the green beans with pears - amazing! You never have to worry about making a recipe because they are all fantastic. It is a regular gift from us and we have been told many times it's the receivers new favorite cook book as well. Buy it, it is any cook's must have!

Beyond Parsley is one cookbook I always have nearby -- and I have many, many cookbooks. I am renowned among my family members and friends for e-mailing special recipes -- and many have come from this special gem. I have too many favorites in the book to list but if I had to select just ONE, I would choose Cossack Cheese. That one is a WINNER in every respect, and has gained the love of people around the US to whom I have sent the recipe. D. Ray Fuller Jr., Dallas, Texas

Without doubt the best baseball book I've read.
Every coach & parent should read this book.

I've read lots of books about coaching at all levels of baseball, but this is one book that I couldn't put down. It doesn't have any drills, but it does have great suggestions for selecting teams. More importantly, it tries to teach coaches and parents to be more mature and to think about the real lessons that we're teaching the kids on our teams (and that they can teach us).

If you coach a youth team in any sport you owe it to yourself and to your team to buy this book and read it.

Life Lessons From Little League Revisited: A Guide For Parents And Coaches is far more than a handbook for would-be Little League baseball coaches - it is also a parenting manual that draws directly from lessons learned in Little League to promote a balanced and nurturing parenting environment that helps a child live up to his or her potential. Chapters warn against harmful behaviors such as the "overachiever" parent, the "blame-it-all-know-it-all" parent, and the "unfulfilled" parent, discuss how to teach and promote harmony, and more. At the same time it embraces the dynamics of the responsibility of coaching a little league team, and prepares would-be coaches to avoid many possible pitfalls - as well as preparing parents to recognize a bad coach (bad defined as "a bad role model for the children") early on. Written in plain and simple terms, Life Lessons From Little League Revisited is enthusiastically recommended for anyone involved in the Little League scene, as it covers numerous common issues and pitfalls besetting anyone in charge of organizing and teaching young people to work as a team.

Baseball is a game. Too many parents and coaches forget this, but kids don't, unless someone - usually a grown-up - makes them think otherwise. I'm glad Mr. Fortanese shared his wisdom and his experience. There's not a single drill, no baseball playing tips, but this is easily the most important book I've read on coaching - and understanding - kids and baseball. I'm very disappointed it's not in print anymore, because I wanted to give it out as coaches' gifts. PLEASE reprint this, and thank you Mr. Fortanese!

I first purchased this book from the Al and Al Little League clinic. The author gives proceeds to help fund Little League clinics where money is in short supply. I figure, good cause, what the heck. It was like finding a a hidden treasure at a yard sale. Got half way through it and loaned it to our high school varsity football coach, who also coaches 7 and 8 year olds. He was equally impressed. He says it has even influenced how he relates to his high school football players. He gave a 5 minute commercial at our coaches meeting. Every coach left with a copy. I think it will turn out to be one of the best investments our league has ever made.

Great book. This book has been reviewed by the following publications:
1) Business Library Review International, founded The Wall Street Review of Books before becoming BLRI.
....Effy Oz's cartoon supported guide to business-a perfect high school graduation present. Nuggets of wisdom includes his observation that "Objectively, your performance may be excellent, and yet, people may not like you"(p.49); "Organizations are systems made up of people"(p31); "Be PC (politically correct)" (p119)

2) Dennis McCafferty, writer for USA Weekend
.....Oz's observation that it is a mistake to avoid office politics is worth noting....

3) Business Journal, Allentown, PA
....Oz offers many good tips, eg, One good word about you from an insider is worth more than a thousand recommendations from former professors...you should not let anyone leave a meeting without summarizing theree things: what is to be done, who will do it and when is the deadline... .

3) Journal of Information Technology - Cases and Applications
....something you will not learn in Harvard Business School...meets a largely unmet need... .

I represent the publisher, Ivy League Publishing
(ivylp.home.mindspring.com). I'm not trying to write a review here, but to let everyone know that this book received a rave review from Business Library Review Int'l. This is the same organization that formed the Wall Street Review of Books before becoming BLRI. In any case, BLRI review of this book says:

"....Effy Oz's Manager Bible is a cartoon supported guide to business - a perfect high school graduation present. Nuggets of wisdom......."

This small and entertaining book is a must for any beginning manager. Easy to read and highly informative. It helped me a lot.

This is a great gift for anyone who has just graduated from a business school even if you already have some experience. You will learn a lot.

The book provides plenty of practical advice for anyone who is a manager or is about to become one. The cartoons add to the great sense of humor.

I read this book for the first time in my 4th grade Tier 4 class and still remember how I felt when I read the last lines. Chills went out all over my body and I was so upset that there wasn't more to the book! Now, 13 years later, I still get chills at the end. The whole book is suspenseful and myseterious... it's just wonderful. The sad thing is that it seems so few people have read it. I recommend EVERYONE reading it. It's a light read, but its incredibly engaging. Frank Bonham has such a wonderfully creative mind!

It's funny and brushes on some very serious subjects, this book is the whole package! Also try The Forever Formula (also by Bonham)!

I read this book when I was 12 or so and loved it(even though I didn't understand It)!Now I have been scouring all the libraries in search of this book(i'm 15 just to mention).I finally looked on the internet and have just ordered it.I always loved the imagery in this book and have started making an animation of this story(I'll ask for permission If I can get enough support to actually finish it!).I think this would be a fantastic movie(If there was a good director[say the one from bladerunner]).If you have never read this book ,I suggest you get it.Please Email me if you think I should finish this animation or to tell me to give up!linkenobi@sbcglobal.net

I first read this book when I was 11 and I have to echo some others when I say I loved it but perhaps didn't grasp all of it at the time. I recently tracked down a used copy and I am re-reading it right now. I think it is great and would make a great movie, perhaps on the Sci-Fi channel. Does anyone know if this has been made into a movie? Parts of the book may be dated now, but as far as characters and story-telling I think it still holds up.

I read this book many years ago, and while I'm not certain that as a 12-year-old I fully grasped it, it was a fun read, and it has stayed with me since. I'm fascinated to seee that this has been the case with others as well. Having read several of Mr. Bonham's urban-set tales beforehand, this bit of action/science-fiction(?) came as a real curveball, though many of his stories are parables. He tells his moral tales so well that, much like an episode of "Fat Albert", you don't realize you've been taught a lesson until it's all done. Anyway, every time a another piece of vacant land gets paved over in my beloved (insert your state here), I think about this book and wonder how much closer the future depicted herein is inching.

I loved this book. Out of the many many books I possessed from that time of my life, I still have this one. I read it when I was in 4th grade, and I re-read it every now and then (usually, when I move, and "find" things that I have forgotten about). I still remember the day in high school being able to raise my hand and give the answer "Noble Gas!".. and thinking "No, I DIDN'T do my homework, but I read a book that mentioned it years ago!"

My parents house is very well insulated, and hence very quiet inside... every time insulation's effect on how quiet a house is, I think of this book too.

Oxygen bars, of course, usually remind me of this book... as well as many other things we see in everyday life.

Buy this book, and SAVE it. Loan it out only if given something good in collateral!

They were not lying when they said this is the best book out there about the IVY LEAGUE. I bought it specfically for one college, but I learned alot (and I mean a lot) about this league of prestigious schools. It sure got me untangled.

Wow-- this is this honestly the best book about college ever... EVER. I am graduating high school next month and I read this book as soon as it came out, and it helped me get into my top choice! There is so much information in here, I even made my older brother read it, and even though he graduated from college already he said it was a really great book, very interesting and lots of facts you never would have known.

College Prowler puts out some great guidebooks, they're all written by current students so readers are given a real insider's look at these schools. The guidebooks typically retail for $14.95 each. For those who are looking at one or all eight Ivy League schools, this book is a great value. You're basically getting eight guides in one, not to mention bonus chapters on admissions, athletics, secret societies and more. I've been flipping through this book since buying it from Amazon and have to say I'm quite pleased with my purchase. I'd recommend it to those currently in the midst of the college admissions process!

This book is just packed with great information. As a Cornell junior I can confidently assert that this book is definitely not just for prospective Ivy-League applicants.

This book is incredible! There are so many facts, figures, anecdotes, statistics etc. about The Ivy League (PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE) in this book that I was not aware of until now--and I am a Junior at Dartmouth--I attended Yale for a year, and I have visted four other Ivy schools on several occasions. After looking over College Prowler's grading criteria for each of the eight school sections, I determined that their grades and analysis on each aspect of each individual school (including: Academics, Local Atmosphere, Nightlife/Social Scene, Campus Strictness, Athletics, Drug Scene, Overall Experience, and even Parking) are actually very accurate and on-point. College Prowler has seemingly gained credibility over other Ivy League college resources, because they utilize actual Ivy students to author their individual guidebooks--which is why "Untangling" is a steal for under $20, because it includes content from each of the eight individual guides within.

Treat yourself to this charming little jeu d'esprit. It will do wonders for lifting your sagging Latin spirits when struggling with some of the heavy-duty stuff.

I'm so lucky that my high school Latin teacher, in the early 80s, had us read this alongside Virgil, Horace, Ovid, etc. I had never read "Winnie The Pooh" before! -- and read it only after reading both "Winnie Ille Pu" then, much later, "The Tao of Pooh." You don't need to be as weird or backward as I am, though, to love this. The book is terrific. To all Latin teachers: bring this to class, please. It's wonderful. The students in my class loved it, finding it all very familiar to them as we reached each part. It wasn't easy to translate--I don't know how the newer ones compare ("Harry Potter" in Latin, etc.)--but in 3rd or 4th year high school Latin, it was at our level and a lot of fun. The students who knew Winnie the Pooh found translating it easier than I did, as in: "Oh, this is the part when...", thus were able to extrapolate through its accessibility. For them it was a break from difficult or unfamilar Latin writing, rendering it Useful through familiarity with its English version. For me, I got to know Pooh through Latin, and I've loved Pooh and the gang ever since.

The top line is the original English.
The second line is the latin.
The third line is an attempted translation.
(Here I have added additional comments.)

...in which we are introduced to
Quo in capite nobis ostentantur
By which in our heads they are shown
(to show a person into someone elses head
means to introduce)
(nobis our, capite heads, word order in latin
is not the same as in English

Winnie the pooh and some bees.
Winnie ille Pu ataque apues nonnullae
Winne that Pooh, also bees notnone.
(translate nonnullae as some)

And so our stories begin.
et incipient fabulae.
And they begin the stories.
(Latin unlike English had no word "the". To
translate into English this word must be inserted
when this would make sense to do so.)

HERE is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now,
Ecce Eduardus Ursus, scalis nunc.
Look/behold Edward bear. On the staircase now.
(scalis is literally a ladder)

bump, bump,bump,
tump-tump-tump

on the back of his head,
occipite gradus pulsante
back of the head on the grade (stairs) he hits (pulses)
(Occipital region is the back of the head. Think of hits
or pulsations while on a down grade).

behind Christopher Robin.
post Christophorum Robin descendens.
after Christopher Robin he climbs down (descends).

It is, as far as he knows,
Est quod sciat,
It is which he-thinks

the only way of coming downstairs,
unus et solus modus gradibus descendendi,
the-one and only manner of the stairs descending,

But sometimes
Nonnunquam autem
Not-atnotime(sometimes) but (however)
(sometimes however)

he feels that there really is another way,
sentit etiam alterum modum exstare,
he perceives also there-is-one manner to stand apart
(he senses yet another mode exists)

if only he could stop bumping
dummodo pulstationibus desinere (possit)
Provided that the-bumping- to-give-up (it is possible)

for a moment and think of it.
Et de eo modo meditari possit.
And about I go about manner consider it is possible
(de Eo modo the manner you go about something ie method )
( and it is possible to think about the method.)

And then he feels that perhaps there isn't.
Dende censet alios modos non esse.
Then he feels the-other manners to not be.
(so sometimes he thinks there are no other methods).

Anyhow, here he is at the bottom
En, nunc ipse in imo est.
Behold, now himself at the bottom
(note imus form of inferus is used here)

, and ready to be introduced to you.
vobis ostentari paratus
to you to be shown prepared (prepared to be shown to you)

Winnie-the-Pooh.

(OK, so you get the picture. DONT miss this book. Pooh is about to roll in the mud next then take up flying. Do you really wanna miss that?

If you would have had trouble translating that level of Latin on your own, get a copy in English as well. Also get Latin translation software so that you can quickly look up any unknown word. You can plug in words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs, into the software for immediate translation. I use QuickLatin for this purpose but there are others. Search for Latin translation software on the net. )

Most people who only know a little Latin should hopefully be able to understand Winnie Ille Pu. The ending has a 'notes' section where unusual phrases such as 'scire velim' are listed under their respective chapters for easy reference.

There is something a bit more elegant about the Latin of Winnie Ille Pu compared to Fabulae Mirabiles, but that is caused by the differing genres of the writings. However, Fabulae Mirabliles would be my choice for the Latin beginner.

I sing of a boy and a bear...
Perhaps Vergil would have opted for Pu (Pooh) rather than Aeneid had he the choice, and begun his tome not in the journey from Troy, but rather the journey around the forest.

I have this sitting next to books of equally interesting exercise, such as a translation of modern poetry into Old English. Likewise, Henry Beard's translations of various ordinary statements and phrases in Latin (and cat behaviours in to French) also sit next to this honoured tome.

When I returned from Britain and began to think in theological-training terms, I had to re-acquaint myself with Latin; for an exam I had to memorise one biblical passage, one passage from the Aeneid, and one passage of my choice. I chose Winnie Ille Pu, and, as it had not been excluded from the list, I was permitted this indulgence (I believe that the exam list now has a section of excluded works, including this one, more's the pity).

Do not be frightened off by the fact that this is a book in Latin. It is very accessible, and quite fun to read with the English version of Winnie-the-Pooh at its side. The Latin version has kept many of the original illustrations as well as the page layout forms, for example:

In English:
And then he got up, and said: 'And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.' So he began to climb the tree.

He
climbed
and he
climbed
and he
climbed,
and as he
climbed
he
sang
a little
song
to himself.
It went

like this:

Isn't it funny
How a bear likes honey
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
I wonder why he does?

In Latin:

Et nisus est
et
nisus est
et
nisus est
et
nisus est
et nitens carmen sic coepit canere:

Cur ursus clamat?
Cur adeo mel amat?
Burr, burr, burr
Quid est causae cur?

Statements sound much more grand in Latin: 'Ior mi,' dixit sollemniter, 'egomet, Winnie ille Pu, caudam tuam reperiam.' which means, 'Eeyore,' he said solemnly, 'I, Winnie-the-Pooh, will find your tail for you.'

This is a delightful romp through a language study. I have recommended this to friends who want an introduction to Latin, together with the Lingua Latina series, which uses a natural language method for instruction.

Alexander Lenard, the translator, obviously did a great labour of love here, and I agree with the Chicago Tribune's statement that this book 'does more to attract interest in Latin than Cicero, Caesar, and Virgil combined.' One wonders if the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet will be translated into Latin to make them seem 'more philosophical; or indeed, will Winnie ille Pu be likewise translated into Sanskrit and other such languages? It is not uncommon that the entertaining use of language does more for language enrichment and interest than any academic or official push of the tongue. It is no mistake that the Welsh language effort incorporated cartoons from the beginning -- it is natural for people to respond to fun and lively things, and this kind of treatment can be rather tricky, in that the average reader might not be so consciously aware that education is going on...

Winnie-the-Pooh in Akkadian? Hmmm, I feel a Ph.D. dissertation topic coming on...

This work is no small endeavour, but rather a thorough and engaging translation of the entire Pooh story. From the start, when we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh, through to the adventures in the Tight Place (in angustias incurrit), when Piglet meets a heffalump (heffalumpum), meeting Kanga and Roo (Canga and Ru), the expedition to the North Pole (Palum Septentrionalem), and finally saying goodbye, the entire story and text is here. One can (as I do) set the Dell Yearling 60th Anniversary Version of Winnie-the-Pooh side-by-side with Winnie-ille-Pu and follow line by line the engaging story, which translates well into this one-time universal language. And why ever not? Surely if there is a story nearly universal appeal, it would be of dear Winnie.

As A.A. Milne was a graduate of the Westminster School (which is housed down the block from my old Parliamentary offices) and of Cambridge, he might consider the translation of his classic work into the classical language a signal honour, and one wonders if, given the fact that Milne studied classical languages himself, if he ever translated any pieces, however small, into those languages that every English schoolboy learns to hate and love.

The story leaves off with Christophorus Robinus heading off to bath (and presumably, bed) ...

Of course, being a person of small importance myself, I identify much more with Porcellus (Piglet) than Pu. I know the struggles against the clerical/hierarchical/academic heffalumpum, and as Pooh has given me a new language of consideration for such conditions, Pu has given me a bilingual command of that language.

Long live the Porcelli amicus!

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire histroy. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

-Sports Columnist, Kansas City Star

"The food industry has Emeril, the political pundits have O'Reilly and the Negro Leagues has Holway. Artfully wrote by the premier expert on Negro Leagues history."

-President, Legends of Sports

". . . statistics that prove the greatness of the Negro League players. Now, we can truly call baseball the National Pastime."

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire history. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

As submitted to Hasting House on Dec. 10, 2001 via e-mail

This is a fine overview of the contributions made by black ball players from the mid 19th Century to the more well known players of the 20th. I judge baseball books on how they contribute to the overall understanding of their subject matter. This book stands among the others, including Only the Ball Was White and Larry Lester's pictorials on the Negro Leagues in Chicago, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.