I Books

It doesn't matter how many home runs Berry Bond's or anyone of this aera of Baseball, what Hank AAron endured and the racial hatred he went through only proves that he is the BEST. These modern day players could not survive what he and others went through.

I've been a fan from age seven, which is where I was in life when Henry hit number 715. His recounting of his life in baseball is captivating and highly educational.

Mr Aaron is one of the most skilled players in baseball history, and his telling of his story explains that he is much more than that. Mr Aaron is a man of dignity and class, his success through clouds of racist hate provides a shining example of what a man can be under extreme circumstances. Thank you Henry, for your marvelous career in baseball, and for your open, honest sharing of the story.

The athletic proficiency of Hank Aaron is probably the greatest in the history of baseball if not all sports. He is a man of dignity, grace and the stuff legends are made of. This is an endearing and absorbing biography. This biography has captivated the legend of the man for me. It is well written with true fervor and endearment. One of the best.

"I Had A Hammer" is a wonderfully written autobiography about the struggles and the triumphs of one Henry(aka Hank) "The Hammer" Aaron, the career home run record holder, and one of the last of the "Negro League" players to make it big. Aaron describes his upbringing in Mobile well, and shows us the different levels of racism in the Deep South. The book reveals that Aaron fought against segregation in the minor leagues, helping to end "white-only" minor league teams, and shows us Aaron's love affair with the city of Milwaukee and it's long-gone Braves team, and the tense relationship between Aaron and Atlanta, which had the first Deep South major league team. This is recommended for lovers of baseball as well as those who want to know more about civil rights heroes. Atlanta is not cast in a good light in this book, but Aaron harbors little bitterness towards the city or the racism and death threats he had to endure while trying to break Babe Ruth's record.

In this baseball season where my favorite team is floundering in the cellar, and every good story(compelling divisional races) is counterbalanced by the bad (steroids), I have been trying to maintain interest by re-reading some baseball books that I have read over the years. After re-reading "I Had A Hammer", I remember why it remains one of the best biographies/autobiographies that I have ever read.

The sports genre in books is much harder than one would think to keep up interest in. There are very few gems in any sporting subject; mostly it's very mediocre to terribly vapid. Usually a fan becomes disappointed in their sports "heroes" when they read a biography about them, because the writing can be so bad. Fortunately, for a ballplayer as great as Hank Aaron, the work lives up to the character and legend of the man.

Mr. Aaron does a splendid job of taking the reader through his life in Alabama, his discovering the game of baseball, and - of course - his remarkable career. His writing style provides enough description to allow the reader to get a true mental "picture" of what his life was like without getting bogged down in minutiae. Throughout the book, I had the feeling like I really was there watching his career unfold.

Of course, that brings us to the real core - and most important part - of his life story. That is, what Mr. Aaron experienced as he neared and eclipsed Babe Ruth's home run record. Most celebrities or sports figures would relate this in that sensational, "woe-is-me", tabloid-tell-all sort of way. Not Mr. Aaron. He shares many of the truly hateful and despicable letters he received from people across the nation who saw the idea of an African-American breaking the record of a white man as egregious. Mr. Aaron relates how this inundation of hate mail affected him, but he manages to avoid expressing any hate towards the senders of those letters. One obviously gets the sense that Mr. Aaron steeled himself against those attacks with grace and dignity, allowing himself to still play the game the way it was supposed to be played, and to do it with class and personal enjoyment.

It is striking to return to Mr. Aaron's autobiography after the events in baseball over the past decade. We as a fan base in general express outrage over the strike, the steroids (and questions about those players that broke records), outrageous salaries, and the like. It seems to always elicit a response demanding a return to the "innocence" of baseball seasons and players gone by. However, Mr. Aaron's experience demonstrates that there was controversy in almost every era of the game. In his case, it was a despicable form of racial hatred expressed by a very vocal minority in this country.

Again, "I Had A Hammer" stands out as one of the great books in the sports genre, and stands out as one of my favorite biographies/autobiographies. I rate it the full five stars, and encourage readers of all interests to give this one their attention.

Its been over 10 years since i read this book and i still to this day remember the characters names, what the book is about and no i dont own a copy of it yet... for the life of me i could not remember the title of the book or who wrote it... but i did reconize the cover instantly! thats just the type of impact that a book like this can have on a person....

This is a wonderful book if you like to babysit. I love this book. I read this book years ago and then I bought it on Amazon.com and My son, daughter and there friends have read it. It is a good book. What I like about it was that Scott helped her and he stuck with her..Read it to undestand what I mean.

I read "I Won't Let Them Hurt You" and I thought it was a wonderful book. This story is about a girl named Katie who was babysitting a little boy in order to get money to buy a dress for her school dance. In the beginning, when I found out that Justin was being abused, I thought it was his father. Later on in the story, I continued to think that it was the father who was beating his child, Justin. Katie, the babysitter had seen bruises on Justin everytime she went to babysit him. Her date for the dance was Scott. Scott's mother was involved with children who get abused and she helped Katie out. Katie had felt very guilty about telling Scott's mother about Justin's problem. I could understand how she felt telling because it made her lose her job and it also made Justin's mother upset. Scott's mother had Katie speak to someone about Justin's problem. Later on, Katie spoke to Justin's mom about Justin's situation and found out that it was Justin's mom who was abusing him. It came as a real surprise to me that it was Justin's mom because all along they lead me to believe that it was his father. Justin's parents then had to go to a class each week about abusing your child and how it was wrong to do so. I thought that it was wonderful how Justin's mom was going to go get help because she really needed it. I enjoyed reading this book a lot and would definitely recommend it.

I think this book was one of the best books I ever read. I gave it 5 stars because it was suspenseful, exciting, and informational on child abuse. It was about a girl named Katie, who started baby sitting this little boy, Justin. She started noticing cuts and bruises on the little boy and was getting worried that something was wrong. She thought that Justin's father abuses him. She didn't want to tell anyone what she suspected because would anyone believe her? If you read this book you should look forward to a surprising ending! I recommend this book to readers of all ages. Have fun reading!!!

I Won't Let Them Hurt You is a great book.I found this book easy to read; I didn't want to stop. Some books drone on and on, but this one keeps your attention. I rated this book 5 stars because it had a great story. This book is about a babysitter who thinks that the child is being abused by his father. She is very worried about him and will do anything for him. Katie doesn't want to believe that his parents would do something like that. Be prepared for a surprise ending. If you decide to read this book, get comfortable. You won't want to stop reading. I recommend this book to kids of all ages. This story can be very influencial to some. I hope you enjoy this book.

Reviewed by William Phenn for Readers Views

James Green, airline pilot turned writer, turned motivationalist. All he has seen and all he has done, does not compare to what he has written in this compelling volume.

Green has interviewed eighty seven people (I shall have to find out why 87 and not 90?) from all walks of life. Taken one aspect of a person's life, he gives the reader an insight into that person which no one has ever heard before. This book has true accounts of lost love, internet love, disappointing careers, unfulfilled dreams, shattered lives and few successes. Successes such as Green, who includes an excerpt from his own life, tells of how he made the right choice in his early years and how that choice, that one single moment in his existence, made an amazing difference in his life.

Green has filled "If There's One Thing I've Learned" with over two hundred and fifty pages of the most interesting accounts of people. Recollections they have had of the good, the bad, and the ugly. One such example is Steve, the thirty seven year old architect, that discovered internet dating. His humorous account of cyber sex and internet dating left me in stitches. Then there is Ron, the thirty nine year old technician, whose story was in the chapter titled "The One Who Got Away" - a heart breaker that will read like a Greek tragedy. On and on, the examples are endless, the stories compelling.

Green has combined every facet of enjoyable reading into this volume. There is joy, drama, tragedy, sex (not erotic) and no violence. If there's one thing I've learned, this is a very enjoyable book that is general audience. Lessons learned in the book are many; see which one relates to you and your life.

I highly recommend this fine piece of literary work to all who can read. You are in here somewhere, mark my words.

James Green's book encourages the reader to look within himself/herself, to focus upon their goals, what's important in their lives and also offers some solace that we can learn from our past, in order to improve upon our future. It's refreshing to read a "guide" which isn't another fad. Rather, the author offers thought provoking experiences from diverse individuals, which can be of benefit to all.

I received this book as a gift and was very moved by its content. The author's personal experiences, as well as those of others he shares, serve to remind the reader of the importance of living life without regret ... something I promote in my romance seminars and coaching. This book is definitely worth the read, not to mention you may want to gift someone you love with a copy. Oh, and don't be surprised if you discover that one of the stories you read is very close to your own. Congratulations, Mr. Green!

IF THERE'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED by James Green is about "how to seize your once in a lifetime chance to get it right." The author has interviewed hundreds of people of all ages and walks of life and asked what is the most important lesson each has learned and how he or she learned it. The stories and the lessons are told in the interviewee's words. Many are followed with a related wise saying from Wisdom teachers of various faiths through the ages

"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."
--Chinese Proverb

James Green's interviews with 87 people helped them reveal their moment of truth--and what truth it is. Each story is only a few pages based on: If you could go back and change anything in your life, what would you do differently?

The subtitle of the book is "How to seize your once-in-a-lifetime chance to get it right." It's pretty obvious we will see ourselves in more than one of the stories.

You cannot have a favorite in these stories as each one makes a strong point. For example:
-- A retired NYC cop says he wishes he had been more open minded as a young man relative to people of different races.
-- A young woman tells how she loved men who didn't love her; and was loved by men she didn't love, and how she finally decided to save herself physically and emotionally for the right man.

The author is an airline pilot who decided that "He would listen to the whisper and not let life pass him by, and that he would live his life without regret."

The interview questions he used are part of the book, and if you read them, you will be forced to think about things you learned as each one is a subtle nudge down memory lane.

Can you tell I loved this book! And as a bonus, he included some really great quotes.

Armchair Interviews says with so much downer news in the media and our lives today, these stories so very uplifting.

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first,
the lesson afterwards."
-- Vernon Sanders Law, pro baseball player

This is the first volume of the two volume herbal set.If you like classical literature and recipes,you will enjoy reading this book.Also has information on tonics and liniments for various aliments.Methods of harvesting and chemical dosages are discussed.And preparation of the extracts and tinctures are detailed.Some illustrations,from the root to the bud,are drawn clearly.Folk tales and cosmetic aspects are included.It's a bit old-fashioned ,yet it reads like an enchanting medieval Herbal Arthurian text. If you're a serious student of herbalism and classical studies,then you'll find this botanical set engrossing reading.

I enjoy this book because it has so many plants in it, even plants we don't usually consider herbs. It gives a lot of info about each plant listed. Very good!

Wish this was back in print in one volume but glad I was able to pick this up. One of the most invaluble resources I have give tons of wonderful information very comprehensive...love it. Only wish the pics of the plants were with each description instead of in their own lil groups.

I received my book in excellent condition and in very short order. I am pleased to add it to my library and am sure it will be well-used.

Although I preferred the older verison this is great for the beginner and advnce alike.

My friends keep telling me I should write a book about my grief, but I think that what Elizabeth Harper Neeld has written is better than anything I could produce. This book is so readable and covers every aspect of grief. My husband died four months ago, and I have found this book exceedingly helpful. Elixabeth put the most important step first "To experience and express grief fully." There are hundreds of ways to run away from grief, but it is necessary "to feel it to heal it." I was given the best advice by a friend who said to "lean into the pain." The second choice "To endure with patience," has helped me be more patient and compassionate with myself. Thank you, Elizabeth for this beautiful book. I will buy it for everyone I know who loses someone dear.

My husband died suddenly in 2005 and I've done a lot of grief work using all tools available-counseling, guided imagery dvd's, bereavement groups, journaling and LOTS of reading. This is by far the best resource and guide for anyone experiencing such a loss. I've recommended it several times and have given it to friends who have lost spouses. Don't hesitate to buy it.

I gave this as a gift to my cousin's husband after she died. He'd read a number of books on the topic and said this book included helpful information that he'd never read before. He gave it to his step daughters to read next since he felt they could benefit from it as well.

Harper Neeld's book is an incredibly detailed compilation of the author's personal experiences in the sudden loss of her young husband, interviews with other widows/widowers, and discussions of phases of the grieving process. I would rate this book highly, along with one of my favorite grief authors, thanatologist Alan Wolfelt (e.g. Understanding Your Grief books). Harper Neeld seamlessly combines her painful, personal story with factual, helpful guidelines to create one of the best written boooks I have read on widowhood. I used the introspective questions with my grief therapist, who liked the book so much that she borrowed it and used it for a class she taught.

After my husband died suddenly, I was beside myself. My aunt insisted on placing this book in my hands. It has been a lifeline to me. I have purchased well over 20 copies of it for friends and continue to haunt my local bookstore when they don't have it on the shelf for immediate purchase. Having read almost every grief book out there, don't waste your money, just buy this one and learn to live again.

I loved loved this book....I checked it out at our local library and read it cover to cover in two days...Thats a record for me...I love that this woman took a sensible approach to her weight loss and over a course of 4 years, took the weight off. I find it frustrating when all the books tell of 100+ weight loss in a matter of 10-12 months...It made me feel lazy and inadequate to have lost 60 in a year...but not anymore having read this book. So many of the things she went thru I can relate to and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel gives me so much added motivation to keep doing what I am doing and it will pay off...It has already...Definately a book to read over and over again:)

This is a wonderful book showing some ups and more downs of the scale. This woman shows by example in her experience that if we don't follow a food regiment 100% you can still attain your goal of loosing weight. It is really refreshing to read that you can make a goal even when you slip away from it now and then, but you have to not give up. A good read hard to put down.

I bought this book on Saturday and finished it on Tuesday. I could hardly put it down. I also weigh what Sandra did and then some. This book was really motivating and I saw so much of myself in it so I could relate to it. It really gives me hope and shows me I am normal. I have been going to T.O.P.S. since April 2001 and have lost over 30 pounds and began backsliding. Now I see that may happen from time to time and I just need to stay motivated. Thank you for this book.I am a 37 yr. old widow with 2 children and really need to stay on track to be here for them and I think this book will help me.

I enjoyed the spirit with which this book was written. By the time I finished I felt as though I knew Sandra and her wonderful supportive family. I was cheering her on throughout the book. Not only did she lose weight for herself but she chose this time to help others and start up aerobic classes for women who feel left out at most health clubs. Her relationship with Richard Simmons made me smile. They had such mutual respect. It is wonderful that she accomplished what she did, helped others and at the same time wrote an enjoyable uplifting book.

In particular I liked the way she did not hold back her feelings or her problems. She tells it "like it is". I recommend this book even if weight loss is not the goal. She puts a positive spin on other things as well.

Not only is this book the bargain of the year, but it is literally the best diet book ever written. This lady tells her story from the beginning to what is going on today. It is like reading her diary. There are no gaps to the story-which I really appreciated. She tells you every step she took to lose the weight including what exercise she did along the way. She also tells you how your family and friends will react to your weight loss. For anyone who wants a "Step by Step" account of how a friend lost her weight, this is a "must" read. After reading Sandra's book, you feel like you are her friend. Very inspiring with an honest approach to weight loss. I can't say enough about this book!!

Thieves & Kings is an odd duck -- part illustrated narrative, part graphic novel -- but it's a charming odd duck as Mark Oakley's ambitious fantasy tale mirrors the energy and exuberance of his lead character, the young thief Rubel, and smartly focuses on him and his adventures as opposed to the more typical genre emphasis on world-building. It's not that Oakley doesn't offer a compelling setting in Oceansend, because he does and it is, but the appeal of his story -- which has all of the standard genre tropes accounted for -- lies squarely on Rubel's precocious shoulders.

The combination of illustrated narrative and traditional comic book format feels a bit awkward at first, but as the story moves along, it mostly works, with the comic book sections offering Oakley the opportunity to mix in some show with his tell. His brisk writing style is complemented (if not always enhanced) by his solid artwork, which suffers at times from overly crowded panels and odd layouts.

Nevertheless, this first volume is an engaging introduction to Rubel and Oceansend that kept me turning the pages and, when it was done, I was anxious to immediately jump into the next volume.

I first got turned onto Mark's work accidently at my local library. From the first page I was hooked. I'm not going into a long summation of the plot, or remark on any of the characters, others have done that. All I'm going to say is that I own all of Mark's books. I also visit Mark's website on an almost daily basis. There I stay up to date on Mark's latest adventures. This book, The Blue book,(Mark's books are colored after the seasons, mostly), is just GREAT! If you like a really good read, about characters you'll come to love, and care about-BUY THIS BOOK!! Then explore the rest of Mark's wonderful work!

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

WHEN I WAS ELENA is an inspirational book about a young woman's survival with her beloved dog, "Cali," in a distant land and the positive difference she made on people there. The story, itself, is gripping but it is also beautifully written. I highly recommend this book to others.
Jean Schaeffer

Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand tells the story of her relationships with several Guatemalan women during her years as a Peace Corp volunteer. Elena's illnesses, travels and transformation from girl to woman were riveting, however it was the description of her friendships that made the book so memorable. The reader hears both Elena's and her friend's perspectives of their encounters. Elena's account capture's the American's view: the poverty, corruption, misogyny, infant mortality, and fatalism of the Guatemalans and Peace Corp volunteers. The friend's views accurately convey (from my international volunteer experience) the experience of having someone entirely foreign living among a native population. The depth of their feelings-- ranging from amusement to mistrust to envy to supernaturally obsessed to empathy for poor, skinny, unwed Elena --demonstrates the author's grasp on her character's perspectives. The memoir begs the reader to ponder the nature of friendships, altruism and self-preservation.

I loved this book! I followed Ellen as she changed from the stylish Southern college girl into a woman of courage and strength while in Guatemala as a Peace Corps worker. Her relationships with the women she met along the way were told in moving stories that had me laughing out loud and other times wiping the tears on my cheeks. Ellen's journey in Guatemala was not an easy one and at times I feared for her but was ever so grateful for the companionship of her loyal dog, Cali.
This is a wonderful book and I came from it feeling that Ellen Urbani Hildebrand most certainly is an exceptional woman. When I Was Elena is a book I would recommend to everyone.

This superb book really offers incredible insights into a side of Guetamala very few outsiders get to see. Great job 'Elena'. Harrowing and tragic. Immensely readable.

I found this book fabulous!! In America we take so many things for granted: running water, safety, clean homes, etc. This book gives a real life account of what life is like in a Third World Country, especially following a Revolution. It was riviting with adventure, danger, suspense. We have incredible liberties as Americans and it is extremely difficult for us to imagine how intense life would be if suddenly everything we have was taken away. "When I was Elena" puts life into perspective. It gives us a reason to be grateful. It raises awareness about the plite of others around the world. The author, Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand was a Peace Corps volunteer who put herself in the middle of an extremely sensative situation. Getting involved is the key for everyone to do something. Hats off to Ellen!!! We Americans need to support more out reach like the Peace Corps. After all our world is getting smaller and smaller. We are not just citizens of the United States we are World Citizens! Stay aware and most importantly - when possible DO SOMETHING! I highly recommend this book to anyone!!!

Sophie feels pretty awful about things. Actually, she's felt pretty awful for three years, ever since her younger brother Erhart died. He was seven and she was twelve. Since then, she has tried hard to keep his memory alive inside of her, specifically thinking of him a couple of times a day so he doesn't fade completely from her mind.

Making things even worse in Sophie's life is the fact that she can't seem to get along with her father, who had an affair shortly before Erhart's death and was thrown out of their house.

Then Sophie lost her best friend, Justin, who wanted to date her and stopped liking her when she refused to be his girlfriend. Now he circulates with a group Sophie refers to as the Wolf Pack, mindless guys who only care about impressing frivolous girls. Sophie feels pretty alone in the world.

The stops feeling so alone when she meets Francis, a guy whose mother died years ago. He seems to understand a little of what she feels about Erhart, and he is the first person in a long time she has enjoyed spending time with. He even respects that she isn't interested in dating anyone. But is she really not interested in dating anyone? Or would she maybe like to date Francis?

I really liked Francis' character and the way he related to and respected Sophie, although I found it a bit unrealistic that he would have stuck around so long when Sophie gave him so little encouragement. I liked that Sophie's family didn't completely break down after her brother died; she and her mother and sister were still pretty much okay. The character of Justin was lousy--it was hard to believe someone would be so insensitive to drop his friendship with a girl so easily when she refused to date him.

This book was interesting--at times. I found the main character quite boring, but Francis seemed complex, and I found his tear tattoo fascinating. This is a rather typical "coming-of-age" story and did not do much to capture my interest. I basically struggled through the story, but I didn't find it unbearable. It was well-written, but simply wasn't attention-grabbing for me. I gave it three stars as it just didn't have what it takes to make a wonderful novel.

This is one of my favorite books. The characters felt so real and were very memorable, especially Francis. I liked the plot and felt satisfaction when it endded. It was an easy read, but was also well written.

"Her brother is gone-but she is still here", says the cover. Sophie's younger brother died of leukemia when he was eight. That was two years ago. Day by day, Sophie finds herself forgetting him. She's scared of letting go of what little memories she has of him; until she meets Francis. Can she let go but still hold on of the memories she has? This was a very good book, very vivid of what Sophie goes through. She's someone that you could easily relate to if someone close to you died. At times though, she sounds very fake and un-caring. She's somewhat of a snob though that judges people by what she's heard about them. Francis teaches her that's not a wise idea and little by little, she finds herself falling in love with him. Yet part of her holds back. Plus, there's her complicated relationship with her father. Her parents are divorced and he was having an affair while her brother was dying. In a way she blames him for his death. Can Sophie give herself permission to be what she wants to be? To grow up?

When I was Older by Garret Freymann-Weyr is one of my favorite books. It is a fictional story about a Girl learning to cope her life. I loved this book, and i would recommend it to any teenage girl. It is a must read.
Sophie is a 13 year old girl growing up in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her brother died when she was very young, and She doesnt take it well. She still can't talk about him, or bring it up in a conversation with anyone. In a way, Earheart (her brother) is keeping her from growing up. Her thoughts are still on days when she was younger when she'd play with him before he got sick. Sophie must learn that Highschool changes people, and sometimes you have to accept that change.
I liked this book alot becuase I myself, can relate to how Sophie feels. Her brother is diagnosed with Lukemia and When he dies it breaks her heart. My mother had cancer, so i know how Sophie feels through the book.
Also, Garret Freymann Weyr is an amazing author. He tells this story with the use of Strong Diction, and great dialouge. his knack for writing really shines through. I never once wanted to put this book down, and i read it in 2 days. This book Not only shows the hardships of growing up, but learning how tocope with your problems. I recomend it for everyone.

I read Wild Swan 20 years ago while I was still single. This is by far my favorite of all time. In fact, my first son's name is Rane after the charactar in the book (Rane Falconer). He is 18 now and going off to college. He likes his name...mostly because it is unique. I couldn't read the last book in the series for a long time because I just couldn't stand if something happened to Rane and Alex. I finally read it...Celeste De Blasis is a master.

This book, one of a series of 3, was absolutely wonderful. I have all 3 books in HC in my book collection. Moving story. A plus also if you like horses.

Wild Swan begins in 1813 as thirteen year old Alexandria (Alex) Thaine's grandmother sends her to live with distant relatives on the west coast of England to get her away from her hateful mother. In Devon she thrives with the Falconer family and especially forming a lifelong bond with the younger son Rane. Rane decides to wait until Alex is old enough before he asks for her, but in the meantime Alex's sister dies and her mother calls her back to help raise her two infant twins. The twin's parent St. John (pronounced sinjon) returns badly wounded from the Napoleonic wars, Alex nurses him back to health and a bond is formed between them and the children that leads to a marriage (albeit not sanctioned by the Church of England), unbeknownst to Rane who waits until Alex is 16 and arrives too late to propose marriage to the already "wed" Alex. Wah!

Alex eventually makes a good marriage with St. John and to get away from family influences they make their way to Maryland to strike their fortune at horseraising/racing. Alex faces quite a surprise when she finds herself face to face again with Rane who also left England to find a new life away from memories of his love for Alex. At this point the story takes up with Alex and St. John's efforts to purchase land (named Wild Swan) and start raising thoroughbred horses and life on the racing circuit, that eventually leads to the aquisition of a mad horse that has dreadful consquences on St. John, Alex and their children. More than that, I'm not telling.

All in all a highly enjoyable read and I had a hard time putting it down and lost more than an hour or two of sleep (always a good sign??). Despite being typed as a romance, this novel was packed with plenty of historical details to place it a step or two above the norm, especially as the author dealt quite nicely with the slavery issue and the St. John's opposition to same. My only minor quibbles are that unless you are a "horsey" person (which I'm not) there are some spots that become a bit slow (but you can skip them) and the sex scenes, while not gratuitous, were a bit...well...ahem....just a tad too detailed for my tastes (especially one scene - you'll know when you get there). If it had been a "true" bodice ripper than I wouldn't have minded, but eventually enough is enough. Outside of that, it was a pretty darned good read and there are two books that complete the story, Swan's Chance and A Season of Swans.

Wild Swan is the first in a series of three books about a family who move to Maryland from England and become involed with horsebreeding, racing and ship building.

This books starts out in the early 19th century and ends in 1892. You wil fall in love with the many generations of Thaines, Carringtons and Falconers!!

This is a must read for any historical fiction lover!!!

I have read so many different romance books by so many different authors that when I picked up "Wild Swan", I expected it to be like all the rest. Needless to say, I was more than pleasantly surprised. The Swan trilogy brings so many wonderful, diverse, REAL characters to life. When reading these books, you feel as if you are part of the Carrington-Falconer family and wish you could be as honest and strong as the characters. So many different interwoven plots and so many different times in history serve as a rich background to this timeless tale. I will continue to read these books for many years to come and hopefully my daughters will do the same, as my mother did and as her mother did.