O Books

Max Lucado has an touched a nerve with his delightful stories. This book reaches the heart of all of us.
We all want to know our worth. This beautifully written and illustrated story reminds us that we are all of infinite worth, in the eyes of our creator.

LOVE this book - perfect gift for an adult or a child - beautiful pictures and wonderful, meaningful story.

I work with children with Autism and have given this book to each of them once they do not need my services anymore. This book is a rare find! Excellent story and great pictures!

This is an excellent message for children that they are special and not to place too much importance on what other people may think. My 2 and 3-year olds are captivated by the story.

This is a timeless story that teaches a wonderful lesson.
The book was shipped in wonderful condition without defect.

I held a Fancy Nancy party for my granddaughter for her 6th birthday. We made a Fancy Nancy cake and the ultimate was when she opened all her Fancy Nancy books that she received as gifts. Just adorable writing and illustrations. Thanks.

I loved this book...it is so sweet and my own grandbaby "Fancy Nancy" will love it!!

I have been reading the Fancy Nancy books to my daughter since she was a year old. She loves them. She asks for Nancy every night and at nap time too! She now is the proud owner of a Fancy Nancy doll.

This book is a feast for the eyes. Beautifully illustrated and with a very nice lesson about love and family, this book is a favorite of mine(and my three year old loves it as well). Nancy lives in her own little fancy world, but she is loved for who she is. This book is a great read. Adults and children will be happy to sit down and read this one

I have a four-year-old daughter, and this is the perfect book (and series) for her and her age set. The girls can all relate to how fancy Nancy appears all the time, and I love all the great new vocabulary words my daughter has picked up from Nancy's "fancy" words. Great (and clever) illustrations, too. I now buy this book as a birthday gift for any of my daughter's friends who don't yet have it, and it's an instant hit. This is a can't miss book! I only wish I had it when I was their age!

I read this book the first time when I was in Jr. high school. I know I have reread it at least ten times. I have 2 copies one falling apart and one to lend to friends. As you can surely see I love this book.

Yes! I have read a few books that I wanted to read again. However, "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman found me wanting to re-read chapters the first time through.
This treasure will be stored in a special place to be read again and again when I want to go back in time, feel feelings and thank God for talented authors.
I wish I had found it as a teenager, or a young mother. Guess this retiree should just be grateful that I was given this warm gift in my latter years.

Mrs Mike is an old friend. I first read and enjoyed this book more than 35 years ago. This story chronicals the life of mountie Sgt Mike and Mrs. Mike. It honestly chronicals these lives and shows that it is in the sharing of the small things that make life joyful. I'm so happy to be able to now be able to now share this book with my neice

I just got this book again since I lost/loaned my first copy. Although some have critisized the writing style, and the facts, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's one to keep on your shelf and pull out from time to time to reread.

I found this book in the school library when I was in 7th grade. I read it every year I was in school there. It was a wonderful story about a young girl who falls in love with a good man and talks about their life together. It made me laugh, cry, and cry some more. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story. It is a great book.

As a high school student, I first encountered this character in a series made up of five books. At the time, each book was released weeks or even months apart. I was so enamored with the story that I finished each book before the next one was released. But I eagerly anticipated each installment. It was like being hooked on a daytime soap. But mind you, this is no soap opera. This is perhaps the most captivating story I have ever encountered. I am pleased to find this edition contains the whole set in one book. If you are a fan of sword fights that begin with but an intent in the mind of the combatant coming to an end in the deceptively tranquil plains of feudal Japan, look no further. This story reminds you that however perfect the sword is as a tool for killing, the deadliest weapon remains the swordsman and not the sword. Musashi is the ultimate swordsman and his story has all the elements of an engaging epic containing betrayal, honor, struggle, unrequited love, death and much more. The duels of the sword depicted here are like nothing I have ever read or seen or heard about before back then as a high school student and now as an adult. Printing quality and paper quality is excellent as befits a treasure of literature.

Great story!! Full of action and wonderful details so you really feel like you are part of the story. My son who does not like to read cannot help but enjoy this one. Just when he seems a little bored the author has something exciting. A great read for boys or men.

I read this books while I was in the senior high school, approximately twenty years ago, but until now the story is still clinging in my mind and it refused to forget it because this is a best novel I've ever know.Extremely worthy to own it. It seems that Eiji Yoshikawa did a great deal of works to perfecting it.

I remember reading this years ago... now I'm reading the Vagabond comics based on it. So much fun.

I read Musashi 15 years ago, and I remember it vividly. It's such a sweeping, wondrous novel, I'm surprised it's not more famous than it is. I became a bit of a Yoshikawa fan from this, and visited his home, preserved as a museum, outside Tokyo. A beautiful serene place. Musashi, in retrospect, was highly inspirational to me as a writer, in terms of pacing, character development, and raw storytelling. I recently bought a copy for a fellow writer, who has samurai themes in his works, and I'm sure I will continue to gift this novel to my friends. Enjoy!

...I got a little teary-eyed. This is an excellent book. It's funny and compelling and Wil shows what a great writer he is. I wanted more and I'm upset that I didn't buy "Just A Geek" first. I'll be remedying that as soon as I'm finished writing this review. If you just like a good story whether it be about Star Trek or just being a regualar everyday person, or if you want a good laugh, I recommed this book.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wheaton at a sci-fi convention in 2006. He was really nice and easy going. I picked up a smaller book that he had printed in limited numbers. I love how he spins his tales. It took me a while but I finally grabbed his book Dancing barefoot. His childhood storys and those of his current family are heartfelt and warm. His dealing with the memories of his Trek experience and coming to grips with his "Child Actor" status. If you are a trek fan or not doesn't matter the guy is a great writer and I can't wait for the next book.

I was very pleased with this book. Excellent writing, but it leaves me wanting more.

Whether you are a Star Trek Fan or not, this book is worth reading. As Wil tells his stories, you feel each and every emotion. After you finish the book, you a yearning for more, so go and pick up "Just a Geek". Enjoy it- I sure did!

Dancing Barefoot is one of those books that as your reading, you take a step back and say, "oh my god I totally understand this! This was me."

The book is a collection of stories that Wil had posted on his blog and compiled together. The stories are very inspiring and Wil shows his emotions in one of the most effective ways that humans do: through his writing. I was very touched after having read Dancing Barefoot and even inspirted enough to do some writing of my own.

If you're considering whether or not you want to purchase Wheaton's book, just read his blog and within 10 minutes of reading some of his entries your mind will have been set yourself.

I loved it, and look forward to Wil's next novel.

Listed as a 'summer read' in a local magazine list - I hadn't heard of this book. I picked it up and finished it from one afternoon into the next morning. And -- there was nothing surprising or new to be found here in the book - the pace at which its written and the uncomplicated natural way Lindbergh examines her life and her impressions of life's stages will have me passing this book on to many people in my life.

What timeless wisdom there is in this little book. Although it was written many decades ago, the challenges and issues faced by Anne Morrow Lindbergh are the same ones faced by women in today's crazy, bustling world. In fact, although women in Siberia, Cameroon, or Ceylon might not have her specific set of circumstances, they can still identify with Lindbergh's ponderings about a woman's life, her obligations, her relationships, and her needs. She lived in an upscale suburb of Connecticut and was the mother of five children, and yet there's something in her writing that can touch the souls of women everywhere whether in a grass hut or trailer beside a busy highway

The chapters in Gift from the Sea center on Lindbergh's musings during a two-week vacation at the shore. Leaving husband, children, and house behind, she lives in a bare beach cabin without heat, telephone, plumbing, hot water, rugs, or curtains. She finds simplicity beautiful and longs to take it home to Connecticut when her vacation ends.

Lindbergh takes a shell at a time and describes it in relation to other things in a woman's life. For instance, the moon shell reminds her that quiet time, solitude, contemplation, and "something of one's own" is needed. The double-sunrise represents the pure relationship found in early stages of friendship and marriage, and she reminds the reader that there is no permanent return to an old form of relationship since all are in the process of change. The oyster bed symbolizes the middle years of marriage and family, especially as the home itself grows and expands to accommodate the growing family.

I first read this book when I was a young mother and could readily understand Lindbergh's comment that saints were so rarely married woman because of the distractions inherent in raising children and running a house. "Human relationships with their myriad pulls--woman's normal occupations in general run counter to creative life, or contemplative life, or saintly life." Now in midlife, I can better understand her affinity for all the shells as reminders that each cycle of the wave, the tide, and the relationship is valid.

This book came very highly recommended by two friends who are avid book readers. However I hate to admit that the book did not move me as much as my friends claimed that it moved them. I was more interested about the background references to the author's personal life and how the book came into being. That I would have read voraciously. The book is short but I don't intend to read it again to see what I missed. I believe a book either moves you or it doesn't. This particular book despite other rave reviews did not move me despite my great affinity for the sea and women writers. I wonder if perhaps if the book would have touched me differently if I read it in the beach rather than on a plane which I did.

I have never been a big fan of books on CD. This changed with Gift from the Sea with the forward by Reeve Lindbergh and beautifully read by Claudette Colbert. This is a beautifully written and recorded book. I keep it in my car and play it quite often. I have orderered additional copies to share with friends. It is indeed as relevant today as it was fifty years ago and probably even more pertinent in today's fast paced world where we fail to slow down give ourselves alone time to comtemplate our lives. Reeve Lindbergh's forward about her mother was a lovely bonus. Although I have not read any of her children's books, I have read everything else she has written that I can find and encourage anyone who has not read her books to check her out on [...].

This is a very touching book and it brings up many feelings that I needed to get in touch with. I would highly recommend it.

This was such a great book when I read it many years ago. I've recently gotten ahold of a copy and have to say that it's still a great read, especially when we are surounded by object in our daily lives that seem capable of their own thoughts and motives. It's also nice to see young people painted in such a way where they're not just miniature adults but actual kids reacting well to tough situations. I always wanted to learn more about what happened to Ellen and Otto and imagined they both continued to be self-sufficient individuals who went on to do quite well for themselves.

The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien is a wonderful fantasy about a girl named Ellen Carroll. Ellen wakes up one day and finds a silver crown on her bedside table. Shortly after, her house burns down with her family inside. Not knowing what else to do, Ellen decides to hitchhike to her Aunt's house. But then she finds the person who burnt down her house is stalking her because he wants to kidnap her and take her silver crown.

The book begins with Ellen receiving a silver crown in the mail on her birthday. The next thing she knows, her house has burned down, her family is missing and people are willing to engage in mayhem and murder to find her. Ellen decides she needs to visit an aunt and sets out on foot to find her. She eventually meets up with a somewhat mysterious young boy and they attempt to solve the mystery of the crown and get Ellen to safety. This book was written in 1969 and at times it really shows. For example, that Ellen wears pants briefly and gets messy is considered striking within the book. However, in the end the book is driven by Ellen's determination and will.

I first bought this book when I was 12 years old at a book fair at school. I absolutely adored it and read it repeatedly for the next year. I gave it away to someone and never got it back. Only recently have I thought about it again and decided that Amazon was the first place to look for it. When I had read it again I couldn't believe how much of it I remembered from many moons ago. It was the first book to capture my interest in fantasy writing and I have never looked back since.

I first this book when I was about 12, and it remains on my shelf to this day (I'm now 35.) I highly recommend it for kids who enjoy fantasy books. Yes, it's dark and has genuinely creepy moments in it--but I see no reason that should discourage young readers or their parents, as it's an extremely engaging tale of a little girl battling the forces of evil. Resourceful girl characters are in short supply in children's fantasy literature, so this shouldn't be passed over.

The issues raised in another review here (regarding the unhelpfulness of adult authority figures in the book, and Ellen's bad descision to accept a ride from a stranger) would be points well taken if this were a book for 5 year olds. However, any child old enough to read and appreciate this book should be well past the point of learning that policemen are generally good and that hitchhiking is unwise. Give kids some credit! And give them good books, like this one.

I love this book. I love the rhythm of it, I love the note at the end, I love the dedication - love it.

Unfortunately, I've yet to get either of my nieces overly involved in it. They'll sit through it, but they won't request it :(

So I've had to take a star off what I'd normally rank this book as because, in my house, it's just not doing its job. I don't know why they don't love it, they just don't.

This book was a favorite with our first child 10 years ago, and we just bought another copy for our 1-yr.-old! I love the flowing, rhyming prose, and the illustrations allow for so much discussion and interaction. As with Dr. Suess books, I find myself repeating the words throughout the day (like when we're eating berries!) I definitely recommend this book!

This was my kids' favorite book when they were little, and now I'm buying many copies for nieces, nephews, and little cousins. Wonderful verse, fun pictures. Lots of repetition, which the little ones love. Enjoy!

My grandson loved this book once he turned about 16 months old. Before that he had no interest.

My 2 year old daughter loves this whimsical, rhyming story. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is quirky and quick paced. Originally we checked it out from the library and she enjoyed it so much we had to eventually buy the book. We also gave this to a friend's 18 month old daughter as a present and it has quickly become one of her favorite books.

I read this book around '84. In 1988, my uncle Rich, a retired college dean and my fabulous Aunt Cecilia went off to London for a year, American College, I think. I went on a road trip to the UK...England, Scotland, Wales, spent a few days with them, brought my aunt a copy of 84 Charing Cross Road. My uncle didn't get the concept, economist that he was. Letters? Who wants to read someone else's letters? Lurch forward about a month. The end of my road trip, both had read and loved this book. I gave the vid to them when it came out, it's a wonderful movie. They came home, at any gathering my Aunt Cecilia always asked...what are you reading?

84, Charing Cross Road is a delightful collection of letters chronicling the 20-plus years' correspondence between screenwriter Helene Hanff and Frank Doel, bookseller of Marks & Co. It begins with a request in which Helene inquires after a series of books she wants to buy, saying that Barnes & Nobles's sells "marked up, grimy schoolboy" copies of the books she wants (my, how things have changed!), and continues through a friendship between Hanff and Doel in which the two never meet. As their lives grow and change, Hanff and Doel's friendship remains the one constant.

It's a special friendship, and Hanff is sharp-tongued and witty, making her a delightful narrator. I have a feeling that not all of the letters are preserved here in their entirety, but they're reprinted word-for-word, including Hanff's idiosyncratic punctuation--no doubt due to the fact that she typewrote all of her letters, but nonetheless, the letters show Hanff's personality and her rather abrupt way of corresponding.

It's a short book (just about 100 pages), but it's a special book, nonetheless, about a shared love of books. 84, Charing Cross Road is a must-read for any bibliophile. It's too bad that a woman on the subway accidentally tipped soda into my bag and all over my copy of this wonderful book...

I discovered this book on a dusty HS library shelf and as in Ms. Hanff's words, devoured it "all at once" not coming up for air or cigarettes. I also bought the VHS many years ago as soon as it came available. Since then, I've gone on to go out of head for Donne, Quiller-Couch, Austen, and Blake (though not anywhere near Donne!).

What a great movie this story made. I have watched the movie many, many times and have loved it every time. Now, I just had to read the book. The strange thing is that since I know what is going to occur at the end, my eyes become teared which makes the book difficult to read. Of course, that happens at certain moments in the movie as well. What a powerful story!

In less than one hundred pages, Helene Hanff has given her readers a rare and special gift. Here in this delightful little book are the notes she exchanged with the employees of Marks & Co., a used-book store in England. Being fond of the old-fashioned yet still highly personal act of letter writing, and being equally fond of old books and used-book stores, Hanff seemed to have compiled these letters just for me. I doubt there is anyone who can read this book without experiencing a wide range of emotions complete with laughter and tears.

A lifelong letter writer, Helene Hanff studied playwriting at the Theatre Guild. She has written scripts for "The Hallmark Hall of Fame" and for "Ellery Queen." Her other writings include several children's books as well as articles for Harpers and New Yorker magazines.

Living and writing in New York City, Hanff finds herself unsuccessful in finding certain rare or out-of-print editions of books.

"Gentlemen:
Your ad in the Saturday Review of Literature says that you specialize in out-of-print books. The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive. I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble's grimy, marked-up schoolboy copies."

So begins the opening letter dated October 5, 1949, and addressed to Marks & Co. at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. What follows on the pages of this book are the letters Hanff wrote to Marks & Co., and specifically to Frank P. Dole. Also included are the responses to her requests, mostly from Frank P. Dole. Through their twenty-year relationship, the two strangers become in some ways like family. Frank introduces his family to Helene in letters. She corresponds with the family as if they are her own. Knowing that in a time of rationing, certain items are not readily available to the residents of London, she takes great care to ship Christmas and Easter gifts to the store with plenty of eggs and meat for everyone there.

The final entry, dated 1969, brings the relationship between the bookstore, Frank Dole and Hanff full circle. The twenty years between the first and last notes are fondly recalled on the pages of this book.

These short notes, her requests for specific books, the monetary transactions that took place, and the solid relationships that developed allow the present day reader to glimpse a bit of the nostalgic... a gentler time when costs were lower, trust was higher, and people were more willing to be compassionate to complete strangers.

This is a truly delightful little book that has captured my heart. And, by the way, the fact that I discovered it while browsing through my own favorite little used-book store lends a special sort of appeal to it. I treasure the gifts within these pages--the gifts of self, of the written word, and the appreciation for the simpler things in life.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

"I think I shall be a great poetess or a distinguished novelist."
That is Emily Starr talking, the young blossoming writer, that will touch your heart, with her creative and interesting, ways and ideas.

Within just the first chapter of the book, you'll already be intrigued by Emily's charm, and her topsy-turvy imagination. All through the story, Emily meets new people and friends. Some will help her on her way to becoming a writer, "a painter that uses words". Others will shoot her dreams down, as if they were nothing but mere dust. Just watch her take on all the distressing incidents that she overcomes with an intellect beyond her years.

She's always on a new enchanting romp, that'll keep you guessing. From giving up her beloved cat, to clashing with Miss Brownell (her unjust schoolteacher), to unraveling an age-old puzzle with her whimsical mind, you'll stay right by Emily's side the whole time.

Here's a small excerpt that I especially enjoyed:
"But there is a destiny which shapes the ends of young misses who are born with the itch for writing tingling in their baby fingertips, and in the fullness of time this destiny gave to Emily the desire of her heart---gave it to her, too, on the very day when she most needed it."

Personally, I have to state that this book is very inspirational for anyone endeavoring a priceless dream. I have read the entire set of the "Anne of Green Gables" books (that are written by the same author), but in my opinion, "Emily of New Moon" is much more enthralling! It is at the top of my list of my favorite books.

It is difficult for me to write an objective review about this beloved classic. Emily is like a childhood friend to me. Created by the author of Anne of Green Gables, she is a more complex character than Anne - introspective, determined, and deeply sensitive to life's joys and shadows. Her love for writing, or her need to write, defines her; indeed, much of the story is told through her writing. And yet this first book of the Emily trilogy is mostly lighthearted, though not without its passages of intense experience. Emily is orphaned in the beginning of the book, and moves to the farm of New Moon to live with two estranged aunts and one uncle, their brother. She thrives and flourishes in the beautifully prosaic, quaint world of New Moon and Blair Water on Prince Edward Island. Though she is a private and secretive person, she gives lavishly of herself in her closest friendships.

Montgomery's writing is at times indulgently over-descriptive, but not without vividity, wryness, feeling, and rich character development. Perhaps the most eloquent aspect of Emily of New Moon is its flavorful honesty about life both light and dark. Emily is a complex character, full of both faults and virtues, neither of which are expressed simplistically. The reader's sympathies are always with her. Montgomery's indirect insights into the writing life are also very valuable. Emily has writing in her blood, sees it as something intrinsically personal and sacred but wants to share it, does it with abandon yet later throws it away, and yearns to climb the ladder of fame. In this sense, I feel more kinship with her than with her more popular sister Anne Shirley.

Sheltered by her loving father, 10-year-old Emily Byrd Starr has never minded her isolated life. What child notices poverty and a lack of playmates when her intelligence and imagination make each day special and exciting?

Then one terrible day, Emily finds herself an orphan. A mass of never-before-met aunts and uncles descend upon Emily, criticizing and making plain the fact that whoever takes the child is only doing so out of their sense of duty.

Still reeling from the loss of her father, Emily must also leave her beloved little home and pets for New Moon, her mother's childhood home, where unmarried aunts Elizabeth and Laura currently reside. It is with stern matriarch Elizabeth, gentle, loving Laura and "simple-minded" Cousin Jimmy that Emily must now learn to form a family.

Despite the hardships, Emily's new life is quickly filled with many joys, as she makes friends at the village school and develops her interest for writing. Emily also experiences -- at the most unexpected moments -- "the flash," her word for the brief startling glimpses of other-worldliness, which has the power to change both her life and the lives of others around her.

Ask most people what they associate with L.M. Montgomery, and they'll likely say Anne of Green Gables. Yet despite the fame of Montgomery's "other orphan," the Emily books are quite possibly even more memorable and beautifully written. Like Anne, Emily is thrust into an unfamiliar world, where she must make the best of circumstances; but unlike Anne, Emily is possessed of a strangely adult maturity even at the tender age of ten, a glimpse of darkness which will accompany her through the years. This streak makes readers both more concerned for her well-being and perhaps more able to relate, as she is not nearly as happy-go-lucky and childlike as Anne in her early years.

If you enjoy this book, be sure to read "Emily Climbs" and "Emily's Quest," which follow the girl through her years at high school, through romantic relationships and her writing career as a young woman.

It's a shame that most people like either Anne or Emily; I've avoided the whole question by loving them both. The Emily books give a picture of a girl with lights and darks, reacting naturally (and therefore not always cheerfully) to the events of her life. She is far from perfect, but as L.M. Montgomery says about her, you may like her, you may hate her, but you'll never forget her.

If what you love about Anne is the sparkling, bubbly world she creates around herself, then you probably won't like Emily. But if you like L.M. Montgomery and would like to see her go a different route, the Emily trilogy is a great read!!

From the opening pages the reader is submerged in Emily's world.

In my mind Emily of New Moon is the begining of one of the best book trilogies ever written. A story about the courage it takes to be true to ones self no matter the opposition, the power of real determination and true friendship. One cannot help but be moved by the powerful truths, and innocent loveliness contained in this book. EONM is quite simply a multi faceted masterwork that could hardly be improved upon in any way. A deeply moving and relavent novel who's beauty only grows with time. Mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, read this book then gift it to someone you love.