Clubs Books

(My review is on Thoreau's Cape Cod rather than this specific edition).

While some literary critics seem to slight this work by Thoreau, saying that it is not as "powerful" as his other works, etc., I personally find this one very enjoyable. Sure, it does not have as much "philosophizing" as other books by him, but it is full of humor and very fun to read. The part where he describes the old man spitting into the hearth is particularly hilarious. The part about him sleeping in a lighthouse is also very funny. It lets us experience the more jovial side of Thoreau. This is probably one of the easiest to read among Thoreau's books.

Published posthumously, this volume is surprisingly consistent and complete (unlike "The Maine Woods" which is chopped into three different parts), it gives one the feel of walking along the entire cape, although the materials are quarried from several different trips. One only wish Thoreau had lived longer and had seen the West, imagine him taking a trip in the Sierra! Oh, well, meanwhile, we still have this one to enjoy.

Thoreau visited Cape Cod in 1849, 1850, and 1853. These trips formed the basis for a series of essays, several of which Thoreau published in magazines. After Thoreau's death, the essays were gathered together and published as "Cape Cod" in 1865.

Thoreau's "Cape Cod" is different in tone in theme from his earlier books. The tone is leisurely and light. Instead of solitude or the wild woods, the picture that remains with me from this book is that of a long walk, or, as Thoreau puts it, a "ramble" through the sand and dunes of Cape Cod. The book is picturesque, full of humor and wry observation. Thoreau unforgettably describes the ocean, in its storms, vicissitudes, and moments of peace, the fish and the fishermen, the sands, birds, plants and lighthouses of Cape Cod, and the people. I have visited portions of the Masachusetts coast, but I have never been to Cape Cod. Thoreau took me there in his book.

The book is arranged into ten chapters. It opens with a description of the shipwreck of the St John on a rock off the Cape. Thoreau then describes a ride by coach across the Cape. But the heart of the book lies in the following chapters in which Thoreau with a companion walks the 30 mile beach from Nauset Harbor to Provincetown with many stops and diversions along the way. I felt the salt air and saw the fishermen and the sandy beach as I walked with Thoreau.

The most vivid characterization in the book is in the chapter "The Wellfleet Oysterman", as Thoreau describes a grizzled, taciturn, and ancient native of Cape Cod and his family who offer him hospitality for the night. Another memorable chapter involves the description of the Highland Lighthouse, no longer standing, and its keeper. The stops with the Oysterman and the Lighthouse punctuate Thoreau's long walks through the day over the beach and his meditiations about and descriptions of what he finds there.

Thoreaus walk ended at Provincetown, on the northernmost portion of Cape Cod, with its wood walkway, shanty houses, and ever-present scenes of fishermen, boats, and drying fish. Thoreau offers what I found an affectionate portrait of these hardy fishermen and their families. Following a description of what he found at Provincetown, Thoreau offers a great deal of historical background on the exploration of the Cape, from the Pilgrims reaching back to earlier French, Icelandic, and English explorers.

Thoreau's "Cape Cod" is a worthy companion to his books describing his experiences inland, on Walden Pond and on the rivers and woods of New England and Maine. It is beautifuly written with unforgettable descriptive passages. It made me want to get up and go from my life in the city, and over 150 years after Thoreau wrote, wander and walk for myself along the dunes and sands of Cape Cod.

This hardcover edition from Peninsula Press is unquestionably the best available edition of Thoreau's Cape Cod, for these reasons:

1) While all other editions are based on Thoreau's journal entries from only his first three visits to the Cape, this edition includes an epilogue compiling Thoreau's notes from his fourth and final visit, in which he traveled south to Chatham and Monomoy.

2) This is the only edition to translate the many, many Greek and Latin phrases Thoreau includes throughout the work, and it is also the only edition to provide illustrations, maps, and sidenotes in-text.

3) This is the only indexed edition ever created.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of both Cape literature and Thoreau in general.

This book details the flora, fauna and people that Thoreau found in Cape Cod in the 1850s. Thoreau organizes the book around a single trip to Provincetown, although much of the material that he uses in the book came from various visits to the Cape, and to the ocean in general. He starts with a description of a shipwreck at Cohasset, then a stagecoach ride from Plymouth, then a walking trip with a companion along the outer shore to Provincetown. Along the way, he describes not only the plants and animals he encountered, but also the people who he met. The book finishes with a lengthy academic historical account of the discovery and mapping of the Cape.

I found this to be the most humorous of all Thoreau's work. The character sketches he provides in this book, sharpened with his trained eye for observation of natural phenomena, are legendary. The cultural description of the Cape and its environment is quite fascinating for those interested in the history of daily life in 19th century Massachusetts. As Thoreau describes the desolate, treeless desert that made up the far reaches of the Cape, one begins to comprehend what it meant for an economy to be based on wood and whale oil for fuels. Thoreau stresses how valued driftwood was for residents of the Cape, as one of their main sources of heating and cooking fuel. Doubtless, he would not recognize the Cape today with its lush new forests. Or its Wal-Marts--switching to an oil economy has brought mixed blessings for the Cape. For those who think Thoreau to be a humorless didactic philosopher, this book shows a very different aspect of Thoreau as a writer.

You will forget about the outside world when you read this; nothing but sand, wind, and water. Plus some natural history, local folklore, a few shipwreck tales. Typical Thoreau; he finds beauty, interest, detail in the wilderness. The desolate landscape will help to clear your mind. Highly recommended.

karen's aunt peaches is expecting a baby and is moving back to stoneybrook and stays with claudia's family. Claudia and peaches are the closest and they do all kinds of things like going shopping for baby stuff, watching old movies, cooking delcious dinners and dressing up in funky costumes, you can really see where claudia gets her creativity from. But then claudia and peaches go out for pizza at night, come home late and claudia's mom makes it a big deal that they went out at night, BIG DEAL! And since then peaches and claudia were not speaking to each other but then things work out at the end after peaches lost the baby. On the side, claudia is getting mary anne to teach her how to knit a lavender baby blanket for the new baby, and natalie springer from the little sister series makes appearances in the book too, interesting read.

This was a very good BSC book. I thought it was funny. I was o happy that Claudia's aunt Peaches was going to have a baby! This book is also sad too. After reading this, I recommend that you read Claudia and the World's Cutest Baby. It's also about Peaches. Also the part about Natalie Springer was good, too.

claudia's aunt peaches is expecting a baby and is moving back to stoneybrook and stays with claudia's family. Claudia and peaches are the closest and they do all kinds of things like going shopping for baby stuff, watching old movies, cooking delcious dinners and dressing up in funky costumes, you can really see where claudia gets her creativity from. But then claudia and peaches go out for pizza at night, come home late and claudia's mom makes it a big deal that they went out at night, BIG DEAL! And since then peaches and claudia were not speaking to each other but then things work out at the end after peaches lost the baby. On the side, claudia is getting mary anne to teach her how to knit a lavender baby blanket for the new baby, and natalie springer from the little sister series makes appearances in the book too, interesting read.

In my opinion, this is one of the best books in the Baby-Sitters Club Series! Great job, Ann!

Claudia can't believe her luck--wacky Aunt Peaches, one of her favorite people on the planet, is moving back to Stoneybrook...and she's going to have a baby! Claudia's sure that life with Peaches around will be nonstop fun. At first, it is. But then one of Peaches' crazy adventures gets Claudia in trouble. Claudia's really mad--so mad that she blows up at Peaches. And before Claudia can apologize, something awful happens. Claudia would give anything to take back her angry words now. Is there any way she can make things right again? Read this book and find out!

Claudia is happy that Aunt Peaches is back in Stoneybrook. They love to eat junkfood, play pretend. But one day it stops. Aunt Peaches gets Claudia in trouble!

I found this gem of a book at a local bookstore in my hometown. Club Expat is a nuanced coming-of-age tale of two highly intelligent young men. Part biography, part travel guide, part allegory. It is at once a ledger of travels and travails, and a discourse on what it means to be truly human. Their prose is never forced, but flows with the gentle grace reminiscent of the adventures of youth. While the larger scope encompasses the human condition manifested in the socio-political landscapes of Post-Modern Europe and Asia, anecdotes and witticisms dot the pages hither and thither. The prose doesn't stray however, as these recollections and reminiscences are weaved into the literary tapestry of Club Expat.

Akash Shah is ridiculously good-looking. His friends, peers, and advisors have always known that. But what we learned from this book is that Akash Shah is truly a genius among man, a veritable giant in the field of literary life history. Truly a great read, and likely to be an impactful work in the years to come.

My family just got this book a week ago from my dad's company. We are moving next week for Europe from San Diego, California and this book was just what I needed. It contains great advice on how what kinds of things to take with you on the plane and for the weeks when we don't have a house. But the best chapter was about international schools and all the great things I will get to do and see when I move. I would really recommend this book to any kid who's moving overseas.

I found "Club Expat: A Teenager's Guide to Moving Overseas" to be the most profound reading experience of my life. The 3 hours I spent carressing through the pages of this book felt like a magical 3-year stay abroad, and I felt completely comfortable and prepared to face its challenges with the authors' sage advice. Now, the only "itch" I have is to read it once more. The Brothers Shah present an extraordinarily detailed account, filled with a warm sense of humor. Their prose is a delectable mixture of conversation and sophistication. Never do they lose sight of the big picture - to always explore the many wonders of the world, gaining tolerance and wisdom for the future. Speaking of pictures, the lovely illustrators Daniella Suh and Payal Kapadia deftly capture the emotions of an entire family of expats from when they first find out about their impending move until they return home, utilizing thought and speech bubbles to accurately depict their reactions. After reading the New York Times Bestseller "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman (which this book will surely overtake), I thoroughly enjoyed this humanistic perspective on globalization. More and more families will need this book as a spiritual anchor to help them adjust to dramatically new environments. And as I move off to college, I can connect with the resonant theme of change and how ultimately succeed in it. I strongly believe that this just the beginning of greatness for the authors as well as the entire genre of literature written by teens, for teens. Bravo, boys, for dispensing your wisdom to help all those who will undertake a similar journey. It seems as though Aniket and Akash have certainly flourished from their lives as expats.

Authored by two of the finest young minds Yale University has ever seen, Club Expat: A Teenager's Guide to Moving Overseas is truly an amazing work of literature. This dynamic duo of brothers, Aniket and Akash Shah, call upon personal experience as they share valuable information any 'expat kid' needs to know before they arrive at their new home. After reading this book myself, only disappointment I felt was that I did not have such a wonderful resource at my disposal as a youth moving to Germany ten years ago! Surely,'Club Expat' is a must have in any worldly youth's library. And if you're not going anywhere anytime soon? So what! Even if you aren't planning on moving overseas, this is a great read. You will be entertained from cover to cover by the Shah brothers' witty style. The writing is flawless and the insight is invaluable, so do yourself a huge favor and pick up Club Expat today!

I FOUND MS ALBA BUILDS HER CHARACTERS SO WELL. IT WAS A WONDERFUL READ FOR ME AS I LOVE MUSIC. THE STORY HELD MY ATTENTION. I RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

GEORGIA LEHMAN

Concertos in D Major is a well-crafted and compelling read! Alba blends several elements of great fiction into a seamless narrative. Her characters exhibit real CHARACTER. This is a wiltingly romantic story without overt eroticism. Replacing that is a jet-stream of sexual tension and an uncompromising pursuit of moral truth. I highly recommend this book.

I LOVED the book. Wow, when is the author's next novel coming out? She really knows how to grab hold of a girl's heart! I
stayed up several nights reading--I just couldn't put it down. What a wonderful escape!

I really enjoyed the book and had to read it all in one day. I appreciated the way she developed the characters. . .my imagination was able to run wild. I loved the book and hope to read many more by the same author.

The author is a poet as well as a novelist--her writing style is so colorful and beautiful!

1970's "The Crofter and the Laird" is John McPhee's graceful account of an extended stay on the Scottish island of Colonsay, ancestral home to his clan and a living fragment of an almost feudal lifestyle in the 20th Century.

Author John McPhee is rightly known for his keen observation, his simple but highly descriptive prose, and his ability to capture a sense of place. These skills are very evident in his clear-eyed yet sympathetic narrative of a vanishing culture in the Hebrides. The residents work small crofts, or rented farms, for a thin but apparently rewarding living in the solitude of a remote and beautiful island. The laird, owner of the island, lives in England but visits every summer. The crofters and the laird are enmeshed in an ancient legal tradition of mutual obligation, an anachronism which neither party was quite yet prepared to give up when McPhee stayed on Colonsay.

Colonsay's culture sits on a couple of millennia of history contributed by Picts, Celts, Scots, Vikings, and others. Some of the best parts of McPhee's narrative are his observations of the ancient remnants, such as ruined chapels, and the myths, stories, and customs forwarded by the islanders. Every physical feature on the island seems to have a name and a story.

The center of McPhee's narrative is his host on the island, one Donald McNeill, who pursues a variety of vocations to feed his family and make a living, and who provides insight into a close-knit society that regards "incomers" with some suspicion. McNeill is entirely comfortable in his life, appreciative of his family's long continuity on the island, yet honest about the hard work required by what is nearly subsistance living.

This book is highly recommended as a fascinating and enjoyable read on a small fragment of a vanishing island culture in a place time seemed almost to have forgotten.

The finely detailed observations and vivid turn-of-words which we have come to know so well from McPhee's books on North America and its geological history, is applied here with great skill in this look at the tiny Scottish island of Colonsay and its inhabitants. The small population of under 150 people can trace ancestry to two castes or clans. Most are crofters or farmers. Some are true islanders with family roots going back hundreds of years; others are "incomers". It's not a derogatory term but simply another social distinction. Then there's THE CROFTER AND THE LAIRD. McPhee offers a distillation of this social concoction. "The usual frictions, gossip, and intense social espionage that characterize life in a small town are so grandly magnified...everyone is many things to everyone else, and is encountered daily in a dozen guises. Enmeshed together, the people of the island become one another. Friend and enemy dwell in the same skin."

McPhee deals with his usual areas of interest such as the environmental past of the island, but its the people that fascinate him. Here it's also a little closer to home as Colonsay is the home of McPhee's ancestors. The book is as much a narrative of the strife torn history of clans as it is one Americans' exploration of the "sentimental myth" that he attaches to his Scottish surname. McPhee quickly sees that, rather than myth, the clan is as real to Scots as it ever was. This is only amplified in a feudal and cloistered social setting such as on Colonsay.

The McPhee's (or Macafee, MacPhee, Macheffie, or MacDuffie, as the various septs are known) are part of the ancient clan MacFie. They're Celtic, and the Gaelic origin of the name means "son of the Dark Fairy or Elf". Such fairy-tale-like legends seem incongruous when set against the treacherous and bloody reality of clan history. The McPhee's are a "broken clan", the last chieftan was murdered by the MacDonald's in the 17th century. The MacDonald's however got their comeuppance in the way of the clans. A group of MacDonald's were butchered in their sleep by the Campbell's of Argyll in the Glencoe Massacre of 1692.

And just to show that clan history dies very hard, many Scots, even until today, when pressed just a little bit can usually find something uncharitable to say about my Campbell clan. Time and geographical distance may make the clans of only historical interest to McPhee, myself, and other North Americans with Scots ancestors. In Scotland it's a lot more real and present, and this wonderful book gives us a slice of that life.

I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing and light but great in detail. John McPhee explains his move from the U.S. with his wife and 4 daughters back to his Great Grandfather's ancestral home on the island of Colonsay in the Hebrides of Scotland. The population is around 150 and he learns all about the small town life in a feudal environment. McPhee talks about everything from farmers, crofters, and general laborers and their daily lives on the island. He also shifts from what he sees and experiences with first person gossip and comments from the islanders to stories and legends from the island's and his clan's past.

All the islanders talk of the Laird Strathcona who owns everything. Then John meets him and sees he is just a minor peer in the Scottish Court and more of a landlord trying to bring the island of Colonsay a little out of the past. The book is lightly sprinkled with simple sketches of the island which brings everything together.

A really enjoyable read for anyone with Scottish roots or just interested in Scottish life and history. Not everyone is descended from Scottish Kings and famous knights. Most of us are of the poorer stock like those portrayed in this book. I am even more proud of them now.

THE BOOK HELP INSPIRE ME, MY SON, AND BROTHER TO GO TO COLONSAY IN THE SPRING OF 1998. MOST OF THE PEOPLE YOU WROTE ABOUT ARE DEAD. HOWEVER CHARLIE MCKINNON AND HIS WIFE, GIBBIE MCNEIL, KEITH RUTHERFORD, AND A FEW MORE ARE STILL LIVING. I HAVE WRITTEN AN ACCOUNT OF MY VISIT AND WILL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE AUTHOR IS HE WISHES. LAN NA LEF. JERRY D. MCAFEE

My family also originates on Colonsay, and we go back to visit occasionally. We were asked if we were related to John McPhee, because our name is McAfee. We were told that it was a good thing we weren't, because John had given away more secrets than the islanders thought wise. They told us that if he ever returned he would not make it off the ferry onto the dock. This is a great book and should be read and appreciated by all.

one lesson I learned from this book that I kept in mind throughout my teenage life: don't EVER change yourself to impress a guy, just be yourself! Enough said!

13 year old Dawn is now trying on some red lipsticks.... The reason she's doing that because she's dating with Lewis, Logan's cousin. But the date has mistakes!

Dawn is about to meet her pen pal who is also logan's cute cousin! She feels like she's not good enough so she gets herself a bizzare makeover and tries to be someone she's not. But at the end of the book, she starts being herself again and gets along fine with him. Mary Anne was being a bit superficial in the book and not acting like her sweet self at all, but it's still a good read.

Dawn's Big Date is one of those books you can read over and over again, and still be entertained. Dawn is finally going to meet her penpal, Louis, who is also Logan's cousin from Kentucky. Before he comes to Stoneybrooke, Mary Anne gives a FEW hints and suggestions to Dawn about how she should look when Louis sees her, what make-up she should wear, stuff like that. Dawn bends over backwards before Louis arrives, picking out new outrageous clothes, tons of make-up, and fancy new hairstyles, just so she will give Louis a good impression. But when he finally arrives, he doesn't seem to like the new Dawn. Uh-oh... The side plot of this book is very good as well. Norman Hill is an overweight kid, who is being constantly teased by his sister and friends, and hounded by his parents. The baby-sitters want to help Norman out, but how? Then Stacey suggests that Norman tears one of his sister's mean drawings, and he begans to feel some self-respect, which is a tremendous help. Overall, this book was excellent. One of my favorite BSC books ever. Read it!

In dawn's Big date, Dawn tries to change her hairstyle, her clothes and her makeup for a date with Lewis, Logan's cousin. But Dawn is worried, will Lewis and the Baby Sitters like the New Dawn"?. when they had the date, Everything seems to get wrong. Will Dawn's date with Lewis be a total disaster? Anyway, Lewis is only visiting in Stoneybrook like what Mary Anne said in Dawn and the older Boy. And Lewis is only fourteen and guess how old travis was? sixteen!

The other 5-star reviews have it right, this is one terrific story that is difficult to put down once begun. However, this book provides more than an engaging account of a lost battle and the subsequent periods of escape and captivity by the author. The author delves deeply into the psychology of the captor/captive relationship - both in general and the specific dynamics of this war.

What I found fascinating is the maniacal desire of the communist Chinese to obtain some measure of legitimacy for their actions, both political and militarily, in signed statements, confessions from their captors, and in the comical re-education classes.

It becomes apparent that for these captors and captives at the Pyongyang Political Prison, this period was a test of the legitimacy of their way of life - philosophically, politically, and morally. And while these men lost the military battle for the hills near the Imjun River early in the war, they held the intellectual and moral high ground until the day they returned home. This was their victory.

This account of the fight put up against overwhelming odds by the "Glorious Gloucesters" at the battle of the Imjin River in April 1951, and the subsequent imprisonment as POWs of most of the survivors, deserves to go down as a classic tale of warfare and heroism.

The author, Captain (later General Sir) Anthony Farrar Hockley, who was adjutant (e.g. battalion chief of staff) of the first battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, originally wrote the book in the mid fifties, shortly after his return from captivity.

During a major Chinese and North Korean offensive during the Korean war, the 1st battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment held their position on the Imjin river against many times their numbers for three days. There were heavy casualties on both sides - shortly after his capture the author counted more than two hundred Chinese bodies on one slope of one hill after one morning's fighting.

After supplies and a relief column failed to get through, the battalion was forced to retreat and most of the survivors were captured while trying to get back to Allied lines. The first seventy pages of the book describe the battle: the remaining 216 describe the author's experiences in captivity, including his attepts at escape.

I can't improve on the description of this book in the foreword to the 1955 version which was written by Major General Brodie.

"Captain Farrar-Hockley, then Adjutant of the Glosters, who himself was outstanding in the battle and afterwards, has written the most graphic account of a battle and of escaptes from captivity I have ever read.

This is a book which ought to be read by every soldier and prospective soldier.

Here he may learn what is meant by real discpline and inspiring leadership."

I must have read this book at least seven times, and also acknowledge the author as a great military historian (22? books), as well as being a knight of the realm. He was a gutsy Adjutant of the Gloucestershire Regiment at the Battle of the Imjin River in the Korean war. He pens a rivetting story about his exploits in escape from the North Koreans and the Chinese. I believe that he remains the most escaped prisoner of war in history.

He was decorated for his gallantry in Korea, and retired a Field Marshall, (five star general). I believe as the Allied Supreme Commander of NATO?

His story is an inspiration to all persons military, and to many who may have never even spoken to one. He suffers his captors and their tortures to become an extraordinary personality.

I'm about to read it for the 8th time!

Do yourself a favour, touch through these pages a hero from the "forgotten" war.

An account of the stand of the 1st Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, at the Eastern crossing of the Imjin River during the Korean War 1950-1953, by the Adjutant of the Battalion at the time. It continues with an account of the captivity experienced by the author: of his journeys up and down North Korea, now an escapee, now recaptured; of interrogations in Pyongyang Political Prison, of life with the Chinese both in and outside prison Camps; and of the men with whom he shared those experiences.

General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley shares his personal experiences from the Korean War in "The Edge of the Sword". The result is a powerful book recounting battlefield heroism and the highest standards of conduct during his 30 months of captivity.

This incredible book begins with then Captain Farrar-Hockley, the Battalion Adjutant, in position on the hills overlooking the Imjin River in April 1951. After four human waves of Chinese soldiers attempting to overrun their positions, the British broke contact and attempted to rejoin the rapidly retreating allied forces. After days of brutal combat, they were surrounded and surrendered to Chinese forces.

General Farrar-Hockley details each of his six escapes from either the Chinese and North Korean forces. Along with these gripping tales, he also shares the emotional stress caused by some of the various torture methods, including the particularly cruel water-boarding.

In 1955, President Eisenhower created the Code of the U.S. Fighting Force to serve as an ethical guide for US combatants who fall into enemy hands, as a result of actions of US prisoners held captive during the Korean War. The current code contains seven articles providing a moral compass in the areas of leadership, resistance, escape, and faith in your country. In this book, General Farrar-Hockley's tale exemplifies each of the key articles of the US Code of Conduct taught to all US service-members.

This book is a powerful, inspirational story that belongs in the library of every modern day warrior.
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After reading additional books, I have discovered that Anthony Farrar-Hockley is the master of the understatement. The "Glosters" were the premier British unit in the Korean War. The Battle of Imjin river is known as the "Epic Stand of the Glosters" in England. There is no better way to read about the battle, except to hear it from a man who lived through it. J. Rudy, 9/7/2008

Well I don't normaly do this but I was looking something up on the internet and I ran across a reveiw for this book and it made me really mad. It said, and I quote "Tragedy unravells the lives of a man, his wife and his young lover." Sounds like a really bad third rate romance novel am I right? Well, I just wanted to set the record straight on what this book is really about. Bracken is not the bad guy in the story as the other reveiw made him out to be, infact its his wife that left HIM for another man. He does fall in love with Dinah--but he doesn't do anyting about it until he is sure he can marry her properly and not make a scandel. Their are two other love stories in this book as well, Fitz and Gwen and Archie and Vergina, that will make you smile like your the one in love. I recommend this book to anyone-though I would read Dawns Early Light and Yankee Stranger first. Thane's writing is simple and beautiful and makes her readers feel as if they are actually in the story and expirencing the same emotions as her characters. I have yet to come across another author that makes me as crazy and a happy as Elswyth Thane.

This is one of those books you keep and read every year. Although a number of stories touch and diverge, it is Dinah and Bracken's romance that I return to over and over.
Thane's description of Dinah's flowering under the attention from Bracken is so sweet. The setting, England on the brink of WWII, is richly described. The difficulties they must overcome seem insurmountable, but love conquers all.

This is another example of Elswyth Thane's magnificent writing skill! Elswyth Thane has the great talent of combining historical facts and figures with fictitious and romantic plots without overdosing in either element.
In Ever AFter, the story opens on Susannah, now aged and spinsterish but still writing as fervently as ever. On Eden, now married to journalist Cabot Murray and the mother of three grown children. Bracken, her eldest, is a somewhat resigned young man who shows promise in the feild of journalism. His sister, Virginia, is a blossoming and flirtatious southern belle who hooks nearly every man who looks at her. And Fitz, the son of Sedgwick and Melicent Sprague, Fitz's only companions it seems are his piano and Sue. He is the outcast of the family, the one oddity that no one understands except Sue.
As Fitz leaves the shelter of Williamsburg and his songwriting, he takes a job with Cabot's paper in New York and there meets Gwen, an actress who will change his life's course forever. Meanwhile, Sue, Bracken and Virginia set out for England for the Jubilee celebration. There they encounter Sir Gration Forbes-Carpenter, who is a war veteran from the war in Africa. This leaves Sue with a choice that will plague her conscious forever; her spontaneous friendship with Sir Gration or her deep and forbidden love for Sedgwick...
However, Sue is not the only one who finds love in England. Bracken, still hurt from his not-quite-finished divorce with Lizl Olezei, finds Dinah Campion. Immediately touched by her young and sweet innocence, Bracken is forced to conceal his love for her until she is of age to marry.
Matters become more complicated as the steadily growing conflict between Spain and Cuba erupts into war. Fitz and Bracken are forced to go to Cuba as war correspondents and must leave their newfound loves behind.
Take my advice if you have already read Dawn's Early Light and Yankee Stranger and read this book. You won't be disappointed.

For many years my favorite of the Williamsburg Novels (I even named my only son after the main character!) "Ever After" is a delectible evocation of late Victorian life in America and England. One of the blessed qualities of the writing of Elswyth Thane is that she can take each character of each generation of her families and make them vivid, alive, humanly recognizable, and -- most amazing feat of all -- DIFFERENT! Dinah Campion is no more Tibby Mawes than Bracken Murray is St. John Sprague, and all Thane's heroines, from Tibby to Eden to Virginia and beyond have their own decidedly varied personalities. Less war-oriented than her first two novels, "Ever After" tells the story of loves delayed (as loves and lives always are) by the interruption of violence into well-ordered lives. With her usual deft pen Thane not only reconstructs turn-of-the-century Williamsburg for us, but turns her talents to late 19th century New York and England as well. More than any other of her books, I think, this one depicts exquisitely the settings where her characters live and function: the fascinating city that was New York in the Gay 90s -- early vaudeville with its colorful characters, fashionable Park Avenue where the very rich dressed and partied and lived in isolated splendor, the seamier side of existence where vices of every kind could make the frightened sister of a tawdry vaudeville suicide expect to have to pay back the men who rescue her in the "usual" way. And Thane's beloved England sparkles through her eyes, not only in its upper-class, fox-hunting, tweed-wearing, manifiestations, but in the lonely lives led by the ignored and repressed offspring of the rich and elite. Through Thane's skill as a story-teller and the window she seems to possess into the human soul, what might be a completely unbelievable tale of love at first sight becomes an entirely comprehensible exercise in passion and self-restraint. Music fills this book, literally and figuratively, and the Spanish-American War, when it erupts into these sophisticated and civilized pages, takes us away from that music only momentarily. The disputes and disagreements of war are not the main conflicts in this novel; love postponed, love seemingly impossible, love triumphant are the themes, and Thane lifts us out of ourselves and into the hearts of her characters with all the skill of a conjuror. A honey of a book, and a dilly of a portrait!

I read all of Thane's "Williamsburg novels" in the 1970's in what I remember being original library editions, and liked them very much. A couple of years ago, I ran into what looked to be a clean copy of "Ever After" at a local bookstore, and bought it, happy to have a copy of a work I remembered from my childhood. On reading it, though, I was confused to realize that it had been expurgated -- the references to drinking were almost all excised. Thane was an author of her time, writing about another time, and in both of them social drinking was an accepted thing, but none of her characters drank excessively, and it would be hard to interpret her books as endorsing alcohol, so the edits were very mysterious. There was no re-writing involved, and in one case the cut left a grammatical glitch that reads very awkwardly. I asked around when I first realized this, but could find no one that had any additional information on the press or its policies.

The copy is from something called Hawthorn Press, and the only bibliographic information it has is from the original printing in 1945. The copy feels too new to be of that vintage, though, so I'm not sure what the actual edition is. Just realize that you might wind up with slightly less story than Thane originally wrote.

A terrific read. Brian really hits it on the nail. As a sales training company owner, and book author myself, who is at a crossroads right now in his life, Brian King's story and advice is one for any 30 something. An extremely perceptive individual, Brian reminds us that our "issues" are everyone's issues. His lessons remind us to not wait until we are confronted with physical crises before we address our emotional crises. Lessons such as helping others - WITHOUT THE GOAL TO BE HELPED BACK - are huge. His "Hara" of the only two things you can control- Who You Are and What You Do is dead on accurate. For anyone who has ever thought they are alone in the world and seeking human fulfillment, this is a must read.

Todd B. Natenberg<

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who truly wants to improve themseves and the quality of their lives.The book is written in a interesting and sometimes humorous way so that it is not like an average self help book.I would say this book is an absolute must for anyone with Cancer or any other life altering disease.It is widely known in the medical field that attitude is largely responsible for survival of a dread disease.This book can help you Cure your negative feelings to enable you to work on getting well.

While the title is decidedly ominous, the author doesn't really mean to suggest that we are all doomed to suffer the ravages of a life-threatening illness. Rather, we are given a poignant account of a young man's encounter with testicular cancer. We journey through the author's passage from physical illness to physical and spiritual wellness, beginning with an emotional narrative of his disease and how it affected his life as well as the lives of those around him. But the underlying metaphor, in fact, the reason for this book lies in the subtitle: "Cures for the Negative Thoughts That Are Cancerous to Our Lives."

Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, many of us are looking for a wizard to help light our way, to provide answers to better help us cope with life's pitfalls. And, like Dorothy, at the end of a long, and sometimes arduous voyage, (King does suggest a bit of homework) the reader discovers that true power and wisdom come from within.

Then why bother to take this trip? Well, for many of us, the answers we seek are not as accessible as we would like. King imparts a perception that helps us tap into a component of ourselves that is sometimes cleverly hidden. He becomes a friend, offering compassion and a beam of light, so that we know we are not alone in our travels. And, if given the choice, most of us would rather travel with a companion.

"Everybody Has a Tumor" is an inspiring book about this authors ordeal with testicular cancer and how he overcame it. I recommend this book not only for all cancer patients and their families, but for anyone who has been through anything tragic in their lives. Overcoming tragedies in life is not easy - this book offers COMFORT and HOPE for all who read it! While it teaches anyone suffering from an ailment that they must not allow their minds and their spirit to feel the same way their body does, it also teaches those whove suffered a tragedy in life to move on and not allow that tragedy to break their spirit.

Brian King's personal story is not only inspirational but offers the most important component of overcoming, and that is hope. Without hope we have nothing. Brian also shares some of his wisdom , based on his personal experiences, to guide us along the way. Take the journey and experience the hope.

For Executive's Only is a valuable career resource. The authors provide a practical and actionable plan to not only find your next job, but more importantly, find out what your next job should be. This is far more involved than a typical self help book that gives resume pointers. The book walks you through an entire self assessment and career targeting process that is based on Strategic Planning processes used every day in business. The punch line - Why put any less effort or strategy into building your personal career?

A quick read - I read it on a plane trip - that can provide years of useful advice.

Bill Belknap has been a consultant of mine for several years, and his pithy, straight-forward style is embodied in this book. I would describe it as a "see the forest through the trees" perspective on self-assessment and selling oneself. Whether it's selling a product, consulting services or oneself, Bill's perspective is high level, to the point, and action oriented. Very useful!

Anyone in a job humting mode will find this book chock full of great advice. Not a 'cookie cutter' approach, it challanges the reader to think outside standard hunting techniques that could cost thousands through outplacemnent firms and ties them together in an easy to read and apply philosophy. Well worth the investment.

The Five O'Clock Club strategy shows you how to build an entire cadre of self-marketing tools for the job search including the all important, attention-grabbing resume. Advice is specific and down to earth with great examples. You'll swear they walked in your shoes. Carol O'Brien

If you've just heard that your department is being reorganized, or you've simply had one too many bad days at work, order this book rush delivery and set aside the next night for an easy, practical and inspiring solution to your next job search.

I was able to get through the book in one night, and then start the next morning out of the box with a solid game plan, knowing exactly where to start on my search. There's no fluff here, just a straightforward guideline of what to do the first day, the first week, and on through negotiating your offer and starting your new position on the right foot.

This is not a self-help book; this is a tactical guide emphasizing strategic planning. It suggests one should dedicate the same energy, research, preparedness, long and short term organization, and confidence that we give to any presentation or business initiative to our search for the next great career move. And in doing so, just as you'd never suggest your firm enter a market you didn't truly believe in, you should only consider industries, companies and managers where you're certain your values and skills will be a successful fit. "So here is your challenge: don't settle for just a "good job". Plan for a great job. And to plan for a great job means you must seek work where and how you will perform best." This really resonated with me, it is true that for every work challenge I'd prepare vigorously, anticipating questions, laying out a timeline, etc. but I was not giving that same level of attention or forethought to my job search.

It's hard to believe that such a quick read can encompass 1) a confidence-building and eye opening assessment of your past successes and interests, 2) a reminder of the importance of a whole-life balance (if your life outside of work is neglected, your job performance and morale will inevitably suffer), 3) the importance of finding a firm that supports your core values, 4) clear steps towards researching your target industries and firms, 5) a manageable networking plan including great ideas for new contacts ("my mother in law plays bridge with the mother of the CEO of ???") 6) the importance of and how to hone a polished answer for the interview question "so tell me about yourself" 7) and - boy do I wish I'd done this before signing on to my last job - performing due diligence on your new manager, and your manager's manager.

This book is a winner, intelligent and savvy, and laid out in a way that reduces job search anxiety. You know exactly what should be on your to-do list each day, and how to tell if you're staying on course, and if not, how to steer it back in the right direction. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about finding your next position, buy this book. I guarantee you'll have many "aha" moments, many reminders of what you've been doing right, what you can do better, and a winning crib sheet for any aspect of your search.