A Books

As a teacher, so many possibilities, as a mother, aunt, grandma, lots of great conversation. This has been done masterfully.

When I bought this book I thought how great it would be to write a story to go with each picture. Obviously, I'm not the only one to have this idea, as the other reviews here show. And Steven King has written a great story based on the "House on Maple Street" picture. A great book that has inspired, I hope, many future writers.

Lets get a couple of things straight: First, Chris Van Allsberg is a genius; second, Mr Van Allsberg does not write "children's books." I will not elaborate on the first point. You need only to open any two of his books to know that it's true. The first book will blow you away; the second book will persuade you that the first was not a fluke. But as for my second point....

"The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" is proof in point. I LOVE this book. The mysterious, creepy, vaguely sinister pictures; the dangling captions; the POSSIBLITIES opened on every page. It's wonderful! But I've never met a child who, of her or his own volition, could/would spend more than five minutes with it. Oh, I know, my experience runs counter to that of many of my fellow reviewers, but it's true. I guess my wife and I were just blessed with second rate kids who had third rate friends. But that doesn't mean that I don't ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECOMMEND this book. I DO! But the heck with the kids! Buy it for yourself!

As an English teacher, I have been amazed by the creative writing The Mysteries of Harris Burdick has inspired. I use the book in conjunction with vocabulary units, having students create short stories (that include the vocabulary words we are studying) based off of the pictures, line and title Van Allsburg provides on each page. The intriguing beginnings he has created lend themselves to a plethora of plots; I've never read two stories that are similar though I've used the book for years now.

I highly recommend this book as a way to encourage any aspiring writers, as well as those who struggle with writing. Even reluctant writers seem to enjoy the challenge of creating a story worthy of such a beautiful illustration. Students are often amazed and pleased with what they can create with a little help from this wonderful book!

I bought this title thinking it was the book form, but I found that the portfolio pages could be framed and hung-up so that the pictures could be constantly in sight, that way you can build your story subconsciously over time.
The pictures are wonderful; the use of grayscale makes it easy to see whatever color you want. The title of the book tells what type of pictures are inside, all are mysterious,
This title is great to get your kids into story writing or just writing period. They can learn to proofread and practice their spelling and grammar. This would be a good resource for homeschoolers as well as school teachers.

Easy reading,interesting,and educational.After reading Orchid Fever,I read a comment in Orchids at Home,and having read Orchid Fever,I realized that ugly,just like beauty,is in the eye of the beholder.

There's probably a good book about orchids and the recondite subject of international orchid policy in "Orchid Fever." In fact, I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, Eric Hansen spoils his effort with a lubricious, snarky brew of exaggerations, sneers, dubious anecdotes and invented suggestions.

One example can stand for a multitude of sins. Hansen attends a three-day conference and trade show of orchid fanciers, trying to set up the idea that these people are wild, crazy, risk-taking guys and gals -- not far from sociopaths is the general view. His evidence: The conferees sang karaoke and after that, "What went on in the hotel rooms after dark between the orchid growers was anybody's guess."

You could write the same thing about an Amway convention. So?

The serious issue behind this unserious book is how (or if) to conserve orchids that may (or may not) be threatened by collectors, habitat destruction or whatever it is that threatens orchids.

The antagonists are, on one side, amateurs, businessmen and independent scholars; and, on the other, academics and international bureaucrats, who are accused of self-aggrandizement and appropriation. It is not an issue just with orchids or even just about plants. It comes up concerning ancient artifacts, fossils, sunken treasure, even -- in a non-material sense -- myths and legends. See my review of "A Dinosaur Named Sue" for an example with fossils.

A friend of mine who runs an orchid nursery confirms the difficulty. Under a treaty called CITES that purports to protect endangered species, he must prove that his commercial stock (450 species) does not derive from wild-collected plants. Of course, ultimately, any orchid derives from such stock, but CITES has rules. My friend got much of his stock from his teacher, now dead. How can he prove where the teacher obtained it?

My friend could have his business shut down. In the worst instance, he could be shut up in a prison. It has happened to others.

"Orchid Fever" has obtained wide publicity and wide sales. It was aimed at the thoughtless, the sensationalistic and the lascivious, and there are plenty of those people out there. It's sad that probably the most-read book about orchids turns out to be a piece of low-rent crap.

Having no interest in orchids whatsoever, I picked up "Orchid Fever" because I have been smitten with Eric Hansen's lucied and entertaining adventure writings (see previous reviews). This book is well researched and very well salted with Hansen's devastating wit and easygoing demeanor.

We are introduced to the orchid universe via the growers, scientists, show judges, "orchid police", and so-called smugglers who turn out to be not so.

Hansen once more captivates with these loosely linked stories of orchid obsessed people and the absurdities of the power brokers so bent on enforcing horticultural regulations that end up ensnaring the wrong people.

"Orchid Fever" is part expose, part travelogue, part literary journalism, and part horticultural history. This really is investigative writing at its very best, at turns tantalizing and educational. This man has a seriously clever wit which keeps the narrative light and fluid.

Hansen's abilities as a writer are superb: he knows his craft as well as any contemporary non-fiction writer. The seven years of creating this wonderfully woven bunch of stories is very much appreciated. From the first sentence, your attention is requisitioned and not released until the last - the mark of a Big League writer I think.

As always with Eric Hansen, my highest kudos.

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

"I thumbed through the pages ... Immediately I was confronted with centerfolds showing ... moistened, hot-pink lips that pouted in the direction of tautly curved shafts and heavily veined pouches." - from "Bodice Ripper", a chapter in ORCHID FEVER

A porn mag featuring your favorite XXX-rated stars? Um, no. An orchid catalogue, actually, as described by author Eric Hansen in his narrative exploration of the science, business, hobby, and collecting of orchids, ORCHID FEVER. Who knew flower breeding could be so titillating, or so lucrative? Indeed, as of the turn of the last century, orchids generated about $9 billion of worldwide business annually.

With so much money to be made, it's no surprise that the collection of wild orchids and their transport across national boundaries is so fiercely regulated, ostensibly to protect orchid populations in their natural habitats. But, of course, the cynical will recognize that it's all about the fees generated by the obligatory export licenses and certificates. Indeed, much of ORCHID FEVER is about the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), headquartered in Geneva, and its almost Gestapo-like enforcement powers, which, as Eric tells the story, have done virtually nothing to protect free-range orchids and have only increased their demand and value vis-a-vis breeders, hobbyists, and collectors.

Hansen illustrates his subject by traveling the world from California to Borneo to Minnesota to Britain to Germany to Turkey to France to New York and to Holland to interview the field's "horticultural extremists, pioneers, lone rangers, fantasy merchants, flower show flim-flam people, paid informers, rapacious nurserymen, international plant smugglers, pollen thieves, eccentric botanists, corrupt orchid judges, legendary growers, misfits, groupies, and camp followers". Though, as the author states, normal, balanced people are drawn to orchids, he found such only infrequently.

"Behind the cash register (of a neighborhood grocery store) sat a long shelf filled with mass-produced Phalaenopsis hybrids, selling for $19.95; every time I saw them I thought about the California orchid grower who shot and killed his partner and then mutilated the corpse because they couldn't agree on how to breed and sell these supermarket-quality house plants."

Perhaps the most engaging chapter, especially if you like frozen desserts, is "The Fox Testicle Ice Cream", in which Eric journeys to Maras, Turkey, the home of orchid ice cream, salepi dondurma, made from the tubers of the flower genus Orchis. Indeed, the chapter is so informative and interesting that a large segment of it was apparently plagiarized on a website I discovered sponsored by a Turkish-American business alliance. (After I communicated this fact to the author, he replied that it wasn't the first or last time such has happened, and he would pursue getting credit for the entry.)

When I began dating as a teenager in the late sixties, if I really wanted to impress the girl I'd buy a stalk of 5-6 orchids for 3 bucks from an elderly next-door neighbor that grew them. I don't recall that the expenditure ever helped me get lucky, but they sure were impressive in the giving. Nowadays, try buying just one on Mother's Day for less than an hour's pay. After reading Hansen's excellent volume, I better understand the orchid's mystique.

I read this with jaw agape most of the time. The main reason for this embarrassing state of affairs was the CITES ridiculousness that crops up again and again. Can people in positions of power REALLY be so stupid? Well, yep, they can, sadly enough for the thousands of plants that are destroyed in the name of "development," illegal to save by conservationists.
But the people Hansen meets are equally worthy of a jaw drop. Their passion--there's truly no other word, unless it is obsession--for their orchids simply astounded me. Wonderfully humorous, enlightening reading.
Now that I've read it nearly a decade after many of the encounters described, I am longing for an update. What's become of the CITES laws? Has common sense prevailed? What about the individual scientists and growers? Are they still as enthralled with their plants? What a terrific book, to leave me hungering for so much more!

Schurch's sock book is excellent. There are plenty of options for both men and women, and enough variations to keep you busy for years (literally).

I had never knit socks before I picked up this book; I think now I can fairly state that I'm pretty much an old hand at it: just grab the double-pointed kneedles and get to work.

The one problem is that her sizing pretty much assumes a loose-fitting sock: if a foot is, say, 9 inches in circumference then she gives sizing for a sock which is 9 inches around instead of 7 or 8. Fortunately I own a pair of suspenders, so I can wear too-big socks. I now knock the size down one or two steps from whatever her charts say, and so far that's worked well.

Loved the choice of options for each pattern and design. Would recommend to my knitting friends.

This book is great. There are lots of patterns for socks and good instructions and pictures.

I was very pleased with this book, it was exactly what I wanted and I received it is a very short time, actually sooner than I had expected.

Like other positive reviewers, I love that following this book, I can make a sock of any size using any weight yarn and that I can use a stitch from another source and interchange heels and toes from different sock patterns.

I share none of the others' complaints. Though I'm a novice sock knitter, the directions are easy for me to follow, with one big exception. I describe my problem in the paragraphs that follow, hoping to elicit advice from other readers. Nevertheless, I want to emphasize that in spite of this difficulty, I am impressed by the clarity and versatility of this highly informative book.

Shurch is unclear on where a heel flap begins on a toe-up sock. On page 59, she says knit "to desired length of foot minus heel measurement. See charts on pages 13-14." On page 13, an illustration indicates that the measurement goes up the back of the foot, a heel flap for a top-down sock. Schurch does not state whether this length is the same when the heel flap covers the bottom of the heel for a toe-up sock.

I tried her advice on page 11, "the heel flap is worked from the middle of the arch," and my sock was too short. Then, I referred to page 41, and knit "until sock reach[ed] anklebone." My sock was too long. Subtracting the excess length, I succeeded on my third try.

Using this book, I would not knit a toe-up sock for someone else, at least not until experience tells me whether the heel flap is the same length on the bottom of the foot as it is on the back of the foot.

I was wondering for a long time while playing in chess tournaments what was the best way to train. This was to improve my game and to make me perform better in tournaments. I had a lot of books that just had materials to learn from. But I wanted to know what to study, how to study and then when I get to the tournament what to do to put me in the best shape.

WELL, WINNING CHESS TOURNAMENTS FOR JUNIORS, WAS THE BOOK I WAS LOOKING FOR. Not only did it cover all of those things, but it has some really cool material for actuall study. It was fun too because it used funny true stories like about the "Chess Genie" and what other kids try and do to disburb you while you play.

But I liked also the stuff about the rules that isn't told to you in the rule book. And the parts about how the thinking processes make typical mistakes. This book shows you using real positions from actual games where you typically make mistakes under chess psycology.

Though if you just want lots of great materials on endgames to study, a set out opening system (completely outlined), lots of tactical problems that are the most important to learn, then for this alone this book is great. I agree with the other reviews who say there is not another chess book like this one.

Want to improve? Want to know how and what to study? Want some great material for study? Golly, I love this book (I do think the picture of the two kids on the front cover is cheesy and staged, so I am glad I didn't judge this book by the cover as I am certain those kids did not know anything about chess but the girl is cute and the boy is dorky looking).

I notice that Robert M. Snyder uses the (for Juniors) ie: Winning chess for juniors. Anyways, I came across books by Robert Snyder from the publisher chess for Everyone. And it would appear that all the chess for Juniors have become chess for Everyone. Some examples: Unbeatable chess Lessons, More unbeatable chess Lessons, Chess traps, and Winning chess tournaments. My question is are these books the same just with different covers or are they different in any significant way?

When I purchased Winning Chess Lessons for Juniors, I realized it actually contained much less instructional material then I had hoped for. Eventually I realized why and am puzzled as to why no other reviewer pointed this out. It is a companion book to Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors, another book by the Author. This book by itself is inadequate, but I realized it is for owners of the previous book, Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors. This book intentionally dodges around the material covered in Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors so none of it is repeating (This is a good thing).

This book is an add-on to Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors, an upgrade if you will. This is a great book, but is to slim to be by itself. Get Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors, and this book, and you should have no problems. As for the material covered in this book, it teaches you about tournaments and their rules. Chapter 3 is a psychology chapter, which is interesting and helpful, but nothing to rave about as other reviewers have. Chapter four shows you opening charts. While this did show me a new way to organize my openings, it didn't teach me much. The author mentioned for teaching that the reader should read Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors. Finally, it has a thick tactics chapter full of useful tactical puzzles(about 100 of them). It contains a nice endgame study chapter, then some annotated games by the authors national champions.

All in all a good book... for its intended purpose. I didn't take any stars away because for its purpose as an add on to Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors its great.

This really helped me improve how I did in tournaments. I had read some other chess books, that helped. But this book was the most helpful because it helped condition me for tournaments.
I especialy liked the chapter on psycology that teaches you about thinking mistakes during your play. Also what to be like eating, drinking, proper sleep during tournamnets and then about preparing.
How to study and what to study is neat. It also gives a lot of study stuff, problems, games, openings and endgames.
It also has some very funny true stories about players and things that happen. Very good book.

"Winning Chess Tournaments for Juniors" was the most useful single chess book I have read. One thing that hasn't been said in the other reviews, though implied is that this book helps you with ORGANIZATION and STRUCTURE in,

Helping you prepare for tournaments.

Telling you how to use many books, computers, methods of practice in ways that I never knew about.

Making it so I understand the rules and how to use them to your advantage. I will not likely be taken advantage of again!

Helping me prepare an opening system properly.

Telling me what is important to know about endgames with the endgames to study.

The importance of pattern recognition with many tactical puzzles to work on.

What to look for in a good qualified coach and chess teacher.

How psycology plays a part in chess and how you make mistakes when you analyze.

My list can go one, but I think I have said enough for now. I thing this book is simply the best book to help you do improve.

I usually don't read new authors, but I must say this is one lady I will stick with! The storyline was just spellbounding, I read it in one day. You feel as if the characters are real, you can relate to them on so many different levels. Ms. Shapodee leaves you wanting more. There's so much to describe that all I can say is get the book and you won't be disappointed.

Awesome to the end
You will see red when finished

I couldn't put this book down!!! I like how the author makes you wait until the last chapter to find out why her mother hates her so.
I sent a recommendation to Black Expressions to put this book in their catalog!!1
Keep up the good work Kieja....waiting for the next one.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It's a definite page turner and you must read it slowly or you may miss some good parts. I would recommend this book to everyone. It's worth every penny!

Written In Red Ink (WIRI) is a story of Emily Bennett, who struggles to raise
her family in the shadow of her own mother's hatred. Can she figure out her
mother's secret while holding onto her own?

On the outside, Emily has a perfect life. She has a great husband, beautiful
children and her own bookstore. Under the surface sits a woman in turmoil
between a husband who is losing trust in her, children who don't seem to have
respect for her and a mother who hates her for an unknown reason.

I enjoyed the storyline of Emily and her quest to find out the secrets of her
life immensely. The "secret" did not disappoint and had me questioning how
would I feel in that case. The sub-plots however, were too many and
underdeveloped. New developments with other characters were only revealed in
relation to Emily's story. For instance, Emily's daughter Lisa was dealing
with secrets of her own. I was interested in seeing how she dealt with her
situation only for it to be dropped. I did not hear Lisa's voice again until
close to the end of the book. This seemed to be the case for most of the
supporting characters.

I look forward to the sequel to this book and hope that it takes us further
into the lives of the other characters. This book is a 3.5 on the APOOO
scale.

Reviewed by Nicole
APOOO BookClub

This book is a must read for anyone who is wanting to make a change in their life.

Excellent book based on practical biblical teaching plus some good human coaching. Anyone stuck in a negative rut should pick this up and read it. It's a good book to share with others too. I was intrigued by the title and bought this book with the intention of giving it to a friend who really needed help getting through some tough times. I read it prior to giving it to her to be sure it met her needs and I think it hit the nail right on the head for her. Hopefully it will help her. I got some practical pearls out of it too.

A nice short read and a great book to instill new thinking habits. I really liked the practical applications, the questions to ask every day to change the way you think and to get change the negative thinking some of us have. I used some of those questions to text to my teenage daughter in the morning before she started off to school. "Who are the five people who love you the most?...beginning with your dad" What a great way to help establish great thought patterns for the rest of her life. Its a must read for anyone serious about living a joy filled life!

I was diagnosed with Manic depression/bipolar disorder about 5 years ago. Prior to that it was severe Postpartum depression. I have been on and off medication for 9 years after the death of my mom. Through much prayer and seeking God I was healed of my depression and given joy abundantly, and do not take any medication whatsoever. God must know how much I love books, because only after 4 days of healing me He brought me this book. It was like God was saying "okay your healed, now here is the way to walk in it."

Tommy Newberry's down to earth and gentle approach keeps this a very readable, enjoyable and relaxing book. And, the best part was I didn't have to dig up my past and analyze all of my errors and my sins. No, this book is all about MOVING FORWARD! I rejoiced when Tommy Newberry said in the book "and, I promise you won't have to go into your past to get the answer" I paraphrased.

I have purchased this book for my family, teachers and friends. It is the gift that keeps giving. And, now all of my friends are giving it as gifts!


I am on my 10th time reading this book. And, every single time I read it, I am blessed differently by it. The 4:8 Principle has taught me how to train my mind to think the way God wants me to think. It has changed my life. God will use this book to reveal areas in your thought life that you never even knew existed. The 4:8 Principle has spread like wild-fire through my church, and people's lives are being transformed. Marriages are being transformed.

I have many, many, many books on my bookshelf. Lots of them are self-helps. This is by far the only book that has given me practical answers, and COPING SKILLS!!! And, it is not a self-help book. It is a "let God help you out book." This is not just one of those "power of positive thinking" books. This is faith in action.

Do yourself a favor. Even if you consider yourself a pretty positive person. BUY THE BOOK. You will be surprised and delighted and more blessed than you already think you are. If you are someone like me, who was constantly nursing negative, even destructive thoughts, then RUN to get the book. You won't be sorry!


I love it. And, my life is completely changed.

I read the book in about 2 days and I'm now rereading it. The most interesting part I have found in this book that I haven't seen in others on this subject is the sensible and clear advise and solid answers which Tommy Newberry gives. The 4:8 Principle is a life changing and joy increasing book for me.

I recommend this book to those who want to have more joy in their lives. It is true that it is an inside job and this book has helped in that undertaking. An easy to read book that can lead to good things.

Best historical military related book I have read. Very well written and honest comments by the author and easy to understand. Great reading as well as a good history lesson on the U.S. army after WW2 by one of America's greatest warriors!

This is a story of a soldier in an army in decline, a lost war and a premature end of a magnificaint career. It is also the most motivating war story that I've ever read. It is the story of a man with barely a 7th grade education who joins the army at 15 years old and earns a battlefield commission in Korea and in Vietnam becomes the only soldier to be awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses, 10 Silver Stars and three times nominated for the Medal of Honor (which he did not recieve) and became the youngest Colonel in Vietnam. The book is a cry for military reform and it is also a war story. Hackworth tells of the desparate fights on nameless hills in Korea in a fasion that makes you wish that you were there, not an easy task, with the Korean War. When a lackluster soldier is killed Hackworth is proud that he died well and makes him a hero to the unit. He never seems to feel fear-"I guess I just like war...I like the cameradship. Adversity brings out the best in men"- Hackworth told Ward Just in the book "Military Men." In Vietnam Hack often took hopeless situations and turned them into victory. In a way his resignation was a victory, this self educated soldier stood up to a buracatic army that was losing a war while others went along. This is the most motivating book that I've ever read, so much so that I retured to active duty after reading it, insisting on infantry. David Hackworth may have been "Once An Eagle" but he was no colonel Kurtz-as the hardback dusk cover suggested. Hackworth died in 2005 from cancer, the only fight that he ever lost.

Colonel David Hackworth was a soldier's soldier. Born too late to see active service in the crucible of WW II, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Army as soon as he could. Often credited as being the most decorated American soldier of his era, Hack was well-known within the U.S. Army for his courage, honesty, and derring-do exploits.

Hack ranks right up their with the U.S. Marine's Chesty Puller and Gregory "Pappy" Boyington as the sort of officer who is a pain in the a** to have around in peacetime -- but who is exactly the sort of leader you want when the bullets start to fly. It is impossible to read about Hackworth's battlefield experiences during the Korean War without getting a lump in your throat for the privations those poor guys suffered. (Many U.S. Army units were airlifted from the States via Japan directly into combat in Korea, still wearing their Class 'A' uniforms -- totally unprepared for the Korean winters and the raging fighting they found upon landing.)

Col. Hackworth's Vietnam experiences are fascinating, too. As he rose in rank he displayed an uncanny ability to call a spade a spade, and his dismay with how the war was being fought eventually led to his being personally cashiered out of the Army by the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army!

Buy this book and read it -- you're in for a real treat! Hack was the real thing, and his demonstrated courage and abrasive honesty make him worthy of study and appreciation by both junior and senior officers throughout the armed services.

Captain Michael L. Pandzik, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired)

Excellent Read......... Highly Recommended ... 5 stars

About Face chronicles the experiences of the youngest colonel serving during the Vietnam circumstances. The book itself begins in February 1951 with Hackworth facing the enemy in Korea and is divided into twenty-three chapters. About Face follows David Hackworth the length of his military journey from the days when as a young soldier nick-named 'Combat' he charged into the face of the enemy along a path to near ruin at the hands of disgruntled superiors. The work includes maps, author's notes, a foreword by Ward Just, an Epilogue and an Appendix including a Glossary, Index and final notes.

About Face is a well written page turner presented in language clearly understood by the typical reader. The book is certain to interest those who have any link at all to the Vietnam situation faced by so many men and women from our country. The book helps to demarcate what happened, when and to whom.

I first read About Face written by Col. David Hackworth during the late 1980s. I found it particularly helpful in helping me...a woman with little knowledge of anything military, understand better my children's dad, a land based Viet Nam combat vet and the problems he had to deal with before his death.

As the wife of yet a second Viet Nam combat vet, special forces, I suggest this book for anyone who wants a better understanding of the debt of gratitude and respect we citizens owe those who served during the action in Vietnam and those who willing to serve in The United States Military today.

Molly Martin
Reviewer

This book was an inspirational read. Even though it takes forever to read this book, it's well worth the time. Hack's experiences shared in this book changed my outlook on life, and my outlook on human interaction/organization.

I would recommend this book to anyone, as I'm sure his experience can be applicable to anything you will ever have to deal with in life.

I love Christy French Stories!!!!! Her characters are so real and the plots are always exciting. This is a MUST READ author!!!!!

I read quite a number of thrillers, some with a touch of romance while some were straight suspense by different famous writiers. Glad to say FRENCH's Chasing Demons is one of the best written books I've ever read. Her writing is tight; the storyline flows making the read so pleasant and smooth. I also liked it she has short chapters giving us enough detail to bring us scene after scene without sacrificing richness of the story. (Writers who like to overload with details or unnecessary verbage should consider learning from her.)

I enjoyed this book so much that I am seeking for other of her books. Those who love fast-faced thrillers should not miss this one. It is also a page-turner too.

This book was so exciting, I read it in one day. The ending is filled with heart-stopping suspense and nonstop action and left me breathless. Others have written short summaries, so I won't take up space with that, but what I took away from this book is it's one woman's journey from an abused woman to one who turns her life around and becomes strong and independent, and along the way finds true love.

This book is well-written, with realistic dialogue, characters you love and those you hate, and a plot that flies. And a real sweet love story.

I really like this author and am surprised she hasn't made it to the NY Times bestselling lists yet.

Wow! I really liked how this author wrote this book and I will look for other books by her now that I have read this. Her writing moves with the story without all the clutter and mundane details that so many authors use to make a book over 300 pages. Ugh! This is a larger paperback book that came to 183 action packed pages. The chapters were short and sweet and the suspense was WONDERFUL. I couldn't put this book down! And, I must say I really liked the tastefullness in which the intimacy was written. Well done!

I didn't give this book 5 stars because I just couldn't get into the characters. They were not real enough for me; not enough depth. They did not draw me in. But the book did read fast and there was enough action to keep it going. The book was predictable. It was like I new the steps that had to be taken before it could end. Overall, I think the book is worth reading but is is not the best out there.

After visiting most of the places in this book last year, I wanted to read this book to find out the experiences of those who fought in this battle. It was a great book, especially if you are a WWII buff like me.

The military interviews were lame. An important part of history, would have liked more intel detail and military strategy.

A great deal of ink and celluloid has been used to describe the Allied invasion of Fortress Europe on Tuesday June 6, 1944. This book remains and no doubt always will be one of the best accounts of what happened that day. It captures the heroism of the common soldiers on both sides. While some of the men collapsed under the pressure, most exhibited great bravery as they fought for what they were told to fight for. One of the best features of this book is that Ryan depicts the German soldiers as fighting soldiers; he very rarely mentions the concept of Nazism or the origins of the war.
There is also very little mention of the clash of egos on the Allied side, although he spends a great deal of time describing the personality conflicts on the German side. I do not fault him for this, for it was these conflicts that kept the German mobile reinforcements from entering the fight on the beaches when they could have made a difference.
D-Day was not the greatest battle of World War II, greater ones took place on the Eastern front between Germany and the Soviet Union. However, it was the most complex in execution and was necessary from the Allied point of view. Given the tremendous power of the Soviet offensive in the east and the blockade of supplies, Germany would eventually have been defeated. However, if the D-Day invasion had been repulsed, the Soviet armies would have overrun all of Germany and possibly even much of France. As a consequence of this, the post-war world would have been very different. From this perspective it was one of the most significant as it put allied armies on a course through Germany. You cannot understand history without knowing about D-Day.

Read this book first when I was 15 years old and it motivated me to learn more about history of the second world war. It's one of the great books on world war II and D-Day and it is highly recommended!

Cornelius Ryan invented two genres with his ground-breaking history-The Longest Day.
On the one hand, he started a trend to personalized history. His book relies heavily on the recollections of those who fought on both sides. In this he anticipates Ken Burns' The War - A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick and also The Second World War the more scholarly John Keegan.
His other innovation, a brisk style of story-telling that hops from the personal to the technical to the strategic has won the day in the fiction of war. Tom Clancy Red Storm Risingis one of his legatees.
Aside from considerations of this book's considerable influence, this is one absorbing read. The personal sense that comes from Ryan's extensive interviews with veterans comes through on the page and the effect is extremely involving, even hypnotic.
The prose style, which seems a little overwrought today, was borrowed heavily from Henry Salomon's TV series Victory at Sea - The Legendary World War II Documentary (History Channel).In 1959, it seemed lke the best-maybe the only way-to discuss events whose importance was becoming more evident as they receded.
This edition lacks maps-except for one that doesn't even include Normandy, and there's no way to tell the strategic part of the story without them. There are also the same typos that existed in the first edition.

None the less, an exciting book and a great introduction to the power of personal history.

Lynn Hoffman, author of bang BANG: A Novel and the pioneering New Short Course in Wine,The

This fantasy tale is amazing. I loved reading about Aidan's adventures in The Realm. The characters are realistic and the plot line creative. Instead of just swords, it's more of a spiritual battle for the hearts of people

This book was a great book. Anyone who likes fantasy would like The Door Within. Its a great start to the trilogy.

For a first in a series, and first book ever from an author, this is pretty good. It has some little flaws here and there, but overall, The Door Within delivers fun fantasy with a great message. If you're a fan of Brian Jacques' Redwall novels, try these, Wayne Thomas Batson has a similar writing style.

The Door Within was seemingly written with two large goals in mind: the first would be to absolutely enthrall young readers with action, adventure, and the ever-deepening courage of someone their own age. Many young people have thought "wouldn't it have been cool to be a knight" or to turn from everything you've ever known to an adventure that few believed was real; this books tells that story. The second goal was to challenge the reader to truly examine what they believe in by drawing age-appropriate parallels between the main character and the reader. This goal was readily accomplished, as well, as the main character, Aiden, is real enough and each of us could identify with the various aspects of his personality.

While reading the book, I found it very difficult not to compare it with The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia. As this book falls into the same genre as those two, I was pleased to say that while this relationship was easy to see, it stands alone and cannot be confused with either. As I was related to one of my student's parents, "it is a great book that is kind of a hybrid between the two; it takes the elements of each that make them great and creates a new work that you must force yourself to put down." I had one parent tell me that she and her daughter were reading the book before bedtime. When the child left the room, she confessed to reading ahead after her daughter was in bed. She had even gone to the bookstore and purchased the Rise of the Wyrm Lord and The Final Storm and was not going to feel bad about reading ahead, even if she had to do it in secret.

Regarding the spiritual nature of the book, I can say that there is definitely a good message about using the gifts that one has been given for the benefit of mankind. Throughout the book, there are countless occurrences of self-sacrifice and other spiritually-sound happenings. When I turned the final page, I was saddened that it was over, but excited about what was to come. That sense, too, is aligned with a person's spiritual journey through real life. The book is incredibly well-written by an author who is not afraid to write outside the box.

Age recommendations:
Children reading the book alone: 11 years
Children reading with a parent: 9 years

Faith affirming/spiritual message (1-10):
9 - The book seems to be written with the intention of challenging the reader to examine his beliefs.

Overall Rating (1-10 scale):
9 - Lots of action, lots of intense self-examination by the protagonist makes for a read that is difficult to set aside.

Would you find this in my personal library?
ABSOLUTELY! It has a permanent place in my bookshelf.

Would you find this in my classroom library?
Yes. It is a good piece of literature that might help a struggling young person through life's ever-present difficulties.

Start the adventure of your life time as you join Adian Thomas as he discovers another world,at war. Watch as the noble King Elim fights against the death, deserving knight Paragor. Enjoy Adian's quest as he fights for King Elim and must learn the price of loyalty.